I was brought up in China and used to work in manufacturing until the end of the Cultural Revolution. I began to study Biology at Nanjing Normal University in 1980. After graduating with B.Sc. in Biology and M.Sc. in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, I was immediately employed as a University lecturer for 8 years prior to winning an Academic Scholarship award from the University of Turku in Finland (1995-1997), where I obtained my second M.Sc. degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.
I have conducted undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in both Life Science and medical education subjects and supervised a number of MRes. students and Ph.D. students. I have published a number of scientific papers in peer-reviewed research journals, developed a licensed monoclonal antibody as a potentially valuable biomarker for some forms of cancer, and published a novel biomarker for osteoporosis. In parallel, I have an interest in research to identify effective prevention and treatment tools for age-related chronic diseases.
I practiced Tai Chi in China between 1987 and 1995 while a lecturer at the Nanjing Normal University in China until I went to Finland and then came to the UK to pursue my academic career. Since 2016, I have trained with Masters Faye and Tary Yip from the Deyin Taijiquan Institute and British Health Qigong Association, and with Professor Zhang Yunya and Master Jianhui Lai from the Shanghai University of Sport.
As a qualified Tai Chi and Health Qigong Instructor, I have designed and conducted healthy aging research projects which investigated the benefits of Health Qigong and Tai Chi for the over 50s in the local community. The results showed that simple combined Tai Chi and Health Qigong exercises improve body balance, flexibility, and mental strength. The results demonstrated that Health Qigong/Tai Chi exercises could be used as cost-effective interventions and preventions tools for age-related chronic diseases.
I have conducted over 200 hours of free Tai Chi/Qigong exercises workshop/online sessions for the local community to promote health wellbeing, particularly during the COVID19 pandemic national lockdown period.
As a qualified instructor for Health Qigong and Tai Chi, I set up the Liverpool Qigong/Tai Chi Community and have provided regular training modules for the Community group and also Health and Well-being workshops for organizations.
If individuals are interested in learning/practicing Tai Chi or Health Qigong as a group or as one-to-one private lessons, or if organizations are interested in group wellbeing sessions, please contact me by email: Dong.Barraclough@gmail.com or Dong.Barraclough@liverpooltaichicommunity.org.uk