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Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, scientist

Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, scientist, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu is Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience at University College London and President of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge.

She has devoted her career to harnessing the potential of nanoparticles – which are less than a thousandth of the width of a human hair - to take medicines to hard-to-reach areas of the body such as the back of the eye and the brain. Using nanoparticles in this way is said to increase the efficacy of medicines and reduce side effects.

Ijeoma was born in London where her parents had settled from Nigeria. At 13 she moved with her family to Nigeria where she developed an enduring love of chemistry.

In 2010 she co-founded a pharmaceutical company Nanomerics with her husband. The company is currently developing eyedrops to treat blindness and a nasal spray to target pain which she hopes will go some way to addressing the opioid crisis. Earlier this year Ijeoma was appointed a DBE in the King’s New Years Honours List.

Ijeoma lives in Cambridge with her husband Andreas.

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley

DISC ONE: Chop My Money (I Don’t Care) - P-Square
DISC TWO: Joromi - Sir Victor Uwaifo
DISC THREE: Love to Love You Baby - Donna Summer
DISC FOUR: Zombie - Fela Kuti
DISC FIVE: Coat of Many Colours - Dolly Parton
DISC SIX: I Have Nothing - Whitney Houston
DISC SEVEN: Touch Me in The Morning - Diana Ross
DISC EIGHT: I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today - The Crusaders with Joe Cocker

BOOK CHOICE: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
LUXURY ITEM: A variety of seeds
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today - The Crusaders with Joe Cocker

Available now

51 minutes

Last on

Fri 23 May 2025 09:00

Music Played

  • P-Square

    Chop My Money (I Don't Care)

    • Square Records.
  • Victor Uwaifo

    Joromi

    • African Football Anthems, Vol. 1.
    • 51 Lex Records Ltd.
    • 3.
  • Donna Summer

    Love to Love You Baby

    • Love to Love You Baby.
    • Island Def Jam.
    • 1.
  • Fela Kuti

    Zombie

    • Anthology 2.
    • Wrasse Records Ltd. (UK).
    • 2.
  • Dolly Parton

    Coat Of Many Colors

    • Dolly.
    • Legacy Recordings.
    • 15.
  • Whitney Houston

    I Have Nothing

    • Whitney The Greatest Hits.
    • Arista/Legacy.
    • 10.
  • Diana Ross

    Touch Me In The Morning

    • Voice of Love.
    • Parlophone UK.
    • 1.
  • The Crusaders

    I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today (feat. Joe Cocker)

    • The Anthology.
    • A&M.
    • 14.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 18 May 2025 10:00
  • Fri 23 May 2025 09:00

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