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Nice Genes!
Genome BC
50 episodes
2 days ago

From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. Like – did you know that your individual genomic signature can help determine the healthcare treatment you receive? Or that mapping the genomes of trees can inform forest management?

But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions: How do we study genetic patterns in a way that respects sensitive genetic information, history, and equity? How do we use the power of genomic research to fight climate change? Save the salmon?

Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.

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Science
Education
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All content for Nice Genes! is the property of Genome BC and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. Like – did you know that your individual genomic signature can help determine the healthcare treatment you receive? Or that mapping the genomes of trees can inform forest management?

But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions: How do we study genetic patterns in a way that respects sensitive genetic information, history, and equity? How do we use the power of genomic research to fight climate change? Save the salmon?

Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.

Show more...
Science
Education
Episodes (20/50)
Nice Genes!
Poo Dunnit

How wastewater surveillance is tracking diseases outbreaks


When you flush your toilet, where does the waste go? Down the pipes, through the sewers, and into a… lab? That’s right, hidden in our collective waste is a archive of genomic clues revealing our health, habits, and maybe even happiness levels.


In this episode, host Dr. Kaylee Byers teams up with Dr. Jess Steier from the Unbiased Science podcast as they dive into the world of wastewater surveillance. Along the way, they enlist a seasoned “poo detective,” Dr. Natalie Prystajecky, who wades through some wastewater 101, and how sewage can tip us off to disease outbreaks before symptoms even start. Then, Dr. Yemisi Bokinni brings the investigation to the not-so-small town of Makoko, Nigeria, where a new genome sequencing lab is chasing an old culprit: polio.


From your neighbourhood sewers to global health and future pandemics, we're using genomics to identify poo dunnit.


Resources


1. Wastewater Surveillance– BC Centre for Disease Control

2. Wastewater surveillance tells a quiet story of polio’s return– BMJ

3. Nigeria’s polio battleground'– Nature

4. Makoko: ‘Venice of Lagos’– SmartCities Dive

Show more...
1 week ago
31 minutes 50 seconds

Nice Genes!
Welcome to ‘Nice Genes!’ Season 5

Every mystery leaves a trail of clues. Fingerprints, call logs, maybe some tire tracks… or, of course, DNA. And when it comes to mysteries about our health, there are no shortages of leads to chase.


This season, join host, Dr. –or Detective– Kaylee Byers and the Nice Genes! CSI unit as we investigate the genomic breadcrumbs shaping the way we age, treat diseases– and even watch TV. We’ll uncover how “poo water” can tip us off to pandemics before they spread, to why some of the fittest athletes suddenly collapse on the field. And if you thought you smelled a “rat,” well, you’d be correct. Because we'll also learn how our rodent sidekicks are helping us sniff out the world's deadliest infectious disease.


Explore these cases and more in Nice Genes! season 5: “DNA Detectives”– resolving the genetic riddles behind our health, one story at a time.

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3 weeks ago
2 minutes 3 seconds

Nice Genes!
Spaced Out!

Houston, we have… a microbe? A mysterious bacterial species has shown up aboard China’s Tiangong Space Station, and Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando are hopping into the Nice Genes! mothership to investigate. Where did this intriguing new organism come from? Did it evolve in orbit? And what does it mean for the future of space travel?


Resources


1. New Bacteria Have Been Discovered on a Chinese Space Station - WIRED

2. New space-adapted bacteria discovered on China’s space station - CBC

3. Unknown strain of bacteria found on China's Tiangong Space Station - Live Science

4. Niallia tiangongensis sp. nov., isolated from the China Space Station - International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology 


Show more...
1 month ago
8 minutes 35 seconds

Nice Genes!
Roach Encroach: How we made cockroaches the ultimate pest

German cockroaches are notorious for making themselves at home in our kitchens and bathrooms, but how did they become such persistent pests? Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando explore the fascinating genomics behind this unwanted guest—and why we’re partly to blame.


Resources:


1.Solving the 250-year-old mystery of the origin and global spread of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica – PNAS

2. The world's most common cockroach is 'a monster of our own creation,' study finds - CBC

3. German Cockroach – Rutgers

4. Prevalence of Cockroaches, Bed Bugs, and House Mice in Low-Income Housing and Evaluation of Baits for Monitoring House Mouse Infestations – Journal of Medical Entomology

Show more...
1 month ago
6 minutes 47 seconds

Nice Genes!
Genomic Repeat: The Devil’s In the Details - The Importance of Biodiversity

The Importance of Biodiversity


Description:

This episode was originally released on October 31, 2022


Conservation is often about protecting the species that still wander around our Earth. But what about those that once did but have gone extinct? In this Halloween-inspired episode, we take a look into how one spooky idea has gone from science fiction to science fact, de-extinction style.


Dr. Kaylee Byers takes us to the upside-down world of wild animals in Australia. She sits down with Dr. Axel Newton whose research addresses how to resurrect a species that has been extinct for nearly a century. Also joining her is Dr. Carolyn Hogg who uses the latest genomic technology to understand the impacts of reintroducing endangered species into their native habitats. In this wacky tale of resurrection and 'devils' will the spirit of scientific discovery mean incredible changes for the future, or is a line being crossed that we can't come back from?


References:

1. Lab takes 'giant leap' toward thylacine de-extinction with Colossal genetic engineering technology partnership | The University of Melbourne

2. Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research Lab (TIGRR Lab) | The University of Melbourne

3. Thylacine: How we plan to de-extinct the Tasmanian tiger | Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences

4. Extinction of thylacine | National Museum Australia

5. A year after Australia's wildfires, extinction threatens hundreds of species | Science News

6. Rewilding returns lost species to strengthen ecosystems | Science News

7. Park Conscious | U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

8. Endangered Tasmanian devils insured against future threats | The University of Sydney

9. The 9 Steps to De-Extincting Australia's Thylacine | The University of Melbourne

10. The Value of Reference Genomes in the Conservation of Threatened Species | Marsupial Genetics and Genomics

11. Assessing evolutionary processes over time in a conservation breeding program: a combined approach using molecular data, simulations and pedigree analysis | Biodiversity and Conservation

Show more...
2 months ago
40 minutes 13 seconds

Nice Genes!
Mutton, the Woolly Dog: How one dog's DNA is stitching together history

Mutton was one of the last of the Salish Woolly Dogs– a breed raised by Indigenous Coast Salish communities before colonization led to its disappearance. Sarah Lando and Dr. Kaylee Byers delve into how genome sequencing is helping uncover the Woolly Dog’s legacy—and could even lead to its revival.


Resources:


1. The history of Coast Salish “woolly dogs” revealed by ancient genomics and Indigenous Knowledge – Science

2. Salish Woolly Dog – The Canadian Encyclopedia

3. Extinct Woolly Dog was carefully bred for weaving, ancient DNA confirms – Washington Post

4. Extinct Woolly Dog Analyzed in Collaborative Study with Coast Salish Co-authors – American Museum of Natural History

Show more...
3 months ago
5 minutes 42 seconds

Nice Genes!
Genomic Repeat: Bananageddon - Challenging assumptions around food security

This episode was originally released on September 19, 2023


Is the world running out of bananas? Well, no. Not…yet — but nature is flashing a big, yellow, squishy "caution" sign. In this episode, Dr. Kaylee Byers peels away our assumptions about food security by looking at bananas. Venturing Down Under, we connect with Dr. James Dale from Queensland University of Technology – a bona fide banana expert, who tells us exactly why this iconic yellow fruit could one day become a rarity. But, with the help of a clever genomic idea, he and his intrepid team of Aussie researchers and farmers are looking at how to hit "abort" on complete Bananageddon.


Special thanks to Mark Smith with Darwin Fruit Farm Party Limited for providing field recordings for this episode.


