Welcome to this latest edition of The Biochemist. In this issue, we explore the diverse ways in which the molecular biosciences are involved in Robotics and human–machine interfaces. This is a topic that never fails to interest people, as what was once something that seemed to exist exclusively in science fiction, can now be found in nearly all areas of life. With input from several experts in the field, this issue highlights the varied career and ongoing interdisciplinary project opportunities that exist within these fields.
Robotics is an area giving vast benefits to society in general, and in biosciences in particular, and several examples of this can be found within this issue.
Dr Eric Hill shared his research into developing models of neuronal tissue, with an ongoing project focusing on engineering and applying human neural cell circuits as biological computers, which will ultimately help us to better understand neurodegenerative disease.
Dr Micol Spitale, who uses robots to help children struggling with social skills, gave an engaging interview, and in addition, Dr Tom Carlson shared his research which focuses on improving brain–machine interfaces, to improve assistive technologies for rehabilitation, including devices for motor substitution and communication aids.
I hope that this will encourage readers to have a wider view of robotics, past its typical association with electronic engineering, and see how it can be used within biological and healthcare contexts. For example, we are not far away from fully robotic platforms being introduced that will completely automate genome sequencing and genetic testing. The power of robotics is greatly enhanced by developments in AI that we featured earlier in the year.
This edition is the first this year to showcase the entries from the Biochemical Society’s Science Communication Prize winners of 2024 in the Higher Education category. The quality of these entries has been astounding as well as the creativity and variety of mediums used to communicate the science. From posters, illustrated videos, to even crime reports, I hope you find these pieces as engaging as I did. First prize this year went to a poster which aims to inform the general public of the crucial role that the gut-brain axis and gut microbiome play in both our physical and mental health. Look out as well for the following issue which will feature entries from the Further Education category.
This volume also features a strong theme of education. We have a Student Focus article which talks about navigating blended learning, a topic which will be of interest to students and lecturers alike as more institutions choose to take this approach to teaching. Another trend we see across institutions affecting both lecturers and students is the increased size of student cohorts. I hope that Ellen Nisbett’s article will be helpful for those beginning to supervise undergraduate research projects, as well as those adapting to larger cohorts.
I hope that you enjoy this issue, feedback on its content is always welcomed. If you are interested in contributing to The Biochemist, please do get in touch.
