Finding Genius Podcast

Jane Antony, postdoctoral researcher, Stanford Medicine, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, delivers an important and thorough overview of the current state of cancer research and methods that may lead to promising new discoveries. Antony worked toward her Ph.D. through a unique joint program of the National University of Singapore and Imperial College London to bolster her study and understanding of cancer cell biology. She has been an active member of various research groups in Singapore and the UK that focus their efforts primarily on cancer biology, ovarian cancer, metastasis, signal transduction, and therapeutics. Her current work pertains to the identification of innovative therapeutic targets in invasive breast cancer illuminating differential signaling schemas in tumor heterogeneity. Antony is constantly curious, with a passion for understanding the link between metastasis and cancer stem cells. Antony discusses her current cancer research. She states since cancer is an intrinsic disease, whatever you use to target it will impact the normal healthy tissue as well. Generally, a disease's etiology, or cause, can be classified as intrinsic, extrinsic, or idiopathic. Antony's particular interest is in regard to metastasis and how cancer spreads. Antony states that many cancers can be removed surgically and can utilize therapies that shrink the cancer cells, but if it spreads to other organs it becomes more difficult to treat. Antony gives a detailed analysis of what is currently known about DNA as it relates to cancer growth. She describes the different types of cancers, how they metastasize, and typically where they travel to, or could. Additionally, she provides an in-depth overview of the current therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy. In regard to radiation therapy, it certainly has an effect on normal cells as well, and chemotherapy, unfortunately, becomes less effective over time and multiple treatments. Antony talks about some of her work and areas of particular interest such as tumor suppressors. Understanding how tumor suppressors are involved in the development of cancer, specifically genes that regulate Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) can quite possibly provide some important answers. A gene of great interest is the OPCML, which is present in healthy, normal cells but is switched off in cancer, which makes treatment very difficult with lowered chances for recovery. Understanding how this gene functions in cells is a critically important issue. Targeting genes that regulate RTKs can lead to possible gene-based cancer therapies for patients. Antony details other important developments in research, such as limiting dilution assays (LDA). LDA is designed to define an undetermined frequency of effector cells within a population. They are dose-response assays that enable detection of a positive or negative immunoresponse in each unique culture within replicates that vary in the number of actual responder cells tested. By calculating stem cell frequencies researchers can study how stem cells are evolving throughout treatment. Antony describes her findings in regard to stem cells and various types of cancers. She states that in blood cancers, the methods are somewhat different, in that bone marrow is removed and then reinstated after treatment has flushed out the affected area. Obviously, this is a treatment advantage of liquid cancers, for solid tumor cancers cannot benefit in the same way due to their form. And she talks about an assortment of other interesting trials that are underway that may provide further answers of great benefit to science and medicine. Antony is a postdoctoral member of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), as well as a member of the EMT International Association, and an associate member of the American Association for Cancer Research. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the National University of Singapore, a Bachelor of Engineering from the National University of Singapore, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine.

