Explaining how we go about our research and what we are trying to achieve

Joining the dots between scientific research and real-life medical conditions is quite challenging for many people, so we try hard to engage with the public and charitable organisations to explain how we go about our research and what we are trying to achieve.

Our outreach events aren't all one-sided; we are keen to hear about what issues healthcare providers and charitable organisations are facing, the difficulties that sufferers are experiencing, what they expect from scientists and how we can help them to understand the process.

Such engagements help us to plan our research and seek new applications to best meet the needs of patients.

Outreach events 2013-2022

Engagement events organised or attended to interact directly with the public.

2024
Great North Run Lyle Armstrong, Sally Harwood, Eldo Galo, Victoria Mierzwa and Majlinda Lako completed the great north run and raised £2500 for Retina UK.
Maria Elia Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP meeting Newcastle University.
Rafail Nikola Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP meeting Newcastle University.
Eldo Galo and Sally Harwood Genetics Matters, Newcastle University.

2023
Robert Atkinson Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP meeting Newcastle University.
Eldo Galo Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP meeting Newcastle University.
Maria Georgiou, Eldo Galo, Rozalya Tsikandelova, Robert Atkinson, Sarah Hammadi Genetics Matters, Newcastle University.

2022
Birthe Hilgen March British Science week in schools: talk to pupils of St. Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Newcastle.
Maria Georgiou Contributed to the Retina UK Christmas countdown.
Robert Atkinson and Birthe Hilgen Talk to members of the public about our work on iPSC retinal models as part of an online seminar series.
Marina Moya Molina Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP meeting, Newcastle.
Avril Watson Presenter at the RP patient engagement event, Hull.
2021
Avril Watson Invited speaker at the Deafblind conference.
Majlinda Lako Invited speaker at the Macular Society Annual Conference.
2020
Robert Atkinson Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP and Usher group meeting, December 2020.
Maria Georgiou Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP and Usher group meeting, February 2020.
Rodrigo Cerna-Chávez Presenter at Young Entrepreneurs Scheme 2020, Haydn Green Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Nottingham University, November 2020.
2019
Dr. Collin and Dr. Zerti Presenters at the Northern Alliance RP and Usher group meeting, March 2019.
Dr. Zerti and Chichagova Newcastle Information Day organised by Retina UK, 16th May 2019.
Prof. Evelyne Sernagor and Dr. Gerrit Hilgen Northern Alliance RP and Usher group event: 16th of November, presenting scientists.
2018
Lako M Macular Society Roadshow: 15th of May, invited presenting scientist.
Lako M Invited presenting scientist at the Northern Alliance RP meeting, Newcastle, 17th of August 2018.
2017
Hilgen B Speaker at the VIEWS Group Newcastle. Newcastle, 9th November 2017.
Hallam D Speaker at the Basel LIFE event. Switzerland, 13th September 2017.
Collin J Presenter at the Northern Alliance RP & Usher Group event. Newcastle, 12th August 2017.
Steel DH Presenter at Café Scientifique. 'Can stem cells restore vision in AMD?’ Middlesbrough, 16th May 2017.
Steel DH Presenter at the Macular Society Roadshow. ‘Hopes for restoring vision in AMD with stem cells’. Hull, 11th May 2017.
Hallam D Poster presentation at the ERC poster and public lecture event. Newcastle, 16th March 2017.
Collin J, Zerti D Presenters at the Northern Alliance RP & Usher Group event. Newcastle, 11th March 2017.
2016
Mellough CB Invited presenting scientist at the Northern Alliance RP meeting, Newcastle, 19th November 2016.
Mellough CB, Collin JC Invited presenting scientists at the RPFB patient information event, Aberdeen, 15th September 2016.
Lako M, Mellough CB, Steel DH Organisers (CBM and ML) of and speakers (ML, CBM, DS) at the Newcastle RP Patient Information Day, 8th June 2016.
Hallam D, Buskin A, Chichagova V, Felemban M Volunteer helpers at the RPFB patient information day and conference, IGM, June 8th 2016.
Lako M Keynote Speaker at the Annual RP Fighting Blindness Scientific Symposium, 18th June 2016.
Mellough CB, Hallam D, Zhu L, Chichagova V Invited presenting scientists at the Northern Alliance RP Meeting, Newcastle, 16th April 2016.

2015
Steel DH 'Retinal repair with stem cells' North East England regional postgraduate seminar July 2015.
Hunt NC Volunteer for 'Meet the Patient' session, 6th Form open Day, Centre for Life, 15th July 2015.
Mellough CB Invited presenting scientist at the Northern Alliance Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) Meeting, Newcastle, 6th June 2015.
Steel DH Novartis Future of Ophthalmology event, London, June 2015 'iPSC - potential and potential problems'.
Steel DH Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress 'Induced pluripotent stem cells-potential for retinal repair and modelling' Liverpool, May 2015.
Steel DH Yorkshire retina Society, Leeds Retinal repair with stem cells, March 2015.
Mellough CB Invited presenting scientist at the Northern Alliance RP Meeting, Newcastle, 28th February 2015.
Mellough CB, Hallam D, Chichagova V Session chair (CBM) and 'Meet the scientist' presenting scientists (CBM, DH, VC) at the Rare Diseases 'Genetics Matters' Event, Newcastle, 27th February 2015.

2014
Mellough CB Presenter at the RP Fighting Blindness (RPFB) Patient Information Day, City Hospital, Birmingham, 9th October 2014.
Mellough CB, Chichagova V Volunteer presenters at the 'Meet the Scientist' event, Gunther von Hagen's Body Worlds Vital Exhibition, Newcastle, 14th September 2014.
Mellough CB Conference organiser and presenter at the RPFB Information Event, IGM, International Centre for Life, Newcastle, 10th September 2014.
Steel DH, Hallam D, Chichagova V Presenters, RPFB Information Event, Newcastle, 10th September 2014.
Steel DH Scotland Ocular Stem cell Meeting, Edinburgh, September 2014.
Lako , Collin JC Speakers at the annual research day organised by Macular Disease society UK, 4th June 2014, London.
Lako M Keynote Speaker at the Annual RP Fighting Blindness Scientific Symposium, 21st June 2014.
Hunt NC Presenter at RPFB event in conjunction with Sight Village Scotland, Glasgow, 22nd April 2014.
Mellough CB Presenter, RPFB visit, IGM, Newcastle, 25th June 2014.
Steel DH Macular Society 'Top Doctors' Program, Glasgow, May 2014.
Steel DH North of England Optometric Society Meeting, Durham March 2014.
Steel DH North East of England Ophthalmology Post grad meeting, Newcastle, March 2014.
Steel DH East of Scotland Ophthalmology Post grad meeting Edinburgh, February 2014.