References:

  1. Why Don’t Banana Candies Taste Like Real Bananas? | Science Friday
  2. What We Can Learn From the Near-Death of the Banana | TIME
  3. Banana Wars: Power, Production, and History in the Americas | Duke University Press
  4. Chinese coolies | National Library Board
  5. The Story of the Cavendish Banana | Tenerife Weekly
  6. Not your mother’s banana | Bananageddon
  7. Fungal attacks threaten global food supply, say experts | The Guardian
  8. The banana is dying. The race is on to reinvent it before it's too late | Wired
  9. QUT-developed GM Cavendish offers safety net to world banana industry | Queensland University of Technology



Credit:

  1. Journey to Banana Land: By the United Fruit Company (1950) | Institute of Visual Training
  2. Ag Report: Fighting rural farm crime; banana disease; and ag grant award | ABC News
Show more...
4 months ago
33 minutes 31 seconds

Nice Genes!
The Vitamin Verdict: How multivitamins affect your health

The food supplement industry rakes in billions of dollars every year. So with so much money being spent on things like vitamins, they must be worth it, right? Right?! Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando give you the down low on what’s good for you– and what’s just good for business.


Resources:


1. Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins? – Hopkins Medicine

2. Daily multivitamins do not help people live longer, major study finds – The Guardian

3. Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts – JAMA

4. Do You Need to Take Magnesium Supplements? – The New York Times

5. Role of Beta-Carotene in Lung Cancer Primary Chemoprevention: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression – National Institute of Health

6. Dietary Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Ingredient (Vitamins, Minerals, Probiotics), By Form (Capsules, Gummies, Liquids), By End User, By Application, By Type, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030 – Grandview Research

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5 months ago
7 minutes 55 seconds

Nice Genes!
Genomic Repeat: The Circadian Rhythm - Challenging our assumptions about sleep

This episode was originally released on November 14, 2023


Sleep is essential to our lives, but our perception of how it functions in our non-waking life is not always well understood. So in the mires of our busy daily lives do we overlook sleep by seeing it as a means of refilling our energy for a productive day? By questioning this assumption, one term rolls from out of the haze: The ‘Circadian Rhythm’.


Dr. Kaylee Byers speaks with Dr. Hiroki Ueda from the University of Tokyo in the Faculty of Medicine on demystifying the links between our sleep and genomics. Then neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Coogan shares the connection between sleep and ADHD. Finally, we hear from Dr. Ueda and Dr. Hiroshi Ono, from Hitotsubashi University Business School, on how their homeland of Japan is reckoning with an off-balance relationship with sleep and work.



References:

  1. Molecular Mechanisms of REM Sleep | Neurosci
  2. The ability to dream may be genetic | Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC)
  3. Next-Generation Mice Genetics for Circadian Studies | Neuromethods
  4. Evolution of temporal order in living organisms | Journal of Circadian Rhythms
  5. Learn about the bunker experiment to understand the human biological clock | Britannica
  6. Genetic sleep deprivation: using sleep mutants to study sleep functions | EMBO reports
  7. Circadian rhythms and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The what, the when and the why | Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry
  8. Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences | Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
  9. No Sleep for Japan? Survey Reveals Half of Population May Have Insomnia | Nippon.com
  10. Why Sleep Matters: Quantifying the Economic Costs of Insufficient Sleep | Rand Corporation
  11. Japan has some of the longest working hours in the world. It’s trying to change | CNBC
  12. Announcement of the establishment of the nonpartisan "Parliamentary League to Promote Initiatives for People's Quality Sleep" | Sleeping Council Federation
  13. Founder/Director CTO Yasumi Ueda gave a speech at the inaugural general meeting of the nonpartisan "Parliamentary League to Promote Initiatives for People's Quality Sleep" | ACCELStars
  14. Free-running circadian activity rhythms in free-living beaver (Castor canadensis) | Journal of Comparative Physiology



Credits:

  1. Dr. Rackeb Tesdaye
  2. Curbing death by overwork | Financial Times
  3. Why does Japan Work So Hard? | CNBC Explains
  4. Worked to Death: Japan questions high-pressure corporate culture | France 24 English
  5. Inside Japan’s growing ‘lonely death’ clean-up service | CNN International
  6. How can governments help stop overwork? | The Question | CBC News: The National
Show more...
6 months ago
28 minutes 19 seconds

Nice Genes!
More cheese, please! Cheese cravings explained

We’ve all been there— tempted by the irresistible smell of hot, melty cheese. So what is it about this perfect blend of milk and microbes that keeps us coming back for more? What does cheese do to our brain? Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando slice through the science.

 

Resources:


1. Is cheese actually addictive? Here's the real science – Salon

2. Which Foods May Be Addictive? The Roles of Processing, Fat Content, and Glycemic Load – PLOS ONE

3. Cheese really is crack. Study reveals cheese is as addictive as drugs – LA Times

4. Science Says Cheese is Basically Cocaine – GQ

5. Divergent effects of central melanocortin signalling on fat and sucrose preference in humans – Nature

6. Your Genes May Influence What You Like to Eat – Scientific American

Show more...
7 months ago
7 minutes 45 seconds

Nice Genes!
Genomic Repeat: Cold Case - Solving murder mysteries with genomics

This episode was originally released on August 16, 2022


In order to seek genomic justice, you have to get out of the lab and into the field.


Dr. Kaylee Byers grabs a magnifying glass and a deerstalker cap as she goes to the scene of one of North America’s oldest cold case murder mysteries, the “Babes in the Woods.” This over 70-year-old unsolved case has finally had some closure due to emerging forensic genomic science.


But while looking for leads, Dr. Byers spots a bright red thread pointing her to questions about how our genomics are being accessed by law enforcement. How can genomics bring justice to unsolved mysteries? And at what cost are we willing to pay to find answers?


Genetic Genealogist, Cece Moore, from ABC’s Prime time series The Genetic Detective helps connect the dots. And partnering with us to get to the bottom of one of Canada’s oldest mysteries is true crime author and podcaster Eve Lazarus from Cold Case Canada.


References:

  1. Eve Lazarus, Author and Podcaster
  2. Murder, Mystery and Intrigue in Review: Babes in the Woods
  3. Cece Moore - the DNA Detective
  4. How Your Family Tree Could Catch a Killer - The New Yorker
  5. Genetics, Law enforcement and crime - Personal Genetics Education Project
  6. Killer Eludes Police for 31 years - how did one woman find him in two hours? - cbsnews
  7. Seattle man's conviction for 1987 murders of B.C.'s Tanya van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook overturned - CBC
  8. The National DNA Data Bank - The B.C. Civil Liberties Association
  9. For nearly 70 years, these 2 murdered boys were known as the 'Babes in the Woods.' Now they finally have names - CBC
  10. Maryland V. King - 2013 Supreme Court decision on Maryland DNA Collection Act
  11. Supreme Court Upholds Warrantless Collection Of DNA - NPR
  12. How DNA can reunite families - Endeavor DNA Laboratories


Show more...
8 months ago
42 minutes 43 seconds

Nice Genes!
Life in the Fast Lane

Rapid Evolution in the Modern Age


Evolution is like the ultimate slowburn, unfolding over millennia. And in our modern society, where things move so fast, it’s easy to miss this incremental but constant transformation. Not only is evolution happening all around us, in some cases it’s even picking up the pace.


In our season finale, our resident superhero, Ratwoman, returns with a new sidekick: The Bat Whisperer. Join Dr. Kaylee Byers and Dr. Cecelia Sánchez as they team up to explore the marvels of rapid evolution– from bats in the Solomon Islands, to modern dating. We’ll meet cave explorer and mammal detective Dr. Tyrone Lavery along with paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Nick Longrich to unlock predictions for the future, by looking into the past.


With unprecedented access to genomic information, we can now remix evolution like never before. But just because we can, does it mean we should?


