ATCC's Podcast: Behind the Biology

What happens after the science works—but the path forward is still uncertain? In this episode, Dr. Sanjeev Thohan walks David Yarmosh through pivotal moments in malaria research, antiviral development, and biodefense that shaped his perspective on translating promising results into real-world impact. He discusses why strong data alone is not enough, highlighting the role of regulatory strategy, cross-functional teamwork, funding, and manufacturing in determining whether a program can advance. The episode also examines the leadership judgment required to know when to push ahead, when to pivot, and when to hand a promising effort to the team best positioned to carry it forward.

In this episode of Behind the Biology, David Yarmosh talks with Dr. Sanjeev Thohan about the curiosity, mentorship, and career experiences that shaped his approach to science and leadership. Sanjeev reflects on the value of asking both the obvious and overlooked questions, recognizing patterns across complex problems, and developing the situational awareness needed to move scientific programs forward. The conversation also explores the realities of startup leadership, including how difficult decisions, lessons from failure, and a willingness to challenge assumptions can help teams uncover opportunities others may miss.

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Wick explores the technologies and ideas that are shaping the future of microbial genomics. Dr. Wick discusses how advances in machine learning have dramatically improved the accuracy of next-generation sequencing, helping scientists translate complex electrical signals into reliable DNA sequences. He explains the differences between traditional computational approaches and modern AI-driven methods, highlighting how improvements in algorithms and biochemistry have worked together to advance long-read sequencing. Looking ahead, Dr. Wick shares his perspective on emerging opportunities in metagenomics, eukaryotic genome assembly, and the continued evolution of tools designed to make genomic analysis more accurate and accessible.

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Wick discusses the path that led him into bioinformatics and the technologies that have shaped his work in bacterial genomics. Dr. Wick shares how an early interest in biology evolved through careers in healthcare software and science education into a passion for programming and computational biology. He explains how that journey led to the development of a tool that helps scientists visualize genome assembly graphs, and later a hybrid assembler that combines short- and long-read sequencing data to create complete bacterial genome assemblies. Dr. Wick also explores how advances in next-generation sequencing, machine learning, and bioinformatics algorithms have improved the accuracy and accessibility of genome assembly.

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Wick to explore the tools and ideas that have shaped modern bacterial genome assembly. Dr. Wick explains how his bioinformatics tools used for bacterial genome assembly help scientists turn sequencing reads into complete, usable genomes. He breaks down the unique challenges of genome assembly and why bacterial isolates are especially well suited to hybrid approaches that combine short- and long-read data. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Wick emphasizes the importance of choosing the right tool for the right scientific question, noting that every assembly method has strengths, limitations, and intended use cases.

Tune in, to hear Dr. Scott Nguyen explore what it means to trust scientific data while still questioning it carefully. Dr. Nguyen shares a memorable comparison between bioinformatics and storm chasing. In both cases, he explains, you look at data, interpret clues, make predictions, and understand that the information may not be perfect. For storm chasing, that might mean comparing radar images with what you can see in the sky. In genomics, it means checking sequencing results with other tools, understanding how the experiment was run, and making sure the conclusions are supported. The conversation also touches on imposter syndrome and how learning to trust the scientific process can help build confidence. Dr. Nguyen’s storm-chasing example is connected back to his work with genomic data, showing how curiosity, caution, and experience all play a role in good science.

Listen in, as Dr. Scott Nguyen continues the conversation by looking at how sequencing data becomes something scientists can actually use. Dr. Nguyen explains that biological data should not be interpreted on its own. To understand what a genome sequence really means, scientists need to consider where the sample came from, how the experiment was performed, what tools were used, and what limitations may exist. He then shapes the discussion around the bigger picture: bioinformatics is not just about running data through software — it also requires judgment, context, and careful review.

In this episode, Dave Yarmosh sits down with Dr. Scott Nguyen to introduce the world of biocuration and why it matters in modern biology. Dr. Nguyen explains that biocuration is all about making sure scientific data is connected to the right information. In sequencing work, that means confirming that a genome is matched to the correct strain and that the strain’s background details, or metadata, are accurate. He breaks down why this matters: even the best sequencing data can become confusing or misleading if it is not connected to the right biological context. Dr. Nguyen closes by discussing how scientists need a clear starting point for understanding how careful data organization supports trustworthy science.

What’s next for microphysiological systems? In this episode, Dr. Carolina Lucchesi shares her perspective on how these technologies are advancing toward broader adoption in research and drug development. She discusses the potential of patient-derived models to support personalized medicine, the integration of experimental and in silico approaches, and the hurdles that remain in scaling and automation. The conversation also examines the role of MPS in improving safety and predictability—from early drug screening to infectious disease research—while offering a realistic outlook on their future impact.

What drives a scientist to rethink how we model human biology? In this episode, Dr. Carolina Lucchesi shares how her career evolved from animal-based research to pioneering work in organ-on-a-chip systems. She discusses the technical challenges she helped solve, the growing importance of microphysiological systems in drug discovery, and how ATCC is working to bring greater consistency and trust to these emerging models. The episode also highlights the role of diverse cell sources in building more representative and predictive research systems.