People Behind the Science Podcast

By Dr. Marie McNeelyScience

People Behind the Science Podcast episodes

November 13, 2023 734: Dr. Rachel Perry: Examining the Role of Metabolism in Cancer and Response to Cancer Treatment
Dr. Rachel Perry is Assistant Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology) and of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at the Yale University School of Medicine. She was awarded her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and her Ph.D. (with Distinction) in Cellular & Molecular Physiology from Yale University. Afterwards, she remained at Yale for postdoctoral training in internal medicine and endocrinology, and she joined the Yale faculty in 2018. Rachel has received a variety of awards and honors for her research, including the American Physiological Society New Investigator Award, an R37 MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Translational Science Research Prize from the Yale Cancer Center, the Melanoma Research Alliance Young Investigator Award, the Rising Stars in Cancer Metabolism Award, the Breakthrough of the Year Award from the Yale Cancer Signaling Networks Program, and the Translational Science Research Prize from the Yale Cancer Center. In addition, she was named a Kingsley Fellow of the Yale University School of Medicine. In our interview, she shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (3:02)
In her free time, Rachel enjoys spending hanging out with her family, playing with their Labradoodle puppy, and going on walks in the fantastic fall weather. She is also an avid home chef, and she applies her scientific precision to prepare delicious meals for friends and family.
The Scientific Side (4:13)
Rachel’s scientific training focused on how our bodies use nutrients to stay healthy and what goes wrong in diseases like obesity and diabetes. In her current lab, she applies this background to better understand how changes in metabolism (nutrient supply) may affect cancer and how our bodies respond to cancer treatments.
A Dose of Motivation (5:41)
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:25)
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was four and a half years old, Rachel began engaging in scientific thinking at an early age. With her parents’ help, she was constantly doing experiments on herself since type 1 diabetes requires a lot of management. Rachel would eat a meal, treat with some insulin, and monitor the results. By high school, Rachel knew she wanted to get experience working in a research lab, and she had a great opportunity to work with Dr. David Van Wagoner. After this experience, she knew she wanted to continue doing research in college. As an undergraduate, Rachel worked in the lab of Dr. Gerald Shulman and had a lot of autonomy to troubleshoot and lead the project she was working on with a postdoc. The lab provided an outstanding training environment, and Rachel remained there to complete her PhD and postdoctoral fellowship. While she interviewed more broadly for faculty positions, Rachel ultimately chose to join the faculty and start her own research lab there at Yale University.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (21:23)
A recent experiment in the lab investigated the use of a metabolism drug called dichloroacetate to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in a type of skin cancer called melanoma. The graduate student working on this project very carefully conducted many experiments, and they were disappointed to see there was no evidence that the drug had any effect on tumor size. However, the student made another very interesting observation. Despite the fact that tumor size wasn’t different between the treatment and control groups. The treatment group was much more active and stronger than the control group. This led the lab down the path of investigating cancer-related fatigue. Cancer-related fatigue is a severe and debilitating exhaustion that nearly all cancer patients experience, and it isn’t resolved with sleep or rest. While some specific symptoms can be addressed with available treatments, there is no drug that targets the condition as a whole. Based on their preliminary findings, dichloroacetate may protect against all of the facets of cancer-related fatigue. Their results are particularly exciting because the drug has already been shown to be safe and is FDA-approved for use in other conditions. This means that it could move through the clinical trial pipeline fairly quickly. This remarkable success stemmed from an unexpected finding in a study with negative results for the main outcome they were measuring.
A Shining Success! (26:06)
In the past year, two high school students in Rachel’s lab had their first-author papers accepted for publication in academic journals. It was so exciting for Rachel to be part of this experience for students at this very early stage in their career. The students really led the work on these projects and were eager to learn and pursue these opportunities. To celebrate successes in the lab, they often get together and share snacks and sparkling cider.
Book Recommendations (30:51)
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Most Treasured Travel (32:52)
Rachel had a wonderful time visiting Miyazaki, Japan. She was invited to present her research at a scientific conference there in 2019, and it was one of her favorite travel experiences. In her conference session, all of the other presentations were in Japanese, and hers was the only one in English. It was fun to try to determine the key points of the other talks from the figures alone. The city and the surrounding water were beautiful, the food was outstanding, the people were welcoming, and Rachel enjoyed catching up with a colleague there who she worked with when she was a postdoc.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (35:19)
In 2021, Rachel wanted to get the lab group together while following COVID-19 precautions, so she hosted the group for a socially-distanced fire pit party in her backyard. Everyone had to bring at least one rejection notice that they had received (from a paper, a grant, or other application), and one at a time, they read a sentence from the rejection out loud and put it in the fire pit to burn. It was a great time, and a good team building exercise because it demonstrated that they were all experiencing rejections and that they could support each other to get through these challenges. They have been continuing this tradition about once each year, and it is a fun way to normalize rejection in science.
Advice For Us All (40:47)
Not everyone’s journey is going to be the same. In her career path, Rachel worked in one lab as an undergraduate, PhD student, and postdoc. This isn’t a typical path, but it worked well and made sense for her. There are many examples of other scientists who didn’t follow a typical career path, and who are happy and successful. Think about your own personal and professional priorities and how you can shape your path to meet these priorities. Also, remember that work-life balance is important. However, it won’t look the same for every person and at every point in a person’s life. There isn’t one way to balance work and life that works for everyone, but you can have a great career in science while maintaining work-life balance and enjoying the process.
Guest Bio
Rachel’s research focuses on the intersection of metabolic health and disease, primarily in the setting of cancer. The Perry lab seeks to use novel methods to generate new insights that may inform recommendations for lifestyle choices as well as the development of new medications targeting metabolism not only to treat cancer, but also to improve the tolerability of cancer treatment. Rachel particularly enjoys mentoring, and has an international lab including high school, undergraduate, and graduate students (both in Connecticut and elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad), and a postdoc. She is actively involved in career development mentorship on a wider scale, and greatly enjoys giving back in this way. Outside of the lab, Rachel enjoys cooking (following a recipe is like following a protocol, after all!), playing around on the keyboard reminiscing about her 15 years of classical piano training as a child, and being trained by the new Labradoodle puppy that her family – including her husband, Curt, and 8 year old daughter, Julia – brought home this summer.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by New England Biolabs, Inc.
The post 734: Dr. Rachel Perry: Examining the Role of Metabolism in Cancer and Response to Cancer Treatment appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
46 min
November 06, 2023 733: Dr. Susie Dai: Using Microbes to Sustainably Produce Valuable Chemicals and Degrade Toxic Compounds
Dr. Susie Dai is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&M University. She is also Director of the Biomonitoring Program in the Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory, leading the Iowa Statewide Biomonitoring public health surveillance. Susie received her BS degree in Chemistry from Fudan University, and her PhD in Chemistry from Duke University. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research with the Scripps Research Institute and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Next Susie began working as a Research Assistant Professor and was promoted to Research Associate Professor at Texas A&M in the Office of the Texas State Chemist. Subsequently, she served as Associate Director of the Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa and Director of the Environmental Health Division. She returned to the Texas A&M faculty in 2019. In this interview, Susie shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:50)
When she’s not at work Susie enjoys reading and hanging out with her family, including her two wonderful daughters.
