EMJ Podcast: Insights For Healthcare Professionals

The publication of this podcast was funded by CSL Behring. The views and opinions expressed are exclusively those of the speakers.   In this section, the panel considers the expert insights of Prof. Wijsenbeek, concerning the challenges of predicting the disease course and prognosis of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The conversation reflects on current knowledge, real-world practices, treatment options, and tools available to healthcare professionals.

In this podcast episode exploring a novel radioisotope treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer, our moderator, Sue Saville, hosts two experts in skin cancer and oncological nuclear medicine.

This podcast has been sponsored by OncoBeta, a medical device company specialising in innovative epidermal radioisotope therapies.

In this week’s episode, Jonathan is joined by Jane Barratt, Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA), an international non-governmental organisation that works with the United Nations (UN) and its agencies. The pair discuss global perceptions of ageing, approaches to elderly care around the world, and increasing inequity in service accessibility. 

Use the following timestamps to navigate the content in this episode:  

(00:00)-Introduction 

(02:11)-Jane’s passion for population aging and disability 

(04:23)-Our obsession with age! 

(06:56)-Considering the quality of life of elderly people 

(09:20)-The importance of human companionship 

(11:07)-Global and societal variations in the standard of care for the elderly 

(15:20)-Aiming for a ‘kinder’ society 

(16:47)-International Federation on Aging 

(19:13)-COVID and vaccination denial 

(24:30)- Successful care programmes in Scandinavia and China 

(26:40)-Life course approach to vaccination 

(28:32)-Programme and policy creation centered around the elderly 

(31:43)-Petitioning healthcare professionals  

(34:36)-Jane’s three wishes for healthcare  

Jonathan is joined by Elizabeth Macintyre, President-Elect and Board Member of the Biomedical Alliance, Europe; and Past President of the European Haematology Association (EHA). The pair delve into the world of haematology, focusing on Macintyre’s research towards equal access, haematological diagnostics, and her presidency during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Use the following timestamps to navigate the content in this episode: 

(00:00)-Introduction 

(01:39)-Macintyre’s route into medicine  

(04:13)-Haematology in Europe, and leading the EHA  

(08:30)-Diagnostics in haematological malignancies 

(10:18)-Changes to congress following COVID-19 

(14:12)-Coffee conversations  

(15:36)-Madrid 2024 

(18:42)-Jonathan speaks French  

(24:07)-Medical politics and economics 

(30:00)-Accessing new treatments  

(35:43)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare  

This week’s episode spotlights epilepsy, exploring research in the field, and global perspectives on this condition. Jonathan is joined by Maeike Zijlmans, who discusses the electrical activity in the brain which is causative for this disorder; seizures and loss of consciousness; and the more unknown aetiologies of epilepsy.

Maeike Zijlmans, Neurologist and Professor, University Medical Center Utrecht, and Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland, Heemstede, both in the Netherlands, shares valuable insights into her work studying both generalised and focal epilepsy, the longevity of this disease, and exciting treatment options.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the content in this episode

(00:00)-Introduction

(02:38)-Why neurology and later epilepsy research?

(03:26)-Global perspectives on epilepsy research and clinical practice

(06:30)-Aetiologies and treatment journeys associated with epilepsy

(10:29)-Raising awareness

(15:58)-Spotlighting electroencephalogram in the context of epilepsy

(18:26)-High-frequency oscillations

(21:23)-Signal analysis and phase amplitude coupling to generate an individual epileptic ‘signature’

(24:38)-Intraoperative electrocorticography in people with brain tumours

(26:40)-Surgical approaches to treating epilepsy

(29:20)-Next-generation taskforce for the International League Against Epilepsy

(31:14)-Machine learning and artificial intelligence

(34:05)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare

This week, Jonathan is joined by Michael Reardon, Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas, USA, to explore developments in treating coronary artery disease, as well as his work on various clinical trials in interventional radiology. Reardon discusses his extensive experience in performing heart surgery, focusing especially on transcatheter aortic valve implantation and transcatheter mitral valve replacements.

 

Follow the timestamps below!

(00.00)-Introduction

(03.09)-Michael’s inspiration for pursuing a career in cardiothoracic surgery

(04.21)-‘The TAVI Revolution’: advances in cardiac surgery

(10.15)-The Evolut Low-Risk and CoreValve trials

(11.12)-The ARISE Type A stent graft trial

(14.31)-Transcatheter mitral valve replacement: the Cephea and Apollo TMVR trials

(19.33)-Treatment of cardiac tumours

(22.33)-Cardiac tumour removal procedure

(24.51)-Structural heart disease and catheter-based treatment approaches

(26.50)-Latest advances in minimally invasive techniques in cardiac surgery

(28.52)-Risks and complications associated with complex cardiac procedures

(31.35)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare

This week’s episode explores broken heart syndrome, cardiomyocytes, and regenerative medicine. Jonathan is joined by Sian Harding, Emeritus Professor of Cardiac Pharmacology at the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College London, UK, to discuss the relationship between emotions and heart function, as well as her research into regenerative medicine, including pluripotent stem cells, gene editing, and engineered heart tissue patches.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the content in this episode:

(00.00)-Introduction

(02.25)-What led Sian to a career in cardiology?

(03.45)-Introduction to cardiomyocytes

(05.53)-How has knowledge of cardiomyocytes changed over time?

(07.46)-Broken heart syndrome

(16.31)-Regenerative medicine in cardiology

(20.18)-Engineered heart tissue patches

(24.40)-Sian’s work in the House of Commons

(27.26)-The use of stem cells in cardiology

(29.39)-Gene editing

(32.08)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare

In this bonus episode of the EMJ Podcast, host Brigitte Scott is joined by Ketta Lorusso, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Catholic University of Rome, Italy; and Brad Monk, Professor, University of Arizona College of Medicine, USA, who discuss key research findings in endometrial cancer, as presented at the European Society for Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO) Congress 2023, which took place from 28th September–1st October 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The publication of this podcast was funded by a medical educational grant from GSK.

 

Jonathan is joined by António Almeida, President of the European Hematology Association (EHA); and Professor and Director of the Clinical Haematology Service, Hospital da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal, to discuss his highlights since becoming EHA President. The pair cover the three pillars of EHA, the anticipated topics for the 2024 congress, and how Almeida has implemented a brand-new medical school, as well as much more.  

 Use the following timestamps to navigate the content in this episode:

(00.00)-Introduction (01:55)-Almeida’s new medical school (03:35)-EHA Master Class peer-based learning and modern medical education (09:00)-Presidential highlights  (11:50)-EHA’s three pillars in the coming year (16:05)-EHA 2024 in Madrid (20:15)-Research in myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic syndromes (23:00)-Clinical trial updates in myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myeloid leukaemia (26:50)-Changes over the course of Almeida’s career (31:30)-Treatment advances on the horizon (32:50)-CRISPR to treat sickle cell disease and β-thalassaemia (36:30)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare 

This episode discusses the wide range of applications of radiology, from detecting conditions that mimic cancer in pregnancy to enabling the detection of abuse in elderly patients. Refky Nicola, Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY), Syracuse, USA, joins Jonathan to discuss the Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) in bladder cancer and the development of AI in radiology. 

 

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode:

(00.00)-Introduction

(02.26)-What inspired Nicola to pursue a career in radiology

(04.07)-What led to Nicola migrating from emergency to abdominal radiology

(05.25)-Mimics of cancer in pregnancy

(07.13)-The Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System in bladder cancer

(09.12)-Pitfalls of right upper quadrant ultrasound

(11.10)-Rare COVID-19 vaccine multiorgan complications

(15.40)-Role of the radiologist in detecting abuse in elderly patients

(18.35)-Use of AI in radiology

(19.54)-Three wishes