Oxford Sparks Big Questions

Each of us is different. Our genetics and life experiences shape us into unique individuals – with unique brains. When it comes to medicine, therefore, a 'one size fits all' approach is often not adequate, and trial and error is required to find the best treatment for a condition: especially when it comes to the brain. But what if a doctor could rely on personalised recommendations about what course of action may be best for a specific patient? We chat to computational neuroscientist Dr Andrea Luppi from Oxford's Department of Psychiatry about 'digital brain twins', and how - when it comes to brain conditions - they could help to achieve just that.

Put simply, most drugs work by binding to a protein and altering how they function. But how can we model how well a particular molecule will bind to a particular protein, and use that knowledge to help discover new treatments? In this episode, we talk to Prof Fergus Imrie from Oxford's Department of Statistics, who is one of the lead researchers on the OpenBind consortium. This project aims to create the world's largest open-access dataset of protein-ligand interactions, providing invaluable quantities of data for AI-driven drug discovery

In 2022, 7% of the UK's total carbon emissions came from the aviation sector - a figure that's on the rise. This means that - while a flight is often the start of a well-deserved holiday - a lot of us feel at least a sprinkling of guilt over our carbon footprint. So, what if we could reduce the carbon emissions associated with air travel? In this episode, we chat to Dr Tamsin Whitfield from Oxford's Department of Materials Science, and hear about her research developing new metals, which will ultimately allow jet engines to burn hotter, increasing their efficiency. 

Until recently, most of us had probably never even heard of the hantavirus. Now - with memories of the global COVID-19 pandemic still fresh in our minds - it's only natural to feel slightly concerned about the new virus hitting our headlines. But are our worries justified? We chat to Dr Daniel Wright from the Oxford Vaccine Group, who develops vaccines against emerging outbreak viruses, to learn more about hantaviruses, and what they really mean for public health.

'Killing animals' and 'conservation' sound mutually exclusive, but when it comes to managing populations that are having a negative environmental impact, is culling the answer? If so, how do people feel about it? We chat to Jessica Frater from the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford about Scotland's deer cull, exploring why human perceptions are often at the heart of conservation challenges, and how gaining deeper insight to these perspectives can support more conservation efforts.  

"It's as likely as winning the lottery." A phrase used in situations where something is, well, pretty near impossible. But is there anything you can do to increase your chances of claiming that life-changing pot of money? What about one of the smaller prizes? We chat to applied mathematician Dr James Munro about probability, chaos theory and whether anyone could ever predict the lottery.

Aside from the odd unfamiliar or complicated word, a lot of us won't think twice when it comes to reading. It's a skill we take for granted. But, relatively speaking, it's actually a fairly new skill - beginning about 5500 years ago. This suggests it's not something we evolved to do, so, how does it work? We chat to Prof Ole Jensen from Oxford's Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, who is trying to gain a better understanding of the neural processes behind reading, with the ultimate aim of helping those who are struggling to learn.

Historically, only two women have ever started a Grand Prix race, and as of the 2026 season, no women are competing in Formula One. This male dominancy is by no means restricted to the track, with social scientist Dr Kate Bancroft estimating that a mere 5% of technical motorsport roles (that is, the engineers and mechanics) are taken by women. We hear from Kate about her research into the F1 gender gap, which she hopes - alongside revealing some of the barriers and struggles faced by women - will start a wider conversation about the divide that exists in top-level motorsports. **During the podcast, it was mentioned that there has not yet been a female team principal in Formula 1. We would like to clarify that Monisha Kaltenborn served as Team Principal for Sauber from 2012 to 2017 (the first woman to hold the role).**

We're living in an age of rapid technological development which - alongside many benefits - comes at an environmental cost. We speak to Dr Shurui Miao, an experimental chemist who aims to decouple technological advancement from the impacts of increased carbon emissions, by finding a way to safely store carbon underground. As he explains, by finding a way to convert CO2 from the atmosphere into minerals, we could store carbon securely and sustainably into the future, and ultimately begin to mitigate the effects of climate change.

This week we are featuring a special bonus episode from our friends at the Milk on the Move podcast. Milk on the Move explores milk's deep cultural roots, evolving scientific narratives and the systems that shape its production today. Hosts Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp and JC Niala uncover the fascinating interaction of tradition, knowledge and morality that makes milk so much more than just an everyday drink. Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify or head to milkingit.org for more information.