Message from the Chief Executive, Linda Conlon 



Dear Friend,
 
I hope you and your family and friends are well.
 
There have been a few glimmers of optimism this month, with the COVID infection rates in the UK decreasing, new vaccines in the pipeline and the number of people in the UK who have received their first vaccination exceeding 13.5 million.
 
As mentioned in my last column, Life is the location of a COVID-19 large vaccination centre. I'd like to thank all of the Life team who worked closely with the NHS to put everything in place and who responded with lightning speed when more space was needed to accommodate indoor queueing. Overnight, the science centre was transformed into a welcoming area, with queueing lanes skirting the exhibition spaces, relaxing music and lots of interesting science facts on screens because we couldn't resist an opportunity to engage the public in science! (See image below.)
 
Fake news and misinformation about COVID-19 continue to circulate, including the latest false claims about the vaccination threatening fertility and how inhaling steam can kill the virus. Check out our online hub for resources to fact-check claims on social media.
 
While the science centre remains closed for now, we continue to engage with our audiences through exciting online content. We’ve rounded up some of our recent favourites below, plus details of the next virtual Science Speakeasy for adults.
 
As always, if you have any thoughts, ideas or experiences to share, please get in touch by emailing info@life.org.uk. Sorry to say, but we can't assist with queries about vaccine appointments – all planning and operations are handled by our friends at the NHS.

 
Stay safe.

You can look, but don't touch



As we approach the one-year anniversary of the world going into lockdown, join Life Science Centre for a virtual Science Speakeasy debate at 8.00pm on 11 March on the physical and emotional effects of going so long with limited or no human touch.
 
In Sexless and the City: what's the damage of being denied human touch? we'll be debating the importance of skin-to-skin contact – everything from a simple handshake to sexual intercourse.
 
At Science Speakeasy, nothing is taboo and the discussion will be steered by the audiences' questions, but here's some juicy topics that may be covered:
  • Is being denied physical contact and intimacy an infringement of our human rights?
  • Without the easy reassurance of a hug, are we getting better at communicating our feelings?
  • What are the physical responses in the body to human touch?
  • Are there any replacements for human touch that fill the gaps left by the pandemic?
Book now >

Meaty funding for slaughter-free meat



The Newcastle University spin-out company CellulaREvolution – founded by Dr Martina Miotto and Professor Che Connon and based on-site at Life – has secured £1 million in funding to further develop its lab-grown meat, offering a climate-friendly alternative to farming animals.
 
Meat that is grown by culturing cells also requires no antibiotics – important with growing concern about antibiotic resistance – as well as meaning people can enjoy a meat-based diet without slaughtering animals.
Find out more >

Former ASTC president joins White House team



Congratulations to Cristin Dorgelo, who is swapping science centres for the White House, joining the Biden-Harris Administration at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as Senior Advisor for Management in the Office of the Director.
 
Cristin is President Emeritus of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) – the global body representing more than 600 science centres and museums from 50 countries.  Linda Conlon, who is the former Chair of the organisation and was instrumental in Cristin's appointment to ASTC in January 2018, said: "It's always wonderful to hear of women in positions of power, especially in male-dominated fields, like politics. Here, especially, after working closely with Cristin, I know how well-deserved this appointment is."

Highlights from #LifeGoesONline



Our top picks from Life Science Centre's digital programming, including Science Engagement Director Natalie Daring's first starring role in its Outdoor Explorers series, which add a dash of science education to family walks.
Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for our latest content, and visit the online content hub to find all of our activities in one place. 
 

Local COVID-19 research


 
  • New research has revealed for the first time the extent to which frailty increases the risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients, independent of older age.

    The Geriatric Medicine Research Collaborative – involving experts from Newcastle University – is now calling for improved global public health policy after their research showed that severely frail individuals with COVID-19 are three times as likely to die than those who were not frail, even taking into account their age.

    Read the full press release >
 
  • As one of the largest providers of health education and training in the north of England, Northumbria University has been working closely with the local NHS Trusts, primary care partners and Health Education England to look at ways in which it can contribute to the vaccination programme.

    It is providing up to 12 working days for staff to volunteer in a variety of roles and is delivering a learning package to upskill the vaccination workforce. Students have also been given the opportunity to sign up for bespoke placements to support the roll-out.

    Read the full press release >
 
  • Start-up company FLO-SAN Limited has collaborated with academics from Northumbria University’s School of Design to create a unit that allows people to sanitise their hands on the go – without the need to stop and pause at a sanitising station.

    FLO-SAN uses sensors to detect people’s hands as they move them through the unit, dispensing a water-based sanitiser as a finely atomised mist which dries quickly and without leaving any sticky residue.

    Read the full press release >
More local COVID-19 news >

Life recommends



We have no hesitation to recommend these upcoming talks about vaccine hesitancy:
  • The Science Museum has an excellent line-up for a discussion at 7.30pm on 24 February on the challenges of countering vaccine hesitancy, including experts, including US physician Dr Anthony Fauci and the Vaccine Deployment Minister, Nadhim Zahawi MP.

    Find out more >


     
  • Join Newcastle University at 5.30pm on 4 March for a lecture on how vaccine rumours start by Professor Heidi Larson, Director of The Vaccine Confidence Project.

    Find out more >

Meme of the month



Trying to find the link to a Zoom meeting 1 minute before the meeting...
Credit to @thoughtsofaphd on Twitter for this one!

Support us



The International Centre for Life (Life) is a science village that is part of the fabric of Newcastle upon Tyne and a valued resource to the region. The groundbreaking research and patient therapies that take place here have led to international recognition.
 
From the thousands of babies born with the help of fertility treatment received onsite, to the patients with debilitating diseases who have benefitted from research and clinical treatments, Life has made a difference to so many. There is nowhere quite like it in the world – a place where researchers, clinicians, science communicators and educators work side-by-side on one site, sharing expertise and ideas and creating a unique circle of science.
 
The charity Life Science Centre is at the heart of this circle. Welcoming about 300,000 visitors a year, its mission is to help people of all ages, from all communities, explore science and to discover its relevance to their own lives and to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals. This mission has never been more crucial than it is today.
 
COVID-19 has had a massive impact on us. Please support us so that we can continue to make a difference. Click the button below to make a donation.

 
Donate now >
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