26 September 2022
Ms Nicole Weatherston, Deputy Head Academic
Wednesday 21 September saw Woldingham host the first in a series of lectures to celebrate the school’s 180th anniversary.
We were delighted to welcome Dr Gregory Lim, chief editor of Nature Reviews, Cardiology. Dr Lim studied physiological sciences at Exeter College, Oxford and then moved to Merton College, Oxford to undertake a DPhil in cardiovascular medicine. Whilst at Merton, Dr Lim researched the effect of nitric oxide on cardiac muscle cells and more specifically the impact of this molecule on calcium channels that regulate the normal contractile function of the heart. It was fascinating to begin to understand the influence such a tiny, seemingly insignificant molecule can play in heart failure. The second half of the lecture explored the world of scientific publishing. Dr Lim described the rigorous scrutiny and editing processes in place to ensure that any article published in the journal is accurate and represents a balanced, comprehensive and unbiased account of the most important discoveries and advances in the field of cardiology.
Lara F, Lower Sixth
Though the biology was complex, Dr Lim made it easy to follow and I was astonished by the process required for the contraction of a single cell, something I had never thought about, which has given me a new appreciation of the intricacies of our cells. The latter part of the presentation really exemplified how complex the life of a scientist can be when it comes to the gruelling publishing process. I think it gave the entire audience a newfound respect for the sheer amount of work that goes into creating a scientific journal. Dr Lim was very engaging and found time at the end to answer the many questions we had. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to hear what Dr Lim had to say and very excited for a year full of interesting 180th anniversary talks.