Mendelspod Podcast

Today’s show is made free by the generous support of Twist Bioscience. Twist works in service of people changing the world for the better in fields such as medicine, agriculture, industrial chemicals, and data storage. Their unique silicon-based DNA synthesis platform provides precision that is otherwise unavailable. Check out their products at www.twistbioscience.com. And join them as they write the future of science.Chapters:0:00 Pet dogs have complex genetics and phenotypic data8:00 What is the primary interest of pet owners?16:00 Breeds are relatively new—Victorian era new25:53 Findings that relate to human genetics34:00 Future goalsSummary:Elinor Karlsson began studying pet genetics when doing her PhD.  Today she directs the largest pet dog genetics databases and citizen science projects, Darwin’s Ark (www.darwinsark.org). Elinor is a Professor at UMass Chan and the Broad Institute.Why dogs?  Well, she works specifically with pet dogs who are tied to humans.  Dog owners love learning about their dogs--breed, behavior, anything—almost as much as they love sharing about them.  This opens up an opportunity for researchers to study an animal with complex genetics which also has tons of phenotypic data recorded. So what is Elinor able to tell these pet-loving owners?  How is the project improving dog medicine?  And what is canine genetics teaching us about us?Mendelspod is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comChapters:0:00 World’s longest oligo8:45 Why is it difficult to synthesize long DNA?12:00 Proprietary TdT conjugate16:00 A billion-dollar market24:20 The computation model and its challenges28:35 More customers using generative AIMendelspod is now reader supported. Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription for the price of a couple cof…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comChapters:0:00 Novel Cas enzymes help overcome CRISPR challenges11:37 New pipeline of therapies will go after novel targets14:52 How does the new platform open up possibilities for new diagnostics?21:05 What risks do you think about?26:47 What are the company’s two-year goals?31:07 On the possibilitiesCRISPR technology is enabling a new generation …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.com0:00 Latest paper on multi-omics microsampling6:30 Is it useful?  Two scenarios13:00 How might entrepreneurs bring this to healthcare?18:15 How do you convince physicians?25:48 Are you a reductionist?31:00 Impact of generative AI38:15 Thoughts on the renaissance in proteomicsWe open our 13th season here at Mendelspod with guest, Mike Snyder, S…

Ten years ago this week, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that genes could not be patented. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe

Today we feature Quantum-SI, one of the new wave of proteomics tools companies.  The company was founded by serial life science entrepreneur, Jonathan Rothberg, originally as a long read sequencing company.    Though the company pivoted to proteomics, they kept the sequencing part. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe

SynBioBeta is the largest gathering of the synthetic biology community worldwide.  It’s taking place May 23-25 in Oakland, California.  John Cumbers is the founder and CEO of the conference, and he joins us to talk about trends in the space and preview this year’s confab.First, we discuss the impact Washington D.C. is having on the field.  What doe’s Biden’s love for bio mean for synbio? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe

It’s a thrilling time to be in proteomics.  Today we discuss a recent paper in PLOS One demonstrating how new technology has revealed a novel biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer previously undetected by other methods.  The paper could be a model for new proteomics research going forward.  Our guests are Margaret Donovan, Product Marketing Manager, and Asim Siddiqui, Senior VP of Research, both at proteomics company, Seer. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe

Philosophers talk about various kinds of knowledge.  There is knowing that something is.  We learn that the sun is 90 million miles from the Earth.  There is also knowing how to do something.  This includes skills we learn like riding a bike or cooking spaghetti.  Knowing how is different from knowing that. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe

Long DNA has arrived.   Elegen, a new company based in San Carlos, California,  is out this year offering just long DNA.  According to their founder and CEO, Matt Hill and today's guest, the company’s product is twenty times more accurate than anything else presently available.What does this mean for the world of biology and the world in general that we're seeing the emergence of a new subindustry devoted specifically to long DNA? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe