BEaTS Research Radio's Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Bryce, a clinical psychologist and musician whose work crosses the borders of mind and body, science and art, structure and improvisation. From assessing cognitive function in the Epilepsy unit to composing and performing folk-rock and psychedelic music, he explores how perception, embodiment, and shared experience shape both therapy and music. Join us as we dive...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Madhukar Pai, a physician, researcher, and global health leader whose work has consistently crossed borders of geography, disciplines, and institutions to shape medical education and health equity globally. From his leadership at McGill International TB Centre to his widely read editorials on decolonizing global health, Dr. Pai has pushed the field to rethink...

In this episode, we explore the work of Dr. Vishna Devi V Nadarajah, a global leader in health professions education whose career crosses borders of science, pedagogy, and geography. From biomedical research to institutional leadership, her work bridges disciplines, nations, and communities of practice. Prof. Vishna Devi V Nadarajah has transitioned to the role of Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic a...

In this episode, we’ll be exploring the work of Dr. Saleem Razack, an innovator in changing discriminatory practices and systems in health education and healthcare. His work exists at the intersection of academic and clinical work - from leadership roles as well as research through/in residency programs to faculty advising. He also strives to bridge the gap between research and the application of...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Lorenzo Madrazo, a General Internist and Clinical Scholar whose journey to medicine was shaped by his deep roots in music and education. We explore his research on resident leadership, physician wellness, and the formation of professional identity in healthcare, as well as how his relationship with the arts shapes his perspective. 

In this episode, we’ll be exploring the work of Dr. Foluso Ishola, an internationally trained physician helping to transform global health and health systems through education, research, and policy. She has unique insights into how systems at various levels, from the local to international, shape health as well as how to navigate these spaces in a way that achieves the intended goals while maintai...

In this episode, we speak with Sheena Doyle, a Master of Science in Nursing student at McGill University and a Labor and Delivery Nurse Clinician. We explore how she uses the arts as a powerful tool for critical reflection and health advocacy. Join us as we discuss her commitment to decolonizing healthcare and advancing ethical, relational models of care through research and community engagement.

Global challenges like climate change demand urgent action, and chemistry is at the center of these emerging solutions. However, graduates starting chemistry-based careers often leave the classroom unprepared to tackle complex global issues. In this podcast, we speak with Dr. Alison Flynn, Principal Investigator of the Flynn Research Group, about how her team is developing strategies to create mor...

In this episode of the BEaTS Research Radio, Annie Xiang from the University of Ottawa sits down with Dr. Marcelo Vazquez, radiobiology section head at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. Together, they explore how cosmic and proton radiation affects the human body as astronauts prepare for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Dr. Vazquez shares his journey from aspiring astronaut to NASA resear...

Ananya Jain from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr Adam Rudner about advances in temperate bacteriophage research. Dr. Rudner is a researcher and associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. He also co-leads the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary...

Jack Cowan from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. Morgan Fullerton, a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, on behalf of his team in the TMM4950 Science Communication course. Dr. Fullerton discusses dysregulated cholesterol metabolism, a hallmark of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. He delves into his lab’s recent study examining whether AMPK, the c...

In this episode, TMM students discuss the hidden declines in long-term care, drawing on insights from Dr. Daniel Kobewka, Dr. Sandy Shamon, and Dr. Susan Mitchell. Through examining changes in mental and physical function, the study highlights how this knowledge can guide more informed, dignity-focused decisions for residents and their families. Learn more: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.5635   Soun...

In this episode, James Humber, a Translational and Molecular Medicine student from the University of Ottawa, interviews Dr. Simon Hatcher on behalf of his team for the TMM 4950 Science Communication course. Dr. Hatcher is a psychiatrist at the Ottawa Hospital and Medical Director of Psychiatry at Ottawa Inner City Health. He’s also a scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a profes...

Mattea Abou Faiçal from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. Marisa Azad. Dr. Marisa Azad is an Associate Clinical Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and a Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator. She is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at The Ottawa Hospital. In this episode, Dr. Marisa Azad shares her research on phage therapy and how...

Katya Krykunova from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. Marisa Azad from The Ottawa Hospital about the first use of phage therapy in Canada. Dr. Azad's patient developed a life-threatening periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of her hip implant. She was allergic to most major antibiotics; the culprit bacteria were resistant to all others, and further surgery would risk her life. All conv...

In this episode, co-hosts Sam and Ammi from the University of Ottawa’s TMM program are in conversation with Dr. Kevin Smit, a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon and Clinical Researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). The conversation centers around Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), which is an abnormal curvature of the spine with no known cause, and can have a significant impa...

Chris Kachi from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. May Griffith and Andrés Mercado as part of the TMM4950 Science Communication course, exploring cutting-edge advances in bioengineered corneal regeneration.  Dr. Griffith is a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a professor in the Faculty of Medicine whose work focuses on regenerative biomaterials and translational...

Ryan Tu from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. Sangeeta Murugkar. Dr. Murugkar is an associate professor in the department of medical physics at Carleton University, where she established the Laboratory for Laser-Assisted Medical Physics and Engineering (LLAMPE). In this episode, Dr. Murugkar discusses her recent research in using the non-invasive imaging technique of Raman scattering micros...

As part of the TMM4950 Sci-Comm special episode, J.P. Doyle from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. Alexandre Stewart, a distinguished scientist from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and a director of the Laboratory of Translational Genomics. In this episode, Dr. Stewart and J.P. discuss the viral origins of breast cancer, specifically the hypothesis that the Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus...

Emily Wu from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. Emilio Alarcón on the significance of sex differences in cardiovascular research. Dr. Alarcón is a professor at the University of Ottawa and a scientist at the Heart Institute whose research focuses on developing biomaterials for the regeneration of damaged tissues. In this episode, Dr. Alarcón comments on segments from a previous BEaTS intervi...

Juliet Cruz and Maria Nikokavoura from the University of Ottawa interview Dr. Giovanni Ferrari for the TMM4950 Science Communication course about pushing the limits of donor heart preservation times. Dr. Ferrari is an associate professor of surgical sciences and the Scientific director of the cardiothoracic research program at Columbia University. Dr. Ferrari's research focuses on exploring h...

Puksar Kunwar, a student from the University of Ottawa, interviews Dr. Marcelo Muñoz for the TMM4950 Science Communication course, focusing on his work developing miniaturized devices for the on-the-spot generation of small-diameter vascular grafts. Dr. Muñoz is an early-career researcher at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, specializing in clinical peptide therapeutics, biomaterials innov...

In this episode titled “Lost in Translation”, we dive into the complex world of bringing cell therapies from the lab to human trials. With our guest Matthew Jeffers, author of a recent scoping review on this topic, we explore what regulators look for in promising cell therapies and why inconsistent guidelines can leave researchers unsure of their next steps. By summarizing expectations from variou...

Listen to this University of Ottawa TMM student discuss 3D testis bioprinting with distinguished guest Dr. Stephanie Willerth. The episode provides an exciting peek into how bioprinting technologies are reshaping reproductive biology research. Learn more: https://bme.ubc.ca/?directory=stephanie-willerth 1:00  |  Early Life, Education, and Journey into Research 2:45  |  Exploring the Shift to Repro...

In this episode, we’ll be exploring the work of Dr. Jesse Bump, whose research brings a historical and political economy lens to some of the most pressing challenges in global health. Drawing on history, social science, and policy analysis, Dr. Bump’s research spans local and global scales, offering insight into how societies understand and manage threats to public health. Learn more about Dr. Thi...