Specialist Lectures & Study Day

28.1

An Introduction to Automated Vehicles Design

Dr Amina Hamoud

University of the West of England

This lecture will provide a basic yet comprehensive introduction to the fundamental principles underlying automated vehicle systems design. Through theoretical foundations and practical case studies, students will gain understanding of how various subsystems work together to create safe, reliable automated vehicles while exploring and examining current industry challenges and emerging technologies in the space of autonomous vehicles.

Dr Hamoud is a Senior Lecturer in Systems Engineering at the University of the West of England. She is the EDI co- Lead for the School of Engineering and lead the Bristol Robotics Lab Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (BRL CAV) research group. Prior to joining UWE, Dr Hamoud worked as a Research Engineer for an Automotive Consultancy where her focus was towards developing safe Autonomous Vehicles and Intelligent Transportation Systems while completing her PhD at Loughborough University in the same area. She currently leads on several projects all under the umbrella of AI and Transport autonomy across road, air and maritime.

28.2

We Are Living in a Microbial World, And I am a Microbial Girl/Guy

Professor Colin Hill

University College Cork, Ireland

We are simply visitors to a world shaped by microbes. Microbes are responsible for the oxygen we breathe, for the growth of the crops that sustain us, for the recycling of waste, and for maintaining animal and human health through our microbiomes. We have as many microbes as human cells in our bodies, and this microbial ‘virtual organ’ acquired at birth stays with us for life. In this lecture I will try to convey some of the excitement in this multidisciplinary field of science, the promise of new therapies and strategies to sustain health and prevent and treat disease.

Colin Hill has a PhD in molecular microbiology and is a Professor in the School of Microbiology at University College Cork, Ireland. He is also a founding Principal Investigator in APC Microbiome Ireland, a large research centre of over 300 scientists devoted to the study of the role of the gut microbiota in health and disease. He is particularly interested in the effects of bacteriocins and bacteriophage on community structure and function. He has published more than 650 papers and holds 25 patents. In 2009 he was elected as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, the highest honour for an Irish academic. In 2010 he became a Fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology and in 2010 he was jointly awarded the Elie Metchnikoff Prize for Microbiology. More than 80 PhD students have been trained in his laboratory.

28.3

Dust on the London Underground

Dr Justie Mak

Imperial College London

What’s in the air we breathe and how does it affect our health? This lecture explores air pollution both above and below ground, with a focus on dust exposure in the London Underground. We’ll look at how scientists study the health effects of occupational dust exposure, from collecting data to analysing results. We’ll also explore how we can use existing data to help answer big public health questions. Come and discover how research can help protect workers, and what it’s like to investigate real-world environmental health issues.

Dr Justie Mak is a post-doctoral Research Associate at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. She is an epidemiologist whose research spans a range of health outcomes, with a focus on respiratory diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries. She completed her PhD at Imperial College’s School of Public Health in 2025, where she investigated at the risk of occupational exposure to subway particulate matter on cardiorespiratory health in London Underground workers.

28.4

Searching for New Fundamental Interactions

Dr Luca Mantani

University of Valencia

From ancient philosophers to modern scientists, our understanding of natural phenomena relies on the concept of interactions among fundamental constituents of reality. This concept evolved over time, culminating in the construction of the most successful theory in history: the Standard Model of Particle Physics, which describes Nature at the subatomic scale. In this lecture, Dr Luca Mantani will guide you through the formulation of this model, which relies on two staples of modern science: special relativity and quantum mechanics. He will demonstrate why, despite its success, it cannot be the final theory and will discuss current efforts to discover new interactions at the Large Hadron Collider.

Dr Luca Mantani is a researcher in theoretical particle physics at the University of Valencia, with a broad interest in understanding the fundamental structure of Nature. Specifically, Dr Luca is an expert in particle collider phenomenology and the focus of his research is the identification of novel interactions among fundamental particles. Additionally, he actively conduces Dark Matter research, with a particular emphasis on indirect detection and collider production.

28.5

Designing AI to Address Global Challenges

Dr Shakir Mohamed

University College London

While many are familiar with generative AI through platforms like ChatGPT, AI possesses a flexibility that allows it to be developed for many different uses and problems. This flexibility means that we can make deliberate choices about what to focus on when developing and using AI, particularly in designing AI with a public purpose to address global challenges. Today, AI encompasses many fields, including science, engineering, product design, economics, and politics. In this talk, Mohamed aims to provide a broad overview of this dynamic and exciting field, with a focus on the scientific and engineering aspects of AI design. He will specifically concentrate on two areas: learning and education, and weather and climate.

