Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

n this episode, Dr. Kevin Folta speaks with Joe Damond about the rapidly evolving landscape of life sciences, particularly focusing on gene and cell therapies. They discuss the exciting advancements in medical technology, the economic challenges associated with developing new therapies, and the implications for healthcare systems and patient access. The conversation also touches on the role of pro...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Kevin Folta interviews Jenny Du, co-founder and senior vice president of operations at Apeel, a company focused on reducing food waste through innovative post-harvest technology. They discuss the significant issue of food waste, particularly in fresh produce, and how Apeel's products work to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by addressin...

Citrus greening disease or HLB has severely impacted Florida citrus production.  And while many solutions have been proposed, there is interest in a number of trees that have shown to not show symptoms of the disease. This week's episode discusses the disease with retired extension specialist Gary England as he evaluates "survivor" trees. These trees continue to produce even when infected, and may...

In this conversation, Dr. Kevin Folta and Vance Crowe discuss the evolving landscape of agriculture communication, the rise of pseudoscience, and the cultural shifts affecting public trust in science. Vance shares his journey from working at Monsanto to founding Legacy Interviews, emphasizing the importance of capturing personal stories. They explore the challenges posed by influencers spreading m...

Protein is essential for normal human development and physiology, yet is a significant global deficiency. World food staple crops like rice, wheat, cassava, and potato have relatively protein levels, yet constitute a significant portion of calories consumed. Dr. Ling Li of Mississippi State University has identified that overexpression of a gene called NF-YC4 can lead to higher protein accumulatio...

We regularly discuss a small suite of commercial crops that have been genetically enhanced with transgenes.  However, one additional genotype was transformed long ago, and approved for use in the USA, Canada and EU-- but nobody talks about it much.  It is the plum resistant to plum pox virus (PPV), a devastating virus of stonefruits.  While rare in the USA, it is endemic throughout the rest of the...

In 2013 a number of county ordinances sought to end the use of biotech crops on various Hawaiian islands. Hawaii's warm year-'round climate permits several corn seasons a year, so seed corn for the mainland is produced in these locations. However, these technologies are not appreciated by a subset of the population, who see these companies as poisoning paradise. Drs. Steve Savage and Kevin Folta w...

Great products and ideas are everywhere, yet limited by the ability to actually produce them in needed quantitites. The technologies from Sunflower Therapeutics enable bioprocess applications throughout the globe in a deployable unit with a small footprint. Dr. Kerry Love describes the technology and it's applications, along with the philosophy of a public benefit corporation that seeks to meet th...

T-cells are a critical part of the adaptive immune system, actively targeting problematic invaders.  From pathogens to cancers, T-cells seek and destroy potentially dangerous cells, and maintain a memory of their presence. In today's episode Dr. Nigel McCracken describes this part of the adaptive immune system and how Virax Biolabs is using specialized tests to ascertain the presence and activity...

Disinformation clouds the public understanding of science, especially technology in agriculture and medicine. So when a leading journal publishes false information, academic experts have an obligation to help correct the process. This may be done via a variety of methods, but cordial and collegial discussion is the first step. When that fails, notes to editors and authors are in order. When that f...

Wikipedia is the go-to source for many people when starting to research a subject. But is the information correct, or does the information even exist in Wikipedia at all?  Susan Gerbic has been training people to edit Wikipedia pages through the Gorilla Skeptics of Wikipedia project. They have edited tens of thousands of pages with over 16 million views. Susan describes the process as well as how...

Crop genetic engineering has focused primarily on large-acreage crops like corn.  But what about the universe of specialty crops that tantalize consumers, things like blackberries or salad greens?  Pairwise has used precision twists on gene editing to change specific traits in fruit and vegetable crops. Pairwise founder and CEO, Dr. Tom Adams, discusses the current progress, general philosophy, an...

Advancement of a new drug from pre-clinical trials to clinical trials is a pivotal time in validation of its therapeutic effects and safety.  A panel of experts discusses the process. 

Today's episode marks the beginning of the 10th year of the Talking Biotech Podcast.  To celebrate, Drs. Liza Dunn and Kevin Folta discuss the last decade of biotech breakthroughs and communications efforts, the fight against technology and the amazing progress in gene editing and human genetic therapies. Plus, what you can do to help the effort going forward. 

Chronic inflammation goes hand-in-hand with many diseases, complicating symptoms and affecting routes of treatment. What is the molecular basis of inflammation, and can it be targeted by new drugs? Scientists have studied the molecular basis of the inflammatory response and have identified specific proteins that complex to initiate the response. New drugs are showing promise in breaking the inflam...

Strategic partnerships are becoming more important in development and deployment of biotechnology solutions. Today's panel discusses the way partnerships are formed, some of the important considerations with IP and licensing, and how relationships are managed. 

The news reports say that scientists have found "high levels" of herbicide in human sperm, and suggest it is a cause of infertility. But what do the data really say? Dr. Andrea Love and I discuss the paper. A report by Vasseur et a l., in the June 2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety entitled Glyphosate presence in human sperm: First report and positive correlation with oxidative stress in...

Where many therapeutic compounds are raised in bacteria or fungi, plants sometimes offer many advantages as bioreactors. Capital and production costs are lower, and products may be edible instead of injectable. The problem tends to be standardization, and conditions that ensure that the desired proteins are produced This episode features Jim Wilson from Zea Biologics, where cleanrooms, precise reg...

Canada has a unique approach to plant genetic improvement that follows the product, not the process. In other words, if there is potential risk from any genetic manipulation technique, from polyploidization to transgenic to gene edits, Canadian regulators assess the relative risk in the final product. But what does the regulatory climate look like going forward as gene editing becomes more routine...

Immunotherapy is weaponizing the body's immune system against cancer or other disease. One of the most promising approaches is CAR-T cell therapy, yet as this technology has been implemented, it's limitations have been identified. Dr. Andy Scharenberg described the current drawbacks of CAR-T cells and how his company, Umoja, is re-engineering CAR-T cells in vivo to create more effective therapies,...

How do new drug applications move forward to approval?  Four experts discuss the partnership between the FDA, the drug developer, and the data needed to move a product forward. It is a surprising discussion that reveals the depth of the FDA process.  Joined by Dr. Debra Webster, Dr. Julia Marre, Dr. Michael Matthews and Dr. Jonathan Helfgott. 

We live in amazing times of technological advance, but how are the real benefits of new tech lost to an inflated sense of risk?  Dr. Felicia Wu from Michigan State University shares her expertise in describing the psychological basis of risk and applying it to questions like glyphosate and aspartame. 

This is an update on the American Chestnut Restoration Project, as discussed previously on the podcast. The American Chestnut dominated the forests of Appalachia until an imported fungus destroyed the entire range. Efforts to restore the chestnut and its ecology have employed a biotechnology approach, integrating a gene from wheat that limits the mechanism the fungus uses to attack the tree. Dr. A...

Despite being over half of the population women's health care lags behind other areas of drug development. The problem is caused by many facets, but is augmented by the fact that many of the conditions are not life threatening or are functions of aging. Sabrina Johnson, CEO of Daré Bioscience, discusses how the disparity exists, the pipeline of drugs that seek to mitigate female-specific condition...

After a three month hiatus the Talking Biotech Podcast is back. Today's episode is a visit with Colarbra CEO Aoi Senju about his view for the podcast, followed by synopsis of three major news stories that broke since the last Talking Biotech Podcast. The new format includes a video component, and I'll be speaking with panels and also discussing recent news stories. It is an exciting opportunity to...