Will Shepheard (UKE) about his research in podcast series
- Post by: fantom
- 28 May 2026
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VIENNA, April 23 – Fantom Doctoral Candidates took an important step in developing their communication skills by recording their first podcast series. The session was held with the support of science communication professionals Rhys James and Rachael Ralph from The Naked Scientists.
The initiative provided participants with practical experience in presenting their research to a wider audience. Listen to Will discussing her research project in a conversation with Rachael.
ABOUT:
Will Shepheard (UKE)
Establishment of ALK-autoantibodies, T cell responses against ALK and cell-free DNA as biomarkers and for response monitoring of patients with ALCL My research focuses on developing smarter, less invasive ways to monitor childhood cancer using blood samples. Instead of relying only on scans or more invasive tests, this work looks for signals in the blood. One approach involves analysing cell-free DNA (cfDNA), which are tiny fragments of DNA released by cancer cells, to detect the disease, see if it is still present, and spot any new changes in the cancer over time. I also study the immune system, including T cells, which can attack cancer, and autoantibodies, which can give clues about how well treatment is working and whether the cancer might come back. Overall, the goal is to combine these signals to detect cancer earlier, track treatment more accurately, and make testing easier for young patients.
