ResearchBytes

In this episode we chat with PhD candidate Trevor Atkeson and discuss his work on using stem cell villages to explore how genetic variants contribute to complex disease or drug responses.

In this episode we talk with PhD candidate John Kerr about his research on knee osteoarthritis in prosthesis users and able-bodied individuals. John talks about his decision to move to Australia, the motion capture technology used in his research and the challenges of recruiting study participants.

In this episode we chat with Therese Johansson who is a PhD student at Uppsala University in Stockholm, Sweden. Therese is a population geneticist and epidemiologist who investigates how genetic variants - individual specific changes in DNA - can influence risk of anorexia nervosa and deep vein thrombosis. Additionally, Therese has undertaken important research into the long-term side effects of e...

Kira Batten is a registered dietitian with over 10 years of practice, who is also a part-time PhD student researching inborn errors of metabolism. In this episode we learn about the unique dietary challenges faced by children with metabolic disorders and the potential of exercise interventions for their treatment.

Dr Yi-Kai Tea is a systematic ichthyologist, wildlife photographer and science communicator. His taxonomy work on mesophotic coral reef has led to the identification and naming of several new fish species. You can find more about Dr Tea's work below:website: https://www.yikaitea.com/ twitter/X: https://twitter.com/fishguykai instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaithefishguy/?hl=en

Key Nahan is a PhD candidate at the UNSW School of Health Sciences researching the neuromuscular effects on running fatigue. As a self-described 'running shoe nerd' and marathon runner, Key's work also examines the biomechanics behind the super-shoes used by elite athletes. You can find information about Key's study at the link below: https://redcap.unsw.edu.au/surveys/?s=TWRRLHXMFCJMYLTR

Curtis Chan is a PhD candidate at UNSW's Kirby Institute's HIV epidemiology and prevention program. Curtis's work investigates the role of social networks in gay and bisexual men to improve PrEP use in these communities.

During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic health professional urged everyone to get vaccinated. But was their messaging on the safety of the vaccines as effective as it could have been? In this episode we speak with PhD candidate Joshua Karras who has researched how peer-to-peer communication influences and improves immunisation uptake.

Most people will understand how they regulate their own emotions, but little is known about how we regulate other peoples emotions - typically in the workplace. Hannah Kunst, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, is studying this problem to better understand how extrinsic emotion regulation affects employee satisfaction and wellbeing.

The immune system functions to protect us from infectious disease. But why in autoimmune disease does the immune system attack itself? Dr Etienne Masle-Farquhar is a researcher working to understand how acquired mutations may turn immune cells rogue and initiate autoimmune disease.

Palm oil is a ubiquitous ingredient in many of the products we use every day, but its production comes at the expense of the environment and local communities. In this episode, we speak with Macquarie University PhD candidate Tom Collier who researches how synthetic biology can be used to produce sustainable palm oil that is both environmentally and socially responsible.

Being immersed in nature has always been a tonic, but why is that so? Chelle Roberts is a 3rd year PhD candidate at the School of Psychology UNSW. In this episode, we learn how the fractal patterns composing natural scenes have beneficial effects for the mind. You can follow more of Chelle's work on twitter: @chelle__roberts And a recent paper here: https://jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articl...

In this episode, we talk with PhD candidate Siân Perry about her research on how climate change, gender and race intersect through her analysis of 20 years of United States climate change discourse. Apologies for my noisy neighbours in the background

Headache disorders affect millions of people worldwide and are a massive societal burden. Medical doctor and PhD candidate Faraidoon is a passionate researcher interested in understanding the mechanisms behind and the treatments for these debilitating conditions.

Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation are important for control of gene expression, however, the patterns of methylation across distant and closely related species are currently unknown. In this episode we speak with Allegra Angeloni a 3rd year PhD student at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research who is working to understand DNA methylation in vertebrate and invertebrate evolution and i...

Renewable energy technologies are critical for avoiding climate catastrophe and building a sustainable future. Dr Anastasia Soeriyadi is a record breaking Post doctoral researcher at UNSW's School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering who develops solar cells. In this episode we discuss how a solar cells works and how researchers are improving the amount of electricity they can generate...

Paleovirology is an emerging field which seeks to understand why ancient viruses have inserted fragments of themselves into the genomes of many different species. Emma Harding is a UNSW PhD candidate who is researching these viral fossils to improve the conservation of Australian marsupials such as the Koala and Tasmanian devil. Literature links: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC717216...

In our second episode we interview co-host Lachlan Gray about his PhD project on the sex bias of autoimmune disease and his interests in computational biology.

In our second episode we interview co-host Felix about his research experiences during Honours and PhD. Felix discusses how our understanding of cellular plasticity in cancer will have applications for future diagnosis and treatment. If you have a question or would like to be interviewed in a future episode, please get in touch! Email: researchbytespodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @ResBytesPodcast

In our first episode with ResearchBytes host Imtiaz, we discuss the influence of the microbiome on an individuals ability to build skeletal muscle. If you have a question or would like to be interviewed, please get in touch! Email: researchbytespodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @ResBytesPodcast