The destruction of plant crops from the propagation of plant pathogens, such as viruses, is a serious threat to global food security and human perpetuity. What's more, the world’s governing bodies lack the tools for standardised and accurate virus detection. The CEO and Founder of Multiplex startup, Dr Bernardo Pollak, and fellow researchers based in Chile have developed and tested a unique diagnostic pipeline, Viroscope, and demonstrated its functionality through a web application, Viroscope.io...
Mar 18, 2024•11 min
Care, by itself, brings thoughts of warmth, compassion, and doing right by the people who need your help. As an employment Secto r , it sees life or death stakes placed on a chronically undervalued staff, working under stringent budgets in high pressure working environments. What, then, can we learn from the fields of trauma research and community support in caring for those carers? Dr Dianne Wepa of Charles Darwin University joins us again with colleagues Professor Mary Steen from Curtin Univer...
Mar 15, 2024•54 min
What is the future of hydrogen as a renewable fuel source? Professor Michele Barbour talks with Dr Neha Chandarana, a Lecturer in Bio-based and Sustainable Composites at the University of Bristol. Neha explores the potential applications of hydrogen, from heating to various modes of transport. She also shares insights into her role as the Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Champion for the University’s Faculty of Engineering. ⭐ Highlights § Learn about Neha’s research on hydrogen and its potentia...
Mar 13, 2024•31 min
Weight lifter David Katoatau has already lost his home in Kiribati to coastal erosion, and faces the loss of his whole country to rising sea levels. Dancing at the 2016 Summer Olympics didn't stop the tides, but it grabbed attention across the world regarding his country's imminent fate, and raised awareness of the damages climate change is already having around the globe. Researchers from Singapore Management University led by Professor Angela Leung, and her collaborator Prof Kevin Tam from the...
Mar 11, 2024•10 min
Cyclic glycine proline, or cGP, is a very small molecule, but one with a profound impact on the body and mind, such as on the ageing brain and health. Dr Jian Guan, Neuroscientist and Chief Scientific Officer at The cGP Lab, New Zealand, focuses on understanding the role of IGF-1 hormone and cGP in brain health and cognitive function, and improving the ageing process overall. Read the original research: doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031021 Visit the cGP website: cgpmax.com...
Mar 08, 2024•12 min
Active risks to children's health come in many shapes and sizes. While misinformation and bad advice won't turn up in a blood test, it can have just as damaging consequences as any infection. Dr Christie del Castillo-Hegyi's research into child wellbeing and nutrition, in addition to her Fed Is Best Initiative , flies counter to a lot of the “received wisdom” new parents are given. Her cause is that babies get adequate care in their early development - a sentiment that is more controversial than...
Mar 06, 2024•57 min
Sir Paul Nurse, Director of the Francis Crick Institute in London, UK is a Nobel Prize winning geneticist and cell biologist whose research is recognised worldwide, particularly for his contributions to cell biology and cancer research. In this insightful interview with our sister publication, Research Features , Nurse discusses the institute’s creative ‘bottom up’ approach to research, his presidency of the Royal Society, science communication, and how he stays grounded despite a staggeringly s...
Mar 01, 2024•25 min
How could a chance discovery in cuttlefish biology help protect our sight? Join Professor Michele Barbour in conversation with Dr Shelby Temple, the CEO and Co-Founder of Azul Optics, a medical device company focused on using innovative screening technologies to improve eye health. Hear about Shelby’s transition from academia to entrepreneurship and the importance of building the right team. ⭐ Highlights § Delve into the research on a unique eye pigment and the accidental discovery that led to t...
Feb 28, 2024•31 min
With the exception of a few hereditary cancers, there is currently no accurate method to predict whether someone is going to get cancer. Dr Andrew Teschendorff from the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, in collaboration with Dr Chen Wu from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, has created a computational method called CancerStemID that could help calculate a patient’s risk of cancer by analysing a vast amount of RNA data from precancerous cells. Read the original research: doi.org/...
Feb 23, 2024•11 min
Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States, and 80% of traumatic brain injuries are classified as ‘mild.’ But, these can have serious and long-lasting effects. Dr Jacyln Stephens, Associate Professor in Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University specialises in brain injury, rehabilitation, and neuroscience. She discusses her research into the injuries of student athletes who are particularly prone to mild traumatic brain injury, and how r...
