This was a long awaited announcement from the JCVI (short for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) as adding a vaccine to the childhood schedule is a significant move. So why now? Why did England wait so long to vaccinate against chickenpox when other countries have been doing so for years? How does this fit into current measles outbreaks in the country, and how can we improve vaccine uptake in general? 

Madeline and Sarah spoke to Professor Helen Bedford, a leading expert on UK childhood vaccinations and professor at the UCL Institute of Child Health, to find out more. 

Interviewers:

Madeline Ross

Sarah Gu

Editors:

Lois Ng

Researchers: 

Darja Kozevnikova 

Emily Sims 

Polina Markova

Director: 

Sarah Gu

Check out our Instagram: @uclkinesispodcast

And our award-winning magazine: https://kinesismagazine.com 

Instagram: @uclkinesismagazine

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In this episode, hosts Vedika and Aaditya speak with Dr Neil Stone, a consultant at UCLH specialising in infectious diseases and microbiology. Together, they explore the double-edged nature of fungi, the risks they pose, and how current therapies are holding up.

🎙️ Listen now via the link on our Linktree or search “UCL Kinesis Podcast” on Spotify.

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Fear not, today we will be diving into the fascinating world of wasps. These very misunderstood insects actually play some vital ecological roles that are easy to overlook. We are delighted to be joined by Professor Seirian Sumner, who shares insights from her exciting research on wasps and explores why they so often get such bad press. Professor Sumner also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the World of Wasps exhibition at the Grant Museum of Zoology, where science meets art through some very cool VR experiences. Do check it out before it closes on 24th January!

Interviewers:

Madeline Ross

Sarah Gu

Editors:

Lois Ng

Researchers: 

Darja Kozevnikova 

Emily Sims 

Polina Markova

Director: 

Sarah Gu

Check out our Instagram: @uclkinesispodcast

And our award-winning magazine: https://kinesismagazine.com  Instagram: @uclkinesismagazine

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With graduation season upon us we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reflect on all of the hard work and important research that students have done throughout the year with most students culminating this work in a final dissertation project. 

Now when we say dissertations maybe you think of stress, hours in the library, and failed experiments. But despite this classic mental image of thick dissertation books collecting dust in a supervisor’s office, UCL undergraduate students have been conducting some fascinating and diverse research that we thought would be really interesting to share a spotlight on and also to make the world of dissertations seem less intimidating and more within your reach. 

Hopefully, by the end of this series, those of you who’ll have to start your dissertations can feel inspired and take away some advice for your own research. In this episode, we’re speaking to students across Biological Sciences and Biomedical Sciences. 

Find the timestamps below for each interview if there’s a particular topic you’re interested in. We’ve also included our interviewees’ Linkedins if you want to connect or find out more. 

00:53 Madeleine Hjelt, 3rd Year BSc Biomedical Sciences - A targeted mutation screen reveals asymmetry changes in the developing zebrafish habenula

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleine-hjelt-b80335286/)

10:31 Grace Birkett, 4th Year MSci Biological Sciences (Genetics) - Gene regulatory networks at sea urchin metamorphosis

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-birkett-629997222/)

20:53 Nirvan Marathe, 4th Year MSci Biological Sciences (Genetics) - Investigating the impact of prostaglandins on brain ageing and regeneration

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirvan-m-4284b7150/)   

Interviewers:

Sarah Gu

Madeline Ross

Editors:

Madeline Ross

Sarah Gu

Director: 

Sarah Gu

Check out our instagram: @uclkinesispodcast

And our award-winning magazine: https://kinesismagazine.com 

Instagram: @uclkinesismagazine

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With graduation season upon us we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reflect on all of the hard work and important research that students have done throughout the year with most students culminating this work in a final dissertation project. 

Now when we say dissertations maybe you think of stress, hours in the library, and failed experiments. But despite this classic mental image of thick dissertation books collecting dust in a supervisor’s office, UCL undergraduate students have been conducting some fascinating and diverse research that we thought would be really interesting to share a spotlight on and also to make the world of dissertations seem less intimidating and more within your reach. 

Hopefully, by the end of this series, those of you who’ll have to start your dissertations can feel inspired and take away some advice for your own research. In this episode, we’re speaking to students across Biochemistry and Biological Sciences. 

Now we know this is a long episode but we just had so much to talk about! Find the timestamps below for each interview if there’s a particular topic you’re interested in. We’ve also included our interviewees’ contact details if you want to connect or find out more. 

01:58 Casey, 3rd Year MSci Biochemistry (Molecular Biology) - Reprogramming-induced Rejuvenation: Miracle in the Making or Overstated Promise?

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-teo-901614253/) 

25:13 Cwen, 3rd Year MSci Biochemistry - B-Cell Interactomics: Towards Constructing Specific Networks for Immune Response to Vaccination 

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwen-li-683826263/)

31:17 Hannah Jessel, 3rd Year BSc Biological Sciences (Cell and Developmental Biology) - Exploring the ecological factors affecting wild Saccharomyces isolation frequency across bark and soil substrates (collaborative project)

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-jessel-272025373/)

44:00 Cansu, 4th Year MSci Biological Sciences (Computational Biology) - A Computational Approach to Molecular Mimicry: Integrating MHC Binding Prediction and Sequence Similarity to Explore Autoimmune Mechanisms

(Email: cansu.oktem.21@alumni.ucl.ac.uk)

Interviewers:

Casey Teo

Madeline Ross

Editors:

Teni Gomez

Madeline Ross

Casey Teo

Director: 

Sarah Gu

Want to get involved?

Check out our Instagram: @uclkinesispodcast

And our award-winning magazine: https://kinesismagazine.com 

Instagram: @uclkinesismagazine

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With graduation season upon us we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reflect on all of the hard work and important research that students have done throughout the year, with most students culminating this work in a final dissertation project. 

Now when we say dissertations maybe you think of stress, hours in the library, and failed experiments. But despite this classic mental image of thick dissertation books collecting dust in a supervisor’s office, UCL undergraduate students have been conducting some fascinating and diverse research that we thought would be really interesting to share a spotlight on and also to make the world of dissertations seem less intimidating and more within your reach. 

Hopefully, by the end of this series, those of you who’ll have to start your dissertations can feel inspired and take away some advice for your own research. In this episode, we’re speaking to Human Sciences students.  

Now we know this is a long episode but we just had so much to talk about! Find the timestamps below for each interview if there’s a particular topic you’re interested in. We’ve also included our interviewees’ LinkedIns if you want to connect or find out more. 

02:06 Madeline Ross - Impact of NHS charging for maternity healthcare on undocumented female migrants, taking a medical, political, and economic approach

(www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-ross-4188b2287)

15:58 Carlotta Ceccarelli - Uterus transplantation: anatomical, psychological, and ethical explorations of a life-making technology

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlottaceccarelli/)

41:19 Alexandria Pu - Cosmological phenomenology of health and illness in Greater China

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandriapu/)

54:19 Nel Jolly-Jones - Effect of anaesthesia on human foetal brain development and ethical implications (Lab-based project)

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/nel-jolly-jones-812669290/)

Interviewers:

Madeline Ross

Casey Teo

Editors:

Lois Ng

Madeline Ross

Director: 

Sarah Gu

Check out our podcast Instagram: @uclkinesispodcast

And our award-winning magazine: https://kinesismagazine.com 

Magazine Instagram: @uclkinesismagazine

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#KinesisPodcast #TruthOrLie #PsychologyOfLying #AI #Misinformation

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o93Pc94aR2pYr-jzrLFsXn9r4X_eQ-vBCQJ5HmUZqkg/edit?usp=sharing

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If you’ve spent some time on the internet, you'll have come across the common saying that the ‘mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell’ – repeated in Biology classrooms across the world, but there’s much more to it than what your textbooks tell you…

Today hosts Casey and Maddy interview Dr. Flo Camus, a NERC research fellow in UCL department of Genes, Evolution, and Environment, who is going to tell us all about her exciting research into mitochondria, including what is mitonuclear incompatibility, are you being unintentionally cursed by your mother via your mitochondria, and do three parent babies exist?!

References:

1. https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/mtdna-and-mitochondrial-diseases-903/#
2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.07.018
3. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/09/first-uk-baby-with-dna-from-three-people-born-after-new-ivf-procedure
4. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/sep/27/worlds-first-baby-born-using-dna-from-three-parents
5. https://www.ox.ac.uk/research/three-parent-baby-raises-issues-long-term-health-risks

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Dr. Ruddy discusses groundbreaking discoveries, such as the long-term health effects of prenatal famine exposure and the implications of X chromosome inactivation. They also touch on ethical debates, the role of epigenetics in disease, and potential therapeutic applications, including its use in age reversal and precision medicine.

Tune in to learn how epigenetics is rewriting our understanding of genetics, evolution, and human health—and why our genes are only part of the story.

#Epigenetics #GeneExpression #Genetics #DNA #SciencePodcast #UCLKinesis #MolecularBiology #Inheritance #XChromosomeInactivation #Aging #Health #ScienceCommunication #EpigeneticTherapy #Genomics #Biotech #Evolution

References can be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FzzBVzaPmnFVnPS8aGCRByj6URcNkiiY6AGgQHsRuEs/edit?usp=drive_link

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#Menopause #Science #Health #KinesisPodcast

Websites/books to go to:

1. https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/treating-menopause-symptoms/#:~:text=keeping%20your%20bedroom%20cool%20at,15%20minutes%2C%20then%20try%20again
2. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/23/neurology-professor-lisa-mosconi-menopause-brain-book-interview-hrt

Further information used in this episode:

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401
2. https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/treating-menopause-symptoms/#:~:text=keeping%20your%20bedroom%20cool%20at,15%20minutes%2C%20then%20try%20again.
3. https://physichealth.uk/natural-menopause-treatments-that-really-work/#:~:text=Adopting%20a%20bedtime%20routine%20to,habits%20to%20minimise%20insulin%20resistance.
4. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/hot-flashes-what-can-i-do#:~:text=Before%20considering%20medication%2C%20first%20try,with%20management%20of%20hot%20flashes.
5. https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/08-BMS-TfC-Testosterone-replacement-in-menopause-DEC2022-A.pdf

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References:

The iguanodon on display in the NHM: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/search-for-the-real-iguanodon.html

Acknowledging the past of the specimens in the NHM: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/are-natural-history-museums-inherently-racist.html

Hosted and edited by Jasmine Little and Gaya Nair.

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References:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/feb/spotlight-hannah-cornish

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/feb/grant-museum-zoology-reopens-after-major-refurb#:~:text=UCL's%20historic%20Grant%20Museum%20of,to%20biodiversity%20and%20conservation%20research.

Hosted and Researched by Elsa Rogero.

Edited by Gaya Nair.

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References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35122880/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35248585/

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03701

Researched and hosted by Grace Birkett & Susie Mishima

Edited by Jasmine Little & Gaya Nair

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References:

https://www.uicc.org/what-we-do/events/world-cancer-leaders-summit

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2023/739315/EPRS_ATA(2023)739315_EN.pdf

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer

https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/140/1/25/485152/Anti-CCR9-chimeric-antigen-receptor-T-cells-for-T

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/04/nhs-to-roll-out-personalised-car-t-cancer-therapies-to-hundreds-more-people/

Directed by Elsa Rogero

Researched by Esther Cheung

Hosted by Casey Teo

Edited by He Ning Seah & Gaya Nair

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Trigger warning: This mini episode contains content regarding self-harm, eating disorders, addiction and suicide.

If you need any further information or to talk to anyone about the content mentioned in this mini episode, check out the information in the websites below.

Beat: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/

UCL Support Services: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/support-and-wellbeing/mental-health-and-wellbeing/ucl-student-support-and-wellbeing-phone-lines

Please take care of yourself this Winter Break!

Researched and hosted by Jasmine Bains, and edited by Jasmine Little.

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We'll be exploring whether a belief in Santa Claus might have had a harmful impact on your wellbeing as a child, and how it might affect your interaction with old Saint Nick today.

References:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1350508411416401

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/bf02253287

https://psmag.com/social-justice/the-psychology-of-santa-claus-christmas-71679

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-baby-scientist/202112/don-t-stop-believing-children-s-belief-in-santa-claus

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885201416300375?casa_token=peJ3UCTCwvAAAAAA:9Zx3No_7KYEkIIeycs8XxPM-OoaZH8GSTWg-OCNsjdcXm0VFheD5AWa03OpJbxLALDbL1-E

Researched, hosted, and edited by Jasmine Little.

Correction: Magical thinking frequently occurs in children aged around 5 to 8 and is a normal part of child development, though I couldn’t find any record of anyone else referring to them as “the magical thinking years”. This highly coincides with the peak ages to believe in Santa Claus (4-7 years old). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/magical-thinking#:~:text=Developmental%20Aspects&text=Superstitious%20and%20magical%20thinking%20

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Researched and hosted by Anirudh Manivannan, and edited by Gaya Nair.

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References:

https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/64/10/861/1783196

Researched and hosted by Suzie Mishima, and edited by Gaya Nair.

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References:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0305735619888803

https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/aca-aca0000090.pdf 

Researched, hosted, and edited by He Ning Seah.

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References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1308821/ 

https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/observing-polar-bears-

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43209-y 

Researched by Esther Cheung, hosted by Suzie Mishima, and edited by He Ning Seah.

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References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23810791/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24117885/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33265948/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28560212/

Researched and hosted by Lilie Gailloud, and edited by Gaya Nair.

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References:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.963705/full

https://ecologicalprocesses.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13717-021-00355-9

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/1/1/pgac026/6549457

Researched, hosted, and edited by Gaya Nair.

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Researched and hosted by Elsa Rogero, and edited by Gaya Nair.

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References:

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63912-7.00001-1 

https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/metabolismcontroversy.html 

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70178-3_2

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2018/may/gene-may-have-helped-humans-adapt-cold-climates

Researched and hosted by Casey Teo, and edited by Gaya Nair.

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In this episode, we are joined by Neuroscientist/Neuroaesthetician and creative Dwaynica Greaves, a PhD student at UCL, who gives an introduction to this recent sub-discipline and helps us scientifically deconstructs all things art, beauty and creativity! 

Connect with Dwaynica: 

Instagram: @dthescientist_x_

Twitter @Dwaynica 

Website: https://dwaynicagreaveshq.squarespace.com/

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

The Aesthetic Brain - by Prof Anjan Chatterjee [Book]

Thalia Goldstien, theatre, ToM and empathy (Goldstein, T. R., & Winner, E. (2012). Enhancing empathy and theory of mind. Journal of cognition and development, 13(1), 19-37

(Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239794828_Enhancing_Empathy_and_Theory_of_Mind#fullTextFileContent)

Link to Dwaynica’s interview with Professor Rodrigo Quian Quiroga: https://seismamag.com/inside-the-mind/conversation

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Climate change crisis, overpopulation, and an aging population, hosts Megan and Imani discuss the advancements that has brought us to this point, as well as what this means for the future!  

This episode is produced by the Kinesis Podcast Subcommittee.

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Many thanks to Dr Watts for taking part in our podcast. To find out more about her work, visit https://acerintegration.com/.

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Interview conducted by Emma Wei, edited by Ranmini Mudannayake.

Follow us on Instagram @KinesisMagazine for updates if you are interested in writing, editing, or making artwork for us.

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Special thanks to our interviewees, Dr Sarah Jelbert, Dr Arik Kershenbaum, Dr Daniel Ksepka. This episode is inspired by Sharif Khalid’s article https://kinesismagazine.com/2021/12/13/is-being-bird-brained-really-an-insult/

Stay tuned to the very end to find out what Dan’s favourite bird is!

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Patrick’s article can be found on the Kinesis webpage: https://kinesismagazine.com/2021/12/13/de-extinction-how-to-bring-back-an-extinct-species/

Special thanks to our guests, Professor Michael Archer, Dr Hernán Burbano, Ben Novak, and Dr Heather Browning. This episode is produced by the Kinesis Podcast Subcommittee, with help from Stephanie Frank and Jasmine Lu.

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This episode was inspired by the article ‘Addressing the UK’s Dementia Dilemma – What’s Happening and What’s to Come?’ by Similoluwa Ayeniyegbe. You can check out the article here: https://kinesismagazine.com/2021/06/27/addressing-the-uks-dementia-dilemma-whats-happening-and-whats-to-come/. Special thanks to our interviewees Prof Karen Duff and Dr Roberto Simone. Additional thanks to Bjorn Franke for the music used in this episode.

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The episode was recorded, scripted, edited, and produced by Ebani Dhawan and Emma Wei, and was inspired by the article 'Nature in blue, blue in nature' by Sermila Ispartaligil. You can check out the article here: https://kinesismagazine.com/2021/06/27/nature-in-blue-blue-in-nature/. Additional thanks to our interviewees Dr Bill Hsuing, Prof Andy Lowe, Dr Ray Cannon and Dr Radwanul Siddique.

Follow UCL Kinesis Magazine on Facebook @KinesisUCL, Instagram @kinesismagazine, and Twitter @UCLKinesis, and you can check out the rest of the articles in Issue 8 of Kinesis Magazine here: https://kinesismagazine.com/category/issue-8/. And if you are a UCL student and would like to contribute to our print, artwork, or podcast, you can get membership at the Students' Union UCL website.

Music credit: West One Music Group - WOMG 050 Podcast Series: Science and Technology

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