People Behind the Science Podcast

By Dr. Marie McNeelyScience

People Behind the Science Podcast episodes

January 05 846: Dr. Randy Blakely: Studying the Genetics and Mechanisms of Specialized Proteins in the Brain that Regulate Neurotransmission
Dr. Randy Blakely is a Professor of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University and Executive Director of the Florida Atlantic University Brain Institute. Randy received his B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He next conducted postdoctoral research at the Yale/Howard Hughes Medical Institute Center for Molecular Neuroscience. Randy was an investigator and faculty member at Emory University and Vanderbilt University before accepting his current position at Florida Atlantic University. Randy is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his research and mentorship. He was awarded the Daniel Efron Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, two Distinguished Investigator Awards from the Brain and Behavioral Research Foundation, a MERIT Award from the National Institute of Mental Health, a Zenith Award from the Alzheimer’s Association, the Delores C. Shockley Partnership Award in recognition of minority trainee mentorship, as well as the Astellas Award in Translational Pharmacology and the Julius Axelrod Award both from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. In addition, he is a Fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. Randy joins us in this episode to talk more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:48)
Randy lives in beautiful South Florida near the Everglades, so getting outside to enjoy nature and observe the local wildlife is a lot of fun there. While commuting between campuses, Randy listens to a variety of audiobooks, and he loves to read when he gets the chance. As a former resident of the Nashville area, Randy is also a big fan of music. Though he doesn’t play an instrument himself, he enjoys singing along to his favorite Americana and folk music songs.
The Scientific Side (5:53)
In the lab, Randy studies how chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters work. Neurotransmitters allow cells in the brain (neurons) to communicate with one another. Randy is examining how neurons control neurotransmitter signaling, as well as how medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse impact neurotransmitters. He is interested in how normal neurotransmitter regulation and changes in neurotransmission due to drugs ultimately impact behavior. Projects in Randy’s lab are examining multiple neurotransmitters, various brain diseases in which there are changes in how neurons communicate, and different drugs that may modify connections in the brain by impacting neurotransmitters.
A Dose of Motivation (7:00)
“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” – John F. Kennedy
“It takes a village.” – African proverb
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:43)
Randy grew up in a small community in South Georgia where it was typical to focus on learning a trade and getting a job as a carpenter, electrician, automobile manufacturer, cotton mill worker, or another working class position. Though Randy was smart and capable, he didn’t really have big aspirations for himself. He attended a local vocational high school where he fortuitously transferred into a Vocabulary class freshman year that was taught by a woman who would become his mentor. Randy took that same class every year afterwards, and his teacher Jane encouraged him to be an intellectual, think big ideas, push himself further, and go to college. After scoring well on a National Merit Test, Randy was excited to receive a full scholarship to Emory University in Atlanta. Randy majored in philosophy there, but trying to understand the material basis for thought drove him to ultimately pursue neuroscience. While in college, Randy uncovered details about his own family history that further intensified his interest in understanding the brain and working to try to help people who have disorders of the brain.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (32:36)
There have been a lot of challenging times when experiments didn’t work, he couldn’t figure things out, and he began to wonder if he’d be able to continue following his passion. Being optimistic, being open to unexpected findings and opportunities, and talking about these challenges with colleagues helped Randy get through these difficult times.
A Shining Success! (35:40)
Though Randy has had many scientific victories, he is most proud of the successes of the trainees who have come through his lab. He has trained over 30 PhD students, around 30 postdoctoral fellows, and multiple visiting faculty members. These individuals have gone on to lead wonderful and productive careers, and some have established successful research labs of their own where Randy can continue to collaborate with them. It is motivating to talk to the people he mentors, and he appreciates the opportunity to repay some of the help he has been given by his mentors over the course of his career.
Book Recommendations (4:31)
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Most Treasured Travel (40:43)
There are two scientific travel destinations that hold a special place in Randy’s memory. He had a phenomenal experience traveling to Erice in Sicily for a conference that was held in an old monastery on a mountain above Palermo. The view of the ocean out his window was spectacular, and it was a wonderful scientific meeting. The second place was in Maintenon, a small town outside of Paris where Randy organized and attended a small scientific conference. They stayed in a hotel that was just steps away from a magnificent chateau with picturesque gardens. When you walked through the grounds of the chateau, it felt like you were being transported back hundreds of years.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (44:22)
Randy started a tradition in his lab group where he adds a bit of fun and humor to the introductions of the thesis defense presentations of his students. While a thesis defense is a serious and momentous occasion, Randy tries to make it memorable and personal as well. He has incorporated surprise videos, funny skits, and other methods to share stories about who the students are, where they come from, and what they aspire to do in the few minutes before they begin their big presentation.
