Marathon challenge for Prostate Cancer UK
1 February 2023
Runners of all abilities started 2023 by challenging themselves to run 26.2 miles across January to fundraise for Prostate Cancer UK as part of the charity’s Run the Month: Marathon Edition.
Staff Census: We need you!
7 November 2022
All Medical Sciences staff are invited to log into HR self-service and ensure their contact, diversity background and disability details are up to date. Between 6% and 27% of staff in the Division are missing their diversity data which makes it difficult to complete statutory reporting, understand or track our population changes and to plan actions around staff diversity and equality – make sure your data is complete today!
Oxford MedSci goes silver: 10 Years of Athena SWAN
14 June 2022
The Medical Sciences Division is celebrating 10 years since its first Athena Swan bronze application, and the first year in which all 16 of its departments have achieved a silver award. The silver award recognises commitment to gender equality, understanding culture and context, and more. Read about our department’s hard work and innovation.
Lights, camera, action! My journey into video production
Dr Hannah McGivern provides a 'behind-the-scenes' account of her experience producing the video 'Journey of a QUOD Sample: Donating to Transplant Research', supported by the funds from the University of Oxford Public Engagement with Research (PER) Seed Fund.
Mentoring in practice
NDS has launched a new, interdepartmental mentoring scheme called RECOGNISE. In this podcast, Gemma Horbatowski (HR Advisor) interviews Monica Dolton (Programme Manager and Research Project Manager) about her experiences of mentor-mentee relationships.
Wrap up of 2021
23 December 2021
After a brilliant year of hard work and dedication, the SITU team has done some reflection on 2021, focusing on key events, trial progression, and more. Read on to discover how the year 2021 went for the SITU team...
Celebrating Anti-Bullying Week with words of kindness
24 November 2021
Keeva Heap, who is undertaking a communications work experience placement at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS), shares our words of kindness In honour of Anti-Bullying Week.
My virtual work experience with NDS and NDORMS
23 July 2021
Louise Tan, a Year 12 student from Ballyclare in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, recently attended the joint NDS and NDORMS Virtual Work Experience. In this guest blog, Louise reflects on her experience.
Celebrating women of NDS
To celebrate 100 years since women were admitted as full members of the University and on the occasion of International Women's Day, a group of inspirational women in the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS) reflect on their journeys, their place in Medical Sciences and their vision for the next 100 years.
The life of a research nurse: supporting the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Trial
30 January 2021
Research nurses in the NHS are playing a crucial role in helping to trial new coronavirus treatments and vaccines. Three NDS research nurses stepped up to help with the fight against this new disease. Here Bhumika Patel shares her experience of working on the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Trial.
Why I became a Peer Supporter
The Peer Support Programme was developed in recognition of the essential role students play in supporting and encouraging one another on a day-to-day basis throughout their time at university. NDS’ own Helen Stark discusses her experience of becoming a Peer Supporter.
Racism under the microscope
As Black History Month gets underway in the UK, NDS Athena SWAN Coordinator Emily Hotine puts racism under the microscope.
In memory of Sue Bonnington
22 September 2020
Pete Holding shares his memories of a much-loved colleague, Sue Bonnington. Based in Leicester, Sue worked remotely for the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS) as a ProtecT study Lead Research Nurse from 2002 to 2017.
Hosting a virtual work experience programme
In this blog post, Dr Hannah McGivern, a Tissue Handling Technician for the Quality in Organ Donation (QUOD) initiative at NDS, discusses her involvement in the NDS Virtual Work Experience Programme, and shares how fascinating and rewarding it was to talk with the students about a career in research.
SITU Work Experience 2020
22 July 2020
Lucy Paterson (NDS) and Teya Agnese (NDORMS) from the Surgical Intervention Trials Unit (SITU) describe the fun challenge of delivering an online SITU session to this year's NDS work experience students.
Black Lives Matter
Emily Hotine, NDS Athena SWAN Coordinator, talks about the importance of anti-racism (and why it is not enough to simply say you’re not racist), the power of white privilege, and why we should all be saying, “black lives matter.”
Reflections on gratitude during lockdown
Louise King collates our words of gratitude amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kindness for mental health
Mental Health Awareness Week is an opportunity to reflect on kindness. Louise King, NDS Communications and Public Engagement Officer, discusses the role kindness plays in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking advantage of the NDS Staff Training Fund
9 April 2020
The NDS Staff Training Fund was set up to support a greater level of external training for NDS staff to equip them with skills they might not otherwise have access to. The fund ensures our department has the best trained staff, allowing us to deliver the best academic, research and support activities. Three members of staff - Gemma Horbatowski, Ashley Raghu and Liset Pengel - talk about their experiences of using the training fund.
Strengthening ties between Oxford and Tanzania
Professor Kokila Lakhoo, along with colleagues from the Oxford University Global Surgery Group, is developing paediatric surgery through a link in Tanzania. In this blog post, Professor Lakhoo reports on their latest trip, which was part of a continuous ongoing strengthening of ties between the Oxford team and Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.