Finding Genius Podcast

Environmental toxicologist Martin Wagner joins the show today to discuss the effect of plastics and other endocrine-disrupting agents on human health and the ecosystem at large. In this episode, you will learn: Roughly how many compounds have been detected in many plastic products, and what percentage of those compounds are actually identifiable What one of the main challenges is in determining which chemicals are leachable and therefore potentially dangerous to humans How to begin making steps toward the development of plastics that are less threatening to human and environmental health Wagner began studying plastics while obtaining his PhD, and has since focused largely on trying to determine what compounds exist in the products we consume, how those compounds function, and what effect they have on human and environmental health. Many of these chemicals are known to disturb hormone signaling in the body, which can lead to all types of ailments. Despite this, they have become "almost invisible to us because they are just so pervasive in our everyday life," says Wagner. Following his PhD studies, Wagner began focusing on an area of research where he saw a void: while most researchers were looking at marine plastic pollution, Wagner wanted to look at microplastic and nanoplastic pollution on freshwater systems like lakes and rivers. In light of the recent increase in public attention on and awareness of the environmental impact of single-use plastics, Wagner has recentered his work on this topic with the goal of emphasizing not just the use of plastics and the impact on the environment, but also the significance of the chemical compounds within these plastics. He discusses the details of past and recent studies in the field, what it means for a plastic product to have a certain dispersion factor and why this is significant, what items are found most often on European beaches and what's being done about it, surprising sources of plastic pollution, why recycling only works well for a few types of plastic, and more. To learn more about Wagner's work or reach out with questions, contact him through Twitter.

Daniel Heller runs a lab developing nanomaterials for the treatment and detection of cancer and other diseases. He explains this technology by describing The research tools used to try and improve biological systems testing in general, Specific nanotechnology designed to detect the signs of cancer, especially ovarian, much earlier than current tests, and The movement towards fitness tracker paradigms for noninvasive medical detectors. Daniel A. Heller, PhD, runs the Daniel Heller Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. They're making sensors to detect signs of cancer at the earlies stages, like ovarian cancer, which is often detected at later stages when it is hardest to treat. Currently, they're creating sensors that would be implanted in patients at higher risk to detect ovarian cancer. He explains that the sensors identify biomarkers, which appear at higher levels in certain areas of the body like fallopian tubes, for example, before they appear in the blood where they are normally detected but too late for effective treatment. He explains that nanotechnologists are working alongside the popularity of fitness trackers like the Apple watches, hoping to merge that trend with medical advancement. These trackers shoot light to measure bodily functions like your pulse. Heller and his colleagues thought that they could get at these key biomarkers through something similar, a wearable device, which can use light to compare and measure indicators but noninvasively. A nanotube in the body can send infrared signals to this wearable device. He describes how these can offer an accumulative measure—so even if the cancer is at a very early stage, and a single time point measure wouldn't find significant biomarker levels, if clinicians do accumulative measures, they should be able to catch it. Then, they can tell if they are increasing or measure their rate of change, also called the biomarker velocity. For more, find him on twitter through @HellerLab and see the lab web site at https://www.mskcc.org/research/ski/labs/daniel-heller

Azra Raza is the Chan Soon-Shiong Professor of Medicine and Director of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Center at Columbia University in New York, a practicing oncologist, and author of The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last. She joins the show to discuss several incredibly important topics, including the following: Why there is a significant problem with the use of mice as models for cancer research and what needs to be done in order to really understand the earliest footprints of cancer in humans How Dr. Raza is trying to overcome the financial barriers to the research necessary for cancer prevention and early detection Why a complete paradigm shift is needed within the cancer industry "Today…we are curing 68% of the cancers, and that's great, but what are we curing them with? Slash, poison, burn: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation…the same treatments we were using…with a few rare exceptions…it is shocking that in this day and age of such advanced technology we are using such paleolithic caveman treatments..." says Dr. Raza, who has devoted over 30 years of her life to the early detection and prevention of cancer while working firsthand with countless cancer patients. She continues by explaining that these treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation) were initially given as stop-gap measures, and despite the efforts of thousands of scientists over the course of the last several decades, a more successful treatment has not been developed. Why? According to Dr. Raza, a big part of the answer has to do with the fact that cancer is heterogeneous; it's a moving target that's continually evolving and picking up new mutations. So, what's the solution? In Dr. Raza's view, the solution is early detection and prevention of the development of cancer, rather than attempts to treat it once it's already advanced, and she emphasizes the need to use every available resource to this end, including genomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics. She explains the financial burden of pursuing this research pathway, how she's trying to overcome it, and so much more. "On a daily basis I am seeing patients, and it is their stories that are the motivation for me…I am looking at everything through the prism of human anguish…to separate human suffering and pain from the need to find the answers is criminal, because the motivation has to be…to reduce human suffering." Tune in to hear the full conversation, and visit https://azraraza.com/ to learn more about Dr. Raza's mission.

As the director of molecular visualization in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School, and the president and CEO of Digizyme, Gaël McGill is interested in how we understand complex science through images. In this episode, you will learn: How cell dynamics can be visually represented Why it may be just as useful to understand how a scientific image was created than to understand the material within the image How the COVID-19 virus can be depicted from the time it binds to a cell to the time it penetrates the cell membrane and releases genetic material If you've ever watched a YouTube video on a process like DNA transcription, then you were likely viewing images generated from a software program—not a microscope. Which design decisions lead to effective imagery for communicating scientific concepts? How do you combine a ton of data into representations that help people understand complicated scientific principles and improve communication in science? How do you strike a balance between doing the science justice and making it simple enough to reach the understanding of students and laymen? These are the questions that drive McGill's work, and just a few of the ones he discusses on today's episode. He emphasizes the pedagogical value of getting people to think about how certain images are made, as he believes that in and of itself is an excellent way to learn the material presented by the images. In this vein of thought, he shares the thought-provoking philosophy that "science is not a bunch of facts; science is a way of knowing, and it has to be taught that way." McGill explains how techniques such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy can be used to reconstitute an image and obtain the information for the precise location of every single atom in a molecule—whether it's a small one like a hormone, or a large one like an entire virus. Check out https://clarafi.com/ to browse animations selected and curated by the team at Digizyme and explore a series of online courses and training for those interested in scientific illustration.

Researcher Frederic Bard has studied coronaviruses' step-by-step entry and replication inside cells. He explains to listeners which stages are the most promising for interference. Along the way, he describes The parasitic nature and structure of virus binding and replicating mechanisms, How the ph of the endosome enables viruses to enter the cytosol where the viruses' RNA replicates, and The promising identification of the VCP spike protein that the virus binds with and efforts to inhibit it. Frederic Bard is an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and is part of the Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology with the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A Star) in Singapore. He explains to listeners about the importance of host genes for coronavirus replication. He reminds us that viruses are parasites and need the machinery of a cell to replicate—he has researched different proteins and machines inside the cell that help the structure of viruses to replicate: if we can understand that, he says, maybe we can block replication. He describes the two moments that show the most promise for disturbing this process, namely when viruses bind with spike proteins on the outside of the cell and when they enter the cytosol for the viruses' RNA replication. A few years ago, he published work identifying the VCP protein that coronaviruses bind with and is now researching the possibility of inhibiting that protein without hurting the cell. That is part of the challenge, he explains—to make the cell a little bit sick to inhibit the virus replication but not enough to damage the cell and health of the person. Along the way, he explains cell mechanisms in response to viruses, how the structure of virus works with the endosomes and cytosol. For more, see his lab websites with links to his publications and contact information: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/imcb/science/scientific-programmes/multi-modal-molecular-(m3)-biology and https://bch.nus.edu.sg/fredericbard.htm.

Researcher Nikita Ved is studying birth defects as a result of diabetes and wants to increase public awareness of these issues. She tells listeners About statistical evidence that shows diabetes-related birth defects is a substantial problem, How the testing protocol in OB-GYN clinics hasn't caught up with the science in how early birth defects develop, and What are possible effects of high blood sugar on various developmental factors, especially the heart. Nikita Ved is a Novo Nordisk Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Dr. Duncan Sparrow's group in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford. She researches how diabetes during pregnancy causes birth defects in the embryo, most commonly heart issues; this includes all forms of diabetes, from the 2 types of diabetes more commonly known as well as gestational. She says that many people don't know that one of the major complications of diabetes happens during pregnancy. If fact, it can increase the rate of miscarriage and birth defects by up to 30%. She explains how difficult it has been to educate the public about these concerns, perhaps because the focus of diabetic complications tends to center on worries about blindness, kidneys, and other neuropathy. Yet she feels that birth defects should be put on the same level of awareness. She describes some of the difficulty involved in these studies but also some protocols that aren't helping, such as not testing pregnant women for diabetes or gestational diabetes until their 2nd trimester while birth defects happen very early in the pregnancy. She advocates for screening for and educating patients about the 2 types of diabetes as they undergo regular gynecological checkups well before they are pregnant. For more and for contact information, see her web page at the lab: https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/team/nikita-ved

Distinguished professor and Chair of the Department of Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Steven N. Austad, joins the podcast to discuss his research on the biology of ageing. Tune in to learn the following: The importance of proper protein folding in terms of healthy ageing and longevity, and what secrets the Arctica islandica clam might hold in this regard How the human lifespan stacks up against other mammals of similar size Why the study of lab mice might not be the best model for improving human longevity For over 30 years, Austad has been studying the biology of ageing. He more or less stumbled upon this area of research while conducting field work in South America on opossums; much to his surprise, he learned that the lifespan of these animals is very short—just 18 months on average—and as they age, they develop numerous ailments, including cataracts, muscle atrophy, and dental issues. This spurred Austad's interest in the topic of ageing and compelled him to research why certain species age at the rate they do, and more broadly, why ageing occurs at all. Austad studies traditional lab animals and unusual animals in the field, such as small bats and Arctica islandica, a species of clam that can live for over 500 years. Despite the general trend of increased life expectancy with increased size, these small animals show a fascinating ability to age successfully—even against the rigors of the wild. By studying the process of ageing in these animals, Austad believes that insights can be gained that might inform us on how to increase human longevity. He explains one of the suspected ways in which certain species of clams, including the Arctica islandica, live so long. The key lies at least partially in the ability to regulate and maintain proper protein folding. Indeed, it is the age-related weakened ability to do this that leads to dementia and other common features of ageing in humans. Currently, he's working on sequencing the genomes of various species of clams that live various lengths of time with the hope that this will reveal which molecules might be involved in the protein folding process. Learn more about Austad's work by visiting https://www.stevenaustad.com/.

Ben Novak is the lead scientist at Revive & Restore, a leading wildlife conservation organization that promotes the incorporation of biotechnology in various conservation efforts. He joins the show to discuss some fascinating topics, including the following: What important function is carried out by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) How it would work to restore and bring to life the long-extinct woolly mammoth The ever so relevant distinction between a species that is extinct versus "on ice" How humans can act as surrogate mothers to simulate natural parenting and family environments for various species Novak joined the Revive & Restore team in early 2012 to work on the Passenger Pigeon Project. Since then, he's worked on a number of projects, including those involving the endangered black-footed ferret and endangered heath hens. For over a century now, scientists have been restoring populations once they go extinct, but this hasn't been done for every vital extinct species, such as the woolly mammoth and Passenger Pigeon. This is where the team at Revive & Restore sees the greatest potential for new biotechnologies to enhance and improve conservation efforts. Among these technologies are animal gene editing, embryogenesis, and primordial germ cell transfer. Novak says that reproductive technologies are needed in order for their current projects to succeed, and he explains how the Catalyst Science Fund program has begun employing reproductive techniques for use in poultry, but not in wildlife. To reach this end, they are beginning with a project on the greater prairie chicken, which was funded just last year and has remained unimpeded since. Novak discusses the details of the various projects they're working on, how the prevention or reversal of species extinction could be accomplished with different biotechnologies, current restoration projects, and the many concerns and challenges encountered in this type of work. Check out https://reviverestore.org/ to learn more.

