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.

Join us for a fascinating deep dive into how generative AI is revolutionizing healthcare and life sciences! We unveil groundbreaking advancements in drug discovery, clinical trials, and diagnostics—showcasing AI’s growing role in shaping the future of medicine. With expert insights from Shweta Maniar (Google Cloud) and Martin Stumpe (Danaher), we’ll explore how AI accelerates innovation through data-driven breakthroughs while keeping humans at the heart of the process for trust and accountability.

Show notes

Researchers identify a brain circuit for creativity

Join us in this lite bite episode as Dr. Aravind Asokan, Duke University, explores cutting-edge technologies revolutionizing advanced therapies, including CRISPR, mRNA, viral vectors, and cell therapies. He shares key lessons from past challenges, discusses scalability, product quality, and how integrating various therapeutic approaches is shaping the future of disease treatment.

This episode covers exciting advancements in AAV with CRISPR, CAR T cell therapy, circular RNA, and virus-like particles (VLPs).

Show notes

Asokan A, et al. ‘An evolved AAV variant enables efficient genetic engineering of murine T cells’. Cell. 2023 Jan 19;186(2):446-460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.022

In this special celebratory milestone episode, we mark our 100th episode with a vibrant recap of year. Get ready to dive into fascinating conversations, from the squirrely intelligence of cephalopods and their chameleon-like abilities to cutting-edge antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) revolutionizing cancer treatment, to an enlightening chat with Nobel Laureate Dr. Michael Houghton on the crucial path to combating hepatitis C.

Insulin's discovery in 1921 transformed diabetes from a certain death sentence to a manageable chronic condition, revolutionizing modern medicine. In this episode of Discovery Matters, we look back to our episode on a fascinating journey through 100 years of insulin advancements and its profound impact on diabetes treatment.

Listen in to appreciate 100 years of ground-breaking science and anticipate what the future holds for diabetes treatment.

In this episode of Discovery Matters we delve into groundbreaking advancements in Parkinson’s disease research. Dodi and Conor transport us to the frontier of medical innovation, exploring the latest discoveries and techniques that hold promise for early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Show notes

• Decet, Marianna et al. ‘A candidate loss-of-function variant in SGIP1 causes synaptic dysfunction and recessive parkinsonism’, Cell Reports Medicine, Volume 5, Issue 10.

• Hällqvist, J., Bartl, M., Dakna, M. et al. ‘Plasma proteomics identify biomarkers predicting Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before symptom onset’. Nat Commun 15, 4759 (2024).

• Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity

Keywords: non-invasive procedure, early diagnosis, synaptic homeostasis, Parkinsonism, biomarkers, machine learning, REM sleep disorder, inflammatory pathways, dopaminergic cells, predictive diagnostics, early intervention.