Half the population, whole conversation

How would it feel to know your contraception was also halving the chances of you developing womb cancer in the future? Dr Eleanor Richards is working on how we could create a health programme designed to use the hormonal contraceptive coil for womb cancer prevention. Womb cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer in the UK, and disproportionately affects Black women and people with a uterus. For this reason, Eleanor is working with minoritised communities to understand how the contraceptive coil could be used to its full cancer-fighting potential.

Pregnancy, medicines, mice, and a placenta the size of a USB stick—what do they have in common? In this talk, Jess explores how scientists study whether medicines are safe during pregnancy, why mouse placentas are not miniature human placentas, and how a new “placenta-on-a-chip” model built from human cells could help researchers study drug transfer more accurately while reducing the need for animal experiments.

Menstruation (also known as a period) is a normal part of life for many people. Yet periods are caught in a contradiction – we are told to talk about them more, but still expected to keep them private. In this talk, I will share what my research reveals about the interplay between menstruation and daily life, from secondary schools to gyms. We will explore myths, stigma, and practical realities – and why understanding menstruation matters for everyone, not just those who menstruate.