05/09/2019
LifeLab has launched an exciting programme of events for Friday 27th and Saturday 28th September 2019, transforming parts of Cambridge, Peterborough and Ely into discovery zones for the weekend. Most events are free, taking place in a range of venues including shopping centres, theatres, cafes and bars.
Family-friendly activities include experiments, hands-on activities and storytelling at our pop-up labs in Ely Cathedral, Cambridge’s Grafton Centre and Peterborough’s Queensgate Centre. There’s a chance to explore the world of coding at an ‘in for a pound’ Saturday special at Cambridge Science Centre. We’ll also be hosting an evening programme of comedy, conversation and performance at venues including the Cambridge Junction, Ely Cathedral and Peterborough’s Key Theatre.
LifeLab’s overall aim is to connect communities across Cambridgeshire with the exciting life science and innovation happening on their doorstep.
Dr Kenneth Skeldon, LifeLab lead from Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement, said: “Last year LifeLab was a big success in Peterborough and Cambridge, with over 3,500 people coming together with 160 scientists, technicians and software developers across 50 different activities and events. It’s great to be back and we’re doubly delighted to be expanding our 2019 programme into Ely as well.”
LifeLab is led by Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement, and brings together five of the region’s leading life science research organisations: the Wellcome Sanger Institute, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), the Babraham Institute, the University of Cambridge and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology.
LifeLab is part of the European Researchers’ Night*, an annual celebration of research that takes place in 371 cities across Europe in September. The initiative is supported by the European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie funding programme.
The full programme of events in Cambridgeshire was available at www.camlifelab.co.uk. Most events are drop in, but some require advanced booking and/or paid entry on the door. Following @camlifelab on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram is an excellent way to keep up to date with the latest event news as well as sharing the excitement behind the scenes in the lead up to the weekend itself.
Get a taste of the LifeLab experience (from LifeLab 2018)
Contact details: Dr Matthew Midgley Media Officer Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge 01223 494856 press.office@sanger.ac.uk
Dr Louisa Wood Communications Manager Babraham Institute, Cambridge 01223 496230 louisa.wood@babraham.ac.uk
*More information about European Researchers’ Night can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/actions/european-researchers-night_en Available resources:
About LifeLab LifeLab brings the latest discoveries and technologies right to your doorstep. We’ll be taking over public spaces in Cambridge, Ely and Peterborough to bring you an exciting programme of mostly free events, games and activities – shedding new light in the exciting discovery that’s happening on our doorsteps.
LifeLab is one of four projects in the UK and one of 55 across the whole of Europe funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions programme. European Researcher’s Night* runs annually over the last Friday night in September (27th and 28th in 2019).
The consortium behind LifeLab represent a cluster of world-leading research organisations in Cambridgeshire, each with a unique story to share, and a powerful overall message that science and research must thrive in a world where society is constantly engaged and involved, and with a responsibility to highlight the many and varied pathways into a career in science and research across a myriad of different roles.
05 September 2019