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/

Enjoying The Research Room? Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode!

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

Music by Matthew Bailey

How can we design research that actually benefits people and the planet? This week we welcome back Karen Glerum-Brooks to the Research Room, and this time she's brought along her colleague Andrew Mott to talk about the Valuing Voices project.

Listen as Karen and Andrew share lessons learnt from clinical trials, the small design choices that can massively reduce research waste, and the qualitative interviews that are shaping their guidance for trials across the UK. If you’re writing a grant, planning a trial, or simply curious about how we can all do research better, this episode is definitely for you!

Don't forget to like and follow so you never miss an episode!

Find out more about the project here: https://valuing-voices.ac.uk/

Check out the researcher tool here: https://valuing-voices.ac.uk/dashboard/

Get in touch with the team at valuing-voices@york.ac.uk

Music by Matthew Bailey

What's the best way to heal an open surgical wound? This week we're chatting with the SWHSI-II team, Catherine Arundel, Sam Swan and Sabeen Zahra, all about the SWHSI-2 trial, the award winning study which compared Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with traditional standard dressings to answer this question.

We go behind-the-scenes to hear about the trial’s highs and hurdles: blinded photo assessments, COVID interruptions, and smart solutions to recruitment challenges. Plus we find out the team's top tips for researchers undertaking similar projects.

Resources from this episode:

Find out more abou the SWHSI-II Trial here: https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/trials/ytutrialsandstudies/trials/swhsi-2/#tab-2

Clinical Results paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)00143-6 Trial Learning paper: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01658-w

Cost effectiveness paper: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znaf077 Bluebelle (patient reported infection questionnaire) validation paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtv.2025.100889

Music by Matthew Bailey

It’s not every day you get to hear from a mother and daughter who are shaping clinical research together!

This week we had the privilege of speaking with a Emma and Toni Wakefield who both took on the crucial role of chairing Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) panels for the BAY trial. We learn how their input led to practical changes in the study, from making materials more inclusive to ensuring the perspectives of young people and carers were properly heard.

Plus, hear how leading the panels was a real confidence booster for them, and get Toni and Emma's top tips for anyone wanting to get involved in research, too.

Find out more about the BAY project here: https://bayresearchstudy.co.uk/about-our-research

Get in touch with the BAY team: bay-project@york.ac.uk

Learn more about Patient & Public Involvement here: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/best-practice/public-involvement/

Music by Matthew Bailey