As we approach our one hundredth episode, travel back with us to the origins of the podcast in our premiere episode, "Team and Jam and Protein Separation." In this debut, we explored the vital process of protein separation—an essential technique in biochemistry and pharmaceuticals that continues to impact human health in significant ways.
Join us as Dr. Aravind Asokan from Duke University explores cutting-edge technologies revolutionizing advanced therapies, including CRISPR, mRNA, viral vectors, and cell therapies. He shares key lessons from past challenges, discusses scalability, product quality, and how integrating various therapeutic approaches is shaping the future of disease treatment. This episode covers exciting advancements in AAV with CRISPR, CAR T cell therapy, circular RNA, and virus-like particles (VLPs). Show notes: Asokan A, et al. ‘An evolved AAV variant enables efficient genetic engineering of murine T cells’. Cell. 2023 Jan 19;186(2):446-460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.022
Dive into the fascinating world of virology as we welcome Nobel Prize-winning virologist Dr. Michael Houghton on this episode of Discovery Matters. We explore Dr. Houghton's groundbreaking work in identifying the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and his enduring quest to combat this global health threat. From the monumental discovery of HCV in 1982 to the revolutionary diagnostic tests that nearly eradicated transfusion-related hepatitis C by the mid-1990s, Dr. Houghton provides an engaging and insightful journey through decades of scientific innovation. Show notes Richard D Roberts, Patrick C Kyllonen, ‘Morningness–eveningness and intelligence: early to bed, early to rise will likely make you anything but wise!’ Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 27, Issue 6, 1999. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00054-9. Taquet, MaximeLone, Nazir et al. ‘Cognitive and psychiatric symptom trajectories 2–3 years after hospital admission for COVID-19: a longitudinal, prospective cohort study in the UK.’ The Lancet Psychiatry, Volume 11, Issue 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00214-1
Eco-design, collaboration, circular economy. These are the bywords of sustainability in biopharma. Join Ryan Walker, Senior Director of Sustainability at Cytiva, and Aude Arkham, Global Head of Eco Design and Circular Economy at Sanofi, as they explore how eco-design and circular economy initiatives are shaping the future of healthcare. We delve into challenges, achievements, and the transformational potential of sustainability efforts within biopharma. From Sanofi’s life cycle assessments to industry-wide data difficulties, this episode navigates the complex landscape of creating greener solutions without compromising innovation and compliance.
In this episode of "Discovery Matters," we dive into the powerful intersection of big data and artificial intelligence. Joined by Matej Macak, a partner from McKinsey, we unravel how AI and machine learning are revolutionizing our approach to finding new, effective medications. With Tom Yankeelov, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Diagnostic Medicine, Oncology at the University of Texas for Austin, we'll explore the "problem of averages" and much more.
What does 'the body as a bioreactor' mean? In this discussion how scientists use the body's machinery to produce therapeutic proteins. Scott Ripley, General Manager of Nucleic Acids at Cytiva, explains that traditional bioprocessing uses external bioreactors, while the new approach leverages the body's natural processes. This method offers benefits like longer protein half-life and the ability to express multiple proteins simultaneously. Justin Eyquem, assistant professor at University of California San Francisco, discusses the potential of in vivo CAR T cell therapy, which could simplify manufacturing and reduce costs. Both approaches face challenges in quality assurance and regulatory approval but hold promise for personalized and more effective treatments.
We're diving into advanced therapies with industry leaders. Emmanuel Abate, President of Genomic Medicine at Cytiva discussed the strategies to accelerate clinical work and reduce costs. Nathaniel Wang, CEO and Co-Founder of Replicate Bioscience highlighted their ground breaking self-replicating RNA technology, showcasing impressive clinical results for a rabies vaccine. Both experts emphasized the momentum in biotech, the potential of AI in advancing science, and the importance of making innovative therapies accessible globally. Stay tuned for these insights. Show notes Beneath Everest, a lone caretaker struggles to keep one of the world’s highest laboratories alive Integrating human endogenous retroviruses into transcriptome-wide association studies highlights novel risk factors for major psychiatric conditions Keywords: vaccines, advanced therapies, mRNA, manufacturing, technology, patients, innovation, new modalities.
From gene and cell therapies, to the use of CRISPR and other precision engineering technologies, this episode dives into the opportunities and challenges of the emerging field of advanced therapies. On Discovery Matters this week, Dodi and Conor are joined by Daria Donati, Chief Scientific Officer of Genomic Medicine at Cytiva, as well as Jen Moody, Vice President of External Innovation of Genomic Medicines at Danaher, to discuss the science, progress, and potential of advanced therapeutics. Demaris Mills, Group Executive of Genomic Medicines at IDT, and experts Fyodor Urnov, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Director of Technology & Translation at the Innovative Genomics Institute, cover the technologies used in gene and cell therapies as well as CRISPR to deliver powerful and precise treatments aiming for a healthier future.
Can you tell the difference between a human and AI? Of course you can…right? We challenge Conor and Dodi to tell the difference between Conor and Conor BOT all while uncovering how AI is transforming the life sciences. Uncover how AI is transforming the life sciences. Together with an AI-bot the pair explore the potential applications of AI in drug discovery, personalizing medical treatments, protein folding, and more. They also consider the ethical considerations required when developing AI models, as well as the need for emotional intelligence in AI systems. Keywords: AI, ethical dilemma, bias, misinformation, datasets, diagnostics, drug discovery, healthcare.
Let's explore the remarkable colour-changing abilities of cephalopods. Joined by Dan Wilson from the Kostas Research Institute at Northeastern University, the team dive into the fascinating research behind the development of paints that respond to environmental stimuli, such as sunlight. They also discuss titanium dioxide and how it acts as a facilitator of the colour-changing process. Professor Alon Gorodetsky, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, talks about his research on developing energy-responsive dyes to mimic the features of octopi. Discover the potential applications of these dyes from diagnostics to resource-constrained initiatives, and more. Listen in and discover this remarkable evolutionary adaptation and the incredible ingenuity of cephalopods.
In this episode of Discovery Matters, hosts Dodi and Conor explore how synthetic biology can lead to transformative breakthroughs when it comes to dealing with global health problems. Through their conversation with Justin Vigar, a PhD student in Dr. Keith Pardee's lab at the University of Toronto in Canada, we learn how his team's paper-based diagnostic tool has the potential to provide faster, more cost-efficient, and accessible diagnostics for underserved locations. This is complemented by Amir Pandi and Tobi Erb's discussion of using AI and synthetic biology to develop new antimicrobial peptides. Show notes • U of T PhD student uses synthetic biology to create low-cost diagnostic tools. • Pandi, A., Adam, D., Zare, A. et al. Cell-free biosynthesis combined with deep learning accelerates de novo-development of antimicrobial peptides. Nat Commun 14, 7197 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42434-9 • Khalek IS, et al. Synthetic development of a broadly neutralizing antibody against snake venom long-chain α-neurotoxins. Sci Transl Med. 2024 Feb 21;16(735). https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adk1867 • Josh A Goldstein, Jason Chao, Shelby Grossman, Alex Stamos, Michael Tomz, How persuasive is AI-generated propaganda?, PNAS Nexus, Volume 3, Issue 2, February 2024. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae034
Tune in to Discovery Matters to see how we can drug the undruggable. Dodi and Conor talk to Mark Bray, a second year PhD student in the Bowman Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, about the concept of “drugging the undruggable” for drug discovery and development. They discuss advances in medical research which has enabled us to drug molecular targets that were previously inaccessible, and the strategies that are used to devise and find effective drugs. Vicky Richon, CEO at Entact Bio, elucidates the importance of a revolutionary “induced proximity” modality for unprecedented drug treatments. Listen to this episode to understand modern approaches to treating diseases and uncovering cures.
Explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to revolutionize biomedical research and make personalized healthcare a reality. Tune in to Discovery Matters to see how AI and machine learning will be the future of biomedical research. Featuring interviews with Professor Kourosh Saeb-Parsy and Dr Namshik Han — leaders in the AI and biotech space — this episode delves into the significance of advanced technology for unlocking discoveries in transplantation, understanding the causes of diseases, precision medicine, and more. Show notes: This AI learnt language by seeing the world through a baby’s eyes Computational phylogenetics reveal histories of sign languages
Let’s explore the world of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and their potential for improving human health. Our two guests—Principal Investigator Sasha Ebrahimi from GSK and oncologist Dr. Paolo Tarantino—discuss the development and advantages of ADCs, and how they can be used to personalize treatments for cancer and other illnesses. Sasha explains how ADCs combine the targeting capabilities of antibodies with the cytotoxic effects of drugs, while Dr. Tarantino delves into his research with breast cancer and immunotherapies. Learn more about the possibilities of ADCs in this insightful episode of Discovery Matters. Keywords: antibody drug conjugates, adc, chemotherapy, antibodies, cancer, oncology, patient, breast cancer.
Discovery Matters is back with our best episodes and insights from the past year. Dodi and Conor re-explore some cutting-edge ideas and technologies pushing the frontiers of science and medicine forward. We look back on some of our favorite episodes including therapies such as psychedelic drugs, the sentience of brain cells, and the potential of marine microbes to fight cancer. They explore the potential of DNA to create medicine, the use of organoids in drug testing, and the use of cryopreservation for cell therapies. Join us as we uncover newer and better ways of improving health through science. Find out why Discovery Matters to you and the world by tuning into this episode.
Join Conor and Dodi in the latest episode of Discovery Matters, as they explore the wonders of ground-breaking scientific discoveries from multidisciplinary collaboration. MIT's Professor Pete Dedon expresses how multidisciplinary approaches and unique combinations of experiences can help to produce unexpected results. Professor James Evans of the University of Chicago then brings in the concept of surprise and hypergraphs to uncover the connections between different fields of knowledge. With insights from their guests, the latest episode of Discovery Matters dives deep into the mechanics behind groundbreaking discoveries. Jump in and listen to discover new ways to think about innovations and uncover the next amazing breakthrough! Keywords: multidisciplinary, ideas, papers, surprise, science, combinations, teams, antibiotics, compounds, infectious diseases, malaria, space, serendipity.
Let’s explore the world of organoids and their potential to revolutionize disease treatment. Joined by Matthias Zilbauer and Roisin Owens, we look at the interplay of the gut-brain axis with organic electronic materials. Dive into the advances in organoid and microbial models used to develop treatments for illnesses such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis. Join Dodi and Conor to discover how bioengineering could change our understanding of health and disease - and our lives. Transcript Show notes Shi, F., Evans, J. Surprising combinations of research contents and contexts are related to impact and emerge with scientific outsiders from distant disciplines. Nat Commun 14, 1641 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36741-4. Moon landing: India’s home-grown tech cut the costs (nature.com) Keywords: microbiome, patient, model, cells, tissue, disease, gut, biological systems, microbes, biology, pediatric gastroenterology, science, organoids
In this episode of Discovery Matters, we discuss the exciting potential of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver genetic material and therapeutics to target cells and tissues. We are joined by Lloyd Jeffs, Senior Director of Biopharma Services at Precision NanoSystems, and Prof Dan Peer, Director of the Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine at Tel Aviv University. Dan shares how his team has developed siRNA LNPs to deliver treatment more efficiently for ovarian cancer patients. From Dan's unique perspective, learn why this technology is cutting-edge, and why it may help defeat one of mankind’s biggest enemies— cancer. Transcript Show notes Therapeutic gene silencing of CKAP5 leads to lethality in genetically unstable cancer cells | Science Advances Neuroscientists decoded a Pink Floyd song using people’s brain activity (sciencenews.org) Nutrients | Free Full-Text | Does Pizza Consumption Favor an Improved Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis? (mdpi.com) Keywords: ovarian cancer, nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles, genomic medicine, tumour, nucleic acids, cells, chemotherapy, drug, mrna, patients, sirna, rna.
Challenges of improving access to healthcare in developing countries - it's a conversation we need to have. With the help of Dr Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute, we discuss vaccination and immunization programs as a key aspect of public health and global development – especially in developing nations, where access to life-saving medicines is often limited or non-existent. Karen Heichman, Deputy Director of Diagnostics, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, takes us on a journey of the critical role of diagnostics in the fight against diseases. Tune in to hear how technology and innovation could help to bridge the gap in access to healthcare and potentially save lives in the process.
Through a discussion of combination therapies, Dodi and Conor delve into the mysterious power of the human microbiome, and antimicrobial resistance. With evidence of the microbiome being a key factor in fighting diseases, this episode highlights the importance of understanding and treating the microbiome and its potential to improve lives. Tune in to find out more and explore the possibilities of the microbiome with Dr Saman Maleki, and the power of serendipity with Prof Pete Dedon! Transcript Show notes Routy, B., Lenehan, J.G., Miller, W.H. et al. Fecal microbiota transplantation plus anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in advanced melanoma: a phase I trial. Nat Med 29, 2121–2132 (2023). A novel combination therapy counters antibiotic-resistant Mycobacterium abscessus infections (MIT news) 'Blight' warns that a future pandemic could start with a fungus (sciencenews.org) Hildebrandt, T., Peyser, D. The gut microbiome in anorexia nervosa. Nat Microbiol 8, 760–761 (2023). Keywords: microbiome, patients, immunotherapy, immune system, cancer, study, people, combination therapy, tumor, immuno-oncology, fungus, fecal transplant, anorexia nervosa, oncology, higher bmi
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