Research Horizons

PioneeringPioneering researchresearch fromfrom thethe UniversityUniversity ofof CambridgeCambridge

Issue 38

Special Issue East of England

Features Infrastructure Inequality Education Place Innovation Environment Health Heritage Skills Crime Agri-tech www.cam.ac.uk/research Issue 38, March 2019 2 Contents

Contents

Features

4 – 5 Place 22 – 25 Healthy ageing

6 – 9 Infrastructure 26 – 27 Heritage

10 – 11 Inequality 28 – 29 Skills

12 – 13 Coastal erosion 30 – 31 Crime

14 – 17 Education 32 – 35 Agri-tech

18 – 19 Innovation 36 – 37 Health services

20 – 21 Environment 38 – 39 Pre-school skills

3 Research Horizons

Welcome

Collaboration allows our researchers to draw on, and learn from, our partners’ expertise, while amplifying the impact and reach of our own knowledge. Lessons learned locally are transferable far beyond the eastern counties. This is a good time to share these stories of local engagement. Some have direct relevance to the government’s Industrial Strategy, which aims “to boost productivity… to create good jobs and increase the earning power of people throughout the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure.” Many of the themes covered in this issue reflect that aspiration. I hope this special issue will achieve two things. First, that it will be of value to policymakers – in the eastern region and beyond – who are grappling with the local issues we explore. Second, that it will demonstrate the many intricate ways in which a global institution like ours discharges its duty to serve and support local communities. The University of Cambridge must be a good local citizen, an advocate for the region, a national asset and a truly global actor. Balancing these distinct roles is not easy. Beyond the expertise we bring to our partnerships, it requires openness, and the humility to listen and learn what our communities expect from us. This is the only way an institution such as ours can offer the greatest and widest possible value to society, at home and abroad. In the region, as elsewhere, there is always more to do. But the breadth and longevity of our mutually beneficial partnerships with The University of Cambridge is a global institution. Our students local authorities and policymakers, schools, healthcare providers, and staff come from all over the world; our researchers conduct businesses, employers and research institutions underscore the their work on every continent. Notwithstanding this international importance that these relationships have for us. outlook and impact, our University is firmly and proudly planted Our engagement takes many shapes and serves many in the East of England. Our roots in the region run deep because purposes. Our academic community remains open to new and of our longevity. creative forms of working with partners in the East of England. In fulfilling our mission – to contribute to society through We hope you enjoy this edition of Research Horizons. the pursuit of education, learning and research – we are fundamentally committed to engaging with communities and Professor Stephen Toope partners close to home. Vice-Chancellor This issue of Research Horizons features a selection of the research and outreach activities carried out by Cambridge academics across the East of England, an area that includes the Editor counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Dr Louise Walsh Norfolk and Suffolk. The region has many assets – innovative and entrepreneurial Associate editors people, hugely successful clusters of knowledge-intensive Aaron Cohen-Gold and Fred Lewsey industries, vast tracts of high-quality agricultural land and outstanding academic institutions. Editorial advisors But the region also faces multiple challenges. In some Professor Phil Allmendinger, Dr Mia Gray, areas, acute economic inequalities are linked to low educational Professor Mike Kenny and Professor Andy Neely outcomes, poor health, skills deficits and reduced connectivity. At the University of Cambridge, we take seriously our Design responsibility to be a champion for the region and to help address The District some of its more pressing challenges. In collaboration with local partners, researchers are offering innovative approaches to areas T +44 (0)1223 765 443 ranging from understanding coastal erosion to ensuring healthy E [email protected] ageing and from tackling inequality to enhancing agriculture. W cam.ac.uk/research Whether it is helping to improve skills and education, Copyright ©2019 University of Cambridge and Contributors as identified. The content ofResearch Horizons, with supporting innovation and better infrastructure, bringing an the exception of images and illustrations, is made available for non-commercial re-use in another work under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-ShareAlike Licence (http://creativecommons.org/ evidence-based approach to criminal justice or assisting the licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/), subject to acknowledgement of the original author/s, the title of the individual work and management of national heritage, Cambridge research is having a the University of Cambridge. This Licence requires any new work with an adaptation of content to be distributed and re-licensed under the same licence terms. Research Horizons is produced by the University of Cambridge’s real impact on some of the biggest problems facing the UK today. Office of External Affairs and Communications. Issue 38, March 2019 4 Feature

What account should policymaking take of the notion of ‘place’ – the landscapes, cities and towns we inhabit, with all the opportunities and challenges they bring?

en Goodair and Michael suggests that you were much more likely Place matters Kenny, from Cambridge’s to have voted to Leave if you had not B newly established Bennett been to university, were over the age of for policymakers Institute for Public Policy, explore 45 and lived in a town or the countryside the question of place in light of rather than a city. the different responses to the EU This seismic event, along with the Referendum in the eastern region. other political earthquakes currently shaking democratic politics throughout The EU Referendum of June 2016 shone the Western world, reveals societies a light upon some of the deep fault that are profoundly divergent in terms lines contained within British society, of political values and cultural outlook. throwing up profound and uncomfortable Life chances are often contingent on questions about what underpinned the where you are born, where you grow up differences in people’s perspectives and what access you have to educational that were revealed in the vote. Evidence opportunity. ‘Place’, in other words, has a 5 Research Horizons

profound influence on our sense of where to physical activity levels and avoidable In brief we belong and the values we prefer. mortalities, there is an entrenched For politicians and policymakers who difference between these towns. More What Place, policy, inequality came of age during years of sustained of Peterborough’s children receive Where Cambridgeshire, Fenland, economic growth, and who assumed free school meals, and a much lower Peterborough the financially driven economy would proportion of its residents have access Who Bennett Institute generate opportunities for all, these to further and higher education. Most for Public Policy deeply structural patterns of inequality Cambridge full-time residents can expect must come as a shock. Anger and to earn £120 more per week than their frustration underpinned the revolts by Peterborough equivalent; and the latter’s few from Fenland or Peterborough. The the disenchanted against democracy’s inhabitants can expect, on average, to most widely aired solution to the region’s political establishments, sentiments which live two years fewer than their Cambridge imbalances is to do more to improve its powered new waves of popular protest and counterparts. connectivity to the areas that lie beyond support for populist challenger parties. There are significant disparities within its boundaries. To get to the root of the These responses highlight the each of these places, as well as between economic disparity in the Cambridgeshire inadequacies of a policy paradigm rooted them. In 2018, for instance, the think and Peterborough region, we need to in assumptions about stable economic tank Centre for Cities ranked Cambridge understand the underlying factors that growth, the unalloyed merits of urban the most unequal city in the UK – for make ‘place’ so important both to the expansion, and the capacity and political the second year in a row – which should innovation industries that have flourished will of states to redistribute public goods give us pause for thought. Cambridge is in Cambridge and to the other kinds of across poorer regions. home to an extraordinary concentration business – notably agriculture – in the Government is not alone in bearing of academic expertise, innovation and landscape that surrounds it. responsibility for these issues. Academic knowledge-intensive industries. How can The University houses a range of experts could also have done more to the economic and societal benefits of individuals and groups with considerable highlight the major inequalities that are these assets be more evenly distributed? academic expertise on the social and opening up across our democratic lives. policy issues facing the region, and the These inequalities have helped fuel the importance of place. Several of these very different responses to Brexit that have have made important contributions to been apparent in our own ‘place’. policy debates, for instance as advisors The city of Cambridge was very clearly “Divides of this sort to, and members of, the Cambridgeshire in favour of Remain in the Referendum – and Peterborough Independent with 73.8% voting in favour. But drive for will require both Economic Review, the Greater Cambridge 30 minutes in almost any direction from the political will and Partnership and the Combined Authority’s centre and you will find yourself in villages Business Board. or towns that voted overwhelmingly for policy ingenuity Understanding the importance of Leave. They may be geographically close, place to public policy does not just mean but, in relation to Brexit, a chasm of outlook to solve” thinking locally, however. There are many and experience divides Cambridge from the different kinds of community – institutional, places around it. cultural, or voluntary – which matter to A new Combined Authority now people, and also to policymakers, and links Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and The University has a key role to play in some of these extend beyond national Peterborough – one of a number of addressing these issues. At Cambridge’s borders while others reside within them. In innovations in administrative devolution newly established Bennett Institute policy circles, the notion of place is a more introduced in England in recent years. for Public Policy, we are committed to recent discovery in the wake of events This single jurisdiction has a limited set of a deeper understanding of them, and like Brexit. Our conclusion is that bringing powers conferred upon its elected Mayor. to helping policymakers think through intellectual depth and a richer evidence These new arrangements have had the different potential responses. base to this emergent issue is one of the effect of formally linking Cambridge and For instance, we are currently major contributions which the University its world-class university to districts and examining some of the main differences can make to public policy in our region. towns from which it is, in many ways, in economic opportunity and social a world away. This has created a kind provision that characterise life in different Ben Goodair is a Research Assistant of natural experiment on our doorstep, kinds of town within England, looking at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, a smaller-scale replica of some of the at whether the ‘footprint’ of public and Professor Michael Kenny is its geographical divides that are apparent services is receding more dramatically inaugural Director. across the country. Some of the social in, for instance, post-industrial towns inequalities that exist in the eastern than elsewhere. And we are exploring region are ingrained – and are one reason ways in which the newly created tier of why this area lacks a sense of shared Combined Authorities, including that geographical identity. Divides of this in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, sort will require both political will and can improve in terms of their political policy ingenuity to solve. accountability to their citizens. If we compare Cambridge and Cambridge is, in relative terms, one Peterborough, for instance, the latter’s of the wealthiest parts of the country. inhabitants have a significantly lower The city is one of the strongest sources standard of living, on average, than their of economic growth in the UK, and a counterparts in Cambridge. On a range provider of employment for many residents Words of public health measures, from obesity from Cambridgeshire – though relatively Ben Goodair and Michael Kenny Issue 38, March 2019 64 Feature

Words Louise Walsh

Image How to Commuting flows to Cambridge tend an economic

• Kingʼs Lynn bonfire • Wisbech • Norwich • Peterborough

• March

• Ely • Thetford

• Huntingdon

• Bury St Edmunds • St Neots Cambridge

• Bedford • Haverhill • Royston • Ipswich • Milton Keynes

• Stevenage • Bishopʼs Stortford

• Oxford • St Albans • Chelmsford

• London

• Winchester Number of commuters 4 20 20 40 • Southampton 40 160

Credit: Lines represent number of commuters travelling from ‘Middle LayerAuthority Super output District Areas’ (source: in the Census Greater 2011 ©Crown South copyright East to Cambridge and database Local rights mapping: 2019); Steven Denman, Dept of Architecture 160 3,275 • Brighton • Portsmouth 75 Research Horizons

usiness, enterprise and would mean 160,000 commuters coming In brief employment are flourishing in into Cambridge by 2031. “Our roads B Greater Cambridge. But housing couldn’t handle this.” What Infrastructure, productivity, and infrastructure are struggling to Bullock is also part of the leadership place, business, housing, match the jobs boom, and gaps in social team behind the Cambridgeshire & transport, employment equality keep widening. University Peterborough Independent Economic Where Cambridge, East academics are connecting their Review (CPIER), which for the past year Cambridgeshire, Fenland, insights, data and algorithms to find has been examining the region’s economy, Huntingdonshire, solutions to the area’s “growing pains”. infrastructure, society – and its future. Peterborough, South The team recently reported its findings Cambridgeshire “Economic growth is like a bonfire,” says to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Matthew Bullock. “You can get a bonfire Combined Authority – the body Who Cambridgeshire & going and expand it as long as you keep responsible for local strategic transport Peterborough Independent feeding the centre. But you can’t pick a and infrastructure planning. Economic Review, Dept of bonfire up and move it somewhere else.” “If nothing is done,” says the CPIER Architecture, Cambridge Bullock is talking about the economy of report, “the damage to society from the Judge Business School, Dept Greater Cambridge, where a staggering level continuing drift away of less well-paid of Land Economy, Dept of of growth has outpaced the rest of UK over workers may become irreparable, the Geography the past decade. As one of the founders of ageing of the city will affect its dynamism, the business and academic organisation and the cost to people’s mental health of Cambridge Ahead, Bullock has been helping commuting-induced stress and housing to shape a vision for Cambridge and the insecurity will soar. Cambridge is at a people who live and work in the area. decisive moment in its history where it “Growth here comes up through the must choose whether it wants to once floorboards,” says Bullock, who was one again reshape itself for growth, or let itself of the original financiers of the ‘Cambridge stagnate and potentially wither.” Phenomenon’ – the development and growth in high-tech businesses in and The forecasters around the city since the late 1970s – and is Dr Ying Jin, from the Department of now Master of St Edmund’s College. Architecture, has led the building of a “The city has the highest number of computer model that helps foresee the patent applications per hundred thousand effects of future planning options for people compared with any other city in Greater Cambridge. the UK. Innovation, networks, start-ups, The model uses data on buildings, collaboration, entrepreneurs – all of these green spaces, housing, jobs, businesses, create an energy here that’s resulted in shops, services, schools, means of discoveries that transform lives around the transport, congestion on roads, crowding world, and a wave of expansion in jobs and on trains, rents, wages, prices and business clusters locally.” perceptions of wellbeing. Today, around 60,000 people work in So rich is the data that no one person 4,700 knowledge-intensive companies could hold it in their brain all at once, which in Greater Cambridge, particularly in is why Jin has built a computer model to computers and software, life sciences, thread all of the information together. The high-tech manufacturing and AI. These model, ‘LUISA’, provides ‘a lens’ to look at companies contribute around a third of future working, living and travelling in and global turnover of all companies based around Greater Cambridge. in the area. Global companies such as With funding from CPIER and Amazon, Apple, ARM and AstraZeneca Cambridge Ahead, Jin and colleagues have chosen Cambridge to relocate or have been using LUISA to model alternative expand their offices. trajectories for the region covered by But success often comes at a price. The the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough agglomerative benefits that have brought Combined Authority, which includes new and innovative businesses towards cities, market towns and Fenland villages the economic heat of this ‘bonfire’ have with growing connections to Greater also brought soaring house prices, social Cambridge. The outcomes of the scenarios inequality and congested roads. Cambridge have become a crucial component city’s average house price in 1997 was 4.5 of CPIER’s recommendations to the times a median salary; today it is 16 times. Combined Authority. And in 2018, the think tank Centre for Cities “LUISA is like a virtual digital lab reported that Cambridge was the least for people to explore the long-term equal city in the UK. consequences of decisions made now,” “House prices and rents are becoming explains Jin. “How many houses need unaffordable, pricing people away from building? How will their location in relation 4 20 the city and into car-dependency,” says to jobs affect transport and congestion? 20 40 Bullock. If employment continues to What will this mean for rents, living costs, 40 160 grow at the rate of the past five years, the economic health of the companies 160 3,275 in-commuters would rise by 82%, which and the wellbeing of its inhabitants?” Issue 38, March 2019 68 Feature

This isn’t the first time that this type of maintain the dataset gives some idea of “Growth will be choked off,” says Jin. modelling has been used in Cambridge – why LUISA is so powerful. “As high wages and prices are fed back Jin’s colleagues Professors Peter Carolin First, Cosh’s team sets an algorithm to to business location choice, businesses and Marcial Echenique pioneered the format trawl annually through the audited records will modify their plans and move away, with a programme called Cambridge Futures of almost 50k ‘live’ companies across 14 most likely overseas to other knowledge- in 1997. local authority districts (25k of which are in intensive clusters.” “Peter and Marcial showed that the the Cambridge area) and a further 20k that A recent survey of the largest planning of jobs and housing should be have died. A business can have a single businesses by the Centre for Business linked to transport, and vice versa. Too employee and would still be counted. Research confirmed that companies would often, land is allocated to housing without Then begins the ‘clean-up’ – categorising be more likely to move overseas rather than enough thought about where people work companies into sectors, holding to other parts of the UK, resulting in a loss and how they will get there,” says Jin. ‘eyeballing sessions’ with business groups of jobs and output for the UK. “Cambridge Futures was groundbreaking – to verify the data, checking the accuracy “It might not happen cataclysmically, it it contributed to a new culture of joined- of their location, and then rechecking their could just slide away, starting as early as up, collaborative planning in the Greater files of ‘awkward cases’. “We’re interested 2021,” adds Jin. “By 2031, we could see the Cambridge area.” in the energy of the region. The dynamism. level of employment and economic growth Bullock agrees: “Cambridge Futures led For me, failure is a sign of this – if you start to go into reverse.” to key proposed developments – such as have birth and death it shows you have a Crucially, LUISA can also be used to the West Cambridge site, Eddington and the dynamic economy,” says Cosh. understand what should be done to achieve Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This sent a “The granularity of our process means the full potential of the Cambridge region. very big signal that Cambridge was open for we can pick up trends that other data For CPIER, LUISA tested four distinct growth. The planners made a courageous sources haven’t been able to. We’ve found scenarios that might help the city region attempt to be thoroughly up with the game. for instance that the employment growth adapt to a higher level of job growth in its Even so, the growth that the Cambridge rates are much stronger than indicated by ‘bonfire economy’ to reap economic, social Futures programme predicted was said official figures. The economy in Cambridge and environmental benefits. by some at the time to be ‘obscene’ in its and South Cambridgeshire continues to A ‘densification’ scenario creates new estimation of the numbers of houses that roar away.” employment sites and housing without would be needed. In fact, time has shown This isn’t just interesting from a local expanding the city’s boundaries – in that we needed more.” point of view, says Bullock: “After spending other words building taller, denser or a year with CPIER ‘getting under the skin’ both. ‘Fringe growth’ creates new urban The data makers of the region, and considering its role in the areas around the edges. In a ‘dispersal’ What makes LUISA unique is its ability to future of the UK, our conclusion is that its scenario, growth happens elsewhere – in treat developments in jobs, housing and success is a project of national importance.” market towns or newly created towns transport as parts of one integral system away from Greater Cambridge. And in a – and the fact that it’s been tested on over Alternative futures for harnessing growth ‘transport corridor’ scenario, jobs and three decades of data and knowledge on But how possible is it to forecast the housing are developed along ‘rapid- business and consumer behaviour. future given the uncertainties the UK faces transit’ services that radiate outwards “Policymakers, business leaders, around politics, the economy, technology, from Cambridge. community activists and academic migration, climate change, and so on? Of course, each of the scenarios has researchers all aspire to coordinated LUISA tackles the challenge of future pluses and minuses. Densification posed a interventions on jobs, housing and volatilities by separating out what is hard risk of increased congestion; expansion at transport,” says Jin. “But they are frustrated to predict from what is highly predictable, the urban fringes generated high financial because data from national sources is and by examining a wide range of possible returns but at an environmental cost to often lagging behind reality and in many scenarios, says Jin. Green Belt land and a rise in car use; cases the statistical samples are too thin “The hard to predict includes political dispersal helped the spread of jobs but only to tell a reliable story for a local area. The votes, large individual investments and if a large number of companies were willing more detailed modelling by LUISA shows a breakthroughs of critical technologies such to move to areas distant from Cambridge, whole picture of how jobs, housing demand as autonomous driving,” says Jin. which was unlikely. and travel connect together, and this helps “On the other hand, business and Transport corridors came closest to local communities make sense of what consumer choices under a given scenario of supporting a ‘win–win’ intervention of interventions will work well.” jobs, house building and transport are highly continued success in high-growth regions LUISA leverages data and knowledge predictable by a good computer model. while unlocking the potential of low- from experts across the University, the When jobs, house building and transport growth regions through better transport local planning and transport data from stay in balance, business productivity and connections, but it would require a very district and county councils, and advice residents’ wellbeing rise; when this balance large new investment in infrastructure. from local experts on housing, transport, is lost, businesses balk at the rising costs “The most likely outcome of planning commercial space, digital connectivity and residents lose out.” for growth is that it will involve ‘mix-and- and green space. To start with, the team used LUISA to match’ scenarios,” says Jin. “The purpose For instance, Dr Andy Cosh, from examine a ‘business as usual’ approach, of the four scenarios is to map out the the Centre for Business Research at in which the region develops according to strengths and weaknesses of each. This Cambridge Judge Business School, is current housing and infrastructure plans. would help the local authorities and responsible for the Cambridge Cluster The model showed that even a modest rise communities to design their own mix-and- map. This resource is the most accurate in jobs – far lower than what Cosh’s team is match scenarios in a democratic process.” reflection of the region’s businesses – those witnessing – would result in considerable Following the CPIER report, the results that are being born, arriving, merging, rent and wage pressures in Cambridge and from LUISA are now feeding into the thriving, leaving, dying. The diligent process South Cambridgeshire, with roads seriously district councilsʼ new land use plans and by which he and his team build and unable to cope with the in-commuting. the Combined Authorityʼs local transport 97 Research Horizons

plans, says Jin: “This is where a virtual lab can make an effective contribution. It’s worth the effort because rebalancing jobs, housing and transport is rarely a zero-sum game.”

Local industrial strategy Bullock and members of CPIER see this as a crucial time for decision-makers. Bullock is optimistic: “People Extrapolation of current trends Densification understand what the issues are now. This assumes jobs grow in the city and This approach involves more houses There’s an easing in the tension about suburban hotspots; housing is built in and jobs being created in the Cambridge growth in Cambridge and a better areas targeted by the local plans, which and Peterborough urban areas without understanding of the different economies are often far away from job hot spots. significantly expanding boundaries. across the region that the Combined Transport links are upgraded in a way that Brownfield space is used to create high- Authority can now shape. In many ways seems reasonable based on current trends density accommodation to increase the the region is a microcosm of the UK in and timelines. number of people who live and work there. terms of the challenges faced.” Professor Pete Tyler, from the Department of Land Economy and who also contributed data to LUISA, agrees: “One of the biggest issues the UK faces is upgrading its infrastructure to improve connectivity. We are seeing the importance of that here, where infrastructure can be a constraining factor to economic growth.” Tyler has been part of a multi-university project called City Evolutions led by Professor Ron Martin in the Department of Geography. The project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, produced an in-depth economic analysis of UK cities to see how they have adapted over time. “If you look at growth in productivity, we observe quite significant differences Fringe growth Dispersal between cities in how they adjust to In the fringe growth scenario, large This approach involves more houses economic change,” says Tyler. “Places like expansions happen on the outside of and jobs being created outside of the Cambridge are among the fastest-growing Cambridge and Peterborough, while the primary urban areas of Cambridge and cities that are suffering the growing pains level of housing density within cities is left Peterborough, mainly in the market towns. of a lack of good-quality infrastructure and unchanged. A fringe growth approach It could also involve the creation of new enough affordable housing to tackle the significantly expands the urban footprint towns and villages where previously there issue of social inclusivity. of the cities. was only farmland/countryside. “It’s impossible to tell a story about city adjustment without thinking about what will happen to the resource base. Local areas have little fiscal capacity and rely on discretionary finance from central government to put in more infrastructure.” The government has tasked local authorities to deliver local industrial strategies, and this is where Tyler and Bullock believe the ongoing work of CPIER and University researchers can help. “It’s clear that no single blueprint for future development will work for all areas,” “Cambridge says Bullock. “Formulating a local industrial strategy requires regions to show they have Transport corridors a comprehensive vision for how they can A transport corridors approach focuses on is at a use their resources. LUISA has helped us developing jobs and housing along public to know our strengths, our weaknesses and transport routes that radiate out of the main how our distinct economies grow. Used well, cities. Transport corridors can include fast decisive the evidence can support developments bus, tram, or train links that provide rapid to improve the quality of life right across transit into cities. this region. And the techniques we have moment in developed here are readily applicable in other regions too.” its historyˮ Issue 38, March 2019 108 Feature “I have my life back on track now, so thank you... it carries huge meaning”

What do you do if you are unemployed, facing mounting debts and have been left behind by a digital-by-default world in which just about everything – including Universal Credit – requires access to the internet?

