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Welcome to Unravelling Science, the podcast where Dr Megan Hanlon delves into the world of scientific research and listens to the stories that shaped the science.
Episodes
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
My guest this week is the lovely Dr Clíona Ní Cheallaigh, Irelands first ever consultant in Inclusion Health and lead of the first Inclusion health team in world. She chats to me about working with marginalized groups of society including the homeless community and her research into social determinants in health. We also chat about her work with the TILDA ageing project and how social exclusion can lead to accelerated ageing.
Clíona also chats about her early interest in biology, life as a clinical scientist and how she manages juggling both medicine and research.
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd, now part of Thermo-Fischer Scientific.
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Prof Des Tobin, Professor of Dermatological Science and Director of the Charles Institute of Dermatology, University College Dublin joins me this week. He chats to me about his fascinating research into skin and hair follicle biology. He discusses why the skin is an excellent biological universe of cell-cell communication and regeneration and the many disorders that can affect the skin.
Des also chats to me about the importance of accurate disease modelling and how scientists can become caught up in the latest 'Kardashian' trending technology without stopping to think - is this truly relevant to what I am researching? Des gives a great insight into the importance of dermatology but also great commentary on the academic system as a whole. Some great insights in this one!
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd, now part of Thermo-Fischer Scientific.
Tuesday Mar 09, 2021
Tuesday Mar 09, 2021
Associate Professor Tara McMorrow joined me this week. She chats to me about her research into the molecular mechanisms underlying kidney damage and disease and toxicology. We chat about her early days as a microbiologist and how experiences both in Ireland and abroad have shaped the direction of her research towards discovering early markers for chronic kidney disease and toxicology screening to reduce the need for animal testing.
Tara also chats to me about the struggles of this current pandemic on teaching and learning, how she's found her role as associate dean of science and why she loves to inspire the next generation of scientists, from primary school right up to university level. Tara's passion for teaching is second to none, so much so that my graduating class of 2016 awarded her 'teacher of the year' and that title is surely well deserved.
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd, now part of Thermo-Fischer Scientific.
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Welcome back to Season 3 of Unravelling Science!
In this episode I chat to distinguished Trinity researcher Prof Kingston Mills about his prolific research into an particular immune cell, the T cell. He chats to me about the various areas his research group has investigated; infection, autoimmune disorders, cancer biology, vaccines - all with the central focus of T cell biology. We also discuss his Westmeath roots, his impressive Athletics career (and Olympic opportunities) and what he's learnt from his ventures into commercialization of data and start-up companies over the years. He also describes what this past year has been like becoming an prominent commentator in the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of taking failures with success in academia.
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd, now part of Thermo-Fischer Scientific.
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
The charismatic Prof Cormac Taylor, UCD professor of cellular physiology is my final guest of Season 2. He talks to me about his research into oxygen sensing mechanisms and the impact of low oxygen (hypoxia) on chronic inflammation such as in the setting of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. We also chat about his love of performing and writing music, his days as a goalkeeper and the importance of research in 'informing teaching'.
He also chats about the dangers of intellectual burnout, his early days at Harvard and how a 6 month sabbatical helped to refocus and reinvigorate his career.
This episode has a special (musical) surprise at the end to mark the end of another season of Unravelling Science but also to end the year :) Thanks for listening, see you in 2021!
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd
Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
Prof Paul Peter Tak is my guest on the podcast this week. He talks to me about growing up in the Netherlands. his medical career and how he ended up specializing in Rheumatology. We chat about his impressive career in Rheumatology research, his massive contributions to the field and how he wants to make a real impact on patients lives.
We also chat about his decision to leave academia and join big pharma, why that's not necessarily 'moving to the dark side' and his latest ventures now in biotech. Paul Peter gives some great advice on the benefits of doing things that are slightly out of your comfort zone and how this can 'energize you'.
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Dr Elizabeth Wayne, assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University is my guest this week. She chats to me about her fascinating work on immunoengineering in the context of cancer, how 'everything we need to fight cancer is inside our body' and how her research works to harness this. Throughout this episode Liz uses some hilarious analogies to describe complex immune events - find out why macrophages are like that person in your friend group you think is kind of useless until they're not there and why you want the B-cells at your party!
Liz also chats to me about growing up in Mississippi, why its so important to have different people asking the scientific questions even if the 'pipette doesn't care what gender/race/sexual orientation' you are and why the inaugural #BlackInImmunoWeek this week is so important.
So delighted to bring out this special episode to mark #BlackInImmunoWeek and celebrate diversity in academia!
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Prof Alan Kelly, professor in the school of food and nutritional sciences at UCC is my guest on the podcast this week. Alan delves into the world of food and dairy science in this episode. We chat about the 'science is still catching up with the art of food', the importance of food processing (contrary to popular belief) and how dairy processing is like 'building lego'. He also chats about the advances in food technology due to war and exploration and his own fascinating work on 3D printing of cheese.
Alan discusses his books 'Molecules, Microbes and Meals' and 'How Scientists Communicate' and explains the 'diverse toolkit of communication skills' scientists must have to be able to explain the impact of their research. Some brilliant stories, advice and fascinating science in this episode!!
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd
Tuesday Nov 10, 2020
Tuesday Nov 10, 2020
Professor Jacintha O'Sullivan joins me this week to chat about her Translational Oncology research group in the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute at St James's hospital. She talks to me about her work on gastrointestinal cancers, both Colorectal and Oesophageal and how her studies on tumour microenvironment, metabolism and angiogenesis could impact GI cancer treatments and diagnosis.
Jacintha also talks to me about spending nearly a decade in the US and the importance of working with patients and clinical teams to further our knowledge of cancer pathogenesis.
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd
Tuesday Nov 03, 2020
Tuesday Nov 03, 2020
Prof John O'Connor, head of teaching in UCD SBBS is my guest this week. He chats to me about his career in electrophysiology and his interests into how the immune system affects memory in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. We also discuss his latest work on stroke and preconditioning tissues for hypoxic insult.
John also fondly recalls his time working as a lighthouse keeper with his dad to earn money during college and the 'real buzz' you get in research when something works.
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This season is kindly sponsored by Bio-Sciences Ltd