At Birmingham, we have long made a habit of doing things first. For more than a century, the great minds who have studied, taught or carried out research at this University have played a key role in helping to solve some of the world’s biggest issues; combining original thinking with focus and rigour, intellectual curiosity with practical application.
Our philosophy is rooted in discovery; our people are empowered and encouraged to turn their ingenuity into reality and to make big things happen. We have long been, and today remain, Purposeful Pioneers.
This issue of Original offers an insight into some of the contemporary research which continues to enhance our reputation as a leading global university. You can read about ground-breaking developments in cancer immunology, which are bringing fresh insight into how rogue cells inhibit the human immune mechanism,and what we are doing to combat them.
Professor David Adams, Dean of Medicine and incoming Head of the College of Medical and Dental Sciences, explains how the University is evolving into a vast interdisciplinary biomedical campus on which, thanks to bold long-term investment and the successful collaborations we have forged with hospitals and local industry, the complex research described above can be translated into therapies, tested in human clinical trials and adapted into life-changing treatments in a seamless ‘one-stop shop’ process.
You can also learn more about the significance of dark matter in biology, explore the world of quantum technology, and discover how our research in the field of global ethics has helped to produce a new system for measuring poverty and deprivation.
We can be justifiably proud of our pioneering spirit – a quality that attracts top-class academics from around the world to come and work at Birmingham.We enjoy being at the vanguard of discovery: navigating complexity, opening up access and unlocking value – so that others can follow and benefit.
Professor David Eastwood
Vice-Chancellor