Nice Genes!

Pancreatic cancer has notoriously been hard to detect and treat. Changes in the KRAS gene cause cells to make a protein that make pancreatic cancer grow. And that protein has been notoriously difficult to target. But now, a promising new class of drugs is boldly going where no drug has gone before.In this episode, Dr. Kaylee Byers sits down with medical oncologist Dr. Brandon Huffman to unpack the science behind this breakthrough medication. And, we also meet pancreatic cancer patient and advocate, Stephanie Ramsey, who shares how genetics shaped her own cancer journey, and what these latest advances could mean for the people who need them most.From a once “undruggable” disease finally meeting its match, to questions around accessibility, Kaylee explores what this development could mean for the future of pancreatic cancer care.-Highlights 01:52- Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Hard to Treat?06:40- How Genetic Testing Changed Stephanie’s Cancer Journey22:25- A Breakthrough Drug. But Who Can Get It?-SourcesPancreatic cancer statistics (Canadian Cancer Society) Pancreatic cancer statistics (World Cancer Research Fund) Scientists finally crack an “undruggable” pancreatic cancer target and nearly double survivalFDA Approves First in Class Targeted Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Artificial Intelligence has gone from science fiction to something that is almost impossible to avoid in the day-to-day. But what happens when AI intersects with our DNA?On this episode we learn about a tool called CRISPR-GPT, which uses AI to help scientists design gene edits and tackle some of the challenges of treating rare diseases. We also confront the many ethical considerations that these technologies raise. Listen in as geneticist Dr. Le Cong and bioethicist Dr. Mohammed Hosseini join Kaylee to explore the possibilities – and pitfalls – of putting this much computational power to work on our body’s building blocks.Who gets to use these tools? How do we keep them safe? And when it comes to AI and genomics, should we… slow our roll?-Highlights05:51- CRISPR-GPT: Your AI Gene-Editing Assistant19:21- Could We Bring Back the Neanderthals?23:36-  When Science Needs a Safety Catch-SourcesCRISPR-GPT Turns Novice Scientists into Gene Editing Experts A plea for caution and guidance about using AI in genomicsMohammad Hosseini: Should AI be used to resurrect extinct species like the Neanderthal?

Many rare genetic diseases are caused by a “typo” in our DNA. For most, fixing that spelling mistake has been out of reach. But a  recent  clinical trial has changed everything, opening up the door for possible cures we never thought were possible through a cutting-edge gene-editing tool called prime editing.In this episode, Ty Sperle takes us through his own story of being cured of a rare disease called chronic granulomatous disease  while his doctor, Dr. Stuart Turvey gives Kaylee the 411 on the science behind Ty’s treatment – and what it could mean for rare diseases more broadly. We also make a stop at the PrimeSight Lab, where researchers are exploring how prime editing could help bring the world into focus for people with inherited vision loss.For a treatment that once sounded like science fiction, could prime editing be a glimpse of the future of medicine?-Highlights00:01 -  Ty’s World-First Cure07:11 -  Inside the Prime Editing Revolution23:43 -  Can Prime Editing Restore Sight?-SourcesFirst-in-world BC patient successfully treated for rare immune diseaseB.C. teen cured of rare diseaseFuture Perspectives of Prime Editing for the Treatment of Inherited Retinal Diseases

For the past 25 years, we’ve been hearing that male contraceptives are just a few years away. And then a few more… and then some more after that. So for something that has been in development for such a long time, what is with the hold up? In this episode, Dr. Kaylee Byers takes us through the history of birth control – from silk condoms to beaver testicles – before heading back to high school bio for a good old-fashioned male anatomy lesson. Then, urologist Dr. Premal Patel walks us through the current options for males (spoiler alert: not a lot), and endocrinologist Dr. Stephanie Page gives us the lowdown on some of the promising gels, pills, injections and other methods that could finally change the game. So hit play for some sexy science– from vasectomies, to genomics and infertility research, to reproductive equity for all. -Highlights2:18 - The wacky history of contraceptive methods7:54 -  Breaking down misconceptions of vasectomies 18:29 -  A gel and a frontrunner for male birth control -SourcesThe History and Future of Birth Control - Live ScienceWorld Contraception Day: 10 of history’s most horrible contraceptives - BBCBreakthrough takes big step toward safe, reversible male contraception - Cornell

If you’ve ever watched the TV show Survivor, you know the rules: outwit, outplay, outlast.But in the animal kingdom, Survivor isn’t a game– in a very real way, it’s adapt, or…And as climate change intensifies and human disasters reshape the environment, animals are being forced to come up with new ways to cope- fast!In this season 6 premiere, host Dr. Kaylee Byers explores some winning (and losing) survival strategies. First up, wildlife biologist Dr. Kendall Calhoun takes us into the aftermath of wildfires to see how different animals are adapting to an ever-changing landscape. Then, evolutionary biologist Dr. Cara Love brings us to her work in Chernobyl, where a population of wolves is living a  radioactive life– and their genomes could even offer clues for cancer treatment.Highlights04:58 Deer vs. Squirrels – Who’s Built to Survive a Wildfire?12:27 Barry the Bear – The 500-Pound Bear Who Moved In After a Fire19:57 Chernobyl’s wolves – Survival in a Radioactive World SourcesFACT SHEET: Climate change and wildfires - Climate InstituteMovement behavior in a dominant ungulate underlies successful adjustment to a rapidly changing landscape following megafire - Movement Ecology40 Years After Chernobyl, Wolves May Be Adapting to Live With Radiation - Science AlertSignatures of Radiation-Induced Stress and Putative Selection on Immune Targets in Chornobyl Wolves - Molecular EcologySurviving in a poisoned land: Chernobyl's wildlife is different, but not in the ways you might think - BBCWhat We Know About the Chernobyl Animal Mutations - ThoughtCo.