COVID Catalysts: new thinking and innovation emerging from a crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives in many ways. The disease has impacted our healthcare and economy, and has put a wide range of issues into sharper focus. It's acted as a catalyst to drive change across key areas from addressing inequalities to developments on climate change.
COVID Catalysts interactive story
Explore how our research is looking to build a fairer, healthier and greener world in the wake of COVID-19.
Some of our leading experts and researchers involved in trying to find solutions to some of the world’s major challenges have taken part in this collection of flash lectures that showcase ideas and innovation from across The University of Manchester. These lectures draw on expertise from across our five key research beacons – advanced materials, biotechnology, cancer, energy, and global inequalities.
We’re dedicated to building a better world for the future, serving local and global communities to drive positive change as we work on solutions for recovery, regeneration and resilience. We want to make a difference and help build a healthier, greener and fairer world for all as we emerge from the initial pandemic into a new, and hopefully better, normal.
Watch an introduction from Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, our President and Vice-Chancellor, or explore our lectures by choosing from the options below.
Hello. I'm really pleased to welcome you to this series of flash lectures aiming to showcase our research beacons.
They are cancer, partly in partnership with The Christie Hospital. Energy, encompassing climate change and attempts to get to net zero. Advanced materials, including graphene. Inequalities, whether these be in Greater Manchester or globally, and biotechnology - producing new materials through more sustainable means.
It's no chance chance that these beacons correlate quite strongly with the known strengths and future direction of Greater Manchester, our home, and indeed they align closely with the Greater Manchester Industrial Strategy.
COVID-19 has presented us all with great challenges and difficulties, but it's also presented some opportunities. We've managed to grow many aspects of our research and innovation, not least into this virus and how it affects people and how we might treat it.
Because we have been the powerhouses of understanding, detecting, treating and preventing COVID-19.
Our research and innovation, of course, has many partners - the universities, public bodies, companies across the world...
These lectures give us a road map. They show us how The University of Manchester, along with others in the sector, can take us on the road to recovery. We're looking now at a phase of regeneration.
Like Greater Manchester, The University of Manchester wants to facilitate us building back better into a healthier, greener world.
Our researchers look at the role of innovation in advanced materials during and beyond the pandemic.
Our academics discuss how the pandemic is shaping our approach to green growth and health innovation.