Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

After 8.5 years of weekly podcasts I'm going to take a 5 week break and plan new episodes for 2024.  I'm going through a medical glitch that has me unable to do my normal work. On top of this we're going to switch to an audio plus video format to find a wider audience. So check back in 2024 for the next episode. Have a great rest of 2023, thank you for listening, and looking forward to better time...

Even under the best conditions, crops need our assistance to survive the numerous threats that limit production. Classically, synthetic and natural compounds have been used to control insects, fungi and weeds, sometimes with negative collateral effects or fostering resistance of genetically tolerant genotypes. Todd Hauser from Trillium Ag describes his company's novel RNAi approach.  RNAi can be u...

There is tremendous variation in the plant kingdom, as plants have adapted to many ecological niches with discrete challenges. Part of adaptation is production of novel secondary metabolites, compounds not required for central metabolism that serve a role in the plant, such as defense or attraction of pollinators. The rainforest is replete with unusual plants and their resident metabolites. Indige...

Gene editing is a powerful and specific technique that allows customized changes to DNA. Because there are no additional sequences transferred, and alternations match what could happen naturally over time, the technology is considered less invasive and less prone to regulatory oversight. That's true in the USA, Canada, China and other nations. However, the European Court of Justice determined that...

Information has been weaponized, and the ability to create false information to achieve an ideological goal has never been more easy. Political polarization, science denial, and a shining, effective conduit of dissemination (the internet) allows anyone with an agenda to recruit the like minded, and produce compelling media to reinforce bankrupt ideas. Where did information warfare originate, what...

While DNA captures most of the fanfare, proteins are the catalytic and structural superstars of the cell. However, they can also become problematic. Cells have intricate mechanisms to remove damaged or mis-expressed proteins that could be deleterious to cellular function. This process is mediated by a process called ubiquitination, mediated by a special class of proteins called E3 ligases. Ubiquit...

Recombinant DNA technologies once confined to the laboratory are now available to just about anyone. Is this a good thing or an extreme risk? David Ishee is self-described biohacker, dog breeder and mad scientist, and merges these passions in cutting edge DIY projects and educational tools. We discuss the opportunities and risks in DIY molecular biology, biohacking and democratization of modern ge...

We're surrounded by microbes, many that are the basis of disease. Others have evolved resistance to our best antibiotics. Others may be weaponized for bioterrorism. Because microbial threats can evolve rapidly and grow quickly, early detection of a microbial threat is essential. Dr. Brad Perkins of Karius describes the threats of microbes, his company's novel approach to fast and easy test that ca...

The Pawpaw ( Asimina triloba ) is the largest native North American fruit, and grows wild throughout most temperate forests of the eastern United States and Canada, from southern Ontario to the Florida border. Several breeding efforts have sought to improve this tree crop, seeking mostly to improve fruit quality, especially post-harvest. The fruits feature a tropical flavor, a flesh that has been...

In today's episode I cover two topics with Cameron English, science journalist and podcast host.  We discuss the current status of citrus greening disease in the USA, a disease that has ravaged the Florida juice industry. We also discuss the copious disinformation around seed oils, which many internet sources claim to be dangerous. 

The connection between tobacco smoke, cancer and heart disease has been well established since the 1800's, with irrefutable medical evidence presented since the 1950s. There is no question that smoking has significant public health impacts. The effects of second hand smoke were examined in various studies and  also claimed negative effects. But these reports has some significant limitations, and l...

This episode has two parts. The first part discusses how Odylia Therapeutics is addressing rare disease, using a novel non-profit model. The second half address two rare genetic eye diseases and the approaches being designed to address them. Dr. Ashley Winslow, CEO/CSO of Odylia, describes how a non-profit is well suited to address these rare diseases, using strategies that leverage capacities in...

The more information you know about your genetics the better, right?  This is the idea behind companies like 23andMe, which offer platforms to understand your potential genetic predisposition toward a specific disease. The concept thrives on massive collection of public genetic data, coupled to extensive questionnaires that en masse , generate statistical associations between different genetic var...

