In the Spotlight

The world of immunology has fascinated many of us even more since the COVID-19 pandemic, but there's still so much to discover. PhD student Becca Mellema loves microbiology and is here to share a lot of new information - especially fun facts! - about the tiny cells called platelets. While you might *think* you know what they are, this episode is sure to surprise you!

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation website to learn more about Inflammatory Bowel Disease 
• Platelet Activation and Factors for Clot Formation (video)
• Hyaluronan and Its Receptors as Regulatory Molecules of the Endothelial Interface (scientific article)

And you can follow our guest Becca on Twitter here or check out her blog, Getting the Science Write!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Autism Spectrum Disorder affects roughly 1% of the world's population, yet it's cause remains a multi-faceted mystery. Kicking off Season 3 of In The Spotlight, we welcome Daniel Giffney, a technician working at the University of Edinburgh on understanding the genetic causes of ASD.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Spectrum, a science news website focused on discussing the latest ASD research
• The Disordered Mind by Eric Kandel
• The Idea of a Brain by Matthew Cobb

Make sure to reach out to Daniel on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

For our season 2 finale episode (!!!) , we're looking forward to new types of decarbonization strategies that can make all the difference in how our energy needs can change to survive climate change. Renewable energy and even more extreme technologies are great, but there are also baby steps that we can use in the fossil fuel industry to reduce our carbon footprint and make a smoother transition. PhD candidate and SPOT member Elsa Koninckx tells us more about shale gas, how fossil fuel companies are starting to make positive changes, and what energy changes we should look for in the future!

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Learn more about Northwestern's CISTAR through their website and this video 
• Gas-to-liquids plants face challenges in the U.S. market (news article)
• Product Value Modeling for a Natural Gas Liquid to Liquid Transportation Fuel Process (scientific article)
• Biden’s quest to lower fuel prices clashes with his climate agenda (news article)
• How Politics are Determining What Stove You Use (news article)

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

We live in a bacterial world. Not only are the microscopic organisms all around us, they're found inside our bodies -- living and growing alongside us. Joining us to tell us all about the wonders of the microbiome is Dr. Liisa Veerus. It turns out some bacteria may be more important than we realise.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• A quick read on our ancestral microbiome
• A free, at-home gut test that could be a fun experiment for the entire family
• A list of foods to feed your microbiome during the upcoming holidays
• A fascinating read on the link between breast milk and a newborn's microbiome
• Gut Wars, an online activity from Dr. Foster's lab at Oxford, teaching us about bacterial characteristics

Make sure to reach out to Liisa on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Bogs are small but mighty - they may make up a small percentage of the Earth's surface, but they are powerful ecosystems that act as "carbon sinks." PhD student Peter Lebrocquy Cox from Dublin, Ireland shares a bit more about these fascinating environments and the research behind their rehabilitation. You may not immediately think of bogs when you think of climate change mitigation, but that's what we're here for!

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• "For the Love of Peat" by 99% Invisible podcast 
• "Ultimate bogs: how saving peatlands could help save the planet" (news article)
• "Peatland Legacy: Saving Ireland's Peatlands" (video)

And you can follow our guest Peter on Twitter here and the Smart Bog project on Twitter here!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Let's dive back into the crazy science of materials! Our guest this episode, recently crowned Dr. Ramya Gurunathan, works with thermoelectric materials and shares a bit about how this field has originally found utility in space robots and satellites, but may be finding its way into our factories, homes, and even clothes soon. 

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• A novel way to heat and cool things by The Economist (article)
• This Start-up is Turning Gas Flares Into Power (article)
• Spacecraft Power (explained by a NASA scientist!) (Youtube video)

And you can follow our guest Ramya on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Climate change is one the most daunting problems the world faces. It affects facets of everyday life, ranging from the seasons all the way to the humble bumblebee of the Rocky Mountains. Joining us today is PhD candidate Jackie Fitzgerald, from our very own Northwestern University, to tell us all about how bees are impacted by climate change, and how they may be able to adapt.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• A New York Times article on a recent study investigating heat waves and bumblebee decline 
• A in-depth article on the Magazine of American Beekeeping about bees in a changing climate
• An article on New Scientist about how bumblebees can adapt to climate change by evolving shorter tongues

Make sure to check out Jackie's work on her website!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

While a trip to the dentist might not be your first choice activity, the relationship between teeth, pain, and neuroscience is sure to intrigue you! Pain isn't always a bad thing, and figuring out HOW these pain mechanisms work can help us understand and treat complex diseases. PhD student Katie Lillis studies how pain-perceiving neurons in your teeth might be protecting you from infection, and how we might be able to use their abilities to avoid tooth pain in the future.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• "Myths about root canals" from The American Association of Endodontists
• Teeth: your body's early warning system (TedTalk)
• Think dental health doesn't matter? Think again! (TedTalk)
• Modern day root canals: saving teeth will save healthcare (TedTalk)

And you can follow our guest Katie on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Science fiction has long popularised the idea of being frozen alive to achieve a sort of immortality. While that remains a fantasy for the future, cryopreservation has a very real role to play in the present. Joining us all the way from Colorado, PhD candidate Fionna Samuels is here to tell us all about how she studies the key to preserving our biodiversity in the face of a changing climate, and why you should savour the next time you bite into an apple.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• A Massive Science article on tree cryopreservation
• An article from the Modern Farmer on saving avocados for future generations
• An op-ed from The Revelator on why the next pandemic we should we worried about might not infect us
• For those interested in the details Fionna's research, an academic paper she recently published in Plants

Make sure to keep up with Fionna on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

The wonders of the brain aren't going to unlock themselves... we need engineers working on the tools to decipher them! That's where graduate students like PhD student Megan Baker come in. Megan shares some brief insights into what matters when you design neural probes, what problems currently exist in the field, how you fabricate such tiny devices, and more!

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• What is Microfabrication? (website) and an Introduction to Microfabrication via Photolithography (video)
• When Mice Can’t Answer Questions, Neuroscience Turns to Primates (website article)
• Deep Brain Stimulation (website article)
• Neural Interfaces for Intracortical Recording: Requirements, Fabrication Methods, and Characteristics (scientific review article)

And you can follow our guest Megan on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438