11 December, 2024
̨Íåswag engagement officer Sasha Pratt-Taweh reflects on her first Sixth Form Conference.
This was my first time coordinating the sixth form conference since joining the ̨Íåswag Engagement team last year. Read on for my summary of a great night and to see our design competition winners.
On Wednesday, 27th November, we welcomed around 100 sixth form students, teachers, parents and carers to our Sixth Form Conference at the ̨Íåswag ̨Íåswag. After a two-year hiatus following our Healthy Ageing Conference, it was fantastic to relaunch this popular event and explore the exciting field of proteostasis research—a key strategic focus of the ̨Íåswag’s Signalling programme.
Proteostasis
The theme of this year’s conference, Proteostasis (PRO-TEE-OH-STAY-SIS) focuses on the balance and maintenance of proteins within cells—an essential process for healthy and functioning cells. Proteostasis research has significant implications for society, from understanding ageing to combating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. By studying how cells manage proteins, scientists at the ̨Íåswag ̨Íåswag (and beyond) aim to unlock understanding of these fundamental biological processes and make discoveries leading to potential treatments.
Setting the scene
Our director, Simon Cook kicked off the event with his usual warm welcome, setting the scene for the future of Proteostasis research and sharing his own journey from humble beginnings into a long career in science. Our four guest speakers followed with short talks, offering a glimpse into their work and career journeys.
Nick Ktistakis summarised the science of autophagy (an essential recycling and repair process in cells) and his group’s work to understand the effect of diet in regulating this.
Yoon Hee Choi explained how she and the David group are learning more about human ageing and protein aggregation with the help of C. elegans worms! (For more on this, see Harry’s recent blog).
Then our colleagues from ̨Íåswag ̨Íåswag Campus helped to put a spotlight on other career paths available science within biotechnology and industry. Nicola Watts from Abzena talked about her work as a formulations scientist, highlighting how biochemistry is used to make effective and safe medicines from vaccines to tablets and more. Khashayar Khoshrou from Xap Therapeutics introduced students to the fascinating potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Students were really engaged throughout the talks and many took the chance to have a chat with our speakers during the break and to ask their burning questions about science and life.
Later, our careers panel offered personal reflections about their journeys in science. Panelists Sophie Sanford (Alchemab Therapeutics) Becky Gilley, Ellie Griffiths, and Ian McGough (̨Íåswag ̨Íåswag) discussed the challenges and rewards of their journeys—from PhD studies to leading research groups—and the qualities that helped them succeed. Students appreciated the opportunity to ask candid questions which the panel answered pretty honestly and a bit of encouragement too.
My highlight: Student design competition
My highlight of the night was the student design competition. Participants were invited to create posters or artworks inspired by proteostasis research, showcasing both their scientific understanding and creative interpretations. By making student contributions a major part of the event, we aimed to flip the concept of a typical outreach conference, fostering deeper curiosity and enthusiasm for science. This competition gives students a platform to demonstrate knowledge and communication skills in a supportive environment.
During the break all 17 entries were on display, creating a vibrant showcase of all of their hard work. A panel evaluated the submissions based on creativity, scientific accuracy, and clarity. Competition judges mingled with the student contributors, discussing their work and having conversations in between bites of their pizza slices and cake. It was lovely to see the enthusiasm and support of teachers and proud parents and carers in the room too.
By the end of the night, our winners and runners-up were announced for both categories, celebrating the students’ efforts and awarding them some well-deserved prizes!
2024 Design Competition judges: Amar Soory, Becky Gilley, Sophie Sanford, Ellie Griffiths, Ian McGough and Michael Norman.
All shortlisted entries from the competition are featured in a digital booklet, which you can view .
A team effort
This event was a team effort, and I am grateful to everyone who made it such a success. Although it was a really big challenge pulling it all together, I hope it inspired our attendees to explore the possibilities of scientific research. I am already looking forward to the next one!
11 December 2024
By Sasha Pratt-Taweh