104. Unseen Worlds: Exploring Environmental Microbiomes and Their Secrets of Human and Climate Impact with Dr. Elizabeth Henaff

Karl and Erum welcome computational biologist and artist Elizabeth Henaff to talk about the invisible yet vital world of microbiomes in urban settings. Elizabeth discusses the fascinating interplay between microbes and city life, explaining how DNA sequencing brings out hidden microbial stories in spaces like subway stations, waterways, and even beehives. The conversation goes into how design decisions influence microbial ecosystems, the surprising microbial diversity in cities, and the potential of art and science to shape a healthier, more sustainable urban future. This episode invites listeners to rethink their relationship with the unseen living world around them.

Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Feel the Forest Love: Why Biophilia and Microbes Make Us Happy
• 00:00:27 - Biotech on a Rooftop: Founder-Led Biotech Tour Vibes
• 00:02:50 - Tough Times, Tougher Startups: Thriving When the Going Gets Rough
• 00:03:55 - AI Meets Biotech: Merck Studio’s Recipe for Innovation
• 00:07:40 - Prompting Ain’t Easy: The Art (and Struggles) of Talking to AI
• 00:13:58 - Hello, Microbes! Introducing Elizabeth Henaf and the World of Urban Microbiomes
• 00:18:00 - Who Invited the Microbes?: What Shapes the Microbial Life of Cities
• 00:21:28 - Designing with Dirt in Mind: Architecture’s Role in Indoor Microbial Health
• 00:23:00 - Subway Secrets: Swabbing NYC for Microbial Gold
• 00:30:00 - Microbial Memory Lane: How Cities Carry Their Hidden Histories
• 00:33:00 - Invisible Architects: Why Measuring Microbes is a Headache
• 00:35:00 - Bugs in the Playground: What Biodiversity Teaches Us About Health
• 00:37:47 - Microscopic Urbanites: Microbial Life in Cities, Up Close and Personal
• 00:38:28 - Black Mayonnaise Alert: Inside the Gowanus Canal Microbiome
• 00:40:26 - Designing for the Invisible: Creating Microbe-Friendly Indoor Spaces
• 00:42:56 - CSI Brooklyn: Microbial Fingerprints in Contaminated Sites
• 00:52:21 - Bee-yond Pollination: How Honeybees Spy on Microbial Worlds
• 00:58:47 - Probiotic Cities: Reimagining Urban Design Through Microbial Ecosystems
• 01:03:00 - That’s a Wrap: Microbial Reflections and Open Windows

Topics Covered: biotech, biodesign, built environment, living environment, microbiome, research, discovery, brooklyn

Episode Links:

• Henaff Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering
• Founder-led Biotech Tour by Pillar VC
• Merck Digital Sciences Studio
• Nvidia's BioNeMO framework 
• MetaSub Global Consortia
• Mapping the Microbes in New York City’s Subway System
• Greener Play Areas Could Boost Kids’ Immune Systems
• Gowanus Canal Microbe Study
• Honeybee Hives May Reveal The Microbial Signatures Of Urban Aerobiomes
• Hacking the President’s DNA by Andrew Hessel⁠

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Email: groweverything@messaginglab.com

Music by: Nihilore

Production by: Amplafy Media