Welcome to our most CONTROVERSIAL episode yet! We address “Turbo cancer” (idk what’s specifically meant by this still but I outline the likely/historical geneses behind these cases), inflammation issues, central dogma basics, mRNA vaccine tech, the rise of the microbiome and its importance for health, and the likely (yet boring) underlying sources of the rising cancer diagnoses among Millennials and younger Gen X patients. We’ll cover what stages and “bombs” were set decades ago. I wish that I had more time to keep going, so maybe we’ll do a part 2 since this is a big, complicated story worth telling, even if the statistically likely ending is sadder and less exciting than most accounts.
We’ll break down the shifts in Biology, social media’s ability to spread stories and fear, and the best steps to remain healthy (mostly common sense).
I totally forgot to mention microplastics (and nanoplastics) by name in the end of the episode. Consider them some of the most villainous contaminants!
Sung 2024: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00156-7/fulltext
My other links: https://profkeenanhartert.weebly.com/
Check out my new show where I interview my MSU students about their stories and successes in “Degrees Between Us”! It’s a video show, so the YouTube link might be easiest: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnwMyklYPGa-Q7rn4W73K_f5jk_szGFRf&si=h_9PWi1jwHGm4mo2
Welcome to a special episode where I'm joined by 11 of my Minnesota State students as we close out our Cancer Biology lecture! We weave through discussions surrounding generational causes of cancer, potential next-generation hallmarks, treatment & financial ethics, and what the future hold for this disease as a whole.
All said, this one is super fun because there are contributions from pre-med, pre-dental, and pre-STEM students in the room. These 11 wanted to be here, and their enthusiasm shows. I'm grateful for this group and the opportunity to teach.
The basic answer is no. When faced with R-CHOP resistance, DLBCL patients now have the option to utilize genetically modified Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) designed to hunt tumors. This episode investigates the recent controversy into if these super-cells can transition into a villainous tumor themselves. We cover a paper by Garcia et. al. that showcases how much power we are adding to CAR-T, even activating oncogenes to do it. Next, we transition to a large analysis from Stanford where 724 patients are examined, with 1 developing a T-cell tumor. Sequencing this case reveals that no synthetic vector DNA integrations or activity is within the tumor. It ends up revealing a great surprise about shared evolutionary pathways between B & T-cell progenitor stem cells. Enjoy the episode!
Follow me on YouTube or Instagram for more fun cancer/teaching content :)
Hamilton Paper (TCL After CAR-T): https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2401361
Garcia Paper (CARD11 in CAR-T): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07018-7
Welcome back! It's been a while. I'm excited to get going again with an episode on the emerging science of "ecotyping" the cells around tumors - the microenvironment. Ecology and Evolution of lymphoma tumors is only half the story. We needed to know more about the state of cells around the tumor. How do they affect the surrounding immune cells? Do they support the tumor? We examine the worst possible scenario: when very little remains except for tumor and support cells. What are the consequences for immune-specific therapies like CAR-T cells? Hopefully this episode provides a good intro to our new tools to measure the TME and how it can further advance precision cancer medicine. I hope that you enjoy!
Steen: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34597589/
Katlov: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33541860/
What do you think? Would the immensely powerful amount of data be a game-changer for medicine? Or does DNA sequencing miss too much of the picture to be worth the cost? This question is an example why we need leaders that understand Biology as genomics becomes hyper-accessible. I do my best to discuss the primary Pros and Cons of each side, along with possible modifications to the proposal. Enjoy!
This episode covers how gene therapy may emerge as a critical tool for medicine as we seek to treat the previously untreatable. Can we ADD genes to specific cells to help humans overcome fated genetic ailments? Why has this process challenged us in the past? And lastly, who is going to pay for all these expensive viral delivery systems? Join to take a first look at how medicine and genetics can change the future.