Learn-a-Long: https://bit.ly/4jgbFI2


Highlights


(5:57) Into the bat cave: tracking evolution in the Solomon Islands with Dr. Lavery

(11:18) The peppered moth survival story

(20:18) Dr. Longrich explains how humans are evolving in the modern age


–



Resources:


1. Charles Darwin: History’s most famous biologist - Natural History Museum

2. Bat Beauty Contest: Vote Now To Crown The Best-Looking Bat Of Them All - Forbes

3. Parallel evolution in an island archipelago revealed by genomic sequencing of Hipposideros leaf-nosed bats - Oxford Academic

4. Bats Are Going Through a Rare Evolutionary Phenomenon - Newsweek

5. The Peppered Moth - Age of Revolution

6. A continuous fish fossil record reveals key insights into adaptive radiation - Nature

7. Study of 17,000 years of fish fossils reveals rapid evolution - Science.org

8. How long does evolution take? It happens on two different timescales- New Scientist

9. Future evolution: from looks to brains and personality, how will humans change in the next 10,000 years? - The Conversation

10. Ancient Urbanization Predicts Genetic Resistance To Tuberculosis - Oxford Academic

Show more...
9 months ago
30 minutes 44 seconds

Nice Genes!
The Wasting Game

Managing an Invisible Disease


Is there a Zombie moose on the loose?! Not quite... But there is something lurking in the woods that has our “deer” friends shakin' in their hooves. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a 100% fatal illness that’s creeping its way through cervid populations, and it’s nearly impossible to spot. Luckily, wildlife biologists like our guest Cait Nelson from the BC Ministry of Water, Lands, and Natural Resource Stewardship are on the case.


In this episode host Dr. Kaylee Byers and Cait Nelson talk about the clever scientific tools that are helping us track CWD– from grapefruit spoons to genomics! We’ll also hear from Alfred Joseph from the ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation and member of the Ktunaxa Tribe, who explains how CWD is more than just a threat to wildlife, but also has deep implications for community and food sovereignty.


Join us on a pun-packed hunt to find out how we can get ahead of this deadly and stubborn disease, one dead head at a time.



Special thanks to Jeff Berdusco, CWD Coordinator in the Kootenay region for providing field recordings for this episode.


–


Highlights


(4:46) What is CWD?


(13:10) A threat to cultural independence.


(17:48) Tracking a silent killer.


Learn-along: https://bit.ly/4hersVV



Resources:

1. Chronic Wasting Disease - British Columbia

2. To Fight Chronic Wasting Disease, BC Begins to Harvest Deer - The Tyee

3. “It’s important to know about this” - risk communication and the impacts of chronic wasting disease on Indigenous food systems in Western Canada - Environmental Science & Policy

4. Chronic Wasting Disease: Prevention, Surveillance, and Response - BC Wildlife Federation

Show more...
9 months ago
30 minutes 27 seconds

Nice Genes!
Lost but Found

Forensic Methods in Disaster Recovery


Content warning: this episode discusses forensic science and the identification of human remains that may not be suited for all audiences.


Natural disasters can strike without warning. And when they do, they can leave destruction, displacement, and loss of life in their wake. First responders rush to help those in need, while forensic scientists face the difficult but incredibly important task of identifying human remains– a process known as Disaster Victim Identification (DVI).


In this episode, we’re going back to 2004, to the largest DVI event in recent history. Host Dr. Kaylee Byers sits down with Chief Forensic Odontologist Dr. Dirk van der Meer as he shares his first-hand experiences of helping identify victims following the devastating tsunami in Thailand. Then, how are genomics reshaping forensic identification today? We head to Australia to hear from Dr. Dadna Hartman about a new tool that’s offering answers—and closure—to families, faster than ever. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the important and fascinating world of forensic science.


–


Highlights


(6:51) On the scene after the tsunami


(16:01) A speedy genomic tool


(23:00) Beyond the science


Learn-a-Long:  https://bit.ly/426bd8Y


Resources:


1.2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami: Facts and FAQs- World Vision

2. The 10 most significant natural disasters worldwide by death toll from 1950 to 2022- Statista

3. Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)- Interpol

4. Forensic odontology in DVI: current practice and recent advances- Forensic Sciences Research

5. Rapid DNA from a disaster victim identification perspective: Is it a game changer?- Forensic Science International

Show more...
10 months ago
27 minutes 22 seconds

Nice Genes!
Slipping Through the Spectrum

Rethinking the Divide in Autism Diagnoses


Dr. Hannah Belcher was already studying autism she found out she herself was Autistic. Getting her diagnosis felt like everything suddenly clicked… but why did it take so long to get answers?


In this episode, Hannah shares her journey and talks about how many Autistic people, especially women, learn to mask their true selves to fit in– causing them to slip through the diagnostic cracks. Then, we invite Dr. John Constantino to break down the genetic underpinnings of Autism Spectrum Disoder and related conditions like ADHD—and how science is shaking up the genomic picture of what we thought we knew about this male-female bias.


From outdated theories to “refrigerator mothers,” join hosts Dr. Kaylee Byers and Dr. Rackeb Tesfaye as they comb through the tangled web of sex bias and ask whether our current methods of studying neurodiversity is actually addressing the questions the people with ASD want answered?


A Note on Language:


When talking about Autism - semantics matter. So, it’s important to recognize the nuances of language. Many people in the Autism community prefer identity-first language, such as "Autistic person," as it centers Autism as a core part of their identity. Others, however, may prefer person-first language, like "person with Autism," which places the individual before the condition. We’ve used both forms of language in this episode, and we encourage respecting individual preferences by asking what each person is most comfortable with. For more on this, check out resources like the National Institutes of Health’s guide on writing respectfully about identity and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s explanation of identity-first language.


Additionally, when we refer to ‘Autism risk’ in the context of academic research, it typically means an increased genetic likelihood of receiving an Autism diagnosis. However, we recognize that "risk" can imply a negative connotation (which we do not support.) Instead, we aim to discuss Autism in ways that honour the neurodiversity of all individuals.


Lastly, regarding sex differences in Autism diagnoses, in this episode, we’re talking specifically about sex assigned at birth. Although we mention gender, we want to be clear that we aren’t exploring how Autism diagnoses may vary by gender identity—that area remains understudied! So, our conversation is focused on differences between males and females, and we look forward to seeing more research on the richly complex interactions between gender identitiy and neurodiversity in the future.



Highlights:


(6:32) Growing up undiagnosed


(18:52) The genetic underpinnings of Autism and related neurodiverse conditions


(22:20) Debunking the “female protective effect”


(26:37) A biased assessment


Learn-A-Long:  https://bit.ly/4g9kCRa



Resources:

1. ‘Taking off the Mask: A Practical Guide for Managing Autistic Camouflaging and Mental Health‘ - Dr. Hannah Belcher

2. Inherited Risk for Autism Through Maternal and Paternal Lineage - National Institute of Health

3. 'Decade of data dents idea of a ‘female protective effect’- The Transmitter

4. How ADHD Gender Bias is Slowly, Steadily Harming Females - ADDitude Mag

5. Refrigerator Mothers - A Discredited Cause Of Autism- Autism Help

6. Study challenges idea that autism is caused by an overly masculine brain- Science.org

7. Autism Spectrum Conditions In Women: Diagnosis, Mental Health, And The Role Of Camouflaging- Research Gate (source?)

Show more...
10 months ago
32 minutes 39 seconds

Nice Genes!
Fatal Attraction: Insect Edition

The Deceptive Seduction of Femme Fatale Fireflies


In the buzzin’ firefly nightlife scene, neon lights glow bright and sparks fly. But, there’s murder on the dancefloor… The infamous 'Femme Fatale' firefly has mastered the ultimate bait-and-switch seduction strategy, and these sly flies (that are really beetles, actually) aren’t interested in a happily ever after, instead they’re looking for a ‘one-bite stand.’


