Episodes
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Charlotte is a PhD student in Epidemiology and Geography at the University of Cambridge. Her research explores the ways in which “wild foods”, such as bushmeat, insects, wild fruits and vegetables, can be used to support the health and nutritional security of rural communities. In particular, she is looking at the use of wild foods by indigenous peoples in northeastern India.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Charlotte was actively involved in epidemiology-related science communication. She has written multiple articles on zoonotic diseases, how they are linked to human behaviour and how we might mitigate their spread. She produced an incredibly popular Instagram page, “epidummyology” which has nearly 400 posts simplifying COVID-19 science and research, and what it means for the UK population. The page closed recently with almost 60K followers, but off the back of this, Charlotte now works with some NHS regional teams on their COVID-19 communications.
You can find find out more about Charlotte, and her research, at:
https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/memberdirectory/charlotte-milbank
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00064-X/fulltext
https://theconversation.com/banning-wild-meat-is-not-the-solution-to-reducing-future-disease-outbreaks-181647
https://forestsnews.cifor.org/67260/can-healthy-ecosystems-prevent-pandemics?fnl=en
https://www.conservation.cam.ac.uk/news/coronavirus-and-conservation-interdisciplinary-conversation
Episode thumbnail image provided by Charlotte Milbank.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Georgia Nixon and Mark Grimes. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod or Instagram @bluescicam.
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In this episode, Mark and Georgia spoke to Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, who is currently Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, based within the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at the University of Cambridge. Prior to this, he was the Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk in the Statistical Laboratory within the same department. He completed his undergraduate degree in statistics at the University of Oxford, later moving to University College London to complete his MSc and PhD in mathematical statistics under the supervision of Sir Adrian Smith.
His research interests include use of Bayesian methods in medical statistics, and the monitoring and comparing of clinical and public-health outcomes and their associated publication as performance indicators. Currently, he is working on improving the way in which risk and statistical evidence is taught and discussed in society. He has hosted and appeared on various TV and radio shows such as BBC Horizon and Desert Island Discs, and has also published several books.
You can find Professor Spiegelhalter on Twitter @d_spiegel, or his personal home page: https://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~david/ (where you can find the video of him on Winter Wipeout!).
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Georgia Nixon and Mark Grimes. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! we welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod or Instagram @bluescicam.
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Missing episodes?
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Today, Mark and Georgia spoke to Orla Woodward who is a final year PhD student at the Institute of Metabolic Science at the University of Cambridge. Her research looks into advancing our understanding of the hormone responses and physiological mechanisms that regulate appetite, body weight and obesity. Understanding how these hormones work will be greatly beneficial for obesity therapy and prevention strategies for other food intake-related disorders. Throughout her PhD she has published articles on important public health concerns such as obesity-prevention through policy, and health inequality in Cambridge. She has also been involved in Stem for Britain, presenting science-backed public health ideas to MPs and policy makers.
You can find out more about Orla and her research at
https://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/directory/profile.php?OrlaWoodward
https://www.metabolism.cam.ac.uk/directory/orlawoodward/
https://www.varsity.co.uk/science/20341
https://www.varsity.co.uk/science/17663
https://stemforbritain.org.uk/2022-winners/
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Georgia Nixon and Mark Grimes and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! we welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod or Instagram @bluescicam.
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Today we speak to Motiar Rahaman from the Reisner Lab about their work in sustainable fuel development.
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In this episode of the BlueSci Podcast, Mark and Ruby speak to Dr Giles Yeo, a Principal Research Associate at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, based at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on the study of obesity, brain control of body weight and genetic influences on appetitive behaviour, and is helping to understand the link between genetics, appetite and body weight.
Dr Yeo completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, and later did his PhD in genetics at the University of Cambridge. He is prolific in science communication, having presented documentaries for BBC Horizon, as well as having appeared on other TV and radio programmes. He has also written two books, and presents his own podcast.
You can find Dr Yeo’s podcast here: https://play.acast.com/s/dr-giles-yeo-chews-the-fat, and can find him on Twitter and Instagram @GilesYeo.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Ruby Coates and Mark Grimes and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod or Instagram @bluescicam.
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In this episode, Simone and new host Mark speak to Dr Lauren Marshall, a postdoctoral researcher at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. Here, she focuses on understanding the impact that large-magnitude volcanic eruptions have on the Earth’s climate through the use of climate models and the study of ice cores. Lauren has a background in Earth Sciences and Physical Geography, and has previously completed an MSc in Applied Meteorology and Climatology. Her research is helping to improve knowledge of how the different components of an explosive volcanic eruption may affect the climate response, improving the understanding of past and future climate.
You can find out more about Lauren’s latest paper here: https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/volcanoesandclimate
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Simone Eizagirre and Mark Grimes, and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod or Instagram @bluescicam.
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Today, our new host Georgia and seasoned host Ruby spoke to PhD student Jake Moscrop about bees, pollinators and their impact on food security. Jake is a PhD student in Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Having grown up on his family farm, he is now interested in how agriculture and conservation can work together to make our food production more efficient without costing the environment. Before starting his PhD, he worked at the National Botanic Gardens in Wales researching the foraging habits of bees in order to aid rainforest conservation in Borneo. His PhD project at the University of Cambridge aims to explore which floral characteristics bees find attractive. Knowing this will help increase the pollination and yield of specific plant species.
You can find out more about Jake and his research by viewing these very informative YouTube clips about his research:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fgII_Z2x9c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ36q9pi5io
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Ruby Coates and Georgia Nixon and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod or Instagram @bluescicam.
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In this episode, Ruby and Laura spoke to Bianca De Sanctis, a PhD student in Professor Eske Willerslev’s research group in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge. Bianca's research focuses on genome reconstruction using ancient DNA samples to gain a snapshot of what ancient ecosystems looked like. Bianca fills us in on a recently published study where she and her colleagues reconstructed the genomes of a Stone Age American black bear and an extinct short-faced bear using environmental DNA samples from a remote cave in Mexico. She also discusses the difficulty of working with ancient DNA samples, and how the use of ancient environmental DNA samples has provided a huge leap forward in the world of ancient genomics.
You can find out more about Bianca's latest paper here: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/stone-age-bear-genome-reconstructed-from-dna-in-mexican-cave
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Ruby Coates, Simone Eizagirre and Laura Chilver and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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We're back back back! Tune in to find out more about our latest news, we hope you're as excited as we are about our ever-expanding team! In this season launch episode we introduce Georgia Nixon, Mark Grimes and Laura Chilver, who will be joining familiar voices Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre to bring you an exciting new season. Make sure to subscribe and follow so you don't miss our first episode coming out next week!
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, and is sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we spoke to Dr Fotis Sampaziotis, a hepatologist and clinical lecturer at the University of Cambridge. Dr Sampaziotis is part of a team who has recently demonstrated successful liver repair using two methods: repair of damaged bile ducts using lab-grown bile duct cell infusions, and transplantation of bioengineered bile duct organoids to replace damaged regions of the liver. We also discuss how these methods could promote bile duct repair in donor livers prior to transplantation. Finally, Dr Sampaziotis explains how he enjoys a dual career as a clinician and a scientific researcher.
You can find out more about their latest discovery in this news article: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6531/786
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Ruby Coates, Simone Eizagirre and Laura Chilver and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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We're back and we have some exciting news - join us in welcoming Laura Chilver to our podcasting team! Laura is studying Natural Sciences and has a keen passion for science communication.
This week we spoke to Dr Livia Tomova, a postdoctoral researcher who studies the impact of stress, social isolation and loneliness on the mind, particularly in adolescence. Livia explains how she uses brain imaging to understand how loneliness can affect the brain, and how some people maybe be more vulnerable to loneliness that others. Finally, we also discuss the impact of social media on the mind, and how it can both alleviate and worsen loneliness depending on how it is used.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine. This episode was hosted by Ruby Coates, Simone Eizagirre and Laura Chilver and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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Our guest this week is Thomas Parton, a PhD student in the Vignolini Lab in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. His research studies how colour emerges from the micro-structure of different materials that are found in nature. In this episode, we discuss his recent work studying structural colour in bio-films of rod-shaped bacteria, as well as discussing the importance of interdisciplinarity in science, and the value of taking inspiration from nature.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we spoke to Dr Paul Bays, the group leader of the Computational Cognition Group in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on visual working memory, which is our ability to recall details of what we have just seen. Paul explains how visual working memory is different to other forms of memory, and how his group uses a combination of computational modelling and volunteer trial data to form an understanding about how visual working memory works. We also discuss eidetic or "photographic" memory, and how neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease can impact visual working memory.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we spoke to Amelia Drew a junior research fellow at Homerton College, who has just completed her PhD in Cosmology in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. We discuss how the discovery of gravitational waves could allow the detection of phenomena from the early universe such as cosmic strings, which formed the basis of Amelia's PhD research. Amelia also tells us what it's like to work in the world of theoretical cosmology, the implications of cosmological research and what cosmologists hope to understand about the universe in the future.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we spoke to Dr. Adam Pellegrini, a Lecturer in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge. His research specialises in disturbance ecology and ecosystem function, where he studies how changes to fire regimes can impact an ecosystem. We learn about the types of data that can be collected from both controlled and spontaneous fires in the wilderness, and how it can be used to model the impact on the ecosystem. We also discuss how the rates of savannah and forest fires are changing in relation to climate change, and what the future holds for this area of research.
