People Behind the Science Podcast - Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers
758 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 282 ratingsAre you searching for great stories to ignite your curiosity, teach you to perform better in life and career, inspire your mind, and make you laugh along the way? In this science podcast, Dr. Marie McNeely introduces you to the brilliant researchers behind the latest scientific discoveries. Join us as they share their greatest failures, most staggering successes, candid career advice, and what drives them forward in life and science.
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Greetings science fans!
We’re elated to welcome you to People Behind the Science where we explore the lives and experiences of the people behind the research and scientific discoveries of today.
People Behind the Science’s mission is to inspire current and future scientists, share the different paths to a successful career in science, educate the general population on what scientists do, and show the human side of science.
In each episode, a different scientist will guide us through their journey by sharing their successes, failures, and passions. We are excited to introduce you to these inspiring academic and industry experts from all fields of science to give you a variety of perspectives on the life and path of a scientist.
Our esteemed guests will tell you:
what motivates them and how they balance their competing responsibilities
how they worked through some of the most challenging times in their careers
advice to help you through your own journey through life and science
Our Podcast
People Behind the Science is a podcast focused on the people doing fascinating research through interviews with top scientists. We are proud to have interviewed so many inspiring scientists, including U.S. National Academy scientists like Josh Sanes, Nick Spitzer, Lou Muglia, Jacob Israelachvili, Gene Robinson, Larry Squire, John Dowling, James Berger, and David Spergel, as well as popular scientists in the media like Donna Nelson (science advisor for the TV show Breaking Bad) and Jack Horner (science advisor for the Jurassic park movies). We are honored to have shared their amazing stories with people in all 50 states in the USA and in over 120 countries across the world.
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Episodes
656: Expressing His Passion for Science and Bacterial Genetics - Dr. Stanley Maloy
May 16, 2022 07:00 - 49 minutes - 22.9 MBDr. Stanley Maloy is Dean of the College of Sciences, Associate Director of the Center for Microbial Sciences, and Professor in Biology at San Diego State University. Stanley’s lab is working on a new approach for delivering vaccines that may be beneficial for the development of new types of vaccines. They are also collaborating with colleagues in the biotech industry to investigate new approaches for developing antibiotics. When he's not working, Stanley loves traveling, reading, cooking, h...
655: Researching how the Brain Changes with Vision Rehabilitation - Dr. Tara Alvarez
May 09, 2022 07:00 - 38 minutes - 17.8 MBDr. Tara Alvarez is Professor of Bio-Medical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology and Chief Scientific Officer at OculoMotor Technologies. Tara’s research focuses on how we move our eyes, how visual information is brought in through our visual system, and how the brain changes. In particular, she studies a condition called convergence insufficiency. In this condition, people have difficulty and discomfort when reading or maintaining focus on near objects. She is working to bette...
654: Cool Research on Plant Responses to Temperature Stress - Dr. Malia Gehan
May 02, 2022 07:00 - 32 minutes - 15 MBDr. Malia Gehan is an Assistant Member at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Her research examines how to improve crops in terms of their response to temperature stress and other abiotic stresses. She is does this through examining natural variation in plants. There are many plants that are highly resilient in different environmental conditions but are not edible. Malia is investigating how to take useful traits from these hardy, weedy plants and incorporate them into crops. Outside o...
653: Examining How Environmental Factors Can Impact Our Heart Health - Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar
April 25, 2022 07:00 - 40 minutes - 18.7 MBDr. Aruni Bhatnagar is the Smith and Lucille Gibson Professor of Medicine, Director of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, Co-Director of the American Heart Association Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, and a Distinguished University Scholar at the University of Louisville. Much of Aruni’s work has focused on understanding how the heart and blood vessels work and how they become diseased. He developed a new field called environmental cardiology where he examines how exposure a...
652: Exciting Developments in Our Knowledge of Cortical Circuit Formation in the Mammalian Brain - Dr. Franck Polleux
April 18, 2022 07:00 - 44 minutes - 20.5 MBDr. Franck Polleux is a Professor of Neuroscience and member of the Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute at Columbia University. Franck’s research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie brain and neuronal development, how neural connectivity may be different in the human brain compared to other mammals, and signaling pathways affected in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of his research, Franck is an...
651: Studying Sea Worms and Discovering New Species - Dr. Pat Hutchings
April 11, 2022 07:00 - 38 minutes - 17.9 MBDr. Pat Hutchings is a Senior Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Museum Research Institute. She is a marine biologist who studies sea worms called polychaetes. Pat describes new species and works to understand where they live, what they do, and how diverse they are. These worms play an important role in the food chain and she has been devoted to studying them her entire career. Outside of science, Pat tries to spend her free time outdoors with activities like sailing and gardenin...
650: Finding Compounds in Fungi to Develop New Drugs to Fight Cancer - Dr. Nicholas Oberlies
April 04, 2022 07:00 - 44 minutes - 20.4 MBDr. Nicholas Oberlies is the Patricia A. Sullivan Distinguished Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Nick’s lab is working to discover compounds in fungi that may be able to be used for medicines, particularly new therapeutics to treat cancer in humans. Outside of research, Nick’s interests include exercising, playing soccer, and playing guitar. He also enjoys reading a wide variety of books. Nick was...
649: Fascinated by the Forces and Features that Contribute to Flow in Rocks and Ice - Dr. Christine McCarthy
March 28, 2022 07:00 - 36 minutes - 17 MBDr. Christine McCarthy is the Lamont Assistant Research Professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University. She studies the mechanical and geological features of ice and rocks. Even though on the surface rocks appear static, deep within the earth they undergo dynamic deformations, and she studies these processes, as well as how ice moves and flows. Outside of work, Christine enjoys visiting zoos, museums, and playgrounds with her family. Some of her other favorite pasti...
648: Investigating Interactions Between Neurons and Glial Cells in Health and Disease - Dr. Nathan Smith
March 21, 2022 07:00 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MBDr. Nathan Smith will soon be starting his new roles as Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion in Research and Research Education as well as Associate Professor of Neuroscience in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Rochester. Currently, Nathan is Director of Basic Neuroscience Research and a Principal Investigator in the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children's National Research Institute as well as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Pharmacology & Physiol...
647: Advancing Microbial Applications in Agricultural Management - Dr. Louis Schipper
March 14, 2022 08:00 - 47 minutes - 22 MBDr. Louis Schipper is a Professor in the School of Science at the University of Waikato. Research in Louis’s group focuses on how we can work with the land to achieve the food and other things we need while minimizing negative environmental impacts. To do this he looks at microorganisms in the soil and the cycling of nutrients in soil. Louis likes to spend his free time with his family. He and his wife are involved in Cub Scouts with their two kids, and they enjoy getting outdoors, hiking, a...
646: Examining the Genetic Basis of the Evolution of Plant Innovations - Dr. Verónica Di Stilio
March 07, 2022 08:00 - 41 minutes - 19.1 MBDr. Verónica Di Stilio is a full Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington. As a plant evolutionary biologist, Verónica is interested in understanding how the diversity of plant life came to be. In particular, she studies the evolution of plant innovations, like fruits and flowers. She is working to identify how the gene networks for these innovations evolved as well as how specific innovations related to fruits and flowers have evolved. When she’s not at work, V...
645: Laboring to Understand the Interactions Between Pregnancy and the Immune System - Dr. Elizabeth Bonney
February 28, 2022 08:00 - 39 minutes - 18.2 MBDr. Bonney is a Professor and Director of the Research Division in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Vermont. She studies the immune systems of pregnant women. Dr. Bonney is trying to understand why the female body doesn't reject the growing baby, even though it carries unfamiliar proteins from the father. Elizabeth is an enthusiastic gardener in her spare time. She has been cultivating carrots, radishes, herbs, mint, and more in her gard...
644: Wired for Innovation: Modifying the Manufacturing of Microelectrode Arrays for Cochlear Implants - Dr. Angelique Johnson
February 21, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.6 MBDr. Angelique C. Johnson is Founder and CEO of the startup company MEMStim LLC which is dedicated to reducing the cost of cochlear implants to treat hearing loss. She is also an adjunct faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Louisville. Angelique develops microfabricated arrays of wires for use in cochlear implants that can restore hearing loss and speech recognition. When she has free time, she loves engaging in great conversations with friends, enjoying ...
643: Modifying Microbes for a Multitude of Applications from Healthcare to Biofuels - Dr. Cullen Buie
February 14, 2022 08:00 - 48 minutes - 22.1 MBDr. Cullen Buie is an Associate Professor and the Esther and Harold E. Egerton Career Development Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In Cullen’s lab, they are working on a variety of projects that involve putting new nucleic acids or DNA into cells. For the most part, they use bacteria or other microbial cells and insert DNA that allow the cells to produce different things. When he’s not working, Cullen likes spending time with...
642: Expressing Her Creativity Making Epigenetic Machinery and Designing Biological Devices - Dr. Karmella Haynes
February 07, 2022 08:00 - 39 minutes - 18.3 MBSince recording this episode, Dr. Karmella Haynes has joined the faculty in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech School of Engineering and Emory University School of Medicine. At the time of recording, Karmella was an Assistant Professor in the Ira A. Fulton School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering at Arizona State University. She was also a senior judge for the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition. Karmella studies synthe...
641: Comparing the Cognitive Capacity of Canines, Humans, and Other Primates - Dr. Laurie Santos
January 31, 2022 08:00 - 37 minutes - 17.2 MBDr. Laurie Santos is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Comparative Cognition Laboratory at Yale University. She studies the cognitive abilities, strategies, and decision-making processes we use to see if any non-human species share these, or whether they are uniquely human. In her free time, Lori enjoys nature through leisurely hikes. She is also fascinated by celebrity autobiographies and memoirs, and she likes singing karaoke. Laurie received her B.A. in Psychology and Biology ...
640: A Pathway to Success: Studying Signal Transduction in Cancer and Other Diseases - Dr. Lewis Cantley
January 24, 2022 08:00 - 42 minutes - 19.8 MBDr. Lewis Cantley is the Director of the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical College as well as the Stanton Clinical Cancer Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. In addition, he is Co-Founder of Petra Pharma and Agios Pharmaceuticals. His research investigates signal transduction. He has spent most of his career trying to improve our understanding of cell signaling pathways at a molecular level since many diseases, such as cancer, involve defects in signaling. Outside science, ...
639: Colliding Particles to Comprehend the Components of Matter - Dr. Jon Butterworth
January 17, 2022 08:00 - 42 minutes - 19.4 MBDr. Jon Butterworth is a Professor of Physics at University College London. He works on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva. They are smashing particles together at extremely high energies and measuring what happens. Collecting data on these particle collisions provides information about the smallest and most basic components of our universe. Outside of science, Jon has two kids, and he spends most of his leisure time hanging out with them. He is also an avid writer and finds that wr...
638: Feeding Our Understanding of the Benefits of Bacteria in Human Health - Dr. Maria Marco
January 10, 2022 08:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MBDr. Maria Marco is an Associate Professor in The Department of Food Science & Technology at The University of California, Davis. Research in Maria’s lab focuses on understanding the good bacteria in the food that we eat. People tend to only think of the bacteria that can make us sick, but there are a lot of useful microbes in foods like yogurt and sauerkraut. Maria tries to identify the bacteria that are present in food and understand how they help change our food and contribute to our healt...
637: Investigating Intracellular Transport and Potential Links to Neurodegeneration - Dr. Sandra Encalada
January 03, 2022 08:01 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MBDr. Sandra Encalada is the Arlene and Arnold Goldstein Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine and a Dorris Neuroscience Center Investigator at Scripps Research Institute in California. Sandra is a cell biologist whose research focuses on how proteins and other materials travel from the cell bodies of nerve cells all the way to the tips of the nerve cells. This process (called “transport” or “trafficking”) is critical for proper function of nerve cells, and it is highly r...
