Finding Genius Podcast

Peter Jay Hotez, Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, discusses vaccinations, the anti-science movement, and other critical issues regarding modern medicine. Additionally, the discussion covers global health issues, vaccination for hookworm infection, and other important information on vaccines. As a vaccine scientist, pediatrician, and parent, Hotez discusses his great concern over the rising anti-science and anti-vaccine movements that are sweeping the nation. He discusses the chatter in the anti-science community that has tried to make the case that vaccines cause autism. He explains how this false narrative has pushed its way through and gained steam. As a parent of a child who has autism and disabilities, he states that he has become a voice in this dialogue, due to his certainty that his child did not in any way develop autism due to any vaccines. He explains how the anti-vaccine community has pushed this false narrative, and how they have no facts to back their assertions. With hundreds of anti-vaccine websites, and media exposure, Hotez states that this movement is beginning to impact public health negatively. Hotez recounts some of the cases he has handled as a pediatrician, discussing some of the diseases that have diminished over time due to successful vaccines. From anti-vaccine movements to genetically-modified organism movements to climate denial, and more, the war being waged against real, proven science is growing at an alarming rate. And Hotez states that the 'new normal' is dangerous, as anti-science takes hold in the wider public discourse. Continuing, Hotez discusses his recommendations to patients and the public about how to get correct information on science and vaccines. He states that pharmacists and pediatricians/doctors should be the trusted sources for vaccine and medical information. And he states that people should be very cautious when they source information from the internet. Wrapping up, he discusses some of the most important vaccinations that people should be getting, and other information about protecting your health. In this podcast: What vaccines are the most critical? How did the anti-vaccine movement gain momentum? What can you do to ensure you are getting accurate information regarding vaccines?

The truth is that most people who have sleep problems don't really need to see a doctor about it; they just need to understand the problem, understand the challenges they're having, and understand sleep, and then be given some ways to resolve it without using medications or medical devices or surgery," says Jonathan Parker, who has worked as a dentist for over 36 years. For the past seven years, he's been collaborating with a sleep physician by the name of Mike Howell. With their combined experience of nearly four decades and a mutual interest in reaching large numbers of people who sleep poorly but don't know why or what to do about it, Dr. Howell and Dr. Parker started the Sleep Performance Institute, which helps enable people with simple, fun, and engaging methods of resolving their sleep issues. Interested in learning more? Tune in, and discover the details of all this and more, including: What percentage of the population has a chronotype difficult to deviate from How the Sleep Performance Institute assessment tool, app, and algorithm gets to the root of the sleep issue and improves sleep and athletic performance Success stories of athletes who have benefited from the Sleep Performance Institute app Check out https://www.sleepperformanceinstitute.com/ to learn more.

Robert Munro, author, expert in human and machine intelligence, discusses his work, and the intersection between artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence. Munro discusses his background and what drove him to dig into AI, detailing the data side of AI and machine learning algorithms. He cites the example of autonomous vehicles, in that thousands of hours of driving data have been created by people, critical driving data that provides valuable and necessary information, such as 'this is the middle of the street,' this is a stop sign,' etc. Therefore, the quality of the data is often times more important than the algorithm itself. And it was this construct that motivated Munro to devote his time and research into the nexus between artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence. The AI data guru discusses active learning, the analysis of data and algorithms to determine how accurate and up to date they are, to suss what is missing, etc. It is the process of trying to decide which is the best data for humans to review, and is a major topic in Munro's latest book. Munro goes on to discuss languages and algorithmic functioning from a historical perspective, touching on bad data and large volumes of data, and the impact of both. As he states, sometimes it is best to use a smaller amount of data, a batch of data that is carefully curated, as opposed to simply a large data set that is more generic. Munro furthers the conversation, discussing the differences between various languages and how adaptable systems are created. Munro provides information on raw data and the methods to utilize it, discussing the specifics in regard to natural language processing and machine learning. He discusses task creation and models for prediction in AI. Wrapping up, Munro provides further information on computer vision models for autonomous driving, and other issues such as predictive maintenance, identifying cracks in machinery, the integration of robotics and more. And Munro provides his thoughts on the future of artificial intelligence, where we are currently, and the prospects for the coming years.

Veronika Kralj-Iglic, PhD is a physicist and Chair of Biomechanics at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia who has done a variety of work in the field of medicine, classical physics, quantum physics, and orthopedics, but who says her favorite work has revolved around extracellular vesicle research. Why? According to Dr. Kralj-Iglic, it's because of the amount of potential that extracellular vesicles hold for the future of medicine and biology. "These little vesicles present a hope that maybe we will get to an understanding of the function of living systems," she says, commenting on the many questions that remain regarding the mechanism underlying the causes of cancer. She shares insight from years' worth of research, and touches on the following: The details of two clinical trials involving EVs that she is currently working on How cells have the ability to use parts of their cell membrane to create vesicles that help catalyze their actions How the behavior of EVs is similar to artificial and biological membranes

Nick Horowski, Holistic Health Professional and founder of Evolution, Health & Fitness (www.evo-health.com), delivers his thoughts on good health and offers tips for those who want to lead a healthier life. In this podcast, Horowski provides detailed information on holistic health and wellness, including the importance of nutrition in life. Horowski works as a consultant, health coach, and physical therapist. Horowski talks about his background and the reasons he was drawn to a career in health. He recounts how his childhood was filled with sports and health-conscious activities. Additionally, he saw the importance of eating healthy, from the garden, at a young age. Horowski describes how important it is to have balance of good sleep, good emotional and physical health, and diet. Horowski talks about the ways he connects with clients, some who may have troubling health issues already. As he states, what's important is to get his clients moving, and thinking, about the ways they can make improvements daily, from posture to activities, and more. Step by step is the key, taking steps toward your goal, even if they are small steps. Horowski talks about breaking old habits and patterns, and the importance of simple things, such as hydration and nutrition. Horowski explains how every client, every person, is different, and therefore any program for good health must be tailored to the individual. Wrapping up, Horowski discusses the spectrum of clients he works with, and their individual struggles and goals. Finally, Horowski talks about the keys to success in health goals, and how they can be achieved. In this podcast: How to improve health through diet How to live a holistic lifestyle Is diet as important as exercise?

Researchers, physicians, and the layman alike are becoming more and more interested in understanding the role and function of the microbiome, and how it may be contributing to different states of health and disease. In the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology at Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital in India, assistant professor Priya Nimish Deo is collecting data and reviewing the current literature on the composition of the oral microbiome and how it may cause a variety of human diseases. Until the relatively recent development of a number of sequencing methods, only microbes capable of being cultured in the lab could be identified, but all of that is changing quickly. This will open the door to an unprecedented amount of information about the bacteria in our mouths and the diseases throughout our bodies. Tune in for the details on all of this and more, including: How proteomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics differ from one another and are contributing to the identification and understanding of the oral microbiome What useful functions microbes provide in the mouth How microbial dysbiosis leads to changes in the function of microbes

Stroke, heart attack, autoimmune diseases, weight gain and the inability to lose it, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer: what do all of these have in common? According to Dr. Jonathan Greenberg, one of the foremost authorities in treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as a growing body of evidence, they can all occur as a result of snoring or sleep apnea. This is a significant problem, especially considering the fact that tens of millions of people in the U.S. have sleep apnea, and most of them either don't know it or aren't being treated. Dr. Greenberg discusses the barriers to diagnosis and treatment when it comes to snoring and sleep apnea, and why so few people comply with what their doctors recommend. He also explains how his company, Sleep Certified, is making the process of receiving treatment more convenient for people, as well as encouraging awareness and education on the connection between sleep health, dental health, and overall health among dentists and physicians through a Sleep Certified training program that leads to multiple levels of certification. Contrary to popular belief, the CPAP machine is not the only option for those who snore and/or have sleep apnea. Press play to hear the full conversation and learn about all of this and more, including: What type of treatment options are available aside from the CPAP machine, and how effective they're proving to be (including an oral appliance by Sleep Certified called Zyppah) Why snoring and sleep apnea worsen with age, regardless of what kind of shape a person is in What you could expect by seeing a dentist who has been certified at Level 9 of the Sleep Certified training program https://sleepcertified.com/

