Healthy outlook as Cambridge Festival explores innovations
The Cambridge Festival began on Wednesday (19 March) and included among its almost 400 free events are many that will showcase cutting-edge health research and the latest innovations in medical science.
This year’s health theme comes at a pivotal moment, as global health challenges such as ageing populations, chronic disease and cancer diagnosis continue to drive scientific inquiry and public debate.
The Festival offers almost 400 mostly free events across multiple themes, including environment, society, and discovery, with health research at the forefront.
Visitors can attend more than 130 events focused on this theme, many designed to demystify the science of healthcare and highlight innovations that have the potential to transform lives. Highlights include:
How AI Could Help Us Treat Insomnia (22 March)
How does relaxation music affect our brains, and can it be tailored to our unique brain waves for personalised therapy? New research shows AI and neurofeedback can create custom sleep and relaxation treatments, which could revolutionise the treatment of sleep disorders and could help tackle brain conditions such as neurodegeneration and brain tumours. Dr Sam Nallaperuma-Herzberg and her team will showcase a simple demo of early versions of the therapy.
How Polymers Can Keep Your Heart Ticking (22 March)
By 2050, more than one million patients will need heart valve replacements, but current prosthetic options require lifelong anticoagulation and bioprosthetic valves degrade over time. A new polymeric heart valve (PHV) developed by the University of Cambridge, University of Bristol, and CamBris Cardiac Ltd could change this. Dr Joanna Stasiak and a researchers provide an inside look at the revolutionary technology.
Tomorrow’s Cures: Game-Changing Molecules and Innovations (22 March)
Breakthroughs in gene editing, nanotechnology and regenerative medicine to address chronic diseases and health disparities will be discussed by Prof Ljiljana Fruk, focusing on age-related conditions. She will explain how protein capsules could be used for drug delivery and immune system modulation using bacteria.
The Odyssey of the Lungs (25 March)
Prof Emma Rawlins and her team are pioneering a new scientific approach to understanding lung development with the creation of mini lung organoids grown from human stem cells.
One researcher will reveal how this system is accelerating genetic research into COPD, while another will explore the potential of lung stem cell analysis to regenerate lungs.
Hidden Little Brain (2 April)
Dr Sumru Bayin and a team of researchers at the Gurdon Institute are studying how the brain develops, the factors that facilitate regeneration, and why the regenerative potential is lost in the adult brain using the cerebellum as a model system. Understanding this is the crucial first step to designing regenerative therapies.
Tomorrow’s Health Today: AI and Data Science Explained (2 April)
How can innovations in AI and big data enhance outbreak monitoring, illness screening, and public health strategies? Experts from the UK Health Security Agency and the University of Cambridge, including Prof Steven Riley, Prof Daniela De Angelis, Prof Raj Jena, Dr Paul Kirk and Prof Angela Wood will share their insights.
Investigating Cancer: Evolution and Ageing (25 March)
Two talks will explore how the biological link between ageing and cancer could lead to new diagnostic tools and therapies. Prof Jamie Blundell will explore how evolution, genomics, and maths can predict and prevent cancer long before it’s diagnosed. Dr Daniel Muñoz Espín will address the connection between ageing and cancer, highlighting potential interventions for rejuvenation and disease prevention.
Do we know too much about cancer? (3 April)
In the age of big data and AI, vast medical information presents both opportunities and challenges. This panel will explore the ethical and practical implications of using AI and machine learning to shape future cancer treatment and prevention. Experts from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, including Prof Florian Markowetz, Prof James Brenton, Dr Ania Piskorz, and Dr Claire Mulvey, will explore the next era in cancer care.
From Sponges to AI: New Technologies for Finding Cancer Early (3 April)
The University of Cambridge’s Early Cancer Institute will host a talk showcasing innovative technologies for early cancer detection. It will feature two experts: Prof Rebecca Fitzgerald, who pioneered a non-invasive capsule sponge test for oesophageal cancer now rolling out in the NHS, and Dr Mireia Crispin, who leads the ovarian cancer programme at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and works on developing affordable at-home cancer tests through her biotech start-up, 52 North Health.
The Impossibility of Whales: Unlocking the Secrets of Healthy Ageing (3 April)
Dr Alex Cagan dives into how certain species have evolved superior DNA protection and repair mechanisms. By studying the genomes of animals with exceptional lifespans, from giant tortoises to short-lived fish, groundbreaking research is unlocking secrets to healthy ageing.
For tickets and the full programme, visit cam.ac.uk.
