The Interactome: Recent Episodes
Interactome Media
Hello! We are a team of scientists and science enthusiasts who want to show the world that science is for everyone, by building a network of people sharing, listening to, and asking questions about scientific stories. Welcome to The Interactome!
For more content, including blog posts and our biographies, visit interactomemedia.org
Outer space is one of the most hostile environments humans live and work in. Harsh radiation, hard vacuum and temperatures that fluctuate between boiling hot and freezing cold are only some of the challenges that engineers have to overcome before astronauts ever set foot in a spacecraft. Join Sam, Sarah, and special guest Maddie Haas as we discuss how environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) engineers make human spaceflight possible. From the perils of the first spacewalks to why engineers had to change the Artemis 2 thermostat, in this episode we explore the science and future of keeping humans alive and comfortable as they explore the final frontier.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:24 Meet Maddie!
7:25 Why Aerospace Engineering?
9:31 Thermal Engineering and Life Support Systems
28:23 Spacesuit Design
47:30 Additional Thermal Considerations in Space
59:32 Modeling and Preparing for Space
1:08:15 Maddie's Involvement with Atremis II
1:21:41 How Research in Space Informs Life on Earth
1:30:48 Outro
What plays in your head when you hear “DNA?” Amir Bitran, postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley AND classical musician, joins Maia, Sam, and Joe to discuss how he composes science-inspired music! Tune in for our joint analysis and play-by-play of excerpts from his piece “When DNA Makes Loops,” and a lively discussion about inspiration, accessibility, the parallels between science and classical music, and the beauty in both.
Additionally, we pause a few times to listen to When DNA Makes Loops throughout the episode. Below is a list of the segments of the piece we listen to at each pause.
Segment 1: 0:00 - 0:45
Segment 2: 1:08 - 1:40
Segment 3: 2:21 - 3:05
Segment 4: 9:28 - End
Links:
When DNA Makes Loops: https://soundcloud.com/amir-bitran/when-dna-makes-loops
More about Amir’s science and compositions: https://www.amirbitran.com/
The Inner Life of the Cell: https://youtu.be/wJyUtbn0O5Y?si=ja_DqzKIvir59MiR
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:22 Meet Amir!
14:14 What draws Amir to classical music?
23:07 What is science inspired music?
31:02 Segment 1
40:08 Segment 2
45:18 Segment 3
51:59 Segment 4
1:06:15 Outro
Note: This episode was recorded on September 17, 2025.
When you think of meteorology, you probably think of someone giving a weather forecast on TV. But predicting the weather requires a whole team of scientists, from those who run simulations in labs to researchers on boats, and even a few who fly planes into storms to get measurements up close. In this episode, we invite Colorado State University graduate student Delián Colón-Burgos to teach us all about forecasting hurricanes. She guides us through the field of hurricane meteorology, from what a hurricane is to how scientists are updating forecasting models to reflect our changing seas.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:23 Introducing Delián!
3:08 What is a Meteorologist?
6:42 Seasonal Forecasting
8:26 How do hurricanes get named?
10:06 Delián's Origin Story
13:32 Defining a Hurricane
24:26 How are storms forecast?
32:13 Delián's work
43:57 Predictions going into hurricane season
49:13 "The Calm Before the Storm"
52:17 Effects of climate change on hurricanes
54:35 Closing thoughts
58:33 Outro
Have you ever wondered how new medications go from being a research project to being safely used in hospitals and clinics around the world? In this episode of the Interactome, host Sam talks about their work on technical challenges in the field of process development. From the different types of therapeutic molecules to how horseshoe crabs keep patients safe, this episode covers many of the steps on the path between a potential medication working in a petri dish to saving lives.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:58 Biotherapeutics vs Small Molecule
13:52 Research Process Lines
20:24 Research Grade Pharmaceuticals vs Pharmaceutical Grade
25:22 Upstream and Downstream
28:47 Suspension vs Adherence of Cells
40:25 Soap
42:14 How do you Know if it's Safe for a Person?
49:57 Clinical Trials
59:50 Getting the Drug into the Person
1:19:59 Conclusion
The age old nature vs. nurture question is complicated, especially when genetics are involved. On this episode, we dive into the concept of “epigenetics,” which translates to “above the genome.” Joe, Sam and Natalie cover how your environment can play a role in how your genes are expressed, how you can have different kinds of cells from the same DNA, and … jello? You’ll walk away with an understanding of why your DNA is a lot more like a cook book than you think.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:04 Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
6:19 Licking Rats
9:55 Nature vs Nurture
14:22 The Need for Epigentics
20:36 The Mechanisms of Epigenetics
40:52 Licking Rats Part 2
55:21 Outro
The human brain is arguably the most complex organ in the body - and its hard to do experiments on it in a lab setting without invasive tools like electrodes and injections in the brain itself. But what if we had less invasive tools for understanding the brain in the lab? Join Sarah and Joe as they talk with Schuyler, an MD-PhD candidate, about the wild world of non-invasive neuroengineering... and Dungeons & Dragons!
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Szablowski Lab: https://www.szablowskilab.org/
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:09 Meet Schuyler!
5:25 What is an MSTP?
7:00 What does everyone do for fun?
14:00 Breaking down Noninvasive Neural Engineering
30:34 When will these techniques be used in clinical trial?
32:58 Acoustically Targeted Chemo Genetics
51:25 Can this be applied to space medicine?
1:01:48 Outro
When you think of health care, space probably doesn’t come to mind! But the emerging field of space robotics can provide groundbreaking insights to the world of medicine!
This episode, Texas A&M robotics engineer Emily Wilkinson sits down with Natalie and Sarah to discuss her career journey, current research, and her NASA internship (where she met Sarah!).
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Texas A&M RAD Lab: https://rad.engr.tamu.edu/
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:49 Meet Emily!
2:54 Getting to NASA
11:48 The Internship
15:09 How Emily and Sarah Met
27:20 Emily's Current Job and How She Got There
36:36 Projects That Emily's Lab Does
47:19 A Day in the Life of Emily
1:00:09 Radiation Testing
1:08:53 Outro
Whether it's the city, the suburbs, or somewhere else, have you ever stopped to think about why place where you live is designed the way that it is? That's thanks to urban planners, of which our guest this episode - Angela Lei - is! Join Angela, Sam, and Sarah as they discuss what urban planners and engineers do in terms of zoning, considerations made for pedestrians, and a little bit of history around Boston's Chinatown.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:20 Meet Angela!
3:51 What is Urban Planning/Engineering?
8:53 Exurbs
14:37 Zoning
21:51 Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
30:47 Urban Planning's Impact on the Environment
33:48 Boston's Chinatown
40:46 Defining Borders and Splitting Land
43:37 Pedestrianism and Climate Resiliency
45:38 What Can You do to Impact Urban Planning in Your City
47:00 The Inner Belt and the Highway That Never Was
59:34 Redesigning a City Built for Cars
1:13:20 Outro
What do doctors and astronauts have in common? Turns out, it’s more than you might think! On this episode, Sarah and Maia are joined by Shawna Pandya, MD. Shawna is a physician, astronaut and scientist. Tune in to hear her talk about navigating health care in the most extreme environments, and how she helps patients survive and thrive!
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:47 Meet Shawna!
2:39 How Shawna Became an Astronaut
11:11 Space is Trying to Kill You
18:05 Training for Space
27:00 Other Cool Tech Related to Space Medicine
29:54 Working on a Team of Highly Skilled Individuals
34:29 Shawna's Upcoming Mission
42:30 One Piece of Advice for Aspiring Astronauts
45:30 Outro
AI doesn’t typically make people think of parenting, but when you listen to this episode you’ll be shocked by the similarities! Cole Smith walks us through how to train AI, how it differs from machine learning, and why building an AI system can feel a lot like raising a child.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:15 Meet Cole!
2:32 How Did Cole Get Into This Space?
4:17 What Exactly is AI?
