Biologists Being Basic

The B3 team is back for an episode discussing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. B3 hosts Robyn and Kelsey are joined by their colleagues Drs. Lorena Zuliani-Alvarez and Ujjwal Rathore, and their guest Laura Gladson, to talk about what vaccines are, as well as our own experiences in getting vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Then we take a look at the common misconceptions, and try to address frequently asked questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. For a full transcript, please visit our website’s transcript page where you can find both the online and downloadable versions. http://biosbeingbasic.podomatic.net/transcripts. If you have any questions or comments you can email us at [email protected] or find us on twitter or instagram (@biosbeingbasic).  See our website for more details (http://biosbeingbasic.podomatic.net).

In our second episode revisiting SARS-CoV-2 research we examine how SARS-CoV-2 infects cardiac cells and causes damage to the heart. We talk to co-authors Sarah Rockwood, Dr. Juan Perez-Bermejo, and Dr. Serah Kang about how they use induced pluripotent stem cells to study the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on heart tissue. News coverage of this study, and the STAT article that is referenced during the episode can be found here: https://abc7news.com/covid-heart-damage-palpitations-san-francisco-gladstone-institutes-attack/10433711/ https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/04/carnage-in-lab-dish-shows-how-coronavirus-may-damage-heart/ The primary peer-reviewed research article, published in Science Translational Medicine, titled “SARS-CoV-2 infection of human iPSC-derived cardiac cells reflects cytopathic features in hearts of patients with COVID-19” can be found here: https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/early/2021/03/15/scitranslmed.abf7872 If you have any questions or comments you can email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter or Instagram (@biosbeingbasic). See our website for more details (biologistsbeingbasic.com).

In this episode we revisit SARS-CoV-2 research and take a look at new studies that have built on the work completed early in the pandemic. We focus on a story featuring Plitidepsin, a cancer drug that is being repurposed and tested in clinical trials to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. This discussion features B3 hosts Gina, Mehdi and Robyn who are joined by scientists Dr. Lucy Thorne and Dr. Ann-Kathrin Reuschl. You can find the first article that was published in Science, “Plitidepsin has potent preclinical efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 by targeting the host protein eEF1A” here: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6532/926 You can find the second pre-print article, “Host-directed therapies against early-lineage SARS-CoV-2 retain efficacy against B.1.1.7 variant” at bioRxiv here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.24.427991v2 If you have any questions or comments you can email us at [email protected] or find us on twitter or instagram (@biosbeingbasic). See our website for more details (http://biosbeingbasic.podomatic.net).

The B3 team is back and in honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, we produced an episode that focuses on women in science. Join B3 hosts Robyn, Paige, Gina, and Alexa as we have a candid discussion about our own experiences in science and the women scientists we have looked up to and learned about during our careers. If you have any questions or comments you can email us at [email protected] or find us on twitter or instagram (@biosbeingbasic). Episode notes: The Sago Show by Rachel Lucero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVE8si4FfnA Food52 article by Amelia Rampe: https://food52.com/blog/24700-maria-orosa-profile Esquire article by Mario Alvaro Limos: https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/maria-orosa-the-war-hero-who-invented-banana-ketchup-a00293-20191109

In our last episode of 2020, come join our B3 holiday party and get to know teammates Robyn, Michael, Alexa, Gina, Paige, Joe, Mehdi and Kelsey! No science in this one, just some holiday cheer as we sit around the proverbial Zoom fireplace to ask and answer some comical questions. Episode notes: If Michael were a wrestler, this is the song he would walk out to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WN0T-Ee3q4 If Mehdi were a wrestler, this is the song he would walk out to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw