Manchester Voices: A student podcast from The University of Manchester

This World Cancer Day 2023, we speak to Professor Robert Bristow, the Director of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, Chief Academic Officer at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Professor of Cancer Studies at The University of Manchester about his research in prostate cancer.

We also cover the broader cancer research environment in Manchester, the importance of teamwork and team science and research, and delivering impact through internationalisation.

Professor Robert Bristow’s profile: https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/about/people/leadership/robert-bistow/

Listen to Dr Martin Swinton explain the HYPROGEN trial: CRUK RadNet Manchester. -The HYPROGEN Trial with Dr Martin Swinton

In November 2022 we hosted a live Twitter Spaces event with Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change and Mat Paterson, Professor of International Politics to discuss the COP27 conference.

Kevin's research and Twitter:

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/kevin.anderson.html 

https://twitter.com/KevinClimate  

Mat's research and Twitter:

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/matthew.paterson.html 

https://twitter.com/MatPaterson  

In November 2022 we hosted a live Twitter Spaces event with Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change and Mat Paterson, Professor of International Politics to discuss the COP27 conference.

Kevin's research and Twitter:

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/kevin.anderson.html

https://twitter.com/KevinClimate 

Mat's research and Twitter:

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/matthew.paterson.html

https://twitter.com/MatPaterson 

In this episode we speak to Professor Sarah Cartmell on her work in bioengineering and ex-vivo modelling which involves studying cancer cells outside of an organism.

Specifically, we talk about her team's work developing these models that can analyse, in three dimensions, how non-cancerous lung cancer cells develop into tumours and what the findings from this work could mean for improving patient outcomes.

Sarah Cartmell research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/sarah.cartmell.html

Sarah Cartmell wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Cartmell

Retendon home page: https://retendon.com

Manchester Cancer Research Centre: https://www.mcrc.manchester.ac.uk

Professor Angeliki Malliri research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/researchers/angeliki-malliri(ef02a673-73ab-4434-8e1f-c18400019490).html

Dr Andrew Gilmore research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/andrew.gilmore.html

Dr Sean Knight research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/sean.knight.html

Dr Kate Finegan research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/k.g.finegan.html

Miss Emmanouela Mitta research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/emmanouela.mitta.html

In this episode, we speak to Professor Emma Crosbie about her research in womb cancer and the breakthrough she made in discovering a link between Lynch syndrome and womb cancer.

We discuss the steps Emma and her team took to change NICE guidance on testing for Lynch syndrome for women with womb cancer, and what this now means for the many women and their families with this disease.

Emma Crosbie’s research profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/emma.crosbie.html

Cancer futures: https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/stories/cancer/

Peaches trust: https://peachestrust.org/

What is cervical screening? https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/

Macmillan Cancer support: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

Read more in this blog from the Policy@Manchester Team and hear directly from people who will be affected by this change in healthcare policy: https://www.policy.manchester.ac.uk/activities/lynch-syndrome/

In this episode we speak to Dr Marilena Hadjidemetriou about her research on nano-omics, which aims to integrate nanotechnology to the ‘world of omics’ as well as proteomic biomarker discovery.

We find out how nano-omics is being used to isolate molecular biomarkers that highlight the early stages of cancer in patients, making earlier cancer detection possible.

Marilena’s research profile: https://nanomedicinelab.com/people/marilena-hadjidemetriou/

Nanomedicine lab 2.0: https://nanomedicinelab.com/research/teams/nano-omics/

Which skills are important for your studies and career? How do you work out what you’re good at already, and what you need to improve? How can we balance time on screens with our health and wellbeing?

Listen to our podcast episode exploring digital skills – the skills you need to live and work in an increasingly digital society. This is the second in our flexible learning podcast series, created with Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health students, for students.

Maddie (medicine, year two), CK (biochemistry, year three) and Iqra (speech and language therapy, year three) talk to academics Dr Sarah Shepherd and host Dr Jane Mooney, Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy. They share their experiences of developing their digital skills, and share tips on balancing time screen-time with wellbeing.

Listen to the whole podcast on Libsyn, Spotify or Apple podcasts, or skip through to the topics that interest you:

• 00:00 – introductions
• 1:30 – digital skills, your studies and career
• 7:00 – the JISC discovery tool and building your skills
• 13:20 – CVs, and keeping track of your skills
• 17:20 – digital support on offer
• 21:40 – digital wellbeing, and looking after yourself
• 34:10 – final thoughts

Alternatively, you can view a transcript (pdf). You can find links to the resources referenced in the podcast below.

• My Learning Essentials
• JISC Discovery Tool
• Six ways to Wellbeing
• Student Support self-care resources

In this episode we speak to Professor Katherine Payne about health economics; what it is, its importance in cancer treatment and early detection strategies and the crucial role it plays in changing healthcare policy.

We discuss Katherine’s work evaluating the health and economic benefits of banning sunbeds in England and the effect that a policy intervention would have in reducing the burden of skin cancer on the NHS.

CRUK: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qgxqXaY3V-t80BG6HPUGwl9XBsoh74Xr7N1rVQObEm6EYHYsEsyBq4aAj99EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Melanoma Focus: https://melanomafocus.org/

How can we encourage the UK public to stop indoor tanning?: https://www.mcrc.manchester.ac.uk/how-can-we-encourage-the-uk-public-to-stop-indoor-tanning/

The case for banning sunbeds: https://www.mcrc.manchester.ac.uk/impact-case-studies/the-case-for-banning-sunbeds/

Scientists: 'A ban on sunbeds could save lives from skin cancer': https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-61508470

Ban on solariums in England would save hundreds of lives from skin cancer, study finds: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/may/19/ban-on-solariums-in-england-would-save-hundreds-of-lives-from-skin-cancer-study-finds

In this episode we speak to Dr Jen Davies-Oliveira and Professor Emma Crosbie about their research into womb cancer and human papilloma virus, commonly known as HPV. We also discuss one of their research projects developing alternative self-sampling methods for HPV.

With lower cervical screening uptake in communities such as the LGBTQIA+ community, we explore how addressing barriers to screening can be achieved through greater engagement with these groups and the importance of developing an inclusive approach to screening.

Live through this: https://livethroughthis.co.uk/

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/

Answer cancer GM: https://www.answercancergm.org.uk/

LGBT foundation: https://lgbt.foundation/

Peaches Womb Cancer Trust: https://peachestrust.org/

In this episode we speak to Professor Gareth Evans about the importance of breast cancer screening, as well as the risk predictors of breast cancer as he answers the question: Should all women be screened equally for breast cancer? 

He discusses risk prediction, early detection and prevention of breast cancer, highlighting the outputs of trials led by Manchester investigating the best routes for breast cancer screening.

Professor Gareth Evans profile: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/gareth.d.evans.html

Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer and Me: https://www.itv.com/hub/julia-bradbury-breast-cancer-and-me/10a1995a0001

MFT Cancer Professor features in Julia Bradbury breast cancer documentary: https://research.cmft.nhs.uk/news-events/mft-cancer-professor-features-in-julia-bradbury-breast-cancer-documentary

Saliva test ‘could predict breast cancer risk’: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/saliva-test-could-predict-breast-cancer-risk-w9trmkdvx

Simple saliva test for breast cancer could save thousands of under-50s as breakthrough can spot women at a highest risk years earlier, study shows: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10843127/Simple-saliva-test-breast-cancer-save-thousands-50s.html

Breast cancer in women: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer/

Macmillan cancer support: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

Prevent Breast Cancer: https://preventbreastcancer.org.uk/

Please be aware, this podcast was recorded on the 7th June 2022 when Sajid Javid was still Secretary of State for Health.