Talking Biotech Podcast

Tweet Dr. Mark Williams has extensive training in molecular biology.  He also is interested in sustainable crop production, and leads training in organic production at University of Kentucky.  In this interview he speaks about the intersection of these areas, touching on how what have been treated as disparate approaches really fit well together.  Dr. Williams touches on  gene editing, food labeling, environmental impact, and how education efforts need to focus on sustainable agriculture using the best tools going forward.  Hosted by Dr. Paul Vincelli   Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and write a review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet Increasing efficiency in photosynthesis has been one of the desired goals of plant biology.  A recent paper in the journal Science presents work by a team led by Dr. Stephen Long from the University of Illinois/University of Lancaster.  By overexpressing three genes in tobacco, the plants were able to increase carbon assimilation, showing that there are mechanisms to improve the process.  We discuss the paper, but also its extensions into food security, climate change and future fuels.  Dr. Long’s website is here and his Gate’s foundation project is here.   Dr. Long also had strong ties to Dr. Sharon Gray, the UC Davis postdoctoral researcher who we tragically lost in a horrible situation in Ethiopia.  Her family has developed a memorial fund to raise support toward scholarships for women in science.  Please consider a donation, even a small one.  If everyone downloading this podcast contributed even a few dollars the fund could almost double. I’d love to see it hit $1 million and provide beautiful impacts to others, to honor the memory of Dr. Gray. https://www.gofundme.com/SharonBethGray        Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and write a review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet The last episode contained information about glyphosate that was allegedly detected in common grocery store items.  Today’s podcast is an important follow up. At the time the discussion was 100% correct based on the methods and information provided.  I have since been contacted by the laboratory that did the testing.  I’m confident that their numbers were reported correctly, as described on their analytical reports.  So is there herbicide detected in parts per billion?  Looks like it could be in some cases, is correctly detected with reliable quantitation in other cases, and in other cases it is not detected (still could be there below limit of detection). What it means again is that we are very good at detecting something that almost isn’t there, and you’d need to eat billions of boxes of Cheerios to reach a physiologically perilous level of the herbicide. It also means no reason for alarm.  The levels are amazingly small, and are a testament to outstanding detection– and are not the poisons as described.  This clarification also underscores the importance of peer review.  When methods are incomplete, and controls like organic products are coming back positive– it suggests that there are serious issues with the measurements. So the question shifts again to the ethics of activist groups that attempt to scare parents with minuscule non-zero numbers.  That is the conversation we must be having.

Tweet In the first part of this week’s podcast you’ll learn how to debunk a viral claim.  There are repeated claims that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, is detected in a plethora of food, beverages and body fluids.  The reports are designed to scare people, especially targeting parents that are concerned about the food they feed to their families. This week a glossy brochure surfaced making claims that glyphosate was detected in Cheerios, Oreos, organic snack foods, and many other common groceries. However, this was not a legitimate report from a peer-reviewed journal and should not be given much weight.  Nonetheless, a well-meaning Snopes a response that gave the report undue credence.  Fortunately they corrected the record. The second part of the podcast discusses hops, the flavor element of beer.  Where did it come from, why did people start using it in beer?  These questions and others are discussed with Dr. Shaun Townsend, a plant breeder that creates new varieties for the craft brew industry. Dr. Townsend’s website:   http://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/group/hop-breeding    Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn  

Tweet Corn. It ultimately has a role in so much of what we eat.  From a sweet corn cob on the 4th of July, to the calories that made the steak possible, to fuel in our gas tanks, to the sweetness in a soda, corn is a central player.  This week’s podcast is an interview with one of the world’s leading experts in corn genetics, Dr. John Doebley from the University of Wisconsin.  Dr. Doebley is the world’s leading authority on the genetic events that made modern corn, the individual steps in domestication thousands of years ago, that can be traced back to discrete changes in DNA. Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet  The processes of biotechnology can be a bit of a black box, and that does not help further its understanding or acceptance.  Journey of the Gene is an interactive, multimedia resource that can aid in explaining the process of genetic engineering.  This week’s podcast features Dr. Don Lee, one of the central developers of the resource.  From teachers, to ag producers to extension professionals, this interactive web resource details the process of genetic engineering using the example of solving soybean disease Sudden Death Syndrome.  Hosted by Dr. Paul Vincelli (@Pvincell). Website: https://ge.unl.edu/journey-of-a-gene/   Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet Beginning at conception, a new human’s development and long-term health are critically dependent on the availablity of proper nutrition.  The right nutrients at the right time can have profound impacts on individuals, but also have effects on whole societies.  Today’s guest is Lucy Martinez-Sullivan, Executive Director of 1000 Days. She talks about the critical need for pre- and neo-natal nutrition, and how our scientific and social interventions can reshape the lives of many. Website:  http://thousanddays.org/  Twitter:  @thousanddays Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/First1000DaysIreland Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet The peanut is a valuable crop for American farmers and is extensively cultivated worldwide.  It is an important source of protein and healthy oils.  At the same time the public is concerned about peanut allergies and aflatoxins.  What is the reality, and how is technology coming to the rescue to address these problems?   Dr. Peggy Ozias-Akins is a Professor and peanut expert at the University of Georgia’s Tifton campus, and she talks about past and contemporary issues in peanuts.  In the second part of the podcast I talk about communicating concepts in genetic engineering with family and friends.  How do we reach people we care about that have been tainted by non-scientific opinions?  We can do that, but it takes following a strategy. Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet The eggplant (brinjal, aubergine) is a curious fruit in western nations, but is an important staple for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Today’s podcast discusses the eggplant with Dr. Mark Chapman from University of Southampton in the UK.  Dr. Chapman has examined the domestication and evolution of the eggplant, discussing its natural variability and the use of molecular tools to study relatedness between the diverse land races.  The second part of the podcast shares Dr. Indra Vasil’s remembrances of Dr. Norman Borlaug. Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report.   @Forevrfarmgirl Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet   Talking Biotech #52 visits with Iida Ruishalme, cell biologist, author and blogger.  Iida is a trained scientist that writes the blog Thoughtscapism.  Recently she published a comprehensive assessment of the frequently-asked questions regarding the glyphosate herbicide.  Her thoughtful discussion was the basis of today’s discussion.  Follow Iida in all of her social media areas: Blog:   thoughtscapism.com Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Thoughtscapism/  Twitter:  Iida Ruishalme @Thoughtscapism, https://twitter.com/Thoughtscapism Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/iidadragon/thoughtscapism/ and Quora:   https://www.quora.com/profile/Iida-Ruishalme Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet Today’s episode is born of frustration.  Fear-mongering non-experts are abusing improper interpretations from an available herbicide detection kit to make claims that herbicides are now found in vaccines.  Namely, they seek to find glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.  They use a kit you can buy on the internet, but fail to use it in the way it is designed.  Instead of using it on water, they use it on complex mixtures that yield false positives that are interpreted as legitimate signals. So to push back I want to provide you with the information you need to discuss these topics with confidence.  This topic has no guests.  I reached out to the folks making the claims as well as the company that makes the product, and nobody wants to join the conversation.  It is simply me talking about the claims, the assay, and how you can help debunk the bad information that pollutes this important public discourse.  Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet   One of the most important steps in genetic engineering a plant is the process of regenerating an entire new plant from a single cell that contains the new genetic instructions.  The process is as much art as science.  Dr. Indra Vasil was a pioneer in this area, especially in monocots, the plants we think of as our major grasses and grains.  In this interview Dr. Vasil discusses the early days of plant tissue culture, and his contributions to the process that makes genetic engineering of crops possible. Dr. Vasil shares his experiences and talks fondly of the many scientists that supported his work, as well as the need to get students to think outside the box.    Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet   The dog-days of summer are a perfect match for watermelon.  This podcast discusses domestication, breeding and interesting stories of where this magical fruit came from, and where it is going.  Dr. Cecilia McGregor shares her knowledge of the origins of this important dessert crop, along with interesting facets of how it is used by other people around the world. She also ventures into “endless amusement” with watermelons.  In the second half, I answer the many questions that came in over the internet this week!  Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet One of the amazing success stories of genetic engineering is the eggplant, known as the “brinjal” in Asia and the “aubergine” in Europe.  In the west it is occasional table fare, yet in many parts of Asia it is a daily staple.  Farmers in Bangladesh and India rely on doses of old-school insecticides to protect their crop, up to eighty a season, and not always with appropriate protection equipment.  The problem is insects that bore into the plant and into the fruit, destroying a crop. One solution has been the use of the bacterial protein known as “Bt”, only that the plant produces itself to protect it from insects.  It is the same protein used in corn and cotton in other countries, including the USA. The new eggplant lines have been wonderfully accepted, and poor farmers in Bangladesh are making excellent profits from this technology, while making safer produce. The story is told by Dr. Tony Shelton, Professor of Entomology with Cornell University in Geneva, NY.   The story has captured the interest of many, including science journalist and filmmaker Dr. Hidde Boersma.  Dr. Boersma has a Ph.D. in microbiology, and appreciates the potential contributions of genetic engineering.  He has captured the story of the eggplant in a beautiful documentary called Well Fed.   The documentary tells the story of the farmers that grow the plant, and the well-fed Europeans that change their attitude toward the technology when they see the beautiful ways it can benefit people. Website for Dr. Tony Shelton   here, but this is the website to the Bt Brinjal project. Website for Dr. Hidde Boersma  here   This link is Hidde Boersma’s beautiful prelude to the documentary, sharing much of the same footage. Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn

Tweet Those of you that follow social media know Dr. Paul Vincelli.  He’s a visible contributor to the discussion on genetic engineering, but also ventures into discussion of climate change.  So how do scientists learn to rethink their approach to public hot-button topics to be effective?  This has been a question for scientists for a long time, as we perennially fail to connect well with the public. Podcast Resources: * Genetic Engineering and Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities for Case-by-Case Decision-Making, http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/5/495 * Are Biocontrols for Plant Diseases Safe to Humans?, https://vincelliblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/26/are-biocontrols-for-plant-diseases-safe-to-humans/ Follow Dr. Vincelli on Twitter (@Pvincell) Like the podcast?  Please subscribe and review!  Stitcher    iTunes   Player FM   TuneIn