Maternal Machines and other fantasies of care

Based at Durham University, we are the UK's first Institute for Medical Humanities. Our research explores human experiences of health and ill-health using an interdisciplinary arts and humanities approach.

Institute for Medical Humanities

Lab Coat Lunches 2026 – visual and material practices within and beyond the medical humanities (online)

Interested in the breadth of visual and material practice in healthcare? Keen to learn more about methodological innovation, critical enquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration? The ‘Lab Coat Lunches’ series will highlight diverse and often hidden methods and approaches from clinical, academic and community practice.Brought to you by the <a href="https://medhumsplatform.org/labs/visual-and-material/" title="https://medhumsplatform.org/labs/visual-and-material/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Visual and Material Lab</a>, <a href="https://medhumsplatform.org/" title="https://medhumsplatform.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities</a>, Durham University. To subscribe to the Visual and Material Lab's newsletter, please visit our <a href="https://medhumsplatform.org/labs/visual-and-material/" title="https://medhumsplatform.org/labs/visual-and-material/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lab site</a> and scroll to the bottom of the page.In this Lab Coat Lunch, Paulina Yurman will talk about her design research approaches, adopting speculative design, drawing, making and participatory workshops to explore understandings of health and care. Paulina will present the visual and material methods at the heart of her Wellcome Trust-funded project <a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furl41.mailanyone.net%2Fscanner%3Fm%3D1vLh8v-0000000024X-3Lkv%26d%3D4%257Cmail%252F90%252F1763554200%252F1vLh8v-0000000024X-3Lkv%257Cin41t%257C57e1b682%257C10917358%257C13772167%257C691DB59D44FFD96FB0C24D5F7D088A6F%26o%3D%252Fphtu%253A%252Fyts.nrmkcoua.at%252FM-rnlaesenihcaM%26s%3DNd4pzX7NGC42dZ7qIvU0yPkxkTc&amp;data=05%7C02%7Charriet.b.barratt%40durham.ac.uk%7C80d7089ed29b46463d9608de28281ebf%7C7250d88b4b684529be44d59a2d8a6f94%7C0%7C0%7C638992349962528062%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dk3J5514cPliNc4p%2Fol9SYcjDoc2OXMUM1E2yk5llYY%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furl41.mailanyone.net%2Fscanner%3Fm%3D1vLh8v-0000000024X-3Lkv%26d%3D4%257Cmail%252F90%252F1763554200%252F1vLh8v-0000000024X-3Lkv%257Cin41t%257C57e1b682%257C10917358%257C13772167%257C691DB59D44FFD96FB0C24D5F7D088A6F%26o%3D%252Fphtu%253A%252Fyts.nrmkcoua.at%252FM-rnlaesenihcaM%26s%3DNd4pzX7NGC42dZ7qIvU0yPkxkTc&amp;data=05%7C02%7Charriet.b.barratt%40durham.ac.uk%7C80d7089ed29b46463d9608de28281ebf%7C7250d88b4b684529be44d59a2d8a6f94%7C0%7C0%7C638992349962528062%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dk3J5514cPliNc4p%2Fol9SYcjDoc2OXMUM1E2yk5llYY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Maternal Machines: Design Speculations about Fantasies of Care</a> at University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins, where she is also lecturer in Industrial Design.About PaulinaPaulina’s background is itself an interdisciplinary masterclass – she studied first mechanical engineering and then specialised in industrial design. She worked at LEGO in Denmark and at various design studios. Her PhD explored the role of smartphones for mothers and young children, adopting a research-through-design approach using speculative artefacts and drawings as design probes. She is interested in our ambivalent relationship with technology, experienced as both empowering and intrusive, that feed into users’ imaginaries, dreams, fantasies and fears.Read more about Paulina’s work at <a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yurman.co.uk%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Charriet.b.barratt%40durham.ac.uk%7C80d7089ed29b46463d9608de28281ebf%7C7250d88b4b684529be44d59a2d8a6f94%7C0%7C0%7C638992349962550493%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=bVWtCBlFbzyCN3VTBSxnXK8W%2Bcc3rK351P8%2B3N%2FPKGQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yurman.co.uk%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Charriet.b.barratt%40durham.ac.uk%7C80d7089ed29b46463d9608de28281ebf%7C7250d88b4b684529be44d59a2d8a6f94%7C0%7C0%7C638992349962550493%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=bVWtCBlFbzyCN3VTBSxnXK8W%2Bcc3rK351P8%2B3N%2FPKGQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">www.yurman.co.uk</a>. This event is free to attend. Please note that the Zoom link will be circulated closer to the date. Explore the full Lab Coat Lunches 2026 programme:Wednesday 4th February 2026, 1-2pm<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976705640783?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976705640783?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lab Coat Lunch 1: Bringing together glass art and tissue engineering to improve cancer care</a> (Matt Durran, glass artist)Wednesday 25th March, 1-2pm<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976705860440?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976705860440?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lab Coat Lunch 2: Maternal Machines and other fantasies of care</a> (Paulina Yurman, designer and researcher)Wednesday 29th April, 1-2pm<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976708516384?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976708516384?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lab Coat Lunch 3: After the War – Arts and film practice in hospice care</a> (Steve Geliot, visual artist)Wednesday 13th May, 1-2pm<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976708806251?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976708806251?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lab Coat Lunch 4: Combining 3D bioengineering technologies and arts practice for patient engagement</a> (Giovanni Biglino, bioengineer)Wednesday 8th July, 1-2pm<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976708834335?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976708834335?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lab Coat Lunch 5: SOUL PAINT: Where are you feeling?</a> (Sarah Ticho, immersive reality designer)

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Maternal Machines and other fantasies of care

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