LifeSciences ScienceLife

E19: The importance of pharmacology education in the age of misinformation and disinformation

More education. Less misinformation. In this episode, Hari (University of Vienna), Katarzyna (University of Warsaw) and Jana (Charles University) discuss how social media, which many of us use daily, can mislead us when it comes to health-related information. The social media content that gets the most likes, shares and comments is often determined by algorithms, but this doesn't necessarily mean that the information is reliable. In reality, misinformation and disinformation tend to go viral more quickly than informative, evidence-based content. This can influence how individuals think of diseases, therapies, and even common health decisions in ways that may not be safe. They also talk about why it's so important to question what one sees online and to learn how to spot trustworthy information. The conversation also touches on vitamin D and antibiotic misuse, a growing problem driven by misinformation, and why taking antibiotics incorrectly can lead to serious resistance issues. Therefore, health literacy – the ability to distinguish between reliable sources and misleading claims – is crucial in protecting not just oneself, but entire communities from health challenges. By combining awareness, critical thinking, and improving our fact-checking skills, we can all play a role in slowing down the spread of harmful health misinformation. This podcast was produced by participants of the 'Central Workshop on Pharmacology Education and Misinformation', organised by the Central European Network for Teaching and Research in Academic Liaison (CENTRAL). This is a collaboration of researchers and educators from the University of Vienna (Austria), Charles University (Czech Republic) and the University of Warsaw (Poland). See Workshop news of 7 January 2026: CENTRAL Workshop on Pharmacology Education and Misinformation [https://pharmtox.univie.ac.at/news/detailansicht/news/central-workshop-on-pharmacology-education-and-misinformation/]

E18: Understanding sex-specific differences in alcohol use disorder (AUD)

Does gender have any impact on prevention and treatment? Laureta Gashi shares her PhD project, which investigates Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) from a sex-specific perspective. The conversation introduces AUD in accessible terms and explores how biological and physiological differences between males and females can influence addiction development, progression, and treatment outcomes. The discussion highlights the growing importance of incorporating sex-based analysis into addiction research, addressing historical gaps where such differences were often overlooked. Laureta also explores methodological considerations for investigating AUD, highlighting electrophysiology as a highly informative but labour- and time-intensive technique, and discusses common misconceptions related to alcohol dependence. Additionally, she shared her experience of being a PhaNuSpo student representative and the importance of this role in fostering collaboration and support among PhD students, as well as the personal and professional benefits of academic engagement. In summary, this episode provides scientific insight and a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a doctoral researcher, while also highlighting the intersection of science and student advocacy. Laureta’s latest publication on AUD: Gashi L, Khom S. Engagement of the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus During Withdrawal-Related Learning: Implications for Alcohol Use Disorder [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667174325001752?via%3Dihub]. Biological Psychiatry. In Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science. 2026 January, 6(1):100621. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2025.100621.

E17: Microbial drug resistance: the battle for effective antibiotics

Mechanisms of resistance and challenges in drug development Why are bacteria evolving faster than our antibiotics? Antimicrobial resistance represents one of the most complex challenges at the intersection of microbiology, chemistry, and medicine. As bacteria rapidly evolve mechanisms to evade antibiotics, the pipeline for new anti-infective drugs struggles to keep pace. In this episode, our guest Micha, who is a PhD candidate in pharmaceutical science and part of the FWF-funded doc:fund Anti-Infectives Drug Discovery (AIDD) project team at the University of Vienna, takes a closer look specifically at Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a highly adaptable and resistant bacterium that exemplifies the difficulty of treating modern infections. We explore how resistance emerges, what multidrug resistance means at molecular level, and why features such as low membrane permeability, efflux pumps, and biofilm formation lead to frequent treatment failure. Additionally, we address the realities of novel anti-infective drug discovery such as why selectivity and toxicity are major hurdles, how permeability limits compound effectiveness, and why many drug candidates fail long before reaching patients. Beyond the science, the episode also highlights why early exposure to drug discovery matters for students and how creative, resilient thinking is essential for tackling antimicrobial resistance.

E16: Nutrition for exercise recovery

Impact of nutrition on exercise induced oxidative stress and recovery Markus, a PhD candidate in Sport Science at the University of Vienna, introduces in this podcast his newly developed high-intensity interval training (HIIT) model, designed to test how the body reacts to strenuous exercise under controlled conditions. We discussed what happens inside the body during high-intensity training, with particular attention on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and physiological stress response mechanism. We also explored the powerful role of nutrition in shaping these responses, particularly the effect of polyphenol-rich foods and carbohydrate-rich foods in supporting recovery, reducing oxidative stress, and improving recovery outcomes. Additionally, this episode also explores the study’s design, including the rationale for recruiting healthy female adults and the practical challenges encountered during the data collection and research. Markus shares his key findings, and its future implications for nutritional and exercise-physiology research. Overall, this episode reflects on both the scientific and personal motivations behind the work, emphasising the value of understanding exercise-induced stress and how such insights can help both professional and hobby-athletes to train and improve their fitness more safely and effectively. Interested in his research? Then read more about Markus latest works: Gassner M, et al. Reactive oxygen species and IL-6 responses to resistance-based HIIT: A time-dependent analysis. Free Radic Biol Med. 2025. [doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2025.10.272.] Gassner M, Bragagna L, Dasht Bayaz HH, Stumpf-Knaus C, Schlosser L, Lemberg J, Brem J, Pignitter M, Strauss M, Wagner K-H, et al. Acute Impact of Polyphenol-Rich vs. Carbohydrate-Rich Foods and Beverages on Exercise-Induced ROS and FRAP in Healthy Sedentary Female Adults—A Randomized Controlled Trial. Antioxidants. 2025; 14(12):1481. doi: 10.3390/antiox14121481 [https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14121481]

E15: Behind the experiments

Three PhD journeys Doing a PhD is often described as a journey - one filled with curiosity, persistence, and plenty of unexpected turns. In this episode, our team opens up about their personal PhD experiences: field of research, the motivation that sparked curiosity, managing different tasks and the small victories that kept them moving forward. You’ll hear their honest reflections and thoughtful conversations about what it really means to pursue PhD from their point of view. Whether you’re just starting your PhD, somewhere in the middle, or thinking about life after graduation, this episode offers a relatable experience to every early-career researcher. Podcast team: Hari Baskar Balasubramanian (PhD candidate) and Ranjith Kumar Ravi Kumar (postdoctoral researcher), both from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Anar Batzorig (PhD candidate), Department of Nutritional Sciences. Recording and editing: Anar Batzorig (PhD candidate), Department of Nutritional Sciences.