8:42 Classifying AI
11:40 The Difference Between AI and ML
16:34 What is AI Good At?
19:45 What is Generative AI?
32:01 What is a Large Language Model?
34:41 What Can't AI do?
42:49 Bias in AI
53:20 Choosing the Right Model
59:54 Where Does Cole Think AI is Heading?
1:05:38 Outro
Effectively communicating scientific concepts and discoveries is one of the hardest, and most important, ways of bridging gaps between scientists and the general public. But as all things in science, this is easier said than done.
On this episode, Joe, Sam and Natalie chat with New York Times science journalist and bestselling author Jim Robbins. He discusses his approach to writing about untold stories of the natural world, new research, and more.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:02 Meet Jim!
4:45 Science Writing vs Science Research
6:07 What Does Jim Write About?
12:44 Jim's Start: Stories About Grizzly Bears
15:51 California Wildfires
21:22 Making Important Concepts Meaningful
34:02 Navigating the Unknown in Storytelling and in Life
49:56 Challenging the Status Quo
54:13 What Makes a Good Story?
57:04 Maintaining Optimism and Hope
1:03:40 Outro
On this episode of the Interactome, special guest Rasa Valiauga joins Natalie and Sarah to discuss the link that our diet has with our brains. Topics include what foods are considered highly glycemic and what that can mean for our bodies, how diabetes links to our diet, and discussing how to trim the fat from sensationalized diet advice and find the facts.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:44 Meet Rasa!
7:26 Linking Diet to the Brain
12:22 High Glycemic Food
16:01 Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
20:44 Rasa's Research
31:12 How to Find the Facts in Sensationalized Headlines
39:08 Rasa's Research Part 2
43:18 What Should be Brought to the Diet Conversation?
45:40 Closing Thoughts
You’ve probably heard of the microbiome, but there’s much more to it than just gut health. Tune in to hear from Bridget O’Connor, career microbiologist, for a discussion on the microbiome, how microbiologists study organisms they can’t see, and more!
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:40 Meet Bridget!
10:07 Human Cell Biology vs Microbiology
26:03 Microbiome Misconceptions
35:53 Dysbiosis
37:37 Importance of Strain Variety in Microbiomes
50:36 Some Things That Bridget Wishes More People Knew About Microbiology
54:35 Outro
This week, the Interactome team is joined by Dr. Alex Champagne, Associate Professor of Biology at University of Southern Indiana! The team talks all things bird physiology — the age old question of flight evolution, interesting anatomical structures, and Dr. Champagne’s current work (which just got published, by the way)!
After listening to the episode, read about how skin lipids in desert bats suggest wing and tail membranes are important to evaporation cooling! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1095643324000473
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:26 Meet Alex!
7:47 Discussing Bird Physiology and its Relationship with Evolution
19:54 Adaptation and Evolution
25:10 Alex's Work
42:23 Archaeopteryx and Microraptor
52:44 Rapid Fire Bird Questions
1:04:31 Outro
1:06:10 BONUS Everyone's Favorite Birds
You've probably heard of AI powered neural networks, but are you familiar with biological neural networks? Join Sam, Natalie, and returning guest Youngmin as they compare, contrast, and generally discuss both types of networks. Can a single neuron "think"? And how do neural networks "learn"? We cover these questions and more on this episode of the interactome.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Youngmin's channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDMathematician
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:25 Meet Youngmin (again!)
2:50 What is a Biological Neural Network?
7:15 Can One Neuron Think?
10:01 Suppressed Ommatidium
16:30 Is the Adaptation to White Noise A Result of a Neural Network?
26:23 Modeling Neurons
29:33 How Does a Neural Network "Learn"?
40:27 Comparing Biological and Artificial Neural Networks
1:00:52 Outro
We all know that protein is something in our food, but what else do proteins do? For our final episode of our 3-part series on the Central Dogma, we discuss (one of) the final products of DNA and RNA: proteins! We cover everything from where proteins come from to some of their roles as molecular machines. Along the way, we touch on topics such as how eating protein helps you make muscles to "the protein fold that kills." Correction: X-ray crystallography shoots high-energy photons (x-rays), not electrons, at crystals to obtain their structure. Sam was probably too excited thinking about electron microscopy to catch his mistake.
