University welcomes Lord David Willetts for national Health Research Showcase

Research in addressing global health challenges
University welcomes Lord David Willetts for national Health Research Showcase

The University of Plymouth has showcased how it is at the forefront of ground breaking research in addressing global health challenges to an audience of national health influencers, and guest of honour, Rt Hon. The Lord Willetts.

The University’s Health Research Showcase was hosted by its Chancellor, The Lord Kestenbaum at One Great George Street, London on Thursday 19 October.

An opportunity to see and discuss some of the University’s internationally-leading research that is making a real difference to people’s lives, the research crosses work enabled by the University of Plymouth’s interdisciplinary Institutes spanning the University of Plymouth Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry and Faculties of Health and Human Sciences, Science and Engineering, Arts and Humanities, and Business.

Highlights included:

  • understanding the mechanisms that make a brain cell become cancerous as brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer

  • using robots as companions for health and social care

  • creating opportunities for people with severe physical disability to actively participate in music making through developing musical brain-computer interfacing technology to control musical devices

  • developing a pipeline of novel antibiotics to combat drug resistant infections as by 2050 10 million deaths globally could be attributable to antimicrobial resistance

  • innovating the use of eHealth - such as websites, technology and apps - to improve health and wellbeing 

  • exploring the relationships between health funding allocations and service equality

Health Research Showcase brochure

This publication captures a snapshot of the many exciting and internationally leading activities that contribute to the University of Plymouth’s research and associated activities around health.
University of Plymouth Vice-Chancellor, Professor Judith Petts, CBE.
"The University has a vibrant, interdisciplinary health research community with a reputation for exceptional clinical learning, strong social engagement and world-class research that is steeped in our ethos of advancing knowledge and transforming lives.
"This event captured a snapshot of the many exciting and internationally leading activities that have a direct and positive impact on people’s lives and seek to address some of the most challenging issues that face human kind."

University of Plymouth Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Judith Petts DBE  
Professor Judith Petts

The Health Showcase was attended by national health influencers, research partners and supporters including: Brain Tumour Research, British Medical Association, Foundation for Science and Technology, Design Council, London School of Economics, Medical Schools Council, Public Health England, Royal Society of Biology, University College London and Wellcome Trust.