What happens when developmental biology, philosophy, and clinical medicine converge in one person’s journey? In this episode, we meet Lizzy Thomas, an MD-PhD student at UNC whose academic path has taken her from Harvard to Oxford and now into the heart of cardiovascular epidemiology. Lizzy shares how her background in applied ethics and embryology informs her research on heart disease and her clinical work in a heart failure clinic. It’s a conversation about science, compassion, and the power of interdisciplinary thinking.
WHMC website
Cover art: Lauren Sapienza
Original theme: "Stranded" by Moavii
What does it take to launch a lab, study shape-shifting proteins, and build a collaborative scientific community, all while navigating life as a junior faculty member? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rebecca Berlow, assistant professor in UNC’s Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, to explore her journey from chemistry undergrad to postdoc at Scripps, and now lab leader at UNC. We talk about intrinsically disordered proteins, mentorship, work-life balance, and how collaboration fuels both science and student growth. Whether you're a budding researcher or just curious about the human side of science, this conversation is full of insight, warmth, and inspiration.
Dr. Berlow's Google Scholar profile
Cover art by Lauren Sapienza
Original theme: "Stranded" by Moavii
What makes kombucha more than just a trendy drink? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rachel Dumez-Kornegay, a postdoctoral researcher who studies how kombucha affects host metabolism. We also get to hear about her life and training to be a scientist and about what it means to “publish a paper” in the academic world. Whether you are a kombucha fan or just curious about the science in your glass, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective about what is bubbling beneath the surface.
Rachel's paper in PLOS Genetics: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011003
Cover art by Lauren Sapienza
Original theme: "Stranded" by Moavii
Join us for our first episode, where our hosts, Kavya and Akshi, introduce the podcast and shed some light on how "Two Cultured" was chosen as our name. You'll also get to hear a little bit about each member of our team, including their background, their field of research, and why science communication is important to them. Don't miss it, listen now!
Cover art by Lauren Sapienza
Original theme: "Stranded" by Moavii