Frank Buchholz shares how his laboratory improves upon the latest gene editing techniques by designing programmable recombinases.

For centuries, people have relied on materials such as concrete, steel, and wood for the construction of buildings, bridges, and other structures. However, researchers have started exploring a far less conventional material for building therapeutics at the molecular level—DNA. In this episode, Charlene Lancaster from The Scientist spoke with Björn Högberg, a professor of biophysics at the Karolinska Institute, to learn how his team is developing DNA-based nanorobots to fight cancer. The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research. This month's episode is sponsored by Crown Bioscience.

Deep within the gut’s epithelial layer are specialized sensory cells that convert mechanical stimuli to electrical signals and convey this information to nerve cells. As researchers home in on the basic mechanisms of gut touch, the concept of gut feeling is taking on new significance and providing hope for the millions of people living with gastrointestinal disorders. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist spoke with Arthur Beyder, a gastroenterologist and biomedical engineer at the Mayo Clinic to learn more about his team’s research on the emerging neuroscience of gut touch. The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.

Bioelectrical gradients guide embryonic development by creating an electrical scaffold for tissue and organ growth. Researchers harness the power of bioelectricity to devise strategies for regenerating various tissues, including promoting brain recovery after stroke. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist spoke with Paul George, a physician scientist in the Department of Neurology at Stanford University, to learn more about his team’s research on bioelectricity for stroke recovery. The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.

In this episode, Bishoy Faltas discusses how chemotherapy, extrachromosomal DNA, and a gene-editing protein create the perfect storm for bladder cancer therapeutic resistance.

Retinal neurons derived from human stem cells are a promising source of replacement cells for regenerating damaged or diseased retinas. As scientists progress toward translation of cell therapies for restoring vision, they encounter challenges, including how to deliver the cells, ensure that they integrate appropriately with host tissue, and enable proper function after transplantation. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist spoke with Deepak Lamba, a distinguished scientist in the department of immunology and regenerative medicine at Genentech and an associate adjunct professor at the University of California, San Francisco, to learn more about how advances in cell culture models and associated technologies help researchers progress towards retinal cell therapy. The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research. This month’s episode is sponsored by Bio-Rad.

Early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease is critical to slowing its progression. Long before neurological symptoms appear, patients exhibit early signs, some of which are associated with specific chemical scent signatures known as volatile organic compounds. Researchers study these as early biomarkers of disease for future diagnostics applications. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist spoke with Drupad Trivedi, a University of Manchester biomedical researcher and lecturer in analytical and measurement science, to learn more about how fatty skin secretions in Parkinson’s disease and one woman’s sensitive nose may lead to early detection and intervention. The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.

Just like people declutter their homes to prevent the accumulation of broken or unwanted items, cells use autophagy to maintain homeostasis. This essential cleaning process enables them to capture and degrade unnecessary or dysfunctional macromolecules, such as damaged organelles, protein aggregates, and microbial pathogens. As a result, autophagy is a fundamental defense mechanism employed by cells to control and clear viral infections. In this episode, Charlene Lancaster from The Scientist spoke with Josephine Thinwa, an assistant professor in the departments of internal medicine and microbiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, to learn more about the importance of autophagy in mitigating viral infections and how understanding this process could help physicians treat a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. More on this topic: Macrophages Curtail Tuberculosis The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.

Gut microbes affect humans in many ways, including altering the gastrointestinal tract’s function and influencing a person’s body weight, and the nutrients that people ingest can affect the microbiome. Researchers now ask how popular weight loss strategies involving calorie restriction change the bugs in our guts and human health overall.   In this episode, Niki Spahich from The Scientist spoke with Alex Mohr, a postdoctoral fellow in the Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes at Arizona State University, about his work comparing the effects of calorie restriction versus intermittent fasting with protein pacing on the gut microbiome, weight loss, and other health indicators.   More on this topic https://www.the-scientist.com/you-are-when-you-eat-71487 The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. We bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.

As a trailblazer in rare disease research and treatment, Wendy Chung captures the big picture of rare disease genetics with the help of next generation sequencing.

Building miniature brains may sound like a page out of a science fiction novel, but fact is indeed stranger than fiction. Researchers around the world grow brain organoids—3D miniature brains—to better understand brain development, aging, injury, and other disorders, as well as to test new treatment strategies. Some scientists take brain building to the next level by launching their brain organoids into outer space. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist spoke with Alysson Muotri, a University of California, San Diego professor and Stem Cell Program director to learn more about how microgravity affects the cellular and molecular biology of brain organoids and how these discoveries can improve human health.  The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research. This month’s episode is sponsored by ACROBiosystems and Molecular Devices.

Nardhy Gómez-López investigates the placental immunology of preterm birth.

In the 1960s, researchers in England noticed an anomaly when investigating chromosomes from surgically removed human tumors. Distinct from the intact chromosomes visible underneath the microscope were numerous “very small double chromatin bodies,” which are today better known as extrachromosomal DNA. Thanks to modern sequencing and imaging techniques, researchers now know that these tiny bits of circular DNA play a big role in cancer outcomes. In this episode, Niki Spahich from The Scientist spoke with Lukas Chavez, an assistant professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, to learn more about his team’s multiomic exploration of extrachromosomal DNA and how it influences medulloblastoma progression and treatment.   Welcome to The Scientist Speaks, a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind newsworthy molecular biology research. This episode is brought to you by biomodal.   

As the Golub Family Professor of stem cell and regenerative biology at Harvard University, Paola Arlotta seeks to understand how the human brain is formed and what makes it unique. After being inspired by her high school science teacher, Antonio Vecchia, Arlotta pursued a research path that led to her current work exploring the cerebral cortex by growing human organoids in 3D cell culture and investigating their development with single cell sequencing techniques. In this Science Philosophy in a Flash podcast episode, The Scientist’s Creative Services Team spoke with Arlotta to learn more about her path from a curious child in Italy to her current work exploring the complexities of human brain development using organoid models. To learn more about Arlotta's research, check out this article.   Science Philosophy in a Flash is a mini podcast series produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. In this series, we highlight researchers’ unique outlooks on what it means to be a scientist.

Researchers tackle the antibiotic resistance crisis with explainable neural networks and high throughput drug discovery.

The field of psychedelics research has exploded in recent years, as scientists dig deeper into the neuroscience and pharmacology of hallucinogens and how their unique properties can be harnessed to understand and treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and neurodegenerative diseases. Remarkably, the human body produces its own endogenous psychedelics, the reasons for which have implications for understanding the ordinary and extraordinary states of human consciousness, from creativity and dreaming to near death experiences. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist’s Creative Services Team spoke with Steven Barker, a professor emeritus at Louisiana State University to learn more about the human body’s ability to produce hallucinogenic compounds and their roles in physiological processes. More on this topic https://www.the-scientist.com/features/natural-high-endogenous-psychedelics-in-the-gut-and-brain-71301 https://www.the-scientist.com/infographics/infographic-what-a-trip-71303 The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.

Jonathan Weissman and Luke Gilbert share how they developed several CRISPR-based epigenetic editors and how these tools differ from traditional CRISPR.

Scientists discuss the advent of robotically run research and the new era of academic cloud labs on the horizon.

Researchers apply the principles of synthetic biology to address some of the most pressing human health challenges. In what some consider a science and an artform, scientists use bacterial components in creative ways to create synthetic cells for cancer research. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist’s Creative Services Team spoke with Kate Adamala, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota and a synthetic biologist working on engineering synthetic cells, to learn more about the latest advances in using synthetic biology for cancer therapy applications. The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research. This month's episode is sponsored by Namocell – a Bio-Techne brand.

Neurobiologists, computer scientists, and engineers join forces to grow mini brains using automation and make their technologies smarter with artificial intelligence.