Talking Biotech Podcast

Tweet   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, such as his discovery of a new life form that was thriving on Roundup herbicide and causing disease in humans, animals and plants. When challenged, he attacks his critics, even resorting to false claims to their employers to silence them.  Still he circles the globe in a Quixotic attempt to end implementation of useful technology. What is the motivation?  Why does it continue? Today’s episode analyzes the claims and outcomes with Rob Wager, retired faculty member of Vancouver Island University in Naniamo, Britsh Columbia. Rob has been a remarkable voice in identifying false information and helping correct it, with expertise in the literature and the personalities that push false information agendas. Follow Rob Wager on Twitter: @RobertWager1 Link to Huber’s talk at Plant Animal Genome Conference 2019 (from PAG website; I’m on Page 10). Link to his complaint letter to my employer  (available via public records request)  

Tweet 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 their funding. It turns out that the organizations that criticize the science have intricate direct links to each other, as well as to law firms that have associations with Scientology. The take home message is that the disinformation these groups present is echoed by the other related “disinformation feedback loops” multiple presentations in the media that appear to be independent, but are all part of a connected and intricate scheme to tarnish the perception of actual scientific information, the scientists that produce it, and the outlets that present it. Jon Entine on Twitter: @JonEntine Genetic Literacy Project Website Genetic Literacy Project on Twitter:  @GeneticLiteracy  A link to the original story here.   

Tweet   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.

Tweet 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 tricks of synthetic biology installed the enzymatic steps to convert PET bottles into vanillin, the central compound of vanilla flavoring. A genetically engineered strain of E. coli efficiently converts trash into treasure, and is a great harbinger for the future of synthetic biology in waste remediation. Follow Dr. Sadler on Twitter:  @JoSadler10   

Tweet     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 website

Tweet 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 bacterium has littered the plant world with random DNA insertion events. It is likely that these events had important roles in plant evolution, potentially around agronomically important traits. We discuss this natural phenomenon and how it may change the dialog on genetic engineering and regulation.

Tweet   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 Funk on YouTube here. Follow Dr. Dan Wilson on Twitter here.

Tweet 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 disease. Dr. Diamond also serves on as a scientific advisor to Maxwell Biosciences.   Maxwell Biosciences on Twitter  

Tweet 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 about this unusual relationship between photosynthesis and animals.  

Tweet 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 changes that could be critical in disease prediction and treatment, as well as monitoring overall health.  

Tweet 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 of Product Development at Revivicor.  Revivicor has developed the GalSafe Pig, a genetic engineering step that eliminates the production of Alpha-Gal, making organs compatible with sensitive recipients. While solving the key problem of xenographic transplants and tissue donation, the pork may also be consumed without incident.  Again science rises to solve an important problem.

Tweet   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 common.  Dr. Jeffery Wilson is a physician at the University of Virginia who studies alpha-gal syndrome.  We discuss this strange disorder, and consider strategies to solve it that will be discussed in the next episode.  

Tweet   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 leadership in how to handle a pandemic.  We discuss her work and efforts in science communication. Follow Dr. Wiles on Twitter:  @SiouxsieW Her website is here Some of the COVID19 cartoons with Toby Myers can be seen here. Dr. Wiles TEDx Talk.    

Tweet 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  

Tweet 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 door to genetic discrimination?  Today’s guests are the CEO and CSO of Nebula Genomics.  CEO Kamal Obbad and CSO Dennis Grishin share their insights into the benefits of personalized sequencing, along with a discussion of how they mitigate risk of malicious dissemination and/or use of genetic data. Follow Nebula Genomics on Twitter. Follow Kamal Obbad on Twitter. Follow Dennis Grishin on Twitter. Here is the website for Nebula Genomics.