CAN TATTOOS CAUSE HARM? - University of Bradford

www.bradford.ac.uk/news-and-views
CAN TATTOOS
CAUSE HARM?
The magazine of the University of Bradford
Autumn 2013
We have set our stall out
unashamedly to be all about
new cancer drug discovery.
Page 14, The Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal
Professor Cantor brings a
wealth of experience to the
role, in higher education,
business, government and
the region.
CONTENTS
Can Tattoos Cause Harm ...................................
4
Standing Up to Dementia ...................................
6
Digital Stone Age ................................................
8
Yorkshire Innovation Fund..................................
8
The Sound of the Underground .........................
9
National Teaching Fellow ...................................
9
Page 10, New Vice-Chancellor takes up post
To hear Trevor’s account of
his own diagnosis of vascular
dementia, is to understand the
emotional impact… in a way
that cannot be conveyed to our
students by any textbook
Page 6, Standing Up to Dementia
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FRONT COVER: Bradford Researchers have raised concerns about the dangers of
some tattoo inks and their potential to cause illnesses, including cancers, page 4.
PHOTOS LEFT: Student Volunteers were on hand during September to welcome
thousands of new students to the University.
New Vice-Chancellor takes up post ................
10
Honorary Graduates July 2013 .......................
12
Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal .....................
14
Born in Bradford ..............................................
18
Hair Analysis Sheds New Light
on Inca Child Sacrifice .....................................
20
Award-Winning Accommodation .....................
22
The Impact of Austerity Cuts ...........................
23
Circular Economy MBA ...................................
24
News in Brief ....................................................
26
What’s On ........................................................
28
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Gill Bowker, Mark Dolby, Emma Penny, Sheila Whyatt,
Emma Jones.
OUR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Justin Slee, Simon Stock, Victor De Jesus and Mark Dolby
CAN TATTOOS
CAUSE HARM?
Bradford Researchers have raised concerns about the
dangers of some tattoo inks and their potential to cause
illnesses, including cancers. The team are calling for
more research after discovering evidence that nanoparticles from the ink can leave the skin (most likely via
its dense network of blood and lymphatic vessels) and
can be transported to other organs of the body.
According to a report in The Sunday Times (Sept 23,
2013), tattoo ink manufacturers acknowledge that
some tattoo studios use inks containing carcinogenic
compounds, though they are campaigning to reduce it
to zero.
Given the enormous increase in tattooing in the last
10 years, Professor Tobin believes this is a potentially
significant public health concern. He said: “This
preliminary study lays a solid foundation for a larger
research study to be submitted by the team for funding
later this year.
“We need to do more work, but there is no question
that these substances can be toxic. It takes a long time
for the multi-step nature of cancer to show its face and
I don’t think we should wait to see if there is anything
wrong with these ingredients.”
Professor Des Tobin, Director of the University’s Centre
for Skin Sciences (CSS), said: “I was “stunned at the
lack of regulation of the inks injected deep into human
skin in Britain.” Only infection control is currently
regulated and he commented: “there is no question that
certain ink constituents can be toxic.”
Professor Tobin worked with Richard Baker, a
Research Technician in CSS and Dr Colin Grant, a
newly appointed lecturer in Medical Engineering from
the School of Engineering and Informatics. Colin is a
specialist in the use of atomic force microscopes (AFM)
and tissue mechanics.
The atomic force microscope is a probe based
microscope that allows visualisation at the nano-level
of almost any surface (tissue, cell, crystal, polymer etc.)
under any condition (aqueous media, temperature).
The AFM probe can further act as a nanoindenter, so
the nano-mechanical response of the surface of interest
can be acquired. This is the first time AFM has been
used to examine skin with tattoos.
Together, Professor Tobin and Dr Grant were able
to show that collagen, the body’s main connective
tissue, is re-modelled by the tattoo process and that
nano-particles of tattoo (50-150 nm diameter) become
embedded in the collagenous network of the dermis
(top right). Later the ink particles appear around blood
vessels (bottom right).
4
5
STANDING UP
TO DEMENTIA
On a hot July graduation day, the University’s Great Hall
rises to its feet in an unprecedented standing ovation. The
recipient is Trevor Jarvis, who lives with dementia, accepting
an honorary doctorate for his work to improve dementia care
practice.
Trevor and his family had to learn to live with his condition.
He attended a support group for people with young onset
dementia (those under 65), and while there was asked if he
would like to speak about his experiences of living with the
condition.
Among the first to stand is Dr Andrea Capstick, of the
Bradford Dementia Group (BDG). Introducing Trevor a few
minutes earlier, she highlighted his “consciousness-raising”
guest-lecturers, on the MSc Dementia Studies course, and
work as a dementia ambassador.
Drawing on his years as a trainer presenting to colleagues,
Trevor jumped at the opportunity. He remembers: “I took my
notes in the briefcase which I used to use at Morrisons but
when I arrived on stage I couldn’t remember the combination.
“To hear Trevor’s account of his own diagnosis of vascular
dementia, is to understand the emotional impact of such a
diagnosis, and the failings within the system, in a way that
cannot be conveyed to our students by any textbook”, she
recalls.
In 2001 Trevor was in the canteen, taking a break from his job
as Health and Safety Manager for Morrisons Supermarkets.
He began to feel unwell but took his seat, waiting for his food
to arrive.
His next memory was of waking up in hospital with his wife
Ann by his side. He’d had a major stroke. Doctors were quick
to treat the immediate symptoms with regular visits by physio
and speech therapists.
Soon after Trevor started thinking about his return to work.
Meanwhile, Ann thought that being away from the job he
loved was part of the reason for some of the changes she
began to see in her husband.
She explained: “Things just started going downhill. He has
always been a very active person and was frustrated with
being out of work. Then he began forgetting where he had
put things. I began to feel that he just wasn’t the same
person.”
Ann and Trevor returned to the hospital. A brain scan revealed
bleeds on the brain and ultimately led to Trevor’s diagnosis of
vascular dementia. However, as a stroke victim, there were no
drugs available for Trevor’s form of the disease.
At a visit to his GP Trevor was told he would not be able to
return to work. He remembers: “Your world comes crashing
down. I still had a mortgage, bills to pay and as a stroke
victim I could no longer drive.”
6
“Some people thought it was part of the act but I had to get
Ann up from the audience to open it before I could start”.
Despite this early setback, his speech was a great success
and he was soon sharing his experiences with audiences
across the country and Europe.
Today Trevor sits on the Government’s Dementia Challenge
group alongside ministers, charity leaders and healthcare
professionals. He is still waiting for Health Secretary Jeremy
Hunt to make good on a promise to join him for a pint in
Doncaster.
While speaking at a conference, Trevor caught the eye of the
Bradford Dementia Group and was invited to get involved. He
first took part in a guest lecture at the University, along with
Ann, in 2008 and has been supporting courses and training
ever since.
Improving the training of dementia care practitioners has
been the focus of BDG for over 20 years. They work with
existing care providers and train the next generation through
undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. They also
carry out a range of innovative research.
Trevor was one of the early trailblazers in what has now
become a broader panel of “experts by experience”, explains
Dr Capstick. She believes Trevor’s contribution to the work of
BDG has been “immeasurable”.
“These people with dementia, and their families, help us to
ensure that what we are teaching is both informed by, and
does justice to, the experiences of those who come into
contact with care services first hand.”
Find out more about the Bradford Dementia Group at
www.bradford.ac.uk/health/dementia
7
THE SOUND OF THE
UNDERGROUND
DIGITAL STONE AGE
A team of archaeologists Bradford has received £1.9m in
funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council to
further study the Stone Ages.
Researchers at Bradford have created a new invention
which uses technology inspired by bats’ radar to check the
condition of underground water pipes. Theyhave created the
SewerBatt system to use acoustics to show what defects,
breaks or blockages there may be in sewers. The University
has launched a new company alongside investors to exploit
the new innovation.
Led by Dr Randolph Donahue, Dr Andrew Wilson and Dr
Adrian Evans, the team aims to revolutionise landscape, site
and artefact analyses by using digital recording methods and
computed analysis. The project centres on the development
of new technologies that will enable faster analysis of artefact
fragments and complex surface scatters, which can then be
automatically reconstructed using new software.
This rapid determination of sewer faults and features is much
cheaper and easier to operate than traditional methods such
as CCTV. It takes two weeks to assess 4km of sewer pipe
with a camera; the same job takes two days when using
SewerBatt. The new system also only requires one operator
who is able to quickly get accurate measurements at the
manhole.
The process currently takes months, but the development
will reduce this to days and could eventually be used by the
Home Office at scenes of crime to piece together broken
items and find fingerprints. The money will also pay for a
team of archaeologists to head to Koobi Fora in Kenya to
take aerial shots of the ground and Lake Turkana.
The company secured £650,000 investment from the North
West Fund (managed by Carbon Trust Investment Partners)
earlier this year. The new technology is now making waves
around the world with trials recently taking place in Australia
to validate its use by utility companies in the country. It is also
being used closer to home by Yorkshire Water.
The results of the work will be available online thanks to
collaboration with the Citizen Science Alliance and support
from the University’s Professor Hassan Ugail. The website will
provide a library of unique aerial imagery from the Turkana
basin in Kenya and members of the public will be able to
use it to search for skeletal remains and artefacts of our
evolutionary ancestors.
YORKSHIRE INNOVATION FUND
Bradford is the lead partner in The Yorkshire Innovation
Fund (YIF), an initiative of eleven Yorkshire and Humber
universities. The fund enables Yorkshire & Humber Small and
Medium-sized businessess in priority and eligible sectors
to access the collective expertise of the region’s universities
and collaborate with them on research and development and
innovation projects. The collaboration, part-funded by the
European Regional Development Fund, went live in August
and runs until July 2015.
Many projects have already been awarded YIF funding. The
University’s Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science
is using YIF funding to help them deliver a project on green
technologies to support small and medium sized enterprises
in the region. They are helping them to reduce and recycle
waste, reduce solvent use, and introduce continuous
manufacturing.
8
Webanywhere, a local company providing development and
sales of web based learning solutions for education, charities
and businesses, are also benefitting from the funding. Their
founder and CEO, Sean Gilligan said: “It is a great honour
and privilege to be working in partnership again with Bradford
University and I hope our joint project is mutually beneficial
for Computers Science and Teacher Training into the future.”
