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ResearchPod
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ResearchPod science podcasts connect the research community to a global audience of peers and the public, raising visibility and impact. www.researchpod.org. All content is shared under the Creative Commons CCBY-NC-ND 4.0 licence. For further information, email contact@researchpod.org

  1. Lasers, Ivory & Unexpected Entrepreneurship | The Enterprise Sessions with Dr Rebecca Shepherd

    2D AGO

    Lasers, Ivory & Unexpected Entrepreneurship | The Enterprise Sessions with Dr Rebecca Shepherd

    In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour speaks with Dr Rebecca Shepherd, Senior Lecturer in Anatomy, whose unconventional journey from NHS histology labs to ivory identification expert has sparked a thriving research‑led enterprise. What began as an enthusiastic promise to TV anatomist Professor Alice Roberts during a book‑tour lunch has since evolved into a sophisticated service using Raman spectroscopy and machine learning to distinguish between elephant and mammoth ivory with remarkable accuracy. Along the way, Rebecca discovered a surprising global demand — from auction houses and museums to conservation organisations and private collectors — for non‑destructive, reliable ivory identification. In this captivating conversation, Rebecca shares how an academic side‑project became a conservation tool, a business opportunity, and a deeply interdisciplinary research endeavour drawing on anatomy, chemistry, data science, archaeology and physics. She also reflects on learning to navigate pricing, legal frameworks, client relationships, and the unique opportunities that arise when curiosity meets enterprise. 🔍 In the episode: ·        Why anatomy is far from “all discovered” ·        How a chance email to Professor Alice Roberts changed Rebecca’s career ·        Using Raman spectroscopy to analyse ivory — and pushing accuracy to 99.7% ·        Collaborating with chemists, data scientists, conservationists and museums ·        The ethics, laws and complexities of the ivory trade ·        Building a research‑based service within a university environment ·        The practicalities of pricing, insurance, safety and client negotiation ·        How enterprise influences — and enriches — academic research ·        Advice for researchers thinking about commercialising niche expertise   🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions The Enterprise Sessions bring together founders and researchers to share candid insights on spin-outs, start-ups, raising capital, and translating research into real-world impact. Our goal? To inform, inspire, and challenge myths about research commercialisation. 👍 Like, Share, Subscribe If you enjoyed this episode, please like and share! Explore more at University of Bristol Enterprise Sessions and subscribe to our YouTube channel for future episodes. Connect with our Guests: Dr Rebecca Shepherd – LinkedIn Michele Barbour – LinkedIn

    49 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Aesthetics and food shopping: why consumers reject unattractive produce

    Food insecurity and sustainability are huge global challenges. Yet research suggests that farmers, retailers and consumers reject up to 40% of the food we produce because it simply looks unattractive.  New research published by Singapore Management University looks at the psychology behind consumers’ behaviour and how to mitigate its effects.  Read the original research: doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.06.004

    11 min
  3. Modelling the World’s Floods & Building Fathom | The Enterprise Sessions with Professor Paul Bates

    APR 15

    Modelling the World’s Floods & Building Fathom | The Enterprise Sessions with Professor Paul Bates

    In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour speaks with Professor Paul Bates, world‑leading expert in flood inundation modelling and co‑founder of Fathom, one of the University’s most successful research‑driven companies. Paul reflects on a remarkable career that began with a Bristol PhD in the late 1980s and evolved into pioneering work that transformed global flood modelling. He describes the technological shift that enabled a new generation of high‑resolution terrain data, the academic debates that reshaped the field, and the multidisciplinary collaborations that built the foundation for Fathom’s modelling techniques. The conversation traces Fathom’s origins from two ambitious PhD students with an idea, through early years of bootstrapping, to international clients including insurers, banks, multinationals, and the World Bank. Paul also discusses the challenges of spinning out before universities had mature commercialisation systems, the importance of staying ahead of competitors through transparency and innovation, and the recent acquisition of Fathom by Swiss Re. Finally, Paul reflects on what research entrepreneurship means within academia, how Fathom has strengthened Bristol’s scientific capabilities, and what lies ahead for both him and the next generation of global flood models. 🔍 In the episode: ·        The origins of flood inundation modelling at Bristol ·        How new airborne laser mapping transformed what was scientifically possible ·        Overturning long‑held assumptions in the field ·        The multidisciplinary team behind high‑resolution flood models ·        Serendipity, road trips — and how two PhD students sparked a company ·        Fathom’s unconventional path: bootstrapping, grants and early customers ·        Data‑as‑a‑service before it was mainstream ·        Building global flood maps used by insurers, governments and financial institutions ·        Staying ahead of competitors by publishing methods openly ·        Growing from four founders to a 50‑person global team ·        Acquisition by Swiss Re and what it means for the future ·        Entrepreneurship in academia: culture, opportunity and barriers ·        The virtuous cycle between research and commercial innovation ·        What’s next: NASA’s SWOT satellite and the next era of global flood modelling   🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions  The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.   👍 Like, Share, Subscribe, Explore If you found this episode inspiring or informative, please don’t forget to like and share. Visit our website or subscribe to the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel for more Enterprise Sessions.   https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions  Paul Bates – LinkedIn Michele Barbour – LinkedIn

