People Behind the Science Podcast

By Dr. Marie McNeelyScience

People Behind the Science Podcast episodes

January 13, 2025 795: Dr. Renato Polimanti: Applying Big Data Analytics to Understand the Biology and Epidemiology of Psychiatric Disorders
Dr. Renato Polimanti is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and he also has appointments in Biomedical Informatics & Data Science, as well as Chronic Disease Epidemiology at the Yale University School of Medicine, the School of Public Health, and the Wu Tsai Institute. Renato completed his bachelor’s degree (BSc), Master’s degree (MSc), and PhD at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at the Yale University School of Medicine before joining the faculty at Yale. He has received a variety of awards and honors for his work, including the One Mind Rising Star Computational Psychiatry Research Award, an Explorers Award from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, the Early Career Investigator Award from the Million Veteran Program, and Young Investigator Awards from the journal Genes, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and the International Society of Applied Biological Sciences. In our interview, Renato shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:34)
Some of Renato’s favorite pastimes include reading, traveling to different countries, and trying various kinds of foods. He is a big fan of authentic Italian food as well as sushi, and Renato has explored many of the local restaurants in New Haven, Connecticut.
The Scientific Side (6:24)
Research in Renato’s lab examines human genetics from different perspectives. His current projects aim to understand the molecular mechanisms that predispose certain individuals to develop psychiatric disorders and symptoms, and the links between co-morbid conditions like cardiovascular disease. He is particularly interested in internalizing psychiatric disorders, which include depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
A Dose of Motivation (10:33)
“Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” – Thomas Edison
What Got You Hooked on Science? (13:47)
Renato didn’t have any scientists or academics in his family growing up, but as he learned more about academic careers in college and in his master’s program, he realized that this path would allow him to spend much of his time thinking about fundamental issues, developing his own ideas, and contributing to solutions. In college, Renato was very interested in anthropology and human evolution. Being in a biology program allowed him to connect anthropology with molecular biology and genetics. Later in graduate school, Renato had the opportunity to conduct research on human disease, and his first project focused on asthma and links between asthma and cardiovascular disease. Performing all aspects of the research, including working with participants, genotyping at the lab bench, and running data analyses was a good experience. He also began working on the genetics of psychiatric disorders during his PhD, bringing together his interests in human evolution and genetic predisposition for disease. Renato continues to work in this area, drawing from his broad experience and interdisciplinary collaborations.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (22:18)
One of the biggest challenges in Renato’s career happened at the very beginning. In his master’s program, he participated in every step of the research project, including a lot of pipetting at the lab bench. The lab was scaling up the number of genetic samples they were analyzing, and this introduced some issues with contamination, where DNA from other sources ended up in their samples. He and the other lab members spent months troubleshooting and trying to clean up the lab environment and organize their processes to find solutions to improve the quality of their data. It was a major struggle, and Renato started questioning whether he had what it would take to be a scientist. Eventually, they got things working well, and Renato’s persistence paid off. Now, he is a computational biologist, so he primarily works on his computer with large sets of molecular and clinical data, rather than at the bench.
A Shining Success! (25:39)
Recently, Renato published a study where he and his lab members performed a large genetic study on anxiety disorders that involved data from approximately 1.2 million individuals. They were thrilled to get access to the large data set used in the study, and the analyses were all done within Renato’s lab group. It was particularly rewarding to train his lab members, see them learn new skills, and have them contribute to this study. In the study, they identified more than one hundred genes associated with anxiety, and this is an important step that could help lead to the development of new treatments in the future. It was exciting when the study was published, and they have received great feedback from scientists around the world.
Book Recommendations (4:12)
The Common Thread: A Story of Science, Politics, Ethics and the Human Genome by Georgina Ferry and John Sulston
Most Treasured Travel (29:26)
Japan is one of Renato’s favorite countries that he has been able to visit for science. He traveled there for three weeks to attend two different conferences, and it was an amazing experience. There was tons of history to take in, the food was delicious, and the people he met were great. He spent the first week attending a conference in Tokyo, then he had a week off to explore before the next conference began in Kumamoto, a city in the southwest of the country. Renato was struck by how the Japanese cities harmoniously wove together ancient temples and modern buildings. The conferences were excellent, and he enjoyed meeting many other scientists from different countries.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (32:45)
When Renato was working on his PhD in Italy, the department had a tradition where some of the labs got together for lunch on Fridays. Rather than eat in the university’s dining area, they went out for lunch somewhere nearby. In Rome, people typically eat fish on Fridays, so nearly every Friday, the group ordered fried calamari and spaghetti with clams. It was fun to hang out talking about their research and their lives and getting to know each other better.
Advice For Us All (36:55)
Be persistent and resilient. Science takes time, and scientists have to deal with a lot of rejection. Make sure you listen to others, but also trust yourself, and don’t be afraid to pursue your own ideas. Hard work pays out, and it’s important to remember your long-term goals, even if you aren’t seeing results right now.
Guest Bio
Renato’s research is focused on understanding how human genome variation can predispose certain individuals to develop psychiatric disorders, behavioral traits, and other health outcomes. His expertise comes from a variety of fields such as molecular epidemiology, data science, and biological psychiatry. Currently, Renato and his collaborators are trying to understand how mental health affects physical health and vice versa. As part of this work, his group has been leveraging genomic, clinical, and imaging data collected from millions of participants recruited in the US and around the world. When he is not working, Renato likes to slow down reading a nice book or trying new restaurants. While traveling for work, he also enjoys taking some time to visit new countries and learn about diverse cultures.
The post 795: Dr. Renato Polimanti: Applying Big Data Analytics to Understand the Biology and Epidemiology of Psychiatric Disorders appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
41 min
January 06, 2025 794: Dr. Bruce Beehler: Fascinating Field Work Following Birds of the North American Boreal Forests
Dr. Bruce Beehler is an ornithologist and Research Associate in the Bird Division of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. He completed his undergraduate studies in American Civilization at Williams College and received his Masters and PhD degrees in Biology from Princeton University where he studied behavioral ecology of the birds of paradise. Afterwards, Bruce worked for ten years at the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of Natural history. Before returning to the Museum in 2014, Bruce worked for Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the U.S. Department of State, Counterpart International, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Bruce is a Fellow of the American Ornithologists Union, and he is the author of eleven books including a field guide and a taxonomic checklist of Birds of New Guinea and the recently released book North on the Wing. In our interview, Bruce shared some of his fantastic stories about life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:52)
Bruce spends much of his free time outside and immersed in nature. He enjoys playing tennis, going for hikes, and kayaking, as well as watching wildlife at the feeders outside his home.
The Scientific Side (3:30, 40:37)
Writing scientific books is a big part of Bruce’s current work. He and two colleagues have begun planning for a comprehensive synthesis of all the available data for a particular mountain in New Guinea. This rich dataset on one location will serve as a benchmark for future research studies. In terms of field work, Bruce is now solely focused on the birds of the boreal conifer forests of the U.S. and Canada. He is interested in understanding how the permanent resident birds survive in these forests year round.
A Dose of Motivation (6:03)
“One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.” – Stephen Hawking
What Got You Hooked on Science? (7:50)
Birds sparked Bruce’s scientific curiosity back in 1958 when he was eight years old. While picnicking with his mom and brother at Lake Roland in Baltimore, Bruce spotted the first male red-bellied woodpecker he had ever seen. The bird was beautiful, and at that moment, he became fascinated by birds and woodpeckers. He took out the book Life Histories of North American Woodpeckers by Arthur Cleveland Bent from his local library so many times they had to hide it away in the reserves. During his senior year of college, he was awarded a Watson Fellowship that allowed him to study abroad in New Guinea to research the birds there and train in field biology. After this transformative experience, Bruce applied to graduate school and pursued his PhD in biology.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (14:24)
During his PhD, Bruce believed that becoming a professor at a research university was the ultimate goal he should work towards. He quickly discovered upon graduating that these jobs were scarce. Bruce applied for various positions, and he ended up accepting a job as an assistant at a museum. This afforded Bruce an opportunity to work on a broader array of projects, and he researched birds full time for ten years there. The job was wonderful, but he had to make a move to advance his career and become an independent researcher. Bruce continued to apply for jobs at universities and museums, and each time he had to come home and tell his wife that he didn’t get the job. This was really tough, and Bruce was frustrated that he couldn’t make this critical career jump. He was finally offered a job at a conservation organization. Though this wasn’t exactly what he wanted to do, Bruce took the job. For 30 years, he did nature conservation work and conducted limited research on the side. Looking back, this winding career path was the best path he could have taken. His career allowed him to train in a variety of different fields and took him to 35 different countries. It was important to Bruce over the years that he never gave up on doing science.
A Shining Success! (22:02)
Back in 1977, Bruce and his colleagues began discussing a trip to the remote Foja Mountains of New Guinea to conduct field research on the birds there and potentially document the presence of two lost bird species. There had been a 50 year race to discover where in New Guinea these birds came from ever since poorly documented specimens arrived in England, intended for use in women’s hats. Bruce’s colleague found one of the birds in the Foja Mountains in 1982, but the other remained a mystery. Many years later in 2005, Bruce finally departed for his epic adventure. Very few people have ever set foot on this virtually inaccessible and wholly untamed area. Bruce’s team was dropped off by helicopter in a bog amidst a thick blanket of fog, and they had to cut their own trails through the wilderness as they hiked up the mountains. On this expedition, they not only photographed and studied this second lost bird, but they also discovered over 100 new species of plants and animals. On another New Guinea expedition, two of Bruce’s students arrived early to set up and begin banding birds. After a full day of banding birds, they both reported that their lips went numb after touching them with their hands. The two students compared notes to see what they touched throughout the day. They came to the conclusion that it must have been a family of hooded pitohui birds. The next day, the students sought out this particular bird again and licked it. Immediately their tongue and lips tingled and went numb. When Bruce arrived, they informed him of their findings, and Bruce immediately contacted their funding agency to let them know they would be shifting the focus of the project to study the first chemically defended bird ever documented.
Book Recommendations (4:31)
Reality is Not What it Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity by Carlo Rovelli, Life Histories of North American Woodpeckers by Arthur Cleveland Bent, North on the Wing: Travels with the Songbird Migration of Spring by Bruce Beehler.
Most Treasured Travel (31:59)
Bruce has enjoyed traveling across the globe and collaborating with many people from different countries for his work. Every new country he has visited has been a revelation and a pleasure. On one memorable occasion, Bruce and his colleagues were essentially put on house arrest by the Indonesian police in Western New Guinea. There is a giant copper and gold mine on the side of the highest mountain in New Guinea, and the mine is owned by a U.S. company. The company built a road from sea level at the coast all the way up to the mine on the mountain at 14,500 feet. Bruce’s team was interested in this road because it provided a great transect where they could study the rainforest and birds at different elevation levels. The company agreed to let them use the road, but the Indonesian authorities found Bruce’s team’s activities suspicious and didn’t want them wandering around. The authorities forbade Bruce’s group from traveling on the road and limited their birdwatching to the barbed wire fenced city at 7,500 feet that resembled a prison camp. It was frustrating to be stuck there for seven days, unable to conduct their planned research.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (37:01)
On one trip to the Foja Mountains in New Guinea, Bruce was traveling with a colleague named Chris who was an expert on mammals. The helicopter pilot dropping them off wouldn’t land in the bog due to concerns about quicksand, so Bruce and Chris jumped out of the helicopter into the unknown terrain below. Within 10 minutes, Chris observed a new species of bird, and Bruce found the skull of a new species of giant rat. It was ironic that the mammologist found a new species of bird while the ornithologist discovered the new species of mammal. In terms of traditions, Bruce’s graduate school cohort used to have double-blind beer tasting parties. Each attendee would bring their favorite and least favorite beer. All beers would be placed in numbered cups, and guests would cast their votes for the best and worst beers. Invariably, some cheap beer would end up rated highly while fancy, expensive beers would find their way to the bottom of the list. These parties were both fun and humbling.
Advice For Us All (47:06)
Work on what you love, and pursue what you love. Look outside, and take the time to appreciate the little things. The little things in life can give you strength and joy, and they can help you keep moving forward in your life.
Guest Bio
Bruce’s research career has mainly focused on the interactions between birds and forests. His doctoral work highlighted the specialized fruit-eating habits of the birds of paradise and their impact on seed dispersal and the regeneration of rainforests. This was followed by two decades of work documenting the biodiversity of the great island of New Guinea. In all, Bruce traveled to New Guinea more than 70 times, and he conducted thirty field expeditions on the island. When he was not doing research, his time was occupied with fostering conservation of rainforests and coral reefs in the Southwest Pacific. Today, Bruce has turned his focus to the natural history of North America, and he is particularly interested in the boreal forests of the Great North Woods and the continent’s great migratory systems. Bruce lives with his wife Carol in Bethesda, Maryland. Outside of work, Bruce loves to play tennis, bicycle, hike, and camp. When Bruce is not out in the woods, he is usually at his desk working on a book. Writing is the love of his working life.

*This episode was originally released on March 26, 2018.
The post 794: Dr. Bruce Beehler: Fascinating Field Work Following Birds of the North American Boreal Forests appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
49 min
December 30, 2024 793: Dr. Dawei “David” Han: Improving our Understanding of How Snakes and Lizards Hear
Dr. Dawei “David” Han is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. David received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from China Agricultural University and his master’s degree in Biology from Truman State University. He recently completed his PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Maryland, College Park where he is now conducting postdoctoral research. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:00)
When he’s not working, David enjoys taking care of his pet snakes at home and observing reptiles and amphibians in the wild in his backyard and local parks. There are a variety of snakes native to Maryland, and it’s fun to get outside and see what he can find.
The Scientific Side (3:34)
David studies how snakes hear. Snakes can detect sound without external ear structures, particularly low frequency vibrations, and David is interested in how this process works, as well as the structures and pathways involved.
A Dose of Motivation (5:23)
Learning more about snakes is something that David really loves to do, and this passion for his research questions keeps him motivated and inspired.
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:21)
Looking back at old photos, David stumbled across one of himself when he was about five years old where he was posing with a large Burmese python at the zoo. This is about when his early fascination with snakes began. As a kid, he watched a lot of nature documentaries, and he was captivated by the animals they featured. David later began to realize that there was still so much about these animals that we don’t yet know, and he wanted to learn more. As an undergraduate student, David got involved in research, and he decided to pursue graduate school afterwards to continue answering the questions that interested him.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (17:04)
David’s PhD focused on how snakes detect vibration. To answer this question, David first had to better understand their central auditory pathways. What seemed like a straightforward project quickly became more complicated than he expected. The structures in the brains of snakes that are relevant for sensing sound and vibration are tiny and not exactly where he expected them to be, which made the project more difficult. While the tiny size of the reptilian inner ear was a big challenge, David managed to map every projection from the inner ear to the targets in the brain that they connected to. In doing so, they discovered that snakes and lizards use one of the organs involved in balance, the saccule, to sense vibrations. This led to a great paper that was recently published in Current Biology. The project ended up being more complex than David expected, but encouragement and help from his advisor and colleagues in the field really helped him along the way.
A Shining Success! (20:27)
When David started his PhD project on vibration detection, the snake auditory pathway hadn’t been mapped yet. This meant that he had to add dye to all of the different organs in the inner ear that were related to hearing and balance to see where information from these organs was going in the brain. One of the biggest wins from this project was the discovery that the saccule was involved in the process of hearing for snakes and lizards. David has been following up on this new finding with some additional studies to determine if there are any other parts of the auditory pathway that could have been missed, and this is exciting work in progress. When the paper was finally published, David celebrated by going out to a nice restaurant with his wife.
