Health in a Handbasket

Did you know that disposable nappies account for approximately 400,000 tonnes of waste each year, representing 2-3% of household waste? Period products don't fare much better with one study indicating 200,000 tonnes of waste annually and then there's also adult incontinence products - we’re looking at 3 billion waste products annually for that. These are staggering numbers and ones we just aren't aware of.In this episode we speak to Elze Porte and Ayse Allison who are working to reduce waste with absorbent hygiene products - that's things like nappies, period products and adult incontinence products. Hear how they're working with manufacturers, users and waste management systems to make sure we’re not adding to the landfill.Transcription link:https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/health-handbasket-podcast/reduce-reuse-recycle-nappies-and-period-products-editionDate of episode recording: 2024-07-18T00:00:00ZDuration: 00:25:29Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Ferdouse AkhterGuests: Elze Porte; Ayse AllisonProducer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

In this episode, we speak to Chloe He, Postgraduate researcher at UCL, who educates us on fertility treatments. We cover the 50-50 split between male and female infertility factors, the rising rates of infertility (now affecting one in six people), and the worrying impact of pollution on male fertility. The conversation also touches on the challenges of accessing fertility services, including the frustrating "postcode lottery" in the UK. Chloe breaks down the IVF process—from ovarian stimulation to embryo selection—and unpacks the ethical dilemmas around pre-implantation genetic testing. Plus, we discuss the unique barriers the transgender community faces in fertility care. So, yes, we cover a lot in 33 minutes!Transcription link:https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/health-handbasket-podcast/engineering-solutions-infertilityDate of episode recording: 2024-06-10T00:00:00ZDuration: 33:00Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Ferdouse AkhterGuests: Chloe HeProducer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

In this episode, we speak to Stephen Morris, VaxHub's Senior Outreach and Partnerships Manager, and Ludovica Vaiarelli, VaxHub's Partners Relationship Manager, to learn a bit more about how vaccines are manufactured and distributed worldwide. We'll hear how the process works, and how we're working with partner Universities like Oxford, along with manufacturers and industry, to ensure we create the next vaccine as quickly as possible. During the conversation, we cover notable projects that the VaxHub has worked on plus how antimicrobial resistance (so from things like antibiotics in poultry) is affecting global initiatives in vaccine production.Transcription link:https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/health-handbasket-podcast/making-next-global-vaccineDate of episode recording: 2024-10-08T00:00:00ZDuration: 37:00Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Ferdouse AkhterGuests: Stephen Morris; Ludovica VaiarelliProducer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

How is super small tech (we're talking a billionth of a meter small) going to change healthcare? It sounds like quite a far-fetched - really small things helping to diagnose cancer and other diseases? It's a type of X-ray? In this episode, we speak to Alessandro Rossi is a Research Fellow in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at UCL to answer these questions and explain how nanotechnology is changing the healthcare landscape. Alessandro is currently working on nanofabrication and although it's jargon at the moment, we uncover what nanofabrication is, how it links to x-rays and how we're helping to diagnose cancer further in this episode.Transcription link:www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-enginee…huge-possibilitiesDate of episode recording: 2024-07-04T00:00:00ZDuration: 23:10Language of episode: EnglishGuests: Alessandro RossiProducer: Ferdouse Akhter, Shakira Crawford

How are we improving dental health so we don't have to keep going back to the dentist? Anastasios Koulogiannis is a Post Graduate Researcher at UCL. He's looking at engineering applications in healthcare in the department of Mechanical Engineering and so whilst he's not a dentist (although he does have a lot of dental knowledge after spending a lot of time with dentists), Anastasios speaks to us about his research using ultrasound technology and the way its changing dental care.  We cover the 'basis' like what root canal treatments are (did anyone else just think that teeth were inanimate objects?) and how Anastasios and his team are working on a treatment device that will make sure you get the treatment you need, won't have to keep going back to the dentist with tooth pains and ultimately save the NHS money.  Date of episode recording: 2024-05-22T00:00:00Z Duration: 00:15:40 Language of episode: English Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter Guests: Anastasios Koulogiannis Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford