2024-03-12
36 分钟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.
BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts hello and.
Welcome to the podcast edition of the Life Scientific.
I'm Jamal Khalili and this is the show where I get to talk with some of the world's leading scientists and you get to find out what drives them.
So sit back, get comfortable and enjoy the episode.
I've had the pleasure of speaking to some very accomplished and well recognized scientists on this program, some of whom are even household names.
Very few of them, however, have been so widely known that they've been given a nationally accepted nickname.
But that's the case for my guest today, who first came to widespread attention in his role as Deputy Chief Medical officer during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Professor Jonathan Van Tam, or JVT, as was popularized by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and subsequently the nation's media, has built a 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 tackle the virus.
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 rollout 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.
For his remarkable skills as a communicator, he received the Royal Society's David Attenborough Award and was called upon to give the Royal Institution's 2021 Christmas Lectures.
He says, in life, it's worth taking time to find out what floats your boat.
Finding the intersection between what you enjoy and what you're good at is, I think, the route to success, if you'll forgive the pun.
Some sage advice there, Sir Jonathan Van Tam, welcome to the Life Scientific.
Thank you so much.
Great to be with.
Now, what do people want to know when they meet you in the street?
I mean, do they ask you what you think about COVID and vaccines, or do they just want a selfie with you?
So usually it's a double take and it's usually, are you Jonathan Van Tam or are you jvt?