Researchers in Conversation Caroline Norbury

Dr Peter Oliver is an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford and MRC Programme Leader. This entertaining and informative chat reveals how Peter’s research follows the genes, as opposed to starting with a disease. For example, his lab identified a family of proteins when gene mapping a mouse mutant with a distinctive pathology, linking to a form of epilepsy. Peter covers the important skills required by a researcher, such as: the ability to make mutually beneficial c...

Sam Royle is a Psychology Technician at the University of Salford. In this conversation he gives the listener a real sense of what the role entails and its importance within both academic research and teaching. He shares his experiences of undertaking his Master’s, how he was drawn to the technician’s post as a way of financially supporting his PhD and then discovering the rewards of problem solving, a central feature of the role. Sam explains his fortunate position in being...

Professor Deirdre Murray is both Head of Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at UCC and Clinical Lead for Paediatrics at Cork University Hospital, dividing her time between research and clinical work. We get to hear how her enjoyment of science and being a people person paved the way towards a career in medicine. Deirdre reveals the interaction of her dual role, enabling her to explore her curiosity beyond current, established protocols with the aim to use research outcomes...

Professor Katie Slocombe is a comparative psychologist at the University of York. Katie explains how our close primate relatives can inform us on the evolutionary development of human uniqueness. Katie provides real insight in to the experience of being out in the field studying primates, with the highs of exposure to real wildlife activity, as well as the lows of poor weather, waiting for your primates to be present and the close proximity of animals you maybe didn’t want to stud...

Professor Marion Hetherington studies eating behaviour across the lifespan at the University of Leeds. During the conversation, she highlights the range of her research interests, such as the importance of early exposure to vegetables, as early as in utero through the mother’s diet. She shares her experience of studying adolescents with eating disorders and why they can be difficult to overcome, and the importance of monitoring fluid and food intake in older adults where lack of a...

Dr Arun Ulahannan is a Research Fellow within the Institute for Future Transport and Cities at Coventry University. Arun tells us that he knew quite early on in his career, that the human factors space was the ideal location for him, having both engineering and design interests. He refers to key influential supervisors, the benefits of internships and gives insight into his research to date. This includes his current project on understanding the feasibility of electrifying t...