You can check out more from the Pellegrini lab here: https://pellegriniecologylab.com/
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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Constanza Toro-Valdivieso is a PhD student in the Department of Vetenary Medicine at the University of Cambridge. She studies Juan Fernández fur seals in Chile, focusing on how their gut microbiome can be used as an indicator for wildlife health, and provide a non-invasive way to monitor changes in habitat, food networks, and genetic diversity.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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In this episode we speak to Kobi Felton, a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. As part of the Sustainable Reaction Engineering group, Kobi's research focuses on the design and optimisation of chemical reactions using software development and machine-based learning approaches. We chat about how applying data science techniques to chemistry problems is useful for industry, sustainability, and the development of new materials and technologies. He also tells us what it's like to be working on bringing together concepts from such different fields, and how open-access mentality is changing collaborations between researchers and industry.
You can find out more about Kobi's research at kobifelton.com, GitHub and Twitter.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review or rating! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we talk to Cynthia Okoye and Sandile Mtetwa, PhD students at the University of Cambridge. Sandile and Cynthia are two of the founders of Africans in STEM, a student-run initiative that provides a platform and a community for Africans across STEM disciplines to network, collaborate and share ideas - both locally and globally. Recently, to mark Black History Month, the initiative has held an exhibition online and in departments at the University of Cambridge showcasing Black scientists from around the world, as well as a panel discussion spotlighting Black female scientist in Cambridge. In this episode, we learn about Sandile and Cynthia's research, how Africans in STEM was founded, the impact that their activism has had so far, and their hopes and goals for the future.
You can learn more about Africans in STEM here: https://www.africansinstem.co.uk/
You can also view the Africans in STEM exhibition here: https://www.africansinstem.co.uk/bhm-exhibition.html
You can find Africans in STEM on Twitter at @africansinstem
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One and Nature Careers. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we speak to Dr Giorgio Divitini, the Advanced TEM Officer in the High Resolution Electron Microscopy Group in the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge. Giorgio tells us about the background, history and science of electron microscopy, as well as the incredible architectural processes that must take place before setting up an electron microscope facility. We also learn about the vast applications of electron microscopy, all the way from biology to engineering, and find out how this often overlooked technology is likely to evolve in the future.
The image used for the promotional art was taken by Giorgio, and you can find more amazing electron micrographs on his Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/giorgiodivitini/albums/72157633723329562.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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This week we speak to Dr Elizabeth Tennyson, postdoctoral researcher and Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory. Earlier this year, she was named one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering by the Women's Engineering Society for her work on sustainability. She works on a new class of materials called perovskites, which in the last decade or so have become incredibly exciting for applications in solar cells. She tell us about her research using optical microscopy techniques to understand these materials, how she ended up working in renewable energy, and what it’s like working in such a fast-paced and hyped-up field. She also shares her experiences translating research from the lab to real-world applications, specifically from her role in the Affordable Perovskite Solar Irrigations Systems project for small-holder farmers in Ethiopia. You can find Beth at @beth_tennyson on Twitter.
The BlueSci Podcast is run by the Cambridge University Science Magazine, currently hosted by Ruby Coates and Simone Eizagirre and sponsored by Greiner Bio-One. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to access our free magazine, and find out how to get involved. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe! We welcome your feedback and suggestions via email: podcast(at)bluesci.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter on @bluescipod.
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