Science Behind Science with Dennis Grencewicz

Dr. Donna Driscoll, Vice Chair of the Lerner Research Institute at Cleveland Clinic, breaks down her job title, giving us the big picture of what it’s like to work in an administrative position at a large academic research center. She shares about her pathway in science and research administration, as well as the different areas where she provides oversight and what that looks like on a day-to-day basis. Donna speaks to problems in academia, such as difficulties with faculty retention, lack of diversity in scientific leadership, and the need to shift toward a team science mindset, while explaining how her own institution is working to address these challenges. Dr. Driscoll also shares the lessons she has learned while in administration and the characteristics shared among successful administrators.  Links: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/949-donna-driscoll https://www.lerner.ccf.org/education/RISE/ Feel free to reach us on: Substack: sciencebehindscience.substack.com Twitter: @scibehindscipod Email: sciencebehindsciencepodcast@gmail.com

Eastern and Midwestern Division Directors for the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN) Diane McGarvey and Randy Mandt join us on the podcast to discuss the ins and outs of human tissue collection, storage, and dissemination for research purposes. We cover the process of biobanking generally, touching on best practices and patient protections. Dee and Randy share the history, values and infrastructure of CHTN specifically, as well as how they conduct consultations with researchers and perform prospective tissue collection to best suit individual research projects. We wrap up the conversation with some practical advice for those looking to start their own biobank and an encouragement to scientists to make use of biobanks like CHTN for their research! CHTN Website ISBER Best Practices NIH NCI Biospecimen Research Database SOPs The effects of frozen tissue storage conditions on the integrity of RNA and protein

Dr. Jen Heemstra, the Department Chair of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, sits down with us to chat about the personal and interpersonal challenges common to science. She shares how to identify red flags in a lab setting if you’re interviewing or rotating and gives ideas for questions we should be asking ourselves and posing in interviews if we are searching for a thesis advisor. She outlines some of the most common causes of burnout and provides encouraging advice on how to combat it. We learn from her how to differentiate between burnout, simply being in a “rut”, or altogether hating your job. She unpacks what disrespect and undervaluation can look like in the workplace and how to address it. We even delve into how to gracefully leave a lab when you feel it isn’t a good fit for you. Despite the weight of these topics, Dr. Heemstra’s optimism and passion for mentorship and science shine through, leaving us with fresh motivation to move forward and tackle challenges.  Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us The Birkman Method How to Choose a Good Scientific Problem

Welcome back to the SBS Podcast! Ann and Dennis introduce our second season, including some highlights from season one and snippets from conversations with guests who will be joining in this season. Folks mentioned in this episode include: Dr. Jennifer Heemstra, Chair of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, Christian Essman, Senior Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Dr. George Fox, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston, and Dr. Donna Driscoll, the Vice Chair of the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Many more conversations are to come, as well! For more SBS Podcast content, check out our Substack (sciencebehindscience.substack.com) and Twitter (@SciBehindSciPod), and feel free to email us at: sciencebehindsciencepodcast@gmail.com. Thank you, as always, and we hope you enjoy the return of the Science Behind Science Podcast!

Dennis and Ann recap Season 1 of the Science Behind Science podcast by sharing personal highlights and illuminating a few common threads they identified in the conversations recorded thus far. We also share our future plans for season 2 and provide information for how you can connect with us! Science Behind Science Website Twitter: @SciBehindSciPod Email: sciencebehindsciencepodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Takae Brewer, a cancer genomics fellow at Cleveland Clinic and a PhD student in Case Western Reserve University’s Physician Researchers Innovating in Science and Medicine (PRISM) program, tells us about her experiences getting a PhD after medical school. Takae outlines the typical trajectory for students pursuing an MD/PhD in the US and contrasts it with her own, more nontraditional path of pursuing a PhD after fellowship. She gives details about PRISM: how it compares to a typical PhD program and what it looks like for her as a fellow. Takae also introspects on why a PhD after medical school was the better choice for her and the value it brings to her practice. As she tells her story and shares her experiences, Takae encourages us to pursue what we dream of doing, whatever the path may look like. Some helpful links: PRISM Program

Dr. Justin Lathia is the Director of Faculty Development and the Vice Chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Dr. Lathia is a wonderful communicator in the scientific community and is a fantastic advocate and mentor for scientists looking to take the next step in academia. We wanted to interview Dr. Lathia about how he builds relationships in research, specifically including how he has cultivated a positive culture in his lab, the advice he gives to young faculty, and how he establishes and maintains professional friendships and ongoing collaborations. In this conversation, expect to also hear about how Dr. Lathia goes about “networking” and how he determined where would be a good fit for him and his research goals.

In this episode, Ann interviews Dennis about his scientific background. Dennis shares how his love for science began in high school, why he ended up at Haverford College for undergrad, and describes the mentorship he received there. He talks in-depth about his research experiences at the Cleveland Clinic as a student researcher and a technician, and what motivates him to pursue medicine. He gives advice to students looking to apply to medical school or who are looking for a lab to work in and inspires us with stories of how he pushed past discouragement and challenges to pursue what he is passionate about about. He also shares his future plans and goals as a rising physician. We hope you enjoy!

In this episode, Dennis interviews Ann about her background in science thus far. Ann tells her story as to how she became interested in research, starting back from enjoyment and success in Chemistry classes during high school and through a few early role models in her life. She goes on to discuss her undergrad scientific training, her academic passions from college, an impactful summer internship she had, and how she landed in her current position as a research technician at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. Ann talks about what she does as a tech, what her goals are, and what she loves most about training as a young scientist. As a podcast, we plan to have conversations with each other as well as interviews with professionals, and this is our first conversation of this type. We hope you enjoy!

Dr. Cassandra Talerico is a Biomedical Writer for the Department of Cancer Biology at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Dr. Talerico completed her undergraduate training in Psychobiology and Biology at Hiram College, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa member. She then earned an M.A. in English from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in Regulatory Biology with Specialization in Molecular Medicine from a joint Cleveland State University and Cleveland Clinic program. Dr. Talerico shares her story as to how she became a professional writer, including her training, how she realized she enjoyed writing more than experimentation, and what her current day to day is like. She particularly gets in depth on the role of a science writer within the context of a large academic institution, but she also speaks to freelance opportunities and what it looks like to be a writer in industry, as well. We love this conversation because Dr. Talerico paints a very nice picture of how an impactful career can develop for someone who wants to be involved in research, but maybe doesn’t enjoy the practice of science as much as the bigger picture of delivering the message of research findings. Some Helpful Links: American Medical Writers Association AMWA Essential Skills Workbook (we’re working on figuring out if there are discounts for this!) List of Master’s in Science Communication Programs Council of Science Editors