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:44 What are Proteins?
14:41 How are Proteins Made?
22:42 Protein Folding
30:05 Side Topic on Microscopes
38:19 Protein Regulation
41:49 Protein DB
44:36 When Protein Folding Goes Wrong
54:03 Favorite Proteins
1:0024 Outro
Welcome to our part 2 of the central dogma of biology series! In this episode, Maia, Joe and Natalie talk all things RNA. Tune in to learn about the molecular structure differences between RNA and DNA, mRNA vaccines, and to hear some polarizing biological theories!
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
5:00 What is RNA?
17:02 RNA Structure
19:53 The RNA World Hypothesis
26:11 Catalysis
28:40 The RNA World Hypothesis Part 2
36:08 Maia's Research on RNA
42:17 Joe's RNA Story
49:19 RNA Current Events
1:00:34 Outro
What’s spookier than identity theft, scams and fraud? In the digital age, cybersecurity is more important than ever. Yet, there are many misconceptions about the field and what it entails. October is cybersecurity month, and to celebrate Sam, Joe and Natalie spoke with SecOp analyst Virginia Gresham. The crew talked about about her role, the importance of protecting your information, and more. Give it a listen, guarantee you’ll learn something new!
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:15 Meet Virginia!
6:40 Defining cyber security
12:11 Day-to-day incidents
15:00 Phishing
19:00 Incident reports and security policies
24:34 What to do during an incident
30:08 What can happen if you are a victim of a cyber attack?
32:20 Discussion of online privacy
41:00 Ransomware
44:38 Best practices for staying safe online
51:39 Outro
Content Warning: this episode discusses dead bodies, violent crime, and international conflict
On this show, we talk a lot about modeling the scientific mindset, but scientists aren’t the only professionals asking tough questions. This week, we’re joined by a retired FBI agent who tells us all about how to ask the right questions and solve problems at hand. Oh, and there’s a surprise connection between our guest and a host, so make sure to tune in!
Links:
Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Scott's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ExFedHomestead
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Transcript: Margaret Downs
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
5:30 Keeping an Open Mind
16:16 Persistence with a Purpose
25:00 Keeping Calm Under Pressure
31:36 It's Ok to Not be an Expert in Everything
42:33 Peer Review vs Judge's Review
46:58 Peer Reviewer #2
49:33 Closing Thoughts
54:06 Outro
In this episode, Joe, Maia, and Natalie talk about genetics. They start with the basics, and then delve into how we get our DNA and how it can change over many many years. You're bound to learn something new with this episode of the interactome!
Links: Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/ Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits: Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell Artwork: Maia Reyes Transcript: Margaret Downs Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:27 What is DNA? 11:59 What is a genome? 12:59 What is a gene? 15:53 Introns and Exons 19:18 Promoters and Terminator Sequences 21:54 How you get your DNA 23:51 Genomes Across Species: Plants 29:05 Story time: Where did you first hear about DNA? 30:45 Genomes Across Species 2: Bacteria 34:00 Can genes change? 37:50 How gene mutations play into evolution 46:34 Outro
When we think of science, we often think of data being collected in test tubes and laboratories, but lots of data actually exists in the context of mountains, roads, neighborhoods and countries. Join Joe, Sarah and Natalie and special guest Rylee Wrenner as they discuss Geographic Information Science (GIS), which allows researchers to understand the kinds of data that are best visualized on a map. Along the way, they discuss how to make useful models, the centuries-old origins of GIS in epidemiology, and somehow manage to relate GIS to cheese. Join us to learn about GIS and witness our continuing inexplicable obsession with dairy products. And no, we are not sponsored by the cheese section at Trader Joe's. Seriously, Natalie, I shouldn't have to add this to an episode about GIS.
Links: Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/ Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits: Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell Artwork: Maia Reyes Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:38 Meet Rylee 5:12 What is GIS? 12:28 Applications of GIS 13:45 Accessing and using GIS 17:17 Rylee's work 19:39 What disciplines are involved in GIS? 22:43 What do you need to get started with GIS? 25:03 Obtaining good data for GIS 28:29 Data privacy 34:57 The cheese party 36:34 What makes a good model? 38:52 Rylee's long-term GIS goals 40:58 Final thoughts 43:52 Outro
You might have heard the phrase "the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell" back in high school biology class, but what does that mean? Join Joe, Sam, and Maia as they explore everyone's favorite part of the cell. We had some fun with this, so join us as we explain what exactly the mitochondria is, how it works, and what happens if it breaks. Along the way, we'll talk about electron hot potato, grand theft organelle, at least one deadly poison, and, yes, find out that Joe has more than one brain cell.
Links: Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/ Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits: Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell Artwork: Maia Reyes Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:40 What's in a cell, anyway? 6:53 What does mitochondria do? 23:19 How did mitochondria become a part of cells? 33:08 Discussion of mitochondrial DNA 45:24 Mitochondrial related diseases and therapies 54:32 Going to space makes your mitochondria unhappy 59:10 Outro
This episode of the interactome is all about food science! Join Christina Allingham, A.K.A @biteofnewengland, as she talks about her experience in the food industry. Natalie, Sam, and Maia host as they ask Christina how she got into the industry, what food science is all about, and how her job has evolved over the course of covid.
Links:
Christina's Blog: https://www.instagram.com/biteofnewengland/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
4:15 How Christina got into food science
7:57 What is food science?
12:22 How food safety and preparation has changed since Covid
18:34 Most rewarding and most challenging parts of science communication
21:17 When can and can't you can and freeze food?
31:54 Christina's second project: norovirus
37:23 Food safety and observation (Food FBI)
45:24 How Christina chose her role
48:15 Christina's Food Blog @biteofnewengland
51:22 Outro
It's time for more science stories! This time Sam has too many snails, Natalie is impacted by woodpeckers, and Joe discusses mentorship.
Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:38 Sam's story: Too Many Snails
14:42 Joe's nuclear hermit crab
22:14 Natalie's story: 1000 G-Force Woodpeckers
34:48 Joe's Story: The Importance of Mentorships
51:53 Outro
On this episode of the Interactome, join Joe, Natalie, Sarah, and special guest Margaret as they discover what the heck mass spectrometry actually is. From generating ideas for experiments to protein identification and avenues for treatment in diseases like cancer, mass spec is truly a powerful tool. And with cutting-edge technologies to further its versatility across many science disciplines, this is an episode you don't want to miss!
Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/
Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com
Credits:
Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell
Artwork: Maia Reyes
Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:35 Margaret's background
4:52 What the heck is mass spec(trometry)?
9:56 Challenges of working at such a small scale
17:26 What is the next step after idenifying proteins?
21:14 Removing bias in scientific experiments
25:49 The unconventional hypothesis
29:01 Coolest use of Margaret's mass spec
31:10 Discussion of working with collaborators
35:35 Why does Margaret like mass spec?
46:10 How expensive is a mass spec equipment?
49:20 Closing thoughts
In our inaugural minisode, Sam, Natalie, and Pickle have a conversation with mathematician Youngmin Park to celebrate Pi day! Youngmin and the team cover everything from what Pi actually is, to being drowned because of math, to the math behind biological rhythms, and even 4th dimensional spaghetti!
Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.comYoungmin's channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDMathematician
Audio/Video Editing: Sam PickellArtwork: Maia ReyesIntro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:0:00 Intro3:00 What is pi?11:46 How pi ties in to Youngmin's work17:25 The most challenging aspect of Youngmin's work24:00 Outro
On this edition of Interactome Science Stories, it's Lauren, Joe and Pickle's turns to talk about what in the world of science has impacted them! From islands in the sky, to the story of Emily Whitehead, to the importance of learning from your mistakes, we hope to inspire and entertain with these short stories. So gather 'round and settle in as we take you through some of our favorite science stories.
Audio/Video Editing: Sam PickellArtwork: Maia ReyesIntro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:21 Lauren's Story: Guyanese Tepui, the islands in the sky11:03 Examples of science outside of the lab17:02 Joe's Story: Emily Whitehead34:43 Pickle's Story: Overcoming failure, hard drive edition47:54 Conclusion
On this episode of the Interactome, we speak with astrophysicist Kenneth Lin about space, physics, astronomy, and more! How does one study space from a lab? And how does the James Webb telescope produce such beautiful pictures of space? Join Joe, Natalie, Sarah, and Kenneth as they talk all about astrophysics.
Note: Kenneth informed us that a teaspoon of neutron star material does not in fact have the same mass as the earth. A more accurate statement is that a teaspoon of material from a neutron star weighs as much as Mount Everest, or that a sphere about 300 meters in diameter made of neutron star material would weigh as much as the earth. The main point is that neutron starts are UNIMAGINABLY dense.
Audio/Video Editing: Sam PickellArtwork: Maia ReyesIntro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future
Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:36 Meet special guest Kenneth6:12 How do physicists see the world?12:20 Discussion on precision vs accuracy19:00 Kenneth's class Order of Magnitude Physics23:30 Astrophysics vs Astronomy26:17 How to think like a physicist31:45 Joe and Kenneth ask the real questions36:20 What Kenneth's field is like47:11 Particle physics49:55 Discussion on dark matter56:57 Kenneth's day to day1:01:07 Where in the world is Kenneth Lin?1:04:53 Discussion on the James Webb telescope1:12:30 Conclusion
Have you ever wondered about the yearly flu vaccine? What goes into it, how it changes year to year, how the vaccine has evolved alongside the flu itself? Join special guest Erin Deans, along with Natalie, Sam, and Maia as they discuss the flu and the flu vaccine. This episode is bound to teach you something new that you may not have already known about the flu!Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:13 Introducing Erin2:57 Erin's background6:38 How viruses get into cells9:49 What is the flu?14:39 Where the flu comes from16:40 Why there is a yearly flu shot20:30 How has the flu evolved?24:21 How vaccines are made26:03 The role each hemisphere plays for the other's flu season26:37 Does weather affect susceptibility to the flu?28:28 Why does flu vaccine effectiveness vary each year?32:32 Discussion on how flu strains can come and go37:12 General discussion on vaccines39:09 Herd immunity44:44 The future of vaccines52:53 Final thoughts on the flu for the 2022-23 flu season
Architect Ewan Ellis joins Joe, Maia and Sam to discuss how research labs are built. We cover everything from the planning process to the plumbing, and along the way talk about the challenges and triumphs of building all kinds of research facilities. If you work in a lab, or have only just driven past one, this is an episode that you won't want to miss!
Content warning: Contains mentions of animal research and accidental research animal death.
This episode of the Interactome features Sam, Sarah, and Natalie as they each tell a science story that resonates with them. Each member brings their own unique spin on what a science story is to them, as they discuss topics ranging from famous photos to clarinets. Join us for some thought provoking and entertaining discussion as we tell our stories, and be sure to share your science story with us on social media or in the comments after the episode!
0:00 - Intro 0:44 - Meeting this episode's members 3:00 - Sam's Story: Radithor 17:37 - Radium Girls 20:25 - Sarah's Story: Music 41:48 - Natalie's Story: Reading Books 1:01:27 - Sam's challenge to the audience 1:04:37 - Outro
Welcome back to another episode of the Interactome. In this episode, Joe, Lauren, Maia, and Pickle discuss the process of applying to grad school. We focus on grad school as it applies to the sciences, from a Master's degree to an MD PhD. If you have ever thought "is grad school right for me?" or have been curious about what it's like to be a grad student, this is the episode for you!
Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:49 - Meeting our new member: Pickle 5:15 - Lauren's start to her PhD program 7:38 - Maia's experience mid-way through her PhD program 21:29 - Joe's start to his MD PhD program 33:57 - Pickle's experience having completed his Master's degree 42:06 - Timeline & what to know before applying for grad school 53:40 - Is grad school for everyone? 1:02:12 - Advice for choosing a program 1:07:20 - Useful resources
Marine scientist Jess Veo joins Sarah, Maia and Sam to discuss fishing, conservation, and the seafood industry in New England. We talk about sustainability in the seafood industry, how marine mammals interact with fisheries, and how scientists can work together with people who work on fishing boats to keep animals like whales and seals safe. Join us to learn about lobster fishing, hear some anecdotes about clam bakes and fishing TV shows (and at least one Oscar-winning movie), and much, much more.
On this episode of The Interactome, meet Ronnie Abolafia-Rosenzweig, PhD, a scientist whose research helps predict fires! Join Natalie and Lauren as we talk about the western fire season, machine learning, Ronnie's predictions for the 2022 season, and more!
This month, join Sam, Sarah, Natalie, and Joe as we share stories and tips on research and sources. From PubMed and preprints to anecdotes of validating sources and Dairy Law, this episode is one you don't want to miss!
Got a research story to share or want to join the conversation? Visit us at interactomemedia.org and on our socials! We look forward to hearing from you.
What exactly are stem cells, and why are they special? And why are there ethical controversies behind them? Join Maia, Lauren, and Sarah as they discuss the science, medical applications, and bioethics of stem cells.
Editor’s note
CRISPR-Cas9 genetic editing of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to cure the sickle cell anemia mutation is still in early clinical trials - there is no concrete news about long term effects the patients are experiencing. Other stem-cell based strategies (such as approaches to turn on fetal hemoglobin and HSC transplants from healthy donors) have been successful and alleviate patient symptoms!
If you are considering a regenerative medicine product and would like more information on how it is regulated, whether it is FDA approved, and more, we encourage you to email ocod@fda.hhs.gov or call 800-835-4709 for more information.
Join us and special guest Dr. Ramy Arnaout, MD, DPhil on a discussion of how he led his team to resolve a nationwide COVID swab shortage within three weeks through 3D printing and effective cooperation. Quite possibly the coolest episode we've ever done, it's a conversation with takeaways you don't want to miss!
Dr. Arnaout's reflection in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology
02:12 Introducing Dr. Arnaout
06:25 Swab crisis basics, team formation, influences from prior studies of cooperation
25:36 Team size and roles, effective utilization of resources, swab design and 3D printing
34:02 Luck, complex networks, Kevin Bacon
42:53 Replicability beyond crises, importance of institutional support, effective leadership
Welcome back to the Interactome, trivia-style! This month, our hosts take on a new challenge - with trivia questions outside their domain. Join us and play along. Can you beat us? Answer: Most likely. Which team will claim victory?
Disclaimer: At one point in the episode, we mention working with hazardous materials. Everyone mentioned is a trained professional working in a laboratory with proper accreditation. We do not condone the use of these materials outside these circumstances. In other words, please do not try this at home!
Welcome back to episode - or as we call them, node - 4 of the Interactome Podcast. This week, we’ll be discussing a lab technique you might have heard of by now: PCR. Join us as we talk about what PCR is, how it works, and the many different things PCR can be used for.
This episode, we discuss where scientific names come from. We’ll be discussing some of the wackiest names in the scientific community along with their origin stories!
Welcome back to part two of node two of the Interactome Podcast! This week, we’ll be discussing the many facets of cancer: This second part covers what it's like to study cancer in a lab as well as some personal anecdotes from our very own researchers! We had so much to say that we split it into two parts. Enjoy!
Welcome back to episode - or as we call them, node - 2 of the Interactome Podcast! This week, we’ll be discussing the many facets of cancer: the causes as well as some personal anecdotes from our very own researchers! We had so much to say that we split it into two parts. Enjoy!
Welcome to The Interactome! In this inaugural episode, Join Lauren, Joe, Sam, and Maia as they discuss Interactome Media's philosophy and cool science history, ethics, and more! Get to know the hosts and learn why "we are all Swiss cheese."