Students Take Control of Imperial's New Carbon Capture Pilot Plant → Centre

Issue 246 ▸ 3 May 2012 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community

In charge Students take control of Imperial’s new carbon capture pilot plant → centre pages

Madame Liu Maths man Big splash Yandong Professor Staff member Chinese State Richard Craster to canoe the Councillor visits on his first six length of the the College months as HoD Thames PAGE 3 PAGE 10 PAGE 13 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

Future of microsurgery unveiled

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, officially opened Imperial’s newly refurbished Hamlyn Centre on 16 April. Guests were able to see the editor’s corner latest developments in robot assisted microsurgery – minimally invasive surgery with micro-scale imaging and manipulation – made possible by funding totalling £5 million from the Wolfson Foundation and the National Institute for Open house Health Research (NIHR) underpinned by the Helen Hamlyn Trust endowment. The Hamlyn Centre, which is split across three Imperial campuses – Hamlyn Centre in advancing robot South Kensington, St Mary’s and Northwick Park – has been refurbished with assisted microsurgery.” From tackling malaria to cutting edge new technologies and a pre-clinical imaging suite for clinical tri- Lord Darzi, Chair of the Institute creating spray-on clothes als to enable clinicians and technicians to validate new surgical robots in the and co-director of the Hamlyn – conveying the amazing patient. The long-term hope is that the robots in the Hamlyn Centre will be Centre, said: “The new facilities breadth of work that goes integrated with imaging and sensing technologies to perform microsurgery, will allow us to build on our unique on at Imperial to family and for example, on cancerous cells. strengths in research and clinical appli- friends can be a tricky task. Janet Wolfson de Botton, Chairman of the Wolfson Foundation, cation of minimal invasive surgery.” I often find the passion said: “The Wolfson Foundation has a long tradition of funding excellence Visit: www.imperial.ac.uk/roboticsurgery academics have for their in science and technology and we are very pleased to support the work is best described in their own voices, which is why we created the Inside Story section of Reporter to help communicate this Shortlisting success for to the College community. On 11–12 May, members Imperial teams of the public will have the unique opportunity to Imperial has received two see the thinking behind nominations in the 2012 Imperial staff this section come to life Times Higher Education at Imperial’s first public Leadership and Manage- Olympics festival. I’m looking ment Awards. forward to going along and Imperial staff in the From old-school sports days to finding out how Imperial Library have been short- Olympic-themed quizzes and scientists saved the listed for Outstanding The Department of Medicine Leaning Tower of Pisa from Library Team, following a has been shortlisted in the fancy dress, this competition has leaning too far and trying nomination by Scott Heath, Outstanding Departmental something for everyone. To get my hand at some robotic ICU President. Debby Administration Team category, involved, create a mixed team of surgery – one of the many Shorley, Director of Library in which the judges will look for 4–8 people, who can be from a demonstrations being Services, said: “We are sim- evidence of excellent commu- showcased throughout ply thrilled about this news. nication and service delivery number of departments. Each the festival. For a write-up We enjoy a great relation- based on the needs of stu- team will be allocated a country and photos of the festival ship with our students, so dents, academics and central on registration. experience, keep your eyes we are especially delighted administration. peeled for the next issue that it was the students’ Dr Matt Lee, Departmental Register your team at: of Reporter, published union who nominated us for Manager, who coordinated the http://bit.ly/staffolympics on 24 May. For more this award.” entry said: “I am delighted that information visit: www. Commenting on why he the excellence of the administra- 8–11 May • South Kensington Campus imperial.ac.uk/festival nominated the team, Scott tion team has been deservedly Emily Ross-Joannou, Editor said: “This year the Library’s recognised. Although located campaign to see a fair deal across six campuses, the team is Reporter is published every three weeks during term from journal publishers unified in its focus to provide pro- time in print and online. The has provided sector-wide fessional, high quality support next publication day is savings which will benefit to academics and students. The 24 May. Imperial significantly. They strength of the team has been Contact Emily Ross-Joannou: [email protected] have also shown a desire instrumental in the outstanding to provide the best service departmental performance since Cover photograph: First possible; they were one of its formation in January 2010.” year undergraduate, Sydney Smith (Chemical Engineering) the first libraries to offer The winners will be checking a gauge in the carbon 24-hour access during term announced on 21 June. capture pilot plant. time and trialled longer —Simon Watts, Communications and opening hours during the Development Easter break.” 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246 >> newsupdate

Imperial announces plans for Chinese State Councillor new leadership visits Imperial

Baroness Manningham-Buller, said: Chinese State Councillor Madame Liu Yandong paid a visit to “Higher education is facing tough Imperial on 15 April, where she learnt more about the College challenges. State funding for UK and its links with China, before taking a tour of the robotic universities is reducing and universi- surgery facilities in the College’s Hamlyn Centre, part of the ties across the wider world are compet- Institute of Global Health Innovation. ing with well-established institutions like ourselves for the best students and Madame Liu who, as a member of China’s politburo, is the high- staff. We have to be imaginative and est ranking female politician in China, was on a visit to Europe flexible, both to take advantage of the last month, taking in the UK, Belgium and Cyprus. She arrived at opportunities we have and to overcome the College accompanied by Mr Liu Xiaoming, China’s Ambassa- the difficulties we face.” dor to the UK, and senior Chinese Imperial announced plans for new In line with the beginning of the ministers. The delegation was met leadership arrangements which will search for a Provost, Sir Keith O’Nions by Rector Sir Keith O’Nions, separate the current responsibilities has assumed the title of President & Dr Simon Buckle, Pro Rector (Inter- of the Rector, and create a new role Rector. Commenting on the new national Affairs), and Professor of Provost on 30 April. The search for approach, Sir Keith said: “This model is Guang-Zhong Yang, Director of the the first Provost of the College has well established in many of the world's Hamlyn Centre. begun and marks the beginning of the leading universities, most notably in the The Rector said: “We are transition towards a leadership model US. The President & Rector, as the privileged to welcome Madame Liu that also includes the new position of College’s leader, will promote Imperial’s to Imperial today. This visit also President & Rector. position as a global university, moving provides an opportunity to recall it into a different league in terms of Imperial’s strong relationship with Imperial’s Council, the governing body development potential, and influence China, reflected both in numerous academic links and the of the College, has agreed to change of higher education and research policy. significant contributions of Chinese staff and students to the the current leadership structure for the The Provost will ensure the standard and Imperial community. It is a relationship we look forward to College. The role of President & Rector quality of the academic programme is deepening in the future.” will have oversight of all functions at maintained and enhanced.” Following presentations on Imperial and its links with China Imperial, but will also place greater The post of Provost will report and the College’s approach to innovation, Madame Liu met emphasis on Imperial’s external affairs directly to the President & Rector, and Chinese staff and students based at the College before Professor in the UK and overseas, focusing on together they will have responsibility for Yang took her on a tour of the Hamlyn Centre. building relationships with alumni, the strategic direction of the College. Madame Liu’s tour ended outside Imperial College Business supporters, governments and industry. As a member of Council, Imperial’s high- School. Thanking the Rector for hosting her visit, she said: “It The Provost will be responsible for est governing body, the Provost will was a pleasure to visit Imperial and learn more about the advancing and delivering the College’s also share responsibility for the wider College’s work, as well as to hear more about its continuing rela- core academic mission – education, governance of the College. tionship with China.” The event follows a visit in February by the research and translation. —Simon Watts, Communications and Development Chinese Ambassador. Explaining the reasons behind —JOHN-PAUL JONES, COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT For more information about the role of Provost the decision to change the leadership and how to apply visit: http://bit.ly/INRT1U See a slideshow of images from the visit: http://bit.ly/diplomatictour model, the Chair of Imperial’s Council,

Union elections Space race school pupils Pendry gains entry to Second Big Science This year the Imperial head to NASA exclusive society Pub Quiz College Union On 28 March, 160 school pupils Professor Sir John Pendry, Chair On 28 March, science reporters sabbatical elections descended on Imperial for the in Theoretical Solid State Physics and press officers joined over 50 achieved the best ever

in brief UK finals of the Space Settlement (Physics), has been welcomed Imperial academics in a battle to be turnout, propelling Design Competition, to battle it into the ranks of the American crowned champions of Imperial’s it to number one out for their chance to head to Academy of Arts and Sciences, second Big Science Pub Quiz – an for participation NASA’s Johnson Space Centre alongside other new members, event run by the Communications among university in Houston, Texas, for the including US Secretary of State and Development Division. The student unions in international finals. The winning Hillary Clinton, philanthropist winning team was headed by Dr Aldo England and Wales. team was called Dougledyne- Melinda Gates and singer- Faisal (Bioengineering) and featured Fifty-eight per cent of undergraduates took part, a Flechtel, with their design featuring songwriter Sir Paul McCartney. members from Channel 4 News and rise of 13 per cent on last year, while 19 per cent of a settlement which moves Professor Pendry, who has Nature. postgraduates voted, up 4 per cent on 2011. In all, across the surface of Mercury on worked at the College since 6,539 student voters took part in deciding the new caterpillar tracks, with a thick shell 1981, is a condensed matter To see pictures from the event and Union sabbatical team and officers. A close race saw to protect it from solar flares. theorist whose research has the full team scores, visit: Paul Beaumont (Mathematics), triumph as Imperial underpinned the development of http://bit.ly/imperialpubquiz College Union President. Visit: bit.ly/suresults2012 Watch a video of the event: an ‘invisibility cloak’. http://bit.ly/spacesettlement 4 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

Prestigious painting restored to the College

A 130-year-old oil painting by Sir John Everett Millais, one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, was hung in the drawing room of 170 Queen’s Gate on 18 April.

The painting, known as For the Squire, previously owned by the late Lord Sherfield, a former Chairman of Imperial’s Governing Body, has been loaned to Imperial for a year by Howard Morris, Emeritus Professor of Biological Chemis- try, and his wife, Dr Maria Panico (both Life Sciences). Six Imperial scientists The couple bought the painting at an auction of the Forbes collection in Edinburgh last October. “For me it conjures up memories of the join Fellowship of first errand you were sent on,” said Professor Morris. “There is a real sense of responsibility and anticipation in the child’s eyes,” he added. Royal Society Professor Morris, who held the position of Head of the Department of Biochemistry (now part of Life Sciences), wanted to loan the painting to the College because of his An evolutionary biologist, a pharmacologist and four family’s affiliation with Imperial, as well as the connection to Lord Sherfield. “My wife physicists from Imperial joined the Fellowship of the and I agree that a painting of such quality shouldn’t be kept in private – it’s nice to be Royal Society last month, as part of the 2012 election able to share it with a wider audience and allow them to enjoy it.” of 44 new Fellows. The painting has been hung next to Lady in the Yellow Dress by Sergei Arsenyevich They join the ranks of around 1,450 elite scientists Vinogradov. Lady Rita O’Nions, wife of Imperial’s Rector, who saw the painting recognised by the UK’s national scientific academy for installed, said: “I have always favoured the Lady in the Yellow Dress, but now this one their contributions to science and are now permitted has arrived, I think I have a new favourite!” to use the letters FRS after their name. They bring the —Emily Ross-Joannou, Communications and Development number of Royal Society Fellows at Imperial, or those with an on-going association with the College, to 73. The new Fellows are: • Professor Michele Dougherty (Physics), a space physicist and Principal Investigator of the Cassini magnetometer instrument, which was launched onboard the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft in 1997. • Professor Russell Lande (Life Sciences), a theoretical biologist who early in his career pioneered the use of genetics to study the evolution of continuous traits, such as height or weight, in natural populations. • Professor Chris Hull (Physics), a theoretical physicist distinguished for his pioneering work on string theory, a concept that aims to unify all of the forces and particles of nature in a single quantum theory. • Professor Tejinder (Jim) Virdee (Physics) who, for several years, led the team of thousands of interna- Two ticks for Imperial tional scientists that designed and built the Compact Muon Solenoid detector, one of the two main experi- The College officially received its ‘two Accepting the award from Jobcentre ments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, and one of ticks’ disability symbol at a presentation Plus representative Debby Huff, Louise the most complex scientific instruments ever built, on 16 April. Lindsay, Director of Human Resources, weighing 14,000 tonnes and with a length of The disability symbol is awarded by said: “We’re delighted Imperial has 30 metres and a diameter of 15 metres. Jobcentre Plus to employers who have received ‘two ticks’ disability status. • Emeritus Professor Timothy Williams (NHLI), made a commitment to employ, keep This is an important recognition of the recognised for his contribution to the understanding and develop the abilities of staff with commitment by members of the staff and of the mechanisms underlying inflammation. He disabilities. Eligible organisations must student body to supporting those with was appointed Asthma UK Professor of Applied meet five criteria, including interviewing disabilities. There is more for us to do Pharmacology in 1988 and established the Leukocyte all job applicants with a disability who – but this is a great endorsement of the Biology Section at Imperial in 1998. meet a vacancy’s minimum criteria, and work to date.” • Visiting Professor Jeremy Burroughes (Physics), making every effort to ensure employees Imperial will report to Jobcentre Plus one of the co-inventors of conjugated polymer elec- who become disabled are able to stay in on how it maintains this commitment. troluminescence, which allows light to be efficiently employment. One new development is the introduction generated by passing electrical current through thin The presentation was attended by of a Staff Disability Officer, a post films of the plastic poly(p-phenylenevinylene). members of Imperial’s Disability Action approved by the College’s Equality and —Simon Levey, Communications and Development Committee who have helped lead Diversity Committee, chaired by Edward improvements for College members Astle, Pro Rector (Enterprise). For the new Fellows’ views on their awards visit: http://bit.ly/newfellows2012 with disabilities over the past two years. —John-Paul Jones, Communications and Development 5 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246 >> newsupdate

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the guardian ▸ 29.3.2012 daily mail ▸ 31.3.2012 the observer ▸ 1.4.2012 the sunday telegraph ▸ 1.4.2012

Grey matter Sex change Painting by Waste not, want not numbers? “That’s your fear and Scientists in the UK are leading Leftover fat from plastic surgery is aggression centre,” efforts to eradicate malaria Can a computer create art? increasingly being saved from the says Professor by genetically engineering Dr Simon Colton (Computing), incinerators by scientists who study Steve Gentleman the mosquitoes that spread a researcher in computational the tissue for research on obesity, (Medicine), as the disease. At Imperial, creativity at Imperial, thinks so. stem cell biology and other he removes a piece of brain tissue. Professor Andrea Crisanti He created a program called the areas. “We don’t “That’s the main event – personality, (Life Sciences) is working on Painting Fool to see if software have any executive function, reason.” Professor disrupting the sex ratio in the could be taken seriously as figures, but it’s Gentleman was watched by Guardian malaria-carrying Anopheles a creative artist. Its work has a growth area and feature writer Zoe Williams, who mosquito, with funding from been displayed in an exhibition is driven by some visited the Parkinson’s UK Tissue Bank the Gates Foundation. “Our in Paris, but Dr Colton says it very interesting at Imperial to learn about how brains genetic modification consists isn’t a real artist yet. “People developments,” donated by volunteers are used in of putting in a gene that codes want to know artwork has been says Professor Sian neuroscience research. Specimens for the PPO1 enzyme,” says constructed with an intelligent Harding (NHLI), one in the brain bank are used to study Crisanti. This enzyme destroys thought process,” he says, “so of the authors of a not just Parkinson’s disease, but the X chromosome during the perhaps once report on human Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and production of sex cells, leaving the software tissue donation by other disorders. “Pathology isn’t just only the male-determining produces the Nuffield Council on Bioethics. weird people who keep things in the Y chromosome active. Since pieces that Many cosmetic patients are happy to basement,” says Professor Gentleman. only the females transmit are culturally consent, just as cancer patients are. A film depicting a dissection at the malaria, the researchers valuable, that get people “People who’ve had tumours removed brain bank is being shown at the hope the intervention will talking, and are not necessarily are usually very happy to have cells Wellcome Collection’s new exhibition lead to a predominance anything that I’m keen on grown out of those tumours that exploring how we treat the brain as an of male mosquitoes. aesthetically or conceptually, can then be tested for new drugs for object. It runs until 17 June. that would be a good indication cancer,” says Professor Harding. of its independence from me.”

