The Heart of the Heart - Where Science Meets Art

Working with the School of Life Science’s poet in residence Sujatha Menon, we investigated the wonderous organ that is the heart and the consequences if something goes wrong. Kevin Moffat took us on a journey showing how the heart develops from conception to adulthood, and how even small changes can have a big impact on how the heart functions. At this event, participants built on the creative ideas of school children who had invented new animals the week before, designing their own genes and thinking about how defects in these genes would affect the heart of animals such as the Plonky (half platypus, half donkey) or the Cowder (half cow, half spider). We also had the chance to explore the inner workings of the heart though augmented and virtual reality technology, and see our own heart measurements with an ECG.

Next week, we have the opportunity to join a Q&A with a panel of scientists, ethicists and charities to find out what is being done to tackle the issue of heart disease, and how researchers are employing exciting new technology to understand this complex issue. Book here, spaces are limited!