Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, or ‘JVT’ as he's arguably better known, first came to widespread public attention in his role as Deputy Chief Medical Officer during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But even before that, Jonathan had built an impressive career based on a long-held fascination with respiratory illness and infectious diseases. He’s worked across the public and private sectors, contributing significantly to improving our understanding of influenza and treatments to address such viruses.
It’s hard to believe that back in his teens, JVT – the man who advised the nation on pandemic precautions and helped make the UK’s vaccine roll-out possible – nearly didn’t get the grades he needed to go to medical school. But early challenges aside, Jonathan went on to discover a love for both medical research and public speaking: making complex public health messages easier to digest – not least by using analogies relating to his beloved football.
Speaking to Professor Jim Al-Khalili in the first episode of a new series of The Life Scientific, Jonathan discusses his life and career: from academic emphasis in childhood and imposter syndrome at medical school, to pandemic pressures around Covid-19 and big birthday celebrations.
Produced by Lucy Taylor.
Why study sewage?
The sounds of coral reefs
Can computers discover new medicines?
Emily Holmes on how to treat trauma
Judith Bunbury on the shifting River Nile in the time of the Pharaohs
Frances Arnold: From taxi driver to Nobel Prize
Sir Martin Landray on saving over a million lives
Vlatko Vedral on the universe as quantum information
Adam Hart on ants, bees and insect burgers
Jacinta Tan on anorexia nervosa and the mind
Pete Smith on why soil matters
Chi Onwurah on why engineering is a caring profession.
Ailie MacAdam on the biggest construction project in Europe
Ben Garrod on conservation and extinction
Steve Brusatte on the fall of dinosaurs and the rise of mammals
Shankar Balasubramanian on decoding DNA
Julia Shaw on memories that aren't true
Sharon Peacock on hunting pandemic variants of concern
Tim Clutton-Brock on meerkats, red deer and evolution
Tim Spector and personalised diets for long term health
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Global News Podcast
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
The Infinite Monkey Cage
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins