Researchers from the Centre for Medicines Discovery (CMD) delivered a highly successful public engagement event at the 2025 Green Man Festival. Their ‘Medicine-Making Express’ stall engaged over 900 visitors over three days, demystifying the complex journey of drug discovery for a national audience.
The team demonstrated the process of creating medicine using a custom train set, real protein crystals, and hands-on games. The event reached a broad demographic, with collected data indicating that 98% of adult visitors were non-scientists.
This initiative directly addressed a critical need for transparency in pharmaceutical research. Visitors praised the stall as "inspiring," "well-explained," and "perfect for children." One clinical trial nurse commented, "I struggle to explain my job to my children. You did it perfectly!
"We aimed to bridge the knowledge gap between our research and the public," said organisers Dr. Liu He and Dr. Joseph Newman. “Judging by the feedback we received, we achieved our goal.”
Supported by CMD volunteers Munashe Mudiwa, Leonard Lee, and Aisha Sahi, along with other staff, the project underscores Oxford’s commitment to impactful science communication. The team plans to build on this success and pursue further engagement opportunities.
