Finding Genius Podcast

How can Diabetes treatment be made more accessible and easy to use? By encouraging the availability of products to be all under one roof and finding less invasive treatment methods, patients can find new ease of lifestyle. Listen in to learn: The latest products coming on the market How pumps function and their limitations How algorithms assist with Diabetes treatment Ali Dianaty, the vice president of product innovation for the Diabetes Business at Medtronic, shares his work developing products to ease the burden placed on diabetes patients. In recent history, patients who have Diabetes were limited to very scarce, expensive, and painful treatment techniques. However, by innovating using machine learning, pumps, and similar therapeutic methods, the lifestyle surrounding Diabetes has changed and simplified treatment for many. With data storage and algorithms working with smartphone apps, devices may even remember meals one has consumed in the past and automatically adjust treatment. This will allow patients to build a database of normal behavior, tailoring treatment specifically to their lifestyle. To learn more, visit medtronicdiabetes.com/home. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

How can victims of cystic fibrosis and other degenerative lung diseases be treated and even reverse? Stem cells may hold the key to a new world of treatments. Press play to learn: The genes that are responsible for the proliferation of CF How the regulation of genes can change the disease landscape Common complications of lung transplants Barry Stripp, Ph.D. and professor of medicine and director of the lung stem cell program at Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, and John Mahoney, Ph.D., and head of the stem cell biology team at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Lab, join the podcast to share their work with lung regeneration and cystic fibrosis treatment. Cystic fibrosis, while not inherently destroying the lung, it disrupts bodily systems that allow the lung to function correctly. Due to mucus buildup after not allowing lungs to be appropriately hydrated, asphyxiation is one of the most common causes of death among CF sufferers. Since the repercussions and long-term maintenance requirements for lung transplants, they are not a viable solution for long periods. Due to this, the hope is to apply stem cell techniques and gene correction to aid in lung tissue regeneration. Visit cff.org or cedars-sinai.org to learn more. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

Christopher Logan is an avid health and nutrition reader who is continuously searching for the next best thing in the wide world of physical culture and herbalism. He is the co-founder and CEO of Lost Empire Herbs, an online store that offers herbal medicine for men’s health and herbal supplements for athletic performance. Logan has an interesting perspective on the history of snake oil in the United States and its impact on pharmaceuticals, supplements, and herbs. Click on play to learn: How the use of snake oil at the turn of the century to treat muscle strains and pain became a derogatory term in spite of some amazing health benefits. Why some drugs have been found to be ineffectual in treating conditions as approved by the FDA. How the environment tends to produce food that is tainted by pesticides and lacks micronutrients leading to unhealthy conditions. Christopher Logan discusses the philosophy of scientism as it relates to health and sickness. The United States is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet. In contrast, it has one of the worst birth outcomes. The long-term effects of the use of pesticides on crops grown in the United States serves as a reminder that less technology is better in terms of a healthy population. Less technology and living a more natural lifestyle appears to have a healthier impact on society. Supplements and herbs are not considered medicine in spite of the fact that they reduce or eliminate deficiencies in the human body. On the other hand, the FDA conducts intensive studies on proposed drugs and approves them even though they do not necessarily work as intended. To learn more visit: lostempireherbs.com Email: logan@lostempireherbs.com Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C  

Luke Burgis is an entrepreneur by experience who worked on Wall Street for a short time before moving to California to jump into the startup world in Silicon Valley. He established four companies and experienced many successes and failures while in California. From the outside, Burgis appeared to have everything. However, he felt he was on a never-ending journey to find “something” while not really understanding what that something was. Click on play to learn: How the influences of René Girard and mimetic desire redirected Burgis’ life path. What drives people to pursue systems of desire. How to juggle competing multiple tribes. How the concept of tribes may play a role in blaming others. As a successful entrepreneur, Burgis struggled with wanting one thing one day and wanting something else the next day. Dealing with conflicting wants on an ongoing basis led to Burgis stepping back to revaluate his life. As an avid reader, he studied various theories of want and the self and found a connection with René Girard’s ideas on the concept of mimetic desires and what drives them. His research led him to spending three years in Italy in the quest to identify the driving forces of his life. As a student of psychology, classical philosophy, and theology, he learned to create distance to examine his true desires and distinguish the origins of his aspirations. Burgis learned how to identify various systems of desire and realized that people move in and out of those systems as their life changes over time. He wrote a book, Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life that explores why we want what we want. This profound book shows readers how mimetic desire is present in their relationships. One of the chapters focuses on the rise of scapegoating and resulting violence that demonstrates how understanding the power of mimetic desire psychology can keep us from becoming involved in the negative behaviours of blaming others. To learn more visit: https://lukeburgis.com Twitter: @lukeburgis Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

