Today, I have the wonderful opportunity to give a lecture to first-year BSc History students on one of my research interests: exploring history to identify novel antimicrobials. I’m really looking forward to it!

A bit late for Halloween, but the fake blood is out, the labels and request forms printed. It’s time for me to prep the 3 different “patient” samples for the specimen reception part of next weeks diseased blood film practical. Which samples can you accept ?🩸 #biomedicalscience #astonuniversity

Super grateful and excited to be delivering a two hour lecture/workshop to the first year historians at Aston next week! It’ll form a part of their history of medicine and science module. The central focus stems from my interest in looking to the past to identify novel treatments for infection.

Drinking tea from this today, one of the only days it makes an appearance. On this 420th anniversary no less!

During the 5 minute break slide in my lectures I typically include a different picture of my cat. This week I’ve had few students email me pictures of their pets - cats, dogs and birds and I love it! 🥹😎

A warm welcome to everyone at @astonuniversity.bsky.social attending our #OpenDay! Thinking biosciences? 🔬 Get hands on in our labs, chat with our staff, meet current students & learn more about our accredited Biomedicine, Biochemistry & Biomedical Science degrees🥼🔬🧫🧪🦠🩸🅰️🅱️🆎🅾️

I had a great couple of days at the BSHM Congress earlier this week in Leeds. Such a range of fantastic talks and such friendly delegates. It was great to present some of our recent research too as a poster.

As a lover of medieval history of the Near East, I’ve always wanted to visit Kerak castle 🏰 Loving the new @history-hit.bsky.social documentary with @thehistoryguy.bsky.social! Great to see Prof Phillips too!

📣Good luck to everyone getting their A level results today! 📄 Thinking of next steps? Biosciences at @AstonUniversity is open in #Clearing. 🥼🔬✨ ✅ Accredited degrees (IBMS/RSB) ✅ Award winning careers & placements team ✅ Gold for Teaching Excellence #ALevelResultsDay

This is brilliant progress, but other cancer research needs funding too. My Mom died 9 months after her lung cancer diagnosis, my grandad 14 months after his. My dad’s brother died 6 months after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis & my cousin (his daughter) died 11 months after her brain tumour diagnosis

Oh Sicily. From your Ancient Greek theatres and temples, to your Roman Mosaics and Gladiator Arenas. From your Medieval Castles to your Baroque Churches - one of which has columns as a former Temple to Athena. Great weather, food and lovely running routes. What a holiday 🇮🇹😊

Oh no, this is really sad ☹️ we must support English Heritage and the National Trust, two wonderful charities who protect and promote our heritage. www.thetimes.com/culture/art/...

New piece of kit has arrived to support the teaching of haematology on our IBMS accredited Biomedical Science degree at Aston University! It will also support research within the College. Super excited to start using it! 🩸🥼 #astonuniversity #haematology

I was an absolutely sweltering race this morning, but it was great running the Wenlock Olympian 7 mile race! Congrats to Bru on 3rd place! 🥵☀️🥳🥉🏃🏽‍♂️🏃🏻

Really enjoyed listening to this blooducation podcast this morning on my run. Helen discusses with Adrian Shields common immunological scenarios encountered in haematology 🩸

Earlier start to meet Dad for breakfast. Have a good Thursday all!

Thrilled our poster abstract was accepted for the British Society for the History of Medicine Congress. It draws together Indigenous knowledge with novel antimicrobial testing. Great to collaborate with a historian colleague & include contributions from some of my final year project students.

@rossp22.bsky.social from @astonuniversity.bsky.social talking at #UKSTEMConf25 about interprofessional learning.

Great Tuesday afternoon at @chalkefestival.bsky.social. Talk highlights were Sir Michael Palin discussing his travels and Tom Holland on Suetonius! #history #historyfestival

Lovely late afternoon @chalkefestival.bsky.social yesterday! ‘Chalke for Schools’ this morning, then full days of history from tomorrow through Sunday. Yesterday’s highlight: Gareth Russell and Lucy-Hughes-Halley on King James I’s love life. Roll on this afternoon! Glastonbury for #history lovers 😊

First day of annual leave today. On our drive through Gloucestershire we planned a stop at this medieval beauty. Opened the Norman church door to be greeted by stunning frescoes from 1120 AD—including a vivid Last Judgement scene above the chancel. Just wow! 😍 #KempleyChurch

I wonder how long it will take for the government to care that the higher-education sector is in freefall.

It has been the highlight of my year for the last few years. Super excited for the beginning of chalkefestival.bsky.social tomorrow! 😎🥳

If you’re able to, please consider giving blood, particularly if you’re O neg or African-Carribean🩸🅰️🅱️🆎 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Neighbours birthday party on a Sunday night + early commute as the OH was off to London for work = 😴

A beautiful and historic Sunday. Featuring Erddig (National Trust), Whittington Castle, a beautiful 12th century church, followed by dinner in Shrewsbury.

What a lovely and thoughtful gift from one of my students. Three of my favourite things in one - cats, microbiology and a cuppa! 🐈‍⬛🦠🫖

Great conference today, thanks to the organisers and all the presenters. Leaving with lots of ideas to apply to my own teaching 🥼

It’s nice to have had some rain overnight 🌧️

Great NIHR talk yesterday evening by Dr Peter Rimmer from UHB. His clinical research detailed how changing the microbiome using a faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) can help treat inflammatory bowel disease. Brilliant 👏🔬🦠 #biomedical #IBD #gastroenterology #microbiology #CPD

Last night I did my third ever fell race, this time up Caer Caradoc in Church Stretton. It was TOUGH, but so much fun and the views were stunning. The fell race community are so wonderful too ⛰️🌅

Last night I got to use the birthday present my sister very kindly gave me! In the beautiful candlelit setting of St Paul’s Church, we listened to Birmingham’s Sekine Quartet perform music from The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. A brilliant evening 🎻🎼🐉⚔️

What an incredible atmosphere at the Birmingham Half Marathon today, thanks to all the crowds cheering us on and my family too! After months of training, I was determined to finally get under 2 hours. I couldn’t believe I did it in 1:49:14! No wonder I got so emotional at the end 😅🥹😂

My favourite time of year in the garden. Hysteria over the wisteria 💜

What a beautiful Sunday morning

I’ve had the most wholesome birthday today. Started in Waterstones and then with my family at the National Trust 🥹♥️

My grandma gave me this page yesterday from her schoolbook. It details English/British Monarchs. It’s when you turn it over that blows my mind. It says ‘King George VI, 1936-?’ I know my grandma is 91, but the fact it was written before Queen Elizabeth’s reign in 1952 is just…🤯!

Oh Worcester Cathedral on this Easter Sunday ♥️

After a run, I’m not moving far today as I get transported to the ancient world, courtesy of @hughbowden.bsky.social 📜🏛️📚#history #ancient #book

Me and the OH haven’t had chance to spend weekends together for the last month or so, so today’s last minute planned annual leave together was lovely. Highlights included a Bluebell woods, walk along the river, historic floor tiles, an Iron Age fort, cake and coffee.

The countdown is on for this years @chalkefestival.bsky.social (23-29th June) 🥳 I’m excited for a week packed with history talks, living history and performances. It’s been my annual highlight for the last 4 years! With tickets now including everything, it’s going to be extra epic!

One of the greatest of Britons, Dr Bill Frankland was born today in 1912. He died in 2020 at age 108. A survivor of the Japanese POW camps, he was a doctor who worked with Fleming on Penicillin. He never stopped working & published an academic paper at 104 V lucky to meet him in 2019

A reminder that the new institute for membrane science at Aston University has openings for PhD students. I'm offering a project together with @kitchenphil.bsky.social using polymer/lipid particles to understand lipid-protein interactions with membranes. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Wild garlic picking after work 🧄🌱

90% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die from the disease. That's why the medical community is excited about the results of a small trial in which nearly half of the pancreatic cancer patients who received an mRNA vaccine for the disease remained relapse-free three years later.

Thanks to all those who attended our Biosciences Offer Holder Day today @astonuniversity.bsky.social, we hope you enjoyed it 🥼

Super rare magenta aurora in the sky over Finland!

Today the fluffster is 7! 🥳🎈

This is wonderful Simon! I’m really hoping I can visit Pompeii soon!

“Dad, I’m snoozing. Stop taking photos of me!”