Sorry you missed us, but here’s a list of some of our previous events (listings begin from July 2020 onwards).
PREVIOUS EVENTS
December 2023
Tik Tok Training
The Women’s Metabolic Health theme of the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) in Birmingham is hosting a patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) training event on December 8th at 1-3pm.
The session is open to existing and prospective members of The Hildas, a PPIE group focused on women’s health, who had been attending a meeting earlier that afternoon. Other members of PPIE groups at Birmingham are also welcome.
Training will look at how different social media platforms can be used to disseminate science content and research, with a focus on TikTok as a channel to reaching younger audiences specifically.
Leading this two-hour session are University of Birmingham medical students, who have been pioneering use of social media to share science with others.
The session will cover:
- The demographic appeal of different social media platforms
- The opportunities and challenges of social media for dissemination
- Case studies of how dissemination on TikTok has shown impact
- Tips and tricks of using TikTok
- Practical, hands-on collaborative activity to develop a TikTok-ready script
- Rapid prototyping – creation of a group TikTok
Get in touch with workshop lead and organiser Dr Caroline Gillett to register as spaces are limited!
August 2023
Refugee & Migrant Family Festival
Join researchers Dr Gabriela da Silva Xavier and Dr Caroline Gillett from the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) for public engagement activities at a festival event organised by the Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre and a number of arts organisations. This event is being hosted for refugee and migrant families in living in Birmingham, but who have migrated from countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. The festival is also open more widely to those interested in supporting the cause. Join between 2-5pm on the 15th August 2023 at the Red Shed in Edgbaston.
July 2023
Summer festival season is upon us and members of the Institute for Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) will be popping along to run science engagement activities at community festivals this summer.
We will be at:
CoCoMad Festival, in Cotteridge Park on Saturday 1st July
Sandwell & Birmingham Mela, in Victoria Park (Smethwick), over Saturday & Sunday 22-23rd July
Take part in free activities to learn about some of the science we do at the IMSR and hear about how you can get involved in patient and public involvement activities. You will find us in the festival stalls onsite!
April 2023
Researchers at University of Birmingham are organising an event on Friday 28th April between 1-4pm in Birmingham city centre. They are interested in sharing some of their research related to epilepsy, autism and ADHD; to gather feedback/questions; and also to learn more about the lived experiences and priorities of families with a child who has one or more of these conditions, as they are beginning to develop future research in this area.
The event is very informal and discursive in nature, it is not a research study itself, but rather an opportunity for the research team to better understand parents/carers/young people’s concerns and needs in relation to managing these conditions.
As a small thank you, we are offering a £50 Amazon voucher to those taking part (one voucher per family). You are very welcome to bring your child/children if you wish to, as we also have some fun activities and a kid’s entertainer arranged for children to take part in.
If you are interested please email Caroline, one of the event organisers: c.d.t.gillett@bham.ac.uk
Spaces are limited, get in touch early. Thanks and we hope to hear from you!
March 2023
International Women’s Day events
March is Women’s History Month and several IMSR researchers have been involved in activities to raise awareness of the importance of gender equity and championing women’s experiences working in science. Not only that, but IMSR also has a wealth of research in women’s health which we are always keen to highlight, especially this month!
Find out about some of the events the Maternal and Reproductive Health research IMSR is doing HERE
In addition Caroline Gillett in IMSR has also programmed the Women’s Network IWD symposium, featuring talks, workshops and Q&A with the VC, register and take part:
Pituitary Awareness Day:
Also in March…. In collaboration with the University Hospitals Birmingham, IMSR researchers are planning a pituitary awareness day! The pituitary – located at the base of the brain – is often referred to as the ‘master gland’ as it plays a key role in hormone regulation of growth and many other essential processes.
Join us at the Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Saturday March 25th for a morning and lunch session consisting of talks, discussion and science facility visits, coordinated between IMSR researchers and UHB clinical nurse specialists, including IMSR clinician-scientist Dr Niki Karavitaki and patient representative Danielle.
Get in touch with the team here to register.
December 2022
A fond farewell to IMSR Director, Professor Wiebke Arlt!
December 15th, from 4pm at Highbury Hall
We are sad to be saying goodbye to Professor Wiebke Arlt, who has been IMSR’s Director for the past 8 years. Wiebke is moving on to the post of the Director of the Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, the MRC LMS, a post that will begin in January 2023. The MRC LMS is one of the three core-funded MRC Institutes, with the LMB and the Crick being the other two. We are therefore thrilled for Wiebke who will be taking on this prestigious role and we would like to thank her for everything she has done to support patient and public involvement and engagement within the IMSR and Birmingham more generally. Her leadership and support in this area (as well as her role in supporting equality, diversity amnd inclusion through leading the Medical Schools’ previous Athena SWAN submissoon) has been instrumental and we owe her a lot. An interim Director for IMSR will be appointed soon and we will let you know once this news has been announced.
In the meantime, a farewell party is being organised for Wiebke at Highbury Hall, the former home of Joseph Chamberlain who founded the University over 100 years ago now. We know that Wiebke had links with many different people and groups and this may also include you reading this! If you would like to wish Wiebke well as part of her send off, please let her PA Christine Lloyd know that you would like to attend.
November 2022
Diabetes UK visit IMSR
November 23rd, 2022
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and we are pleased to be collaborating with Diabetes UK to organise a special public engagement visit to the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR).
As part of their thankathon Diabetes UK are inviting a group of volunteers and staff who go above and beyond to see diabetes research in action at the University of Birmingham and hear about Diabetes UK’s RD Lawrence Research Fellow, Dr Ildem Akerman’s, pioneering work.
With the support of Diabetes UK, the Akerman lab in the IMSR has established a state-of-the-art stem cell to pancreatic beta cell differentiation protocol and aims to understand and improve test-tube pancreatic beta cells for the treatment of diabetes.
Other organisations supporting IMSR research are welcome to get in touch with Caroline Gillett to discuss future public engagement possibilities.
Patterns: Beautiful and Dangerous – Dr Paul Roberts
Watson Building (School of Mathematics), Wednesday 30th November, 19:00 (arrival from 18:30). For those that are unable to attend in person, the lecture will also be available to join via Zoom.
In person attendance does not require registration, but if you are planning to bring a large group, please email: mathsoutreach@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Nature is filled with patterns. From animal coat markings, through vascular networks, to the flocking of starlings. As we look upon these patterns, it is natural to ask ‘How did they form? Why this pattern rather than another one?’ Patterns do not occur without reason, rather, they are the result of physical, chemical and biological processes, governed by the laws of nature. As such, patterns are significant, they give us clues as to the processes which caused them. Mathematics is a powerful tool which enables us to piece together these clues, revealing the significance of the pattern before us. In this talk, we will explore how mathematics can be used to detect cancer from cell images, and to explain and predict patterns of vision loss, learning that, while often beautiful, patterns can also be dangerous.
The lectures are open to all members of public and the University. Particularly suitable for those studying Mathematics at A-level, but we also welcome advanced GCSE students. The lectures are a fantastic way to get involved in the mathematical community here at the University of Birmingham and learn about an interesting area of maths.
September 2022
Lore + (Dis)order: a sciart exhibition
Friday 2 September until Friday 23 September 2022
(Please note: Gallery open Weds-Sat)
The exhibition features the work of 8 artists who have produced creative responses to new contemporary research at the interface of biomedicine and quantitative science. Many of the artworks have also been inspired and informed by the lived experiences of people with the health conditions studied in the research – in some cases, the artists themselves have been directly impacted by these conditions. The result is an eclectic, personal and thought-provoking collection highlighting the value of interdisciplinary perspectives in all our lives.
Lore + (Dis)order is an exhibition hosted by the Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine and curated by Dr Caroline Gillett.
Exhibition Events:
- Digbeth First Friday: Exhibition Launch Night at Centrala
Friday 2 September, 6 pm until late
- Sciart & Lived Experience: Workshop at Centrala
Saturday 10 September, 12 – 3 pm
- Lore + (Dis)order – In Conversation (online and in-person at Centrala)
Wednesday 21 September, 6 – 8 pm
Getting there?
Centrala is located at 4 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, Birmingham, B5 5RT
August 2022
DAISy-PCOS at MELA Birmingham Festival
Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th of August, 2022
We are excited to let you know that members of the DAISy-PCOS leaders and research team will be at the Mela Festival over !
The Sandwell & Birmingham Mela is the biggest South Asian music festival in Europe. Music, dance, food, arts and crafts bring the sights, sounds and spicy aromas of South Asia to Victoria Park, Smethwick …and we’ll be there too between 1-6pm on both days!
Pop by our stall to learn more about PCOS and ask us questions. We hope to see you there and wish everyone going a fun packed time!
Getting there: Victoria Park, High Street, Smethwick, West Midlands B66 3NT
July 2022
Institute of Advanced Studies Workshop with Distinguished Visiting Fellow Professor Helena Teede:
Co-creating the Future of Women’s Health:
Collaborative Partnerships & Creating Impact Together
How to connect the dots across all disciplines and stakeholders to transform healthcare
When? Monday 4th of July 2022
Where? Location: Edgbaston Park Hotel, Elgar Suite
Time? 12:30 – 16:30
Including talks on:
- Patient, public and stakeholder involvement for healthcare improvement – Keynote speaker: Professor Helena Teede
- Bringing people together to co-design solutions in the community: Hall Green Families Early Help -Speaker: Mrs Mohini Howard
- Prismatic view of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – Speakers: Prof. Wiebke Arlt, Dr Caroline Gillett & Ms Amna Al-Riyami
- Two sides of a coin: Co-creating opportunities – Speakers: Prof. Shakila Thangaratinam & Mrs Ngawai Moss
If you are interested in attending please contact ias@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
GLOW Conference
2022 GLOW CONFERENCE:
“Caesarean Section Births: Right Time, Right Mother, Right Way”
Thursday 7th & Friday 8th July 2022
For the first time in its history, GLOW 2022 conference will be run in a hybrid format, both online and in-person. Find out more at http://www.glowconference.org/
We Are IMSR Community Festival at CocoMad
Saturday 2nd July 2022 from between 12 – 5.30 pm
We are excited to be running science inspired public engagement activities at CoCoMad Community Festival this July. Research groups from the IMSR and SMQB will be running several family-friendly demos, games and hands-on activities at this year’s festival which tales place annually in Cotteridge Park. This is a large free to enter community festival with entertainment, food stalls, games and more – a perfect day out for the family!
We will be located in the ‘science field’ – come find us & lets keep our fingers crossed for some lovely sunny weather! We hope to see you there!
June 2022
The official launch of The Dame Hilda Lloyd (DHL) Network by Preet Gill MP is to take on June 9th, 2022 on campus.
We invite you to spend an afternoon at the launch of the DHL Network. The meeting will be an opportunity to hear from invited speakers, learn from researcher presentations and network with other clinicians, researchers and medical students interested in Women’s Health research.
There will be a Patient and Public Involvement panel discussion, where we will hear from some members of ‘The Hildas’ and other key people involved in improving Women’s Health in the West Midlands.
Register now HERE.
April 2022
Cushing’s Awareness Day: Patient, families and carers engagement morning
To mark Cushing’s Awareness Day on April 8th, join researchers, clinicians, nurses involved in the Birmingham Pituitary Academy and UK charity The Pituitary Foundation for an informative morning of talks and open discussion.
Whose invited? Those affected by Cushing’s or other pituitary condition very welcome, alonsgide their family members and carers. Email endocrinenurseshgs @ uhb . nhs . uk (no spaces) for more information or contact IMSR lead for this event, Dr Niki Karavitaki.
March 2022
The Centre for Systems Modelling & Quantitative Biomedicine invites you to join us for epilepsy awareness events on Friday, March 25th to support #PurpleDay. Events on the day will be:
- Seizure first-aid training (12-1.30 pm)
- Mini research & lived experience talks, plus networking (3-5 pm)
Talks will feature researchers from the SMQB, the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) and the Centre for Human Brain Health, as well as epilepsy charities and lived experience advocates.
Old Joe will also be lit up purple & you can show your support by tweeting us @SMQB_UoB #PurpleDay! Open and free to all, including students and non-staff. More details and to register here.
PCOS & The Pill, Saturday 5th March 2022 at 1pm GMT
Join us on Saturday 5th of March at 1 pm GMT for a special online event ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day. We will opening up dialogue on the contentious topic of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and ‘The Pill’.
Learn why the pill is sometimes used in PCOS management and find out more about the different types of pill that exist and why this could really matter to you. We will also discuss new research in this area and why stigma and bias have historically held women’s health research back. We encourage lots of questions and discussion – we hope to see you there!
Date: Saturday 5th March 2022 at 1 pm GMT in the UK. Please check your local timezone, for example we start at : 8.00 am Eastern Time USA / 10.00 am BRT in Brasil / 6.30 pm IST India.
This event is completely free, register on Zoom: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
February 2022
Flights of Fancy: In conversation with Richard Dawkins (chaired by Professor Chris McCabe, 5th February at 7.30 pm (tickets required)
IMSR’s very own Professor Chris McCabe (Professor of Molecular Endocrinology) will be charing an ‘in conversation’ event with Professor Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s most eminent writers and thinkers, and a major contributor to the public understanding of the science of evolution. Chris himself has also lectured widely across the world both within science, and as a writer with a specific interest in the communication of science. Also joining the event will be illustrator Jana Lenzova, so we anticipate an interesting and lively discussion!
This event is being organised by the Wolverhampton Literary Festival – and will be hosted at the Wolverhampton Art Gallery – on the 5th of February 2022 at 7.30 pm. This exciting event will be focused on Dawkin’s latest book ‘Flights of Fancy: Defying Gravity by Design and Evolution’ Learn more and find tickets at the Wolverhampton Literary Festival website, click this link.
January 2022
Bringing Birmingham to You: Global Maternal Health, Tuesday 25th Jan 2022 at 12:30 pm
Join Arri Coomarasamy, Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, and Shakila Thangaratinam, Professor of Maternal and Perinatal Health, to learn about their fight against maternal mortality in low and middle income countries around the world. Learn about the simple and effective package of care that helps healthcare practitioners attending the birth to diagnose bleeding early and treat women quickly which is making the difference between life and death.
This talk will be hosted by Professor Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science. No prior knowledge of the subject is required. Sign up here!
September 2021
PCOS Awareness Month: No thanks, Aunty!
Wednesday 22nd of September 2021 at 6 pm GMT
Join members of the DAISy-PCOS leadership team for a light hearted discussion event which will explore what it feels like to manage PCOS symptoms whilst also navigating the attitudes and advice of others – who are not always so helpful! The event will have a focus on weight gain and excess facial hair, as well as the experiences of some women with South-Asian heritage. The event is however open to people of all backgrounds and it aims to be a safe space for sharing experiences and ways of coping.
Register now for No Thanks, Aunty! at tinyurl.com/w7vurme2
PCOS Awareness Month: Emotions, Experiences & Expectation (Saturday 25th September at 2.30 pm BST)
Join DAISy-PCOS and PCOS Club India for a collaborative event marking Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month. Free. Online. Worldwide. All Welcome!
Register HERE
This 90 minute webinar will briefly introduce some of the latest PCOS research projects underway at the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research, University of Birmingham . Including the national DAISy-PCOS programme lead by Professor Wiebke Arlt and funded through the generous support of the Wellcome Trust. For this year’s event we have decided to focus our main discussion on the topic of PCOS and Emotional Wellbeing – as we receive a lot of interest in this topic in particular. This event is suitable for anyone with an interest in knowing more about PCOS. You may have or suspect you have PCOS yourself or you may know others affected by it.
SIMBA PCOS (Saturday 18th September, 10am – 15:00pm)
SIMBA is delighted to organise the SIMBA PCOS event in September. SIMBA is a real-time simulation based medical training programme using WhatsApp® and Zoom®. This one-of-a-kind educational session is open to both doctors in training and patients with PCOS. SIMBA PCOS is the first virtual session to include participants from the general public. DAISy-PCOS is pleased to be a partner for this event, alongside charities and other learned organizations and societies.
As there are limited spaces and this is an intensive all day event, we need to ensure those who sign up can definitely commit to the training event. For this reason, members of the public should be nominated through one of the charities: Verity, PCOS Club India and PCOS Vitality. Please contact the charities for more information. Medical professionals should register directly through SIMBA. Please note registration for medical professionals opens on August 26th and these events tend to fill up quickly, so please sign up early to avoid disappointment. All participants will be guided through 4 clinical cases with the aim of bridging knowledge gaps in the management and diagnosis of PCOS. Find out more on the SIMBA website.
June 2021
We Are IMSR Community Festival – Public Programme, 19th June
IMSR is hosting our mini-festival of online events this June, including specific activities with schools (17-18th June) as well as events open to the public. Join us on Saturday 19th June for a number of different events, including:
The Role of Diet in Diabetes [9.30 am – 10.45 am] Register for this free event HERE.
Research has shown that eating a healthy balanced diet can both prevent and manage diabetes and its complications. But what is a healthy, balanced diet and how does food play a role in the development of diabetes? Join researchers in the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) at University of Birmingham for an easy-to-understand overview and informal discussion of the role of diet in type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes (which can develop during pregnancy). In particular, we will discuss what diabetes is and highlight new research looking at the best diet for managing diabetes, how the brain senses food, and how different types of fat contribute towards the health of insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. This is a free event and all are welcome. The event may be of particular interest to those with diabetes, however, content will be suitable for all to understand.