How can CRISPR technology be viewed in perspective past regular lab use? By examining the bacteria left after genetic editing, the potential for new research emerges. Press play to learn: How the cell-free system works The unanswered questions that remain in the field How CAS-9 functions with mRNA Chase Beisel, a Group Leader (W2) at Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research in Würzburg (Germany), discusses his research using CRISPR bacteria beyond their typical scope of work. While CRISPR is commonly used and known for manipulating DNA strings, there is actually a fascinating byproduct left behind. Using the bacteria responsible for the editing during the process, they are still viable for use after editing and can be seen as an extensive natural immune system. By watching and studying how mRNA functions within the system, there may be possibilities for new technology. By recruiting mRNA and turning them into guide RNA, the nature of how this change occurs can be uncovered and applied to other areas of study. Visit https://www.helmholtz-hiri.de/en/research/organisation/people/person/prof-chase-beisel/ to learn more.

Jianghong Min is a graduate student with the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School who is currently involved in genomics studies of the heritability of CRISPR-based gene drive cassettes to control specific functionalities in non-human species and their impact on genetic diseases. He is working on these projects at MIT with the Sculpting Evolution Group and Kevin Esvelt, Assistant Professor. Listen to the podcast to discover: Why trial work with CRISPR-based gene drive systems is important. What unintended consequences might result from genome editing techniques. What measures are being taken in the new CRISPR method to ensure safety in this area of science. What potential benefits are associated with manipulating heritable genes in non-human species such as mosquitos and mice. Min is working on a study involving the genetic editing of heritable genes using gene drive cassettes in a non-human genus. The study is in the exploration phase at this time. Of particular interest is the evolution of a gene drive system once it is released into the wild. How much genetic information can be included in the gene drive cassettes? How much control of the heritability of the gene drives do scientists have once the are released into the wild? Min is especially interested in discovering unintended consequences. Could these heritable changes spread into other nearby species? He believes in the precautionary principle that scientists should not intervene until all of the negative effects are known and should identify the greater impact of genetically modifying these organisms. To learn more, visit: MIT Media Lab: https://www.media.mit.edu Sculpting Evolution Group: www.sculptingevolution.org Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

"Nature, over millions of years, developed the immune system in vertebrate animals,” says Martin Steegmaier. And one of those developments is the antibody—a large protein that detects and neutralizes threats to the body, like viruses and bacteria. Learn how one company is using this to tackle cancer, and discover: How the monoclonal antibody production process works The half-life of an antibody in the human body, and why it matters Methods of antibody-based treatment administration Steegmaier is head of research at MorphoSys AG, a company that’s focused on antibody discovery and development, with an aim to become a leader in hematology-oncology and autoimmune disease treatment. He discusses the benefits and observed effects of antibody-based treatment for various cancers, and the key differences between the use of antibodies (large molecules) and small molecules in the treatment of cancer. He also explains the function of the most notable antibody treatments on the MorphoSys drug discovery platform, one of which was launched last July for the treatment of an aggressive type of cancer called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. For a deep dive into the science behind antibody development and how antibodies interact with cancer cells, press play. Visit https://www.morphosys.com/ for more information. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

