When Science Finds a Way - Wellcome

Latest Episodes:

Season 4 trailer: meet the people whose ideas are shaping the future of health Apr 08, 2026

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Science is always adding to our knowledge of human health, but how do ideas become breakthroughs, and how can those breakthroughs bring about a better world?

Join botanist-turned-Hollywood actor Alisha Wainwright for another season, as she meets the scientists, innovators, and communities searching for solutions to our biggest health challenges.

A podcast by Wellcome: www.wellcome.org

Vaccine equity: searching for a cure Oct 22, 2025

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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 with the goal of achieving end-to-end manufacturing by 2030. It's a story of science in action - of people coming together to create solutions, and bridge global divides, fast.

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

Food for thought: eating our way to a sustainable future Oct 15, 2025

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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 world-wide. Grab a sustainable snack and enjoy.

Problem solving therapy: the answer to youth depression? Oct 08, 2025

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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, who reflects on the impact problem-solving therapy has had on students in the trial, and speak to the researchers now adapting the model for university settings. It's a powerful reminder that simple solutions can go a long way to solving complex problems.

Zooming in: particle physics and the future of medical imaging Oct 01, 2025

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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 approach to find out how it came to life during a global crisis, what it has revealed about Covid-19's impact on the body, and where it could take us next.

Early warning systems: using tech to predict disease outbreaks Sep 24, 2025

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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 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.

Inclusive research: autism from menstruation to menopause Sep 17, 2025

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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 inclusive. We also meet three members of the project's Community Council, who are co-designing the research and sharing what it means to work with a fully neurodivergent team. Together, they're proving that inclusive research isn't just better, it's essential.

The arts: can creativity help mental health? Sep 10, 2025

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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. It's a powerful look at how creativity can shape healthier futures, backed by science and lived experience.

This episode features Breathe Melodies for Mums, a programme by Breathe Arts Health Research. Learn more at breatheahr.org/programmes/melodies-for-mums

Video footage of the Melodies sessions was kindly provided by Breathe Arts Health Research.

Season 3 trailer: the science podcast that tells the human story Sep 10, 2025

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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.

AVATAR Therapy: digital dialogues for mental health May 14, 2025

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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.

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