London Metropolitan University
The Microbiology Research Unit
1. Predictive Microbiology
Our work in this area enables us to predict the effects of changes in storage temperature on food spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens (Salmonella; Escherichia coli O:157, etc.). So if food were left out of refrigeration, for say 4 hours, we could determine how much growth of foodborne pathogens is likely to occur. This is a simplification obviously; we would need information about the age, nature and type of food, etc., but that's the gist of it.
2. Survival of foodborne pathogens in inimical conditions.
Survival of pathogens is arguably more important than growth: the problem is that pathogens do not necessarily die in adverse environmental conditions. They can remain viable for a substantial time, depending on the conditions and can remain virulent. If the conditions change for the better, i.e. temperatures increases above refrigeration level, they can resume growth and cause problems.
http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/depts/hhs/mru/
The Department of Computing
The Department of Computing (formerly known as the Department of Computing, Communications Technology & Mathematics) is based at two campuses: North Campus, on the Holloway Road and City Campus at Tower
Hill and Jewry Street.
The department provides an extensive variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These range from electronic engineering, through networks, mathematics and statistics, a suite of computing and business systems courses, to animation, games and multimedia -- about 30 courses in total. The department is divided into five subject areas: Business Systems, Communications Technology, Computing, Mathematics, Multimedia.
There are around 100 academic staff and over 3,000 students in what is one of the largest departments in the University. The department pays equal importance to research and consultancy, teaching and continuing professional development. One of the department's key aims is to increase its relevance to commerce and industry, e.g. by offering training courses and through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. We place emphasis on professional integration by applying new technologies and approaches to our teaching and research.
In the 2004 QAA Subject Review of Computing our Learning Resources and Teaching and Learning were both described as commendable. In the London SciTech Challenges Department of Computing will focus on the following sectors:
- Broadcasting /New Media
- Research and Monitoring Devices
