In this episode Nick Greenfield, the founder of One Codex, describes his organization’s evolution from a microbiome analysis company in 2014 to a full-service microbial company. Mr. Greenfield shares his transition from CEO to board chair, reflecting on the early days of One Codex when there was no market. He also emphasizes the company’s focus on reducing complexity for the user, providing a high-quality result, and making new types of data more accessible for a large audience. Mr. Greenfield then shares some of One Codex’ positive contributions to the biological community and the general market.

In this episode, James Crill delves into the future of microbial forensics, emphasizing the importance of fully vetted databases for microbial forensics and the impact of rapid technological advancements. Mr. Crill discusses the evolution of sequencing technologies, from large laboratory equipment to more mobile and efficient technologies. He underscores the urgency for data validation and authentication due to the influx of diverse data and the ongoing changes in sequencing technologies. Crill closes by discussing the importance of studying microbial forensics and microbial communities, emphasizing the need for continued research and development of new techniques in this field.

In this episode, James Crill discusses his unconventional career path, highlighting his transition from healthcare to academia and research. He underscores the importance of adaptability, hard work, and openness to new opportunities in shaping one’s career. Mr. Crill’s experiences in various roles, from industry to academia, and the challenges faced during these transitions are discussed. He then focuses on the influence of his previous roles in government and industry on his current work and the unique challenges presented by mobile lab deployment.

In this episode, Jamie Crill discusses his research focus of microbial forensics, particularly the origins of bacteria and yeast. Join us as we engage discussion about how to use microorganisms to determine if a crime was a biological one, or if these microbes can clarify when and where a person has been recently. Additionally, Dr. Crill will discuss what the current methods are for determination, and what it's like to teach these skills to graduate students.

In the third episode in this series, Dr. Birgitt Schuele shares her insights on the current state and future directions of this field, from diagnosis and care to mechanisms and treatments. She also tells us about her own work on using machine learning to study mouse behavior in the dark, and creating 3D organ models from stem cells to simulate drug responses. She explains how these technologies can help us understand our own biology better, and reduce the need for animal models and human trials. She also discusses the challenges and limitations of creating a simulated human that can capture the complexity and diversity of individual biology.

In this second episode of the series, Dr. Birgitt Schuele discusses how the study of Parkinson’s disease has transformed over the years, from gel bands done by hand to modern sequencing technologies. Dr. Schuele then detours to how we as scientists recognize research in today’s big data biology. We also find an answer to the question “what does a researcher gain through personal interactions with their patients?” Join us in our conversation to hear Birgitt’s take on these topics and more!

We kick off this season of ATCC’s podcast with insights from Dr. Birgitt Schuele on Parkinson’s disease. In this episode, she discusses the physical and cognitive changes brought on by the disease, and zeros in on some of the genetic components. Dr. Schuele then talks about her current focus of research, the role of alpha synuclein in the onset and progression of Parkinson’s. She touches on some of the daunting challenges that researchers face when looking for biomarkers and druggable targets to treat the disease. Finally, Dr. Schuele goes back to her roots to share with us how she ended up studying this devastating neurodegenerative disease.

In the final episode of season one of ATCC’s podcast, John Bagnoli peers into the future of bioinformatics and describes the challenges that are likely to appear along the way. He’ll explore important questions such as: Will bench scientists become the bioinformaticians as the bioinformaticians transition into software development? Will machine learning and robotics replace humans in the laboratory all together? Listen in, to hear John’s surprising answers.

In this episode ATCC’s John Bagnoli reminisces about his role in the response to the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in western Africa. Mr. Bagnoli does a deep dive into the challenges that he faced while running a biosafety level 4 laboratory in a shipping container. He then pivots to discussing how these experiences have informed his management style, giving Bagnoli a new appreciation for logistics, communication, teamwork, and patience.