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Behind the Huntington’s disease breakthrough
Health Check
Dec 17, 2025

James Gallagher joins Claudia Hammond to share his pick for health breakthrough of 2025 – the world's first gene therapy to treat Huntington’s disease.

Popular science author Mary Roach joins Claudia to discuss the future of prosthetics.

Also on the show, James shares his latest reporting on how sperm from a donor with a cancer-causing gene was used to conceive almost 200 children.

We hear from Mohsen Rajabi how teachers in Iran are providing first-line mental health support to refugee students as they cope with settlement traumas.

Plus, how an electronic nose could help detect mould in the home.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett

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Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell


26min 28sec

Behind the Huntington’s disease breakthrough

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