Category: Research

Simonne Weeks headshot

Funding boost for Brighton project to encourage more Black and Asian people to become blood, organ and stem cell donors

University of Brighton’s Donor Research team have received a share of £685,000 funding as part of the Government’s commitment to continue to tackle health inequalities and promote organ, blood, and stem cell donation among Black and Asian communities.

Donor Research is an award-winning network of University of Brighton students and academics from diverse backgrounds, supported by healthcare professionals and funded by NHS Blood and Transport (NHSBT). They work collaboratively to advance, support, and shape their community’s awareness of blood and organ donation for a fairer and more equal society.

Continue reading “Funding boost for Brighton project to encourage more Black and Asian people to become blood, organ and stem cell donors“ →

Stephanie ThomsonLeave a comment

Welcoming our first cohort of Global Fellows

The Global Fellowship Scheme provides prestigious awards to enable world-leading researchers and scholars from around the globe to spend between one and three months at the University of Brighton. During this time, they will be able to engage in productive research and build lasting collaborations.

Global Fellows will work in partnerships with University of Brighton colleagues on a joint grant application, produce a co-authored output or co-produced artefact, and share research skills and experience with researchers within our Centres of Research and Knowledge Exchange Excellence and postgraduate students.

We are looking forward to welcoming Professor Alexies Dagnino, University of Valparaiso, Chile in June, who will be collaborating with Dr Melanie Flint.

Continue reading “Welcoming our first cohort of Global Fellows” →

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A hedgehog in the grass next to some apples

Garden scraps: British wildlife clash over leftover food

Badgers, hedgehogs, foxes and cats are becoming embroiled in fights and stand-offs over food left in British gardens, a study has revealed.

Wildlife conservation experts at the University of Brighton and Nottingham Trent University analysed hundreds of videos supplied by members of the public to investigate interactions within and between different species.

The researchers found that while food left by people in urban gardens – leftovers or commercially bought for this purpose – can provide benefits for wild animals, it can also bring competitors and predators into close proximity.

Continue reading “Garden scraps: British wildlife clash over leftover food” →

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Meet Professor James Ebdon

I am an Environmental Microbiologist interested in the role of water in the spread and control of water-related diseases. I’m particularly interested in how we can protect human health and aquatic environments.

What drew you to teaching your subject?

I first became interested in water pollution during my undergraduate degree at the University of Brighton, nearly 30 years ago. I was fortunate to be taught by an inspirational lecturer (Prof Huw Taylor) who got us investigating the impact of agriculture on local river water quality. This involved fieldwork at a nearby agricultural college and laboratory testing back on campus. From this moment I never looked back, and to this day I thoroughly enjoy the combination of fieldwork and lab-work. Only now I get to lead fieldwork activities and lecture about the joys of conducting environmental research in a range of challenging settings. 

How do you combine teaching with your professional life/work in the field?

Throughout my teaching career I have been heavily involved with international research projects, conducting fieldwork in Malawi, India, Nepal, Brazil, Vietnam, and Hawaii (funded by UNICEF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, British Council). This has allowed me to bring in contemporary, real-world case material into my teaching on modules such as Global Environmental Challenges, Water, Sanitation and Health and to develop dissertations with my students focussed on addressing pressing environmental challenges. This way students get to engage with and benefit from cutting-edge applied research, long before it has even been reported in leading international scientific journals.   

Continue reading “Meet Professor James Ebdon” →

Laura RubyLeave a comment
Micrscope image of phages attacking bacteria

MPs back inquiry into powerful new weapon against antibiotic resistance

A University of Brighton researcher has gained Parliamentary support to investigate an ancient foe of bacteria as a weapon against antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance is a global threat of huge proportions. A 2019 study published in the Lancet estimated that drug resistant infections contribute to 4.95 million deaths per year on average (12,000 of those in the UK) – with the global figure expected to rise to 10 million by 2050. Continue reading “MPs back inquiry into powerful new weapon against antibiotic resistance” →

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crabs and lobster baskets at the beach

Study probes sharp fall in Sussex crab and lobster catch

University of Brighton experts are investigating a steep decline in the catch of crab and lobster in key fishing waters off Selsey in West Sussex.

Three female researchers at the beachDr Heidi Burgess is working alongside University of Brighton students as part of the CHASM (Crustaceans, Habitat And Sediment Movement) Project, in partnership with Chichester District Council, the Channel Coastal Observatory, and University of Southampton. The project is also supported by over 20 national, regional, and local environmental organisations with interests in the marine environment. Continue reading “Study probes sharp fall in Sussex crab and lobster catch” →

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Dr Corina Ciocan at the harbour

Brighton research on microplastic marine pollution raises primetime alarm

Research by University of Brighton on an overlooked cause of potentially health-damaging marine pollution has been highlighted on BBC1’s The One Show.

The programme on 6 September featured University of Brighton’s marine biologist Dr. Corina Ciocan, whose research team has found alarming evidence of tiny shards of fibreglass shed from ageing or discarded boats being taken up by marine organisms – including those we eat. Continue reading “Brighton research on microplastic marine pollution raises primetime alarm” →

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Dr Sarah Pitt Media Fellow 2022 promo

Media fellowship puts biomedical expert behind the scenes at the BBC

University of Brighton’s Dr Sarah Pitt will team up with the BBC Science Unit as part of a Media Fellowship from the Association of British Science Writers.

As a virologist, Dr Pitt has made regular appearances on TV, radio and in print since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing expert insights on the disease itself, as well as infection rates, new variants and vaccinations. More recently, she has been called upon to comment on other topics such as the discovery of polio in London water and the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. Continue reading “Media fellowship puts biomedical expert behind the scenes at the BBC” →

Stephanie ThomsonLeave a comment
Dr Lorna Linch head shot

Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781 – 2022

Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781-2022 is a major exhibition spanning four centuries of artwork, at the Royal West of England Academy’s (RWA) newly refurbished galleries this summer. The final instalment of the RWA’s elements series, Earth tackles the most expansive and urgent of subject matters, bringing together important modern, historical and contemporary artworks. Continue reading “Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781 – 2022” →

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