How can the application of machine learning make CRISPR even more beneficial than it already is? By lowering bench time, researchers may free time to find even more beneficial advancements. Listen in to learn: The potential concerns some researchers pose How domains can serve multiple functions The function of fetal hemoglobin Hannah Spinner, a research specialist and Ph.D. candidate at Harvard, discusses her work in applying machine learning on CRISPR technologies and new CRISPR proteins. Applying machine learning techniques that have been proven to advance technologies in other fields holds promising results in increasing the efficiency of CRISPR technology. Reducing the tedious lab work required by researchers will allow new advancements in how we interact during the research process. New advancements and discoveries regarding proteins and their use in CRISPR have opened the possibilities of adding a function that was not previously available. By editing various bases on the genome, the function of CRISPR in that area has a wide array of possibilities. To learn more, search for Hannah Spinner on Twitter at @bellespinner. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

Dr. Ana Soto is a Professor of Immunology at Tufts University who by training is a physician with a deep interest in science. She began working in labs while attending the university and eventually discovered an interest in how estrogens and hormones control the proliferation of cells in the breast, uterus, etc. Dr. Soto is currently conducting research on a new theory of cell proliferation and carcinogenesis at The Ana Soto – Carlos Sonenshein Lab at Tufts University. Click on play to learn: How this new theory of the proliferation of cancer cells contrasts with the predominant somatic mutation theory (SMT). How a related study on endocrine disruption became the focus of one of Dr. Soto’s studies. What are the current theories on factors that trigger cancer. Dr. Soto and Schonnenschein have been focusing their research on the origins of carcinogenesis known as the Tissue Organization Field Theory (TOFT). While their studies involve the biomechanics of morphogenesis, SMT theorizes that mutations are central to the development of cancer. The TOFT theory suggests that the mutations are an epiphenomenon. According to Dr. Soto, all cells will proliferate and produce tissue architecture that is normal. When cancer is introduced by some mechanism, there is an alteration in the organization of cells and a tumor may begin to grow. One of the goals of their research is to identify the mechanism that results in the alteration of the organization of cells and the subsequent development of cancer tissues. Several influences may be at play in this situation: biochemical factors and their receptors; biochemical communication; the proliferation of mechanical forces, bioelectricity, and the formation of an extracelluar matrix. To learn more visit: https://sites.tufts.edu/sotosonnlab/ https://gsbs.tufts.edu/facultyResearch/faculty/soto-ana/research Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C

One of the most profound questions in life is how did cells first materialize on Earth? Joana C. Xavier, Ph.D. is a scientist at University College London, bioengineer, and author who has focused her life’s work on finding possible answers to that question. She has an interest in systems biology, specifically the origin, evolution, and diversity of prokaryotic cells, minimal cells and chassis cells. Examples of Dr. Xavier’s work in computational biology include the analyses of the evolution of genes, species, and communities. She is also involved in large scale and integrative studies of metabolism. Press play to learn more about: The characteristics of prokaryotic cells and how they differ from eukaryotic cells. How the dynamics of hydrothermal vents may have played a role in the origins of life. How the vitamins and co-factors essential for us today played a vital role in establishing the first biochemical networks. Dr. Xavier has a keen interest in the origin and evolution of life and believes that hydrothermal vents may have been the site where the first cells appeared. The ocean floor is well protected from the ultraviolet light produced by the sun. Natural chimneys form around the hydrothermal vents that release heated fluids necessary for cell development and they create a dynamic environment that would be favourable for life to evolve. Because the focus of Dr. Xavier’s research is on the possibility of the origins of life deep in the ocean, collecting samples to conduct research is extremely limited and expensive. As a computational biologist, she uses massive amounts of specific types of data collected by other scientists and researchers to conduct big data analysis to test her theories. The Earth is believed to be 4.5 billion years old which adds to the complexity of finding the origin of the first cell. Dr. Xavier believes there must be some type of necessity at the origin of the first cells that is governed by laws we do not yet understand. While it is difficult to determine exactly when life first emerged on the planet, some believe that it took place shortly after the Earth was formed. Identifying which genes are the oldest is challenging and the search continues to establish the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) which may lead to answers to the question of how cells materialized on Earth. To learn more visit: Joana C. Xavier website at https://jcxavier.org Twitter @jrcxavier Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/30PvU9C