Finding Genius Podcast

Greg Kieser, Founder at Supersystemic.ly LLC, and author of the book, Dear Machine: A Letter to a Super-Aware/Intelligent Machine (SAIM), discusses his passion for investing in forward-thinking companies that help people improve their lives. Supersystemic.ly is a think-tank and angel investment firm based out of Brooklyn, NY that is wholly dedicated to preparing humanity for the coming emergence of superintelligent entities via the study and proliferation of 'supersystemic' perspectives and groundbreaking innovations. Greg Kieser's particularly strong interest in complex systems science led him to launch Supersystemic.ly. Kieser's previous work at a poverty-relief type foundation enhanced his growing interest in how investments affect the physical and mental well-being of lower-income New Yorkers in general. Kieser discusses his new book, Dear Machine: A Letter to a Super-Aware/Intelligent Machine (SAIM), and how he hypothesized that superintelligence will emerge to improve lives, from our transportation networks to our shopping, google maps, facebooks learning, etc. He elaborates on the mechanisms of our current technologies, including a detailed analysis of blockchain and how it will be utilized to improve systems. He discusses his idea for an investment firm that has a truly positive impact. He talks about health issues and the microbiome. He explains how one of his first investments was in a microbiome company that was working in the area of fecal therapy, a therapy that is designed to help improve issues such as autoimmune disorders, skin problems, digestive conditions, IBS, etc. Kieser talks about some of the important factors in fecal transplantation. Fecal transplantation also referred to as bacteriotherapy, is the actual transfer of stool from a healthy person into the gastrointestinal tract of another, to treat recurrent C. difficile colitis. In our modern world, many antibiotics may be disrupting the microbiome causing disease by wiping out the healthy, good bacteria in our guts. Kieser discusses the screening and testing of donors, looking for healthy people who ideally have never had antibiotics, and have lived lives essentially free of disease and health problems. KIeser discusses some of the other health-positive companies that he is interested in, companies that are helping people with all sorts of health problems, from the physical to the mental. He explains various studies that are ongoing and how we are learning about new treatments that could prove to be highly beneficial.

As a result of applying scientific principles to the creation of the "perfect" cup of coffee, he's earned the name "Dr. Coffee." But in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oregon, he's also known as Dr. Christopher Hendon, who was one of three professors hired to work in an emerging field of technology: energy storage and the development of supercapacitors. As a theoretical chemist, Dr. Hendon explains that while we are good at capturing light and turning it into electricity, we aren't so good at storing that energy. In order to do this, we need a material that has an extremely high surface area of electrical conductivity, and in order to find that type of material, Dr. Hendon and his team are looking at a new class of materials called metal-organic frameworks. Dr. Hendon dives deep into the science behind his work, explaining how and why similar compounds have vastly different properties, the principle of electron tunneling, how to determine the melting point, color, vibrational modes, and other properties of different substances, non-bonding versus bonding electrons, the relationship between electron relays and enzyme function in the body, anti-cancer drugs based on platinum, and so much more.

We experience huge variations in our heart rates on a daily basis; from the slow heart rate that occurs just before drifting off to sleep, to the chest pounding we've all experienced after climbing a particularly challenging flight of stairs. There are more subtle variations even when we are at rest, though, that are now being considered as a means to track well-being. Abraham Otero, Associate Professor of Information Technology at San Pablo University, joins us today to discuss the technology that may someday enable us to diagnose health conditions based on our individual heart rate variability. He discusses his research on heart rate variability analysis with the R package RHRV, a heart rate variability analysis software tool. Otero introduces us to how algorithms are used in this package, how heart rate variability is currently being used to identify sleep apnea patients (when compared to control patients without sleep apnea), and how this technology may be used in the future to diagnose patients with other health conditions. For more information, visit http://rhrv.r-forge.r-project.org/.

Erica Mackie joins us today to discuss solar technology and her non-profit, GRID Alternatives. GRID Alternatives is a non-profit that installs solar electric systems exclusively in disadvantaged communities. They promote sustainability by training members of these communities on the installation and maintenance of solar technologies, providing them with job training and basic experience in the industry. Mackie discusses why solar technology is superior to traditional energy resources and how their work helps families reduce their utility bills, while also improving their quality of life through job training and access to these resources. For more information, visit www.gridalternatives.org.

Jamie S. Foster, Professor, Microbiology & Cell Science, University of Florida, provides an interesting overview of the many benefits of microbes. Dr. Foster's research program is keenly interested in and focused on, the cooperation and actions between microbial communities and their neighboring environments, to improve understanding of the various molecular mechanisms that select microbes utilize to respond and adjust to variations and modifications in the environment. Her work is specialized in multiple areas of interest, including metagenomics, environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, host-microbe interactions, space biology, and metatranscriptomics. Dr. Foster discusses her background and her overall interests in the field. She states that her research is varied and wide, from studying microbes within squid to the microbes that form rocks in the environment, and beyond. From what we eat to almost everything we interact with—is the product of microbes, she states. The Microbiology & Cell Science expert explains that 90% of the cells in our bodies are microbial. She states that while eukaryotic cells are larger, we are in fact mostly microbes in terms of sheer number. Dr. Foster elaborates on squid and talks about the microbes that cover them as they swim through the water. She explains 'a mutualistic symbiosis,' which is when a bacterium is assisting the host to perform a specific function. Over time, humans have also developed special relationships with microbes. Dr. Foster elaborates on the selection process that takes place in organisms that allow for adaptation. As she states, bacteria will do whatever they can to survive. She outlines some specific examples regarding microbes and the selection process that is the basis of evolution. She explains how future generations are benefited by this selection process and selection pressure, improving the organism's ability to better survive. She elaborates on what they refer to as 'competition experimentation' in which they may add genes or take away genes to observe how that may affect fitness, or the ability to colonize and thrive. The microbial expert discusses how they are working with microbes in a space environment, to better understand how immune systems of astronauts could become compromised in space. And she talks about some of the publishing they are currently conducting in regards to how beneficial microbes are critical under microgravity conditions.

Chemotherapy is an integral part of the gold standard for cancer treatment in the U.S., but it's well-understood that it's not without side effects—some so significant that some people choose to forego it altogether. The reason that chemotherapy drugs cause systemic side effects is relatively simple: the drugs act systemically, killing the cancer cells, but at the same time killing the healthy cells that our bodies rely upon. But what if we could control exactly where and how chemotherapy drugs are activated in the body, so as to direct them to the specific site of a tumor, and nowhere else? Professor John S. Ho from the Department of Electrical Computer Engineering at the National University of Singapore joins the podcast to explain how and why we can. It's called photodynamic therapy, and while it's not without its challenges, it holds promise for the future of cancer treatment. By shining light of a certain wavelength into a tumor in the body, and then administering chemotherapy drugs that have been designed to absorb that same wavelength of light, the drug would become active only in the presence of the light, and therefore only at the site of the tumor. The principles that underlie this technology, surprisingly enough, are similar to those that underlie other bioelectronic devices, such as pacemakers, pill cameras, and cochlear implants. Aside from explaining exactly how photodynamic therapy works, Dr. Ho discusses a number of interesting topics, including the benefits and difficulties of wireless power transfer to the body, energy harvesting, and what's ahead in the coming years in bioelectronic device development.