Book Recommendations (22:51)
How Snakes Work: Structure, Function and Behavior of the World’s Snakes by Harvey B. Lillywhite and Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin
Most Treasured Travel (24:13)
During his master’s program, David had the opportunity to travel to Gothenburg, Sweden, to share their research on snake skin in an oral presentation at the Society for Experimental Biology’s Annual Conference. This was David’s first time traveling to Europe, and he and his wife stayed in a house boat on the river. While there, David also met up with some future collaborators, and it was a fantastic experience overall.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (26:18)
In many larger labs, it may be rare for the principal investigator to be in the lab, doing their own experiments, and regularly engaging with lab members. David’s mentors over the years have led smaller labs and have been really hands-on with teaching him new techniques and doing their own research experiments. It was a regular occurrence for him to be working on his projects side-by-side with his research advisors in the lab. His mentors have always been there to help when he needed it, but they also gave him the freedom to pursue his own interests independently.
Advice For Us All (30:28)
If someone asks you a difficult question when you’re giving a presentation, you can make evidence-based speculations, but if you really don’t know the answer, admitting that you don’t know can prevent you from saying something embarrassing. Also, be perseverant. Science is difficult, but oftentimes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, snakes are remarkable creatures. Through evolution, they are able to do amazing things like move on land without legs and hear without having ear drums.
Guest Bio
David’s research is mainly focused on understanding how reptiles sense vibrations. He is trained in neurophysiology and comparative neuroanatomy, but he is a herpetologist at heart. Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles. Most recently, David and his Ph.D. advisor Dr. Catherine Carr discovered a hidden “vestibular” pathway for detecting vibrations in the tokay gecko, which has broad implications on the evolution of hearing. Outside of work, David tends to a small personal collection of pet snakes, and enjoys going hiking with his wife and seeking out herps (although he claims no expertise at this!).
The post 793: Dr. Dawei “David” Han: Improving our Understanding of How Snakes and Lizards Hear appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
33 min
December 23, 2024 792: Dr. Barbara Katzenback: Investigating Interactions Between Amphibian Immune Systems, Invading Pathogens, and the Environment
Dr. Barbara Katzenback is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. Barb earned her BSc with Honors in Immunology and Infection from the University of Alberta. She received her PhD in Physiology, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the University of Alberta as well. Barb was next awarded a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research at Carleton University, followed by an NSERC Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research at the University of Waterloo before joining the faculty there. In our interview, Barb speaks more about her experiences in life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:02)
Barb’s hobbies outside of science include engaging in a variety of physical activities like running, yoga, and hiking with her husband and two dogs. She’s also experimented with soccer, spin classes, cross country skiing, rock climbing, and inner tube water polo. Some of her other interests include pottery, art, crafting, baking, gardening, sewing, and leisure reading.
The Scientific Side (4:52)
Amphibian populations are declining worldwide, and one reason for their decline is their susceptibility to diseases that are emerging in their environments. Barb studies how frogs defend themselves from diseases to stay alive, and she also investigates how the environments that frogs live in impact their ability to defend against diseases. Frogs and other amphibians are critical components of the food web, they are important for pest control, they are indicators for the health of their environment, and they produce interesting molecules on the surface of their skin that may have relevance for human health.
A Dose of Motivation (7:52)
“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be called research.” – Albert Einstein
“If you don’t play, you can’t get” – Mike Belosevic
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:36)
Barb’s interest in science was first sparked by reading a spotlight on Maud Menten in a chemistry textbook. Maud was a Canadian physician and biochemist known for her many scientific contributions, and Barb wanted to be just like her. As a kid, Barb was interested in biology and chemistry, and she also liked tinkering with things. She even did experiments with the black beetles that lived in their window wells to try to understand what these beetles needed to survive. During junior high and high school, Barb really enjoyed the lab portions of her science classes. She had an opportunity to do a summer research program working in a nursing lab on data and data analysis. It was exciting to be in a research environment asking interesting questions and working to answer them. The next summer, Barb worked in a lab studying radioactive drug targeting to tumors. She realized that she really liked the scientific process. In college, Barb worked in a chemistry lab and did a research project for her undergraduate thesis. She continued to follow her interests through each subsequent step of her scientific career.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (20:07)
Early in graduate school, Barb spent months trying to get an experimental technique to work. She thought she needed this technique for her dissertation research, and she tried every way she could think of to get it to work. Barb didn’t make any progress, and she faced constant failure every day. She began to think that if she just tried harder, it might work. This led to her staying in the lab late in the evenings, coming in on weekends, and becoming even more frustrated that it still wasn’t working. One day, she just had enough. Barb came in to work on a Friday morning and waited for her advisor to arrive. As soon as he got there, she planned to walk into his office and tell him she was quitting graduate school. However, her advisor didn’t come in to the office that day. This meant she couldn’t tell him she was quitting. Barb didn’t go to the lab at all that weekend. Instead, she took some time to talk to her friends about how she was feeling, and she took a step back to think about the big picture of her research and her career. Barb realized that she could still get to her goal without being able to solve this particular problem, and by Monday, she was ready to give graduate school another chance.
A Shining Success! (24:14)
Recently, Barb has been excited to celebrate some of the wonderful accomplishments of her students. Two of the graduate students in Barb’s lab are authors on a paper they just submitted, and it was rewarding to see these students grow and contribute as scientists. Another student attended his first conference to present his preliminary research findings, and he was awarded a best poster prize. This was a big win for the student and also for Barb.
Book Recommendations (4:07)
Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence
Most Treasured Travel (25:55)
In 2009, Barb attended the International Society for Developmental and Comparative Immunology Conference held in Prague in the Czech Republic. This was a particularly fun trip because it was Barb’s first big international conference in her research field, and a whole group of people that she knew from the University of Alberta attended. It was amazing to sit in the audience and hear presentations from people whose papers she read. Both the science and the networking opportunities were great. The trip was also memorable because Barb visited London with a group of fellow researchers for a few days before the conference, and she went on to visit Berlin and the Netherlands with a close friend afterwards. Berlin was remarkable with its mix of new buildings and old structures. Barb was struck by the buildings that still stood after being damaged during the World Wars, the exhibits about the Holocaust, and the constant reminders of the past scattered throughout the city.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (28:58)
During Barb’s PhD, they had an aquatic facility with goldfish kept in large tanks on a platform. You had to take a large step up to get onto the platform to access the tanks. Barb was wearing her favorite pair of well-worn jeans, and when she took a giant step up onto the platform, she heard a loud ripping sound. Her jeans were torn beyond repair in the backside. Fortunately, the lab coat she was wearing hid the tear. Also, Barb just happened to have a pair of running pants at her desk in the lab since she planned to go running later that day. While there was no one to witness the incident in the aquatic facility, she ended up having to explain what happened to her labmates when she tried to sneak in to grab her spare pants.
Advice For Us All (35:37)
Focus on the now instead of worrying about the future. Things have a way of falling into place. Focusing on the things you can do now can help keep you calm and reduce your anxiety about the future. Remember that failure is okay, and it is part of the learning process. Also, do what you love if you can. Search out and find what you do best, and pursue that.
Guest Bio
Barb’s research investigates the interactions occurring between the immune system of aquatic vertebrates (frogs, fishes), invading pathogens, and environmental factors. The outcomes of host-pathogen-environment interactions ultimately dictate whether a frog or fish is able to survive the pathogen challenge and has important applications to ecosystem health and food security. In order to address these research questions, she draws on her expertise from the fields of immunology, cell biology and molecular biology. Barb’s research group is currently focusing on elucidating the role of antimicrobial peptides present on frog skin in defense against Frog Virus 3 and in aiding wound healing of the skin. As part of this work, her group has been developing novel frog cell lines and characterizing their innate immune responses to Frog Virus 3 to identify potential molecular mechanisms that govern susceptibility or resistance of frog cells to infection with the virus. When Barb isn’t in the lab, she can be found doing a range of activities including traveling, running, yoga, rock climbing, gardening, art, reading, listening to music, occasional movie/tv series marathons and, of course, long walks with her husband and two dogs in various parks around Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

*This episode was originally released on December 17, 2018.
The post 792: Dr. Barbara Katzenback: Investigating Interactions Between Amphibian Immune Systems, Invading Pathogens, and the Environment appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
39 min
December 16, 2024 791: Dr. Michael Middlebrooks: Studying Photosynthetic Sea Slugs and Other Underwater Invertebrates
Dr. Michael Middlebrooks is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Tampa. He received his B.S. in biology from Florida State University and his Ph.D. in Integrative biology from the University of South Florida. He remained at the University of South Florida to conduct postdoctoral research before joining the faculty at the University of Tampa. Michael was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award from the University of Tampa as well as the University’s Outstanding Student Research Supervisor Award from the College of Natural and Health Sciences there. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:09)
Scuba diving is Michael’s favorite thing in the world to do, and he’s able to explore the underwater world and look for cool animals both for work and in his free time. In addition, he enjoys listening to live music and reading.
The Scientific Side (4:22)
Michael’s research focuses on various species of sea slugs, particularly a group called the Sacaglossan sea slugs. Some of them have developed the ability to use chloroplasts from the algae they eat to become photosynthetic themselves. Michael studies how being a photosynthetic animal can change their ecology and their interactions with other organisms. He also does some work on seagrass restoration and how this affects plant-animal interactions.
A Dose of Motivation (7:05)
“There’s no slavery as such, except to tradition, but tradition wields a heavy lash. I mean, maybe democracy isn’t perfect, but at least we don’t let ourselves be outvoted by the dead.” – Terry Pratchett
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:27)
When he was a kid, Michael loved spending time outside exploring and observing the natural world. His dad is an avid scuba diver, and Michael got scuba-certified when he was fifteen years old. Being underwater and seeing so many amazing marine animals while diving was awe-inspiring. However, when he started making his career plans as a high school student, Michael wasn’t thinking about science. He was involved in the school newspaper and decided that he wanted to major in journalism in college. As Michael learned more about careers in journalism, he decided to pivot to biology. Over the years that followed, his passion for underwater invertebrates emerged, and Michael continued to pursue opportunities that he found interesting and exciting. As a graduate student, Michael discovered that he really enjoyed teaching, and his career now combines teaching and research.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (17:55)
During graduate school, Michael conducted a behavioral experiment with sea slugs that took about three months to set up and prepare. Then there was one critical day after that three month period where he had to collect all the data. After three months of work, the big day arrived, and everything failed. He planned to use an oxygen probe to determine photosynthetic rates in the sea slugs he was studying. However, the mucus the slugs produced interfered with the measurements using the oxygen probe. He decided to try again, and after three more months of work, the same thing happened on the measurement day. At this point, having done six months of work with nothing to show for it, Michael knew he needed a better plan. He identified a new technique that could be used to measure photosynthesis, and after three more months of preparations, this new approach was successful. Persistence paid off in the end in this project, and it was rewarding to go through the problem-solving and troubleshooting that ultimately led to the success of the study.
More recently, Michael worked with an undergraduate student on an exciting summer project that involved a particular sea slug that is normally really common. That summer, they couldn’t find a single one when they were out in the field for collections. This was really frustrating, and they soon realized that they had to change the study to use a different sea slug. It ended up working out great, and they were able to publish a paper with the student as the first author.
A Shining Success! (21:24)
COVID-19 made it really difficult for Michael and many other scientists to do research and work with students. During the pandemic, Michael brought together a group of students to meet with him over Zoom and discuss scientific papers. Out of these group discussions, a new project developed that involved a year-long study of a particular population of sea slugs. Once the lockdown ended, they started doing field sampling and working in the lab again. This was a large project, and the students put in many hours in the lab and at the microscope looking for the tiny sea slugs of interest. But it was a really fun study, they learned so much, and a lot of students participated. This was one good thing that came out of a very difficult time. They published a paper about the study, and at the end of last year, they had a year-end party to celebrate the paper, the students who were graduating, and all of the other good things that happened that year. One of the highlights at the party was a cake that a student made and decorated to look like a sea slug.
Book Recommendations (2:58)
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker, and the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman
Most Treasured Travel (24:12)
Michael loves traveling, and he’s gone scuba diving in many amazing places, both for his research and in his own personal travels. One of the most exciting trips he did for science was a field collection in the Dry Tortugas at the western end of the Florida Keys. The trip was particularly memorable because they ended up having to take a sea plane out to do their collections, rather than traveling by boat. Outside of science, Michael loves visiting The Coral Triangle. This marine region is near Indonesia and the Philippines, and the biodiversity of marine life is remarkable. The last time he went to the Philippines, Michael got to see some very rare sea slugs, and it was so exciting to see them in the wild.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (27:05)
A fun tradition in Michael’s lab is making sea slug memes. Basically, they take popular memes and change them into memes about sea slugs. Many of these memes have been printed out and now decorate the lab. This was a great way to stay connected and bond with the group during COVID because they could text each other the funny slug memes they made.
Advice For Us All (30:17)
Embrace perseverance. Don’t give up when things aren’t going the way you expect. Doing science is a skill set, and your skills will grow and develop over time. Observation and patience go a long way when you are working in natural systems. When obstacles arise, think about how you can do things differently to solve a problem or learn something new. Also, spend more time outside. Nature can be an excellent source of inspiration for new experiments, and being outside is really enjoyable.
Guest Bio
Michael is an invertebrate zoologist and an advocate for the tiny wonders of the animal kingdom. He is an avid scuba diver and passionate about underwater exploration. His enthusiasm for sharing the world of micro-fauna is evident in his talks about the small but spectacular snails, shrimp, and sea slugs that make up a just a fraction of the underwater animal kingdom. As an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Tampa, he teaches hands-on courses in Invertebrate Zoology, Global Sustainability, and Coral Reefs. His classes feature photographs of marine invertebrates that he has taken during his adventures in underwater exploration around the world.
In Michael’s academic research, he uncovers the intricate relationships that colorful “lettuce” sea slugs have with the food they eat. Specifically, he focuses on the behaviors of photosynthetic or “solar powered” sea slugs which can steal chloroplasts from the algae they eat and store them inside of their own cells to make energy. Michael also conducts research on seagrass restoration and examines the animal communities that live in, and depend on, seagrass beds.
The post 791: Dr. Michael Middlebrooks: Studying Photosynthetic Sea Slugs and Other Underwater Invertebrates appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
35 min
December 09, 2024 790: Dr. Satesh Bidaisee: Investigating the Intersection of Public Health, Infectious Disease, and Behavior Change to Improve Human Health
Dr. Satesh Bidaisee is a Professor of Public Health and Preventative Medicine and Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at St. George’s University in Grenada. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Center for Global Health at Old Dominion University and a Visiting Professor at Chitkara University in India and at Kasetsart University in Thailand. Satesh received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree (D.V.M.) from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, a Master’s of Science (M.S.) degree in Public Health from St. George’s University, and a Doctor of Education Degree (Ed.D.) from the University of Sheffield. Prior to joining the faculty at St. George’s University, Satesh held positions at the University of Trinidad and Tobago as well as the Ministry of Health in Trinidad and Tobago. Satesh is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health, the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the International Society on Infectious Diseases, and the Society of Biology. He is also board certified by the United States National Board of Public Health Examiners. In our interview, Satesh shared his experiences in life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:47)
One of Satesh’s passions outside of science is aviation. He has been fascinated by aircraft since childhood, and for the past decade, Satesh has enjoyed flying throughout the Caribbean region as a private pilot.
The Scientific Side (4:06)
Many aspects of human health are linked with conditions in our environment. Satesh’s research aims to identify and understand environmental factors that can impact human health, both positively and negatively.
A Dose of Motivation (4:45)
“What you can do tomorrow, do today. What you can do today, do now.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (6:33)
Satesh’s mother had a big influence on his life and his decision to pursue science. When he was only about 4 years old, Satesh worked with his mother on her entomology research. She investigated the use of biological controls for a mealy bug that was affecting crops and botanicals. This involved extensive field work, and the project ended up being successful. This got Satesh interested in using science to solve problems and ignited his interest in asking questions about the natural world. While he also developed a passion for aviation as a kid, Satesh recognized that there weren’t many career options for aviation. There were many different careers he could pursue involving science. He fondly remembers laboratory experiences in high school, and these piqued his interest in biology. Satesh’s mother passed away when he was young, and he decided to pursue zoology and veterinary medicine to honor his mother. These subjects later introduced Satesh to food safety, the connections between humans and animals, public health issues, and behavior change strategies that he studies today.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (18:48)
Grenada is the third largest producer of nutmeg in the world, and researchers have a close partnership with the nutmeg industry. Satesh has been working to address health and safety concerns for nutmeg processing workers. Processing nutmeg involves receiving, drying, sorting, preserving, and preparing the nutmeg for shipment. In a humid, tropical environment, the raw nutmeg is prone to mold, and processing nutmeg creates a lot of dust. Processing workers were experiencing post-nasal drip, upper respiratory distress, and sinusitis that was consistent with airborne exposure to mold and dust. In collaboration with engineers, Satesh’s team identified a potential solution using solar dehydrators made from shipping containers. This technology reduced the time to dry nutmeg by half, and mold growth was prevented by controlling the humidity in the containers. This solution made processing faster and reduced the exposure of workers to mold and dust. They were excited to install their first pilot solar dehydrator in a processing plant. However, the workers at the plant were apprehensive. There were concerns about the dehydrators replacing workers, the unions got involved, and the dehydrator wasn’t used. It was really frustrating for Satesh to have what seemed like a great solution to the issues the workers faced, but to not be able to successfully translate it into meaningful outcomes for them. Now Satesh is working on finding other ways to reduce adverse health effects for nutmeg processing workers.
A Shining Success! (24:54)
Comorbidities from diabetes are a major concern for populations in the Caribbean. Many people with diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy where there is a loss of sensation in the extremities or limbs. Farming is a common occupation for people in the Caribbean, and farmers often spend their days wearing boots or walking barefoot on their farms. It’s common to get cuts and wounds, and these can easily develop infections and become gangrenous. In these cases, amputation is the only option to save a person’s life. However, life expectancy after amputation is low, people experience social isolation, they become unemployed, income is lost, they may develop further risk factors for other chronic disease, and quality of life is poor. In partnership with a university in the United Kingdom, Satesh has developed an accessible pre-screening test for peripheral neuropathy that can easily be conducted in a community setting. They developed a national campaign around National Diabetes Day including flyers, YouTube videos, TV appearances, radio interviews, school visits, and presentations at community centers. They helped people do a simple toe touch test where one person randomly presses gently on another person’s toes or parts of their feet. This helped identify suspected cases of neuropathy to be tested at their health center. People with confirmed cases were enrolled in a preventative foot care program, and none of the people enrolled in this program have gone on to require amputation.
Book Recommendations (31:35)
On Bulls**t by Harry G. Frankfurt
Most Treasured Travel (34:15)
Among Satesh’s favorite places to visit and work with collaborators is Kasetsart University in Thailand. The University is located in the northeast portion of Thailand where there is a strong agricultural presence. They have a wonderful approach where they explore the intersections of human health, environmental health, and animal health. It is an exceptional place to examine the challenges and opportunities related to disease burden, parasites and food safety, sustainable use of land, water quality, and other topics. St. George’s University is an international university with faculty and students from 140 countries, and Kasetsart University in Thailand is one of their partner institutions. Students and faculty have had many opportunities to travel to Thailand for research, conferences, and to work with colleagues there.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (38:43)
While working in Trinidad, Satesh was investigating cases of potential urinary tract infections in cows. He visited a farmer to get a urine sample from a cow for analyses. When Satesh arrived, the cow was free-ranging, so he wasn’t able to collect a sample. Satesh left the farmer with a collection cup and instructions to collect a midstream urine sample and refrigerate the sample until he returned. About 2-3 hours later, Satesh came came back. The farmer admitted he didn’t get a sample because he didn’t have time to take the cow to the river. This miscommunication was humorous in hindsight, but it taught Satesh an important lesson about the importance of clear and effective communication.
Advice For Us All (45:00)
In aviation, the orientation of the nose of the plane is known as attitude. To climb to greater heights, a pilot must increase power and lift the nose of the plane. In life as in aviation, your attitude, not just your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Also, science is more than just a career or a discipline, it is a human endeavor. We are constantly seeking knowledge, understanding, and advancement, and science will allow us to achieve these things. Science is a major part of human history and culture, and it is key for our future.
Guest Bio
As a research investigator, Satesh supports community based participatory research and service activities along his interests which include Emerging Infectious Diseases, Zoonoses, Food Safety and Food Security, and the pursuit of the One Health One Medicine concept. As part of the work conducted, his research projects include Human Behavior, Climate Change and Viral Infections, Zoonoses, and One Health and Vector Borne Disease outbreak investigation. Outside of work, Satesh is an avid aviator. His childhood interest in flying continues today, and he experiences the joy of acceleration and altitude which he shares with kids as part of the Make A Wish foundation around the Caribbean region. Satesh lives by the motto in work and in life which is derived from aviation that it is your attitude and not just your aptitude which determines your altitude!

*This episode was originally released on October 29, 2018.
The post 790: Dr. Satesh Bidaisee: Investigating the Intersection of Public Health, Infectious Disease, and Behavior Change to Improve Human Health appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
51 min
December 02, 2024 789: Dr. Karine Le Roch: Studying the Molecular Mechanisms Important for the Parasite that Causes Malaria
Dr. Karine Gaelle Le Roch is a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease and Vector Research at the University of California, Riverside. She received her BA in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the University Paris-Sorbonne, her MS in host-parasite interactions between Oxford University in the UK and the University of Lille in France, and her PhD in Parasitology and host-parasite interactions from the University Paris-Sorbonne. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla and subsequently she was an Institute Fellow at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation. Karine joined the faculty at UCR in 2006. She has earned various honors and awards throughout her career, including the Academic Senate Regent Award for Outstanding Research from the University of California, she was a participant in the Provost Faculty Leadership Program at UCR and the University of California’s Women’s Initiative for Professional Development. In our interview, Karine shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:44)
When she’s not doing science, Karine enjoys sailing in the San Diego Bay, skiing in the winter, spending time with her son, and watching him play soccer.
The Scientific Side (3:38)
Karine studies parasites, and much of her work has focused on the parasite that causes malaria in humans. Over 200 million people are infected with this parasite each year, and malaria is a leading cause of death in children in developing countries. Karine is working to better understand the life cycle of the parasite, how the molecular components in its body work together, and how the parasite’s function can be disrupted after a person has been infected in order to treat and cure malaria.
A Dose of Motivation (5:21)
“You can do it if you’re highly motivated, and consistent, and hard-working. You can actually do what you’ve always been dreaming of doing.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (6:04)
As a person with dyslexia, a learning disability that affects reading and writing, school was sometimes difficult for Karine. Writing was particularly challenging, but molecules and atoms made sense. Hoping to avoid writing as much as possible, Karine immersed herself in science. With support from her parents and others, Karine decided to pursue a career in research. She had a transformative experience doing a research internship in the UK at the University of Wales where she studied parasites under the mentorship of Mike Doenhoff. Karine became fascinated with parasites, and the internship provided outstanding opportunities to see another part of the world, learn English, and get hands-on research experience. Afterwards, she pursued graduate school, and then she worked in an industry postdoctoral fellowship program on drug discovery. This helped Karine decide that she was more interested in the basic science of how parasites work, and she launched her own independent research career as a faculty member.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (20:45)
Looking back to the early days of her lab, Katherine submitted 70 grant applications before finally getting funding for her first research project. Getting the notice that her grant would be funded was a huge relief, and the timing coincided with her learning that she was pregnant with her son, so it was a really special and positive time in her life. Being persistent and not giving up when faced with repeated rejections was critical. Working with a strong team of amazing and supportive colleagues, students, and postdocs can also help you get through difficult times.
A Shining Success! (24:14)
Karine and her collaborators recently published a paper in Science describing their work using a new drug called MED6-189 that is derived from a natural product and targets multiple pathways of the parasite that causes malaria. As a result of the complex mechanism of the drug’s effects, it will be very difficult for the parasite to evolve resistance to the drug treatment, which is key for addressing this devastating disease over time. In addition, Karine has been working with chemists to improve the compound and make it less expensive to produce so that it could be an accessible treatment option for developing countries. This project is an exciting success, but it has also involved 8-10 years of hard work, and there were many setbacks and failures along the way. Also, the story is not over yet. Karine and her team have a lot of further work to do on the project, but publishing this paper demonstrated that the team can be successful in getting a difficult project done. They hope their research will soon bring a new and effective treatment for malaria into the hands of the people who need it most.
Book Recommendations (26:48)
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Most Treasured Travel (27:44)
Travel has been an important part of Karine’s life and career. One of her favorite places that she has visited on vacation is The Isle of Pines, which is located in the archipelago of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean. It is an absolutely beautiful island with pristine beaches and large pine trees. For science, Karine loves traveling to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Her favorite meeting on molecular parasitology is held there annually in September, and it is wonderful to reconnect with colleagues each year to talk about different parasites, new discoveries, and struggles in science. It is also rewarding to mentor early-career faculty and encourage the next generation of researchers at these meetings.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (31:39)
Many scientists that Karine works with are humble and collegial. She enjoys getting together to share good food, drinks, and stories with students and colleagues, and supporting them however she can. Many people may still think about researchers as working by themselves in their labs, but over time, there have been shifts in science from this historical model to more larger-scale, collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects. This is something Karine has experienced, and she really values these opportunities to work with collaborators with different backgrounds.
Advice For Us All (35:29)
Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Be proactive, talk to people, stay connected, and ask them about opportunities. Leave your phone and your technology behind, and really talk to people. This can be eye-opening and can help you find new solutions to problems you may have. Also, don’t be afraid of failure. Remember that work is very important, but so are many other aspects of your life, like getting out in the world, spending time with your family and loved ones, and taking care of yourself.
Guest Bio
Karine’s research primarily focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that enable the survival of the human malaria parasite and its interactions with the human host. Her area of expertise lies in the biology of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and includes the use of genomics and systems biology tools to identify potential new targets for therapeutic interventions. As part of her work, her group has made significant progress in uncovering the role of epigenetics and chromatin structure in regulating gene expression and the parasite’s life cycle progression. She has applied genomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and proteomic techniques to gain a deeper understanding of how Plasmodium falciparum adapts to its environment, survives within host cells, and evades both drug treatments and host immune responses. Her research has provided key insights into the biology of the parasite and contributed to the search for new drugs to combat malaria. Outside of work, Karine enjoys a wide range of activities, including sailing, skiing, biking, hiking, and traveling around the world with her family and friends. When not traveling or attending her son’s soccer games, she practices yoga with great dedication!
The post 789: Dr. Karine Le Roch: Studying the Molecular Mechanisms Important for the Parasite that Causes Malaria appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
40 min
November 25, 2024 788: Dr. Rebecca Wattam: Researching the Comparative Genomics of Pathological and Beneficial Bacteria
Dr. Rebecca Wattam is a Research Associate Professor in the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory within the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech. Rebecca received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of New Mexico in Biology. Next, she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned a joint Ph.D. degree in Entomology and Veterinary Science. Rebecca received a MacArthur Fellowship to conduct postdoctoral research at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and she completed a second postdoctoral fellowship there as well before accepting a position on the faculty at Virginia Tech. In our interview, Rebecca speaks more about her experiences in life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:23)
Living in Blacksburg, Virginia, Rebecca is close to the beautiful Appalachian Trail. She spends much of her free time hiking, canoeing, exploring the outdoors, and watching the wildlife.
The Scientific Side (2:59)
Bacteria are diverse and abundant, and they play important roles in our lives. Rebecca is the outreach and biology lead for a bioinformatics research center that scientists use to share and analyze their data on bacteria and bacterial genomes. This research center was originally funded to study bacteria that can make us sick in order to develop vaccines, identify drug targets, and predict outbreaks of illnesses. However, there are a lot of beneficial types of bacterial that are also now being studied based on their use for fermentation, alternate energy sources, probiotics, and other purposes. Rebecca is particularly interested in examining the similarities and differences between groups of bacteria.
A Dose of Motivation (5:08)
“What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know what’s going on.” – Jacques Cousteau
“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” – Linus Pauling
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:43)
Though she always loved biology classes in school, Rebecca had a rocky start when it came to mathematics. One year of poor instruction in algebra meant that Rebecca struggled when she tried to proceed to the next level of math in high school. Based on her difficulty with math, Rebecca thought she couldn’t pursue a career in science. She got involved in acting and went to college to earn a degree in theatre arts. Partway through college, Rebecca decided that theatre wasn’t for her. She wanted to return to her interest in biology, so she started back at the beginning with an elementary algebra course. From there, Rebecca worked her way up through statistics to get her biology degree and pursue a career in science. Her time studying theatre has helped Rebecca become more comfortable speaking in front of crowds and reading her audience during workshops and scientific presentations.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (23:26)
Only decades ago, there were substantially fewer scientists being awarded PhDs, and jobs and research funding were plentiful. Rebecca finished her degree just after there was an explosion of PhDs awarded in biology, and it has been a struggle. Suddenly, there weren’t enough jobs, and funding levels have been steadily dropping. Both Rebecca and her husband are in similar scientific areas, and they had a tough time finding permanent jobs. They spent a long time as postdocs, and they kept waiting for positions to open up. At the same time, they were trying to raise a family, and money was tight. Eventually they found positions, but Rebecca never got the tenure track job she was expecting when she finished her PhD. Despite this, her current position as a research track faculty member has worked out well, it is a great job, and she really enjoys it. Still, it has been hard to see bright and talented people in her field struggle to find jobs, fail to get funding to do their research, and leave the academic careers they love to take other jobs.
A Shining Success! (27:20)
Recently, Rebecca and her colleagues submitted a proposal to examine large samples of bacterial communities. After years of trying to get a project funded on this topic, they finally have a proposal that is in the negotiation stage and may be funded. Currently, little is known about types of bacteria that scientists haven’t been able to successfully grow in cultures in the lab. Because of this, there are a lot of bacteria species within soil, our bodies, and other environments that researchers haven’t identified or described. Their goal is to take samples from large, complicated communities of bacteria to determine if there are potentially harmful bacteria, get genetic sequences from them, and analyze those bacteria. This was an amazing proposal to write, and it brings together a myriad of experts across different areas of biology.
Book Recommendations (31:42)
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Most Treasured Travel (33:41)
The most memorable trip for Rebecca was when she traveled to Thailand to give a workshop. In the beginning, everything that could have gone wrong definitely went wrong. Her flight out of Roanoke was delayed, so she missed her connection out of Japan, had to change airports in the middle of the night in Japan, the person who was supposed to meet her in Bangkok wasn’t there when she arrived, the airlines lost her luggage, she wasn’t able to communicate with her cab driver, her cab got in an accident with a motorcyclist, and she had to start her scheduled meetings with people there when she was stressed out, running on little sleep, and still wearing the clothes she traveled in. However, it was all worth it, because her visit was amazing. She met with people from all over the world who were trying to better understand the bacteria used in their local fermentation processes to preserve these traditional processes and help facilitate more efficient food production. This was the first time Rebecca was really able to delve into studying beneficial bacteria, and the people were absolutely fantastic to work with and talk to.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (38:03)
Rebecca’s research group likes to get together outside of the lab, go out to dinner, talk, and have fun. One of her colleagues is particularly fun to travel with because he always plans in advance the places they should go and sites they should see when visiting a new city. When traveling, Rebecca holds workshops, meets with students, helps students with their data, meets with collaborating scientists, and then is able to explore the places they are visiting. She has seen some phenomenal sites and shared many wonderful and hilarious moments with scientific colleagues.
