The wonderful world of blood with Michael Mosley.

This programme explores blood – how it functions and how to enhance it; its cultural representations; its medical limits and its potential. In a series of explorations, Michael Mosley samples his own blood for experiments for the five main functions of blood: oxygen, fuel, flow, defence and healing. Mosely visits the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, where Dr Daniel Martin (UCL) measures the maximum rate at which blood can pass oxygen to the muscles through a series of fitness tests. Dr Ned Gilbert-Kawai (UCL) takes a microscopic look at Mosley’s capillaries. Mosley visits an altitude chamber. Alongside Dr Tanita Casci (University of Glasgow), he looks at metabolomics, exploring how the food he eats affects his blood. He also discusses blood as food and cooks a bespoke blood pudding from his own blood. Mosley visits St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and exhibits of William Harvey’s De Motu Cordis (1628). Mosley enters an MRI machine to construct a full-body scan of his circulatory system. Mosley introduces Dr Peter Vincent at Imperial College, London, whose team of aeronautic engineering researchers have produced a ground-breaking design for a stent. Mosley explores historical understandings of blood’s role in defence. He then goes white water rafting, inducing mental and physical stress. Immunologist Dr Natalie Riddell (UCL) analyses the results, revealing the blood’s role in defending the body against attack. Mosley visits the William Harvey Research Institute, London, to explore platelets with Professor Tim Warner (Queen Mary University). Mosley introduces viper venom to a sample of his blood to mimic what happens when blood is under attack. Mosley visits EF MEDISPA, to undergo the beauty treatment Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) with Janet Hadfield (Biotherapy Services Ltd). Keith Moore at The Royal Society exhibits archived material relating to early blood transfusion. Mosley explores the culture of blood donation, and rejuvenation research. Dr Saul Villeda (University of California, San Francisco) explains recent stem cell research and its future potential for bodily repair