23rd December 2022
My experience being a Brilliant Club tutor
“I think every child should have access to education of good quality, regardless of their background. I spotted on our intranet across the Norwich Biosciences Institutes about opportunities with the Brilliant Club. The Brilliant Club mobilises PhD students like me to teach school students...
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9th December 2022
I went to an LGBTQ+ STEM community and careers conference, here’s what I learned
“Visibility, acceptance and pride are three words that encompass a feeling of community as an LGBTQIA+ person. Last year I attended the Out Thinkers event at the 2021 Norwich Science Festival as a new PhD student. This was my first event learning about and...
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2nd December 2022
Being a statistician in biosciences
“I support researchers at the Quadram Institute with the statistical aspects of their work, wherever this is needed. This can mean contributing to study designs, evaluating statistical methods, coding and writing up statistical analyses or just talking to scientists about statistical approaches to their...
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18th November 2022
Developing metagenomic methods to monitor microbes in our food
Researchers from the Quadram Institute have recently developed a new method to efficiently detect these microbes to improve our understanding of food safety and antimicrobial resistance. We caught up with the team to find out more. “A range of microorganisms can be found on...
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4th November 2022
What is the difference between a prebiotic and a probiotic?
Prebiotics Prebiotics are compounds that are selectively used by gut microbes and give us health benefits. Prebiotics feed the good gut microbes in our gut. They stimulate growth amongst pre-existing beneficial bacteria. Complex carbohydrates and fibre from fruit and vegetables such as whole-wheat breads,...
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21st October 2022
Honey, Genomics and Science Soundbites
Dr Muhammad Yasir works in Professor Mark Webber’s group, investigating the evolution of antimicrobial resistance using functional genomics. He has recently launched a new Audio Paper Series, turning scientific papers into short soundbites. We caught up with Yasir to find out more about his...
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14th October 2022
How does food affect the gut microbiome
The food we eat affects the health of our gut microbial community. A rich, varied diet can help our microbes thrive while a restricted diet can impede our gut microbiome’s health and impact the growth of certain beneficial bacteria. We explore how some foods...
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7th October 2022
How does the gut microbiome affect vaccine response in babies?
“Early life is a critical time for our gut microbiota and immune system. Both take shape during the first two years of life. It’s also the time when most of us get our vaccines. So, it’s important we understand how the gut microbiome affects...
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27th September 2022
What is the best way to store bread?
On average we each eat 43 loaves of bread each year. But a lot of that goes in the bin, with UK households throwing away 24 million slices of bread each day. So, what’s the best way to store bread? A member of the...
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23rd September 2022
The highs and lows of a PhD in ME research
Myalgic encephalomyelitis is a long-term debilitating condition. It has a wide range of symptoms including extreme post-exertional fatigue, cognitive difficulties and mobility difficulties which are worsened after physical or mental exertion. Katharine’s PhD in the Simon Carding group was funded by the UK charity...
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