University of Portsmouth opens up labs for National Science Week

The University of Portsmouth held a number of free events to give groups in the area the chance to try different sciences.

Members of the Solent branch of the University of the Third Age visited the science department Open Labs event and were given talks by experts and guided tours around the pharmacy and biomedical sciences areas.

The group was given a talk by Prof Geoff Pilkington, who runs the Brain Tumour Research team at Portsmouth.

He spoke about fighting brain cancer.

Guests then enjoyed the laboratory tours around the university, which included visits to the brain tumour research labs, pharmacy practice, cell imaging facilities, chemical biology labs, and muscular dystrophy research labs.

The U3A group met staff and students and were given the opportunity to use latest scientific equipment.

Graham Woodbridge, from the Hampshire South Central Network of U3As, said: ‘Everyone was very enthusiastic to hear about the world-class research going on at Portsmouth and had the opportunity to ask lots of questions during the lab tours.’

Faculty of science outreach champion Dr Darren Gowers added: ‘It’s really good for us to engage with the public about the great science and research that we do here, as well as showing them some of the practical studies that go on in the laboratories.’