Connecting Research

PUBLIC LECTURE - The Bee’s Needs: How to Save the World’s Pollinators
2018-03-14 19:30 - 20:45 (Europe/London) | Henley Business School, Room G11, Henley Business School, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, RG6 6UR, United Kingdom
Honey Bee pollinating sunflower.
The Bee’s Needs: How to Save the World’s Pollinators
Wednesday 14 March, 19:30-20:45
Location: G11, Henley Business School, Whiteknights campus
This event is free to attend.
Registration in advance is not required, but is recommended as public lectures are often full. Click here to book your place >
Bees and other insects are crucially important, helping pollinate crops and support our wild ecosystems. The University of Reading is at the forefront of research into the decline of insect pollinators and understanding how valuable they are for crop production.
The lecture will outline current evidence on the status of pollinating insects in the UK and across the globe. The crucial role pollinators play for crop production will be explored as well as ways we can help protect these iconic species for the important role they have providing vital ecosystem services.
Dr Mike Garratt, a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Agriculture Policy and Development, will present the latest research on pollinators and what we can do to help protect them.

Fairbrother Lecture 2018: Would you let your phone tell you what to eat? Designing technology for personalised nutrition advice
2018-03-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Henley Business School
Would you let your phone tell you what to eat? Designing technology for personalised nutrition advice
The Graduate School is delighted to announce that the Fairbrother Lecture 2018 will be delivered by current doctoral researcher Rodrigo Zenun Franco who is undertaking a PhD in Computer Science.
Rodrigo will be talking about his research on online personalised nutrition advice. He has developed an app to assess dietary intake and propose valid personalised nutrition advice for adults. This web application has been designed to be simple to use and can be accessed on a range of devices including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Rodrigo hopes that the app will help make personalised nutrition widely available, thereby enabling more people to benefit from tailored diet advice.
The work is supported by the British Nutrition Foundation and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).
Rodrigo undertook an undergraduate degree in Brazil, before coming to Reading for his MSc. His PhD is supervised by Dr Faustina Hwang (Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Sciences) and Professor Julie Lovegrove (Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Chemistry, Food & Pharmacy).
Accompanying the lecture, there will be a display of work by a number of other outstanding doctoral researchers from across the University: Vincent DeLuca (Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences); Anna Freeman (Geography & Environmental Science) Rita Goyal (Henley Business School); Sophie Payne (Literature and Languages) and Suzannah Ravenscroft (Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences).

Whitechapel Girl - Special Lecture
2018-04-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Berkshire Record Office, 9 Coley Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 6AF, United Kingdom
Rediscovering the “Whitechapel Girl”
They are remembered as the “Whitechapel Boys,” a group of writers and artists who came from the Jewish working-class district of London and forged promising careers through the early part of the twentieth century. Isaac Rosenberg wrote some of the finest poetry to emerge from the First World War. Mark Gertler and David Bomberg became significant modernist painters.
What tends to get lost is that one of the “Boys” was a “Girl.” Clare Winsten, born Clara Birnberg, studied at the Slade from 1910 to 1912, and developed a fascinating body of work as a painter and sculptor. She became good friends with George Bernard Shaw, and illustrated three of his books.
Clara Birnberg became Clare Winsten when she married the writer, Stephen Winsten. He was imprisoned as a conscientious objector during the First World War, as she gave birth to the first of the couple’s two daughters. Stephen’s imprisonment led to Clare’s producing a series of haunting illustrations to Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol.
As part of the exhibition, “Colours More Than Sentences: Illustrated Editions of The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” running at the Berkshire Record Office until 8th June, the University of Reading Department of English has invited scholar and curator, Sarah Macdougall of the Ben Uri Gallery, to share her new research on Winsten’s life and career. Macdougall will be talking about her rediscovery of the “Whitechapel Girl” at a public lecture at the Berkshire Record Office in Reading at 6-15 p.m. on Thursday 19th April.
The lecture and the exhibition are both free, but places for the lecture are limited. People can register in advance for the lecture by going to www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/ContactUs.

UN and Global Order launch
2018-04-26 08:45 - 16:30
How research can support and strengthen the United Nations
Please join us for a one-day conference, and launch of the UN and Global Order Programme at the University of Reading.
When: Thursday, 26 April, 2018, 9:15-4:30, registration begins at 8:45
Where: University of Reading, London Road Campus, LO22 G01
Admission is free, booking is essential. Book here: events@reading.ac.uk

This event will bring together academics, practitioners, civil society, and students and will showcase the key ways in which research supports and strengthens UN activities. Thematic panels on human rights, peacekeeping, and UN reform will identify and discuss current and future challenges and opportunities and how researchers and policymakers can work together to maximize the UN’s fulfilment of its mandate.
Keynote speeches :

Ian Martin, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Libya, Nepal, and Timor-Leste and Executive Director of Security Council Report,
Dominik Zaum, Research Dean for Prosperity & Resilience, University of Reading

About UNGOP
The UN and Global Order Programme at the University of Reading was established in 2017 to provide a major new forum for UN research within the UK. Bringing together academics working on peacekeeping and statebuilding, disaster risk reduction, human rights, food and agriculture, climate change, displacement and migration, and organisational culture, amongst others, the Programme supports both long-term and short-term research that informs and shapes policy and practice. Members and affiliates work with various UN bodies and operations, member states, regional organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. To learn more about the Programme, and for a full list of our partners, see: https://research.reading.ac.uk/ungop/

Urban-Met Seminar
2018-06-12 16:00 | GU10, Meteorology building, RG1 7QF
Speakers: David, Jess, Elliott
Book reading: Urban Climates (Oke et al., 2017), Ch 10.1, 10.2, 10.3

Workshop: (Post)Colonial images
2018-06-21 11:00 - 18:00 | Minghella Building, University of Reading, Building 195, Shinfield Rd, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6BT, United Kingdom
(Post)Colonial images: An Intermedial Approach
Sponsored by the AHRC-FAPESP funded IntermIdia Project and CFAC, the Centre for Film Aesthetics and Cultures, University of Reading
21st June 2018
Keynote speech by Vicente Sánchez-Biosca (University of Valencia), and a stellar line-up of speakers and artists
Screening of The Song of Ossobó (Silas Tiny, 2017)
Organised by Maria do Carmo Piçarra (University of Reading/University of Minho)
Admission is free, but booking is highly recommended- email carmoramos@gmail.com
Programme
11h-13h00 Cinema, Minghella Building G4 Opening by Lúcia Nagib. Screening The Song of Ossobó (Silas Tiny, 2017, 99’)
13h00-14h00 Lunch break
14h00-14h40 Studio Space, Minghella Building room 102 Maria do Carmo Piçarra (Minho/Reading) – Intermedial approaches to Portugal, France and England representations of the empire in the cinema
14h40-15h40 Studio Space, Minghella Building room 102 Katy Stewart (Sheffield) – Singing for Timbuktu and Kinshasa: Intermedial voices in African cinema’s digital revolution Sérgio Dias Branco (Coimbra/ Durham) – Spectres of today: Fractured history and digital modulation in Horse money (2014) Chair: Maria do Carmo Piçarra (Minho/Reading)
15h40-16h00 Coffee break 16h-16h30 Studio Space, Minghella Building room 102 Artistic take Quarries of wandering form by Judy Rabinowitz Price (Kingston)
16h30-18h00 Studio Space, Minghella Building room 102 Keynote speaker Vicente Sanchéz-Biosca (Valencia) – When the images are missing. Rithy Panh and the visual strategies to address the Cambodian Genocide

A Celebration of TAEDS
2018-06-23 12:30 - 16:00 | Minghella Building, University of Reading, Building 195, Shinfield Rd, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6BT, United Kingdom
The unique Theatre Arts, Education & Deaf Studies (TAEDS) BA for deaf-hearing integrated student cohorts completes a 32 year history with a swansong to celebrate its unique history, and mark the legacy, of the programme.
The world premiere of Moonbird, an adaptation of the children’s story by the deaf author Joyce Dunbar, will be performed by Handprint Theatre Company, a deaf-hearing integrated company formed by programme alumni.
We intend to further mark the legacy of deaf-hearing integrated theatre with performances by graduating deaf students from the Royal Conservatoire, Glasgow.
Refreshments will be followed by speeches from past and current deaf and hearing staff and students and the Vice Chancellor, Sir David Bell KCB, will also make an appearance.
Book your tickets here: https://alumni.reading.ac.uk/a-celebration-of-taeds

Early Career Fellowship Schemes: Event for potential supervisors
2018-06-26 13:00 - 14:30
A joint session for Heritage & Creativity and Prosperity & Resilience on the topic of Early Career (Independent Post-doctoral) Fellowship Schemes. This session will introduce the range of schemes and the support provided by the University to develop applications. You will hear from current post-doctoral fellows and their mentors on what makes a successful application.
Tuesday 26th June 13.00 – 14.30
Agenda

Introduction and welcome
Overview of fellowship schemes
Experience of a mentor
Experience of a fellow
Q&A

If you would like to attend please email Nicola Flynn to book a place (n.j.flynn@reading.ac.uk). Location will be confirmed in due course.

Voice and Vote: Women and Parliament
2018-06-27 09:00 - 2018-10-06 17:30
Voice and Vote: Women’s place in Parliament
Wednesday 27th June – Saturday 6th October
09:00 – 17.30
Westminster Hall, London
100 years since women gained the partial vote, an interactive exhibition will be hosted in Westminster Hall telling the story of women in Parliament – the campaigning, the protests and the achievements.
Dr Jacqui Turner, University of Reading History lecturer and Vote 100 adviser, and the University of Reading Special Collections are recreating Nancy Astor’s mailbag for the exhibition. Nancy Astor was the first female Member of Parliament to take her seat, and her letters of correspondence are stored in the University of Reading’s Special Collections.
The exhibition will also feature other rare and previously unseen historic objects, pictures and archives.
Admission free.
For more information and to book your place visit: https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/vote-100/voice-and-vote/

Reading 2050 - Nature and People in our Urban Future
2018-06-28 18:00 - 19:00 | London Road, LO24 (Institute of Education), 4 Redlands Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5EX
Please join Nature Nurture’s Director, Natalie Ganpatsingh, who will share her insights into how we can ensure people and nature connect and flourish in our cities in a lecture: ‘Nature & People in our Urban Future’
The lecture is part of the Reading 2050 lecture series, which provide a platform to discuss how Reading should evolve into a smarter and more sustainable city by 2050 (www.reading2050.co.uk).
Admission to the lecture is free.
The SBE, Barton Wilmore and Reading UK, established the Reading 2050 group in 2013. The Reading 2050 lecture series is structured around three themes, which underpin the Reading 2050 vision:
*Place and Environment
*People and Lifestyle
*Economy and Employment
In 2017, the School brought together expert speakers to discuss Reading’s heritage and history, the future of its transport and energy and the impact of climate change and floods. A discussion on Reading’s Art and Culture was facilitated earlier this year, and there are other Reading 2050 events planned for 2018 and 2019.
https://livingreading.co.uk/publications-events

'The American Moment' Conference
2018-07-04 00:00

Democratising Heritage workshop
2018-07-04 10:00 - 16:30 | Meadow Suite, Park House, Meadow Suite, Park House, RG6 6UR, United Kingdom
An upcoming workshop co-hosted by Historic England and the University of Reading, on the subject of Diverse Participation and Representation in the Heritage Sector, will take place on 4 July 2018.
The day will bring together museum and heritage professionals with researchers to discuss:
– developing dynamic relationships between heritage and users
– using co-production methods to diversify the framing of heritage and place
– and exploring co-curation with diverse volunteers.
The workshop takes place on 4 July from 10am-4.30pm, at the University of Reading. For more information and to book, please see the attached flyer: Heritage Workshop Flyer

Bi/Multilingualism and the History of Language Learning and Teaching
2018-07-06 - 2018-07-07 | University of Reading, RG6 6UR
HoLLTnet international meeting:
‘Bi/Multilingualism and the History of Language Learning and Teaching’
University of Reading, United Kingdom, 6-7 July 2018
HoLLTnet (www.hollt.net) is a Research Network of AILA (L’Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée). The Research Network was founded in 2015 to stimulate research
into the history of language learning and teaching within applied linguistics internationally.
Building on several successful previous colloquia (www.hollt.net/events.html), this
international conference aims to situate the history of language learning and teaching in the
wider context of multilingualism across time and space. Possible topics for contributions
include, but are not limited to:

Bi/Multilingual dictionaries, grammars and other language-learning materials
Language learning and teaching in multilingual communities
Scholars of classical languages as learners of modern languages, and vice versa
Language learning and teaching in colonial contexts
The role of L1 in foreign language teaching
Polyglottism in the history of language learning
The role of translation and bilingual texts in language learning
Non-native speaker teachers in the history of language learning

All papers should be based on historical research.
If you would like to be considered for participation in the colloquium, please send your
presentation title, your name, email address, institutional affiliation, and a 250-word abstract
to r.mairs@reading.ac.uk by 23 February 2018. Those sending proposals will be notified of
the outcome as soon as possible after that date.
Further information on conference registration for those not presenting papers will be
circulated in due course.
The event has been made possible by the generous support of the Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism and Department of Classics at the University of Reading. The university campus has quick and convenient transport links to London and Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. More information on getting to campus.
Dr Rachel Mairs, Associate Professor of Classical and Near Eastern Studies, University of
Reading
Dr Richard Smith, University of Warwick, and Professor Giovanni Iamartino, University of
Milan, Joint convenors, AILA Research Network on History of Language Learning and
Teaching
Download this information as a PDF

Reading 2050 - The Urban Metabolism of Reading
2018-07-18 18:00 - 19:00
Please join Dr Eugene Mohareb and Dr Daniela Perrotti from the School of the Built Environment, for a lecture: ‘The Urban Metabolism of Reading’
The lecture is part of the ‘People and Lifestyle’ theme of the Reading 2050 lecture series, which provide a platform to discuss how Reading should evolve into a smarter and more sustainable city by 2050 (www.reading2050.co.uk )
Admission to the lecture is free.
The SBE, Barton Wilmore and Reading UK, established the Reading 2050 group in 2013. The Reading 2050 lecture series is structured around three themes, which underpin the Reading 2050 vision:
*Place and Environment
*People and Lifestyle
*Economy and Employment
In 2017, the School brought together expert speakers to discuss Reading’s heritage and history, the future of its transport and energy and the impact of climate change and floods. A discussion on Reading’s Art and Culture was facilitated earlier this year, and there are other Reading 2050 events planned for 2018 and 2019.
https://livingreading.co.uk/publications-events

A Century of Women MPs Conference. Speakers include Rachel Reeves, MP and Dr Jacqui Turner, University of Reading
2018-09-05 10:00 - 2018-09-07 18:00
This conference, to be held in Portcullis House, Westminster, London, forms a part of celebrations of the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 and the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 together with the 90th anniversary of the Equal Franchise Act 1928.
There will be two public events during the conference, the first is a round-table discussion, chaired by Baroness Hayman, former Lord Speaker and life peer, of the experiences of women MPs, the second is a lecture given by Rachel Reeves MP entitled, ‘Women of Westminster’.
Attendees can also enjoy keynote addresses from Dr Jacqui Turner (University of Reading) about Nancy Astor – ‘”Pioneers may be picturesque figures, but they are often rather lonely ones”: Nancy Astor breaching the gender divide 1919-1923’, and Professor Krista Cowman (University of Lincoln) about ‘The First Women Candidates’. The will also be the opportunity to see the Vote 100 projects landmark exhibition Voice and Vote in Westminster Hall.
Registister for the conference here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/being-a-woman-mp-round-table-discussion-with-former-and-sitting-members-tickets-47917731224
Further information about the round-table event and the Rachel Reeves lecture can be found here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/being-a-woman-mp-round-table-discussion-with-former-and-sitting-members-tickets-47917731224

Symposium: Brain-machine interfaces for rehabilitation
2018-09-07 08:30 - 17:00 | University of Reading, RG6 6UR
From Lab to Clinic – Pathways to translational brain-machine interfaces for rehabilitation
The University of Reading will host a focused one-day symposium in September 2018, aiming to bring together researchers in brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) and clinical experts in rehabilitation to discuss the pathway and the challenges for widespread clinical adoption of BMIs. This event will help early career researchers identify how to bring their BMI research into clinical application. The symposium will include users of BMI technology as well as representatives from funding bodies to provide an all-inclusive and informative discussion on adapting and translating existing research outputs.
Accepted abstracts will be presented in poster format and some early career researchers will be selected to give an oral presentation. Click here to visit the abstract submission page for more details.
Candidates who present a poster will be requested to take part in a lightning round, where they will received 1 minute to present their work to the symposium attendees.
The event includes a panel discussion by funding body representatives (MRC), and researchers in BMI, to discuss questions regarding how to fund and conduct research in clinical environments – especially from an early career point of view. Questions to the panel can be submitted in advance with registration or during the day. Lunch and coffee/tea throughout the day will be provided, and there will be a networking wine and canapé reception at the end of the day.
Please consider submitting your work or coming along on the day.
Click here to submit your abstract.
This event is wheelchair accessible.
Please contact ioannis.zoulias@reading.ac.uk if you have any enquiries.
About the symposium
Organised by Ioannis Zoulias and Orla Fannon of the University of Reading, UK, this symposium aims to address the key challenges in the design and adoption of BMIs in the clinic, and highlight the pathways to success for researchers working with BMIs for rehabilitation. The meeting will explore the viewpoints of the operators (i.e clinicians) and the end users (i.e patients) of BMI technologies, focusing on the key considerations for designing BMIs that are adaptable to the variation in physiologies across disabilities, and suitable for the specific needs of end-users.
The symposium will bring together patients, researchers in cutting-edge BMI technology, clinicians in rehabilitation, and experts on the physiology of motor disabilities. The primary goal is to identify the pathways for early career researchers to translate their BMI research into a clinical solution. The secondary goal is to foster new collaborations between clinicians and researchers who are in the early stages of BMI development. The aim is to facilitate the formation of long-lasting collaborations, and subsequently to create an increase in widespread use of clinical BMIs for rehabilitation.
The symposium will host talks by established BMI researchers, and clinicians, who will discuss the most promising BMIs for motor rehabilitation, and share their experiences in designing BMIs and transferring them to a clinical setting. A panel discussion between the audience, invited speakers, clinicians, representatives from funding bodies, patients, and academic researchers, will explore the challenges and opportunities for transferring BMIs to the clinic. The symposium is an excellent event to network with BMI experts, clinicians and other early careers researchers in BMI, and to receive valuable input on the translational potential, limitations, and advantages of your research within a clinical perspective.
Confirmed Speakers

Miguel Nicolelis, Duke School of Medicine Professor in Neuroscience, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
Dario Farina, Chair in Neurorehabilitation Engineering, Imperial College London, UK
Claire Guy, Principal Physiotherapist in Spinal Injuries, Rookwood Hospital, UK
Ian Daly, Lecturer of Computer Science, University of Essex, UK

Confirmed Panellists

Robin Gibbons, Senior Research Associate, Aspire CREATe Group, University College London, UK
Medical Research Council, UK

Loddon Observatory Showcase
2018-09-25 12:30 - 16:00
The Loddon Observatory is organising a Loddon Showcase on 25th September 2018, 12:30-4:00pm in Meadow Suite, Park House, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6UA.
This will be an opportunity to present and learn about work undertaken within the Loddon catchment on Water, Environment, Climate, Governance and Heritage and to meet other people from the University and our External Partners.
Please register online here by 14th September at the latest.
We are inviting abstracts, in particular for posters, and short 3-5 minute talks presenting research relevant to the Loddon catchment, to be submitted as soon as possible and by 14th September at the latest on the website above or by email to a.duranel@reading.ac.uk.