Shakir Mohamed works on technical and sociotechnical questions in AI research and development, working on problems in foundational AI, applied problems in healthcare, education and environment, and participation and responsibility. Shakir is a Research Director at Google DeepMind in London, an Associate Fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, and an Honorary Professor of University College London. Shakir is a founder and trustee of the Deep Learning Indaba, a grassroots charity whose work is to build pan-African capacity and leadership in AI. In 2023, Shakir was included in the TIME 100 most influential people in AI. He serves on several boards, including the oversight board of the Ada Lovelace Institute, as the Chair of the international scientific advisory committee for the pan-Canadian AI strategy, the Royal Society Diversity and Inclusion committee, and the AI field’s leading conferences (ICLR, ICML, NeurIPS). Shakir is from South Africa, he completed a postdoc at the University of British Columbia, received his PhD from St John’s College in the University of Cambridge, and received his masters and undergraduate degrees in Electrical and Information engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

28.6

Radioactivity: The Glowing Future?

Dr Louise Natrajan

University of Manchester

Shortly after the discovery of radioactivity, it was considered a health benefit to humans yet nowadays, we now consider most radioactivity to be harmful. Radioactivity is all around us and is important in our everyday lives. However, since we are unable to see radiation, several fears about its use exist. This is particularly true for electricity generated from nuclear fission from uranium targets. Given the current global shift to investing in new nuclear power, unravelling the chemistry of radioisotopes is paramount to identifying and following the movement of the radioactive waste products in the environment. Radioactive wastes are medically useful. Dr Louise Natrajan will discuss several myths surrounding radioactivity and show that we can utilize the fluorescence of uranium to help clean up nuclear wastes in the environment and source medically useful radioisotopes.

Dr Louise Natrajan is a Reader in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Manchester. She obtained her MChem degree at the University of York and PhD in inorganic chemistry at Nottingham University, after which she took up postdoctoral positions at the CEA, Grenoble France, and the University of Manchester. She was awarded an EPSRC Career Acceleration Fellowship in 2009, where she began her independent career at Manchester. She has successfully carved out a prominent cross-disciplinary niche focussing on the coordination chemistry and photophysical properties of the lanthanides and actinides. Her work has advanced fundamental inorganic chemistry and spectroscopy and has helped deliver practical tools for f-element recovery, environmental monitoring, healthcare sensing, and nuclear safety.

28.7

My Journey from Air Quality to STEM Equity

Dr Mark Richards

Imperial College London

This talk follows Dr. Mark Richards’ path into climate research, and will cover several aspects across the physical sciences, engineering, innovation, and eventually science policy. Additionally, it is rarely considered that some of these same problem-solving approaches and techniques can also be utilised to address aspects of equity within STEM.

Dr Mark Richards has a BSc in Chemistry, and a PhD in Physics from Imperial College London. His research centred on the spectroscopic study of nitric acid vapour for atmospheric remote sensing retrievals. After working in finance for a while, Mark returned to Imperial as a Post Doctoral Researcher within the High Energy Physics Group, to manage a Technology Transfer program. He has since co-founded an Imperial spin-out technology business – specialising in wireless air sensor networks for real-time pollution mapping. Currently, Mark is the Deputy Admissions Tutor for the physics department, and Principle Investigator of a physics education research (PER) project called Strengthening Learning Communities.

28.8

The Cytoskeleton and Cancer Metastasis

Professor Victoria Sanz-Moreno

Institute of Cancer Research

Victoria Sanz-Moreno holds degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Oviedo and earned her PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Cantabria, studying Ras-MAPK signalling. She joined Professor Chris Marshall’s lab at The Institute of Cancer Research as a Marie Curie Intra-European Postdoctoral Fellow and received the Applied Biosystems and EACR Research Award for her work on Rho GTPase signalling in cancer. In 2011, she began her independent research with a CRUK Career Development Fellowship at King’s College London, later receiving a CRUK Senior Fellowship to investigate Rho kinase in cancer progression. She has been recognised with the BSCB Women in Cell Biology Medal and featured in Journal of Cell Science and Journal of Cell Biology.

In 2018, Victoria was appointed Professor of Cancer Cell Biology at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London. She was featured in the “Ruta de las Cientificas” STEM project in 2021, and in 2022 received the Estela Medrano Memorial Award, Queen Mary’s VP Award for Research Excellence and the Barts Cancer Institute Research Impact Award. In 2023, her lab moved to the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research. Her research focuses on cytoskeletal dynamics in cancer metastasis, integrating cell biology, OMICs, mouse models and digital pathology to uncover new therapeutic targets. She is deeply committed to science communication and promoting diversity in research.

