What makes us who we are? Is it our genes, our upbringing, or a complex mix of both? The Generation R Study seeks to answer these questions by following a diverse group of children in Rotterdam from the womb to young adulthood.

Whether you're fascinated by biology or just curious about what makes you, tune in to discover why these 'micro' wonders are a 'macro' deal in the grand scheme of life!

This podcast explores the exciting and rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence in medicine. Join us as we go beyond the hype and examine the real-world applications of AI in diagnosing diseases, predicting patient outcomes, and developing new treatments. We'll break down complex concepts like machine learning and deep learning, making them accessible to everyone. But it's not just about the tech – we'll also delve into the ethical considerations, the importance of explainable AI, and the challenges of integrating these powerful tools into clinical practice. Tune in to "Beyond the Average" to discover how AI is transforming healthcare, one byte at a time.

https://doi.org/10.18174/662462

This week, we're talking about a surprising new tool in the fight against skin cancer: your selfie! Tune in as we discuss a fascinating study that uses AI to identify subtle facial features linked to skin cancer risk. We'll break down the science in an easy-to-understand way and explore the potential of this technology to revolutionize how we approach skin cancer screening and prevention.

Join us as we explore the perspectives of a large elderly patient population on telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. We'll unpack the pros and cons, examine what factors influence patient preference for virtual or in-person consultations, and consider the implications for the future of healthcare. Is telemedicine here to stay, or is it just a passing fad?

Tune in to find out!

In this episode we are talking about the report from The Lancet which summarizes a recent commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The authors reviewed existing research and conducted new meta-analyses to identify 14 potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia. These risk factors are categorised by the stage of life in which they are most impactful, and the commission has calculated the population attributable fraction (PAF) for each factor, finding that nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented by eliminating these risks. The report provides a comprehensive overview of current research on dementia, including a discussion of modifiable risk factors, interventions for cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and the use of biomarkers for diagnosis and clinical trials.

https://doi.org/10.1016/ S0140-6736(24)01296-0

This podcast explores a new study published in the European Radiology journal examining the progression of arterial calcification over a 14 year period. We'll uncover what causes these 'hidden harbingers' of disease, learn where they occur in our bodies, and discover how cardiovascular risk factors and sex impact their development. Join us as we translate the science and explain why understanding arterial calcification matters for your health

In this series, we dive into the fascinating world of genetics and how our DNA can help us understand the causes of diseases. This episode focuses on a groundbreaking technique called Mendelian Randomization, which uses genetic differences to figure out how certain risk factors—like high blood pressure or diabetes—affect our health.

The catch? Many of these factors are either "yes" or "no" (you either have the condition, or you don’t), but the science behind them is much more complex. We explore how researchers deal with these challenges, using our genes to make sense of the messy reality behind conditions like hypertension. Learn how scientists use genetics to uncover potential ways to prevent diseases and improve health outcomes, all while facing the tricky task of dealing with binary choices in data.

Whether you're into science or just curious about how your genes influence your health, this episode will give you a clearer picture of how researchers use Mendelian Randomization to unlock the secrets of our genetic code.

Based on the paper:

Have you ever wondered how scientists are using cutting-edge technology to understand our DNA?

Join us as we explore the fascinating world of deep learning in genomics and discuss a new paper that examines how to make these powerful tools more interpretable.

Deep learning, a type of artificial intelligence, is revolutionizing many fields, including genomics. By analyzing vast amounts of genetic data, these complex algorithms can uncover hidden patterns and make predictions about our health, traits, and even our ancestry.

But there's a catch: deep learning models are often described as "black boxes" because it's difficult to understand how they reach their conclusions. This lack of transparency can make it challenging for scientists to trust and fully utilize these powerful tools. This is where interpretable deep learning comes in.

The paper we'll be discussing, "Designing Interpretable Deep Learning Applications in Genomics: a Quantitative Analysis", explores different approaches to open up the black box and shed light on the decision-making processes of these complex models