News: February 2018

Bangor researchers contribute to advancing dementia research strategy

Dr Gill Windle and Emeritus Professor Bob Woods, of the Dementia Services Development centre, part of BIHMR in the School of Healthcare Sciences were part of the Alzheimer’s Society taskforce of leading UK clinicians and researchers in dementia, UK funders of dementia research, people with dementia and carer representatives developing the first ‘dementia research roadmap for prevention, diagnosis, intervention and care by 2025’.

Publication date: 23 February 2018

Knowing how and where to look reduces driving risks

Training young and new drivers so that they pay attention to their peripheral vision could reduce road traffic accidents. Road traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of death globally and young novice drivers are the most likely to be involved.

Publication date: 21 February 2018

Martial arts can improve your attention span and alertness long term – new study

Martial arts require a good level of physical strength, but those who take up training need to develop an incredible amount of mental acuity, too.

Mental strength is so important to martial arts that researchers have found karate experts’ stronger punching force may be down to a better control of muscle movement in the brain, rather than increased muscular strength. Other studies have also found that children who practice Taekwondo improved in maths test scores, and behaviour.

This article by Ashleigh Johnstone, PhD Researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience, at te School of Psychology was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Publication date: 20 February 2018

Finding new ways to identify and treat the most challenging brain cancers

A large European research collaboration is bringing new technology to bear to combat two of the most aggressive brain cancers.

The research project combines the expertise of leading biologists and electronic engineers to develop innovative microtechnology devices that will ultimately be able to identify and treat Glioblastoma multiforme and Medulloblastoma cancer stem cells.

Publication date: 19 February 2018

Starfish can see in the dark (among other amazing abilities)

If you go down to the shore today, you’re sure of a big surprise. Many will have witnessed the presence of a starfish or two when visiting the seashore or a public aquarium. Starfish come in an exciting range of colours and sizes, but have you ever given a thought to how this multi-armed wonder manages to exist in our oceans when it’s so unlike the other animals we know?

This article by Coleen Suckling, Lecturer in Marine Biology, at the School of Ocean Sciences was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Publication date: 16 February 2018

Welsh people want more done to prevent illness and improve their health - even if it means spending less on healthcare

53 per cent of people in Wales agree that more money should be spent on preventing illness and less on treating it. Only 15 per cent disagreed.

The national Stay Well in Wales survey, run by Public Health Wales and Bangor University, found that the Welsh public have a strong preference for more public health regulation and intervention.

Publication date: 16 February 2018

Positive psychology helps brain injury survivors recover with a better outlook on life

In the UK alone, nearly 350,000 people are admitted to hospital each year with an acquired brain injury, caused by anything from road traffic accidents, falls, and assaults, to vascular disorders such as strokes. And this number is growing.

This article by was Leanne Rowlands, PhD researcher in Neuropsychology, at the School of Psychology was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Publication date: 15 February 2018

UK criminal justice is at breaking point after years of unstable leadership

The criminal justice system in England and Wales is failing victims and witnesses to such an extent that MPs say it is now “close to breaking point”. Years of budget cuts and changes have led to a justice system that is in meltdown.

With such a crisis at hand, one would expect some kind of “strong and stable” leadership from the UK government.

This article by Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Law, Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Publication date: 14 February 2018

Creative Writing Lecturer reaches prestigious long-list

Lisa Blower, a Creative Writing Lecturer at Bangor University's School of English Literature is one of ten authors long-listed for the prestigious 2018 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award.

This international Award promotes and celebrate the excellence of the modern short story and attracts entries from among the world’s finest writers. Its £30,000 prize is the most generous prize for a single short story in the English language. 

Publication date: 11 February 2018

An important talk on the Holocaust

Thursday evening, 1 February 2018, Dr David Tollerton of Exeter University gave a talk on ‘Holocaust memory and the religious-secular landscape of contemporary Britain’ as part of the School of History and Archaeology seminar series in conjunction with the School of Philosophy and Religion. 

Publication date: 9 February 2018

Reviewing bioenergy resources for construction and other non-energy uses

Bangor University’s BioComposites Centre (BC) has been selected to lead a consortium to deliver a review on ‘The potential for using bioenergy resources for construction and other non-energy uses’ for the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), a non-governmental advisory body. This review will feed into the updated Bioenergy Review 2018, which will be published by the CCC in the autumn.

Publication date: 8 February 2018

Dates for your Diary

February 6: (Bangor) The 2018 Anne Marie Jones Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Graham Allen, former MP and founder of the Early Intervention Foundation

Publication date: 5 February 2018

DNA pinpoints river animals in the here-and-now

New research proves that environmental DNA survives for less than two days in small fast-flowing rivers and so provides highly localised and current information on species composition.  This is crucial new evidence as biologists turn increasingly to new DNA sampling techniques to assess aquatic ecosystem health.

Publication date: 2 February 2018