awards and – verbal and non-verbal activity, Engineering grantham Institute honours such as reasoning and compre- Henry Edward Armstrong City and Guilds Fellowship hension. This could ultimately medal lead to a greater understanding Professor Sir of human brain function. Dr Vivian Onyebuchi Ikem (MSc Brian Hoskins, Engineering Chemical Engineering and Chemi- Director of Brainy proposal gets medicine cal Technology 2005, PhD 2010) Grantham international support Professional fellowships was awarded the Henry Edward Institute Armstrong Memorial Trust medal for Climate Dr Paul Professor Justin Stebbing by the Deputy Rector, Stephen Change, was awarded the Chadderton (Surgery and Cancer) and Richardson, at Fellowship of the City and (Bioengineer- Dr David Sharp (Medicine) are an event on 30 Guilds of London Institute for ing) received among eight scientists in the UK March 2012. his outstanding contribution a Young to have been awarded National Vivian was rec- to the understanding of the Investiga- Institute for Health Research ognised for her effects of manmade climate tor Award from the International (NIHR) professorial fellowships. PhD research change and its impact on the Human Frontier Science Program The awards, which aim to support developing highly porous, per- environment, at a ceremony Organisation in March 2012. translational research, will give meable and mechanically sound which took place on 21 February. Dr Chadderton and his team five years of funding for Professor materials, via a technique called will investigate brain activity in Stebbing’s work on personalised emulsion templating, for use as mouse models to understand in cancer treatments and Dr Sharp’s filters in oil wells. more detail the underlying prin- work on traumatic brain injury. ciples behind working memory 6 >> scienceroundup www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

Care for premature babies has improved in England

Neonatal services in England tal units in England, Wales have improved since they and Northern Ireland between were reformed to increase 1998 and 2000 and 146 neo- cooperation between hospitals natal units in England between in 2003, according to a new 2009 and 2010, covering the study published on 4 April in the births of 6,441 babies born at British Medical Journal and led 27–28 weeks of gestation. Heart failure’s effects by researchers at Imperial. Between the two time peri- extremely premature babies in cells can be ods, the proportion of babies need highly specialised neona- After a Department of Health delivered at specialist care cen- tal intensive care immediately reversed with a rest review, neonatal services were tres increased, as did the pro- after they are born. Our findings Structural changes in heart muscle organised into managed clini- portion of premature babies that show that considerably more cells after heart failure can be reversed cal networks so that clusters of survived to 28 days. babies are being born in environ- by allowing the heart to rest, accord- hospitals providing different lev- However, half of premature ments where they get the best ing to findings from a study in rats els of specialist care could work babies are still delivered in care compared with 10 years ago, published in early April in the in collaboration. This restructur- non-specialist units, and the but there’s still a lot of room for European Journal of Heart Failure. ing aimed to increase the propor- proportion of babies transferred improvement. In particular we are tion of premature babies born in between hospitals within 24 worried by the continued separa- The research, which was led by Impe- a specialist care unit and reduce hours has increased from seven tion of twins and triplets, the evi- rial scientists, shows that the condi- the number of acute (within 24 per cent to 12 per cent . dence of insufficient cot capacity, tion’s effects on heart muscle cells are hours of birth) postnatal transfers Professor Neena Modi and poor coordination between not permanent, as has generally been from one hospital to another. (Medicine), who led the research, neonatal and maternity services”. thought. The discovery could open the The researchers looked said: “The rate of preterm birth —Adapted from a news release issued by door to new treatment strategies. at 294 maternity and neona- is increasing worldwide, and the British Medical Journal Heart failure means that the heart muscle is too weak or stiff to pump blood as effectively as it needs to, and it is commonly the result of a heart attack. The time is ripe for Salmonella Patients with advanced heart failure are sometimes fitted with a The researchers, led by Professor Gad Frankel (Life left ventricle assist device (LVAD). Sciences), are looking at how these bacterial patho- The LVAD is a small pump that boosts gens latch onto fruits and vegetables and establish the function of the heart and reduces themselves in the first place. They have discovered strain on the left ventricle, the that strains of Salmonella behave differently when biggest chamber of the heart, which attached to ripe and unripe tomatoes. pumps blood around the body’s “Bacteria that attach to ripe tomatoes produce main circulation. an extensive network of filaments, which is not seen In 2006, researchers led by Profes- when they attach to the surface of unripe tomatoes. sor Magdi Yacoub (NHLI) showed that This could affect how they are maintained on the resting the heart using an LVAD fitted surface,” explained Professor Frankel. “We are not for a limited time can help the heart completely sure yet why this happens; it might be muscle to recover. due to the surface properties of the tomatoes or alter- The new study looked at the natively the expression of ripening hormones.” changes that occur in heart muscle The ripeness of fruit could determine how food- Although fresh fruits and vegetables are cells during heart failure in rats, and poisoning bacteria grow on them, according to recognised as important vehicles that transmit harm- whether ‘unloading’ the heart can research presented by Imperial ful bacteria, they are still important reverse these changes. researchers at the Society for components of a healthy and bal- “This is the first demonstra- General Microbiology’s spring By improving anced diet. tion that this important form of conference in Dublin on food safety we would “By and large, raw fruits and veg- remodelling of heart muscle cells 26 March. Their work could lead etables are safe to eat and provide induced by heart failure is revers- to new strategies to improve food also see important numerous health benefits. By work- ible,” said Michael Ibrahim (NHLI). safety, bringing many health and economic and health ing out the reasons behind sporadic “If we can discover the molecular economic benefits. benefits” outbreaks of infections, we can con- mechanisms for these changes, it trol these better and help maintain might be possible to induce recov- A wide range of fresh produce has been linked to out- consumer confidence. By improving food safety we ery without a serious procedure breaks of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, would also see important economic and health ben- like having an LVAD implanted.” including melons, jalapeño and serrano peppers, efits,” Professor Frankel said. —Sam Wong, Communications and Development basil, lettuce, horseradish, sprouts and tomatoes. —Simon Levey, Communications and Development 7 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246 >> scienceroundup

Plants may absorb more carbon Honeycombs of magnets dioxide than previously thought for new gadgets Imperial scientists have taken an important step The capacity of terrestrial ecosystems forward in developing a new material using nano-sized to absorb carbon dioxide emissions magnets that could ultimately lead to new types of from human activity may be greater electronic devices, with greater processing capacity than previously thought, according than is currently feasible. This is according to a study to a new study involving Imperial and published on 30 March in the journal Science. University of York scientists, which was published in March in Nature Many modern data storage devices rely on the abil- Climate Change. The authors say these ity to manipulate the properties of tiny individ- results improve our ability to pre- ual magnetic sections, but their overall design dict the magnitude of climate change is limited by the way these magnetic ‘domains’ before it happens. interact when they are close together. ing them with soil, light, water, and Now, researchers have demonstrated that a honey- The scientists were investigating how a controlled atmosphere that mim- comb pattern of nano-sized magnets introduces compe- changes in temperature and atmos- icked possible future temperatures tition between neighbouring magnets, and reduces the pheric carbon dioxide and levels of atmos- problems caused by these interactions by two-thirds. levels, such as those pre- “These results pheric carbon dioxide. They have shown that large arrays of these nanomag- dicted under the effects improve our Over several months nets can be used to store computable information. The of global climate change, ability to predict they measured how arrays can then be affect soil respiration and the magnitude of well the plants absorb read by measur- a plant’s rate of growth, climate change carbon dioxide under ing their electri- photosynthesis and before it happens” these changing envi- cal resistance. respiration. ronmental conditions. “Electronics The research addresses a key Research author Dr Alex Milcu manufacturers are question in environmental science (Life Sciences) said: “We are really trying all the time about whether an increase in global improving our understanding of how to squeeze more temperatures will cause an increase or plants react to global environmen- data into the same a decrease in the ability of ecosystems tal changes, but a discrepancy exists devices, or the same data into a tinier space for hand- to absorb carbon dioxide from the between our results, those from ‘open’ held devices like smart phones and mobile comput- atmosphere. The results of the study unsealed experiments, and data from ers,” said research author Dr Will Branford (Physics). suggest that with the help of plants, the best computer simulations. Right “However, the innate interaction between magnets has, the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems now, the best way to improve these so far, limited what they can do. In some new types of may well have more capacity to buffer simulations is through more experi- memory, manufacturers try to avoid the limitations of against ‘runaway’ climate change than mental work to understand the way magnetism by avoiding using magnets altogether, previously thought. that carbon cycles between soil, veg- however, our philosophy is to harness the magnetic The scientists grew plants in etation and the atmosphere.” interactions, making them work in our favour.” sealed experimental cabinets, provid- —Simon Levey, Communications and Development —Simon Levey, Communications and Development

Gene can turn flu into a killer others. New research, which involved tects cells against virus infection and is thought Imperial scientists and was published in the to play a critical role in the immune system’s journal Nature on 26 April, has identified for response against such viruses as H1N1 pan- the first time a human gene that influences demic influenza, commonly known as swine flu. how we respond to influenza infection. When the protein is present in large quantities, the spread of the virus in lungs is hindered, but The researchers found that people who carry a if the protein is defective or absent, the virus can particular variant of a gene called IFITM3, which spread more easily, causing severe disease. encodes a protein of the same name, are signifi- “This new discovery is the first clue from cantly more likely to be hospitalised when they our detailed study of the devastating effects of fall ill with influenza than those who carry other flu in hospitalised patients”, said the study’s variants. This gene plays a critical role in pro- co-author, Professor Peter Openshaw (NHLI), tecting the body against infection with influenza pictured. “It vindicates our conviction that there A genetic finding could help explain why and a rare version of it appears to make people is something unusual about these patients.” influenza becomes a life-threatening disease more susceptible to severe forms of the disease. —Adapted from a news release issued by the Wellcome Trust in some people while it has only mild effects in IFITM3 is an important protein that pro- Sanger Institute 8 >> featurefocus www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

Plant power On 18 April, Imperial unveiled its new £2 million carbon capture pilot plant – the most sophisticated facility of its kind in the world for training the next generation of engineers to enter industry. The Director of the pilot plant project, Dr Daryl Williams (Chemical Engineering), takes Reporter’s Colin Smith on a guided tour before undergraduates take over the running of the facility on a day-to-day basis.

People walking along the walkway on the It looks like something out of Dr Who, com- South Kensington Campus over the past plete with flashing green and red lights, lots of two years cannot have failed to notice the buttons and big computer servers huddling up general buzz of building activity going on against the walls. In the centre of the room is behind the hoardings in the Department of a tangle of impressive-looking machinery and Chemical Engineering. Dr Daryl Williams, a towering stainless steel pipes. I ask Daryl to senior lecturer in the Department, has been explain the purpose of all this equipment. in the thick of it, collaborating with building “It demonstrates how coal or gas-fired

managers, construction experts, engineers power plants could capture harmful CO2 and Imperial staff to bring to fruition the new emissions before they reach the atmosphere,” pilot plant – a four-storey facility, rising up he says. through the Department’s core. The pilot plant is part of a larger refurbishment in the Depart- Mock crisis ment – the ChemEng Discovery Space – a £9 million pound investment that also Our tour and conversation is suddenly inter- includes new teaching labs, research labs, rupted by an announcement booming over a offices and learning spaces. loudspeaker: “There is an emergency! Please The College has been working closely wait for further instructions”. with industry on this project, and the power A piercing klaxon sounds and an orange and automation technology company ABB light begins to flash. We hurry away from the in particular, to ensure that students get noise, up another level and into the control the most realistic experience of working in room – the plant’s nerve centre – where a chemical engineering plant. The plant fea- students are involved in a training scenario; a tures a wide variety of advanced control and mock crisis in the plant. instrumentation technology, so that students The big screens, desks and computer are trained to work with a range of different terminals are reconfiguring into emer- industrial plant systems and technologies. gency mode as we walk into the room. “It’s like something out of a Star Trek movie,” Hands-on enthuses Daryl, pointing to the desks and computers that are rising up so that the stu- “Engineering education needs to retain dents can monitor their terminals from a a hands-on element, especially as more standing position.” and more academic material goes online,” “Years of industry research suggest that explains Daryl enthusiastically, as he leads in an emergency situation people work best me through one of the newly finished teach- when they are standing up,” Daryl explains. ing labs and into the bowels of the plant on The student team prevents a virtual spill the ground floor. from happening in one of the pipes in the “It’s pretty amazing that students who are pilot plant and the mock crisis is averted. 18 or 19 will be able to come in here and learn how to operate this £2 million plant as part of their studies,” he adds, gesturing towards the plant machinery as we walk in. As I take in the full view, I begin to realise just how unique the learning experience for students will be. 9 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246 >> featurefocus

Pictured clockwise: students in mock crisis mode in the control room; Daryl inspecting a sensor and the glass viewing portal through which you can see CO2 absorption.

Career-ready Future vision

Second year chemical engineering undergrad- In the future, we may be able to mitigate the uate George Spence-Jones is part of the impact of industrial-scale power plants on the demonstration team in the pilot plant. George climate, by capturing CO2 using similar tech- tells me he wants to be a process systems nology to that used in this pilot plant. A vast engineer when he graduates, designing chem- network of pipes could pump the extracted ical plants like the one we are in. He says gas into depleted oil and gas reservoirs under the pilot plant is already providing valuable the North Sea, where it would be safely stored insights into his future career. for millions of years. “As part of our studies, we carried out At Imperial’s plant, the process works by an inspection of the pilot plant and one of separating 1.2 tonnes of CO2 per day from the major things that I’ve learnt is that there other emissions. As this plant is a training may be a number of unforeseen challenges facility, the CO2 is simply separated from the students who train here will be equipped to work with that come up during the construction phase other gases and then mixed in again as part of a range of different plant systems and technologies. that may impact on the design,” explains a continuous demonstration cycle, rather than Another novel feature is that students can use George. “For instance, we had to update the being pumped underground. their iPhones and iPads to access information from pilot plant’s schematics because we discov- I ask Daryl to show me how the CO2 is the sensors, video equipment and computers, so they ered discrepancies between the designs and separated. We leave the control room and don’t have to be in the control room to run the plant. the actual layout of the plant, head back into the pilot plant to “In the near future, engineers will be able to use due to space constraints. Appar- a glass viewing portal in the pip- technology like iPads to work offsite to solve prob- ently, this happens all the time It looks ing to watch the CO2 extraction lems and monitor situations. We want our students to when plants are being built. It felt like something taking place. The CO2 gas mix- benefit from that experience before they even set foot good to be involved in tasks that I ture bubbles up an ‘absorber in a real plant,” says Daryl. might actually do in my career.” out of a Star column’. It is collected by a As my tour with Daryl ends, I ask him how it felt The opening of this plant Trek movie!” water-based solution contain- to see the students finally in the plant. “It feels like could not have come at a better ing the chemical monoethan- all the hard work that everyone has put into the pro- time for Imperial undergraduates. In April, the olamine (MEA), which is trickling down the ject over the last two years is justified, now that the government announced a £1 billion initiative to column in the opposite direction. At the base students are taking control of the pilot plant. When develop carbon capture and storage technol- of the column, the CO2- rich MEA is pumped you see students quickly learning how to operate a ogy, through a competition to design the first to an adjacent ‘stripper column’, which heats plant in a crisis, or understanding in more detail the workable carbon capture plant for gas-fired the MEA, so that the CO2 can be collected challenges involved in constructing such a complex power stations. The project has the potential and reused again in the demonstration. structure like this, it underlines just how capable our to create 10,000 jobs in industry, and research- As we wander around the plant, Daryl undergraduates are. If this is the future of chemical ers from Imperial’s Energy Future’s Lab will be points out some of the other features includ- engineering, we are in safe hands,” he adds. involved in the underpinning research that will ing video surveillance cameras and more than —Colin Smith, Communications and Development help to make the government’s vision a reality. 250 sensors, some wireless and others that To hear a podcast on the carbon capture pilot plant visit: It strikes me that graduates like George could are powered by excess energy generated by http://bit.ly/carbonpodcast be at the forefront of this new UK industry. the plant. Together, they form a network that “Absolutely,” agrees Daryl. “The pilot plant relays information in real time to students, so gives our students a headstart because they’ll that they can monitor anything from tempera- be learning all the latest technologies and pro- ture to liquid pressure. The plant also features cesses behind carbon capture, long before the a wide variety of advanced control and first plants are built for industry.” instrumentation technology, so that the 10 >> featurefocus www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

What advice would you have for How has the College changed any early-career scientists? since you first joined? Everyone always assumes that I was an undergraduate between if you’ve had a ‘successful’ 1986 and 1989 and then returned scientific career, then it must as an EPSRC Advanced Fellow and have been planned, and that you a lecturer in 1998, so really I’ve became a professor as a result of a seen it in two incarnations. The series of mapped first time around, out steps taken Imperial was part since you were That magical of the University of sixteen. But in feeling about London and the my experience, it College was pri- doesn’t work like getting equations to marily based on that. I got into interpret or explain the South Kensing- science, and real processes has ton Campus. Whilst maths in partic- its physical space ular, because I never gone away” hasn’t grown since found the sub- then, the number jects easy and fascinating. And so of people has. Then, there were I think for so long as postdocs find only 70 undergraduates in my year, the work challenging, fun and whereas now there are 200 stu- exciting, they should follow that dents in each year. Today, as an path and it could eventually lead academic, there are many more to a career. In my case it was a pressures than there used to be – Finding the right filtering process, rather than some you must be a fantastic teacher, pre-planned deterministic path. administrator and bring in grant income, as well as do top-quality What are you excited about in research: which is actually hard to formula the Department? do well and to do simultaneously. Since October we have made The public perception of an aca- Reporter meets Professor Richard Craster, Head of the several new appointments. It is demic loafing around with lots of exciting to see a place grow. By spare time is very wide of the mark! Department of Mathematics, who first started at the College as strengthening research areas, such a maths undergraduate in 1986, to find out how he has found as mathematical biology, dynami- What continues to excite you cal systems and mathematical about maths? his first six months in post and his plans for the Department. finance, it’s becoming an even As a child I always thought it more interesting place in which almost magical that maths to work. It’s also good to see peo- coupled with physics could What are your aims for the How are you going to go about ple successfully winning research explain such seemingly simple, Department? achieving that? grants. Even though the headline but real, things like rockets, pro- I think they are the aims of any I want to put on more events both message from research funders is jectiles and orbiting planets, and Head of Department, which is to for staff and students, and for the that money is limited, the Depart- that you can use it to predict how have world class research and Department to be more socially ment is winning grants at every they would move. That magical high quality teaching within the proactive. There are the challenges panel meeting and a steady stream feeling about getting equations Department. In addition I want to of being a city centre campus to of successful Fellowships. I’m per- to interpret or explain real pro- there to be more of an emphasis overcome, with some people sonally excited that we have won cesses has never gone away. on transferable skills for students, living far away and so many other funding from the Engineering and —Simon Levey, Communications and as well as try to build a greater nearby distractions, but we want Physical Sciences Research Development sense of community within the to give staff and students a reason Council for a research project on Department. No matter what the to hang around the Department a which I’m a co-investigator with external factors are, with financial bit more often. It can be something Dr Greg Pavliotis and Professor constraints and other worries, as simple as pastries and coffee at Andrew Parry from this Depart- internally we need to focus on it Wednesday afternoon meetings, ment. It aims to predict how waves being a really great place to work. although I’m under no illusions reflect off designed structured sur- we’re going to turn the Huxley faces and how they change when Building in to a party palace! they encounter a micro-patterned surface. We all have really different backgrounds and the funding will force us to work together in new ways.

11 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

Reaching out to business

Professor Tom Welton, Head of the Department of Chemistry, reports on inside his experience of being invited to the Imperial Business Partners dinner and discussion on 13 March.

story “The Business Partners are a group of companies that have decided that they want to deepen their relationships with the College. These are AWE, BP, BT, mini profile GE, Ineos, National Grid, Rolls-Royce, Shell and Syngenta. Dow Chemical, Dr Ellis Armstrong of BP with students in the which makes products in the chemi- Reach Out Lab Bob cal, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics fields, were guests for the MacCallum evening. Professor Julia Buckingham, Pro Rector (Education and Academic ratory in action. These young people Reporter spoke to Dr Bob Affairs), led the evening’s first discus- were from schools in disadvantaged MacCallum (Life Sciences) sion on the world areas from all over about mosquitoes, databases of £9,000 p.a. fees London. They were and his work in Professor soon to be upon us, You couldn’t fantastic. You George Christophides’ lab. and what its con- hope to meet people couldn’t hope to meet How did the project begin? sequences may be. people more enthusias- How did you get into The project is funded by the US Later, we had a sec- more enthusiastic tic about doing science. bioinformatics? government and arose in the ond discussion on about doing science” They each grabbed dif- Until a few years ago, my dad aftermath of 9/11 when home- broader govern- ferent guests to show was a computer science land security was high on the ment policy for science and technology us what they were doing and to tell us lecturer, so computers have agenda. It is hoped that an funding led by Lord Robert Winston, why the Reach Out Lab is so important always been in my blood. improved understanding of Professor of Science and Society to them. If you believe, as I do, that the However, being the usual vector borne diseases will help (Humanities), who either has a remark- foundations of Imperial’s success are rebellious child, I decided not defend against their potential able ability to eat and speak at the its students, then I am happy to report to pursue computing and did a weaponisation, improve same time, or doesn’t mind the taste of that, should they choose Imperial for biology degree instead! Later conditions in developing coun- a cold dinner. their degree, the College has a bright on during my PhD at UCL, I tries, and mitigate the effects of The real stars of the evening were future to look forward to.” discovered bioinformatics – the global warming as vector popu- the 20 or so teenagers, who had come www.imperial.ac.uk/imperialbusinesspartners application of computer science lations move into new areas. to show us Imperial’s Reach Out Labo- and information technology to biology and medicine. I’ve Who’s the database for? been involved in computational VectorBase is a portal for biology ever since. worldwide insect vector science from scratch research. We gather microarray What is VectorBase? (the technology used to do I’ve been at Imperial since 2005 gene expression profiling) data Algorithms working for VectorBase – a con- from the community into one explained by Douglas Heaven, MSc Science Communication sortium involving the Univer- web-based resource. Biologists sity of Notre Dame, Harvard, the with no computational training An algorithm is a recipe. When following a recipe for European Bioinformatics can see how a specific gene a chocolate fudge cake, for example, we carry out an Institute and the University is switched on and off (or ordered series of actions that takes a set of ingredients of Crete – tasked with build- regulated up and down), with – flour, sugar, eggs, chocolate – and produces a cake. ing a website and database respect to different biological The recipe specifies which actions to perform and the of genome sequence, gene events and processes. order in which to do them. In mathematics and computer expression, and population Our latest development, science, an algorithm relates a set of inputs to an output in data for different species of published in BMC Genomics, much the same way that a cake recipe relates the ingredients to a cake. Some mosquitoes and other insect is a map of gene expression algorithms have become standard tools for common tasks such as sorting, or vectors of disease. A vector is in the malaria mosquito. finding the best routes between locations. Algorithms have also been around for an organism responsible for —emily ross-joannou, Communications a lot longer than computers: Euclid’s algorithm for finding the largest positive and Development transmitting infections from whole number that divides two others, for example, was recorded in 300 BC. host to host. More recently, ‘rogue algorithms’ have been blamed for the stock market crash. For more information see: But blaming an algorithm is like blaming a recipe – the responsibility lies with www.vectorbase.org whoever requested a cake when a brownie was wanted instead. 12 insidestory www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

Imperial students share their experiences of life the relationship between extreme at the College on the student bloggers website. Could you survive poverty and neglected tropical diseases. These diseases cause malnu- on just £1 a day? trition and stunted growth, prevent Student blogger Aislinn on children from going to school and par- hitting the books: Between 6–10 May, Alexandra Weldon, ents from going to work, thereby tak- Advocacy and Relations Manager (Public ing away any chance families have of “Sleeping – I’ll be the first to admit Health) at the Schistosomiasis Control Ini- lifting themselves out of poverty. Aled I’ve overdosed on this one this tiative (SCI), has taken on the challenge to said the worst thing about the chal- Easter. Yesterday I woke up at 15.00 live off just £1 per day for food, reflecting lenge was the boredom and it was and the day before, I fell asleep in the experiences of the 1.4 billion people cur- months before he could face eating the middle of revising. rently living in extreme pov- boiled rice again, but my But no more! I got erty around the world. Alix greatest fear is five days up at a respectable explains why she is taking part My greatest with no caffeine! So far, hour this morning in the annual Live Below the fear is five days the SCI’s Director, (10.00, don’t you Line fundraising initiative. Professor Alan Fenwick, dare judge me) with no caffeine!” Dr Michael French and got some “One of SCI’s dedicated sup- (Public Health) and solid work done porters, a student at the University of Liverpool I have signed up to participate, as after some gentle called Aled Roberts, took part in the initia- well as a number of students includ- nudging by my tive last year and contacted us to let us know ing Imperial College Union President, dad. Do I regret my what he was doing. I had never heard of Live Scott Heath. Anyone interested in hours of staying up Below the Line, which was in its second year in joining the challenge (you can do it late and sleeping all day? 2011, but thought anytime up to 30 June when the web- Not at all. But I made a promise the idea was sim- site will cease to accept donations), to myself to get back into serious ple and brilliant, feel free to drop me a line: a.weldon@ study mode for at least the last two and offered an imperial.ac.uk.” weeks of the holidays, a goal I set incredible oppor- Sponsor the Imperial team: at the beginning of the break.” tunity for the SCI to http://bit.ly/belowthelineimperial increase its reach and www.imperial.ac.uk/campus_life/studentblogs educate people about

Planet under pressure Last month Georgina Mace, climate change will continue to opposed to years, the success of Professor of Conservation Science have a big impact on some eco- actions taken today need to be (Life Sciences), addressed systems and areas of the world, measured in terms other than mon- scientists and policy makers at the this will have had major conse- etary growth. three-day Planet Under Pressure quences on polar areas, and many conference, as they decided their low-lying coastal areas could be What commitments would you key priorities for next year’s UN flooded due to sea level rise. like to see coming out of the international climate summit, the Rio+20? Rio+20 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. What effect do you think Firstly, we need to see some joined- Reporter caught up with her ahead negative stories about the up planning for the environment at and not only on measures of pro- of the conference future of the planet has on all scales from local to global. This duction and consumption (oth- people’s behaviour? means that separate short-term erwise known as Gross Domestic What do you think the planet There is a serious prob- plans for agriculture, Product, or GDP) that is. Thirdly we will look like in 100 years? lem that short term water, energy, biodi- need better governance and deci- “We need to see It depends on what decisions we concerns – about eco- versity and infrastruc- sion-making for the environment. some joined-up make about how to manage land- nomic growth, poverty ture need to be moved These are large but interconnected planning for the scapes and the oceans. We do reduction and employ- to integrated long-term challenges that are widely agreed environment at know, though, that the earth will ment – will eclipse plans for a sustainable to be necessary. The science is all scales from be much altered. We will have the need for actions future. Secondly, we clear, it is simply a case of finding local to global” been through a period of maxi- to be taken now that need measures of suc- ways for politicians to act. mum population size with all the secure prosperity and cess that are based on —Simon Levey, Communications and implications that has for land use, equity for the future. This is a diffi- overall benefits to societies and Development and the loss of natural ecosystems cult communication task, but there correlated with the amount of envi- For the full interview see: and wild species. And because is no doubt that over decades, as ronmental degradation it causes, http://bit.ly/planetunderpressure 13 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246 insidestory

inventor’s corner course review Bio-inspiration

Sensor calibration

Dr Pantelis Georgiou is a lecturer in the Bio-inspired Department of Electrical and Electronic artificial pancreas Engineering, whose research involves the application of microelectronic technology to create novel medical devices. He has developed a Wellcome Trust- funded bio-inspired artificial pancreas, By course attendee Dr Karl Smith, Research which aims to improve the treatment of Associate (Civil and Environmental Engineering) patients suffering fromT ype 1 diabetes Silicon beta cell Continuous glucose monitor

Dr Georgiou’s artificial pancreas comprises Presentations for Why have you developed this an innovative bio-inspired microchip which interviews: practice device? replicates the body’s cells Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune and feedback disease, in which the beta cells in your pancreas (the cells responsible tive aspect of this is the biologically- Why did you go on the course? for sensing your blood glucose and inspired microchip which connects the Delivering presentations is increasingly becoming a standard part of job interviews. My research contract is nearing its releasing the insulin) get destroyed. two; we’ve been able to replicate the end, so I’m currently immersed in the job application and Traditional insulin injections solve beta cells using integrated circuits on interview process. My key aspiration was that this course the problem in the short term, but a silicon micro-chip. With this we can would help to maximise my recruitment prospects. patients still end up having large deliver insulin profiles that would be as glycaemic variability, meaning their expected in a healthy pancreas. What did you learn? blood sugar still fluctuates throughout I received some very constructive feedback on how I could the day – a leading cause of secondary How will you develop this address the weaker aspects of my presentation approach and delivery. Watching and, moreover, critiquing the other complications like blindness, heart technology? attendees’ practice presentations gave me a strong grasp of disease and nerve damage. The We’ve validated this technology what should engage an assessment panel. bio-inspired artificial pancreas can through a patient simulator and were control the blood sugar continuously able to regulate the patient’s blood What element of the course did you find the throughout the day, helping to glucose within target levels 93% of the most helpful? constrain glycaemic variability and the time. This allowed us to begin human A crucial element was that each presentation was filmed. resulting medical difficulties. clinical trials, which are currently Consequently, we could watch video playbacks of our performances: this gave us a revealing insight into our underway at St Mary’s Campus. The individual tics, some of which were shown to be alarmingly How does it work? next step is to develop this into a larger distracting. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this course to The artificial pancreas is worn exter- scale study that will take this from the fellow postdocs pursuing gainful future employment. nally and combines a continuous glu- clinic to the home. Visit the website for more information on the course: cose monitor that reads your blood —Kailey Nolan, Imperial Innovations http://bit.ly/practiceandfeedback sugar, and an insulin pump that infuses Visit: www.imperialinnovations.co.uk the insulin into the body. The innova-

Tackling the Thames

This month, Martin Lodemore, Patient and Public sensible and more stable. I'm starting on 5 May Liaison Officer (Medicine), is attempting to canoe from Thames Head in Gloucestershire and hope- the length of the Thames in an inflatable canoe fully finishing the 215-mile journey by 20 May at in memory of his nephew Tom, who died from Southend-on-Sea in Essex, I’ll be camping where sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), I can or finding accommodation. Family, friends aged 27. In the UK, 1,000 young people die each and colleagues are planning to swim, walk, run year from epilepsy and around half of these are or cycle sections with me on the Thames Path. due to SUDEP. Martin reports on his challenge: Training has been tough: weekday evenings, I Network, I travel across England, so it’s been focus on fitness using an exercise bike, weights hard to keep up the weekday training. I’m look- “I was trying to think of something different and even the Wii; weekends are largely spent ing forward to getting started on the challenge!” that I might be able to do in Tom’s memory. Ini- getting in the canoe and trying to build up my To support Martin’s challenge or follow his progress visit: tially, I thought of rowing the Thames, but with stamina and strength. In my role at Imperial, www.tacklingthethamesfortom.co.uk the estuary, an inflatable canoe sounded more working with the national Diabetes Research 14 insidestory www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 3 May 2012 • Issue 246

obituaries Staff featured in this column have given many years of service to the College. Staff listed below Christopher Wastell celebrate anniversaries during the period 1 June to Professor Christopher Wastell, who 14 June. The data is supplied by HR and is correct at the held a Chair of Surgery at Charing time of going to press. Cross and Westminster Medical School, died on 18 January 2012. Julia 20 years Anderson (Surgery and Cancer) shares • Mrs Jennifer Eastwood, Administration, Environmental Policy her memories of her colleague: • Dr Djordje Brujic, Research Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

