- An introduction to Psychology
Have you ever wondered why people around you act the way they do? Or why you respond in a particular way to events in your life? These are some of the questions that typically arise when we think about psychology in everyday terms- but in reality, psychologists look at behaviour in a far richer and deeper scientific way. From the action of chemicals in our neurons, and the function of specific brain structures, to perception, emotion and complex behaviours like falling in love or making friends; all of this is included in what psychology explores as a discipline. Whether you have studied psychology before or not, this taster will introduce you to the way that we uncover the ‘secrets’ behind human behaviour at degree level, the techniques we use as psychological scientists, and the brain and body structures that make us act the way we do.
- An introduction to Health and Medical Sciences
James was involved in a serious road traffic collision, which left him with a spinal cord injury. When you hear about these situations, you often think about how the damage occurred and what impact the damage will have on James, but the implications of a road traffic collision extend much further than the patient. In health and medical sciences, you learn through investigating health problems using the biopsychosocial model, which allows you to consider the problem from a biological, psychological, sociocultural, local and global level. This taster session will allow you to explore the case from multiple viewpoints gaining a holistic understanding of James’ situation and how this may impact his health outcomes.
- An introduction to Biomedical and Neuroscience
Until recently, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was the second most common genetic cause of infant death in the UK. SMA has a carrier frequency of 1 in 50 adults and an incidence of 1 in 10,000 births. We now have three approved therapies, all of which have pushed the boundaries of medical science and had significant impact on the lives and wellbeing of children and families affected by SMA. In this taster session we will cover the basic pathophysiology of SMA and cover the most exciting therapy, Zolgensma, which is a viral gene therapy that has led some clinicians to believe we have cured the disease. This session will be delivered by Prof Philip Young, a neuroscientist and SMA researcher.
- An introduction to Biochemistry
A core problem that has plagued protein biochemists for the past 40 years is how we can predict protein tertiary structures from basic primary sequencies. Up until recently, this could only be done experimentally, which has huge cost implications and triggers a bottleneck in drug discovery pipelines. In this taster session we will cover the main issues facing biochemists around protein structure predictions, techniques used to identify structures and finish with how artificial intelligence and large language models are now being used to dramatically speed up the process. The session will finish with a review of how AI is likely to change the pharmaceutical industry in the coming 5-10 years. Prof Philip Young, a neuroscientist and protein biochemist.
- An introduction to Biological Sciences
Did you know that some of the world’s most important carbon stores are hidden beneath our feet? Peatlands are carbon-rich wetlands that cover only a small percentage of the Earth’s surface, yet they store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined. These fascinating ecosystems act as giant natural “carbon vaults”, locking away organic material over thousands of years in waterlogged, oxygen-poor environments. However, when peatlands are drained, deforested or burned, enormous amounts of greenhouse gases can be released back into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change on a global scale.
In this taster session, you will explore the science behind tropical peatlands and discover how microbes, plants and water interact to control the movement of carbon through these ecosystems. Using real-world case studies from Southeast Asia, including peat swamp forests in Borneo, you will investigate how human activities such as agriculture can transform these environments and alter the global carbon cycle. You’ll also examine the environmental consequences of peatland degradation, from biodiversity loss and wildfires to carbon emissions.
Following the lecture, you will take part in a practical field activity where you will measure tree carbon storage around campus using ecological survey techniques used by environmental scientists. By calculating tree biomass and estimating carbon stocks, you will gain hands-on experience in understanding how scientists measure carbon capture in natural environments and explore the important role that ecosystems play in tackling climate change.
Are you fascinated by the challenge of finding out how life on Earth really works? Students on the Integrated Natural Sciences course learn how to explore this fundamental question by drawing freely on skills in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computing. This enables them to think creatively and quantitatively about real scientific problems, and to solve the most important questions in biomedicine at scales from atoms to cells to whole organisms. During this workshop, you’ll get a flavour of our inter-disciplinary approach by investigating a gene’s sequence from molecular, evolutionary and functional perspectives, gaining a deeper understanding of its importance to living organisms. Whether you’re curious about chemical reactions inside cells, computational modelling of biological processes, or the physics of life at the molecular level, this session will give you a window into what it’s like to tackle big questions without boundaries in science.