Advice For Us All (51:57)
Trust yourself and your own insights. Accept lessons from other people and know what your limitations are, but make sure these limitations don’t keep you from pursuing your passions. If you come across something you don’t understand, that is the time to stop and dig deeper to figure it out. Also, for those who come from a disadvantaged background where there are limited opportunities, remember that you have potential and, and you can do great things. For teachers and mentors of students, be observant and try to recognize these individuals who may not know about all of the exciting opportunities out there or may not realize that they are achievable.
Guest Bio
Randy’s research is focused on the molecular regulation and genetics of a class of proteins called neurotransmitter transporters that clear neurotransmitters from brain synapse, terminating signaling. Among these transporters, Randy currently focuses on transporters that inactivate serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate. The serotonin transporter is a target for the SSRI class of antidepressants, typified by the commonly described medications Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro. The dopamine transporter is well known as a target for cocaine and amphetamines. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, and glutamate transporters ensure that neurons are not “overexcited” by glutamate. In recent years, Randy has focused much of his lab’s work on how human mutations in transporter-encoding genes impact risk for brain, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular disorders. When not thinking about synapses and transporters, Randy relaxes with golf, audiobooks, particularly military nonfiction (check out A Higher Call and The Forgotten 500), and music, typically that of singer-songwriters in the Rock/Folk/Americana traditions such as John Hiatt, Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, and Darrel Scott. His guilty pleasures are pizza, biographies of comedians (Martin Short and Billy Crystal), and the music of Todd Snider and Jimmy Buffett.

*This episode was originally released on Dec 4, 2017.
The post 846: Dr. Randy Blakely: Studying the Genetics and Mechanisms of Specialized Proteins in the Brain that Regulate Neurotransmission appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
59 min
December 29, 2025 845: Dr. Nirosha Murugan: Decoding the Role of Biophysical Signals in Health and Disease
Dr. Nirosha J. Murugan is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Tissue Biophysics as well as Distinguished Research Chair and Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University. She was awarded her B.S. in behavioral neuroscience, her M.S. in biophysics, and her PhD in biomolecular sciences from Laurentian University. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University. During that time, she also served as a teaching fellow at Harvard University in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. She served on the faculty at Algoma University before joining the faculty at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2024.
Over the course of her early career, Nirosha has received numerous awards and honors including the Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Development and Innovation. She was also the recipient of Rising Awards of Excellence from the Government of Ontario, the Young Professional Visionary Award from the Sault Ste Marie Chamber of Commerce, and an Optica Foundation Award to develop new optical tools to solve global health challenges. In this interview, Nirosha shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:41)
Outside the lab, Nirosha’s life is shaped by both family and her lifelong passions. Nirosha loves spending time with her six-year-old daughter and watching her creativity develop. For her own mindset and energy, she practices Olympic recurve archery, a sport she discovered in graduate school as a way to cultivate focus, flow, and skills she can refine across her lifetime. As a recreational pilot, Nirosha fulfills her childhood dream of flying, and she relishes the sense of freedom she gets flying her small four-seat plane.
The Scientific Side (4:54)
Nirosha’s research focuses on how our bodies, cells, and tissues communicate with each other from the molecular scale all the way up to our organs, physiology, and consciousness. She is interested in the kinds of information that are shared, including light, electromagnetic fields, and electricity, as well as the physics of how the information is transmitted. Her lab develops tools to record biophysical signals and also tools to help reprogram these signals back to a healthy state when something goes wrong in diseases like cancer.
A Dose of Motivation (6:04)
“Wounds are a portal for our light to interact with our bodies and our environment.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (11:40)
The origins of Nirosha’s scientific curiosity can be traced back to her childhood fascination with how the body works. Her grandfather, a general practitioner doctor, played a major role in supporting and encouraging Nirosha’s curiosity. He shared his medical knowledge and books with her, and he also engaged her in conversations that bridged medicine and spirituality. Those discussions planted an early seed for interdisciplinary thinking and led Nirosha to deeply consider experiences like spirituality and religion.
As she became more interested in the brain, Nirosha wanted to know how to address problems with mental health and personality disorders that weren’t readily visible or tangible like many of the conditions her grandfather treated. During her undergraduate training, Nirosha got involved in behavioral neuroscience research, and working with Dr. Michael Persinger was life-changing. His integrative approach spanned neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, neuroanatomy, and psychological assessment, and it gave her a systems-level view of how the brain computes information and produces behavior.
