ATCC's Podcast: Behind the Biology

What’s next for microphysiological systems? In this episode, Dr. Carolina Lucchesi shares her perspective on how these technologies are advancing toward broader adoption in research and drug development. She discusses the potential of patient-derived models to support personalized medicine, the integration of experimental and in silico approaches, and the hurdles that remain in scaling and automat...

What drives a scientist to rethink how we model human biology? In this episode, Dr. Carolina Lucchesi shares how her career evolved from animal-based research to pioneering work in organ-on-a-chip systems. She discusses the technical challenges she helped solve, the growing importance of microphysiological systems in drug discovery, and how ATCC is working to bring greater consistency and trust to...

In this episode of Behind the Biology, Dr. Carolina Lucchesi explores microphysiological systems (MPS)—advanced bioengineering devices designed to mimic key organ or tissue functions in a more physiologically relevant way than traditional 2D culture, while offering a more human-relevant alternative than many animal models in specific contexts. Dr Lucchesi digs into what it takes to build and run M...

In this episode, Frank Simione explores the future of ATCC. Frank highlights the transformation initiated by Dr Raymond Cypess and continued by Dr Ruth Cheng, which required ATCC to operate more like a business to achieve financial stability. Frank suggested that ATCC's future lies in vertical growth through revolutionary advancements and major technological innovations, similar to venture capital...

In this episode, David Yarmosh welcomes Frank Simione back to discuss ATCC's evolution from relying on government subsidies to securing government contracts, a shift initiated in the 1990s under Dr. Raymond Cypess's leadership. The discussion also covers ATCC's unique market position, the importance of preserving materials like the Zika virus, and ATCC's role as a patent depository, starting in 19...

In this episode, Frank Simione, often referred to as the ATCC historian, discusses the rich history of the organization. Frank, who boasts a 42-year tenure with the organization, shares insights from his time as the Director of Standards, overseeing the development and recognition of standards by ANSI. He also touches on the role of the Biological Standards Institute and ATCC's mission to provide...

Join in, to hear Dr. Ruth Cheng, CEO share her vision for ATCC’s future, emphasizing the need for organizational agility, calculated risk-taking, and alignment with the pace of scientific progress. She highlights recent initiatives like the partnership with Align to Innovate to develop digital data reference standards and outlines plans to expand ATCC’s global footprint. Dr. Cheng discusses invest...

Listen in to hear Dr. Ruth Cheng dive into the pivotal career moments that shaped her leadership style and strategic mindset. She recounts leading a therapeutic delivery project at Boston Scientific that she ultimately chose to terminate—an experience that taught her the value of recognizing failure early and reallocating resources wisely. At Smith & Nephew, she embraced a high-stakes strategi...

Tune in to hear Ruth Cheng, CEO of ATCC, reflect on her personal and professional journey during the organization’s centennial year. From a childhood fascination with science sparked by a high school teacher to leadership roles in biotech startups, Ruth shares how her identity as a scientist continues to shape her leadership. She discusses the importance of innovation, adaptability, and diverse pe...

In this engaging conversation, Rebecca Bradford shares her passion for travel and how it influences her leadership at ATCC. She outlines a bold vision for the future, emphasizing the importance of a new biomanufacturing facility aimed at revitalizing domestic production and supporting health needs. Becky highlights the facility's design for sterility and efficiency, as well as the challenges of we...

In this episode of 'Behind the Biology', Rebecca Bradford, senior vice president of ATCC Federal Solutions, shares her leadership philosophy and career journey. She discusses the evolution of her management style from team-focused approaches to strategic decision-making as her responsibilities grew. Becky reflects on overcoming imposter syndrome through mentorship and the importance of asking ques...

In this episode, Becky Bradford, a senior vice president at ATCC, shares her inspiring journey from a science-loving child in Oklahoma to a leader in biomanufacturing. With over twenty years of experience, she reflects on her early career during the human genome sequencing boom and her diverse background in various biology fields. Becky emphasizes the importance of operational knowledge, quality m...

