Episodes

  • The Citizen Scientist
    May 18 2023
    On this episode of the Phage Files, we explore a phage programme which enlists the help of everday citizens across the UK: The Citizen Phage Library. We interviewed Dr. Ben Temperton (University of Exeter), who founded the Citizen Phage Library programme and describes for us the entirety of the programme and the public's involvement. We then feature an interview with Dr. Phil Mitchellmore (Exeter), who is the clinical lead for the Citizen Phage Library, where he describes the role that he plays in taking phage isolated in the Citizen Phage Library from the lab to the hospital for clinical uses in phage therapy. Finally, we interviewed Dr. Stephanie Lynch (Westmead Institute for Medical Research), who was inspired by the Citizen Phage Library and has created her own programme that follows the similar setup outlined by Dr. Ben Temperton.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    39 mins
  • The Female Scientist
    Apr 13 2023

    On this episode of the Phage Files, we celebrate the culmination of International Women's History Month by looking back through through history at female phage researchers' contributions to early phage research. We then feature an interview from Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Kutter (Evergreen University), who is often considered the Mother of Phage Research in the modern scientific era, where Betty discusses her experiences throughout her career as one of the only female phage scientists and the path she took that led her to be one of the most well recognised phage scientists in the world. Additionally, we interview Prof. Martha Clokie (University of Leicester) about her path through science. Martha was recently featured as 2020's recipient of the Outstanding Women in STEM, and actively mentors many aspiring phage researchers, both in the UK and abroad.


    On a personal note, the hosts of the Phage Files, Zuzana and Rebecca, are immensely grateful for all of the female phage scientists, especially including Betty and Martha, who have trail-blazed the way for women in STEM. Thank you.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    41 mins
  • The Ecological Scientist
    Mar 16 2023
    On this episode of the Phage Files, we dive deep under the water to discover and discuss the world of cyanophage. We invited Dr. Richard Puxty (University of Warwick) to tell us about what role phage play in everything from the production of the Earth's oxygen to shaping the microscopic forests that fill our oceans. Take a deep breath and take the plunge with us as we delve into Dr. Richard Puxty's experiences and research of these underwater forests.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    46 mins
  • The Historical Scientist
    Feb 23 2023
    On this episode, we introduce our listeners to the ins-and-outs of what is a phage—viruses that attack bacteria. We then take a journey through time to meet the fathers of phage research, Frederick Twort, Felix d'Herelle, and Georgyi Eliava. From trench warfare to the Cold War, from backyard science to pharmaceutical giants, we take a look at the ebbs and flows of phage research, and the beginnings of phage therapies, both from the scientific and political view points.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    33 mins
  • Welcome to the Phage Files
    Feb 20 2023
    On this trailer episode, we give our listeners a taste of the world of phage, and take this opportunity to introduce your hosts for the podcast, Rebecca Quinn & Zuzana Palečková. Join us for this new podcast discussing phage, the viruses of bacteria, and all of their potential uses, both historical and future. We will be interviewing eminent scientists from around the world to share with us their research, contributions, and their on-going projects to bring phage to the forefront of scientific endeavours.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    7 mins