When Science Finds a Way

Wellcome

Science is always adding to our knowledge of health, but how do ideas become breakthroughs, and how can those breakthroughs bring about a better world? Could mosquitos help prevent disease? Will AI tools transform mental healthcare? How is a once-ignored drug now being used to save lives? And what can science do to keep us healthy as we age? Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainwright as she meets the scientists, innovators, and communities working together to solve our biggest health challenges. - Brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. Please visit wellcome.org for more information.

  1. Does the food we eat improve our mental health?

    4D AGO

    Does the food we eat improve our mental health?

    We know that the food we eat affects us physically, but how might our diets help or hinder mental health? Dr Wolfgang Marx tells Alisha Wainwright about his work to find a link between mental health and diet. We also hear from Dr Iain Campbell, who found that a famous diet helped his own bipolar symptoms, inspiring him to work on a new large-scale trial. And Dr Sheri Johnson explains why we should explore not just what we eat, but when.    Mentioned in this episode and further reading:  Food and mood centre, a multi-disciplinary research centre that aims to understand the complex ways in which what we eat influences our brain, mood, and mental health, Deakin University (https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/)  Time-restricted eating as an adjunctive intervention for bipolar disorder – Wellcome funding award (https://wellcome.org/research-funding/funding-portfolio/funded-grants/time-restricted-eating-adjunctive-intervention)  Personal keto journey leads to career in research: Iain Campbell's story (https://www.metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/iain-campbell/)

    42 min
  2. Why was a life saving drug overlooked for half a century?

    APR 29

    Why was a life saving drug overlooked for half a century?

    Tranexamic acid (TXA) has enormous potential to prevent deaths from postpartum haemorrhage, but until very recently it's been overlooked. Professor Haleema Shakur Still tells Alisha Wainwright how she stumbled on TXA's untapped potential, and the drug's journey from being an undervalued discovery in post-war Japan to a groundbreaking treatment in modern-day Nigeria. Professor Nike Bellow and Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi share their efforts to make TXA more accessible to communities, while Haleema explains how drug trials have revealed a hidden side to postpartum haemorrhage – one that could prevent cases before treatment is even needed.  Mentioned in this episode and further reading:  WOMAN trials: looking at the effect of the drug tranexamic acid (TXA) on bleeding, and the best ways to give it (https://thebloodtrials.org/womens-health-trials/)  The missing evidence: anaemia, postpartum bleeding and maternal death, Blood Trials, LSHTM (https://thebloodtrials.org/the-missing-evidence/)  A word of thanks to all the WOMAN Trial collaborators, Professor Ian Roberts, who co-led the WOMAN Trials alongside Haleema, trial teams in London, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania and Zambia and the women and families who make this work possible.

    39 min
  3. What happens when fungi find their way into our brains?

    APR 22

    What happens when fungi find their way into our brains?

    It might sound like something out of TV shows like The Last of Us, but brain-invading fungi are a real-world problem. Alisha Wainwright speaks to Drs. Rachael Dangarembizi and Rebecca Drummond, an immunologist and a neuroscientist collaborating across continents to tackle Cryptococcal Meningitis – the leading cause of fungal death worldwide. Dr Kyla Murphy also talks about the new tests and treatments saving lives from the disease, and Alisha shares the story of her own mother's brush with a dangerous fungal infection.    We want to hear from you Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3   Mentioned in this episode and further reading:  Will climate change lead to more fungal infections? An explainer by Wellcome (wellcome.org/insights/articles/will-climate-change-lead-more-fungal-infections)  Wellcome Fungal Adaptation Call Awardees (wellcome.org/research-funding/funding-portfolio/funded-grants?f%5B0%5D=funding_scheme_grants_awarded%3ABiology%20of%20fungal%20adaptation  Global incidence and mortality of severe fungal disease, David W Denning, The Lancet Infectious Diseases (thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(23)00692-8/fulltext)  The WHO fungal priority pathogens list as a gamechanger, Matthew C. Fisher & David W. Denning, Nature Reviews Microbiology (nature.com/articles/s41579-023-00861-x#citeas)  How fungi shape our world...and how the climate is shaping our fungi – The Naked Scientist Podcast in partnership with Wellcome (thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists-podcast/how-fungi-shape-our-world)  When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast

    43 min
  4. AI and mental health: can we trust AI therapy?