The Scientific Side (3:52)
Susie works at the interface of chemistry and biology, and her research leverages microorganisms like bacteria and fungus to synthesize chemicals of value or degrade poisonous chemicals. This work has important applications for developing sustainable methods to produce chemicals and breaking down dangerous chemicals that are very stable. In addition, Susie’s work also includes biomonitoring where they examine exposure to toxic chemicals from private wells and other environmental sources.
A Dose of Motivation (5:56)
“Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur
What Got You Hooked on Science? (8:28)
In high school, Susie had a chance to learn more advanced physics and chemistry from outstanding visiting teachers, and this sparked her interest in chemistry. While in college, Susie didn’t really have her career path planned out, but she knew it was common for people to go to the U.S. to get a PhD if they wanted to pursue a science career, so she decided to do this as a next step. During graduate school, Susie worked with a wonderful mentor who helped her develop her skills not only in chemistry, but also writing, presentation, and thinking systematically about research. Initially, she thought she would get a job in industry because these jobs were prevalent and were highly paid. However, conversations with industry scientists at conferences helped Susie realize that she valued the freedom to choose her own research questions and projects. This ultimately steered her towards academic research.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (26:28)
One of the projects Susie has been working on involves using carbon dioxide (now considered an environmental contaminant) as a feeder stock for microorganisms to produce useful chemicals. When they had this idea, Susie knew she wanted to build a hybrid system, but it was a major struggle to get it working in the lab. They just couldn’t get the conditions of the system right to keep the bacteria they were working with alive. In their work on degrading forever chemicals, they had to spend a lot of time understanding the sources of uncertainty in their experiments so they could control for as many variables as possible. When creating the material that was going to be the solvent, they had to repeat the process so many times, only to discover that their control was not designed correctly. Failures are common in science, and troubleshooting these failures provides important learning opportunities.
A Shining Success! (29:32)
The most meaningful successes for Susie are those that give her an opportunity to work on projects that can really change people’s lives. For example, in one of their studies, they are monitoring water quality in private wells in Texas. They are particularly interested in arsenic, an inorganic and toxic contaminant. In certain areas of Texas, arsenic levels are really high in some private wells. Unfortunately, water contaminated with arsenic is not perceptibly different from uncontaminated water, so people are often not aware that the water they are drinking is not safe. The water has to be tested to identify the contamination, and Susie and her team offered free water testing to community members in areas likely to be impacted. Their results are showing that some areas they evaluated have particularly high arsenic levels, and they have been able to contact the people in these areas to inform them of the issue and provide information on mitigation strategies. It has been amazing to get responses from the people they have contacted and to see the impacts of their work.
Book Recommendations (3:16)
Any book by Vaclav Smil
Most Treasured Travel (33:16)
Susie has been able to travel to a lot of great cities for chemistry conferences, including San Francisco, Orlando, Chicago, and New Orleans. Typically when she is planning for a conference, Susie studies the profiles of the presenters and makes a detailed plan for all the people she wants to meet and speak with. This usually doesn’t leave much time for sightseeing. However, Susie recently took up photography as a hobby, and she enjoyed spending time taking phenomenal photos of the Golden Gate Bridge when she was last in San Francisco.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (35:08)
In Susie’s lab, they have a fun journal club tradition involving food and lively scientific discussions. Susie orders pizza or other take-out for the lab, and they get to relax and enjoy delicious food. Afterwards, they chat about research papers, trying to be as critical as possible. She likes to encourage her lab members not just to read other people’s work, but to think critically as well. This tradition is a great way for the lab to bond and come together like a family.
Advice For Us All (37:53)
As human beings, we make many mistakes. Be yourself, be strong, and try to learn from your failures. Also, be humble, and try to learn as much as you can in your lifetime. Remember that your time is valuable. Where you invest your time is where your future is, so dedicate as much time as you can to the things that will help you reach your goals.
Guest Bio
Susie’s research group is evaluating environmental hazard substances, their interactions with the environment and species, and biological systems that can degrade and detoxify the pollutants. Susie and her team have established broad analytical platforms to survey a wide spectrum of natural and manmade toxic chemicals such as mycotoxins, microcystins, agricultural, and industrial chemicals. In one project, the lab is investigating white rot fungus’s ability to degrade hazardous chemicals in the environment like organic compounds. To do this, they apply systems approaches to decipher the important enzyme network that works synergistically to degrade the chemicals. Through genomics and gel-free shotgun proteomics analysis, they discovered that oxidation reduction enzymes, such as manganese peroxidase, play important roles in both dye decolorization and lignin depolymerization. At the level of protein function, they use structural dynamics information to guide enzyme engineering to produce more efficient and stable enzymes for bioremediation. In a prior project, they evaluated xylanase, the enzyme that degrades the linear polysaccharide xylan into xylose. By identifying the critical regions in the dynamic interaction between xylan and xylanase, they designed a new xylanase with much improved enzyme activity and stability. In addition, Susie’s lab is working on developing fungus and bacteria systems to degrade per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS, a commonly used manmade stable compound group, has emerged as a major risk for human and environmental health and has been found in groundwater, human tissues, and the environment. By identifying the efficient enzymes and suitable environmental conditions, we aim to identify optimal systems to degrade PFAS.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by New England Biolabs, Inc.
The post 733: Dr. Susie Dai: Using Microbes to Sustainably Produce Valuable Chemicals and Degrade Toxic Compounds appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
40 min
October 30, 2023 732: Dr. Ralph Dewey: Applying Molecular Biology Tools to Characterize Genes and Enhance Crop Species
Dr. Ralph Dewey is the Philip Morris Professor of Crop and Soil Sciences and Adjunct Professor of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University (NCSU). He was awarded his B.S. degree in biology from Utah State University, followed by his M.S. and Ph.D. in Crop Science from North Carolina State University. Afterwards, Ralph received an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Plant Biology to conduct postdoctoral research at the Waksman Institute at Rutgers University. Ralph joined the faculty at NCSU in 1991. He has been issued 34 U.S. Patents for his discoveries in plant biotechnology, with several more pending, and he was awarded NCSU’s Philip Morris endowed Professorship in 2009 for his research on harm reduction in tobacco. In this interview, Ralph shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:50)
When Ralph has free time, he enjoys hanging out with his wife at their nearby beach condo and also watching college sports (particularly football and basketball). In addition, Ralph is working on writing his first novel.
The Scientific Side (5:08)
Ralph uses the tools of molecular biology to identify and characterize genes of agronomic importance in crop species. When possible, he and his team alter those genes in ways that add value to the crop above and beyond what can be attained with traditional breeding approaches. Ralph and his team have done important work on the genetics of tobacco plants to decrease the hazards of smoking for people who still smoke.