    44 min
  4. TB Testing: From validation to eradication

    APR 8

    TB Testing: From validation to eradication

    Of all the scares and scandals around meat farming practices in the UK, few have been as persistent as been bovine TB. While we're nowhere near the 1930s estimate of the number of cattle infected, it's never really gone away. Why is that? Dr. Neil Watt of MV Diagnostics joins us to cover where bovine TB has been hiding between outbreaks, how changes in testing may help pin it down, and why now might be the turning point on the management, maybe even eradication, of bovine TB in the UK. Read the original paper: https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4241 Read more : https://www.mvdiagnostics.co.uk/

    40 min
  5. Engineering Blood Cells | The Enterprise Sessions with Profs Ash Toye and Jan Frayne

    APR 1

    Engineering Blood Cells | The Enterprise Sessions with Profs Ash Toye and Jan Frayne

    In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour sits down with Professor Ash Toye and Professor Jan Frayne, two leading biochemists whose long‑standing research partnership has evolved into one of the UK’s most exciting biotechnology spin‑outs: Scarlet Therapeutics. Together, Ash and Jan share the remarkable journey from academic collaboration to scientific breakthrough — and ultimately to founding a company built on the promise of lab‑grown and engineered red blood cells. What began as a quest to understand red blood cell development became a platform capable of producing universal donor cells, modelling rare diseases, and creating “blood as medicine” through engineered therapeutics. This episode goes far beyond the science. Ash and Jan discuss the reality of spinning out a wet‑lab biotech, the commercial challenges, the importance of the right CEO, and the dynamics of co‑founding a company with a long‑term academic collaborator. They also speak candidly about funding frustrations, scientific obsession, conflict‑of‑interest tightropes, and the excitement of helping their postdocs become industry scientists. 🔍 In the episode: Bristol as the UK’s “red blood cell corner”Making red blood cells in the lab: from stem cells to clinical trialsThe origins of Scarlet Therapeutics — and why the first idea “wasn’t enough”Immortalised red blood cell lines and the role of CRISPRTherapeutic blood: treating metabolic disorders using engineered cellsHow to pick a CEO — and why neither founder wanted to be oneWhat happens when a US company beats you to your ideaThe emotional rollercoaster of fundraising and venture capitalNavigating dual identities as academics and directorsThe power of co‑founding: creativity, challenge and complementary personalitiesWhat lab‑grown blood means for rare donor groups and transfusion medicineHow spin‑out life feeds inspiration back into academic researchAdvice for researchers considering commercialisation or co‑founding  🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions  The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.   👍 Like, Share, Subscribe, Explore  If you found this episode inspiring or informative, please don’t forget to like and share. Visit our website or subscribe to the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel for more Enterprise Sessions.   https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions

    1h 10m
  6. Beyond Opioids: Personalizing Pain Treatment Through Genetics

    MAR 26

    Beyond Opioids: Personalizing Pain Treatment Through Genetics

    ​What ​if ​you ​could ​tell ​ahead ​of ​time ​who ​needed ​how ​much ​pain ​relief?  ​What ​if ​you ​could ​avoid ​administering ​opioids ​to ​those ​with ​the ​highest ​risk ​of ​addiction, ​even ​if ​they ​didn't ​already ​know ​for ​themselves?  What ​if ​you ​could ​help ​ease ​the ​pain ​of ​a ​patient ​in ​need ​and ​be ​sure ​that ​you've ​made ​the ​right ​call?  Brian ​Meshkin ​of Proove ​Genomics shares his journey from personal tragedy to pioneering a scoring system that helps clinicians assess pain relief needs based on genetic profiles. Discover how this innovative approach aims to mitigate the opioid crisis by identifying patients at risk of addiction and personalizing pain treatment. Join us for an insightful discussion that blends science, compassion, and the urgent need for change in pain management. Find out more at https://proove.com/

    51 min
  7. Discover Reading: World Meteorology Day 2026

    MAR 23

    Discover Reading: World Meteorology Day 2026

    What if one university helped shape modern climate science? Discover how the University of Reading became synonymous with the field and why it remains at the centre of that story. This World Meteorology Day 2026, we trace the evolution of climate science, from the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985 to today’s global challenges, and explore how Reading became a hub for the ideas, research and people driving the field forward. In this episode, Professor Hannah Cloke OBE from the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology speaks with Professor Keith Shine FRS, the UK’s Regius Professor of Climate Science, and Dr Jolene Cook OBE, climate science advisor to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the UK’s representative to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Together, they examine Reading’s role in climate science and reflect on the field’s growth and future. Their journeys, shaped in part by the university, offer insight into how the discipline has developed, how universities and government are preparing the next generation of climate scientists, and the opportunities ahead for early career researchers. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Discover Reading, a global centre for climate science 00:52 – Meet the voices, Keith Shine and Jolene Cook 02:10 – Pathways into climate science, where it all began 04:32 – 1985 and beyond, the ozone hole and growth of atmospheric science 07:25 – A defining role, the UK’s first Regius Professor of Climate Science 09:00 – Learning at Reading, shaping a generation of scientists 12:52 – From science to policy, the role of the IPCC 17:00 – Preparing the next generation, universities, government and early career opportunities 25:30 – Reading at 100, looking ahead to the next century of climate science

    31 min
  8. Improving Youth Mental Health | The Enterprise Sessions with Dr Myles-Jay Linton

    MAR 18

    Improving Youth Mental Health | The Enterprise Sessions with Dr Myles-Jay Linton

    In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour speaks with Dr Myles‑Jay Linton, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, whose career has woven economics, health research, digital innovation and co‑production into a distinctive, socially impactful research portfolio. Myles‑Jay reflects on his journey from an interdisciplinary PhD at the University of Exeter to applied healthcare work in Bristol Medical School, a prestigious Vice‑Chancellor’s Fellowship, and now pioneering work on the intersection of youth mental health and digital life. Along the way, he has collaborated with clinicians, policymakers, university leaders, young people, and—unusually for his field—a commercial mental health app developer. From shaping national guidance on information‑sharing in student mental health crises, to co‑creating digital toolkits with practitioners, to supporting developers integrating AI into peer‑support platforms, this episode explores how enterprise and social impact can coexist powerfully in research that is compassionate, rigorous, and deeply collaborative. 🔍 In the episode: Moving from economics into applied health researchThe value of not specialising too earlyWorking with patients, clinicians and the public on locally‑rooted healthcare projectsMeasuring student mental health: tools, policies and global collaborationCo‑production as a core research practice—why it mattersInforming national policy on emergency contacts and circles of supportCollaborating with a commercial mental health app (Tell Me) to support young adultsEthical, practical and emotional considerations for researchers working in sensitive areasDigital Dialogues: improving practitioner conversations about online life and wellbeingScaling training for mental health professionals—and the policy questions that followThe future of digital mental health and Myles‑Jay’s emerging entrepreneurial mindset  🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges. 👍 Like, Share, Subscribe, Explore If you found this episode inspiring or informative, please don’t forget to like and share. Visit our website or subscribe to the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel for more Enterprise Sessions. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions Connect with our Guests: Prof. Michele Barbour – LinkedIn Dr. Myles-Jay Linton – LinkedIn

    47 min
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ResearchPod science podcasts connect the research community to a global audience of peers and the public, raising visibility and impact. www.researchpod.org. All content is shared under the Creative Commons CCBY-NC-ND 4.0 licence. For further information, email contact@researchpod.org

Information

  • Creator
    ResearchPod
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    511
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ResearchPod
  • Show Website
    ResearchPod