Campus News
Theodore a film star
August 18th, 2014
A University of Nottingham Philosophy graduate is one of the stars of Hollywood sci-fi film Divergent.
Theo James (Philosophy 2007) or Theodore Taptiklis, as he was known during his student days, was treading the boards of the University’s New Theatre just seven years ago but now joins a growing and prestigious list of alumni of the theatre, which includes Olivier award winner and BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated actress Ruth Wilson.
Following his rise to stardom Theo now has his own fans website theojamesfans.com and various Tumblr accounts, one of which is dedicated to the worship of his eyebrows.
After graduating from Nottingham, Theo trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His early television roles included parts in A Passionate Woman, opposite Billie Piper, Downton Abbey and Bedlam. In 2009 Screen International film magazine listed him as a “Star of Tomorrow” and his film roles came thick and fast.
Although he appeared in the Woody Allen film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, he rose to prominence with a role in The Inbetweeners Movie in 2011. A year later he appeared in the American action horror film Underworld: Amakening with Kate Beckinsale.
US audiences have seen much more of Theo recently with his role last year as rookie detective and future New York police commissioner Walter William Clark Jr, in the CBS crime drama Golden Boy.
In Divergent, Theo plays Tobias ‘Four’ Eaton. The film is based on the trilogy of novels by Veronica Roth and stars Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet. The action takes place in a futuristic Chicago, where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. When Theo appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote the movie and was teased about his American accent in the film.
Tags: Divergent, Golden Boy, Screen International, The Inbetweeners Movie, Theo James, Theodore Taptiklis, Tobias ‘Four’ Eaton, Walter William Clark Jr
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Spotlight
August 18th, 2014
Children’s cancer expert backs Saatchi Innovation Bill
Professor David Walker, a children’s cancer expert at Nottingham, is supporting Lord Maurice Saatchi’s campaign to give doctors more freedom to try new ways to treat rare and terminal cancers.
If made law, Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill would allow oncologists to explore innovative therapies, while building evidence for clinical trials.
The Bill is proceeding to a second reading in the House of Lords.
Professor Walker, who co-founded the UK’s leading Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, said: “When cancer patients have ‘nowhere else to go’ and if there is no trial for which they are eligible, they need to be able to try treatments that might work, based upon the best judgment of their medical advisors.
“We need to allow them to try such new drugs that may be applicable and collect that experience to inform the next generation of trials. The Saatchi Bill would do this, by protecting individual doctors who try new, licensed but untrialled treatments, on patients who have consented to such treatment outside of a formal trial.”
Lord Saatchi, who was prompted by the death of his wife Josephine Hart from ovarian cancer to introduce the Bill, said: “Professor Walker is pre-eminent in his field and his recognition of the importance of this Bill for patients is an immeasurable boost to the campaign.”
Centre of excellence to raise understanding of dementia
A new centre of excellence at the Institute of Mental Health in Nottingham will seek to transform our understanding of dementia.
The Centre for Dementia is focusing on dementia as a pathway or a journey, which typically lasts for several years from first onset to end-of-life.
The Institute is a partnership between Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and The University of Nottingham. It houses a number of centres of excellence covering areas such as health and criminal justice, ADHD, social futures, and education.
Professor Tom Dening, Director of the new centre, said: “Through high-quality, useful research we will seek to improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers, looking at how people with dementia spend their time and what helps them to get quality from life.”
Academy honour for world leader in eczema research
Professor Hywel Williams, the Director of the University’s Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, has been elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences for his contribution to the advancement of medical science in skin diseases.
Professor Williams was appointed Senior Lecturer in Dermatology at Nottingham in 1994 and became Foundation Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology in 1998. He founded the Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology and became an NIHR senior investigator in 2008. In 2013, he was awarded a higher doctorate (DSc) for his international research into the causes and treatment of eczema.
Professor Williams said: “All my achievements rest on a team of wonderful colleagues at the Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. I feel excited about contributing to the agenda of the Academy given my background in clinical research and working with patients with skin disease.”
Tags: Academy of Medical Sciences, Centre for Dementia, Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, Lord Maurice Saatchi, Medical Innovation Bill, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Professor David Walker, Professor Hywel Williams, Professor Tom Dening
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Enxhi steals the show
August 18th, 2014
It’s not often that the Vice-Chancellor gets upstaged.
After Professor David Greenaway spoke at the opening of a third centre aiming to help city children achieve their potential, Enxhi, a 15-year-old pupil at The Nottingham Emmanuel School, took her turn. And her moving and eloquent speech about the support she has enjoyed at The IntoUniversity Nottingham Central Centre almost brought the house down.
Enxhi, pictured, overcome her nerves to tell an audience from the community, the University and its partner the education charity IntoUniversity how staff and volunteers at the centre in Hyson Green have inspired her.
“I only come here twice a week, but I can tell you for sure, that when I started I was getting D grades and now I am a B grade student,” she said. “I have learnt that by trying hard, and with a bit of help from IntoUniversity mentors, I can achieve my goals and get good grades. IntoUniversity has taught me revision techniques for past papers, subject knowledge and to be positive about work. IntoUniversity has found me a brilliant mentor, Saloni, and she really helps me with things I find difficult. So far she has helped me with my social skills, academic work and future aspirations…it helped me realise I can achieve things if I follow the rules and work hard at it.”
Enxhi added that she hopes to be an accountant and thanked all the mentors, especially Saloni, who had helped and encouraged her.
Another regular at the Centre, 11-year-old Aaryanna, also left her audience in no doubt how much she enjoyed the academic support offered by her mentors. The pupil at Berridge Primary, Hyson Green, said: “As well as English and Maths, I have improved my listening skills. Katie, Laura and Erica are fun and delightful to work with because they help with all of my work, so thank you! My mentor’s name is Kirsty, she is at The University of Nottingham studying Biology. I got a mentor for working really hard and coming every week. Kirsty is really nice and understands my personality.
“In the future I want to go to university and study Maths because it is my favourite subject. After university I want to be a businesswoman and have my own business (and a Lamborghini!).”
IntoUniversity’s Nottingham centres at Hyson Green, Broxtowe and St Ann’s also give University students an opportunity to act as mentors, improving their skills while putting something back into the community.
James Howell, a fourth-year American Studies student, is mentor to Elias, a year 6 pupil at Jubilee Primary School. James said: “We’ve come up with a word to describe our weekly sessions, and that word is funducational; they are fun and educational most of the time. We set a Smart target for Elias to reach a level 4B in his upcoming literacy SATs and so a lot of our focus is on achieving that.”
James said the whole experience has taught him a great range of skills, from leadership and communication to planning and organisation: “I’ve had a brilliant time as a volunteer at IntoUniversity.”
Katie Nixon, of IntoUniversity at Hyson Green, added: “The support that we receive from local schools and the enthusiasm of children like Elias are essential to the success of our programmes. It’s so rewarding to find that parents and the wider community welcome the work we are doing to support children and encourage them to make the most of the encouragement offered by staff and dedicated volunteers like James.”
The IntoUniversity Nottingham centres are part of the Nottingham Potential programme, which is committed to help break down the barriers to higher education. Nottingham Potential has been made possible by a £2.1m donation from the David Ross Foundation and other generous supporters.
Tags: American Studies, David Ross Foundation, Enxhi, Hyson Green, IntoUniversity, James Howell, Katie Nixon, Nottingham Central Centre, Nottingham Emmanuel School, Nottingham Potential, Professor David Greenaway
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Media Hub links to world broadcasters
August 18th, 2014
Academics are now able to offer expert commentary on the day’s breaking news stories to broadcasters around the world from a purpose-built studio at University Park.
The Media Hub, in Pope Building, accommodates live and pre-recorded television and radio interviews through an in-house fixed camera system and industry-standard ISDN line.
The TV ready camera system is managed by Globelynx, part of the Press Association, which connects the camera to hundreds of the world’s leading TV networks, including Sky News, the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, CBS News, Al Jazeera and Russia Today.
It is available 24/7. Broadcasters can search the Globelynx database to find the details of the relevant University of Nottingham expert before using the simple, online booking system to reserve a camera slot.
The studio allows the University to showcase the expertise of its academics on topical issues — from British politics and flu outbreaks to climate change and US gun control. It is also being used to proactively promote the University to global broadcasters, such as through commentary on new research or on key issues affecting higher education.
The studio’s ISDN line enables University staff to take part in radio interviews via a high-quality and reliable telephone link and is regularly used by BBC Radio 4 Today, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine Show and BBC Radio Nottingham. An additional ISDN line at Jubilee Campus can also be booked.
The studio is managed by the University’s Communications team. As well as using the Globelynx database, journalists can access 500 experts from across the University’s campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia via its online Media Guide to Expertise. The searchable guide, managed by the Communications team, is constantly growing and the team is keen to hear from academics and researchers who are enthusiastic about engaging with the media.
Broadcasters can book a Media Hub slot and access University experts not on the Globelynx system by contacting the Communications team.
For more information on the Media Hub or the Media Guide to Expertise, please contact The University of Nottingham Communications team:
t: 0115 951 5798
w: mediahub@nottingham.ac.uk
Tags: Globelynx, Media Guide to Expertise, Media Hub
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Swallow’s tail test for Parkinson’s
August 18th, 2014
An image similar in shape to a swallow’s tail has been identified as a new and accurate test for Parkinson’s disease. The image, which depicts the healthy state of a group of cells in the sub-region of the human brain, was singled out using 3T MRI scanning technology — standard equipment in clinical settings today.
The research was led by Dr Stefan Schwarz and Professor Dorothee Auer, experts in neuroradiology in the School of Medicine at Nottingham and was carried out at the Queen’s Medical Centre in collaboration with Dr Nin Bajaj, an expert in Movement Disorder Diseases at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The findings, which have been published in the open access academic journal PLOS one, build on a successful collaboration with Professor Penny Gowland at the Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre at the University.
The ‘Swallow Tail’ Appearance of the Healthy Nigrosome — A New Accurate Test of Parkinson’s Disease: A Case-Control and Retrospective Cross-Sectional MRI Study at 3T — describes how the absence of this imaging sign can help to diagnose Parkinson’s disease using standard clinical Magnetic Resonance Scanners.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which destroys brain cells that control movement. Around 127,000 people in the UK have the disease. Currently there is no cure but drugs and treatments can manage the symptoms.
Until now diagnosing Parkinson’s in clinically uncertain cases has been limited to expensive nuclear medical techniques or non-licensed diagnostic techniques, which offer varying reliability. None have the required accuracy and ease of use to allow translation into standard clinical practice.
Using high resolution 7T magnetic resonance imaging the Nottingham research team has pinpointed the characteristic pathology of Parkinson’s with structural change in a small area of the mid brain known as the substantia nigra. The latest study has shown that these changes can also be detected using 3T MRI technology used in hospitals across the country. They subsequently coined the phrase the ‘swallow tail appearance’ as a sign of the healthy appearing substantia nigra which is lost in Parkinson’s disease. Of the 14 high-resolution scans reviewed, in 94% of cases the diagnosis was accurately made using this technique.
Dr Schwarz said: “This is a breakthrough finding as currently Parkinson’s disease is mostly diagnosed by identifying symptoms like stiffness and tremor. Imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis are limited to expensive nuclear medical techniques which are not widely available and associated with potentially harmful ionizing radiation.
“Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging — no ionizing radiation involved and much cheaper than nuclear medical techniques — we identified a specific imaging feature which has great similarity to a tail of a swallow and therefore decided to call it the ‘swallow tail sign’. This sign is absent in Parkinson’s disease.”
The research was funded by The University of Nottingham, the Sarah Matheson Trust, and the Medical Research Council. Dr Schwarz’s Academic Clinical Lectureship is funded by the National Institute for Health Research UK.
