Back pain tops the charts as the world's leading cause of pain and disability. But do we really know which treatments work? We interview esteemed spinal neurosurgeon Dr Ralph Mobbs, principal investigator of the SUcceSS study, run by Professor Manuela Ferreira and the Musculoskeletal research team at The George Institute for Global Health. By participating in this and other research, Dr. Mobbs is on a mission to generate much-needed evidence into the effectiveness of interventions such as surgery to treat degenerative spine conditions.

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In this episode of we’re delving into musculoskeletal research. From chronic back pain to arthritis, these conditions disrupt lives and limit mobility, impacting millions globally. Our guest, Professor Manuela Ferreira, a leading expert, sheds light on groundbreaking evidence-based treatments, from innovative surgical trials to practical, non-invasive solutions. We’ll discuss how research is transforming patient care and why early collaboration with clinicians is essential. Stay with us for an insightful conversation on what truly works, what doesn’t, and how we can bridge the gap between medical research and everyday healthcare.

For more, please see https://uat.georgeinstitute.org/our-research/areas/musculoskeletal

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In this bitesize episode we speak with researcher Benjamin Talbot about measuring the carbon footprint of health care and research. Ben demonstrates how emissions can be measured and encourages everyone to keep the planet and protection of the planet at the forefront of our minds and in what we're doing.

Read the paper here.

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This bitesize episode features Cara Tannanbaum, a leading global voice on women's health and sex and gender in research. Cara speaks about developments in Australia and the UK to improve health equity outcomes for everyone. These include new policies to ensure sex and gender are considered in research for more comprehensive and meaningful insights, and thoughts about how workplaces can integrate policies that support the entire workforce.
Read more following the links below.

• Meet Dr Cara Tannenbaum, Distinguished Fellow 
• Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine 
• MESSAGE Project 

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In this bitesize episode we speak with Alice Witt who speaks about a significant step towards closing the sex and gender health gap in the UK. Until now most UK medical research has been conducted primarily with male participants, animals or cells, and studies rarely analyse data in a way that enables potential sex or gender differences in outcomes to be identified. The Medical Science Sex and Gender Equity (MESSAGE) project has been working to change this, developing a landmark sex and gender policy framework for UK research funders.  

Poor attention to sex and gender has led to critical data gaps in the evidence base, with detrimental effects on health outcomes for all people, but particularly women and girls, as well as trans, non-binary and intersex people. 

Read more about the MESSAGE project and framework here.

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This bitesize episode features Menglu, a researcher working on an innovative Stroke trial. Intracerebral haemorrhage is currently the most serious and least treatable form of stroke. The I-CATCHER trial is investigating a new package of treatments, or a Care Bundle approach, to see how this can benefit patients and improve outcomes for people with intracerebral haemorrhage. To learn more about this and how you can become involved, visit https://www.georgeinstitute.org/projects/international-care-bundle-evaluation-in-cerebral-hemorrhage-research-i-catcher

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Cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, remain the leading cause of death worldwide, however knowing more can make a big difference. For World Stroke Awareness Day this bitesize episode features Menglu, a researcher in Stroke, and Mabel, a courageous stroke survivor. Mabel shares her personal transformation post-stroke, shedding light on crucial insights for all. Both Mabel and Menglu play vital roles in the Brain Health team, striving to enhance the understanding and treatment of stroke worldwide.

Read more https://www.georgeinstitute.org.au/projects/brain-health-program

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While we know that eating too much salt is bad for our health, many are unaware it’s a leading cause of high blood pressure. But changing habits - and the food supply - can be challenging. What if we could switch the salt to a substitute with lower sodium and additional benefits?

In this episode we discuss a novel approach to reducing blood pressure. Featuring Alta Schutte, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the UNSW Sydney and The George Institute for Global Health and Bruce Neal, Executive Director of the George Institute for Global Health, and Professor of Medicine at UNSW Sydney. Bruce is a UK trained physician with over 25 years’ experience in clinical research with a focus on high blood pressure and salt.

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The climate is changing, and this is affecting our environment, how we live, work, what we eat, and ultimately our health. This is particularly the case for people in vulnerable communities. For World Environment Day, in this bitesize episode of The Scan we discuss the environment health nexus with two speakers, about work in India.
Research Manager Sarah Iqbal speaks with Mr Gangaram Paikra, a local leader, activist and one of the founder members of Chaupal, a community-led initiative focusing on the right to food working with marginalised and poor communities. Sarah also speaks with Dr. Sahiba Kohli, a Research Fellow at NIHR Global Health Research Center for Non-Communicable Diseases and Environmental Change.

Read more about the Center here.

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In this episode of The Scan we speak with Yakubu, a Research Fellow with the Guunu-maana (Heal) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Research Program and co-Lead of The George Institute’s Ubuntu Initiative. Yakubu tells us about the philosophy of the initiative, programs underway, and how he hopes to connect and grow engagement with researchers and institutions in Africa in a sustainable and people-centred way.

Read more about the Ubuntu Initiative here.
Connect with Yakubu on X @mallamyaks1016 or send an email to [email protected]

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