February 4th 2016 – An evening reception with lectures at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC) was a fitting place for me to be on World Cancer Day. Back to my research roots, memories of exhilarating PhD days and in my mind there was no better place to be at that time. I have a fond notion that the new building is perhaps constructed on the location of the old Christie Hospital Staff Club where I met my husband. Two friends decided we would make a great couple – and somehow it all worked out. Well it is almost Valentine’s Day so I’m allowed a little romantic reverie.

A number of years later and many stories later (but for another time perhaps), and here I am scouring the room for faces from the past, colleagues and current friends. There’s a lot happening in this part of the world with Manchester University, the Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Cancer Research UK independent cancer research charity.

Future cancer research is encompassed in this very new futuristic building and facilities – a superb example in a new era of collaborations in research. This evening befittingly, we are treated to a glimpse of the latest developments and future direction of research in this centre of excellence. The title is ‘Cancer Treatments of Tomorrow: Tailor Made in Manchester’

A short ‘warm-up’ introduction by Dr Nigel Brooks who then stands back for Professor Caroline Dive to present the very latest science and aspirations from her research team. Biomarkers, isolation of single cancerous cells circulating in the bloodstream. Her enthusiasm is contagious (well I caught it as I am sure many others did too).

Professor Andrew Hughes then takes to the helm and just in case anyone wasn’t quite so switched on by the science, the whole audience is energised by participating in a short exercise involving lots of standing up and sitting down – the theme being the implications of research aspirations for outcomes in patients – a feel for where we have been and where we could be heading. His team are conducting clinical trials on new drugs and he presents an overview of their current research.

An important take home message is that different teams are working together to maximise the impact of precision medicine on patients and how these teams plan to expand their work in future.

Discussions are opened to the floor and lively banter ensues – ‘biomarkers’, ‘precision medicine’, ‘early detection’, lots of science and of course some straight-talking non-science practical and ‘political’ points made as well. Well, what would you expect – this is Manchester!

Light refreshments and time for a catch up with former and current colleagues from academia and industry. Then it’s time to leave and somehow on the dark evening drive home from Manchester the mood is lifted by the sense of moving forward, the traffic lights, the flashbacks to an inspirational scientific event and glimmers of hope for the future.

Thank you to the organisers for the opportunity to attend this event – as I said there’s a lot happening in Manchester UK these days!

by Julie Charlesworth

The NCRI Cancer Conference in Liverpool, UK (November 1-4, 2015) provided an opportunity to look at cancer research from all angles.

With Liverpool being a convenient location from my Manchester base, I opted to drive there and back each day. As it turned out, the unexpected foggy weather meant very early starts and long days (better to stay overnight on site next time).

This proved to be a very worthwhile week!

ATMOSPERE
Conferences can be similar in many ways but I find they do have different atmospheres. The NCRI Cancer Conference is a UK-based conference that brings together the entire cancer community. The buzz there was palpable! There were national perspectives – but also international perspectives and participants; less industry (or commercial) and more informal than some events, with lots of energetic researchers very passionate about their subjects. Charities, patient groups, public health, NHS, academia and research institutes were all well-represented.

CONTENT
There was a breadth of cancer research from basic science to public health. Here is a sample of what was offered:

Plenaries – Great speakers with knowledge and experience; straight–talking and also inspiring.
Symposia, parallel sessions, workshops, posters – provided a ‘pick n mix’ of subjects. There was something for everyone; including basic science, clinical research and development, prevention, treatment, and also patient perspectives.
Exhibition – with good opportunities for networking.

Key features:
Lively debates; cutting-edge science; interesting potential breakthroughs in prevention and treatment.

PERSONAL TAKES:
Keeping current and up to date: an integral part of the development of A Tree of Life Sciences, as a growing independent consultancy.

Cancer research: a specialist subject area – I took full advantage of this opportunity to continue to develop knowledge and understanding.

During the conference I was also able to share meeting highlights with colleagues and contacts. I came away with a wealth of material and ideas for future writing, communications and projects. As always these events are great opportunities to make new friends and contacts for future collaborations.

Excellent conference! Great experience!

Further information available here

by Julie Charlesworth

A Tree of Life Sciences® is investing in the future through mentoring and coaching.

We continue to support the Manchester Gold programme (Manchester University undergraduate and postgraduate students).

A Tree of Life Sciences is supporting and inspiring both newcomers and seasoned leaders.

