Health, Habitats, and Human Choices

The continued persistence of malaria in Africa and Asia poses a serious global health risk. In response to this, genetic modification of mosquitoes as a control strategy is a promising avenue of research. In this talk I'll cover how modification works, the various approaches being considered and their potential application.

Every April for the last decade, people around the world 'compete' to find as many plants and animals in their cities. From 25 - 27th April 2026, York participated in our third installment of the global City Nature Challenge where people recorded the biodiversity in their gardens, park and greenspaces all around York! This culminates in the notorious leaderboard. How did York do against 600 other cities? Did we defend our crown as the most species rich city in the UK? What types of birds, trees, mammals, flowers, insects, fungi and other wildlife did we see, and what does it matter for the people of York? Come along and find out!

This talk presents the York No and Low project, showing how improving the visibility and availability of no and low alcohol drinks can support mindful drinking, enhance inclusion, and support the hospitality industry without harming pubs' revenue, through evidence-based research and practical interventions.

Climate change and environmental stress threaten the stability of our global food supply. This talk will explore how the team at the University of York contributes to global C-SPIRIT efforts to protect our food supply. Discover how we uncover natural compounds from plants and microbes to strengthen crops, improve soil health, and build more resilient, sustainable farming systems in a changing climate.