www.southampton.ac.uk/research [email protected] +44 (0)23 8059 2070
New Boundaries | Issue 15 | November 2012
Performance sports excellence Our expertise helps British athletes achieve success Towards personalised medicine Pioneering genetics research could lead to tailored treatments World Wide Web success Linking every person on the planet Discovering diamonds iTunes U Insights into the dynamics of volcanic eruptions In this issue 1
Welcome to New Boundaries, the University of Southampton’s 1 Performance research magazine. In this issue, we aim to give you a small insight 4 sports excellence into the variety of the cutting-edge research that is taking place at the Our expertise helps British University and how it is changing the world, in this our 60th year. athletes achieve success. Page 4 On page four, you can learn how Southampton researchers from Engineering and the Environment, bring together science and 2 Towards personalised sport to help optimise the performance of British athletes by medicine analysing their technique. Pioneering genetics research could lead to While our engineers are analysing sporting data, our researchers tailored treatments. from Medicine are analysing genetic data from individuals suffering Page 10 from inflammatory bowel disease, with the overall aim of providing patients with personalised treatment plans. Read more on page 10. 3 World Wide Web success Our genetic data links everybody on the planet, but the World Linking every person Wide Web also connects every person via their computer. Our on the planet. researchers at Southampton are continuing to help develop the Page 16 Web so that data is more available when needed; find out more 3 2 on page 16. And without the World Wide Web, our researchers 4 Discovering diamonds in Psychology wouldn’t be able to help millions of people by Insights into the dynamics providing them with web-based advice for managing health of volcanic eruptions. conditions – read more on page 20. Page 26 In this, our 60th year as a university, we are celebrating our staff, students and graduates. On page 22, discover how our Special Collections archives have preserved the unpublished works and correspondence of one of our first English professors, F T Prince, who is increasingly recognised as one of the most significant 20th century British poets. And from the discovery of a precious collection of literature to a volcanic process involving diamonds, the most precious stone More highlights on the Earth. Geologists from Southampton have discovered a previously unknown volcanic process that links the manufacture Personalised online of confectionary with the mining of diamonds and explosive experience volcanic eruptions. Delve deeper into this research on page 26. Helping businesses improve their customer relationships. This year to celebrate our 60th anniversary, we are promoting Page 14 60 of the University’s world-changing successes and achievements. For more information, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/60 Web-based support for health For more research stories, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/research Helping patients self-manage health conditions. Page 20
Please send us your feedback A prince of poetry If you have any comments or suggestions about New Boundaries, Life and works of a significant please do send them to [email protected] 20th century poet. Page 22 Performance sports excellence
When the difference between winning and losing is down to hundredths of a second, anything that gives you the edge is an advantage. At the University of Southampton, our engineers are bringing together science and sport to optimise the performance of British athletes.
“Gold medals can be won or lost within fractions of seconds and our job is to ensure the athletes are in the best possible position to take advantage of those tiny margins. The knowledge and expertise that the University of Southampton contributes is critical to our work.”
Dr Scott Drawer, Head of Research and Innovation at UK Sport
4 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 5 In partnership with UK Sport, our engineers are helping British athletes to improve their performance
The University has been engaged in contributing significant improvements to mechanical engineering graduates playing explains that the research is all about the In track events, they won gold in the Men’s performance sports engineering for over the design and safety of racing yachts. a leading role.” athlete’s positioning on the bike. “It is about Sprint, Men’s Team Sprint, Men’s Team “It is about finding 40 years, achieving an unrivalled finding what is best for each athlete and how Pursuit, Men’s Keirin, Women’s Keirin, Our advanced rolling road wind tunnel Supporting UK athletes what is best for each this can reduce drag.” The team measures Women’s Team Pursuit and Women’s international reputation for innovative technology developed here provided facilities Stephen explains that the University’s the small changes in drag and searches for the Omnium. They also won silver in the athlete and how this can engineering design and aerodynamics for and expertise for several UK F1 teams and international reputation resulted in UK Sport optimum body position. “We assess the fluid Women’s Sprint and bronze in the Men’s performance sports. From high-performance the almost unbeatable Penske Indy Car reduce drag.” approaching the team in 2005 to access its dynamic flow to understand how subtle Omnium. In road events, the team won engineering in Formula 1 (F1) cars and teams in the 1980s and 1990s. resources. Since then our engineers have had gold in the Men’s Individual Time Trial and America’s Cup yachts, through to technical changes in body position can better control Professor Stephen Turnock, The University’s contribution has been a close working relationship with UK Sport the flow,” Stephen explains. silver in the Women’s Road Race. support for elite athletes in cycling, kayaking, Director of the Performance Sports recently recognised when it received the and in 2007 the WUMTIA was awarded the rowing, downhill racing and now swimming, Along with research in collaboration with prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for prestigious status of Innovation Partner, Winning combination Engineering Laboratory the Performance Sports Engineering British Cycling, other research has focused higher and further education in February a relationship that continues today. This The results for the British Cycling team have Laboratory (PSEL) at the University has on the winter sport of Skeleton. Amy 2012, for innovation and world-leading partnership has been focused on sports been dramatic. From coming third in the made a unique and exceptional contribution Williams was helped to her Skeleton Gold expertise in performance sports engineering. involving high speed where there are medals table at the Athens Olympic cycling to the success of sport in the UK. Medal in Vancouver 2010 by the University. potential gains in the aerodynamic and events in 2004, Great Britain progressed over “I am delighted the long-standing Her sled was designed by two of our Innovation and expertise hydrodynamic characteristics of the athletes the next five years to come top of the medals achievements of the University have been graduate students and over 200 hours of and their equipment. Complementing this tally for three out of six UCI Track Cycling The PSEL groups together academics and recognised in this way. We have seen our wind tunnel testing helped Amy find her has been the support by UK Sport of a steady World Championships and in 2008 to lead research engineers from Aerodynamics, research impact at the highest level in optimum sliding position. The four-year stream of PhD students looking at longer the Beijing Olympic cycling medals table by Computational Engineering and Ship competitive sport, but are equally proud project combined experimental work, the term research and development. an impressive margin. British Cycling has Science. The internationally renowned of our graduates who excel in the ultra- latest computational analysis techniques, greatly improved its world standing in track Wolfson Unit for Marine Technology and competitive technology driven world of By using the wind tunnels, engineers from and testing in wind tunnels, to improve the cycling and is now considered the dominant Industrial Aerodynamics (WUMTIA), has motorsport and performance sailing,” says the WUMTIA have used their expertise to understanding of skeleton performance. force in the sport. worked closely with the yachting industry, Professor Stephen Turnock, Director of the help the British Cycling team to focus on Competition within this sport is fierce developing longstanding associations with PSEL. “It is rare to find a team without one improving the understanding of the complex At London 2012 Olympic Games, the British and the margin of victory can be as little as numerous America’s Cup teams and of our ship science, aeronautical or aerodynamic interactions involved. Stephen Cycling team were even more successful. 0.01 of a second. }
6 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 7 Our researchers provide British swimmers with data to help them improve their technique
Head of Research and Innovation at UK Sport, of one large step change. And research like this Dr Scott Drawer, explains: “Gold medals can allows us to pinpoint these small gains and Key facts be won or lost within fractions of seconds and identify areas where improvements can still be −−The University of Southampton our job is to ensure the athletes are in the best made,” explains Angus Webb a PhD student has been involved in performance possible position to take advantage of those involved in the project. tiny margins. The knowledge and expertise sports engineering for over At London 2012 Olympic Games, the that the University of Southampton 40 years. British Swimming team won silver in the contributes is critical to our work.” Men’s 200m Breaststroke and bronze in the −−The difference between winning Improving technique Women’s 800m Freestyle and the Women’s a gold or bronze medal in cycling More recent research at the PSEL, in 400m Freestyle. or swimming can be as little as partnership with UK Sport, involves helping hundredths of a second. Influencing efficiency British swimmers to improve their performance. Using a controlled overspeed UK Sport and our British athletes are −−At London 2012 the British Cycling tow winch, four or five wireless sensors on the interested in knocking fractions of a second team won 11 medals, eight of swimmers’ body and a camera attached to a off times in order to be successful. But the which were gold, thanks in part to device that follows the swimmer along from same challenges are tackled in Ship Science at engineering at Southampton. the side of the pool, the team can measure the the University, where all the small details that forces and drag acting on the swimmer. can make a difference on the energy efficiency of ships are investigated, explains Stephen. The team uses commercial sensors, similar to the ones that are in smart phones, to capture “Currently, three or four per cent of the the large amounts of data needed to analyse world’s carbon dioxide emissions come from the forces and drag that the athletes’ bodies shipping. Over the next 30 years that could go have. “You can also use optical motion capture up to 20 per cent, so the challenge is to reduce devices with point light sources on different this,” he says. “The big wins have already been parts of the body to see what the trajectory of found, so it is all about small details again the body is in time and space,” says Stephen. and actually the performance sport work is a precursor to what has to be done in the “We can put up on the screen straight after shipping world.” they have finished their swim, information on the details of their stroke and the Similar sensors to the ones that measure the efficiency with which they are propelling forces and drag of British swimmers in the themselves. And this provides them with data water are being used to analyse how ships that many of them have never seen before, respond to large rogue waves. “We put a string but that they can use with their coaches to try of sensors down the hull of a ship model in and work on improving their technique,” says order to understand how the ship flexes under Dr Dominic Hudson from the Fluid Structure the wave loads,” says Stephen. “It is much Interactions group. simpler than previous ways of measuring these forces and it appears to be as accurate, “The winning margins are so much smaller if not better than previous methods.” than they used to be; we need to find new areas to make advances. These days, improvement For more information on performance comes through the accumulated effect of many sports engineering at the University, visit smaller gains, rather than through achievement www.southampton.ac.uk/performancesports
8 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 9 Human genomics is the study of the complete genome and involves mapping genetic code
Towards personalised medicine
Researchers at the University of Southampton are investigating the genes that are responsible for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in children, with the aim of personalising treatments for individual patients.
Complex diseases such as IBD, asthma, debilitating disease and is almost an order heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease are of magnitude more severe in tiny children, not caused by a mutation of just one gene, because they are at an age when they need but by mutations of multiple genes in our to take on nutrition in order to grow,” genetic code. In order to help patients with says Dr Sarah Ennis, Head of the Genomic IBD, a team of researchers in the Genomic Informatics Group. “As the disease begins in Informatics Group at the University, are childhood, we suspect that environment has looking at the genetic code of individual less of a role to play than genetics, so this is a children that suffer from IBD to build up a good hunting ground for us to look for genes profile of which genes cause the disease. specific to IBD,” she adds. Debilitating disease Sarah explains that human genomics is the study of the complete genome and involves IBD is a group of inflammatory conditions determining the entire DNA sequence and of the colon and small intestine. The major mapping genetic code. A genome encodes types of IBD are Crohn’s disease, which all of an organism’s hereditary information affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract and can hold the key to the diseases that any from the mouth to the anus, and ulcerative individual could be susceptible to. colitis, a condition that affects the lining of the colon. However, there are many different “In 2003 it took about $10bn, multiple groups sub-categories of these two types of the around the world and 10 years of research to get one reference human genome,” says Sarah disease, making it difficult to treat individual She explains how far we have now come: patients effectively. “Now I can spend between £400 and £700 to In addition, there are a significant number get the genetic sequence for all of a patients’ of patients under 18 years of age that are exomes – the regions of the genome that code diagnosed with IBD and even toddlers for proteins and are most likely to contain can suffer from the disease. “It is a hugely mutations with disease impact.” }
10 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 11 Genetic information from the parents of a patient and other family members that suffer from IBD, is collected in order to find out which genes cause the disease
“At some stage in the DNA sequencing each individual presents with a unique profile build up the complete picture and history for similar genomic profiles. “Ultimately, this may Housed in University Hospital Southampton of genetic variants,” says Sarah. each individual,” says Sarah. help us give much more specific diagnoses to Key facts individuals rather than the ‘umbrella terms’ future, it will be possible is the regional referral centre for children The complete picture Personalised medicine −−Approximately 180,000 people in diagnosed with IBD. Sarah’s team started that are currently used and this in turn will The University hosts the only National The amount of data that the team is collecting the UK are affected by IBD. to take a patient’s blood working with clinical colleagues in October help inform clinicians of the best treatments Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded on each patient can use up gigabytes of 2010 to recruit eight children to their study for their patients,” says Sarah. sample and with that biomedical research centre for nutrition memory. To help analyse the information, −−The peak age of onset for IBD is looking at the genetics of paediatric IBD, but in the country, which means that as well the team is using Iridis 3, Southampton’s Future plans 15 to 30 years old, although it may predict the genetic now they have about 160 patients. The team as characterising the patients’ clinical supercomputer, in order to produce one occur at any age. are using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) “At some stage in the future, it will be possible pathways that are sub- progression and obtaining their DNA for computer file for each individual containing technology to create individual profiles to take a patient’s blood sample and with −−About 10 per cent of IBD cases analysis, Sarah and her team can characterise all the variants that are different from the of genetic changes across a panel of genes that predict the genetic pathways that are occur in individuals younger than optimal or functioning the nutritional status of each patient as well reference human genome. known to influence IBD risk. sub-optimal or functioning very poorly, the 18 years. very poorly, the types as assessing how each patient responds to “We can then use these data to look at which types of bacteria in the gut and personalise the Blood is taken from the patient and the DNA certain drugs. “We also get the parents’ DNA genes in the particular patient cause the treatment to keep the disease at bay,” says Sarah. −−Researchers at Southampton are of bacteria in the gut is extracted. The team then send the DNA for and the DNA of any other family members disease,” Sarah tells New Boundaries. “By working towards personalised The team expect that their findings will sequencing which involves the use of molecular that may suffer from the disease,” she says. identifying the specific sub-sets of genes that treatments for IBD patients. and personalise the translate into adult medicine as well as aiding techniques to target the sections that code for The team is also working with the University of cause the disease on a case-by-case basis we screening in relatives of those affected by this treatment to keep the proteins. The extracted sections are then broken Aberdeen to look at the microbiome data – the may be able to target drugs to the individual familial disease. “We are not trying to just find up into smaller parts that contain only about 150 bacteria in each child’s gut – to see if there are thereby personalising their clinical treatment.” base pairs of DNA. “These are put through the one more gene that might be involved in IBD, disease at bay.” any similarities between patients. The team As new drugs and therapies emerge, knowing sequencer, and multiple reads of these sections we are looking at individual patients, building will therefore have all the data on each patient’s which specific biological pathways are Dr Sarah Ennis, up profiles of all the sub-optimal genes in order identify the exome of a gene,” says Sarah. expressed genes, all their surgical, clinical and impaired on a case-by-case basis will lead to to understand the variety of genes involved.” Head of the Genomic Informatics Group “For each patient we have produced a profile nutritional information as well as information targeted treatments tailored to individual of their individual variation across the genes on the bacteria present in their guts. “We plan patients. The team plan to build on this work For more information, visit that are known to influence IBD risk. We have to get this data at the time of diagnosis, time of to identify which specific and detailed clinical www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine/ found that despite having common diagnoses, remission, and time of relapse. So we are trying characteristics are shared by patients with sarahennis
12 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 13 What are the main aims of your research? What do you see as the biggest challenge Why is Southampton a good place to for your research in this area? do this kind of research? Q My research looks at how new social Q Q media technologies can be used for customer As well as marketing research for SMEs, Southampton has been a great place to relationship management (CRM). CRM I also carry out research for large businesses, foster my research. As a research intensive basically involves engaging with customers but this tends to be the focus of many other university you get all the resources you in an interactive manner. It also involves researchers, and indeed academic publishers. need to facilitate good research; time, space, access, mentoring and money. The University gathering, managing and analysing large So, recognition of the importance and uniqueness of SMEs is often missing. Aside of Southampton has a great reputation among amounts of data on online consumer from that, when working with SMEs, it is UK business and this has helped me when behaviour using web-based analytics software important for researchers to be able to relate I have been speaking to marketing people, such as Google Analytics in order to enable to them and make links between abstract be it in London or here in Southampton. businesses to improve their service. theoretical concepts and what is actually Are there any other exciting developments A lot of my work is about personalising happening on the ground. coming up? Personalised websites for customers so that they can Q What sparked your interest in this topic? find a product quicker. Businesses can also When you’re working at the interface of adapt their website when the customer is Q I am passionate about how good marketing and technology the good thing is viewing it from a smart phone or based on the marketing, good customer service and good that you never know what the next big thing online experience customer relationships can drive profitability is going to be. However, my next big project information they put into the search engine. in business. I am also passionate