HSDTC Science Communication Competition Entries I 2025

Are you interested in reading about more exciting health research happening at King’s? In this blog, we continue to share entries from the HSDTC Science Communication Competition, where doctoral researchers in the four Health Faculties showcase their work in engaging newspaper-style articles.

Anna Davison (Collini), Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Centre for Education

Medical students face burnout crisis: New research searches for solutions

Burnout and emotional distress exist at worrying levels among medical students and doctors, with the General Medical Council recently finding over half of doctors in the United Kingdom are at risk. This troubling trend not only affects the well-being of future doctors but also has serious implications for patient care and retention within the profession. Higher levels of burnout among doctors can lead to increased medical errors, decreased patient satisfaction, and may also be contributing to the medical workforce shortage with burnout being a common cause for leaving the profession.

While burnout can result from various work-related stresses, research indicates that perfectionism and imposter syndrome may play an important role. Both involve relentless comparisons to unrealistic ideals, causing distress and feelings of shame. With the competitive and rigorous training that future doctors undergo, high expectations are unsurprising. However, some of the ideals ingrained in medical culture may be harmful – as a medic, feeling they must be perfect can lead to hiding mistakes, suppressing emotions may decrease the empathy they have for patients, and seeing illness as weakness can prevent seeking help for themselves.

Other ideals may relate to aspects of identity, with those differing from the traditional white, male, able-bodied, heterosexual, middle-class doctor particularly vulnerable to imposter syndrome and shame. These individuals can feel pressured to change who they are to fit into an outdated professional mould.

To address this critical issue, a new study is exploring these professional ideals – investigating what they are, where they come from, and how they interact with the personal identities of individuals. The research will use observations, interviews, diaries, and relevant documents to go beyond individual experience and examine the broader culture of medicine in which a professional identity is formed.

The implications for medical schools are profound. This research will help educational institutions to reevaluate their environments to ensure inclusive settings where students can develop balanced and realistic professional ideals, with the aim of mitigating burnout. Crucially, these ideals should uphold high standards without requiring students to compromise who they are, ultimately benefiting both medics and patients alike.

Charel Junior Mangama Sindzi, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences

MRI for the masses: Paving the path to global cardiovascular care

In 2021, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) reported 19.41 million deaths (29% of global mortality) from cardiovascular diseases, making them the leading global cause of death.  Cardiovascular diseases, which encompass conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, include cardiomyopathies—disorders that affect the heart muscle. These conditions often lead to changes in the heart’s structure, such as thickened, stiffened, or stretched walls, impairing the heart’s ability to circulate blood effectively.

 

To help with early detection of health conditions, imaging modalities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are commonly used. MRI is a non-invasive technology used to obtain detailed anatomical scans of the heart. Unlike some of its counterparts (X-rays, CT, PET), MRI does not use ionizing radiation and provides great soft tissue contrast. Additionally, thanks to quantitative MRI, an accurate and precise diagnosis can be made. This makes MRI the perfect imaging modality to fight back against the cardiovascular death rate.

While most clinical MRI scanners operate at higher magnetic fields (1.5T or 3T), these systems are expensive, limiting their availability in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Low-field MRI systems, like the Siemens MAGNETOM Free. Max (0.55T), provide a more affordable alternative, offering reduced production costs, compact size, and improved patient comfort.

The existence of such scanners is a game-changer towards the widespread use of MRI throughout the world, especially in economically disadvantaged regions. However, to provide the same quality of service as with higher fields, lower-field systems require the development and implementation of tailored techniques to ensure accurate, reliable, and reproducible results.

To achieve this wider goal, my PhD project has been undertaken.

My research focuses on developing new MRI pulse sequences, series of instructions based on physics-based and computational innovation, to allow those lower-field systems to produce MRI quantitative cardiac maps which can rival those of higher-field systems.

A global widespread of MRI systems is possible, thanks to the affordability of the lower-field systems, and the competitive MRI pulse sequences made through this PhD project. We would be one step closer to accessible healthcare and global early detection of cardiovascular diseases.

