The future of cancer treatment may already exist.

In this episode of The Applied Mind I sit down with Professor Nikola Bowden, a cancer researcher at the University of Newcastle whose work focuses on personalised cancer treatment, DNA repair, melanoma, ovarian cancer and drug re-purposing. Her research explores how existing drugs can be used in new ways to treat cancers that are resistant to standard therapies.

We unpack what cancer actually is, why it is so difficult to treat, and how DNA damage, UV exposure, immune response, and treatment resistance all play a role. Nikola explains how melanoma develops, why ovarian cancer is often detected late and why repurposing older drugs may offer a faster and more patient-centred path forward than waiting decades for entirely new treatments.

We also explore the realities of cancer research funding, the role of pharmaceutical companies, philanthropy and government, the unexpected history of drug repurposing and what it takes to move a discovery from the lab into a clinical trial.

This conversation is a clear and accessible look at the science of cancer, but also the human side of research: patients, urgency, hope and the drive to find better options when current treatments are not enough.

Topics covered include: cancer basics, melanoma, ovarian cancer, UV damage, DNA repair, immunotherapy, drug repurposing, clinical trials, patient-centred research, funding, personalised medicine and the future of cancer treatment.

Link to Professor Bowden's University Profile:
https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/nikola-bowden

In this episode of The Applied Mind, I sit down with Dr Jay Raman, a Clinical Psychologist, Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle and Founder/Director of the Three Squares Lab. We explore the psychology of body image, eating disorders, weight, shame, comparison and self-worth.

Jay brings over 18 years of clinical and supervision experience, along with research expertise across body image, eating disorders, cognitive remediation, obesity, emotion regulation and health psychology. We unpack why body image concerns are so common, when they can become clinically serious and why eating disorders are never as simple as “just eat more” or “just stop worrying about your body.”

We also explore the role of social media, photo editing, comparison, control, emotional regulation, family support and the deeper psychological mechanisms that can keep people stuck.

This conversation is for anyone who has struggled with food, body image, exercise, appearance, or self-worth, as well as parents, partners, friends and future clinicians wanting to better understand how to support someone through these challenges.

Listen to the full episode of The Applied Mind with Dr Jay Raman on Spotify.

https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/jay-raman

https://www.threesquareslab.com.au/

In Episode 09, I sit down with Associate Professor Darren Burke to explore the psychology of evolution, attraction and dark personality traits.

Darren is an Experimental and Biological Psychologist whose work examines how evolutionary pressures have shaped the way we see, think, learn and relate to one another. We unpack what evolutionary psychology actually is (and what it isn’t), why sexual dimorphism exists and how traits linked to attraction may function as signals of health, dominance or reproductive fitness.

We also explore the darker side of attraction — discussing traits associated with the Dark Tetrad (Narcissism, Machiavellians, Psychopathy, and Sadism), why they can sometimes appear appealing and how evolutionary theory helps explain both their persistence and their risks.

This episode challenges oversimplified narratives about “men vs women” and instead focuses on variability, function and the deeper psychological mechanisms that shape human behaviour.

If you’re interested in biology, social cognition, attraction or the evolutionary roots of personality — this conversation brings nuance to one of psychology’s most misunderstood areas.