637: Dr. Sandra Encalada: Investigating Intracellular Transport and Potential Links to Neurodegeneration
January 03, 2022 08:00 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MBDr. Sandra Encalada is the Arlene and Arnold Goldstein Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine and a Dorris Neuroscience Center Investigator at Scripps Research Institute in California. Sandra is a cell biologist whose research focuses on how proteins and other materials travel from the cell bodies of nerve cells all the way to the tips of the nerve cells. This process (called “transport” or “trafficking”) is critical for proper function of nerve cells, and it is highly r...
636: Shining a Light on the Regulation of Circadian Rhythms in Health and Disease - Dr. Russell Foster
December 20, 2021 08:00 - 38 minutes - 17.7 MBDr. Russell Foster is Professor and Chair of Circadian Neuroscience, Supernumerary Fellow in Circadian Neuroscience, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, a Nicholas Kurti Senior Fellow, Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Head of The Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at Brasenose college at the University of Oxford. Research in Russell’s lab focuses on how body clocks, circadian rhythms, and sleep/wake cycles are are generated within the central nervous system, ...
635: Science with Style: Studying Plant Reproductive Biology - Dr. Spencer Barrett
December 13, 2021 08:00 - 58 minutes - 26.7 MBDr. Spencer Barrett is the University Professor, Canada Research Chair, and Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. He is an Evolutionary Biologist who specializes in ecological and evolutionary genetics, as well as plant reproductive biology. He also considers himself a plant explorer because he is able to go out to exotic places to find cool plants. Spencer loves exploring new places. When he's at home, he enjoys spending time in his ga...
634: Hunting for Answers to Explain Unexpected Chimpanzee Behaviors and Tool Use - Dr. Jill Pruetz
December 06, 2021 08:00 - 45 minutes - 21.1 MBDr. Jill Pruetz is a Professor of Anthropology at Iowa State University and a National Geographic Society Emerging Explorer. In addition, Jill is the founder of the non-profit organization NeighborApe that she founded in 2008. Jill is an anthropologist who studies chimpanzees as a model system to understand behaviors in species that are related to us that existed millions of years ago. Jill loves being outdoors, whether it’s spending time with chimpanzees in the field or hiking near home. Sh...
633: Demonstrating Laser Focus Studying Materials Science with Solid-State NMR - Dr. Sophia Hayes
November 29, 2021 08:00 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MBDr. Sophia Hayes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. In the lab, Sophia studies the chemistry, physics, and engineering of materials we encounter in daily life like plastics and semiconductors. As a materials scientist, she is using a technique called nuclear magnetic resonance to learn more about these materials.Sophia's time away from science is spent with her family and her two newly adopted dogs. She enjoys sailing and skiing wi...
632: Injecting Humor and Optimism into the Study of Viral Infections in the Brain - Dr. Glenn Rall
November 22, 2021 08:00 - 52 minutes - 24.3 MBDr. Glenn Rall is a Professor at the Fox Chase Cancer Center. He is also the Leader of the Inflammation Working Group there and Co-Leader of the Immune Cell Development and Host Defense Program. In addition, Glenn is the Associate Chief Academic Officer and Director of the Postdoctoral Program. Glenn also serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Microbiology and Immunology departments at Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University, and Drexel University. Glenn...
631: Conducting Critical Research in Conservation Focused on Sewage Pollution - Dr. Stephanie Wear
November 15, 2021 08:00 - 45 minutes - 21 MBDr. Stephanie Wear is a Senior Scientist and Strategy Advisor at The Nature Conservancy, as well as a Visiting Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and a Visiting Scientist at Duke University Marine Lab. Stephanie’s career has been dedicated to conservation, and her work has spanned a variety of threats to marine ecosystems, including overfishing and management, the impacts of climate change, and sewage pollution. When she’s not ...