    APR 15

    AI and mental health: can we trust AI therapy?

    AI chatbots and apps are increasingly being used for mental health support. But could these new tools carry hidden risks?   In the second part of this special episode, Alisha Wainwright unpicks her own experiments with AI therapy, takes tips from Dr John Torous on staying safe when seeking help digitally, and hears about the risks of unregulated tools.    But there's hope with these tools too. Professor Miranda Wolpert reveals how AI could help scale mental health interventions in the globally and even inspire whole new forms of therapy.    We want to hear from you Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3   Mentioned in this episode and further reading: AI and mental health: "it could help revolutionise treatments" - Miranda Wolpert, Director of Mental Health, Wellcome  (https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/ai-and-mental-health-help-revolutionise-treatments) Generating evidence for AI in health (EVAH) (https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/evah-new-initiative-generate-evidence-ai-health)   When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast

    44 min
  5. AI and mental health: could AI transform access to care?

    APR 8

    AI and mental health: could AI transform access to care?

    Launching season 4 with a special two-part episode, Alisha Wainwright explores the potential revolution AI is sparking in mental healthcare, and how our phones could play a part.  Digital psychiatry specialist Dr John Torous explains how AI trained on data from our devices could help us diagnose people with mental health conditions, but that's only the beginning.  We hear from clinical psychiatrist Dr Andrea Cipriani about how AI could optimise patients' prescriptions. And digital mental health expert Dr Jana Alagarajah explains why innovation in the Global South could shape future care for the rest of the world. We want to hear from you Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3   Mentioned in this episode + further reading: PETRUSHKA (Personalise anti depressant treatment for unipolar depression combining individual choices, risks and big data) - www.psych.ox.ac.uk/evidence-based-mental-health/petrushka-trial Trial finds that AI tool could transform antidepressant prescribing -  National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast

    38 min

  6. APR 8

    Season 4 trailer: meet the people whose ideas are shaping the future of health

    Science is always adding to our knowledge of human health, but how do ideas become breakthroughs, and how can those breakthroughs bring about a better world?  Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainwright for another season, as she meets the scientists, innovators, and communities searching for solutions to our biggest health challenges.  A podcast by Wellcome: www.wellcome.org

    1 min

  7. 2025-10-22

    Vaccine equity: searching for a cure

    The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare a truth we can't ignore: vaccine equity, the principle that everyone should have fair and timely access to life-saving vaccines, is still out of reach for many. This is especially true across Africa, where local manufacturing supplied less than 1% of the vaccines used. But change is happening. Alisha sits down with Dr. Delese Mimi Darko to hear about how international collaboration is leading to the exciting growth of vaccine manufacturing on the continent. We also hear from the CEO of Biovac, a South African organisation developing an Oral Cholera Vaccine with the goal of achieving end-to-end manufacturing by 2030. It's a story of science in action - of people coming together to create solutions, and bridge global divides, fast.  When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast

    30 min

  8. 2025-10-15

    Food for thought: eating our way to a sustainable future

    Food production drives nearly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. So how do we help people choose meals that are good for their health, and the planet? Alisha sits down with Professor Pete Scarborough, who's co-leading research to help decision-makers and the public make better informed choices. We also meet Jo, who's testing a digital tool designed to help her make sustainable, affordable and healthy choices at the supermarket. Together, they explore the complexities of applying Western dietary guidance in diverse global contexts, and how we can make sustainable diets a reality world-wide. Grab a sustainable snack and enjoy.  When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast

    44 min
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About

Science is always adding to our knowledge of health, but how do ideas become breakthroughs, and how can those breakthroughs bring about a better world? Could mosquitos help prevent disease? Will AI tools transform mental healthcare? How is a once-ignored drug now being used to save lives? And what can science do to keep us healthy as we age? Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainwright as she meets the scientists, innovators, and communities working together to solve our biggest health challenges. - Brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. Please visit wellcome.org for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Wellcome
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright Wellcome © 2025
  • Show Website
    When Science Finds a Way

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