Dr. Sabrina Leslie, Associate Professor of Physics and Quantitative Life Sciences at McGill University, leads listeners on an interesting journey into the complex and important world of molecule imaging and research. As an experienced researcher and respected university leader at McGill, Dr. Leslie founded her single-molecule imaging laboratory in 2012. The lab was instrumental in the development of novel techniques to discover and explore complex interactions and dynamics of macromolecules. Dr. Leslie has pursued doctoral studies in optical physics, has completed extensive research on biomolecules in liquids, and explored her passion for imaging in a health sciences context. She is a recipient of a Mary Fieser Postdoctoral Fellowship, and her work at Harvard led to the invention of a single-molecule imaging technology known as Convex Lens-induced Confinement (CLiC). And it was this groundbreaking work in the field that thrust her onto the international stage as a noted pioneer in single-molecule investigations with a broad range of applications. Dr. Leslie earned her Ph.D. in Optical and Atomic Physics at the University of California at Berkeley Dr. Leslie discusses her lab's intensive work deconstructing molecular interactions to answer questions in biology and develop new drugs for medical and therapeutic applications. She talks about the importance of time scales, speed of camera, and resolution, in their work as they seek to visualize the interactions in real time. By using cameras they are able to watch molecules for a long time and deconstruct the methods of operation. Collaborating with biochemists and cancer scientists, as well as applied mathematicians, the Leslie Lab's single-molecule investigations of protein and DNA interactions, have provided significant new information about gene regulation mechanisms. Specifically, Dr. Leslie's work has also been focused on exploring a wide range of interactions and dynamics of proteins and DNA, as well as other macromolecules, and with regard to molecular shape and environment. The macromolecule researcher details her lab's groundbreaking work with the imaging technology known as Convex Lens-induced Confinement (CLiC). As she explains, the process works by essentially squeezing the tiny molecules into little traps so that the essence of the molecule is completely held in focus, viewable from all angles. And by utilizing fluorescent labels they are able to closely track them for observation. She details some of their current research regarding DNA binding with a focus on applications and therapeutics, etc. As they continued their experimentation they began introducing other molecules and polymers, to fill up space and then observe how DNA probes find their target sites. As she states, they have a particular interest in the nexus between the physics and the biology, where structural elements can have an impact on the biochemical reactions. Further, she talks about some surprising discoveries regarding proteins and droplet formation simulation. In concert with biochemists in Montreal, Dr. Leslie's team is instigating CLiC studies of non-membranous organelles (NMOs). Liquid droplets form when proteins and nucleic acids phase-separate from cellular material, similar to how oil separates from water. Importantly, there is significant evidence suggesting that misregulation of MMOs is associated with select diseases such as Alzheimer's. Lastly, Dr. Leslie expounds upon some of the areas of research they are most excited to dig into, such as gene editing, and she gives an overview of their collaborations with pharmaceutical companies on oligonucleotide therapeutics. (Oligonucleotide therapeutics is an inventive class of biopharmaceutical products composed of short strings of synthetic nucleotides that resemble the actual building blocks for DNA.)

Rayne Steinberg, chief executive officer of Arca Funds (arcafunds.com), discusses the complex and constantly evolving digital marketplace, financial products, and ways that qualified investors can successfully navigate the vast sea of new currencies and platforms. Steinberg is a seasoned securities structuring and risk management professional. He has played an instrumental role in many businesses, including his influential contributions as co-founder of WisdomTree. Steinberg was responsible for raising capital, building and overseeing the sales team that successfully raised $50 Billion in ETF AUM. Steinberg earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Wharton School of Business. Steinberg discusses his early journey into the business, including his time as co-founder of WisdomTree. He explains the financial products and fee structures, and how high fee was a problem that made it difficult for industries to disrupt themselves. His interest in crypto was that it was an asset class for people to invest in, but it was also a novel wrapper in which to wrap many and various financial service products. Specifically speaking, ETFs are wrappers that are comprised of multiple securities representing an overall investment strategy. Steinberg explains his company's model and intentions. Arca Funds applies to sound, institutional-grade asset management processes to the future-forward crypto and blockchain-investing arena. Arca Funds' primary focus is on stable regulation and security, compliance, as well as custody and risk management. Steinberg discusses how our current system has largely been centralized, with individuals giving their trust to authorities to maintain their transactions, etc. Thus, the new model of crypto represents a reconfiguration of that system, as its approach is one of decentralization. He gives an example of how in the new digital ecosystem, individuals are the custodians of their own passcodes, and so forth, placing a higher level of responsibility upon the individual. As Steinberg states, with the new freedom in the digital market comes new risks as well, and Arca Funds was designed specifically to help individuals bridge the gap between the old and new, to find their footing in these rapidly expanding digital markets. The Arca Funds platform allows for safe experimentation as users gain experience in the markets. Steinberg outlines many of their products. Arca launched a series of quality funds designed to offer greater diversified and compliant exposure to the expanding crypto asset class. And down the road, they plan to develop unique tokenized products that will significantly disrupt and replace the aging landscape of centralized, expensive financial service products that are not easily converted into cash. And as there is the risk in the markets, Steinberg states that their platform is only available for high net worth individuals and qualified buyers, as is defined by regulators. He explains the intricate details of their various products' structures, and who they would be attractive for, and why. And he details how Arca Funds is able to assist in the qualifying of asset products that come into the marketplace. From Bitcoin to Ethereum, regarding hedge funds, and so much more, Steinberg's Arca Funds evaluates the many opportunities and provides real, sound information on them. And as the products are not just security products but are also technology products, Arca Funds' team utilizes a thorough process to get to know the products, and the technology, as the digital market is quite complex for the average user. As such, Arca Funds' returns typically better the averages. The Arca team systematically and thoroughly combines their many decades of institutional asset management experience; a broad history of successful, relevant business creation; and the technical expertise to create real value for the individuals they service.

