In this episode, host Dr. Ian Binns interviews Dr. Adam Reitzel, a marine biologist and co-director of CIPHER at UNC Charlotte. Dr. Reitzel discusses what sparked his early interest in science, his journey into becoming a marine biologist despite growing up far from the ocean, and the fascinating world of sea anemones that are the focus of his research. He shares insights into the inner workings of his lab, the importance of mentorship, examples of surprising research findings, and how his work connects to the mission of predicting health and environmental risks through CIPHER. The conversation covers topics like host-microbe interactions, biodiversity, science communication, and the potential future role of AI in understanding and protecting the oceans. 

Find out more at cipher.charlotte.edu.

• The impact of a mentor can be pivotal in shaping a career in science.

This podcast was produced and edited by Zack Jackson

In this episode, we are joined by co-director of CIPHER and bioinformatics expert: Dr. Dan Janies. He discusses his background and work in using computational methods and genomic data to study infectious diseases. He explains how he traced the origins of the SARS coronavirus to bats and used bioinformatics to track the spread of diseases like SARS, bird flu, and COVID-19 variants. Dr. Janies describes innovating techniques like projecting phylogenetic trees onto Google Earth to visualize disease movement and calculating protein structures to predict immune evasion. He shares his vision for "functional molecular epidemiology" to not just detect mutations but understand their impacts, and emphasizes the need for constant genomic surveillance to stop outbreaks before they become pandemics. This work is truly interdisciplinary and cutting edge. 

Find out more at cipher.charlotte.edu.

• Bioinformatics is a field that combines computer science and biology to analyze and compare genomes.

This podcast was produced and edited by Zack Jackson

In this conversation, Co-Directors Dr. Dan Janies and Dr. Adam Reitzel introduce us to CIPHER and the incredible interdisciplinary team that makes it work. You'll learn about how computer scientists, biologists, social scientists, mathematicians, and public health officials work together to unlock the secrets of infectious diseases, to engineer solutions, and to predict future outbreaks. You won't want to miss this fascinating conversation. 

Find out more at cipher.charlotte.edu.

• CIPHER is a computational and empirical center focused on studying zoonotic diseases and their impact on public health.

This podcast was produced and edited by Zack Jackson