For Whom the Cell Tolls: Cancer Biology

Welcome to our most CONTROVERSIAL episode yet! We address “Turbo cancer” (idk what’s specifically meant by this still but I outline the likely/historical geneses behind these cases), inflammation issues, central dogma basics, mRNA vaccine tech, the rise of the microbiome and its importance for health, and the likely (yet boring) underlying sources of the rising cancer diagnoses among Millennials a...

Welcome to a special episode where I'm joined by 11 of my Minnesota State students as we close out our Cancer Biology lecture! We weave through discussions surrounding generational causes of cancer, potential next-generation hallmarks, treatment & financial ethics, and what the future hold for this disease as a whole. All said, this one is super fun because there are contributions from pre-med...

The basic answer is no. When faced with R-CHOP resistance, DLBCL patients now have the option to utilize genetically modified Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) designed to hunt tumors. This episode investigates the recent controversy into if these super-cells can transition into a villainous tumor themselves. We cover a paper by Garcia et. al. that showcases how much power we are adding to...

Hello! I’m recently returned from my annual ASH meeting where I see all of the latest advances in blood cancers. This specific facet was my favorite: small, insurgent populations of healthy B-cells portend better survival because they prime your T-cells to keep fighting. Super cool! I also have some mother grey stories from the meeting to share that I’m hopeful to get out on another episode. Thank...

Welcome back! It's been a while. I'm excited to get going again with an episode on the emerging science of "ecotyping" the cells around tumors - the microenvironment. Ecology and Evolution of lymphoma tumors is only half the story. We needed to know more about the state of cells around the tumor. How do they affect the surrounding immune cells? Do they support the tumor? We examine the worst possi...

What do you think? Would the immensely powerful amount of data be a game-changer for medicine? Or does DNA sequencing miss too much of the picture to be worth the cost? This question is an example why we need leaders that understand Biology as genomics becomes hyper-accessible. I do my best to discuss the primary Pros and Cons of each side, along with possible modifications to the proposal. Enjoy!

Can your genome match you with a soulmate? Sort of, but we’d need more than just mammal genomes to know... I hope you enjoy, and collect your thoughts on the proposal at the end of the episode if you’re interested!

The Netflix series The One is based on a book with a similar premise: via genome sequencing, we can match you with your best possible partner. The show is a great watch, and the science is not too far outside the possible. In fact, it’s far closer than the Sci-fi elements suggest, although this comes with some caveat changes. This is Part I of a set of episodes related to mass sequencing and how t...

This episode covers how gene therapy may emerge as a critical tool for medicine as we seek to treat the previously untreatable. Can we ADD genes to specific cells to help humans overcome fated genetic ailments? Why has this process challenged us in the past? And lastly, who is going to pay for all these expensive viral delivery systems? Join to take a first look at how medicine and genetics can ch...

BONUS EPISODE - I collected the top 20 insights from my personal and professional colleagues that completed or are currently undertaking medical school or another healthcare program to share with my students. This episode is a recorded conversation with several of my students over video. I share what I can from my experiences, those of colleagues, and also address student questions. I hope it offe...

Join me and Gustavus Adolphus College colleague Katie Peterson to discuss our research, how we teach, our paths to becoming professors, and student questions! In this episode we address interdisciplinary connections between evolution, environmental change, and cellular biology. We hope you enjoy!

This episode covers the basics of how a cancer begins. Genetic mutations can often knock out genes responsible for keeping an eye on how many cell divisions are allowed. Once these are out of the way, aggressive growth genes can overcome them and cause initial tumor populations to form. After further successive survival advantages are gained, tumors eventually break free from their original organ/...

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) represent one of the most profound and exciting advances in modern medicine and science. Many lymphoma patients fail therapy after therapy with little recourse. CAR-T aimed to stop that. Taking immune T-cells from the patient, engineering them to target cancer cells, and re-releasing them into the patient would’ve sounded crazy 20 years ago. Thanks to mode...

We live in an age where social media provides a platform for everything - good and bad. I wanted to summarize how ideas can be spread, weaponized, and distorted, much like a disease. We also briefly go over the differences between ideas and beliefs. The episode takes a look at how stem cell clinics offer hope through social media without a solid foundation of biology with which to apply their ther...

Today’s episode details my research area: B-cells and the resulting lymphomas. The journey of a B-cell is violent and chaotic. To produce the best possible antibody protein against pathogen, the body employs an all-or-nothing tool: DNA modification. Nowhere else in the body is the DNA in cells actively manipulated and changed, except in B-cells. It’s no wonder they result in so many lymphoma cases...

This is an exciting and quick episode that mainly covers the findings of a recent Daniel D. Carvalho paper in Nature Reviews called “Epigenetic therapy in immune oncology” where the authors elaborate on new mechanisms of cancer treatments. Essentially, the epigenetic Cancer therapies that cause genes to reprogram the “on/off” state also awaken ancient relic viruses that lie dormant in our DNA, whi...

Domestication is a very interesting process and was first performed millions of years ago. The relationships between humans and dogs is of particular interest, as are the genetic and developmental changes that make them possible. We also delve into controversy and how the process of tameness selection brings along more than what’s expected. Enjoy, and go hug your dog or cat!

Everything you’ve heard about CRISPR is likely closer to the truth than not. The possibilities are exiting, and the possibilities are terrifying. This episode dives into the logic and ethics behind CRISPR-Cas9’s DNA-changing capabilities and what it means for science, healthcare, and war. Now is a good time to start learning about this next step in technology and to form your thoughts, because sin...

Today’s episode is the first one that is primarily driven by literature and philosophy, namely borrowing themes explored in Frankenstein and Paradise Lost. Victor Frankenstein’s fraught relationship with his creature is a devastatingly emotional purview into what life is. The influence from Paradise Lost and our subsequent relationship with a creator initiates a powerful dialogue worth exploring....

Today’s episode covers the basics of evolution so that we can address a case of extreme survival in some of the smallest organisms to exist: yeast! Cancer evolution makes appearances as well, including new mechanisms of tumor evasion that can develop when we treat cancer with different therapies. Stories of how organisms put everything on the line to defy their environment and survive are what Bio...

The days of chemo-only cancer treatment ended years ago. This episode introduces 20 diverse therapies that scientists and clinicians are turning to in the face of ever-evolving tumors. This is an especially exiting episode, as I believe there is so much hope on the horizon for treating these diseases, and it’s exciting to share that feeling. Enjoy!

The power of immune system is on full display every day of our lives and has been throughout our history. As pathogens try to enter our bodies and hurt us, the immune system rises up to fight and counter new disease mechanisms that it encounters. This episode will touch on the debate over remaining smallpox samples, innate and adaptive immunity, and autoimmunity. I hope you enjoy, and please let m...

Internal human ecosystems? Transmissible personality traits? Tune in for the best episode yet where we get you up to speed on the human microbiome, a collection of thousands of partner bacterial species that live inside and on us. Our microbiome species have co-evolved to keep our gut, immune system, and even mind healthy. The emerging consequences of disrupting this ecosystem will also come up, a...

This episode goes over why DNA and the information it encodes could be what defines life. Organisms are finite things, but the information coded by successful genes persists through generations, possibly indefinitely. We’ll also touch on instincts surrounding survival, family, and altruism. Enjoy!

Cancer is more than cells that proliferate and survive like mad; it's a lethal combination of Genetics and Evolution. They also rely on parasitizing resources and evading immune system predators. Cancer evolution represents the greatest challenge for scientists and clinicians, as tumors can do almost anything to survive. Listen to this episode for a glimpse inside the tumor microenvironment and ho...