Mind & Matter

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: The flaws of nutrition epidemiology with Dr. John Speakman About the guest: John Speakman, PhD is a professor at the University of Aberdeen and runs a lab in Shenzhen, China, focusing on energy balance, obesity, and aging.  Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and everyone on YouTube . Partial versions are available...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Cancer’s metabolic roots with Dr. Thomas Seyfried. About the guest: Thomas Seyfried, PhD is a professor of biology at Boston College. He has researched cancer metabolism, epilepsy, and lipid biochemistry for over 40 years. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available on the M&M Substack and YouTube . Transcript and other information on Substack. Episode Summary: D...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Heart health and the ketogenic diet, with expert insights from a cardiologist and researcher. About the guest: Matthew Budoff, MD, is a preventive cardiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA School of Medicine. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and everyone on YouTube . Partial versions are available elsewhere....

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: The science of obesity and appetite regulation, blending genetics and neurobiology with practical insights About the guest: Giles Yeo, PhD is a professor of molecular neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge. He leads a lab studying obesity and appetite regulation. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and ev...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: A mind-bending dive into evolutionary biology and health through a biophysicist’s lens, with Dr. Jack Kruse delivering provocative insights about biology, medicine, and health. About the guest: Jack Kruse, MD, is a neurosurgeon known for integrating biophysics into medicine. He challenges conventional biochemistry with his “leptin prescription” and decentralized hea...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: A deep dive into the science of oxidative stress, antioxidants, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. About the guest: Pamela Maher, PhD is a professor at the Salk Institute in San Diego, California, with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: A detailed examination of shamanism with anthropologist Manvir Singh, blending evolutionary theory and vivid storytelling. About the guest: Manvir Singh, PhD is an anthropologist at the University of California, Davis. His new book, "Shamanism: The Timeless Religion," comes out on May 25, 2025. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: How environmental chemical exposures affect neurodegenerative disease and health. About the guest: Gary Miller, PhD is a Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University. His research bridges pharmacology, toxicology, and neuroscience to explore neurodegeneration, particularly Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Note: Podcast episodes are fully av...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Do elephants and other animals have language-like abilities, such as the ability to use individual names to refer to themselves and others? About the guest: Michael Pardo, PhD studies animal behavior at Cornell University, where he focused on animal communication and cognition. His work includes extensive field research with African elephants in Kenya. Note: Podcast...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: The science of cancer and immunity with Dr. Roychoudhuri, blending cutting-edge research with everyday implications like aspirin’s role in fighting tumor metastasis. About the guest: Rahul Roychoudhuri, PhD is a Professor of Cancer Immunology at the University of Cambridge. His research bridges basic science and clinical applications, focusing on immune responses to...

Send us Fan Mail How dietary fructose affects the growth rate of cancer. About the guest: Gary Patti, PhD is a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, holding appointments in chemistry, medicine, and genetics Episode Summary: Nick Jikomes talks to Dr. Patti, exploring how cancer cells metabolize sugars like glucose and fructose, focusing on a recent study showing fructose indirectly boost...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: How diet shapes the gut microbiome and impacts health, with microbiologist Dr. Peter Turnbaugh breaking down the complex science. About the guest: Peter Turnbaugh, PhD is a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California, San Francisco, where he leads a lab studying the gut microbiome’s role in nutrition and drug response. Note: Podcast epis...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: The science of diabetes with Dr. Scott Soleimanpour, blending personal insights and cutting-edge research that gets into mitochondrial biology and more. About the guest: Scott Soleimanpour, MD, is a physician-scientist at the University of Michigan, where he runs a lab studying pancreatic beta cell biology and mitochondrial quality control in diabetes. Note: Podcast...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: A rare, insider’s look at the messy realities of scientific research with Stanford’s Dr. John Ioannidis. The good, the bad, and the ugly about how scientific research actually works. About the guest: John Ioannidis, MD, PhD is a professor at Stanford University in medicine, epidemiology, population health, and biomedical data science, with an MD from the University...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Personalized health monitoring with Professor Michael Snyder, blending cutting-edge science with practical tips and actionable insights. About the guest: Michael Snyder, PhD is a Professor of Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine. He directs the Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, which focuses on big data and health innovation. Snyder holds...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Insider’s look at the COVID-19 pandemic response from a seasoned epidemiologist, unraveling myths and lessons with straightforward science. About the guest: Martin Kulldorff, PhD is an epidemiologist and biostatistician with decades of experience in infectious disease monitoring and vaccine safety. He was formerly a professor at Harvard Medical School.  Note: Podcas...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Thyroid biology, offering insights into its role in metabolism, development, and longevity, making it a fascinating listen for those interested in how our bodies manage energy and health across the lifespan. Guest: Diana van Heemst, PhD is a biologist at Leiden University Medical Center, specializing in gerontology and geriatrics. Her research focuses on the neuroen...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: The complexities of neurodegenerative disease, particularly Alzheimer's, environmental influences like glyphosate, and the crucial role of nutrients like choline, with actionable insights into brain health management. About the guest: Dr. Ramon Valazquez is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, leading a research lab at the Neurodegenerative Disea...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: The science of glycosylation, its impact on health, and potential treatments for congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs). About the guest: Dr. Eva Morava is a pediatric geneticist originally from Hungary, who has specialized in inborn errors of metabolism, particularly CDGs. She has a background in pediatrics and genetics from training in Hungary and the U.S. a...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: How human culture and psychology have evolved, particularly exploring the unique psychological traits of "WEIRD" (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) societies, providing insights into why our minds and societies are the way they are today. About the Guest: Joe Henrich, PhD is a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Deep dive into systems biology and personalized medicine, exploring how technology and data can revolutionize health care, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the future of medicine. About the Guest: Dr. Lee Hood is a pioneering scientist with a 60-year career in biology, notably at Caltech and the University of Washington. He co-founded the Institute for Sy...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: Deep dive into preventive medicine, personalized nutrition, and systems biology, providing listeners with actionable insights on optimizing health through diet & microbiome management. About the guest: Momo Vuyisich is a biologist with a background in government science, focusing on drug development before shifting to preventive medicine. He holds a PhD in bioch...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: A deep dive into the enigmatic world of sleep, exploring its biological functions, evolutionary origins, and diverse manifestations across different species. About the Guest: Nicola Segata, PhD is a professor at the University of Trento in Italy. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube . Partial versions...

Send us Fan Mail Short Summary: A deep dive into the enigmatic world of sleep, exploring its biological functions, evolutionary origins, and the diverse manifestations across different species. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube . Partial versions are available elsewhere. About the Guest: Vlad Vyazovskiy, PhD is a Professor of Slee...

Send us Fan Mail Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube . Partial versions are available elsewhere. About the Guest: Alex Wiltschko holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard, focusing on olfaction. He transitioned from academic research to AI at Google before founding Osmo, where he applies his expertise in digitizing scents. He aims to innov...