Exploring ageing with Professor Gillian Campling at Collingwood

On Tuesday 10 February 2026, Collingwood hosted Professor Gillian Campling from Durham’s Department of Biosciences for an evening talk on the topic “Ageing: A Biological Puzzle, Driven by Damage, Shaped by Repair, and Now Open to Debate.”

With over fifty students and staff in attendance, Professor Campling explored one of the biggest questions in science and society: whether ageing is truly inevitable. She discussed how ageing might arise from a combination of random molecular damage and more complex, regulated biological pathways, and considered how lifestyle choices, medical interventions and emerging technologies could influence how we age. She also highlighted why exercise is often described as one of the most powerful tools we have for healthy ageing.

The talk was followed by a lively question and answer session and a drinks reception, giving attendees the chance to continue the conversation informally. We are very grateful to Professor Campling for such an engaging and thought-provoking evening.