Inspiring NSW was very pleased to support two events for the 2024 National Science Week, featuring the work of artists Pat Pillai, Rita Pearce, and Mary Hayman, as they explore brain science.
Neural Knitworks
First, they joined the City of Sydney hosted event Knitting with Neuroscience: Meet the researchers, featuring four researchers from the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, for National Science Week on Wednesday 14 August.
Neural Knitwork founders Pat Pillai and Rita Pearce were on hand to demonstrate crafting of neurons and talk people through the process and materials needed.
Many in the audience brought their own needles to knit and crochet and didn’t waste any time settling down with a pattern and starting, while the four guest speakers shared their latest research on fascinating topics.
Dr Stela Petkova a Senior Research Scientist in the Translational Psychopharmacology team a spoke about her current research on drug development for social dysfunction including social communication deficits, social anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
Dr Nathan Cross reminded all of us about the importance of sleep, at any age. His research measures how different parts of our brain communicate while we sleep to save (remember) or delete (forget) information from our day.
A research-focused academic at the Ion Channel Drug Discovery Lab Dr Vivian Liao was next. Her research on epilepsy, surprisingly one of the common neurological diseases globally, aims to find potential treatments for patients by creating brain organoid models to study severe, untreatable epilepsy.
Dr Anastasia Suraev from the Healthy Brain Ageing Program finished the evening with a fascinating presentation on dementia. She uses brain imaging techniques to examine the build-up of certain proteins in the brain and how the degree of protein build-up relates to key clinical features, such as memory and thinking skills, and dementia risk factors.
There were many questions from the audience in the room and online, while people continued to knit, crochet and craft. The series will return to Darling Square Library for Mental Health Month in October.
Gut Feeling
Gut Feelings is new community art project for Pat Pillai and Rita Pearce, joined now by artist Mary Hayman. They launched the project at Hazlehurst Arts Centre on Saturday 17 August for National Science Week.
They are now exploring the fascinating and rapidly evolving science of the gut microbiome, with an interest in the gut-brain nexus.
Using the lovingly restored original residence at Hazlehurst, the Cottage, the lounge and living rooms quickly filled up with groups of knitters and crocheters settling in to create and craft with the patterns supplied.
Professor Georgina Hold, Professor of Gut Microbiology at the St George and Sutherland Clinical School UNSW Sydney, and Dr Erin Shanahan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology from the University of Sydney, both presented on the basic physiology of the gut, the large and small intestines, and the role of the microbiome, the many bacteria that inhabit our gut. We found out why the epithelial cells that line the gut, forming a tight protective border, are so important, and much more.
The takeaway – eat a variety of fibre rich foods over your week – there are no magic recipes, just variety.
The project was officially launched with an evocative performance from the Shopfront Arts Co-op, a fascinating interpretation of the internal processes of the gut.
Gut Feelings is an ongoing project and will culminate in an exhibition at the Broadhurst Gallery Hazelhurst Art Centre 15 August – 2 Sept during Science Week 2025. More information about how to get involved.
Inspiring NSW was very pleased to support two events for the 2024 National Science Week, featuring the work of artists Pat Pillai, Rita Pearce, and Mary Hayman, as they explore brain science.
Neural Knitworks
First, they joined the City of Sydney hosted event Knitting with Neuroscience: Meet the researchers, featuring four researchers from the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, for National Science Week on Wednesday 14 August.
Neural Knitwork founders Pat Pillai and Rita Pearce were on hand to demonstrate crafting of neurons and talk people through the process and materials needed.
Many in the audience brought their own needles to knit and crochet and didn’t waste any time settling down with a pattern and starting, while the four guest speakers shared their latest research on fascinating topics.
Dr Stela Petkova a Senior Research Scientist in the Translational Psychopharmacology team a spoke about her current research on drug development for social dysfunction including social communication deficits, social anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
Dr Nathan Cross reminded all of us about the importance of sleep, at any age. His research measures how different parts of our brain communicate while we sleep to save (remember) or delete (forget) information from our day.
A research-focused academic at the Ion Channel Drug Discovery Lab Dr Vivian Liao was next. Her research on epilepsy, surprisingly one of the common neurological diseases globally, aims to find potential treatments for patients by creating brain organoid models to study severe, untreatable epilepsy.
Dr Anastasia Suraev from the Healthy Brain Ageing Program finished the evening with a fascinating presentation on dementia. She uses brain imaging techniques to examine the build-up of certain proteins in the brain and how the degree of protein build-up relates to key clinical features, such as memory and thinking skills, and dementia risk factors.
There were many questions from the audience in the room and online, while people continued to knit, crochet and craft. The series will return to Darling Square Library for Mental Health Month in October.
Gut Feeling
Gut Feelings is new community art project for Pat Pillai and Rita Pearce, joined now by artist Mary Hayman. They launched the project at Hazlehurst Arts Centre on Saturday 17 August for National Science Week.
They are now exploring the fascinating and rapidly evolving science of the gut microbiome, with an interest in the gut-brain nexus.
Using the lovingly restored original residence at Hazlehurst, the Cottage, the lounge and living rooms quickly filled up with groups of knitters and crocheters settling in to create and craft with the patterns supplied.
Professor Georgina Hold, Professor of Gut Microbiology at the St George and Sutherland Clinical School UNSW Sydney, and Dr Erin Shanahan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology from the University of Sydney, both presented on the basic physiology of the gut, the large and small intestines, and the role of the microbiome, the many bacteria that inhabit our gut. We found out why the epithelial cells that line the gut, forming a tight protective border, are so important, and much more.
The takeaway – eat a variety of fibre rich foods over your week – there are no magic recipes, just variety.
The project was officially launched with an evocative performance from the Shopfront Arts Co-op, a fascinating interpretation of the internal processes of the gut.
Gut Feelings is an ongoing project and will culminate in an exhibition at the Broadhurst Gallery Hazelhurst Art Centre 15 August – 2 Sept during Science Week 2025. More information about how to get involved.
Gut Feelings. All images are copyright Kess Media
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