Ebola drug trials in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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Two Ebola drugs are due to be trialled in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as cases of the disease continue to rise in the country. BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher joins Claudia Hammond to discuss the new clinical trial, and to update on the latest from the outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. Claudia also visits The Royal Society’s annual Summer Science Exhibition in London to explore a range of new health research on display. We hear about how salt water is being used to try to make lateral flow tests more sensitive and targeted, with Guido Bolognesi and Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh from University College London. They also explain the role gold nanoparticles play in current lateral flow tests, which rapidly diagnose pregnancy or Covid-19. Claudia also visits a 'microbe zoo' and speaks with Revathy Krishnamurthy from the Quadram Institute of Bioscience in Norwich, England, who explains what phages are, and how they can be harnessed to improve food safety. Finally, we meet Pat Price, visiting professor at Imperial College London, to learn about the high-energy particles that could kill cancer cells, how they could completely change treatment for patients, and how it’s hoped lasers can help them accomplish it. Image Credit: Credit: Photo by DIEUDONNE DIROLE/EPA/Shutterstock Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Dan Welsh and Georgia Christie