Original Ideas is a new podcast from the University of Liverpool - highlighting our groundbreaking research and its real-world impact.
Hosted by Gavin Freeborn, the series explores different areas of our fascinating research activity, why it’s so important and how it can benefit society in the future. Gavin talks to inspiring academics, students, and key partners of the University who are striving to shape a better tomorrow.
Find out more at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/
Heat is one of the most dangerous natural hazards, causing preventable deaths and putting vulnerable communities under increasing pressure. But heat is not experienced equally, with some communities more vulnerable than others.
The University of Liverpool’s Melting Metropolis research is a major Wellcome funded project that explores how people experience urban heat, and how cities can respond. It brings together historians, artists, and community engagement experts to better understand heat and health in London, New York and Paris.
Host Gavin Freeborn is joined in the studio by Professor Chris Pearson, Environmental Historian and Principal Investigator on the project, and Dr Anna Bocking-Welch, Senior Lecturer in History, to talk about the realities of extreme heat - and what cities need to do next.
More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
16 Apr 2026
14. Digital Media and Society
Digital media shapes how we communicate, how we access information, and how we understand the world around us. However, it also raises big questions – from digital inclusion and misinformation, to the use of AI and even the banning of social media.
The University of Liverpool’s Digital Media and Society Institute, is a research hub that brings together experts to understand how digital technologies shape society and culture, and what impact it has on all of us.
Host Gavin Freeborn explores the impact of Digital Media with experts Professor Simeon Yates, Professor of Digital Culture in the Department of Communication and Media and Joint Director of the Digital Media and Society Institute - and Dr Elena Musi, Reader in Communication and Media at the University of Liverpool.
More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
24 Mar 2026
13. Antimicrobial Resistance
According to the World Health Organisation, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria and viruses no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines. As a result, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. AMR is now directly responsible for 1.3 million deaths and contributes to 5 million deaths every year.
So what progress are we making? And what needs to happen next to prevent a future where routine infections become untreatable?
Host Gavin Freeborn is joined in the studio by experts Dr Alex Howard (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/alexander-martin-howard), a consultant in Medical Microbiology, and Dr Nada Reza (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/nada-reza), a Clinical Research Training Fellow, to discuss AMR, and the critical research taking place in Liverpool.
More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
(Includes clips of Professor William Hope (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/william-hope), OBE, Dame Sally Davies Chair of AMR Research and Professor Alison Holmes (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/alison-holmes), OBE, David Price Evans Chair in Global Health and Infectious Diseases speaking on the Times Higher Education Podcast)
1 Dec 2025
12. Quantum
From lasers used in supermarket checkouts, to the emergence of complex supercomputers, quantum is all around us. Recently the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for quantum breakthroughs, with experiments having implications for computing, sensing, and our understanding of the universe.
At the University of Liverpool, quantum is part of our Particle Physics research frontier, where scientists probe the smallest building blocks of matter, the fundamental forces that govern them, and the technologies that help us study them. How has quantum research helped shape our world, and what could the future of quantum science bring for technology and society?
Host Gavin Freeborn discusses the topic with quantum experts Professor Brianna Heazlewood, who leads the Cold Chemical Physics Group, Dr Jonathan Tinsley, whose work explores gravitational waves and dark matter, and Marina Maneyro, a quantum computing PhD student at University of Liverpool.
More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
3 Nov 2025
11. Neuroscience and Pain
Around the world, 1 in 5 people are experiencing pain, and in the UK over 34% of adults regularly experience chronic pain. In the last decade, our understanding and knowledge in this area has increased exponentially, with academic research contributing to the search for treatments.
The University of Liverpool have recently launched a world leading hub - the Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre (LINC) - and new research developments in Neuroscience and Pain from LINC , could help reshape how we think about prevention and treatment for millions worldwide.
Host Gavin Freeborn is joined in the studio by Professor Benedict Michael, Director of the Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre, and Professor Michelle Briggs, Clinical Professor of Nursing and part of the Pain Research Institute, to discuss our understanding of Pain, and how research could drive change for people around the world.
More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
29 Jul 2025
10. Food
Our relationship with food is complex - there are many different health and cost of living challenges connected to food, yet there are also opportunities, to educate and live a better, healthier life through our food choices.
In this episode we discuss research from the University of Liverpool, explore the impact junk food advertising can have on our children, how our environment shapes what we eat, and the role social media plays on our dietary health.
Host Gavin Freeborn is joined in the studio by Professor Emma Boyland, Professor Charlotte Hardman, and Dr Rebecca (Becky) Evans from the University of Liverpool to look at these issues, with additional audio clips by @liverpoolworld.
More information available at https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
26 Jun 2025
9. Therapeutics Innovation
Host Gavin Freeborn interviews Professor Neil Liptrott, Dr Rajarshi Mukherjee, and Dr Danielle Brain about the University of Liverpool's discoveries that transform infectious disease and global health research into real-world medical solutions.
14 May 2025
8. Sustainable Business
The United Nations have highlighted that businesses are key to achieving their 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Around the world, every business of every size is looking at how they can change, develop, grow and create a more sustainable business for the people they serve.
Investors, employees and customers now consider ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors when they choose to align with a brand or organisation - so what does this mean for a business? How is research helping organisations build a sustainable framework for the future?
Gavin Freeborn is joined by Professor Joanne Meehan from the University of Liverpool’s Centre for Sustainable Business to explore the topic, including contributions from Postgraduate Researcher and Graduate Teaching Fellow Clare Wescott, University of Liverpool Management School.
More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
13 Feb 2025
7. Archaeology
What does the past tell us about the future? How does Archaeology impact the world we live in? In 2024, the Liverpool Institute of Archaeology celebrated its 120th birthday, and it has developed an international reputation for its quality of teaching and research.
Gavin Freeborn is joined by University of Liverpool researchers Professor Larry Barham, Dr Ceren Kabukcu and Rachel Stokes to discuss their work - looking at how they were drawn to Archaeology, and the multi-disciplinary nature of the work, including the UK's Arts & Humanities Research Council funded Deep Roots of Humanity Project in south-central Africa (Zambia). They aimed to take a slice of time (roughly 500,000 to 300,000 years ago) before the evolution of Homo sapiens, because we know very little about this period as there are few well-dated sites. This led to the Old Wood discovery making worldwide headlines.
For info: NERC facility refers to the Natural Environment Research Council. Learn more: liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
11 Nov 2024
6. Dementia
Dementia is an illness without a cure yet, and whilst it’s more common in people over the age of 65, it can affect young people too. A 2024 report from the Alzheimer’s Society put the number of people in the UK living with Dementia at around 1 million.
So what research is taking place into this debilitating disease? What are the hopes for the future, and what progress is being made in the fight against Dementia?
Gavin Freeborn is joined by Dr Clarissa Giebel, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Population Health, where she leads the Dementia Research Group on Inequalities, and Dr Megan Polden, a post-doctoral researcher with a focus on dementia.More information available at liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
5 Jun 2024
5. Popular Music
As a UNESCO City of Music, and home to the Institute of Popular Music, Liverpool is a city with music at its heart. Exploring cultural phenomena from The Beatles to Taylor Swift, in this episode we look at the research taking place around popular music. What can we learn from the many different perspectives of popular music? How has it changed society in the past, and how will the music industry evolve in the future?
Gavin Freeborn is joined by Dr Holly Tessler and Dr Mike Jones, as well as Dr Amy Skjerseth and Dr Samuel Murray, from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Music and Institute of Popular Music. More information available at https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
22 Apr 2024
4. Children's Rights
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children should have equal rights, no matter who they are, where they live, what gender they are, or whether they are wealthy or in poverty. No child should be treated unfairly for any reason, and protecting children is something that every society should work towards - from safeguarding the use of their data and images, through to enabling access to law and justice, and enforcing rights around citizenship.
So how is academic research facilitating and enforcing children’s legal rights? What academic work is taking place to safeguard children's rights right now? Gavin Freeborn is joined by Professor Helen Stalford, a leading expert on European Children’s Rights, and PhD student Kindah Ali who has conducted research on the use of children’s images by the media during wars. More information available at https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
6 Mar 2024
3. Feminist Cities
Joining other Feminist Cities around the world including Barcelona and Vienna, Glasgow became the UK’s first self-proclaimed Feminist City in 2022. This inspired University of Liverpool staff to create the Liverpool Feminist City Network, connecting multiple areas of research.
What is a Feminist City? How is academic research helping inform and create cities that are more inclusive for everyone? Gavin Freeborn is joined by leaders of the Liverpool Feminist City Network members Professor Catherine Durose and Dr Catherine Queen, plus early career researchers Dr Shreyashi Dasgupta and Dr Emma Spruce.
6 Feb 2024
2. Artificial Intelligence
Regarded as one of the most transformational technologies we’ve ever seen, AI is developing at an unprecedented rate. We’ve seen world leaders hold summits to explore the many benefits that AI can bring to society – but also warn of the need to use it responsibly.
So what impact is AI making in academic circles? How is AI being used now to transform research across Chemistry and Computer Science, and what are the hopes for the future?
Gavin Freeborn is joined by Professors Katie Atkinson and Andy Cooper, and early career researchers Dr Jack Mumford and Dr Gabriella Pizzuto. More information available at https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/ (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/)
5 Dec 2023
1. Air Pollution
Over 3 billion people use smoky polluting stoves and fuels inside homes for cooking and heating. In the UK, a third of childhood asthma cases are related to poor air quality.
Air pollution is one of the biggest threats we have to global health – how is research at the University of Liverpool driving change for lower to middle income countries? In the city of Liverpool, what research is taking place around the measurement of air quality, that could benefit the wider world?
Gavin Freeborn meets Professor Daniel Pope and PhD student Chloe Gray. More information available at https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/original-ideas/
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Professor Neil Liptrott
Dr Rajarshi Mukherjee
Dr Danielle Brain
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