Brought to you by Chemistry

Dr. Dan Korbel, Science Policy Lead at the Royal Society of Chemistry, shares his time at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Paris. The purpose of this event is to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment with the ambition to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024. The instrument is to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic.Dan speaks with a variety of expert delegates, including Komal Sinha, Verra Director, Plastics & Sustainable Development Policy and Markets, and Professor Steve Fletcher, Professor of Ocean Policy and Economy.Hosted by Dr. Hannah Macdonald.Produced by Hiren Joshi.

Will climate change accelerate fungal threats to food and people? Will fungal infections cause a zombie apocalypse? How real is the science behind 'The Last of Us'? In this bonus episode, Manchester University’s Dr. Norman Van Rhijn, an expert on fungi, told the Brought To You By Chemistry podcast that the fight against antifungal resistance is constant, with some species evolving to defeat them in weeks. There is evidence that climate change is accelerating this fungal evolution, with some treatments used to combat fungal infections in crops overcome in as little as a month of exposure. What does this mean for global food security?Hosted by Hiren Joshi.Produced by Hiren Joshi and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.

In a perfect world, what should governments be doing to help prevent AMR? What are the political obstacles in the way of tackling AMR?In our final episode of the series, we speak to Professor Dame Sally Davies, Former UK Chief Medical Officer, Dr Eduardo Samo Gudo, Deputy Director General of the National Institute of Health in Mozambique. We also go around the world and speak with a variety of international experts to gain holistic insight into the challenges we face with AMR globally. From Government officials to academic experts, how can humanity come together to find solutions to antimicrobial resistance?Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.

How do we avoid getting to the point of needing to use so many antibiotics?Professor Morgan Alexander, Professor of Biomaterials at the University of Nottingham and Dr Lena Ciric, who leads the Healthy Infrastructure Research Group at University College London, join us for this episode on infection prevention and control. We learn about how diseases spread, especially through buildings and on surfaces, and how scientists are innovating to combat these mechanisms.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.

Why should we care about antibiotics being in the environment? How does it impact us? And what do we mean by "One Health"?In this episode, we talk to Professor Barbara Kasprzyk, a researcher from the University of Bath, Kurt Arden from the Royal Veterinary College and University College London, and Professor David Graham, Professor of Ecosystems Engineering at Newcastle University, who talks us through how antimicrobials get into the environment via our livestock and agriculture sectors, and why this is a problem.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.

Why is accurate diagnosis of patients so crucial in the fight against AMR? How do diagnostics work now and what is the best-case scenario in the future? What innovative technologies are being developed?Diagnostics is a key area in the fight against AMR since it's only through accurately diagnosing patients that the most targeted treatment can be chosen. Without accurate diagnostics, overprescription of antibiotics becomes inevitable. Professor Tina Joshi, Professor of Microbiology at Plymouth University, and Dr. Kaamini Walia of the India Council for Medical Research talk us through this important topic.This episode also features presenter and doctor, Dr. Hilary Jones, with a fascinating insight into the challenges faced by GPs when prescribing antibiotics, and a deep-dive into the relationship between patients and medicine.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.

How do we develop drugs like antibiotics? How long does it take for such a drug to go from its inception in a research lab to use in a hospital, for example? And what people and processes are involved?In this episode, we speak to microbiologist Dr. Vicky Savage, from INFEX Therapeutics, and Professor Colm Leonard at NICE. We look at every step of the drug development process, including drug procurements, applications, and the variety of uses within the healthcare system.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.

What is AMR and why is it such an urgent challenge? What are researchers and governments doing to address it and what needs to done?In this episode, host Dr. Alex Lathbridge explores these questions with Professor Alison Holmes – president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases and researcher at Imperial College London, and Dr. Gerry Wright – researcher at McMasters University.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald.