Welcome!We are health data science researchers passionate about transforming health. Based in the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, we collaborate nationally and internationally.
This podcast is for health data science researchers and the public. We explore topics like Trusted Research Environments, ethical considerations, AI, and multiomics.
Thanks to the National Institute of Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR203312) for sponsoring this.
Join Dr Alexia Sampri, Dr Elena Raffetti, Dr Elias Allara as we engage with leading experts.
Insights from Prof John Danesh, Dr Emmanuela Bonglack, Nick Hirschmuller, Dr Anne Forde
🎙️ The CEU Away Day is an annual event that brings together researchers, students, and staff from the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (CEU) at the University of Cambridge to share science, reflect on career journeys, and strengthen our community.
Today last year, this episode was recorded live at the 2024 CEU Away Day, where hosts Dr Alexia Sampri and Dr Elena Raffetti moderated a special career panel featuring:
Prof John Danesh – Head of Department of Public Health, Director of the CEU, British Heart Foundation Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine, and Faculty Member at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
Dr Emmanuela Bonglack – Schmidt Science Fellow and Research Associate, whose work integrates multi-omics and advanced statistical methods to study cardiometabolic diseases.
Nick Hirschmüller – PhD student jointly with the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca, researching genetic risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Dr Anne Forde – Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Manager at CEU, with a background in life science research and science communication.
Together, they discuss mentorship, leadership, professional development, and the value of taking calculated risks in research. The panel also reflects on how to balance technical expertise with openness to new perspectives, and the essential skills needed to thrive in a world where AI, machine learning, and health data science play an ever-growing role in cardiovascular research.
Whether you’re an early-career researcher or interested in the diverse paths within health data science, this episode offers inspiration, practical advice, and insights from some of the leaders and rising voices in the field.
23 Sept 2025
Insights from Dr Sam Lambert
Polygenic Scores, Open Science, and the Future of Precision Medicine
In this episode, we sit down with Dr Sam Lambert, Assistant Professor of Health Data Science at the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Fellow at Churchill College, and visiting researcher at the European Bioinformatics Institute. Sam shares his journey into health data science and his dual focus on multimorbidity in cardiometabolic disease and the development of open science tools. We discuss the Polygenic Score Catalog (https://www.pgscatalog.org/), a global database he helped establish that now houses thousands of genetic risk scores for traits and diseases, and explore the opportunities and challenges of using polygenic risk in healthcare. The conversation touches on pressing ethical questions in genetic prediction, the challenges of applying risk models across diverse populations, and the potential role of polygenic scores in both primary and secondary care. Beyond research, Sam reflects on his teaching role in Cambridge, his experiences as Dean of Churchill College, and the advice he would give his younger self.
🎙️ Whether you’re curious about the future of genetics in healthcare, or interested in open science and data-sharing, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how health data science is shaping precision medicine.
#HealthDataScience #PrecisionMedicine #PolygenicScores #GeneticRisk #OpenScience #DataSharing #Cambridge #Podcast
5 Sept 2025
Insights from Carole Morris
Episode title: Building Scotland’s Health Data Infrastructure: A Conversation with Carole Morris (https://www.hdruk.ac.uk/people/carole-morris/)
In this episode of Health Data Science Insights – Cambridge, Alexia Sampri and Elena Raffetti speak with Carole Morris, Head of Data and Modelling Services at Public Health Scotland.
Carole reflects on her 25-year journey, from her early days as an information analyst working with Excel, SAS, and SPSS in NHS Lothian, to leading national teams overseeing Scotland’s Trusted Research Environment (the National Safe Haven) and linked health datasets.
The conversation explores:
How Scotland’s Community Health Index (CHI) enables data linkage
The evolution from manual spreadsheets to R, Python, SQL, and modern data science tools
Challenges in handling missing data, infrastructure, and data governance
Critical skills for the next generation of health data scientists, from coding to ethics and communication
The role of AI and automation in data curation, cleaning, and future healthcare innovation
Balancing leadership, team wellbeing, and work–life with passions like playing hockey
A fascinating look into how Scotland built one of the world’s strongest health data infrastructures, and what’s next for the future of public health.
22 Aug 2025
Insights from Dr Anne Forde
Bridging Science and Society: A Conversation with Dr Anne Forde
In this episode Alexia speaks with Dr Anne Forde, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Manager at the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge.
Anne shares her career journey from immunology research to science communication and now public engagement, reflecting on how her own experience as a patient shaped her passion for making research more inclusive.
The conversation explores:
The value of patient and public involvement (PPI) in health data science
Translating complex research into accessible language
Building relationships between researchers and patient groups
Expanding transparency and diversity in data-driven research
An inspiring discussion on why meaningful public involvement is essential for the future of health data science.
19 Aug 2025
Insights from Professor Tim Chico
From Vascular Biology to Wearable Data: A Conversation with Professor Tim Chico
Description:
In this episode of Health Data Science Insights – Cambridge, Dr Elena Raffetti speaks with Professor Tim Chico, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sheffield, Consultant Cardiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, and Associate Director of the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre.
Tim shares the unexpected beginnings of his research career in vascular development, how a chance project turned into 20 years of discovery biology, and what inspired his current vision: using smartphone and wearable data to improve cardiovascular care.
The conversation explores:
The “accidental” nature of career paths in research
The challenges and opportunities of integrating wearable and routine health data
Building effective partnerships between academia and industry
Why interpersonal and leadership skills are crucial in team science
Work–life balance, hobbies, and lessons learned along the way
Advice for young researchers on risk-taking, training, and self-worth
The broader challenges of achieving equal access to healthcare in the UK
A thoughtful and inspiring discussion on careers, collaboration, and the future of health data science.
19 Nov 2024
Insights from Dr Thomas Bolton
In this episode, Alexia discusses with Dr Tom Bolton, Senior Health Data Scientist at the BHF Data Science Centre. Tom plays a crucial role in ensuring that national Trusted Research Environments are equipped with well-curated and accessible datasets, enabling groundbreaking research in health data science.
Topics discussed:
HDR UK and the BHF Data Science Centre
The challenges of managing and curating health data at scale.
Collaborative research projects and their impact.
Patient and public perspectives on health data usage.
AI in the NHS Secure Data Environment (SDE).
Future of health data science and its transformative potential.
The Sudlow Review
Dataset Summary Dashboard (https://bhf-dsc-hds.shinyapps.io/cvd-covid-tre-dashboard/)
CVD-COVID-UK/COVID-IMPACT (https://bhfdatasciencecentre.org/areas/cvd-covid-uk-covid-impact/)
20 Oct 2024
Insights from Professor Niels Peek
In this inaugural episode of Health Data Science Insights (University of Cambridge), Dr Alexia Sampri talks with Professor Niels Peek, currently at THIS Institute, where he provides strategic leadership in Data Science and Healthcare Improvement. Niels discusses the transformative power of data in enhancing healthcare quality and safety. With a rich background in computer science and artificial intelligence, he has made significant contributions to health data science, clinical prediction models, and computerised decision support tools.
Join us as we explore his journey from the University of Manchester to THIS Institute in the University of Cambridge, where he leads groundbreaking research initiatives aimed at leveraging data and digital technologies for healthcare improvement. Niels shares insights on the challenges and opportunities within the field, the importance of collaboration in health technology, and his vision for the future of data-driven healthcare.
Whether you're a healthcare professional, researcher, or simply interested in the intersection of technology and medicine, this conversation offers invaluable perspectives on the future of health improvement.
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