Prof Claire Smith shares powerful message on Silent Teachers at TEDxNHS
By: Matt Bemment
Last updated: Friday, 3 October 2025
Prof Claire Smith
Claire Smith, Professor of Anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sussex, was invited to speak at TEDxNHS, the flagship TEDx event dedicated to sharing ideas and innovation across health and care.
In her talk on Saturday 27 September, Prof Smith reflected on the extraordinary generosity of those who choose to donate their bodies to science – known as ‘Silent Teachers’ – and the profound impact they have on medical education and research.
“We need to raise awareness, we need healthcare professionals to know and talk about being a Silent Teacher,” said Prof Smith. “We also need to rethink the system, which runs on post codes and filing cabinets, we could make so much more of each donation with a new approach.”
Drawing on her career spanning the laboratory, the lecture theatre and university leadership, Prof Smith also highlighted how body donation not only transforms medical training, but also encourages wider conversations about mortality, legacy and the meaning of giving.
“Their legacy challenges us to think differently about life and death, but also about what it means to contribute to science and society in the most human of ways,” she said.
BSMS was also represented at TEDxNHS by one of its alumna, Dr Aiswarya Nagasubramony, who was responsible for organising the logistics and communications for the event.
TEDxNHS brings together speakers who inspire change across health and social care, amplifying stories that challenge, inform and motivate. Prof Smith’s talk was part of the 2025 programme, reaching both live audiences and a wider online community, with the full talk set to be released on YouTube soon.