27th May 2009

Students from two East Midlands’ universities have won prizes in the region’s first Healthcare and Bioscience Fine Art Competition. The competition, devised by the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet, invited student artists to express their creativity and demonstrate their talent using the theme of “Innovation in healthcare and bio-science”. The winners will be presented with their prizes by Dr Stewart Adams, leader of the team that discovered ibuprofen, at BioCity Nottingham on Wednesday 3rd June.

The winners are June Gillert and Armita Shirazi, studying at Nottingham Trent University, and Dawn Turner, who is studying at the University of Derby.

June, who is in her first year of a BA (Hons) Fine Art course, used her interest in how changes in memory form an individual’s personality and said her artwork was inspired by research into the effects of degenerative forms of dementia.

Her piece, titled “What I Have Lost – What I Have Gained” was created using different layers of resin and pigment, some of which are intended to disappear over time, clarifying or changing the original images into something else – just like our memories.

June was supported by two of Nottingham Trent University’s bioscience lecturers, Dr Christian Thode and Dr Luigi De Girolamo. She said: “I’ve always had an interest in science and the way it enables me to explore something new. I was thrilled to be able to get access to the university’s bioscience laboratory and gain an insight into the work done there. I really hope that winning this competition will open up more doors for me to work alongside more experts in science and healthcare.”

Armita, who is studying for her Masters degree in Textile Design and Innovation at Nottingham Trent University, based her artwork on Euthenics - the study of methods for enhancing human well-being by improving interior environmental conditions. She translated her own photographs of delicate flowers and plants growing in the mountains of her homeland, Iran into a light-infused, engraved panel. She called her artwork ‘Flower Panel 1: Stimulating well being, visually’.

She said: “The competition theme fitted well with my current MA project, which is focused on ‘Enhancing Well Being for the Healthcare Environment’. I undertook considerable research into healthcare establishments and soon discovered that when it comes to art pieces within patient environments, most are not very well thought through.

“It’s a fact that patients in hospital who can see a natural scene such as trees, sky, grass etc actually recover more quickly than patients looking at a wall or who do not have a window at all. This piece aims to stimulate and emotionally soothe through the use of natural light and images of nature in soft colours.”

Dawn, currently in her second year of a degree programme in Crafts at the University of Derby, was inspired by the history of BioCity to create her piece entitled “Tile Series #1”. She said: “My sister-in-law mentioned that ibuprofen was discovered and developed in BioCity so I thought that would be a good place to start. I’ve always had an interest in science and experimentation. The tiles, which depict the hexagon design of the chemical formula of ibuprofen and other bioscience imagery, were created during a series of experiments such as changing the patterns, varying the clay body and altering kiln-firing schedules which I thoroughly enjoyed exploring.” Naturally she is looking forward to meeting Stewart Adams.

The Healthcare and Bioscience iNet is funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to stimulate business innovation through an advisory, training and events service. The artworks will be displayed at the iHub in BioCity Nottingham, the UK’s largest bioscience innovation and business incubator on Pennyfoot Street in Nottingham.

Dr Ian Barr, Director of the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet said: “Scientific enquiry grew out of a desire to understand nature while art began as a way of communicating and commenting on it. Although bound together, art and science are often perceived in the modern world as distinct and disconnected. The aim of the Healthcare and Bioscience Fine Art Competition is to reconnect science and art. It urges artists to reach out to scientists to help them create works of art.

“Reminding people in imaginative ways that these disciplines are inextricably linked helps foster creativity, invention and innovation. It can also inspire more youngsters to choose science as a career, something that is essential for the future prosperity of the country.”

The competition draws universities and industry together and the winning artworks will be on show to scientists working in and visiting BioCity.

The competition is sponsored by bioKneX, Vectura and the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet, and is administered by Agora Marketing Communications. The award event is being organised by Medilink East Midlands.

ENDS

Media contact:
Louise Third on 0115 912 4350 or louise@integracommunications.co.uk

Photos:
A selection of photos for press use can be found by clicking on the following link
http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/903542/1/iNet%20Art%20Exhibition?h=07b06a
If you have difficult accessing the photos we can email them to you – contact louise@integracommunications.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

About the East Midlands Healthcare and Bioscience iNet

The Healthcare and Bioscience innovation Network (iNet) brings together partnerships of businesses, universities, the public sector and innovative individuals to stimulate the successful exploitation of new ideas in the East Midlands. It provides a sector-specific focus and helps organisations exchange knowledge and form collaborations. The Healthcare and Bioscience iNet has a small team of innovation support advisers whose role is to help businesses identify and overcome challenges on the journey from concept to commercialisation.

Based at the iHub in BioCity in Nottingham, a leading life science industry centre of excellence, the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet is one of four iNets developed by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the East Midlands Innovation and the regional Science, Innovation and Industry Council.
www.eminnovation.org.uk

About emda
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development. Ten years on, independent evaluation shows emda has:
• Had a significant impact on the region’s economy
• Generated economic benefits that substantially outweigh its overall costs
• Put back over £9 of economic output (or GVA) into the regional economy for every £1 it spends
• Produced more than £1 billion in economic benefits per year
• A wider impact on people, places and businesses in the East Midlands that cannot be captured by figures alone.

emda is committed to supporting the region through the current downturn and has put in place a range of measures to provide real help during these challenging times.
Over the long term, emda’s aim is to deliver the 2006 Regional Economic Strategy (RES) by working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations. The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and sets out key priorities until 2020 to ensure the vision for ‘a flourishing region’ can be achieved. For more details visit www.emda.org.uk

About Medilink East Midlands

Medilink East Midlands is a specialist business support organisation for the healthcare sector. It was set up by emda over five years ago. In January 2004, Medilink East Midlands was incorporated as a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee. Membership is drawn from all areas of the healthcare community. Medilink delivers a programme of events for the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet.
www.medilinkem.com
 

About bioKnex
bioKneX is the East Midland Bioscience Knowledge Exchange funded by Nottingham, Nottingham Trent and Leicester Universities, BioCity Nottingham and emda (East Midlands Development Agency). bioKneX aims to promote the region's excellent innovation, research and commercial assets on a regional, national and international basis.

About Vectura
Vectura Group plc is a product-focused group that develops inhaled therapies principally for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Vectura’s main products target diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); a growing market that is currently estimated to be worth $20 billion. Vectura also develops products for other lung pathologies and non-respiratory diseases.

About Agora Marketing Communications Ltd

Agora is a team of strategic and creative marketing communication professionals who aim to help your business grow efficiently and profitably by serving you as an out-of-house marketing resource or alongside your internal marketing staff on specific projects.
www.agoramc.com