BioSounds
49 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago -Welcome to BioSounds, where PhD students give you a taste of science happening at the University of Geneva.
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Episodes
Protein Production and Characterization: Unraveling the Building Blocks of Life and Its Impact on Research – with Dr. Oscar Vadas
June 01, 2023 10:00 - 32 minutes - 32.1 MBHave you ever wondered about the remarkable connection between our food, therapeutics, and even washing powders? The answer lies in the captivating domain of proteins, the fundamental building blocks of life! In this episode, we delve into the world of protein production, purification, and characterization, accompanied by the expertise of Dr. Oscar Vadas. Join us as we dive deep into these processes and unravel their importance both within the laboratory and in our daily lives. Here, Dr. Osc...
Physics of Biology: What makes us alive? - with Prof. Karsten Kruse
May 25, 2023 09:49 - 26 minutes - 20 MBHow would you explain why a plant is considered alive and a bonfire is not? What defines what is alive? In this episode our correspondant Oriol Mañé will interview Prof. Karsten Kruse from the Department of Biochemistry. They will discuss about the link between physics and biology and how his lab tries to understand collective phenomena in living cells and tissues. - Episode introduced by Emma Ganga.
The inconspicuous diversity of parasites with Natural History Museum curator Dr. Blasco-Costa
May 18, 2023 12:00 - 27 minutes - 44.2 MB"... from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved." - Charles Darwin Darwin's closing statement in On the Origin of Species often invokes images of colorful birds, strange plants, and odd animals. But have you ever stopped to consider the diversity of parasites? Parasite diversity is immense and they also play an important ecological role. Join our correspondent Cody Raul Cardenas as he chats with Natural History Museum of Genev...
The Physics of Living Surfaces - with Prof. Aurélien Roux
May 11, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 41.7 MBBarriers aren’t always bad. Sometimes, they are the bridge that gives rise to complexity. At all scales, biological units are separated from their environment by surfaces. From the membranes that surround our cells to the tissues that organize our body, these surfaces are governed by the same physical principles. Today, we are joined by Professor Aurélien Roux from the Faculty of Science to discuss how to better understand the barriers that organize life. Stay tuned as we explore the « Physi...
Recombinant Antibodies: The Perfect Reagent? - with Prof. Pierre Cosson
May 04, 2023 10:30 - 20 minutes - 46.7 MBGaining trust is important, both in our daily lives and in the laboratory. But how do we build trust in science? In our research? Join us as we delve into the world of scientific reproducibility and explore how common laboratory tools may be hindering progress. Professor Pierre Cosson shares his expert insights with Joshua on the state of science today and reveals how the development of recombinant antibodies could be the game-changer we've all been waiting for. If you're ready to be on the ...
From structure to function: looking at protein structures with Prof Andreas Boland
April 27, 2023 08:00 - 34 minutes - 29.7 MBIn this episode we explore the wonderful world of structural biology, where learning about the shapes and folding of proteins gives us an insight about how cells divide. Professor Andreas Boland shares with Olimpia the newest techniques with which we can now look at proteins and what they can tell us: from fundamental research to applied pharmacology the sky is really the limit. Introduced by Joshua Tran
A TORrific story: Cell growth and its main regulators with Prof. Robbie Loewith
April 20, 2023 10:49 - 34 minutes - 28.1 MBOne of the most fundamental characteristics of life is its ability to multiply and spread. In the very core of these phenomena lies cellular growth as a complex process of synthesis and accumulation of biomacromolecules and structures that these molecules form inside the cell. As any complex biological process, the growth of the cell is strictly regulated where the key role is held by TOR protein complex (TORC). In this episode our correspondent Aleksandar Arsović and his guest Prof. Robbie ...
Exoplanet Exploration: planets beyond our Star -with Prof. Monika Lendl
April 13, 2023 08:00 - 29 minutes - 22.7 MBScientists have always speculated about the existence of planets orbiting other stars. From the desert world of Arrakis in Dune to the lush jungles of Yoda's planet Dagobah in Star Wars, we have been always fascinated with the idea of faraway lands. In this episode Inês Pinheiro talks to Professor Monika Lendl about the discovery and the characterisation of exoplanets and what do they teach us about our own origins. What if we could reach them one day with a spaceship? What if these worlds...
Screen to screen: AI-driven smartphone app for cervical cancer screening -with Dr. Holly Clarke
April 06, 2023 09:00 - 19 minutes - 26.4 MBDid you know that around 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low- or middle-income countries? A major reason is lack of screening, which would catch it at an early or precancerous stage. In this episode, Zoé Valbret talks to Dr. Holly Clarke, a research fellow at the University Hospital of Geneva in the group of Patrick Petignat, about their international collaboration's work developing an AI-driven smartphone app for better screening in low-income countries including Cameroon. Introduced...
Fight, Flight or Grab a bite! - with Prof. Geraldine Coppin
March 30, 2023 09:00 - 21 minutes - 23.1 MBWelcome to the 1st episode of Biosounds Season 4 ! Do you eat a pint of ice cream after a bad breakup? Do you deal with uncomfortable emotions using food? Could you get addicted to food? Listen to this episode to find out !! In this 1st episode of Biosounds season 4, our correspondent Nathalia WILLIAMS, interviews Prof. Geraldine Coppin of the Food and Human Behavior lab from Unidistance Suisse where she talks about her work on behavioral and neural correlation to food preferences.
Tick Tock, Tick Tock: Why you should listen to your internal Swiss watch- with Prof. Emi Nagoshi
June 30, 2022 14:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBAlthough you won’t hear it tick, your body has its own internal clock regulating your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is your sleep-wake pattern over the course of a 24-hour day. Most living things have it, including animals, plants, and even some microbes. Circadian rhythms affect your sleep patterns as well as other ways your body works, like your body temperature, eating habits, and hormones. When your internal clock gets out of sync, it might cause problems with your health. The...
Tick Tock, Tick Tock: Why you should listen to your internal Swiss watch
June 30, 2022 14:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBAlthough you won’t hear it tick, your body has its own internal clock regulating your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is your sleep-wake pattern over the course of a 24-hour day. Most living things have it, including animals, plants, and even some microbes. Circadian rhythms affect your sleep patterns as well as other ways your body works, like your body temperature, eating habits, and hormones. When your internal clock gets out of sync, it might cause problems with your health. The...
PiRNAs: a deep dive into the unexplored parts of our genome
June 23, 2022 12:00 - 18 minutes - 11.6 MBThe nuclei of cells are full of noncoding RNAs, meaning RNAs that will not make proteins, however their functions is sometimes not really clear. In the last few years more and more roles have been attributed to this “junk” and it is now clear that they are important in health and disease. In all of this, what are piRNAs? What is their link to fertility? What is the perspective of RNA-based technologies? Prof Pei-Hsuan Wu gives us some interesting insights, interviewed by Olimpia Bompadre and...
PiRNAs: a deep dive into the unexplored parts of our genome - with Prof. Pei-Hsuan Wu
June 23, 2022 12:00 - 18 minutes - 11.6 MBThe nuclei of cells are full of noncoding RNAs, meaning RNAs that will not make proteins, however their functions is sometimes not really clear. In the last few years more and more roles have been attributed to this “junk” and it is now clear that they are important in health and disease. In all of this, what are piRNAs? What is their link to fertility? What is the perspective of RNA-based technologies? Prof Pei-Hsuan Wu gives us some interesting insights, interviewed by Olimpia Bompadre and...
Beauty in nature: from chameleon colours to elephant skin- with Prof. Michel Milinkovitch
June 16, 2022 15:00 - 43 minutes - 56.2 MBHow do chameleons change colour? How do elephants get skin cracks all over? And what are the benefits when scientists from different domains work together to solve these questions? Professor Michel Milinkovitch discusses his interdisciplinary approach to research on animal skin and patterns with Zoé Valbret. Introduced by Olimpia Bompadre. For more information on Professor Milinkovitch's research visit: https://www.lanevol.org/ Scientific articles mentioned: Elephant skin: https://www.nat...
Beauty in nature: from chameleon colours to elephant skin- with Professor Michel Milinkovitch
June 16, 2022 15:00 - 43 minutes - 56.2 MBHow do chameleons change colour? How do elephants get skin cracks all over? And what are the benefits when scientists from different domains work together to solve these questions? Professor Michel Milinkovitch discusses his interdisciplinary approach to research on animal skin and patterns with Zoé Valbret. Introduced by Olimpia Bompadre. For more information on Professor Milinkovitch's research visit: https://www.lanevol.org/ Scientific articles mentioned: Elephant skin: https://www.nat...
Bilingualism: does it help kids with autism? - with Prof. Stephanie Durrleman
June 08, 2022 10:36 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBHow many languages do you speak? What are the benefits of learning more languages? In this episode, you will hear from Prof. Stephanie Durrleman interviewed by our correspondent Jiabin Xu, where they explore the scientific evidence showing the benefits of bilingualism. Now imagine you are a physician and you are approached by bilingual parents of kids who have autism spectrum. You know these kids may have impairment of social communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviours or intere...
Bilingualism: does it help kids with autism?
June 08, 2022 10:36 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBHow many languages do you speak? What are the benefits of learning more languages? In this episode, you will hear from Prof. Stephanie Durrleman interviewed by our correspondent Jiabin Xu, where they explore the scientific evidence showing the benefits of bilingualism. Now imagine you are a physician and you are approached by bilingual parents of kids who have autism spectrum. You know these kids may have impairment of social communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviours or intere...
What if we could train our brain through video games ?
June 02, 2022 08:00 - 24 minutes - 19.4 MBImagine the point of time when we lost concentration during an experiment because we were thinking about a song lyrics.... What if we could get feedback about our brain activity at the exact point of time? Could this feedback help us train our brain? Is it possible to treat brain disorders by training the brain? In this episode, our correspondent Nathalia Williams dives deep with Dr. Tomas Ros on why he thinks we can treat brain disorders without medications and as to what motivates him t...
What if we could train our brain through video games ? - with Dr. Tomas Ros
June 02, 2022 08:00 - 24 minutes - 19.4 MBImagine the point of time when we lost concentration during an experiment because we were thinking about a song lyrics.... What if we could get feedback about our brain activity at the exact point of time? Could this feedback help us train our brain? Is it possible to treat brain disorders by training the brain? In this episode, our correspondent Nathalia Williams dives deep with Dr. Tomas Ros on why he thinks we can treat brain disorders without medications and as to what motivates him t...
Bench to Bedside to Benefit patients - next generation gene therapies to cure cancer and infectious diseases
May 26, 2022 11:00 - 17 minutes - 16.7 MBWhat if we could engineer our immune cells to efficiently cure any cancer in an efficient and scalable way? What if we could genetically arm and upgrade the immune system to kill cancer and infected cells? The team at Antion Biosciences, a spin-off from University of Geneva, has developed a breakthrough platform that harnesses the power of microRNA gene silencing to create a toolkit to efficiently upgrade the software of T cells to treat a wide range of diseases using healthy donor cells. If...
Bench to Bedside to Benefit patients - next generation gene therapies to cure cancer and infectious diseases - with Marco Alessandrini
May 26, 2022 11:00 - 17 minutes - 16.7 MBWhat if we could engineer our immune cells to efficiently cure any cancer in an efficient and scalable way? What if we could genetically arm and upgrade the immune system to kill cancer and infected cells? The team at Antion Biosciences, a spin-off from University of Geneva, has developed a breakthrough platform that harnesses the power of microRNA gene silencing to create a toolkit to efficiently upgrade the software of T cells to treat a wide range of diseases using healthy donor cells. If...
Gut Microbiota: turning the bad guys into the good guys - with Prof. Simone Becattini
May 19, 2022 08:00 - 26 minutes - 22.7 MBHave you ever heard about the living beings residing in our gut? What if they can talk to our immune system and control it for their own benefit? And what if we could explore this conversation between both players and use it to promote health and prevent diseases? Listen to this episode and learn how Prof. Becattini's lab tries to answer these questions. The presenter of this episode is Inês Pinheiro and João Bonifacio Lopes interviewed prof. Simone Becattini
I can’t LEARN this feeling anymore! feat Prof. Camilla Bellone
May 12, 2022 16:39 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBCould emotions be the teachers of our social behavior? What’s the link between emotions, rewarding circuits, and Autism disorder? Could we get addicted to emotions as we do with drugs? To get your answers listen to this episode!
Dopaminergic circuit in emotions: I can’t LEARN this feeling anymore! feat Prof. Camilla Bellone
May 12, 2022 16:39 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBCould emotions be the teachers of our social behavior? What’s the link between emotions, rewarding circuits, and Autism disorder? Could we get addicted to emotions as we do with drugs? To get your answers listen to this episode!
Teaser Season 3.0: we are back!
May 06, 2022 10:08 - 1 minute - 1.76 MBTune in with us for weekly episodes. Juicy science from the University of Geneva is coming ...
Emerging viruses: Studying SARS-CoV-2 and preventing another outbreak
November 05, 2021 15:43 - 13 minutes - 11.6 MBDo you want to understand how we can prevent another SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) outbreak? In this episode 7 of Biosounds, Camila interviews Doctor Manel Essaidi-Laziosi, who has been studying respiratory viruses for many years. The presenter of this episode is Inês Pinheiro.
Learning from epidemics: how social and human factors influence disease spreading
October 29, 2021 07:56 - 20 minutes - 16.5 MBDid you know that certain social groups are more at risk to get viral infections? And that social-economical differences shape viral spreading? In this 6th episode of Biosounds, Jiabin Xu interviews Professor Olivia Keiser, whose research focuses on viral epidemiology and how human behaviour impacts viral infections. The episode is presented by Marta Sousa.
Creating memories and learning process: Are we humans? Or are we circuits?
October 21, 2021 15:45 - 23 minutes - 14.3 MB“All those memories will be lost in time like tears in rain”. What if Blade Runner’s most famous quote was kind of outdated? Would it be possible to upload or incept memories? Discover the answer to these and more questions in this 5th Biosounds episode. Our correspondent Rebecca Sipione talks with professor Alexandre Pouget about the processes our brain uses for creating memories and learning. How much are they comparable to computer hardware functioning and artificial intelligence? Stay tu...
Creating memories and learning process: Are we humans? Or are we circuits? feat Prof. Alexandre Pouget
October 21, 2021 15:45 - 23 minutes - 14.3 MB“All those memories will be lost in time like tears in rain”. What if Blade Runner’s most famous quote was kind of outdated? Would it be possible to upload or incept memories? Discover the answer to these and more questions in this 5th Biosounds episode. Our correspondent Rebecca Sipione talks with professor Alexandre Pouget about the processes our brain uses for creating memories and learning. How much are they comparable to computer hardware functioning and artificial intelligence? Stay tu...
Circadian rhythm & inflammation: a long sleep a day keeps the doctor away.
October 15, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutes - 8.99 MBCould Sleeping Beauty be the “healthiest of them all”? In this 4th Biosounds episode our correspondent Olimpia Bompadre interviews professor Christoph Scheiermann on the relationships between inflammation and circadian rhythm.
How does a cell sense and respond to the environment?
October 08, 2021 10:36 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBIn the third episode of the BioSounds podcast season 2, we will listen to Prof. Miriam Stoeber research on membrane trafficking, GPCR signaling, organelles and biosensors. Presented by Inês Pinheiro.
Who wants to live forever? - Regeneration in the hydra -with Prof. Brigitte Galliot
September 30, 2021 14:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBIn this episode, Zoé Valbret interviews Professor Brigitte Galliot about how an adult animal, like the hydra, can regenerate parts of its body. Brigitte Galliot is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and Evolution and the Vice-Rector at the University of Geneva. The episode is presented by Camila Branco.
Who wants to live forever? - Regeneration in the hydra
September 30, 2021 14:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBIn this episode, Zoé Valbret interviews Professor Brigitte Galliot about how an adult animal, like the hydra, can regenerate parts of its body. Brigitte Galliot is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and Evolution and the Vice-Rector at the University of Geneva. The episode is presented by Camila Branco.
Epigenetic in brain development and disease
September 23, 2021 16:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBThe BioSounds podcast season 2 launches with a great interview where Professor Simon Braun talks to Rouaa about epigenetic and how it shapes our brain and can contributes to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Season 2 Teaser
September 16, 2021 16:28 - 1 minute - 759 KBFrom next week Rouaa Ben Chaabene, Olimpia Bompadre, Camila Branco, Zoé Valbret, Jiabin Xu, Inês Pinheiro, Marta Correia De Sousa and Rebecca Sipione will bring you into the laboratories of the University of Geneva for 8 episodes. In this teaser you'll get hints about the upcoming episodes.
Gonadal sex determination and Antigen cross presentation
November 27, 2020 07:00 - 23 minutes - 26.4 MBIn the last episode of this season’s BioSounds. We have Chloé Mayere telling us about her PhD project on creating a robust model for the development of gonads, which plays crucial roles in the biological process of sex determination. And then together with Camila Branco, we will learn from Prof. Paula Nunes-Hasler about the mechanism of antigen cross presentation, an essential mechanism of our immune system. Presented by Jiabin Xu.
Parasite infection and cancer immunotherapy
November 24, 2020 10:16 - 19 minutes - 15.3 MBIn the seventh episode of the BioSounds podcast, Rouaa Ben Chaabene speaks about her PhD project and mechanisms of parasites infection. We will also listen to Prof. Denis Migliorini talking about how the immune system can help us fighting cancer with our correspondent Jiabin Xu. Presented by Ambra Sartori.