ome of the most deprived a programme that aimed to help them feel There are services out there to help, but areas in England are located in control of their money, teach them how what makes this programme different is S in the eastern region. When to get online and give them the tools to that we cover the three elements of money, a local housing association, with look for work. digital and work at the same time. Digital the help of Cambridge University The project, called New Horizons, is the skills in particular are a massive issue as researchers, launched a project to brainchild of a Cambridge-based housing Universal Credit is rolled out, given that the help those furthest away from the job association – CHS Group – and seven application process for benefits is online.” market, the results were impressive. other partner organisations, including the The programme is run with the help University of Cambridge. of Dr Gemma Burgess and her team from Krystal*, a single parent, had lost her Lynne McAulay, New Horizons Project Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy. way “with bills, my debt and my life in Manager at CHS Group, explains what The researchers helped to design the general”. Her situation was complicated, prompted the initiative: “People who are programme, developed tools to assess the with a number of debts, and she had furthest away from the job market often scale of issues faced by each participant, received an eviction notice from her have really entrenched problems. They’re and have been monitoring and evaluating housing association. Krystal needed to in dire straits... debt, disabilities… they’ve the programme as it goes along. learn basic IT skills before she could almost always been left behind by the “There are huge inequalities in this think about applying for a job. digital world. region,” says Burgess. “We’ve got a Krystal is one of a group of 300 men “We could see how a small amount of booming growth area focused around and women across Cambridgeshire who, individualised coaching across a range a knowledge economy, and we have over the past two years, have taken part in of areas might get them back on track. rural areas focused around the agri-tech 119 Research Horizons

industry, but we have significant pockets coaching is helping, what the participants In brief of extraordinary deprivation.” think… we build a picture as we go, According to government figures looking for patterns of success and for any What Inequality, housing, released in 2015, 16 of the most problems, and we feed everything back to poverty, digital inclusion, deprived areas nationally include wards CHS and the delivery partners so they can employment, skills in Cambridge, Wisbech, Huntingdon and adapt as they go along. CHS really wants Where Cambridge, Kingʼs Lynn, Fenland. this programme to improve lives – an action Peterborough, Wisbech “Deprivation is scored in various research approach gives the best possible ways, including crime, health and chance of this happening.” Who CHS Group, Dept of barriers to housing,” explains Kathryn In November 2018, Burgess and Muir Land Economy Muir, who has been evaluating the New completed an evaluation of New Horizons. Horizons programme with Burgess. “Cambridgeshire’s highest-scoring reason for deprivation is housing affordability and homelessness. New Horizons is aimed at the people who are most vulnerable to running up rent arrears, to not managing their debts, to falling out of the system completely. In other words, those who Of 120 completing the programme face the prospect of a downward spiral towards homelessness.” 55 reduced their priority debts The 300 participants in New Horizons were referred to the programme by social 46 set up an email account services and other agencies, including 34 had an interview housing associations and job centres, based in Kingʼs Lynn, Wisbech, Cambridge 24 started volunteering and Peterborough. When they start, many participants feel 22 entered paid work they have reached the end of the line: “I was in a bit of a state financially… I was down the foodbank, getting the food parcels”; “It was just getting me down and down and down, where I was getting to the point where I’d just had enough”; “It was a really bad year; nothing good happened… I really want to “What’s apparent is how successful the *Krystal (name changed) now feels in get back into work. I miss working”; “It’s programme has been,” says Muir. “A total control of her money, has started a job in a easier to move than it is to pay a debt”. of 120 people have completed it so far. local café and signed a new contract with “What we’ve learned is that people Of these, 55 reduced their priority debts, her housing association. Her coach helped prefer to tell their story only once, not 46 set up an email account, 34 had an her to negotiate repayments for her priority multiple times to different services,” says interview, 24 started volunteering and debts and to attend appointments with McAulay. “The coaches listen, and a 22 entered paid work.” the local Citizens Advice. While her money relationship is built on ‘oh, you can actually “Obviously, schemes like this can’t fix situation was improving, Krystal borrowed make a difference here’ – food vouchers or everybody’s problems,” adds Burgess. a laptop and improved her IT skills to find a grant for a cooker, for instance – and it “But for some people, it’s transformational employment opportunities and improve progresses into something more enabling, in terms of finally getting out of debt, using her CV. “[The coach] gave me the courage where the coach supports a person to a computer for the first time, opening their to speak to debtors and sort it,” Krystal make phone calls themselves and to take first bank account, applying for a job. explains. “I am now in a supported place charge of their money problems.” It’s important to us that our research is where I feel in control and it feels great.” The programme offers up to 20 hours practical and policy focused, and that it is of coaching support through the partner going to have a real-world impact. That’s New Horizons is a partnership of eight organisations. The first task is to get why we work with organisations like CHS organisations across the former Greater participants onto a stable base, from which who are out there delivering positive Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local they can build their skills and move towards outcomes for people.” Enterprise Partnership: Axiom Housing a better understanding and control of their One participant said: “I have my life Association, Broadland Housing Group, money. They might also need specific back on track now, so thank you… it Centre 33, CHS Group, Citizens Advice advice with moving onto the correct carries huge meaning.” For McAulay, client Rural Cambs, Cross Keys Homes, Norfolk benefits, or speaking to creditors to make feedback like this is a large part of the Citizens Advice Bureau and the University their repayments more manageable. motivation underpinning the project, for of Cambridge Centre for Housing and The coaches then focus on building which CHS Group is now seeking renewed Planning Research. It is funded through the digital skills, if required, by encouraging funding: “You can hear how people have Building Better Opportunities programme participants to work through courses and valued that one-to-one relationship with with funding from the European Social Fund learning modules online. the coach and how it has effected change and the National Lottery through the Big The involvement of the University in themselves – how they’ve moved from Lottery fund. researchers has been constant throughout feeling like a passive receiver of a service the ‘action research’ project, as Burgess to someone who is feeling responsible for explains: “We’ve been looking at how the themselves and capable of making change. Words referral process is working, whether the It’s inspirational.” Louise Walsh

Issue 38, March 2019 12 Feature

In brief What Environment, natural capital, climate change Where Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk Who Dept of Geography, Environment Agency, National Trust, Universities of East Anglia and Essex, Suffolk Coast & Heaths Credit: Simon Read (www.simonread.info)

Image The mud flats, estuaries and salt marshes of the East of England provide a natural sea defence SEA CHANGE 13 Research Horizons

he coast is an intrinsic part of than against it, to protect them from Coast is an ideal site for the Pioneer project: British identity – and perhaps flooding. The researchers are collaborating we can look at different ways to work with T nowhere is it more at risk than with local authorities in the East of England, nature to protect this magnificent landscape in the East of England. Cambridge the Environment Agency, stakeholders which attracted the AONB designation.” researchers are working with communities including the National Trust, and the The work of Möller, Spencer and their and organisations across the region Universities of East Anglia (UEA) and Essex, academic collaborators is fundamental to manage the coast for the future, by to develop and test more sustainable to the Suffolk Marine Pioneer project. working with nature rather than against it. approaches to flood defence. “We need to understand the quality and With much of its flat, marshy landscape quantity of salt marsh that we have, the It was the worst natural disaster lying at, or just above, sea level, the East of services it provides and who benefits from experienced by Britain in the 20th century. England is particularly vulnerable to coastal those services,” says Cosgrove. “There’s On 31 January 1953, the east coast was erosion and flooding. According to the most a lot of information to be gathered, and battered by high tides, storm surge, wind recent UK Climate Projections, the region with the best available science, we can and large waves, leading to devastating could see anywhere up to 1.15 m of sea level build coastal strategies that deliver for the flooding. In Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and rise by 2100. It is also home to some of the coastal communities.” Lincolnshire, 307 people were killed. richest farmland in the country, vital national Nineteen were killed in Scotland, while infrastructure and major tourist areas such across the North Sea in The Netherlands, as the Norfolk Broads. 1,800 people lost their lives. The coastal landscapes of the East There is plenty of blame to go around of England also help protect the coast for the 1953 disaster, although most and those who rely on it by reducing the would point the finger at the absence of a damage that storm surges can do. “One of coordinated warning system, which meant the interesting things over my career has that many communities were unaware been the change in view of these sorts of of the imminent risk until it was too late. landscapes, from being areas of relatively low Coastal defences such as sea walls had value, to now, where they are rightly viewed not been properly maintained or were not as being very important,” says Spencer. equipped to deal with the ferocity of the “The mud flats, estuaries and salt The National Trust is a major landowner conditions that night. marshes along the eastern coast are not in East Anglia, and is also working with the In the aftermath of the 1953 flooding, only areas of high biodiversity and effective researchers to build coastal adaptation major improvements were made and carbon stores, but they also have an strategies for the next century and beyond. the UK now has one of the best storm important protective function,” says Möller. With natural flood management funding forecasting systems in the world. Existing “We’ve shown in tests that they are highly from Defra, the team is quantifying the coastal defences were improved, and new effective at buffering waves in front of hard effects of salt marshes on wave decay and ones like the Thames Barrier were built. defence lines, reducing the waves’ height water movements. Having looked at the The Thames Barrier is an example of a and potential for damage. To protect our conditions on the open coast, this work is ‘hard’ coastal defence: in many parts of the coastal communities and infrastructure, now looking in the upper areas of estuaries. country, such as where there is important we need to start thinking about having “Part of the advantage of working with infrastructure or a major population centre, a coastal zone incorporating natural Tom and Iris is that they have long-term this is the most appropriate protection defences, rather than a hard coastal thinking embedded into everything they against rising tides or storms. line alone.” do,” says Daniel Leggett, Coastal Projects But for a country whose cultural and In large-scale tests funded by the EU Manager for the National Trust. “We’ve got historical identity is so closely associated and the Natural Environment Research a responsibility to the properties we own with the sea, are large concrete or metal Council, Möller and colleagues have shown to manage them for the future, so we want barriers always the best defence? And – that even in extreme conditions, narrow to know about the range of changes that less romantically – given the enormous fringes of salt marsh just 40 m wide can might happen and plan accordingly.” financial cost of these defences, are there reduce the height of waves by close to He adds: “With a changing climate and other effective and sustainable methods 20%, while an 80 m width of salt marsh can dynamic coastline, it may not be possible to we could consider? reduce waves to near zero. keep everything where it is now. The National “Many of the coastal defences The Cambridge researchers, along Trust will live well beyond my lifetime, so it’s that were strengthened following the with colleagues from UEA and Essex, are important for us to develop plans which enable 1953 storm surge are now reaching the working with the Suffolk Coast & Heaths us to adapt to a changing environment so end of their natural design life, and it’s Area of Outstanding National Beauty we don’t lose all of this: we’ve got to put our expensive to repair or reconstruct these (AONB) to test how effective salt marshes resources where they’ll do the most good sorts of structures,” says Professor Tom and other ‘natural capital’ assets are. over the long term. That’s what we get from Spencer from Cambridge’s Department of The Suffolk AONB was chosen to host working with Tom, Iris and their team: good Geography, and Director of the Cambridge one of four Pioneer projects, funded by science helps us make good decisions.” Coastal Research Unit. the UK Department for Environment, “In addition to developing better “If you start to think about the predicted Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to inform coastal defences, we also need to work sea level rise and severe storms due to implementation of the government’s with coastal communities to help them climate change, you might need to replace 25-year environment plan, announced adapt to a changing coastline,” adds existing defences with something even in January 2018. Möller. “It's not about controlling nature higher, which is not as simple as adding a “The coastal sediment is so soft in this but about working with it as part of coastal bit on top of an existing structure.” part of the country,” says Peter Cosgrove, management.” Spencer and Deputy Director Dr Marine Pioneer Project Manager at Suffolk Iris Möller are studying how coastal AONB. “Large swathes of hard defences Words communities can work with nature, rather aren’t practical here, which is why the Suffolk Sarah Collins Issue 38, March 2019 1214 Feature

In brief What Education, employment, skills, social mobility Where Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk Who Faculty of Education, Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach, Anglia Ruskin University, schools across East Anglia

Can I Pick Your Brains? Raising teenage aspirations across the region

ast Anglia has long struggled to will buck a stubborn trend in her corner of “It is particularly important that bridge the gap between school the UK. we make sure that young people who E leavers and higher education. In 2017, six of the UK’s 50 most severe have achieved well at school, and who The reasons for this are complex but, social mobility ‘coldspots’, identified by clearly have huge potential, are made as a new network of universities, further the Social Mobility Commission, were in aware of the options that are available to education providers and schools is the East of England. While the region’s them. They need to be encouraged and discovering, the region does not lack schools performed relatively well overall, supported to aim high.” teenage aspiration. The key to improving it retained five of the worst performing The government has taken this social mobility – say researchers and areas indicated by outcomes for pupils on board, and East Anglia is now frontline staff – is helping young people eligible for free school meals. For this home to the largest of 29 consortia in to make informed confident choices. reason, the region now commands England funded as part of the National a quarter of the ‘Opportunity Areas’ Collaborative Outreach Programme In Felixstowe Academy’s sports hall, a receiving UK Department for Education (NCOP) to deliver projects tailored to the 15-year-old is carefully extracting a pig’s funding to improve educational outcomes needs of this specific group of students. eyeball from its socket. “It’s really inspiring – in Fenland and East Cambridgeshire, For the first time, the region’s five for my art,” she enthuses. “I often draw Ipswich and Norwich. universities and eight of its further half-skulls and half-faces.” Liberty Pinner, Grades remain a significant obstacle education colleges are working together a Year 10 student, is one of 60 teenagers to social mobility in the region but this is with the common goal of helping young from Felixstowe and Ipswich who are not the only challenge. Two years ago, people with little or no experience of taking part in a very hands-on operating the government identified East Anglia as university to explore the world of collaborat ion theatre experience. being one of the least successful parts higher education. t o help youth Over much of the day, the students of the country for converting solid GCSE Launched in January 2017, the dissect brains, inflate lungs and explore attainment into participation in Network for East Anglian Collaborative intestines under the watchful eye of a higher education. Outreach (neaco) has been working with trained clinician. “I usually find science And so, while the region’s story more than 10,000 students from Years boring,” Liberty says, “but I’m really is partly about deprivation, it is also 9 to 13 who live in areas identified by enjoying this. I learn hands-on so much one of exciting untapped opportunity, the government as having low rates of better.” Liberty has no intention of as Professor Anna Vignoles, from progression to higher education. These entering the medical profession but she Cambridge’s Faculty of Education, include urban, rural and coastal areas does have a plan: “I’m focusing on the explains: “Our research shows that, for of deprivation. creative side – I’m thinking Level 3 BTEC.” many, a degree continues to be a vitally “We’ve discovered that our Liberty leaves little doubt that she will important route to a good job and differences as institutions are our make this happen, but in doing so she higher earnings. strength,” says neaco Project Manager 1315 Research Horizons Credit: All images, Lloyd Mann

Tom Levinson, based at the University of develop problem-solving strategies contextualised approach compares Cambridge – the administrative lead. “This and providing ‘scaffolding’ to support the outcomes of young people on the brings a huge amount of opportunity to progress through difficult tasks. programme right now with students young people in this region.” It also draws on the expertise of from the same schools, year groups, At the centre of neaco’s approach is a Dr Sonia Ilie, from Cambridge’s Faculty qualifications and attainment level, the programme of activities under the banner of Education, who is the project’s lead year before we started. With this data, we ‘Take Your Place’, which are delivered evaluator. Ilie’s expertise lies in how can clearly establish what neaco’s impact to students by 30 Higher Education different aspects of deprivation affect is, and this will help to inform how other Champions working in over 80 schools and educational outcomes, and much of her programmes are designed and evaluated colleges. The programme includes raising work involves assessing the effectiveness for years to come.” aspirations but also improving students’ of programmes designed to improve the The Take Your Place activities – understanding of, and preparedness for, experiences of young people. Felixstowe Academyʼs eye-removing, applying for higher education. “In the past, there hasn’t been enough lung-inflating event among them – are The project converts research-based understanding about what works,” as diverse as their participants. Earlier educational principles into a set of core says Ilie. “Together with the other NCOP in 2018, sixth-formers from Thetford teaching techniques such as challenging consortia, neaco is leading the way by Academy paid a visit to the Norwich students to identify the objective of an placing evaluation and evidence building office of the insurance company Aviva activity, encouraging them to use and at its heart,” she adds. “Our highly to gain insights into career prospects. One of the students, Jacek Lipinski, collaborat ion was so impressed that he applied for t o help youth and secured one of the company’s Research and 16 apprenticeship roles in software st rat egies engineering. “I was studying computing and While the region’s programming but I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” says Jacek. “I liked the story is partly about atmosphere at Aviva – they take the time to do things carefully and calmly. Seeing deprivation, it is the organisation and the software they use first-hand was helpful.” also one of exciting A more recent event, organised Words with the Carers Trust, gave a group of Tom Almeroth-Williams untapped opportunity 15- and 16-year-old carers from around Issue 38, March 2019 1416 Feature

When Research Begins at Home

Words Lucy Ward

ncouraging young people to consider higher education E is one aspect of raising aspirations – another is to improve the experience of learning in schools. Working with teachers, researchers in Cambridge’s Faculty of Education are breaking down the “artificial walls” between academia and local schools to help improve life chances.

Huntingdon an immersive experience of In addition to its involvement in neaco, the Twenty years ago, two head teachers student life at Anglia Ruskin University University plays a central role in Accelerate walked into the University’s Department Cambridge campus. One of the highlights East, a diverse partnership that seeks to of Education with a proposal. We want to was learning about the marketing of equip young people to participate in East work with you, they told academics, but chocolate in the School of Management Anglia’s modern high-skills workforce. The don’t just come and “do research on us”. and, fuelled with samples, the students University also works with schools through We want to work in partnership. worked as a team to pitch a new slogan. its Area Links Scheme, which enables the The approach might have met short Back in Felixstowe, the whiff of offal Cambridge Colleges to provide advice to shrift in more traditional institutions, is growing steadily more pungent but schools and colleges across the UK. but the outward-looking Education the teenage surgeons remain focused Department, now the Faculty of on the gory task at hand. For some, the Education, was different. Already working opportunity could not be more relevant closely with over 30 schools on a school- to their intended career path. based teacher education programme, Jennifer da Silva, a sixth-former at and welcoming many teachers onto its Felixstowe Academy, is in the middle of Masterʼs and PhD programmes, it saw dissecting a brain but pauses to talk, the chance to forge new bonds. scalpel in hand. “My mum works in Two decades on, School–University shipping and my dad works at the port,” Partnership for Educational Research she says. “But I want to be a neurosurgeon. (SUPER) continues to flourish, bringing This is the first time I’ve had the chance to together academics and teachers from 12 see brains. I want to be hands-on early in schools around the eastern region. The my degree so I’m looking for those types of partners devise and run collective research medical courses and the different unis that projects – on topics from pupil engagement offer this type of experience.” to teacher learning – and share findings “These students do not lack aspiration within and beyond the group. – far from it,” insists Levinson. “They The latest project has focused just need the right support to make big on the increasingly critical area of choices for their lives, and that’s what pupil resilience, as Dr Ros McLellan, we’re providing – in a way that has never coordinator of the SUPER network, been done before.” explains: “Across the UK, mental health

1517 Research Horizons

issues in children are increasing while hold limiting views of their students’ In brief wellbeing is deteriorating. Evidence capabilities and be less likely to shows that wellbeing programmes introduce change.” What Education, wellbeing, in schools can lead to significant Hofmann’s latest project, backed language, social mobility improvements in children’s mental health, by an Economic and Social Research Where Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and social and emotional skills. But Council-funded Impact Acceleration Essex, Norfolk, Peterborough we know that funding constraints and grant, is creating a ‘toolkit’ to help lack of prominence given to wellbeing schools introduce and evaluate effective Who Faculty of Education, in the inspection framework create real educational techniques to boost teaching schools across the East challenges for schools. Our research and learning. Her team is working with of England is asking how resilience and wellbeing four eastern region partnership schools in can be promoted in a results-driven which a high proportion of students face dialects, slang, emojis and even the most educational climate.” multiple disadvantages, such as financial basic foreign language ability all represent or language difficulties. a form of multilingualism. She aims to make the toolkit “The main idea is to see whether we available to all schools, nationally and can we offer young people the agency to “The projects work ultimately globally. Tried and tested develop a multilingual identity if they so Faculty research, she argues, should wish and to see what the impacts of that because schools in our benefit all schools, not only those with are,” Fisher says. The results have been fewer challenges to divert them, and positive. “Reflecting on language learning region want to work ensuring this happens is as much part was not only enjoyable for students but of Cambridge University’s widening also made them more open minded, more with us” participation agenda as diversifying aware of the place of language in the admissions. “It is well known that some world and more inclined to be engaged of the core barriers to raising aspirations with language learning in the classroom.” among disadvantaged children happen Many students involved in the project The group devised a wellbeing not only at widening participation in terms reported a change in attitude, seeing survey that was conducted across the of university admissions, but also much languages more as a vital life skill than partner schools, backed up by detailed earlier, in learning opportunities that just another subject to struggle with at pupil interviews. The findings showed disadvantaged children have in school. school. “I used to think languages only that girls and Year 10 students are more “We are a university with a global help on holiday,” said one. “Now I think vulnerable at secondary school – and that mission and that includes focusing on languages adapt your brain and help you students from low-income backgrounds disadvantaged communities everywhere, understand different cultures.” are vulnerable at all ages. including those near us. The East of For the academics, meanwhile, all “The individual schools are now England has some of the most deprived of these projects are creating a model introducing their own wellbeing areas in the whole country. Our work aims for boosting the chances of research interventions tailored to the needs revealed to have a positive impact on the people in findings making the journey from concept by the study, and we’ll be working with those communities, and also helps us to to coalface and having a real impact on them as they assess and share the impact understand the ways change can happen school practice. of the interventions,” says McLellan. in disadvantaged settings.” This level of collaboration between SUPER is one of a range of projects The busy two-way pipeline linking academics and schools is fundamental forging direct connections between the Faculty of Education and schools to the success of the projects, and yet the Faculty – part of a world-leading in the region also lies at the heart of a is surprisingly unusual and should not university that is often viewed primarily in partnership that focuses on exploring the be taken for granted says McLellan: an international context – and the living, influence of multilingual identity on foreign “Whenever I talk about SUPER in other breathing community of pupils, parents language learning among teenagers contexts, people are always interested in and teachers on its doorstep. and its relationship with attainment. The how we manage to do it because schools Dr Riikka Hofmann, for instance, education strand of the project, led by and universities often have different has been working with local schools Dr Linda Fisher, is part of a large-scale agendas, timescales and ideas over what on understanding how best to improve and far-reaching language sciences constitutes research. students’ learning – finding that research programme, Multilingualism: “The projects work because schools approaches that draw on interaction Empowering Individuals, Transforming in our region, which is very diverse, want and students’ ideas can achieve better Societies (MEITS) funded by the Arts and to work with us. This is not just pie in the outcomes. But she has also found that it’s Humanities Research Council. sky, ivory tower stuff: it is practical, and not always easy for schools – especially Working with six secondary schools real, and of use to schools. We’ve broken those in deprived areas that are tackling in the eastern region and another in down the artificial walls: we’re out there.” a wide range of pupil needs – to translate London, Fisher’s team is tracking the research findings into teaching practice. academic performance of 2,000 pupils “We know that teachers find it difficult over two years, including monolingual to take up new forms of learning, no learners studying a second language “This is not just pie matter how effective research shows and multilingual learners adding a further in the sky, ivory tower them to be,” she explains. “Schools language in the classroom. may be concerned about the short- Together with teachers, Fisher and stuff: it is practical, term risks for performance outcomes colleagues have devised and trialled a and inspections involved in trialling new package of teaching materials, which and real, and of use practices. Also, teachers in schools begin by encouraging students to serving disadvantaged populations can recognise that their understanding of to schools” Issue 38, March 2019 18 Feature

“A VERY CAMBRIDGE STORYˮ

e have a very important destroying harmful molecules in human “ announcement… am I disease. Humanisation involves swapping W speaking to Dr Winter?” regions of ‘foreign’ DNA with human DNA It’s hard to imagine the moment to reduce inactivation of the drug by when a phone rings and it’s the Nobel the human immune response. Committee at the end of the line. But even humanisation doesn’t fully eliminate the possibility of an immune On the morning of 3 October 2018, Sir response because the specificity of the Greg Winter – winner of the 2018 Nobel antibody is still made up of non-human Prize in Chemistry, along with Frances regions. When Winter developed ‘antibody Arnold and George Smith – took the call phage display’, for which he won the that told him he’d received the greatest Nobel Prize, it enabled the discovery scientific accolade of his career. of antibodies to almost every type of “It came as a bit of a shock,” says target using a ‘library’ of human gene Winter, who is Master of Cambridge’s fragments inserted into the DNA of Trinity College. “I was hoping to have a bacteriophage virus coat proteins. nice quiet day.” The new technology fitted naturally A few hours later, he was answering with his expertise as a genetic engineer, questions from the world’s media in a as he explains: “I’d been working with room at the Medical Research Council mouse antibodies but had never made (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology one and I thought I’d better learn. I went (LMB) on the Cambridge Biomedical into the tissue culture room, I followed all Campus. A few hundred metres away the recipes, and everything got infected was the lab where, in the 1980s, Winter with mycoplasma. I was so angry at the had pioneered technologies that would huge waste of time – and I was already a have an enduring medical legacy for very angry kind of young man. I started humankind and contribute to a hundred thinking there’s got to be another way.” billion dollar industry. He and colleagues at the MRC LMB Part of the Cambridge̔ Phenomenonʼ and Cambridge University’s Department Winter established three spin-out of Pathology were the first to ‘humanise’ companies to develop the phage mouse and rat monoclonal antibodies, display technologies. Among them was Image opening up their use as drugs for Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), Campath-1H 19 Research Horizons

