
Insights from recent episode analysis
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Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 9 chart positions in 9 markets.
By chart position
- 🇬🇧GB · Life Sciences#8230K to 100K
- 🇦🇺AU · Life Sciences#9930K to 100K
- 🇨🇦CA · Life Sciences#1215K to 30K
- 🇲🇽MX · Life Sciences#2230K to 100K
- 🇳🇱NL · Life Sciences#3830K to 100K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
88K to 300K🎙 Weekly cadence·65 episodes·Last published 2d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
176K to 600K🇬🇧17%🇦🇺17%🇲🇽17%+6 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
53K to 180K
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Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
Recent episodes
Polio: Forgotten, but not gone
Jul 2, 2026
Unknown duration
S3E10: Season 3 reflections and goodbye for now!
Aug 13, 2021
Unknown duration
S3E9: Where are we with COVID-19 vaccines and what’s next?
Jul 21, 2021
Unknown duration
S3E8: Vaccine equity - it's not over everywhere unless we share
Jun 1, 2021
Unknown duration
S3E7: Signed, sealed, delivered - vaccine purchasing and distribution
May 20, 2021
Unknown duration
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/2/26 | ![]() Polio: Forgotten, but not gone | In this episode of LSHTM Viral, hosts Karl Byrne and Naomi Stewart explore the return of an old disease making new headlines: polio. While global health initiatives have reduced the global polio burden by more than 99% since 1988, the fight is far from over. With the virus recently detected in London's wastewater and vital surveillance funding facing cuts, the risk of resurgence is a terrifying reality. We explore the lifelong toll of the virus with polio survivor and advocate Anne Wafula Strike, tracking her journey from childhood exclusion in Kenya to a Paralympian wheelchair racer for Team GB. Professor Sir Andrew Pollard of Oxford University breaks down the critical differences between the inactivated polio vaccine used in the UK and the live oral vaccines used globally, shedding light on how logistical hurdles - like the cost of bus fare and lack of access to healthcare advice - are driving down childhood immunisation rates. Finally, Dr. Zubair Wadood from the WHO tackles vaccine misinformation and explains the complex geopolitics of conflict zones and community scepticism that stand in the way of that final 1% of global eradication. The foothold polio retains is a masterclass in what happens when we stop paying attention. Join us as we examine what it takes to hold the line for global health security. Guests:· Anne Wafula Strike: Polio survivor and Team Anti-Polio ambassador, discussing stigma, post-polio syndrome, and sport as an advocacy platform.· Professor Sir Andrew Pollard: Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, explaining wastewater detection, vaccine-derived mutations, and systemic barriers to UK vaccine access.· Dr. Zubair Wadood: Medical Epidemiologist from the WHO, debunking the myth that vaccines cause polio and outlining the strategy for eliminating the virus in its final endemic regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.Episode Chapters:· 00:00 – Introduction: An old disease making new headlines.· 00:37 – The early warning system: London's wastewater surveillance and funding cuts.· 01:19 – The lived reality: Surviving polio, childhood stigma, and post-polio syndrome.· 03:47 – From the sidelines to the Paralympics: Advocating for global awareness.· 05:51 – Breaking down the science: Inactivated vaccines versus oral vaccines.· 08:40 – Debunking the myth: Patchy coverage and variant polio strains.· 09:37 – Access and logistics: The real reasons UK vaccination rates are dropping.· 13:10 – The final 1%: Geopolitics and conflict zones.· 16:08 – Holding the line: The critical need for global health security and funding. | — | ||||||
| 8/13/21 | ![]() S3E10: Season 3 reflections and goodbye for now! | Join Amy and Karl as they reflect on the LSHTM Viral season 3. They discuss how far have we come with vaccinations worldwide and key takeaways from the expert discussions throughout the season. Thank you to all the experts who appeared on the podcast and the dedicated LSHTM Viral listeners that helped LSHTM Viral win a Gold CASE Award for Digital Communications (Frequent Podcast Category). Goodbye for now! | — | ||||||
| 7/21/21 | ![]() S3E9: Where are we with COVID-19 vaccines and what’s next? | In this episode of LSHTM Viral, Karl Byrne speaks with Beate Kampmann, Professor of Paediatric Infection & Immunity and Director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. They delve into the future of vaccines, our perception of risk and how vaccination programmes are going to be monitored in the future. Beate answers burning audience questions including, “Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for pregnant women?”. You can find the LSHTM vaccine tracker here: https://vac-lshtm.shinyapps.io/ncov_vaccine_landscape/ | — | ||||||
| 6/1/21 | ![]() S3E8: Vaccine equity - it's not over everywhere unless we share | The explosive COVID-19 outbreak in India has shone a striking light on one of the biggest moral issues of our time - vaccine equity. Subsequent halting of vaccine exports is severely affecting Africa and developing countries, and although 1.9 billion doses have been administered globally, many developing countries are yet to receive a single dose. In this episode we are joined by two global health leaders, Professor Peter Piot and Dr. Ayoade Alakija, who discuss vaccine nationalism, COVID-19 in Africa, and possible routes to improving health equity in the future. | — | ||||||
| 5/20/21 | ![]() S3E7: Signed, sealed, delivered - vaccine purchasing and distribution | How do countries get access to COVID-19 vaccines in the first place? In this episode, Prof Daniel Bausch of LSHTM shares his thoughts on the global vaccine purchasing and distribution systems. An expert in the control of emerging viruses, Dan also discusses with host Naomi Stewart what the focus on COVID-19 means for other vaccination programmes and trials, how the pandemic may end, and how prepared we will be for future epidemics and pandemics. If you would like to get in contact with the team, or if you have a question you would like to ask our experts, you can email us: comms@lshtm.ac.uk. | — | ||||||
| 5/11/21 | ![]() S3E6: From lab to jab - How to make a vaccine | This week, Karl Byrne talks about the latest vaccination figures as well as other breaking COVID-19 news, including an exciting citizen science project where over the last year gamers playing EVE Online- a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, have carried out real world research that would have taken scientists over 330 years to complete. In our main feature, Karl tells the incredible story of how the Pfizer-BioNTech is manufactured. The journey begins with a small, frozen tube of viral DNA in a facility in America's Midwest, involves travelling across states, and even continents, ending almost 2 months later with millions of doses of vaccine ready to be shipped to vaccination centres across the USA, Europe and beyond. If you would like to get in contact with the team, or if you have a question you would like to ask our experts, you can email us: comms@lshtm.ac.uk Background music for the main feature is from MaxKoMusic | — | ||||||
| 4/20/21 | ![]() S3E5: Who gives the green light for COVID-19 vaccines anyway? | Who are the experts and groups around the world approving and regulating the new COVID-19 vaccines? And what do they need to consider amidst the urgency of vaccinating the world? In this episode ahead of World Immunization Week, Naomi Stewart speaks to Prof Annelies Wilder-Smith from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Prof Smith sits on WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, and walks us through the decisions involved in approving different vaccines - and how it could happen so quickly. If you would like to get in contact with the team, or if you have a question you would like to ask our experts, you can email us: comms@lshtm.ac.uk | — | ||||||
| 4/8/21 | ![]() S3E4: How do we know vaccines are safe? | In this episode we explore the crucial stages of clinical trials and testing vaccines. How do clinical trials account for different demographics? How do we know vaccines are safe for everyone? We are joined by Dr Ed Parker, Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and member of the Vaccine Centre. Ed walks us through the purpose of a clinical trial and its roots in ancient history, and provides insight behind LSHTM’s vaccine tracker. Link to LSHTM short course on clinical trials: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/courses/short-courses/clinical-trials | — | ||||||
| 3/24/21 | ![]() S3E3: What's in a vaccine? | Vaccines have arguably made the greatest contribution to global health of any human intervention apart from the introduction of clean water and sanitation. With new vaccines being developed at an incredible rate to tackle the current pandemic, we take a look at how vaccines work and what goes into each shot. Karl is joined by Helen Fletcher, Professor of Immunology at LSHTM, to take a look at what goes into a vaccine, how you design one and how the COVID-19 vaccines were created so quickly and safely. They also dispel some of the myths floating around about vaccines. Professor Beate Kampmann, Director of the Vaccine Centre at LSHTM, also stops by to answer some questions sent in by you, our listeners. You can find the video on vaccine safety that Karl and Beate talk about here. Learn more about the Vaccine Centre here. If you would like to get in contact with the team, or if you have a question you would like to ask our experts, you can email us: comms@lshtm.ac.uk | — | ||||||
| 3/9/21 | ![]() S3E2: A brief history of vaccines | How did vaccines come to be and how have they changed over time? In today's episode, Naomi Stewart speaks to historian Dr Gareth Millward from the University of Warwick, on the history of vaccines and how vaccination programmes have evolved in the 20th century. Professor Liam Smeeth from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine then walks us through the vaccine landscape at the turn of the 21st century, and public perceptions and attitudes towards vaccination in a COVID-19 world. | — | ||||||
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| 2/23/21 | ![]() S3E1: Will vaccination end the COVID-19 pandemic? | Welcome back to a new season of LSHTM Viral, where we will be taking a deep-dive into vaccines and speak to experts working real-time on COVID-19. LSHTM modeller Roz Eggo reacts to the UK’s roadmap announcement on 22 February for easing lockdown restrictions, explaining the science behind the government's decision and how vaccination will forge a way out of the pandemic. John Edmunds, a UK government science advisor and professor of infectious disease at LSHTM discussed how new, potentially dangerous variants of the virus can emerge and key considerations for vaccination at this scale. | — | ||||||
| 2/17/21 | ![]() Season 3 trailer | Launching February 23rd 2021 Vaccines are widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements of modern civilization, but how vaccines work, How do you create a vaccine? And perhaps most importantly, how do you produce enough to vaccinate the entire world? Join Karl Byrne, Amy Thomas and Naomi Stewart every fortnight as they explore the latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic and take a deep dive into vaccines and vaccinations. They will be talking about the latest pandemic news, answering your vaccine questions and speaking to experts from LSHTM and beyond, as they explore the past, present and future of vaccines. Find out more on our LSHTM podcast website. | — | ||||||
| 1/6/21 | ![]() S2E8: The future depends on planetary health | How exactly did planetary health come to be, and where is it headed? In this season finale, we speak to two pioneers of the field - Prof Andy Haines of LSHTM and Richard Horton, editor of the Lancet. They discuss the urgency of embedding planetary health into the policy agenda, the benefits of increased public engagement with science during COVID-19, and how to address the inequalities that could hamper our efforts. | — | ||||||
| 12/3/20 | ![]() Bonus: Vaccine Special - Confident or hesitant? | Welcome to a special episode of LSHTM Viral! The UK has become the first country in the world to approve the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, with mass national roll out following as early as the next couple of weeks. Karl is joined in this episode by Dr Pauline Paterson, Dr Sadie Bell, and Prof Liam Smeeth of LSHTM, as they take a look at the factors that affect people's confidence and hesitance around vaccines, how the recent news might affect peoples perceptions of vaccines, and discuss some of the logistical and communication challenges that the UK faces in vaccinating the population. If you would like to get in touch with your questions and comments, we'd love to hear from you! You can email us: comms@lshtm.ac.uk | — | ||||||
| 11/26/20 | ![]() S2E7: Blue sky thinking - using satellites to track air pollution | We hear a lot about reducing air pollution, but why do we need to? Join Amy, Naomi and Karl exploring the ins and outs of air pollution including, how the particles affect the human body, and where they come from. We turn to new research that uses machine learning, satellite data and on-the-ground monitors to build a highly detailed pollution map of Great Britain, revealing exciting avenues for the future of air pollution and health research. Contributions from LSHTM's Prof Paul Wilkinson and Prof Antonio Gasparrini. | — | ||||||
| 11/19/20 | ![]() S2E6: What if we can't handle the heat? | Will climate change make it too hot for humans to live? In today's planetary health episode of LSHTM Viral, we explore the deathly impacts of excess heat driven by global warming. Shakoor Hajat explains what actually happens to our body during heat stress and how that's causing increases in mortality and morbidity worldwide, and Ana Bonell shares a case study from her PhD research on how hot temperatures are affecting pregnant farmers - and their foetuses - in West Africa. Both researchers also explain why, despite the challenges, they are still hopeful. | — | ||||||
| 11/5/20 | ![]() S2E4: Environmental changes and infectious disease | From Africa’s meningitis belt to the link between malaria and rice cultivation, and from mosquitoes in the Mekong Delta to mangoes in Mexico, the links between environmental change and infectious diseases are complex and, at times, surprising. Join Karl Byrne, Amy Thomas and guests as they delve into this fascinating topic. Karl and Amy chat about the US Presidential election and how it could impact America’s efforts towards curbing climate change going forward. Karl is also joined by Professor Martin Antonio from MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM and LSHTM PhD candidate Kallista Chan to talk about their research on two very different infectious diseases that are affected by environmental changes - bacterial meningitis and malaria - as well as the complex interactions between human impact on the environment and its effects on other diseases. If you would like to get in touch with the team , you can email us at comms@lshtm.ac.uk You can find out more about the Centre of Climate Change and Planetary Health here. | — | ||||||
| 10/29/20 | ![]() S2E3: Food, Health and Sustainability - Part 2 | What role does the private sector play in achieving sustainable yet nutritious food systems? In today's episode, Naomi Stewart explores the relationship between the private sector and climate change when it comes to the production of food, from small scale farmers to the mass industrialisation of plant-based alternatives. Our first guest is Francesca Harris, a PhD student at LSHTM who discusses the impacts of farming on water resources in India, and the ways that academia should or could interact with the private sector. Then, we speak to Adam Cheney, a R&D Manager at V2 - an Australian startup looking to develop scalable plant-based protein alternatives - about the perspective of the private sector and their mutual interest in a healthy, sustainable food future. Find out more about the Centre of Climate Change and Planetary Health. | — | ||||||
| 10/22/20 | ![]() S2E2: Food, Health and Sustainability - Part 1 | Healthy and sustainable diets are essential for planetary health. Poor diets are a leading cause of ill health and death globally, and the food system is responsible for between 20% and 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. On-going environmental changes are also having a direct impact on food production, and without substantial efforts to adapt to the new environmental conditions, the food system will struggle to deliver healthy and sustainable diets for all. In this episode, Karl Byrne has a chat with Professor Alan Dangour, the Director of LSHTM's Centre of Climate Change and Planetary Health, and Pauline Scheelbeek, Assistant Professor of Nutritional and Environmental Epidemiology, about the challenges our food systems face and what we have to do to ensure healthy, nutritional and sustainable food supplies to feed the world's ever growing population. Find out more about the Centre of Climate Change and Planetary Health. | — | ||||||
| 9/11/20 | ![]() S1E39 (Bonus episode): Vaccine Confidence | In this bonus episode, we speak to Prof Heidi Larson, Director of the 'Vaccine Confidence Project'. Heidi and her team have just published a 5 year study looking at public confidence in vaccines worldwide across 149 countries. She discusses increases and declines in confidence, and what can be done to understand these different views in order to increase confidence and optimise vaccine uptake, which will be crucial with the hopeful arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine. | — | ||||||
| 8/28/20 | ![]() S1E38: A modern history of pandemics and public health: Where does COVID-19 fit in? | In our final episode of LSHTM Viral's first season, we dive into the history of pandemics and public health in the last few centuries, from the bubonic plague to AIDS and H1N1. Researchers from the Centre for History in Public Health explore how COVID-19 fits into this history, and how the past has shaped how we are responding to the crisis now. | — | ||||||
| 8/20/20 | ![]() S1E37: World Mosquito Day 2020: How does COVID-19 impact the fight against malaria? | For World Mosquito Day 2020, we explore the impact of COVID-19 on malaria control and prevention. A recent report from WHO says the continued disruption to malaria prevention could revert mortality to levels seen two decades ago. In this episode we speak to Prof of Epidemiology and Global Health, Sian Clarke, Co-Director of the Malaria Centre at LSHTM and Dr Corine Ngufor, Assistant Prof of Medical Entomology explains how we can adapt current malaria campaigns in West Africa while maintaining safety from COVID-19 transmission. More information: www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres/malaria-centre | — | ||||||
| 8/13/20 | ![]() S1E36: Tracking COVID-19 rumours in Africa | COVID-19 cases are starting to rise across Africa. Researchers at The MRC Unit The Gambia, LSHTM, have developed a COVID-19 rumour tracking app to combat rumours and misinformation about COVID-19 circulating amongst the populations in The Gambia and neighbouring Senegal. Social Scientific Lead Dr Melisa Martinez-Alvarez, and Social Scientific Officer Lamin Leigh explain why the tracking app is needed and how it works. Link to the tracker: https://apps.mrc.gm/informationtracker | — | ||||||
| 7/30/20 | ![]() S1E35: COVID-19 Live Q&A #4 with Peter Piot, John Nkengasong & Sarah Boseley | We bring you our fourth live Covid-19 Q&A, broadcast on Twitter and YouTube on 28 July with Professor Peter Piot, Director of LSHTM, Dr John Nkengasong, first Director of Africa CDC and presented by Sarah Boseley, Health Editor at The Guardian. | — | ||||||
| 7/23/20 | ![]() S1E34: Ask Prof Peter Piot and Dr John Nkengasong your questions on COVID-19 | Next Tuesday 28th July we are hosting our fourth COVID-19 Live Q&A with Peter Piot, Director of LSHTM, and John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC. Join our Q&A streamed on LSHTM’s Twitter and YouTube channels to ask your questions direct to world-leading experts with moderation by Sarah Boseley, Health Editor at The Guardian. | — | ||||||
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Chart Positions
10 placements across 9 markets.
Chart Positions
10 placements across 9 markets.


