This episode covers the basics of how a cancer begins. Genetic mutations can often knock out genes responsible for keeping an eye on how many cell divisions are allowed. Once these are out of the way, aggressive growth genes can overcome them and cause initial tumor populations to form. After further successive survival advantages are gained, tumors eventually break free from their original organ/tissue and wreak havoc. Learning how to address the initial and final stages of cancer are key towards better clinical outcomes for all patients.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) represent one of the most profound and exciting advances in modern medicine and science. Many lymphoma patients fail therapy after therapy with little recourse. CAR-T aimed to stop that. Taking immune T-cells from the patient, engineering them to target cancer cells, and re-releasing them into the patient would’ve sounded crazy 20 years ago. Thanks to modern technology, science, and clinical practice we’ve created something powerful. The CAR-T enter patients and attack the tumor, but a massive immune reaction can induce massive side effects. This episode explores some of the exciting news, future possibilities, and ethical challenges of CAR-T use for lymphoma treatments. I hope you enjoy!
We live in an age where social media provides a platform for everything - good and bad. I wanted to summarize how ideas can be spread, weaponized, and distorted, much like a disease. We also briefly go over the differences between ideas and beliefs. The episode takes a look at how stem cell clinics offer hope through social media without a solid foundation of biology with which to apply their therapies (that nobody knows how to control or stop from hurting people). Cancer can be an unfortunate consequence of visiting one of these clinics. We can reflect on how easy it would be for trusted health professionals to turn to social media to market "Miracle Cancer Cures", taking advantage of anyone looking for hope. The same hope that cancer patients need to fight their disease is poisoned by willfully ignorant endeavors like these. Learning how to harness science, logic, ideas, and human emotion is a key to overcoming the aggressive advance of non-well-meaning products. Emotion trumps logic in the courts of social media, and health professionals need to be ready to confront these challenges from the same perspective (or a dual one) instead of relying on scientific findings alone. Facts can convince you, but emotion can make you believe.
This is an exciting and quick episode that mainly covers the findings of a recent Daniel D. Carvalho paper in Nature Reviews called “Epigenetic therapy in immune oncology” where the authors elaborate on new mechanisms of cancer treatments. Essentially, the epigenetic Cancer therapies that cause genes to reprogram the “on/off” state also awaken ancient relic viruses that lie dormant in our DNA, which subsequently leads to a massive immune response against the tumor. These mechanisms may play a role in treating aggressive forms of the disease that usually evade the immune system. Enjoy!
Domestication is a very interesting process and was first performed millions of years ago. The relationships between humans and dogs is of particular interest, as are the genetic and developmental changes that make them possible. We also delve into controversy and how the process of tameness selection brings along more than what’s expected. Enjoy, and go hug your dog or cat!
Today’s episode is the first one that is primarily driven by literature and philosophy, namely borrowing themes explored in Frankenstein and Paradise Lost. Victor Frankenstein’s fraught relationship with his creature is a devastatingly emotional purview into what life is. The influence from Paradise Lost and our subsequent relationship with a creator initiates a powerful dialogue worth exploring. General aspects of being creative are also introduced, and human control of life and healthcare conclude the episode. Either way you look at it, advances are mounting without as much central appreciation or critique. It’s a discussion I’d encourage you examine. Enjoy!
Today’s episode covers the basics of evolution so that we can address a case of extreme survival in some of the smallest organisms to exist: yeast! Cancer evolution makes appearances as well, including new mechanisms of tumor evasion that can develop when we treat cancer with different therapies. Stories of how organisms put everything on the line to defy their environment and survive are what Biology so fascinating. Plus, who doesn’t love using the word hypermutation repeatedly? Also, feel free to add any content you want to see covered or questions you want to explore. Engaging new ideas is always exciting. I hope you enjoy!
Note: The yeast hypermutation strategy is latch ditch for a reason: it's a one in a million shot to work. Luckily, yeast exist in colonies of tens of millions, so when faced with species survival or death they are engineered to make the gamble.