630: Mapping Our Genetic Make-Up in the Human Genome Project and Beyond - Dr. Eric Green
November 08, 2021 08:00 - 51 minutes - 23.6 MBDr. Eric Green is the Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health. Eric works in the field of genomics. Everything from cars to houses has a blueprint of information that defines its creation and operation. The field of genomics studies DNA, the information molecule of living cells, to understand how living organisms are created and operate. While his research can be time consuming, Eric loves digital photography because of the technological ...
629: Egg-cell-ent Research in Reproduction, Fertilization, and Embryonic Development - Dr. Mariana Wolfner
November 01, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 18 MBDr. Mariana Wolfner is the Goldwin Smith Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow at Cornell University. Mariana studies reproduction, focusing on interactions between male and female molecules throughout the reproductive process and how these interactions evolved. Also, how does an egg switch from being a differentiated egg cell to a brand new organism that is going to divide and make every kind of cell in the organism. Outside science, Mariana ...
628: Investigating Plant-Based Medicines to Battle Infectious Disease and Antibiotic Resistance - Dr. Cassandra Quave
October 25, 2021 07:00 - 52 minutes - 24.1 MBDr. Cassandra Quave holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor of Dermatology in the Emory University School of Medicine and Emory Center for the Study of Human Health. She is also Director/Curator of the Emory University Herbarium, CEO of CLQ Botanicals (a company providing consulting services on botanicals for personal care, skin health, and cosmetics), CEO and Chief Scientist of PhytoTEK LLC (a start-up biotech company dedicated to R&D and commercialization of novel anti-infective ...
627: Sorting Out the Science of Fruit Fly Flight and Behavior - Dr. Michael Dickinson
October 18, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 20.6 MBDr. Michael Dickinson is the Esther M. and Abe M. Zarem Professor of Bioengineering at the California Institute of Technology. His work focuses on the biomechanics and the biophysics of life with a particular focus on how animals fly. He looks at these questions through a neuroscientific lens, trying to understand behavior and flight control. In addition to being an excellent scientist, Michael is quite the enthusiastic musician. He played guitar for many years, and has been strumming on th...
626: Digging into the Fossil Record to Understand our Planet’s Past and Aid Present Conservation Efforts - Dr. Michael Archer
October 11, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 29 MBDr. Michael Archer is a Professor of Paleobiology in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Mike is a paleontologist who is fascinated with understanding the continuity of life over billions of years. He spends his free time watching Sci-Fi movies, including classics like Jurassic Park (one of his all-time favorites). Mike received his undergraduate education from Princeton University in Geology and Biology. He was awarde...
625: An Organic Chemist Leading the Charge Studying Antiaromatic Ions - Dr. Nancy Mills
October 04, 2021 07:00 - 37 minutes - 17.2 MBDr. Nancy Mills was a Murchison Professor (2011-2014) at Trinity University. She works at a primarily undergraduate institution as an organic chemist. Typically organic chemists make things like drugs or polymers. When trying to make things, they really focus on making stable compounds. Nancy has actually created a rare unstable (anti-aromatic) compound that does not turn into a stable one. In addition to her love of science, Nancy enjoys reading mystery books, cooking, and ultralight backpa...
624: Making Valuable Contributions to the Proliferation of Exciting Discoveries in Virology - Dr. James Pipas
September 27, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 17.9 MBDr. James Pipas is the Herbert W. and Grace Boyer Chair in Molecular Biology and Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Jim's lab studies how viruses work, how they interact with us, and where they come from. They also use viruses as tools to understand how our own biology works. For example, they study viruses that cause cancer. Outside of science, Jim's passions include entertaining and exploring. He composes music, sings, and produces shows with his brother all ...
623: Examining the Migration of Marine Animals to Inform Management and Conservation - Dr. Autumn-Lynn Harrison
September 20, 2021 07:00 - 47 minutes - 21.8 MBDr. Autumn-Lynn Harrison is Program Manager of the Migratory Connectivity Project and a Research Ecologist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Duke University and an Affiliate Professor at George Mason University. Her research focuses on the migration of marine animals such as seabirds and seals. In order to help manage and conserve these animals, she uses data from small tracking tags to understand where these animals go, the habitats they...
622: Surgeon and Scientist Studying Signal Transduction in Head and Neck Cancer - Dr. Jennifer Grandis
September 13, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBDr. Jennifer Grandis is a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and Associate Vice Chancellor of Clinical and Translational Research at the University of California, San Francisco. She is also an American Cancer Society Professor. Jennifer is a Cancer Biologist as well as a head and neck surgeon. Her research revolves around understanding the key features of head and neck cancer that can be used to...
621: Making Critical Connections to Clarify the Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity - Dr. Robert Malenka
September 06, 2021 07:00 - 58 minutes - 27 MBDr. Robert C. Malenka is the Pritzker Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Pritzker Laboratory, and Deputy Director of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University. Rob's research focuses on how brain cells communicate with each other through chemical and electrical signals. They examine how the connections between neurons (synapses) work at a molecular level. He also studies the molecular mechanisms involved in changes to our nervous system (plasti...
620: Hunting Down Genes that Cause Human Disease - Dr. Wendy Chung
August 30, 2021 07:00 - 40 minutes - 18.7 MBDr. Wendy Chung is the Herbert Irving Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine and Director of Clinical Genetics at Columbia University. As a human molecular geneticist, she seeks out rare and unexpected causes behind health problems in people. Her laboratory works to identify genes that cause human diseases and use this information to inform the creation of novel treatments in the future. Wendy spends most of her free time with her family. She has two sons, and they like to get outsid...
619: Long-Term Success in Research on Memory, Language, and the Brain - Dr. Randi Martin
August 23, 2021 07:00 - 50 minutes - 23.2 MBDr. Randi Martin is the Elma Schneider Professor in the Department of Psychology at Rice University and an Adjunct Professor of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Science at Baylor College of Medicine. Randi's lab studies how the brain carries out language and memory functions. To do this, they work with people who have had damage to specific areas in the brain (a stroke, for example) to see what abilities are affected and unaffected. This allows them to map problems in language and memor...
618: Investigating How the Brain Allows Us to Learn and Use Language - Dr. Gabriella Vigliocco
August 16, 2021 07:00 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MBDr. Gabriella Vigliocco is Professor of Psychology and Language Sciences in the Department of Experimental Psychology at University College London. There, she is also Director of the Cognition and Language Laboratory and Director of the Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme in the Ecological Study of the Brain. In addition, Gabriella is a Scientist in Residence at the Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute in Philadelphia. Gabriella’s lab studies how children learn language and how adults u...
617: Restoring a Sense of Hope for People with Hearing Loss Through Research on Hair Cell Regeneration - Dr. Jim Hudspeth
August 09, 2021 07:00 - 47 minutes - 22.1 MBDr. Jim Hudspeth is the F.M. Kirby Professor at The Rockefeller University, and he leads the Laboratory of Sensory Neuroscience there. In addition, he is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. In the lab, Jim studies hearing to address common hearing problems and to understand how the ear is able to accomplish impressive feats such as allowing us to hear very high frequencies, sensing extremely small vibrations, and detecting sounds across a large range of amplitude or power. As a ...
616: Excellent Research Examining Enzymes and Protein Engineering - Dr. Vic Arcus
August 02, 2021 07:00 - 43 minutes - 19.8 MBDr. Vic Arcus is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. In the lab, Vic works as a biochemist to understand the function of enzymes both within and outside of cells. Lately, he has also been studying the evolution of enzymes. Vic's interests outside of science include music and exercise. He is an amateur triathlete and also takes a piano lessons once a week. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Organic Chemistry from the University of Wa...
615: Studying Stress and its Connection with Chronic Pain - Dr. Jennifer Graham-Engeland
July 26, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutes - 19.4 MBDr. Jennifer Graham-Engeland is an Associate Professor in the Biobehavioral Health Department at The Pennsylvania State University. Jennifer investigates how psychological stress affects physical health. Though there are some instances where stress can be beneficial, severe or chronic stress can be harmful and debilitating. Jennifer’s research has focused on how people with chronic pain respond to stress and how psychological, behavioral, and physiological changes may explain the connection ...
614: Sound Science in Restoring Hearing with Cochlear Implants - Dr. Fan-Gang Zeng
July 19, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 17.9 MBDr. Fan-Gang Zeng is Director of the Center for Hearing Research and Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, Cognitive Sciences and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, Irvine. The goal of Fan-Gang's work is to help people with hearing impairments hear better. He does this using an electronic device (cochlear implant) that can stimulate a nerve to allow people with hearing loss to hear again. He also works to solve a hearing problem o...
613: Conducting Diverse Research in Macroevolution, Macroecology, and Microbial Biogeography - Dr. Hélène Morlon
July 12, 2021 07:00 - 34 minutes - 16 MBDr. Hélène Morlon is a Research Scientist with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) at the Institute of Biology at the Ecole Nomale Supérieure in Paris. She is also affiliated to the Interdisciplinary Center for Research in Biology at the Collège de France. Hélène studies biodiversity and is interested in understanding questions like why there are more species in certain regions of the planet and why some groups of organisms are more diverse than others. She studies a variety o...
612: Studying How Objects Move in Space and Determining Low Energy Paths to the Moon and Mars - Dr. Ed Belbruno
July 05, 2021 07:00 - 50 minutes - 23.4 MBDr. Ed Belbruno is a professional artist, specializing in abstract expressionist paintings, Clinical Professor of Mathematics at Yeshiva University, a Visiting Research Associate in the Astrophysics Department at Princeton University, and President and Founder of the company Innovative Orbital Design. Ed is a mathematician who applies his work to answer questions in celestial mechanics, the branch of astronomy that examines how rockets, asteroids, moons, and other objects move in space. In p...
611: Translating Gene Expression Experiments into Therapies for Human Disease - Dr. Andrea Califano
June 28, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutes - 19.3 MBDr. Andrea Califano is the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Chemical Systems Biology in the Departments of Systems Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, and Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University. He is Founding Chair of the Department of Systems Biology, Director of the JP Sulzberger Columbia Genome Center, and Associate Director for Bioinformatics of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. In the lab, Andrea is trying to develop what we can think of as a blueprint or ...
610: Learning About Language Processing and Treating Word Retrieval Deficits in People with Aphasia - Dr. Sharon Antonucci
June 21, 2021 07:00 - 33 minutes - 15.3 MBDr. Sharon Antonucci is a clinical researcher, speech-language pathologist, and Director of the MossRehab Aphasia Center. She works primarily with people who have a language impairment called aphasia as a result of a stroke. Sharon is particularly interested in understanding how information related to the meaning of words can be accessed in people with aphasia and how this may influence a person’s ability to retrieve words. Another line of research she is working on examines word retrieval i...
609: Fueling Up on Inspiration Investigating How Bacteria Can Facilitate Biofuel Production - Dr. Jan Westpheling
June 14, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 20.6 MBDr. Jan Westpheling is a Professor of Genetics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia. In the lab, Jan is dedicated to her research on biofuels. Her lab works to engineer bacteria that help convert non-food crop plants like switchgrass into useful fuels like ethanol. Jan lives on eight acres of old-growth forest and loves gardening. She has been planting specific trees to attract birds and also putting out bird feeders. As a result, her property is like a b...
608: A Neuroscientist Following His Nose to Exciting Discoveries in Neuromodulation of Olfactory Circuits - Dr. Ricardo Areneda
June 07, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 20.2 MBDr. Ricardo Araneda is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland. In the lab, Ricardo is dedicated to studying the sense of smell. Smells are important for communication for a lot of animals, and there is a strong link between smell and taste. He studies the cells in the brain that help us determine what we are smelling and make decisions about how to respond to it. Ricardo has a variety of hobbies outside of science, including painting, photography, a...