Glasgow Centre for Population Health Podcast

In Lecture 6, the final lecture of Seminar Series 2014-2015, Professor Bruce S. McEwen delivers a talk on how experience shapes the brain across the lifecourse; epigenetics, biological embedding and cumulative change. Professor McEwen is a neuroscientist at The Rockefeller University, New York. He studies the brain and in this lecture, discusses how the social environment affects the brain and through the brain, affects the rest of the body, health and disease through the lifecourse. He also introduces the concept of epigenetics which concerns how environmental factors regulate expression of genes and effect brain and body function.

The fifth lecture of the 2014-2015 Seminar Series is delivered by Linda de Caesteker, Director of Public Health, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Linda talks about justice for women and in particular, the Commission for Women Offenders that she was part of. One of the recommendations of the Commission was to establish Community Justice Centres, along with Linda, colleagues from Tomorrow's Women, the Community Justice Centre in Glasgow, discuss their experiences of working in and also using the Centre.

Lecture 4 of the 2014-2015 Seminar Series is delivered by Andy Whightman, self employed writer and researcher from Edinburgh. In the Seminar, Andy discusses land, society and economy, the importance of land not just as an economic resource but how it fits in with our sense of place and the impact of how we regulate land - it's ownership, it's use - has on places and on people. This is a story from the financial crash to the hills of the highlands.

In Lecture 3 of the 2014-2015 Seminar Series, Marilyn Waring, Professor of Public Policy AUT University, Auckland New Zealand, delivers a presentation on the Economics of Dignity. The dignity discussed concerns those people who are care givers and in particular, children and the question of children's agency. Professor Waring relates this to the new provisions in Scotland for carers and young carers and poses questions about their dignity.

In Lecture 2 of the 2014-2015 Seminar Series, Byron Vincent, writer and performer, delivers a talk on Nature, Nurture and Society. He first talks about his experience of growing up on sink estates and how environment often shapes behaviour and discuses what can be done about that. In the second part he talks about his diagnoses of Bipolar disorder and Post Traumatic Stress disorder, his experience within the mental health system and changes that could be made for the better.

Dr Manie Sher a Director from the Tavistock Institution of Human Relations in London presents this lecture on 'Who are the real insane? Our perceptions of disordered thinking and behaviour as defences against imagination'. The Tavistock Institute is concerned with a broad range of issues through activities involving research, organisational and change consultancy primarily in the Public Sector. With a background as a pyscho-analyst, Dr Sher brings these perspectives to bear on the work he does with large complex organisations which he discuses in this lecture, looking at examples where mental health issues are central to the organisations concerned.