Satchin Panda is a professor in Salk’s Regulatory Biology Laboratory. He explores the genes, molecules and cells that keep the whole body on the same biological clock, also known as a circadian rhythm. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Panda talks about what a biological clock is, how living in sync with your clock can improve your health, and how growing up in India informed his research.
Dmitry Lyumkis is an assistant professor in Salk’s Laboratory of Genetics. He is using an imaging technique called cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to better understand the structure and function of proteins. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Lyumkis talks about his transition from the Soviet Union to the USA, what three-dimensional images can reveal about protein assemblies, and why Salk is such an inspirational place to pursue science.
Julie Law is an associate professor in Salk's Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory. She studies chemical modifications to DNA that control genes. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, she describes why gene control matters, how her research may help address global warming, and what she enjoys doing outside of the lab.
Gerald Pao is a staff scientist in the lab of Professor Tony Hunter. Trained in molecular biology, he has diverse research interests. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Pao discusses his international upbringing, his coronavirus research, and trying to make animals transparent.
Joseph Noel is a professor and director of Salk’s Jack H. Skirball Center for Chemical Biology and Proteomics. He studies the structure and chemistry of compounds produced by plants. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Noel talks about his love of nature; coming from a family of coal miners; and whether elephant poop is good for tomatoes.
Molly Matty is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Associate Professor Sreekanth Chalasani. She is interested in how environmental microbes can elicit changes in behavior and neuronal signaling in microscopic worms called C. elegans. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Matty talks about gaining insights into human behavior from these tiny worms; pun competitions; and sharing her love of science through Salk’s Education Outreach.
Salk research professor Marga Behrens is a member of Salk’s Computational Neurobiology Laboratory. She examines genes, environmental influences and the interplay between the two to determine why some individuals develop a neurodevelopmental disorder while others do not. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Behrens talks about the brain’s slow maturation; how she uses molecular tools to study mental disorders; and why science is one of her two great loves.
Wolfgang Busch is a professor and the co-director of Salk’s Harnessing Plants Initiative. He is a renowned plant biologist who focuses on understanding plant roots, which are critical for obtaining water and nutrients from the soil and play a major role in the global carbon cycle. On this episode of Where Cures Begin , he talks about why he left microbiology for plant biology; how plants can help address climate change; and possibly having the biggest collection of root movies in the world.
Where Cures Begin is the podcast of the Salk Institute, highlighting the iconic institution’s cutting-edge science and the researchers making it all possible. On the podcast, hosts Allie Akmal and Brittany Fair continue to interview Salk’s internationally renowned and award-winning scientists, who explore the very foundations of life, and learn about new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more.
Rusty Gage is a professor and Salk’s president as well as one of the world’s most renowned authorities in neuroscience. Aside from discovering neurogenesis, Gage has made many critical discoveries in the fields of genetics, mental disorders and aging-related dementia, like Alzheimer’s. In this episode, he talks about what it’s like to lead both a research lab and one of the top scientific research institutes in the world.
Joanne Chory is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, professor and director of Salk’s Harnessing Plants Initiative. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, the globally renowned researcher describes how plants can help mitigate climate change. Specifically, by understanding and improving several genetic pathways in plants, the Salk team aims to develop plants that grow bigger, more robust root systems containing an increased amount of suberin (cork) to absorb larger amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, and bury the carbon-rich suberin deep in the soil. Read more: www.salk.edu/hpi
Ken Diffenderfer is assistant director of Salk’s Stem Cell Core facility. For this episode of Where Cures Begin, he explains what stem cells are, why they are so valuable for research, and what their favorite medium is (sadly, it’s not audio).
Nicola Allen is an associate professor at Salk. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Allen discusses her research investigating star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes. Once thought to be merely supportive cells in the brain, astrocytes have a much more important role in health and disease than previously thought. We also take an audio tour of her lab to learn about the process of scientific discovery.
Dannielle Engle is an assistant professor at Salk, with a personal and professional connection to pancreatic cancer. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Engle tells us why pancreatic cancer is both hard to detect and hard to treat, as well as innovative approaches her lab is taking to tackle these deadly tumors.
Emily Manoogian is a postdoctoral fellow at Salk, where she studies the biological clock that affects every cell in our body. The lab she works in has made several discoveries showing that eating within a certain number of hours (dubbed the time-restricted diet) can have a host of health benefits. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Manoogian shares insight about when is best to eat and workout among other tidbits to maintain a healthy body and mind.
Tony Hunter is an American Cancer Society Professor at Salk who has garnered many prestigious international awards for his work. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Hunter shares highlights from his 50-year journey as a scientist, including how he made the critical discovery that launched an entirely new class of anti-cancer drugs.
Eiman Azim is an assistant professor at Salk. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, he speaks about how the brain controls skilled movements such as throwing a dart. Azim uses cutting-edge technologies to lay the groundwork for better treatment and recovery of motor function after injury and disease.Azim also shares about his life as a husband and dad, and the importance of training the next generation of scientists.
Where Cures Begin is the Salk Institute’s podcast that highlights cutting-edge science and the researchers making it all possible. On the podcast, hosts Allie Akmal and Brittany Fair interview Salk’s internationally renowned and award-winning scientists to explore the very foundations of life, and learn about new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more.
Nikki Lytle is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Professor Geoffrey Wahl. She studies protein interactions involved in cancer. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Lytle discusses growing up in rural Oregon, what she loves about science, and why she said she’d never work on cancer (but does now).
Tom Albright is a professor and director of Salk's Vision Center Laboratory. He combines physiological, neurological and computational studies, to reveal how the brain enables humans to perceive and respond to varying sensory demands. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Albright talks about eyewitness recognition, the neuroscience of architecture, and why he's not a fan of sweet potatoes.