Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

Cowpea is a critical crop in Western Africa.  It is consumed by millions daily, but also feeds livestock, all the while providing important nitrogen fixation for the farm.  Cowpea cultivation is threatened by Maruca vitrata, a butterfly who’s caterpillar stage feasts on the beans within the cowpea pod. Scientists in Nigeria have implemented a strategy using the Bt protein to fight against this pest.  Today’s podcast interviews Francis Onyekachi, Program Manager for the West African Maruca Resistant Cowpea Project.  He talks about the crop, the technology, and the strategy to ensure its continued efficacy.  Co-hosted by Nigerian native and University of Florida graduate student Modesta Abugu. Here is a link to the project. Follow Modesta Abugu on Twitter @modestannedi # COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

One of the limiting factors in photosynthesis is the plant’s ability to take up carbon dioxide to assimilate into carbohydrates. At least part of the problem is the size of the small pores, or stomata, that are used for gas exchange between the inside of the leaf and the outside environment. Pore size is dictated by guard cells, two sausage-shaped cells that swell and deflate to open the pore.  The process can be triggered by an influx of potassium ions.  Prof. John Christie and collaborators at the University of Glasgow and Milan, Italy designed a light-activated potassium switch, a channel that would allow the light influx when the plants were treated with blue light.  The resulting plants incorporated more carbon into their biomass. The results show that a synthetic molecule can be used to open one bottleneck in photosynthesis, and the technology may be helpful in increasing plant yields in the future field.This is the the Christie Lab website and Here is a link to the recent paper. Check out Amber Boas Medium Page and follow her on Twitter @ABoasGardens  # COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Sleep remains a mystery to science, as it is a state where an organism is vulnerable to potentially deadly forces.  It therefore must be important to physiology and survival.  Prof. Lior Appelbaum and his team have examined the effect of sleep on brain activity using zebrafish embryos.  Chromosomes were colored for visualization, and dynamic movements are imaged for analysis. The results show that when a fish is sleeping, chromosomes in the brain are very active and undergoing repair. The interpretation is that sleep is an essential state where neuronal activity is put on hold why the cells can repair their genetic materials.  Co-hosted by University of Florida graduate student Brady Holmer.This is the the Appelbaum Lab website and Here is a link to the recent paper. Check out Brady Holmer’s blog and follow him on Twitter @B_Holmer ‏# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Soybeans are legumes that produce abundant oil.   The oils have been popular for consumers and in food service, but they could have improved performance in cooking applications and also did not have the heart-healthy profiles of other plant-derived oils.  With a simple genetic tweak scientists were able to radically change the oil content of soybean oil to high oleic content.  This type of oil has no trans fat, less saturated fat, and a significant level of monounsaturated fat.  The process has been achieved by traditional breeding as well as by gene editing, producing a soybean oil with improved cooking performance and health properties.  Today’s podcast features a discussion with Kim Nill, Director of Research and Development with the Minnesota Soybean Council.Follow AquaBounty on Twitter This is the Minnesota Soybean website. This is the Plenish Oil website. # COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

The transgenic, fast-growing salmon was first developed in 1989.  The goal was simple, use fish genes to remove seasonal growth effects, with the hopes of creating a fish that could grow faster.  Faster growth means fewer resources to produce an equivalent amount or finished food product. This results in greater availability of a sustainable, consistent, high quality source of salmon, a great protein source with oils suggested to have positive roles in health.  However, the road to approval has been long. As the first GE animal, the AquaBounty salmon had navigated a complex regulatory maze, that now has finally allowed it to be produced and marketed in North America.  This episode speaks with Sylvia Wulf, CEO and President of AquaBounty Technologies.  We discuss the product, the regulatory situation, and when the products may be finally available to consumers.Follow AquaBounty on Twitter This is the AquaBounty website.# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Anthony Warner is known as The Angry Chef, achieving notoriety as a food-fad/social critic.  He has roots in biochemistry and trained as a chef, with years of experience in a variety of cooking venues. He is recognized for his books, columns and blogs, where he provides scientifically consistent critical analysis of current food trends and historical food foibles. His new book is entitled The Truth About Fat.Follow Anthony Warner on Twitter This link goes to the blog One Angry Chef Buy the book, The Truth About Fat # COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Today’s graduate students understand that participation in science communication can significantly enhance a scientific career.  While there are challenges, the idea of being willing to share science with the public can have tremendous benefits, yet there are few universities that stress the mechanics and psychology of public engagement.  The Cornell Alliance for Science held a science communication workshop in San Diego, geared toward graduate students. Three of the participants, Andrew Katz (Colorado State), Bliss Betzen (Kansas State) and Saarah Kuzay (UC Davis) join Drs. Kevin Folta and Paul Vincelli to discuss their projects, their projects, and their long-term aspirations.Bliss Betzen on Twitter @bmbetzen Andrew Katz  on linked in Saarah Kuzay via UC-Davis, Dubcovsky Lab# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Military preparedness means testing ammunition and ordinates in controlled field trials, as well as decommissioning of obsolete weaponry.  The result is a significant environmental deposit of residues of TNT and RDX, two explosives used in the production of military hardware. These compounds are environmentally persistent and leach into groundwater. They represent significant environmental toxins near military bases. Dr. Liz Rylott and her team at the University of York have developed plants capable of inactivating these compounds.  Plants take up RDX and TNT, however, these compounds remain stable within the plant.  Using genes from unusual bacterial species, plants have been engineered to inactivate these compounds, turning them essentially into fertilizer. This work is an exciting example of how genetic engineering can be used to solve a critical environmental problem. Follow Dr. Rylott at @LizRylott# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

The report saturated the popular media, claims that the herbicide glyphosate increased cancer risk by 41%.  This alarming statistic punctuated news reports, based on a new analysis of old data performed by a statistics team at the University of Washington.  These claims did not study cancer in general, but instead focused on a rare cancer known as Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL).  Their conclusions were generated from re-analysis of previous reports, the most powerful of which showed absolutely no association between glyphosate use and NHL.  So how do reports with marginal/no associations and a powerful report with no association morph into a report claiming a definitive association?  In this week’s podcast I discuss the analysis with Dr. Geoffrey Kabat, retired cancer epidemiologist and risk expert.  We discuss the new report, its strengths and weaknesses, and his concern that the data put into the study may have been selectively chosen to produce the desired outcome.Follow Dr. Kabat at @GeoKabat and www.geoffreykabat.com# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

In the days of fear-based food labeling the market has been screaming for a science-friendly alternative.  Ethos Chocolates are distributed for free by A Fresh Look, an independent organization of farmers that want to set the record straight with regard to crop technology.  Today I speak with Dr. Rebecca Larson, Scientific Director for A Fresh Look.  We discuss the motivation behind Ethos Chocolates and the overwhelming reception the product has enjoyed.Learn more at Ethos Chocolate# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.