Finding Genius Podcast

Returning guest, Dominic D'Agostino, is a researcher and professor in the department of molecular pharmacology and physiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. On today's episode, he offers fascinating insight into a recent mission he completed in collaboration with NASA, which involved a number of experiments carried out under sea with the purpose of emulating activities that are essential to space missions. He explains how different space analogs under the sea can mimic neutral buoyancy and microgravity in space, the use of mini DNA analyzers to analyze the microbiome of the habitat and surface of astronauts' skin, the physiological effects of hyperbaric pressure which presents three times the amount of oxygen and nitrogen than the average person is accustomed to, a number of extravehicular activities (EVAs) to include the testing of astronaut rescue devices and drills for sampling rock or coral, the health impact and ways of dealing with extremely high concentrations of carbon dioxide, and decompression sickness. He also discusses what he considers the biggest challenge in space, which is living in confined habitats for long periods of time. Navigating these issues means addressing team cognition and psychology, as well as the practical concerns associated with performing a variety of scientific experiments and tasks in such small and enclosed spaces. These are just a few of the subjects D'Agostino discusses on today's episode, and he brings an impressive amount of knowledge to every single one. Press play to hear the full conversation.

"There are benefits to all mind-altering activities or substances…and it can almost be radical to even recognize that in a culture that seems hell-bent on convincing us all that drugs are evil and that drugs are the cause of the problem. What we've tried to do with The Social Exchange…is to broaden the definition of addiction beyond just drugs and to broaden it beyond just an over-medicalized mentality around it," says Aaron Ferguson, co-host of The Social Exchange podcast. On today's episode, he is joined by his co-host Zach Rhoads to discuss the creation, development, and goals of the podcast, as well as what they've learned by interviewing countless experts and pain patients who've experienced addiction on a firsthand basis. Among many topics, they discuss differing viewpoints and arguments surrounding the concept and experience of addiction, the philosophy of harm reduction, and chemical dependency versus environmental influences. Tune in for all the details of this compelling and passionate conversation.

As a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UC Irvine and the director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center and the Advanced Power and Energy program, Jack Brouwer brings an impressive amount of information to today's episode, discussing stationary fuel cell technology, which is a form of zero pollutant emission energy that can complement solar and wind power. He also discusses the value of renewably-produced hydrogen and the potential for introducing 100 percent renewable energy into society, as well as the challenges presented by this technology. Currently, the biggest competitors of fuel cell technology are gas turbines and reciprocating engines, both of which are very cost-effective, but also less efficient and significant contributors to poor air quality. Brouwer explains what needs to be done in order to lower the cost of fuel cell technology and thereby make it a more feasible form of energy use, the science behind different forms of electricity, how fuel cell technology has developed over the years, and what he sees as the most important aspects of future adoption and implementation of fuel cell technology. Tune in, and visit www.nfcrc.uci.edu for more information or reach out to Brouwer directly by emailing him at jb@nfcrc.uci.edu.

Dr. Eva Detko, Ph.D., natural health specialist, author, noted speaker, and podcaster, delivers an overview of her interesting background and work with natural medicine. Dr. Detko has a keen interest in natural health and has devoted her life to the field for nearly two decades. Her work is primarily based in psychology and she uses multiple methods, such as hypnotherapy, Havening Techniques, NLP and mindfulness. Dr. Detko believes in the power of food and as such, she has written two cookbooks and is a strong believer in nutritional therapy. Dr. Detko talks about her own medical history. As she suffered personally with fatigue and digestive issues and was eventually diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and fibromyalgia, Dr. Detko starting digging deeper to find a holistic solution to her maladies. Starting with nutrition and biochemistry to manage her conditions, she later expanded into psychology and psychotherapy, as well as a plant medicine. And today, feeling better than ever, she is sharing her vast knowledge with others, with patients who are suffering needlessly with a whole host of nagging, painful medical problems. Dr. Detko discusses nutrition, and she explains how our bodies must also contend with more toxicity in the environment today than in decades past. She shares her thoughts on electromagnetic sensitivity and toxic metals. She outlines the ways that our bodies deal with multiple levels of toxins, emotional stressors, and so forth, and how it can build up and contribute to medical issues and symptoms. Dr. Detko talks about water purity and the importance of water filters. And she discusses cosmetics, deodorants, and creams that we put on our skin and the collective impact they are having on our health. Going deeper, Dr. Detko explains how people may first discover what is ailing them. She explains that those who suffer from complex and multiple symptoms should see a naturopathic practitioner who is skilled and trained and can help them diagnose their problem. She explains that testing is important, in order to figure out why symptoms are occurring. Dr. Detko has studied natural medicine, the human mind, and the body/mind connection for over two decades and is dedicated to helping people who suffer from the many medical problems that have both physiological and psychological/emotional elements.

