think Archives – Page 5 of 18

Merging past and future

It was just over a year ago that two University of Malta (UM) departments and an institute started working on LARSOCS, a collaboration which would see off-the-shelf drones revolutionise the way archaeological sites are being documented. In THINK, Dr Ing. John Charles Betts speaks to Iggy Fenech and explains what the project has achieved and where it is headed.

#research 3d archaeology drones History malta mapping think UM university of malta

How will science judge Valletta 2018’s legacy?

Art and culture are often deemed to be the realm of the intangible, subject to their audience’s subjectivity. Now, however, a team of researchers have stepped up to challenge this notion.

#research community culture ecoc european city of culture malta think valletta

Encounters with the unseen

Dr Maria Felice works in a little-known but highly sought-after field of engineering that keeps our trains, planes, and roller coasters running safely. She tells Veronica Stivala how her passion for mathematics and physics, coupled with the desire to do a meaningful job, led her to where she is today.

#research alumni engineering graduate malta think UM university of malta women in STEM

Hailing a new era for ocean literacy

The Maltese Islands, despite their miniscule terrestrial extent, have always managed to punch way above their weight when it comes to aquatic matters. Hosting the International Ocean Institute, the Islands also have a pivotal role in the formulation of the Law of the Sea through the Maltese representative to the United Nations, Arvid Pardo. The ‘father of the law of the sea’, as he is affectionately known, delivered a prophetic speech to the UN General Assembly on November 1st, 1967. He described the sea as ‘the common heritage of mankind’, a phrase which still resonates to this very day, and which is enshrined within Article 136 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Europe’s seas are currently being assessed more than ever for their potential, as Blue Growth (the long term strategy to support sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors as a whole) gains greater traction throughout the continent. We are plumbing our seas to greater depths in the search for elusive minerals, cures, genetic resources, energy sources, and a plethora of other untapped assets. In the race to unlock more of the ocean’s secrets, ocean literacy assumes a compelling role—to revise the paradigm of human impacts on our ocean so far. In fact, in the history of human exploitation of the ocean, we first exerted deleterious impacts on the ocean environment, only to become aware of those impacts and resort to ocean literacy to generate further awareness, control, and change.

The challenge now is to anticipate developments. A precautionary approach is needed to soften impacts when venturing into unchartered grounds. Some might label this utopic, I prefer to call it ‘foresight.’ For us to reach this stage, governments and institutions must invest heavily in ocean literacy to ensure more responsible use and treatment of that 70% of our planet. It is imperative for potential investors to have a grounding in ocean literacy principles, with the aim of paralleling the considerable success being had introducing ocean literacy concepts within school curricula and initiatives across Europe.

We are gearing up towards the International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Proposed by UNESCO last June at the Ocean Conference in New York, it will span from 2021 until 2030. The considerable number of abstracts submitted for the European Marine Scientists Educators Association (EMSEA) Malta conference, now approaching the 70 mark, is testimony to the profile that EMSEA has managed to achieve since its establishment a decade ago. It also confirms the status that ocean literacy now holds across the European continent and beyond. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Author: Prof. Alan Deidun

Shifting power dynamics in genomic research

Donation of human tissues has been at the core of medical research in Europe since religious restraints were relaxed towards the end of the Middle Ages, making this altruistic act socially and morally acceptable. Altruism is the key word—the individual donates their tissues for the greater good: for the advancement of science, the extension of boundaries of medical knowledge, and for the potential to deliver better medical care. The individual donating their tissues or blood does so with no expectation of return or personal gain, and hands over sample ownership to the scientific community in confidence that ethical use will be made of it.

Many would assume this is still the case… but is it? Genomic research has opened up new and exciting avenues for medical research that have the potential to dramatically transform the way medical practitioners strategically select treatment regimes. Personalised medicine is no longer a pipe dream, it is clearly in the cards—the pack has been dealt, and the game is well underway.

The game-changer here is the genome. The established practice of donors passively handing over their samples of blood or tissues for research is impacted by the fact that DNA is in focus here. Their DNA.

Should this make any difference? Some argue that the fundamental process of donating for the greater good, with no consequent active involvement, is still the cornerstone of the process. There are, however, important shifts in the current social and cultural context that impact the researcher-donor dynamic. Two of these are of particular relevance here. The first is knowledge: the accessibility (via the web) of information about the research process, its impacts and applications, have led to the burgeoning new field of citizen engagement in research. Genomic research, in particular, attracts participants who are personally motivated in the process, with research into genetically linked diseases offering hope for their relatives and future generations. The second shift is that of rights over personal data. Individuals’ rights to the control of their personal data are to be entrenched in the General Data Protection Regulation in May 2018. This EU regulation will sanction a process that is already clear in practice: the trend for individuals to demand control over the ways their personal data are used and stored.

This is where the detached and passive sample ‘donor’ exits stage left, and the research participant takes the limelight. Cynics might claim that nothing much has changed. Samples are collected with consent and research continues, but there is an exciting difference in the dynamics involved. The participant now has the potential to remain engaged by using a process of web-based consent. The various versions of this eConsent or ‘dynamic consent’ that are now available offer the participant and researcher a real-time channel of communication which enables optimum use and reuse of the sample and the accompanying personal data that make it so valuable. The biomedical samples now come with persons digitally-attached: individuals who actively engage in the research process by offering flexible consent via web-based tools. When pooled and stored within biobanks, these samples offer a viable source of DNA with real potential for wide use in research.

Within this scenario, ethicality is enhanced as banked anonymised samples can be used to their full potential and shared, with consent, within the research community. In this way doing justice to the individual participant’s key motivation: to advance scientific knowledge for the benefit of future generations.

Author: Dr Gillian M. Martin

#research #science consent dna genomics malta think UM University university of malta

A story of flies and ice: Unravelling the mysteries of ALS

The Ice Bucket Challenge shot motor neuron diseases into the limelight in 2014.
But how much did the ice cold water really represent ALS, and what legacy has it left for research into these diseases? Becky Catrin Jones speaks to Dr Ruben Cauchi and Maia Lanfranco to find out more.

#research ALS flies ice bucket challenge malta MND motor neuron disease think UM University university of malta

Reliable renewables need storage

Renewable resources cannot be implemented if the energy they generate cannot be stored. Daniel Buhagiar explains the solution they’re cooking up at the University of Malta.

#research energy FLASC malta renewable energy renewables sustainable think UM University university of malta

Wandering Free

A new study is trying to help people with dementia become more independent, via devices that use complex algorithms to recognise human activities. Simultaneously, their carers will receive unique insights into the condition. Here, Iggy Fenech chats to Dr Conrad Attard to understand how pervasive electronic monitoring works and what impact it is having.

#research dementia electronic monitoring malta think UM University university of malta wearables

Smart search for Maltese legal professionals

Cassi Camilleri talks to Dr Albert Gatt and Prof. Gordon J. Pace about their efforts to make life easier for legal professionals across the island by digitising Maltese law through an app called Assiduity.

#research computing legal linguistics malta think UM University university of malta

Game against the machine

Artificial Intelligence is being trained to make weapons and predict the outcome of battles. But fear not—there is no nefarious purpose behind this work at The Institute of Digital Games; the research intends to make games more balanced and enjoyable.

#research ai artificial intellegence coding Gaming malta neural networks technology think UM University university of malta video games