Alzheimer's Disease Risk and Reward When they hear about my work as a neurodegeneration researcher, people always ask me about Alzheimer's disease risk factors. What really causes Alzheimer's disease? Plaque and tangle buildup The truth is there's no one secret to staving off dementia, other than living your best life. This doesn't mean following every impulse, but rather thinking clearly about your habits and consciously making those good habits easier to access. Better lucky than good, but in ...
Dec 13, 2023•47 min
Deep Brain Degeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease with Dr. Lea Grinberg & Research Team Losing Control from the Locus Coeruleus, starring Jonathan Chen, Felipe Pereira, and Ian Oh This episode kicks off a series all about my recent work in neurodegenerative disease, with a an emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease, a devastating and complex dementia and a major focus of my (Dr. Connor Wander’s) dissertation at UNC Chapel Hill. And where better to start than where the first major pathological changes o...
May 30, 2023•2 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 2
This episode is about neural networks on noradrenaline- the key neuromodulator known to flip almost every switch in the brain! Drs. Esteban Oryarzabal and Connor Wander break down how noradrenaline, or norepinephrine help regulate brain states useful for attention and task-switching. The studies here cover a whole new way to interpret brain imaging studies, which could have huge implications for neuroscience everywhere! Youtube link: https://youtu.be/NyMQhw5NpG4 Please note that this episode is ...
Jan 18, 2022•1 hr 21 min
VIDEO WITH VISUAL AIDS ON YOUTUBE!! How did you get so put together? DNA is the blueprint, but it doesn't determine everything. DNA gets turned into RNA, and then finally into proteins that help build your body and brain. But there are SO many steps in that process that affect the final product- you. The sum of these steps is a process called genetic regulation. Genetic regulation makes sure that not all of our genes are expressed and turned into protein at the same time and same place- that wou...
Apr 03, 2020•51 min
Marijuana and other cannabis products are becoming increasingly available across the country, and while compounds like CBD have been shown to be safe and even helpful in adults, the side effects of cannabis products are relatively unknown when it comes to the developing fetus. We've known that alcohol causes birth defects for over 40 years, causing a condition called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and the greater spectrum of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) . But alcohol isn't the only comm...
Mar 12, 2020•54 min
This week's episode is about the big things in life- specifically, supermassive black holes in dwarf galaxies! Connor Wander sits down with Mugdha Polimera from UNC to talk about her work studying supermassive black holes and how their frequency in dwarf (smaller) galaxies can teach us about the formation of the universe. She quite literally looks back in time! Mugdha explains how she studies such huge elements so far away, what her studies could mean for our understanding of the universe, revie...
Feb 18, 2020•1 hr 11 min
This episode is all about bad bugs. Specifically, a flesh-eating bacteria strain called Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). S. aureus is a very common bacteria that's best known for becoming resistant to antibiotics, and becoming MRSA. Bacteria and the immune system are always at war with each other. Antibiotics can give the body the edge in this battle, but common resistance is making this much harder in hospitals and homes across the world. Bacteria survive these antibiotics and the immune syste...
Jan 05, 2020•39 min
This weeks episode combines several topics you may have heard of, but never thought about in the same context! Diabetes and epigenetics are two well-researched topics, but not in the context of fetal development. During pregnancy, the placenta is the highway that connects a mother and fetus, so when epigenetics act on the placenta, they could have huge effects on development of the fetus and/or the mother. We break it down straight from a scientist in this episode with Laetitia Myeyruix from UNC...
Dec 01, 2019•52 min•Ep. 52
Join Lebaron (Lee) Agostini and Connor Wander in our FIRST VIDEO episode! This episode is all about Cancer Biology. Lee studies experimental cancer therapies for pancreatic cancer. New cancer therapies called combination or synergystic cancer therapies use multiple drug types to shut down, corner, and eliminate cancer cells in the body. The full video version of this episode is available on Nov 5th at 7PM EST ! Head on over to our YouTube Channel and check it out there! Also streaming (audio onl...
Nov 05, 2019•1 hr 31 min
What is Alzheimer's disease? Who can get Alzheimer's, and how does the disease progress? Maya Gostyla and Connor Wander break down the state of Alzheimer's disease treatments, risk factors, and potential breakthroughs in the field. Related Episodes If you like this episode, we have tons of podcasts on Alzheimer's disease! You can hear more about Maya and her research story in this episode. Further Reading about Alzheimer's disease Here's a great review from the experts on where Alzheimer's resea...
Oct 02, 2019•1 hr 9 min
This week's episode is with the host of The Blunt Report podcast: Konner Blunt. Connor and Konner talked about ALzheimer's disease, the experience of podcasting, science communication, and Jiu Jitsu among other things. Check out The Blunt Report here: http://www.thebluntreport.com/ More about Alzheimer's disease: https://www.straightfromascientist.com/alzheimers-disease/...
Sep 08, 2019•1 hr 49 min
Tayler is a PhD candidate in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia. Her research focuses on the pharmacology and toxicology of supposed ‘fertility-boosting’ herbal supplements on sperm cells, using flow cytometry to elucidate their effects at a cellular level. She is also a science communicator in her spare time, and posts regular pharmacology-based series online. You can find her on Instagram at @taylercatherine Link to a good general review on oxi...
Jun 15, 2019•52 min
Sean Jackewicz is a research student at the University of Georgia who is studying for his degree in Genetics, with the goal of being a medical doctor. Sean's research in the lab has focused on cancer development and cancer therapies, while his work outside of the lab focuses on the role of genomics in people's lives. Sean is currently leading the development of a clinical genotyping tool that he hopes will give health practitioners the ability to personalize treatment plans for patients like nev...
Jun 15, 2019•52 min•Ep. 47
Alzheimer's disease is a terrifying neurodegenerative disorder characterized by impaired memory, cognitive deficits, and neuronal loss. With few treatments and no cure after decades of research, scientists are starting to think outside the box for better ways to ward off Alzheimer's disease. In this episode, we discuss the links between mental health and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's, and how common strategies for better mental health have great promise for Alzheimer's disease tre...
May 31, 2019•42 min
Genome-wide association studies , or GWAS, are very helpful in telling researchers where to focus their attention. They point out genetic linkers that have the potential to be used as medicines or diagnostics. GWAS identify genes or clusters of genes associated with greater risk for diseases and disorders. But GWAS aren't a silver bullet... Dr. Liz Tunbridge studies genetic risk factors for various psychiatric disorders. She has noted that while GWAS are very useful, they have many limitations, ...
Apr 21, 2019•23 min•Ep. 45
Women are almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as men. However, this is NOT because they live longer. When we look into the aging brain, males and females experience different timelines. The molecular underpinnings of these sex differences could make a huge impact on our understanding of Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton is spearheading research into sex differences in Alzheimer's disease. She works to discover how to protect the aging female brain from these increas...
Apr 09, 2019•28 min•Ep. 44
This week's episode features another throwback recorded in San Diego, CA, where Connor Wander attended the BrightFocus Alzheimer's Disease Fast Track conference , followed by the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. We talked with Dr. Elizabeth Head, who studies the link between Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's disease with the hopes of improving lives for both patient classes. Listen to hear about this super interesting and very promising work! About Dr. Elizabeth Head Dr. Elizabeth Head has r...
Mar 27, 2019•14 min•Ep. 43
This episode is all about neuronal apoptosis. In Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh's eyes, some cells are willing to undergo apoptosis, while others are very cautious. Understanding these differences could be the key to understanding, treating, or curing diseases that haunt us in modern times. Research in Dr. Deshmukh’s lab at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, focuses on pathways for neuronal apoptosis and the ways that survival and death work in different cells. Apoptosis is programmed cell de...
Feb 10, 2019•51 min•Ep. 42
This week’s episode marks the 2nd of a series focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. All episodes were recorded in San Diego, CA, where Connor Wander attended the BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Disease Fast Track conference , followed by the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a well-known conference, drawing 28 thousand people annually. In contrast, AD Fast Track is a much smaller conference put on by BrightFocus, a foundation built to support AD and g...
Dec 20, 2018•57 min•Ep. 41
To honor our recent collaboration with TheSciCommunity , we sat down with the founders Dan and Gabe and discussed the importance of science communication. Dan and Gabe share their values and mission to spread science in a transparent and direct way. Also in this episode, we discuss our pathways into science, how to improve the dialogue between scientists and the public, and fake news. We also talk about the Skype A Scientist program that connects scientists with classrooms around the world. Fina...
Dec 13, 2018•57 min•Ep. 40
This week’s episode marks the 1st of a series focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. All episodes were recorded in San Diego, CA, where Connor Wander attended the BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Disease Fast Track conference , followed by the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a well-known conference, drawing 28 thousand people annually. In contrast, AD Fast Track is a much smaller conference put on by BrightFocus, a foundation built to support AD and g...
Nov 27, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 39
For Part Two in our wildlife ecology series, we talked with Alexandra Israel, a Master's student at York University. As a field biologist, Alex works long days in Canada researching species like the Wood Thrush and the worrying decline of songbird populations. So listen in to hear about her experience with field work, as well as issues such as nest predation and bird parasites that hurt songbird populations. Learn about small things people can do to help songbird populations, including keeping d...
Nov 14, 2018•28 min•Ep. 38
This week we kick off part one of a two part series on conservation and ecology. We talked to Stephanie Martin, a Tropical Rainforest Ecologist. So listen in to hear about Stephanie's field research in rainforests around the world, as well as what individuals can do to aid in conservation efforts. Stephanie works to help preserve endemic species, plants and animals that exist only in one geographic region. Also, we talk about the ethics of ethnobotany and a recent World Wildlife Fund study on ex...
Nov 06, 2018•37 min•Ep. 37
For this episode, we talked to Dr. Rachel Paul, also known as The College Nutritionist, about her work in behavioral nutrition. Listen in to hear about practical strategies Rachel uses with her clients to manage weight effectively. Rachel dispels some myths and misconceptions about healthy eating and weight management. We also talk about different types of diets and whether or not current scientific research recommends them. For example, we cover ketogenic diets, fasting, and the potential downf...
Oct 17, 2018•36 min•Ep. 36
Another special episode for the SFS podcast this week: a collaborative show between Lowell Thompson, the host of the Learning with Lowell Podcast, and Connor from Straight from a Scientist. Listen in to hear a relaxed discussion about the motivations behind and the ups and downs of podcasting. We also talk about our backgrounds, personal histories and interests, and cool things planned for both the Learning with Lowell and Straight from a Scientist Podcasts! About Lowell After being in the ICU a...
Oct 15, 2018•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 35
This episode is part of a new series put on by UNC Pharmacology . Lab to Life exposes students, staff, and faculty to the journey of alumni as they navigate their career post-PhD. It’s inspirational, informative, and a great guide for anyone looking for alternate careers in science. Special thanks to Nicole Arnold at UNC Pharmacology for letting us record, and of course to Lisa for coming to talk to us! About Lisa Lisa is a Scientific and Regulatory Specialist at Camargo Pharmaceutical Services,...
Oct 10, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 34
This week we talked with Anton Rogachov, a 5th year PhD student in Dr. Karen Davis’s Lab at the University of Toronto. The Davis Lab focuses on using brain imaging like resting-state fMRI to understand functional abnormalities in the brains of chronic pain patients. The majority of Dr. Davis’s work looks at the functional communication between different brain regions and networks in order to understand how these communications break down in chronic pain. In comparison, Anton's research looks at ...
Sep 02, 2018•48 min•Ep. 33
In our second interview with Aaron Devanathan, a PhD student in the Kashuba Lab at UNC Pharmacy, we dive deeper into the strategies researchers use on the cutting edge of HIV research, including the technical challenges, tools, and model systems that make the science possible. We cover past, present, and future HIV therapies and also explore the innate immune system in aging and within the context of AIDS. Next, Aaron discusses his recent experience in his clinical rotation at UNC hospitals, and...
Aug 20, 2018•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 32
Today, back by popular demand is Miguel Mateas, a Clinical Nutritional Neuroscientist who studies how the microbiota affects the brain. Diversity and abundance in gut microbiota leads to a healthy and balanced system, called eubiosis. But when that balance is lost, the gut’s ability to absorb nutrients suffers, which is called dysbiosis. We discuss his new review article, which covers markers of gut health which can be used to develop personalized treatment for microbiome and neurological issues...
Aug 05, 2018•54 min•Ep. 31
Connor Wander talked to Waylin Yu about his research in the overlap of pain, negative emotion, and addiction. Waylin studies the fundamental roles of neurons in different areas of the brain, such as the amygdala, that may be responsible for these reactions, both independently and in relation to each other. This includes chronic pain, anxiety, and alcohol and drug dependence, looking at activity in dopamine pathways, which play a role in reward-motivated behavior, and GABA, an important inhibitor...
Jul 19, 2018•56 min•Ep. 30
