UCL Grand Challenge of Human Wellbeing (GCHW): Outcomes

GCHW Small Grants 2012

Development of Rapid Prototypes for Muscle Augmentation Using Magnetic Actuation

GCHW Theme: Technology & Wellbeing

Lead: Dr Richard Day (UCL Internal Medicine)

Main collaborator: Dr Gaetano Burriesci (UCL Mechanical Engineering)

Additional collaborators: Dr Anton Emmanuel (UCL Internal Medicine); Prof Quentin Pankhurst (UCL Physics & Astronomy)

Project: Faecal incontinence results from defective anal sphincter muscles. It is a frequent condition, affecting >0.5 million people in UK and is associated with devastating consequences. Treatment options are limited and in general do not deliver long-term therapy.

We have shown in vitro that mechanical force applied to human rectal smooth muscle cells is a growth promoting stimulus, an effect we believe can be harnessed for regeneration of sphincter muscle.

Based on these observations, the aim of the project is to develop a series of prototype devices that can be used to restore continence via regeneration and conditioning of sphincter muscle. The device will apply a novel form of magnetic actuation, capable of delivering an oscillating mechanical force to sphincter smooth muscle cells. This will provide a growth promoting stimulus for sphincter muscle regeneration.

The therapeutic approach offered by the proposed device is unique and offers the possibility of restoring sphincter muscle function, something that has not been achieved with existing therapies aimed at restoring continence.

Tracking Activity in Relation to Disease: Using smartphone technology to create novel epidemiological tool

GCHW Theme: Technology & Wellbeing

Lead: Eva Macharia (UCL Institute of Child Health)

Main collaborator: Prof Tim Cole (Institute of Child Health)

Additional collaborators: Dr Sean Wallis (UCL English Language & Literature); Dr Chris Williams (UCL Business)

Project: We aim to develop and validate the use of smartphone applications to track activity in relation to disease (TARDIS).

TARDIS applications will empower patients to use smartphones to track serial symptom data and generate individual disease profiles. Individual profiles will be accumulated to a central database, collating longitudinal and cross-sectional data on the cohort of interest. These comparative data will be a valuable resource for doctors and researchers.

Rationale: For the TARDIS prototype, we will study gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in children. GOR is a common, chronic and complex condition affecting up to 5% of children. Treatment comprises multiple, stepwise interventions involving feeding modulations, medications and surgery. Serial assessments are required, in which physicians take clinical histories and progress reports from caregivers. This is repetitive and prone to reporting biases. Paper questionnaires are also used. However, these have limited validity and are inconvenient for serial assessments. TARDIS applications can be effective for serial assessment of individuals and economic data gathering in large cohorts.

Method: We will identify demographic, co-morbid and symptom variables relevant to the description of GOR. We shall develop and pilot a TARDIS application for GOR, thus demonstrating the use of smartphone applications as patient-held epidemiological data collection tools.

Indoor versus Outdoor Running: A comparison of those who exercise in different environments, how they relate to their bodies when they do so, and what this suggests about the future promotion of public health through exercise

Lead: Dr Russell Hitchings (UCL Geography)

Main collaborator: Dr Courtney Kipps (UCL Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health)

Additional collaborators: Dr Alan Latham (UCL Geography); Dr Eleanor Tillett (UCL Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health)

Project: This project is a collaboration between clinicians (with expertise in the physiological effects of exercise and health promotion) and cultural geographers (with expertise in using qualitative methods to understand how people relate to the various contexts through which they live).

Straddling these two very different disciplines, our project will evaluate whether two distinct ‘cultures’ of recreational running can now be said to exist (one indoor and one outdoor). More specifically, this project will compare the differing ways in which those who run indoors on treadmills and those who run outdoors understand the experience and effects of running in these two sites, how they relate to their bodies during this activity, and how running fits within their wider lifestyles. Unaware of previous comparative research of this type, our contention is that such research will generate fresh insights about how recreational running is organised and experienced today.

Our aim is to use them in crafting a much larger study of how different forms of health-enhancing exercise might be encouraged. The background belief is that, as wider societies become increasingly sedentary, an appreciation of how recreational running is now experienced could help identify various new ways of helping others become more active.


GCHW Reports


GCHW Events

13 May 2013

Town Meeting: UCL Centre for Behaviour Change

Behaviour change is increasingly recognised as central to human wellbeing, social cohesion and sustainability. The planned UCL Centre for Behaviour Change (UCL CBC) will bring together current world-leading activities.  

The meeting will be followed by a drinks reception in the South Cloisters, Wilkins Building.   Further details and registration

29-30 April

Launch events: UCL Science Medicine & Society Network

UCL staff, students and members of the public are cordially invited to a series of events to mark the launch of UCL’s Science, Medicine & Society Network – a Grand Challenge of Human Wellbeing initiative. Further details

22 April 2013

Optimized Behavioral Interventions: What Does Control Systems Engineering Have to Offer?
How can the technology that is responsible for cruise control in automobiles, the home thermostat, and the insulin pump be useful in behavioral intervention settings? Professor Rivera, Arizona State University, will examine this question in his talk at UCL by focusing on the problem of adaptive, time-varying interventions. Further details. Forms part of UCL's Behaviour Change Initiative.

