From 10am to 3pm, the free event will let you discover the hidden worlds of health, food and microbes.

The event is part of the nationwide Heritage Open Days, and this year marks the sixtieth anniversary of food research in Norwich. It is also the fifth anniversary of the former Institute of Food Research and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital coming together in the Quadram Institute building.

The open day will look back at how research in Norwich has helped boost the UK’s health and supplied us with safe, nutritious food, as well as looking at our current research in the microbiome and gut health, some of the clinical research projects underway and coming soon, and how this integrates with NNUH’s endoscopy service for patients and screening.

There will be hands-on activities for all the family to enjoy and explore the microbial world: turn pathogen detective to identify bugs that make us ill, work out how best to treat infections or have a go at coding a Raspberry Pi and use AI to banish bad bugs.

You’ll also find out how you can take part in current and future research trials into food, diet and health.

Complete a sticker trail around the activities and you may even take home a prize.

The open day is a unique chance to look inside the NNUH’s endoscopy centre, a state-of-the-art facility that’s one of the largest in Europe. See the equipment used to look down inside your gut and meet some of the team running the endoscopy and bowel screening service. You can even try your hand at scoping on one of our simulators.

You will have the opportunity for guided tours around the NNUH Clinical Research Facility.  This is the hospital’s primary facility for all clinical trials that do not need to be located within the main hospital building with outpatient clinical and laboratory space as well as a food preparation area for diet-related studies. NHS research staff will run stalls to introduce you to the world of clinical trials and how this research translates into ways to keep us healthy.

“We’re excited to open our doors and invite everyone to learn about our research and clinical services. This open day will highlight our research studies and their integration with NNUH’s endoscopy service, QI Clinical Research Facility and NRP Biorepository” said Dr Antonietta Hayhoe, Head of Quadram’s Human Studies Team and Deputy Programme Leader – Food, Microbiome and Health.

“We are incredibly grateful for our community’s active participation in our studies, which is crucial to advancing health outcomes for all.”

• Entry to the open day is free, and there is no need to book, drop in any time between 10:00am and 3:00pm.
• The Quadram Institute is located on the Norwich Research Park: Postcode: NR4 7UQ. Find out more about how to find us.
• If driving, follow the road signs for Hospital and then ‘Quadram Institute’.
• There will also be free parking on the day in the Quadram Institute car park, adjacent to the Quadram building (https://w3w.co/notes.part.precautions). Please note other car parks will charge a fee.
• We are a 500m walk from the main Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital building should you wish to come by bus.
• More details about activities can be found on our Heritage Open Day event page