Talking Biotech Podcast

Tweet Leah McGrath is a Registered Dietitian with a great presence in social media. She is the corporate dietitian for a major grocery chain, and has had an important role in shaping the messaging around the multitude of food issues. She has been instrumental in debunking bad information in social media space.  In this podcast we discuss how the COVID19 crisis has reshaped shopping and consumption patterns, some maybe for the better.   Follow Leah on Twitter: @LeahMcGrathRD

Tweet From the dawn of the pandemic there  has been a notable rise in false information that clouds public perception and harms trust in scientific guidance.  To remedy this situation it is critical that we step into conversations with the best possible information.  Dr. Natalie Dean is a biostatistican that studies emerging infectious disease at the University of Florida. In this episode we discuss the current situation, the reporting of statistics, the current trends, and then answer questions from social media. The intent is to provide you with accurate information from the world’s foremost authorities so that you may engage critical conversations with confidence. Follow Dr. Dean on Twitter: @nataliexdean And her website is here.

Tweet     The wartime response of the Manhattan Project streamlined production of weapons to revolve World War II.  The plan involved massive redundancy, streamlining and parallelization of approaches to ensure the most rapid progress in technology development.  Dr. Hannu Rajaniemi of HelixNano called for the development of a Vaccine Manhattan Project in a recent article on Medium, suggesting a pathway to widespread immunization in six months, and at a fraction of the cost of sustained shutdown or consumer reluctance to participate in the economy. He examines the current state of the pandemic, the proposed methods of mitigation, and what the path to a vaccine in six months might look like. Dr. Hannu Rajaniemi on Twitter – @Hannu

Tweet   Weeds are a tremendous problem in agriculture, costing farmers billions a year in crop loss and the cost of control.  In Europe one of the critical weeds is black grass, which causes great losses in wheat and other grass crops.  However, little is known about this weed, especially the molecular basis of herbicide resistance. Dr. Dana MacGregor came to the daunting task of attacking the molecular biology of a non-model organism. She has applied an ambitious toolbox from basic science to an aggressive agricultural pest.  You can genuinely sense her passions in how to solve problems that matter using the tools of basic biology. Follow Dr. MacGregor on Twitter:  @plantenv Dr. MacGregor’s laboratory website is here.

Tweet Cattle are currently used for meat, milk, hide products and as work animals.  Where did they come from?  Who are the wild relatives?  Dr. Hans Lenstra from the Utrecht University describes the domestication of cattle, their radiation throughout the world, and the traits that humans have selected.  We discuss the current state of genomics as well as how genomic selection, artificial insemination and gene editing might influence the future of cattle production.

Tweet Western Africa holds many nations of substantial population and an emerging economies.  The nation has recently approved the use of the Bt cowpea to farm without applied insecticide, and with the new technology comes the need to ensure that it is used correctly.  Today’s podcast features Francis Onyekachi, Program Officer, West African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).  AATF helps with training farmers around the proper stewardship practices and connecting them with national extension experts.  He describes the infrastructure that came with deregulation of the cowpea, and describes how the country’s regulators and oversight agencies will work with them to ensure successful application. Hosted by Modesta Abugu. Modesta on Twitter:   @modestannedi AATF Website here.  AATF Twitter: @aatfafrica Frances Onyekachi on Twitter: @FrancisOnyek3    

Tweet The meta-analysis is traditionally considered to be a high synthesis of extant scientific literature. Their implicit power places them in headlines and they are used to sway policy and reshape fields of research.  However, over the past three decades there has been an explosion in meta-analyses. There are many reasons for this increase, but like everything, as more people are involved, we see a tendency toward abuse of the instrument. There is a trend toward inappropriate comparisons, statistical massaging, and overstepping of data to draw sensational conclusions. Today’s guest is Dr. Geoffrey Kabat, he’s a senior researcher and epidemiologist that has been critical of headline-grabbing syntheses that are rife with author bias, mis-integration of data, and inappropriate comparisons. Dr. Kabat talks about the problem, its effects, and poses some solutions for researchers and other science consumers. Follow Dr. Kabat on Twitter:  @GeoKabat Also at geoffreykabat.com

Tweet   In this special edition of the Talking Bitotech Podcast Dr. Kevin Folta covers recent topics in COVID19.  These topics are pulled from the headlines and distilled to that you can better communicate the current state of this health crisis.

Tweet Grafting is an age-old practice of connecting a set of roots to an aerial portion of a separate plant.  Together they typically exhibit enhanced productivity, disease resistance, or other trait that makes grafting a useful practice.  But why does it work? How does it work? What happens at the cells in the junction where different plants collide?  Dr. Charles Melnyk from the Swedish Agricultural University sheds light on this mysterious process.  We cover the history, applications, and what’s happening at the interface of two very different biologies uniting as one. Follow Dr. Melnyk on Twitter: @CharlesMelnyk  

Tweet As of 3/11/2020 COVID-19 is emerging as a significant health threat worldwide.  This pandemic is on the rise, and public health suffers from politicized spin, misinformation, and a lack of good information.  This episode is targeted to the Talking Biotech listener that can connect with family and friends, sharing the facts of this outbreak.   Today’s guest is Dr. ChubbyEmu, the YouTube physician that has been at ground zero in discussing the coronavirus outbreak.  We dig a layer deeper into the disease, its physical manifestations, and the current state of the disease as it spreads into the USA. Watch ChubbyEmu on YouTube Follow ChubbyEmu on Twitter      

Tweet Seasonal influenza causes thousands of deaths annually.  Part of the problem is that the vaccine must be administered annually because the virus presents different immunological faces to avoid detection.  Dr. Peter Palese is a pioneer in studying the molecular biology of the influenza viruses.  Today he and colleagues are on a quest to identify a universal flu vaccine that would provide one-time durable immunity.  We discuss the strategies and progress toward this public health milestone.

Tweet Plants produce a variety of oils, many that are critical to the human diet.  The precise chemical qualities of plant oils dictate its stability, use, nutrient quality, or even its use as fuel.  Dr. Surinder Singh is an expert in plant oils at CSIRO, the Australian National Research Laboratory.  His laboratory has been working on projects in a variety of crops to improve the oil quality for human nutrition, but also as a potential fuel.  Such efforts provide a renewable and more sustainable source of valuable oils, taking pressure off of fisheries and carbon-intensive practices.  

Tweet The gene editing explosion has accelerated discovery, food and therapies by defining a new toolbox of useful ways to manipulate DNA.  The “Cas” series of enzymes are the core machinery of the editing process, and now scientists are identifying new molecules that inhibit these molecular scissors. Dr. Joseph Bondy-Denomy rides at the front edge of this discovery, and his program is characterizing the naturally-occurring factors in a bacteria/virus arms race that play a role in modulating Cas activity. Follow Dr. Bondy-Denomy on Twitter: @joebondydenomy The Bondy-Denomy Lab website:  Here.   Conclusion music is Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny, 1959.

Tweet In the first part of today’s podcast Dr. Kayleen Schreiber and Jon Entine discuss the latest addition to the Genetic Literacy Project, a website called the Global Gene Editing Regulation Tracker.  This online resource provides instant access to the current state of gene editing approvals, along with information on gene drives and other important regulatory updates.  In the second half Dr. Bernadine Strik remembers her colleague Dr. Chad Finn.  Dr. Finn contributed in massive ways to plant breeding, particularly in the development of new berry varieties for the Pacific Northwest.  He also shared a tremendous interest in service to his community and to the scientific community, and was invested in students and the development of others. He was everyone’s friend. He left us suddenly and unexpectedly and leaves a palpable gap in our community. Dr. Strik memorializes his contributions and character. The Global Gene Editing Tracker can be found here. Follow the Genetic Literacy Project Follow Dr. Kayleen Schreiber Follow Jon Entine Follow Dr. Bernadine Strik The music in the conclusion is Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny (1959)

Tweet Dr. Ilaria Capua is an internationally recognized virologist, and a world expert in avian influenza and other animal viruses.  Following her effort to make genetic information about viruses more accessible in the interest of finding faster cures, she was unknowingly put under investigation, as she was central in moving viral information and samples to colleagues worldwide.  Wire taps and clandestine evidence gathering filled a file, that eventually would be discovered, leaked and maliciously reinterpreted, alleging that Dr. Capua was the mastermind of an international virus trafficking ring. She was accused in the media, without evidence, of providing viruses for others to spread so that she could profit from vaccines produced. These false allegations left her facing life in prison. Years later the charges were completely dismissed as manufactured claims by the media. However, the events were life changing. Today Dr. Capua has channeled her energies into broadening science education, and continuing her outstanding work as a virologist. In the second half of the podcast she provides her expert interpretation of the 2019 nCov Coronavirus outbreak, its origin, risks and concerns. Follow Dr. Capua on Twitter Dr. Capua’s Website This is a link to a documentary on Dr. Capua (Italian with English subtitles) This is a link to Dr. Capua’s books (in Italian, English version coming) Also the hashtag #BeautifulScience Support the podcast on Patreon.  Every cent invested in improving science outreach.