Power of the Patient Voice [11 am – 12 noon] Register for this free event HERE.
At the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) at the University of Birmingham, we are committed to engaging and involving patients and their support networks in our research. We firmly believe that lived experience perspectives can be invaluable in prioritizing and improving the quality of research. IMSR frequently works in collaboration with patient charities that play a vital role in advocating on behalf of patients and their families. For this event, we invite you to meet a number of charities and lived experience representatives collaborating with IMSR researchers. You’ll find out more about their work and we will also discuss what else can be done to better coordinate research advocacy efforts in general. We are pleased to be joined by:
- Jo Grey, CEO of AMEND and Professor Wiebke Arlt
- Lorraine Williams, Director of The Thyroid Trust, artist Vicky Roden and Professor Chris McCabe
- Kristine Stacke, Trustee of Verity and Dr. Punith Kempegowda
PCOS Awareness: How do we engage others by working together? [12.30 pm – 1.30 pm] Register for this free event HERE. 
Join us for a special 1-hour workshop in collaboration with some of the DAISy-PCOS Leaders and Kristine Stacke, a charity representative from Verity – The UK PCOS Charity, as well as researchers working on the DAISy-PCOS research project in the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR) at the University of Birmingham. We will discuss what polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is and why it is important to engage other people on this important topic. In particular, we’ll explore Awareness Months and Events: We’ll discuss what motivates people to take part in awareness-raising events and we’ll even dream up ideas for how to engage others by working together in friendly and informal breakout discussions. This is a free, event and all are welcome. We would particularly like to encourage people with polycystic ovary syndrome to join us, as we would love to hear your views and ideas for how to raise awareness and engage wider society on PCOS.
March 2021
Thursday 4th March 2021 (7-9pm GMT) | INTERFACE: Science + Art + Health – in conversation with SMQB Artists in Residence 2020-21. | Register online
In 2020 the Centre for Systems Modelling & Quantitative Biomedicine (SMQB) embarked on a new Artist-in-Residence programme.
Four multidisciplinary artists joined forces with researchers and clinicians working at the interface between mathematics, biology and healthcare.
Together, and despite the pandemic challenges of the past year, they have co-crafted new artistic works that respond to contemporary research through creative practice.
INTERFACE brings together their artist residency stories for an informal evening of sharing and conversation around science + art + health. Expect easy-to-follow talks, example artworks and plenty of time for discussion and audience questions. All welcome!
Saturday 6th March 2021 (11am-12.30pm GMT) | Our health matters, period| Register online
To mark International Women’s Day 2021, join the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) in collaboration with University of Birmingham’s Women’s Network for a community-led panel discussion focused on inequity in women’s healthcare. We will explore what lived experience advocates are doing to raise awareness of the barriers and stigmas that impact on women’s health and wellbeing. You can play your part too, by getting involved in the discussion and contributing your own ideas and questions to this online webinar event.
Using Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) as a case study on which to frame this broader discussion, diverse women involved in the DAISy-PCOS Leadership Programme will lead the event and share their personal experiences to highlight how gender and cultural factors influence medical gaslighting, healthcare access & management and even the progress of healthcare research itself.
Thursday 11th March 2021 (6-7.30pm GMT) | PCOS at the Intersections| Register online here.
Our understanding of PCOS is very limited, whether that be medically, or in terms of lived experience. In collaboration with Cysters and The DAISy PCOS Leadership Programme (linked to the IMSR research programme lead by Wiebke Arlt), we will be discussing the impact that race has on our experiences of PCOS, and what the healthcare industry can do to rectify inequalities across the intersections. Join us for PCOS storytelling, panel-led discussions, and Q+A.
Women of colour are generally excluded from research, from forming part of the social discourse around these conditions – and this is something we would like to see change. Our panel consists of 6 women of colour, all within their respective fields in relation to the condition. Our session will be moderated by Neelam Heera, the Founder of Cysters.
Saturday 13th March 2021 (12-1pm GMT) | Diabetes in Pregnancy: let’s not sugar-coat it | Register online here.
The WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health (based at the IMSR) and Barts Research Centre for Women’s Health (BARC) are excited to collaborate and invite you to our first virtual webinar on diabetes in pregnancy.
