The "cell cycle" describes discrete steps in the process of cell division. The progression is mediated by a series of gatekeeping biochemical activities that ensure complete replication of DNA, and surveil it for fidelity. Precise execution of cell cycle is necessary for normal growth and development. At the same time, loss of cell cycle coordination can lead to aberrant cell proliferation that can become genetically unstable, a condition recognized as cancer. Many drugs target the enzymes that ...
Dec 17, 2022•35 min•Ep. 375
Beer is a beverage derived from the fermentation of grain by yeast. Hops impart their specific flavor and aroma notes. Together these ingredients produce a vast array of flavors and aromas that have become extremely popular in modern beer circles. Like any industrial workhorse organism, brewing yeast is significantly different from its wild antecedents. It has been bred to perform in fermentation, while creating metabolites that touch the senses of the consumer. Berkeley Yeast is taking the gene...
Dec 10, 2022•52 min•Ep. 374
Bigger plants are better, right? Not always. Control of plant or tree size can have many advantages, and genetic control of 'dwarf' phenotypes has been important in feeding a billion people. The problem is that the changes induced by dwarfing genes can have a negative effect on other aspects of plant biology, so identifying new genes to control size is an important goal. Dr. Philippa Borrill is a group leader at the John Innes Center, and she recently discovered a gene that contributes to size c...
Dec 03, 2022•18 min•Ep. 373
The modern era of genetic engineering has opened tremendous opportunities in medicine and agriculture. But who governs when the technology should be applied? Similar questions were asked in the 1970s at the dawn of recombinant DNA technology. In his new book As Gods - A Moral History of the Genetic Age, Prof. Matthew Cobb discusses these watershed moments in molecular biology, and discusses his views on the newest applications in gene drives, human germline gene editing, and gain-of-function res...
Nov 26, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 372
Parasites are known contributors to human disease and suffering, spanning a wide range of organisms. Dr. Jessie Kissinger from the University of Georgia has spent the last two decades curating genomic data from hundreds of parasites, their vectors and hosts. The information helps researchers generate hypotheses about parasites, and presents a fertile resources for comparing genomes and understanding similarities and differences across this diverse set of organisms. VEuPathDB.org (Vector and Euka...
Nov 19, 2022•39 min•Ep. 371
"Cancer" is the generic term applying to any one of many cellular proliferative disorders that threaten normal physiology. Various cancers have specific etiologies and require expertise in detection and treatment. New therapies are as innovative as they are promising, and a once dreaded prognosis now may have increased opportunity for cure, with better therapies on the horizon. But as it goes, with innovation comes resistance, and false information about cancer and its treatment flourish on soci...
Nov 12, 2022•35 min•Ep. 370
Animal agriculture contributes greenhouse gases that can influence climate change. One source in particular is cattle, as ruminant livestock produce methane from their specialized digestion, which is an especially potent greenhouse gas. Dr. Frank Mitloehner of the University of California Davis is an air quality expert in the area of ruminant biology. His research examines ways to mitigate the impact of livestock on climate, and his outreach efforts ensure that the information reaches the farmer...
Nov 05, 2022•46 min•Ep. 369
The mosquito is the most deadly animal on earth. It vectors a plasmodium, a eukaryotic parasite that invades the liver of the host and ultimately attacks red blood cells. There are some therapies and preventatives, but a durable vaccine would be a game changer in the Developing World. Dr. Stefan Kappe and his team have developed a vaccine based on the weakened plasmodium parasite. They used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to disrupt genes required for life cycle progression, so the vaccinated can recei...
Oct 29, 2022•36 min•Ep. 368
Ten years ago the biotech world froze and horrific images of three tumor-ridden rats penetrated the media. Social media erupted with messages of fear, and anti-biotech activists celebrated the scientific publication that conclusively linked biotech crops and an associated herbicide to cancer and early death. But at the same time a scientific community noted the shortcomings of the work. Eventually the paper was retracted, and independent research commissioned by the European Union failed to repl...
Oct 22, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 367
Dr. Betsy O'neill, VP of External Innovation at Horizon Therapeutics describes how strategic partnerships can assist biotech startups in moving new therapies through development to deployment. She discusses her company's collaborative approach, and how working together can assist in efforts to navigate the challenging business and regulatory environment.
Oct 08, 2022•46 min•Ep. 366
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are genome-resident relics of ancient infections. They comprise 8% of the human genome, and are activated by viral infections. Proteins like HERV-W and HERV-K accumulate following infections and have been causally connected to Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Scientists have now observed that SARS-CoV2 infection also induces expression of specific HERV proteins. Prof. Claudia Matteucci discusses the role of HERVs and their tie to COVID19...
Oct 01, 2022•27 min•Ep. 365
Anthocyanins are a class of plant pigments associated with healthful qualities in food. While research continues to assess their true health benefits in vivo, there is no question that the attractive fruits stimulate the senses and bring novelty to the diet. Dr. Cathie Martin of the John Innes Center in Norwich, England discusses the technology behind the purple tomato, its potential benefits to animal health, its effects on tomato shelf life, and the recent USDA nod to release of the purple tom...
Sep 24, 2022•29 min•Ep. 364
Sexually transmitted infections like chlamydial and gonorrhea are making a comeback, especially with younger demographics. Part of the problem is the stigma of examination and testing. These are not trivial infections, and can result in more complicated syndromes, which could include sterility or issues reproductive health. Early, discrete, confidential detection is key. Today's guest is Dr. Anna Dixon. She's the Chief Technology Officer of Binx Health. Her company has devised a lab-on-a-chip so...
Sep 17, 2022•38 min•Ep. 363
Communication between the digestive system and brain is much more intricate than previously thought. The digestive epithelium is laced with sensors that monitor the contents of the gut, reporting back to the brain, stimulating appropriate hormones and digestive action to guide motility, chemistry, and absorption. This network is frequently referred to as the 'second brain' because of the dense neurophysiology at work. Recently it has been hypothesized that dysfunction in the gut-brain axis may b...
Sep 10, 2022•40 min•Ep. 362
Insects cause massive losses in human health and agriculture. Scientists have implemented Sterile Insect Technique for over 50 years, a process to suppress populations by introducing genetically-damaged insects into natural settings. Upon mating, the offspring. Scientists have now used gene editing techniques to selectively suppress the Spotted Wing Drosophila, a costly pest in agricultural contexts. Today's podcast is an interview with Dr. Nikolay Kandul, a scientist working with a team that ha...
Sep 03, 2022•31 min•Ep. 361
While the vast majority of gene editing efforts have been confined to crop plants, animal gene editing holds tremendous promise. Efforts have demonstrated that naturally-occurring alleles could be reconstituted using site-specific nucleases, creating hornless dairy cattle and beef cattle with sex ratios skewed towards a higher proportion of males. These breakthroughs are just a sample of the powerful technology. Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam is a Cooperative Extension Specialist at the University of ...
Aug 27, 2022•43 min•Ep. 360
Immunotherapies represent a powerful suite of treatments that co-opt the immune system to target deleterious cellular conditions. They have been effective with a series of cancers and other disorders. The problem is that development of new antibodies can be challenging for several technical reasons, but also because no two people are alike. Dr. Liang Schweizer of HiFiBio describes how her company is using single-cells and microfluidics to identify new antibodies that may be mobilized against dis...
Aug 20, 2022•49 min•Ep. 359
Dogs are a recent species, and because of their close associations with humans have diverged into hundreds of breeds with specific behaviors, sizes and builds. There also is a great range in life expectancy and anticipated disease. Dogs therefore provide an excellent model to study aging and aging-related disorders, as well as understand the genetics and associated factors of aging. Celine Halioua, the CEO of Loyal, joins the podcast to discuss research into dog genetics and the factors that inf...
Aug 13, 2022•37 min•Ep. 358
A microbiome is described as a population of bacteria, fungi, protists and viruses that inhabit a specific environment. Animals, including humans, are composed of many microbiomes featuring trillions of microbes. There are different microbiomes found throughout the animal digestive tract, each with important roles in animal digestion, feed conversion, overall health. Dr. Mallory Embree is the co-founder and CSO of Native Microbials. Her company has explored relationships between microbial popula...
Aug 06, 2022•46 min•Ep. 357
This week's podcast has two parts. In the first section University of Idaho lactation specialist Dr. Shelley McGuire discusses the recent paper that claims to have found the herbicide glyphosate in breast milk. In the second half Gabe Ignetti from the Ecomodernist Society of North America discusses an environmental movement that embraces science, including biotechnology and nuclear power.
Jul 30, 2022•44 min•Ep. 356
Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death, but is remarkably treatable if caught early. Unfortunately, because of the invasive nature of the colonoscopy, many elect not to have this procedure done in a regular and timely manner. Colorectal cancers advance from normal cells through several distinct neoplasias, each with distinct patterns of gene expression. Today's guest is Dr. Erica Barnell from Geneoscopy. They have devised a test to identify evidence of precancerous gene e...
Jul 23, 2022•32 min•Ep. 355
The foundation of many modern consumer products begins with petroleum. Fossil fuels contain the building blocks of higher-complexity polymers, and are used in the creation of everything from high performance plastics in medical devices to your computer screen. But using petroleum use is not sustainable and has impacts in climate and pollution. What if the same molecular polymer backbones could be produced using biological organisms? Dr. Scott Franklin from Checkerspot explains how microalgae are...
Jul 16, 2022•36 min•Ep. 354
Injury to organs frequently results in impaired function due to the formation of scar tissue. Heart attacks and chronic high blood pressure can induce the formation of pathogenic fibroblasts, cells that lose their original function, yet maintain some structural element of the injured tissue. The formation of fibrogenic tissue affects a significant portion of the population, and contributes to decline associated with many diseases, such as congestive heart failure or liver cirrhosis. A new techno...
Jul 09, 2022•34 min•Ep. 353
Prion disorders are rare neurological diseases where a protein within the nervous system converts to a pathological form. The change in conformation affects other proteins, recruiting them to the misshapen, deleterious type. Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease of deer, caused by prion conversion. In this episode Dr. Sandra Pritzkow from University of Texas Health - Houston describes prion related disease, and specifically the atypical transmission elements of chronic wasting diseas...
Jul 02, 2022•24 min•Ep. 352
Specific chemistries are used to protect crops from insects, weeds, fungi and other microbes. Legacy issues with some older pesticides led to restrictions or bans on their use. Unfortunately, suspicion remains around contemporary solutions, even though today's chemistries are highly specific, with low toxicity to non-target organisms, including humans. Use of crop protection compounds is critical to all agriculture, including organic production. However, activist groups continue to manufacture f...
Jun 25, 2022•45 min•Ep. 351
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression occurs via many mechanisms. One method is the methylation of regulatory sequences that control the expression of specific genes. Methylation is the addition of a small methyl group to specific bases of the DNA helix. Addition of a methyl group can change how the DNA blueprint is accessed and expressed. Today's guest is Prof. Asaf Hellman. His group has found relationships between the methylation state of DNA and expression of genes associated with diabete...
Jun 18, 2022•43 min•Ep. 350
Recent reports criticized the lack of reproducibility in scientific publications, and this has profound effects on the public's trust in research results. Today's interview is with Tim Errington, Director of Research at the Center for Open Science. The Center for Open Science has devised a series of strategies and tools that can help improve reproducibility, as well as offer collateral benefits to scientists.
Jun 10, 2022•41 min•Ep. 349
Proteins define the structure and function of cells. The human genome encodes tens of thousands of proteins, yet we know surprisingly little about most of their functions. The Human Protein Atlas uses labor-intensive methods to identify the tissue localization of a significant catalog of human proteins. The reasoning is that if we know where a protein is expressed, we can begin to infer roles in cellular processes. The Human Protein Atlas is an open source resource of over 15 million images that...
Jun 04, 2022•32 min•Ep. 348
Many diseases do not have cures, yet from deleterious mutations in the genome. Many of these are rare disorders that do not benefit from extensive research or drug development. Current therapies mask symptoms more than solve the basis of the disorder. Dietrich Stephan of NewBase describes a novel custom drug design platform that shows amazing potential in animal models. A small oligonucelotide with a specific backbone can bind to its complementary sequence in DNA or RNA, derailing RNA polymerase...
May 28, 2022•42 min•Ep. 347
We are bombarded by claims, and have access to the most information in human history, instantly. How do we sort it out? What is real and what's not? Who do we trust? These are major questions today, and affect everything from public health to the foundations of democracy in the USA. From the news to the internet to the dinner table we are immersed in suspect information. How do we recognize and address conspiratorial thinking? What mistakes do we make when analyzing a problem? How can we recogni...
May 21, 2022•50 min•Ep. 346
