About us
Co-founders of Don’t Just Read the Abstract
Dr Pip Nicolson
Associate Professor and Consultant Haematologist
Dr Richard Buka
Clinical Lecturer and ST7 Haematology Registrar
What are we trying to do here?
Pip and Rich started the Don't Just Read the Abstract Podcast in 2023 with the goal of filling an educational niche. Medical haematology is a huge speciality, encompassing all the parts of haematology that aren't cancer. This includes haemostasis, thrombosis, transfusion, red cell haematology, immunohaematology, and many other areas of haematology. On the podcast, Pip and Rich discuss the latest advancements in medical haematology, critically appraising pivotal papers, and interviewing leaders in the field.
The newsletter was added in 2025 with the aim of complementing the podcast by delivering digestible, evidence-rooted insights from recent literature, guidelines, and emerging research.
Don't Just Read the Abstract aims to help clinicians, researchers, and trainees engage more deeply with the primary literature, challenging the notion of just reading abstracts. Through writing, podcasting, blogs, and collaboration, we invite conversation, critique, and exploration in non-malignant haematology.
Our philosophy
We believe that context matters, not just headlines. Scientific abstracts distil data, but they often omit important nuance, caveats, and the thread of reasoning. We aim to go beyond the abstract by exploring methodology, limitations, and implications, connecting findings to clinical practice, and fostering informed discussion rooted in curiosity and integrity.
Don't Just Read the Abstract is a space where scientists, clinicians, and students feel invited to question, learn, and stretch beyond superficial reading.