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Research and Business
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Research Conversations - Promoting Interdisciplinary Research with Focus on Health and Wellbeing

Research Conversations are a series of conversations with researchers across Durham University focusing on a specific topic, looking at topics from different perspectives to identify and ask big questions, explain unexplained phenomena and work together to solve problems that haven’t been solved before.

Research Conversations aim to bring together researchers interested in addressing the beginning, middle and end of problems and working in collaboration on interdisciplinary grant applications. Identifying researchers that are interested in solving a specific problem in interdisciplinary teamwork can be a challenging process. Research Conversations aim to provide a forum where researchers across Durham University can meet to approach research questions from different disciplines and to identify collaboration partners.

The Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing (WRIHW) provides the necessary infrastructure by organising Research Conversations on specific topics. Researchers across the university are invited to participate in these interactive talks.

If you want to get involved, or have an idea for a research conversation please register your interest here. 


Convening call around Applied Global Health.
Two calls, one relating to Applied Global Health Research and one relating to Applied Global Health Partnerships open on the 24th May with outlines submitted by 25th July. Both will fund projects up to £2m and £1m respectively over 5 years and wishes to furnish multidisciplinary research and partnerships with low to middle income countries, driven by that country’s needs. Candidate topics may be:

  • maternal and neonatal health
  • early childhood development
  • adolescent health
  • healthy ageing
  • sexual and reproductive health
  • infectious diseases, including neglected tropical diseases and COVID-19
  • non-communicable diseases, including mental health disorders
  • multimorbidity
  • nutrition and food security
  • snakebite
  • intentional and unintentional injury
  • urban health, including indoor and outdoor air pollution, road traffic accidents and healthy housing
  • planetary health
  • informal settlements, conflict zones and displaced populations
  • primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
  • detection and diagnostics
  • mobile health
  • treatment, including surgery
  • pain management and palliative care

Please do let Suzi know if you are interested in this call.

 

The Mind Body Connection - 2nd May 2023

The Early Career Researcher (ECR) Committee at the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing (WRIHB) is hosting a research conversation on ‘The Mind Body Connection’ in collaboration with the ‘Brain, Body and Behaviour’ Challenge Academy.  The conversation is an opportunity for ECRs and non-ECRs to come together to discuss research interests and plans around health and wellbeing that connects mental and physical health.  The research conversation will be divided into four parts consisting of 2-5 minute ‘pitches’ with plenty of time set aside for conversation:

  • ECR ongoing research:
    • 'The influence of PPE and distancing on communication in health and care' – Andrea Lambell
    • ‘Managing Sports Related Concussion’ – Daniel Glassbrook
    • ‘Why is solitude something we hate but crave at the same time? A bridge between biology and psychology to explore the function of solitude’ – Thuy-vy Nguyen
  • ‘Brain, Body and Behaviour’ Challenge Academy ongoing research:
    • ‘Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light’ – Paul Chazot
    • ‘Brain, body, behaviour; why we can't understand anything till we understand everything’ – Amanda Ellison
  • Potential areas for collaboration:
    • ‘Stress and performance’ – Charmele Ayadurai
    • ‘Listening differently- gaining feedback from those who can't say’ – Nic Kendall
  • Next steps

The meeting will be a hybrid event and will take place on 2nd May between 10 and 11:30 in Room 113 in 32 Old Elvet, Department of Sociology, Durham DH1 3HN and on Teams.  If you would like to attend the event please let jonathan.wistow@durham.ac.uk know.