Hi folks 👋. There is lots of great science being done and to be done. 

However, for the weekend, I thought some fresh and warmer perspectives might also come as a welcome change in such testing times. I took these photos last weekend to capture some positive non-work moments: venturing out down the road, appreciating the frosty garden at home, relaxing by the fireside, and doing a spot of knitting.

Amidst all the turbulence thrown at us all, we can still take time out and choose to try to see some positives (hopefully without appearing smug). 

We can also choose to be kind because many people are suffering hardships and anxiety, and not always obviously so.

With regard to the latest covid-19 variant, we await further information, data collection, and evidence-based evaluation.

In times of uncertainty a little introspection can be a good thing sometimes.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 03/12/21

Remember?
I remember last year’s November.

Reflecting on some moments captured in photos I took during the first autumn of the Covid-19 pandemic: The value of the sentiments I expressed then about keeping things in perspective staying positive and ‘Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’ still ring true.

Beyond this, however, we know that so much has been achieved since November 2020 and in 2021 we are equipping ourselves with wider learning, deeper understanding, and many tools to tackle adversity and future threats. 

At times it feels such an angry world out there and sometimes perhaps with good reason. There is also hope and kindness, curiosity, and creativity. 

I think it is still better to shine a light rather than curse the darkness.
We have a lot to be thankful for. 
Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 26/11/21

Booster time early this morning – using ‘Grab a Jab’ the NHS walk-in service.

I am thankful to receive this third dose as soon as I became eligible. (I want to keep myself and others as safe as possible particularly for some special occasions towards the end of November and December.)

It was again a very good experience although on this occasion it was at a different location and with different ‘jab’ this time …

‘Hundreds of walk-in sites across the country are now offering booster vaccines as the NHS ‘Grab-a-Jab’ campaign returns, making it even easier for people who are eligible to get their top-up jab.’

Take care, stay safe.

Thank you to everyone involved!

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 06/11/21

What a great time to be involved in research and communications! Life sciences are contributing to our understanding of the world and providing solutions and hope for the future. I am grateful for the opportunities which have enabled me to contribute.

It felt timely to take a moment for reflection about when I set up A Tree of Life Sciences Ltd.

I am thankful to all those who have supported me over the years.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 29/10/21

If the world currently feels angry and unsettled to you, maybe it’s a good time for some home comforts and humour this weekend. I pause to think about my roots (very down to earth). The rhubarb growing in my garden has special significance for me. This was the third crop this year from a few roots transferred from my dad’s garden (he died many years ago). This Yorkshire rhubarb is still thriving in Cheshire year after year! I am ready for some home comforts and humour.

Oops! I forgot to photo the pudding before it was shared out and devoured 😉.

‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’.

Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 20/10/21

[P.S. It was a delicious rhubarb crumble 😊.]

I took the photos when ‘harvesting’ my third crop of rhubarb in the garden this year.

Two years ago (before covid-19) I co-authored two papers on population health intervention with experts from France, Canada, and the UK. The two publications have proved to be well-received, very relevant, and timely.

I have also written about them here (a short blog post with links to the
publications).

Open access publications are increasingly important to disseminate information for researchers and others. They are the way forward.

International collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches are increasingly important in research.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 10/10/21

There is a buzz on the airwaves and so it seems life is bustling again out and about. And day and night.

I took these photos from a favourite place of mine in Nice to illustrate my point.

To global, international, and local outlooks.
A few days later it feels good to be back home again, come rain 🌧 or shine ⛅️, up North in the UK. The glorious autumnal colours will be here soon. Today, I take a deep intake of breath to enjoy the petrichor, the earthy smell of the rain and to keep life in perspective.

[Petrichor ‘The word comes from the Greek words ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, which in Greek mythology refers to the golden fluid that flows in the veins of the immortals’]

We proceed from September surprises and hopefully to some autumnal delights.
Stay strong. Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 30/9/21

A thank you message can be a tonic in tough times.

Here is the message I received at the end of last week from SPRINGER NATURE:
‘Thank you for your dedication to peer review. Reviewing papers takes time and dedication. We appreciate your part in the publication process. Without the work of experts like you, we would not be able to help advance research each day’

I am feeling very humbled to receive this message.

It is important that we continue to have a global outlook in research and publishing.

I very much appreciate this message, particularly at the moment.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 27/9/21

Nurturing. Spring, Summer, and now, through to Autumn. ‘Keep feeding and watering, and they flower ‘til the first frost.’ There’s a lot to be said for clarity and freshness in communications too.

When communicating, sometimes less is more and can be a refreshing change.

(A close-up snap I took of some begonias in a pot in the garden.)

Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 16/9/21

How can we address the current pandemic and those that might occur in the future?

We have many different tools.

Vaccination is one of the essential tools with health policies based on scientific data and the involvement of citizens also being key. There has been much progress and learning in a range of different fields. All this bodes well for the future if we support and use it wisely.

Vaccines are key tools but not the only 🧰 tools.

Challenges of COVID have shown us the power of collaboration.

We have got such a lot to learn from all this.

Involvement and experience in international collaborative projects is in keeping with my personal values, and those of A Tree of Life Sciences® in “transcending borders and boundaries” in high value projects.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 25/8/21