Finding Genius Podcast

Despite a US moratorium on gain-of-function research on the basis of it being simply too dangerous, Dr. Anthony Fauci continued funding it. If you don't even know what gain-of-function research is, you're not alone. In fact, there may even be a reason you don't know. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the information offered up by returning guest, Pamela Popper. Press play to discover: How an investigation into the past of current World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom, leads to the discovery of a curious reduction of two million people from the Ethiopian census How the use of public health and the threat of a deadly virus may have been a long-standing consideration as a tool for gaining global control (and how this idea is supported by Bill Gates' clear intentions to depopulate and implement mandatory global vaccination as a prerequisite for participating in society) Where this COVID-19 situation may be headed in the near future, and what factors will play an integral role A Pennsylvania judge recently ruled that the coronavirus-related lockdown provisions are unconstitutional. Will this spur more people in power to take a similar stance? Not long ago, a top virologist and whistleblower who worked in the WHO reference lab told FOX News that the COVID-19 virus was not mutated from bats and did not originate in the wet market, but was engineered and deliberately released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Will this compel more people to think critically about the narrative they're being told? There were three general groups of people when this whole thing started, says Popper, President of Wellness Forum Health: (1) The people who were immediately frightened and convinced to believe everything they were told by mainstream news outlets; (2) The people who immediately detected that something was amiss; (3) And the people who were just simply trying to survive while their governments chose to pull the rug out from beneath them. And now? Now, exhaustion is setting in—exhaustion over the arbitrary rules that aren't justified by the data, exhaustion over being robbed of our civil liberties, and exhaustion over the double standards that aren't hard to find. And now, the only groups gaining in numbers are the second and third. Tune in for all the details. For access to Popper's videos and newsletters, email her at pampopper@msn.com. Visit https://makeamericansfreeagain.com/ to learn more and stay up-to-date on the Ohio coronavirus-related lawsuits. Check out https://wellnessforumhealth.com/ for more information about Popper's company. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Professor Michael Betts articulates the dramatic directions our human immune system can take responding to viral pathogenesis. He studies how humans combat viral pathogens and diseases through adaptive immune responses like T and B cell activity. He shares his perspective on virus capabilities with lively and clear language as Richard asks questions for his upcoming virus book project. Listeners will learn Why the primary goal of viral replication leads to a variety of fascinating shapes and virus mechanics, How some viruses have a hit-and-run strategy and others want to set up shop and stay, and What he sees as the most fascinating types of viruses and why. Michael Betts is a professor of microbiology with the Penn Institute for Immunology Studies in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He researches the human immune response against viruses in relation to HIV infection and SARS-CoV-2 by focusing on T cell function. He is able to use his expertise to add interesting perspective to the pathogenesis or protective human immune response. He is able to use examples for his extensive HIV studies to elaborate on how our immune system reacts to all that viruses can send our way. As they move into Richard's questions to get at virus characteristics, Dr. Betts gives his take on whether viruses are alive and why they have evolved to have such a variety of interesting shapes. He describes some of his favorites and adds that while the shapes differ, the strategy is the same. They've evolved to protect and deliver genetic material into the cell. He adds that these different machines act like spring-loaded mechanisms, and once they get the proper trigger and deliver the genetic payload, we see consequential downstream effects. Even eukaryotic infections, he adds, that are even more complex have this goal—HIV has a wrapper that induces protein confirmation change and shoots the genetic material into the cell. He describes other fascinating examples of viral pathogens in humans as he answers Richard's questions, filling in more details about the vast world of viruses. For more about his work, see his lab's website: bettslab.org. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Managing member of Norred Law, PLLC, Warren V. Norred, discusses several suits his firm has filed on behalf of plaintiffs in Texas who have faced unfair COVID shutdown infractions. This podcast shares details of these cases but also the bigger picture of how Norred hopes to chip away at the top-down nonsensical enforcements. He explains How the shutdown policies have not adapted to what we've learned about how the pandemic spreads, How certain applications of the Disaster Act violate the constitution of the state of Texas, and What specific cases he has filed to show just that. Warren V. Norred practices bankruptcy law, business litigation, and intellectual property law, which includes patent law and all things associated with it. About ten percent of his work is what he calls "white hat law," where he files suits due to matters of injustice. He talks about how Texas has moved into top-down mandates regarding COVID business procedures, often resulting in scenarios that make little sense and have hurt businesses. Furthermore, the governor and local bureaucracies are entangled in a way where no one is taking responsibility for these bad policies. Norred says his firm is "adding spice to the recipe of the public discussion." He then talks about specific cases like that of Shelly Luther who was put in jail for contempt by continuing to operate her business after the court told her to stop. He describes the governor's retrograde statement about such jail time and then he gives a convincing description of how the Disaster Act of 1975 along with the 2005 amendment gave local leaders too much control in these situations. In addition, the act was written for major disasters, not disease management. He gives powerful descriptions of how unevenly the laws have been applied, which leads him to explain the most effective strategy: filing cases that show the Disaster Act is unconstitutional as applied. Norred gives an impassioned explanation about filing these COVID lawsuits: it's not about the economy, but about people being able to live their lives. He's happy to take emailed questions from attorneys about how to join in on these kinds of battles. See the Norred Law website and send him an email, warren@norredlaw.com. He advises attorneys to look for over-the-top enforcements and think outside the box. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Another in a series focusing on viral characteristics, returning guest Luis Villarreal graces listeners with an in-depth and elegant collection of thoughts on how viruses behave. He shares a lifetime of knowledge, discussing What a virus' ability to communicate meaningful biological information adds to the "are viruses living" question, How our very immune system existence may stem from virus-cell interaction, and Why we need to rethink how "fitness" works as a virus evolution impact factor. Luis Villarreal is a professor emeritus in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of California, Irvine, and is the founding director of The Center for Virus Research. He's spent the bulk of his career on virology. His fascination began when he came across an image of a crystalline array of an RNA virus in the cytoplasm of an infected cell. He was intrigued by the interface of life and chemistry and it struck him that all viruses existed in that interface. Therefore, when Richard asks if "viruses are living or nonliving," he verbalizes the answer in terms of this interface, emphasizing that viruses have always provided one of the more important or crucial aspects of communication into all living entities. This communication is essential in virus-host cell interaction. The conversation continues in this same tenor, characterizing viruses as existing in dynamic relationships that determine virus evolution over time. He offers HIV as an example of addressing the seat of control with the host cell versus the virus. After HIV infection, other viruses in human cells started to reactivate because of this give-and-take control dynamic: there's no one controlling factor or outcome. Rather, it's all about biological strategies clashing. Stories about these clashes continue through the discussion, and he address the origin and evolution of viruses and how viruses persist with answers that take all elements of these dynamic relationships into account, including one example from a graduate school undiluted viral passage study. He found that the eventual defective virus that evolved, which was what might be termed "unfit," exerted tremendous control over the infective virus. Perhaps, he adds, we need to reimage how we apply evolutionary biology to viruses. For examples of his work, find numerous listing in ResearchGate. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Gareth Brady specializes in how viruses and immune systems play hide and seek, evading or triggering various responses like inflammation. In this discussion, he adds precise and evocative information to Richard's virus investigation. He answers with an intriguing intensity, offering listeners key insights into the following: How viruses invade our complex system of adaptive and innate immunities and how inflammation and interferon participate, How viral sensors were discovered in our cells only recently and what we can learn from their behavior, and Why influenza coinfections are particularly dangerous and what does that tell us about how viruses adapt to our immune system. Gareth Brady is the Ussher Assistant Professor in Clinical Medicine at Trinity College in Dublin. His current work is in the Translational Inflammation Research Group investigating viral structure and functions for inhibiting pathways to the immune response. He touches on multiple complex topics with ease, from viral entry mechanisms to viral spread and virus adaptation. He begins with an intriguing description of a particular virus he studies, which is a virus in the pox family tree called, Molluscum Contagiosum Virus (MCV). It's only able to infect humans and doesn't cause disease—this indicates it is very good at getting around the immune system. If he can understand how it evades the immune system, it may lead to valuable understandings of how to inhibit damaging inflammation. He also explains virus behavior in such a way that listeners will gain solid insight into innate and adaptive immunity processes and the long chain of events that trigger symptoms we eventually experience from inflammation to fever. He then applies this explanation to how different viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), cause lung swelling that is so detrimental. He is able to take this lesson and expand listeners' understanding of how this process applies to virus latency, incubation periods, and coinfection. He describes the virus and immune response process as a cold war in an arms race. He comments that it's evolved to be complex because viruses have evolved to be more and more successful. In turn, viruses have forced humans to evolve multiple sensors to detect them. Furthermore, viruses have evolved multiple ways to get around these sensors and so one. Sit back and listen to this incredible journey through virus and human coevolution. For more about his work see his working group page at Trinity: tcd.ie/medicine/thkc/research/inflammation.php. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Viral diseases in plants offer advantageous platforms for virology work, which is why returning guest Marilyn J. Roossinck pushed her research focus in their direction. Her knowledge of virus, plant, and fungus interactions adds depth to Richard's continued collection of expert views on virus functions and habits in preparation for his book. She discusses Roles viruses have played in evolution to shape us and how evolution and adaptation have shaped viruses; Fascinating examples, such as how insects work in the transmission of plant viruses; and Surprising functions, such as how the cucumber mosaic virus results from three separate viral particles that infect together to form the genome capable of infection. Because plants are inexpensive, abundant, and easy to fit in a blender, they provide an excellent subject for virologists. Therefore, plant pathologist Marilyn J. Roossinck enlightens any attempt to understand virus behaviors. She's a professor of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology at the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at the Huck Institute of Life Sciences at Penn State University. After introducing her motivation for embracing this field, she helps Richard along his quest for a bigger picture of virus capabilities. Through examples of symptoms of viral diseases in plants and animals, she discusses topics like the percentage of our genome that was converted from retrovirus RNA; these genes insure mammalian survival, making placental development possible. As she discusses human organisms as holobionts, listeners can get a much better understanding of the intricate beings we and all living organisms really are. For example, some fungal diseases in plants work with viruses for evolutionary adaptations such as the ability to survive heat. She mentions a virus discovered at Yellowstone that, if a fungus is present along with the virus, lends heat tolerance to certain plants. Similarly, the cholera bacteria in humans is only pathogenic when accompanied by a phage. In the midst of these interesting examples, she discusses her thoughts on virus mechanisms for entry and infection, viruses' ability to communicate or signal across cells, and the existence of "helper" viruses with different roles. For more about her work, see The Roossinck Lab website and search her name in Google. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Paul Offit has been working in vaccine research for about forty years and listeners are lucky to hear a sampling of his knowledge of infectious viruses in this podcast. He offers another unique perspective of virus interactions from his vaccine research history. With humor and clarity, he discusses How a host's immune response to viral infection and determine latency more than the virus in some cases, What the viral load and inoculum effect determine regarding degrees of virulence, and What are some viral cell-entry traits that merit important consideration in vaccine development, such as COVID-19's fusing protein. Author, researcher, and pediatrician Paul Offit is the director of The Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician with the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's hospital of Philadelphia. Most recently, he authored Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far. He's currently working on a biography of vaccinology specialist Maurice Hilleman and an article on the process for COVID-19 vaccine pros and cons and the prospects for a path to a safe vaccination. He offers answers to Richard's questions on virology from a different vantage point, often emphasizing the role the immune response process plays in determining virus behavior. Yet he still is intrigued by virus activity, noting the fascination he has with bacteriophages and their therapeutic potential. His take on latency in different viruses is especially enlightening, and he discusses how herpes simplex is latent until some sort of stress weakens the immune system. He comments that its latent phase is fascinating as it has the ability to express some but not all proteins during the latent phase. He adds that it comes out of latency because of the host's immunological surveillance condition: the immune system keeps it from activating until the host's immunity decreases or is weak and the virus is able to cause symptom expression. He also explains virus behavior by articulating how the immunodeficiency virus evolved, mutating enough in the first infection to transmit to someone else and so on, all the while learning how to bind to that certain receptor and suppress the immune system and evade it by constantly changing the code protein, Therefore, HIV infection can mimic infection by a several different viruses at once, and in some ways exhibits the "perfect virus" process for survival. He also shares great insights into vaccination research, viral entry methods, and virulence factors in virus evolution. Listen in for an entertaining description of how our immune system handles viruses. For more about Dr. Offit, see his website: paul-offit.com. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Professor Laura Mydlarz was fascinated with ocean life from a young age and now runs a marine biology lab at a university. After studying tropical ecosystems and coral reefs in college, she never looked back. She brings her explorations across the Caribbean to listeners and explains How coral reefs and their formation depend on their algal symbiont for their sustenance, Why pathogens affect the photosynthetic ability of the symbionts, and How learning to turn on mitochondrial rescue modes of coral cells might be one path to effective treatment. Dr. Laura D. Mydlarz is a professor of biology and an associate dean of the College of Science at the University of Texas in Arlington. She shares her passion for ocean life with listeners and discusses the intricate and ancient immunity of coral reefs and their importance to ocean ecology. She notes that scientists often focus on the pathogen when consider coral disease treatment, but she focuses more on understanding what the host is doing to fight disease and studies coral immunity systems. She looks mainly at reactions to coral infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungus and even some pathogenic viruses; corals face such pathogens just like humans. However, she explains, corals are a much more ancient life form and they work with one type of immunity—innate—whereas humans can use innate and acquired immunity. However, their immunity is still much more complex than scientists thought. She describes this intricate immunity, one that must allow this other living organism, the symbiont algae, inside it without fighting it. Furthermore, the healthy algae is contributing a lot of resources and food to the coral and pathogens can affect both life forms, leading to coral reefs dying. They need all the energy they can get to mount an immune defense, and suffer when, for example, the symbiont is no longer able to photosynthesize because of the color changes from disease. She explains coral ecology in further detail and how issues like climate change play a role. Finally, she describes her more immediate goals, which include understanding the proper or healthy immune response of coral. Thus far, they've found interesting implications regarding mitochondrial defense systems and melanin presence. To find out more, see her lab's website: themydlarzlab.com Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Author, athlete, and nutritionist Wade Lightheart joins the show to educate listeners on the best process for nutrient supplementation. He explains What gave him the motivation and know-how to start his company, What three elements form the biological optimization triangle for their approach with clients, and How supplement industry pressures can lead companies toward lesser quality products and how he prevents that trend. Wade Lightheart is a three-time Canadian Natural Bodybuilding champion, author of numerous books on health, and president of BiOptimizer. He begins the show with a moving story relaying key events that led him to where he is today. After the death of his older sister, he became interested in offerings beyond the "medical model" he'd witnessed as his sister suffered through intense cancer treatments. That alongside his bodybuilding hobby led him to study nutrition and exercise science in university. But it wasn't until his own health dropped off a bit that he understood he'd been more focused on the aesthetics of bodybuilding than the importance of true health that stemmed from a focus on internal care. He took this knowledge and after some intense study in nutritional supplement therapy, he and his partner started BiOptimizer, which evolved from a body building to a human optimization company. He describes for listeners the main premise of company, which addresses three aspects of biological optimization: aesthetics, performance, and health. They strive to end physical suffering and activate biologically optimized health by leveraging nutritional supplements, technology, and other elements to fully express each client's unique physical capacity and quality of life. He explains how the mode of production for a health supplement leads to a quality end product and what measures his company takes to insure this. He also explains the company's philosophy and inner workings in more detail. Listen in for more of this inspiring story about fitness and health. For the best way to follow up and learn more, go to their website and find a special discount code for podcast listeners: bioptimizers.com/findinggenius/ Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Nathalie Gontier is a philosopher of science who specializes in evolutionary theory with a focus on viruses and immune system coevolution. This podcast adds a new angle to Richard's special series exploring viral spread and behavior in preparation for his book. She explores How the "are viruses alive" conundrum is addressed by multiple perspectives, How Aristotle and Descartes might approach discussions on viral agency, and How means of opportunity have shaped virus behaviors such as quorum sensing and entry points. Nathalie Gontier is the founder and director of the Applied Evolutionary Epistemology Lab at the University of Lisbon in Portugal. She's a returning guest and spends this discussion digging deeper into virus types, evolution, and behavior. She's very interested in viruses because they are one of most common parasites that every life form has to cope with. She studies how that interaction occurs and does this work alongside scientists to conceptualize this form of interaction with the hope of increasing our understanding. She establishes from the beginning that viruses do not exclude any form of life from their activity and live inside the cells of archaea, bacteria, and all eukaryotes. She addresses COVID-19 directly, noting that it is way up in the food chain of the virus domain. She comments that it is amazing how one virus can spread and effect so many people quickly as we approach about one million dead from COVID-19 worldwide. Then she tackles some of Richard's tough questions regarding viruses, but gives answers quite different from previous guests with her science philosophy perspective. She has solid details to back up her answers, such as a study in Israel that proved quorum sensing and viruses' ability to communicate about whether to attack their biological host. She ends with an elegant description of their place in our human bio system. Listen in for some sharp discussion and commentary about viruses. For more about her work, see the Applied Evolutionary Epistemology Lab page and find her YouTube channel. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0my