Borrowed Perspective

Pathology touches every single one of us, yet most people have no idea what happens after their blood is drawn or sample is taken.

Dr Caitlin Keighley is a pathologist, microbiologist, CEO, researcher, and mum. She runs the only pathology business outside Australia's capital cities and works at the cutting edge of science and healthcare, where diagnosis and decision making can literally change lives every day.

With over 90 published research articles, a PhD in fungal infections, and a passion for regional health, Caitlin is sharp, curious, and deeply committed to solving problems that matter. She leads a team that processes samples from over 90 collection centres, maintains an error rate of less than 1 in 10,000, and has pioneered innovations like text message result delivery that helped flatten the flu season.

In this episode, she reveals the hidden world of pathology, the power of diagnostic certainty, and why knowing versus thinking changes everything.

She explains:

• How 30 people touch every single test result before it reaches a patient
• Why fungal bloodstream infections still have a 30 to 50 percent mortality rate after 20 years
• The psychological impact of knowing versus thinking you have a virus and how it changes behaviour
• How text messaging flu results helped stop what looked like a massive flu season in its tracks
• Why antibiotic resistance goes up every winter but also comes back down and what that means for the future
• The shocking fact that pathology funding hasn't been indexed in over 20 years
• Why Australia's pathology quality standards are among the highest in the world
• How AI and machine learning are already integrated into pathology in ways most people don't realise
• What it takes to build a culture where quality is in the DNA and trust is the foundation

0:00 - Introduction: Who is Dr Caitlin Keighley?
Background, career journey, and what drives her passion for pathology and infectious diseases.

05:00 - Growing Up and Deciding on Medicine
How a neighbour's PhD sparked a lifelong fascination with infections and the immune system.

08:30 - Medical Training and the Path to Pathology
Melbourne, Alice Springs, and the moment regional health became her focus.

12:00 - The Eye-Opening Reality of Regional Healthcare
Why Alice Springs and Lajamanu were more confronting than working in Cameroon.

16:00 - Training as a Physician and Pathologist
What dual training really means and why it takes 16 years from finishing school to becoming a specialist.

20:00 - Why Fungi? The PhD Journey
Candida bloodstream infections, mortality rates, and what genomic research revealed.

25:00 - The Path to CEO
From pathologist to medical director to leading Southern IML Pathology.

28:00 - COVID and the Power of Speed
How rapid testing and text messaging changed outbreak management forever.

32:00 - The Flu Season That Fell Off a Cliff
Why knowing versus thinking you have a virus changes behaviour at a population level.

36:00 - What Pathology Actually Does
The logistics, the automation, the people, and why 30 people touch every result.

42:00 - Error Rates and Quality Culture
How Southern IML achieves an error rate lower than 1 in 10,000 and why culture is everything.

48:00 - Mentors and Leadership
The influence of her Greek grandmother, her mother, and local leaders who lifted her vision.

52:00 - Antimicrobial Resistance and the Winter Spike
Why resistance to amoxicillin goes up every winter and why it's reversible.

56:00 - Return on Investment in Pathology
Why the conversation needs to shift from cost to what diagnostics prevent downstream.

1:00:00 - The Funding Crisis
Why pathology hasn't had indexation in over 20 years and what that means for the future.

1:04:00 - AI and the Future of Pathology
How machine learning is already integrated and what's coming next.

1:08:00 - Building Strategy and Culture
Strategic incrementalism, trust, and Patrick Lencioni's triangle of performance.

1:12:00 - What Keeps Her Awake at Night
Protecting what the community has built and ensuring it's recognised and sustained.

1:16:00 - Final Thoughts
Purpose, pride, and why life expectancy in Wollongong is two years longer than Newcastle.

Electricity and energy generation is changing at an unprecedented rate. 

Ty Christopher is an electrical engineer, clean energy expert, and the Director of the Energy Futures Network at the University of Wollongong (UOW). 

With 40 years of experience in the electricity supply sector, including over a decade as Chief Engineer and General Manager at Endeavour Energy, Ty sits at the absolute forefront of Australia's transition to renewable energy. He bridges the gap between major utility infrastructure and cutting-edge academic research, making him one of the country's leading voices.

He is frequently called on for his advice and perspective from senior decision makers around Australia and as an energy expert and is frequently in media as the leading voice of authority from the University of Wollongong on all things energy and clean energy. 

In this episode he explains:

• The history of the electricity grid 
• What is a REZ zone and the opportunity
• New technology in heavy freight hydrogen powered vehicles available today
• The scale of the demand on electricity from Data Centres and why be believes they are being build in the wrong places 
• Red Tape and why we need to evolve how we govern energy in Australia
• What every person and business can do today to save on their energy bill

0:00 - Introduction: Who is Ty?
Background, career journey, and role in the energy sector.

08:20 - The Growth of Energy Demand
How energy consumption is evolving and what is driving future demand.

16:00 - Supply, Demand & the Flow of Energy
Understanding how energy moves through the system.

17:00 - Coralie's Solar Discussion

18:00 - Appreciating Energy Infrastructure
The unseen systems that power everyday life.

19:50 - 21:30 - Data Centres in Australia
Why data centres matter and their growing energy footprint.

25:00 - The Electricity Grid and Key Concerns
Challenges facing Australia's energy networks.

26:00 - Urban REZ vs Offshore REZ
Comparing Renewable Energy Zones and their different purposes.

28:30 - Onshore Urban REZ in the Illawarra Region
Community perspectives and regional opportunities.

29:30 - What Are Renewable Energy Zones (REZs)?
A practical explanation of the concept.

30:40 - Renewable Energy for Beginners
Breaking down renewable energy in simple terms.

33:20 - Sodium Battery Technology
The transition beyond lithium and emerging battery technologies.

35:00 - Still Learning After 40 Years
Ty's reflections on continual learning.

35:40 - The Transformation of Energy
How the industry has rapidly changed over recent decades.

37:38 - Problems Create Solutions
Why today's energy challenges can lead to tomorrow's breakthroughs.

40:00 - The Data Centre Challenge
Deep dive into concerns surrounding energy-intensive infrastructure.

41:30 - Solutions for Data Centres
Potential pathways forward.

45:00 - What Energy Means for Local Markets
The economic impact of energy on communities.

50:00 - Improving Public Understanding of Energy
Why energy literacy matters.

53:10 - A Dream for the Future of Energy
Ty's long-term vision.

54:40 - The Legacy Ty Wants to Leave
Personal impact and contribution.

55:40 - Defining Success
What success looks like in the energy transition.

57:00 - 59:00 - Transport and Hydrogen
Hydrogen's role in future mobility.

1:00:00 - The Dream Revisited
Australia's minerals, renewable energy, and value-added refining opportunities.

1:02:27 - Australia's Solar Potential
Why Australia is uniquely positioned in the global energy transition.

1:03:20 - Ty's Work with the University of Wollongong

1:05:30 - Hysata
Innovations in hydrogen technology.

1:06:00 - Green Gravity: The Mega Battery Concept
Exploring gravity-based energy storage.

1:08:00 - What Keeps Ty Awake at Night?
The biggest concerns for the future.

1:10:00 - Energy Pricing and Local Communities
The economics of electricity and impacts on households.

1:15:00 - Final Message to Viewers
Key takeaways and closing thoughts.