Welcome to season 3 of Probably Platelets, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts, Alex, research fellow from the University of Birmingham and Xenia, post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelets researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know, we'll probably talk about platelets.
In this episode we're thrilled to have Dr Amanda Unsworth from the University of Leeds. Amanda has been a dedicated platelet researcher for over 15 years, and is also serving as the current president of the platelet society. In this episode Amanda discusses her research journey as well as her time as president of the platelet society. We discuss the importance of the society, and we encourage as many people as possible to provide their thoughts and input to further shape the direction of the society.
This episode was recorded in August 2025. We want to give a massive thanks to Amanda with providing us her time during this episode.
Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk
Welcome to season 3 of Probably Platelets, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts, Alex, post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham and Xenia, post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelets researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know, we'll probably talk about platelets.
We’re excited to welcome Grace Lloyd to this episode. Grace will be sharing her personal journey of living with ITP, a rare autoimmune condition affecting blood platelets. She’s also taking on the Richmond Half Marathon to raise funds for The Platelet Society, helping to support research and awareness for people living with platelet disorders. We can’t wait to hear her inspiring story and what’s driving her to make such a difference.This episode was recorded in July 2025 and we are so grateful to Grace for her time and generosity in sharing her story with us.
Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk
Welcome to season 2 of Probably Platelets, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts, Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds, and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know, we'll probably talk about platelets.
This episode marks the end of Beth's time as host of the podcast. We discuss her experience setting up the 'Probably platelets' podcast, what she's learnt from the podcast, her experiences working in academia, and her transition to a new role. This episode was recorded in July 2025.
We would like to thank Beth for all her amazing work over the years on the podcast and in the platelet society. We wish her the best of luck in her new role.
Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk
Welcome to season 2 of Probably Platelets, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts, Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds, and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know, we'll probably talk about platelets.
In this episode, we’re joined by Joe Italiano, associate professor of Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and Medical school. Joe shares his Scientific journey, starting from when he was a young boy, all the way to being a world leading researcher in Platelets and megakaryocytes.
We chat about his outlook on mentorship, positive research culture, and the excitement of discovering new science. We also discuss how changes to how Universities are funded, and the grant system in general, can affect research. Make sure you watch until the end where Joe taps into his creative musical side and busts out a megakaryocyte rap.
This episode was recorded in March 2025, and we are so grateful to Joe for his time and generosity in sharing his story with us. It was a real privilege to hear about his career and thoughtful reflections and outlook on research, leadership, and life beyond the lab.
Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk
Welcome to season 2 of Probably Platelets, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts, Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds, and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know, we'll probably talk about platelets.
In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Alison Goodall, Emeritus Professor of Thrombosis and Haemostasis in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester. Alison shares her incredible journey through academia, from her early work on some of the first monoclonal antibodies to leading her own research group, spinning out a company, and taking on multiple leadership roles throughout her career.
We chat about her experience moving between institutions, the transition to emeritus professor status, and her approach to part-time retirement. Alison also reflects on the broader challenges and opportunities in academic life, and shares the surprising career she once dreamed of before science: becoming a film director!
This episode was recorded in November 2024, and we are so grateful to Alison for her time and generosity in sharing her story with us. It was a real privilege to hear about her multifaceted career and thoughtful reflections on research, leadership, and life beyond the lab.
Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk
Welcome to season 2 of ‘Probably Platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Abdullah Khan, known as “Abs,” a previous Sir Henry Wellcome Fellow and current senior research fellow at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Sciences, University of Oxford. Abs shares his unique journey through academia, the challenges of navigating a high-pressure environment, and his insights on the future of scientific research.
From discussing the “pressure cooker” environment that is academia, reflecting on work-life balance, and the academic culture in the US, to sharing anecdotes about his time at the University of Birmingham with co-host Alex, Abs shares valuable insights about his career so far and the future of academia.
This episode was recorded on 2nd May 2024 whereby we discussed Abs’ next steps in academia, navigating the grey space in between fellowships and applying for his second fellowship, the Wellcome Career Development Award. Abs kindly shared that this fellowship application was rejected, so he’s resubmitting and applying for other grants in the meantime. We wish Abs all the best of luck for the next stage in his career!
It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Abs about his career journey. We both enjoyed delving into some complex issues within the academic system. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk
Beth & Alex
Platelet Society
Website | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to season 2 of ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In today's episode, we delve into the career journey of our guest, Dr Jo Mitchell, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, a seasoned post-doctoral researcher, as they offer a candid glimpse into the world of academia as a post-doc. From the highs of exciting research to the challenges of navigating short-term contracts and maternity leave, Jo shares invaluable insights and strategies for maintaining productivity and balance in the turbulent realm of post-doc life.
It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Jo about her career journey and experience in academia! We both enjoyed delving into an interesting discussion about how academia could be improved for post-doctoral researchers and ECRs. Let us know what you think! We hope you enjoyed this episode, and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it would really help us out.
It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Alice about her career journey, she offered some great advice and left us both feeling positive! We hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out.
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth & Alex
Platelet Society
Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Welcome to season 2 of ‘Probably Platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In today's episode, we delve into the career journey of our guest, Dr Alice Pollitt an Associate Professor at the University of Reading. Alice shares her remarkable career trajectory, filled with exciting opportunities to learn, from studying Dictyostelium cells in her PhD to platelets and how they interact with other cells. Alice shares some tips and advice on how to put yourself out there when it comes to networking, developing new skills and seeking new opportunities to learn. Alice has embraced every challenge with a positive outlook, emphasising the importance of lifelong learning (in and out of the lab) and intellectual curiosity. Alice also shares her story about how she almost opened a pottery shop!
It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Alice about her career journey, she offered some great advice and left us both feeling positive! We hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out.
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth & Alex
UK Platelet Society
Welcome to season 2 of ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Alex, a post-doctoral research from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In today's episode, we chat with Dr Fraser Macrae, a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral and University Academic Fellow at the University of Leeds. He is also the most recent recipient of the Alison Goodall Early Career Award from the Platelet Society, so we thought he would be a great first guest for season 2.
We talked about Fraser’s journey into science and research as well as his journey to becoming independent. He got candid about the realities of getting a fellowship immediately after his PhD and how there’s a lot he’s learning as a new PI. We also talked about how Fraser balances is work and life, as well as his passion for art.
It was really great chatting with Fraser, we really admired his honesty about his journey and how positive he was about his experience in academia. He is also a great example of how you can get a fellowship and pursue the academic career trajectory in the same institute as your PhD supervisor. We hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out.
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth & Alex
UK Platelet Society
Welcome to ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the Platelet Society. Your hosts Beth, a recent PhD graduate and post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In today's episode, our season 1 finale, we welcome back Dr Sarah Jones, an associate professor from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) to talk about all of her public engagement and outreach activities! Alongside her research, Sarah is a keen science communicator and STEM ambassador from running events in Manchester Science Museum to going into schools, Sarah talks about the diverse ways in which we as scientists can get involved in public engagement and outreach. We talked about the different benefits of public engagement for non-scientists and the scientists providing the outreach. Not only does it build trust with the general public, but it also encourages scientists to think about the bigger picture.
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out. Stay tuned for season 2 wherever you get your podcasts!
Beth & Daniel
Platelet Society
Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Welcome to ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the Platelet Society. Your hosts Beth, a recent PhD graduate and post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In today's episode, we chat with Dr Sarah Jones, an associate professor from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). Sarah has over 15 years of experience in platelet biology and talks us through how positive her career journey has been. We laugh about some past and more recent mistakes and the transition from post-doc to PI. It was really great chatting with Sarah, she highlights her positive experiences and exciting things she has lined up!
We also talk about the importance of public engagement and outreach and if that wasn't enough we have an entire episode with Sarah on all things science communication, public engagement and outreach. Be sure to check it out!
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out. Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth & Daniel
Platelet Society
Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Welcome to ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a recent PhD graduate and post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In today's episode, we chat with Dr Julie Rayes, a recently promoted associate professor from the University of Birmingham. Julie talks us through her career journey, moving from her home in Lebanon to study in Paris, and then moving from Paris to establish her career in the UK. We talk about the transition from researcher to project investigator and the challenges that come with research independence. We also talk about some recent, yet minor lab mistakes as well as the importance of mentorship. The take-home messages from Julie are to learn from your failures, accept that this career path is hard and seek support wherever you can!
It was really great chatting with Julie, we admired her perspective on dealing with failure and being an advocate for sharing your experience and expertise with those starting out. We hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out.
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth & Daniel
UK Platelet Society
Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Welcome to ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a recent PhD graduate and post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey and laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know they'll probably talk about platelets.
Today’s guest is Dr Pip Nicolson, a clinical lecturer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the University of Birmingham. Pip talks us through his career journey from studying natural sciences at Cambridge to switching to medicine, to becoming a clinical researcher in Birmingham. We talk about Pip's work during COVID, vaccine-induced thrombosis (VIT), work-life balance and the effects of social media. Pip's advice to anyone starting out in medicine and research is to not worry so much about things not working out or getting rejections, things will all fall into place in the end.
It was a real pleasure chatting with Pip and learning all about the process of studying medicine and becoming a clinical researcher. We hope you enjoy this episode! Be sure to rate this podcast, it will really help us out.
Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth & Daniel
UK Platelet Society
Welcome to episode 2 (pt 2) of 'probably platelets', the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a PhD Student from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey and laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In this episode, we chat with Dr Jon Gibbins, a professor from the University of Reading. Jon talks to us about his favourite stage of his career, radioactive mistakes and being shy in academia.
We discuss the importance of community, social skills and growing as a person during your academic career.
It was great chatting with Jon about his journey; he offers some excellent advice for those just starting their science journey!
If you haven't listened to part 1 of this episode, check it out here.
Stay tuned for episode 3, wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
Beth & Daniel
UK Platelet Society
Welcome to episode 2 (pt 1) of 'probably platelets', the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a PhD Student from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey and laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
In this episode, we chat with Dr Jon Gibbins, a professor from the University of Reading. Jon talks to us about his career progression through academia, starting from mushing up brains during his PhD to entering the world of platelets and becoming a PI.
We discuss the importance of work-life balance, choosing projects that interest you and creating a network. Jon later talks about his experience with increased management responsibilities, coming to terms with spending less time in the lab, and improvements in leadership training.
It was great chatting to Jon about his journey; he offers some excellent advice for those just starting their science journey! Take-home messages from Jon are to connect with people, choose what you enjoy, create a life outside of work and don't compare yourself to others.
We covered too many topics for one episode, so stay tuned for pt 2 with Jon.
Thanks for listening!
Beth & Daniel
UK Platelet Society
Welcome to the first episode of ‘probably platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK platelet society. Your hosts Beth, a PhD Student from the University of Leeds and Daniel, a PhD student from the University of Reading, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey and laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.
Today’s guest is Dr Steve Thomas, a Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular Science at the University of Birmingham. Steve chats to us about his interesting journey through academia, studying at university as a mature student and switching research fields from plants to platelets.
It was great chatting to Steve about his journey, he offers some really great advice for those just starting out in their science journey! The take-home messages from Steve are to connect with people, share your struggles and take a step back when things are getting tough.
Stay tuned for the next episode.
Beth & Daniel
UK Platelet Society
