An update on 2007
Cross-disciplinary work in the Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics
In a busy year at the Centre, Dr Paul Graham presented his research to representatives of both government and industry at the 9th Great British Research and R&D Show at the House of Commons, and Dr Anil Seth has been invited to speak at the forthcoming World Science Forum 2008 in Seoul. We also gained major Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council grants. Along with a large number of publications produced by our researchers last year, the work of our DPhil students Allister Furey and Rachel Wood appeared in the New Scientist.
Pioneering work in the Centre for Visual Fields
We have been busy establishing the Centre with a series of inaugural events. These include a one-day symposium on the work of Michelangelo Antonioni; a two-day symposium and workshop on climate change and the humanities; and our inaugural lecture entitled ‘Cloning Terror: The War of Images, 9-11 to Abu Ghraib’, given by JWT Mitchell from the University of Chicago. Our members are also involved in two exciting journals: World Picture, a journal of experimental theory with an emphasis on the visual, and Projections: the Journal for Movies and the Mind, which facilitates dialogue between the humanities and sciences.
Countering the stereotypes surrounding migration
At the Sussex Centre for Migration Research, we have been working on a new online research network on mobile professionals, highlighting emigration from Europe and America. We have also organised a major conference at the Royal Society, entitled 'Mainstreaming Migration into Development Strategies', and contributed to the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Brussels. There have been two new publications on climate change, commissioned by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the International Organisation for Migration. We have also received a number of new grants including from the Rockefeller Foundation, the European Union, and DFID.
Reaching out to the poorest: researching access to education
The Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (CREATE) has developed rapidly since its launch and field work is now being conducted in Bangladesh, India, Ghana and South Africa. Research outputs include four country analyses, six policy briefs, more than 15 research papers, and an online database. Over £400,000 in grants and scholarships has been raised to complement our core Department for International Development grant. We have made presentations at the Commonwealth Ministers meeting, the Secondary Education in Africa Programme (World Bank), the Campaign for School Fee Abolition (UNICEF) and World Teachers’ Day (UNESCO).
Vital research into DNA repair, genome stability, cancer and genetic disorders
In 2007 the Genome Damage and Stability Centre received grants totalling £5,371,033. Three of these grants are for prestigious fellowships. Our achievements include: the discovery that Seckel syndrome can be caused by mutations in a novel protein called pericentrin, and that these mutations affect brain and body size but have little impact on mental development; exactly how specific enzymes work to repair DNA double-strand breaks; that DNA double-strand breaks must be repaired efficiently to enable stem cells to divide and function; and that immunosuppressive agents routinely used following bone-marrow and organ transplantation can damage DNA.
