12 Nov 2019

Treasures from the deep and beach cleaning at Broughty Ferry

Students and staff from the University of Dundee will this weekend lead members of the public on a treasure hunt and beach clean – with tantalising tales of creatures from beneath the Tay thrown in for good measure. The Tay Treasure Hunt & Beach Clean takes place at Broughty Ferry Beach on Sunday 17 November. The event is one of around a dozen being held across Dundee as part of the Being Human Festival, the UK’s national celebration of the humanities, along with film screenings at Dundee Contemporary Arts, a take-over of Dundee Science Centre and more. All events are free, although advanc...

11 Nov 2019

Gary Clark and Lesley Knox to be honoured at Graduation

The University of Dundee will honour Gary Clark, one of the city’s most successful musical sons, and Lesley Knox, former Chair of Design Dundee Ltd and a key figure in delivering V&A Dundee, at its Winter Graduation ceremonies on November 14 and 15. Both Gary and Lesley will receive the honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the ceremonies in the Caird Hall in Dundee. Gary will receive his at the ceremony on the afternoon of November 14, and Lesley will receive hers the following morning. An award‐winning and internationally successful songwriter, musician, record producer and celebrated Dundonian...

7 Nov 2019

Sugar-coating proteins can help understand brain disease

A University of Dundee discovery has the potential to help scientists better understand neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Researchers, led by Professor Daan van Aalten in the University’s School of Life Sciences, have developed a new way to tag proteins in human cells with a small sugar molecule called O-GlcNAc. There are over 20,000 proteins in every human cell and approximately 20% of these contain O-GlcNAc. The exact role played by O-GlcNAc remains a mystery but the molecule is found on proteins related to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, motor neurone d...

6 Nov 2019

Call for online climate campaigners to “get involved”

People concerned about climate change need to turn social media ‘likes’ into practical action, the leader of a Europe-wide environmental project has said. Professor Mel Woods from the University of Dundee says that whilst online expressions of support to address environmental issues are welcome, they ultimately fail to produce real change. She will promote the role of ‘citizen science’ when she hosts the next Dundee Arts Café on Tuesday 12 November. The Academic Lead for the University’s Grow Observatory, a soil monitoring initiative supported by volunteer input, Pro...

4 Nov 2019

Increased demand prompts course expansion

Student numbers in Kirkcaldy are set to swell after the University of Dundee announced plans to expand one of its most popular nursing programmes. The University’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences expects numbers at its dedicated campus in the Fife town to increase by around 10% after confirming the expansion of its Mental Health Nursing BSc course. The subject is already taught at the University’s campus in Dundee, however, increased demand from prospective students means the programme will now also be delivered in Kirkcaldy from September 2020. Professor Lynn Kilbride, Dean of the Sch...