What made you want to launch the podcast?

“Although they have been around for a while, podcasts have recently reached new heights of popularity. They are a great medium for quickly sharing information. People are listening to podcasts while they commute to work, walk their dogs and wash dishes!

“We’re all so busy that it is hard to dedicate time to learning. Podcasts are a great passive way to take in information while we complete other tasks. I want to share stories of kidney disease with everyone - patients, families, friends, scientists and researchers.”

Tell us about the exciting things you’ve got planned?

“We have a few exciting plans in the pipeline, to talk to some interesting scientists and patients! For example, we will be talking to kidney patient currently at medical school. We’re excited to be interviewing him about how his experiences have inspired him to become a doctor himself.”

Why’s it so important to bring together scientists, patients and doctors to talk about kidney disease?

“In our first podcast, I talk about a thought experiment known as Mary’s Room. In this experiment we meet a scientist who knows everything there is to know about colour. However, she has never actually seen the colour red since she lives in an entirely black and white environment. One day she leaves her lab and sees the colour red. Clearly, upon seeing the colour red, she instantly learns more about colour.

“For some, and for me, this proves people’s subjective experiences are important pieces of knowledge in their own right.

As a kidney scientist myself, how can I possibly expect to understand kidney disease without interacting with patients and hearing their stories? We can all learn from each other’s perspectives. We all want better treatments and ultimately cures for all forms of kidney disease.”

What do you hope our podcast achieves?

“I hope the podcast shines a light on the huge amount of research that happens thanks to charities such as Kidney Research UK and their supporters. I hope patients feel supported by learning more about the intensive research programmes both in the UK and around the world.

“I also hope scientists and researchers who don’t regularly meet patients can learn a little bit more about patients and their experiences, and it help us to contextualise our work. Although doctors obviously meet their patients, I want the podcast to reveal more about a patient’s human side and get to know the person rather than just the disease they are living with.

“We are all acutely aware of the pressures that doctors and other health care providers are under. They are getting less and less time to spend with their patients. Keep It Renal is way for us all to take a step back and look at kidney disease from a different perspective.”