What makes a big night out buzz? In a city that is world-famous for its great party atmosphere, audiences at this year’s British Science Festival got the chance to find out, thanks to University of Liverpool researchers from the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Hosted at Liverpool’s Quirky Quarter, Liverpool’s Party People invited festival-goers to explore the highs and lows of a night out – from the anticipation of getting ready, through the dancefloor experience, to the after party. Visitors discovered how the brain responds to music, how the body processes recreational and prescription drugs, and what happens as chemicals move through and leave our systems.
The interactive event combined challenges, puzzles and hands-on activities, sparking conversations about the science of partying. The session was well attended and warmly received, with participants praising its mix of fun and thought-provoking content.
The person pictured above is enjoying the silent disco at our Brainhain nightclub. Vox pops were interspersed within the music to raise awareness about drink spiking, symptoms and what to do if you think you have been spiked etc. The audio and headsets were generously donated along with drink testing strips (SpikeStix) by the counterspike initiative.
The images relate to MRI scans of the brain under different prescription and recreational drugs. We also what would happen under the influence of different drug combinations which explored what people can see in this image. These were flashing MRI images set to a techno beat and acted like a laser show in the nightclub.
Dr Laura Randle, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences said:
“It was fantastic to see people of all ages engaging with the science behind something as familiar as a night out. We had some great conversations about how our bodies and brains respond, and we hope it left people thinking differently about the everyday chemistry of their lives.”
Professor Shampa Das, Head of Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, at the
Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology commented:
“This was an excellent opportunity to promote the Therapeutics Innovation frontier to the wider public in an engaging and interactive way.”
The event formed part of the University’s Research Frontiers contribution to the British Science Festival, showcasing therapeutics innovation research with real-world impact.
Watch the Instagram reel from Dr Laura Randle
Discover more about the Therapeutics Innovation research frontier