To find out more about the fund go to
www.bradford.ac.uk/business/funding-support/yif
NATIONAL
TEACHING
FELLOW
Dr Jacquelyn Haigh, a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at
Bradford, was one of only fifty-five higher education staff
announced by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) as a
2013 National Teaching Fellow. She was chosen from over
180 nominations submitted from across England, Northern
Ireland and Wales.
Jacquelyn has pioneered innovative approaches to
curriculum design and delivery, with a strong focus on
student engagement. Her visionary approach to her students'
personal and professional development saw her establish
the use of ePortfolios; an online tool which allows students to
share reflections on what they learn with both their peers and
lecturers.
Each Fellow received an award of £10,000 which will be
used to support their professional development in teaching
and learning or aspects of pedagogy. This is funded by the
Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Higher
Education Funding Council for Wales, and the Department for
Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland.
Dr Haigh, Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Midwifery
Studies at the University, said: “I am very proud to have been
awarded the Fellowship. I am pleased that my work, using
active learning techniques and reflective eportfolios to help
develop my students, has been recognised at national level.”
9
NEW VICECHANCELLOR
TAKES UP POST
October 2013 will see the arrival of Professor Brian Cantor at Bradford, to take up
his role as the University’s new Vice-Chancellor and Principal. Professor Cantor has
been working with colleagues in Bradford since his appointment in April and is looking
forward to officially starting in his new role.
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Cantor said: “I am proud and deeply
honoured to be invited to be the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford. It is a
great University and a great city. I look forward to working over the next few years with
the University’s staff, students, alumni, friends and partners, to help build its future
strength and success.”
Paul Jagger, Chair of Council at the University of Bradford, said: “Professor Cantor
brings a wealth of experience to the role, in higher education, business, government
and the region. We are delighted to be able to appoint such a highly respected figure
to lead our University. He is perfectly placed to develop a compelling and exciting
vision for our institution and drive forward our mission – Making Knowledge Work.”
Professor Cantor started his career at Sussex University before moving to the University
of Oxford in 1981. He became the Director of the Oxford Centre for Advanced Materials
and Composites in 1990, and in 1995 was appointed as Head of the Department
of Materials. He progressed to the role of Head of the Division of Mathematical and
Physical Sciences before joining York as Vice-Chancellor in 2002. There he has led the
Heslington East campus development as well as increasing the University of York’s
international footprint and profile, particularly in China and the Far East.
During his career he has consulted for various companies including Alcan, Elsevier,
General Electric and Rolls-Royce. He has advised organisations such as NASA,
the EU, and UK, Dutch, Spanish and German government agencies, and was a
member of the Sainsbury Review of UK science and innovation. Professor Cantor has
supervised over 130 research students and postdoctoral staff, published over 300
papers and books, given over 100 invited talks in more than 15 countries; and is on
the Institute for Scientific Information list of Most Cited Researchers.
He has chaired and been on the board of many companies and agencies, including
Isis Innovation, the Kobe Institute, the UK Universities Pensions Forum, the White
Rose Consortium, Yorkshire Innovation, Leeds and York Economic Partnerships, the
Chambers of Commerce, the National Science Learning Centre, the Centre for Low
Carbon Futures, and the Worldwide Universities Network. He is acknowledged as
a world authority on materials manufacturing and is a Vice-President of the Royal
Academy of Engineering.
10
11
HONORARY GRADUATES JULY 2013
ROGER MOSEY
DAVID RICHARDSON
TREVOR JARVIS
MAQSOOD SHEIKH
Roger Mosey was made a Doctor of the University,
receiving an honorary degree for his contribution to
broadcasting. He was educated at Bradford Grammar
School, followed by Wadham College, Oxford, where
he received a degree in Modern History and Modern
Languages.
David Richardson was made a Doctor of the University,
receiving an honorary degree for his role in supporting
community cohesion and regeneration in Bradford.
As Chairman of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust, he oversaw the development of
education and research facilities within Bradford.
Trevor Jarvis was made a Doctor of Education, receiving
an honorary degree for his long-standing work to raise
public awareness of dementia. He has provided a longstanding service to the University’s Division of Dementia
Studies, as well as serving as an ambassador to several
leading mental health charities.
Maqsood Sheikh was made a Doctor of Letters,
receiving an honorary degree for his contribution
to modern Urdu literature. He is a renowned and
internationally acclaimed Urdu short story writer who
tackles modern subjects.
He has spent most of his career at the BBC, beginning
in 1980 as a presenter at a regional radio station. More
recently he was the BBC’s Director of London 2012,
responsible for the planning and coverage of the
Olympics across all platforms.
As the city’s senior policeman at the time of the 2001
riots, Mr Richardson was responsible for maintaining
order and leading the response. His commitment to
addressing the underlying cause of the riots has helped
to make the city a better place to live and work.
Formerly an award-winning Editor of Today on BBC Radio
4 and Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live as well as the Head
of BBC Television News, here in Bradford Mr Mosey is a
trustee of the National Media Museum.
Since retiring from the Police, David has continued to
support the development of current and future civic
leaders as Chief Executive of Bradford Breakthrough, a
member of Positive Bradford steering group and a Local
Adviser to Career Academics UK.
Campaigning for greater support for people living with
dementia is something Trevor Jarvis has been doing for
almost 10 years. After being diagnosed with vascular
dementia in 2001, Trevor has ‘lived experience’ which he
uses to drive change and challenge the system, including
the banking industry.
Trevor has previously spoken at the Alzheimer’s Society
national conferences on younger people with dementia,
been an active committee member for a self-help group
for younger people with dementia and an active member
of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Consumer Group.
Find out more about Trevor on Page 6.
12
He has been a key figure in the promotion of Urdu
literature for over 60 years, and has played a prominent
role in the development of community cohesion within
Bradford.
For over 25 years, Maqsood Sheikh and his wife
edited the international Urdu language magazine Ravi
(Narrator) from their Bradford office, promoting the work
of Urdu writers across the North of England and the
Asian sub-continent.
He is a freelance award-winning journalist and prolific
multi-award-winning writer. Maqsood spends much of
his time liaising with authors all over the world, with a
view to supporting and spreading the beauty of Urdu
across different generations.
13
BRADFORD CROCUS
CANCER APPEAL
The University has launched the £1m “Bradford Crocus
Cancer Appeal” to improve the number of opportunities for
the discovery and development of new cancer medicines.
The appeal follows a breakthrough for Bradford’s
researchers in 2011.
“What we designed was, effectively, a ‘smart bomb’
that can be targeted directly at a solid tumour without
appearing to harm healthy tissue” explains Professor
Laurence Patterson, Director of the University’s Institute of
Cancer Therapeutics.
The drug’s key active ingredient is colchicine, a natural
compound derived from the Autumn Crocus flower, known
for its anti-cancer properties, but thought to be too toxic.
The researchers have harnessed colchicine in a way that
is harmless to healthy tissues but toxic to tumour blood
vessels.
The new appeal, named after the Autumn Crocus, sees
the University partner with the Bradford Telegraph & Argus
newspaper and Yorkshire Cancer Research. The funds will
be used to purchase a new specialist piece of equipment
called a proteomics mass spectrometer.
Mass spectrometry for protein and peptide analysis won
the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2002 because it was such
a leap forward in the potential to study biological problems
such as cancer. The University has been using mass
spectrometry since 2005.
Professor Patterson explains: “In order to address our
increased understanding of cancer, we need to continue to
improve our ability to study cancer proteins. The new mass
spectrometer is more sensitive, faster and more versatile
and increases our capability for more types of protein
identification.”
The roots of Bradford’s cancer research can be traced
back to the arrival of Professor Robert Turner from Belfast
in 1959. He had been working on a project looking at the
effect of mustard gas on childhood leukaemia.
The connection between mustard gas and cancer had
first been made in the USA when researchers noticed that
WWII sailors who had been exposed to the poison had a
low white blood cell count. It was thought that an agent
that damaged the rapidly growing white blood cells might
have a similar effect on cancer.
14
In Bradford Turner, along with his colleague George
Watson, tried a new experimental treatment on 34 women
suffering from breast cancer. The side effects of this
treatment, their first forays into what we now know as
chemotherapy, were severe. As a result Turner and Watson
were vilified by their peers.
Nevertheless, the researchers continued their work and,
after publication of their ten-year results, finally began to
receive the recognition they deserved. They continued
their work to improve the potency of the treatment while
reducing the side effects.
In 1975 Dr Arnold Moore set up the charity ‘War on Cancer’
in Bradford, two years after the death of George Watson.
The charity gained support from across the district and
led to the creation of the Clinical Oncology Unit at the
University in 1982.
Cancer research at the University has continued to grow
ever since, inspired by the early work of Watson and
Turner. It is also thanks in no small part to the fundraising
efforts of Dr Arnold Moore and ‘War on Cancer’ which
merged with the charity now known as Cancer Research
UK, in 1999.
In 2005 the University’s Institute of Cancer Therapeutics
(ICT) was created. Housed over four floors in a purposebuilt building, the Institute has the facilities for cancer drug
design, synthesis and pre-clinical pharmacology. This is
where the ‘Smart Bomb’ and many other potential new
cancer treatments have been developed.
Today, the ‘Smart Bomb’ is in pre-clinical trials following
significant venture capital investment and the creation of
a spin-out company. Meanwhile ICT researchers continue
their work on other innovative approaches to the treatment
of cancers.
Professor Patterson explains: “The challenges of beating
cancer are wide ranging. Here in Bradford we have the
ability to design new molecules, synthesise them and
test them pre-clinically, and so we have set our stall out
unashamedly to be all about new cancer drug discovery.”
15
GENEROSITY
OF THE CITY
Since its launch in May 2013, the Bradford Crocus Cancer
Appeal has attracted support from across the city. Businesses
and community groups have joined individual fundraisers to
help the appeal reach its £1m target. Chief among these is
the Sovereign Healthcare Trust which has pledged £50k for
every £200k raised by the appeal.
An early supporter was Bradford City Goalkeeper Matt Duke,
part of the giant-slaying team that enjoyed success in the
Capital One Cup last season. Duke overcame his own battle
with cancer in 2008 when he was shocked to be diagnosed
with testicular cancer.
Matt said: “It’s vitally important that new medicines and
treatment are available to help cure cancer and it’s great to
raise awareness towards that. I had chemotherapy and the
side effects were horrendous. Anything that can make that
easier for cancer patients has got to be welcomed.”
Bradford-based Morrisons Supermarkets are a household
name that were keen to offer their support to the appeal.
Their head office staff raised over £1,800 when they held
a dress-down day. Later this year fundraisers will be bag
packing at Morrisons checkouts to give the appeal a
further boost.
The appeal joined Yorkshire Day celebrations in August
with a fundraising dinner at the city’s Dubrovnik Hotel which
raised over £1,000, while 86-year-old cyclist Thomas Woods
pedalled 26 miles through the Yorkshire Dales as he took part
in the Yorkshire Cancer Research ‘Dales Rider’.
Blue Peter Gardner, Chris Collins gave his backing to the
appeal at the recent Positive Bradford event. He offered expert
advice and led the planting of over 1,000 crocus bulbs on the
pavilion in City Park, creating the shape of a crocus flower,
ready for the bulbs to flower in a hue of different purples in
March next year.
FLOWER
POWER
The key active agent of the ‘smart bomb’ which inspired
the new appeal is based on colchicine. This is a natural
compound derived from the Autumn Crocus – a native
British flower described in ancient herbals as a treatment for
inflammation.
“Although it’s well known for having anti-cancer properties,
colchicine is not used because it is too toxic against normal
tissues,” says ICT Commercialisation Manager Dr Kevin
Adams. “We’ve found a way to harness it so it’s harmless to
healthy tissue, but still toxic to tumours.”
The drug is inactive until triggered by the heightened activity
of an enzyme that is always found in the tumour environment,
releasing a potent anti-cancer agent which destroys the
tumour’s blood vessels, causing it to starve to death.
The research team believe that the new drug could be used
to treat secondary tumours caused by the cancer spreading
through the body. In addition, they believe that the delivery
mechanism could be used to deliver other drugs directly to
the tumour site.
Following the discovery, the University was able to set up a
dedicated spin-out company, Incanthera Limited, attracting
major investment from the North West Fund for Biomedical in
order to take the drug through pre-clinical and clinical trials.
Images: Top: Postgraduate students from the Institute of Cancer
Therapeutics hold Crocus Campaign Pins which are on sale to raise
money for the campaign. Below: Blue Peter Gardner, Chris Collins
You can find out more about how to get
involved in the appeal and donate online at
www.crocus.brad.ac.uk
16
17
BORN IN BRADFORD
Research from academics at the Universities of Bradford and Leeds has
highlighted important information for health professionals and parents about
the factors which may increase the likelihood of a baby being born with a
birth defect.
Each year, approximately 1.7 per cent of babies in England
and Wales are born with a birth defect which may be
life-limiting. They occur as a result of complex interactions
between genetic and environmental factors, or because of
damage done by infections.
Changes as a result of the findings are being led by both
health professionals and NHS patients themselves. Among
them is Naz Rafiq who was approached to join the study
after her son, who was diagnosed with a muscle condition,
Congenital Myopathy, died aged only three months.
The findings, funded by the National Institute for Health
Research (NIHR), confirm that the two main factors
associated with an increased risk of babies having a birth
defect are being born to an older mother or to parents who
are blood relations.
Naz now works with a group of bereaved parents (Hope)
who have got together to support each other and to
give talks to professionals and other parents, making
suggestions for the way services can be changed for the
better.
Other studies in the last 20 years have considered
consanguinity (marriage to a blood relation) as a cause
of birth defects, but these studies weren’t able to rule
out other potential risk factors, particularly the effects of
deprivation.
She said: “Genetic tests were never on our mind
when we were thinking of children and wouldn’t have
identified our son’s condition, but people might now think
differently.” Eager to make the most of her experience,
she is championing the use of ‘baby diaries’ in Bradford
hospitals, to capture the lives of infants in neo-natal care,
regardless of their prognosis.
Professor Neil Small, co-author of the study from the
University of Bradford, says: “The research is of particular
importance to Bradford because of its population
characteristics. Half the babies born in the city have
a parent whose family origins are in Pakistan where
consanguinity is common.”
Nevertheless, Professor Small also believes the findings
have relevance to other areas of the UK and across the
world in countries where consanguineous marriage is
a cultural norm. In Bradford there are now initiatives to
raise community awareness and offer genetic testing and
counselling.
“It is not our intention to counsel couples about who they
choose to marry. But we do want to ensure that couples are
aware of any risks so that they can make informed choices
when planning their families,” says Professor Small.
Find out more about the study at
www.borninbradford.nhs.uk
Geneticist and lead author Dr Eamonn Sheridan, from
Leeds, says: “The vast majority of babies born to
couples who are blood relatives are healthy, and while
consanguineous marriage increases the risk of birth defect
from 3% to 6%, the absolute risk is still small.”
18
Pictured: Malika and Junide who are among the 13,000
children being followed as part of the Born in Bradford study.
19
HAIR ANALYSIS
SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON
INCA CHILD SACRIFICE
The long and tightly-braided hair of a 13-year-old girl,
whose frozen body was found near the summit of Volcán
Llullaillaco, a mountain on the Chile/Argentina border,
has provided Bradford researchers with new insights into
the Inca capacocha ritual, which sometimes involved
child sacrifice.
The ‘Llullaillaco Maiden’, named after the mountain where she was found, was buried 500
years ago alongside the separate graves of two other younger children.
The team – from Bradford’s Department of Archaeological Sciences – carried out
biochemical analysis of the girl’s hair to determine what she was eating and drinking in the
months before her death. The analyses showed a two-year timeline running up to her death,
showing that all three children had ingested both coca and alcohol.
Lead researcher Dr Andrew Wilson explains; “Hair grows around 1cm a month and, once
formed, doesn’t undergo any further alterations. Substances such as coca and alcohol leave
markers which can tell us how much the person was consuming when that section of hair
was growing.”
Dr Wilson added; “At the altitude the children were found, death by exposure is inevitable.
There was no evidence of physical violence to the children, but the coca and alcohol are
likely to have hastened their deaths.”
The researchers reported that they believed the Maiden had been placed in a burial chamber
whilst heavily sedated, her cross-legged position carefully arranged with her headdress
intact and artefacts placed around her.
“From later Colonial period accounts we have indications that children were donated for
sacrifice by their parents and from communities which were under the control of the Inca
empire,” says Dr Wilson. “One account suggests that this was an honour and that no
sadness could be shown when the children were gifted, but it must have created a climate of
fear amongst such communities.”
Find out more about Archaeological Sciences at: www.bradford.ac.uk/life-sciences
The 13-year-old 'LLullaillaco Maiden' © Johan Reinhard
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AWARD-WINNING
ACCOMMODATION
The University of Bradford was awarded first prize for Best
Student Housing at the College and University Business
Officers (CUBO) Awards this summer.
The Green, a sustainable student village in the heart of the
University’s Main City Campus, has transformed the student
living experience, providing both a fantastic place to live and a
unique example of sustainable building design.
Opened in 2011, ‘The Green’ is a purpose-built £40 million
student village which puts students right at the heart of their
academic studies, Students’ Union, support services and
social activities.
It offers a safe and secure environment. The accommodation
boasts a self-contained community of 6-storey apartments
and 4-storey townhouses in a highly eco-sensitive design,
built within attractive landscaped gardens, as well as built-in
barbecue sets, external seating and grassed areas.
The most sustainable development of its kind in the world,
‘The Green’ makes the most of natural resources like solar
power and rainwater, features energy meters (pictured) and
costs very little to heat and light.
The apartment and townhouse blocks are set around a central
water feature - a biodiversity pond which reuses rainwater,
provides a home for a number of ducks and plant species and
acts as a passive coolant in summer.
Marian Lekakis, Second-Year Forensic and Medical Sciences
student, lived in The Green last year. She said: “I really
enjoyed living in there. The blocks are close together
meaning my friends were never far away.
“The place has a lively atmosphere. Security is really good and
it was great being at the centre of campus.”
Chris Spargo, Head of Commercial Services at the University
of Bradford, said; “We are really proud of this award and
everything it stands for.
“We set out a vision to deliver and operate one of, if not the
best-quality and most sustainable student residences in the
sector. This award voted by our peers in the Higher and Further
Education Sector demonstrates we have actually achieved
that vision.
“The Best Student Housing accolade has been achieved
through innovation, ongoing successful partnerships but more
importantly with some fantastic work by our Accommodation
and Facilities Team who constantly exceed the residents’
expectations and contribute to the improvement in the wider
student experience.”
Established to recognise outstanding commercial achievement
within the higher and further education sectors, the annual
CUBO awards celebrate excellence in the student living
experience and are voted by leaders and decision makers of
commercial services across the university sector.
THE IMPACT OF
AUSTERITY CUTS
Former University of Bradford Professor, Baroness Ruth
Lister (pictured), recently returned to the city to provide the
keynote speech at a national conference organised by the
University’s Social Work Division in the School of Social and
International Studies.
The event, titled ‘Austerity Cuts and the Impact on Children,
Families and Communities’, explored the policies of the
coalition government and their impact on some of the most
vulnerable members of society.
Baroness Lister believes that while the Government claims
to be developing an agenda around social justice, their
welfare reforms and budget cuts are anything but.
Speaking before the conference she said: “There is the
impact of the bedroom tax, council tax and the abolition of
the discretionary social fund and the increased need for
food banks which concerns
me hugely.
“I was speaking to a UN commissioner on the right to
food, and he was expressing a big concern on the growing
reliance on food banks. He argued that was indicative of a
breakdown of protection systems.
“I think if we are really all in it together, the impact should be
shared more fairly and has to be done through tax on those
better off.”
Attempting to deal with the impact of the austerity cuts are
social workers, who Baroness Lister believes are “at the
sharp end” with the risk of all the added pressure leaving
them working in crisis mode.
The conference chair, Professor Colette McAuley,
commented: “The conference is the start of a new research
direction for the Social Work Research Group and will be
followed by a related Research Seminar Series during the
forthcoming year. We are also planning a programme of
research on the topic. We are particularly keen to work in
collaboration with local service providers and service users
in setting that research agenda.
“We were delighted to welcome back Baroness Lister and
to have had other eminent speakers such as Professor Bill
Jordan from Plymouth University and Dr Emma Stone from
the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.”
