Smallpox is a pathogen specific to our species and it has wreaked havoc with human populations over the centuries. Ultimately it gave rise to what we now think of as immunisation and vaccine technology and is the only disease we have ever eradicated.

In this episode we explore this epic history of the Variola virus with Professor Gareth Williams, hear from Dr Celine Gounder, who sought out and interviewed the last survivor of smallpox in the wild, and confront a still controversial predicament: should all remaining live samples of the smallpox virus be destroyed? with Professor David Heymann.

Featured guests:

Prof. Gareth Williams, author of ‘Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox’ - on the history of smallpox https://thesohoagency.co.uk/authors/gareth-williams/

Dr. Celine Gounder on Rahima Braha the last survivor of smallpox in the wild https://www.celinegounder.com/

Professor David Heymann on the eradication of wild smallpox and the argument for retaining live virus samples for research https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/heymann.david

African nations have a painful and particular relationship with HIV, they have also been at the forefront of the fight against the disease. In this episode, we explore the battle against HIV from their perspective, how a post-colonial legacy combined with complex societal factors provided fertile ground for the spread of the disease. We then follow how Africa dealt with the spread of HIV through the 20th century, to the eventual global escalation that forced international coordinated efforts to battle the epidemic.

Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim and Professor Salim Abdool Karim tell us about their groundbreaking work examining the impact of sociological behaviours on transmission and world renowned HIV expert, Linda-Gail Bekker, explores the latest developments in treatment options.

Guests featured:

- Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim and Professor Salim Abdool Karim on their celebrated research on vulnerable populations and critical interventions https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/09/30/g-s1-25433/hiv-prevention-lasker-prize-aids

Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker on African researchers' role in the development of Lenacapavir and its promise for the Africans moving forward https://idm.uct.ac.za/contacts/linda-gail-bekker

Tuberculosis is often assumed to be a disease of the past, but it kills over 1 million people a year - a higher rate than malaria and HIV combined.

In this episode we visit a forgotten and critical turning point in vaccine development. 'The Black Angels' were a group of black nurses who faced almost certain death to perform the world’s very first clinical trials using the drug that would become the gold standard for TB treatment today. They helped cure tuberculosis in New York City's Sea View Hospital during the mid-20th century.

We talk to New Yorker Maria Smilios about how she happened upon the tale of this incredible group of nurses in 2016. Astounded by the story from the City’s Sea View Hospital, and the incredible pioneers that changed the trajectory of the fight against tuberculosis, she knew she had to tell it to the world.

When the pandemic hit half way through writing her book, Maria realised that many of the themes in her book around inequity and disease were alive and well in present day New York. She decided she needed to write a book about it before it was too late. Maria tells us the story of these incredible pioneers who faced racial adversity, braving almost certain death to perform the world’s very first clinical trials using the drug that would become the gold standard for TB treatment today.

Seema and Maria discuss the future, the challenges of distributing and treating TB worldwide and the hope there is for the future with gains already made in campaigning and the triumphant power of people working together.

Feature guest:

- Maria Smilios - Science writer and author on her book ‘The Black Angels’ revisiting a forgotten passage in the fight against TB and what this story can teach us today.

https://www.mariasmilios.com/

The ‘single shot’ MMR combined vaccine is one of the biggest achievements in childhood infectious disease prevention, directly responsible for saving millions of lives. Fast-forward to the late 1990s, just as communication was becoming increasingly digital - encouraged by lawyers and his own alternative vaccine patent, a fraudulent paper was published by Andrew Wakefield in a highly respected medical journal falsely linking the jab to autism in children. No one could have predicted the devastating effects this would go on to have on MMR vaccine hesitancy for generations to come, the effects of which pervade to this day.

We talk to Professor Beate Kampmann about how an estimated 94 million deaths have been prevented, and the challenges for distribution and the inefficiencies of medical systems. Professor Helen Bedford talks about communication around vaccines and how empathy and understanding of skepticism will save more lives than dismission or derision.

Contributor Notes

- Prof Beate Kampmann on the MMR vaccines evolution and power https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/kampmann.beate

- Journalist Brian Deer - on Andrew Wakefield and his devastating fraud linking the measles vaccine and autism https://briandeer.com/

- Prof. Helen Bedford on the key to building trust as measles outbreaks happen more regularly https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/6707-helen-bedford

In this episode we look at the fight against polio from ‘The March of the Dimes’ - a famous episode in the history of mass immunisation in which ordinary Americans were inspired to fundraise for research that would go on to end Polio in the US. Professor Dora Vargha leads us through a lesser-told chapter of that story, which is the astonishing international cooperation between US and Soviet scientists at the height of the Cold War.

We look at the current challenges with wild polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan with Dr. Hanan Balkhy, regional WHO director, examining how immunisation levels can be approved through distribution, technology and societal changes. Celebrating a story of success, we talk to Dr. Tunji Funsho about how we achieved Polio eradication in Nigeria, including lessons from engaging community leaders, celebrities and parents to achieve grass-roots community support.

Guests featured:

- Prof Dora Vargha - science historian on the forgotten story of medical co-operation across the iron curtain and a heroic push to end polio. https://arch-history.exeter.ac.uk/history/profile/index.php?username=dv251

- Dr Hanan Balkhy - WHO Regional director for the mediterranean on the challenge to rid Pakistan and Afghanistan of wild polio https://hananbalkhy.info/

- Dr. Tunji Funsho - Rotary Representative for the African Region and expert on Nigerian polio eradication on the power of understanding community in fighting polio. https://www.rotary.org/en/rotarian-tunji-funsho-named-one-of-times-100-most-influential-people-world

In this episode we confront a new reality for vaccines post Covid. On the one hand, the acceleration of science thanks to mRna derived vaccine design - that allowed the Moderna team in the US to respond in just 66 days. On the other, the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation fuelled by social media.

We hear from Dr Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire about the early days of Covid-19 and the work in developing the vaccine. Dr Yasmin talks to Dr. Céline Gounder who found herself tangled in this new reality of conspiracy theories, as she dealt with the tragic and sudden death of her late husband, sports writer Grant Wahl. Looking to the future we examine what we can do about human behaviour in the spread of misinformation to limit it in the future through the successful work being done on “pre-bunking” from Dr Sander van der Linden and Dr Melisa Basol.

Notes on Guests featured:

- Dr Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire, head of the NIH’s vaccine design response team working with Moderna. https://www.instagram.com/kizzyphd/?hl=en

- Dr. Céline Gounder - Public health specialist and vaccine advocate https://www.celinegounder.com/

- Dr Sander Van Der Linden - discussing his work on ‘prebunking’ harmful mis and disinformation online https://www.sandervanderlinden.com/about

- Dr Melisa Basol - on a new future fuelled by toxic online mis and disinformation https://www.pulselab.uk/

New Podcast Announcement. Welcome to Our Big Shot with Dr Seema Yasmin, a podcast series dedicated to understanding the power of vaccines, marking key moments in the science of immunisation. As we reach the 50th anniversary of the Essential Programme on Immunisation, we look at how we best prepare for the next global push in fighting infectious disease and taking Our Big Shot at wiping out disease.