Feb 21, 2024•51 min
In the digitalised world, citizens – while having control over their personal information – are increasingly exposing their data, and there are plenty of online platforms ready to collect this. Aigul Kaskina, in collaboration with the FMsquare Foundation, presents the concept of a fuzzy-based recommender system for user account privacy settings that can be used for citizen participation on online political platforms. Read the original research: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06021-2_1 Read more about...
Feb 16, 2024•11 min
What can we learn from our history to make positive changes for the future? Professor Michele Barbour investigates this question with Dr Joanna Burch-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Co-Chair of the Bristol Histories Commission, and Co-Director of Bridging Histories. Joanna talks about her work to celebrate diversity, empower people, and foster a sense of collective heritage. ⭐ Highlights Learn how the Countering Colston campaign and the removal of Edward Colston’s statue during the Black L...
Feb 14, 2024•38 min
The international monetary system is the unquestioned common ground for all economic activities. Stefan Brunnhuber, trustee of the World Academy of Art and Science and member of the Club of Rome asks: how and why will an upgraded financial system be a game-changer? Are we ready to think and act outside the box? Do we need a new, green Bretton Woods 2.0? Read the original research: springer/10.1007/978-3-031-23285-5 Read more in Research Outreach Visit the World Academy of Art and Science website...
Feb 09, 2024•14 min
How much of the plastic we generate in our cities every day ends up in natural water ecosystems? And what are the paths for pollution to enter these systems? Using a combination of environmental monitoring, laboratory analysis, and computer modelling, a team led by Dr. Mauricio Arias and his Watershed Sustainability lab at the University of South Florida aim to unravel the complex mechanisms responsible for the transport and degradation of plastic once they enter the aquatic environment. Read th...
Feb 07, 2024•9 min
In Western Sydney, Australia extreme temperature days pose serious health and socio-economic threats to its population. Dr Milton Speer and colleagues from the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Australia aim to quantify and explain what is driving the increasing disparity in extreme maximum summer temperatures between coastal and western inland Sydney. Read the original research: doi.org/10.3390/cli11040076...
Feb 02, 2024•13 min
For Story Telling Week 2024, we've revisited some past episodes to see how else stories can help summarise science. Listen to the original episode of Dr Angelica Hagsand of the University of Gothenburg here: https://researchpod.org/behavioural-sciences/eyewitness-testimony-much-alcohol-too-much Read their original article: https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2021.1929978 Read more in Research Outreach...
Feb 01, 2024•4 min
Welcome to the Enterprise Sessions How do you launch a new business without the necessary infrastructure to support it? If you’re Dr Harry Destecroix you build it yourself. Professor Michele Barbour sits down with the Science Creates Founder to talk about the remarkable success of an ecosystem that combines specialist incubator facilities, a network of strategic partners and a dedicated venture capital fund – and aims to make Bristol a global centre for deep tech. ⭐ Highlights Harry describes hi...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Nanomaterials are small particles that can be found everywhere, including in the air we breathe, which can have detrimental effects on health and the environment. Dr Ernesto Alfaro-Moreno of the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory in Braga, Portugal, has been involved in continued research on the toxicology of nanomaterials, with promising application in our daily lives. Read more in Research Outreach Read the original research: doi.org/10.1186/s12989-023-00530-0...
Jan 26, 2024•10 min
On the face of it, investment management is purely a numbers game. But behind the scenes, equity analysts require a lot of people skills to get an accurate stock valuation out to the fund management community. Dr An-Ping Lin, Associate Professor at Singapore Management University, and colleagues from the US and Canada have produced the very first large-scale, statistical study on why and how much interpersonal, social skills contribute to being a successful analyst in the high stakes world of pr...
Jan 24, 2024•12 min
Many of the latest anti-cancer drugs are targeted towards the tiniest molecular differences in cells. But even if you know the genetic make up of a tumour, getting medicines to - and then in to - the affected area is a different challenge. Dr Moutih Rafei at Defence Therapeutics reports on a novel drug technology that gets more treatment to the cells that need it, and what that might mean for the future of designing, trialling, and marketing medicines. Read the original research: https://doi.org...