Cystic fibrosis, chromatin and developmental biology
November 20, 2020 06:00 - 14 minutes - 12.2 MBIn the sixth episode of the Biosounds podcast, Emilie Trachsel will tell us all about her amazing Ph.D. project, on which she explains to us how we can fight cystic fibrosis using bacteria. Additionally, we will have Ambra Sartori interviewing Prof. Guillaume.Andrey about his amazing research on chromatin biology and developmental biology. Presented by Camila Branco.
Llamas, opioid receptors, microbiota and flu
November 17, 2020 09:00 - 24 minutes - 17.7 MBIn the fifth episode of the BioSounds podcast Zoé Valbret tells us how llamas can help fight opioid drugs in her fascinating PhD project. Plus a great interview with Prof Mirco Schmolke where he talks with our correspondent Emilie Trachsel about the interesting link between gut microbiota and flu infection. Presented by Olimpia Bompadre
Cancer therapy and cardiovascular diseases
November 13, 2020 09:00 - 18 minutes - 43 MBIn this episode, we interview Jiabin Xu from the lab of Vladimir Katanaev in Geneva. She is working on the possible use of an ancient drug to treat breast cancer. We will also learn about cardiovascular diseases, coagulation and how it is studied in the lab with Olympia Bompadre interviewing Marguerite Neerman-Arbez who is principal investigator in the department of genetic and medecine of the University of Geneva.
Atherosclerosis and Cancer - with Prof. Patrick Meraldi
November 10, 2020 08:00 - 24 minutes - 17.3 MBIn the third episode of BioSounds podcast Ambra Sartori is telling us the story about her PhD project focusing on Atherosclerosis. You will also listen to the interview where Professor Patrick Meraldi talks to Zoé Suzanne Valbret about chromosome segregation and Cancer. Presented by Rouaa Ben Chaabene
Atherosclerosis and Cancer
November 10, 2020 08:00 - 24 minutes - 17.3 MBIn the third episode of BioSounds podcast Ambra Sartori is telling us the story about her PhD project focusing on Atherosclerosis. You will also listen to the interview where Professor Patrick Meraldi talks to Zoé Suzanne Valbret about chromosome segregation and Cancer. Presented by Rouaa Ben Chaabene
Episode 2: CCR5 receptor and perception of the brain
November 06, 2020 08:00 - 22 minutes - 15.9 MBIn the second episode of BioSounds podcast Camila Branco is telling us about her fascinating PhD project on CCR5 receptor. Plus a great interview where Professor Sami El-boustani talks to Chloe Mayere about perception of the brain. Presented by Emilie Trachsel
CCR5 receptor and perception of the brain
November 06, 2020 08:00 - 22 minutes - 15.9 MBIn the second episode of BioSounds podcast Camila Branco is telling us about her fascinating PhD project on CCR5 receptor. Plus a great interview where Professor Sami El-boustani talks to Chloe Mayere about perception of the brain. Presented by Emilie Trachsel
Episode 1: Gene enhancers and HIV
November 03, 2020 08:00 - 27 minutes - 26.4 MBBioSounds podcast launches with Olimpia Bompadre telling us about her fascinating PhD project on gene regulation. Plus a great interview where Professor Oliver Hartley talks to Rouaa Ben Chaabene about HIV prevention. Presented by Zoé Valbret
Gene enhancers and HIV
November 03, 2020 08:00 - 27 minutes - 26.4 MBBioSounds podcast launches with Olimpia Bompadre telling us about her fascinating PhD project on gene regulation. Plus a great interview where Professor Oliver Hartley talks to Rouaa Ben Chaabene about HIV prevention. Presented by Zoé Valbret
Season 1 Teaser
October 28, 2020 09:21 - 1 minute - 616 KBFrom next week Rouaa Ben Chaabene, Olimpia Bompadre, Camila Branco, Chloé Mayere, Ambra Sartori, Emilie Trachsel, Zoé Valbret and Jiabin Xu will bring you for 8 episodes into the laboratories of the University of Geneva. In this teaser you will have hints about the upcoming episodes.
Teaser
October 28, 2020 09:21 - 1 minute - 616 KBFrom next week Rouaa Ben Chaabene, Olimpia Bompadre, Camila Branco, Chloé Mayere, Ambra Sartori, Emilie Trachsel, Zoé Valbret and Jiabin Xu will bring you for 8 episodes into the laboratories of the University of Geneva. In this teaser you will have hints about the upcoming episodes.