Michael A. Grandner, PhD, Arizona College of Medicine, provides an overview of the many aspects of sleep, how it impacts functioning, and the ways we can improve the quality of our sleep. Dr. Grandner is an experienced researcher, noted speaker, and respected colleague at many prestigious institutions. He serves as the director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, and as director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at the Banner-University Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Grandner is an assistant professor in the departments of psychiatry and medicine in the UA College of Medicine, assistant professor of psychology in the UA College of Science, as well as an assistant professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He is certified in behavioral sleep medicine by the American Board of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Grandner discusses the connections between sleep and health and how it plays an important role in many and various areas of functioning. He states that a lot of their research focuses on finding ways to help with sleep improvement. He looks at quality and quantity of sleep, timing, when people are sleeping, and why. He gives details on the range of ways they study sleep in their laboratory. He talks about the various types of emerging technologies that can assist them with measuring the aspects of sleep. As sleep exists deep in the brain, it is impossible to perfectly measure sleep, thus Dr. Grandner states that they must measure around it, guessing at other measures such as movement and brain wave activity, etc. Achieving healthy sleep is crucial for great overall health, cardiovascular health, and is also an important factor in obesity, diabetes, and psychological well being. And as such, when we don't get enough of it, or the quality level is low, functioning can be impacted in many ways. Interestingly, Dr. Grandner points out that many people actually degrade their own opportunity to achieve quality sleep by reinforcing periods of insomnia. As he states, the best thing to do when you're in bed and can't sleep is to get up. Lying in bed and trying to fight it only reinforces the state, essentially teaching your brain that bedtime is a time for brain activity and thought. Thus getting out of bed and taking on some sort of activity till you feel ready to sleep could prove helpful. Dr. Grandner outlines some of the research and interesting studies his team is involved with currently as well as other studies on the horizon. Current research focuses on the ways sleep and sleep-related behaviors could be connected to cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, neurocognitive functioning, mental health, and even longevity. Their projects have been funded by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the American Heart Association (AHA). Their community-based studies consider a vast swath of issues from social environment, access to care, stress, diet, and exercise, as well as aspects of cardiometabolic functioning, to look at the ways sleep is related to each. Dr. Grandner seeks to develop new tools to help people gauge the kind of sleep they are getting and how to improve it. In regard to sleep, Dr. Grandner states, it is not something that you can command. We need to give ourselves the right environment, mentally and physically, that will allow sleep to happen. He discusses the quality versus the quantity, and the ways to evaluate that, as well as the importance of regular sleep patterns. Dr. Grandner discusses the internal body clocks that govern function, and the various types of personalities and genes that play a role in sleep schedules. He discusses the sleep-wake system versus the circadian system, which relates to the biological process that displays an endogenous, entrainable oscillation of approximately 24 hours. He explains how hormone shifts and rhythms can be changed, shifted, and blunted, and how light can help with making adjustments, in regard to the winter blues, seasonal affective disorder, etc. Dr. Grandner has published over 100 articles and chapters on myriad issues relating to sleep and health. His significant work in the field has been cited over 2,500 times. Dr. Grandner is associate editor of the recognized journal, Sleep Health, and he serves on the editorial boards of various other journals: SLEEP, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Sleep Medicine, and others. He is a sought-after speaker on the connection between sleep and good health and as such has been invited often to the National Institutes of Health, and has presented for the US Congress.

