Understanding Minds and Medicine

Current cancer treatment, such as chemotherapies, have unfortunate side effects for patients. This is due to the targets of these treatments being essential for the survival of both the healthy and cancerous cells. An emerging area of research involves investigating proteins that are abnormal in cancer compared to healthy cells. Thus, making the treatment more specific for patients’ cancer and hopefully reducing the side effects. This talk will discuss what proteins are, how a protein can be abnormal in cancer and how these targets are identified.

We measure everything in healthcare: blood pressure, heart rate, and survival rates. But what about what it actually feels like or means? This talk explores phenomenology, a way of studying human lived experience. Through real examples, I will show why numbers alone do not tell the full story and how proper listening can change care, decisions, and outcomes. It is about understanding what life is really like for the person living it.

To many, alcohol is a part of life, so much so, last year 77% of people reported having drunk alcohol. Some drink to de-stress after a hard day, to enhance social events with friends, or simply because they enjoy the taste. But did you know that many psychological factors influence people's decision to drink, without us even realising? In this talk, we will explore reasons why people chose to drink with a particular focus on the sub-conscious processes happening in our brain. From the devil on your shoulder to your mood, deciding whether to drink is much more complex than just a 'yes' or 'no'.