See our Learning services

Manchester Gold mentee “I would say that I have benefitted enormously from having a mentor over the last few months and learnt a lot of skills and a different way of thinking”

I have just returned from the ESC Congress, feeling invigorated. The event took place 29 August to 2 September 2015 in London. The ESC Congress is the world’s largest cardiovascular event. This year there were more than 32,000 participants, including more than 26,000 delegates and 5000 exhibitors.

A lasting impression is just how vast this event was and bearing that in mind, how well organised. The array of interesting topics and learning opportunities was particularly enticing. Day 1 was a very hectic, long day for me as I could not resist trying to engage in as much as possible. With more than three days left I had to be selective about which parts I could actually attend. The Congress App proved to be an excellent planning tool. When I had to miss presentations due to clashes of timing, I could catch up afterwards with slides or videos available on-line.

Interspersed with Congress sessions I had some pre-arranged meetings with clinical research colleagues. I also bumped into some people I had met at previous professional meetings and it was good to catch up over a coffee. In informal chats with some of the ESC organisers I was even able to practice my French (although their English is clearly excellent).

There was a truly international feel to the Congress with delegates from Europe and also all around the world. This year notably there were a significant number of delegates from Japan and South America. There was a definite buzz throughout, which even extended to the Docklands train line packed with enthusiastic Congress attendees – a sense of common purpose, involvement and sharing of knowledge and experience.

The ESC congress was great opportunity to increase my awareness of the latest clinical trials and discoveries in basic science and clinical research. It was also a chance to participate in some education activities and to make new friends and contacts.

by Julie Charlesworth 14/09/2015

Over the summer of 2015, I became increasingly concerned about this important local and global issue.

The danger of antimicrobial resistance is something we have been aware of for years. However, it often takes a specific event or a simple communication to jolt us as individuals to action. For me, it was attending a lecture in June 2015 by Professor Dame Sally Davies the Chief Medical Officer for England.

The messages Sally Davies conveyed kept coming to mind and I did some further research. ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ is very readable book* that I would recommend to you. To learn more about the issues quickly, you can watch this short video. There are many aspects to antimicrobial resistance and many actions that are needed. One of the key messages is that we need new antibiotics.

These issues can no longer be perceived as a problem ‘for tomorrow’ and I felt compelled to do something now.

I am not a microbiologist myself (although our networks do include specialists in anti-infectives and microbiology). How best could I contribute?

I am viewing this as a ‘doing the right thing’ project. This is what I have done so far:

In August 2015 I published a post on LinkedIn which has been widely viewed. By sharing some very clear and powerful material, I hoped to inform others (including writers) about the subject’s many different aspects. I started discussions in medical communication and medical writing groups. My intention was to increase awareness and stimulate discussion amongst communicators in Life Sciences and health matters. The involvement of professional associations and their networks enables writers to have the necessary support to develop their skills and improve the quality of their communications.

These are just a few small actions, let’s see what happens…

by Julie Charlesworth, August 2015

* ‘The Drugs Don’t Work (Penguin Special): A Global Threat’ by Professor Dame Sally Davies, Dr Jonathan Grant and Professor Mike Catchpole (ISBN: 9780241968888)

…………..

Update to original post:

November 2017
What a great choice of opening lecture at the EMWA Conference. Medical writers and aspiring medical writers gathered to hear an excellent lecture on the use of viruses against antibiotic resistant bacteria.
(see post on ABR 2017)

May 2018
Great to see EMWA introduced a new workshop ‘Bacterial infections and their treatments’ – particularly pertinent to the issue of antibacterial resistance.
Now, approved to be a regular workshop in their Professional Development Programme.

A Tree of Life Sciences Director, Dr Julie Charlesworth was invited to attend the preview of the opening of the new Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC).

The event hosted a group of about 50 ‘supporters’ (including Alumni and donors).

The evening began with an opportunity to mingle and meet supporters, MCRC representatives including members of the strategy and steering boards, and also research workers. The ‘preview’ began with an introduction by Dr Nigel Brooks and presentations by Professor Nic Jones and Professor Sir Salvador Moncada. The presentations were followed by guided tours of the new building and facilities; including talks and demonstrations by current post-doctoral researchers. There was an opportunity to actually participate in some ‘lab work’. The event closed with refreshments and some informal time to catch up with former colleagues and current researchers.

Julie says, “it is an exciting time in cancer research and this initiative is a fantastic example in a new era of collaborations in research”.  “A big thank you to the organisers for an inspirational event and for the opportunity to attend such a special occasion”.

The concept of ‘superior science, education and patient care through collaboration’ (Manchester University, the Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Cancer Research UK independent cancer research charity) is inspiring. ‘Personalised medicine’ at last seems an achievable objective and the science is fascinating.

More to follow ……..

In Part 1 of this blog post you were taken back in time to a moment in medical  history – the first heart transplant.

Now, in Part 2 we fast-forward. This is a personal perspective in which some other far-reaching issues of that time are highlighted together with some take home messages relating to breakthoughs in Life Sciences and medical research.

Click here to read some personal Take Home Messages

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 16/6/2015

There are moments in life that make a deep impression – times when you are very young and don’t remember much about an event but you just recall vividly that there was something very important happening in the world around you at the time.

For me, such moments include the assassination of President Kennedy, the first moon landing, The Beatles’ first live performance on TV and among this eclectic mix – the news of the first heart transplant and the name Christiaan Barnard.

Years later, May 20th 2015, having followed a career in Life Sciences and medical research, I was travelling in South Africa and I found myself at the Heart of Cape Town Museum; an unforgettable experience I’d like to share with you.

Setting the Scene

Christiaan Barnard (1922-2001) in his office in 1967

Picture, as I did: 1967 and a young charismatic doctor is beaming with a media-friendly smile. It follows years of hard work; tenacity and daring that lead him to carry out the first heart transplant – ‘a surgical feat that created a new medical era’. Barnard’s accomplishment brought South Africa and the University of Cape Town unprecedented international attention.

The Story – a dramatic series of events in medical history

After years of preparation, a surgical team was on standby for the appropriate circumstances. December 2nd 1967, following a tragic car accident, the clock starts. There is a donor, Denise Darvall, and there is a recipient, Louis Washkansky. Picture the two adjacent operating theatres, the technical skills and the subsequent international media coverage in which this was hailed as a breakthrough in organ transplant surgery and the start of a new medical era.

The donor heart is removed.

Adjacent theatre: surgeons prepare the recipient

The heart transplant proceeds

The first heart transplant represents a moment in history

Pause to imagine the human aspects

The father, who had just lost his wife in the same accident was losing his daughter (25 years old) and was now faced with an enormous request as a parent. Think about the decision, the success, then the feeling of loss again when LW subsequently died. Consider the impact on the father – and the rest of his family at the time and afterwards.

Imagine the euphoria of the initial success – a dying man feeling alive again. As a precaution against rejection his immunity was suppressed – but then pneumonia took hold and he died 18 days after the operation. Think how this affected all those involved: the families, the surgical teams and care teams.

Subsequent events

This blog post covers a snapshot in time and place. There were controversies that continued for some time but they have been followed by major developments and successes. There have been significant advances in the field of heart transplantation in the past 40 years or so. More than 5000 heart transplants are now performed each year around the world.

—————

On this tour I had the pleasure of the company of a group of student nurses and doctors from the U.S. We were all touched by the experience of the tour. For me, the trip also rekindled an early childhood memory and stimulated some thoughts regarding current issues around breakthroughs in research.

The Heart of Cape Town Museum provides a unique experience of a moment in medical history and I recommend it to you all.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 11/6/2015

[The photographs were taken by Julie Charlesworth and with permission, during the guided tour. The life-size models look so real and they are set in the actual operating theatres where the events took place.]

 
In Part 2 some other far-reaching issues of that time are highlighted together with some take home messages relating to breakthoughs in Life Sciences and medical research.

Photograph taken 20th May 2015 by Julie Charlesworth

May 20th 2015 was International Clinical Trials Day and it seemed a very appropriate occasion to be visiting the Groote Schuur Hospital, which is also an internationally renowned research institution.

Groote Schuur is the main academic hospital for the University of Cape Town’s medical school. The hospital attracts visiting medical students, trainee doctors and specialists who go to gain further training and experience in various fields.

The hospital is also famous because it is the institution where the first human heart transplant was performed.

Last week A Tree of Life Sciences® director Dr Julie Charlesworth attended the European Medical Writers Association conference in Dublin from 5-9 May 2015.

Julie was participating in workshops and was also pleased to be invited again to lead a table of discussions for the EMWA Freelance Business Forum.

Julie says, “Thank you to EMWA for all the hard work in organising this event, which as usual was a great success”.