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New science scheme set
Top-performing Selby College has been chosen by The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, to receive a Partnership Grant that will enable local scientists and engineers to work with tutors from the college to implement an innovative science project.
The project, titled “Analysis of Breakdown Products Formed during Meat Storage” aims to examine what happens to samples of meat whilst they are being stored under various conditions. It will see students aged between 16 and 19 take on the challenge of preparing small pea-sized samples of various meats, such as pork, beef and lamb which are then stored for different lengths of time at a range of temperatures. The samples are then processed and taken to the University of Leeds for analysis. The techniques are based on those used to study metabolic processes in human tissue samples, and the resulting data will show exactly how meat tissues are breaking down. This research is of interest to food science as it will allow us to establish how long meat can be stored and still be of acceptable quality. The project will run for several years as it explores this and other issues.
The work at Selby will be directed by Dr John Arnold, Lecturer in Chemistry, collaborating with Dr Julie Fisher, Reader in Biological Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in the School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds.
Dr Arnold said: “I saw this as an opportunity for our students to become directly involved with an exciting research project and work alongside local scientists.
“The students will gain ‘hands-on’ experience of research-level laboratory work, as well as undertaking data analysis and planning experiments. This experience will be a great help with their university options and applications.”
Professor John Pethica FRS, Vice-President of the Royal Society, said: “We’re pleased to be supporting this research at Selby College and are looking forward to seeing this imaginative project come to life over the coming months.”
To apply for a Partnership Grant should visit www.royalsociety.org/education.
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Weather for Selby
Sunday 26 May 2013
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Temperature: 6 C to 18 C
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