Case Studies: Biosciences

KESS 2 Alumni Case Study : Dr Manon Pritchard

Dr Manon Pritchard Award Group Photo

DR MANON PRITCHARD SER CYMRU II FELLOW I personally have a lot to thank KESS for, with regards to my academic achievements over the last 9 years, and I continue to this day to collaborate closely with the same industrial partner established all those years ago. I was awarded a KESS PhD scholarship in 2011,… Read more »

Developing new chemical and genomic technologies for traceability and quality assurance of edible and industrial vegetable oils

Kirstie Goggin

Kirstie Goggin (ESF-funded KESS 2 PhD), was awarded her PhD in an amazing timescale of 3 years 4 months through the KESS 2 Programme, being the first KESS 2 female PhD recipient at USW. KIRSTIE GOGGIN A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE My PhD was about developing new chemical and genetic approaches to improve traceability, transparency and authenticity… Read more »

Welsh scientists are helping to keep our food healthy, safe and sustainable

Kirstie Goggin in the lab

Much of our food in the UK is sourced via often-complex supply chains involving numerous producers and processors from around the world. Unfortunately this can lead to illicit and/or unethical practices as some food ingredients may be contaminated by adulterants or obtained from undesirable sources. Recent examples include the use or horsemeat instead of beef… Read more »

Multi-dimensional visitor-engagement tracking: an innovative case study with the National Botanic Garden of Wales

The Student Perspective by Gwendoline Wilson, Swansea University. My KESS project is looking at visitor behaviour in the National Botanical Gardens using animal tracking devices on humans. These devices not only track people’s movements throughout the garden but also where they are looking. This allows me to map out the parts of the garden that receive the highest volumes of traffic and those areas where there is less interest.

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Defining the utility of novel pre-clinical cohort model systems

The Student Perspective by Huw Morgan, Cardiff University. The project that I am working on is in partnership with Tenovus. I am looking at the utility of a novel pre-clinical cohort model system, which is in relation to breast cancer. The discovery and development of new drugs at any given time point is termed the drug pipeline and it can be broken down into four broad categories: i) discovery, ii) pre-clinical trials, iii) clinical trials and iv) marketing.

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Understanding the anti/pro tumourigenic role of INF-Y in intestinal cancer

The Student Perspective by Chris Towers, Cardiff University. My KESS project is looking at the role of a molecule in the immune system called interferon gamma, and I am trying to find out whether it causes a positive or a negative effect in colorectal cancer. My project is important because colorectal cancer is the second most deadly cancer and as a result it is immensely important to alleviate the suffering caused by this disease.

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To investigate the use of alternative protein buffer systems to replace the use of animals in the manufacture of immunodiagnostic products

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics

The Student Perspective by Emma Williams, Cardiff University. I am working with a company called Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, who manufacture immuno-diagnostic products. The company currently have around 50 types of medical kit and as part of my project I am working on two of these. The medical kits that I am working on are their Rubella and anti-HIV diagnostic kits.

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Activity patterns in mammals: what are the costs of rehabilitation? (The Academic Perspective)

The impact for the RSPCA has been significant in that they have been able to review their rehabilitation and release strategies based on the work we have done together. This means more effective and successful care for Badgers in the future but also, the RSPCA (and other organisations) have a framework for best practise for the reintroduction of any rehabilitated animals.

As a result of the public engagement work we have undertaken, such as appearing on television and radio, the profiles of both the RSPCA and Swansea University have been raised. Improving public awareness of environmental issues is an important outcome of projects such as this, with not only societal impact, but future economic impact as it leads to improved student recruitment to the university.

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