Explorathon Research Lunch Bytes

A transcript for this podcast can be found online, here.

This year is the Year of Scotland’s Coasts and Waters, marking the vital role our water courses play in our lives.  

Did you know that seaweed is vital ingredient for a variety of products including cosmetics, soil fertilizers, wastewater treatment and much more? 

Seaweeds play a vital role in the marine environment as well as in products. Join Dr Puja Kumari as she discusses the importance of seaweeds, what it can be used for, how research is finding new uses and its possible future role in contributing to carbon reduction efforts.

A transcript for this podcast can be found online, here.

Pre-clinical and clinical trials are an essential part of the process in developing new drugs and treatments for diseases and conditions. 

This panel session, featuring researchers from the University of Aberdeen’s Institute of Medical Sciences will discuss the process scientists have to follow in order to introduce new drugs to and treatments to the market. 

Panellists 

Dr Sadaf Ashraf, Research Fellow - Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory 

Dr Elizabeth Hay, Research Fellow – Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory  

Dr Gael Morrow, Honorary Research Fellow - Haemotology & Cardiovascular Medicine

A transcript for this episode can be found online, here.

Why is it that some people are more susceptible to conditions such alcoholism, depression and anxiety than others? 

This discussion with Dr Alasdair MacKenzie will explore how switches within our genes can influence many complicated diseases, and how his research into these switches is helping our understanding of conditions such as alcoholism, anxiety, depression and heart disease.

A transcript for this episode can be found online, here. 

A number of drugs over the last 70 years have been withdrawn following the discovery of serious side-effects. Most of us will be familiar with the Thalidomide scandal, and how thousands of people continue to be affected by the birth defects caused by the drug. The effect of these scandals has been lasting and has caused many people to distrust drug development and reporting. 

Professor Neil Vargesson will explore how Thalidomide was found to have caused serious side effects and how research has found that these drugs can effectively treat other diseases and conditions. He will also discuss his work investigating another drug used in early stages of pregnancy; Primodos and his work communicating research with the public, government and other groups. 

When you ask how medical research is undertaken, most people will likely answer that it’s undertaken in a laboratory or using data to identify what will happen in a scenario. This is quantitative research. However, qualitative research is a method which can help medical researchers understand how or why certain things happen. 

Join Dr Kim Walker from the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Healthcare Education Research and Innovation as she discusses the role qualitative research can play in medical research, and provides an overview of her recent research which is assessing the interventions required to support doctors’ mental health and resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The fouling of marine structures by organisms dramatically increases costs and is a significant consideration for companies managing offshore assets, with fouling increasing risk of erosion and dramatically increasing the costs of decommissioning. 

To date this has been addressed though manual or chemical removal, which does not benefit marine environments and is costly to implement.

Join PhD student Jessica Gomez-Banderas as she talks about her research which seeks to find natural compounds to prevent marine fouling of immersed structures. 

Join Dr Davina Derous from the University of Aberdeen School of Biological Sciences as she talks about her career to date, beginning in human nutrition and now biological research, and explains how her research investigating the metabolism of whales and dolphins could influence future conservation efforts for these animals. 

The use of performance related pay in a variety of sectors is well documented, with economists highlighting the benefits of such a model on a person’s productivity. However, 18th Century Economist, Adam Smith observed in his book, The Wealth of Nations:  “Men….when liberally paid by the piece, are very apt to overwork themselves, and to ruin their health and constitution in a few years”. 
  
Join Professor Keith Bender and Dr Nicole Andelic as they discuss their ESRC-funded project which seeks to find out the impacts of performance related pay on stress as measured through cortisol, what it could mean for their long-term health, and the potential implications for businesses in the future. 

The decommissioning of an offshore installation is an expensive process and there are a number of requirements placed on licence holders to ensure the costs of decommissioning can be met.  However, it is unclear if these requirements have an impact on tax revenues and the industry’s ambition to maximise economic recovery, and also ensuring the UK’s net-zero goals are met.

Join PhD Student Arturo Regalado as he discusses his National Decommissioning Centre-led project which seeks to find out how different instruments used to ensure financial security impacts the oil and gas industry and government.