On February 25th The Bridge and PublicHealth@Cambridge co-hosted an all-day interdisciplinary conference bringing together current Cambridge research relevant to the processes and contexts of ageing. The aim of the conference was to investigate how we can enhance individual well-being by safeguarding health, increasing resilience and promoting community and wider involvement by activities throughout the life course and in so doing promote benefits for society as a whole.
The morning session showcased current research at Cambridge and the application of ageing research in the context of real-world challenges. Delegates heard from a range of key-note speakers including Professor Carol Brayne (Director, Cambridge Institute for Public Health), Professor Nabeel Affara (Life Fellow, Hughes Hall), Professor Andrew Flewitt (University of Cambridge Engineering Department), Professor Kay-Tee Khaw (University of Cambridge Department of Public Health and Primary Care), Professor Peter Landshoff (DAMTP, University of Cambridge), Kristin-Anne Rutter (McKinsey & Company), Dr Victoria Keevil (Cambridge Institute for Public Health), Alison Hall (PHG Foundation) and Dr Louise Lafortune (Cambridge Institute for Public Health). Lunch was accompanied by a range of poster presentations.
In the afternoon session we held strategic discussions aiming to identify Cambridge’s potential to address pressing issues through research, capacity building, and increasing the profile and influence of our researchers.
The event concluded with a panel discussion chaired by Professor Mike Kelly (Cambridge Institute for Public Health) and including Dr Charles Alessi (Public Health England), Gus Desbarats (Alloy Industrial Design and Innovation), Catherine Foot (Centre for Ageing Better), and Dr Angelique Mavrodaris (Cambridge Institute for Public Health).
The event has informed the actions of the new Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Public Health by:
• Improving understanding and appreciation of the breadth of work on ageing across the Cambridge ecosystem, enabling improved sharing of ideas and knowledge and the fostering of new relationships, collaborative activities and partnerships;
• Highlighting the most pressing issues;
• Reflecting on how researchers in Cambridge can have an impact by developing plans to support their wider world influence and engagement.
