Under the Spotlight

The current lockdown, and the temporary closure of pubs, are not unique restrictions on our liberty. This week I am interviewing Dr Hailwood to find out more, and to map out the origins of the alehouse.

There is an urgent need to identify why some patients with coronavirus recover with relative ease, while others need to be admitted to intensive care and may tragically die. A new observational study being led by Dr Hamilton and DISCOVER aims to identify markers that predict how COVID-19 affects patients. Listen to find out more.

Dr Christiane Schaffitzel has said that her findings are a potential ‘game changer’ in defeating the current pandemic. Listen to find out why her research is potentially ground-breaking.

The SAFER project primarily aims to protect Nepal’s future generations from earthquakes. A key member of this project, Dr Nicholas Alexander, talks of combining altruism with expertise to enhance the resilience of school and community buildings in Nepal. Listen to find out more.

Professor Jonathan Sterne and an international cohort of scientists have proven that corticosteroids reduce the risk of death among critically ill COVID-19 patients by as much as 20%. It was, for example, corticosteroids that helped Donald Trump recover from coronavirus. Listen to find out more.

Being an advisor to both the World Health Organization and the UK Government, Dr Finn is very well placed to give an insight into when a COVID-19 vaccine will be ready. Listen to find out more.