The Symbiotic Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
Evolution is about more than survival of the fittest. It's also about the survival of the most cooperative. Join us as we explore the collaborative side of life sciences research and work to consciously evolve science itself. This podcast is a production of Penn State University's Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. Watch the video versions, complete with cool animations at www.thesymbioticpodcast.com
The field of stem cell research has progressed immensely since its high-profile politicization in the early 2000s, with researchers now able to harvest cells from uncontroversial sources and manipulate them with ever-increasing accuracy and efficiency. Associate Professor of Biology and Biomedical Engineering Lance Lian talks about his key role in advancing our understanding and mastery of stem cells and the incredible medical applications they promise.
Plants, and more specifically, plant genes are up for discussion with Sally Mackenzie, director of the Penn State Plant Institute. She is one of the world’s foremost experts on epigenetics, the study of how changes to behavior and environment affect the way genes are expressed. She talks about her work with plants, the epigenetic techniques she’s patented, the biotech company founded to commercialize her research, and the potential role that epigenetics could come to play in understanding and improving human health.
Relevant Links
- Mackenzie Laboratory Website
- Epicrop Technologies Inc.
- Trailblazers: Sally Mackenzie’s Vision for the Future of Plants
Featured Guest
- Sally Mackenzie
Director of the Plant Institute; Huck Chair of Functional Genomics; Professor of Biology and of Plant Science
Laura Weyrich's research is on the cutting edge of inquiry into the oral microbiome, and she's leading efforts to better understand the impact of diet on the communities of microorganisms that reside in our mouths and their influence on human health. In this episode, Weyrich, Associate Professor of Anthropology and a member of the Huck's Microbiome Center, talks about her work with Neanderthal teeth, the ethics of dealing with human remains, and how shifts in human activity have changed the makeup of our microbiomes.
Dr. Steven Schiff, a pediatric neurosurgeon and Brush Chair Professor of Engineering at Penn State, has spent much of his career fighting the scourge of infant infection, especially in low and middle-income countries with minimal healthcare infrastructure. We're talking to him about the difficulties of working in places like Mbale, Uganda and Hanoi, Vietnam; his team's hard-won victories in treatment and prevention; and the future of healthcare innovation in places with limited resources.
Nita Bharti is an expert in the effects of population movements on diseases and a pioneer in the use of unorthodox data sources to better inform public health decisions. Her research group has brought an open-minded, intellectually curious approach to disease movement problems on multiple continents, working with people, animals, and spillover events between the two.
Relevant Links
- The Bharti Lab of Human Infectious Diseases
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics
Featured Guest
- Nita Bharti
Huck Early Career Professor; Assistant Professor of Biology
David Hughes has won a number of accolades, both from the academic world and in the mainstream media, for his work with PlantVillage. In this opening episode of season three, Hughes talks about the factors in his life and career that have made him so effective and iconoclastic.
Relevant Links
- PlantVillage
- Donate to PlantVillage
- Fast Company: How one scientist is saving crops around the world via AI-enabled apps
- David Hughes makes Newsweek’s inaugural list of 'America’s Greatest Disruptors'
- Penn State awarded nearly $39M for global research on threats to crops
Featured Guest
- David Hughes
Huck Chair in Global Food Security; Professor of Entomology and Biology
On November 11, 2020, we hosted three members of Penn State’s Center for Disease Dynamics, all of whom all of them are deeply involved in ongoing international efforts to piece together a bigger picture of how and why new viruses like SARVS-CoV-2 emerge and spill over from other species to our own.
Related Links:
- “How We Know The Coronavirus Wasn’t Made In A Lab” (Science Insider video)
- Researchers identify evolutionary origins of SARS-CoV-2
- Boni Lab
- RISK Lab (Sagan Friant’s)
- Peter Hudson’s Google Scholar page
- Penn State’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics
Guests:
- Maciej Boni is an Associate Professor of Biology at Penn State. He analyzes the epidemiology and evolution of both human and avian influenza, and evaluates strategies to treat and prevent diseases, particularly in southern Vietnam.
- Sagan Friant is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Penn State. Her works focuses on the evolutionary anthropology of human health, disease ecology, nutrition, socio-ecological systems, and bushmeat hunting, through field research in Nigeria.
- Peter Hudson is Willaman Professor of Biology at Penn State, and former director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. Much of Hudson’s work has implications for the control of wildlife diseases and emerging zoonotic disease across the globe.
On October 26, 2020, we teamed up with the hosts of the Podward State podcast to interview two members of Penn State’s coronavirus task force. Both have spent countless hours since that start of the pandemic doing all they can to help protect students, faculty, staff, and local community members in an ever-changing, endlessly challenging, and highly contentious environment.
Relevant Links:
- Penn State COVID-19 Dashboard
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
- Hershey Medical Center
- Podward State
Guests:
- Catharine Paules, MD - Practicing physician in the infectious disease department, Penn State Hershey Medical Center
- Andrew Read - Director of Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and former Director of Huck’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics
On October 19, 2020, we teamed up with the hosts of Podward State – a Penn State student-produced podcast, to interview researchers working on a profoundly collaborative project designed to measure multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents and students in Centre County, PA.
Relevant Links:
- Data 4 Action sign-up page
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
- Social Science Research Institute
- Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
- Podward State
Guests:
- Meg Small - Research Associate in the Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development at Penn State and Director of the Health and Human Development Design for Innovation Lab
- Connie Rogers - Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State and Associate Director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
On August 20, 2020, we spoke to an interdisciplinary team of scientists collaborating at the intersection of physics, engineering, materials science, epidemiology, and information technology. Their work holds the promise of new rapid identification diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses through enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
Relevant Links:
- Understanding Virus Evolution Through Deep Raman Spectroscopy
- NSF Convergence Grant to Study Virus Evolution
- Lasers Could Speed Up Coronavirus Diagnostics
- Seed-Funded Coronavirus Research at Penn State
Guests:
- Maricio Terrones - Verne M. Willaman Professor of Physics and Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State
- Elodie Ghedin - Professor of Epidemiology at NYU’s School of Global Public Health
- Tim Yeh - Assistant research professor of Physics at Penn State
- Shengxi Huang - Assistant professor of electrical engineering and biomedical engineering at Penn State
- Sharon Huang - Associate Professor of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State
On June 8, 2020, we spoke to Riane Eisler and David Loye, two veteran systems scientists who have collaborated for more than 40 years as both researchers and marriage partners. In this wrap-up of a 2-part conversation, we explore the promise of partnership and perils of domination on the road to conscious social evolution.
Relevant Links:
- DavidLoye.com
- Rediscovering Darwin by David Loye
- Complete List of Books on Darwin by David Loye
- RianeEisler.com
- The Chalice & the Blade by Riane Eisler
- Nurturing Our Humanity by Riane Eisler and Douglas P. Fry
- What are Social Wealth Economic Indicators?
- The Social Wealth Index
Guests:
- Riane EislerSystems Scientist, Cultural Historian, Attorney, Social Activist, Author
- David Loye
Psychologist, Evolutionary Systems Scientist, Author
On June 8, 2020, we spoke to Riane Eisler and David Loye, two veteran systems scientists who have collaborated for more than 40 years as both researchers and marriage partners. In this first of a 2-part conversation, we unpack lost insights of Darwin and explore the basics of cultural transformation theory as a tool to evolve society.
Relevant Links:
- DavidLoye.com
- Rediscovering Darwin by David Loye
- Complete List of Books on Darwin by David Loye
- RianeEisler.com
- The Chalice & the Blade by Riane Eisler
- Nurturing Our Humanity by Riane Eisler and Douglas P. Fry
- What are Social Wealth Economic Indicators?
- The Social Wealth Index
Guests:
- Riane EislerSystems Scientist, Cultural Historian, Attorney, Social Activist, Author
- David Loye
Psychologist, Evolutionary Systems Scientist, Author
In this episode, recorded in-person on February 4, 2020, we talked to a team of Penn State researchers and about the stunning advancements made in recent years in the field of electron microscopy.
Up for discussion was a short history of electron microscopy, including how the addition of cryogenics has enabled new materials and structures to be imaged, and how breakthroughs in certain scientific fields have enabled advances in some very different disciplines. We also talked about how Penn State has robustly supported the development of cryo-EM and leveraged its advantage to create a world-class instrumentation facility.
Relevant Links:
- Kelly Lab
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility at Penn State
Guests:
- Deb Kelly is Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Center for Structural Oncology at Penn State. Her research involves the innovative use of cryoelectron microscopy and in situ transmission electron microscopy to deeply investigate the tiniest of biological structures. Dr. Kelly's mission is to engineer new molecular paradigms to create a world without cancer.
- Jennifer Gray is an assistant research professor and staff scientist at Penn State's Materials Research Institute, specializing in transmission electron microscopy and cryoelectron microscopy. As a highly specialized technologist working at the convergence of materials and life sciences, Gray helps researchers from both camps to benefit from the breakthroughs made by the other.
- Cameron Varano is Assistant Research Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Penn State. Her research in structural biology involves prolific use of cryoelectron microscopy to examine and categorize exosomes involved in the development of metastatic cancer.
Aiming to better understand the efficacy of public health messaging in a pandemic, a team of Penn State researchers designed and deployed an unusually open-ended survey that has been translated into 23 languages and reached more than 73 countries. This episode recorded via Zoom on May 20, 2020.
Relevant Links:
- Penn State College of Medicine COVID-19 Survey
- The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)
- CDC Coronavirus Resources
Guests:
- Robert P. Lennon, MD, JD – Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine; Associate Professor, Penn State Law
- Lauren J. Van Scoy, MD – Associate Professor, Department of Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine; Associate Professor, Department of Humanities; Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
- Cletis Earle, MS, CHCIO – Chief Information Officer, Penn State Health
- Russell Branzell, CHCIO, FCHIME, FACHE, FHIMSS – Chief Executive Officer and President, College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)
In this episode, recorded via Zoom on May 11, 2020, we talked to Penn State personnel about their involvement with the Manufacturing and Sterilization for COVID-19 Project, or MASC. We discussed how University staff and researchers used their resources and expertise to produce and extend the effective life of personal protection equipment needed by medical providers during the pandemic.
Relevant Links
- Manufacturing and Sterilization for COVID-19 (MASC) Initiative
- MedRxiv
- BioRxiv
- Prusa Face Shield
- Eva J. Pell ABSL3 Laboratory for Advanced Biological Research
- CDC: Recognizing the Biosafety Levels
- N95DECON.org
- Netflix Docuseries Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak
Guests:
- Moriah Szpara – Associate Professor of Biology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology
- Timothy Simpson – Paul Morrow Professor in Engineering Design and Manufacturing
- Melissa James – Facilities Coordinator, Eva J. Pell Laboratory for Advanced Biological Research
For this special collaborative episode recorded via Zoom on May 6, 2020, we partnered with the Democracy Works podcast to explore the dynamic and sometimes tense relationship between peer-reviewed scientific research and public policy decision-making. And we discuss how these tensions have been brought to the forefront by the coronavirus pandemic.
Our discussion focuses on the work of our guest Taylor Scott, Associate Director of the Research-to-Policy Collaboration at Penn State and Primary Investigator on a Huck-funded research project titled "Rapid Translation of Research into Coronavirus Policy Response." We are also joined by Michael Berkman, Director of The McCourtney Institute for Democracy, and Jenna Spinelle, host of the Democracy Works podcast.
Relevant Links:
- Rapid Translation of Research into Coronavirus Policy Response
- Research-to-Policy Collaboration
- Child Maltreatment Solutions Network
- Democracy Works Episode ft. Frances E. Lee: Does Congress Promote Partisan Gridlock?
Guests:
- Taylor Scott – Associate Director, Research-to-Policy Collaboration; Research Assistant Professor, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
- Michael Berkman – Director, McCourtney Institute for Democracy and Professor of Political Science
- Jenna Spinelle – Communications Specialist, McCourtney Institute for Democracy; Host, Democracy Works Podcast
In this brief “special announcement” episode, Symbiotic Podcast host Cole Hons lays out the new direction and format for Season 2, a series of COVID-19 Research Briefs that explore radically open and transparent efforts currently underway worldwide to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Relevant Links:
- Season 01, Episode 06: Confronting Global Outbreaks
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences COVID-19 Research Response
- AskCIDD.psu.edu (Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics)
- medRxiv.org
- bioRxiv.org
On February 4, 2020 as the COVID-19 virus began to go global, Cole spoke with three scientists from the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics to hear their perspective on the outbreak. The resulting conversation uncovers aspects of humanity’s complex relationship with viruses that don’t often reach the mainstream media.
Relevant Links:
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics
- McGraw Lab (Vector Biology Group)
- Matt Ferrari Lab
- The Bharti Lab
Guests:
- Beth McGraw is Professor and Huck Scholar in Entomology, and directs Penn State’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics. Her research focuses on dengue virus transmission by mosquitoes. McGraw is currently investigating evidence that mosquito and virus genotypes affect patterns of human disease. She is also interested in the use of a bacterium called Wolbachia for biocontrol.
- Matt Ferarri is Associate Professor of Biology at Penn State. He uses the mathematical and statistical tools of computational biology to understand patterns of disease incidence, and the effects of heterogeneity across time and space. Ferarri currently collaborates with Doctors Without Borders to track incidence of measles in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Nita Bharti is Lloyd Huck Early Career Professor and Assistant Professor of Biology at Penn State. She investigates the interactions between behavior and biology to inform public health intervention strategies. Using satellite data, Bharti has pioneered new methods to track seasonal movements of the human population, with profound implications for improving vaccination campaigns.
In this episode, Cole and his guests discuss a transdisciplinary effort at Penn State to advance the printing of living tissues, from skin to bone to organs. Combining the efforts of engineers, nanotechnologists, and surgeons, the team has coined a new term – “intraoperative bioprinting” – to describe their approach.
Relevant Links:
- Bioprinting Lab
- Machine sucks up tiny tissue spheroids and prints them precisely
Guests:
- Ibrahim Ozbolat is Hartz Family Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State. His major research interest is bioprinting and tissue engineering.
- Daniel Hayes is an associate professor of Biomedical Engineering at Penn State, with an emphasis on nanomaterials, macromolecules, and composite structures, for applications ranging from regenerative medicine to lab-on-a-chip technologies.
- Dino Ravnic is an assistant professor in Penn State’s Department of Surgery. He directs the Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, which focuses on the creation of engineered tissue that is suitable for microsurgical implantation.
In this episode, Cole and his guests discuss Penn State’s launch of the world’s first Center for Parasitic and Carnivorous Plants. These fascinatingly strange organisms have much to teach us about the outrageous diversity of life - especially now that we have the capacity to study them at every scale, from the molecular to the ecological.
Relevant Links:
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
Guests:
- Claude dePamphilis, Professor of Biology at Penn State, studies the genomics, evolution, and functional biology of parasitic plants.
- Tanya Renner, Assistant Professor of Entomology at Penn State, investigates the evolution of chemical and structural defense, particularly as they relate to carnivorous plants.
- Tomas Carlo-Joglar, Associate Professor of Biology at Penn State, studies seed dispersal ecology, foraging behavior, and plant ecology, with a focus on parasitic mistletoes.
This special live episode was recorded at SciWri 2019 - a national conference for science journalists hosted by Penn State in 2019. The panel featured a panel of ground-breaking Penn State researchers sharing their trials, tribulations, and hard-won best practices for trans-disciplinary life sciences research. The taping includes a live Q&A with the audience.
Relevant Links:
- National Association of Science Writers
- The Geomicrobiologist Searching for the Origins of Life
- Could squid protein be an eco-friendly answer to our plastic problem?
- Trailblazers: Sally Mackenzie’s Vision for the Future of Plants
- Researchers receive $10.2 million to study new malaria-prevention method
Guests:
- Jennifer Macalady – Combining geosciences and microbiology, Macalady explores life in deep caves, investigating the ecological rules that govern microbial behavior and evolution, and asking how can modern Earth microorganisms teach us about the biogeochemistry of the early Earth and signatures of life on other planets.
- Melik Demirel – Working at the convergence of materials and life sciences, Demirel focuses on self-healing, biodegradable synthetic alternatives to plastics. His research involves emerging manufacturing processes for materials, tissues, and devices; multiscale and multi-physics modeling, computational analysis; bio-nanoscience, and engineering.
- Sally Mackenzie – Through ground-breaking discoveries in epigenetics and plant plasticity, Makenzie’s work promises to enhance crop resiliency over the coming decades, in the face of global climate change. Her research integrates molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, epigenomics, computational biology, and phylogenetic approaches.
- Matthew Thomas – Engaging a wide range of scientific disciplines, Thomas is exploring the viability of an innovative new malaria-prevention technology for potential deployment across the developing world. His research combines entomology, evolutionary ecology, vector biology, biotechnology, agricultural sciences, mathematics, economics, and social sciences.
In this episode, we discuss a unique, collaborative research project that brought together experts in infectious disease and communications to explore appropriate interventions for reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance. Through a collaboration with Penn State's Student Health Services, a Big 10 campus became a living laboratory for the first stages of this innovative and important experiment.
Relevant Links:
- The bugs are getting smarter. Are we? (TEDMED Talk)
- Professors to share impacts of overusing antibiotics on WPSU’s 'Digging Deeper'
Guests:
- Andrew Read – Evan Pugh University Professor of Biology and Entomology, Eberly Professor of Biotechnology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State
- Erina MacGeorge – Professor of Communication Sciences at Penn State, specializing in interpersonal and health communication
In this pilot episode, we discuss the importance of collaboration as an evolutionary driver and explore ways that trans-disciplinary teams of scientists can mimic nature, evolving the way research is done. We also unpack the story of why and how Penn State has become a hotbed for this kind of work.
Relevant Links:
- Transdisciplinarity
- Penn State’s Diversity Inspires a Thriving Community
- Always Adapting: Disease Dynamics in Plant-Pollinator Systems
Guests:
- Andrew Read –Evan Pugh University Professor of Biology and Entomology, Eberly Professor of Biotechnology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State
- Nina G. Jablonski – Evan Pugh University Professor of Anthropology at Penn State
- Cristina Rosa – Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology at Penn State