Tags: Dr Nin Bajaj, Medical Research Council, Movement Disorder Diseases, National Institute for Health Research, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Parkinson’s disease, PLOS ONE, Professor Dorothee Auer, Professor Penny Gowland, Queen’s Medical Centre, Sarah Matheson Trust, School of Medicine, Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, Stefan Schwarz, The ‘Swallow Tail’ Appearance of the Healthy Nigrosome — A New Accurate Test of Parkinson's Disease: A Case-Control and Retrospective Cross-Sectional MRI Study at 3T
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Life Cycle team’s inspirational day
August 18th, 2014
When Dr Susan Anderson sets off in August with her 14 fellow Life Cycle 4 riders, she knows the challenge will draw on every ounce of her mental and physical reserves as she seeks to cover more than 1400 miles across Great Britain.
But the lecturer in Pathology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences will draw strength from the fact that a courageous and inspirational teenager will be cheering her on.
Susan met Rebecca Clark, 15, when she joined fellow riders and colleagues supporting Life Cycle 4 at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre (CBTRC) in Nottingham to hear about its work and meet some of the young people and families affected by cancer.
This year’s Life Cycle is in support of CBTRC and each rider is setting out in honour of a child who has suffered from this devastating illness. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and the CBTRC has contributed to reducing the average time to diagnosis from 14 days to less than seven days, and to increasing survival rates from 50% to 75%.
Rebecca has been battling against first one and then a second brain tumour from the age of four. Her mum, Sue, said: “As a family we felt very privileged to have been invited along to the Brain Tumour Research Centre and to support the riders doing Life Cycle 4. Rebecca has been battling brain tumours for the last 10 years so, unfortunately, we know from personal experience just how vital their work is.
“I know the Life Cycle 4 riders feel honoured to be riding in memory of these special children but as parents we too feel honoured that they genuinely care enough to complete this challenge. Our family is one of the lucky ones, lots of children have, and will continue to lose their battle, unless the fund raising continues. Good luck to all the riders in achieving their targets and also in raising awareness of this illness.”
Dr Anderson, pictured with Rebecca, said: “I am humbled to ride in honour of Rebecca. Her courage and positivity in the face of a long and arduous battle is truly inspirational. As tough as this ride will be, I’m more convinced than ever that we need to help make a brighter future for young people like Rebecca and her family. When things get tough on the ride, Rebecca’s story will keep things in perspective.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor David Greenaway will be riding in honour of Sam White, who died aged 16 in September last year from a brain tumour.
Professor Greenaway said: “Any premature death is a tragedy but as a parent, I cannot begin to imagine what it feels like to learn your child is suffering from a life-threatening disease. I have been privileged to meet some of the patients being treated by our team and their families and I have been struck by their tremendous bravery and dignity. One remarkable young man, Sam White, sticks in my mind. Sam was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 12 and responded by being determined to live life to the full and do all he could to raise awareness of the disease.
“For the last three years together with colleagues, I have spent two weeks of my annual leave cycling over 1,100 miles to raise funds for a worthy cause. Shortly after Sam died, his mother wrote to ask me to raise funds for Children’s Brain Tumour Research, so this year I will be cycling to the four corners of Britain in honour of Sam with the Life Cycle 4 team to do what I can to help young people like him and their families in the future.”
Members of the public can make their own contribution to Life Cycle by taking part in a sponsored ride in Nottingham on Sunday 31 August.
Emma Pearson, Development Officer in the Campaign and Alumni Relations Office, said: “Each rider is riding in honour of a child, some of whom are undergoing treatment, others who are in remission and some who sadly lost their battle to this illness.
“Speaking to the families has been very powerful and I hope the funds raised will enable the CBTR team to continue to make a tangible difference by leading the fight against this devastating disease and offering hope to other families who may sadly be forced to undertake this journey. It is a privilege to work with the families who show great strength and fortitude and who inspire me with their determination and love.”
