MBI Science Communications Unit

The effective communication of scientific discovery is a crucial aspect of any research. It can inspire new ideas and hypothesis, which in turn can lead to new discoveries and technologies. It can educate the next generation of scientists, foster collaboration and innovation through sharing of ideas across disciplines, and equip the public to make informed decisions.

The Science Communications Unit at MBI works towards enhancing awareness of progress made in the field of mechanobiology to the general public, science enthusiasts, young students and scientists working in alternative fields. This is achieved by promoting the latest findings in our own research, and in the field in general, through the media, the production of online educational resources, and outreach events.

MBInfo: An online educational resource

MBInfo (mechanobio.info) is the flagship project of the Science Communications Unit. It provides review-style descriptions of the mechanics underlying various cellular processes. In addition to describing the basic concepts in Mechanobiology, the resource also provides up-to-date information by including the latest findings in the field. The descriptions on MBInfo are supplemented with high-quality illustrations and animations that are produced in-house. The wiki-style content of MBInfo allows for easy editing of the website and encourages active contribution from students and scientists around the world.

To accommodate MBInfo’s growing community of users and editors, we are now developing resources for subgroups, including platforms for discussion and interaction, which will allow researchers working in similar areas to connect and share ideas. Thus, MBInfo continues to grow towards becoming a central hub for all news and information related to Mechanobiology.

As an online educational resource, MBInfo caters widely to the needs of undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in learning about the mechanical regulation of cellular processes. MBInfo can also be tailored for use in teaching modules, or to be used by academics in cell and molecular biology lectures.

Visit MBInfo yourself, and contribute to this growing community.

Outreach

Our outreach efforts are primarily focused at inspiring young minds and encouraging more students to pursue studies in STEM subjects. We reach out to high school and undergraduate students from both within Singapore, as well as international institutions, by hosting outreach events at the MBI. Through a number of well-planned activities, we offer the students a glimpse into the life of a scientist, and introduce to them the importance of interdisciplinary research.

Groups that visit MBI get to listen to a talk from one of MBIs Principal Investigators, before heading into the MBI labs for a tour. During this time visitors are guided around a series of insightful demonstrations that showcase our state-of-the-art research facilities, and the experimental methods employed at the MBI.

To supplement the information presented during the visit or tour, we have produced easy-to-read materials that introduce lay audiences to Mechanobiology. These include the ‘MBIQ’ booklet, and various posters and pamphlets.

For more information about visiting MBI, please visit our outreach page.

MBI in Print and Online Media

Promoting our groundbreaking research to the general public is another focus of the Science Communications unit.

Our ‘Featured Research’ articles summarize, in an easily comprehensible manner, high-impact findings from MBI researchers and their collaborators. These articles are made available through the MBI website, and published internally for MBI researchers and visitors.

Working with the NUS Office of Corporate Relations, these articles are also packaged as press releases, and provided to the local print and online media. To date, MBI’s research has been featured in the local media including the Straits Times, TODAY newspaper, Asian Scientist, and Channel News Asia, as well as various international print and online media outlets.

MBInsights

A major part of MBI’s mission is to communicate our research to the general public, promoting a greater understanding of this vibrant and emerging discipline. MBInsights is MBI’s Science Communications Hub for research news and events.

Access to all of our Featured Research articles are available at MBInsights.

MBI in Social Media

We are also responsible for maintaining MBI’s social media presence, and will regularly share news and research highlights, as well as information on major events, achievements and awards on both MBI Facebook and Twitter accounts.

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Videography

Even in a world dominated by tweets and likes, video remains one of the most effective tools to convey the often complex concepts described by researchers. The Science Communications Unit has recently begun producing videos to promote our research by digesting key studies, and explaining their relevance through interviews, animations and actually footage acquired by our microscopes.

In case you missed our Research Highlights videos on our social media sites, you can access them now through the MBI YouTube Channel.

Services to MBI researchers

In addition to the above roles, we also offer services to MBI researchers and their collaborators. These include

Proof reading and editing of manuscripts
Production of high-quality 2D and 3D graphics or publications and journal covers
Production of 3D molecular and cellular animations
Production of scientific presentations, posters and banners
In-house photography and photo processing