Research Stories

In this episode, Professor Jaime Toney discusses systems thinking, climate adaptation and the partnerships behind Glasgow's efforts to become a thriving, resilient city. The conversation explores how universities can help connect people, organisations and ideas to create meaningful change.  This episode is for researchers at every stage of their journey, from PhD students and research assistants to established academics, research professionals and prospective postgraduate researchers.   In this episode:  Working with Glasgow City Council to address complex sustainability challenges. The GALLANT project and Glasgow as a living lab. The Thriving Glasgow Portrait and Doughnut Economics. The role of dialogue, curiosity and shared understanding in decision-making. Climate adaptation and vulnerability-led approaches to policy. Working across government, academia, charities, and community organisations. Lessons for researchers seeking to create real-world impact through partnerships. The University’s civic role in shaping the future of Glasgow.    Guest Bio  Professor Jaime Toney is Director of the Centre for Sustainable Solutions at the University of Glasgow and Sustainable Futures Lead for Glasgow Changing Futures. Originally trained as an environmental and climate scientist, her work now focuses on systems transformation, sustainability, climate adaptation, and partnership-led approaches to addressing societal challenges. She leads major collaborative initiatives including GALLANT and works closely with governments, local authorities, charities, communities, and businesses to develop evidence-based pathways towards more sustainable and equitable futures.   Resources & Links  Guest & Research  Centre for Sustainable Solutions Professor Jaime Toney – University of Glasgow Staff Profile   Partnership Ecosystem  University of Glasgow Glasgow City Council GALLANT Climate Ready Clyde C40 Cities Sustainable Glasgow Partnership Welsh Government Scottish Government UK Government Community organisations across Glasgow Verture MACC Hub    Key Projects & Programmes  GALLANT Project Thriving Glasgow Portrait MACC Hub (Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change Hub) Climate Ready Clyde Glasgow Changing Futures    Collaborators & Partners  Glasgow City Council Climate Ready Clyde C40 Cities Sustainable Glasgow Verture   Publications & Further Reading  Doughnut Economics Action Lab IPCC Climate Change Committee   Hosted and produced by Nick Bruce, with questions, recording, editing, mixing, artwork and original music by Nick. Production assistants: Temiloluwa Ajayi & Conor Molloy. 

Prof Neil McDonnell discusses philosophy, virtual reality, digital ownership, immersive technologies and the partnerships helping shape the future of culture, technology and innovation.  This episode is for researchers, PhD students, research assistants, established academics, research professionals, prospective postgraduate researchers, and anyone with an interest in philosophy, virtual reality, and technology.    In this episode:   How Neil’s philosophical questions led to research on virtual reality. Whether virtual objects are truly real and why that matters. Digital ownership and value in virtual spaces. Museums in the Metaverse and the future of cultural heritage. How VR can create new ways of experiencing museum collections. The role of XR in education and public engagement. Building partnerships between universities, museums and technology companies. The creation of Realities and Immersion Glasgow (RIG). Digital twins and the future of infrastructure planning. AI, augmented reality and the challenges of trust in digital environments.   Guest Bio  Neil McDonnell is a Professor of Philosophy and XR Technology at the University of Glasgow and Co-Director of Realities and Immersion Glasgow (RIG). His research explores questions of metaphysics, causation, virtual reality and digital existence.     Resources & Links  Dr Neil McDonnell – University of Glasgow Staff Profile Realities and Immersion Glasgow (RIG) School of Humanities University of Glasgow Philosophy Research   Partnership Ecosystem  University of Glasgow Realities and Immersion Glasgow (RIG) ARC-XR Historic Environment Scotland National Museums Scotland The Hunterian Edify Glasgow School of Art City of Glasgow College Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Creative industry partners XR and immersive technology SMEs Key Projects & Programmes Museums in the Metaverse (MiM) Project Mobius Realities and Immersion Glasgow (RIG) ARC-XR Innovation Accelerator Programme   Key Projects & Programmes Museums in the Metaverse (MiM) Project Mobius Realities and Immersion Glasgow (RIG) ARC-XR TRANSiT   Collaborators & Partners  Historic Environment Scotland: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/ National Museums Scotland: https://www.nms.ac.uk/ The Hunterian: https://www.gla.ac.uk/hunterian/ Edify: https://edify.ac/ Glasgow School of Art: https://www.gsa.ac.uk/ City of Glasgow College: https://www.cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk/ Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/   Organisations Mentioned  Meta: https://about.meta.com/ Apple Vision Pro: https://www.apple.com/uk/apple-vision-pro/ Centre for Robert Burns Studies: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/robertburns/   Publications & Further Reading  Jaron Lanier – Dawn of the New Everything David Chalmers: https://consc.net/ XR Association: https://xra.org/ Immersive Learning Research Network: https://immersivelrn.org/ Related Policies & Initiatives Advanced Research Centre (ARC): https://www.gla.ac.uk/arc/ Glasgow City Innovation District: https://glasgowcityinnovationdistrict.com/     Further Resources  Digital Twin Hub: https://digitaltwinhub.co.uk/ Alan Turing Institute – AI and Society: https://www.turing.ac.uk/ UKRI Responsible Innovation: https://www.ukri.org/   Hosted and produced by Nick Bruce, with questions, recording, editing, mixing, artwork and original music by Nick. Production assistants: Temiloluwa Ajayi & Conor Molloy. 

 “Where other people see problems, I see challenges.” – Manlio Tassieri  Dr Manlio Tassieri discusses his journey into rheology and microrheology, and explains how industry collaboration can drive scientific discovery.  This episode is for researchers, PhD students, research assistants, established academics, research professionals, prospective postgraduate researchers, and anyone with an interest in rheology, technology, innovation, and medical diagnostics.    In this episode:  Using optical tweezers to study materials at microscopic scales. Why curiosity is central to scientific discovery. Working with Soapworks through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). How industrial challenges can lead to patents and new discoveries. The commercialisation journey from research to real-world application. Future biomedical applications, including disease diagnostics. The value of interdisciplinary research and collaboration. Developing tools that enable discoveries by other researchers.    Guest Bio  Professor Manlio Tassieri is Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering. His research focuses on rheology, microrheology, and the mechanical characterisation of complex materials. His work spans applications in plastics, food, biological tissues, chromosomes and living cells. He works closely with industry partners to develop solutions to manufacturing challenges and devise practical applications.    Partnership Ecosystem  Research doesn't happen in isolation. This section highlights the organisations, networks and collaborators that help turn ideas into impact.  University of Glasgow Soapworks Ltd Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) Innovate UK Patent and commercialisation specialists Biomedical engineering researchers Materials scientists International collaborators   Resources & Links  Professor Manlio Tassieri – University of Glasgow Staff Profile James Watt School of Engineering Mechanical Engineering Research    Key Projects & Programmes  Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) Innovate UK University of Glasgow Innovation & Entrepreneurship    Collaborators & Partners  Soapworks Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) University of Perugia University of Leeds School of Physics and Astronomy   Organisations Mentioned  Nature Communications Science  Unilever   Publications & Further Reading  UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) British Society of Rheology   Further Resources  Interface Scotland KTP Case Studies   Hosted and produced by Nick Bruce, with questions, recording, editing, mixing, artwork and original music by Nick. Production assistants: Temiloluwa Ajayi & Conor Molloy. 

Professor Melanie Simms discusses her work at the intersection of employment relations, labour market policy and the future of work. She explains how evidence informs decision-making, why collaboration matters, and how researchers can help shape policies that affect millions of workers.  This episode is for researchers, PhD students, research assistants, established academics, research professionals, prospective postgraduate researchers, and anyone with an interest in the worlds of work, policy, and government.    In this episode  The future of work and how technological change affects workers and employers. Why collective bargaining remains an important tool for managing workplace change. Working with policymakers, politicians and civil servants. The differences between Scottish, UK and European approaches to employment policy. The development and implementation of the Employment Rights Act. How researchers build trust and credibility with government partners. The challenges of translating academic evidence into policy. Why good work benefits individuals, employers and society. The value of public engagement and policy impact. Lessons for researchers interested in collaborating outside academia.    Guest Bio  Professor Melanie Simms is Professor of Work and Employment at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. Her research focuses on employment relations, labour market institutions, trade unions, collective bargaining, and the future of work. She has worked extensively with governments, policymakers, think tanks and international organisations. Her work has informed debates on fair work, employment rights and workplace change across the UK and Europe.    Partnership Ecosystem Research doesn't happen in isolation. This section highlights the organisations, networks and collaborators that help turn ideas into impact.  University of Glasgow Scottish Government UK Government European Commission Resolution Foundation Scottish Science Advisory Council Fair Work Convention Trades Union Congress (TUC) Trade unions and worker representative organisations Employer organisations Civil servants and policy teams International Labour Organization (ILO) Researchers working across employment relations, labour economics and social policy   Resources & Links  Professor Melanie Simms – University of Glasgow Staff Profile University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School University of Glasgow Research   Mel's book What Do We Know and What Should We Do About the Future of Work? (Bristol University Press)   Policy Organisations & Partners  Resolution Foundation   Employment Rights & Fair Work  Fair Work Convention  National Minimum Wage Guidance Living Wage Scotland   Hosted and produced by Nick Bruce, with questions, recording, editing, mixing, artwork and original music by Nick. Production assistants: Temiloluwa Ajayi & Conor Molloy 

Professor Chris Halsey discusses the evolution of childhood leukaemia treatment, the search for kinder and gentler therapies, and the partnerships that make progress possible.   This episode is for researchers, PhD students, research assistants, established academics, research professionals, prospective postgraduate researchers, and anyone with an interest in the future of cancer treatment.    In this episode: Advances in childhood leukaemia treatment and survival rates. New approaches to drug delivery. Immunotherapy and personalised cancer treatments. The role of multidisciplinary clinical teams in supporting children and families. The vision behind the Scottish Health & Biomedical Institute (SHBI). The importance of team science in addressing complex health challenges.   Guest Bio  Professor Chris Halsey is Professor of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology at the University of Glasgow and a leading researcher in childhood leukaemia. Her work focuses on developing safer, more targeted treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Alongside her laboratory research, she is actively involved in clinical trials, international research collaborations and multidisciplinary initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for children with cancer. Chris also plays a leadership role in the Scottish Health & Biomedical Institute (SHBI), which brings together researchers from across Scotland to tackle complex health challenges.   Partnership Ecosystem  Research doesn't happen in isolation. This section highlights the organisations, networks and collaborators that help turn ideas into impact.  University of Glasgow NHS Scotland Children and families affected by cancer European childhood leukaemia trial networks Clinical researchers Data scientists AI specialists Biomedical researchers Scottish Health & Biomedical Institute Cancer charities and funders   Resources & Links  Guest & Research  Professor Chris Halsey – University of Glasgow Staff Profile: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cancersciences/staff/chrishalsey/  School of Cancer Sciences: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cancersciences/  Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute: https://www.crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk/   Key Projects & Programmes  Scottish Health & Biomedical Institute (SHBI): https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/shbi/   Collaborators & Partners  NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: https://www.nhsggc.scot/  Cancer Research UK: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/  Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG): https://www.cclg.org.uk/   Organisations Mentioned  Cancer Research UK: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/  NHS Scotland: https://www.nhs.scot/  Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group: https://www.cclg.org.uk/   Further Reading  Blood Cancer UK: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/  Leukaemia UK: https://www.leukaemiauk.org.uk/  Cancer Research UK – Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/childrens-cancer/acute-lymphoblastic-leukaemia   Related Initiatives  Health Data Research UK: https://www.hdruk.ac.uk/  Medical Research Council: https://www.ukri.org/councils/mrc/   Further Resources  World Health Organization – Childhood Cancer: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cancers  National Cancer Institute – Childhood Leukaemia: https://www.cancer.gov/   Hosted and produced by Nick Bruce, with questions, recording, editing, mixing, artwork and original music by Nick. Production assistants: Temiloluwa Ajayi & Conor Molloy.