“Professor Wastell was born on 13 30 years October 1932. He qualified from Guy’s • Emeritus Professor Mary Ritter, Medicine and CEO of Climate-KIC Hospital and was appointed to the Chair in Surgery at Westminster when spotlight the first Professor of Surgery at Westminster Medical School, Harold Ellis, retired in 1989. He had already held a personal chair conferred by Jennifer Eastwood, Administrator (Centre for Environmental Policy) Westminster Medical School, since 1981. 20 years Chris was an outstanding gastrointestinal surgeon. He built the Academic Surgical Unit at Chelsea and Westminster, securing charity Jennifer Eastwood joined Imperial and industrial funding to support it. He was an excellent teacher – to in 1983 but was forced into early retirement due to ill health. She undergraduates and postgraduates – many Doctor of Medicine (MD) and re-joined the College in 1991. Master of Surgery (MS) students owed their subsequent careers to Chris. “I bumped into Sir Eric Ash, the Chris was a great supporter of the hospital (both Westminster and Rector at the time, who told me I didn’t look ill enough! He gave subsequently Chelsea and Westminster), continuing after retirement me the confidence to come back in 1997. to work after a difficult time,” she He was avidly interested in sailing and supported the student’s explains. This month she celebrates 20 years of continuous service. sailing club for many years; in retirement he sailed the Atlantic and con- Jennifer’s background in modern languages has been well-used in the various roles she has had at the College. These include editing research tinued sailing after suffering a stroke from which he made a determined submissions and journal articles, organising events and, on one occasion, and remarkable recovery. persuading Polish border guards to grant Imperial researchers access to Chris was a keen gardener with a large garden and a beautiful lawn, ‘the Black Triangle’, one of the world’s most polluted areas at the intersec- and an allotment producing wonderful vegetables. tion of Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. She says: “My main priority has been to provide support for some of He leaves his wife, Margaret and their three children – Giles, Jackie Imperial’s many weird and wonderful researchers, although my husband and Viv – and five grandchildren.” [College Secretary, Dr Rodney Eastwood, who retired recently] claims that running Imperial was a doddle compared to dealing with me!” To share your memories of Chris visit: www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter

Nuclear safety “Since the Fukushima incident, reduce safety. As a result, the UK odologies, are being developed by which was triggered by an earth- nuclear industry embarked on a an expert team that is supported quake and tsunami in Japan in pragmatic approach to develop by students. The fundamen- March 2011, issues about nuclear advanced safety codes to ensure tal research carried out at Impe- energy and worries about oper- that nuclear plants would run rial filters through to new design ational safety have once again safely for an extended lifetime and international safety codes, come to the fore. It is clear that without endangering the public. which are continually being devel- dealing with safety is paramount Since the 1970s, Imperial has oped, improved and validated. in the nuclear industry, as the been a major contributor in the The Centre leads the international political, social and media scru- field of nuclear energy research. field in extending the bounda- tiny always influences the gov- At present, the College is an inter- ries for predicting safe life in ernmental decision makers, who national leader in the research a nuclear industry. We believe Professor Kamran Nikbin, Professor of have a duty to balance public con- and development of novel con- that that the best way to estab- Structural Integrity (Mechanical Engi- cerns with the need to guarantee cepts and safety methodologies lish a comprehensive approach neering) discusses the role Imperial’s energy production. in fracture mechanics. In 2008, to nuclear safety is to develop Structural Integrity Centre, sponsored The UK was one of the early Imperial established a Structural and apply fundamental concepts by EDF Energy, has in advancing safety pioneers of civil nuclear build and Integrity Centre in the Department of structural integrity using mul- issues in the nuclear industry. Struc- chose advanced gas cooled reac- of Mechanical Engineering. At the tidisciplinary techniques.” tural integrity covers a wide range tor design, which operates at high Centre, a number of processes, For more information visit: www.imperial. of failure assessment of structures temperatures and where aggres- including advanced testing for ac.uk/mestructuralintegrity and the related material response to sive conditions, such as oxida- materials characterisation, virtual stresses and failure mechanisms. tion and corrosion, dramatically testing and life prediction meth- tre inMarch. lete to set aworld record at thenewOlympic Aquatics Cen- Ellie,added. whois based in Swansea, was thefirst ath- students and promised to win us agold medal inJuly,” he 2012. She signed afew pictures and swimming hats for explained Neil.“She was really engaging and focused on before and decided to come back for atraining session,” centre during atrip to London. “Ellie had used thepool to train intheswimming pool at Imperial’s Ethos sports Services), was at South Kensington Campus on27 March right with Neil Mosley, Assistant Director of Commercial British paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds (pictured trains at Imperial Double P Miss Wendy Jules, Library Miss Claire Jones, Legal Services Ms Laurel Issen, Medicine Miss Farhana Hussain, NHLI Environmental Engineering Mr Jun Hu,Civil and Dr Mathieu Fortier, NHLI Dr Joseph Footitt, NHLI Mr Luke Materials Fleet, Dr Adriano Festa, EEE Mr Hendrik Faber, Physics Mrs Susan Diggines, NHLI Physics Mr Joao DeJesus Reis Lagarto, of Medicine Dr Siobhan Darrington,Faculty Bioengineering Dansey,Mr Martin Ms Veronica Daniel,Medicine Medicine Ms Justyna Czyzewska-Khan, Dr Matthew Cook, Medicine Mr Oliver Coen, Library Accommodation Miss Joanna Chamiola, Cancer Dr Elaine Burns, Surgery and Cancer Miss Lucy Brown, Surgery and Miss Sarah Broady, Library Business School Ms Rowena Boddington, Mr James Birch, Life Sciences Development Communications and Miss Georgia Bergson, Services Mr Edward Catering Bennett, Computing Dr Pawel Bembnowicz, Dr Anca Belme,ESE Division Ms Sokina Begum, Estates new starters Welcome

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Miss Sian Cousins, Medicine Miss Kirsty-Lee Collins, Medicine Ms Flora Christofi, NHLI Dr Antoine Chamballu, Physics Dr Cristina Canova, NHLI Medicine Dr Ana-Maria Calcagno Pizarello, Dr Andrew Brent,Medicine Sciences Dr Agnieszka Brandt, Life Miss HelenBlake, Medicine Miss NaomiBateman, Medicine Mr Alan Bane, Catering Services Ms Nadia Baillie, Legal Services (8 years) Dr Paul Aljabar, Computing Dr Laura Alcazar Fuoli, Medicine Computing Mr Joan Alabort Medina, Mr Feras Al Jayoose, NHLI moving on Farewell Ms Celine Yan, Medicine Mr Michael White, Public Health Engineering Ms Tayjal Tailor,Facultyof Health Dr Claudia Schonborn, Public Dr Ayesha Rehman, Physics Miss Sophie Price, Materials Miss Lisa Pomfrett, Registry Dr Dimitrios Pavlidis, ESE Dr SilviaPanico,Life Sciences Dr Sobiya Nadaraja, NHLI Medicine Mrs Joanne Murphy, Faculty of Sciences Ms Laura Monje Garcia, Clinical Dr Yu Lien,Physics Dr Zhe Li,Chemistry Sciences Dr Dalia Kasperaviciute, Clinical 3 May 2012•Issue 246

and Cancer Dr Gemma Molyneux, Surgery Dr Katarina Miljkovic, ESE years)(5 Miss Jozella Mearhart,Medicine Medicine Mrs Antoinette McNulty, Mr Richard Matthewman, ESE Cancer Dr Kate Maclaran, Surgery and Mr Steven Lovegrove, Computing Ms Kaatje Lomme, Medicine Medicine Mrs Gemma Loebenberg, Mr Jens Loebbermann, NHLI Dr Wenjun Li,Computing Sciences(6 years) Dr Olga Kotik-Kogan, Life Keats,Mr Martin Medicine Environmental Engineering Dr Ioannis Kaparias, Civil and Miss Karishma Jivraj, Medicine Dr Deanpen Japrung, Chemistry Dr Kai Ishihara, Mathematics Medicine Miss Bianca Hinds-Walters, Dr David Hastie, Public Health Mr Khilan Gudka, Computing years)(5 Dr Emma Green, Life Sciences Miss Shreena Ghelani, Medicine Dr Peter Gammon, Materials Sciences Dr Diego Fontaneto, Life (6 years) Dr Andreas Fidjeland, Computing Ms Rosie Evans, Medicine Sciences(12 years) Dr Robert Eckersley, Clinical Ms Kelly Dunagan, Life Sciences Ms Saloni Dosani, Medicine Miss Lara Davidson, Medicine Natural Sciences Miss Raygana Davids, Faculty of Dr Pasquale D’Angelo, Chemistry Dr Rosenildo da Costa, Chemistry Mr Said Tarabi, Medicine Ms Julie Swales, Medicine DiegoEEE Soto Sanchez,Dr Cancer Lipei Song,Surgery and Ms Dr Nicholas Silver, NHLI Mr Richard Sheppard, Chemistry (10 years) Mr Philip Shanahan, Library Mr Reuben Rowe, Computing Cancer Mr ShantanuRout, Surgery and Ms Ester Romeri, Public Health Mr James Roberts,Life Sciences Dr Licia Ray, Physics Sciences years)(9 Mrs Rachel Rathbone, Clinical and Cancer (8 years) MrsRashied, Sabeena Surgery Cancer(14 years) Mr Rajendra Rai, Surgery and Mr Stephen Quirke, ICTyears) (7 Miss Elena Phoka, Mathematics Dr Ole Peters, Grantham Institute (21 years) Professor John Pepper, NHLI Cancer years)(9 Dr Elli Peltoketo, Surgery and Dr Yannis Pappas, Public Health (10 years) Mrs Sandra O’Sullivan, Medicine Sciences Ms Karen Ofosu-Orchard, Life Ms Lorraine O’Connell, Medicine years)(5 Mrs Samantha Newton, Registry Dr Miguel Navarro-Cia, Physics Miss Jessica Nagar, Medicine Chemical Engineering Mr Miguel Munoz Zuniga, Engineering Dr JairMunoz Bugarin, Faculty of Mr Richard Munday, Medicine Dr Angela Mortier, Physics Mr William Morgan, Medicine Miss Michela Moraldo, NHLI

speak out Contact Emily Ross-Joannou: term time inprint and online at published every three weeks during lication day is 24 May. Reporteris across theCollege. The next pub - We welcome contributions from Story ideas?

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+44 (0)207594 6715 [email protected] insidestory of going to press. This data was covers theperiod 12–31 March. This data is supplied by HRand Health(11 years) Professor Brian Spratt, Public years)Medicine(30 Professor Charles Pusey, years) Environmental Engineering(32 Professor David Potts, Civil and (21 years) Professor Dorian Haskard, NHLI Mathematics years)(34 Mrs Doris Abeysekera, retirements Health Dr Ghasem Yadegarfar, Public Dr Robert Wicks, Physics Miss Charlotte Watson, Medicine Mr Alexander Warren, Computing Dr ThomasWall, Physics Sciences Life Uzdavinys, Povilas Mr and Cancer (5 years) Dr Pinar Uysal Onganer, Surgery Medicine Miss Maria Urjanheimo, Medicine Mr Raphael Underwood, Mr Sofor Uddin, Finance Medicine Mr Richard Tromans, Faculty of Dr Frauke Thrun, Chemistry Mr Tri Tat,Cancer Surgeryand these as necessary. right to edit or amend The Editor reserves the [email protected] and retirees to the Editor at about new starters, leavers images and/or comments Please sendyour correct at thetime

moving in. moving on. for complete details: events highlights www.imperial.ac.uk/events 3 May

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22 may ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE underlie traumatic brain injury and common neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzhei- Brains, trains and automobiles: mer’s and Parkinson’s. In his inaugural lecture, Shape the vision for an eventful journey he describes how traumatic brain injury can Imperial West initiate early Alzheimer’s-type changes in the Professor Stephen Gentleman (Medicine), a brain, and explains why the early protective The College Research Committee is neuropathologist at the UK’s largest brain bank responses to injury, if they persist, can eventu- seeking staff views on how dedicated to Parkinson’s disease, studies the ally become harmful. to take advantage of human brain at post mortem to provide unique the opportunities insights into the pathological processes that presented by the new Imperial West site, close to the Hammersmith 23 MAY ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE explores how this emerging field offers a bridge between the worlds of science, technology, art, Campus, to develop aca- The art of surgery: encounters humanities and performance. He argues that demic activities. Imperial and connections integrating these elements is key to developing West will be a mixed use the skilled, compassionate clinicians by whom development incorporating In this personal perspective on the relationship we would all wish to be looked after if the need research and teaching space. between surgery and education, Professor Roger arose. Roger’s inaugural lecture will highlight Send your suggestions for the site’s Kneebone (Surgery and Cancer), creator of the some unexpected connections and convey his academic use to [email protected] pop-up operating theatre for surgical education, passion for his field. by 8 May.

meet the 9 MAY ▸ SEMINAR 15 MAY ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE 17 MAY ▸ SEMINAR reader Energy carriers Plastic electronics: the coming Science themes in the literature of from biomass revolution Italo Calvino Professor Johannes Professor Donal Bradley (Physics) Dr Stephen Webster (Humanities) Lercher, Technische Universität München 16 MAY ▸ SEMINAR 23 MAY ▸ SEMINAR Tail-anchored membrane proteins: Block co-polymers in ionic 11–12 MAY ▸ FESTIVAL better late than never? fluids: structures, properties and Imperial Festival Professor Stephen High, University of applications Manchester Professor Timothy Lodge, University of A celebration of Imperial research Minnesota and culture 16 MAY ▸ SEMINAR 14 MAY ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE Catalysis: a part of the solution for 24 MAY ▸ MUSIC Optogenetics and other tools for future energy production Lunchtime concert Dr Manel Torres, Academic the analysis of neural circuits Professor Ib Chorkendorff, Technical Jessica Chan, piano Visitor (Chemical Engineering) Professor Ed Boyden, MIT University of Denmark 24 MAY ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE What are you doing in the picture? 15 MAY ▸ MUSIC 17 MAY ▸ MUSIC The molecular world: the rise and I am in the V&A café. I find this place fall of viscosity relaxing and inspiring. I come here Lunchtime concert Lunchtime concert sometimes to think and sometimes to Gordon Fergus-Thompson, piano Chloë Hanslip, violin, and Charles Owen, Professor Velisa Vesovic (Earth Science talk, particularly when I have visitors from piano and Engineering) overseas companies.

What would you do if you were photo expo editor of Reporter for a day? I would devote a small section to This two-metre high sculpture of milk teeth, now materials research here at the College. I’m sure there would always be something being exhibited at the Science Museum, results interesting to talk about, from fashion to biomaterials. I would also launch an from a collaboration between stem cell biologist edition of Reporter that people could read Professor Sara Rankin (NHLI) and artist Gina on their tablets and smartphones. Czarnecki. The exhibition will be at the Science Who would be your cover star? It would have to be Lady Gaga, wearing the Museum until 28 June. ‘Chemist Tailor’s’ dress we made for her in the Department of Chemical Engineering out of Fabrican’s spray-on fabric. Her stylist contacted us in February and commissioned it but I’m still waiting to see a photo of it!

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