For more about Rebecca’s story and the other young people inspiring the Life Cycle 4 riders, and to find out how you can get involved, visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/lifecycle
Tags: Campaign and Alumni Relations Office, CBTRC, Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, Dr Susan Anderson, Emma Pearson, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, lecturer in Pathology, Life Cycle 4, Rebecca Clark, Sam White, Vice-Chancellor Professor David Greenaway
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TV’s beast of a job for student Jess
August 18th, 2014
Vet student Jess French is to front a new wildlife series for the BBC’s CBeebies channel. Minibeast Adventure with Jess will prove you don’t have to go all the way to Africa to have an interesting animal encounter. Jess explores the amazing creatures that live right on our doorstep.
Jess, a third year student at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, grew up with a passion for the natural world, as her father bred insects. She completed a degree in Zoology at UCL before starting her veterinary studies at Nottingham. This knowledge and experience has given her an in-depth understanding of the very smallest creatures which she is enthusiastic to share with the next generation.
The 20 nine-minute programmes will encourage viewers to explore their local environment and get close to the minibeasts that live in the gardens, parks and windowboxes around them. In each episode, viewers visit Jess’s treehouse where she introduces them to her minibeast of the day. From there she sets out on a ‘Minibeast Adventure’ with children to try and find that day’s animal or insect.
A passionate zoologist, naturalist and entomologist, her in-depth understanding of the importance of the smallest creatures underpins her passion for sharing her knowledge and passing it on to the next generation.
So does a TV career beckon? Jess said: “At the moment I’m managing to juggle both… just! We shot the show in my holidays and they were really supportive of my vet studies. The show airs the day before my third year finals start so I hope I won’t be too distracted! I still want to be a vet but who knows where this may lead. I’m just taking every day a step at a time right now and enjoying being a part of the movement to get kids outdoors and caring about the environment — if I could do that and be a vet in my spare time, that would be ideal!”
Jess’s other TV credits include Springwatch (BBC), Micro Monsters 3D (Sky), Live ’n’ Deadly (CBBC) and Deadly Mission Madagascar (CBBC).
Dr Karen Braithwaite, Director of Academic Support and Administration at Nottingham’s Veterinary School, said: “We are very proud of Jess — this is a fantastic opportunity for her. She is great veterinary student and an asset to the School. It’s terrific that Jess can share her love and knowledge of animals with the next generation.”
Nottingham Veterinary School is recognized as the best place to study veterinary medicine in The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014 and is rated top in the UK in the National Student Survey and Association of Veterinary Students Survey.
Tags: CBeebies, Director of Academic Support and Administration, Dr Karen Braithwaite, Jess French, Minibeast Adventure, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science
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May 2nd, 2014
Dr Faustus
New Street Theatre
When: Saturday 17 May 2pm and 7.30pm
Where: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside
Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £12, £10 concessions
Premier: Maria Hassabi
neat14, Dance
When: Friday 23 May 8pm
Where: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside
Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £16, £14 concessions, £11 restricted view
Welcome to Octoville
Interactive exhibition
When: Friday 23 May to Sunday 6 July
Where: Wallner Gallery, DH Lawrence Pavillion, Lakeside Arts Centre
Admission: Free
Architects of Air
Alan Parkinson’s luminaria
When: Saturday 24 May to Sunday 1 June 11am-5.15pm
Where: Highfields Park, University Park
Admission: £3.50
Rime
Square Peg (UK) Contemporary circus
When: Saturday 24 May 6pm, Sunday 25 May 3pm and 6pm
Where: Highfields Park, University Park
Admission: Free
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May 2nd, 2014
Martin and Eliza Carthy
Folk
When: Sunday 18 May 8pm
Where: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside
Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £19, £17 concessions, £15 restricted view
Elevation
Jazz
When: Wednesday 21 May 8pm
Where: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside
Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £16, £14 concessions, £11 restricted view
Talvin Singh presents Bombay Talkies
World/Jazz
When: Monday 16 June 8pm
Where: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside
Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £22, £20 concessions