Early warning systems: using tech to predict disease outbreaks
Release Date: 09/24/2025
Vaccine equity: searching for a cure
When Science Finds a Way
The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare a truth we can’t ignore: vaccine equity, the principle that everyone should have fair and timely access to life-saving vaccines, is still out of reach for many. This is especially true across Africa, where local manufacturing supplied less than 1% of the vaccines used. But change is happening. Alisha sits down with Dr. Delese Mimi Darko to hear about how international collaboration is leading to the exciting growth of vaccine manufacturing on the continent. We also hear from the CEO of Biovac, a South African organisation developing an Oral Cholera Vaccine...
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Food for thought: eating our way to a sustainable future
When Science Finds a Way
Food production drives nearly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. So how do we help people choose meals that are good for their health, and the planet? Alisha sits down with Professor Pete Scarborough, who’s co-leading research to help decision-makers and the public make better informed choices. We also meet Jo, who’s testing a digital tool designed to help her make sustainable, affordable and healthy choices at the supermarket. Together, they explore the complexities of applying Western dietary guidance in diverse global contexts, and how we can make sustainable diets a reality...
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Problem solving therapy: the answer to youth depression?
When Science Finds a Way
A significant gap remains in effective mental health interventions for young people. Addressing this gap is crucial, and approaches like problem-solving therapy could offer a practical, accessible solution within educational settings. Alisha and Professor Vikram Patel discuss a school-based trial in India that’s exploring a new way forward: POD (Problem Identification, Option generation and Do it). It’s an intervention that combines cognitive and behavioural techniques to help young people develop the skills to address their problems directly. We hear from counsellor Bindiya Chodankar,...
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Zooming in: particle physics and the future of medical imaging
When Science Finds a Way
Vaccine breakthroughs dominated the news during the Covid-19 pandemic. But they weren’t the only scientific innovations changing how we understood the virus. Across Europe, a team of pathologists, technologists and imaging researchers saw a gap: we needed better technology to see what was really happening inside the lungs of individuals who died after contracting the virus. So they built one. Hierarchical Phase Contract Tomography (HiP-CT) is a new kind of imaging that lets us scan whole organs in 3D, in astonishing detail. Alisha is joined by four of the researchers behind this innovative...
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Early warning systems: using tech to predict disease outbreaks
When Science Finds a Way
By the time we realise an outbreak is underway, the disease is already spreading, and the window to act is closing fast. But what if we could get ahead of it? Over the past decade, scientists and technologists have been developing powerful modelling tools that combine health and climate data to forecast where and when outbreaks might occur. Alisha is joined by Dr Anna Ibarra Stewart to explore how early warning systems are being developed to help stay ahead of viruses like dengue and Zika and reduce the impact of outbreaks before they escalate. They also discuss the challenges of turning...
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Inclusive research: autism from menstruation to menopause
When Science Finds a Way
Navigating healthcare can be particularly challenging for autistic people. Reasons for this are complex, but for women and people assigned female at birth, the problem is compounded by a lack of representation in autism research, leaving healthcare services ill-equipped to meet their specific needs. Alisha speaks with Dr Aimee Grant about a groundbreaking study that’s working to change this. Led and delivered entirely by autistic people, Autism: from Menstruation to Menopause is gathering data across the reproductive life cycle to design tools that make healthcare more accessible and...
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The arts: can creativity help mental health?
When Science Finds a Way
We know that singing, painting and other creative outlets can boost our mental health. But how do we harness the therapeutic power of the arts? Alisha speaks with UK researcher Professor Daisy Fancourt, whose work is helping to establish the arts as a key ingredient in conversations about mental wellbeing, alongside diet and exercise. She also meets Vanessa, a mother in the UK who took part in a singing-based trial to reduce the effects of postpartum depression, and Kunle Adewale, an arts practitioner in Nigeria, whose own healing journey led him to empower others through arts engagement....
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Season 3 trailer: the science podcast that tells the human story
When Science Finds a Way
When Science Finds a Way is back! Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainright as she meets the scientists and communities turning bold ideas into real world impact. This season, you’ll hear about how new medical imaging tools are helping us see our bodies in ways we never could before, meet the team using climate data to predict and prevent disease outbreaks, and learn about how engaging with the arts can help improve our mental health.
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AVATAR Therapy: digital dialogues for mental health
When Science Finds a Way
Hearing voices is a challenging symptom of psychosis that treatments have often failed to address effectively - until now. Introducing AVATAR therapy, a remarkable approach using digital technology to help patients engage with distressing voices and regain control. Alisha meets Dr Vaughan Bell to explore the therapy's potential, talk about findings from the latest clinical trial and hear a personal story of transformation. When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing...
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Decoding cancer: how genomics is transforming treatment
When Science Finds a Way
Genomics has revolutionised cancer research, offering new hope for cancer diagnosis and treatment. But there are challenges ahead. Alisha is joined by Dr Peter Campbell and researchers Dr Solomon Rotimi and Sara Gómez Trillos to discuss the breakthroughs and the issue of ensuring fair access to advancements for patients worldwide. When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast
info_outlineBy the time we realise an outbreak is underway, the disease is already spreading, and the window to act is closing fast. But what if we could get ahead of it? Over the past decade, scientists and technologists have been developing powerful modelling tools that combine health and climate data to forecast where and when outbreaks might occur.
Alisha is joined by Dr Anna Ibarra Stewart to explore how early warning systems are being developed to help stay ahead of viruses like dengue and Zika and reduce the impact of outbreaks before they escalate. They also discuss the challenges of turning research into practical tools that can be used in the regions most affected by disease. We hear from HARMONIZE, a groundbreaking project in Brazil where scientists, governments and local communities are working side by side to turn predictive insights into real-world impact.
When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information and podcast transcripts visit wellcome.org/podcast