All Posts – Page 4

16th April 20223rd May 2022

Beginners guide to Newcastle University: Zumba Society!

Let’s face it, university life can be very challenging at times, but this is bearable when you have the right friends by your side. You probably left most, if not all, your friends back home or you are new to the toon. So, you might be wondering, where am I going to find new friends?

Clubs and societies can be the way to start! Newcastle University has more than 200 amazing options to choose from, but this can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why we decided to make a series where we give you a brief insight of the most popular and interesting societies, so you can shorten the list and join the ones you’ll love.

Our first society is the Zumba Society! Lucy, the president, answered some questions so you can get a taste of what they do.

A group of people posing for a photo

Description automatically generated

8th April 202223rd June 2022

Homesickness – Going home? Or not?

By: Caroline Elaine

It is very normal to feel homesick after being away from home for quite a long time. We miss our parents’ home-cooked meals, our never-ending quarrels with our siblings, our childhood best friends, the celebrations with our large families and friends, the happiness, the bickering, and the feeling of being at home. And here we are, in a new place and environment, trying to adapt and make new friends while also pursuing our education, goals, and dreams.

If you live in or near Newcastle, you are lucky! It is easier for you to go back home or for your parents to visit you. However, if you are an international student like me, who spends a day or two traveling by plane to get to Newcastle, going back home is complicated, especially during the pandemic because the rules for traveling to the UK and our home country are constantly changing.

If you are not returning home, remember to call your family frequently and spend time bonding with them. But if you aren’t going back, here are some ideas you can do if you aren’t going home for the holidays and some things you should do if you are.

25th March 202225th March 2022

Look on the sunny side! It’s Easter!

We can all agree it’s been an eggs-hausting term (brace yourself, I have so many egg puns it’s not even bunny!), but we’ve made it through the dark winter mornings and January blues, and Easter is finally in sight! Some of you might be desperate for this break, I for sure am, and some of you might be desperate for a month of exam prep and catching up on lectures…but it’ll come as no surprise to you that I am once again preaching about balance!

15th March 202221st March 2022

A Day In The Lab With Maria Kyriazi

Written By Maria Kyriazi

Edited By: Elysia Marrs

Interviewed By: Elayna Hugh-Jones, Elysia Marrs

Hi Maria, what do you study here at Newcastle University?

I am an MSci Biomedical Genetics student and currently, I am undertaking my third-year Research Project for the completion of my bachelor’s degree. Therefore, I am investigating a specific protein, SGO1 and its role in female chromosomal ageing.

What is your topic of research in the lab?

My research project focuses on investigating the potential mechanisms leading to missegregation errors that are detected with the maternal age effect. For instance, after the age of 35, women are more prone to born children with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome (“trisomy 21”), or Edward’s syndrome (“trisomy 18”), which happens due to the decrease of a complex, known as cohesin, that holds sister chromatids together until the end of the second meiotic round. Essentially, I am investigating a specific protein, known as SGO1 (“shugoshin” = guardian in Japanese) that protects centromeric cohesion and, therefore, missegregation errors. My project aims to determine that this protein decreases in women after the age of 35, explaining the increased numbers of older women giving birth to children with chromosomal abnormalities after a certain age. To do so, I am using cutting edge technology, including immunofluorescence and dCas9 designed constructs which I visualize in fixed or live conditions using Zeiss LSM 880 Airyscan microscope.

12th March 202227th June 2022

Become a Productivity Powerhouse By Elysia Marrs

As students, we’re all striving for the balance between work time and down time. However, many of us fall into the procrastination cycle where your down time is seemingly fighting head on with your work time. But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be this way? Your hobbies and work schedule can coincide synergistically, resulting in a happier, less stressed version of you. In this blog post I’m going to outline a few tips to help set yourself up for success with a foundation of healthy habits, and to make more time for the things that are important to you.

11th March 202221st March 2022

How to conquer the kitchen…student style!

By Elayna Hugh-Jones

One of the most exciting, or perhaps daunting – depends on your perspective, parts of moving away from home, is that you can eat whatever, and whenever, you want. Now, I understand that the freedom to eat chicken dippers and potato waffles every day may be very appealing to you, however, with this freedom comes great responsibility…to keep yourself healthy!

8th March 202221st March 2022

The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks

By Evangelia Rakou Stage 2 Biomedical Sciences Student

Who is Henrietta Lacks?

It might come as a surprise to you that one of the people who changed the course of medical research was not even a scientist herself. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman and mother of five who died from cervical cancer in 1951.

After complaining of vaginal bleeding, she was diagnosed with the disease and sadly passed away several months after her diagnosis. However, her cells continue to impact the world and revolutionise modern medicine years after her death.

8th March 202221st March 2022

Dr Marie Maynard Daly: The Mother of Genetics and Heart Diseases

By Luisa Roa Gil 3rd year Physiological Sciences student

Illustration of Dr Marie Maynard Daly by Matteo Farinella on Tumblr

You might expect to instantly recognise the name of someone that contributed to the discovery of DNA structure, revealed the cause of high blood pressure, and became the first African-American woman to obtain a chemistry PhD, right?

However, you may be shocked by how many do not know the story of Dr Marie Maynard Daly – a woman who made multiple advances in science and opened doors for young scientists.

6th March 202221st March 2022

Study Tips for Exams

By: Caroline Elaine

Exams are coming up soon, have you started studying yet?

If you have, great! Keep up the good work! However, if you haven’t (like most of us), below are a few tips to help you get started. I suggest you should start studying now. Believe me, you won’t be able to cover all the lectures if you don’t start now.

“Study for knowledge, not for marks. If you have the knowledge, you will get the marks“
– Khursed Batliwala.

This is a good quote highlighting that studying should be enjoyable and that this knowledge will serve as a solid foundation for your next step in life. This knowledge will serve as a solid foundation for your next step in life. That is why it is important to study not only for exams but throughout your modules.

Here are my tips to help you study for the exams

6th March 20225th September 2022

Our Student Secrets For Your First Year of University

By Elysia Marrs and Elayna Hugh – Jones

#1 “Meal plan, meal plan, meal plan!”

Picture this, it’s 6pm on a Thursday, you’re just back from a long day of lectures, you’re hangry as hell and those birds-eye potato waffles are calling your name…but trust me, there is a whole world of foods and flavours at your disposal if you just meal plan! As Iona Gannon, 2^nd year nutrition student swears by, “an extra 30 minutes spent planning at the weekend will save you so much time and money, even just three speedy meals a week and you will thank yourself”. You never know, you might even be the next Gordan Ramsey, minus the raging temper hopefully!