The free magazine for The Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST UniLife 22nd March 2004 Volume 1 Issue 3 World First As New Scanner Arrives 2 UniLife NewsDigest A summary of the key news in this issue of UniLife: Contents 3 New scanner for University The University has taken delivery of a new scanner at Hope Hospital, Salford, 4 News the first of its kind in the world to be 3 installed, which will be used to by 8 Research researchers working across a range of illnesses and conditions. 11 Project Unity 12 Profile Both universities have held a number of 14 People workshops with local schools as part of the annual international Brain Awareness 15 Students 4 Week which aims to advance public awareness about the benefits of brain 17 Graduate News research. 18 What’s On 20 Seminars & Lectures The Manchester Mueseum has launched an artist-in-residence project called 21 Noticeboard/Vacancies `Alchemy’ which will see four North West 6 artists with university links use the 22 Classified Ads museum’s collections to create dynamic, contemporary art around the building. 24 Just the Job University researchers have revealed a link between smoking and blindness. Evidence shows that quitting smoking 8 slows the development of the most Front cover photo by CP Media common cause of adult blindness. Their findings were published in the British Medical Journal. Botany graduate Doris Duncan is 105 this month and recalls some of her memories of her time at the Victoria 17 University of Manchester where she studied from 1917-20, including a lecture form Ernest Rutherford. UniLife 3 News World first as scanner arrives A state-of-the-art scanner which will provide world-class imaging facilities for researchers and clinicians was delivered to Hope Hospital, last week The Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanner, "My main interests in using the scanner are the first of it’s kind in the world to be to study areas of the brain which undertake installed, has been purchased by the certain tasks and also imaging recovery from Victoria University of Manchester (VUM) brain damage following a stroke." and will allow it to maintain and enhance Professor Williams and his colleagues are its international profile by expanding the also investigating people with anti-social frontiers of high field magnetic personality disorder and how they resonance imaging. process information differently. A crucial component of the scanner is a The new 3T scanner will become magnet which measures 1.57m by 1.88m integrated into the existing fleet of MR and weighs in at around 5.5 tonnes. It is research scanners at the University capable of achieving higher quality joining a dedicated research 1.5 Tesla images and quicker scanning times. Philips Intera scanner based at the The University has made a multi-million Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility pound investment in human MRI on the University campus and a 1.5 Tesla, facilities culminating in this, the arrival of Philips MR scanner (used for research two the 3T (Tesla) Intera-Achieva magnetic afternoons a week) also based on the resonance (MR) scanner from Philips Hope Hospital site. Medical Systems, which will be based on The human MRI research programme is the Hope Hospital site and will be in overseen by the University's Faculty of operation in the summer. Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Building upon its continuing success, high Pharmacy (MDNP) through the newly- profile in MR imaging and strong created Translational Imaging Unit (TIU) partnership with Philips Medical Systems, as reported in the last issue of UniLife. It the University was "cherry picked" to provides a ‘one stop shop’ for those become a development site for this new carrying out research in imaging. This generation of MR scanners. The reputation new facility will be available to of Hope Hospital, a teaching hospital of researchers at VUM, UMIST and in the the University, as a centre of excellence for associated teaching hospitals. neurological, musculoskeletal, and Professor Colin Sibley, Associate Dean of oncology provides an excellent location in Research in the Faculty of MDNP and which to site the scanner. Chair of the TIU, said:"The new scanner Professor of Imaging Science, Steve will be invaluable for research leading to Williams, has been heavily involved in the new advances in diagnosing and treating Professor Steve Williams at the delivery selection and purchase of the scanner stroke, mental illness, cancer and a range of the scanner to Hope Hospital which has come from Holland will allow of other diseases. It will ensure that the research across a number of fields to take University remains at the forefront of a major step forward. such research worldwide." www.tiu.man.ac.uk 4 UniLife News Brain Awareness Week Both universities took part in the annual ‘Brain Awareness Week’ last week - an international event - with a series of school workshops. Dr Ellen Poliakoff, a Lecturer in Psychology used a dramatic re-telling of the Little Red at the Victoria University of Manchester, Riding Hood story and hands-on commented: "We don’t normally think demonstrations to give 8-11 year olds a ‘Brain Awareness Week’ is organised by about how useful it is to have a brain! It better understanding of the senses and the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives to was a great chance for us, the how they work. advance public awareness about the researchers, to leave our laboratories and The workshops, sponsored by Astra Zeneca, benefits of brain research, both computers and to pass on our are part of the Neuroscience Science Universities ran several workshops enthusiasm for the subject." culminating in ‘Brain Discovery Day’, at Communication programme within the the Manchester Museum’s Discovery During the week, six postgraduates from School of Biological Sciences led by Centre on 20 March. Here children got the VUM’s Division of Neuroscience Professor Nancy Rothwell, and co- involved in activities with 15 researchers showed 90 schoolchildren just how clever ordinated by University science from VUM and UMIST to discover more our brains are in sensing our environment communicators, Dr Erinma Ochu and Dr about the brain, how it works and current but also how our senses can sometimes Michelle Lockwood, who trained the research here in Manchester. be tricked.‘You know it makes sense!’ postgraduates. http://www2.umist.ac.uk/optometry/neuroscience/Brain_Awareness.htm Corporates Target Manchester Organised by the joint Careers Service,, expanding activities with both pre-Higher "Target Manchester," was aimed at Education students, as well as with alumni. companies who most actively engage Jane Ratchford, Director of the Careers with, and who have a special Service, said "The feedback from relationship with both universities. corporate clients was excellent. Target Morning workshops provided an Manchester has provided a first class opportunity to inform delegates about platform on which we can build future Vice-Chancellor (VUM) Rolls Royce, Citigroup, BP,Accenture, Project Unity; to network with academic partnerships between the new merged Professor Sir Martin Morgan Stanley, and Eversheds were staff and discuss future collaboration. university and major companies." Harris (second left) among more than 60 blue-chip companies The topic of graduate recruitment, For further information contact Tammy and Jane Ratchford, who recently came to Manchester for an dominated afternoon discussions and Goldfeld at [email protected] Careers Service inaugural conference designed to promote while most were very happy with the or [email protected]. (centre), with guests partnerships between business and the current relationship with the Careers new merged University. Service, several guests suggested www.graduatecareersonline.com UniLife 5 Funding Announced Next year’s funding allocations for English universities have been announced with VUM and UMIST attracting a combined total of £146.8 million for teaching and research. HEFCE will distribute £5,993 million in UMIST 2004-05, an increase of 9.3 per cent Teaching £20,111,925 compared with 2003-04 . Funding for Research £15,050,424 teaching has increased by 5.6 per cent plus an additional £134,054 (just over 3 per cent in real terms), Research money is allocated on the basis allowing provision for an additional of the Research Assessment Exercise 20,000 full-time equivalent student results and the number of staff engaged places for 2004-05, including 5,000 in research. Funding is weighted with foundation degree places. Funding for laboratory and clinical subjects receiving research has increased by 3.9 per cent more than social sciences and (in cash terms). In addition, there has humanities. Universities also receive been a 60 per cent increase in funding funds for supervising research students. for capital, including support for research capital, to £584 million. Teaching money comprises core funding and money for widening participation The breakdown is: activity. Core funding reflects the number The Victoria University of Manchester of students,WP funding reflects the Teaching £65,952,484 educational attainment by ward for others, Research £45,558,330 entry qualifications are also recognised. www.hefce.ac.uk Campus Walks Staff at UMIST are being invited to get to know the Oxford Road campus by taking one of the Campus Walks. The walks were originally set up by the Directorate of Sports as part of a health and fitness initiative for staff at the Victoria University of Manchester. Organised walks are held on the first campus and tell you about the Tuesday of every month starting at buildings. For further information, or if 12.15pm in the main quad. The walk takes you would like to volunteer as a ‘guide’, about 16 minutes at a brisk pace and contact Gail Heathcote-Milner, Sports takes in the main points of the campus.