1 March 2013

Cultural Heritage - Values, Identity and Wellbeing Domain
2.18 Chadwick Building, Main Quadrangle, UCL, Gower Street

The domain co-leads: Beverley Butler (Institute of Archaeology), Anne Lanceley (Women's Cancer), Murray Fraser (Bartlett School of Architecture) and Andrew Flinn (Dept of Information Studies) are holding a preliminary meeting / workshop to introduce research and researchers at UCL interested in heritage and value, well-being and identity.  This workshop will provide an opportunity for individuals with similar interests to meet each other and discuss potential collaborations and to contribute to the discussions on the vision and priorities for the domain. Register

February 2013

Diversity Month

Throughout February, an exciting programme of events has been organised to celebrate diversity and examine the on-going and evolving challenges some groups face in education, work and the wider society. This year's theme is based on UCL's Grand Challenge of Intercultural Interaction. 
Event programme and registration

27 February (6-8pm)

Creating Connections 4
Are you looking for partners for a public engagement project? Want to build stronger links with community organisations? Have areas of research that may be of interest to the wider community? Would you like to get another view on your work from outside academia? If so, come along to Creating Connections, our regular networking event that brings together UCL staff and postgraduate students with representatives from community organisations, charities, residents’ groups, social enterprises and statutory organisations.
Further details and registration.

29 January 2013

Grand Challenges Small Grants Showcase Reception

Learn more about our small grants scheme, which supports cross-disciplinary projects up to a maximum of £5,000, and the projects which have been made possible in the past. Four UCL researchers will make short presentations about their projects. Further details and registration.

November 2012

Behaviour Change Month
What shapes human behaviour? What stands in the way of long-term, positive behaviour change? How can research inform the design of effective interventions to change behaviour? Where should we most effectively intervene – at the macro or the micro level? How do we measure behaviour change?  These were just some of the fundamental questions that were addressed in a series of cross-disciplinary talks, discussions, and workshops during UCL Behaviour Change Month in November 2012. The month concluded with a £10,000 prize workshop. Behaviour Change month was oranised by GCHW and led by Professor Susan Michie,  Professor of Health Psychology, Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology.

13 August 2012

Why do we hold separate Paralympics and Olympic events?
Why should a Paralympian be different from an Olympian? It has been argued that Paralympic sports should be included within the Olympic Games, with some sports open to both Olympian and Paralympian athletes.

5 July 2012

Wellbeing and the Future: A UCL GCHW and Foresight Analysts Network Workshop
Led by Peter Antonioni (UCL Management Science) and Nick Maxwell (UCL Science & Technology) this workshop asked UCL's academic community to consider wellbeing as a strategic variable.  Can wellbeing provide a new strategic inspiration for UK governance?

18-22 June 2012

MedTech Week and launch of UCL's Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBE)
The week of events is open to everybody and is aimed at both staff and students wanting to know more about the medical technology and biomedical engineering landscape at UCL.

1 June - 15 September 2012

Exhibition: Fit Bodies - Statues, Athletes and Power
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology
What is a fit body? What do we mean by ‘fit’? The idea of fit body has changed over time or has it?

29 May 2012

The Science of Happiness
Organised by UCL Public Policy and GCHW
Happiness, wellbeing and quality of life have been climbing up the public policy agenda in recent years, with governments apparently devoting increasing attention to how to improve people’s life satisfaction. But what lies beneath these warm words about the need to improve quality of life?

18 May 2012

Crime, Policing and Citizenship: Project Launch Workshop
Supported by GCHW
Working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, UCL is beginning a 3.5 year EPSRC funded research project that will address crime, policing and citizen engagement (CPC) at a range of spatial and temporal scales.

8 May 2012

Defusing the Age Bomb
Organised by the European Parliament UK Office
An ageing society and the financial crisis have increased the pressure on financing retirement and services for older people. At the same time social and economic changes disrupt traditional family units, cutting the two-way flow of experience and support between the older and younger generations. Alongside this, modern society has an ever greater need for lifelong learning and new skills. The challenge is to reframe the potential of ageing, and make the most of its potential.  Registration and further details

2 May 2012

Wellbeing Policy Seminar Abstracts
Organised by the ESRC's International Centre for Life Course Studies in Society and Health at UCL.
The current Office of National Statistics (ONS) programme to measure national well-being is unlikely to have escaped many people’s attention. Media attention on “happiness” has obscured the broader aims of this initiative, including measuring individual well-being in all its complexity.

26 April 2012

Active and Healthy Ageing
A one day workshop organised by UCL GCHW and Imperial College London, on behalf of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), to inform the development of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Active & Healthy Ageing.

19 April 2012

From Ageing Research into Policy
A half day workshop organised by UCL Crucible and International Longevity Centre

  • This workshop is now full

29 February 2012

Delivering Value-Based Healthcare: Maximising outcomes for every pound we spend
UCL Partners and the Greater London Authority

21 February 2012

UCL Adolescent Health and Development Workshop

13–17 February 2012

UCL Wellbeing Week
UCL Wellbeing Week, organised by GCHW, was a series of events, convened by Nick Tyler (Chadwick Professor of Civil Engineering, UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, Director, UCL Crucible) which challenged researchers to think about wellbeing questions, some of them controversial, in a new light and to develop innovative research projects.

February 2012: Diversity Month 2012

UCL Equalities & Diversity's programme of events to celebrate diversity and examine the ongoing and evolving challenges some groups face in education, work and the wider society, based on UCL GCHW


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