King's wins Industry Interchange Award

King’s College London has been awarded a prestigious Industry Interchange Award from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to work in collaboration with the Nestlé Research Centre (NRC) to understand the interactions between genes and ingredients in food, and how they can affect human health.

This award – a first for the College – will enable King’s academic Dr Franca Fraternali and colleagues from the Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics to access the state-of-the-art bioinformatics facilities at NRC in Lausanne, Switzerland. Senior Researcher Dr James Holzwarth from NRC will also spend time in the King’s laboratories learning new techniques in the analysis of Protein-Protein Interaction data developed at King’s.

The genes and their encoded proteins determine important functions for health, such as how efficiently we metabolise food, how we respond to the environment and how we detoxify our body from potentially harmful agents.  Over time, environmental factors can cause genetic variations and may lead to modified proteins, which can display an altered function. The goal of this research is to understand the possible impact of these alterations on human health, diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors.

Dr Silva-Zolezzi, Head of the Functional Genomics group at Nestlé, said: ‘Our main research aim is to understand how certain ingredients can benefit our health. We believe that increasing our understanding of Protein-Protein Interaction networks is very relevant to our nutritional approach and will help guide our research.’

Dr Alison Campbell OBE, Director of Innovation at King’s, commented: ‘We’re delighted to have won this award to work in partnership with Nestlé. This collaboration gives us the opportunity to share particular King’s knowledge and expertise in Protein-Protein Interactions, and further explore their potential to affect our health.’

People movement is considered one of the best forms of knowledge transfer and BBSRC developed the scheme to enable researchers to move in either direction between the science base and industry. Reciprocal access to facilities and expertise can be of great strategic advantage to the UK science base. Long term beneficial relationships may be established and academic scientists are put in a good position to identify opportunities to realise the social and economic impact of fundamental research.

Notes to editors

This project between King’s and the Nestlé Research Centre (NRC) focuses on the analysis of recently published large-scale maps of pairwise Protein-Protein Interactions (PPI), transcription factor-target (TFT) interactions, three-dimensional structure of Protein complexes and other complementary datasets to enable a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms at the basis of protein function and its perturbation. In particular, the interplay of PPI and TF in DNA methylation (Epigenomics) will be investigated.

King's College London

King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (2010 QS international world rankings), The Sunday Times 'University of the Year 2010/11' and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has nearly 23,500 students (of whom more than 9,000 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 6,000 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.  King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million. 

King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.  King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: www.kingshealthpartners.org

For more information about King’s College London, please visit www.kcl.ac.uk

For further information please contact Emma Reynolds, Press Officer at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk

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Wound Care Project wins Guardian Award

Researchers at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, at King’s College London, have developed a groundbreaking new garment for patients who suffer the rare skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). Skinnies WEB™, which have been designed in partnership with EB patients, carers and clinicians, a clothing designer and a manufacturer, will help to reduce the burden of EB wounds on a day-to-day basis and therefore greatly improve quality of life for patients. The project was awarded the 2013 Guardian University Award for Outstanding Research Impact last week.

Epidermolysis Bullosa is a rare inherited skin condition that affects an estimated 1 in 17,000 people in the UK, according to DEBRA, the only national charity dedicated to the condition. EB sufferers have extremely sensitive skin, which means the slightest trauma or friction can cause blisters and open wounds. In its least severe form, EB affects the hands and feet only; however this can make even walking painful. In more serious cases, patients have wounds all over their bodies, which can lead to infections, scarring and disability.

Dr Patricia Grocott, Reader in Palliative Wound Care, said:

“Patients suffering with more extreme forms of Epidermolysis Bullosa face a daily routine of applying creams, a patchwork of different dressings and then pre-sized tubular bandages to hold their dressings in place. It can take hours and the lack of breathability in the bandages means they can actually do more harm than good, as soggy dressings are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. And on top of that, patients use thousands of  pounds worth of bandages.

“With this Woundcare for Epidermolyis Bullosa (WEB) project, we wanted to work with patients and their carers to design a new garment that can be worn over their dressings, but which would allow them more flexibility. The Skinnies WEB™ products, which include leggings, shorts and tops, are durable and can be machine washed, and importantly they are easy to put on and take off. They are also seamless, which is essential for some patients as seams and creases can create new wounds.”

The project involved workshops with patients, their carers and clinicians, in which they described the core problems they face in dressing EB wounds. Working in collaboration with EB nurse specialists who work within the NHS and are also supported by DEBRA, Dr Grocott observed dressing changes to gain further understanding of the challenges patients face.

One patient who worked on the WEB project said:

“The top I am now using is absolutely amazing. It has reduced the amount of time needed to apply and change dressings substantially and I’m sleeping a lot better because there is less pain caused by dressings moving and clothing getting stuck. The skinnies products are so comfortable that I hardly notice I’m wearing them and they don’t interfere with my body temperature.

“Having been rather sceptical about how the garment might help we are all happily amazed at the positive difference it has made to all our lives!”

Elizabeth Pillay, EB Nurse Consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, in association with DEBRA, said:

“I have been an EB nurse for 17 years, and although there have been many improvements in care during this time, the day-to-day relentless routine for people with EB and their carers continues to be an enormous burden. It has therefore been an enormous pleasure and privilege for the adult EB Nursing team to work on the WEB project which has turned wound care design on its head, by starting with the patient, and having the design fit their needs, rather than the patient struggling to fit the product.”

The project was funded by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity and King’s College London.

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King's Brazil Institute award success

King’s Brazil Institute staff celebrating their award

King’s Brazil Institute staff and students are celebrating this week after winning a prestigious Brazilian International Press Award for their work to promote Brazilian culture in the UK. The event was a culmination of a highly successful summer season for the Brazil Institute – after over 3,000 people visited the centre’s inaugural photography exhibition, and King’s College London also took part in hosting Casa Brasil during the Olympic Games.

The Brazilian International Press Awards celebrate success in promoting Brazilian culture worldwide in categories of music, art, culture, sports, and social action. Originally launched in the USA in 1997, the event has now expanded to London and Tokyo, with finalists in London nominated by popular vote among the Brazilian community in the UK.
This year the King’s Brazil Institute has won in the category for ‘Institution that Promotes Brazilian Culture in the UK’, after being nominated with Queen Mary, University of London; and GEB, the Brazilian Migration to the UK Research Group. The Institute faculty, led by Professor Anthony Pereira, collected the award on Saturday night at a lively reception in central London featuring Brazilian musicians, artists and journalists.

Professor Anthony Pereira and Dr Maite Conde collecting their award at the ceremony (Credit: Brazilian International Press Awards)
On receiving the award on behalf of the King’s Brazil Institute, Professor Anthony Pereira said: ‘We are honoured to have won this award and be in the company of such high profile nominees and prestigious institutions. Our whole mission is to promote understanding of Brazil in the UK and internationally, so it’s fantastic that our hard work this year has been recognized and we hope to build on this success.
‘We’re now looking forward to welcoming a new cohort of Master’s and PhD students this term, and in January we will be celebrating the arrival of our first Rio Branco Chair in International Relations.’
Dr Maite Conde, who took part in organizing the Salgado photography exhibition at the King’s Brazil Institute said: ‘We are all delighted with this award and it has been thanks to a real team effort – our mission is to open doors and build relationships with partner organizations in Brazil and internationally, so to be recognized in this way means a lot to us.
‘We’ve had fantastic success this summer with the Salgado exhibition and we’re now busy planning our next season of cultural events – including a film series in collaboration with the Latin American Film Festival.’
Notes to editors

For further media information please contact Katherine Barnes, International PR Manager, on katherine.barnes@kcl.ac.uk or +44 207 848 3076.
About King’s Brazil Institute, King’s College London

Promoting an understanding of Brazil and developing the profile of Brazilian Studies at the university level in the UK, the King’s Brazil Institute coordinates and develops Brazil-related research capabilities and Brazil-focused programmes of study at King's, while also building links with Brazilian organisations in education, the cultural and creative sectors, business and government. Through these activities, and as part of the College's broader international strategy, the Institute aims to contribute to a growing interdisciplinary interest in Brazil among both students and academics at King's. The King’s Brazil Institute forms part of a wider network of Global Institutes at King’s College London to promote understanding of fast changing parts of the world and encourage engagement with 21st century powers.

Read more about the King’s Brazil Institute.

For more information about the Global Institutes at King’s College London visit our website.

Follow on Twitter: @KingsBrazil
About the Brazilian International Press Awards

The Brazilian International Press Awards in the UK awards are organized by TV Globo International and sponsored by Bank of Brazil and TAM Airlines, with cultural support by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate General of Brazil in London. For more information visit their website.

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IFSA-Butler Ambassador Wins GoAbroad Award

Congratulations to IFSA-Butler Ambassador Emily Eckert, who won the 2013 GoAbroad Innovation Award for Innovative Student Video! Emily's video, "Not Just Lunch," chronicles her summer experience with her host mother in Santiago, Chile, and is posted to YouTube.

Emily is pictured below along with IFSA-Butler Field Assistant Heather Gregg during the GoAbroad awards ceremony. You can also see more IFSA-Butler alumni digital stories here.

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