Columbia University Bio Bytes

Stuart Firestein, a professor of biological sciences at Columbia University, walks us through his study of the vertebrate olfactory system. Professor Firestein is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. With a unique career trajectory, Professor Firestein shares his thoughts on the current state of science education and imparts valuable advice for aspiring scientists. Do not miss this thought-provoking discussion on the past, present, and future of the scientific field.

Join us for an inspiring episode as Professor James Manley, the Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Life Sciences at Columbia University, takes us on a journey into the intricate world of gene expression regulation in mammalian cells. Professor Manley discusses the pivotal roles of RNA-binding proteins and alternative mRNA splicing, shedding light on how disrupted gene regulation can contribute to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Discover the real-world applications of mRNA technology and gain valuable career insights from Professor Manley on Columbia University Bio Bytes.

In which Eliah Overbey, PhD, chief scientific officer at BioAstra, and research associate at the Mason lab discusses the innovations and insights from multi-omics sequencing, specifically with regards to astronaut samples. She also shares her journey into the field of space healthcare and her views on the future of biomedical research in promoting long-term human space habitation. [hosted by Kevin Xu and Theodore Nelson]

In which Martin Chalfie, a professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and Nobel laureate recognized for his contribution to the development of green fluorescent protein (GFP), and Sophia discuss the applications of GFP and his current research on the development and function of touch receptor neurons (TRNs) using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Dr. Chalfie highlights the versatility of GFP as a tool for studying biological processes, including the development and function of neurons. He explains the regulation of TRNs by transcription factors and transduction channels and how studying their development and function can provide insights into sensory perception.

Description: In which Sophia speaks with Carol Prives, the Da Costa Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Columbia University and a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, about her journey researching the structure and function of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. She delves into the importance and regulation of p53, including its relationship with kinases, Mdm2, and the Mevalonate pathway.

Editorial Note: During the discussion regarding the mevalonate pathway, the listener should note that genes in this pathway had reduced expression when mutant p53 levels were reduced. Pathway genes, themselves, were not mutated.

In which Ian Maze, professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacological science in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Vaibhav discuss the intersection of chromatin biochemistry and neuroscience. Ian describes the diverse mechanistic functions of neurotransmitters, especially as they pertain to modifying histones and other proteins. He also describes Mount Sinai's Center for Neural Epigenome Engineering, of which he is the inaugural director, and provides advice for young scientists. 

In which Neil Vasan, assistant professor of medicine and medical oncologist at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Vaibhav discuss the biochemistry and structural biology of kinases, as well as their salience in cancer development and progression. Neil tells the story behind his critical discovery of hyper-activating double mutations cooccurring in cis on PI3K alleles, discusses his group's use of deep mutational scanning in elucidating mechanisms of drug resistance and disease pathogenesis, and describes his efforts to illuminate the dark phosphoproteome. As well, he discusses how proteomics complements genomic approaches to understanding cancer and provides advice for aspiring physician-scientists. 

In which Darcy Kelley, Harold Weintraub Professor of Biological Sciences, and James discuss Xenopus as a model organism for understanding the biology of behavior and evolution of neural circuits. Professor Kelley describes several ways in which contemporary methods like single-cell RNA sequencing and optogenetics are helping us understand the true connection between neurobiology and behavior. Additionally, she provides insight on how young scientists can effectively develop themselves after initial exposure to research. 

This episode is cross-posted from our new show, Bioworks, which focuses on topics in life science policy, business, entrepreneurship, and investment. Check out other episodes on Bioworks here: https://anchor.fm/bioworks 

In which Harris Wang, associate professor of Systems Biology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Vaibhav discuss the application of systems and synthetic biology to the study of microbial communities. He describes the motivation and application of many of his group's seminal contributions (MAGE, CAGE, MaPS-seq), the various use cases of synthetically minimal genomes and engineered bacteria, and closes with some advice for young scientists and trainees.