It's true: we're wired to eat, but what should we be eating? Is there a one-for-all holy grail of diets that we just haven't found yet, or is an "appropriate" diet something that varies from person to person? How much should we be exercising, and does stress really contribute to weight gain? The answers you get will probably depend on who you're asking. Today's podcast focuses on Robb Wolf's opinion on these and a variety of other topics. As one of the world's leading experts in paleo nutrition, author of two books on The New York Times Best Seller list (The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet and Wired to Eat), and former research biochemist, it's safe to say his opinions carry a lot of weight. Tune in for an intriguing and eye-opening conversation that touches on the role of diet, lifestyle, genetics, epigenetics, socialization, and the gut microbiome in overall health and quality of life. Visit robbwolf.com to join his newsletter and access a plethojump-start materials that'll help jump start your journey to health. Here is the article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2679460

Talk of the need for a renewable, clean energy source is everywhere these days, but until now, aluminum hasn't really been a player in the discussion. Why not? Josiah Nelson asked the same question when a mistake in the lab led him to observe an unexpected reaction between water and aluminum that'd been stripped of its outermost layer. The result? An intense bubbling created by the oxidation of water, leaving nothing behind but hydrogen and aluminum oxide. He soon realized he'd stumbled upon something that could change the world: a 100% renewable way to make hydrogen and electricity with efficiencies comparable to fossil fuels at about one-fifth of the cost of non-renewable and unclean hydrogen-generating processes. That's not all: this process of hydrogen generation is scalable and reliable enough for industrial manufacturing. It didn't take long for him to join forces with Tirthak Saha in the founding of Trolysis, a company devoted to bringing this technology to market and ultimately powering the world. With the demand for hydrogen hovering somewhere around 90 billion metric tons per year in the US alone, Nelson's claim to have found the holy grail for renewable energy enthusiasts might just be legitimate. Both Nelson and Saha offer an exciting and engaging discussion about the Trolysis technology, the underlying chemistry at play, and the three main problems with other methods of hydrogen regeneration. Hit play and learn more at trolysis.com.

The traditional pathway to what's considered a "successful" career is becoming less and less popular, and for some who find themselves under circumstantial constraints, it's nearly impossible. But at the intersection of the rapidly changing worlds of employment, education, and technology, seeking alternative routes to a successful life has never made more sense, and perhaps never been so potentially lucrative. But how do we know where to begin, and how do we know what type of support will be necessary along the way? According to Hamoon Ekhtiari, the answers might be simpler than we think: "We need to have a Google Maps for the future of working and learning; just like Google Maps helps us navigate the physical world, we need something to help us navigate the unpredictable world of work and learning," he says, and as the CEO of FutureFit AI, this is exactly what he's creating. Imagine being able to locate yourself in terms of the skills and experience you currently bring to the table, set a career, income, or educational destination, and then sit back while AI algorithms use millions of data points to deliver a variety of potential pathways based on your specific requirements; it's quite literally like a roadmap to your future life. That's not all: you'll also receive mentorship, support, and coaching for arising needs or unexpected roadblocks along your route. FutureFit AI is currently working with numerous employers, enterprises, and government institutions that want to help their employees upscale and rescale their jobs alongside the changing landscape of work and technology, expanding the realm of possibilities to include more than just promotion-based career advances. Interested in learning more? Tune in and visit futurefit.ai.

John Kupice, chief executive officer of H-Source (h-source.com), provides an interesting overview of the important work his company is doing to help hospitals and clinics save money so they can do what they do best—provide quality healthcare to their communities. As Kupice explains, H-Source is a hospital to hospital/ medical facility to medical facility marketplace. As he states, shockingly, the medical marketplace in the United States has a ten billion dollar waste problem, regarding medical supplies and products with an expiration date, and an additional five billion in non-controlled pharmaceuticals. Kupice's company, H-Source, has created a cloud-based marketplace in which hospitals and medical facilities can exchange equipment and products, etc., instead of throwing them out or having them end up in landfills. As Kupice describes, H-Source is sort of an Amazon meets Linked In approach to a forward-thinking marketplace that is changing the industry. Kupice is the CEO of H-Source and serves on its board of directors as well. Prior to becoming the company's chief executive, Kupice assisted its founder with the capital raise and development of their business model. Kupice has a storied career in business, notably leading many formidable companies in multiple industries. He was VP of Development for TruCare Solutions, Inc. where he played a vital role in the consolidation and analysis of crucial patient outcome data for alternative treatment modalities. Outside of the healthcare industry, Kupice was chief executive officer for a successful entertainment technology company and was instrumental in attaining company goals regarding reseller and supplier relationships, capital acquisition, and merger and acquisition of competitors. Additionally, Kupice put ten years in at Ernst & Young, LLP, most recently as national director of the Lawson Practice where he provided program management and implementation assistance for clients in a myriad of industries, including healthcare. Kupice holds a B.A. in accounting from the University of West Florida. Kupice discusses the many and various types of products that are regularly thrown out from catheterization laboratories and operating rooms, etc. due to physician preference, supplier demands, and other issues. Through H-Source, hospitals and medical facilities can now recover up to forty cents on the dollar or more for their items, whereas previously they were total write-offs, tossed out at a total loss, donated, or sold off at lower rates, perhaps ten to twenty cents on the dollar or lower. Kupice outlines how hospital margins are narrowing, with rising costs, especially in labor costs, and thus mid-sized to large hospitals are having significant problems staying in business, keeping their doors open. Thin margins are making hospital administrators critically rethink every expenditure, and all waste and H-Source is seeing an influx of new customers regularly. As many hospitals have been forced to downsize their labor staff, Kupice states that some are actually bringing new staff on board, specifically to utilize H-Source and its tools to find ways to cut other costs and create value. Kupice muses about how the changes are bringing key players together to create a unified healthcare industry that works more efficiently and provides savings for everyone. But beyond the dollars and cents, and the economic metrics, there is another wonderful aspect of H-Source's marketplace, and it pertains to jobs and patient care. As many large hospitals can benefit by selling off items and cutting their financial waste, small community healthcare facilities often become the buyers of these items. Allowing small community facilities an opportunity to buy as they need, and avoid costly large orders, it often makes the difference between keeping a part-time nurse on staff and letting him or her go. Thus, the economics and savings create better financials for small facilities that enable them to keep their staff gainfully employed, which means more quality care for small communities in need. H-Source's innovative marketplace model is improving the healthcare industry across the board, from the largest city hospitals to the small town community clinics. And Kupice is excited about the future possibilities that will help bring quality healthcare to more people by cutting waste and increasing opportunity.

Troy Hickerson, global nutrition activist and co-founder of Active For Good (activeforgood.com), delivers an important, informative overview of the crucial work that needs to be done, and what we can all do, to save malnourished children globally. Troy Hickerson is a passionate business leader. For nearly twenty years Hickerson has applied his in-depth knowledge of problem-solving and opportunity creation to help small to mid-sized companies utilize technology to succeed. As a cloud services expert, Hickerson wanted to find a way to merge his technology experience with his personal goals of serving those who suffer from extreme poverty and malnutrition. As Hickerson states, one-quarter of children in the developing world are malnourished. Hickerson splits his time between assisting startups and established businesses with service business operations, positioning and strategy, business model analysis, and problem-solving, and pushing his organization, Active For Good, forward on its mission to assist in the global nutrition problem. Hickerson explains the connection his organization makes between the world's populations, between those who want to lose calories and those who need calories. Through a series of programs Active For Good runs, for every calorie someone burns when they are working to stay active can equate to a calorie of food given to a malnourished child. By creating activities and teams, users of the platform are motivated to help themselves while simultaneously helping others in the world. Making a difference is what Active For Good is all about. Hickerson talks about the important issues that Active For Good tackles in its mission to create change and help people globally. Active For Good was initiated by the founders of MANA Nutrition, a non-profit organization that manufactures RUTF (Ready to Use Therapeutic Food) used to combat severe acute malnutrition and childhood death. Hickerson explains how MANA ships over 500,000 packets of RUTF per day as they provide life-saving therapeutic food via partners such as Save the Children, World Vision, Doctors without Borders, UNICEF, and USAID. Through the Active For the Good app, wellness teams, individuals, and employee groups can take the challenge, sign up online, and get started with healthy activities that will not only improve their health but will generate much-needed revenue so life-saving nutritional foods can be delivered to those in need. Activity is tracked through Google Fit, Apple's HealthKit, or similar tracking tools, and company employees, friends, or whomever, can engage in competition that keeps it fun while working toward personal goals, and goals for humanity. Through the point system, points count toward meals for children. And the app shows you what the process is like and creates an educational opportunity to learn about the areas of the world where people are truly in need. Hickerson discusses the enthusiasm he sees in people when they get a sense of how their small actions can make an enormous impact on children's lives globally. As he states, nutrition is critical in a child's developing years, and there can be severe consequences if a child is malnourished, even if they survive. Thus the Active For Good mission provides an opportunity for companies, groups, and individuals to lend a hand to those who need it, which is a vital part of the human experience.

Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, MD, founder, and CEO of Diet Doctor (dietdoctor.com), delivers an informative presentation on the nutrition to health connection. Dr. Eenfeldt is a Swedish medical doctor who specializes in family medicine. As founder and CEO of Diet Doctor, Eenfeldt leads a team of forty coworkers. For more than ten years, Dr. Eenfeldt has maintained the biggest health blog in Sweden with a tremendous following, and he is the author of a best-selling book on nutrition that is now available in eight languages. Throughout his extensive career as a family physician, he has treated many patients with low-carb, high-fat diets and has helped many people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. With a sense of urgency to get his message to a larger audience, Dr. Eenfeldt sought new opportunities to spread the word thus Diet Doctor was born. Diet Doctor is growing daily and is the largest low-carb and keto website in the world, now with more than 350,000 visits daily. Dr. Eenfeldt discusses how nutrition is not really a major focus of study in medical school curriculums, and as such medical students interested in the nutrition to health connection must largely study it on their own. He talks about the effect of nutrition and diet on individuals as they age. With conditions such as diabetes and blood pressure, diet becomes even more important he states. As their mission states, taking back your good health in an often-unhealthy world requires some critical thinking, and acting differently. We must put our trust in science and nature and avoid the fads and quick fixes. Changing lifestyle choices and increasing good nutrition can truly make an impact almost as quickly as you begin, but it takes dedication. Diet Doctor seeks out the most credible, trustworthy science and practical knowledge about health, and provides it to readers and subscribers in an easy, interesting manner. Their goal is to make low carb an option for anyone who wants to give it a chance and see a difference, to empower people to tune into their health and make positive changes. For as they state, regardless of any attempt to do so, you cannot outrun a bad diet. The Diet Doctor CEO talks about successes he is proud of, as many patients are able to decrease or discontinue certain medications when their test results show that his methods have brought their lab levels back into normal ranges. Dr. Eenfeldt talks about the many ways that his website provides valuable information and options for individuals, and he discusses some of his hopes for the future in healthcare and nutrition, including a possible clinic that can offer direct community outreach. Dr. Eenfeldt discusses some of the current trends in the diet and nutrition area. He talks about the fallacy of fats, and how avoidance of natural fats is not a good thing. He discusses the trend of moving back to natural fats such as real butter and eggs, and the trend of moving away from the concept of calorie counting. He states that calorie counting doesn't work. But with a low carb diet, when you remove the sugar and remove the starch, people tend to eat less spontaneously, and the benefits naturally occur. And with a low carb diet that drives insulin levels lower, the body burns excess fat more easily. The Diet Doctor discusses hormonal changes and how it affects a low carb diet. He cautions against empty calorie drinks and foods that offer no nutritional value. Additionally, Dr. Eenfeldt provides his analysis on aging and hormonal issues that can certainly make the challenge of maintaining the weight of our youth a bit more difficult. But Dr. Eenfeldt is a firm believer of the view that as long as our health is good and we feel great, it may be best to accept that our bodies have changed outwardly somewhat. Our health is the most important thing of all, and nutrition is the key to reaching optimum health. Ultimately, diet and lifestyle are the essential key elements to achieving good health, and Dr. Eenfedt is dedicated to the mission of bringing quality health education and methods to everyone.