Get consumed in this episode by one of nature’s flashiest insects. Join host, Dr. Kaylee Byers, as she chats with Dr. Sarah Lower about the enchanting world of glow beetles. And later, Dr. Peter Andolfatto reveals how genomics is uncovering the secrets behind how Femme Fatale fireflies have evolved to resort to such drastic measures. Plus, find out what studying firefly toxin DNA could mean for future medical breakthroughs.


–


Highlights:


(5:40) Dr. Sarah Lower covers some firefly basics


(12:11) Dr. Lower on the deceptive strategy of the Femme Fatale Fireflies


(19:21) Dr. Andolfatto explains how fireflies have evolved difference resistance strategies to toxins


(26:02) Dr. Lower on how to get involved in firefly conservation



–


Learn-A-Long: https://bit.ly/3OODRUb


—


Resources:

1. A Comprehensive Review of Firefly Conservation - NCBI

2. Firefly Genome and Its Role in Bioluminescence - Science Advances

3. Patterns of Firefly Species Extinction Risk - PNAS Nexus

4. Fireflies: Species at Risk of Extinction - Xerces Society

5. Sarah Lower - Faculty at Bucknell University - Bucknell University

6. Andolfatto Lab - Andolfatto Lab

Show more...
11 months ago
29 minutes 12 seconds

Nice Genes!
Testing, Testing HPV

How genomics is shaping the future of cervical cancer screening


[Content Warning: This episode mentions sexual assault and medical trauma.]


Nearly 80% of people will get Human Papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lives. Even though HPV is super common, the symptoms are often subtle or invisible and can sometimes lead to cervical cancer if left undetected. But thanks to new government initiatives like British Columbia’s (BC) self-screening program, cancer testing is levelling up.


In this episode, BC resident Christina Price shares how an easy at-home HPV test helped her catch cancer early. Then, Dr. Aisha Lofters debunks persistent myths about HPV, and explains how these test kits are making screening more accessible, comfortable, and equitable. Join host Dr. Kaylee Byers to find out how this genomic tool is empowering people to take their healthcare into their own hands (literally!), and getting us closer to eliminating cervical cancer for good.


If you, or someone you know needs support, you can call 1-800-563-0808 or find Canada-wide resources right here.

–


Highlights:


(4:25) Christina talks about the steps that happen after receiving her result from the at home testing kit.


(8:09) Dr. Lofters explains what HPV is, the symptoms and what differentiates different strains of HPV.


(15:54) Dr. Lofters explains the two different methods for HPV screening


(19:30) Dr. Lofters talk about some of the inequities and social barriers people face when finding and accessing healthcare.


–


Learn-A-Long: https://bit.ly/3ONBa5i


—


Resources:

1. Human papillomavirus - Women's Health

2. Doctors say at-home screening for HPV could be an opportunity to 'eliminate a cancer sooner - CBC News

3. New self-screening program will help detect cervical cancer sooner - BC Gov News

4. Pap test - Canadian Cancer Society

5. When a pelvic exam is traumatic - Harvard Health

6. “Doing it on my own terms”: Transgender and nonbinary adults’ experiences with HPV self-swabbing home testing kits - National Library of Medicine

Show more...
11 months ago
27 minutes 52 seconds

Nice Genes!
The Antibiotic Debacle

The hidden battle between medicine and microbes

 

Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have been our frontline defence against bacterial infections. But this revolutionary medicine is losing ground in the fight. Today, Antimicrobial resistance has become one of the biggest threats to human health– and the stakes only getting higher.


But don’t panic, hope is on the horizon!


In this episode, host Dr. Kaylee Byers takes you on a journey of petri dishes, mouldy melons, and artifical intelligence to investigate our best hopes of curbing antibiotic resistance. She chats with Dr. Rylan Duivenstein about what’s happening in hospitals, and Dr. Nadine Ziemert about using genomics to help find new antibiotics before we run out of options.


—


Highlights:


(01:37) Mark is faced with the possibility of Necrotizing Fasciitis.


(04:32) Kaylee teaches us about the discovery of antibiotics.