Advice For Us All (45:01)
Work isn’t fun all of the the time. Sometimes work is hard or tedious, but it’s up to you to make it fun for you. Do the best you can at your job so you can be proud of the work that you do. This way, even if people criticize your work, you can still go home at the end of the day knowing you did your best. Also, you absolutely can have a career as well as children and a family. Regardless of what others may say, you can have your job and your life too.
Guest Bio
Rebecca trained as a parasitologist and medical entomologist, but she currently works on comparative genomics of bacteria in the Pathosystems Resource Integration Center (PATRIC) project at Virginia Tech. PATRIC provides integrated data and analysis tools to support biomedical research on bacterial infectious diseases. It also provides data and analysis tools for multiple omics data types including genomes, proteomes, and transcriptomes. With PATRIC, you can upload your private data in a workspace, analyze it using high-throughput services, and compare it with other public databases using visual analytics tools. This platform provides researchers with a wealth of freely available data and analysis results to facilitate biomedical research on microbes across a wide variety of fields.

*This episode was originally released September 10, 2018.
The post 788: Dr. Rebecca Wattam: Researching the Comparative Genomics of Pathological and Beneficial Bacteria appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
50 min
November 18, 2024 787: Dr. Catherine Carr: Examining the Neural Circuits Involved in Using Timing Differences to Localize Sound
Dr. Catherine Emily Carr is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Catherine received her undergraduate training in Zoology with first class honors at the University of Cape Town, and she completed her M.A. degree in biology at the State University New York at Buffalo. She was awarded her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego. Afterwards, Catherine conducted postdoctoral research at CalTech, and she served briefly on the faculty at the University of Rochester before joining the faculty at the University of Maryland in 1990. She has served as a course director and co-director at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole and has served as President, Director, and a Trustee for the Glass Foundation. Catherine has received numerous awards and honors over the years, including an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship and she was awarded the Humboldt Senior Research Prize twice. She is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, and the International Society for Neuroethology. She received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Southern Denmark, and she was named Mentor of the Year in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program at the University of Maryland. In this interview, she shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:51)
Lately, Catherine has enjoyed spending her free time reading and doing volunteer work for the Maryland State Park system. As a volunteer she has been removing invasive species, like English ivy and Japanese honeysuckle, from her local parks in an effort to restore the native habitats.
The Scientific Side (3:58)
In the lab, Catherine is interested in understanding how animals perceive their environment. This work involves observing animal behavior in the field, as well as laboratory studies to try to understand the biology of how different fish, birds, and reptiles use their senses and their nervous systems to perceive the world around them. Much of Catherine’s recent work has focused on hearing and how animals use the sounds they perceive and produce.
A Dose of Motivation (5:17)
“[It’s] not so simple.” – Nobuo Suga
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:11)
Catherine’s first career choice at the age of five was to drive trains. Not long afterwards though, she realized her love of biology. Catherine remembers asking for biology books for Christmas each year and being fascinated by insects in the garden. When she started college, she already knew that she wanted to be a biologist. While at the University of Cape Town, Catherine was mentored by outstanding scientists, and she learned more about how to carefully observe animals and do good research. Catherine studied weakly electric fish in graduate school and then pivoted to studying hearing and sound localization in her postdoctoral fellowship. This latter area of research truly captivated Catherine, and she has continued to study sound localization for the past few decades.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (21:09)
Catherine and her colleagues have been working on a project to better understand hearing and sound localization in the barking geckos that live in the Kalahari Desert. She originally thought they would be able to film interactions between male and female geckos by suspending a camera on a pole above their burrows. When a male gecko called, Catherine envisioned the females would orient towards the sound and make their way to the burrow. However, by the time they set up their experiments, the females already seemed to know where the burrows were, and the males seemed to already know where their competitors were. They were able to save the field season by observing how the geckos responded to previously recorded gecko calls, but it was a humbling experience to discover that these animals knew a lot more about their environment than Catherine and their colleagues gave them credit for.
A Shining Success! (23:32)
Working with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows is rewarding for Catherine, and there was a particular graduate student project that Catherine really enjoyed. The project aimed to provide insights into the evolution of hearing, and it focused on salamanders. The student examined the structure of the inner ear of salamanders and discovered they had sensory cells that could respond to sound, as well as sensory organs that could respond to balance. She looked at hundreds of species of salamanders that lived in different environments, including those that lived in fallen leaves on the ground and those that lived in caves. They suspected that the salamanders living in dark caves might depend more heavily on their hearing, and they found that these salamanders had the largest and best-developed regions of the inner ear related to hearing. This was an important discovery because, though these salamanders didn’t specialize in hearing, their research demonstrated that there was something for evolution to act on to impact their hearing. Next, the student performed a study that demonstrated that cave-dwelling salamanders also had the strongest sense of hearing, and that salamanders have directional hearing, where they can better hear sounds coming from some directions than others. These studies provide evidence that supports the possibility that hearing evolved as animals moved from water onto land through progressive improvements in sensitivity to sound.
Book Recommendations (30:52)
Gaining Ground: The Origin and Evolution of Tetrapods by Jennifer Clack, The Other Big Bang: The Story of Sex and Its Human Legacy Eric S. Haag
Most Treasured Travel (31:55)
When she was a graduate student, Catherine had the opportunity to do field work in Panama studying weakly electric fish. Carrying her recording equipment around the jungle to record the electrical signals from these fish was absolutely remarkable. Looking at a small stream in the forest, most people would have no idea that there was a diverse array of weakly electric fish swimming amongst the tree roots under the surface and signaling to each other. This was Catherine’s first visit to the tropics, and the biodiversity was amazing and very eye-opening for her.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (37:17)
Collecting data on the barking geckos in the Kalahari was full of memorable moments. Catherine and her colleagues had to fend for themselves for the most part, and she was lucky that both of her collaborators were excellent chefs. To celebrate their first night with successful results where they observed the geckos orienting to sound in the wild, they used the last of their flour and made a large pie for dinner. The pie featured a small gecko-shaped pastry on top, and it was delicious.
Advice For Us All (40:31)
A lot of science is about failure, but you can learn from your failures. When things fail, take a break, go for a walk, think it over, and try again. Don’t give up. Also, it’s very important to find the right mentors and identify a problem that you think is worthwhile and are willing to work hard to solve.
Guest Bio
The brain uses time differences between the two ears to localize the sound. Catherine’s lab studies sound localization in birds and reptiles, especially the neural circuits and computations underlying interaural time differences (ITDs). She focuses on ITD detection as a model for how evolution acts on neural circuits. In barn owls, Catherine’s lab has shown that ITDs are translated into location in space in the brainstem. Detection of these time differences depends upon two mechanisms of general significance to neurobiology: delay lines and coincidence detection. Incoming axons form delay lines to create maps of ITD in an area of the brainstem called the nucleus laminaris. Their postsynaptic targets act as coincidence detectors and fire maximally when the interaural time difference is equal but opposite to the delay imposed by the afferent axons. Similar principles guide sound localization circuits in other reptiles. Current research in Catherine’s lab examines models of delay line-coincidence detector circuits, on the assembly of the map of sound localization during development, and on how such circuits evolve. All projects develop from initial behavioral observations into systems, cellular, and molecular levels of analysis. When she’s not doing science, Catherine loves to read and volunteer at nearby state parks, removing invasive plants.
The post 787: Dr. Catherine Carr: Examining the Neural Circuits Involved in Using Timing Differences to Localize Sound appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
43 min
November 04, 2024 785: Dr. Jonathan Kipnis: Investigating Interactions Between the Immune System and Central Nervous System
Dr. Jonathan (Jony) Kipnis is a BJC Investigator and the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He is also Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Neurosurgery and Director of the Brain Immunology and Glia Center there. He completed his BSc in Biology at Tel Aviv University, and he received his MSc in Neurobiology and PhD in Neuroimmunology from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Jony worked on the faculty at the University of Virginia for over a decade before joining the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis. He has received numerous awards and honors, including an NIH/NIA MERIT Award, the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, the Harrison Foundation Distinguished Teaching Professorship in Neuroscience, a Gutenberg Research College fellowship from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, and the Distinguished Research Career Development Award from the University of Virginia. He is also a Member of the National Academy of Medicine. In this interview, Jony shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (3:09)
When he’s not working, Jony loves to read a good book, enjoy a nice glass of wine, cook, and eat delicious food. He particularly has a passion for grilling.