John Makanjuola, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, Centre for Oral, Clinical & Translational Sciences

Smart innovative dental materials: Your secret weapons against tooth decay!

Tooth decay is a silent epidemic that affects billions worldwide, yet it is often overlooked. The World Health Organization has consistently reported tooth decay as the most prevalent chronic disease globally. It affects a staggering one in four children and one in three adults in the UK, resulting in painful toothaches and negatively impacting overall health. The financial toll on the NHS in treating affected patients exceeds £3 billion annually. With the British government considering cost-cutting measures amidst rising healthcare expenses, the spotlight is now on innovative solutions to tackle this pressing problem.

Traditional silver amalgam, used as fillings for decayed teeth, contains toxic mercury that has raised significant health and environmental concerns. Thus, prompting calls for a ban by 2030. To address this issue, researchers are now focusing on dental composites. However, composites are unable to combat decay-causing bacteria and frequently fall short when used in vulnerable groups, including children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and underserved communities. The groundbreaking development of “smart” materials is transforming dental care, offering innovative solutions that significantly differ from conventional tooth-filling materials.

In the quest for an effective replacement for mercury-based fillings, my PhD research made significant strides by developing a cutting-edge “smart” material—bioactive glass-ionomer material containing magnesium and zinc, using a precisely balanced formulation. Developed in laboratory conditions that replicate the human mouth, this revolutionary material mimics natural teeth while actively combating decay. It forms a protective, mineralised layer on the tooth and releases therapeutic agents, including magnesium and zinc, that effectively combat tooth decay. Extensive tests have demonstrated that this new material not only enhances strength properties but also exhibits excellent antibacterial activity compared to currently available tooth-filling materials. This makes it a strong candidate for future use in dentistry. With rigorous safety testing confirming its suitability for human use, this innovative material is poised to enter clinical trials. As we approach the 2030 deadline for phasing out mercury-based fillings, this “smart” filling could revolutionise dental care, offering hope for improved dental health outcomes—especially for underserved populations. A brighter, healthier future for oral health may be just around the corner.

Lauren Woodcock, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences

The true scale of illegal pangolin poaching

We need to talk about pangolin poaching. An estimated 2.7 million pangolins are poached (illegally killed or trafficked) yearly for their scales, which is equivalent to the entire population of Qatar. The annual revenue of pangolin poaching is approximately $23 billion. I am a forensics researcher, specifically obtaining fingermark evidence from the surfaces of pangolin scales. Scales are illegally acquired and sold for use in traditional Chinese medicine to “cure” numerous ailments, although there is no evidence to suggest that they have any healing properties. I aim to educate on the true “scale” of pangolin poaching.

The ramifications of poaching extend far beyond a decline in animal welfare. The illegal transfer of live animals and wildlife goods can facilitate the spread of zoonotic disease: a famous example of this being the 2003 SARS pandemic. Poaching leads to a decline in biodiversity, human injury, and cultural loss. Lucrative organised crime syndicates profit by exploiting wildlife, though other types of crimes are often associated with these syndicates, such as money laundering, complex fraud, gun crime and corruption. Profits gained through illegal wildlife trafficking are funnelled back into other types of organised crime, funding a billion-dollar black market industry.

I visualise fingermark ridge detail on pangolin scales using traditional forensic techniques. Some of these techniques involve the application of fingerprint powders and fluorescent dyes, superglue fuming and the vaporisation of metals like gold and zinc to visualise high quality ridge detail on pangolin scales. The techniques I refine and validate will be used by forensic practitioners on wildlife crime scenes and police laboratories. Marks found on pangolin scales can be matched to individuals and used as forensic evidence in court, halting supply chains of trafficked items.

My work will be part of the solution; I am currently working with the City of London Police to advise essential fingerprinting items needed on wildlife crime scenes, and my experiments can inform training given to investigators in the field. My procedures will be deployed in places where they are urgently needed to fight and prevent crime, and tackle global challenges often intertwined with pangolin poaching.