CSI Ashmolean: Curiosity killed the Researcher ... but what did she die from?
This was the biggest, most interactive activity that Tropical Medicine in Oxford have ever run (so far!). Seven different groups within the Nuffield Department of Medicine (ERGO, IDDO, the Jenner Institute, SGC, Respiratory Medicine, MMM and the BDI) collaborated to produce a true likeness of a clinical trial during an outbreak.
Our interactive room which was set in such a beautiful background had over 150 budding researchers visit. This wasn't bad as we only had 120 tickets for the event! All of the volunteer researchers were able to work out the cause of infection using the latest portable technology - a molecular laboratory which was carried in a laptop case!
After discovering what our researcher died from, our researchers went on to face the Dragons Den which was designed to simulate the experience that researchers have when they are interviewed by funding boards. Our Dragons were very kind, they had enough money to fund all of the researchers who asked for money. Our researchers then found out, via Virtual Reality, how many people were saved using their new knowledge of clinical trials.
Well done everyone! We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
With many thanks to the Royal College of Pathologists who helped fund these activities.