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University of Salford showcases cutting edge health research

Friday 26 May 2017

CUTTING edge research dealing in everything from virtual reality to the links between stress and cancer is being showcased at a special event to mark the University of Salford’s 50th anniversary.

Researchers from dozens of groups across the University will be explaining the range, quality and impact of their work at the Health, Wellbeing and Society Research Showcase, held at the Allerton Building on Wednesday 31 May.

This will include a team who are trying to understand what takes place in the brain when people experience virtual reality, with a goal of using VR as a technique to help people with mental health problems.

A group investigating gene regulation and cancer biology will talk about their work studying the effects of DNA damage on a gene which mutates in more than half of human cancers, as well as the genome-wide studies they are carrying out in research around personalised medicine.

There will also be demonstrations from a group studying the use of body-worn devices which are given to people living at home with long-term conditions to assess the effectiveness of different treatments.

Researchers who study the biomechanics of running and have created a performance clinic, enabling them to create a huge database of running injuries, will talk about their current work into whether abnormal hip coordination can lead to foot and knee pain in runners.

There will also be demonstrations from groups working on designing and developing new technology to help amputees, and on a condition that leads to neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and lung fibrosis.

The Salford Institute of Dementia, which brings together experts in digital technology, social care professions, architecture and robotics, will talk about their work helping people live with the condition, while Occupational Therapy researchers will describe projects around managing loneliness in later life and adapting home environments to improve older people’s independence.

Tours will also be given of the University’s cutting edge facilities, such as a digital imaging suite, biomechanics research laboratories, and simulation suites – which feature realistic electronic manikins and are used to train nursing and midwifery students in a wide range of medical scenarios.

Professor Jackie Oldham, Director of Corridor Manchester Health Innovation and a Manchester Global Ambassador, will give a keynote speech on demand led innovation at the event.

Professor Georg Hide will talk about his work studying the parasite Toxoplasma, which effects one in 10 people in the UK and while harmless in most people can lead to miscarriages in rare cases, while Professor Michael Lisanti will give a speech about treating cancer like an infectious disease.  

There will also be keynote speeches from Professor Chris Nester, leading the £1.5m Great Foundations project which aims to understand how children’s feet develop as they learn how to walk and from Tony Long, Professor of Child and Family Health, who has investigated how to improve the impact of interventions for those at risk of abuse.

Professor Peter Hogg, who is leading the event, said: “The sheer scale of research taking place around the University in areas relating to health, wellbeing and society is impressive, as is the impact that this work is having on industry, on people working in the health service and on patients themselves.

“Anyone coming to this event will encounter a vast range of expertise, which is being used in innovative ways to address problems which they world needs answers for.”

The event takes place from 1-6pm on Wednesday May 31. Visit here to book a place.