We want to hear from you!  Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

***

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.

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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

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We want to hear from you! Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

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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 

Hearing voices is a challenging symptom of psychosis that treatments have often failed to address effectively - until now. Introducing AVATAR therapy, a remarkable approach using digital technology to help patients engage with distressing voices and regain control. Alisha meets Dr Vaughan Bell to explore the therapy's potential, talk about findings from the latest clinical trial and hear a personal story of transformation. 

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 

Genomics has revolutionised cancer research, offering new hope for cancer diagnosis and treatment. But there are challenges ahead. Alisha is joined by Dr Peter Campbell and researchers Dr Solomon Rotimi and Sara Gómez Trillos to discuss the breakthroughs and the issue of ensuring fair access to advancements for patients worldwide. 

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 

Despite efforts to eliminate cholera by 2030, it remains a formidable global threat. Could technology hold the key to combating this deadly disease? Alisha sits down with Professor Iruka Okeke to talk about the factors driving cholera's spread and the innovative mapping techniques being used in Kenya to identify hotspots.  

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 

Over the years, the reluctance to include pregnant participants in vaccine trials has been increasingly challenged. That's because their inclusion can make vital medications available during pregnancy and provide data that could improve survival rates for both parent and baby. Alisha is joined by Dr Flor M Munoz, a global expert in maternal immunisation to discuss a new vaccine trial, safety considerations and the future.

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 

As rising temperatures challenge vulnerable regions, could 'cool roofs' be the affordable, sustainable solution?

Alisha joins Dr. Aditi Bunker to talk about the remarkable health benefits uncovered in Burkina Faso's trial, hearing firsthand accounts of how this simple intervention significantly reduces indoor temperatures, lowers heart rates, and improves overall health. 

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 

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We want to hear from you! Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

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Exercise is more than just fitness – it can be a powerful tool for mental health. But what actually occurs in the brain during a workout, and how can it help in treating mental health issues? Alisha meets Dr Jonathan Roiser and his team of researchers to uncover insights from a groundbreaking pilot study exploring brain activity during exercise, including how it could transform the diagnosis and treatment of conditions like depression. 

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 

Wildfires are intensifying globally, posing threats to health and Indigenous communities. Join Alisha and Dr Nicole Redvers as they explore cultural burning, a traditional Indigenous technique offering a potential solution to modern wildfire challenges and hear from those bridging traditional practice and science. A fascinating conversation on the future of land management, wildfire resilience and health. 

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 

Diseases like dengue, yellow fever and Zika claim over 700,000 lives a year. But a breakthrough from the most unlikely of places could be about to change all that.

Travel to Colombia to see how Professor Scott O'Neill, founder of the World Mosquito Program, is using mosquitoes infected with a naturally occurring bacterium as part of a game changing approach that's revolutionising disease prevention.

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 

More incredible stories of how scientists and communities are leading the charge against urgent health challenges.

Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainwright as she explores groundbreaking research and pioneering innovations transforming the science of health.

From traditional wildfire management approaches — rooted in Indigenous practices — to disease-preventing mosquitoes, pioneering mental health treatments, and the genomic revolution in cancer care, season two uncovers remarkable discoveries shaping our future.

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. 

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We want to hear from you! Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

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Julia Gillard, the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of Wellcome, brings together three experts from Season 1 to delve into the key themes that have emerged and to explore the challenges ahead for global health.

Julia is joined by:

• Dr Anand Anandkumar – from Episode 1, "Stopping superbugs: antimicrobial resistance and the race for new antibiotics"
• Kathy Baughman-McLeod – from Episode 3, "Feeling the heat: how can we work on a warming planet?"
• Professor Crick Lund – from Episode 11, "Cash transfers: can they improve mental health?"

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We want to hear from you! Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

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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

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the benefits of sequencing infectious disease pathogens became more visible than ever before. The possibilities are huge: genomic sequencing is allowing scientists to unlock the secrets of disease prevention, helping dispel myths and stigma around disease outbreaks as well as allowing governments to act in real-time with targeted and often low-cost interventions. 

Alisha speaks to Professor Christian Happi, Director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, about his pioneering use of the technology during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria which identified the origin of the virus. They hear from the lead researcher who used sequencing to map a subsequent outbreak in Guinea, changing how healthcare workers understand the disease.

Poor mental health has always been associated with lower socio-economic status, but what if you turned the idea on its head and administered cash transfers as a mental health treatment in and of itself? The scientific research community has long grappled with the lack of major breakthroughs in the treatment of mental health disorders. So could cash transfers hold the key to coming up with a universally applicable and low-cost mental health intervention? 

In this episode Alisha is in conversation with Professor Vikram Patel, a world leader in global mental health, who explains the challenges researchers have faced globally in the fight against poor mental health, and the potential of using cash transfers. They hear from an early beneficiary of Brazil's Bolsa Familia cash transfer programme and meet the professor developing a pioneering new study with young people in Nepal, South Africa and Colombia.

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 

With rising temperatures and shifting climates imperilling our crops, the food chain – from planting to consumer – is under threat. This could lead to higher food prices, poor nutrition, hunger and migration.

Alisha is in conversation with Professor Ruth Defries, a global expert in ecology and sustainable development, to discuss how the world has become reliant on a small number of crops such as corn and rice, leaving us in a vulnerable position if these staples do not grow well as the planet heats. So how can we encourage climate resilience through crop diversity?

They hear from a multi-country research project which is exploring whether indigenous crops could hold the key to creating more sustainable food systems, and meet a South African farmer who is helping keep these old growing traditions alive.

It may seem obvious that a lack of sleep can exacerbate poor mental health - whether a symptom, cause or both, the two go hand in hand. But until very recently, there was little scientific research to back this idea up – and as a result, sleep treatments have been overlooked as a potential remedy for poor mental health. Prof Daniel Freeman is a clinical psychologist who's trying to change that. He's leading studies into the effectiveness of sleep treatments for people experiencing psychosis and getting positive results.  

In this episode, Alisha speaks to Prof Freeman about the importance of sleep, its potential in fighting the global mental health crisis, and some of the surprisingly simple techniques that can aid a better night's rest. They hear from Ryan, who saw a dramatic shift in his mental health after taking part in one of Prof Freeman's studies. 

If you have been affected by the topics discussed in this episode, befrienders.org can help you find a support service local to you. 

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 visit www.wellcome.org/news-and-reports/podcast. 

When Danish geneticist, Professor Eske Willerslev led the team that sequenced the first ancient human genome in 2010, he opened up a world of research possibilities with global significance. But this potential comes with risk. Research into DNA from ancient remains can upend understandings of history and ancestry within living indigenous communities and violate cultural sensitivities. 

On this episode, Alisha speaks with Eske alongside Shane Doyle, a member of the Crow Tribe in Montana, USA. Eske and Shane have turned a collaboration into a friendship that demonstrates the power of an exchange between ancient customs and emerging science.

Together they discuss the possibilities and the pitfalls of ancient DNA research, and how to build mutual trust and respect between indigenous communities and scientists.

Vaccines are formidable tools against infectious disease. But the success of a vaccine in one part of the world doesn't guarantee similar outcomes elsewhere. That's where human infection studies come in – where volunteers, closely monitored by researchers, receive a vaccine and are subsequently given a small dose of an infectious disease. This might sound worrying, but it is a quick and effective way to get data about whether a vaccine is working.

Alisha speaks with Dr Dingase Dula, who researched a pneumococcal vaccine in Malawi, to learn more about the impact of infection studies. They also meet Becky Mkandawire and Stonard Mwale, who volunteered to take part in the study. They discuss the role of trust in human infection studies, what it's like to be part of one, and the importance of African-led research in combating infectious disease.

Around the world, roughly one billion people live in informal settlements – residential areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of governments. These communities live without traditional centralised sanitation and water systems. As a result, the settlements are vulnerable to extreme weather events like floods, which cause wastewater to spread through homes and lead to serious health issues. 

As climate change and nearby development increase the frequency and severity of floods in these settlements, organisations like RISE (Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments) are trying to help. In this episode, Alisha speaks to Professor Karin Leder, head of research at RISE, about projects in Indonesia and Fiji that are collaborating with local communities to combine scientific study with infrastructure-building. They hear from Losalini Malumu and Ibu Ina Rahlina, RISE staff members and residents of informal settlements, who through their experiences demonstrate the critical role of collaborating with those most affected by these challenges. 

Psychosis is one of the most severe, and most stigmatised, mental health conditions. But what if technology could help us spot the signs early on? Could more accurate prediction help guide earlier intervention, to produce better outcomes for people at risk of psychosis? Alisha is in discussion with Professor Iris Sommer, a global leader in the psychosis field to examine exactly where the understanding of the condition is, whether we're approaching treatment in an equitable way, and how we can ensure earlier diagnosis and better treatment.  

They hear from a therapist in Brazil, Dr Alexandre Loch, and his patient Tammy about how hard a diagnosis can be, and why it can often come too late to prevent the onset of severe symptoms. Alexandre also shares his innovative work using AI to spot whether someone might be at risk of developing psychosis, hinting at a potentially transformative breakthrough. 

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 visit www.wellcome.org/news-and-reports/podcast.

What can you learn from studying 40,000 people in one city? A UK study called Born In Bradford is doing just that, and it's a concept that could be applied around the world. 

It began in 2007, tracking pregnant women, their children and families. Over the decades, the study has changed Bradford, impacting policy on education, early years development and even the environment. But it has also provided robust evidence on health and wellbeing that is relevant in any city.

In this episode, we hear from some of the parents who've taken part in the study on how it's impacted their lives. And Alisha is in discussion with Doctor John Wright, who founded the study, to explore how an open-ended piece of research like this can deliver exciting results, change lives and bond communities – in Bradford, and around the world.

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 visit www.wellcome.org/news-and-reports/podcast.

As the world gets hotter and hotter, so do we - and just like crops and wildlife, we're struggling to cope with what extreme heat does to our bodies. Every year temperatures reach new records, and the way we live, work and rest are changing to accommodate it.  

Kathy Baughman McLeod, director of the Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre and chair of the Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance, talks Alisha through the realities of what heat stress does to us, how workers across the globe - from India to the US - are feeling the heat, and the tangible solutions being implemented globally to increase resilience. They discuss how women are disproportionately affected by this issue, and hear from the market traders of Freetown, Sierra Leone, a city on the front line of the climate crisis. They also meet the capital's Chief Heat Officer, who's part of an international network of women working to protect their city's most vulnerable communities from the risks of rising temperatures. 

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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 

In the 1970s, when a heterosexual couple divorced, courts almost always awarded child custody to the mother, except in one scenario: when the mother had come out as a lesbian.  

Professor Susan Golombok was determined to challenge these prejudices and to shine a light on the realities of same-sex parenting. She began studying a range of different family structures to build up a body of evidence which, over the course of her life, has had a tangible impact on everyday families around the world 

In this episode, Alisha is in conversation with Susan about the influence and breadth of her work, from broadening societal perceptions to changing laws. We also hear from a couple who took part in the research and learn why it was so important to them, and the legacy it has left for families everywhere.  

Since the discovery of penicillin in the early 20th century, we've seen the risk of minor infections virtually disappear. But after years of antibiotics being abused and overused, we now face a silent pandemic where the treatments we rely on no longer work. 

The potential scale of antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is staggering, and there is a lack of awareness of just how dangerous it could be. Alisha speaks to Dr Anand Anandkumar, an engineer turned biotechnologist, to correct the misconceptions around AMR, and discover what we can do about it. We'll also hear from John Kariuki in Kenya, whose own experience with AMR almost cost him his life, and Benard Wanyama, whose project is treating patients with infections and monitoring the spread of AMR. 

Together, they make a powerful case for urgent and collective action to stem the tide of superbugs.  

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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

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We want to hear from you! Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

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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

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 

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We want to hear from you! Our podcast is shaped by the people who listen to it. Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

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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 

We know that singing, painting and other creative outlets can boost our mental health. But how do we harness the therapeutic power of the arts? Alisha speaks with UK researcher Professor Daisy Fancourt, whose work is helping to establish the arts as a key ingredient in conversations about mental wellbeing, alongside diet and exercise.

She also meets Vanessa, a mother in the UK who took part in a singing-based trial to reduce the effects of postpartum depression, and Kunle Adewale, an arts practitioner in Nigeria, whose own healing journey led him to empower others through arts engagement. It's a powerful look at how creativity can shape healthier futures, backed by science and lived experience.

This episode features Breathe Melodies for Mums, a programme by Breathe Arts Health Research. Learn more at breatheahr.org/programmes/melodies-for-mums 

Video footage of the Melodies sessions was kindly provided by Breathe Arts Health Research. 

When Science Finds a Way is back! Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainright as she meets the scientists and communities turning bold ideas into real world impact. 

This season, you'll hear about how new medical imaging tools are helping us see our bodies in ways we never could before, meet the team using climate data to predict and prevent disease outbreaks, and learn about how engaging with the arts can help improve our mental health. 

We want to hear from you!  Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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AI chatbots and apps are increasingly being used for mental health support. But could these new tools carry hidden risks?

In the second part of this special episode, Alisha Wainwright unpicks her own experiments with AI therapy, takes tips from Dr John Torous on staying safe when seeking help digitally, and hears about the risks of unregulated tools. 

But there's hope with these tools too. Professor Miranda Wolpert reveals how AI could help scale mental health interventions in the globally and even inspire whole new forms of therapy. 

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Mentioned in this episode and further reading:

• AI and mental health: "it could help revolutionise treatments" - Miranda Wolpert, Director of Mental Health, Wellcome  (https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/ai-and-mental-health-help-revolutionise-treatments)
• Generating evidence for AI in health (EVAH) (https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/evah-new-initiative-generate-evidence-ai-health)

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

We want to hear from you!  Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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It might sound like something out of TV shows like The Last of Us, but brain-invading fungi are a real-world problem.

Alisha Wainwright speaks to Drs. Rachael Dangarembizi and Rebecca Drummond, an immunologist and a neuroscientist collaborating across continents to tackle Cryptococcal Meningitis – the leading cause of fungal death worldwide.

Dr Kyla Murphy also talks about the new tests and treatments saving lives from the disease, and Alisha shares the story of her own mother's brush with a dangerous fungal infection. 

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Mentioned in this episode and further reading: 

• Will climate change lead to more fungal infections? An explainer by Wellcome (wellcome.org/insights/articles/will-climate-change-lead-more-fungal-infections) 

• Wellcome Fungal Adaptation Call Awardees (wellcome.org/research-funding/funding-portfolio/funded-grants?f%5B0%5D=funding_scheme_grants_awarded%3ABiology%20of%20fungal%20adaptation 

• Global incidence and mortality of severe fungal disease, David W Denning, The Lancet Infectious Diseases (thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(23)00692-8/fulltext) 

• The WHO fungal priority pathogens list as a gamechanger, Matthew C. Fisher & David W. Denning, Nature Reviews Microbiology (nature.com/articles/s41579-023-00861-x#citeas) 

• How fungi shape our world...and how the climate is shaping our fungi – The Naked Scientist Podcast in partnership with Wellcome (thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists-podcast/how-fungi-shape-our-world) 

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 

Tranexamic acid (TXA) has enormous potential to prevent deaths from postpartum haemorrhage, but until very recently it's been overlooked. Professor Haleema Shakur Still tells Alisha Wainwright how she stumbled on TXA's untapped potential, and the drug's journey from being an undervalued discovery in post-war Japan to a groundbreaking treatment in modern-day Nigeria. Professor Nike Bellow and Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi share their efforts to make TXA more accessible to communities, while Haleema explains how drug trials have revealed a hidden side to postpartum haemorrhage – one that could prevent cases before treatment is even needed. 

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We want to hear from you! Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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Mentioned in this episode and further reading: 

• WOMAN trials: looking at the effect of the drug tranexamic acid (TXA) on bleeding, and the best ways to give it (https://thebloodtrials.org/womens-health-trials/) 

• The missing evidence: anaemia, postpartum bleeding and maternal death, Blood Trials, LSHTM (https://thebloodtrials.org/the-missing-evidence/) 

A word of thanks to all the WOMAN Trial collaborators, Professor Ian Roberts, who co-led the WOMAN Trials alongside Haleema, trial teams in London, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania and Zambia and the women and families who make this work possible.

We want to hear from you! Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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We know that the food we eat affects us physically, but how might our diets help or hinder mental health? Dr Wolfgang Marx tells Alisha Wainwright about his work to find a link between mental health and diet. We also hear from Dr Iain Campbell, who found that a famous diet helped his own bipolar symptoms, inspiring him to work on a new large-scale trial. And Dr Sheri Johnson explains why we should explore not just what we eat, but when. 

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Mentioned in this episode and further reading: 

• Food and mood centre, a multi-disciplinary research centre that aims to understand the complex ways in which what we eat influences our brain, mood, and mental health, Deakin University (https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/) 

• Time-restricted eating as an adjunctive intervention for bipolar disorder – Wellcome funding award (https://wellcome.org/research-funding/funding-portfolio/funded-grants/time-restricted-eating-adjunctive-intervention) 

• Personal keto journey leads to career in research: Iain Campbell's story (https://www.metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/iain-campbell/) 

We want to hear from you! Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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In much of the world people are living longer, but how can we make sure those extra years are healthy? Professor Dame Linda Partridge tells Alisha Wainwright how our ever-growing knowledge of health and ageing could lead to more personalised medicine, and Professor Mika Kivimäki explains how new methods for measuring the "biological age" of our organs could be used to predict disease. We also hear from Shamita Sharmacharja, curator of the new Coming of Age Exhibition at London's Wellcome Collection, about how changing society could help us all age better. 

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Mentioned in this episode and further reading: 

• Hallmarks of ageing: an expanding universe (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36599349/) 

• Biological organ ages predict disease risk decades in advance, Mika Kivimäki , UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/feb/biological-organ-ages-predict-disease-risk-decades-advance) 

• The Coming of Age Exhibition, Wellcome Collection, London. Open until November 2026 (https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/the-coming-of-age) 

We want to hear from you! Please tell us a bit about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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We know how extreme heat impacts us physically, but science is still uncovering its effects on mental health. 

Professor Andrea Mechelli tells Alisha Wainwright what analysing millions of datapoints is teaching us, we hear from participants in his London-based research about their struggles with heat and mental health, and Mete Çoban, London's Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, talks about efforts to future-proof the city. 
 
Looking beyond London, Dr Benedict Weobong explains why his research in Ghana and Zimbabwe shows that local context is crucial for dealing with heat-related mental health issues, and Alisha explores how reconnecting with nature - and each other - could also help us tackle the causes of rising heat. 

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Mentioned in this episode and further reading: 

• Prof. Andrea Mechelli's Substack on how nature and climate shape our mental health: https://andreamechelli.substack.com/

• The effects of extreme heat events on mental health in vulnerable urban communities: towards evidence-based policy and practice (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/the-effects-of-extreme-heat-events-on-mental-health-in-vulnerable-urban-communities-towards-evidence-based-policy-and-practice) 

• Urban Mind – an app that measures your experience of urban & rural living in the moment (https://urbanmind.info/)  

• Heat Exposure, Sleep, Cognition and Mental Health - HEATSCAPE-Africa (https://www.yorku.ca/dighr/project/heatscape-africa/) 

We're running a listener survey for When Science Finds a Way and we'd love your input. Takes around 10 minutes, completely anonymous, and there's a £50 gift card draw for everyone who completes it. Survey closes 28 May: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3

Final few days to fill out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 28 May. 

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Tuberculosis has been with us so long that traces appear in mummies. But today, the challenge is different: how do we respond to TB that's resistant to modern drugs? 

Professor Salome Charalambous tells Alisha Wainwright about the challenges of treating the half-million people with drug-resistant TB, and Professor Nazir Ismail explains how it gets harder in countries where resources are scarce. 

But there may be hope on the horizon. Salome gives a glimpse of the new tests and treatments already saving lives, and we hear from Enalkachew Fekadu, a drug-resistant TB survivor who now advocates for others with the disease. 

We may think of carbon dioxide as the main culprit in climate change, but could tackling "super pollutants" provide an emergency brake for global warming? 

Dr Tom Grylls tells Alisha Wainwright how we already have the tools to reduce these gases and particles, and Bidya Banmali Pradhan describes a successful effort to do just that by re-engineering brick kilns in Nepal. 

But this isn't only a question of climate. Professor Zorana Andersen explains air pollution's impact on our bodies, and we hear how a holistic view of climate and health could help slow down global warming and save millions of lives. 

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Enjoyed this episode? Lat chance to tell us about your experience by filling out our short listener survey. Everyone who completes it is entered into a draw for a £50 gift card. 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SX6X8X3?source=shownotes Closes 3 June.

***

Mentioned in this episode and further reading:

• What are super pollutants and how do they impact our health? - Wellcome (https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/what-are-super-pollutants-and-how-do-they-impact-our-health) 

• Why reducing super pollutants isn't just good for the climate – Clean Air Fund (https://www.cleanairfund.org/news-item/reducing-super-pollutants/) 

• Building cleaner brick kilns in Nepal - CCAC (https://www.ccacoalition.org/projects/building-cleaner-brick-kilns-nepal)