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May 12, 202611 min
Listeria, Listeriosis, and Public Health
Microbes are everywhere. Their ability to adapt to environmental conditions means they can survive on surfaces and enter the food manufacturing chain where they continue to multiply. This presents a daunting uphill battle for food manufactures to maintain hygiene and prevent contamination. Of the more than 200 pathogenic organisms that cause foodborne illness, Listeria monocytogenes is among the most concerning for public health. The team of Dr. Aliyar Cyrus Fouladkhah, Associate Professor at Tennessee State University, has pioneered validation studies offering invaluable insights into how high-pressure techniques can be adapted to decontaminate food such as ready-to-eat products. In doing so their work is and will be instrumental in making the food we eat safe and improving public health in the USA and worldwide. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091858
May 8, 20268 min
Shrinkflation: Does size really matter?
Shrinkflation is the practice of reducing product sizes while keeping prices the same – a subtle form of inflation many consumers overlook. In this episode, we explore new research by Aljoscha Janssen at Singapore Management University, examining how widespread shrinkflation is in retail, why consumers react differently to size changes than price rises, and what this means for transparency and consumer protection. Read the original research: https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2024.0948
May 6, 20268 min
Hormone replacement therapy and how to take it safely
Menopause affects every woman differently, but for many the symptoms are significant and long-lasting. Yet despite effective treatments being available, many women never seek help.This podcast from NHS Ayrshire and Arran explains how hormone replacement therapy works, the different forms it can take, and how to use it safely and effectively to manage the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. One size does not fit all when it comes to HRT, and patient knowledge and understanding of the options available is essential for safe and effective use.For more information, speak to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist, or visit the links below.NHS Inform: nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/medicines-and-medical-aids/types-of-medicine/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrtWomen's Health Concern: womens-health-concern.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/27-WHC-FACTSHEET-HRT
April 29, 202648 min
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 – LinkedInMichele Barbour – LinkedIn
April 28, 202610 min
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
April 15, 202644 min
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, ExploreIf 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 – LinkedInMichele Barbour – LinkedIn
April 8, 202639 min
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.4241Read more : https://www.mvdiagnostics.co.uk/
April 1, 20261 hr 9 min
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
March 26, 202651 min
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/
March 23, 202631 min
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.CHAPTERS00:00 – Discover Reading, a global centre for climate science00:52 – Meet the voices, Keith Shine and Jolene Cook02:10 – Pathways into climate science, where it all began04:32 – 1985 and beyond, the ozone hole and growth of atmospheric science07:25 – A defining role, the UK’s first Regius Professor of Climate Science09:00 – Learning at Reading, shaping a generation of scientists12:52 – From science to policy, the role of the IPCC17:00 – Preparing the next generation, universities, government and early career opportunities25:30 – Reading at 100, looking ahead to the next century of climate science
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