Meagan Rubel, Graduate Student, Department of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, provides a thorough overview of her work studying anthropology and the microbiome. Rubel is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in molecular anthropology, studying biological anthropology in detail, and specifically focusing on evolution and adaptation in human beings. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A/B.I.S., Anthropology, Interdisciplinary Studies Foci in Biology and Geography, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. Rubel is particularly focused on how diet, survival/subsistence practice, as well as environments are unified with genetic variation, phenotypic adaptation, and overall health. And her specific area of research pertains to the gut microbiome and helminth (parasitic worms) analysis and study within select African groups utilizing human genetics and various statistical methods. Rubel talks in detail about health biomarkers of some of her study groups, specifically talking about her work in Botswana. She discusses how we define a normal healthy microbiome because it is very context-dependent. She gives examples of how different types of people have varied microbiomes, and she states that there is a lot of research taking place currently that seeks to answer the question of what certain missing bacterial diversity could be doing to our health in the long run. She talks about microbial diversity that could be lost due to changing diets and changing activities. Diet changes could change bacteria composition. What kind of diversity is good diversity she asks, but she states that you don't necessarily need to be a hunter/gatherer to have a healthy microbiome and healthy bacteria. And Rubel discusses how modern society has impacted bacteria and health, from air pollution to reduction in pathogens, and improvement of living standards overall. She discusses how parasites can actually reduce allergen-induced inflammation. Further, Rubel talks about some of her current work that she has not yet published, that studies blood parasites and fecal parasites, etc., and she mentions some of the predictive modelings they use to make associations between parasites and the microbiome.

What do kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and miso all have in common? Not only are they delicious, but these foods are also all fermented. Kirsten Shockey, the co-author of several books on fermentation, joins us today to share some of her knowledge on fermented food. Shortly after her family began growing their own food twenty years ago, they turned to fermentation as a means to preserve what they were not able to immediately consume. This soon expanded to fermenting foods for its many health benefits. Kirsten and her husband currently teach classes and workshops on fermentation. In this episode, Shockey shares a few of the many health benefits of fermented foods and assures us that fermenting foods is easier than we might expect. After listening to this episode, you might feel inspired enough to try fermenting your own vegetables! Learn all about the fermentation process from Shockey, and hear what benefits that fermented foods can provide for your body. For more information, visit http://ferment.works.

Have you always had an interest in the bioscience and tech worlds, but never really had a chance to truly explore them? Have you had trouble finding good resources for learning more about biotechnology and the biological design space? Or maybe you've learned a lot, but never really had the chance to practice any of it in hands-on fashion? If so, Genspace is an open access life sciences lab catering directly to you. Simply put, Genspace is a safe, inclusive space where you can receive hands-on instruction and engage in open dialogue about exciting and emerging biotechnologies, including CRISPR-Cas9, protein engineering, next-generation drug development, and a number of other fields in cutting-edge science. And when you become a member of Genspace, you're given 24/7 access to the lab for exploring your own questions and topics of interest, or for starting your own personal project. Beth Tuck is the Director of Science Education at Genspace, and she joins the podcast to provide a glimpse into this exiting and creative world that's kept in motion by pure curiosity, creativity, and a desire to learn. She provides a few examples of projects being carried out by Genspace members, surprising new areas of interest in the bio-design space (including the creation of furniture from mushrooms!) and how biology communities with similar goals as Genspace are popping up around the world. Tune in for all the details, and visit genspace.org for more info.

Jules Chandler joins us today to discuss her journey with Graves' disease and her approach to health after undergoing total thyroidectomy. Chandler's interest in thyroid conditions began after she noticed symptoms of her own overactive thyroid. In this episode, Jules shares her experience of conventional medical treatments, including the roller coaster of fluctuating hormones, a side effect of her treatment. Despite being told by doctors after years of treatment that her condition was cured, Chandler did not feel that her symptoms had fully resolved; as a result, she began experimenting with adjustments to her diet and was able to identify gluten as a trigger for inflammation in her body. By making changes to her diet - which expanded to changes to her lifestyle - Chandler was able to find relief for her symptoms in ways that previous treatments were unable to provide. This inspired her to pursue a degree in naturopathic nutrition, and today she helps her clients manage many of their symptoms through diet and lifestyle changes. Tune in to hear Jules Chandler's inspiring story, as well as a list of resources that Chandler believes, may be helpful for those looking to take control of their own thyroid health. For more information, visit http://www.thebristolnutritionist.com/.