Today, we're diving into a topic that's not just reshaping the world of vaccines—it's flipping it on its head. We're exploring the cutting-edge realm of inverse vaccines with Prof Lawrence Steinman and how they're revolutionizing the approach to treating autoimmune diseases. Plus, we'll chat with CancerVax, who are using the immune system in a radically different way, aiming to make it attack cancer cells just like it would fight off a virus like measles.

Ever wonder what happens to your body when you leave Earth behind? In this gravity-defying episode, we launch into the weird, wild world of human biology in space. From the first C. elegans in space to the NASA Twins Study to future deep space missions, we have a lot to discuss. Strap in as we float through the science of space adaptation. Spoiler: space may teach us about our Earth-bound health.

Show notes

• Deane, Colleen S, et al. (2023) Comparative analysis of muscle atrophy during spaceflight, nutritional deficiency and disuse in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (16), [12640].

• Francine E. Garrett-Bakelman et al. (2019) The NASA Twins Study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight. Science, 364 (8650).

• Bokhari RS, et al. (2022) Looking on the horizon; potential and unique approaches to developing radiation countermeasures for deep space travel. Life Sci Space Res (Amst), 35 (105-112).

• Glavin, D.P., et al. (2025) Abundant ammonia and nitrogen-rich soluble organic matter in samples from asteroid (101955) Bennu. Nat Astron 9 (199–210).

• Eyting, M., et al. (2025) A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia. Nature.

What's new with insulin? Jeppe Sturis and his team at Novo Nordisk have a new hypothesis. They challenge the long-held belief that insulin resistance comes from faulty tissues, suggesting instead that the real culprit is insulin breaking down before it even reaches its target. This fresh perspective could reshape how we fight diabetes.We will also hear from Diamyd Medical’s advancing research on antigen-specific immunotherapy which could change the game by protecting insulin-producing cells and slowing the progression of Type 1 diabetes.