“Great talks, great event”: feedback shows public appetite for our research open events

More than 100 people turned up for our open event last week – and their feedback showed there’s definitely a public appetite for knowing what’s going on locally in translational research.

Drs Anna Moore Winter, Kate Baker and Chenqu Suo presented on their research on big data, rare disorders and mental health, and the rare disease CRMO (chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis).

There was also a poster display featuring 16 projects on paediatric children and young people’s research, with many of the researchers on hand to answer questions from members of the public.

Event organiser Georgina Norris said: “It was great to see so many people of all ages and backgrounds – especially young people from ACTIVE, the children’s board at Cambridge University Hospitals and students from Abbey College in Cambridge – really engaging with everything going on.

NIHR Cambridge BRC Director Professor Miles Parkes (pictured below, listening to Dr Baker’s presentation) also attended. Georgina continued: “He chatted to ACTIVE young people about their involvement in the board, and about their participation in raising sickle cell awareness.”

Miles didn’t know it at the time – but he was in fact talking to the poster winners! Everyone attending was asked to vote for their favourite poster and the ACTIVE posters received the most votes, scooping up a £50 Amazon voucher.

Their posters (see photo below) showed in turn first the brainstorming that took place to think of the best ways to explain sickle cell and then ACTIVE’s role in promoting awareness of the condition.

Feedback from people attending was all positive. One woman said: “Really fascinating talks. I wish I had brought my 14 year old daughter.” Another said: “”Great event, nice duration. More like this would be very beneficial.” We have good news for that particular respondent – we plan to run more public-access events throughout 2026, which we’ll promote on our social media channels, newsletters and website. So keep your eyes peeled!

• Dr Kate Baker’s research includes the BINGO study, which is looking for healthy volunteers aged 4-10 years. If you are a parent/guardian of a young child aged 4-10 and think you/they would be interested in taking part, please email: bingo@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk