Stuart Firestein, a professor of biological sciences at Columbia University, walks us through his study of the vertebrate olfactory system. Professor Firestein is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. With a unique career trajectory, Professor Firestein shares his thoughts on the current state of science education and imparts valuable advice for aspiring scientists. Do not miss this thought-provoking discussion on the past, present, and future of the scientific field ..read more

Join us for an inspiring episode as Professor James Manley, the Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Life Sciences at Columbia University, takes us on a journey into the intricate world of gene expression regulation in mammalian cells. Professor Manley discusses the pivotal roles of RNA-binding proteins and alternative mRNA splicing, shedding light on how disrupted gene regulation can contribute to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Discover the real-world applications of mRNA technology and gain valuable career insights from Professor Manley on Columbia University Bio Bytes ..read more

In which Eliah Overbey, PhD, chief scientific officer at BioAstra, and research associate at the Mason lab discusses the innovations and insights from multi-omics sequencing, specifically with regards to astronaut samples. She also shares her journey into the field of space healthcare and her views on the future of biomedical research in promoting long-term human space habitation. [hosted by Kevin Xu and Theodore Nelson ..read more

In which Martin Chalfie, a professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and Nobel laureate recognized for his contribution to the development of green fluorescent protein (GFP), and Sophia discuss the applications of GFP and his current research on the development and function of touch receptor neurons (TRNs) using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Dr. Chalfie highlights the versatility of GFP as a tool for studying biological processes, including the development and function of neurons. He explains the regulation of TRNs by transcription factors and transduction channels and how ..read more

Description: In which Sophia speaks with Carol Prives, the Da Costa Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Columbia University and a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, about her journey researching the structure and function of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. She delves into the importance and regulation of p53, including its relationship with kinases, Mdm2, and the Mevalonate pathway. Editorial Note: During the discussion regarding the mevalonate pathway, the listener should note that genes in this pathway had reduced expressi ..read more

In which Ian Maze, professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacological science in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Vaibhav discuss the intersection of chromatin biochemistry and neuroscience. Ian describes the diverse mechanistic functions of neurotransmitters, especially as they pertain to modifying histones and other proteins. He also describes Mount Sinai's Center for Neural Epigenome Engineering, of which he is the inaugural director, and provides advice for young scientists.  ..read more

In which Darcy Kelley, Harold Weintraub Professor of Biological Sciences, and James discuss Xenopus as a model organism for understanding the biology of behavior and evolution of neural circuits. Professor Kelley describes several ways in which contemporary methods like single-cell RNA sequencing and optogenetics are helping us understand the true connection between neurobiology and behavior. Additionally, she provides insight on how young scientists can effectively develop themselves after initial exposure to research.  ..read more

This episode is cross-posted from our new show, Bioworks, which focuses on topics in life science policy, business, entrepreneurship, and investment. Check out other episodes on Bioworks here: https://anchor.fm/bioworks  ..read more

In which Harris Wang, associate professor of Systems Biology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Vaibhav discuss the application of systems and synthetic biology to the study of microbial communities. He describes the motivation and application of many of his group's seminal contributions (MAGE, CAGE, MaPS-seq), the various use cases of synthetically minimal genomes and engineered bacteria, and closes with some advice for young scientists and trainees.  ..read more

In which Adam Bass, oncologist and inaugural director of the Columbia Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, discusses the relevance of genomic science and treatments informed by sequencing in modern cancer medicine. Among other things, Vaibhav and Adam discuss current standards of care involving sequencing, the importance of first-principles understanding and research in advancing medicine, and what the future of precision medicine might look like.  ..read more