Episode 13 What can we learn from animals that live life on the edge? Dr. Laurel Yohe joins the podcast to discuss her fascinating research on bats, creatures with extreme adaptations like supersonic echolocation and mysteriously resilient immune systems. The conversation explores how studying these unique animals, using everything from 100-year-old museum specimens to cutting-edge genomic sequencing, provides critical insights into evolution and the transmission of viruses. Dr. Yohe also makes ...
Oct 02, 2025•57 min•Ep. 13
Episode 12 In this conversation, Dr. Danillo Augusto shares his journey from Brazil to the US, detailing his experiences with the neglected autoimmune disease Pemphigus and his current research focus on genomic equity. He discusses the importance of studying underrepresented populations in genomics and the challenges faced in addressing health disparities. Find out more at cipher.charlotte.edu. Key Takeaways Pemphigus is a neglected autoimmune disease endemic to Brazil. Health disparities are ev...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 12
Episode 11 Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr. Abbe LaBella, Assistant professor of Bioinformatics and Genomics at UNC Charlotte. She will take us along her journey from designing mailboxes to studying fungal genetics. Along the way, there will be deep sea adventures, genetic breakthroughs, and lessons for all stages of life. Find out more at cipher.charlotte.edu. Key Takeaways Abby actively mentors students from high school to postdoctoral levels. Her deep-sea research involved collec...
Jan 30, 2025•56 min•Ep. 11
Episode 10 Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr. Alex Dornburg, Assistant Professor in Bioinformatics and Genomics, as he shares his journey from childhood passion for wildlife photography to groundbreaking research in evolutionary informatics. We explore the fascinating world of Antarctic fishes, the cutting-edge applications of generative AI in education, and the critical role of team science in solving complex problems. Whether you're curious about marine biology, AI, or the intersect...
Dec 16, 2024•59 min•Ep. 10
Episode 9 In the final episode of Season 1, we dive into the fascinating world of ticks, pathogens, and global health with Dr. Rafael Vieira, a self-proclaimed "pathogen hunter" from UNC Charlotte. From the depths of the Amazon to the labs of North Carolina, Dr. Vieira takes us on a thrilling journey through his groundbreaking research on vector-borne diseases. Discover why your next eco-tourism adventure might be riskier than you think, and how climate change is reshaping the landscape of infec...
Aug 13, 2024•46 min•Ep. 9
Episode 8 Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Richard Allen White III, a pioneering computational and molecular virologist at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Inspired by a 90's movie and captivated by the world of viruses, Dr. White takes us on a journey through his unique career path, from the first class that hooked him to his current groundbreaking research. In this episode, Dr. White discusses the fascinating realm of virology, shedding light on the unseen univer...
Jul 30, 2024•55 min•Ep. 8
Episode 7 In this episode, we chat with Dr. Shi Chen, a renowned expert in infectious diseases and health informatics. Dr. Chen shares his fascinating journey from catching bugs in the countryside to tackling global health crises. We dive into his research on big data analytics, epidemic modeling, and the spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover how public health communication can improve and the surprising similarities between the spread of diseases and digital misinforma...
Jul 16, 2024•55 min•Ep. 7
Episode 6 Join us as we dive deep into the world of microbial oceanography with Dr. Elaine Luo, an expert who turned her fascination with "Finding Nemo" into a groundbreaking career. In this episode, Elaine shares her journey from an intrigued middle schooler to leading a cutting-edge research lab at UNC Charlotte. Discover the wonders of metagenomics, the significance of ocean microbes in our ecosystem, and thrilling tales from research vessels exploring the mysteries of the deep sea. Whether y...
Jul 02, 2024•41 min•Ep. 6
Episode 5 In this episode, we interview Dr. Denis Jacob Machado, a trailblazing phylogeneticist and bioinformaticist at UNC Charlotte. Denis shares his incredible journey from selling onions as a 12-year-old to studying poison dart frogs, sharks, and viruses. He reveals how he harnesses artificial intelligence and big data to predict pandemics and repurpose FDA-approved drugs, making groundbreaking strides in the intersection of biology and computer science. Tune in for a captivating conversatio...
Jun 18, 2024•55 min•Ep. 5
Episode 4 In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Dr. Morgan Carter, a passionate plant pathologist and academic, to explore the immune systems of plants. Dr. Carter shares her journey into the field, discussing the challenges and triumphs of studying plant-microbe interactions. We delve into the impact of governmental policies on scientific research and the importance of science communication. It was a wonderful conversation, and we think you're going to love it. Find out more at cipher....
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 4
Episode 3 In this episode, host Dr. Ian Binns interviews Dr. Adam Reitzel, a marine biologist and co-director of CIPHER at UNC Charlotte. Dr. Reitzel discusses what sparked his early interest in science, his journey into becoming a marine biologist despite growing up far from the ocean, and the fascinating world of sea anemones that are the focus of his research. He shares insights into the inner workings of his lab, the importance of mentorship, examples of surprising research findings, and how...
May 21, 2024•52 min•Ep. 3
Episode 2 In this episode, we are joined by co-director of CIPHER and bioinformatics expert: Dr. Dan Janies. He discusses his background and work in using computational methods and genomic data to study infectious diseases. He explains how he traced the origins of the SARS coronavirus to bats and used bioinformatics to track the spread of diseases like SARS, bird flu, and COVID-19 variants. Dr. Janies describes innovating techniques like projecting phylogenetic trees onto Google Earth to visuali...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 2
Episode 1 In this conversation, Co-Directors Dr. Dan Janies and Dr. Adam Reitzel introduce us to CIPHER and the incredible interdisciplinary team that makes it work. You'll learn about how computer scientists, biologists, social scientists, mathematicians, and public health officials work together to unlock the secrets of infectious diseases, to engineer solutions, and to predict future outbreaks. You won't want to miss this fascinating conversation. Find out more at cipher.charlotte.edu. Key Ta...
Apr 22, 2024•46 min•Ep. 1
