Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

As we enter our eighth year, the podcast is partnering with Colabra, experts in laboratory IT that will help and accelerate your R&D.  You won't see changes in content, but you'll see improvements in website, podcast quality, transcripts and other improvements for the listener. I'm grateful for such substantial listenership and the opportunity to have this forum for my passion of sharing scien...

Avocado consumption is rapidly increasing, and global production booming. However, the diversity of fruit choices is typically constrained to Hass.  There is tremendous diversity in avocado, featuring a range of flavors, oil content and seasonal availability. In this week’s podcast we speak with Eric Focht who has been running the breeding program at University of California in Riverside. We discu...

The story of Percy Schmeiser is a well known tale of big biotech against the little farmer from rural Saskatchewan. Schmeiser grew canola, and his outstanding harvests were due to herbicide tolerant seeds that he grew himself from materials obtained from means other than purchase. This violation of patent rights became the fodder of activist organizations, and a test of how a large company would r...

One of the criticisms of farmers is that they fail to engage the public to show what they do. It is understandable, their days are busy, competition is stiff, and farming selects for folks that shun the spotlight. Still it is critical to meet the public where they are, and that is exactly what Zack Johnson does.  Zack is best known as Millennial Famer on YouTube.  He posts video accounts of his da...

Many diseases are rooted in the incorrect accumulation of proteins that regulate key cellular processes.  Dozens of proteins control processes like cell division and cell death, and aberrant accumulation of these regulatory molecules can have profound health impacts. The Arvinas company has developed a means to specifically target specific proteins for degradation, exploiting a system called ubiqi...

The American Chestnut used to dominate Appalachian forests, but declined after a fungal disease was introduced to North America in the early 1900’s.  Scientists have sought to restore the ecology and utility of this tree species by adding resistance through genetic engineering.  For the backstory listen to Episode 9 (2015) of this podcast series .  This week’s interview is with graduate student Er...

Two unusually parallel articles emerged this week, both claiming that modern ag technology (as they say, “GMO”) is just another arm of colonial control of the Developing World.  Both wordy, yet visible articles stoked remarkably common themes, without evidence, just opinion.  Sadly, one of these was published in Scientific American, a popular magazine that continues to decline due to its injection...

Wine is a fermented beverage that has been enjoyed for millennia. While many may feel that the grapes used produce the flavors in the wine, a substantial contribution comes from the yeast and specialized bacteria that performs feats of biochemistry on the components lent by the grape itself.  It is the merging of microbial and grape metabolism that provides each bottle with its distinct qualities....

At the early age of 47 Cindy Lee Graham lost her battle with glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is an insidious cancer of the brain and central nervous system that slowly robs its victims of critical faculties, with a very low survival rate. This tragic loss is punctuated with an amazing gift of kindness, as Cindy and her husband Dr. Thomas Graham coordinated with pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Sheila Singh t...

The executive ranks of the pharmaceutical industry are populated with a clear over representation of older males. How did we get here, and how is the leadership in industry changing to seek qualified, yet diverse executives?  This week the Talking Biotech Podcast features Kimberly Gentile, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals.  She shares her experiences as a woma...

Sustained space travel and colonization will depend on the ability to grow food in extra-terrestrial environments. The fact that plants evolved on earth with cues from gravity, photoperiod, barometric pressure and other signals means that plants growing on space stations or other planets will face unique stresses, never previously encountered. Add to this the challenges of watering plants in micro...

We all know the feeling of tiredness, but what causes the urge to sleep?  Prof. Lior Appelbaum discusses the link between sleepiness and DNA damage, as sensed through the accumulation of a protein known as PARP1.  PARP1 is well known for its roles in DNA repair.  Prof. Appelbaum’s team has examined PARP1 accumulation in animal models and shown strong evidence that the desire to sleep is triggered...

T Cells are the body’snatural defenders against pathogens.  In the past they have been reprogrammed to recognize specific surface antigens of cancer cells to attack and destroy them. The approach has worked well against a variety of cancers. The limitation is that they addition of genetic material is limited by transfer techniques.  This episode of the Talking Biotech Podcast discusses the new app...

Olives have a prominent role in the production of aromatic healthy culinary oils and brined olives for the table.  Olive oil production occurs worldwide on old-growth orchards that are subject to a number of modern production challenges.  Disease, pests, climate change and other issues threaten sustainable production. Today’s guest is Prof. Lorenzo Leon, an olive breeder from IFAPA in Cordoba, Spa...

Thirty million Americans depend on daily doses of insulin to stay alive.  This small protein hormone is responsible for the regulation of blood sugar, and plays a key role in all aspects of physiology, as well as long-term effects on health. Despite its importance, the vast majority of insulin is produced off shore, leaving it vulnerable to supply chain disruptions that could be hazardous for many...

How can analysis of DNA isolated from old, preserved organisms, bones, or tissues tell us about life today?  Dr. Beth Shapio is a professor at the University of California Santa Cruz and an HHMI Investigator. She has studied the genomic information from ancient preserved sources to describe events and adaptations that underlie species evolution.  In this episode we discuss the technology behind is...

New strategies in gene therapy are integrating multiple modern techniques to take on contemporary challenging diseases, such as solid-tumor cancers. Dr. Eric Ostertag of Poseida Therapeutics describes their transposon-based gene therapies that deliver useful gene replacements through biodegradable, tissue-targeted nanoparticles. This contrasts against the older gene therapy technologies that relie...

Genetic counselors play a critical role from pre-natal guidance to lifelong expertise in managing genetically-based disorders. With the tools of rapid sequencing and computational biology, the genetic counselor has new tools to predict genetic disorders and advise symptom management. Today’s guest is Pilar Magoulas, a Certified Genetic Counselor from Texas Children’s Hospital.  She has won awards...

Drug pipelines are thick with novel compounds that may have an effect on our most insidious diseases.  However, most either fail early trials or are withdrawn because companies don’t see the return on investment of driving them forward. These shelved compounds still may have important roles in treating orphan diseases.  The Children’s Tumor Foundation identifies these compounds lost to corporate e...

The classical assumption was that the modern dinosaur lineage led directly to today’s reptiles. However, a growing suite of evidence has shown that modern birds more closely emulate prehistoric creatures. Today’s guests are Profs Alexander Vargas (University of Chile) and Joao Bothelo (Catholic University of Chile).  Their work on comparative anatomy in embryos has unveiled additional similarities...

We must be dedicated to fighting back against false information in food and medicine.  Jeffery Smith is a personality with no scientific training that has used disinformation to taint an important public discussion on biotechnology for over 25 years.  One of the ways he does this is to hijack legitimate scientific venues, making them think he conveys actual information.  He then uses their media t...

In this week of technical failures and personal challenges, this week’s podcast investigates the merits of civil conversation.  In an angry online environment, can we use the tools of trust building, listening, and empathy to build trust and have greater influence?  I discuss my current circumstances and the status of the social media discussion of vaccine hesitancy and genetic engineering.  Can w...

There is no such thing as bad food, it is just bad diets, so says Craig Good.  Various life events caused him to rethink his relationship with food, and a keen skepticism led him to carefully evaluate the mistakes we make, the myths we accept, and the potential reasons we have an epidemic of diet-related illness and an internet packed with fad diets.  The punchline is common sense, but comes after...

How does misinformation about genetically engineered crops (GMOs) start and how do we correct it?  These are questions asked by Prof. Robert Bird of the University of Connecticut.  Prof. Bird discusses how an errant article can become the basis of misinformation spread, and how communicators can help push back against misinformation.   Sign up for the online class here. # COLABRA Talking Biotech i...

The herbicide glyphosate has been used for decades, with increased use paralleling the adoption of genetically engineered crops. The compound has a strong safety record and international regulatory consensus stating no unique health risks when used as directed. However, claims of cancer risk have increased in social media and websites, despite only cursory and/or circumstantial evidence of any act...