Raw Talk Podcast

#112: Architecture x Health: The Blueprints behind Healthcare Spaces

The spaces we live, work, play in shape our health and our psyche - and healthcare spaces are no different. In this episode, we take a deep, multifaceted look at the field of healthcare architecture. Our guests give us valuable insights into how hospitals are designed and how elements of clinical care, sound design, and innovative research combine to create spaces we all experience sickness and health in. We hear from "dochitect" Dr. Diana Anderson (board-certified healthcare architect and internist at VA Boston Health System), Dr. Michaela Cada (hematologist-oncologist and Chief Clinical Planning Officer of Project Horizon), and Dr. John Straube (registered professional engineer and Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo).

#111: Tiny Tots, Huge Hurdles

In this episode of Raw Talk Podcast, we dive into the big world of little humans as we explore the topic of neonatology. Our guests give us an overview of what neonatology as a field encompasses and the very special population that neonatologists serve. This episode also dives into the impacts of research and new medications in the NICU, challenges regarding disparities of care, and the real life experience of a NICU family. This episode features notable guests like Dr. Estelle Gauda (Division Head, Neonatology at SickKids and Professor of Pediatrics at University of Toronto), Dr. Pia Wintermark (Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics at McGill University), Dr. Tamorah Lewis (Division Head for Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at SickKids), Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta (Director of Research at the Centre for Global Child Health, SickKids), and most especially, Kimberley and Christina Foreman, who kindly shared their personal experiences at the NICU with us. 

#110: Back to School with Raw Talk

Back to school season is in full force, and students ride the rollercoaster of academia for another year. This is where students face new joys, opportunities and challenges along the way. As technology and scientific advancements progress at a rate faster than we’ve ever seen before, graduate, post-graduate, medical and other professional students embark on a journey of research and of adulthood all at once. In today’s episode, we have a roundtable discussion to exchange views on our hopes and struggles as a graduate student. Our teams shared stories of our first research experiences, tips on finding balance between personal and academic life and keys to success learned along the way. Each of our stories are unique but common themes of resilience, collaborative work, networking with faculty and peers, coping with societal expectations and finding ways to balance a busy lifestyle can be seen. Things aren’t always easy, and they definitely aren’t pretty all the time, but through these experiences we gain knowledge that helps contribute to science, and changing the world. Although it’s a struggle, it is a collective one and we lean on one another to be the best version of ourselves. We have fun together, we support each other, and we grow stronger. 

Written by Radha 

[This episode was hosted by Angela and Noor. Hannah, Sonika, Braeden, Julia, and Belinda participated in our roundtable discussion. Alex and Junayd were our audio engineers. Noor was the executive producer]

#109: Caregivers: The Forgotten Pillars of Healthcare

Think back to the last time you fell ill or were having a bad day - you likely reached out to your loved ones for support to help you feel better and get through the day productively. Now, think of those with terminal illness or those from marginalized communities seeking care for a chronic condition - for many of them, the first point of contact is a caregiver, helping them with following treatment regimens to even daily activities of living, like eating or changing. 

They are instrumental to the wellbeing of those who cannot care for themselves - but who cares for the caregivers?

This episode aims to explore the role of personal support workers and family caregivers in promoting health in families and communities, and the unique physical, cultural, and policy challenges they face, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We speak with Taylor Booroff (spokesperson of the Ontario PSW Association), Ron Beleno (family caregiver and advocate for caregivers of older adults with AGE-WELL), and Danielle Alcock (patient navigator for Indigenous communities in Southwestern Ontario).

#108: The Psychology of Love and Relationships

Love is a complicated, painful, wonderful, and abstract thing we are all familiar with. From the fleeting moments of bliss to the deepest relationships, love has also been the subject of objective study, yielding some diverse yet incredible insights. In this episode, we are joined by Rebecca Horne (PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology, University of Toronto), Carole Sandy (a couples and family therapist based in Toronto), and Dawn Maslar-Biggie (award-winning author and Adjunct Professor of Biology based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) as we explore the science behind love, attraction, and relationships. We hope this episode can highlight some interesting facts about the neuroscience and psychology of love, and how we can use that to create better relationships.

#107: Unravelling the Nobel Prize and Touch Sensations

In 2021, Dr. David Julius and Dr. Ardem Patapoutian won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for their discoveries related to temperature and touch receptors. In this episode, Dr. Rose Hill and Dr. Robert Bonin introduce us to this topic of  sensory perception, specifically touch and pain. Dr. Bonin describes how we experience pain, delving into acute vs chronic pain, thresholds to pain, and the distinction between nociception and pain. Dr. Hill also shares about her experience being in Dr. Patapoutian's Nobel winning lab, and her work on the perception of itch. Additionally, we get a deeper look into the inner workings of the Nobel Prize, as Dr. Abdel El Manira shares about his time on the Nobel Committee and the inner workings of the Nobel. Join us on this episode, as we unravel touch and the Nobel Prize. 

 

Written by: Veena Sanmugananthan

 

Links

Discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch

Bonin Lab

UofT Centre for the Study of Pain

Dr. Hill profile

A trio of ion channels takes the heat

Profile of 2021 Nobel Prize winners

#106: Raw Talk Unsolved: Investigating Forensics

The field of forensics encompasses the intersection between law and science. This episode explores forensics in more detail. Our guests, Chief Coroner of Ontario, Dr. Dirk Huyer, and Deputy Chief Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Jayantha Herath, share the investigative perspective including behind the scenes of their professions, the intersection with the judicial system, and systemic social issues in forensics. Sheila Early, a forensic nurse and co-founder of the Canadian Forensic Nurses Association (CFNA), shares how healthcare contributes to this field, how it is to work with forensic patients, and her history with the CFNA. This episode takes a deep dive into the truth about forensics, its misconceptions, and how technology evolves alongside. 

 

Written by: Gil Angela Dela Cruz (Content Creator) and Veena Sanmugananthan (Content Creator and Science Writer)

 

Clinical Examination and Reporting of a Victim of Torture

Lawyer’s Guide to the Forensic Sciences

Making Sense of a Global Pandemic: Relationship Violence & Working Together Towards a Violence Free Society

Episode Team:

Atefeh Mohammadi (Episode Lead and Show Host), Kayvan Alfaki (Show Host), Gil Angela Dela Cruz (Content Creator), Veena Sanmugananthan (Content Creator and Science Writer), Anukrati Nigam (Audio Engineer), Anam Islam (Promotions), Janine Truong (Graphic Design). 

 

 

#105: Science Accessibility: How Open Is Too Open?

One of the most underappreciated inventions in history can be dated back to 15th century Europe when German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg developed the printing press which, for the first time ever, automated the book-printing process. This newfound ability to productively disseminate knowledge and ideas revolutionized society overnight. In fact, English intellectual Francis Bacon, who is known for popularizing the scientific method, famously wrote that the three inventions that forever changed the world were gunpowder, the nautical compass, and the printing press. Books and libraries opened science for citizens outside of the elite intellectual circle. And now, with the advent of computers and digitalization of information, we continue to see science become more accessible. On this episode, show hosts Zeynep and Sumi speak to Dr. Anthony Bonato, Mathematics professor at Ryerson University, Dr. Leslie Chan, principal investigator of the Open and Collaborative Science in Development Network, and Dr. Brian Baigrie, associate professor at University of Toronto’s Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology. We hear about their thoughts on open access, how it is generally perceived in the scientific community, its importance and feasibility globally, and finally, how it helped shape scientific communication throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Written by: Sumi 

 

Links:

Unsettling Knowledge Inequities Podcast

Bioline International

Information on Open Access

Budapest Open Access Initiative

For more on Publishing: Episode #65 Investing in Knowledge: The Life Cycle of Research 

Rachael Ainsworth TedTalk (TEDxMacclesfield): Research Culture is Broken; Open Science can Fix It 

#104: A New Era of Knowledge: Science on Social Media

Should bad science be censored on social media? This complex ethical dilemma, stemming from the Information Age beginning in the mid 20th century, is proving to be a real challenge as we continue to navigate the unprecedented repercussions of widespread technology implementation in human life. With the advent of computers, we’ve seen exponential growth in the capacity to process, store, and communicate information. This epochal shift in knowledge transmission has undoubtedly catalyzed many scientific discoveries, improving the lives of millions. However, among this information explosion we also find false, fabricated, or misleading information which ultimately countervails the goals of science to pursue truth. On this episode, show hosts Dennis and Jason interview Dr. Anna Blakney, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, and Sandhya & Swapna Mylabathula (STEAM sisters), PhD students at U of T, to find out how they use TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms to communicate science responsibly and effectively. Additionally, Dr. Eric Merkley, assistant professor at U of T, shares his perspective on the political mechanisms of misinformation spread on mass media. Raw Talk members Jesse, Junayd, Jason & Sumi also contribute their thoughts on the potential for censorship as a means to regulate bad science.

 

Written by: Sumiha Karunagaran

 

How do I spot misinformation? University of Toronto Libraries

Birdwatch on Twitter: Twitter launched a pilot initiative called Birdwatch that allows users to write notes about Tweets that could be misleading.

ScienceUpFirst: A national initiative operated by the Canadian Association of Science Centres that works with a collective of independent scientists, researchers, healthcare experts and science communicators to share the best available science to stop the spread of misinformation. 

Canada’s Digital Citizen Research Program

 

#103: Raw Talk Roundtables: Underrepresentation in STEM

Students from underrrepresented groups in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields often experience a myriad of challenges due to a variety of systemic barriers such as lack of representation or diversity, appropriate financial support, and having a supportive learning environment. In this episode, our team and guests take a deep dive into the importance of representation, mentorship and community within STEM fields, as well as elaborate on how they feel these environments should be improved. We speak to Mohsen Poorganji, the co-founder of the Institute of Medical Science (IMS) International Student Group, Layan Elfaki, the president of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) at the University of Toronto (UofT), and Dr. Andrea Boggild, the Medical Director of the Tropical Diseases Unit at University Health Network and an Associate Professor at UofT. Listen to these conversations along with our hosts, Daniel and Rachel, who chime in and reflect on their learnings throughout the episode.

Incorporating Indigenous Cultures and Realities in STEM

IMS International Student Group 

Black Graduate Student Association 

Community of Support