ResearchPod

In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour sits down with Professor Ash Toye and Professor Jan Frayne, two leading biochemists whose long‑standing research partnership has evolved into one of the UK’s most exciting biotechnology spin‑outs: Scarlet Therapeutics.
Together, Ash and Jan share the remarkable journey from academic collaboration to scientific breakthrough — and ultimately to founding a company built on the promise of lab‑grown and engineered red blood cells. What began as a quest to understand red blood cell development became a platform capable of producing universal donor cells, modelling rare diseases, and creating “blood as medicine” through engineered therapeutics.
This episode goes far beyond the science. Ash and Jan discuss the reality of spinning out a wet‑lab biotech, the commercial challenges, the importance of the right CEO, and the dynamics of co‑founding a company with a long‑term academic collaborator. They also speak candidly about funding frustrations, scientific obsession, conflict‑of‑interest tightropes, and the excitement of helping their postdocs become industry scientists.

🔍 In the episode:

Bristol as the UK’s “red blood cell corner”
Making red blood cells in the lab: from stem cells to clinical trials
The origins of Scarlet Therapeutics — and why the first idea “wasn’t enough”
Immortalised red blood cell lines and the role of CRISPR
Therapeutic blood: treating metabolic disorders using engineered cells
How to pick a CEO — and why neither founder wanted to be one
What happens when a US company beats you to your idea
The emotional rollercoaster of fundraising and venture capital
Navigating dual identities as academics and directors
The power of co‑founding: creativity, challenge and complementary personalities
What lab‑grown blood means for rare donor groups and transfusion medicine
How spin‑out life feeds inspiration back into academic research
Advice for researchers considering commercialisation or co‑founding
 
🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions 
The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.  
👍 Like, Share, Subscribe, Explore 
If you found this episode inspiring or informative, please don’t forget to like and share. Visit our website or subscribe to the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel for more Enterprise Sessions.  
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions

​What ​if ​you ​could ​tell ​ahead ​of ​time ​who ​needed ​how ​much ​pain ​relief? 
​What ​if ​you ​could ​avoid ​administering ​opioids ​to ​those ​with ​the ​highest ​risk ​of ​addiction, ​even ​if ​they ​didn't ​already ​know ​for ​themselves? 
What ​if ​you ​could ​help ​ease ​the ​pain ​of ​a ​patient ​in ​need ​and ​be ​sure ​that ​you've ​made ​the ​right ​call? 
Brian ​Meshkin ​of Proove ​Genomics shares his journey from personal tragedy to pioneering a scoring system that helps clinicians assess pain relief needs based on genetic profiles. Discover how this innovative approach aims to mitigate the opioid crisis by identifying patients at risk of addiction and personalizing pain treatment. Join us for an insightful discussion that blends science, compassion, and the urgent need for change in pain management.
Find out more at https://proove.com/

What if one university helped shape modern climate science? Discover how the University of Reading became synonymous with the field and why it remains at the centre of that story.
This World Meteorology Day 2026, we trace the evolution of climate science, from the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985 to today’s global challenges, and explore how Reading became a hub for the ideas, research and people driving the field forward.
In this episode, Professor Hannah Cloke OBE from the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology speaks with Professor Keith Shine FRS, the UK’s Regius Professor of Climate Science, and Dr Jolene Cook OBE, climate science advisor to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the UK’s representative to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Together, they examine Reading’s role in climate science and reflect on the field’s growth and future. Their journeys, shaped in part by the university, offer insight into how the discipline has developed, how universities and government are preparing the next generation of climate scientists, and the opportunities ahead for early career researchers.

CHAPTERS
00:00 – Discover Reading, a global centre for climate science
00:52 – Meet the voices, Keith Shine and Jolene Cook
02:10 – Pathways into climate science, where it all began
04:32 – 1985 and beyond, the ozone hole and growth of atmospheric science
07:25 – A defining role, the UK’s first Regius Professor of Climate Science
09:00 – Learning at Reading, shaping a generation of scientists
12:52 – From science to policy, the role of the IPCC
17:00 – Preparing the next generation, universities, government and early career opportunities
25:30 – Reading at 100, looking ahead to the next century of climate science

In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour speaks with Dr Myles‑Jay Linton, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, whose career has woven economics, health research, digital innovation and co‑production into a distinctive, socially impactful research portfolio.
Myles‑Jay reflects on his journey from an interdisciplinary PhD at the University of Exeter to applied healthcare work in Bristol Medical School, a prestigious Vice‑Chancellor’s Fellowship, and now pioneering work on the intersection of youth mental health and digital life. Along the way, he has collaborated with clinicians, policymakers, university leaders, young people, and—unusually for his field—a commercial mental health app developer.
From shaping national guidance on information‑sharing in student mental health crises, to co‑creating digital toolkits with practitioners, to supporting developers integrating AI into peer‑support platforms, this episode explores how enterprise and social impact can coexist powerfully in research that is compassionate, rigorous, and deeply collaborative.

🔍 In the episode:
Moving from economics into applied health research
The value of not specialising too early
Working with patients, clinicians and the public on locally‑rooted healthcare projects
Measuring student mental health: tools, policies and global collaboration
Co‑production as a core research practice—why it matters
Informing national policy on emergency contacts and circles of support
Collaborating with a commercial mental health app (Tell Me) to support young adults
Ethical, practical and emotional considerations for researchers working in sensitive areas
Digital Dialogues: improving practitioner conversations about online life and wellbeing
Scaling training for mental health professionals—and the policy questions that follow
The future of digital mental health and Myles‑Jay’s emerging entrepreneurial mindset
 
🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions
The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.
👍 Like, Share, Subscribe, Explore
If you found this episode inspiring or informative, please don’t forget to like and share. Visit our website or subscribe to the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel for more Enterprise Sessions.
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions
Connect with our Guests:
Prof. Michele Barbour – LinkedIn
Dr. Myles-Jay Linton – LinkedIn

In the first double-guest episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour speaks with Professor Martin Kuball and Dr Katie Hore for a compelling conversation about Rewire — the UK’s flagship Innovation and Knowledge Centre transforming the future of power electronics, semiconductors and clean energy. 
Together, they unpack how advanced semiconductor materials, national-scale collaboration, and deep industry partnerships are accelerating the shift to reliable, efficient and sustainable electrical systems. From 5‑minute EV charging to radiation‑hard materials for fusion reactors and space missions, discover how Rewire is shaping technologies that will power our future. 
Learn how Martin and Katie’s very different career journeys converged on the shared mission of building a national semiconductor ecosystem — one that spans curiosity‑driven research, cutting-edge materials science, industrial co‑creation, and the training of the next generation of innovators. 
🔍 In the episode: 
How Rewire is reinventing semiconductor technology for the UK and beyond 
The surprising links between fundamental science and real‑world engineering impact 
What Innovation and Knowledge Centres are — and why they matter 
Building an ecosystem: 35+ industrial partners, three universities, and government 
The future of power electronics: efficient grids, EV charging, aerospace & fusion 
How students, postdocs and startups join and benefit from the Rewire community 
Career reflections: taking opportunities, embracing uncertainty and finding the fun 
 
🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions  
The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.   
👍 Like, Share, Subscribe, Explore  
If you found this episode inspiring or informative, please don’t forget to like and share. Visit our website or subscribe to the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel for more Enterprise Sessions.   
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions  
Connect with our Guests:  
Prof. Michele Barbour – LinkedIn
Prof. Martin Kuball - LinkedIn
Dr. Katie Hore - LinkedIn
REWIRE - LinkedIn