There will be talks from experts in the UK and India on the prevention of diabetes in pregnancy, and a discussion of our current research. We will also hear from women who participated in our research, the audience will be able to ask questions, and there is also a healthy food photo competition linked to the event!
Saturday 20th March 2021 (11 am BST) | Vaccination for Pregnant Women and the Health Professionals caring for them| Register here!
Professor Shakila Thangaratinam from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health – based at the IMSR – is leading a special webinar on vaccination for pregnant women and healthcare professionals taking care of them. This event is in collaboration with Elly charity.
As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout takes place this is an opportunity to learn and ask questions about vaccination from international experts. Find out more & register here.
Meet our Speakers
- Chair: Prof Shakila Thangaratinam is the co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health at the University of Birmingham.
- Prof Paul T. Heath works at the Vaccine Institute, St George’s, University of London and is Chief Investigator of the UK Novavax Vaccine Trial.
- Dr Gloria Rowland MBE is Chief nurse at South West London Health and Care Partnership and previously Director of Midwifery at Barts Health NHS Trust, the country’s largest maternity service.
- Mr Rehan Khan is a consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, specialist in Maternal Medicine, and Director of Medical Education at Royal London and Mile End Hospitals.
January 2021
Wednesday 27th January 2021 (7-8pm GMT) | The emergent rhythms of health and disease: where mathematics, biology and medicine meet – a Birmingham Popular Maths Lecture by Professor John Terry | Register online
Join Professor John Terry from the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Systems Modelling & Quantitative Biomedicine (SMQB) for a public talk. Here’s what you can expect:
“Rhythms are everywhere! In this talk I will introduce many of the rhythms that we take for granted and consider how mathematics can help us to understand them. I will focus on two important areas: stress, and how our body responds to stressors, and epilepsy, a serious neurological condition that affects 1% of the global population. In each case, I will describe some of the common rhythms that ensure our bodies and minds respond appropriately, as well as exploring – using mathematics – what can go wrong.”
The lectures are open to all members of public and the University. Particularly suitable for those studying mathematics at A-level but we also welcome advanced GCSE students. Please register to attend the lecture. There will be time at the end for questions.
November 2020
Wednesday 4th November 2020 (2-4pm GMT) | Midlands Digital Health Debate, hosted by Professor John Terry | Register on Eventbrite
You are warmly invited to join University of Birmingham’s Centre for Systems Modelling & Quantitative Biomedicine (SMQB) for an open public debate exploring what digital health and data health sciences can and ought to be now and in the future.
- “What’s in it for you?”
- “How has COVID-19 demonstrated the importance of data health science?”
- “What are the benefits or potential pitfalls of sharing patient data from the NHS and social care?”
- “What opportunities do engaging and investing in digital healthcare and health data science open up for young people, as future decision-makers, scientists and citizens of this progressive region?”
- “Why is health data needed for research and innovation?”
- “Can data from your smartwatch be used by researchers to improve future healthcare?”
- “How can we use more data-driven technologies such as artificial intelligence to help diagnose diseases, gain better insights into treatments and preventions that could benefit society?”
- “Is current law and policy on health data fit for purpose and how is my data protected?”
- “What are your views on how your data could and should be used in future?”
These are just a few of the questions we’ll be debating and discussing at our free online Midlands Digital Health Debate on Wednesday, November 4th, 2020 at 2-4pm GMT. Find out more here, we hope to see you there!
Saturday, 14th November 2020 (11am GMT TBC) | We Are IMSR: World Diabetes Day – What are researchers working on? | Register on Eventbrite 
The Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR) is pleased to invite you to a free, public webinar to mark World Diabetes Day. Join us to explore the latest diabetes-related work of IMSR researchers, in a friendly and informal event.
The IMSR conducts world-leading research on diabetes, from understanding the processes that take place within insulin-releasing cells in the pancreas, to supporting women with gestational diabetes through high-risk pregnancies and more. Diabetes represents an important health condition with cuts across all four of IMSR’s research themes and we want to share what we are doing on diabetes with you, including work across:
- Metabolism
- Endocrinology
- Maternal & Reproductive Health
- Systems Modelling & Quantitative Biomedicine
Target audience: The event and its content are primarily aimed at those with diabetes, their family and friends, as well as the wider general public. Find out more about the event here.
