Five highlights of the latest news from the University, from cutting-edge research to our first feature film.
1: The lollipop that could diagnose mouth cancer
Dr Ruchi Gupta is developing a smart hydrogel, created by her and her team, into a flavoured ‘lollipop’ that collects a sample of proteins in saliva when patients suck on it. Smart hydrogels work a bit like a fishing net – they absorb large quantities of water whilst ‘catching’ larger molecules, such as proteins. The ‘net’ can then be cut open to release the larger molecules, to analyse for any early stages of mouth cancer.
The lollipop could replace the current invasive and time-consuming diagnostic procedure, which involves taking a biopsy or putting a flexible camera on the end of a tube through the nose or mouth.
Mum of five and patient ambassador, Rachel Parsons, explains the difference it could have made for her when she found a lump on her cheek in 2008: ‘The thought of putting a lollipop round your mouth instead of having a biopsy in the first instance is amazing - I wish something like that had existed when I was diagnosed.’
Ruchi aims to have a prototype ready within three years, supported by Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
2: The supporters helping more people take control of their finances
The University is inscribing the names of Caroline and Andrew Fisher (BSc Economics, 1982) into the marble of the Aston Webb Building, to recognise their generosity and vision in supporting Birmingham’s Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM).
Andrew says: ‘Caroline and I each experienced the stark contrasts between the lives of those with wealth and those without while growing up; myself hoping the electricity would work each day as a kid in the Caribbean, and Caroline, born in New York, a city with huge income inequalities. We recognised that these disparities are usually the result of pure chance and where you are born, not individual capabilities or character.
‘The insights I learned while studying at Birmingham, plus our collective experience working in wealth management, inspired us to begin supporting CHASM more than ten years ago. We want to help investigate how and why people lack financial advantages and find ways to eliminate barriers such as education, location and gender, to create lasting change, not temporary relief.’
3: Uncovering the secrets of The Wicker Man in the University’s first feature film
Lead actor Sir Christopher Lee called cult movie The Wicker Man ‘one of the most remarkable films ever made’, but the director’s children Justin and Dominic Hardy remember a fraught production process, which robbed them of their father, their childhood home and arguably their mother, too.
The University’s first feature-length documentary film explores their recently discovered treasure trove of scripts, personal letters, photos and storyboards from the 1970s. Will investigating the complex production and the challenges of independent cinema help Robin Hardy’s sons come to terms with the impact on their family? How can passion for your work and family life be balanced?
Children of the Wicker Man is directed by Birmingham’s Dr Chris Nunn and premiered at Fright-Fest in London in August 2024, following preview screenings in Brazil and Malta.
4: New creative industry degrees
The College of Arts and Law has launched three innovative creative industry focused degrees, preparing career-ready graduates to lead the fast-growing creative and cultural sector.
Perfect for communicators and storytellers, the BA Digital Media and Communication degree explores formats from global news programmes to podcasting, with specialisations from creative writing to film, plus hands-on learning in studios and editing suites.
Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, the new BA Cultural and Creative Industries programme (launching in September 2025) teaches students the business, project management and leadership side of the sector, while developing their own creative practice.
Tailored for experienced creators or producers, the new MA Digital Media and Creative Industries offers practical insights into arts and cultural policy, along with essential legal and management elements, learning from academics and industry experts. The first cohort were supported with £5,000 scholarships for UK students.
5: Helping rebuild Ukraine
Hundreds of thousands of schools, hospitals, homes and bridges in Ukraine lie in ruins. The University is helping train the huge numbers of engineers Ukraine needs to reconstruct the country’s critical buildings and bridges.
This project will be led by bridgeUkraine, an alliance set up by Birmingham researcher Dr Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis in 2022. The group brings together academics, engineers, Ukrainian experts and international bodies to restore damage caused by war, through a sustainable and resilient rebuild.
Birmingham will deliver courses both online and in-person, training engineers in the latest European construction codes, which in turn will unlock EU funding for the urgent building work.
Algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets is making the engineering education possible through a generous gift of £621,400 to the University. In 2022, XTX Markets announced its support for Ukraine with the launch of its Academic Sanctuaries Fund, designed to make a difference quickly for those in urgent need.