#195 Prof Luke O'Neill
Prof Luke O'Neill -
Writer and award-winning mental health activist
This episode was brought to you by Hauora - a performance wellbeing growth partner. Hauora aims to educate and impact individual and organisational culture to ignite health, wellbeing, and performance. Find out more at www.HauoraLife.com
Description
Today we spoke with Professor Luke O'Neill - Professor of biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin
Professor Luke O'Neill is a world-renowned scientist, who has a passion to engage with the general public on scientific topics - he is amazing at using simple and clear language to explain complex things! Professor Luke O'Neill has been recognised for his effort to popularise science, and in raising the profile and awareness around the value of science to human progress.
A regular presence on national radio and tv (such as Newstalk, and RTE), Luke has also published several books including 'Keep Calm and Trust the Science: an extraordinary year in the life of an immunologist', his diary covering the COVID19 pandemic, An Post Irish book of the year award winner for best popular non-fiction book for ‘Never Mind the B*ll*cks, Here’s the Science’, 'The Great Irish Science Book', 'Humanology: A Scientist's Guide to our Amazing Existence', and most recently 'What makes us human - a scientist's guide to our amazing existence', with Gill publishers.
We spoke about energy and how he manages all his projects, dinner table conversations at home, and his love for music - plus the link with science. We unpack developments in neurodegenerative illness and cancer research and what learnings we have taken from the pandemic in that regard. Luke talks about hormones, his breakfast routine, and his managerial role in the lab - the Pep of Trinity, the gaffer as we called him!
Professor Luke O'Neill is a highly skilled communicator, loves the challenges that science gives him...and has a wonderful zest and vigour. Enjoy this one - we certainly did!
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Highlights:
📖 Prof O’Neill’s new book ‘What Makes Us Human’
💉 What getting vaccinated is so important
🔬 How funding and research can target cancer and neurodegenerative research
☕ Luke’s morning routine to be a highly effective researcher and scientist
🦠 Why he hopes more young people will pursue science and why we need them
Timestamps:
(4:06) - Morning routine of scientists - To-do list, coffee, and the benefit of cold showers/sea dip
(7:23) - Maintaining energy in professional life. The 4 buckets of Prof O' Neill, professional life - his lab - creating new medication. communications, and
(8:15) - Encouraging young people to take an interest in science.
(12:11) - The role of the immune system and its day-to-day function
(13:42) - The success of COVID-19 vaccines
(18:42) - Vaccine immunity, winter month viruses, and what we should do
(20:26) - Prof O'Neill's new book 'What makes Us human'
(24:15) - Luke's love of music
(26:18) - Raising a family of scientists
(35: 00) - Mini breaks and doing nothing…with a purpose
(39:51) - What does high performance mean to you?
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For information on previous guests and shows please visit www.SleepEatPerformRepeat.com.
Previous guests include Cal Newport, Dr. Michael Gervais, Joy Neville, Rich Froning, BJ Fogg, Sonia O'Sullivan, Rich Diviney, Keith Earls, Caelan Doris, Chanelle McCoy, PJ Nestler, Jack Butcher, Shane O'Sullivan, Chris Burkard, Brian Keane, Steve Magness, Owen Eastwood, Steven Kotler, Daniel Davey, Ray Goggins, Shane O'Donnell, Jonny Cooper, Capt Emily Bassett, George Kruis, Brett Bartholomew, Aoife McDermott, Lisa Jacob and many more.