30.1

Understanding the Data from the Large Hadron Collider

Professor Freya Blekman

DESY & University of Hamburg, Germany

Ever wondered about why the 27 kilometer Large Hadron Collider was built and what scientists do with it? Then this is the talk for you! The collider is the Swiss army knife of experiments, and investigates anything from new particles and forces to the birth of the universe. As one of the physicists who works with the enormous detectors that record the collisions of the Large Hadron Collider, Freya will not only convince you that particle physics is necessary and interesting for everyone (including tax payers), but also on the fun and social aspects of this exceptional human effort to understand the building blocks of matter.

Freya Blekman is a lead scientist at the German physics laboratory DESY and a Helmholtz Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Hamburg. She holds additional chairs as guest professor at Oxford University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel. She works at CERN, where she uses the data from the Large Hadron Collider, collected with the enormous Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment, to search for undiscovered physics processes and new particles. Blekman is also responsible for the communication to the outside world of the 130+ papers per year by the 3000+ person strong CMS Collaboration and has won multiple prizes for her science and for science communication.

30.2

Engineering Sustainably

Professor Paul Hellier

University College London

Decades of expanding fossil fuel utilisation have resulted in devasting climate change and toxic air quality, negatively impacting environments and public health across the world. A sustainable global future that prevents the extreme impacts of greenhouse gas emissions urgently requires that energy from fossil fuels is replaced by renewable net-zero alternatives. Truly sustainable fuels must also address the pollutants and health impacts that arise from combustion engines across transport and energy sectors.

In this lecture, Professor Paul Hellier shares his research and passion for engineering responses to the global challenges of sustainable energy and air quality. Via excretion from algae, spent coffee grounds, waste wood and literal zero-carbon, he highlights the potential for maximising the benefits of renewable energy sources and reducing emissions of toxic pollutants through re-imagining and engineering future sustainable fuels. Paul Hellier is Professor of Sustainable Energy Engineering at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL). With a first degree in Environmental Engineering, since completing his PhD at UCL focusing on the molecular structure of future fuels he has worked with partners across industry, academia and public authorities in the development of sustainable net-zero fuels with organisations involved in waste valorisation and fuels production, emissions control and the assessment of health impacts from combustion. Paul’s research group focuses on the development of novel renewable fuels across transport sectors (road, marine and aviation), investigating in practical engines effects of fuel chemical composition on combustion and emissions.

30.3

What’s so Special About Relativity?

Raymond Isichei

Imperial College London

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis (Miracle Year). In 1905 Einstein published four papers on different concepts which completely changed the way we understand the universe. The most revolutionary of these concepts was Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. For thousands of years humans were mostly ignorant about space and time. For hundreds of years humans considered space as where things exist and time as being absolute and independent of space. Einstein’s breakthrough was not to consider them as separate, but to consider them a unified fabric. To fully appreciate Einstein’s revolution and it’s incredible consequences, we’re going to travel through time and space to understand space-time!

Raymond is a 2nd year PhD student in theoretical physics at Imperial college London. His research attempts to understand the mysterious relationship between gravity and thermodynamics in a variety of contexts such as black holes and cosmology. In 2023 Raymond was awarded one of only ten Bell-Burnell Graduate Scholarships in the UK by the Institute of Physics. These scholarships are awarded to highly talented students from underrepresented groups in physics to pursue a PhD in physics. Prior to PhD, Raymond completed his MSc in theoretical physics at Imperial College London where he awarded the Bayforest Technologies LTD prize for the best MSc dissertation across all physics courses.

30.4

Rewiring the Brain After Critical Illness

Dr Gideon Johnson

King’s College London

What happens to the brain when someone survives intensive care? Why do some patients emerge confused, changed, or emotionally broken? In this immersive and thought-provoking session, Dr Gideon Johnson explores the hidden aftermath of critical illness, delirium, cognitive dysfunction, and emotional trauma, and how human connection, family involvement, and artificial intelligence are shaping recovery. Drawing on cutting-edge research and lived ICU stories, this session challenges students to rethink what survival means and how science, compassion, and technology can work together to heal the brain. Come ready to engage, reflect, and imagine the future of global health and human-centred care.

Dr Gideon Ugochukwu Johnson is a postdoctoral researcher, critical care nurse scientist, assistant professor and founder of the CIBS+ programme in the UK. Recognised internationally for his pioneering work on brain dysfunction and ICU recovery, he blends science, storytelling, and artificial intelligence to improve outcomes for critically ill patients and their families. A UN Peace Ambassador and speaker across four continents, Gideon completed his PhD in Brain Dysfunction and now leads work to personalise ICU survivorship using digital innovation. He is currently based at King’s College London.

30.5

Forensic Science: Challenges, Break-Throughs & What Next?

Professor Ruth Morgan

UCL Centre for the Forensic Sciences

Forensic science is a technological success story, the last 25 years have seen unprecedented developments in our capabilities to establish what a trace is and who it has come from. Yet, we still witness miscarriages of justice and challenges to the use of science in the service of justice. This lecture will take us on a journey to explore forensic science, why these challenges exist, what the root causes of those challenges are , and how research is helping us to solve these challenges in the real world.

Ruth Morgan is Professor of Crime and Forensic Science, the Founder and Director of the UCL Centre for the Forensic Sciences, and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the UCL Arista Institute (a collaboration between the faculties of Engineering Sciences and Arts + Humanities). Ruth works at the intersection of science, technology and the humanities, with a focus on real world challenges and impact. She has acted as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee during their inquiry into Forensic Science, was elected a World Economic Forum Young Scientist, and a member of World.Minds, and she serves on the Frontiers Policy Labs editorial board.

30.6

Why Scientists Should Also Be Revolutionaries

Professor David Nutt

Imperial College London

In this lecture, David Nutt will explore examples from history and his own present day research why scientific advances often require challenging irrational and un-scientific rules and regulations. However to do this requires courage and resilience and the support of colleagues, but can make a real difference in the way science progresses.

David Nutt is currently the Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuro- psychopharmacology and director of the Neuro- psychopharmacology Unit in the Division of Brain Sciences. He trained at Cambridge, Guys Hospital, Oxford University and NIH in the USA. His research focuses on how drugs work in the brain and the mechanisms underpinning psychiatric disorders particularly addiction and depression. He has published over 700 research papers, 36 books and 8 government reports. He founded the charity Drug Science in 2009 and won the John Maddox prize for standing up for science in 2013. David is currently Chair of DrugScience (formally the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD) and President of the European Brain Council. Previously he has been President of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), the British Neuroscience Association (BNA) and the British Association of Psychopharmacology (BAP). He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Psychiatrists and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He is the UK Director of the European Certificate and Masters in Affective Disorders Courses and a member of the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy. In 2010 The Times Eureka science magazine included him in the 100 most important figures in British Science, and the only psychiatrist.

30.7

An Overview of Computational Linguistics

Dr Maximiliana Behnke

Microsoft

This talk explores the evolution of computational linguistics, beginning with early machine translation efforts during the 1950s and tracing the field’s development to today’s AI-powered chatbots. We’ll examine key milestones, shifting approaches—from rule-based systems to deep learning—and how these advances have shaped the way machines process human language. This session offers an engaging overview of how language and technology have grown together.

Maximiliana Behnke is a Senior Research Scientist at Microsoft, where she focuses on optimization of large-scale natural language processing systems. With a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and experience across academia and industry, her work focuses on making AI models faster, smaller, and more efficient—paving the way for more accessible and sustainable AI.

30.8

Pathogens, Penguins and the Planet

Dr Jane Usher

University of Exeter

This lecture explores the emerging threat of fungal pathogens in the context of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and climate change. Fungi are evolving rapidly, with rising global temperatures expanding their range and virulence. Antarctica, once thought isolated, now reveals critical insights into microbial evolution under extreme conditions. We will examine how climate-driven environmental shifts may foster novel resistant strains and facilitate global spread. Understanding fungal dynamics in such remote ecosystems is key to forecasting global AMR trends and developing effective mitigation strategies in a warming world.

Dr. Jane Usher is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter’s MRC Centre for Medical Mycology. Her research focuses on the human fungal pathogen Candida glabrata, which poses significant health risks, particularly to immunocompromised individuals. Dr. Usher investigates the mechanisms behind this pathogen’s resistance to antifungal treatments and immune responses by sequencing the genomes of highly resistant strains, aiming to enhance understanding and inform the development of more effective therapies. Dr. Usher earned her PhD in Eukaryotic Gene Regulation from Trinity College Dublin in 2007, following an MSc in Molecular Medicine and a BSc in Biology & Statistics. Her postdoctoral research includes positions at Trinity College Dublin and the University of Ottawa. In 2022, she was awarded a prestigious BBSRC Discovery Fellowship, recognizing her potential as a future research leader. Beyond her research, Dr. Usher actively engages in public science communication, participating in initiatives like the “Researching Resistance” exhibition during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which highlights the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

1.1

The Impact of Hydrogen Fuel Technology

Maurice Brown – LIYSF 1986

Utrecht University, The Netherlands

The Hydrogen fuel cell has been around since 1839. This relatively obscure, but highly valued technology, helped power the United States Space Programme from the 1960’s and still today. The technology holds great promise, as it presents a real alternative to fossil fuel energy. However, the industry will face a tough future. Promoters of this energy source must master the learning curve of the energy industry, if it is to become a feasible alternative. How does this technology work, what are its applications and what problems does it face as an industry?

Maurice Brown is from Kingston, Jamaica, studying at Campion College and the College of Arts Science and Technology. He moved to the Netherlands in 1994 and completed his Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration and Master’s Degree in Business Management. He became a consultant to the aviation industry and later, held financial positions in various international companies. Currently, he is lecturer in Finance and Business Strategy at the University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, (Netherlands) and is owner of a small company looking into promoting and exporting to developing countries.

1.2

Complexity Science: The Study Emergent Behaviours

Enrico Caprioglio – LIYSF 2016

University of Sussex

Complex systems are characterised by collective properties that transcend those of their individual components. In other words, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In this lecture, Enrico Caprioglio will introduce the fundamentals of information theory—entropy and mutual information—and recent advancements that attempt to formalise the concept of emergence. This novel framework defines synergistic information: higher-order statistical interdependencies that arise exclusively at the collective level. The lecture will include some typical examples of this, how a detective can use synergistic information to solve murder cases, and how the human brain displays intricate emergent patterns of neuronal activity.

Enrico Caprioglio was born in Italy and, after participating in the 2016 LIYSF, he moved to the UK to study Physics. He earned his theoretical physics undergraduate and master’s degrees at UCL and Imperial College London, where he specialized in quantum information theory and the theory of complexity. During these years, he returned to LIYSF as a staff member for 6 years, and co-authored a Classical Mechanics textbook published by the Institute of Physics. He is now finishing his PhD at the University of Sussex, where he uses complexity theory and computational modeling to try to understand brain function and organization.

1.3

How Stem Cells Shape Your Future

Licyel Paulas Condori – LIYSF 2019

University of Cambridge

In this lecture, Licyel will dive into the fascinating world of stem cells – what they are and their unique properties. She will explore how these cells “decide” their fate, the key molecular players involved, and the techniques scientists use to grow them in the lab. Attendees will also discover how stem cell research is unlocking mysteries of human development, one of biology’s biggest “black boxes,” and revolutionizing biomedicine, from disease modelling to cutting-edge therapies. Finally, the talk will include insights on how young scientists can get involved, with information on stem cell internships.

Licyel Lenny Paulas Condori is a Bolivian biologist currently pursuing a PhD. in Stem Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge, supported by two prestigious scholarships. She holds an MRes in Stem Cell Biology from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Molecular Biology with honours from Belgium. Her research journey in stem cell biology began with an internship at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (2018), where she gained hands-on experience in cutting-edge stem cell techniques. Beyond academia, she founded Microscopy for All (Microscopía Para Todos), an organization promoting STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education for Bolivian high school students. Her work has been recognized through social impact projects in Bolivia, grants (including from the U.S. Embassy), and multiple awards. Notably, she was named one of Latin America’s 100 Young Leaders in Biotechnology and has represented Bolivia at international scientific forums.

1.4

Photonics Solutions to Transform the Brain

Clare Elwell – LIYSF 1984

University College London

Recent advances in neuroimaging have revolutionised how we study the human brain. One key innovation is near infrared spectroscopy, or NIRS: a portable, wearable and affordable optical method for imaging brain activity. In this lecture, Professor Clare Elwell will highlight how NIRS enables studies of brain oxygen metabolism in both infants and adults, supporting research into early autism markers and brain development. Its success in resource-limited settings has also established NIRS as a powerful tool in global health. Alongside these breakthroughs, Clare will explore the ethical considerations raised by the increasing accessibility of brain imaging and the data it generates. She will also discuss the important role of medical physicists in ensuring neuroimaging is used responsibly, both in clinical and international research contexts.

Clare Elwell is Professor of Medical Physics at University College London and Vice Dean for Impact at UCL Engineering. She develops optical brain imaging tools, with projects spanning infant development, autism, migraine and global health. She leads the BRIGHT project, which produced the first infant brain scans in Africa, and received a Brocher Foundation Fellowship in 2023 for her work on ethical neuroimaging. Clare is Past President of two major scientific societies and currently leads the London International Youth Science Forum. A Fellow of the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society for Arts, she also served as a British Science Association Media Fellow at the Financial Times. She founded the charity Young Scientists for Africa and in 2024 directed the UCL Festival of Engineering, which attracted over 10,000 attendees from industry, government and education.

1.5

Pulling Back the Curtain on Engineering Project Management

Ndiuwem Essien – LIYSF 2013

Protolabs, The Netherlands

In today’s world, the shape of manufacturing is changing rapidly, and the capabilities of what humans can achieve with AI are greater than most can imagine. The lecture will cover the career of an engineer today and the role of digital manufacturing across various industries, from space to sports science, turning ideas into reality. It will explore not only current and emerging technologies but also “old” techniques that still produce incredible and consistent results.

