In this case study, we hear from Sarah Berger, a researcher working in Bioinformatics, who has been using BlueBEAR to develop proteins that can bind to metals. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential diagnostic tool, particularly powerful when combined with contrast agents. Most state-of-the-art MRI contrast agents are based on the metal gadolinium, which has intrinsic physical … Continue reading “De Novo Protein Engineering: Future-Proofing MRI Contrast Agents with BlueBEAR”
Month: May 2026
May 2026 BEAR Newsletter
Birmingham Environment for Academic Research (BEAR) Newsletter Members of the team attended a great BEAR PGR Conference at the end of April on the theme of AI, research integrity and ethics. There were some really thought-provoking talks on the implications of AI and some interesting examples of PhD research from across the university. The event was organised … Continue reading “May 2026 BEAR Newsletter”
BEAR Research Software Group Hackathon 2026
Author: Chris Greasley, Research Applications Specialist The Research Software Group (RSG) Hackathon returned for its third edition this April with a growing team and a new one-week format. Like previous editions, RSG members had time dedicated to taking part in a wide range of sessions. These covered everything from developing reusable container images for Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines to group discussions on career pathways. The broad range of sessions gave everyone the chance to work with others they don’t normally work with, which allowed the … Continue reading “BEAR Research Software Group Hackathon 2026”
Using AI to Bring Indigenous Storytelling Character Figures into Chemistry Education
In this blog, we hear from Dina, a second-year Ph.D. student in Chemical Education, School of Chemistry, who won the best short talk at the BEAR conference 2026. Dina, conducted research that intersects chemistry education, technology, and ethnochemistry. Ethnochemistry is a multidisciplinary field that explores the relationship between chemistry and the traditional wisdom, practices, and … Continue reading “Using AI to Bring Indigenous Storytelling Character Figures into Chemistry Education”
Learning from Nature: Using HPC to Design Efficient Jet Propulsion
In this case study, we hear from Yukesh Karki, a doctoral student from Aerospace Engineering in the School of Metallurgy and Materials, who used BlueBEAR to identify the optimal three-dimensional nozzle geometry for hydrodynamic jet propulsion. He is also the winner of ‘best talk’ at the BEAR Conference 2026. Nature has already evolved highly efficient methods … Continue reading “Learning from Nature: Using HPC to Design Efficient Jet Propulsion “