As a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany, Dario Valenzano is trying to understand the molecular and genetic bases underlying differences between lifespans and ageing processes of different species, and how we might be able to manipulate our own. In this episode, you will learn: Why the daughters of older fathers have a slighter shorter lifespan than those of younger fathers How the shortest-lived vertebrate known to exist might shed light on human evolution and the development of human disease in late life How microbiota composition in the gastrointestinal tract changes during ageing Some species live for just a few hours, while others live for thousands of years. Why and how have species evolved such different lifespans, and how might the answer to these questions allow us to increase our own longevity and reduce the risk of many diseases? These questions form the cornerstone of the research being carried out by Valenzano and his group. As a model organism for this research, the team is using the African turquoise killifish, which is the shortest-lived vertebrate known to exist. This fish lives approximately four months both in the lab and in its natural environment. In studying how this species evolved to be so short-lived, they have found that Darwinian selection has little to do with it; rather, Valenzano says its short lifespan came about as a mere accident. For this type of fish, there is little advantage to being long-lived, and without selective pressure to survive for a long time, selection doesn't act to remove deleterious mutations in late life. Valenzano explains what this might reveal about human evolution, and in particular, late-life weakened selection in humans that fails to remove deleterious mutations which result in diseases like dementia. Valenzano also discusses their research on the microbiome of fish, mice, and humans, which includes a look at how the microbiome changes over time and during the ageing process, and how microbes interact with the immune system during the ageing process. Tune in for the full conversation and visit https://www.age.mpg.de/science/research-laboratories/valenzano/ to learn more.

Professor Fábio Aguiar-Alves specializes in identifying bacteria common to staph infection. For example, he can identify the exact types of bacteria present on a patient before they face surgery in order to prevent serious bacterial infections. He tells listeners How he tests patients and passes on the information to doctors for better treatment, What "surveillance" means in the staph infection hospital world, and What are even more effect advances with testing times and scenarios in the works. Fábio Aguiar-Alves is an associate professor of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology at Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil. While his initial studies focused on parasites, he became intrigued with bacteria during his PhD work and followed up with a postdoc at University of California, Berkeley, where he researched Staphyloccocus Aureus, a common staph infection. He now works in molecular epidemiology, identifying bacteria in patients and looking for specific genes that relate to virulence and resistance. He can provide this information to help guide the doctors in specific treatments to prevent or treat bacterial infection. He explains what he's looking for after he does this DNA retraction. For example, if he finds a certain gene denoting resistance, he can tell the doctor not to use penicillin to treat this patient because it won't solve the problem. Ultimately, this serves to give the patient a specific antibiotic when needed rather than a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. He goes into more details about the process—specifically PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to identify the genes—which takes from 2 to 3 hours to figure out. Therefore, they can give a fast answer to the doctor about how to treat—much faster than past systems which delayed treatment considerably. He also explains the different methods for treating the resistant MRSA versus Staphyloccocus Aureus, how common each is in the general population, and how future advances include better mobility and even faster testing times. He also explains the role lateral gene transfer plays in the spread of MRSA. Found out more by searching for his google scholar profile and listings. His papers are listed in NCBI under aguiar/alves and his University website is http://pesquisadores.uff.br/researcher/f%C3%A1bio-aguiar-alves.