Did you know that lung cancer rates in Yorkshire are among the highest in the country? This week in The Research Room, we're joined by Professor Rachael Murray and Bec Thorley to tell us all about the YorQuit study. Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, this fantastic 3-arm trial aims to find the best way to support people across Yorkshire to stop smoking and improve their lung health.

Join us as we go behind the scenes of the project and discover how the study is helping Yorkshire go smoke-free, one Greggs at a time!

Find out more about YorQuit:

https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/trials/ytutrialsandstudies/trials/yorquit/

Music by Matthew Bailey

Biologic therapies have revolutionised the treatment of autoimmune conditions, but when patients with inflammatory joint disease face surgery, clinicians and patients have a tough choice: stop these powerful medicines and risk a painful flare up of the condition or continue them and face potential infection or compromised healing.

This week in The Research Room Professor Kulveer Mankia and Trial Manager Dr Sam Brady tell us all about the PERISCOPE trial, a randomised controlled trial designed to settle this clinical catch-22.

We discover how this study aims to provide robust evidence that could change national guidelines and improve the lives of the vast number of people living with these conditions across the UK. Plus, discover what a well-known cartoon dog has to do with the future of orthopedic surgery!

Resources from this episode:

Find out more about PERISCOPE: https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/trials/ytutrialsandstudies/trials/periscope/#tab-2

Read about the PERISCOPE trial here: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/6/e084997

Music by Matthew Bailey

This week in the Research Room, we are joined by Consultant Hand Surgeons Emma Reay and Nick Johnson to get the full story on the SCOOTT project (Surgery versus Conservative Osteoarthritis Of Thumb Trial). This ambitious three-armed study explores a critical question: is the newer joint replacement, a traditional trapeziectomy (bone removal) or enhanced non-surgical care the best way to ease the pain of thumb arthritis.

We discuss why treatment varies so widely across the UK, the "mini hip replacement" for your hand, and the importance of gathering evidence for new surgical trends. Plus, find out how the SCOOTT acronym fared in our resident rating system!

Resources from this episode:

Find out more about the SCOOTT project here: https://www.scoott-trial.com/

Thumb replacement:

Music by Matthew Bailey

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to run a clinical trial? This week in The Research Room, we kick off 2026 by going behind the scenes of the York Trials Unit (YTU). We are joined by Director Professor Catherine Hewitt and Deputy Director Dr. Jude Watson to discover exactly what a trials unit does and why trials are so important.

From the history of the unit to the importance of the "Gold Standard" Randomised Control Trial, Catherine and Jude explain how their multidisciplinary team improves patient care one study at a time. Whether you are an aspiring researcher or simply interested in how research improves patient care, this episode reveals the teamwork behind the science.

Resources from this episode:

Find out more about York Trials Unit here: https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/trials/

Music by Matthew Bailey

The tables have turned at The Research Room! For our 2025 Christmas Special, Emma Standley takes the mic as guest host, putting us in the hot seat for a change. Join us as we reflect on our favorite highlights from the past year and share the behind-the-scenes story of how this podcast journey began. Stick around for some festive fun as we talk holiday traditions and reveal the strangest gifts we’ve ever seen.

Plus, get a sneak peek at the exciting projects we have in store for 2026!

Merry Christmas from The Research Room!

Music by Matthew Bailey

How do researchers ensure a clinical trial truly works for the people taking part? The answer is simple: ask the patients.

This week we're revisiting the BioDrive AFS Study, a major trial investigating the best way to prevent and detect fungal infection in patients with blood cancer, to hear from the people helping to design it. We sit down with Trial Manager Dr. Sam Brady and Patient Advisory Group members Kate and Mary to explore how lived experience has helped shape the study.

Kate and Mary share their journeys from diagnosis to becoming research partners, proving that patient voices are not just helpful, they are essential. Discover the power of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI), plus learn how you can get involved to help shape the future of healthcare!

Resources from this episode:

• The BioDrive AFS Study: https://biodrive-rct.com/
• Involvement@York: https://www.york.ac.uk/research/involvement/
• NIHR Be Part of Research: https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
• Listen to Episode 3: For the full background on the BioDrive trial, be sure to check out our full episode on the study.

Music by Matthew Bailey

This week is a 2-4-1 special! We're joined by Fi Rose and Gareth Roberts to tell us all about not one, but TWO pivotal surgical trials.

• RAPSODI investigates the definitive choice between Reverse and Anatomical Total Shoulder Replacement for patients with painful osteoarthritis.

• DIDACT compares the clinical and cost-effectiveness of immediate surgery fixation versus simple sling immobilisation for a common displaced clavicle fracture (broken collarbone).

We learn about the unique logistical challenges of organising large-scale randomised control trials (RCTs) in orthopaedics, and the tough job of asking shoulder surgeons to put their personal preferences aside for the sake of evidence-based medicine. PLUS we discover why coordinating a complex surgical trial is surprisingly similar to a high-stakes game of Ka-Plunk!

Resources from this episode:

Click to find out more abou the RAPSODI and DIDACT Trials.

Get in touch with the RAPSODI team on ytu-rapsodi@york.ac.uk or the DIDACT team on ytu-didact@york.ac.uk

Music by Matthew Bailey

Does a bad night's sleep really fuel anxiety? And should we really be banning smartphones in schools?

This week we’ve ventured across campus to the Department of Psychology to talk to Emma Sullivan all about the complex science of sleep, screens, and stress.

Join us as Emma walks us through two bold projects. The first plunges participants into an unnerving virtual environment to reveal how a sleepless night traps the brain in a state of hypervigilance. The other tracks a Channel 4 documentary-inspired experiment where teenagers attempt a total smartphone ban.

We hear about the reality of sleep research: from watching brainwaves in the Sleep Lab and using Virtual Reality to test emotional recovery, to the hurdles of convincing teenagers to hand in their smartphones. Plus, we find out why the digital detox might not be the silver bullet for mental health that the headlines suggest.

Resources from this episode:

• Find out more about Emma's research: https://sites.google.com/york.ac.uk/emmasullivan-com/home
• Follow Emma on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/emmacsullivan.bsky.social
• Channel 4 Documentary: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/swiped-the-school-that-banned-smartphones
• Get involved in psychology research at York: https://www.york.ac.uk/psychology/research/participate/

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Get in touch and learn more about The Research Room at https://www.theresearchroompodcast.com/

Music by Matthew Bailey

Need another podcast fix? Don't miss Alex Reid’s fascinating sleep research chat on Phil Lang is Not a Scientist Listen here.