Reading 2050: Future Housing and Population Change in Reading
2018-09-26 18:00 - 19:00 | L022 G01, L022 G01, London Road Campus, Reading, RG1 5AQ
Please join Simon Macklen and James Donagh from Barton Willmore, for a lecture: ‘Future Housing and Population Change in Reading’
The lecture is part of the ‘Economy and Employment’ theme of the Reading 2050 lecture series, which provide a platform to discuss how Reading should evolve into a smarter and more sustainable city by 2050 (www.reading2050.co.uk )
Admission to the lecture is free.
The SBE, Barton Wilmore and Reading UK, established the Reading 2050 group in 2013. The Reading 2050 lecture series is structured around three themes, which underpin the Reading 2050 vision:
*Place and Environment
*People and Lifestyle
*Economy and Employment
In 2017, the School brought together expert speakers to discuss Reading’s heritage and history, the future of its transport and energy and the impact of climate change and floods. A discussion on Reading’s Art and Culture was facilitated in 2018, and there are other Reading 2050 events planned for 2019.
https://livingreading.co.uk/publications-events

LOB Research Seminar
2018-09-27 12:00 - 15:00 | Henley Business School, Room G10, Whiteknights, RG6 6AH
Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour Research Seminar
Guest speaker Hugh Willmott

Work and the Future Office
2018-10-10 18:30 - 20:00 | London Road, Building LO22, Room G01, University of Reading, London Road campus, Reading, RG1 5AQ
Nicola Gillen, Director and Global Practice Leader, Strategy Plus at AECOM
Drawing from the forthcoming RIBA book ‘Future Office: Next-generation workplace design’, lead author Nicola Gillen will explore disruptors in the world of work, design process and practice to look at how and where we will work in the future.
DEGW Foundation Lecture, hosted by the School of the Built Environment.
Nicola Gillen is the European Practice Lead for Strategy Plus at AECOM. She also leads the Pharmaceutical, Technology, FMCG and Learning Sectors for Strategy Plus in the UK. Her recent publications Technology, Media and Communications, written for the BCO, and Productivity: A Homemade Recipe?, a white paper published by AECOM.
The DEGW archive will be available to view before the lecture in the Museum of English Rural Life (opening times for exhibition 17.00-18.30).
The event is free to attend, however, we recommend booking early as places are limited.
To book a place, please email architecture@reading.ac.uk. Doors open at 18.00.

Help us beat heart attacks and stroke
2018-10-11 08:00 - 2019-01-12 17:00
University of Reading scientists are calling on members of the public to help make a breakthrough in the fight against the world’s leading cause of death. We are seeking volunteers to provide blood samples for a new heart disease study, examining how factors like blood cholesterol can affect a person’s risk of heart attacks or strokes.
Blood clots which form when they are not needed can cause heart attacks and strokes by blocking blood vessels. Although there are many clot-busting drugs on the market, heart attack and strokes are still one of the biggest causes of death in the UK. Research has found that there is a big variation in the activity of people’s platelets – the tiny cells in our blood which kick off the clotting process.
Researchers at the University of Reading are carrying out a British Heart Foundation-funded study called METPLAR (Understanding Metabolic Factors that Contribute to Platelet Reactivity) that is looking into what influences the speed and extent to which platelets can respond to blood vessel damage, and what factors are likely to cause formation of large clots. We will find out whether there is a relationship between a person’s platelet reactivity and a number of other parameters, including how sensitive we are to the hormone insulin, and levels of cholesterol in the blood.
With these measurements we hope to identify more accurate methods of testing platelets and determine which anti-platelet medications will work best with different individuals.
Can you help us?
We are currently looking for volunteers willing to take part in the study. The study consists of one short visit (about 45 minutes) to the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition at the University of Reading, where your blood pressure, height, weight, waist and hip circumference and body fat composition will be measured and a blood sample will also be taken.
We are currently recruiting non-smoking men and women aged 30-65 years who are not diabetic or taking medications for cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure or inflammatory conditions.
You will be reimbursed travel expenses associated with the study.
If you meet our criteria and are interested in taking part please contact the METPLAR study by phoning 0118 378 7096 or e-mailing us at metplar@reading.ac.uk.
Further information
What is blood clotting?
Blood clotting is a very important process that is tightly regulated within our blood vessels. When we damage our blood vessels, blood clots form to form a ‘plug’ and prevent blood loss. But if clots form in the absence of damage, this can lead to blockage of our blood vessels.
The process of blood clotting is initiated by the smallest cells in our blood which are called platelets. These platelets circulate in the body in a resting state until they come into contact with a stimulator that signals to them that the blood vessels have been damaged. Platelets respond to these signals by clumping together and sticking to the site of damage forming a ‘plug’. This plug is then encased by a protein in the blood, called fibrin, which makes the clot more robust. After the clot has ‘plugged’ the site of injury, the wound is then healed over time by the body’s immune system and the clot is dissolved.
How can blood clotting lead to thrombosis?
When regulated properly, the blood clotting system works very well, however occasionally it can become dysregulated. Sometimes our platelets can become activated when they shouldn’t causing blood clots to form in places where they are not required. This unwanted clot formation can lead to a process called thrombosis. where blood clots form and grow uncontrollably large, restricting blood flow through a blood vessel and in some cases causing complete vessel blockage. These large blood clots can also break off from the vessel wall and become lodged in vessels elsewhere in the body. If thrombosis and blockage occurs in a blood vessel in the heart or in the brain this can cause a heart attack or a stroke which can have fatal consequences.
How can we help prevent thrombosis?
There are a number of successful drugs on the market that function by preventing the formation of blood clots to reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes, however, despite this success, heart attacks are still one of the biggest causes of death in the UK. Research has found that there is a large variation in how different people’s platelets within the normal healthy population react to stimulation and some react much more readily than others. Researchers at the University of Reading are performing a study that is looking into which factors influence the speed and extent at which platelets can respond to blood vessel damage, and what factors are likely to contribute to the formation of large clots. We will determine whether there is a relationship between an individual’s platelet reactivity and a number of metabolic parameters, including insulin sensitivity, and blood cholesterol. With these measurements we hope to identify more accurate methods of testing platelets and determine which anti-platelet medications will work best with different individuals. This human study will be performed in collaboration with the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition at the University of Reading.
What is World Thrombosis Day?
Saturday the 13th of October marks the annual “World Thrombosis Day” campaign. The aim of this global campaign is to raise awareness of thrombosis which is a condition that is often misunderstood and overlooked and is caused by the development of unwanted blood clots. The aims of the World Thrombosis Day campaign is to increase global awareness of the causes, risk factors, symptoms, prevention and treatment of thrombosis in order to ultimately reduce death and disability caused by the condition. If you would like to know more about World Thrombosis Day or the fundraising that is being done to raise awareness of this campaign, visit the World Thrombosis day website http://www.worldthrombosisday.org/.

LOB Research Seminar
2018-10-11 12:00 - 15:00 | Henley Business School, Room 108, Whiteknights Campus, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6UR, United Kingdom
Leadership Organisations and Behaviour Research Seminar
Guest speaker Sharon Clarke

Our Changing Climate: Past, Present and Future
2018-10-17 19:30 | Palmer Building, Room G10, Palmer Building, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, RG6 6UR, United Kingdom
Part of the University of Reading’s Public Lecture Series
ADMISSION FREE – BOOKING ADVISABLE

The hot and dry summer of 2018 was a reminder of just how vulnerable society can be to unusual weather through overheating buildings, transport disruption, lower crop production and risks to human health. Such heatwaves are now hotter because the planet has warmed over the past century, largely due to human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases. Other consequences of a warming world are that extreme rainfall events have become more frequent and sea levels have risen as the oceans expand and the glaciers melt.
This lecture will outline how our climate has already changed, and what we might expect in the future. Further changes are inevitable. The Paris Agreement aims to stabilise global temperatures but society’s choices will decide how much change we should expect.
Professor Ed Hawkins is a climate scientist in the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, based in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading. He is a Lead Author for the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 6th Assessment Report and was awarded the Royal Society’s Kavli Medal in 2018.
Register to attend here.

'Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler'
2018-10-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Henley Business School, Room G11, Henley Business School, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, RG6 6UR, United Kingdom
University of Reading honorary graduate Paul Lindley is an award winning British entrepreneur, social campaigner and best-selling author. In 2006 he founded Ella’s Kitchen, an innovative brand of organic baby food built on the mission to improve children’s lives through developing healthy relationships with food. It is now the UK’s largest baby food brand and has sales of over $100M from across 40 countries. In 2017, Paul published his first book, the critically acclaimed bestseller ‘Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler.’
In this lecture, Paul will discuss how he believes unlocking our personal potential is not achieved by learning new skills, but by re-discovering old ones – those we all had when we were toddlers. Paul argues that in ‘growing down’ we can be more imaginative, free thinking, playful and self-confident, allowing us to look at our personal, corporate and social challenges in a different, more impactful way.
Register for this event here.

Open Access Week 2018: Open Access FAQs with the CentAUR Team (drop-in session)
2018-10-22 13:00
Do you have questions about ROSS, REF, or open access? The CentAUR team answers your frequently asked questions. If you are not able to come along tweet us at @UniRdg_CentAUR using the hashtag #askthecentaur.

Real Estate and Planning research seminar - Deregulating Planning: the case of office-to-residential permitted development in England
2018-10-24 13:00 - 14:00
Speaker: Dr Ben Clifford, University College London

Law School: 'Axis of Protection' Seminar
2018-10-25 16:00 - 18:00 | Foxhill House, Room G02, School of Law, Whiteknights Rd, Earley,, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 7BY
‘THE LEGAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL AND THE FOREIGNER IN SOUTH AMERICA OVER 200 YEARS’
Speaker:
Dr Diego Acosta, Reader in European and Migration Law, Bristol
Discussants:
Dr Ana Beduschi, Senior Lecturer in Law, Exeter
Dr Ruvi Ziegler, Associate Professor in International Refugee Law, Reading
Time:
Thursday 25 October 2018, 4-6pm
Location:
Room GO2, Foxhill House, School of Law
Free to attend
Contact r.ziegler@reading.ac.uk for more information.
Part of the ‘Axis of Protection: Human Rights in International Law’ Seminar Series 2018/19’

Reading 2050: Transforming the MERL
2018-10-25 18:00 - 19:00
25 October 2018, 18:00–19:00 Building L022 G01 London Road campus, University of Reading RG1 5AQ
Transforming the Museum of English Rural Life: Past, Present and Future
Please join Kate Arnold-Forster for a lecture: ‘Transforming the Museum of English Rural Life: Past, Present and Future’
The lecture is part of the ‘People and Lifestyle’ theme of the Reading 2050 lecture series, which provide a platform to discuss how Reading should evolve into a smarter and more sustainable city by 2050 (www.reading2050.co.uk )
Admission to the lecture is free.
The SBE, Barton Wilmore and Reading UK, established the Reading 2050 group in 2013. The Reading 2050 lecture series is structured around three themes, which underpin the Reading 2050 vision:
*Place and Environment
*People and Lifestyle
*Economy and Employment
In 2017, the School brought together expert speakers to discuss Reading’s heritage and history, the future of its transport and energy and the impact of climate change and floods. A discussion on Reading’s Art and Culture was facilitated earlier this year, and there are other Reading 2050 events planned for 2018 and 2019.
For details of future lectures visit: www.reading.ac.uk/architecture

Open Access Week 2018: The Game of Open Access
2018-10-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Carrington, Room 201
Play an open access board game about open access!
At this informal session you will develop an understanding of open access through the initial idea for an article to its acceptance for publication.
Bring your lunch.

Biological Sciences Seminar Series
2018-10-30 13:00 - 13:50 | Harborne Lecture Theatre, Harborne Building, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6UR
School of Biological Sciences
Research Seminars Series – Autumn Term, 2018
Tuesdays 1:00- 1:50pm
Venue – Harborne Lecture Theatre, Harborne Building
Prof Eric Allan – University of Bern, Switzerland
‘Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning: from experiments to the real world and back again’
Hosted by Prof Tom Oliver
