On Saturday 3 October, researchers from the Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation joined forces with colleagues from the Manchester Environmental Research Institute and the MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Exposome Immunology for a joint stand at the Brunswick Parish Church Community Eco Fair organised by Ardwick Climate Action.

The Eco Fair brought together over 90 individuals, including local residents and families, as part of the Brunswick Green Weekender.

The event provided a platform to share our research into how environmental quality directly influences human health, particularly lung health and immune system function. Bringing together teams from immunology and environmental science allowed us to discuss a ‘One Health’ perspective – examining the links between contaminated environments, changing ecosystems, and human inflammation.

Our stand was designed to engage with both young children and parents, and included:

• Microplastic sand hunt
• Real-time air quality particle counting
• Flow cytometry cell-counting demonstration
• Interactive digital booklets on microplastics, nano plastics, and PFAS

The event also marked the unveiling of a new crossing over the A6 near Co-op Academy Medlock, which our partnership with Ardwick Climate Action had helped to identify.

It was fantastic to be there with our talented young researchers to talk about the research we are doing to investigate how pollutants impact immune function and how we analyse this. There were lots of great questions, and it was wonderful to see such interest from the wider community, especially as we have been working with resident researchers to explore how pollution affects their lives.

Professor Sheena Cruickshank

It was tremendous to see so many passionate organisations and residents gather at the Brunswick Eco Fair. We were delighted to welcome families, children, and neighbours from across the local area to explore how environmental quality directly impacts community health. The energy on the day was incredible, and we are eager to build on this momentum to foster ongoing, collective action.

Gordon Flear – Ardwick Climate Action

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