Artificial intelligence, AI, has solved one of the ‘grand challenges’ of biology. Roger Highfield, Science Director, talks to John Jumper, head of the DeepMind’s landmark ‘AlphaFold’ project, about what this means for the race to combat COVID-19.
Roger Highfield is the Science Director at the Science Museum Group, a member of the UK's Medical Research Council and a visiting professor at the Dunn School, University of Oxford, and Department of Chemistry, UCL. He studied Chemistry at the University of Oxford and was the first person to bounce a neutron off a soap bubble. Roger was the Science Editor of The Daily Telegraph for two decades, and the Editor of New Scientist between 2008 and 2011. He has written or co-authored ten popular science books, most recently Stephen Hawking: Genius at Work, and has had thousands of articles published in newspapers and magazines.
Details of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine are published today, showing encouraging efficacy and some puzzling features. Science Director, Roger Highfield, talks to the trial’s Chief Investigator about the vaccine, trial regulation and a surprising bonus result.
Many COVID-19 drugs, vaccines and tests depend on ‘the spike’. Roger Highfield, Science Director, describes why it is now the most important protein on the planet.
Britain is planning the first human ‘challenge studies’, where people are deliberately infected with SARS-CoV-2. Roger Highfield, Science Director, explores the risks and benefits.
Lockdowns and other stringent measures have been introduced in the wake of computer predictions about the pandemic. Roger Highfield, Science Director, looks at one of most advanced COVID-19 models, and results released today from the most sophisticated analysis of how it works.
With the launch of the Decade of Health campaign, Roger Highfield, Science Director, highlights a few of the many ways the UK has helped the world live longer, happier lives.
The UK must prepare now for a potential new wave of coronavirus infections this winter that could be more serious than the first, warned a report in July. Roger Highfield, Science Director, asks one of the authors about the state of current COVID-19 preparations.
A study published today shows why changes in land use could pave the way for future disease outbreaks, reports Science Director Roger Highfield.
Tomorrow (28th July), Locomotion will be our first of our five museums to open its doors to visitors. Roger Highfield, Science Director, describes the science behind reopening.
Never before have so many of the world’s researchers focused so urgently on a single topic. Roger Highfield, Science Director, discusses how COVID-19 has highlighted the critical role of science in combating disease and how the greatest health challenge of a generation has changed science.
In the global race to curb the pandemic, scientists are testing a new kind of vaccine. Roger Highfield, Science Director, talks to key figures in the ‘David and Goliath’ race for a COVID-19 ‘RNA vaccine’.
Science Director Roger Highfield explores how growing human tissue into mini-organs, or ‘organoids’, will help the fight against COVID-19, from explaining puzzling complications to creating novel treatments.