ANSWERS to how science is helping medical care will be on show at an open day about city medical research.

The Oxford Biomedical Research Centre will open its doors at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Monday.

The neurology team will talk about how the brain reacts to pain with a device that puts pressure on the skin.

Visitors will also be able to extract DNA from strawberries and see how mobile phones are being used to combat diabetes. Patients are given a blood testing kit from which the results can be sent via bluetooth to a mobile phone and then back to medics.

And giant Top Trump cards will see bug compete against bug.

Centre director Prof Keith Channon said: “Research plays a vital role in improving healthcare and our teams are at the forefront of research both nationally and internationally.

“Patients and the public are at the heart of what we do, from helping shape the questions we ask, to participating in projects and trials.

“The open day is a way of sharing our work in a fun and interactive way and saying thank you for the support we get,” he added.

The centre’s work helps the fight against conditions like cancer, dementia, arthritis and diabetes.

Staff will be on hand to answer questions about studies into sleep, DNA sequencing and use of data in their work.

The team behind a patch which it is hoped will repair shoulder tissue will also discuss how the project could benefit patients.

The protective patch, which wraps around soft tissue repairs, will be used by surgeons to repair torn tendon tissue.

Patient trials are expected to begin this year for the technique, which researchers believe will lead to faster healing.

The centre is a collaboration between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University.

It is funded by the Government’s National Institute for Health Research.

The open day will be at the West Wing Atrium on Monday, May 19, at the Headington hospital.

Meanwhile, one of Oxford’s biggest clinical research sites is also holding an open day next week.

On Tuesday, the Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford Hospital on Warneford Lane will be open to the public.

For details mail bobbie.sanghera @oxfordhealth.nhs.uk