New strategies in gene therapy are integrating multiple modern techniques to take on contemporary challenging diseases, such as solid-tumor cancers. Dr. Eric Ostertag of Poseida Therapeutics describes their transposon-based gene therapies that deliver useful gene replacements through biodegradable, tissue-targeted nanoparticles. This contrasts against the older gene therapy technologies that relied on viral delivery. In addition, Poseida offers new approaches in CAR-T cell therapies, genetic adj...
Oct 23, 2021•53 min•Ep. 315
Genetic counselors play a critical role from pre-natal guidance to lifelong expertise in managing genetically-based disorders. With the tools of rapid sequencing and computational biology, the genetic counselor has new tools to predict genetic disorders and advise symptom management. Today’s guest is Pilar Magoulas, a Certified Genetic Counselor from Texas Children’s Hospital. She has won awards for her expertise in genetic counseling. We discuss the traditional roles of genetic counselors, how ...
Oct 16, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 314
Drug pipelines are thick with novel compounds that may have an effect on our most insidious diseases. However, most either fail early trials or are withdrawn because companies don’t see the return on investment of driving them forward. These shelved compounds still may have important roles in treating orphan diseases. The Children’s Tumor Foundation identifies these compounds lost to corporate expectations and re-analyzes them for therapeutic potential for other indications. Dr. Annette Bakker d...
Oct 09, 2021•33 min•Ep. 313
The classical assumption was that the modern dinosaur lineage led directly to today’s reptiles. However, a growing suite of evidence has shown that modern birds more closely emulate prehistoric creatures. Today’s guests are Profs Alexander Vargas (University of Chile) and Joao Bothelo (Catholic University of Chile). Their work on comparative anatomy in embryos has unveiled additional similarities between birds and dinosaurs, and pharmacological and molecular evidence has shown that chicken embry...
Oct 02, 2021•40 min•Ep. 312
We must be dedicated to fighting back against false information in food and medicine. Jeffery Smith is a personality with no scientific training that has used disinformation to taint an important public discussion on biotechnology for over 25 years. One of the ways he does this is to hijack legitimate scientific venues, making them think he conveys actual information. He then uses their media to push his false information that ultimately affects the public trust in food, farming and medicine. La...
Sep 25, 2021•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 311
In this week of technical failures and personal challenges, this week’s podcast investigates the merits of civil conversation. In an angry online environment, can we use the tools of trust building, listening, and empathy to build trust and have greater influence? I discuss my current circumstances and the status of the social media discussion of vaccine hesitancy and genetic engineering. Can we influence the acceptance of good technology with a soft touch? Can we win more hearts and minds with ...
Sep 19, 2021•37 min•Ep. 310
There is no such thing as bad food, it is just bad diets, so says Craig Good. Various life events caused him to rethink his relationship with food, and a keen skepticism led him to carefully evaluate the mistakes we make, the myths we accept, and the potential reasons we have an epidemic of diet-related illness and an internet packed with fad diets. The punchline is common sense, but comes after a discussion of food facts, psychology, and a prescription for healthy eating. Follow Craig on Twitte...
Sep 11, 2021•41 min•Ep. 309
How does misinformation about genetically engineered crops (GMOs) start and how do we correct it? These are questions asked by Prof. Robert Bird of the University of Connecticut. Prof. Bird discusses how an errant article can become the basis of misinformation spread, and how communicators can help push back against misinformation. Sign up for the online class here. # COLABRA Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research togethe...
Sep 04, 2021•57 min•Ep. 308
The herbicide glyphosate has been used for decades, with increased use paralleling the adoption of genetically engineered crops. The compound has a strong safety record and international regulatory consensus stating no unique health risks when used as directed. However, claims of cancer risk have increased in social media and websites, despite only cursory and/or circumstantial evidence of any actual causality. Juries have supported class-action lawsuits with substantial payouts based on cancer ...
Aug 28, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 307
Today’s podcast features two interviews about COVID19. The first is an interview with Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. Commissioner Fried has been an outspoken critic of the state’s handling of the pandemic, she pulls no punches about the errors in policy, and discusses her efforts and vision for a COVID-free future. In the second half Brady Holmer discusses long COVID. As the pandemic continues unfortunate patterns are emerging with regard to chronic cognitive, pulmonary, cardia...
Aug 21, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 306
Many cancers are much more curable if detected early. However, the current suite of detection methods are slow, expensive and can’t detect a problem until it is advanced. Dr. Steven Quake of the Chan-Zukerberg Biohub is working with a group to perfect the liquid biopsy. Using just a patient’s blood, the test strive to identify cell-free RNA and /or DNA that often is shed into the bloodstream from solid tumors. Detection of such molecules may help diagnosticians identify cellular transformation e...
Aug 14, 2021•26 min•Ep. 305
Yay for gremlins! Technical difficulties precluded the planned podcast, but that didn’t stop two good interviews from materializing a the last minute. Cameron Siggs is an attorney in south Florida. He came into a conversation in a Whole Foods Market that demonstrated the power of engagement and kind dialogue. In the second half we visit with registered dietitian Leah McGrath about farmers markets, seasonal produce and strange consumer expectations. Two great interviews with excellent information...
Aug 07, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 304
The role of Cas9 as an editing/deletion nuclease has been well established, but can it be used to turn genes on? Dr. Yiping Qi of the University of Maryland has developed a system where Cas9’s specificity is used to recruit gene expression activation factors to plant promoters. The approach allows activation of sets of genes associated with disease resistance or other useful plant traits. # COLABRA Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-ch...
Jul 31, 2021•24 min•Ep. 303
COVID19 is the spectrum of pathologies caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus. While the pandemic moves well into its second year, the importance of detection in populations cannot be overstated. However, testing methods typically include visiting testing centers, and it is hard to find a test that is both rapid and precise. Dr. Peter Ngyuen is a scientist with the Wyss Institute that has designed wearable sensors to detect specific viruses. We talk about the amazing synthetic biology technology and how ...
Jul 24, 2021•36 min•Ep. 302
Cassava is a staple for one in ten people on earth, grown mostly by small famers tending a few acres. One of the challenges is insect-vectored virus Cassava Brown-Streak Virus that destroys the root. Scientists from Africa and the Danforth Center in St. Louis MO, USA have collaborated to create a cassava line that is genetically engineered to suppress the virus. The approach is similar to what was done to save the papaya in Hawaii, essentially using a portion of the virus sequence to shut down v...
Jul 17, 2021•27 min•Ep. 301
He jet-sets around the planet and writes letters to government officials, brandishing academic and military credentials. He speaks with authority as an affiliate of a land-grant university. His claims rattle audiences and frighten regulators in the Developing World. Dr. Don M. Huber is a Professor Emeritus at Purdue University. Over the last decade he has taken the point to denigrate agricultural biotechnology and its associated chemistries. Many of his fantastical claims are patently false, suc...
Jul 03, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 299
The Genetic Literacy Project is a popular science news website. A diverse set of articles and viewpoints are presented, with original articles and news aggregated from the internet. Over the last decade the website as been accused of simply being a “front” for the seed industry, even though there is no such tie to these businesses. Such accusations are levied by websites and NGOs that reject the science presented. A recent expose’ in the Genetic Literacy Project analyzed the organizations and th...
Jun 26, 2021•58 min•Ep. 298
Jack Bobo has been studying food, farming and the associated psychology for decades, asking questions about the choices people make around food. His recent book Why Smart People Make Bad Food Choices addresses the psychology of value, risk and food choice. Follow Jack Bobo on Twitter : @Jack_A_Bobo Futurity website here. # COLABRA Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://w...
Jun 19, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 297
We have two major problems. Vanilla is mostly produced in a narrow set of unstable economies and the supply chains are especially vulnerable. There is massive demand for vanilla flavoring. The other major problem is plastic bottles. Plastic waste from PET bottles creates a massive environmental hazard, and is purely unsustainable. What if those bottles could be used as a substrate to produce useful compounds, like vanilla flavoring? Dr. Joanna Sadler asked that exact question and using the trick...
Jun 12, 2021•30 min•Ep. 296
Analysis of massive genomic DNA sequence data indicates that gene transfer between similar species actually happened, and did so at a surprising rate. Today’s podcast with Dr. Luke Dunning of University of Sheffield discusses his recent findings that indicate grasses are sharing genes with each other. It is an interesting discussion about horizontal gene transfer, from its mechanism, to its outcomes, to its effect on genetic variation and evolution. Follow Dr. Dunning on Twitter Dunning Lab webs...
Jun 05, 2021•38 min•Ep. 295
One of the major objections to genetic engineering is that a DNA segment is transferred to the crop, and lands in a somewhat random location. That’s because genetic engineering largely uses Agrobacterium to perform the genetic exchange. But Agrobacterium came from nature, and there is significant evidence that DNA transfer events have been happening for thousands to millions of years. Dr. Leon Otten has been studying Agrobacterium for decades, and now is identifying recent evidence that the bact...
May 29, 2021•36 min•Ep. 294
Dr. Dan Wilson is a rising star of science communication. His popular YouTube channel Debunk the Funk provides entertaining and evidence-based dissection of issues around science, vaccination and COVID19. In this issue of the Talking Biotech Podcast we discuss science communication, his motivations, and the recent dissection of the Disinformation Dozen. We cover recent vaccine disinformation as well as the role of universities and younger scientists in science communication. Follow Debunk the Fu...
May 22, 2021•38 min•Ep. 293
Peptides have increasingly emerging roles in cellular signaling and anti-microbial applications. Peptioids are cousins of their active peptide analogs, only synthesized with a durable bond that helps the molecule evade cellular turnover mechanisms. Dr. Gill Diamond of the University of Louisville discusses the chemistry of peptoids and their applications as anti-virals, including targeting SARS-CoV2. The pipeline of new compounds is discussed with a myriad of potential application in human disea...
May 15, 2021•31 min•Ep. 292
A solar-powered animal? There are species of sea slugs that consume algae, then integrate the chloroplasts into their own digestive cells. There they function to fix carbon and essentially power the organism. This phenomenon is known as kelptoplasty- stealing the autotrophic capacities of one organism for the slug’s benefit. This week’s podcast is a conversation with Dr. Sonia Cruz, a Principal Researcher at the University of Averio. Her work seeks to unravel many of the intriguing questions abo...
May 08, 2021•34 min•Ep. 291
The basis of aging and long-term degenerative disease have been formidable questions for scientists. Over the last decade several “methylation clocks” have been devised to examine modifications of DNA that match well with developmental state and disease presentation. Dr. Ekaterina Rogaeva from the University of Toronto studies methylation clocks, especially as they associate with specific neurodegenerative diseases. The discoveries in this discipline delineate diagnostic patterns of epigenetic c...
May 01, 2021•50 min•Ep. 290
Last week’s episode covered Alpha Gal Syndrome, the tick-induced allergy to beef and pork. The same immunological response could also limit a recipient’s access to xenography or xenotransplantation, that is, the introduction of pig and cow tissues and organs for human benefit. From valves to tendons to organs, the use of non-human animal parts is becoming increasingly common, but so is the instance of immune response to them due to a response to alpha gal. Today’s guest is Dr. John Bianchi, VP o...
Apr 24, 2021•36 min•Ep. 289
You find a tick on your skin and remove it. The next day you eat a sausage and wind up in the emergency room in anaphylaxis. After that, you can’t eat beef or pork without experiencing an intense allergic reaction. This is alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy induced by the saliva of ticks bearing a simple oligosaccharide (compound sugar), and the body mounts an immune response against it. The same oligosaccharide is also found in beef and pork. This strange condition is becoming increasingly more com...
Apr 17, 2021•27 min•Ep. 288
Today’s podcast is an interview with New Zealander of the Year Dr. Siouxsie Wiles. Dr. Wiles’ program uses bioluminesence as a marker to follow bacterial growth and disease progression. Her work seeks to identify new antimicrobial compounds. However, Dr. Wiles has become a go-to person in the discussion of COVID19, and has led public discourse on the realities of the pandemic. Her written work, video and cartoons around COVID19 have contributed to New Zealand’s low incidence rate, and world lead...
Apr 10, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 287
While genomics approaches have opened a universe of new compounds in plants, the vast majority remain uncharacterized. Brightseed has employed an artificial intelligence platform to scan for novel compounds, with a goal to identify new chemicals that may play a role in human health. Today’s podcast features Dr. Jim Flatt, CEO and Co-Founder of Brightseed. He discusses the company’s pilot products and the pipeline of compounds that may enhance human health. www.brightseedbio.com # COLABRA Talking...
Apr 03, 2021•50 min•Ep. 286
Your DNA contains all of the information that makes you, you. With increasing understanding of the genetic basis of disease, the information in every cell may help anticipate, correct, or otherwise treat latent medical issues. The good news is that the cost of obtaining your personal DNA sequence is now less than the cost of a couple of concert tickets. At the same time, how is that information safeguarded? Who has access to it? Can it be used to exclude you from insurance coverage or open the d...
Mar 27, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 285
