This important issue of Scientia takes an exciting look into the future of health and healthcare delivery across the world. For more than a year, COVID-19 has dominated almost every aspect of our lives, causing unprecedented disruption on a global level. For this reason, it is with great pride that we celebrate the significant advances in science, health and healthcare that have been achieved in the face of such adversity.

Our first section showcases the dedicated efforts of researchers working to improve the promotion of healthy living as well as the provision of clinical care and disease prevention through policy development. From understanding and ensuring the provision of safe drinking water to guiding the development of nursing and midwifery in the community, we read of a wide range of evidence-based approaches that are transforming healthcare policy and practice.

The second section focuses on the researchers tackling the causes and consequences of poor nutrition. We read how the predominantly developing world problem of undernutrition has received the attention of a collaboration of experts who are challenging traditional assumptions and providing a vital evidence base to inform future practice in this field. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we read of the researchers working to overcome the causes and consequences of obesity, including the causal impact of mass media on overeating in young adults and the potentially fatal onset of pancreatic disease.

Our third section highlights the work of researchers dedicated to progressing understanding of how we fight infection and defend against disease. In an exclusive interview, we meet Professor Colin Garner, founder and Chief Executive at Antibiotic Research UK, and gain insight into their work supporting research into new antibiotic treatments, educating the public about the dangers of drug-resistant infections and providing the UK’s first patient support service. From improving the diagnosis of potentially fatal responses to infection to marvelling at the surprising benefits that bacteria can bring, we are reminded of the critical importance of this field in healthcare.

Our fourth section celebrates the work of scientists who are dedicated to the development of innovative treatments and technologies in health and healthcare. In this riveting final section, we read of pioneering approaches to reducing the incidence of preterm birth, novel therapies to regenerate damaged heart muscle and how insights from music are being used to improve the quality of the auditory signals of life-saving devices used in hospitals across the world.