about focuses on the social media tools that are How does your research help businesses? carrying out research which impacts on those used by 130 small businesses in the south of Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are businesses that contribute to my research. England. I will be looking at the impact of Q Adapting the homepage of a business I find that you can make an impact more LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and blogging vital to the UK’s economy, but in periods of economic website is useful because customers receive quickly and personally in SMEs. on profitability of the companies and advise hardship many fail. Dr Paul Harrigan, who joined a more tailored experience and many big many on how they can improve the online businesses already do this. However, small What do you enjoy most about your work? customer experience. the University of Southampton in 2008 as a lecturer businesses often don’t have the time or Q I enjoy meeting the people that are doing What opportunities are there for early in marketing, investigates how social media and resources to implement this. marketing day-in and day-out and learning Q career researchers in this area? I recently worked with a small pot plant from them. The challenge is then reflecting on web-based analytical software can be used to help I have been at Southampton since 2008 and distributor in Northern Ireland and as a everything you hear and bringing it together have been an early career researcher here. SMEs by improving customer relationships and result of changing the company’s website it to spot trends and issues that run across Looking at how technology impacts on went from dealing with a local market to an businesses. I enjoy conveying this back to the online experience. people in business, but also to students who marketing in SMEs is an area wide open for international market. Using Google Analytics like to learn from more than just a textbook. new research and there are great opportunities we found that a large proportion of visitors for young researchers to carve themselves to the website were not buying and many How important is multidisciplinary a real niche and career in the area. It is just of these visitors were from overseas. By Q collaboration in your research? important to always relate what you’re doing adapting the website to offer international to the theory that has been around for a while; This is something that is becoming more shipping costs, options for different for example, even though social media is new and more important to me as technology the principles of community, sharing and currencies and languages, an increase in becomes so important in marketing. relationships behind it are not. sales was seen and the company became an Collaborations with experts in computer international business. analysis techniques are vital in order to For more information about Paul’s research at understand the underlying processes in Southampton, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/ social media and the web in general. management/paulharrigan
14 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 15 When Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Chair of Computer And the University continues to lead applied Science at the University and inventor of the research into the power of the information World Wide Web, demonstrated his new ideas that the Web holds and the ways it continues World Wide Web in the early 1990s, few could predict that it to transform our lives. would become the dominant and universal Professor of Web Science, Dame Wendy Hall information system we all use today. At the is another of the University’s Web trailblazers. time, only a few visionaries had it in mind success Dame Wendy, whose own career has that this new innovation would link all of the paralleled the history of the Web, is focused world’s computers and potentially all of the on understanding what the Web is and people on our planet. how we might engineer its future to ensure The World Wide Web is a resource that has the potential Communication is fundamental to the human maximum social benefit. She is working with to link every person on the planet through their experience. The Web is now the perfect social scientists and others to study how the platform to support all the technologies that Web evolves while considering issues of Web computers. As it evolves, researchers at Southampton enable that. It is now the world’s document security, privacy, policy and regulation. management system; a global interlinked Her work with Tim and Professor Nigel continue to develop more intelligent ways of linking us information system with the capacity to store Shadbolt, who heads the University’s Web all of our knowledge and, potentially, answer to the data we seek via the internet. and Internet Science Group, led to the all of our questions. It is changing the shape of creation of Web Science as an academic nations and giving a voice to the silent majority. discipline in its own right. As one of the Maximise social benefit world’s first computer scientists to undertake The University of Southampton has fully serious research into the internet, Wendy’s embraced the World Wide Web and not academic career fits neatly alongside the merely as a tool for education and research. history and growth of the World Wide Web. The University’s own story is inextricably Now, she and her colleagues here are looking linked to the emergence of both the Web ahead to how the web might function in the and the internet. Southampton made the future. Wendy predicts the rise of the Semantic breakthrough in developing the low-loss Web, a more ‘intelligent’ way of linking us to optical fibres which now ‘drive’ the internet. the data we seek via the internet. }
Low-loss optical fibres, developed in Southampton, support the internet and the World Wide Web
16 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 17 Semantic Web The ODI will support and develop the “We’ve evolved to a society where everyone capability of UK businesses to exploit the Key facts looks for information first on the World commercial value of open data. It will also −−The World Wide Web was Wide Web, following links to a number of help companies explore whether their own invented in the early 1990s by documents that match search terms. You corporate data would have more value if then do the ‘intelligent’ bit by working out released as open data. “One of the reasons the Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Professor of which documents provide you with the Web worked was because people reused each Computer Science at Southampton. information you need,” says Wendy. other’s content in ways never imagined by those who created it. The same will be true of −−In 2011 there were 3.145bn email “That system works, but a machine can’t read open data,” says Tim. “The Institute will allow accounts worldwide and an a document. What we’re looking to do in the us to provide the tools, skills and methods to estimated online population of future is to help machines understand what’s support the creation of new value using Open 2.2bn people. there on the Web then have processes to Government Data.” answer questions for you. That’s the basis of “Using government data is not new, but the −−Our Open Data Institute will allow what Sir Tim Berners-Lee calls the Semantic scale and ambition of this is. Making more government data to be used to Web,” she adds. public sector information and data available benefit the economy and society. Wendy explains that the direct impact of the is crucial if we are to exploit the innovative Semantic Web may take three to five years talent available to us in this country to to become reality and even when it comes, produce really outstanding applications that the development may be more of a ‘quiet have social and economic value,” says Nigel. revolution’ which humans will respond to Open to all in their own unique way. “The technology is there, but the data isn’t yet,” she says. “The vision is that current and future entrepreneurs, developers, software Open data companies and tech businesses re-use and In today’s Web-connected world, data drives distribute public information in ways that transactions and decisions of every kind, add value, support transparency and facilitate from planning a journey and anticipating the new products and services that can feed back weather to choosing a house or university. into the economy,” he adds. Thanks to the pioneering work of Nigel At a time of austerity, open data is one route and Tim, an unprecedented amount of UK to generating innovation and growth. The government data is now freely available to new goods and services that will be fashioned the public. A range of open government data out of the 21st century’s data will offer huge is creating new and innovative services from opportunities and, of course, new challenges. applications that avoid accident black spots “There are those who fear a ‘database state’ – to services that find the nearest empty car where only the powerful have access to data. parking space. But open data is open to all,” says Nigel. Releasing this data has created new “Non-personal public data gathered by national opportunities and made the UK a world and local government, when openly available, leader in this area. In October this year the is a new public good, a new economic and social world’s first Open Data Institute (ODI) was resource. The UK is well placed to exploit it launched and marked the latest chapter in and the ODI is part of that exploitation.” the University’s continuing web success In the drive to free up data, Nigel and Tim story. Co-directed by Nigel and Tim the ODI argue that there are opportunities for us provides a wealth of public data to be used by to benefit from the information that the the community of entrepreneurial developers government and public services collect or to create applications that can empower generate about each and every one of us: citizens, helping them to understand and “One of the reasons the Web worked was because people our health records, tax and welfare data, data negotiate their environment. from the education and justice systems. They reused each other’s content in ways never imagined by Supporting business believe that the right to our own individual those who created it. The same will be true of open data.” Based in Shoreditch in London, a centre for data is something we will hear much more many digital start-ups, the ODI will incubate, of in the next few years. If we gain access to Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, nurture and mentor new businesses to exploit that data we can expect even more powerful applications to support us all in our daily lives. Chair of Computer Science the Government’s open data releases. It will equip a new generation of digital entrepreneurs For more information on the continuing and developers with open data skills and will success story of the University and the promote innovation by helping the public World Wide Web, visit sector use its own data more effectively. www.southampton.ac.uk/ecs/wendyhall
18 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 19 What are the main aims of your research? What is the biggest challenge in this area? What is your next project? Q My research focuses on using the Q The biggest challenge is getting the Q I have just started to collaborate internet to help people self-manage their information about the simple exercises out with health literacy expert Professor Don own health conditions. I have pioneered to patients. I first produced a simple booklet Nutbeam, Vice-Chancellor of the University the development of the unique LifeGuide for patients detailing the exercises, but of Southampton, to increase the levels of open source software for developing more recently we have been given funding health literacy in relation to diabetes across web-based interventions that encourage to produce an online version of the advice Europe. The internet has a lot of potential patients to change their behaviour in order booklet, so patients can click on a link and to help people, so we are trying to make sure to help them achieve a better quality of life. get all the advice they need. the online healthcare interventions are as My current programme of research addresses engaging as sites such as YouTube. the key question of how best to integrate What sparked your interest in this topic? Is multidisciplinary collaboration digital support for self-management of Q After my first degree in psychology, important in your research? health with existing health promotion and I completed an MSc Audiological Science Q healthcare services. degree at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Multidisciplinary collaboration is very My research programme started with an Research (ISVR) at the University. It was a important in my research. One of my key exercise-based treatment known as Vestibular clinical qualification and I started working collaborators is Professor Paul Little in Rehabilitation or Balance Retraining, which is with patients that suffered from dizziness; Primary Care and Population Science at the the most effective means of treating dizziness this is when my interest in the topic began. University, who has identified many good related to inner ear problems (a very common uses for LifeGuide interventions, and I work cause of dizziness). This research has shown What do you enjoy most about your with many other social scientists, doctors, that simply giving booklets that explain Q research? nurses, physiotherapists and of course how to do balance exercises to people with The enjoyment is being able to help people. computer scientists. Computer scientists dizziness leads to reduced dizziness within a It is really nice to hear from patients who have have been vital in this project in order to matter of weeks of starting, and the benefits found out about the simple exercises from the develop the LifeGuide software, so that last for at least a year. Meniere’s Society (the self-help group that non-experts like me can use it to develop the supplied the booklet), a clinic or the internet web-based interventions. Why is it important to research this topic? and used them with the result that their Why is Southampton a good place to Q quality of life has improved. Dizziness associated with inner ear do your research? problems is a very common condition. Q Dizziness is actually the second most Could you tell us more about other exciting The University of Southampton is known common symptom presented in primary Q developments in your research? to be a world leader in computer science and care, second only to pain. In large population The LifeGuide project started four years ago our primary care research at Southampton studies, up to 25 per cent of adults report with funding from the Economic and Social University Hospital is also world class. current dizziness and a screening test for poor Research Council. But since then, we have Here in Psychology we have a particularly balance due to vestibular dysfunction showed received £1.5m funding from the Engineering strong team of health psychologists and problems in 35 per cent of adults and 50 per and Physical Sciences Research Council to the technical support to drive these sorts of cent of those older than 60 years. Dizziness build the software into smart phones, so projects forward. Working together, these can interfere with people’s daily activities and that even more people can have access to disciplines make an excellent combination. cause stress. It also increases the risk of falling help and advice. We are leading this project, For more information on Lucy’s research at the and fear of falling, which in turn, can result but collaborating with the universities University, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/ in substantial further limitation of activity, of Cambridge, Oxford, Birmingham and psychology/lucyyardley injury, and healthcare costs. University College London. Web-based support for health Other web-based interventions we are working on aim to help with other health problems such as stroke rehabilitation, The internet is a tool that has the potential to help millions of people around the management of hypertension, back pain, eczema, respiratory problems, irritable bowel world. Professor Lucy Yardley, Director of the Centre for Applications of Health syndrome and fatigue in cancer survivors Psychology at the University, capitalises on this by providing web-based advice (funded by McMillan). on self-management of health conditions.
20 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 21 A prince of poetry
Researchers from English, together with colleagues from the Hartley Library at Southampton, are working to uncover the legacy of F T Prince, one of the University’s first English professors, who is increasingly recognised as one of the most significant 20th-century British poets.
On 20 September the University honoured F T Prince’s centenary the Hartley Library, but embargoed them for 30 years on the strict with a one-day symposium that brought together poets and critics condition that they had to be kept in absolute secrecy until this from all around the world to celebrate his work. Organised by year,” he adds. Professor Peter Middleton and Dr Will May from the Centre for The archive features personal correspondence with E M Forster, Modern and Contemporary Writing, at the University, in partnership W H Auden and T S Eliot and shows the high esteem in which with Professor Peter Robinson from the University of Reading, the Prince was held by some of the major writers of the 20th century. symposium marked the opening of a major new archive of Prince’s His unpublished poems also make a major contribution to our letters, journals and unpublished poems at Hartley Library. understanding of 20th-century British and American poetry. Commemorative event Will explains that the aim of the symposium was to bring “We have admired his poetry for a long time and were aware that together those who knew Prince, were influenced by him or this year is the centenary of his birth and we decided we should put who were inspired by his poetry, with a new generation of on a symposium to celebrate his work,” says Peter Middleton. He poets and scholars. “It was designed to be both a celebration explains that Prince was one of the first professors in English at the of his work and life, and a way of introducing him to those University and therefore Southampton seemed the right venue for who have never read his work before,” he says. } the event. “In January, we found that he had gifted all his papers to
“Prince’s poetry is powerful, distinctive and challenging on its own terms. It is wonderfully varied – he wrote dramatic monologues, narrative poems and love lyrics.”