A Dose of Motivation (9:28)
“O toiling hands of mortals! O unwearied feet, travelling ye know not whither! […] Little do ye know your own blessedness; for to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.” from El Dorado by Robert Louis Stevenson
What Got You Hooked on Science? (13:13)
Growing up, Ralph was surrounded by science since his father and three uncles were PhD-trained scientists. Two of Ralph’s uncles were professors at Utah State University (in plant breeding and statistics, respectively), and one was a marine biologist at UC Davis. However, Ralph’s father, a plant geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), had the most pronounced impact on Ralph’s career. As far back as he can remember, Ralph found his father’s job interesting, particularly when the work allowed him to travel to faraway places around the world to collect plants. While there wasn’t really any pressure for Ralph to pursue science, he knew he wanted to be a researcher. The first molecular biology course Ralph took in college completely captivated him, and he decided he wanted to pursue a PhD using these tools in plants.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (23:13)
The years Ralph spent as a postdoc were a struggle. He had just finished an amazingly successful PhD experience, and when he arrived at the lab of his postdoc advisor, he was impressed with the resources and technical expertise there. Ralph decided to take on the ambitious project of transforming the mitochondrial genome. This would involve incorporating and expressing a foreign gene within the genome of the mitochondrial (as opposed to the genome in the nucleus of a cell). The project would have represented a major technological breakthrough. Ralph’s postdoc advisor agreed to let Ralph work on the project, and Ralph put in a tremendous amount of effort over a period of about two years. In the end, the project was not successful, and Ralph found himself two years into a postdoc with nothing tangible to show for his efforts because none of their results were publishable. Fortunately, an opening for a new faculty member at North Carolina State University (NCSU) popped up, and Ralph was hired for the position. To date, no labs have been able to successfully transform a mitochondrial genome in a plant, so stepping away from that project was the right choice.
A Shining Success! (26:45)
When transitioning from a postdoc at Rutgers to a faculty member at NCSU, Ralph had a unique position where he was tasked with applying new molecular biology techniques in collaborative projects with other faculty members. This gave him tremendous freedom, but it was difficult to get funding for these kinds of projects where he didn’t have prior experience in the area. Some of his first collaborators were working on improving the quality and abundance of the oil in soybean seeds. This oil is a major vegetable oil in the U.S. and has a variety of uses in industry. At the time, little was known about the genes responsible for oil production, and Ralph was working on identifying some of these genes. After about two and a half years, he still hadn’t made substantial progress. There was a promising lead on a pivotal gene for oil production in yeast cells, and he wanted to identify a similar mutant in soybeans. To do this, he needed to do a complex and expensive set of experiments. Fortunately, one of Ralph’s colleagues provided the funds needed to do a limited amount of these experiments. However, after trying the procedure multiple times, Ralph still had not succeeded. There were only enough supplies left for one more round, and he knew that if this didn’t work, he would have to move on to another area of research. As luck would have it, the experiment worked, and Ralph got the data he needed to move this project forward. This one experiment led to his first USDA grant, which in turn led to subsequent funding, and it really helped launch his independent research career.
Book Recommendations (33:23)
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Most Treasured Travel (34:41)
Ralph will never forget a trip he took to Guizhou, China, to visit a group of tobacco researchers who wanted to establish collaborations with the scientists at NCSU. The province is in a mountainous region of China, and they had to travel through dozens of remarkable mountain tunnels on a high-speed bullet train to get there. While in Guizhou, Ralph was able to visit the tallest waterfall in China, see amazing sights while hiking, and explore some of the local caves by boat. Another memorable trip was for a conference that Ralph attended in Berlin, Germany. At the time, Ralph’s son was in high school and had been studying German, so Ralph invited his son to join him on the trip. It was a great opportunity to attend an outstanding conference and also to see the sights of Berlin. They particularly enjoyed a spectacular show with music and lights projected on the Brandenburg Gate at night.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (38:25)
When Ralph was in graduate school, there was a visiting professor working in the lab who was one of the funniest people Ralph has ever met. He played a number of pranks on lab members, and this started a tradition of practical jokes. For example, they had a jar of small glass beads in the lab, and they began putting these glass beads in unexpected places where people would inadvertently spill them. Beads would come tumbling out of the paper towel roll tube that you grabbed on the lab bench and cascade out of a hole cut out of the bottom of boxes of chem wipes. It was a funny and harmless way to inject some humor into everyday lab life.
Advice For Us All (42:47)
Believe in yourself. You can be successful in whatever you put your mind to. There will always be jobs for people who are the best at what they do. Also, try as many different things as you can. By trying a lot of things, eventually some of them will pan out.
Guest Bio
Ralph’s research is focused on the application of molecular biology-based technologies toward crop improvement. Over his career, Ralph’s lab has worked on a diversity of projects, including the investigation of genes responsible for seed oil quality in soybean, the development of a new herbicide resistance strategy, harm reduction in tobacco, and the alteration of the sweetness profile in the plant Stevia. His most recent success has been the development of new strategies for the production of hybrid seeds and seedless fruits. Outside of work, Ralph enjoys spending time with his wife at their beach condo, keeping up with the busy lives of their two children (one in medical school and the other in law school), and working on the next ‘Great American Novel’.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by New England Biolabs, Inc.
The post 732: Dr. Ralph Dewey: Applying Molecular Biology Tools to Characterize Genes and Enhance Crop Species appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
47 min
October 23, 2023 731: Dr. Denise Okafor: Investigating the Mechanisms of Signaling and Regulation in Protein Complexes
Dr. C. Denise Okafor is an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and of Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University. She received her B.S. in biomedical chemistry from Oral Roberts University and was awarded her M.S. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology. Afterwards, Denise was selected to complete an Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award from the NIH to conduct postdoctoral research at Emory University and teach at Morehouse and Spelman colleges in Atlanta. Denise has received a variety of awards and honors for her work, including a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award at the Scientific Interface, an NSF CAREER Award for early investigators, and the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. In addition, she has been named a Keystone Symposia Fellow and a Kavli Foundation Fellow. In our interview, Denise talks more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:56)
While science is a large part of Denise’s life, she also enjoys reading and writing fiction. Lately, she has been spending much of her free time with her kids, learning dances from Youtube videos and hanging out together.
The Scientific Side (5:31)
Many of the medications we take work by binding to a particular target and either turning off whatever is causing a problem or turning something on that is not working correctly. Denise’s research examines how small molecules like drugs find and interact with the targets they are supposed to interact with. She is particularly interested in proteins that can be turned on or off by the small molecules/drugs that they bind with.
A Dose of Motivation (8:36)
Denise is really motivated by the potential for her work to contribute to our understanding of diseases like fibroids. It is exciting to be working in an area that may inform the development of new treatments that could help people in her community with fibroids or other diseases with similar mechanisms.
What Got You Hooked on Science? (13:20)
Denise’s parents had high expectations of her since she was the most academically inclined of her siblings. They decided early on that Denise would be a doctor, and she agreed that this career path made sense based on her interests and skills. As an undergraduate student, Denise began taking all of the courses required to prepare for medical school, but her career plans took an unexpected turn when she had an opportunity to work in a research lab. Denise was selected to participate in an NSF-sponsored summer research experience for undergraduates at the University of Memphis after her junior year, and it was a transformative experience. She entered the program not really sure what research was, and she quickly became hooked on the thrill of asking questions and systematically working to get the answer. After talking through her decision with her parents, Denise returned to school in the fall ready to apply to graduate school and begin her career as a researcher.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (22:58)
Starting a new faculty position at a new institution in January of 2020 was a major challenge for Denise. She had moved to a new city in December, and shortly afterwards, the COVID-19 pandemic escalated across the country. Trying to establish a new research lab, start collaborations, make connections, and meet people were all much more difficult with everyone working from home and remaining isolated due to the pandemic. At the same time, Denise became responsible for her young daughter’s education as schools moved to remote learning, and she was also pregnant with her second child. There was a lot of uncertainty, and Denise had to let go of a lot of expectations about how productive she would be. It was really helpful to be involved in virtual communities with other new faculty members and academic parents to work through the challenges together.
A Shining Success! (25:47)
Receiving funding for your research projects is always exciting, particularly when grant applications end up being received more favorably than expected. When Denise was a postdoc, she applied for a Career Transition Award grant. These grants provide funds to allow you to finish your postdoctoral research and to start your own lab at a new institution. When Denise told her advisor that she wanted to apply, he first asked if she was sure she wanted to spend the time applying. Denise suspected that she may not be a highly competitive candidate, but she decided to apply anyway. She was delighted when her application was selected for funding. This was one of the first external votes of confidence supporting that she had good ideas and she could make it as a scientist. Other exciting successes since then include the first time they got an experiment to work in Denise’s new lab and the first paper the lab published.
Book Recommendations (3:59)
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
Most Treasured Travel (27:52)
Denise had an opportunity to travel to Hawai’i for a National Diversity in STEM Conference held by the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). It was wonderful to see Pearl Harbor, visit the beautiful beaches, and enjoy delicious food. While she couldn’t take her family with her on this particular trip, she looks forward to including them in her scientific travels in the future.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (29:38)
In one of the labs Denise worked in previously, the group was really into food, and they were always looking for an occasion to plan a lab potluck meal. It was fun to celebrate birthdays, baby showers, holidays, and other events together. For Thanksgiving one year, they decided to have an international potluck where everyone brought in a dish of their ancestors. It was fun to celebrate the heritage of lab members and appreciate how diverse the group was.
Advice For Us All (33:38)
Don’t let failure prevent you from pursuing your goals, and don’t let anyone else tell you that you can’t do something. It is important to decide for yourself what you want to accomplish. Failures can provide feedback that you may need to change something or try a different approach, but don’t let them hold you back. Be the author of your own story.
Guest Bio
Denise and her lab members investigate the structural mechanisms of signaling and regulation in protein complexes. They use molecular dynamics simulations to determine how conformational dynamics of proteins are altered in different functional states, and they also use a wide range of biochemical and structural techniques. Combined, these allow Denise to understand the precise molecular mechanisms that govern the regulation of protein function. By understanding how proteins are regulated in the body, Denise and her team aim to identify novel strategies to selectively modulate protein function. Nuclear receptors are one of their favorite classes of molecules to study, because of the fascinatingly complex but elegant allosteric regulatory mechanisms that drive their function. These receptors also play critical roles in metabolism, development, reproduction, and other biological processes, which make them highly attractive therapeutic targets.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by New England Biolabs, Inc.
The post 731: Dr. Denise Okafor: Investigating the Mechanisms of Signaling and Regulation in Protein Complexes appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
37 min
October 16, 2023 730: Dr. Laura Kiessling: Using Chemical Biology to Clarify the Roles of Carbohydrates
Dr. Laura Kiessling is the Novartis Professor of Chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Member of the Broad Institute. She received her BS degree in chemistry from MIT and her Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from Yale University. After two years at the California Institute of Technology as an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow, she joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1991. She returned to MIT in 2017. Laura has received numerous awards over the course of her career, including the Ronald Breslow Award in Biomimetic Chemistry, the Centenary Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Tetrahedron Prize for creativity in Organic Chemistry or Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, the Gibbs Medal, from the Chicago Chapter of the American Chemical Society, the Vilas Distinguished Faculty Award from UW-Madison, and others. Laura is an elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Microbiology, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and American Philosophical Society, as well as an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, an American Cancer Society Fellowship, a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship. She is also the founding Editor-In-Chief of the journal ACS Chemical Biology. In this interview, Laura shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (3:32)
When she’s not doing science, Laura likes being active through rowing, kayaking, cycling, lifting weights, or doing yoga. She also likes to spend her free time cooking, hiking, camping, and enjoying art.
The Scientific Side (4:54)
Laura’s research focuses on carbohydrates, particularly all of the different carbohydrates found on the surfaces of cells. We still know relatively little about the functions of these carbohydrates, and Laura is eager to learn more.
A Dose of Motivation (6:03)
“Ad astra per aspera.” (“To the stars through hardship.”)
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:12)
In her early school years, Laura loved math, but she wasn’t sure what she could do for a career that would involve math. She took chemistry in high school, but she was not a fan. Laura started her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and she ended up taking chemistry, thinking that perhaps she would go to medical school. During these early courses, she started to really love chemistry. However, she still didn’t plan to pursue a chemistry major. Laura later transferred to MIT, and she happened to be assigned an academic advisor in chemistry. It was remarkable to be surrounded by other women who loved science at MIT. Her organic chemistry class changed her trajectory completely and cemented in her mind that she wanted to be a chemist. She also had an opportunity to start doing research in a lab, paving the way for her research career.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (21:44)
When she was a graduate student, Laura worked on an exciting, competitive project trying to build a particular molecule. The route that they had developed to build the molecule was cool, and it seemed to work beautifully. However, when doing some additional studies, the results Laura was seeing just didn’t make sense. It turned out that she was making a molecule that had a slightly different arrangement of the atoms than what occurs in nature. Basically, she hadn’t been making the exact molecule that she initially thought she made. They had already published a paper describing their process for making the molecule, and it turned out that the molecule they made wasn’t distinguishable from the intended molecule at that stage. With additional transformations, it became clear that it was, in fact, something else. Though her advisor took the news fairly well, the situation was really disheartening for Laura, and it made her wonder if she had what it took to become a scientist. Ultimately, Laura learned a lot, and having this experience has made her a better scientist.
A Shining Success! (26:19)
One of the most exciting things for Laura is finding out something new about the world that no one knew before. While studying an enzyme that works on carbohydrates, they discovered a completely new role for vitamin B2. This was particularly cool because vitamin B2 had been studied so heavily, and the scientific community thought they knew everything about how it worked already. However, Laura and her team identified a new way it could work to activate a reaction.
In addition, in chemistry, researchers have been inactivating proteins by causing them to be proteolyzed by PROTACs (proteolysis targeting chimeras). This is an important approach for targeting proteins that may drive tumor development, for example. In the 1990s, Laura and her team published one of the first examples of using the proteolysis approach. They recruited a cell surface protein to cut a protein that is involved in the inflammatory immune response of a cell. This was a completely new strategy for regulating the activity of proteins, and it continues to be used today.
Book Recommendations (29:32)
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Most Treasured Travel (31:24)
One of Laura’s most memorable scientific travel opportunities was visiting Japan. There was a scientific conference there, and she traveled with her husband (also a chemist), and their daughter who was 14 months old at the time. Laura will never forget having to ask the whole group’s tour bus full of conference-attendees to make a quick stop so they could buy diapers at a grocery store. Overall, the trip was amazing and the people they met were very kind. They were able to spend some time exploring before the meeting began, and it was wonderful to visit the Kōinzan Saihō-ji, a Buddhist temple with a remarkable moss garden. Laura and her husband participated in Buddhist chants, practiced writing in calligraphy, and were amazed by the diversity of mosses there.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (35:09)
As a postdoc, Laura worked with Dr. Peter Dervan at Caltech. Laura and one of her friends in the lab had a running joke about her friend having a crush on another scientist Dr. Paul Bartlett at UC Berkeley. When Paul was featured on a flier for winning an award, Laura made a bunch of copies of the photo, wrote a fake message from Paul to her friend, and put copies of the photo all over the lab, in her desk drawers, etc., so wherever her friend looked, Paul’s photo kept popping up. They thought it was so funny, and they didn’t think that their advisor Peter had noticed. However, when Peter returned from a visit to UC Berkeley, he gave the usual update and then added at the end that Paul said “hi”. The whole group burst into laughter because the joke was so unexpected from their advisor who was usually very serious.
Advice For Us All (40:14)
Don’t be afraid to fail, and don’t interpret a temporary failure as a permanent setback. One of the cool things about being an academic faculty member is that you get to see students learn new skills and information and learn to apply them. Contributing to helping people on their journeys is something Laura finds very rewarding.
Guest Bio
The Kiessling Group uses chemical biology to elucidate the biological roles of carbohydrates, with a focus on learning new mechanistic concepts. All cells on Earth possess a carbohydrate coat. Emerging evidence indicates that this coat serves as a critical conduit of information, but little is known about the role of this carbohydrate coat at the molecular level. Elucidating how carbohydrates are assembled, how they are recognized, and how they function are issues at the scientific frontier. Using ideas and approaches that range from synthetic chemistry to cell biology, Laura’s research group is addressing the critical issues at this frontier. Laura’s interdisciplinary research interests have advanced our understanding of cell surface recognition processes, especially those involving protein-glycan interactions. Though she is very passionate about the carbohydrates she studies, Laura has many interests outside of science as well, including staying fit, cooking, exploring the outdoors, and experiencing modern art.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by New England Biolabs, Inc.
The post 730: Dr. Laura Kiessling: Using Chemical Biology to Clarify the Roles of Carbohydrates appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
43 min
October 09, 2023 729: Dr. Nicole Calakos: Studying Synaptic Plasticity to Understand How the Brain Learns and Adapts
Dr. Nicole Calakos is the Lincoln Financial Group Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology and Chief of the Movement Disorders section in Neurology at Duke University Medical Center. Nicole was awarded her MD and PhD degrees from Stanford University. Afterwards, she completed an internship in Medicine and Residency in Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. She conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University before joining the faculty at Duke University in 2005. Nicole has received numerous awards and honors in her career, including the 2023 Korsmeyer award from the American Society of Clinical Investigation and being named an elected Member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Investigators. In our interview, Nicole shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (3:02)
When she’s not working, Nicole enjoys being outdoors, playing sports, running, going mountain biking, and participating in mountain bike races. Her favorite indoor activities include creative cooking and spending time with family and friends.
The Scientific Side (4:35)
Research in Nicole’s lab examines how the brain learns and adapts to experiences. She studies synaptic plasticity, from the levels of molecules, cells, cell circuits, and behaviors, to understand what goes wrong in disease and how we can harness brain processes to address disease.
A Dose of Motivation (6:22)
“When you move like a jellyfish, rhythm is nothing. You go with the flow. You don’t stop.” – Jack Johnson
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:13)
As a first-generation college student, there wasn’t a lot of pressure for Nicole to excel in school when she was younger. However, she loved learning and was particularly passionate about English and math. Nicole’s high school biology teacher played a pivotal role in her deciding to pursue science because he recommended she should apply to a summer research program at the University of Florida. She was admitted to the program, and it was an incredible experience. At the age of sixteen, Nicole was doing cutting-edge genetic engineering, cutting and splicing DNA in the lab. To her, this was so cool. When she started college, Nicole knew she wanted to do research. She signed up for a work-study position to help pay for college, and this evolved over the years into an independent research project in the lab of Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn (who later went on to win a Nobel Prize). Nicole ultimately decided to pursue an MD/PhD program to combine her passion for research with her interests in service and helping people.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (24:38)
Nicole and her lab created a novel reporter that could light up cells when a particular cell stress response pathway was activated. This pathway was known to have roles in learning and memory. Initially, Nicole and her lab members were using this reporter thinking that cells that underwent synaptic plasticity in the brain should activate the reporter. Their experiments failed one after another, and they kept doing different learning behaviors to try get these cells to light up. Then finally, they started looking at neuromodulatory cells, and they were successful. Perseverance was key in this discovery. For Nicole, venting her frustrations in email drafts can help get through difficult times. Also, it is important to remember that one failure doesn’t have to be the end of your career. Nicole was not successful when she was trying to get her first R01 grant, and when she got the rejection notice, she thought it was game over for her and her career. But it wasn’t. Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who can be your mentors and champions, and who make you happy.
A Shining Success! (28:28)
Recently, one of Nicole’s graduate students received an outstanding score (6th percentile) on her submission for a fellowship for graduate school. This was a particularly exciting success because they did not expect the application to be successful on the first submission. Nicole tries to set deadlines for her mentees that are at least a month before the actual grant deadline to ensure there is adequate time for mentoring and discussion. However, things kept falling further and further behind on this project, and then at the last minute, there were some barriers with the institutional components of the grant submission. Nicole did her best to focus on taking advantage of whatever mentoring opportunities she could throughout the process, and she was thrilled to share in the joy of this trainee getting a grant. Having the endorsement and support of an external review committee can have a tremendous impact on a trainees confidence and belief in themself.
Book Recommendations (31:30)
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
Most Treasured Travel (32:51)
Nicole had an opportunity to spend a month in Lisbon, Portugal, working at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown. As a physician, it can be difficult for Nicole to travel for long periods of time because she doesn’t want to disrupt her patients’ care, so this trip was particularly special. The Centre had phenomenal people and science, and Lisbon had remarkable culture that she was excited to immerse herself in. She enjoyed buying a glass of wine after work from a local stand and then walking for miles along the waterfront. In the evening, it was wonderful to enjoy sardines grilled on the open coals with the locals.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (35:19)
One tradition in Nicole’s lab is their laboratory cookbook. Everyone who has worked in her lab has contributed a recipe, and some of her collaborators have provided recipes as well. This book serves as a living diary through food of everyone’s backgrounds and tastes, based on the recipes they picked. Sometimes they have lab gatherings where people make their recipe in the book as well, and this has been a lot of fun.
Advice For Us All (39:16)
Science and scientific training are a long haul. By the time you get tenure, you will have invested many years in your career, but it will be worth it. Also, don’t stress over small decisions. Sometimes you have to make a leap and trust that the net will appear. Try not to get bogged down and discouraged by all of the secondary outcomes in science. Focus on the primary outcome and the research you are passionate about. Have fun discovering something new about how the world works.
Guest Bio
Nicole is fascinated by how experiences and exposures change our brains – how we learn, adapt and maladapt. To satisfy this curiosity, her lab studies plasticity mechanisms in the striatal circuitry of the basal ganglia – making connections between behaviors and the circuits, cells and molecular processes that drive change. Her team has revealed new principles for how we form habits, what leads to compulsive behavior, and why disrupted striatal plasticity leads to uncontrolled movement in diseases like dystonia. Nicole lives by the “work hard, play hard” motto – and feels really lucky that her work is often as fun as play. Outside of work, you might spot her flying over berms or foraging for mushrooms. Outdoor sports and cooking with family and friends round out the joys in her life.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by Innovative Research, Inc.
The post 729: Dr. Nicole Calakos: Studying Synaptic Plasticity to Understand How the Brain Learns and Adapts appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
45 min
October 02, 2023 728: Dr. Alex Spyropoulos: Researching Risk Factors and Therapies for Blood Clots in the Lungs and Legs
Dr. Alex Spyropoulos (“Dr. Spy”) is a Professor of Medicine at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine as well as System Director of Anticoagulation and Clinical Thrombosis Services for the multi-hospital Northwell Health System. In addition, Dr. Spy is a Professor of the Merinoff Center for Patient-Oriented Research as part of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. He received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and he completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Dr. Spy is a recipient of the Lovelace Clinic Foundation Excellence in Education Award, as well as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Chest Physicians, the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Haemostasis, and the Royal College of Physicians in Canada. In this interview, he speaks with us about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:26, 26:00)
Dr. Spy loves spending time with his wife and his young kids. Lately, they’ve been enjoying apple picking, hay rides, pumpkin carving, and apple carving. His other hobbies include sailing, snowboarding and mountain biking.
The Scientific Side (3:45)
As a thrombologist, Dr. Spy studies blood clots. Many people worldwide are either at risk for blood clots or have existing clots. He focuses on venous thromboembolism primarily in the lungs and legs. These blood clots could cause morbidity or mortality, and many people are not familiar with the risks, common symptoms, or the situations in which clots may occur.
A Dose of Motivation (4:54)
“Science is built of facts the way a house is built of bricks: but an accumulation of facts is no more science than a pile of bricks is a house.” – Henri Poincare.
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:29)
Since his father was a well-known interventional radiologist, Dr. Spy was introduced to science and medicine early in life. His father was a pioneer in his field, and he was the one who originally got Dr. Spy interested in science and medicine. Medicine and biological sciences came easily to Dr. Spy, and he gained a strong background in science and research during medical school at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (12:48)
Getting patients involved in clinical trials is a challenge. You have to clearly tell a patient about the clinical trial, discuss the risks and benefits, and get them to really understand the importance of the trial. Establishing a sense of trust is critical, and it is also really important for patients to understand why you are conducting the trial. Bringing in stories from his own previous experiences with patients has been helpful. Another challenge is raising awareness of thrombosis in patients and the public. Thrombosis is the third most common cardiovascular disease globally, but most people don’t know much about it. It is important for people to be familiar with risk factors for blood clots, the signs and symptoms, and the potential fatality of blood clots.
A Shining Success! (21:22)
Establishing a robust thrombosis center at the Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico was a meaningful success for Dr. Spy. They were pioneers in establishing one of the first outpatient deep vein thrombosis treatment clinics there about 20 years ago. The Center began with a modest 300 patients and was up to about 4,000 patients when Dr. Spy moved to his next position. As far as clinical trials, Dr. Spy was honored to be on the steering committee of the BRIDGE trial which was published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. Their findings supported simplifying the way patients who are prescribed warfarin are managed before, during, and after surgery. This had a big impact on medical practice in the field.
Book Recommendations (24:48)
Poems by Rumi
Most Treasured Travel (26:56)
Dry Spy’s favorite place to visit is his home country of Greece. Being an investigator in the global MARINER clinical trial, as well as having many Greek colleagues in cardiovascular medicine, provides Dr. Spy with many opportunities to travel there. He was born in Greece and still feels very connected to the country. It has gorgeous natural landscapes, and the ocean is beautiful. If you’re ever visiting Greece, be sure not to miss the new Parthenon Museum in Athens and the breathtaking island of Santorini.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (29:03)
Dr. Spy has shared many fun and funny memories with his colleagues. On one occasion, he and a colleague were traveling to Mexico to go mountain biking in Copper Canyon. During the long drive, they started discussing the mechanisms of the biological cascade involved in the process of coagulation where liquid blood forms solid clots. The conversation quickly became three dimensional with wild hand movements and complicated gestures. Dr. Spy tends to talk with his hands a lot, so it was difficult to keep one hand on the wheel throughout this lively conversation.
Advice For Us All (35:27)
Understand your risk of getting blood clots. Assess your risk factors, be familiar with the symptoms of blood clots, and be aware of the situations that may increase your risk for blood clots. It is an exciting time to be in the field of thrombosis research because they can now start more precisely identifying the patients who are at high risk, and they have many more treatment tools at their disposal. Researchers are beginning to be able to deliver more patient-specific management strategies for this disease.
Guest Bio
Dr. Spyropoulos is a member of the global steering committee that is raising awareness for World Thrombosis Day. He is Section Editor for Thrombosis and Haemostasis, and is on the editorial staff for Thrombosis Research and Hospital Medicine. Dr. Spyropoulos has published over 160 research studies, articles, and editorials in peer-reviewed journals. Among Dr. Spy’s research accomplishments, he has helped develop protocols using low molecular weight heparin in outpatient-based treatment of venous thromboembolic disease, patient self-testing of warfarin, perioperative “bridging” for patients on chronic anticoagulation, medical inpatient prophylaxis, protocols with regards to the use of anticoagulants for HIT, and clinical use of new anticoagulants and in select patient populations. Presently, he is conducting active research to analyze the outcomes of these medical protocols, and Dr. Spy has presented nationally and internationally on these topics. He was the Founder and former Medical Director of the Clinical Thrombosis Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and he has made key contributions to developing the clinical thrombosis curriculum at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.

*This episode was originally published on November 13, 2017.
The post 728: Dr. Alex Spyropoulos: Researching Risk Factors and Therapies for Blood Clots in the Lungs and Legs appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
41 min
September 25, 2023 727: Dr. Erin Hodgson: Investigating Insidious Insects in the Field of Agricultural Pest Management
Dr. Erin Hodgson is an Associate Professor and Extension Entomologist at Iowa State University. She received her undergraduate training in Biology and Botany and her M.S. in Entomology from North Dakota State University. Erin was awarded her Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Minnesota, followed by a postdoctoral research position also at the University of Minnesota. Erin served on the faculty at Utah State University before joining the faculty at Iowa State where she is today. Erin has received many awards and honors in her career, including the Editor’s Choice Award from the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, the Iowa State University Outreach and Extension New Professional Award, and multiple awards from the Entomological Society of America for her educational and outreach efforts. In addition, Erin is co-host of the “Soybean Pest Podcast” with her colleague Matt O’Neal. Erin is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (02:33)
Erin spends her free time outside enjoying the company of her husband and two dogs. She is also an Assistant Coach for the Iowa State University Women’s Rugby Club and dedicates a lot of her time in the evenings to helping coach the team.
The Scientific Side (03:31)
Erin is an extension entomologist who specializes in insects in agriculture, often focusing on corn and soybean crops. Extension work, where she translates practical science related to insects, makes up about 70% of her job. In this role, Erin works with people like farmers, crop consultants, people in the agricultural industry, regulators, and people in pest management to best manage insect pests in an agricultural landscape.
A Dose of Motivation (05:55)
“Happiness is a choice.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (08:40)
Though Erin didn’t grow up in a particularly scientific household, she was always interested in science classes in school. To her, science just seemed more interesting and sparked her curiosity more than other classes. Erin’s interest in insects began in college after taking her first entomology class. This, combined with a serendipitous advertisement for a master’s degree program in entomology, led her down this exciting career path.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (17:20)
Corn is a major crop in Iowa, and there is a pest called rootworm that can be devastating to crop yields. A product created in 2006 to deal with this pest was initially highly effective. However, soon afterwards, the product started to break down. Erin had the difficult job of communicating to farmers that this was not the hands-off, easy solution they had been hoping for. Pushback from industry and farmers against her research findings can be a challenge in Erin’s position.
A Shining Success! (22:12)
As a graduate student, Erin was one of the first people in North America to work on soybean aphid. She developed an innovative sampling plan for soybean aphids called Speed Scouting for Soybean Aphid. This sampling plan helps farmers decide within 15 minutes whether they need to treat their plants for pests or not, without having to wade through acres of their fields to look at each plant. Her sampling plan is currently being used to help many farmers today.
Book Recommendations (25:12)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Most Treasured Travel (26:55)
This past year Erin had the opportunity to serve as co-instructor for the Iowa State Tropical Agriculture class. As part of the course, the class travels to Costa Rica over spring break. Erin was delighted to see agriculture outside the US for the first time. They visited a variety of small and large scale farms growing everything from coffee to pineapples. The freshly picked pineapple was exquisite, and she was fascinated by the demonstrations on coffee ratings.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (31:09)
Erin and her colleague Matt O’Neal work together on a lot of projects, including their “Soybean Pest Podcast” series. At work they share resources, space, and summer research students. They have developed a fun tradition of hosting a BBQ party at the end of the summer to celebrate the end of the summer field season and all the hard work of their students. They have a fantastic time playing lawn games like volleyball, softball, and corn hole.
Advice For Us All (38:05)
Always be curious, ask questions, and listen. Make sure to be open to opportunities and collaborations in science.
Guest Bio
Erin is originally from North Dakota, and is currently an extension entomologist and associate professor at Iowa State University with a specialty on field crop insects. She has a general background in IPM (Integrated Pest Management), where she develops tactics to improve corn and soybean production in the Midwest. Her extension and research programs are focused on improving profitability, sustainability and environmental stewardship of agriculture. Erin enjoys communicating with social media (e.g., twitter, videos and podcasting) to reach new audiences. Recently she became the Crops Team Leader for Agriculture and Natural Resources, which is a large group of extension faculty and staff at Iowa State University. In her free time, Erin enjoys photography, reading, crochet, crafting with paper/metal/paint, hiking with her husband, playing with her two dogs and hanging out with family. She also helps coach the ISU Women’s Rugby Club and coordinates an exercise group in Ames.

*This episode was originally released on February 22, 2016.
The post 727: Dr. Erin Hodgson: Investigating Insidious Insects in the Field of Agricultural Pest Management appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
43 min
September 18, 2023 726: Dr. Sarah Bergbreiter: Mechanical Engineer Making Miniature Mobile Robots
Dr. Sarah Bergbreiter is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering with a joint appointment in the Institute for Systems Research at the University of Maryland. She received her B.S.E. degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University and was awarded her M.S. and Ph.D degrees in electrical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley where she focused on microrobotics. Sarah has been the recipient of multiple awards for her outstanding work including the DARPA Young Faculty Award, an NSF CAREER Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and Sarah gave a TED Talk in 2015. Sarah joins us for an interview to discuss her life and work.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:30)
Spending time with her family is a big part of Sarah’s life outside of work. Her kids enjoy swimming, playing with legos, and building things. Sarah also spends her free time swimming and playing water polo.
The Scientific Side (3:35)
Sarah’s research involves building and conducting experiments with tiny locomoting robots that are about the size of ants. They also apply the same technologies used in their tiny robots to build better sensors and actuators for bigger robots to help improve performance of these robots.
A Dose of Motivation (4:33)
“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” – Wayne Gretzky
What Got You Hooked on Science? (6:58)
With a computer programmer mother and a scientist father, Sarah was exposed to technical and academic topics early in life. She remembers her mother teaching her how to type and use early spreadsheet programs when she was a kid. Sarah’s parents got her involved in science and engineering summer programs and encouraged her interests. She became fascinated with robots through movies and books, and she even tried to design a robot to clean her room when she was eight years old. In high school, there was a particularly memorable chemistry lab where they were studying the triple point where a substance can simultaneously exist in gas, solid, and liquid state. This involved putting a piece of dry ice into a plastic pipette and pinching it closed to increase the pressure. There were a lot of exploding pipettes involved, but it was a fun experiment. In college, Sarah was torn between pursuing history or engineering. After her first engineering classes though, Sarah was hooked.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (20:05)
Writing her Ph.D. dissertation was one of the biggest challenges for Sarah. She tried various strategies to get the writing done, but it took a major shift in her perspective to make progress. In addition to the writing, Sarah had some challenges with the experiments in her Ph.D. work. Her project involved making small rubber bands and assembling them onto tiny silicon hooks. The challenge working with rubber was that it builds up a charge when it drags against surfaces and then it sticks to surfaces (think about the static charge created when you rub a balloon in your hair). To address this issue, Sarah had to buy a small amount of the element polonium to discharge the rubber bands to complete the assembly. Because polonium is a highly radioactive material, Sarah had to go through a lot of red tape to get the tiny amount she needed.
A Shining Success! (23:27)
Any time a student in her lab graduates and goes on to do something great, it is a rewarding success for Sarah. She also gets excited when a research proposal is funded, especially if it involves a new collaboration and an opportunity to explore a new area. Sarah and her collaborators at Northwestern University recently had a proposal funded to study rat whiskers. This is a cool project that will involve building models of whiskers that they can run through experiments to understand what is going on in rat brains when their whiskers are exposed to different scenarios. The prospect of equipping robots with whiskers is interesting because it would allow them to feel their way around an environment, even if there is not enough light for them to “see”.
Book Recommendations (26:56)
Anatham by Neal Stephenson
Most Treasured Travel (28:13)
Sarah’s favorite conference was the first conference she attended as a graduate student. It was a microsystems conference that meets every two years in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The conference is relatively relaxed and laid back with designated break periods in the afternoons where you can go to the beach, network, and play volleyball with colleagues. The location is phenomenal and the attendees are amazing. Everyone was really open to talking about their research, and Sarah returned to the lab afterwards invigorated and ready to test out many cool new ideas.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (31:17)
In Sarah’s lab, they have an annual holiday party with a white elephant gift exchange. People go to great lengths with packaging to make their gifts look desirable, and they have brought some really entertaining gifts over the years. One year, there was a large, heavy box that everyone had their eyes on. The recipient was surprised to discover two big sacks of potatoes upon unwrapping. There have also been a lot of neat robot toys gifted, and some of these end up going home with Sarah’s kids.
Advice For Us All (35:38)
It’s important to take a full day each week to do something different, especially when you are in graduate school. Take a break and do something else you like to do. Also, don’t be siloed by the traditional boundaries between science and engineering disciplines. Be open-minded and look outside your area because faculty and labs in other disciplines can benefit greatly from the skills and enthusiasm that someone from another field can offer.
Guest Bio
Sarah’s research is focused on the challenges of engineering robotic systems down to sub-millimeter size scales. Her group works both on small mobile robots (robotic insects for defense and disaster search scenarios), as well as microfabrication in support of larger robotic systems (tactile sensing or medical robotics for example). These goals result in compelling research in a number of supporting areas such as micromechanisms, microfabrication, microactuators, locomotion, sensing, control, power, and integration. Within her lab, there are ongoing projects investigating locomotion in mini robots where they are studying how mechanisms, gait, and sensing can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of travel in standard environments. Sarah has also been conducting research on jumping microrobots where nonporous silicon is used to provide the thrust to allow these devices to jump. Another line of Sarah’s research is focused on developing materials with tactile feedback capabilities. These active skins can provide high spatial resolution tactile sensors along with embedded silicon for low-level processing. She currently serves on DARPA’s Microsystems Exploratory Council and as an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Robotics and ASME Journal on Mechanisms and Robotics. Most importantly, she is mother to her two daughters named Kate and Julia.

*This episode was originally released on October 2, 2017.
The post 726: Dr. Sarah Bergbreiter: Mechanical Engineer Making Miniature Mobile Robots appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
41 min
September 11, 2023 725: Dr. Anand Padmanabhan: Improving How We Diagnose and Treat Certain Blood Clotting Conditions
Dr. Anand Padmanabhan is a pathologist, transfusion medicine physician, and Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the Mayo Clinic. He received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.B.S.) degree from Thanjavur Medical College and completed a Clinical Internship in Medicine and Surgery at LLR and Associated Hospitals in India. He was awarded his PhD in biochemistry from Brown University. Afterwards, Anand completed his residency in clinical pathology at Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital and transitioned into a Fellowship in transfusion medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Anand worked at the Blood Center of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2010 – 2019, and he joined the Mayo Clinic in 2020. Anand has received various awards and honors over the course of his career, including the JN Tata endowment for the higher education of Indians, National Blood Foundation Award for Innovative Research, ASFA Lecturer award, and Choosing Wisely Champion Award from the American Society for Apheresis, and he was recently inducted into the National Blood Foundation Hall of Fame. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (3:18)
When he’s not working, Anand loves spending time with his wife, their 15-year-old son, and their two dogs. They enjoy watching movies and traveling together across the U.S. and around the world.
The Scientific Side (4:22)
Anand studies blood clotting, also known as “thrombosis”. He is working on a particular type of blood clotting that can occur when our bodies produce antibodies for proteins or other molecules inside or on the surface of blood platelets (blood cell fragments that are important for clotting). Anand is interested both in finding better ways to diagnose and to treat patients with these potentially deadly diseases.
A Dose of Motivation (6:57)
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
What Got You Hooked on Science? (11:33)
Anand’s career began in medicine, and he attended a rural medical school in India where he received excellent clinical training. During his third year of medical school, Anand began reading books on pathology written by U.S. pathologists, and he became fascinated by the mechanisms of disease. He decided to the U.S. to pursue his MD and PhD degrees. During his residency and fellowship training, Anand was surprised to discover that there are still many diseases that we don’t fully understand. If you don’t fully understand the diseases, you can’t always diagnose and treat them well. Anand realized he wanted to use his knowledge and passion to pursue a career in translational research, working to improve clinical care through scientific advances.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (21:00)
It took Anand a long time to get his first research paper published. In his early research, their findings challenged some very long-standing dogma in the field, and there was a lot of resistance from reviewers. After about five years, he managed to accumulate an overwhelming amount of data in support of his findings, and the paper was published. This first paper really opened the door for his research and helped Anand and his colleagues succeed. Beyond his academic and clinical roles, Anand is Founder of a biotechnology startup company that seeks to develop an in vitro diagnostic assay, and the early days of the company were also a major struggle. They had a lot of trouble with the technology, but Anand was fortunate to be working with a talented Director of Research, and they were ultimately successful in coming up with a solution.
A Shining Success! (24:42)
One blood clotting condition that Anand and his team have studied is called heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). They made a new discovery about the mechanism of clotting in this condition that led to a new way to diagnose HIT. At the time, this was a really exciting breakthrough, but they didn’t realize that their findings would have even broader impacts in the future. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some people experienced rare, but severe, cases of a condition called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Standard tests did not work to detect the VITT antibodies, but their previous discovery about HIT helped them identify a way to successfully detect VITT antibodies as well. Another exciting success has been related to treating patients with HIT. Some patients with HIT are unresponsive to the standard therapy, but Anand determined that off-label use of a particular drug can really help these patients get better, and these off-label uses have been life-saving for these particular cases. Over the years, Anand has found his interactions with patients to be really rewarding, and he is glad to be able to help them both in the diagnostic and therapeutic arenas.
Book Recommendations (28:38)
For King and Another Country: Indian Soldiers on the Western Front, 1914–18 by Shrabani Basu
Most Treasured Travel (30:38)
London is one of Anand’s favorite cities in the world. He traveled there last summer for a meeting of the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, and it was a phenomenal trip. The city has an incredible amount of history, and there is a lot to see and do. In addition, there are many things in London that are connected to Indian history. While there, Anand enjoyed sampling the food, meeting great people, and visiting cultural and historic sites like Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross Station, London Bridge, the Tower of London, the Imperial War Museum, Southall, and more.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (33:08)
As a clinician, Anand oversees a procedure called apheresis where machines are used to manipulate components in a patient’s blood to remove things that are causing disease. They have multiple apheresis machines, and it has become a tradition to name each of the machines. On the research side, they have also named all of their chromatography equipment in the lab. It helps identify which machine people are talking about, but the names are also quirky and they make people smile.
Advice For Us All (38:49)
Follow your passion, and don’t let anyone else tell you what you can or cannot do. Also, stay curious. If you don’t know the answer to something, reach out to people who share your curiosity.
Guest Bio
Anand’s research is mainly focussed on understanding why some antibodies to platelets/platelet components cause blood clotting (thrombosis). Given his background as a physician, a key focus of his group is leveraging research findings into new diagnostic tests and novel treatments for the severe thrombotic diseases that he studies. His work has already led to advances in both areas, and is of relevance to rare, and often neglected diseases such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) and monoclonal gammopathy of thrombotic significance (MGTS). Outside of work, he loves to travel, watch Bollywood movies and history-related documentaries, and spend time with his wife, son and their two wonderful dogs.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by Innovative Research, Inc.
The post 725: Dr. Anand Padmanabhan: Improving How We Diagnose and Treat Certain Blood Clotting Conditions appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
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