Another week and another hugely busy and exciting one in the world of LifeLab.

As usual we welcomed more students to experience our purpose-built labs with A-level students from Richard Taunton Sixth Form College getting hands-on this week.

They also got the opportunity to take part in some media coverage as some of our participants were interviewed for an upcoming article by our colleagues within the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research team – watch this space for when we will be hitting the presses.

Along with welcoming students into LifeLab, our researchers regularly visit schools to gather more vital information and data that helps support all the work we do while at the same time giving students opportunities to improve their health that are being developed right here in Southampton.

We have talked a lot about our exciting new game-based intervention called EACH-B which is really starting to come together and took a huge step forward this week, thanks to the support of Oasis Mayfield.

The staff and students have helped tremendously in the development of the gaming application that we hope will make a real difference in improving the health of future generations.

This week students got to try out a very early prototype of the app; the first time it has been in the hands of students.

Around 40 of them got to try it out during a two-day ‘game jam’ testing event, providing invaluable feedback on user experience and development.

Overall the concept of the game, essentially collecting a series of items that appeared through the use of the app, seemed to go down well with our testers, who were then given the chance to suggest formats and themes that would appeal to them.

Our game designers from Glasgow Caledonian University had plenty of food for thought as a result of the game jam. As always huge thanks to Oasis Mayfield for their support in allowing us this invaluable development opportunity.

 

 

This week we were also delighted to confirm that our LifeLab Summer School has filled up in record time. Although not feeling very summery weather-wise this week, we are looking forward to a bright programme in July with 40 aspiring doctors taking part.

We had no shortage of students from years 9 to 11 signing up to the two-day event where they will be given a real insight into the medical profession through workshops in performing clinical skills, experiencing anatomy and pathology teaching and watching a trauma team respond to an emergency scenario.

The summer will no doubt come around in a flash, but there will be plenty to pack in before then.