Wednesday 18th November 2020 (3-5pm GMT) | SMQB Interdisciplinary Research: Virtual Mixer, hosted by Professor John Terry, SMQB | Register on Eventbrite
Interested in developing a healthcare-focused research idea or project, but need interdisciplinary collaborators? Join SMQB this November!
- Work in biology, biomedicine, clinical sciences or quantitative disciplines (e.g. maths, computer science) as a researcher, industry professional or clinician?
- Interested in piloting new research ideas or interrogating existing datasets in novel ways, working with collaborators who have complementary skills?
- Seeking skills development and/or knowledge exchange opportunities, including a potential short term secondment?
- Passionate about improving lives through helping advance healthcare and medicine?
If you’ve answered yes to any of the above or if you are simply curious to know more, then we’d love for you to join the Centre for Systems Modelling & Quantitative Biomedicine (SMQB), for a free online virtual networking event which will also showcase case studies of existing interdisciplinary research collaborations with SMQB. Find out more here.
October 2020
Saturday 3rd October 2020 (1.30-3.30pm BST) | Covid-19 in Pregnancy: Women’s Health Research with Professor Shakila Thangaratinam| Register on Eventbrite via this link
In this fourth webinar, our focus will be on women’s health research within the context of the COVID-19. We will provide researcher and healthcare professional insights into the care of pregnant and recently pregnant women during the pandemic and what research is currently underway in this area. We will also hear from a range of lived experience perspectives to better understand what pregnancy is like first-hand during this global pandemic. This event will be especially useful to those working as obstetricians, midwives, gynaecologists and other healthcare professionals, but it is open to all. We would very much like to encourage pregnant women to attend this session in particular, as we will be sharing the online ‘stage’ with women who have been through a pregnancy during this unprecedented pandemic. If you use Twitter, please tweet along with us using our hashtag #GlobalPregCov
Professor Shakila Thangaratinam is the co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health. She is a Professor of Maternal and Perinatal Health and leads the PregCOV-19 living systematic review on COVID-19 in pregnancy. Detailed information about panellists and content can be found on the Eventbrite page.
Friday 23rd October 2020 (12.30-1.30pm BST) | We Are IMSR Black History Month: Lived Experience of Black Scientists| Register on Eventbrite via this link (Open to all staff and students at University of Birmingham)
The Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research (IMSR) is pleased to invite you to an upcoming panel discussion and audience Q&A to mark Black History Month 2020, organized by IMSR’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion leads.
Our panellists include:
- Prof. Dale Abel: Chair/Department Executive Officer, Department of Internal Medicine; Director, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center; Professor of Internal Medicine – Endocrinology and Metabolism; Professor of Biochemistry; Professor of Biomedical Engineering (BME), University of Iowa. Chair of the Endocrine Society.
- Prof. Donita Africander: Associate Professor of Stellenbosch University
- Dr. John Allotey: Lecturer in Epidemiology and Women’s Health, IMSR
- Ms. Alicia Bossey: MSc student, IMSR
- Ms. Miriam Addo (Chair): Chairperson of the African-Caribbean Medical Society
- Dr Gaby Da Silva Xavier and Dr Jon Mueller (Co-Chairs): IMSR EDI Leads
September 2020
Saturday 26th September 2020: (11am-1pm) | PCOS Awareness Month: Perspectives on PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome | Register on Eventbrite via this link
This September, the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR) is pleased to invite you to a free, public webinar to mark PCOS Awareness Month.
PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects at least 1 in 10 women worldwide and commonly causes irregular periods and difficulties trying to conceive. Previous research by the University of Birmingham has found that women with PCOS also have an increased risk of metabolic disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Yet despite the metabolic underpinnings and prevalence of PCOS in society, women with PCOS still often experience stigma and shame, with many reporting difficulty discussing the condition with their family, friends and even healthcare professionals. Many women with PCOS also suffer from anxiety and depression. We believe it is important to raise awareness of, and open dialogue on, PCOS through wider public engagement and involvement activities. We hope you will join us to learn more about a lifelong condition which likely affects at least one woman in your life.
Our keynote speakers will each give a short presentation about their research and clinical experience involving women with PCOS. This will be followed by a question and answer panel discussion session with further PCOS experts – including lived experience representatives from charity partners Cysters and PCOS Vitality.
Attendees will have an opportunity to submit questions as part of the registration process and on the day itself. We hope you’ll be able to join us!
August 2020
Saturday 29th August 2020: (10.15am -4pm) | Birmingham Pituitary Preceptorship International Meeting 2020 | Register on Zoom via this link
This is the 6th year the Birmingham Pituitary team organises this meeting which aims to provide an update on advances in research and clinical practice continuing its commitment to high-quality education on the pituitary field. The event is open to all those who could find training in this field useful. The Organiser is IMSR’s Dr. Niki Karavitaki.
Every Thursday between 16th July – 3rd Sept 2020 (5.45-6.45pm) | AlgoRHYTHM From Home | Sign up: https://forms.gle/r4Usmw9bA2TErfut5
Researchers in the IMSR has been collaborating with performance company LYNNEBEC to produce ‘AlgoRHYTHM From Home’ – a digital dance class series with a sciency twist. Every Thursday between now and September 3rd 2020, join this collaborative team for a whole hour of silly moving and grooving featuring a special science-inspired dance routine. The science behind this routine has been suggested by science enthusiasts from across the UK (and the world!) and transformed by LYNNEBEC into a dance routine you never thought you’d see. All for free and all dance abilities welcome. This digital series has been supported by Arts Council England Emergency Funding. It has sprung from an existing outreach project created in partnership with the IMSR to promote well-being and scientific learning during lockdown (see the video above!). #AlgoRHYTHMFromHome #AnyoneCanDance #NoIdeaTooBigTooSmall
Saturday 1st August 2020 (1.30-3.30pm BST) | Covid-19 in Pregnancy: Postpartum & Neonatal Care during the Covid-19 pandemic with Professor Shakila Thangaratinam| Register on Eventbrite via this link
In this third webinar, our focus will be on the postnatal and neonatal period where we will provide insights into the care of women post-birth and their newborn babies during the pandemic. We will also cover how to minimize risk of COVID-19 transmission to healthcare professionals. This event will be especially useful to those working as obstetricians, midwives, gynaecologists and other healthcare professionals, but it is open to all.
Professor Shakila Thangaratinam is the co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health. She is a Professor of Maternal and Perinatal Health and leads the PregCOV-19 living systematic review on COVID-19 in pregnancy. Detailed information about panellists and content can be found on the Eventbrite page.
July 2020
Thursday July 30th 2020 (16:30 – 18:00 GMT) | Pituitary Disease Webinar: Dilemmas in Pituitary Disease Management during the COVID-19 Era featuring Dr Niki Karavitaki| Register via https://bit.ly/pitdisCOVID-19.
Understand how the management and treatment of pituitary disease has evolved during the COVID-19 era, hear the current experiences and future perspectives of world-class experts from a range of geographies impacted to differing extents by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The programme includes:
- Non-functioning pituitary adenoma with visual loss
- Hypopituitarism
- Acromegaly
- Cushing’s disease
The event is hosted by an international faculty including IMSR’s very own Dr Niki Karavitaki.
Thursday 16th July (5.45-6.45pm) | AlgoRHYTHM From Home | Sign up: https://forms.gle/r4Usmw9bA2TErfut5
Researchers in the IMSR has been collaborating with performance company LYNNEBEC to produce ‘AlgoRHYTHM From Home’ – a digital dance class series with a sciency twist. Join this collaborative team for a whole hour of silly moving and grooving featuring a special science-inspired dance routine. The science behind this routine has been suggested by science enthusiasts from across the UK (and the world!) and transformed by LYNNEBEC into a dance routine you never thought you’d see. All for free and all dance abilities welcome. This digital series has been supported by Arts Council England Emergency Funding. It has sprung from an existing outreach project created in partnership with the IMSR to promote well-being and scientific learning during lockdown (see the video above!). #AlgoRHYTHMFromHome #AnyoneCanDance #NoIdeaTooBigTooSmall
Saturday 11th July (1.30-3.30pm) | Covid-19 Pregnancy: Intrapartum Care during the pandemic (Webinar 2) | Registration on Eventbrite
In this second webinar, our focus will be on the intrapartum period where we will provide insights into intrapartum care of pregnant women during the pandemic, and specifically the management of COVID-19 in delivery.
June 2020
Saturday 20th July (1.30-3pm) | Covid-19 Pregnancy: Antenatal Care during the pandemic (Webinar 1) | Registration on Eventbrite
In this first webinar our focus will be on the antenatal period where we will provide insights into antenatal care of pregnant women during the pandemic, and specifically the management of COVID-19 in pregnancy.