The Scientific Side (5:18)
Jony is a neuroimmunologist. He works at the intersection of the immune system and the nervous system. The brain controls immune system activity, and the immune system affects brain function. The two work together to ensure our survival and well-being. Jony’s research is improving our understanding of how they interact when we’re healthy and in cases of nervous system damage or disease.
A Dose of Motivation (9:27)
One major source of motivation and inspiration for Jony is Thomas Jefferson. He has a whole book of quotes from Jefferson in his office. He is also inspired by Rita Levi-Montalcini and Carl Sagan, particularly their quotes below.
”I don’t believe that there would be any science at all without intuition.” – Rita Levi-Montalcini
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Carl Sagan
What Got You Hooked on Science? (12:07)
Jony grew up in a family of physicians. His father and grandmother were both medical doctors, and Jony’s family decided that he should become a doctor as well. When he played as a little kid, Jony pretended to be a doctor, but he always imagined he was discovering new medicines, rather than prescribing known medicines. One of Jony’s grandfather’s passed away from cancer at a relatively young age, and this sparked Jony’s interest in better understanding the disease. Not much was known about cancer at that time in the early 1980’s, and Jony decided to pursue studies in biology with the goal of doing cancer research and curing cancer. However, while in his graduate studies, Jony attended a lecture from a professor who was doing interesting research on the interactions between immune cells and brain cells, and he decided to try working in her lab. He quickly fell in love with the field of neuroimmunology and has continued doing research in this area since then.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (24:46)
It is incredibly common for experiments to fail and for your results not to match your original hypothesis. A large part of science is trying to troubleshoot, iterate, and ultimately (hopefully) get experiments to work. Jony had a student who had to close his project in his fifth year of graduate school because it just wasn’t working, and they couldn’t get consistent results. They realized later that the project wasn’t incorrect because another lab eventually showed results which were very similar, but stopping work on the project was really difficult for both Jony and the student to come to terms with.
Getting results that are different from what you expected also happens often in science. Jony had a postdoc share results from their project, and there were clear differences between the two groups. Jony was really excited, and congratulated the postdoc on his amazing work. When the postdoc pointed out that the results for the two groups were the opposite from what they expected, Jony was even more excited because this made the difference even more likely to be real. The next step was to replicate the work to ensure they got the same result and then try to understand what might be happening to get these results. Persistence and resilience are key to being successful in science and discovering new things.
A Shining Success! (33:03)
Shortly after finishing his graduate work, Jony had a wild idea that not having a functional immune system would negatively impact brain function. The lab he was working in wasn’t equipped to carry out the experiments for this study, so they collaborated with a lab at another institution to complete the project. They purposely didn’t give the investigator much information about the study because they wanted the experiments to be as unbiased as possible. They sent the investigator some animal models that were normal and some that did not have functional immune systems. The results showed that the individuals without a functional immune system had substantial cognitive problems, compared to those with a normal immune system. To confirm their findings that immune system function was critical for good brain function, they prepared two groups of animal models without functioning immune systems, and they gave one group back the immune cells they thought were involved. The individuals that were not given the immune cells back performed poorly, while those with the immune cells performed well on the tests. This was a really exciting finding and an amazing feeling.
Another memorable success happened in 2014 when a postdoc in Jony’s lab discovered lymphatic vessels in the brain. The lymphatic system is important for removing wastes from tissues, and it was long believed that there were no lymphatic vessels in the brain. The postdoc called Jony over to the microscope one day and showed him some vessels that clearly contained immune cells, even though all of the blood had been removed. They were surprised, and decided to investigate these unexpected vessels further. Jony asked a colleague for markers to label for lymphatic vessels to try prove that they weren’t lymphatic vessels. Once the markers were applied, it became clear that there were indeed lymphatic vessels in the brain. It was a true eureka moment.
Book Recommendations (3:42, 46:36)
In Praise of Imperfection: My Life and Work by Rita Levi-Montalcini, Advice to a Young Scientist by Peter Medawar
Most Treasured Travel (36:40)
Jony has had many opportunities to travel to wonderful places for science. He was born in the Republic of Georgia, which spans across Eastern Europe and West Asia. His family moved to Israel in 1990, and he had not been back to his home country since then. In 2017, there was a scientific meeting held in the Republic of Georgia, and it was really meaningful to go back to the country after 27 years away. While there, Jony resisted familiar sites and places he and his family used to go on summer vacation. He returned again in 2019 and has been going almost every year since then. The scientific meetings have been fantastic, and they have brought together great scientists from all over the world.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (40:23)
When attending scientific conferences, it is a lot of fun to spend quality time with colleagues in the field. Jony’s lab recently attended the Society for Neuroscience meeting, which is one of the largest neuroscience conferences. He went out to dinner with a few colleagues, and they sat together for about three hours, having a great discussion and laughing almost non-stop. He laughed so much that the muscles in his face hurt the next day.
Also, in September, Jony participated in a conference called ReThink Neuroimmunology that was hosted by his university in St. Louis. There is a tight knit core of investigators who regularly attend this meeting each year, and they decided to take the group to a place called The City Museum. This is a quirky architectural playground where people of all ages can climb through tunnels, go down slides, explore caves, go on rides, and more. After a long day of discussions and a formal dinner, the group met up at The City Museum, and no one really knew what to expect. Jony came late after making sure everyone else had transportation to get there. When you walk in, there is a huge slide that brings people down to the entrance from a higher floor, and he had to laugh when he saw a respected scientist standing there barefoot trying to pull another scientist out of the slide by their leg because they had gotten stuck. The whole event was a fun and funny experience that highlighted the sense of humor of the group.
Advice For Us All (46:36)
Don’t listen to anyone else’s advice because what works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Follow your intuition, and listen to your own inner voice. If you’re not excited about the projects you are doing and the scientific questions you are asking, it will be very difficult to pursue a career in science, because there are so many failures and challenges you will have to face. Also, remember that it’s okay to make mistakes.
Guest Bio
The Kipnis lab is dedicated to unraveling the intricate interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system (CNS). It explores the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underpin these interactions across a spectrum of conditions, including neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and mental disorders, as well as in physiological states like healthy aging. Jony and his colleagues discovered that brain function is partly reliant on the integrity and functionality of the immune system, with immune molecules (cytokines) playing neuromodulatory roles. The fascination with immunity and its role in neurophysiology is what brought the lab to a breakthrough discovery of meningeal lymphatic vessels that drain the CNS into the peripheral lymph nodes and thus serve as a physical connection between the brain and the immune system. This finding challenged the prevailing mechanisms underlying CNS “immune privilege” and opened new avenues to mechanistically study the nature of neuroimmune interactions under physiological and pathological conditions. The implications of this work are broad and range from autism to Alzheimer’s disease through neuroinflammatory conditions, such as Multiple Sclerosis.
Jony’s lab also identified the skull and vertebrae bone marrow niches as local immune reservoirs for the brain and spinal cord, whose role in neurological disorders is yet unknown. Recently, the lab unveiled new structures involved in waste removal from the brain, which are also utilized by immune cells for brain surveillance and during pathological neuroinflammation. Additionally, the team demonstrated that synchronized neuronal oscillations during sleep facilitate the movement of cerebrospinal fluid through the dense brain parenchyma. These discoveries not only elucidate the role of macroscopic brain waves during sleep but also offer novel insights that could lead to more effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Earlier this year, the Kipnis lab also reported on engineered T cells that could be therapeutically used for neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of science, Jony spends his free time hanging out with his family, cooking and grilling, getting immersed in a good book, and enjoying and collecting good wine.
Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by Innovative Research, Inc.
The post 785: Dr. Jonathan Kipnis: Investigating Interactions Between the Immune System and Central Nervous System appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
51 min

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