Watch: Our research on boosting your immune system on BBC One
06 Jan 2021
Professor Sheena Cruickshank explains her team’s work on immunity as we fight COVID-19 on BBC One’s The Truth about Boosting your Immune System
Our Academic Lead for Public Engagement with Research and immunologist, Professor Sheena Cruickshank appears on BBC One’s The Truth about Boosting your Immune System tonight at 9pm (Wednesday, 6 January).
Presenter Dr Ronx Ikharia, an emergency medicine doctor, teams up with Professor Cruickshank to run a unique experiment.
They recruit a group of volunteers who are typical of many of us today – with busy lifestyles that don’t leave them as healthy as they could be or should be meaning their immune system is not at its best. Dr Ikharia and Professor Sheena Cruickshank give them an ‘immune makeover’ – changing their diet, exercise and sleep habits for six weeks to test the impact on their immune health and discover how we might all benefit.
They discover just how easily our immune system can be damaged and the surprising ways it can be strengthened, from a relaxing massage to modifying your food.
“It’s all about how our modern day lifestyles are damaging to our immune system making it misfire and not worth optimally,” Sheena explains.
“Simple changes such as a healthy varied diet, moderate exercise and a healthy sleep routine can improve our immune health and it’s something we can all do.
“Our University supported the experimental design and a short segment was filmed on campus in the observatory at our Alliance Manchester Business School. As well as introducing the amazing immune system, the programme showcases some wonderful images from our research labs and immune cell images primarily from research here in the Becker including The Cruickshank, Else, Grencis and Davis labs.”
To watch
You can watch the programme on BBC One tonight at 9pm or visit the BBC iPlayer at: