Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 27/03/2023 - 17:18
Members of Prof. Julian Rayner’s lab took part in ‘Changing Pathogens in a Changing World’, an event that brought infectious diseases researchers from across the University together as part of 2023’s Cambridge Festival. The centrepiece was an inflatable paddling pool of red blood cells (red balls), where children used fishing poles with magnets attached to ‘fish’ out cells infected with malaria parasites (in this case, sweets and information about different parasite stages), just as researchers in the lab use magnets to separate infected and uninfected red blood cells. Microscopes and displays showed what malaria parasites really look like, and lab members were on hand to talk about their research and the global challenge that is malaria. A great time was had by all - thanks to all who made the event a success.