When Science Finds a Way

Wellcome
  • 4.9 (44)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. 20H AGO

    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. 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

    37 min

  2. 20H AGO

    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

  3. 10/22/2025

    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

  4. 10/15/2025

    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

  5. 10/08/2025

    Problem solving therapy: the answer to youth depression?

    A significant gap remains in effective mental health interventions for young people. Addressing this gap is crucial, and approaches like problem-solving therapy could offer a practical, accessible solution within educational settings. Alisha and Professor Vikram Patel discuss a school-based trial in India that's exploring a new way forward: POD (Problem Identification, Option generation and Do it). It's an intervention that combines cognitive and behavioural techniques to help young people develop the skills to address their problems directly. We hear from counsellor Bindiya Chodankar, who reflects on the impact problem-solving therapy has had on students in the trial, and speak to the researchers now adapting the model for university settings. It's a powerful reminder that simple solutions can go a long way to solving complex problems.  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

    34 min

  6. 10/01/2025

    Zooming in: particle physics and the future of medical imaging

    Vaccine breakthroughs dominated the news during the Covid-19 pandemic. But they weren't the only scientific innovations changing how we understood the virus. Across Europe, a team of pathologists, technologists and imaging researchers saw a gap: we needed better technology to see what was really happening inside the lungs of individuals who died after contracting the virus. So they built one. Hierarchical Phase Contract Tomography (HiP-CT) is a new kind of imaging that lets us scan whole organs in 3D, in astonishing detail. Alisha is joined by four of the researchers behind this innovative approach to find out how it came to life during a global crisis, what it has revealed about Covid-19's impact on the body, and where it could take us next.  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

    34 min

  7. 09/24/2025

    Early warning systems: using tech to predict disease outbreaks

    By the time we realise an outbreak is underway, the disease is already spreading, and the window to act is closing fast. But what if we could get ahead of it? Over the past decade, scientists and technologists have been developing powerful modelling tools that combine health and climate data to forecast where and when outbreaks might occur. Alisha is joined by Dr Anna Ibarra Stewart to explore how early warning systems are being developed to help stay ahead of viruses like dengue and Zika and reduce the impact of outbreaks before they escalate. They also discuss the challenges of turning research into practical tools that can be used in the regions most affected by disease. We hear from HARMONIZE, a groundbreaking project in Brazil where scientists, governments and local communities are working side by side to turn predictive insights into real-world impact.  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

  8. 09/17/2025

    Inclusive research: autism from menstruation to menopause

    Navigating healthcare can be particularly challenging for autistic people. Reasons for this are complex, but for women and people assigned female at birth, the problem is compounded by a lack of representation in autism research, leaving healthcare services ill-equipped to meet their specific needs. Alisha speaks with Dr Aimee Grant about a groundbreaking study that's working to change this. Led and delivered entirely by autistic people, Autism: from Menstruation to Menopause is gathering data across the reproductive life cycle to design tools that make healthcare more accessible and inclusive. We also meet three members of the project's Community Council, who are co-designing the research and sharing what it means to work with a fully neurodivergent team. Together, they're proving that inclusive research isn't just better, it's essential.   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
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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
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright Wellcome © 2025
  • Show Website
    When Science Finds a Way

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