Dr Will May, Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing
Image courtesy of the Special Collections and kind permission of the Southern Daily Echo
22 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 23 In addition, an exhibition at the Hartley Library in September told He married in 1943, and in 1946 came to live in Southampton, after Nurturing talent “Prince’s poetry is powerful, distinctive and challenging on its own the story of Prince’s poetry, from his first verses written when he being appointed as an English lecturer at Hartley College, which later Peter explains that there are different schools of thought about how terms. It is wonderfully varied – he writes dramatic monologues, was in a Catholic college in South Africa, through to his time at the became the University. In 1957 he became a professor of English. to read poetry. “The dominant one today is the tendency to add some narrative poems and love lyrics. His work is extremely inventive, University of Oxford in the 1930s and his years in Southampton. “His best poems are imaginings of past events, but to some extent, what ‘emotional colouring’ when reciting poetry, but another school of especially in terms of its syntax,” says Will. “The subjects of his poems “Through letters, reviews and drafts, it shows us how and why his we most value him for is a series of historical poems on Caravaggio, thought believes that the words speak for themselves and that the also shine a light on some of the important research going on now in work was neglected by postwar Britain and the incredible legacy he Michelangelo, Richard the Lion Heart and many more,” says Peter. reader should be a conduit for the words, but not interfere with the English at the University. His focus on African literature and culture left to subsequent generations of British, American and South African in poems like Chaka, and Jewish history in poems such as Drypoints Great authority meaning,” he says. “It doesn’t surprise me that Prince recited poems poets,” Will says. in this way.” of the Hasidim, chimes with the work of Southampton academics During his time as a professor of English at Southampton he taught Dr James Jordan, Dr Devorah Baum and Dr Ranka Primorac.” Poetic history many students and developed the first English department that had Although the influence that Prince had on poetry has remained largely Frank Templeton Prince was born in 1912 in South Africa. Peter a strong poetry focus. Christine Orme, one of his former students, unknown by the general public, he has appealed to a wide variety of For more information on Peter and Will’s research, visit explains that he came to Britain for an education and studied at the remembers him well: “Professor Prince had a great presence. He was contemporary British and American poets. Geoffrey Hill and John www.southampton.ac.uk/english/contemporarywriting University of Oxford. And it is here that he became interested in tall, slim and distinguished, always immaculately turned out. He was Ashbery, arguably two of the most significant poets writing today, For more information on the University’s 60 successes, visit the Renaissance, its poetry and Italian literature. “It is clear that he quietly spoken, but had an air of great authority,” she says. both cite Prince as the most significant influence on their work. www.southampton.ac.uk/60 always wrote poetry, because we found many poems in the archive “Not only does this make a return to his work timely, but it reminds Prince was Christine’s pastoral tutor and they met at the beginning of that he wrote when he was living in Africa or when he was a student in us of the very powerful influence apparently neglected poets can each term to talk about the course and any problems she may have had. Oxford,” says Peter. have on the literary landscape,” says Will. She also vividly remembers him lecturing on John Milton’s Paradise In the 1940s he joined the Intelligence Corps, working at Bletchley Lost, Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes. “We did know that he Prince has also been known to mentor up-and-coming poets. Park, mainly on Italian codes. It was at this time that he wrote one of wrote poetry, but he was a modest man and I have to admit that I didn’t “A number of poets have said that when they started out, they sent his most famous poems called Soldiers Bathing. “It is a moving account know how influential he was as a poet,” says Christine. “However, I him their work to read and he was immensely helpful. Lee Harwood, of soldiers cooling off in the sea on a hot day,” says Peter. “But it is remember being very disappointed the first time he read an extract a poet in his early seventies, living in Brighton, has many letters that even more poignant because it highlights the vulnerability of the from Paradise Lost in a lecture, because although his diction was perfect, were written in the 1960s in which Prince is advising him line by line soldiers’ flesh and the destructive nature of war. And for this reason it he read it with no expression. Obviously he believed in letting the words on how to write poetry,” says Peter. “That is a generous and time- is seen as one of the best poems to emerge from World War II.” speak for themselves,” she adds. consuming thing to do for someone you don’t know,” he adds.
24 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 25 Discovering diamonds Scientists from the University of Southampton have discovered a previously unrecognised volcanic process, similar to one that is used in chocolate manufacturing, which gives important new insights into the dynamics of volcanic eruptions.
Dr Thomas Gernon, Lecturer in Earth Science 150km. Kimberlite volcanism involves so each dump truck can carry several million highlight where potentially high association with concentrations of large “As volcanologists at the University of Southampton, and his team high-intensity explosive eruptions, forming dollars-worth of diamonds,” says Thomas. concentrations of diamonds might be in the diamonds (up to 215 carat), which individually investigated how a process called fluidised diverging pipes or ‘diatremes’, which can be world’s wealthiest mines, resulting in a more can fetch up to tens of millions of pounds. we treat diamonds as “The origin of pelletal lapilli is important for spray granulation can occur during explosive several hundred metres wide and several cost-effective recovery process. understanding how magmatic pyroclasts are Considerable interest just another crystal, volcanic eruptions to produce well-rounded kilometres deep. A conspicuous and transported to the surface during explosive Window to the past particles containing fragments from the Earth’s previously mysterious feature of these pipes Thomas and his team are in a unique position but they offer a huge eruptions, offering fundamental new insights as they have access to the roots of a volcano. mantle, most notably diamonds. are ‘pelletal lapilli’, well-rounded magma The team studied two of the world’s largest into eruption dynamics and constraints on vent Other volcanologists working in different amount of information coated fragments of rock consisting of an diamond mines, Venetia in South Africa and “This physical process is similar to the gas conditions, notably gas velocity,” Thomas adds. fields have observed supporting evidence for inner ‘seed’ particle with a complex rim, Letsêng in the Kingdom of Lesotho. “It is injection and spraying process used to form the spray granulation process reported by on the dynamics of thought to represent quenched magma. Thomas explains that the ability to tightly great that we are able to capitalise on the smooth coatings on confectionary, and constrain gas velocities is significant, as it fact that these ancient volcanoes are mined Thomas. “This gives weight to our findings magma transport and layered and delayed-release coatings in the Economic significance enables scientists to estimate the maximum extensively. As you can imagine, we can’t make and suggests that this is a generic pyroclastic manufacture of pharmaceuticals and These pelletal lapilli form by spray diamond size transported in the flow. “This is direct observations of active volcanic vents, process that hasn’t previously been eruption, and provide a fertilisers,” says Thomas. unique window on the granulation when kimberlite magma intrudes very useful for volcanologists, because if you so this is a great place to start. What the mines identified,” he says. Kimberlite eruptions are very rare and occur into earlier pyroclastic infill close to the can take a sample of rock and estimate the are doing is excavating into the deep interior Thomas explains that as well as giving conditions in the Earth’s at intervals of about 50 million years. “There diatreme root zone. Intensive degassing velocity of the eruption – usually up to 100 of extinct volcanoes and this allows us as scientists an insight into the processes that hasn’t been a large kimberlite eruption for produces a gas jet in which the seed particles miles per hour in each pulse – you can start to scientists to see inside, providing us with occur during an explosive eruption, these deep interior.” about 56 million years, so we could expect are simultaneously fluidised and coated by a unravel the dynamics of the eruption.” insights into what happens inside currently findings also provide new evidence for another phase in the not too distant future,” spray of low-viscosity melt. active volcanic systems,” says Thomas. fluidised granulation in natural systems. Dr Thomas Gernon, Gas fluidisation and magma-coating says Thomas. “The fact that the eruptions are “This will be of considerable interest to Lecturer in Earth Science In kimberlites, the occurrence of pelletal processes are also likely to affect the diamond “As volcanologists we treat diamonds as just quite regularly spaced in time is not fully engineers and chemical, pharmaceutical and lapilli is linked to diamond grade (carats per surface properties. Size and surface properties another crystal, but they offer a huge amount understood, but the cyclicity suggests it is in food scientists who use this process routinely.” tonne), size and quality, and therefore has are of great interest to diamond producers of information on the dynamics of magma some way linked to the global tectonic cycle.” economic as well as academic significance. such as De Beers, the world’s largest diamond transport and eruption, and provide a unique For more information, visit Kimberlite volcanoes are the primary source “In a typical mine you might get two or three mining company, because this fundamentally window on the conditions in the Earth’s deep www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/thomasgernon of diamonds on Earth, and are formed by hundred carats per 100 tonnes of excavated affects the value of the stone. Thomas’s interior,” he adds. In the Letsêng pipe in gas-rich magmas from mantle depths of over rock and a carat can be sold for up to $20,000, work on this volcanic process can therefore Lesotho, pelletal lapilli have been found in
26 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 27 In brief
Colour changing coral Research from the University of the University of Southampton and his team “Our conclusions have important Southampton and National Oceanography have investigated distinct green fluorescent implications for predictions of the negative Centre Southampton has provided new protein (GFP)-like pigments responsible for impact of changing environmental insight into the basic immune response the green, red and purple-blue colours conditions on coral reefs. Reduced coral and repair mechanisms of corals. of many reef-building corals. growth rates anticipated in response to ocean acidification, warming and nutrient Research has found that increased growth By examining these GFP-like pigments in enrichment of coral reef waters will result in is the underlying physiological process four coral species from the Red Sea, the a reduced capability of the corals to defend associated with disease, wounding and Arabian/Persian Gulf and Fiji, they found themselves against colonisations by other stress-related colour changes in reef- that their presence indicates growing tissue organisms,” says Joerg. building corals. Dr Joerg Wiedenmann, in growing branch tips and margins of Senior Lecturer of Biological Oceanography healthy coral colonies; as well as in disturbed and Head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at colony parts, compared to undisturbed areas. The hottest superconductor Fossil fuel free ships Helping archaeologists Southampton researchers have made new A Development is underway to design the around the world discoveries about a remnant of an exploded post-industrial world’s first 100 per cent fossil Non-invasive techniques help archaeologists star, confirming long-held scientific theories fuel free sailing cargo ship using testing facilities learn more about underground conditions for the first time and pushing the boundaries of at Southampton. without the expense and disruption of knowledge about our Universe. With rising fossil fuel prices and the global excavations. At Southampton, our researchers When a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel, challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, have developed considerable expertise in a wide it undergoes a supernova explosion and the the shipping industry needs efficient and range of these techniques and collaborate with remains form either a neutron star or a black affordable low-carbon ships. Now B9 Shipping, archaeologists all over the world. hole. Our scientists have been studying the part of the B9 Energy group of companies, is Angus Graham of the Egypt Exploration Society central object in Cassiopeia A, a neutron star developing a full-scale demonstration vessel that engaged Kristian Strutt, Head of the University’s that resulted from a supernova whose light uses a state-of-the-art dyna-rig sail propulsion Archaeological Prospection Services (APSS), to reached the Earth over 