Ndiuwem (Simi) studied at the University of Nottingham where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree (Beng) in Mechanical Engineering an MSc in Aerospace Technologies with a focus on Manufacturing. On leaving university he worked as a Design Engineer for the Hydraulic division for 4 years at Parker Hannifin Ltd, focusing on sectional valve systems, new product design and improvements. Simi is currently a Project Management Team Lead at Protolabs, a leader in digital manufacturing, where he leads a team and co-ordinates the supply of high spec engineering parts to a global client base.

1.6

Born Protected: The Science of Maternal Immunity Transfer

Dr Émer Hickey – LIYSF 2014

University of Exeter

Have you ever wondered how newborns are protected from infections right after birth? As placental mammals, pregnant women and their foetuses share an incredible connection during pregnancy, allowing the transfer of vital immune components. This fascinating process doesn’t stop at birth; it continues through breastfeeding, providing newborns with crucial protection while their own immune systems are still developing. In this session, you will discover how immunity is transferred from mother to child during pregnancy and nursing. We’ll dive into the transfer of immune cells, explore the intriguing development of microchimerism, and discuss how these processes help control infections in early life. Additionally, we will examine the emerging role of maternal vaccinations in extending neonatal immunity.
Dr. Émer Hickey is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter. Her research in the Horsnell Group focuses on understanding maternal immunity and its impact on mucosal infections caused by fungi, helminths, and bacteria. Émer first attended LIYSF as a student in 2014, where her enthusiasm for science flourished. She later returned as a staff member and served as Chief of Staff from 2019 to 2023. Today, she continues to contribute to LIYSF as a Scientific Advisor. In 2013, Émer and her teammates secured the top prize at BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE). BTYSTE. Subsequently, the team represented Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists and the Google Science Fair, securing first place in both competitions. TIME magazine recognized Émer as one of the most influential teenagers globally. Throughout this period, she regularly spoke at outreach events such as WeDay, the Do Lectures, and Wired UK. Additionally, she presented a STEM documentary in collaboration with Coca Cola and VICE.

Dr. Émer Hickey is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter. Her research in the Horsnell Group focuses on understanding maternal immunity and its impact on mucosal infections caused by fungi, helminths, and bacteria. Émer first attended LIYSF as a student in 2014, where her enthusiasm for science flourished. She later returned as a staff member and served as Chief of Staff from 2019 to 2023. Today, she continues to contribute to LIYSF as a Scientific Advisor. In 2013, Émer and her teammates secured the top prize at BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE). BTYSTE. Subsequently, the team represented Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists and the Google Science Fair, securing first place in both competitions. TIME magazine recognized Émer as one of the most influential teenagers globally. Throughout this period, she regularly spoke at outreach events such as WeDay, the Do Lectures, and Wired UK. Additionally, she presented a STEM documentary in collaboration with Coca Cola and VICE.

1.7

Future-Proofing our Planet: The Rise of Industrial ClimateTech

Simran Mohnani – LIYSF 2013

Deloitte UK

Climate intrapreneurship is about exploring alternative models to entrepreneurship; building green solutions in-house within a company’s corporate venture labs, otherwise known as ‘the innovation arm of the business’. Join Simran as she discusses how to build climate inventions, prototypes, MVPs (minimum viable products) and ventures by bringing together industry, academia and startups to decarbonise high-emitting sectors. Simran has worked across the innovation lifecycle: from designing bioreactors for cultured meat in R&D labs, to automating chocolate-cooling at the Cadbury chocolate factory, and digitising COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing to make factories go ‘paperless’. This lecture will cover novel examples of industrial climatetech in our pursuit of Net Zero and how to build industrial green innovations at different scales.

Simran is a Chemical Engineer, Industry4.0 Consultant and ClimateTech Intrapreneur who leads Circular Economy Innovation for Deloitte UK. Prior to this, she has worked across R&D, manufacturing and consulting in designing net-zero manufacturing systems of the future: from cultured meat scaleup to lean chocolate-making and digitised COVID-19 vaccine production. She was the Malta 2013 delegate to LIYSF and credits the forum with her love and discovery of Chemical Engineering. Also a STEM ambassador, student mentor and panel speaker, she is internationally recognised for her work championing women in tech and engineering, and now serves as a One Young World ambassador, World Economic Forum Global Shaper, and UN Women volunteer in championing youth voices on climate action and educational access. She has been recognised as one of the UK’s TechWomen100, JCI Malta’s Top 10 under 40, Salters’ Top 5 UK Chemical Engineers and the UK’s Asian Woman of Achievement, and this year will be moving to the University of Stanford to pursue her MBA as an elected Fulbright scholar.

1.8

Project Earth: How Can We Support You to Build a Better Future

Professor Becky Parker – LIYSF 1978

Queen Mary, University of London

Project Earth is a climate accelerator for young people, empowering and supporting them to innovate. It offers advice to bring ideas to fruition and to showcase phenomenal creativity in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. Project Earth is affiliated with the Earthshot Prize and supported by a brilliant group of expert advisors https://projectearth.global/advisors/.
In June 2026, Project Earth will be hosting ‘Pitch for the Planet’ at the Royal Institution. This is an opportunity for students from across the world to pitch ideas to an audience of investors, advisors, and special guests in person or online. It’s an invitation to get involved with Project Earth.”

Becky is Visiting Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Queen Mary, University of London, teaches and is Director of Project Earth, a charity supporting young people around the world to innovate for the planet. She has helped students flourish in research in particle physics and space science but is now focused on amplifying their innovative contributions to tackling climate change. Becky was awarded an MBE in 2008.

4.1

Growing Artificial Living Tissues to Study and Heal the Human Body

Dr James Armstrong

University of Bristol

The human body is a collection of specialised tissues, such as bones, muscles, skin, and brain. These tissues have highly evolved structures that enable them to perform different complex tasks. Unfortunately, all tissues are susceptible to disease, damage or ageing, and there are many cases for which modern medicine does not yet have an answer. Our laboratory is approaching this problem by growing artificial living tissues in the laboratory. The intention is that these artificial tissues can be used as living implants or as models to study how our body becomes diseased and responds to drugs. In this specialist lecture, I will describe the progress made by my laboratory and others in achieving this goal.

Dr James Armstrong is a Senior Research Fellow working in the Department of Translational Health Sciences at the University of Bristol (www.TheArmstrongGroup.co.uk). His research has been supported by three personal Fellowships: Arthritis Research UK (2015-2018), the Medical Research Council (2018-2021), and now a prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (2021-2028). These major funding awards have enabled him to lead a programme of highly interdisciplinary and collaborative research focussed on using biomaterials, nanomaterials, and remote fields to engineer artificial tissues with structural and functional complexity. He is now expanding his research interests into engineering stem-cell-derived organoids while also seeking to translate his technologies for applied biological modelling and regenerative medicine.

4.2

What Controls the Earthquake Behaviour of Faults?

Dr Rebecca Bell

Imperial College London

Subduction zone faults produce the largest earthquakes on Earth, but recently scientists have discovered that some faults also experience slow slip events—fault movements that occur gradually without generating strong shaking. In this talk we will see results from ambitious offshore expeditions that try to address the question- Why do some faults slip violently, and others creep silently? We will learn how sound can be used to image faults kilometres underground and how deep ocean drilling can monitor slowly slipping faults. Finally, we will get a glimpse into how data science and AI may help us get to the bottom of why some faults slip in magnitude 9+ earthquakes and others slip slowly.

Rebecca Bell’s fascination with volcanoes and fossil hunting along the beaches of southwest England sparked a lifelong passion for Earth sciences. She earned an MSci in Earth Sciences from the University of Oxford, followed by a PhD at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, where she focused on characterising active fault lines in Greece. After completing her doctorate, she worked as an Active Source Seismologist at GNS Science in New Zealand. She later returned to the UK to join Imperial College London, where she is now an Associate Professor in Tectonics.

4.3

Biomechanical Simulation

Dr I-Han Cheng

Imperial College London

This lecture explores the biomechanics of tibialis posterior tendon transfer for foot drop correction, focusing on how different fixation sites and routing techniques influence surgical outcomes. Using OpenSim simulations, we compare classic and modified approaches, including interosseous and circumtibial pathways, to assess their impact on dorsiflexion moment arms and mechanical efficiency. Attendees will gain insight into how the insertion point affects force transmission, alignment, and overall functional restoration. This session is ideal for researchers, surgeons, and students interested in surgical biomechanics, tendon rerouting strategies, and the use of computational modelling in clinical decision-making.

Dr I-Han (Iressa) Cheng is a medical doctor from Taiwan and an MSc candidate in Musculoskeletal Science and Medical Engineering at University College London. With a clinical background and a strong interest in biomechanics, her research focuses on musculoskeletal science, surgical simulation, and computational modelling using OpenSim. She specialises in optimising biomechanical outcomes in foot drop correction through tendon transfer surgery. Dr Cheng has presented her work internationally and is passionate about integrating engineering tools into surgical decision-making to enhance patient care.

4.4

AI in STEM: Unlocking Potential & Navigating Risks

Dr Howard Haughton

King’s College London

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), offering unprecedented opportunities and posing significant challenges. In this talk, we will explore how AI enhances research capabilities, accelerates innovation, and opens new frontiers in STEM disciplines. Conversely, we will also delve into the potential threats, such as ethical dilemmas, data privacy concerns, and the risk of widening the digital divide. By examining both sides of the coin, we aim to foster a balanced understanding of AI’s role in shaping the future of STEM, preparing the next generation to harness its power responsibly.

Dr. Howard Haughton is an expert in quantitative financial risk with a focus on computational finance. He is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at Kings College London. He is the EDI (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) Champion at the Institute of Mathematics and Chair of Sporting Equals the UK’s leading organisation for racial equality in sports. He has a PhD in Mathematical Computer Science and worked in risk and capital markets across prominent institutions, including JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch, and Dresdner Bank AG. He has provided advisory services to government bodies and other organisations on sustainable development, leadership, corporate governance, diversity, and inclusion.

4.5

Astrophysical Black Holes 101

Dr Jiachen Jiang

University of Warwick

Black holes are full of mystery and myth, often painted as cosmic vacuum cleaners or invisible monsters in popular culture. This lecture will peel back the fiction, using astrophysical observations from telescopes like JWST, XMM-Newton, and the Event Horizon Telescope to reveal their true nature. Through interactive demonstrations and storytelling, we will tackle questions together such as: What are black holes? Where are they? How do they evolve? How do black holes defy expectations, reshape galaxies, and even spark new stars? Astrophysical Black Holes 101 is about challenging assumptions through simple physics.

Dr Jiachen Jiang is a teaching faculty in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick. His research focuses on black hole accretion and high-energy astrophysics, combining X-ray spectroscopy and time-series analysis to explore the environments around black holes in galaxies and X-ray binaries. He received his PhD in Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. He then has held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Cambridge and Tsinghua University, and serves on several international telescope and mission committees.

4.6

Antimicrobial Resistance: Science and The Way Forward

Dr Anusha Karunasagar

National Health Service

Dr. Anusha Karunasagara will explore the critical issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health threat where bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risks of severe illness, disability, and death. This lecture will delve into the mechanisms behind drug resistance, its impact on healthcare, and the importance of addressing AMR through scientific research, policy, and clinical practice. With the field’s promising career prospects, Dr. Karunasagara will highlight the diverse opportunities available for those passionate about public health and combating this urgent challenge.

Dr. Anusha Karunasagara is a clinical microbiologist and researcher working in Infectious Diseases within the NHS, UK. Her main research interests include Infection Prevention and Control and using bacteriophages as a tool to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR). She completed her medical education in 2006 and trained in Microbiology by 2010. She has worked at a pediatric hospital and Madras Medical Mission in India, where she completed her PhD. Anusha has over 50 publications, seven book chapters, and has received many awards, including SHEA’s International Ambassador and Pfizer Medical Grants. She is also completing an MBA at Imperial College Business School, London.

4.7

The Mathematics of Wound Healing

Professor Tanniemola B. Liverpool

University of Bristol

In this lecture, Professor Tanniemola B. Liverpool, will explore the wound healing process through a quantitative approach grounded in thermodynamics, continuum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Using data from live imaging of a fruit fly pupal wing, Professor Liverpool will examine cell shape deformation, division, and migration – key behaviors in re-epithelialization. The lecture highlights how math, physics, and biology collaborate to reveal the organizing principles behind the complex cellular dynamics driving tissue regeneration.

Professor Tanniemola B. Liverpool is based at the Applied Mathematics Institute of the School of Mathematics at Bristol, where he has worked for the last 17 years. He obtained his undergraduate and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge. He has also worked at several academic institutions in France, Germany, and the UK. His research primarily involves mathematical descriptions of complex fluids, including membranes, polymers, and gels. He is increasingly interested in the study of “soft biological matter” (DNA, proteins, the cytoskeleton, and gene regulation), and the organizing principles behind this highly interesting active (living) state of matter.

4.8

Microbiology & You: Investigating the Bacterial World

Dr Kasia Parfitt

University of Oxford

Let’s talk about the good and bad about microbes. This lecture will cover a background on microorganisms, introduce microbes on and in our bodies, and delve into the use of modern genomic techniques to trace origins of the plague (also known as the ‘Black Death’) over thousands of years. We will use the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis as an example and use interactive tools to investigate what happens when there are multiple cases of infection (known as an outbreak). You will be able to investigate how disease spreads globally, and we will discuss the limitations of vaccines as an intervention strategy.

Dr Kasia Parfitt is a research scientist at the University of Oxford, specialising in bacterial genomics and molecular microbiology. She has interests in a range of infectious diseases that affect human health. Her current work is investigating and developing tools for studying the epidemiology and population biology of Neisseria meningitidis, the causative organism of meningitis.