Jan 19, 2024•27 min
Mobile devices have become pervasive in reach and constant in attention. What role does that availability have as a cause of, and potential solution to, crises in mental health and the care profession? And who falls between the cracks where technology falls short? Dr Dianne Wepa from Charles Darwin University joins us again along side Dr Jabin from the University of Bradford to talk tech, therapy and professional care. This episode includes discussion of suicide. Listener discretion is advised. ...
Jan 17, 2024•37 min
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing lung cancer and other diseases, but how effective are public health strategies? Professor Theodore Holford at the Yale School of Public Health, USA, is part of the CISNET Lung Cancer Working Group. His work uses population health models, such as the Smoking History Generator, to show age-period-cohort effects on smoking rates across US states. Read more in Research Features Read the original research: doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2022.08.018...
Jan 12, 2024•9 min
While Scotland has been a beacon of hope for many Syrian refugees, resettlement can create a grievous sense of loss and emptiness for many. Associate Professor Fawad Khaleel of Edinburgh Napier University and Dr Alija Avudukic of Al-Maktoum College, Scotland, UK, examine the challenges faced by people from Syria, who experienced forced displacement from their home country due to war and were re-placed in Scotland. The original research is still under review and will be published soon. Follow Dr ...
Jan 10, 2024•13 min
Does a firms age and size matter in the world of Initial Public Offerings? Smader Siev from Ono Academic College and Mahmoud Qadan from the the University of Haifa, have explored the dynamic landscape of Initial Public Offerings, and demonstrated how age and size play pivotal roles in the IPO world. Read the original research: doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15120586
Jan 05, 2024•12 min
How a member of the public reacts to health crises depends on a lot of differing factors, including perceived risk or resistance to the disease, trust in the government, and general anxiety levels. Since media, including government-sourced information, can also determine how individuals respond to health messages, the impact of crisis communication could depend on how the risk is framed. Dr Su Lin Yeo and colleagues explore the effectiveness of the Singaporean government’s messaging to promote C...
Jan 03, 2024•8 min
Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart wall tissues that can affect the heart’s ability to pump blood, and sometimes cause an irregular or pathologically rapid heartbeat. Dr. Sandeep is a general paediatric and fetal cardiologist and is currently the Medical Director of his practice Pediatrix Northwest Congenital HeartCare in Seattle and Tacoma in Washington state U.S.A, who has created a pathway to help paediatricians with the management of children with symptoms of myocarditis after COVI...
Dec 20, 2023•9 min
New technologies like Artificial Intelligence bring new perceptions, new practices and new understandings. Stefan Brunnhuber, the head of an initiative of the World academy of Art and Science, questions whether AI is just another trend, or whether it will change how humans are able to generate information, knowledge, even wisdom, like we never experienced before. Visit the World academy of Art and Science website: worldacademy.org Read the original research: link.springer.com/book/9783031481123...
Dec 19, 2023•13 min
The distribution of parcels from local distribution centres to customers can be met with hiccups, as customers may be unavailable to receive packages at optimal delivery times. Jhonny Pincay-Nieves and colleagues, have developed a framework for improving first-try success in last-mile delivery, demonstrating how complex processes and improvements can be performed using approximate, or ‘fuzzy logic' based methods. Read the original research: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16704-1 Listen to more 'Fuzzy...
Dec 18, 2023•12 min
Large pension funds are not just financial giants; they also serve as catalysts for climate action. In Denmark, these pension funds are not only influential but have also committed to reducing emissions as outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The research of Dr Paul Klumpes and Jesper Lindgaard Christensen of Aalborg University focuses on the globe's major pension funds and why they are crucial in the fight against climate change. The project was funded by the Denmark Government funding...
Dec 15, 2023•6 min
Our jaws shape our appearance, communication, diet and more. However, the branch of medicine dedicated to its correction — orthognathic surgery – is relatively new. Dr R Scott Conley is an associate professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Oral Facial Genetics at the Indiana University School of Dentistry. He has helped lead dental and medical schools on collaborations that are characteristic of orthognathic surgery teams, and has become one of the fields most enthusiastic champions. Read...
Dec 14, 2023•10 min