which he founded with Dr David Chiswell At the same time that phage display In brief and Dr John McCafferty in 1989. CAT was libraries were being grown to ever acquired in 2006 for £702 million by the increasing sizes (today a trillion phage is What Biotechnology, innovation, life pharma giant AstraZeneca and merged the norm), researchers in the University’s sciences, pharma with US-based MedImmune, also acquired Department of Pathology and the MRC Where Greater Cambridge by AstraZeneca. Currently, AstraZeneca/ LMB were making major mechanistic MedImmune is in the process of relocating discoveries about antibodies and their Who Medical Research Council to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. targets, while others in the Department Laboratory of Molecular “For AstraZeneca to decide it wanted of Chemical Engineering were working Biology, Dept of Pathology, to put its weight behind the technology of with CAT to develop new bioprocessing MedImmune, AstraZeneca CAT was a pretty good thing,” says Winter. methods to manufacture them as drugs. “The skills are still in Cambridge and they “All of this makes antibodies a are adding to the UK companies’ repertoire very Cambridge story, one that’s been of drugs.” developing over four decades,” says Winter, Today, phage display is one of the referring to the discovery in 1975 of how to core technologies underpinning the work make monoclonal antibodies by MRC LMB undertaken by MedImmune. Dr Jane scientists César Milstein and Georges According to a report commissioned Osbourn leads MedImmune’s facility in Köhler, for which they won a Nobel Prize. by AstraZeneca in 2018, over 430 Cambridge. Looking back to her time as Monoclonal antibodies are now one of organisations in the cluster support a bench scientist at CAT, she remembers the most important classes of biological a specialised workforce of more than when a brilliant set of minds and emerging drugs on the market, used in the treatment 15,500, contributing around £2.9 billion molecular biology technologies came of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, annually to the UK economy. If it continues together at the right place and the right time. cancer and other diseases. to grow at its current rate, the cluster has “There was a cohort of really able “Research and development in the potential to contribute a further billion intellect in Cambridge – in CAT and other the antibody field are still very much per annum to the economy by 2032 and companies, in the MRC LMB and in the part of the Cambridge Phenomenon,ˮ could provide 6,000 additional jobs. University – and what happened adds Osbourn. “It’s a fantastic time for was a condensation AstraZeneca/MedImmune to base its “This is just the beginning” of that focus,” she new global headquarters in Cambridge. The “Cambridge story” is not just one says. “Once we There’s a melting pot of ideas and skill of a thriving life science industry. It is decided to make sets that we’re tapping into through long- also one where medical success is often phage display term collaborations with researchers at underpinned by decades of incremental work, we set the University, the LMB, other biotechs steps. Take the example of Campath-1H, some really tough and Cancer Research UK. To this, we’re the first antibody to be humanised and goals and then bringing know-how on how you develop which today is marketed as Lemtrada to just got on drugs, take them to the market and deliver slow the progression of multiple sclerosis. with it.” benefits to patients’ health.” It was developed from research that began in 1979 by Professor Herman Waldmann in Life sciences cluster the Department of Pathology. AstraZeneca/MedImmune’s relocation “There was a culture that we should is a major boost to an already booming be tackling difficult problems – things life sciences cluster that encompasses that might not get results for 20 or 30 the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, years,” says Winter. “I can’t pretend University departments and the Cambridge that I anticipated the work would be so Science Park, as well as nearby Wellcome commercially successful. It was a paradigm Sanger Institute, Babraham Research shift to consider a biological molecule as Campus and Granta Park. large as an antibody as a drug. We had to convince people that they could be used as therapeutics and it was biotech companies that took it on board.” The gains have been huge. Humira®, for instance, was discovered at CAT using phage display and is now the bestselling drug in the world – earning more than $103 billion since entering the market in Greater Cambridge’s 2003. Now owned by the pharmaceutical life sciences cluster has company AbbVie, it’s been dubbed “the Swiss army knife of pharmaceutical drugs” because of the number of inflammatory 430 conditions it can treat (15 and counting). “It’s true that over the past 30 years ORGANISATIONS the development of antibody therapeutics contributing around has delivered a step change in disease treatments,” adds Osbourn. “But research and development can never stand still. £2.9 BILLION We must always think that this is just annually to the UK economy the beginning.” Issue 38, March 2019 20

aced with shifting demands options, and how we can maximise the on landscapes and climate various benefits in decades to come.” F change, how do you plan for Planning a century ahead becomes a forest’s future? an even greater challenge with climate change, as Tew explains: “The warming Thetford Forest is a unique 47,000-acre climate brings more pests and more landscape in the East of England. Working diseases, which can slow or stop among its patchwork of pines, heathland growth, or kill trees entirely. Forestry and broadleaf trees, Cambridge University monocultures and broadleaf woodlands PhD student Eleanor Tew is helping the are being affected all over Europe. Just Forestry Commission plan for the next 100 in terms of timber, if you think of a forest years of the forest’s life. as a bank account and the tree’s growth The forest has been carefully managed as its interest, then planting the wrong since its beginnings nearly a century ago, species for the climate at the end of the when the Forestry Commission was tasked century risks considerable loss in value by the government with reforesting a nation when that tree is harvested.” depleted by the demands of the First World Thatʼs why diverse management War. Today, Thetford Forest is prized for the strategies are currently being explored, value of its timber and its biodiversity, and she says. Understanding the effects of attracts a million-plus visitors every year. these options is imperative, and needs But modern forestry faces new to be detailed if it is to increase ‘natural challenges. “Around a third of global forests capital’ resilience. are managed for timber production, but “One of the great aspects about these forests also play a vital role in helping working with the Forestry Commission is to look after the planet’s biodiversity, having access not only to their databases water, soil and carbon,” says Tew, who of management strategies and timber works with Professor William Sutherland in projections, but most importantly also to the Universityʼs” Department of Zoology. their staff with their wealth of expertise “Management strategies are increasingly and experience,” adds Tew, who has been looking to balance the economic needs of working closely with the Planning team in forestry with the maintenance of resilient Thetford Forest. “Together, we’ve been able and functioning ecosystems.” to ensure that my research is as applicable All these goods and benefits – its and helpful as possible by focusing on the ‘ecosystem services’ – need to be range of management strategies under considered by the Forestry Commission consideration for the future of the forest. when it designs strategies for the nation’s “But I also needed to get into the realms forests. And, because trees take so long of understanding the difference between to grow, these strategies need to be planting one tree species or another in ‘future-proofed’ for up to 100 years so that different locations – which meant gathering trees planted now will continue to thrive new evidence, such as over 600 soil and be of benefit to future generations. samples from across the forest.” Tew has been examining over 40 Her aim now is to embed her research different management options in Thetford by working full time at the Forestry Forest with the Forestry Commission, Commission for three months after her who sponsor her research alongside the PhD, thanks to NERC funding through Natural Environment Research Council the National Productivity Investment (NERC). For each option, she has looked Fund, which is linked to the government’s at its impact on up to nine different Industrial Strategy. ecosystem services: timber production, She will soon begin summarising carbon sequestration, water supply, soil her results for the Forestry Commission, quality, recreation, scenic beauty, heritage helping them to make decisions on a case- values, wildlife and conservation. by-case basis, putting theory into practice. “Different management options often This could include deciding what species lead to trade-offs between different to plant or what management strategy to ecosystem services,” she explains. “So adopt in a new planting area. a conifer monoculture might give you “Eleanor’s work has challenged us to excellent timber production but lower think more deeply and to act more wisely as recreational benefit, whereas a mixed we face up to the threats to forests arising broadleaf forest might be relatively low from climate change and the opportunities on timber but high on biodiversity.” of enhancing the wider ecosystem services “Intelligent planning against an uncertain we provide,” adds Spencer. “We have no future needs both accurate evidence doubt that similar studies will be pursued in and informed insight,” says the Forestry other forests, as her work comes to fruition Commission’s Jonathan Spencer, Head and is adopted across the country.” of Planning and Environment. “Eleanor’s research is providing us with both, leading Words to a better understanding of management Louise Walsh 21 Research Horizons

In brief What Biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem services, environment, natural capital Where Norfolk, Suffolk Who Dept of Zoology, Forestry Commission

Future-proofing a forest Credit: Timothy Soar (www.timothysoararchive.co.uk) Issue 38, March 2019 22 Feature

Old and young: staying healthy and active in our later years

mprovements in public health, the over-55s tai chi class. “Initially I joined become weaker and more prone to disease: education and medicine mean that our to meet people, but it’s good fun, we have rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer I lives are much longer than at any point a laugh,” says Pat, 73. She has asthma and and dementia increase dramatically. Often in human history. Thanks to studies of has had joint replacements, so this gentle an individual will be living with several volunteers from the eastern region, we class is perfect for her. “It’s not a ̔difficult- conditions. This places an increasing burden may be able to spend these extra years difficultʼ class. It’s not like we’re doing press- on our health services, which have already living independently and in good health. ups or anything.” been described as at “breaking point”. Her friend Jane, 69, agrees. “It’s all What if we were able to live longer It’s 9:50am and a group of women are exercise, but it’s also about getting out while still maintaining good health and gathering upstairs at Burwell Sports and socialising.” our independence? This is the ambition Centre in Cambridgeshire. It’s a cold Pat and Jane are among an estimated of the ‘Ageing Society’ Grand Challenge, winter’s day and the chairs are scattered 12 million people aged over 65 living in part of the UK government’s Industrial with thick coats and bags; the women the UK, a figure thatʼs expected to exceed Strategy, which aims to “ensure that are drinking tea, chatting, occasionally 17 million by 2035, accounting for almost people can enjoy at least five extra healthy, exploding into laughter. They’re here for one in four people. As we age, our bodies independent years of life by 2035”. 23 Research Horizons

In brief What Ageing, health, technology Where Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Norfolk Who Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Cambridge Academy of Therapeutic Sciences, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Dept of Computer Science and Technology

Targeted screening necessary to confirm a positive test, the One approach to achieving the goal of the diagnosis itself, the false reassurance of By 2035, Grand Challenge is to encourage people a negative test…” to adopt healthier lifestyles – better diet, To understand whether screening almost 1 more exercise, keeping active in old age, is worthwhile, he says, you need to as Pat and Jane do, for example – and demonstrate that early treatment is thereby reduce their risk of disease. A better than late treatment, and you need to in 4 people second complementary approach is to quantify the associated harms. It turns out identify those who are at highest risk of that few tests meet the criteria set down will be aged disease or have undiagnosed conditions by the National Screening Committee and to intervene, through innovative when it is considering recommending the diagnostic tools and treatments. establishment of a programme. over 65 But how do we identify people who “The belief that screening will reduce have undiagnosed conditions, particularly harm is widely held. But it’s almost if they are yet to show symptoms. Could folklore. Complex problems rarely have the answer lie in screening programmes? simple solutions,” he says. Possibly, says Professor Simon Griffin One way to reduce potential harms at the Cambridge Institute of Public Health. is to stratify people in terms of their risk “But,” he says, “while a minority of people profile and target screening at those with will benefit from a screening programme, highest risk. Working with cohorts in Ely, everyone may be harmed to some extent. in Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk, Griffin There’s the anxiety that can accompany showed that it is possible to calculate an the test, the investigations that may be individual’s ‘risk scores’ for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease based on factors such as age, weight and family history. Screening targeted at those with the highest scores is effective at identifying – and potentially preventing – new cases of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, with potential cost savings. These findings contributed to this approach being rolled out across the UK in the NHS Health Check programme. Griffin is working with Professor Jonathan Mant to trial whether systematically screening people for atrial fibrillation – an irregular heartbeat – can cost-effectively identify those individuals who are affected. One in 10 people over the age of 65 will have this condition, which can be difficult to detect but is responsible for a third of all strokes and has been linked with an increased risk of heart attack and dementia. The feasibility study is under way in the eastern region, with screening taking place at home: participants use a small, portable heart monitor twice a day to take recordings that are sent automatically for analysis. Issue 38, March 2019 24 Feature

Wearable technology to ensure they don’t forget to take their Helping people monitor their health medication and to watch out for – and at home could prove essential as our even predict – falls. Augmented and virtual population ages, says Professor Chris reality might help alleviate symptoms of Lowe, Director of the Cambridge Academy dementia, depression or phobias. of Therapeutic Sciences. “It costs £700 Lowe and colleague Dr Gita Khalili to £800 a day to look after someone in Moghaddam, for instance, are working hospital, so really you want to keep people on a wearable technology for monitoring in the home environment. That’s where diabetes: contact lenses that monitor tear technology will come into play.” fluid as a surrogate for blood sugar. The There is already a huge market for lenses contain holographic sensors that ‘wearable’ technology to monitor health, change in response to glucose levels, the facilitated by the ubiquity of smartphones, idea being that patients take a picture of the speed at which data is processed the lens in situ to tell them how high their and, increasingly, advances in AI. Over glucose levels are using a smartphone app. 300,000 health-related mobile apps are now available, covering almost every conceivable condition. “But while algorithms – the computer code that powers AI – are getting better and more accurate, they still have some way to go before clinical decisions can be made on the basis of their measurements,” says Lowe. “Tech companies might have to be willing to share the apps’ decision- making processes with regulators such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and there will need to be agreement about who is responsible in case of error or harm, or unexpected consequences. There might also be issues around take-up among the older generation, and questions of privacy around sharing personal health data.” If we can overcome the barriers, the Sense your life “Wearables tend to be used by highly potential is huge, he says: gadgets to Computer scientist Professor Cecilia educated, often very fitness-conscious, monitor heart rate, glucose levels and the Mascolo, co-Director of Cambridge’s people,” says Lowe. “If we want everyone amount of oxygen in our blood; gadgets Centre for Mobile, Wearable Systems and to benefit, then who will pay for those from to monitor an elderly parent remotely Augmented Intelligence, in the Department low socioeconomic backgrounds to access of Computer Science and Technology, this technology? Is the state going to pay? also sees technology playing an important Like a lot of things they’ll slowly percolate role in monitoring disease. “[Wearable and down, but unless the government gives mobile devices] are very powerful. They incentives, it will take a long time.” can really ‘sense your life’: your location, your activity, your emotions to an extent, your interactions… all of which could be really useful for clinical care.” Mascolo is working with Dr Dennis Chan, a neuroscientist and consultant at Cambridge’s Addenbrooke’s Hospital, on apps that could help monitor the progression of dementia. One of these will look for changes in how we navigate “It costs £700 to £800 around our environment, as problems with spatial navigation are among the first a day to look after signs of dementia. Other apps will look for changes in sleeping patterns, or in someone in hospital, so memory and cognition. really you want to keep There is a danger, however, that new technologies may further exacerbate people in the home inequalities between those who have access to them and those who do not. environment. That’s The government’s Grand Challenge acknowledges this problem, stressing where technology will the need to narrow “the gap between the experience of the richest and poorest”. come into play” 25 Research Horizons

“Health of the body, disability… all of these things are tightly aligned. If you can do the things in society that enhance the potential for brain health in later life, you’re going to be doing a lot that’s good for every life stage”

Public health contributed to the study. More than 5,000 “So much else goes along with brain Professor Carol Brayne, Director of the people aged 65 and over from the city and health,” says Brayne. “Health of the body, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, its surrounding area have taken part in disability… all of these things are tightly welcomes the Grand Challenge as cross-generational studies during the past aligned. If you can do the things in society potentially offering a “win–win” situation three decades. that enhance the potential for brain health to improve health in later life while In fact, CFAS is one of a number of in later life, you’re going to be doing a lot helping stimulate the economy but, like cohort studies at Cambridge University that’s good for every life stage.” her colleague Griffin, she warns against that look at populations in the East of At Burwell, Fara Afifi, the tai chi relying entirely on simple solutions to England and ask what we can learn about instructor, begins gathering her class in complex problems. the relationships between genetics, our the studio. The class is popular: there “Gadgets may play a part in improving behaviour, the environment and health. must be 20 people, mainly women. As they an individual’s health and allowing them to For instance, 30,000 men and women begin their warm-up, Pat puts down her age healthily, but we need to do research aged 40–79 have been involved in the EPIC tea and stands to join them. that looks at where gadgets, smartphones, Norfolk Study, while more than 12,000 “It’s not a serious class, ‘cos we’re all and so on are the right approach, and people from Cambridgeshire have been slightly older,” she says, laughing. “I tried where we really need to act as a household involved in the Fenland Study. that Zumba once, and I could barely get unit, or as a community, or as a society. A key – and perhaps surprising – finding home!” There are no magic bullets.” from CFAS was that the UK has seen a 20% The Grand Challenge aims to help fall in both the prevalence and incidence of “drive improvements in public health dementia over the past two decades. When and innovate across the social care this finding was published, Brayne was sector”. This is welcome, says Brayne, quoted as saying: “The so-called dementia though she argues that the investment in ‘tsunami’ is not an inevitability: we can help research and innovation should include turn the tide if we take action now”. investment into developing and evaluating The fall can almost certainly be public health measures, not just into viewed as a success for public health technological solutions. measures that improve education, early- There are some grounds to be optimistic. and mid-life health promotion including Brayne leads the Cognitive Function and smoking reduction and attention to diet, Ageing Studies (CFAS) project, a multi- and physical activity. As well as reducing centre study of dementia and cognitive dementia risk, all of these factors Words decline in ageing. Volunteers from Ely have contribute to healthy ageing. Craig Brierley Issue 38, March 2019 26 Feature

In brief What Heritage, identity Where Cambridgeshire, Peterborough Who Cambridge Archaeological Unit, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

he teenager was buried on a bed in Trumpington Meadows T outside Cambridge, her head raised as if on a pillow. Under her chin was an extremely rare early Christian gold and garnet cross.

Who she was remains a mystery, but the cross identifies her as one of England’s earliest converts to Christianity, and makes this 7th-century grave one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon Christian burial sites in Britain. Because early converts were from noble families, the teenager may have been of aristocratic or even royal status. The bed burial is among a series of extraordinary discoveries made across the region by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, including Must Farm – a Bronze Age settlement dubbed Britain’s ‘Pompeii’ for its significance – and, more recently, a Roman villa at Eddington in North West Cambridge. “That this is a bed burial is remarkable in itself – only the fifteenth ever uncovered in the UK – add to that a beautifully made Christian cross and you have a truly astonishing discovery,” says Alison Dickens, who led the excavation for the Cambridge Archaeological Unit in 2011. Aged 16 to 18 years old, the girl was buried in fine linens with gold pins, an iron knife, glass beads and a chain that would have hung from her belt. Hers was the most recent of a tight group of four graves buried over a period of two or three generations. The ‘Trumpington Cross’ is now on public display for the first time in Cambridge University’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, just a few miles from the village where it was discovered. The lavish grave goods take pride of place in the Museum gallery, says Senior Curator Dr Jody Joy: “The Trumpington Cross and pins are of international significance and quality, possibly even made for royalty, but with the strongest connections to Cambridge and the surrounding settlements. Their generous gifting by the landowners will allow us to tell the story of an important chapter in the region’s heritage and identity.”

Details of the Trumpington excavations are published in the McDonald Institute Monograph Series (2018) by C. Evans, S. Lucy and R. Patten. 27 Research Horizons Credit: All images: Cambridge Archaeological Unit and Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology THE BED BURIAL BED THE Issue 38, March 2019 2628 Feature

usinesses need the skills to adapt to new technologies, B such as 3D printing, but when they emerge fast and change quickly, how do workforces plan for the future? University researchers are collaborating with small and medium-sized enterprises in the region to help find the best upskill strategies for driving innovation.

Five years ago, 3D printing was hailed as a technology that would fundamentally transform the way that most things are made: the hype cycle was in full gear. Breathless columns were written about a world where Star Trek-style replicators would be in every home, and no less a figure than former US President Barack Obama claimed that 3D printing would change manufacturing forever. Fast-forward a few years and, while 3D printing has advanced rapidly, many companies still aren’t sure whether they should use it, how they should use it and what skills they need to use it effectively. Tim Minshall, the Dr John C Taylor Professor of Innovation and Head of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), likes to use the example of 3D printing to illustrate the challenge that the East of England – and the UK at large – has with skills. With funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), he has been studying the potential impact of 3D printing on companies of all sizes, including some in the local region. When a new technology is developed, among the first questions often asked are: how many jobs will it create as new business opportunities are realised, and how many people need to be trained to capture these opportunities? But according to Minshall, when it comes to acquiring the right skills to best exploit new technologies, those are the wrong questions.

Words Sarah Collins SKILLING UP, SMART 2729 Research Horizons

“New technologies come along UK government policy is focused In brief and we think we need new skills to be on improving productivity through its developed to use them, when the truth is Industrial Strategy, which is “backing What Skills, innovation, digital, it’s knowledge about these technologies businesses to create good jobs and manufacturing, productivity that needs to be developed – and that’s a increase the earning power of people Where East of England more difficult problem,” he says. throughout the UK with investment in “If you’re a small manufacturing firm, skills, industries and infrastructure.” Who Institute for Manufacturing, and you’ve been doing business in a McFarlane says that the approach UK Department for Business, broadly similar way for decades, and then he and his team are developing could Energy and Industrial someone comes along and tells you that help manufacturers be more effective, Strategy, University of you need to get on board with this new which could in turn help productivity Nottingham, Agri-Tech East technology or you’ll be left behind, how numbers. “We’re approaching SMEs do you know whether that’s actually true? who have productivity challenges to from that. But, quite often, innovations Should you buy the new solution that’s help them understand to what extent come from established industries. Our being offered to you, and if you do, do digital or automated solutions could approach allows for a better alignment you need to retrain all your staff, or even help them if they can afford them, and between distinctive regional capabilities recruit new staff, to make sure you’ve got then we are helping them piece together and promising areas for future the skills to be able to use it?” low-cost automation solutions,” he specialisation.” According to Minshall, companies says. “In particular, we are making use According to López-Gómez, priorities need to be asking who needs to know of non-industrial digital technologies – for existing regional innovation strategies about the technology, and what they low-cost computing, wifi cameras, voice are too generic and don’t give enough need to know. recognition systems – because they are consideration to existing regional “If a company invests in a new cheap and getting cheaper.” economic and innovation structures, or technology but hasn’t thought about are simply replicated from elsewhere. these issues, it could be a disaster for For the pilot project involving Agri- their business,” says Minshall. “We Tech East, the researchers found that run research projects that aim to help “Technology is moving modern industries increasingly cut across companies of all shapes and sizes, but sectors and technologies. By carrying out in particular smaller ones, to develop the so fast... how do we a comprehensive mapping exercise, they skills and capabilities they need to adapt identified various opportunities in the East to these technologies.” know what skills are of England’s agri-tech sector. These were Minshall’s colleague Professor in the arable and horticultural crop sectors, Duncan McFarlane is working on such needed by who and across various stages of the value chain, a project. Also funded by the EPSRC and were in a combination of disciplines, in and in collaboration with the University how they get them?” particular plant sciences and engineering. of Nottingham, the three-year Digital Five ‘smart specialisation’ opportunities, Manufacturing on a Shoestring project is including robotics, remote sensing and looking to help small and medium-sized While the Digital Manufacturing on smart irrigation, were selected for enterprises (SMEs) use digital information a Shoestring project is fundamentally further analysis. to enhance their manufacturing operations. research, McFarlane says there is also a “Claiming you are world class in “In Cambridge and the surrounding technology transfer aspect to their work, everything will not be believed, and area, there are two fundamentally as they try to find the best fits between therefore in an emerging sector like agri- different types of SMEs: the small the digital requirements of different types tech it is vital that we collectively agree manufacturers who make things and the of SMEs and the low-cost solutions under where our real strengths lie,” says Martin solution providers. The programme aims development. Collison from regional consultancy firm to support both of these types of SMEs.” In 2016, in collaboration with the Collison and Associates Limited, who One of the aims of the Digital government’s Department for Business, participated in the pilot project. “The Manufacturing on a Shoestring project is Energy and Industrial Strategy, Cambridge-led project brought together a to provide SMEs locally and across the researchers from Cambridge’s Centre for wide cross-section of partners to identify country with the building blocks to make Science, Technology & Innovation Policy where the East of England has particular the right solutions for them. (CSTI) in the IfM developed and ran a strengths in agri-tech, and this will “We want to get straight to the pilot project that also tried to match up support our ability to attract companies heart of the digital challenges that skills and industries, but with a policy and investment to the area.” manufacturing SMEs are trying to slant. Their case study for this ‘industrial- “At the end of the day, digital overcome,” says McFarlane. “SMEs innovation system’ approach was Agri- manufacturing and other emerging want inexpensive and easy digital Tech East, a membership organisation technologies are just another tool in the manufacturing solutions: they haven’t got comprising farmers, growers, scientists toolbox, but they do raise a lot of interesting large specialised IT departments. There and entrepreneurs in the East of England business and policy issues,” says Minshall. are numerous examples of companies focused on innovation in agri-tech. “By looking at those issues, we realise that investing into digital solutions which turn “We wanted to quantify what this there are all sorts of problems that require out to be no benefit at all because they region is really good at in order to drive regional and national-level solutions. One of haven’t been developed in line with their innovation,” says Dr Carlos López- the most important of these is how do we needs, and they haven’t got the right Gómez, who led the research and is know what skills are needed by who and skills to use them effectively. And if we currently Head of the Policy Links Unit how they get them. Technology is moving can engage local IT solution providers in at IfM. “In the East of England, we tend so fast, and businesses want to find the developing these right solutions then it to focus on our strengths in science, areas where it will be of most benefit to will be a double win!” and assume that new industries will flow their particular situation.” Issue 38, March 2019 30 Feature Credit: Mirrorpix Credit:

rom Fenland delinquency to While providing prevention lessons “There is nothing else like this study,” policing Peterborough’s streets for the UK and indeed the world, research says Wikström. “We have the kind of detail F and the power of prison education, that was kick-started and, in many cases, other studies simply don’t have. We can researchers from the Institute of continues to run in the eastern region demonstrate not just where ‘hot spots’ of Criminology are engaged in the region to means that local policymakers have an crime occur, but why – which can help us help reduce the harm crime can cause. opportunity to build on projects and predict future crime-prone areas.” findings uniquely relevant to their patch. In a major book, Breaking Rules, Every day, on the streets of cities, towns Perhaps none more so than the the research team showed how certain and even villages across the East of Peterborough Adolescent and Young environments trigger crime, the central England, young people take decisions Adult Development Study (PADS+): a importance of personal morality and self- that can – in a moment – alter the course large longitudinal study that has followed control in “crime-averse” youngsters, and of their life and the lives of others. These more than 700 young residents of how a third of teens never even consider events do not occur in a vacuum: the Peterborough from the age of 12 to now breaking the law while just 16% commit wrong combinations of environment, over 24, as they navigate school, work, more than 60% of all adolescent crime. timing, people and experience can result family and the law. The researchers are currently finishing in decades lost to crime and addiction Led by Professor Per-Olof Wikström, off their next book, which will take the – damaging communities and draining Director of the Centre for Analytic study findings up to the present day. “We the resources of criminal justice services Criminology, the study uses waves of still have a huge retention rate of 91% for under increasing pressure. surveys conducted across 13 years that our cohort, many of whom are now back in This year, the University’s Institute take a singular approach to data gathering. Peterborough after university and some are of Criminology celebrates its 60th For a given day, the participants are asked now becoming parents themselves,” says anniversary. Researchers from the to give hour-by-hour detail of where, senior PADS+ researcher Dr Kyle Treiber. Institute have spent years in the local when, how and with whom they have “This data has the potential to reach far region engaging with people at different spent their time. This has been combined beyond criminological contexts. There’s points of these adverse cycles – from with psychological and genetic data, plus so much information on everything police and prison officers to kids on street two huge surveys each of around 7,000 from education and lifestyle to social corners – to build an evidence base for city residents, to create an extraordinary mobility,” she says. effective ways to reduce harm caused by cross-section of young lives and For Wikström, Peterborough is an criminality. communities in early 21st-century Britain. ideal city to research the role of people 31 Research Horizons

and environment in crime causation. “In working with us to conduct In brief “It’s a diverse place of manageable size, experiments, Cambridgeshire Constabulary with neighbourhoods at both ends of the has set the standard for cost-effectiveness What Inequality, crime, justice socioeconomic spectrum. Itʼs big enough in policing,” says Professor Lawrence Where Cambridgeshire, Fenland, but not too big, so we could cover the Sherman, Director of the Jerry Lee Centre Peterborough, Suffolk whole urban area – and the surrounding for Experimental Criminology. “The results Fenland means people tend to live their from Peterborough provide an important Who Institute of Criminology, lives within the city.” benchmark for evaluating police time – Cambridgeshire Constabulary, He suggests that the research, now challenging those who would rather see HM Prison Service being replicated (and its findings patrols in safer neighbourhoods or high supported) in countries from Sweden to traffic areas.” that risks being wasted. Four years ago, China, could prove useful for city planners Outside Peterborough, those brought they started an initiative called Learning in the eastern region, as well as police up in the fens can feel their opportunities Together: partnering universities with and social services. “Peterborough is an are limited, and rural life presents its own prisons and probation organisations to expanding city, and our data could help challenges to those working in the justice build “transformative communities”, in developers understand what creates crime- system. which students from both inside and out prone people and criminogenic situations.” A new project led by Cambridge are taught at the same time by some of the Like all cities, Peterborough has its hot criminologist Dr Caroline Lanskey and best lecturers in the UK. spots: streets or intersections where there King’s College London psychologist Dr The Learning Together team has is a concentration of theft, violence and Joel Harvey is exploring how the unique worked in several prisons in the eastern criminal damage. These are the areas that Fenland environment stretching east region, including Peterborough and some of Wikström’s young people know all from Peterborough contributes to youth Warren Hill near the Suffolk coast. It is too well – and policing them is a challenge offending. “There are pockets of the fens with Whitemoor, the high security for a force that works with tightening where isolation, poor transport links and prison that sits just outside the Fenland budgets. To find the most effective ways of often high levels of deprivation feed into town of March, that the team has one reducing crime in neighbourhoods across the types of crime young people commit,” of their longest-standing partnerships.

Peterborough, University criminologists she says. Lanskey and Harvey, with the “We started courses in Whitemoor partnered with Cambridgeshire support of PhD student Hannah Marshall, three years ago, and the prison has Constabulary to conduct major are working to develop an “explanatory bought into this work in really exciting experimental trials of police deployment. framework” for rural rule-breaking. They ways,” says Ludlow. Bespoke courses on By randomly allocating 21 extra minutes are currently conducting interviews, as everything from philosophy to creative of daily foot patrol by Police Community well as analysing risk assessment data for writing have been taught in Whitemoor; Support Officers to some of the cities hundreds of young people from across in most cases university students were hottest hot spots, researchers showed an Cambridgeshire. “The fens can feel taken into the prison to learn alongside average drop in reported crime of 39%. defined by distance: geographically, but students currently serving sentences. They worked out that every £10 spent also socially and culturally,” says Lanskey. “When we move ideas from the on patrols would ultimately save £56 in “Youth justice workers struggle to gain learning environment into criminal justice, prison costs. the trust of secluded communities – and we show people in prison that they are struggle to reach them. It can take a whole not defined by their offending, but that day to see two or three people.” The there are avenues for them to progress,” The study has followed more than project is aiming to report back findings says Armstrong. later this year. Learning Together has now instigated When the decisions young people over 20 university–prison partnerships 700 YOUNG make end badly, it can result in nationally. “The relationships of trust built imprisonment. Life inside can be harsh with prisons such as Whitemoor have

RESIDENTS – many of the region’s prisons have allowed us to create models of working of Peterborough from suffered extensive funding cuts, as in the for partnerships across the country. By rest of Britain – and, once a sentence is engaging locally with research, you can completed, opportunities on the outside end up pushing national agendas.” AGE 12 TO can be scant. For Drs Ruth Armstrong and Amy OVER 24, Ludlow (who, like Lanskey, are in the as they navigate school, Centre for Community, Gender and work, family and the law Social Justice), the secure estate holds Words a vast amount of talent and potential Fred Lewsey Issue 38, March 2019 3032 Feature

y analysing supply chains, “The difficulties ranged from how can “Water isn’t only important for yield developing robotic workers and growers best use the water resources but also for disease control. There’s B creating multimillion pound crop they have left, through to specific issues a specific pathogen of potatoes that science centres, University researchers relating to quality problems that might forms a blemish on the tubers. The are helping farmers and industry result from the extreme weather. As most effective way of controlling it in across the region to sustainably researchers, we tend to help with these susceptible varieties is by watering increase productivity and profitability. challenges on an advisory basis, but they them in a specific way. Other research is can also inform future research, which focused on improving soil management Under a searing hot sun, jets of water makes this engagement really valuable.” and use of pesticides, to improve spurt from wide metal arms and patter Firman leads a team of 10 scientists production efficiency and sustainability.” gently onto the green leaves below. The at the farm, which is based at the NIAB CUF has links with the Cambridge uncultivated earth nearby is baked dry National Institute of Agricultural Botany Global Food Security Interdisciplinary after months without rain, and the water in Cambridge. The so-called NIAB CUF Research Centre (IRC), a University-wide level in the farm’s reservoir in Cambridge facility is known for its world-leading network concerned with the challenges of is unusually low. Dr David Firman surveys research focused on meeting the future meeting the rising food needs of a growing the test plots with a seasoned eye. needs of UK potato growers and their population. Their collaborative work has Firman’s entire research career has customers. Farmers in nearby East Anglia enabled the exploration of opportunities been devoted to the potato, a staple crop harvest a third of England’s entire potato to improve productivity in one of the UK’s we produce around five million tonnes crop, and the team works closely with many key industries: agri-tech, which contributes of each year in the UK. With the industry of them through the Cambridge University £14.3 billion to the UK economy and worth an annual £2 billion, the trials at this Potato Growers Research Association. employs 500,000 people. site on the outskirts of Cambridge could “Of all the water use in agriculture, Improved agricultural productivity have valuable consequences for growers. potatoes use more than any other crop in would contribute to economic growth in On this particular day – in one of the the UK. In the longer term, we’re interested Fenland, which accounts for about half of hottest and driest summers on record in in breeding varieties that might need less England’s most highly productive farmland. England – farmers in the eastern region, as water, to help growers make the most of Of all the crops grown to a significant scale, elsewhere, faced considerable challenges. the water they have,” says Firman. potatoes are one of the more complex. A £2 BILLION VEGETABLE AND THE AGRICULTURAL FUTURE OF THE EAST

“

ˮ 3331 Research Horizons

One potato, two potato... processing industry was keen to address In brief The complexities of the potato crop are waste occurring from the farm to the not just confined to the field, but reach all factory gate. “Around 55 tonnes of What Agri-tech, automation, the way to the table, as Dr Mukesh Kumar potatoes are produced per year for every food security, innovation, at Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing hectare of cultivated farmland, but we productivity, waste has been discovering. Kumar studies the know the optimal yield is 100 tonnes. The dynamics of supply chains of products difference is caused by many factors, Where Cambridgeshire, Fenland, ranging from cars to milk. He recently some natural and some due to farmers Hertfordshire, Norfolk teamed up with representatives from potato having limited access to resources and industries to investigate why potatoes have technological expertise. This gap between Who National Institute of Agricultural one of the highest waste problems of any expected production and real production Botany, Cambridge Global commodity crop. is a huge waste of resources.” Food Security Interdisciplinary “Our first step was to map out the Kumar believes the team has just Research Centre, Institute potato supply chain from beginning to end,” scratched the surface with this pilot study; for Manufacturing, Dept says Kumar. “We were amazed to find that now they need to look at the wastage issue of Land Economy, Defra, it involves up to 23 key actors – from seed in more depth to design better solutions for Agri-Tech East, Dept of developers, producers and growers, to farmers. “To understand our food system Engineering, G’s Growers, farmers, processors and retailers.” properly, and improve resilience and Ceres, Cambridge Centre He found that the main ̔hotspotʼ profitability, we have to continue to work for Crop Sciences, Dept of for waste is at the farm, and that the closely with the growers.” Plant Sciences

Words Jacqueline Garget Issue 38, March 2019 3432 Feature

Farm economics Bio-inspired robotics material, he’s making robots that are Ben Lang in the Department of Land One policy announced by the government sensitive to light, chemicals and other Economy’s Rural Business Unit also in early 2018 was support for the stimuli, enabling them to deal with uncertain works with the farming industry: he leads development of high-tech innovations tasks in unstructured environments, like Cambridge’s involvement in the Farm to make UK agri-businesses more farmers’ fields. He calls his work ‘bio- Business Survey. Commissioned by the productive and profitable, while improving inspired robotics’ – looking at biology and government’s Department for Environment, resilience and protecting the environment. why humans are good at certain tasks, and Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Someone who recognises the trying to create robots to do the same. supported by the farming unions, the complexity of this challenge is Dr Belinda Soft robots could have many survey has gathered data since 1936 to Clarke, Director of Agri-Tech East, an applications, from harvesting crops, to become the largest and most authoritative ‘innovation hub’ of farmers, growers, packaging or quality control, to peeling source of information on the economics of scientists and entrepreneurs focused and wrapping vegetables. “Across the farm businesses in England. Langʼs team on improving the competitiveness of supply chain there are so many challenges leads on the collection of information from agriculture. of soft manipulation,” says Iida. “Robots over 300 farms in the East of England. “Aligning the expectations of farmers could work in conditions that are terrible “We’d encourage every farmer in the East with the nature of cutting-edge research for human workers, like cooking beetroot and nationally to use the results of the Farm is a challenge,” says Clarke, “and some of in vinegar for the supermarkets. Imagine Business Survey,” says Lang. “They can use the frontier discovery research is quite a working in a noisy, hot, smelly factory all it to see how their business compares with long way from market. Part of the skill is in day long – at the moment humans have to others like their own, and start to understand being able to introduce farmers to research do it because there’s no other solution.” the differences. A wheat farmer, for example, and innovation at different places along the He adds: “We have many agricultural can compare the costs of crop protection ‘technology readiness’ spectrum – from companies in East Anglia and they’re all with other farm businesses. If they’re high, it the very blue-sky, to the more applied work aware that automation is the future for will prompt the farmer to think about whether that’s closer to market, and helping them to farming, but they don’t know where to these costs are justified. Are they resulting in appreciate the potential impact. It’s all about start. And we don’t know where to start a high yield of high-quality produce, or not?” bringing innovation to end users in a way because we don’t know what the problems The team also uses information from the that’s immediately applicable to them.” are.” By bringing the two groups together survey in a ‘Projection Calculator’ to help As an active member of Agri-Tech East, through targeted workshops in Cambridge, farmers see what their accounts might look the University is building connections across conversations are starting to happen and like in a few years’ time. Extrapolating existing the whole breadth of the agri-food chain. In collaborations are beginning to emerge. data according to the predicted future prices the Department of Engineering’s Machine Clarke says Iida is just one example of of key inputs like fertiliser and energy creates Intelligence Laboratory, Dr Fumiya Iida the real willingness of researchers not just a useful tool for farmers. wants to apply his expertise in robotics to to disseminate knowledge generated within “If one crop uses more energy than the automation of agricultural processes. the University, but also to take on board another, for example, then at a time He’s interested in the challenge of creating the knowledge from within the farming of rising energy costs that crop would robots that can effectively deal with ‘soft’ community and embed it in research become less competitive,” says Lang. objects, like fruit and vegetables, without thinking for the future. “It can help farmers understand the damaging them. Iida is collaborating with G’s Growers, effects of changing market conditions “Robots are really terrible at based in Cambridgeshire, to automate the and adjust their practices accordingly.” manipulating soft objects,” says Iida. beetroot cooking process and to develop The survey is the go-to data source “It’s so easy for us humans, but robot a soft robot to harvest vegetables such as for the UK government in formulating technology is designed for a rigid lettuce. “Automation is necessary if you agriculture policy, says Lang. “It’s the world. Assembling cars, for example, want to scale up agricultural processes to only resource that portrays the true is much easier for them compared with feed a growing population,” he says, adding economic situation facing farmers and manipulating fruit and vegetables.” “development of new technology doesn’t rural businesses.” Using an electrically conductive soft just happen in the lab.” 3533 Research Horizons

