EMJ Podcast: Insights For Healthcare Professionals

In this rapid-fire episode, Rohan Jotwani answers quick questions about extended reality in medicine, from its role in pain relief and rehabilitation to its future in training and patient care. Perfect for listeners who are short on time but eager to understand extended reality's potential in just minutes.

In this inspiring episode of Hema Now, Catherine Glass speaks with Rob Pieters, Professor of Pediatric Oncology at Utrecht University; and co-founder of the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands, the largest dedicated childhood cancer centre in Europe. Pieters shares his personal journey in paediatric oncology, the breakthroughs that have reshaped care, and the vision behind uniting all of the Netherlands' childhood cancer expertise under one roof.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:06 – Pieters' start in paediatric oncology

01:29 – Biggest breakthroughs in childhood cancers

02:35 – Parts of Pieters work that bring him the most joy

03:12 - Lessons learnt from patients or their families

04:31 – The vision behind the Princess Máxima Center

08:35 – The impact of the Princess Máxima Center

10:53 – How is research funding divided?

12:55 – Evolution of treatments in paediatric oncology

15:10 – What will it take to achieve 100% cure rate in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?

18:55 – President Elect of the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE)

22:20 – One message of hope to families facing childhood cancer

25:10 – Pieter's three wishes for healthcare

Pérez Marc discusses complementary RSV prevention strategies, including maternal vaccines and long-acting monoclonals. Learn about health system decision-making, cost-effectiveness, lessons from COVID-19, and the potential for RSV to become a vaccine-preventable disease.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:44 – RSV vaccine in routine antenatal care

04:22 – Dual strategy: vaccine and monoclonals

08:25 – Pandemic versus endemic

13:46 – Will RSV become vaccine-preventable?

15:02 – Final message for healthcare professionals

Maternal vaccination is a key tool in preventing RSV. Perez Marc discusses the BERNI study, its design, findings on safety and neonatal protection, real-world effectiveness, vaccine equity, ethical considerations, and global integration strategies.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

00:47 – Why maternal immunisation in RSV?

02:02 – The BERNI study

07:24 – The vaccine's real-world impact

11:50 – Vaccine equity: a key challenge

12:57 – Ethical issues in maternal immunisation

In this first deep dive episode, Gonzalo Pérez Marc joins Saranya Ravindran to explore the global burden of RSV. Learn about hospitalisation and mortality rates, myths, seasonal changes, and long-term respiratory consequences. This episode highlights the urgent need for awareness and policy action in paediatric care.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

00:44 – Pérez Marc's journey into RSV research

03:14 – Why RSV is not just a 'common cold'

05:47 – Mortality in newborns and infants

06:55 – Why is RSV still underestimated?

09:51 – The impact of climate change

12:37 – RSV and long-term lung disease

15:01 – Pathophysiology of RSV

16:08 – Debunking RSV myths

In this quickfire episode, Gonzalo Pérez Marc answers key questions about RSV in infants, from overlooked risks and seasonality to public health priorities and maternal vaccine insights. Perfect for listeners short on time but eager to boost their RSV knowledge in just a few minutes.

In the final instalment, Stephanie Rutledge explores alcoholic hepatitis and long-term mental wellness. Covering acute clinical crises, experimental therapies, and future treatment guidelines, she highlights how hepatology can better integrate mental health and substance use care to transform patient outcomes.

Timestamps:

0:33 – Acute alcoholic hepatitis

3:08 – Patients with alcohol use disorder

4:32 – Medical advancements

6:25 – Prevention

10:45 – Current research

13:01 – Advice for young clinicians

What happens when alcohol use and metabolic factors collide? In Part 2, Stephanie Rutledge explains how alcohol-related liver disease develops, the challenges of holistic care, and the evolving role of liver transplantation. A must-listen for clinicians navigating the complexities of metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-related liver disease, and patient-centred management.

Timestamps:

0:21 – Metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD)

3:45 – Treatments for liver disease

5:49 – Mental health considerations

6:36 – Family support

7:51 – Factors beyond clinical treatment

Tolaney focuses on advancing breast cancer treatment through innovative clinical research. She has been instrumental in developing novel therapies and leading key clinical trials, particularly for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

Timestamps

00:09 – Introduction

01:12 – What is HER2-positive breast cancer?

03:00 – Key trials Tolaney has led

07:16 – Antibody-drug conjugates

12:00 - Breast Oncology Guidelines

14:51 – Treatment optimisation

18:27 – Equity in healthcare

21:10 – Mentoring the next generation of oncologists

22:52 – Tolaney's wishes for healthcare