After a discovery ten years ago showed that extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain RNA rather than just cell waste, Dr. Ter-Ovanesyan has studied these cellular products. This discussion explores: Why it's significant that RNA is shown to exist outside of cellular boundaries. What puzzles scientists need to solve to use EVs for new solutions in synthetic biology research. The significant advances in health that EVs, also called exosomes, may offer, such as ways to address dementia, and already-developed technology such as detecting prostate cancer through finding EVs in the urine. Dr. Dmitry Ter-Ovanesyan is working as a post-doc at Harvard with the Wyss Institute in extracellular vesicle research. He's drawn to the great potential and challenges these exosomes offer scientists in solving multiple health issues. While EVs were discovered about 40 years ago, it wasn't until two studies published in 2007 announced that they contained RNA that the scientific community focused more energy their way. Dr. Ter-Ovanesyan was a student at the time and was immediately drawn to these RNA-carrying vesicles. He explains why RNA is so significant in the complexity of messages it might carry from one cell to another. He also describes the multiple challenges these exosomes present because of their heterogeneous nature and difficulties in isolating them. But he recounts the great potential they may offer, from offering doctors information about the brain or heart by supplying RNA information to RNA drug possibilities through synthetic biology research. For more information, see his contact information on the Wyss Institute page (https://wyss.harvard.edu/team/research-scientists-engineers/dima-ter-ovanesyan/_ and Harvard's Church Lab page (https://genetics.med.harvard.edu/lab/church/dter-ovanesyan). His publications are listed on PubMed as well.

As a gastroenterology specialist and professor at McMaster University, Michael G. Surette, PhD centers his work on a variety of aspects of the human microbiome, including its development and role in early life, what happens to it with age, and how it's related to chronic diseases such as those of the airway, as well as Crohn's, colitis, and IBS. On today's episode, Dr. Surette shares fascinating insight on the research he's conducting, what he's learned over the years, and the future of microbiome science. Tune in for the details on all of this and more, including: How the interaction between microbes changes depending on physical, functional, and/or taxonomic closeness Why it is difficult to define dysbiosis, and why it may never be possible How environmental stimuli impact the microbiome How to understand the relationship between the microbiome and the immune system, and why this understanding can help to explain why diseases like Crohn's and colitis are harder to overcome than infections like C. diff Learn more by visiting http://www.surettelab.ca/lab/.

Wolfgang Smith, scholar, author, and researcher in mathematics and physics, presents an overview of his long and storied career in the sciences. From a young age, Smith was fascinated by the concept that physics could literally explain all that happens on Earth. Entering the prestigious Cornell University at the age of 15, Smith majored in physics, mathematics, and philosophy, and graduated at just 18 years old; and from there he began to question all that he had learned, and began to dig deeper. Smith provides an overview of the history and current state of physics. As he states, in regard to physics, we are approaching the end of an era, the end to the era of such scientific minds as Galileo and Newton. The scientific expert explains his thoughts on physics, expounding upon his views on testing and discovery, including the quantum realm and Newtonian physics. He discusses the philosophical thoughts of Rene Descartes. Continuing, he discusses the problems with the science that are not validated or supported by mathematics. He talks about beliefs in science, and the concept of enlightenment, citing examples of scientistic beliefs (those that are characterized by an exaggerated belief in the principles, and methods, of science). He states that we must differentiate between authentic science (the science that powers our technology, etc.) and the scientistic beliefs (science that the public knows about). Smith, unsatisfied with much of what contemporary science presented, sought to dig further, which culminated with his writing of the book, The Quantum Enigma. Smith discusses his book in detail and his arguments and findings that are written on the pages. As Smith states, the world that we perceive through our five senses is in fact very real. Logic is the basis of his thoughts… and he discusses how all of physics can be accomplished by working in the corporeal world and the physical world. Continuing, the scientific researcher discusses his specific thoughts on DNA and life, and the origins of organisms. Smith explains his thoughts on the biological world and the origin of life. As he states, the origin of everything is in God, and this is recognized. And he states that this belief will become the leading paradigm going forward, basing science on God the creator.