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC, speaker, psychologist, and author, talks about her important work helping people build healthy relationships. Rapini is a noted psychotherapist who specializes in intimacy, sexual issues, and relationships. Rapini is a celebrated author, lecturer, and frequent television personality. Rapini's stated mission is to help others build healthy relationships, and that process begins with the relationship we have with ourselves. Rapini talks about her extensive work with individuals and couples dealing with sexual issues, physical and emotional. She discusses some of the major issues that many people deal with, and how these problems can catch up to us quickly. While pills work for some people, grief and emotional issues/stressors can promote feelings of anger and depression that may not be solved by pills. Therapy may be the answer for those who are suffering. Rapini discusses marriage and emotional maturity, and the reasons why some marriages have trouble. She talks about cognitive behavioral therapy and its importance to her therapy practice. She outlines some of the many social problems that lead people to therapy. As she states, in order for therapy to work, the person must be curious and want to change. She speaks about the importance of awareness, and how we must approach therapy with a self-awareness about what we want to accomplish. The psychotherapist discusses the importance of having purposeful relationships, and the many hallmarks of healthy relationships. What's really important is not so much how you communicate but that you do communicate. She explains that it is important to not compare your marriage to others, and that each partner of the relationship will have their own desires and needs. She talks about the importance of sharing, keeping balance, and accommodating for your partner, and other issues that are critical to maintaining a good, healthy relationship. And she discusses how she deals with many of these issues one on one with her clients.

Dr. Armando Hasudungan, a successful online medical educator, and creator of Armando Hasudungan (https://armandoh.org) deliver a thoroughly interesting overview of his background and medical science interests, and how his passion for learning led him to create unique explainer videos. Dr. Hasudungan earned a bachelor of biomedical science from the University of Southern Queensland before going on to complete his MD. His medical science interests are varied and include rheumatology, immunology, endocrinology, oncology, and pain. Dr. Hasudungan discusses the happy accident that got him interested in medical videos, which led to him becoming the prolific creator of medical explainer videos that he is today. As he explains, in his early education years he was more of an artist type student. When he was required to take a particular scientific pre-med course he found that the subject matter was difficult to grasp, and thus he concluded it might be easier to understand through a more visually-oriented presentation. He decided to try drawing things out and then recording them, and this illustrative technique discovery became the launching pad for his current work in explainer videos. He found that this technique was able to help him learn and retain the information at a much higher level. Once he began to upload his videos to YouTube he got great feedback from viewers and he knew he was onto something. The MD and science enthusiast talks about some of the techniques he uses in the creation of his YouTube videos, and which are the most effective for powerful learning. Dr. Hasudungan talks about the graphics and the drawing style he used in the early years, and how he has improved his visuals through the years. He talks about some of the extremely difficult and complex topics he covers and some of the popular videos such as his immunology videos. From the story to visuals, and narration, he tries to encompass many elements into his videos to make them as useful as possible to learners. Dr. Armando Hasudungan is one of the most successful online medical educators today, and as his explainer videos cover such a wide swath of topics, there is certainly something for everyone.

Dr. Anthony B. Miller, Professor Emeritus, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, discusses his extensive career in medicine, studying cancer. Dr. Miller is the Director of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study as well as an independent research consultant. Dr. Miller's research has covered many areas of his interests, such as the evaluation of screening for cancer, the epidemiology of breast cancer, non-communicable disease control, the environmental aspects of cancer etiology, control of cancer, and more. Dr. Miller talks about his extensive background in medicine, his tenure with the British Medical Research Council, and some of his work studying tuberculosis, then lung cancer. Through his research he came to the conclusion that treatment of diseases such as lung cancer was very inefficient, and thus the primary goal should be prevention of the disease entirely. He talks about his pioneering work at the National Cancer Institute of Canada, as the director of the epidemiology unit, which he directed for fifteen years. He talks in detail about some of the research he was involved with, citing specific examples of research and testing with certain occupational groups who showed increased risk for certain cancers due to the activities they performed regularly while working. Dr. Miller talks about the various types of radiation that exist in our technological world. He talks about cell phone use, and radio frequency, and some of the international studies that have shown a link between usage and an increased risk of cancer. The research doctor talks about electromagnetic fields, and the potential risks, and some of the leading researchers in this subject. Dr. Miller talks about nutrition and how it affects cancer. He discusses some of the foods that may increase risks for certain cancers, such as increased risk for colon cancer from red meat consumption. He explains that stomach cancer risk can be reduced by a diet that is high in vitamin C, and he outlines other foods and their relative good and bad potential, in terms of health and disease.

Hannah Crum, "The Kombucha Mamma," is an author, a master brewer, Kombucha Kamp founder, educator, commercial consultant, and general kombucha ambassador. In this podcast, Crum discusses her passion for kombucha and why she wants to share it with the world. Crum talks about her background and experiences that led her to become obsessed with kombucha, in a good way. She recounts the story of visiting a friend who was brewing kombucha, which made an impression on her, and upon returning home she began to see the somewhat sour beverage popping up in organic stores everywhere. She was hooked. Crum talks about the old days when people regularly made their own foods and beverages, and how we have gotten away from that, but maybe need to get back to it! As Crum explains, kombucha is essentially fermented tea at its foundation. She explains the living culture in kombucha. She talks about some of the worries that home brewers have regarding mold. But she explains that it is very easy actually to know if there is mold and when to get rid of a batch if need be. Crum explains that most people already have what they need to get started with a home brew venture, such as tea, sugar, jars, tightly woven cloth covers, etc. What people will probably not have, she states, is the scoby, which is a syntrophic mixed culture comprised of yeast and bacteria. But she says that there are many ways to get this, either from Crum's website or other ways. Crum discusses the differences between concentrate forms of kombucha and traditional home brewed kombucha. And as she explains, the home brewed kombucha is generally more potent, and you can control freshness and other issues when you brew yours at home. Since 2004, Crum has been brewing kombucha and educating the public about this healthy "longevity elixir." You can find more information about Crum and the powerfully potent, good for the gut, kombucha at her website (www.kombuchakamp.com).

I. Glenn Cohen, James A. Attwood and Leslie Williams Professor of Law and faculty director, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics at Harvard Law School, delivers an interesting overview of the many and varied ethical issues that pertain to new and emerging technologies. Professor Cohen is a noted expert on the nexus of bioethics (often referred to as 'medical ethics') and the law, inclusive of the health law. Cohen is also heavily involved in the education opportunities regarding the civil procedure. Cohen has spoken at countless legal, medical, and industry conferences at spots all across the globe. His celebrated work has been featuredin or covered by, numerous media outlets including PBS, ABC, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, The NewYork Times, Mother Jones, the New Republic, and many more. Cohen talks about his extensive background and training in law and medical ethics, as well as philosophy. Cohen's expertise covers a wide swath of subject matter, from artificial intelligence and healthcare to gene editing, organ transplantation, food and drug law, translational medicine, and others. Cohen talks about artificial intelligence, machine learning, and neural net applications as they relate to predictive medical applications and decision-making specifications for patient care. Cohen expands our understanding in the areas of pattern recognition as it relates to medical applications, and how algorithms must adapt to differing variables, for example, the differences between people such as racial makeup, citing a specific example about breast density and mammograms. He explains that the algorithm training data must accommodate all the options and variables in order to produce successful outcomes/results. And he discusses privacy issues as they relate to data. The Harvard professor details electronic health records, and how some physicians are experiencing burnout with the input of data, and how it is critical that data be input accurately and thoroughly in order for viable medical information to be helpful. He discusses reproduction, cloning, and some other issues related to genes within the context of technology. Cohen delves into gene editing further, discussing a particular case in China. Cohen explains that there was no real medical need for the gene edit and that caused quite a stir.Cohen talks about other use cases, and where things will go in the gene-editing world, and how regulations surrounding gene editing will perhaps become more relaxed if the benefits are justified. Cohen states that in the future we will probably see more debate about what is acceptable and what is not, in regard to gene editing. While there is clear prohibition right now, things could change as more scientists around the globe push the envelope.

Lowry Curley, Chief Executive Officer at AxoSim, a New Orleans based biotech startup, takes us on a thought-provoking journey through the major advances we are now seeing in drug development. Curley is an entrepreneur with a keen interest in biotech. He has an extensive background in biomedical engineering and major experience in tissue engineering, product development, and drug development. Curley's biotech company seeks to leverage its unique Nerve-on-a-Chip™ technology to truly transform drug development. Curley discusses his company and how they are improving drug development. He states that animal models are actually terrible predictors for how drugs will work in humans, and drugs that are tested with animals end up failing for human use a shocking 94% of the time, after going through extensive testing. That's a lot of work to end up with a drug that is essentially useless. Animal biology is simply not human biology, and Curley's company's method is changing the whole process and creating models that will work. Curley explains how they create models for drug testing, talking about how they take skin cells and turn them back into stem cells and then differentiate that into a nerve cell. They then engineer this into a three-dimensional environment, to directly mimic the interactions that a cell would experience in a human body. Curley talks about their funding, NIH, and others. He discusses some of the cancer drugs on the market that they are taking a look at, in order to improve or understand better their limitations. By using the AxoSim methods they are able to better grasp why drugs work and understand the side effects that they produce, which can help the pharmaceutical industry craft superior drugs with hopefully fewer side effects. Curley says that his company is scouring academia and new companies for similar tech, and they are acquiring some new startups in order to bring everything together so AxoSim can be the industry leader. AxoSim's innovative platform technology seeks to advance the efficacy, and safety, of novel therapeutics, which they believe will also help manage costs and bring important new drugs to the market.