300 years ago. system with an off the shelf Rolls-Royce engine carry out geophysics work on the site of ancient powered by waste derived liquid biomethane. Professor Nils Andersson, Head of the Thebes on the Nile near Karnak, including the University’s General Relativity Group, says: The fundamental testing programme that begun enormous basins known today as Birket Habu “Researchers have always thought that these in June, is being conducted at the University and Birket Luxor. objects would be superfluid [have no internal of Southampton’s Wolfson Unit for Marine The University of Southampton’s Electrical friction or viscosity] and superconducting [able Technology and Industrial Aerodynamics. It Resistivity Tomography (ERT) equipment to conduct electricity with no loss of energy]. involves tow tank and wind tunnel research to (a technique for imaging sub-surface structures) We now have clear observational evidence that identify a basic hull design, while examining has revealed evidence of channels that may supports these ideas.” various options in the performance parameters have fed Birket Habu. “This is sophisticated of a B9 Ship in scale model, calibrating the thrust Using theoretical models and observations kit and essential for us as we wanted to gain an from the sailing rig with various hull shapes to from the Chandra X-ray Observatory spanning understanding of the geomorphological origins secure optimum performance efficiencies in a 10 years, Southampton researchers were of the site of Karnak,” says Angus. Magnetometry wide range of conditions. instrumental in identifying the object as a was also used to map features near the surface neutron star and in measuring its carbon Kevin Forshaw, Industry Liaison for the newly and there are plans to use Ground Penetrating surface composition. formed Southampton Marine and Maritime Radar in future years. Institute (SMMI) at the University of Nils explains: “Follow-up work has shown Kristian has also worked on the Egyptian site Southampton, says: “Helping to develop viable that the neutron star is cooling in real time. of Antinoupolis with archaeologists from the means of propulsion for shipping in a post-carbon The observed cooling rate provides the first Antinoupolis Foundation and the University of economy is a strategic objective for SMMI, and evidence that the star’s interior is superfluid Florence. The city was founded by the Roman the B9 concept offers a viable alternative that we and superconducting. These findings are all Emperor Hadrian on his imperial tour of Egypt will be seeking to support at every opportunity.’’ first-time discoveries in astronomy.” in October of 130AD. Earlier remains on the site include a temple from about 1250BC from the reign of Ramses II.
28 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 29 In brief
Placebo effect
Research carried out at the University the literature and given to patients before they The study showed the target treatments of Southampton has concluded that take part in a clinical trial. At the moment these were prioritised over the placebo. Professor participants in drug trials should be better effects are largely being ignored in the patient of Health Research at Southampton, George informed about the potential significant information leaflets,” says lead researcher at Lewith, comments: “The leaflets largely benefits and possible side-effects of placebos. Southampton, Dr Felicity Bishop. ignored the overwhelming evidence that placebos can actually have significant and Placebos are traditionally thought of as The research team, led by the University of sustained effects on people. This could affect ‘inert’ pills, given in trials to act as a yardstick Southampton in collaboration with Harvard the treatment beliefs and expectations of or constant by which to measure the effects Medical School and Northern Arizona those volunteering for studies and in turn of new ‘active’ drugs. However, placebos University, examined the wording of 45 the results.” themselves have been shown to create participant information leaflets from clinical substantial health changes in patients. trials which used placebos and are listed on the UK Clinical Research Network Database. “We believe the health changes associated Supporting innocence Imaging the world ‘Mixed’ family cultural heritage with placebos should be better represented in The University of Southampton has received Southampton scientists are able to analyse The mothers of Britain’s ‘mixed families’ generous support through funding from the very small samples and identify chemicals at low are ensuring their children learn about Jomati Foundation, a UK registered charity that concentrations in a wide variety of situations their heritage and culture, according to a focuses on providing assistance in the area of from crime scene analysis to genetic mutations collaborative development project between the legal education and access to law, to enhance that cause diseases. University of Southampton and London South research into wrongful criminal convictions. Bank University. Findings show that even if a Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy child’s father hails from a minority background, The Innocence Project is a student-led (SERS) is an analytical technique that provides it will still be the mother that takes responsibility extra-curricular educational project, affiliated information about the structure and behaviour for teaching them about the father’s culture. to the Innocence Network (UK) and based in of molecules by analysing the way they vibrate the Southampton Law School. Coordinated by on a surface when they interact with light. In a new initiative funded by the Economic Dr James Maclean, students are involved in and Social Research Council (ESRC) and A team of researchers at the University are now objective and independent investigation of real conducted with the relationship support using SERS to help healthcare professionals and criminal cases of prisoners who maintain their organisation OnePlusOne, researchers have detectives. “At Southampton we are currently factual innocence, but have exhausted their used their recent research findings on ‘mixed’ using SERS to understand more about DNA legal appeals. relationships to develop online resources fingerprinting and the genetic mutations that that raise awareness about the sorts of issues With assistance from a practicing lawyer lead to conditions such as cystic fibrosis,” ‘mixed’ couples may face and to provide research is carried out on cases to achieve a explains Professor Phil Bartlett of Southampton’s relationship support where needed. referral back to the Court of Appeal via the Electrochemistry Research Group. “Also, one Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) of our students is developing SERS applications “Once people come together in a ‘mixed’ or, if evidence of factual innocence does not for crime scene investigations.” relationship, we know that maintaining that constitute legally admissible grounds of appeal, relationship can be challenging for some SERS has also been developed for the for application to the Secretary of State for couples, often because of other people’s identification of diseases such as cancer consideration for a Free Pardon under the attitudes,” says Southampton researcher, and Alzheimer’s in biological samples and Royal Prerogative of Mercy. Professor Rosalind Edwards. the detection of anthrax and environmental “This project with the Innocence Network gives pollutants, to name just a few examples. It has “The issues that they may face can include students valuable experience of the world of also been used in the field of art conservation, having to deal with others’ disapproval, and work as well as the criminal justice system. helping restorers to identify the substances in some cases, the exclusion from family and Our teams develop transferable skills of research used in pigments. friends. Clearly, this can create stresses in their and analysis that any employer will appreciate relationship and, based on our research, we when our students graduate,” says James. provide examples of some of the successful strategies ‘mixed’ couples have employed to cope with these problems,” she adds.
For more information on these stories, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/research
30 New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton New Boundaries | November 2012 | University of Southampton 31