University of Kent students and lecturers from Medway School of Pharmacy are set to take their research from the lab to Medway’s community venues as part of the national Pint of Science Festival between 19 and 21 May.
Pint of Science is an annual worldwide science festival which brings researchers to local pubs/cafes/spaces to share their scientific discoveries with the public. To celebrate, researchers in the Medway School of Pharmacy are hosting three talks in venues across Chatham and Rochester.
Developing New Medical Tools using Bats, Viruses and Gels
On Monday 19 May at the 12 Degree Micropub in Rochester, audiences can join Dr Simon Scott and Professor Nigel Temperton to learn about how the OneBat project is decoding the role of bats in emerging diseases. Research student Murtala Dahiru will then take audiences on an exploration of the applications of hydrogels in everyday items like jam and contact lenses, and how they control drug release and reduce side effects.
Strategy for Healthy Ageing: Improve Sleep and Manage Pain
On Tuesday 20 May at The Deep End in Chatham, student Lorna Brown will share how the natural body ‘clock’ works, its impact on health, and age-related changes, as well as tips on how to strengthen the body clock and promote healthier ageing. The audience will then hear from Makurata Zaninka on how nerves and the immune system talk to each other to cause pain in people with high blood pressure and arthritis, and how Kent research is working to counter this.
The Real Story: Alcohol and Herbal Remedies
On Wednesday 21 May at Man of Kent in Rochester, Dr Media Zanganeh will be helping audiences understand how tiny building blocks in the body reveal the hidden impact of alcohol exposure during pregnancy, transforming diagnosis and support for affected children. Dr Sukvinder Bhamra will then dive into the fascinating world of herbal medicines, where ancient wisdom meets cutting-edge science.
The Medway School of Pharmacy is a unique collaboration between the University of Kent and the University of Greenwich, where research has been ranked 8th in the UK for research intensity in the Times Higher Education. Participating in Pint of Science is just one of the ways the School is achieving its mission to inspire, innovate and achieve in medicines education and research and support the health and wellbeing of the region’s communities.
All talks begin at 7:30pm with a ticket price of £5, available to book here.