Donor Day Celebrations 2026
The Warden, Sir Richard Heaton KCB, will host the annual Robinson College Donor Day on Saturday 27 June 2026 from 12.30-16.00 at the Crausaz Wordsworth Building. This special event serves as an annual thank you to those who have given to the College over the past 2 years.
Please note: this is an invitation-only event and is not open to all. If you have received an email invitation for this event, please use the booking form below to register your attendance:
Event Programme:
12:30 - 13:00 Welcome Drinks
13:00 - 14:00 Buffet Lunch
14:00 - 15:00 Talks from members of the Robinson Community
15:00 - 15:30 Music Concert
15:30 - 16:00 Tea & Cake
Donor Day Speakers:
Professor Melinda Duer
Title: Stopping cancer cells in their tracks
Professor Melinda Duer, Fellow in Natural Sciences (Physical), Professor of Biological and Biomedical Chemistry at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, is leading ground-breaking new research to stop brain cancer cells spreading by essentially 'freezing' a key molecule in the brain.
"This could be a real opportunity to slow glioblastoma progression" says Professor Melinda Duer. The finding could pave the way for a new type of treatment for glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, although extensive testing will be required before it can be trialled in patients. Glioblastoma is the most common type of brain cancer, with a five-year survival rate of just 15%. “Fundamentally, hyaluronic acid molecules need to be flexible to bind to cancer cell receptors.” “If you can stop hyaluronic acid being flexible, you can stop cancer cells from spreading. The remarkable thing is that we didn’t have to kill the cells — we simply changed their environment, and they gave up trying to escape and invade neighbouring tissue.”
Calvin Preston
Title: Weighing the Universe with one billion galaxies
Calvin Preston matriculated at Robinson College in 2018, studying Natural Sciences specialising in Astrophysics throughout his undergraduate degree. He began his PhD in Cosmology in the summer of 2022, and has since published papers on galaxy formation and the physics of dark matter. ”
Abstract: How can we use the images of galaxies to understand the Universe? We are on the eve of the first light from the most powerful telescope mankind has ever produced: Chile’s Vera Rubin Observatory. This telescope will scan the night sky for the next the years to take images of approximately 1 billion galaxies. How can we use these images to learn about the Universe, and answer the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. Calvin will present and discuss during his talk what we can, and can’t, answer.
Please review the Robinson College event Terms and Conditions.