In this episode, Dr. Aaron Cypess discusses the future of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) research at the NIDDK, focusing on three pillars: integrative physiology, noninvasive imaging, and clinical trials. First, there's integrative physiology, where scientists use cell lines to dig into how fat cells work, how they burn energy, and how they respond to obesity treatments....

In this episode, Dr. Aaron Cypess discusses two pivotal moments that led him to change his approach to research. Initially planning to major in biology, he was encouraged to study chemistry, which provided a strong foundation in precision and quantitative analysis. During his endocrinology fellowship, Dr. Cypess shifted his focus to clinically relevant research, leading to his entry into the Clini...

In this conversation, Dr. Aaron Cypess discusses his research on brown adipose tissue (BAT), an organ that burns fat to generate heat. Initially thought to be present only in small mammals and young children, functional BAT was discovered in adult humans in 2009, spurring global research into its potential for treating obesity and metabolic diseases. Dr. Cypess explains the differences between BAT...

In this episode, David Yarmosh and Briana Benton discuss the future of the ATCC Genome Portal, focusing on upcoming data types and platform enhancements. Benton reveals that by the end of 2025, researchers will gain access to methylation data for the bacteriology collection with future plans to annotate virology genomes, integrate antimicrobial susceptibility data, and enable advanced search featu...

In this episode, David Yarmosh and Briana Benton revisit the origins and evolution of the ATCC Genome Portal, tracing its journey from an ambitious research concept in 2017 to a groundbreaking resource for high-quality, traceable genomic data. Benton shares how early internal research proposals—including her push for long-read sequencing and Dr. Marco Riojas’ vision for sequencing ATCC’s collectio...

In this episode, Briana Benton presents the ATCC Genome Portal, which was launched in 2019 to offer researchers high-quality, traceable genome data directly associated with physical materials in the ATCC collection. Benton explained that each genome published on the portal is produced entirely in-house, adhering to ISO 9001 standards from strain cultivation to final genome assembly. With over 5,50...

In this episode, Dr. Nilay Chakraborty discusses the newly launched MicroQuant portfolio by ATCC, which consists of quantitated microbial reference materials designed to simplify quality control testing. These materials are essential for ensuring the safety and efficacy of products across various industries, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The portfolio includes 12 products that me...

Dr. Chakraborty continues his discussion on cryobiology, focusing on the innovative ThawReady™ Assay Ready Cells that his group developed. He explains that traditional cryopreservation methods cause cellular injuries that manifest when cells are thawed, leading to delayed functionality. ThawReady™ Assay Ready Cells are designed to minimize these injuries, allowing immediate use after thawing and r...

In this episode Dr. Nilay Chakraborty, head of the Cryobiology Research and Development Department at ATCC, explains his group's focus on creating innovative technologies and products involving ATCC's organisms and cell lines. Dr. Chakraborty stresses the overall aim to improve the delivery and format of these materials to better serve customers. He then discusses the challenges of managing ATCC's...

Join in, to hear Dr Jesse Boehm discuss the convergence of advancements that are making precision medicine more effective for a larger percentage of patients. He touches on how access to molecular profiling has become more widespread and affordable, allowing more patients to get detailed molecular information about their tumors. Dr. Boehm then mentions how new types of chemistry and drug developme...

In this episode, Dr Jesse Boehm relates his inspiring journey into the world of translational research. Dr Boehm focuses on how his laboratory engineered solutions to complex biological problems, particularly cancer. He stresses the importance of working alongside cancer patients, sharing a very personal story and the impact it had on his perspective. Thanks to this perspective, Dr. Boehm encourag...

In this episode, Dr. Jesse Boehm discusses the importance of collaboration in cancer research. Dr. Boehm touches on some of the partnerships that he has been involved in, such as the large collections of organoids and cell models in the Human Cancer Models Initiative. Although logistical and bureaucratic can challenge these cross-institutional partnerships, Dr. Boehm shares the key ingredients tha...