Finding Genius Podcast

Certified in both sports medicine and neurology, Dr. Gabriele Barthlen, PhD, MD has directed several sleep centers and authored three books, 33 abstracts, and 15 peer-reviewed articles throughout her career. She's also been invited to speak at over 250 lectures, and today she's accepted the invitation to speak on the podcast about the work that she's currently doing at Sleep Center Hawaii and the latest in the world of sleep medicine. Contrary to much of her previous work researching sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, insomnia, and a range of other sleep disorders, Dr. Barthlen now focuses almost exclusively on the clinical treatment of sleep apnea using the most established treatment options. She explains what each of those options are, how she treats patients who can't travel to the sleep clinic, the stage of sleep during which apnea is most likely to occur, and the life-threatening consequences of leaving sleep apnea untreated. Learn more by visiting sleepcenterhawaii.com and feel free to give them a call at 808 456 REST.

Dr. Emily Splichal knows all about your feet. In fact, she has spent a lifetime studying feet, in her practice as a successful podiatrist, and also as a foot technology entrepreneur. In this podcast we'll learn all about the foot and the many benefits we can get from understanding what its nerves are communicating. Dr. Splichal spends her time helping people with their feet in a clinical setting as a podiatrist, but also helping them by developing new products that provide for better posture, rehabilitation, wellness and more. Her work in the field is innovative and she is a leader in the research of movement dysfunction and neuromuscular issues. Dr. Splichal discusses her company's many products that improve health. The company she leads is Naboso Technology, which offers the preeminent line of insoles and mats designed for increasing ease of movement and improving posture. As she states, Naboso's prime objective is to improve foot function and foot stimulation from a neurosensory perspective. The foot physician talks about the texture of their Naboso insoles and she explains how the insoles create powerful stimulation and provide benefits that everyone can experience. Dr. Splichal explains how their products work to improve neuro rehabilitation and wellness, and can assist with podiatry and orthopedics issues, pediatric development and more. She details the ways nerves in the foot relate to our posture and movement, and she explains just how important our feet truly are. If you thought feet were just for walking, then tune in to this podcast and discover the amazing truth about the power of the foot.

"As we have learned more and more about the mechanisms of toxicity and drug mechanisms, we've come to appreciate how different… people are from animals, and it makes us realize why drugs still fail 30% of the time for safety in people," says Dr. Ellen Berg, reflecting on the current state and usefulness of animal-based drug testing. For many years, product developers and the pharmaceutical industry has relied upon the assumption that what's toxic to non-human animals is more likely to be toxic to human animals; while this is true, it is not the best we can do, it does not account for the growing number of differences being identified between the animal model and human being, and it comes at a price. As the founder of Alto Predict, it is Dr. Ellen Berg's goal to introduce alternative approaches to product safety testing that remove the animal model and replaces it with human in vitro technologies, such as organs-on-chips, organoids, bioprinted tissues, and stem cell-based assays. She explains that despite many innovative advances in these methods over the past decade, there's been a significant lag in adoption by product developers. Why? According to Dr. Berg, the answer is multifold, but one of the primary reasons is because validation data showing predictivity of the assays is either limited or simply hard to access. This means that those who critically need this data in order to feel confident in moving forward with adoption of these technologies simply don't have it, and don't have an easy way to obtain it. The same type of problem exists with animal testing data but for different reasons: "A lot of in vivo animal data is in silos within pharmaceutical or consumer products companies and nobody has access to it, so…the lack of predictivity of animal testing has been hidden," explains Dr. Berg. Alto Predict is addressing this problem by building a platform that provides easy access to human in vitro technology validation data, alongside specialized analytics and data visualization tools as a way to bring business intelligence analysis to complicated scientific data. Having spent the last 15 years developing this platform, Dr. Berg has discovered many novel mechanisms of toxicity that are contributing to the safer selection of molecules with assay predictivity. The team at Alto Predict is currently working on the beta version of the platform and have already partnered with Collaborative Drug Discovery to showcase various in vitro assays relevant to cardiovascular toxicity. Tune in and visit altopredict.com to learn more.