Over time, Nirosha began to feel that purely molecular or chemical explanations were incomplete. They couldn’t fully explain the variability of human experience, such as differences in sleep and behavior. This led her to physics. In particular, biophysics brings together molecular biology and basic principles from physics in ways that can start to better examine how the brain and body generate experience.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (24:50)
Failures come in many forms in science, including everyday problems like equipment breaking mid-experiment, or forgetting to save your data and losing a full day of work. These kinds of things happen to everyone and are part of doing research. Beyond the day-to-day setbacks, working at the intersection of optics, photonics, and biology means navigating gaps in expertise and language between different scientific communities. Physicists and biologists often speak very different “languages,” and translating between them has been an ongoing challenge. However, this is also a great learning opportunity and a chance to build better shared frameworks and tools. Even within her own lab, it’s been important to find people with diverse expertise and help them learn to communicate with each other. This is a work in progress that Nirosha is continuing to figure out alongside her team.
A Shining Success! (27:10)
One of the things Nirosha is most proud of is seeing her trainees build confidence and carve their own paths. This is particularly the case for individuals in her lab who felt underrepresented or unsure they had the “right” background. It is really rewarding when she can help these individuals recognize their strengths, develop novel ideas, and ultimately land in outstanding programs at major research institutions.
Another really meaningful success was the publication of a recent paper in Cell Metabolism with her partner and collaborator, Dr. Martin Picard. This paper introduced a new energy-based framework for understanding the body and physiology. While the paper itself was a major milestone, the impact is also important. Nirosha is committed to communicating these ideas beyond academia so non-scientists can understand and apply them in their own lives. To celebrate this victory, Nirosha and Martin went out to dinner and took a moment to appreciate this achievement and its potential impacts.
Book Recommendations (30:54)
Matrescence: On Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood by Lucy Jones; The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra.
Most Treasured Travel (32:45)
Earlier this year, Nirosha and a small, international group of researchers interested in quantum biology gathered near Florence, Italy. This provided opportunities to connect with others who are curious about understanding life and biology through the lens of quantum physics. The meeting was energizing, encouraging, and a rare opportunity to openly explore ideas that don’t always fit neatly into traditional scientific silos.
The trip was also memorable for other reasons. While traveling to Italy, Nirosha’s luggage was lost, and all she had for the week-long conference was the casual outfit she was wearing. Despite the inconvenience, Nirosha enjoyed light hikes and explorations of the beautiful town of Lucca, which had perfect weather and gorgeous mountains. When Nirosha found out her flight home was cancelled, she had to quickly make alternative arrangements. Despite the chaos, her visit to Italy was a fun and professionally valuable experience.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (35:39)
Each year, Nirosha’s group holds a “Lab Olympics.” This event involves turning everyday, low-cost lab equipment into a variety of creative and competitive games. Complete with homemade gold, silver, and bronze medals made from Petri dishes, the event brings everyone together to bond outside of their everyday research activities. “Pipette javelin” is Nirosha’s favorite event, and it involves precisely ejecting pipette tips to land in a bucket across a table. Beyond the laughs and bragging rights for the winners, this tradition fosters community and helps create a space where everyone feels human, connected, and comfortable sharing even their wildest ideas.
Advice For Us All (39:30)
If you’re not going to apply for an opportunity, someone else will. Why not try? Also, don’t be afraid to be different, weird, or unconventional. It can be challenging to be different, but being different can be an asset, and thinking differently can lead to new discoveries. In the context of research funding, branching out into different funding sources is important to think about as well.
Guest Bio
Nirosha is an applied biophysicist whose work explores how patterned physical signals, such as light and magnetism, govern cellular plasticity, tissue regeneration, and the reprogramming of disease states. Her approach reframes biology not solely as a molecular system, but as a dynamic network governed by first principles in physics. Her lab bridges quantum mechanics and biophysics with biomedical engineering to decode how physical signals, acting as carriers of structured information, sculpt the body’s energetic architecture. By mapping how these signals define energy landscapes and reconfigure cellular signaling networks, her work reveals new ways to understand cell state transitions, disease emergence, and therapeutic responsiveness at both the individual and systems level. Outside of research, Nirosha’s passions include archery, flying as a recreational pilot, and spending quality time with her daughter. Get connected with her on X or LinkedIn, and visit her lab website to learn more.