DNA has been an invaluable tool to make certain matches between a suspect and a crime. Since its early use in the 1980s, we have seen an explosion in DNA sequence availability, allowing forensic scientists to identify hypervariable regions of the genome that can assist in confirming a person's identity. However, there are many ethical issues surrounding its implementation, such as use of public an...

If you've ever publicly communicated enthusiasm for a new product or technology, you inevitably have been accused to being a shill for the company that produced it. It is a normal part of human psychology to assume there is an undisclosed motivation for someone's excitement, and it is based on legitimate concerns about how conflicts of interest can shape one's perceptions of associated science. We...

Many consumer products contain chemistries that originate from an unsustainable source. Dr. Chance Elliott VP of R&D at Amyris describes how his company is using synthetic biology to engineer yeast to produce these same compounds from sustainable substrates. We also discuss the current business climate, how companies change with new technology, as well as how to prepare for a future for jobs i...

The company Color   has taken innovative approaches to varied aspects of public health.  From at-home kits that can assess cancer risk, to efforts to curb COVID19, to finding attractive ways to make health care more accessible, Color has launched an array of programs that seek to improve public health.  Dr. Alicia Zhou is the Chief Science Officer of Color.  We discuss Color's efforts in cancer an...

This is one hot tech discussion!  Protein therapeutics have great potential, but significant limitations to their utility. Dr. Dan Mandell of GRO Biosciences explains how they are using a non-standard library of amino acids to increase protein presentation. Along with glycosylation and other modifications, the proteins are more therapeutically active, as such changes can improve issues like stabil...

While many global genomics analyzes gene variants or RNA expression products, the levels of proteins are usually the most informative.  At the same time, quantifying proteins is relatively difficult, especially when trying to obtain a snapshot of the proteome from a single cell or tissue. Dr. Parag Mallick of Stanford University and Nautilus Biotechnology describes the utility of high-throughput p...

Many diseases or disorders originate with a loss of cellular function.  Cell death or damage is at the root of many problems associated with aging or injury. But what if the cells lost could simply be replaced to restore function?  Brian Culley, CEO of Lineage Cell Therapeutics, discusses how his company has identified ways to generate specific cell types that can functionally replace lost cells i...

Dr. Mike Tarselli, CSO of Tetra Science and Kevin Folta have a conversation about careers in biotech, where the discipline is going, along with observations about what makes someone successful in the field. We share many personal experiences as well as projections, and lessons we learned along the way.  This is a great episode if you are considering a career in biotechnology. 

What can be learned about biology from massive datasets, and can that information unveil opportunities for new therapeutics?  This is the approach by Turbine.  Today's podcast discusses Turbine's approach with Dr. Dan Veres, CSO and Co-Founder of the company. He describes how data sets from multi-omics analysis are merged and analyzed to identify potential drug targets. and in silico information i...

The COVID19 pandemic was a challenge in public health, but became much worse through politicization of science and a thriving misinformation network. Over a short time, a cadre of personalities emerged in a willing media that made claims contrary to public health guidance, stoking suspicion and eroding trust in the messaging from public health experts. Dr. Jonathan Howard's book, "We Want Them Inf...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is recognized for his bad science around critical issues like vaccination and agricultural chemistry.  Recently he enjoyed a long-form, virtually uncontested platform on the Joe Rogan Experience where he rattled misinformation after falsehood about everything from vaccination to disease to glyphosate to cell phones. Because Rogan has a massive audience, this information is pa...

The avocado is a wonderful fruit that is gaining in popularity, full of healthful oils and other nutrients.  However, consumers consistently note the obvious drawback of the short life of fresh avocados, especially when used in recipes, like guacamole. Oxidative browning occurs within minutes, and causes food waste and supply chain loss. Green Venus is a technology company that has used site-speci...