Adrian Bejan, J.A. Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Duke University, delivers a thought-provoking analysis of the mechanics of life, energy, and the science of our natural world. Bejan is world renowned for his pioneering work in engineering and applied science. Specifically, his extensive research has delved deep into multiple areas of science—engineering and applied physics covering thermodynamics, heat transfer and convection, as well as design and evolution in the natural world. Bejan has been celebrated for his work, receiving 18 honorary doctorates from prestigious universities around the world, and he has authored 30 books and in excess of 650 articles on various subjects in his many areas of expertise. His recent book, The Physics of Life The Evolution of Everything, is considered a must-read for the scientific community and anyone who is interested in practical science and the origin of living things. Professor Bejan delivers a robust overview of the areas of practical science that are misunderstood, and some that are simply incorrect. Bejan lists a few of the commonly held theories that are inaccurate: that nature is complicated, that we cannot predict nature, and that we are threatened by a population explosion. He cites specific examples that prove his theories about the aforementioned. He states that many of those who speak about science publicly are not actually trained in science. As such, ideas can float around in the public discourse that may not be based in hard science. The engineering and science professor discusses thermodynamics, which is, as he describes, everything that has to do with movement—movement that comes from power, with the power coming from burning fuels, etc. Two things are certain: thermodynamics is about everything, and changes are occurring continually in science. The physics of evolution is constantly pushing all life and manufacturing to become a better version of itself. Changes occur, and science is the reason. Professor Bejan talks about the details of the physics of evolution, touching on the topic of power, as he states that nature is full of engines. He details the structure of the greatest engines of Earth. The earth, as an engine, drives our atmosphere and heating from the sun and cooling by the sky drive the earth engine. And this immense power delivery drives all the things on Earth. Bejan explains energy within animals and life in general. He talks about the elements of life and predictable design in nature. He states that much in science is recognizable and easy to draw, and all too often we overcomplicate the basic elements and structures of life. Bejan talks about the meaning of the word evolution, and how it is used in every language in western civilization and was certainly not invented or coined by Darwin. Bejan speaks of evolution as a 'moving forward' that assures us that tomorrow will be different than today—the future will be different than the past. Professor Bejan talks about the laws of physics as they relate to evolution, and how the laws of physics help us to see oneness in nature as opposed to blinding complexity. Further, Bejan discusses our organic preference for certain forms in nature, such as the golden ratio. As he explains, there is a globally accepted preference for forms due to the fact that certain shapes are the easiest to be perceived and scanned by the human eye. From business cards to flags to computer screens, we have shaped our world with the shapes that the physics of our humanity prefers. Professor Bejan continues to explore his interests in thermodynamics and applied physics, as well as evolution in nature, and his work is pushing the scientific world forward, advancing the understanding of life itself.

As an interested scientific mind, Kenneth Weiss has been fascinated by biology and genetic research through his long career in science. In this podcast, the Evan Pugh Professor Emeritus of Penn State's biology department discusses genetics and variations. Dr. Weiss has spent years studying the effects of genetic variations and how they impact disease. He details how genes play a part in the development of complex traits such as blood pressure and diabetes, as well as many other health issues. He provides his thoughts on the current state of genetic prediction and explains why there are significant difficulties in precision genomic medicine that relate to a myriad of impacting factors such as where we live, climate, diet and nutrition, one's occupation, and much more. Genomes, as he states, are different from person to person, and thus interpreting general information through the use of finite genomic data is not necessarily highly accurate. The gene expert lays out his theories on gene repair and discusses CRISPR technology, a technology that assists scientists to alter a DNA sequence and modify gene function, which many have touted as the next great leap in medical advancement. But Dr. Weiss stresses the complexity of these issues due to variations from person to person.

There are approximately 10,000 known diseases affecting modern humans—about 7,000 of which are rare, and about 3,000 more which are common. Each and every one of us is susceptible to developing or contracting a disease at any point in our lives, and most of us will. And once we do, then what? Where will the resources be? The team at Genetic Alliance is working to make those resources comprehensive and easily accessible by the community in the form of biobanks containing tissue and blood samples, information on the progression of diseases, data on treatment methods and drug therapies, and statistics correlating phenotypic and genotypic traits. They are a 32-year-old non-profit initially established to help other non-profit disease advocacy groups work efficiently and effectively, but over the years they have worked increasingly toward creating and raising awareness of the benefits of disease registries and biobanks. Not only do they allow individuals to decide the way in which their data will be used, but they are making it easier than ever before to share that data by providing non-profit advocacy groups with free sample collection kits. Sharon Terry, CEO of Genetic Alliance, joins the podcast to discuss all of this and more, including large-scale genome sequencing, the stratification of drug therapies, FDA interest in various gene therapy/editing registries, and at least one aspect of Genetic Alliance's mission that doesn't sit well with some academic institutions. Search for information on any of the 10,000 diseases by visiting diseasinfosearch.org, and learn more about Genetic Alliance by visiting geneticalliance.org.

