Scientists and doctors from the Institute of Infection and Global Health (IGH) marked Brain Awareness Week by hosting a family-friendly event at the Liverpool World Museum, last weekend.
IGH Director, Professor Tom Solomon and colleagues were joined by campaign mascot, ‘Bella the Brain’ to create interest in their research and reveal how and why brain infections affect humans.
Visitors to the museum took part in a range of fun activities designed to help them learn about the bugs that cause brain infections and how they are treated. Children got to try their hand at some brain teasing activities and made their own brain souvenir to take home.
Professor Solomon said: “Events like this are a great way of engaging the public with our research. A lot of it is publicly funded, so we have to be able to explain what we are doing, and why. Bella the Brain really helped draw people in and younger visitors to the museum clearly enjoyed the practical activities.”
Improving detection
Infections of the brain, such as meningitis, encephalitis and HIV, have a significant impact on large numbers of people in the UK and overseas. The IGH team study how such viruses spread and cause disease, as well as how to improve detection, develop treatments, and prevent infection in the first instance.
‘Battling the Brain Bugs’ is part of the Institute’s popular Saturday Science Programme, which is now in its second year. The next event in the series has a focus on food safety and takes place on Saturday 15 June at the Museum.