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23
19
CIRCULAR
ECONOMY MBA
Bradford has launched the world's first circular economy
MBA, developed in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur
Foundation and leading businesses including B&Q, BT,
Cisco, Renault and National Grid. The programme is
delivered through the University’s School of Management
distance learning platform and offers a coherent framework
for a fast-evolving global economic context.
The circular economy concept has deep-rooted origins
and cannot be traced back to one single date or author.
Nevertheless, its practical applications in economics and
industry have gained momentum since the late 1970s led
by a small number of academics, thought-leaders and
businesses.
It refers to an industrial economy that is restorative by
intention; aims to rely on renewable energy; minimises,
tracks, and hopefully eliminates the use of toxic chemicals;
and eradicates waste through careful design. The term goes
beyond the mechanics of production and consumption of
goods and services, in the areas that it seeks to redefine.
Examples include rebuilding capital (including social and
natural), and the shift from consumer to user.
Euan Sutherland, Group Chief Executive of the Co-operative
Group, said: “The time is coming when it will no longer make
economic sense for ‘business as usual’ and the circular
economy will thrive. We must take steps now to see what
works in practice and to understand the implications of
reworking business models. We have the opportunity to lead
this change by rethinking the way we do business because
the reality is, it isn’t a choice anymore.’”
Professor Peter Hopkinson is Director for the distance
learning Innovation, Enterprise and the Circular Economy
MBA. He explains: “Today’s economic conditions,
characterised by increased price volatility and scarcity
on the energy and resources fronts, require a change in
perspective. We believe that an innovative approach, which
integrates systems thinking and looks beyond the linear
‘take, make, dispose’ model, is the answer that a forwardlooking School of Management should strive to provide.
24
We have designed our circular economy MBA to give the
next generation of leaders a first-mover advantage, by
tackling subjects such as regenerative product design,
new business models, reverse logistics or enabling
communication technologies, to name but a few elements.”
As highlighted in ‘Towards the circular economy’, an
economic report published by the Ellen MacArthur
Foundation featuring analysis by McKinsey & Company,
there is a substantial business opportunity to be seized,
and an unprecedented combination of factors (resources
availability, tighter environmental constraints, shift in
consumer attitudes, enabling IT) that create the right
conditions for a move toward circular industrial practices.
Professor Peter Hopkinson adds: “We strongly believe that
our expertise in distance learning and our partnership with
the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s independent experts panel
and Founding Partners give our circular economy MBA the
strongest basis possible, in terms of thought leadership and
industry input.”
As Ellen MacArthur points out: “In order to address the
challenges of a changing world, we need a pragmatic
model which offers tangible economic perspectives, whilst
appealing to aspiring entrepreneurs’ and future business
leaders’ creativity and enthusiasm. The circular economy
does just that, and working with Bradford University School
of Management on this innovative MBA is the logical followup to our first joint initiative, the successful circular economy
Posgraduate Certificate.”
The new distance learning MBA programme combines
classic areas of strategy, finance and marketing within a
circular economy framework.
Applications for the next cohort of the MBA, which starts
in January 2014, should be submitted by the end
November 2013.
Further information can be found on the School of
Management website www.bradford.ac.uk/management
25
NEWS IN BRIEF
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
STUDENTS ATTEND BRADFORD
ENGINEERING SUMMER SCHOOL
Students from the Institute of Applied Technology, a UAE government technical
school with campuses located across all Emirates, recently attended a University of
Bradford summer school.
LECTURER
HONOURED
BY CHINESE
UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS FILM
BINGLEY MUSIC LIVE FESTIVAL
Students and recent graduates from the University of Bradford’s Media School
filmed and edited a daily video blog for Bingley Music Live, communicating the
diversity of acts to prospective visitors.
The students’ role was arranged by the Digital Media Working Academy, a
team within the University that generates career development opportunities for
students.
Recent graduate from BSc in Media Technology and Production, Vytautas
Rudys, said: “I want to specialise in video editing so the pressure of producing
a slick corporate video with tight time constraints was an invaluable experience.
It’s an ideal role to add to my CV.”
‘FIRST-CLASS’ UNIVERSITY IS
GREENEST IN YORKSHIRE
The University has been awarded a First Class Award, ranked ninth out of 143
universities and named as the greenest in Yorkshire in the People & Planet Green
League 2013.
Key recent projects include a major library refurbishment enhancing the student
learning experience and making major carbon savings; a green energy challenge and
making the most of our inner-city campus; creating an edible campus with gardeners
improving and monitoring biodiversity and giving monthly campus biodiversity tours.
Louise Hazan, from the People & Planet Green League, said: “The University
thoroughly deserves its First Class ranking this year and is helping to drive up
environmental and ethical standards for the higher education sector as a whole.”
26
STUDENT
HONOURED
AT FUSION
AWARDS
University student, Labonya
Siddiqui, was the recipient of
this year’s Fusion Education
Achievement Award, which rewards
people who are an inspiration to
others in their community.
Chemistry student Labonya
suffered 40 per cent burns after a
kerosene lantern exploded in her
face, engulfing her whole body with
flames when she was eight. She has
since grown up to inspire her own
community and those around her
by going on to realise her dreams of
becoming a model and studying at
university.
Speaking at the presentation
Labonya said: “I think it is important
that young people take advantage
of the education opportunities they
have. Many people in poor countries
do not have these opportunities.”
University lecturer, Dr John
Baruch, has been awarded
a visiting professorship from
the South China University of
Technology, in Guangzhou.
A member of the University’s
Artificial Intelligence
Research Group, Dr Baruch
is a distinguished expert in
astronomy and technology.
The South China University has
chosen to honour Dr Baruch
for his contributions to scientific
education and building a
knowledge economy.
In China, Dr Baruch is currently
working with the UK Association
for Science Education and local
authorities to bring practical
science to Chinese schools. He
believes that “Innovation and
creativity is the key to future
prosperity and advancement.
I believe that linking China
and the UK for innovation is a
winning formula.”
FAROE ISLANDS
COLONISED
EARLIER THAN
VIKINGS
The internship programme gave industrial training for the 48 school students in the
areas of engineering and technology. The students engaged in unique engineering
projects, such as: building a rocket-powered car with engineers from Cummins Turbo
Technologies; designing and racing hovercrafts with engineers and students from the
University; as well as taking part in more formal lectures and learning activities.
The students also visited Saltaire, the Media Museum and attended a Civic Reception
with Lord Mayor Khadim Hussain.
ARCH SCI
STUDENT
LANDS
DREAM
PLACEMENT
Rachel Holgate is to further her dream career in the archaeology field by
joining a well-established research team in South Africa. Graduating from
the University of Bradford with a BSc in Bioarchaeology in 2012, Rachel is
about to complete her MSc in Human Osteology and Palaeopathology.
She believes: “The quality of teaching at Bradford is outstanding due to
the ground-breaking research that lecturers carry out, while the learning
materials available to students are equally excellent.”
Rachel’s year in industry involved two placements; Plymouth Museum
and Art Gallery and the University of Bradford’s Biological Anthropology
Research Centre (BARC). The work placement programme is a key part of
the University’s career-oriented approach to education. Gaining real-world
experience has proven crucial to Rachel’s further progression, securing the
invaluable opportunity in South Africa.
Research, carried out by the University of Bradford, Durham University and the
National Museum of the Faroe Islands, reveals the Faroe Islands were colonised
much earlier than previously believed, and it wasn’t by the Vikings.
The research, carried out on an archaeological site at Á Sondum on the island of
Sandoy, places human colonisation in the 4th to 6th centuries AD, at least 300-500
years earlier than previously thought.
Símun V Arge, from the National Museum of the Faroe Islands, said: “Although
we don’t know who the people were that settled here, it is clear that they did
prepare peat for use, by cutting, drying and burning it which indicates they
must have stayed here for some time.”
27
WHAT’S ON AT THE UNIVERSITY
AUTUMN 2013
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Wednesday 23- Saturday 26 October
2013, 7.30pm (+Saturday 26
October 2pm)
Thursday 7 November –
Saturday 9, November, 7.30pm
Friday 6 December, 7.30pm
Rasa Productions If Only Shahrukh Khan...
Theatre in the Mill
Tickets: £8 full/£6 concessions/+ a limited
number of student tickets at £3. Call
01274 233200 or email
[email protected]
We join Rose, Pindy and Kasi in their
weekly fan club meetings.... If Only
Shahrukh Khan would come through
the mist and with a song and dance,
rescue them.
Where You From A Muslamic Love Story
Theatre in the Mill
Tickets: £8 full/£6 concessions/+ a limited
number of student tickets at £3.
Call 01274 233200 or email
[email protected]
A story of the destructive power of anger,
Muslamic Love Story is a tale of a modern
Britain bound by the shackles of prejudice
and hatred.
Saturday 16 November, 7.30pm
Stan’s Cafe The Anatomy of Melancholy
Theatre in the Mill
Tickets: £8 full/£6 concessions/
+ a limited number of student tickets at
£3. Call 01274 233200 or email
[email protected]
Stan’s Cafe’s playful and witty show is
a guided tour through one of the most
extraordinary works of English literature.
Friday 29 November, 7.30pm
Third Angel The Life & Loves of a Nobody
Theatre in the Mill
Stan’s Cafe - The Anatomy of
Melancholy Theatre in the Mill
Tickets: £3, Call 01274 233200 or email
[email protected]
The Life & Loves of a Nobody is the story
of a woman who grows up in a place
that’s dying around her.
Uncanny Theatre Instructions for a Better Life
Theatre in the Mill
Tickets: £8 full/£6 concessions/
+ a limited number of student tickets
at £3, Call 01274 233200 or email
[email protected]
Part thriller, part comedic romp through
human psychology, Uncanny Theatre
stretch logic to breaking point in a show
that’s visually arresting and absurdly funny
in all of its low-tech glory.
Tuesday 10 - Saturday 14 Dec, 7.30pm
(+ day time showing Saturday 14
December, 2pm)
Jane Packman Company - The Wake
Theatre in the Mill
Tickets: £8 full/£6 concessions/+ a limited
number of student tickets at £3, Call
01274 233200 or email
[email protected]
An extraordinary celebration of the
passing year.
PUBLIC LECTURES
Wednesday 6 November, 6-7.30pm
Question Time with Professor
Paul Rogers and Peace and
Conflict Colleagues
Debating current affairs in a
Question Time Format.
made from recycled paper