In this case study, we hear from Alexis Manche, a Research Associate in the Scanlon Materials Theory Group in the School of Chemistry, who uses BlueBEAR to investigate how atomic-scale defects and charge transport affect next-generation battery materials. I am a computational materials chemist working in the Scanlon Materials Theory Group at the University of … Continue reading “Following ions and electrons through battery materials with BlueBEAR”
Category: User case study BlueBEAR
Leveraging BlueBEAR to study the gut microbiome in health and disease
Hannah Trivett is a Research Fellow in Prof Lindsay Hall’s research group in the Department of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes, where she studies how long-read metagenomic sequencing can be used to understand how microbes within the gastrointestinal ecosystem contribute to health and disease. Most recently, I explored this in patients with advanced chronic liver disease … Continue reading “Leveraging BlueBEAR to study the gut microbiome in health and disease”
From Everest Base Camp to Birmingham: can wearable sensors predict altitude sickness?
In this case study, we hear from Dr Kelsey Joyce, a Research Fellow in the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, who is working to understand whether wearable sensors can help predict acute mountain sickness in trekkers at high altitude. For thousands of trekkers every year, the journey to Everest Base Camp is the … Continue reading “From Everest Base Camp to Birmingham: can wearable sensors predict altitude sickness?”
Python to the Rescue: A New Tool for Space Weather Scientists
Oliver is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, and is part of The SERENE Group at the University of Birmingham, a multidisciplinary space environment and radio engineering team led by Professor Sean Elvidge. They specialize in upper atmosphere modelling, ionospheric science, and space weather forecasting. Ever wondered how scientists … Continue reading “Python to the Rescue: A New Tool for Space Weather Scientists”
Beyond the head: tail-aware sperm segmentation using fine-tuned AI computer vision models
In this case study, we hear from Sina Shafiezadeh, a postdoc in the Department of Metabolism and System Sciences, who is working to track and analyse the details of sperm motility from video microscopy. Accurate and informative assessment of sperm motility is essential for diagnosing male infertility and optimising Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). While Computer-Aided Sperm Analysis … Continue reading “Beyond the head: tail-aware sperm segmentation using fine-tuned AI computer vision models”
Tracking microplastics transport through saturated porous media
In this case study, we hear from Fuad Alqrinawi, a PhD researcher in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, who used BlueBEAR to simulate how microplastic particles travel through fully saturated porous media. Microplastic Particles (MPs) are now widely detected in soils, riverbeds, and groundwater, where they occur … Continue reading “Tracking microplastics transport through saturated porous media”
SeqProFT: Predict Protein Functions Using Less Computing Power
In this case study, we hear from Shuo Zhang, a PhD student in Computer Science, who is working on predicting protein properties using sequence information. Our work, SeqProFT, is a smart new way to predict protein properties using sequence information alone. Using BlueBEAR GPU resources, we trained and evaluated SeqProFT across a wide range of … Continue reading “SeqProFT: Predict Protein Functions Using Less Computing Power”
June 2026 BEAR Newsletter
Birmingham Environment for Academic Research (BEAR) Newsletter This month’s Editor: Debbie Carter Last week we were excited to welcome 60 undergraduate and taught postgraduate students to BEAR Challenge 2026! Supported by many members of the ARC team, they experienced High Performance Computing (HPC) for the first time and heard about career opportunities in this field. The … Continue reading “June 2026 BEAR Newsletter”
Exploring the dynamics of alien solar systems with BlueBEAR
In this case study, we hear from Alix Freckelton, a PhD student in Physics and Astronomy, who is exploring transit timing variations (TTVs). My research focuses on transit timing variations (TTVs): these are tiny irregularities in the times that we see exoplanets transiting their host stars. TTVs are caused in multi-planet systems by the planets … Continue reading “Exploring the dynamics of alien solar systems with BlueBEAR”
AlphaFold protein structure prediction to study DNA replication
In this case study, we hear from Paolo Passaretti, a postdoc in Cancer and Genomic Sciences, who is investigating how cells copy and protect their genomes during DNA replication. I am a postdoctoral researcher in Prof Aga Gambus’ Laboratory, in the Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, where we study how cells copy and protect … Continue reading “AlphaFold protein structure prediction to study DNA replication”