Innovation to commercialisation Future crops elsewhere, including smallholder farmers Iida has been awarded a Royal Society Developments in modern biotechnology across the developing world. Translation Award to investigate the and plant breeding will play a vital role in Professor Howard Griffiths, Co-Chair potential to commercialise a lettuce- meeting future food demands. To advance of the Cambridge Global Food Security harvesting robot. For others wishing to capacity, the University, in collaboration IRC, is confident it will be a successful new commercialise their agri-tech innovations, with NIAB, is creating a Cambridge model for translating research into practice: the recently established Ceres Agri-Tech Centre for Crop Sciences (3CS) in which “Research and industry are very different Knowledge Exchange Partnership may researchers will work with industrial communities, with different challenges be able to help. partners to translate the University’s and priorities. We need to get the various Established through a Research strong fundamental plant research into stakeholders to work together as an England Connecting Capability Fund practice for farmers, processors and ‘innovation community’, to identify and Award, the partnership links the Universities consumers. Construction of a major new tackle the key challenges and help deliver of Cambridge, East Anglia, Hertfordshire, facility on the outskirts of Cambridge the UK government’s agri-tech strategy. Lincoln and Reading, and also the John is due to be completed by 2020, as is “The eastern region is rich in Innes Centre, NIAB and Rothamsted the recruitment of a new Crop Science agricultural research facilities and in Research. Its £4.5 million investment Professor to lead the work. end-users for agri-tech innovation, with fund will help to develop viable agri-tech Professor Sir David Baulcombe from arable farming and horticulture as major projects derived from the research of Ceres the Department of Plant Sciences has industries. 3CS provides a real opportunity university partners towards commercial long championed the new Centre: “The for the East of England to become the propositions that businesses can invest in. molecular biology of plants has gone global centre for agricultural innovation.” “Ceres is a really exciting opportunity through a revolution in the past 30 years. Back at the farm, Firman can see from for the ever-growing agri-tech cluster in the With genome sequencing to help us, we the work at NIAB CUF the value of long- East of England, particularly for projects can now develop crop varieties with the term continuous engagement between that don’t have a defined route to market,” traits we want – like water efficiency or growers and researchers. “We won’t solve says Ceres Coordinator Dr Geoff Elliott. disease resistance – much more quickly the big problems overnight. But together, “We’re looking forward to working with than through traditional breeding methods. we can see what needs to be done and get university and industry partners to bring Our goal is to translate these advances on with it.” the latest innovative research out of the into technologies for agriculture that will lab and into practice. Ultimately our work support rural economies, deliver higher will benefit the government’s Industrial crop yields and reduce environmental Strategy and the UK economy, but – in impacts.” “The survey is the line with the University of Cambridge’s The 3CS will focus on furthering mission – first and foremost we want it agricultural innovation and productivity, only resource that to benefit society.” benefiting farmers in the eastern region and portrays the true economic situation facing farmers and rural businesses” Issue 38, March 2019 34 Feature Physician, heal thyself

he National Health Service they can help make the NHS better. care helps me understand it. If through turned 70 in 2018 – but, amid The NHS faces numerous challenges patient and public involvement, we can T the celebrations, its health is but the real test, says Komashie, is get rich enough stories, it gives us a faltering. By working closely with local understanding how to design better window into the system behind the story,” hospitals and GPs, researchers at delivery systems by working with patients. says Komashie, who has recently been Cambridge University are developing “That’s where engineering comes in,” awarded an interdisciplinary fellowship for bold new ideas they believe will help he says. “Engineers excel in designing research into health systems visualisation the NHS thrive for decades to come. large systems that work well, from at The Healthcare Improvement Studies worldwide telecommunications networks Institute (THIS Institute). “Hearing patients’ Alongside the Chinese People’s Liberation to the Airbus A380. What motivates me is accounts of what matters most helps to Army, Indian Railways and Walmart, the translating the engineering practice of a ensure the system designs and delivers NHS ranks among the world’s largest systems approach into healthcare.” the support they need.” employers. In England, it treats more The first step is understanding the Komashie is now taking the tools he than 1.4 million patients every 24 hours system requirements. “It sounds obvious, developed in mental health and applying and will this year spend £126 billion. But but to design a system to do something them to vascular surgery and spinal cord as communities gathered to celebrate you need to understand what it is you injuries at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the NHS’s 70th birthday in 2018, reports want,” Komashie explains. “In engineering, Cambridge and holistic neuropsychological continued to emerge on the ailing health of a lot of effort goes into defining what the rehabilitation at The Princess of Wales this much-loved national institution. system should do. When you understand Hospital’s Oliver Zangwill Centre in Ely. Analysis by another national treasure, that, you can ask how the system is set Headlines about NHS waiting times, the BBC, revealed that nearly one in five up to deliver it.” bed shortages and ambulance queues hospital trusts were failing to hit any of their Komashie has applied this systems invariably focus on capacity, which key waiting-time targets. Hospitals seemed engineering approach to adult mental Scholtes argues is a misdiagnosis. to be lurching towards over-crowded A&Es, health services within the Cambridgeshire “People say we’ve got a capacity problem bed shortages and queuing ambulances and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust but that’s wrong. We have a complexity unable to hand over their patients. (CPFT), and ran a series of workshops for problem. There are so many things going Two University of Cambridge patients and clinicians. Patients’ stories on simultaneously but pulling in different researchers have a grand vision to rethink allow him to unpack each component of directions. Complexity is killing hospitals.” the system to make it fit for the next 70 the delivery system and represent them At Addenbrooke’s, for example, years – a vision that’s rooted in research in visual diagrams so that services can be where Scholtes spent three sabbaticals with local patients and doctors. improved in a systematic way. The project over the past 10 years, the hospital does Professor Stefan Scholtes works at was funded and supported by the National everything from pulling wisdom teeth to Cambridge Judge Business School and Dr Institute for Health Research (NIHR) East multiple organ transplants. He argues Alexander Komashie is at the University’s of England Collaboration for Leadership that delivering this breadth of services Engineering Design Centre. Both are in Applied Health Research and Care in a system already at full stretch is engineers by training, both have spent the (CLAHRC), hosted by CPFT. impossible. Instead, hospitals need to past 10 years studying different parts of “My goal is developing a new way be “decomplexified” by delivering most the local healthcare system and both are of describing the system, and hearing of their routine services in community passionate believers that, as researchers, people talk about their experience of settings. 37 Research Horizons

It sounds simple, but it’s not. “The and also ensure that interventions taken In brief problem is that there’s no landing space. to transform the local primary care We have 92 GP practices locally, so how system are robustly evaluated. As such, it What National Health Service can you move work currently centralised would add to the University’s increasing Where Cambridgeshire, Ely, in a large hospital to 92 small businesses? capacity in creating the evidence base for Peterborough It’s impossible. The only way to make improving healthcare. For instance, THIS headway is to scale up primary care so Institute is focusing on how to improve Who Cambridge Judge that it can take on more responsibility,” quality and safety across the system. Business School, Dept of says Scholtes. Addenbrooke’s Hospital itself Engineering, Cambridgeshire This is exactly what he’s doing has been transformed over the past and Peterborough NHS with Granta Medical Practices, a large three decades with a major emphasis Foundation Trust, The Cambridgeshire GP practice where he on recruiting clinical academics in Healthcare Improvement spent his most recent sabbatical partnership with the University, who split Studies Institute, evaluating the practice’s innovative their time between practising medicine Addenbrooke’s Hospital, operational and business model. and carrying out research. Granta Medical Practices A critical barrier to change in primary Professor Patrick Maxwell, Head of care is the traditional GP partnership the School of Clinical Medicine, explains: model, he says. By leaving GP partners “Clinical academics have been central included aims to boost ‘out-of-hospital’ with unlimited liability, the model creates to the development of tertiary referral care through increased investment in risk aversion and hampers transformative services and a major trauma centre. primary medical and community health change. In response, Granta is developing This has helped to create an excellent services. an innovative business model – an district and regional hospital with All in all, Scholtes believes that, by the employee-owned trust akin to the John outcomes that are among the best in the time the NHS reaches its 80th birthday, Lewis Partnership – which could enable it country. Currently our priorities include it could look radically different: hospitals to deliver 70% of routine outpatient activity improving prevention and early diagnosis could be doing 60% of what they do in the community and cut by 25% the of diseases, so that fewer patients need now by focusing on cases that can only number of emergency bed days among hospital services.” be treated in hospital and on cutting- its patients. Meanwhile, in January 2019, the NHS edge treatments and research, while But how can transforming Granta released its new 10-year plan, which more integrated, scaled-up primary care help the NHS as a whole? This is where practices will be taking full responsibility for the University comes in, says Scholtes, out-of-hospital care. who hopes to establish a Primary Care “If this work is successful, it has the Innovation Academy, drawing on research potential to bring the local health economy expertise from across the University. back onto a sustainable path by establishing The Academy would provide a new model of primary care that can be leadership and management training for scaled throughout the NHS,” he concludes. GPs, practice managers and lead nurses, “It’s ambitious – but we can do it.”

“This work has the potential to bring the local health economy back onto Words Becky Allen a sustainable path” Issue 38, March 2019 38 Feature

Words Charis Goodyear

“The Museum is here to serve the local community” 39 Research Horizons

In brief What Education, skills, outreach Where Cambridge, Wisbech

Who Fitzwilliam Museum, Credit: Nick Saffell Cambridgeshire County Council, Wisbech and Fenland Museum, North Cambridge Child and Family Centre

nside the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Armoury and Renaissance galleries I are alive with the sound of chattering children discovering treasures.

Next, it’s down to the art studio, to decorate cardboard treasure chests with patterned papers and metallic markers. Placed inside are precious treasures from a morning spent crafting – in one a handful of sparkling sequins, in another a family of golden teddy bears, carefully cut out with the help of mum and dad. The children and their parents are participating in Creative Families, which is part of Talking Together in Cambridgeshire, a literacy project run by Cambridgeshire County Council’s Early Years Service. The project is run in partnership with early years practitioners and local organisations, such as the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Wisbech and Fenland Museum, to offer activities that help parents support young children to develop strong communication, language and literacy skills. Helen Wootton, Early Years Literacy Adviser for the Council, explains: “Across the county we are seeing an unbalanced pattern of achievement at the end of the foundation stage. Any support we can give during these early years will have a real impact on children’s achievement at school and later in life.” “For some families, this will be the first time they’ve visited the Museum,” adds Sally McGivern, from the North Cambridge Child and Family Centre, which invites families to participate. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to spend time together – learning, exploring, playing and talking.” Research findings from previous projects at the Museum inform the day’s activities. The unusual objects on display and the crafting stimulate new interactions between parents and children – both verbal and non-verbal – which help to establish the foundations of literacy development. “The Museum is here to serve the local community and promote learning,” says Nicola Wallis, Museum Educator. “We have a responsibility towards these children. We want to do anything we can to give all children an equal chance when they start school. After all, if we set these children up well, who knows what they may achieve?” T +44 (0)1223 765 443 Contact E [email protected] Research Horizons W cam.ac.uk/research University of Cambridge f facebook.com/cambridge.university Office of External Affairs and twitter.com/cambridge_uni Communications youtube.com/cambridgeuniversity The Old Schools instagram.com/cambridgeuniversity Trinity Lane Cambridge CB2 1TN

Credit: Fred Ingrams (www.fredingrams.com) Ingrams Fred Credit:

Reclaimed from the sea and drained by ditches and rivers, Fenland is one of the most distinctive rural landscapes in the East of England – and has some of the best agricultural land in the UK. Read how Cambridge University researchers are working with farmers and industry across the region to sustainably increase productivity and profitability (p. 32) in this special issue on the East of England.

Detail from Windy Autumn evening, Corkway Drove, painted by Norfolk-based artist Fred Ingrams