The Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology together with the University of the West of England are organising a one day conference exploring issues around Breast Cancer. The conference is being held at the UWE Conference and Exhibition Centre and aims to provide an update on a range of issues that influence the management of women with breast cancer.
All those with an interest in this field: patients, relatives, nurses, researchers, health care professionals to include clinical and biomedical scientists, surgeons, oncologists and general practitioners will find this conference useful.
The speakers are international experts in their respective areas and between them will touch on topics such as:
- the influence of diet on metabolic pathways and cancer
- the latest developments in biomedical research
- surgery and therapies
- new developments in service delivery
- follow-up support and survivorship
- an international perspective
The programme for the day is designed to meet continuing professional development needs for professional attendees (CPD credits will be available for participants), but also to provide an opportunity for women with breast cancer and their supporters to hear about current developments from both local and international experts from the academic world and from clinical practice.
This event is supported by the Microelectronics iNet, which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
Click here to find out more and to register for the event
Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL), the largest robotics laboratory of its type in the UK was officially opened today by the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science.
The Laboratory is a partnership between the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol. BRL strives to understand the science, engineering and social role of robotics and embedded intelligence.
The BRL is home to a community of 70 academics and businesses who are leading current thinking in nouvelle and service robotics, intelligent autonomous systems and bio-engineering. Over £1.65 million has been spent on the new facilities. The total area of the BRL is circa 2,400 sqm, with over 300 metres of specialised laboratory space and two Flying Arenas.
In this video, Professor Chris Melhuish, Director of the BRL, discusses the contributions the BRL will make to worldwide robotics research.
For further information read the full UWE press release here or view the Bristol Robotics Laboratory web pages
The University of the West of England and the Centre for Research in Biosciences (CRIB) will be hosting the next Bristol Microbiology Forum, showcasing Bristol-based microbiology research.
Oral and poster presenatations will be showcased at this event. If you would like to submit a title for presentation please enter it on the registration form. The closing date for poster and oral presentation submissions is 24 May 2012.
For further details please e-mail Victoria Davenport at Victoria.Davenport@uwe.ac.uk or you can register here.
This event is being sponsored by the Centre for Research in Biosciences (CRIB) and the South West Biomedical iNet.
Welcome to the first of our Bio-Sensing Technology series, looking at Microbial Fuel Cells. This technology is led by Dr Ioannis Ieropoulos, a Senior Research Fellow in the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) and we ask him to tell us a bit more about his research.
So what is Microbial Fuel Cell technology?
Microbial fuel cells employ live bacteria to produce electricity by breaking down organic matter. The technology commonly consists of two halfcells – an anode and a cathode – that are separated by an ion selective membrane. Commonly bacteria are in the anode side, and chemicals or oxygen are in the cathode side, which complete the reactions (ie close the circuit) to generate power.
What are the applications of MFC?
This technology looks at utilising a wide range of organic compounds that are considered to be waste, for creating energy. The MFC technology may have potential in a domestic or village setting for the micro-generation of energy.
Applications primarily include Autonomous Robotics, stand-alone Remote Sensing, Waste and Wastewater treatment and utilisation. Further developments may include the powering of other specialized off-the-grid equipment such as portable IT systems, Environmental Monitoring tools and Medical Support apparatus.
Can you give us some examples of projects where MFC has been used?
The MFCs technology has already been used to generate power for autonomous robots, such as EcoBot-I (powered by sugar), EcoBot-II (powered by flies and rotten fruit diet) and EcoBot- III (powered by wastewater).
What are you working on at the moment?
The latest project, ‘Urine-tricity: electricity from urine', aims to produce electricity from urine through stacks of small-scale microbial fuel cells whilst at the same time cleaning the urine stream and getting rid of pathogens that may be found in urine. The project, if successful, has the potential to achieve energy recovery from urine and other waste streams, and produce a cleaner effluent, which is dischargeable into the environment without expensive wastewater treatment in developing world countries.
Lead researcher: Dr Ioannis Ieropoulos
For more information about Microbial fuel cells, please visit the Bristol Robotics Laboratory website.
Congratulations to everyone in the UWE Bristol Science Communication Unit (SCU) who have worked hard to make the SCU a Centre of Excellence.
Centre of Excellence status was granted by UWE Bristol in acknowledgement of the unique blend of skills held by staff within the Unit, its ground breaking research, innovative practical projects and world class postgraduate programmes.
Some of the SCU's most famous projects that have engaged the general public have included the Royal Academy of Engineering award winning project,
Walking with robots and
Heart robot which inspired phenomenal global media interest reaching audiences from Australia to Brazil.
For further information read the full UWE press release here or view the Science Communication Unit web pages