News in brief, 9 December 2019
Published: 29 November 2019
A round-up of news across the University
Twelve Apps for Christmas
The Digital Education Unit has gathered 12 apps that we think may be useful in teaching and learning for online and distance education.
Starting on 9 December, 2019, we will reveal one app per day for 12 consecutive working days. We have added some festive cheer by creating a different short Christmas-themed game for each day which you will need to complete before the app for that day is revealed. Each game should only take around five minutes to play.
If you prefer not to play the game don’t worry, you’ll be able to still see the app for the day.
The aim is to showcase the creativity and talent the Digital Education Unit provides and to give you some new ideas for ways that the 12 Apps can be used in online learning. We also hope that you have some fun in the run-up to Christmas.
https://uofgdigitaled.com/home/12-apps-of-christmas/
Season Ticket Loans
As you may be aware, rail tickets are due to increase by approximately 2.8% from 2 January 2020. Should you wish to avoid the fare increase, please could you ensure that you have put in your request by close of business on 11 December, with a start date of 1 January 2020 or earlier. Further details on Season Tickets and other benefits available to staff can be found by visiting our Staff Benefits page.
Policy brunch addresses Next-Generation Sequencing
The Head of Medical Genomics at the Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory (GPOL), Dr Susie Cooke, presented at a policy brunch on Tuesday 3 December alongside a representative from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Genetic Alliance UK. The brunch, held in Edinburgh, was attended by a number of NHS representatives, patient groups and policy-makers who were keen to learn more about Next-Generation Sequencing.
Next- Generation Sequencing uses advanced sequencing technologies to analyse an individual’s DNA, this in turn can provide scientists with information about a specific genetic mutation in a person’s genomic profile. This allows a more accurate diagnosis of a disease such as pancreatic cancer and can also help scientists determine which treatments are likely to work or even which clinical trials would be suitable for a patient.
The attendees of the brunch heard about Dr Cooke’s work in Next-Generation Sequencing and how the University of Glasgow has been collaborating with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde to encourage the introduction of a broad-spectrum genomic test at the time of diagnosis for patients with advanced cancer in Scotland.
Dr Cooke and the team at GPOL have developing the ground-breaking new Glasgow Cancer Tests which use Next-generation Sequencing to provide a suite of affordable solid tumour and blood cancer tests. They have been developed specifically to enable patients to benefit from real-world Precision Medicine-based cancer treatments. The Tests are also designed to be used in routine healthcare, such as the NHS, to enable doctors to offer the latest treatments and trials to cancer patients.
Two graduates become Schwarzman scholars
Two graduates from the University of Glasgow have been awarded prestigious Schwarzman Scholarships by Tsinghua University.
Sarah El-Menawi and Ameer Ibrahim will enrol in August 2020 at the Schwarzman College in Beijing where they will undertake the innovative program which is anchored in the University’s Masters of Global Affairs.
145 Schwarzman Scholars were selected from more than 4,700 applicants and comprise students from 41 countries. The programme is designed to prepare young leaders to deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world, through a one-year Master’s Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing – one of China’s most prestigious universities.
First published: 29 November 2019