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-possibilities

Date of episode recording: 2024-07-04T00:00:00Z
Duration: 23:10
Language of episode: English
Guests: Alessandro Rossi
Producer: 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

We all know that meat production emits a substantial amount of greenhouse gases, nearly 60% by some estimates, and so we need to do something about it. Darren Player, Associate Professor in Musculoskeletal Bioengineering, discusses the development of lab-grown meat, why he's working on engineering new, sustainable sources of meat and how he's doing it. We're also joined by Beren Fidan, a Colotaruna Soprano, who is vegan and shares her thoughts on the ethics of lab-grown meat and whether it's a viable option for her.

Date of episode recording: 2024-04-22T00:00:00Z
Duration: 35:08
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter
Guests: Darren Player; Beren Fidan
Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

In this episode, we discuss the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society with Stephen Hughes, a social scientist, and Reese Campbell, a freelance project coordinator. Stephen explores the mixed public sentiment towards AI, highlighting its benefits in healthcare and concerns about its ethical implications, particularly in mental health services. Reese shares her negative views on AI, citing deepfakes and privacy violations. They also discuss AI's potential to exacerbate social inequalities and the role of AI in the art world. The conversation concludes with reflections on the future of AI and its governance.

Date of episode recording: 2024-06-04
Duration: 00:33:22
Language of episode: English
TAGS: #HealthcareEngineering #AI #Metaverse #Facebook #Twitter #Deepfakes #SocialMedia #Governance #AIinArt #Conspiracy
Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter
Guests: Stephen Hughes; Reese Campbell
Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford
Link to transcript: From Innovation to Alarm: Understanding AI's Impact on Society | UCL Institute of Healthcare Engineering - UCL – University College London

The care problem. It’s a problem address by every Prime Minister yet we’re still here with an ageing population and more and more people needing care with not enough carers to care for them. So, what are we doing about it? In this episode we talk to Bea about the care crisis in the UK, why she’s working on diagnosing rare forms of dementia and how there’s a certain lack of community in the UK, the "S" word and how we’re going to solve all this. It’s a meaty episode and we hope you enjoy It as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Date of episode recording: 2023-10-05T00:00:00Z
Duration: 23:47
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Ferdouse Akhter
Guests: Beatrice Taylor
Producer: Alice Hardy; Cerys Bradley

Medical Imaging is the term given to the way in which we can image the body. Think X-rays, big MRI machines, or ultrasounds. Charlotte Maughan Jones and Liam Collins-Jones (no relation!) are working to see inside the body in different ways. They're using medical imaging to scan the body for tendon damage, as is the case with Charlotte, and autism, as is the case with Liam. You might be wondering how they're doing this because isn't x-rays just for bones so how are we able to see the small, fleshy tendons? And how do we use medical imaging to diagnose autism? They're all questions that we'll be answering in this podcast.

For more information and to access the transcript: www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/health-handbasket-podcast/health-handbasket-episode-7-shining-light-inside-body

Date of episode recording: 2023-05-30
Duration: 26:43
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter
Guests: Charlotte Maughan Jones, Liam Collins-Jones
Producer: Cerys Bradley, Alice Hardy

Lymphedema is a debilitating, incurable condition which causes excessive swelling in the limbs, and disproportionately affects cancer patients. In this episode, we chat to Katherine about the device she's working on to make the lives of those with lymphedema better. She also talks to us about her experience of being a British Asian woman and how she stumbled on (as you do) becoming an engineer.

For more information and to access the transcript:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/health-handbasket-podcast/health-handbasket-episode-6-michelin-man-and-lymphedema

Date of episode recording: 2023-05-22
Duration: 22:23:00
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Ferdouse Akhter
Guests: Katherine Wang
Producer: Alice Hardy, Cerys Bradley

Peter Snow is a lecturer working in rehabilitation engineering using virtual reality and robotics. He develops systems to help people with phantom limb pain and other conditions. He is also using gaming software to create training tools for surgeons, allowing them to practice complicated procedures in a safe environment.

For more information and to access the transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/health-handbasket-episode-5-are-robots-future-rehabilitation

Date of episode recording: 2023-07-18
Duration: 00:25:59
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Ferdouse Akhter
Guests: Peter Snow
Producer: Cerys Bradley; Alice Hardy