(08:05) Dr. Ryland Duivenstein explains how antibiotics work.


(20:37) Dr. Nadine Ziemert explains how genomics is helping us discover new antibiotics.


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Learn-A-Long: https://bit.ly/4eGsTeX


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Resources:

1. Antibiotics: past, present and future - ScienceDirect

2. The real story behind penicillin - PBS NewsHour

3. The Forgotten Mother of Penicillin - Science History Institute

4. Alexander Fleming (1881–1955): Discoverer of penicillin - NCBI

5. Alexander Flemming Nobel Lecture Speech - Nobel Prize

6. How can we solve the antibiotic resistance crisis? - Gerry Wright

7. WHO - Antimicrobial Resistance - World Health Organization (WHO)

8. WHO updates list of drug-resistant bacteria most threatening to human health - World Health Organization (WHO)

9. Ziemert Lab - Translational Genome Mining for Natural Products - University of Tübingen

Show more...
12 months ago
31 minutes 35 seconds

Nice Genes!
Cosmetic Clarity

Separating Skincare Science Fact from Fiction


Could your skincare be hiding more than just a few blemishes? Or, is the word “toxic” getting a li’l too much attention these days… You may have heard the buzz about endocrine-disrupting compounds that silently interfere with our hormones. But with so much misinformation online fueling the fear-fire, it’s hard to know what’s really harmful and what’s all hype.


In our ‘Nice Genes!’ season 4 opener, host Dr. Kaylee Byers re-joins forces with the one and only Dr. Samantha Yammine (aka Science Sam) to clear up some of the confusion surrounding cosmetic safety. With help from environmental toxicologist Dr. Isabelle Plante, we’re un(face)masking the science of dosage and exposure to decode cosmetic formulas and why it's more complex than TikTok would have you think!


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Highlights:


(06:55) Dr. Plante Defines Endocrine disruptors.


(16:43) Dr. Plante talks about the relationship between endocrine disruptors and health concerns.


(26:38) Science Sam highlights the important role of regulation.


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Learn-A-Long: https://bit.ly/3ZAZHBf


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Resources:

1. Clean Beauty Is Wrong and Won’t Give Us Safer Products - Lab Muffin

2. Parabens in Cosmetics - U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

3. Parabens and Breast Cancer - Breast Cancer UK

4. The Association between Paraben Exposure and Human Health - MDPI

5. Parabens, Fragrance, Colorants, Talc: Debunking Bobby Parrish’s TikTok Misinformation - Lab Muffin

6. Endocrine Disruptors - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

7. Chapter: Parabens in Cosmetics - SpringerLink

8. Environmental Exposure to Parabens and Health Effects - Nature

9. Canadian Institute for Environmental Assessment - CIAPE ICEDA

Show more...
1 year ago
33 minutes 34 seconds

Nice Genes!
Welcome to ‘Nice Genes!’ Season 4

…98, 99, 100! Ready or not, here we come with a brand new season of 'Nice Genes!'


Science is like a game of hide and seek, and genomics is one of its stealthiest players, challenging us to uncover its "see-crets".


Join host Dr. Kaylee Byers for Season 4 of Nice Genes! where we shine an ultraviolet light on the hidden forces that shape our world– and investigate the genomic questions you didn’t even know you had. Like, is “clean beauty” worth the hype? Can genomics help solve the looming threat of antibiotic resistance? And WTF (what the fawn) is chronic wasting disease?!


Get ready for eye-opening episodes that are helping make the invisible, visible– with genomics! Because sometimes, the most exciting scientific questions are hidden in plain sight. 

Show more...
1 year ago
2 minutes 31 seconds

Nice Genes!

From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. Like – did you know that your individual genomic signature can help determine the healthcare treatment you receive? Or that mapping the genomes of trees can inform forest management?

But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions: How do we study genetic patterns in a way that respects sensitive genetic information, history, and equity? How do we use the power of genomic research to fight climate change? Save the salmon?

Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.