Lessons from Lab and Life: Recent Episodes
New England Biolabs
The New England Biolabs podcast series, Lessons from Lab and Life, is dedicated to sharing helpful life lessons from successful scientists. From an overview of cutting edge research to finding sources of inspiration, our podcasts can be enjoyed by science enthusiasts that like to ponder “what it all means”. Listen as leading researchers draw lessons from where scientific concepts (and misconceptions) have come from, where they are now, and where they are headed in the not-too-distant future.
In this podcast, Dr. James Lee discusses his research efforts to identify biomarkers and molecular disease-drivers of inflammatory bowel disease.
In this podcast, Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui explains how she is working to increase access to molecular diagnostics and precision medicine in Mexico and Latin America.
2014 Passion in Science Award winner Shelly Xie joins us to share what she has learned about the benefits of art for healthcare providers and patients.
NEB Production Scientist Lindsey Spiegelman, joins us to explain the seamless DNA assembly method NEBuilder, which was developed at NEB. NEBuilder HiFi offers fast, accurate assembly of DNA fragments, including the ability to easily assemble DNA libraries, as well as the ability perform multisite mutagenesis in a single reaction.
Dr. Jo Handelsman, Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery shares her expertise in microbiome research and the importance of community.
The Genes in Space team joins NEB to share the mission of their program, and 2023 Genes in Space Contest winner Isabel Jiang explains how her experience with the program has impacted her education, and the details of her experiment – which will be performed aboard the International Space Station.
NEB Emeritus Scientist Bill Jack explains how the discovery of new enzymes has helped advance the capabilities and possibilities of molecular cloning
Hear NEB Research Scientist Andy Sikkema, introduce Golden Gate Assembly and it’s uses, as well as tips for successful DNA assemblies.
Hear NEB Senior Tech Support Scientist Rachel Carver-Brown explain site-directed mutagenesis and multi-site mutagenesis techniques.
Hear from Genes in Space 2022 contest winner Pristine Onuoha, whose experiment explores the measurement of DNA length in space.
Hear Dr. Sesay explain how The Gambia dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has influenced the country’s preparedness for future viral outbreaks.
Hear NEB Development Group Leader Brad Langhorst talk about how bioinformatics informs sequencing, from primer design to analysis.
Hear Charlotte Houldcroft, lecturer at the University of Cambridge – talk sequencing, from double-stranded DNA viruses to ancient DNA.
Hear Mihir Kekre, who spent 4 years at the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, share his experience in antimicrobial resistance research and pathogen surveillance.
Hear Chip Taylor, founder of the non-profit Monarch Watch, share his research findings and explain how we can help protect this endangered insect.
Hear MIT Lecturer Jessie Stickgold-Sarah, who shares her perspective on the importance of good communication skills –– especially in science.
Hear Susan Aitken, Molecular Laboratory Asst. Manager of the HUCL lab, which provided testing for Harvard and MIT students and staff during the pandemic.
Hear Dr. Anu Rebbapragada of FH Health – a Health-Tech company that was created early in the COVID-19 pandemic to address public diagnostic testing needs.
Hear Dr. Nídia Trovão of the Fogarty International Center at the NIH, explain how the evolution of viral pathogens in human and animal populations are studied and the insights this research offers.
Hear how the nonprofit organization Reforest the Tropics is working to capture carbon through reforestation from the company’s Executive Director Greg Powell.
Hear from Dr. Bijoyita Roy, NEB RNA Research Senior Scientist, whose work focuses on mRNA synthesis, methods for RNA research and RNA therapeutics.
An interview with Dr. Eileen Dimalanta, Associate Director of Applications and Product Development at NEB, whose work focuses on next generation sequencing.
Hear from Dr. Tilde Carlow, Scientific Director of Genome Biology at NEB, who has dedicated her career to infectious disease research.
Hear from Dr. Neville Sanjana about his publication detailing the use of modified guide RNAs and protein delivery to enhance control of CRISPR/Cas13 activity.
Hear from Professor Jim Collins of MIT how synthetic biology helped us detect and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and how it can help prevent future pandemics.
Hear from Professor Karmella Haynes, whose work focuses on using synthetic biology to fine tune approaches to epigenetic medicine.
Hear from Tom Ellis, Professor of Synthetic Genome Engineering, in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London whose lab focuses on using synthetic biology to enable scalable production of Engineered Living Materials.
Hear from Professor Jim Haseloff, whose work has primarily focused on using synthetic biology to engineer plant growth, but during the pandemic he has focused his efforts on increasing global accessibility of low-cost instrumentation and access to diagnostics.
Hear Kate Creasey Krainer explain how the Grow More Foundation is bringing synthetic biology tools to developing countries to help end world hunger.
Listen as Claudia Vickers of CSIRO explains both her work engineering plant pathways within microbes to manufacture natural products and how Australia is focusing building synthetic biology.
Hear Todd Camenisch describe the COVID-19 surveillance testing program that he helped establish, which is guiding precaution and mitigation efforts at St. John Fisher College.
Hear vaccine expert Dr. Peter Hotez discuss his new book, his thoughts on the current COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine development and manufacturing, as well as democratizing vaccine distribution.
Hear Bas Oude Munnink of Erasmus MC in the Netherlands about the ongoing sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in the country and what it has revealed.
Hear scientists from the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and UCSF describe their work providing COVID-19 testing and genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 for California.
Hear Joshua Quick explain how the ARTIC Network’s protocol for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 is helping the world better understand the virus and its global spread.
Hear Naama Geva-Zatorsky explain how her lab is using LAMP technology to detect SARS-CoV-2 directly from saliva or UTM containing swab samples.
Hear from Feng Zhang, Omar Abudayyeh and Jonathan Gootenberg about the STOPCovid initiative for point-of-care testing for COVID-19.
Hear from Brian Rabe of HMS about his work applying RT-LAMP to develop a fast SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic assay.
Hear from James Bevington about how he is applying synthetic biology to space studies and the potential of life on Mars.
Hear how to move your laboratory toward zero waste from experts in lab sustainability and recycling, lab plastic manufacturing and microplastics pollution.
Listen to members of the Genes in Space program as they talk about the program’s mission and its impact on young scientists.
Listen to Dr. Eva Nogales describe how cryo-electron microscopy addresses the challenge of visualizing macromolecular structures.
Hear scientists from the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and UCSF describe their work providing COVID-19 testing and genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 for California.
Hear Joshua Quick explain how the ARTIC Network’s protocol for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 is helping the world better understand the virus and its global spread.
Hear Naama Geva-Zatorsky explain how her lab is using LAMP technology to detect SARS-CoV-2 directly from saliva or UTM containing swab samples.
Hear from Feng Zhang, Omar Abudayyeh and Jonathan Gootenberg about the STOPCovid initiative for point-of-care testing for COVID-19.
Hear from Brian Rabe of HMS about his work applying RT-LAMP to develop a fast SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic assay.
Hear from James Bevington about how he is applying synthetic biology to space studies and the potential of life on Mars.
Hear how to move your laboratory toward zero waste from experts in lab sustainability and recycling, lab plastic manufacturing and microplastics pollution.
Listen to members of the Genes in Space program as they talk about the program’s mission and its impact on young scientists.
Listen to Dr. Eva Nogales describe how cryo-electron microscopy addresses the challenge of visualizing macromolecular structures.
Hear from NEB Scientists Mehmet Berkman and Paul Riggs about the lessons that New England Biolabs has learned about protein expression and purification over the last 40 years.
Hear the UCL iGEM team’s Rupali Dabas interview her peers and professors about perceptions and misconceptions surrounding synthetic biology.
Hear how the first McGovern Fellows of MIT, Omar Abudayyeh and Jonathan Gootenberg, are using gene editing technology for single molecule detection of RNA targets.
Hear about the current state of antibiotic stewardship from Passion in Science Award winner Nathan Schoepp, who has developed an assay to profile the susceptibility of infecting bacteria for point of care testing.
Hear from the founders of the STEM programs BioEYES, SciComNigeria, and Xenoplex STEM Center about how they are connecting students and community with science around the world.
Hear about the advances in medicine and environmental sustainability that synthetic biology is enabling, and how you can learn more about biological engineering.
Hear how Reforest The Tropics carbon offset reforestation projects in Costa Rica are helping U.S emitters offset their footprints.
Get your application noticed and ace your Science Job interview with tips from hiring managers and LinkedIn Experts.
A panel of experts in research laboratory sustainable practices discuss cost effective and eco-friendly strategies for dealing with life science lab waste. Get the latest on ways to green your lab at www.labconscious.com.
Listen as Andy Bertera explains the Passion in Science Awards and shares stories of some of his favorite winners on the NEB Podcast.
Scott Chimileski is a Postdoc at Harvard Medical School, a photographer and 2016 Passion in Science Awards™ winner. Hear how Scott’s science mentor selection and careful planning have led to early career success studying microbes and sharing his work through art.
Bill Jack is a Senior Scientist at NEB, and has been in the cloning field for more than 35 years. He describes the history of molecular cloning and how it impacts science and medicine today.
Tom Knight was among the first designers of bitmap displays and ITS operating systems. Then, he decided to apply what he knew about electrical engineering and computer science to biology, and he became known as the ‘Godfather of Synthetic Biology.’ Tom is one of the co-founders of Ginkgo Bioworks, a synthetic biology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developing new organisms that replace technology with biology.
Greg Patton is a development scientist at NEB, who routinely uses PCR in the lab. He explains how PCR is currently being used outside the lab to monitor food safety, and in doctor’s offices to test for HIV infection and much more.
Aaron Pomerantz shares the creative way he has combined his interest in entomology and field research with his passion for self-made discoveries, in the Integrative Biology department at UC Berkeley.
Tom Evans, Executive Director of Research, explains the somewhat unorthodox goals of the research department at NEB, where scientists focus on publication-worthy findings in an academically modeled department that supports the development of NEB reagents for molecular biology applications.
Sabah Ul-Hasan is the co-founder of the Biota Project, a science outreach organization dedicated to celebrating communities and connecting them to the science and nature they are surrounded by. The goal of the project is to promote mutual understanding and appreciation, or symbiosis, through the production of educational videos.
Listen as we interview Becky Kucera, who was at the bench during the early years after the concept of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conceived by Kary Mullis.
Listen as Chris Noren interviews Angela Belcher about how her innovative science has found its inspiration in some pretty unlikely places, such as the pages of the NEB catalog and the exoskeletons of sea creatures.
Listen as Sriharsa interviews Sir Rich about why bacteria and microbes have such a bad rap, and why the public should adjust the way we think about these organisms.