Inaugural CIR away day

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The inaugural MRC Centre for Inflammation Research at the University of Edinburgh away day was held on 29^th June in the Appleton Tower (George Square, Edinburgh). Great attendance, high levels of participation and excellent science made sure it was a real success!

The day began with welcoming presentations by Professor Moira Whyte and Professor Stuart Forbes, celebrating the many successes of the CIR over the last year, and looking to the future, including plans for the new Institute for Regeneration and Repair.

Twelve research group leaders, several who have recently joined the CIR, gave entertaining and informative talks on a wide range of organs and diseases.

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• Professor Sarah Howie - Better HPV diagnosis for prevention of cervical cancer

• Professor Debby Bogaert - Microbiome influences on respiratory infections

• Professor David Dockrell - Macrophages in lung infection

• Mr Damian Mole - New treatments for acute pancreatitis

• Dr Mohini Gray - Curing autoimmunity

• Professor Sarah Walmsley - Hypoxia and inflammation

• Dr Jenna Cash - Wound repair in the skin

• Dr Carsten Hansen - The Hippo pathway in cancer and regeneration

• Professor Adriano G Rossi - Cell death and clearance in resolution of inflammation

• Professor Neil Henderson - Liver fibrosis and imaging

• Dr Alan Serrels - Cancer: Immune cell interactions

• Dr Yi Feng - Zebrafish models of cancer initiation

Dr Donald J Davidson gave an update on the excellent work by the Public Engagement and Communications team, including all the public events the team have been involved in, such as the Edinburgh International and Dunbar Science Festivals, school visits and Science Insights programme. Donald demonstrated the new "Supercytes" activity for children – a multimedia game developed by the team, newly launched online and made freely available to schools. Over lunch everyone had the opportunity to play the "Supercytes" card game, Denny and the T-team, the Immunology sticker activity and the Allergen ball-pool challenge with fierce competition for the highest score!

New Supercytes website

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Finally the day ended with our new Trainee in Excellence in Public Engagement award for Iris Mair and Cathy Hawley for their tireless public engagement activities, and a prize for David Taggart for winning the ball pool challenge.

The CIR Away Day was a great success, and it was clear at the drinks reception that new links were being forged, with a better appreciation of the excellent work that goes on in the CIR. Many thanks should be given to the CIR Away Day committee, especially Steve Jenkins, Rebecca Aucott and Sheila Marshall - without their hard work and organisation the event would not have been the success that it was.