In this episode of ECDC on Air, we speak with Leonidas Alexakis, an expert in epidemic intelligence at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Leonidas shares insights from his recent deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of the European Health Task Force. He discusses his role in supporting the response to the ongoing mpox outbreak, the challenges of working in a resource-limited setting, and the lessons learned from working alongside WHO and local health authorities. 

Tune in for a deeper understanding of international public health efforts and the complexities of responding to emerging disease outbreaks.

Learn more about mpox here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/mpox

For more information about ECDC in general visit ⁠⁠https://ecdc.europa.eu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: bit.ly/ECDCSocialMedia

ECDC: on Air - Episode 57 - Leonidas Alexakis - Health Task Force in Action - DRC Congo

Summer Colling and Emma Wille speak with epidemiologists Ridwaan Ibrahim and Lucia Rodriguez-Garcia about the recent ISPOR conference. Ridwaan and Lucia discuss where they see new technologies like AI fitting into the epidemiology space as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using AI to analyze large volumes of real world data.

Datamonitor Healthcare Podcast: Epidemiology in the Age of Real World Data and AI

This episode explores the growing threat of avian influenza, which has led to massive outbreaks in bird populations and an increasing number of cases in mammals.

With nearly 70 human cases and one death confirmed in the US recently linked to the H5N1 subtype, concerns are rising about its potential to spread among humans in Europe and cause a pandemic.

Experts from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) discuss the risks to humans, the impact on animals, and the preventive measures that EU Member States can take.

Listen in to Alessandro Broglia (EFSA) and Katriina Willgert (ECDC) and learn more.

Read more on the highly pathogenic avian flu on ECDC portal: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/avian-influenza

and on EFSA's pages: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/avian-influenza

ECDC: on Air - Episode 58 - A. Broglia and K. Willgert - Avian Flu – The Next Pandemic Threat?

In this episode of the Socialist Medicine podcast, Nils Graber speaks with Lukas Engelmann of the University of Edinburgh about his research into the history of epidemiology and epidemic modeling. Engelmann presents his latest research revisiting the steep rise of epidemic modeling and infectious disease dynamics since the 1970s.

Lukas Engelmann is a Chancellor’s Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Science, Technology and Innovation Studies at the University of Edinburgh. He is a historian of medicine and epidemiology, asking how historical forms of knowledge production bear on contemporary politics of health.

SocMed Podcast: Lukas Engelmann

In this illuminating episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra engages with Dr Jonathan Drezner, Director of Sports Cardiology at the University of Washington, who explores the complex world of cardiovascular risk in competitive athletes.

Dr Drezner traces the evolution of sports cardiology from watershed moments involving high-profile athletes like Hank Gathers and Reggie Lewis to today's sophisticated screening protocols. The conversation reveals startling statistics about sudden cardiac death—particularly among specific athlete populations where risks are significantly higher than previously thought.

The discussion delves into the limitations of traditional screening questionnaires versus the enhanced detection capabilities of ECG testing, highlighting how proper interpretation has dramatically reduced false positives. Dr Drezner articulates the shift from universal disqualification to personalized risk assessment for athletes with cardiac conditions, emphasizing the critical elements of effective emergency action plans that can mean the difference between life and death on the playing field.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into both common and rare cardiac conditions affecting athletes, from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to anomalous coronary arteries, while understanding the three pillars of modern sports cardiology: epidemiology, screening, and management. This episode offers essential knowledge for cardiologists, sports medicine physicians, and other healthcare professionals involved in athlete cardiac care.

Questions and comments can be sent to “podcast@radcliffe-group.com” and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode. Host: @AnkurKalraMD and produced by: @RadcliffeCARDIO

Parallax is Ranked in the Top 100 Health Science Podcasts (#48) by Million Podcasts: https://www.radcliffecardiology.com/news/parallax-podcast-ankur-kalra-recognised-among-top-medical-podcasts?language_content_entity=en

EP 132: The Heart of the Game: Cardiovascular Risk in Athletes

In this episode, we explore Europe's progress toward the 2030 SDGs with Charlotte Deogan, expert in communicable diseases at ECDC.

This episode unpacks SDG Target 3.3, which aims to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and combat viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections by 2030.
 
As ECDC releases its first comprehensive monitoring report on the SDGs, we discuss the EU/EEA's current status and whether we are on track.
 
ECDC’s reports and other work on the SDGs can be found at https://ecdc.europa.eu/sustainable-development-goals
 
For more information about ECDC in general, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠ecdc.europa.eu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media - https://bit.ly/ECDCSocialMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

ECDC: on Air - Episode 60 - Charlotte Deogan - Europe's SDG Reality Check

In this episode of #ECDCOnAir, the discussion revolves around vaccination acceptance, exploring the factors influencing people's health choices, the role of social and behavioural sciences, the impact of misinformation, and the trends in vaccination rates across Europe.

ECDC experts - Sarah Earnshaw Blomquist and Andrea Würz provide insights into how understanding these dynamics can help improve vaccination uptake and public health strategies.

Learn more about the 5 C's here: https://bit.ly/4cXcSkM
join the ECDC Lighthouse: https://prevention.ecdc.europa.eu/ 

For more information about ECDC in general, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ecdc.europa.eu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: bit.ly/ECDCSocialMedia

ECDC: on Air - Episode 62 - Andrea Würz & Sarah Earnshaw Blomquist - The 5 Cs of Vaccination

Professor Cecily Kelleher graduated from UCD Medicine in 1980. Having completed a master’s degree in public health at UCD Professor Kelleher took up a post as senior scientist in clinical epidemiology at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit in London, working on the large-scale Thrombosis Prevention Trial. 

She was appointed to the foundation chair of Health Promotion at NUI Galway in 1990. In 2002, she was appointed to the Chair of Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology at UCD and was head of the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science until 2015. 

In September 2015, she became College Principal, College of Health and Agricultural Sciences and is currently Dean of Public Health in the Faculty of Public Health Medicine. 

Professor Kelleher is also a member of the Royal Irish Academy. She served as Chair of the Covid-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel for the report to the Minister for Health on the examination of measures to 2021. 

Her main areas of research are on lifecourse epidemiology and cardiovascular disease, childhood obesity, Traveller health, and the public health impacts of tobacco smoke.

MGA Clinical Influencers

UCD MGA launched its Podcast Series - MGA Clinical Influencers - in 2022.

During this podcast series, graduates give us a trip down memory lane when describing their time at UCD (and on some occasions in other Schools of Medicine) and as junior doctors.

They discuss their stellar careers in their chosen speciailty and highlights and challenges during those careers, how they share their expertise and coach others. On a personal level, they will discuss how they manage a decent work life balance, where that is possible and books for us to enjoy and holiday locations we should be thinking about. Our interviewees have compelling stories to tell that will spark your curiosity about life in the clinical speciality they have chosen and the career path they have travelled.

https://www.ucd.ie/medicine/alumni/mgapodcastseries/

Professor Cecily Kelleher - Dean of Public Health in the Faculty of Public Health Medicine (UCD Class of 1980)

Why are hepatitis A cases rising sharply in parts of Europe - and what can public health professionals do about it?


In this episode of ECDC on Air, Linda Trönnberg - Principal Expert in Food-, Waterborne and Zoonotic Diseases, and Theresa Enkirch - Expert in Microbiology and Molecular Epidemiology break down the latest hepatitis A outbreak affecting Austria, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia, highlighting who is being most affected, how the virus is spreading, and what actions can help contain it.


From person-to-person transmission in areas with limited sanitation to the role of genomic sequencing and the importance of tailored outreach, this episode explores the science and strategy behind the response and what cross-border coordination can achieve.


This is the first episode in the series where we focus on the recently published Rapid RIsk Assesments on infectious diseases.


The RRA on Hepatitis A cases from 18 June 2025 can be found ⁠here⁠: https://bit.ly/44nxRJt


For more on Hepatitis, check the dedicated pages on the ⁠ECDC portal⁠: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/viral-hepatitis 


More information on epidemiology in Europe in general can be found on our portal: ⁠https://ecdc.europa.eu⁠ and ⁠social media channels⁠: bit.ly/ECDCSocialMedia

ECDC: on Air - Episode 63 - Risk Wire - Hepatitis A Spike in Europe: What’s Behind the Surge?

In this special episode of ECDC On Air, Bruno Ciancio - Head of Unit - Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-preventable Disease at ECDC, discusses the recent Rapid Risk Assessment on diphtheria, its symptoms, transmission, and the importance of vaccination. He highlights the current trends in diphtheria cases, particularly among vulnerable populations, and emphasizes the need for timely public health measures and effective treatment strategies.

The conversation also compares diphtheria with measles, underscoring the critical role of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases.

Read more about the situation in our press release here: https://bit.ly/3Gym2s7 and find the full text of the Rapid Risk Assessment on diphtheria here: https://bit.ly/4nNvTLj

More information on epidemiology in Europe in general can be found on our portal: https://⁠ecdc.europa.eu⁠ and ⁠social media channels⁠: bit.ly/ECDCSocialMedia

ECDC: on Air - Episode 64 - Risk Wire - Diphtheria in Europe: Why is ECDC Raising the Flag?

Citeline places biopharma and medical device professionals, and those who focus on these industries, at the forefront of knowledge and insight, by providing the perfect combination of news and information together with penetrating insight and analysis. Citeline is a leader in the field of healthcare industry information.

Socialist Medicine pushes the boundaries of global health history by shifting the focus of research in terms of place, people and institutions to the socialist world: a constellation of Eastern European, Asian, Latin American and African countries connected through political ideology, expert networks, economic development and aid, and military interventions, in fluctuating intensity throughout the Cold War. The research project is based at Humboldt University in Berlin, and funded by an ERC Starting Grant. For more information, see https://socialistmedicine.com/ 

This podcast is part of a project that has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 949639)

Real Smart Media is a Dublin based audiovisual production and web management company. Recording and podcasting events is a specialty.

‘Parallax’ (/ˈparəlaks/)-noun: the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions. Join Ankur Kalra, MD as he shows you a different side to cardiovascular care, management and science. Listen to Ankur’s conversations with legendary cardiologists, critical reviews of key congresses and late-breaking trials, and concise summaries. Published every second Monday of the month, this is your fix of reliable updates on all things cardiology by someone from a non-traditional background, who is always trying to look at it from new angles! Dear cardiologists, we want to make this podcast about you, and for you! Please email us critical thoughts, comments and questions for Ankur at podcast@radcliffe-group.com.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. We aim at strengthening #Europe's defences against infectious diseases.

ECDC's SoundCloud - the heartbeat of European epidemiology.

New tracks tagged #Epidemiology