Abacus Next is the only fully-integrated technology as a service solution provider on the market, and their cloud-based solution is helping a wide range of professionals manage and automate the complexities specific to their business in a compliant and secure way. They specialize in helping companies that work in highly regulated industries that deal with protected and sensitive client data, and they're not new to the field—they've been in business for 35 years now, evolving alongside the changing landscape of technology, and servicing about a half million business professionals across the globe. One of their main products is the Abacus private cloud, which helps professionals get off IT and enter a full-managed private cloud, and another one of their main products is HotDocs, a document automation and assembly platform that's currently being used by four out of the five largest banks in the world. While they primarily service professionals in the legal, accounting, finance, insurance, and government realms, their customer base ranges from Fortune 100 companies to small and medium-sized businesses. Chief Marketing officer, Eric Cutler, has been a member of the team at Abacus Next for several years now, and joins the podcast to discuss all the ins and outs of the services they provide, including the tailored platforms they have for subsections within the legal profession—a profession that's particularly complicated, varied, and immersed in highly sensitive data. Interested in learning how Abacus Next may be of service to you or your business? Tune in and visit https://www.abacusnext.com/

Gunther Witzany's original area of expertise was the philosophy of language, which brought him into the world where philosophy and the sciences meet. After reading many biological papers and noticing that they used many of the same terms to describe the behavior of organisms, such as cell-cell communication, genetic code, translation, and encryption, he realized that biologists were trying to use communication and language in a mechanistic way. According to Witzany—and the general conclusion of a 60-year-long discussion in the philosophy of science—this is an error simply because language and communication cannot be explained by mechanistic terms. Why? Witzany offers his answer to this question, and in doing so, gives his account of his concept of life as a communicative structure, meaning that organisms and their components communicate through processes and sign-mediated interactions, much like one might describe parts of human communication. He discusses the three levels that exist in every language, the role of epigenetic markings in the expression and transcription of DNA, how viruses edit code and why more of them are our friends than enemies, and whether viruses or cellular life emerged first. Tune in and learn more by visiting biocommunication.at.

With a family history of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and a variety of other metabolic syndrome problems, Dr. Adam Nally tried to keep his calorie count low and exercise five to six days a week, but it wasn't working: he was still 65 lbs overweight, his triglyceride levels were almost four times what they should be, he was prediabetic, and he was always hungry. As a practicing family medicine physician, he was noticing the same patterns in many of his patients. "I started looking for answers for myself and for my patients, realizing that what I was taught in the traditional school just was not effective," says Dr. Nally. This search led him to the most recent research on obesity, which led him to eventually compile a plethora of information on the many hormones used by the body in order to control weight and the powerful influence of food on hormonal behavior. For the past 15 years, Dr. Nally has implemented everything he's learned into his practice, removing starches and sugars from his patients' diets and replacing them with fats and proteins. The results? He's helped reverse over 50 cases of diabetes and continues to treat 16 diseases that respond very well to the removal of starches from the diet. The Keto Cure: A Low Carb High Fat Dietary Solution to Heal Your Body and Optimize Your Health is all about Dr. Nally's experience over the past 15 years treating patients with this diet and "walking the walk."

Nathan Wilmot, associate R&D director, and Keith Wilson, strategic marketing manager, of Dow Industrial Solutions, discuss the launch of their new 3D printing product. They provide a wealth of information on the many ways 3D printing is revolutionizing product manufacturing, and they discuss in detail—additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing utilizes data computer-aided-design (CAD) software or advanced 3D object scanners to conduct hardware to deposit material, via layering, in exact geometric shapes. Wilmot and Wilson talk about their work with Dow, specifically in manufacturing, regarding additives or ingredients that impact the way that water interacts with materials in a wide variety of areas such as breweries and wineries for their cooling and thermal stability, to concentrated solar power and renewable energy, etc. They talk about the innovations that they are looking to bring to the concept of additives, specifically in regard to 3D printing. They state that the company's strength lies in the polymer space, and that is currently their primary focus. Wilmot and Wilson talk about their product launches and the development of prototypes. They discuss the filament type printers that many people use, and the new technology and new materials that are improving mechanical durability and performance. Additionally they outline how some of the new materials may require a learning curve to fully understand how to work with them, but ultimately the effort is needed in order to continually advance the 3D customized printing revolution that is upon us. The manufacturing experts detail some of the ways that they hope to bring products to the market faster and more efficiently. They discuss the issues that they hear about through their close contact with the industrial community at large, and how Dow has continually worked to meet the needs of the community and not only solve the problems, but ask the questions that can keep them ahead of the curve as the technology changes rapidly. Wilmot and Wilson detail some of the opportunities to streamline production of parts via 3D printing. As they state, in many cases the processes that are used in injection molding, etc. utilize materials that are specific to those processes, thus Dow is seeking to make the necessary adjustments to materials, etc., to meet the needs of the new manufacturing wave. Finally, Wilmot and Wilson discuss some of the new development in their industry and they talk about where the industry is headed as additive manufacturing evolves. Dow is striving to develop ways to make 3D printing scalable, and offer new solutions to improve mechanical performance, to increase accessibility to products in remote areas, and improve materials so they can withstand environmental conditions.