Science Magazine Podcast

Hope in the fight against deadly prion diseases, and side effects of organic agriculture

Mar 21, 2024

New clinical trials for treatments of fatal prion diseases and the impact of organic farms on pesticide use. Prions are misfolded proteins causing brain damage. Organic farms reduce pesticide use, but conventional farms use more when near organic ones.

35:49

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Episode guests

Ashley Larsen

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Quick takeaways

New treatments for prion diseases show promise in clinical trials by blocking protein production in the brain.

Organic farms reduce pesticide use in neighboring conventional farms, impacting agricultural sustainability and pest management.

Deep dives

Progress in Prion Disease Treatments

New tactics in the treatment of prion diseases are offering hope to patients and researchers. Prions, misfolded proteins causing fatal neurodegenerative diseases, have been a longstanding challenge since their discovery in the 1980s. Recent advancements include clinical trials for an anti-sense oligonucleotide that blocks protein production in the brain, potentially halting the progression of the disease.

Introduction

5min

Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

2min

Unveiling the Complexity of Pre-on Diseases

13min

Donating for Research and Spillover Effects of Organic Agriculture

4min

Spillover Effects of Organic Agriculture on Pest Control

10min

Analyzing the Impact of Reduced Synthetic Pesticides in Organic Agriculture

3min

New clinical trials for treatments of an always fatal brain disease, and what happens with pests when a conventional and organic farm are neighbors

First up on this week’s show, a new treatment to stave off prion disease goes into clinical trials. Prions are misfolded proteins that clump together and chew holes in the brain. The misfolding can be switched on in a number of ways—including infection with a misfolded prion protein from an animal or person. Staff Writer Meredith Wadman talks with host Sarah Crespi about new potential treatments—from antisense nucleotides to small molecules that interfere with protein production—for these fatal neurodegenerative diseases.

Next on the show: Freelance producer Katherine Irving talks with Ashley Larsen, associate professor of agricultural and landscape ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, about the effects of organic farms on their neighbors. If there are lots of organic growers together, pesticide use goes down but conventional farms tend to use more pesticides when side by side with organic farms.

This week’s episode was produced with help from Podigy.

About the Science Podcast

Authors: Sarah Crespi; Katherine Irving; Meredith Wadman