Ep 27. Can a single vaccine (BCG) on the first day of life protect against many unrelated infections? Expert Guests: Professor Tobias Kollmann and Assistant Professor Nelly Amenyogbe
Cocooned HealthShow Notes
“Can a single vaccine (BCG) on the first day of life protect against many unrelated infections?” Expert Guests: Professor Tobias Kollmann and Assistant Professor Nelly Amenyogbe
What about if you could give your baby a vaccine on day 1 of life and it would protect against many infections. This sounds almost like a miracle or fantasy that a single vaccine could protect against many unrelated infections. This episode looks at the BCG vaccine and how it offers young babies more than just protection against tuberculosis. This episode will transform your understanding of how vaccines work, the potential for future developments, and a tiny intro into why your baby's immunity is so special. Experts have been slow to embrace this phenomenon of the broad effects of vaccines because of dogma about how the immune system works. Some other scientists have criticised the evidence as being too weak. But things are changing and we are thrilled to discuss it with our guests who not only will help share some of the history on how the knowledge of this came about but what their work has done for the field in pushing forward our understanding on the baby’s immune system and how this vaccine effect might work.
Dr Eliz Kilich, with co‑host Dr Lydia Yarlott, are joined today by Professor Tobias Kollmann and Assistant Professor Nelly Amenyogbe to explore this topic and what it means to get the BCG vaccine on day 1 of life. Prof. Kollmann completed his MD and PhD at the Albert of Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx NY, followed by a residency in pediatrics and fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA with Prof. Chris Wilson. He then served as Division Head for Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of British Columbia, BC Children’s Hospital before taking on the Director’s position of Systems Vaccinology at Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Australia. He currently is Prof. of Microbiology & Immunology as well as Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, Canada. Tobi is the CEO of the Born Strong Initiative (https://www.born-strong.org/), a global network of experts working to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes. His expertise centers around immune ontogeny as well as maternal and early life vaccine responses employing cutting edge technology and analytics to extract the most information out of the small biological samples obtainable. Dr Nelly Amenyogbe, is Assistant Professor Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. Her previous research showed how BCG, the vaccine against tuberculosis, reduces risk to die from newborn sepsis within days of being given. Current projects build on these initial observations to identify how host metabolism influences the immune response to infection, especially colostrum feeding for newborns, which may influence the efficacy of immune-targeting therapies. These research questions are answered using preclinical models, and multi-omics surveys of human maternal and neonatal immune responses.
Further Reading: - The Scientist: How some vaccines protect more than against their target
- Science: Vaccination strategies to enhance immunity in neonates
Tobias R. Kollmann et al. Vaccination strategies to enhance immunity in neonates.Science 368,612-615(2020).DOI:10.1126/science.aaz9447 Direct Iink: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6491/612.abstract
More from Cocooned Health
Ep 38. Heatwaves in pregnancy debunked. Expert Guest: Dr Darshnika LakhooToday we explore what it means to be in a heatwave and pregnant. It can get uncomfortable but what is the current latest understanding. How important is it really to cool down, or is it all just unknown? We explore this in our latest episode with Dr Darshnika Lakhoo. Darshnika Lakhoo is a medical doctor with a master’s in public health, serving as a research clinician at Wits Planetary Health Research, in Johannesburg. Her work is centered on understanding and mitigating the impacts of heat on maternal and child health.
Ep 37. Heatwaves and Newborns Heat, Pregnancy and Preterm Birth: What Does the Evidence Really Tell Us? Pregnancy during a heatwave can be uncomfortable enough but should pregnant people or parents actually be worried about the heat? There is an immune theory regarding this process and given higher temperatures can mimic infection we delve into this area as a call from parents. In this episode, we discuss mostly the impact on newborn health. We also briefly touch on the research including the Nature Medicine systematic review and meta-analysis examining how heat exposure affects pregnancy health. Bringing together 198 studies from 66 countries the research provides one of the most comprehensive assessments yet of pregnancy and extreme heat. In September's 2026 episodes we speak to one of the researchers behind this study directly - so stay tuned We unpack what scientists actually mean by a heatwave and why there is no single temperature that defines one. We explore whether it is absolute heat or unusually hot weather for a particular location that matters most, and what the findings mean for pregnant women living in temperate countries such as the UK. We explore practical advice for parents for newborns including 1) what to wear 2) strategies in limited environments 3) why the car can be super dangerous 4) why children are more vulnerable A conversation about climate, pregnancy and risk and about communicating emerging evidence in a way that helps pregnant women stay informed without making hot weather another source of anxiety.
Ep 36. A new meningitis vaccine for teenagers? A short recap ... A short recap of episode 30: Why the meningitis vaccine is being introduced and why it wasn't previously offered. What strains it covers and what it does not. In this episode of Cocooned Health, we’re joined by Dr Eliza Gil, Academic Clinical Lecturer in Infection at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Honorary Clinical Microbiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She breaks down this fascinating topic. Listen to episode 30 for the full episode
Ep 35. The Midwife Series Episode 4: Analysis - How 100 Midwives Generated A Solution To Vaccine Conversations In Pregnancy - “Sometimes It’s The Simplest Thing.” Part of the 4 part series: The Midwife Series Episode 1: Frontline Insights - Midwives On Vaccine Conversations In Pregnancy. "It's Our Role To Guide And Support" The Midwife Series Episode 2: Emergence Of An Idea: What Do Midwives Need And Why? “The Easier It Is To Access, The More Utilised It Will Be” The Midwife Series Episode 3: Honing And Developing - The Checklist That Could Transform Vaccine Conversations. The Midwife Series Episode 4: Analysis - How 100 Midwives Generated A Solution To Vaccine Conversations In Pregnancy - “Sometimes It’s The Simplest Thing” In the fourth and final episode of our special Midwife Series, Cocooned Health co-hosts Dr Eliz Kilich and Dr Lydia Yarlott review the results of a survey with over 100 participants. 120 participants started the survey, with 102 participants completing all questions. The survey was conducted using Qualtrics XM with 37 questions. The questions included demographics, communication and confidence, innovative strategies, knowledge base and questions about the Cocooned Health podcast. During this episode co-hosts discuss each question one by one, excluding the podcast questions. They provide insights and analysis of the answers. They give their opinions about how this relates to the podcast groups conducted. It is from here they discuss the future innovative strategies that could be developed. This episode series was developed with funding support from Pfizer Ltd. Pfizer Ltd had no involvement in the content, production, review, analysis, or editorial decisions relating to this series. Funding was provided through an independent grant to support Cocooned Health's work. All views and content are those of the contributors and Cocooned Health. All other Cocooned Health podcast content is produced independently. The views expressed by participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of their institutions, employers, or affiliated organisations. This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from your own healthcare professional regarding individual medical care. Midwives were remunerated for their time. DM us at cocoonedhealthpodcast or email: [email protected]
Ep 34. The Midwife Series Episode 3: Honing And Developing – The Checklist That Could Transform Vaccine Conversations. Part of the 4 part series: The Midwife Series Episode 1: Frontline Insights - Midwives On Vaccine Conversations In Pregnancy. "It's Our Role To Guide And Support" The Midwife Series Episode 2: Emergence Of An Idea: What Do Midwives Need And Why? “The Easier It Is To Access, The More Utilised It Will Be” The Midwife Series Episode 3: Honing And Developing - The Checklist That Could Transform Vaccine Conversations. The Midwife Series Episode 4: Analysis - How 100 Midwives Generated A Solution To Vaccine Conversations In Pregnancy - “Sometimes It’s The Simplest Thing” In the third episode of our special Midwife Series, Cocooned Health co-hosts Dr Eliz Kilich and Dr Lydia Yarlott are joined by three experienced midwives to further develop the most desired intervention by midwives from our conducted survey of over 100 midwife participants. They build of the previous 2 other podcast conversation refining what is needed. By exploring the nuance of conversations, what is expected of midwives and the limitations we role play the use of the intervention and discuss how this influences midwife confidence. This episode series was developed with funding support from Pfizer Ltd. Pfizer Ltd had no involvement in the content, production, review, analysis, or editorial decisions relating to this series. Funding was provided through an independent grant to support Cocooned Health's work. All views and content are those of the contributors and Cocooned Health. All other Cocooned Health podcast content is produced independently. The views expressed by participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of their institutions, employers, or affiliated organisations. This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from your own healthcare professional regarding individual medical care. Midwives were remunerated for their time. DM us at cocoonedhealthpodcast or email: [email protected] episode has undergone additional editing with minor amendment at on 3rd August 2026