The post 845: Dr. Nirosha Murugan: Decoding the Role of Biophysical Signals in Health and Disease appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
43 min
December 22, 2025 844: Dr. Sonia Contera: Applying Physics and Nanotechnology to Understand Mechanics and Shape in Biological Systems
Dr. Sonia Contera is an Associate Professor of Biological Physics at the University of Oxford Physics Department, and a Research Fellow of Green Templeton College. She is also the author of the recently released book Nano comes to Life. Sonia received her bachelor’s degree in physics from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She attended graduate school at Beijing Languages and Culture University and subsequently worked as a researcher at the Czech Academy of Sciences. Sonia was then awarded a Japanese Government Monbushō scholarship to attend Osaka University where she received her PhD in Applied Physics. Next, Sonia was awarded an E.U. Fellowship to Japan at the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research SANKEN at Osaka University. Prior to coming to Oxford in 2003, she served as a Research Assistant Professor at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. In 2008, Sonia founded the Oxford Martin Institute of Nanoscience for Medicine at the Oxford Martin School. In our interview, Sonia 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, Sonia likes to relax and do nothing. She also enjoys spending time with people she loves, talking to people, cycling, walking, exploring art, and learning new languages.
The Scientific Side (4:31)
Sonia is a physicist who is interested in biology and the mechanics of biology across different space and time scales. She develops experiments and techniques to understand the physics that allow biological systems to build nano-scale molecules into cells, organs, tissues, and organisms. Projects in Sonia’s lab include studying and treating pancreatic tumors, understanding heart arrhythmias, and investigating the physics of plant growth.
A Dose of Motivation (7:05)
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” by Lao Tzu
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:36)
She spent the early part of her life living on a remote island in the Canary Islands. Despite the school system there not being very rigorous, Sonia developed a passion for science and the natural world through exploring the beaches and volcanoes on the island. By secondary school, Sonia had moved to Madrid where she had access to better schools. During this time, she had a great physics teacher who inspired her by talking about the forces that drive the movement of planets in the universe. However, Sonia struggled when she went to college. The way physics was taught there wasn’t engaging or interesting for her. In addition, coming from a working class family, Sonia didn’t feel like she fit in with her peers. She studied languages in college as well, and upon graduating, Sonia received a scholarship to study mathematical modeling of linguistics in China. This experience of being transplanted to a completely different culture was amazing, and it helped her realize that she really did want to be a scientist.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (20:01)
When Sonia returned to her lab after her first maternity leave, she was faced with major issues in her lab and the larger research group to which her lab belonged. The culture of her lab had shifted for the worse, and some senior scientists in her research group had become combative and domineering. There was even a point where she could not access her own lab equipment to do her work. This situation forced Sonia to reflect on the meaning of her work and what she wanted to do with her career. Sonia decided to shift research fields to focus on studying mechanics in biology, shape in biology, and how biology creates shape. Doing so allowed her to move away from the toxic environment that had manifested in her absence. Engaging with the public, talking about the exciting research she wanted to do, and finding new collaborators in other departments to develop new research lines helped Sonia get through this difficult situation.
A Shining Success! (22:51)
The successes that bring Sonia the most joy are the ones that have to do with her students and postdocs. Completing a PhD degree is very challenging. She is delighted when she is able to help a student overcome hurdles, and they manage to solve a difficult problem together. One of the students in Sonia’s lab now struggled for a long time to create a difficult technique, based on atomic force microscopy, that would allow them to study pancreatic tumors and heart arrythmias. Helping the student find a solution, build skills, develop resilience, and find collaborations was very rewarding. Further, the technique that was ultimately developed will have a lot of important applications outside their own current work.
Book Recommendations (24:50)
Nano Comes to Life: How Nanotechnology Is Transforming Medicine and the Future of Biology by Sonia Contera, Einstein’s War: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I by Matthew Stanley, and Superior: The Return of Race Science by Angela Saini.
Most Treasured Travel (32:32)
A few years ago, Sonia was invited to teach a course on nanotechnology at a university in China. She had a wonderful time visiting China and meeting with the students. Seeing such talented and motivated students also gave her hope for the future of science and humanity. In addition, Sonia used to travel often to Kanazawa University in Japan where a colleague was developing methods that allowed them to see proteins rotate, move, and open/close in real time. She would visit for weeks or months at a time to do experiments for her research, and they had a great time. During these trips, they worked around the clock and were fully immersed in the science. The university is also located on a mountain, and it was funny to see all the signs posted near campus alerting people to beware of bears.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (34:39)
Being part of a lab in Japan during graduate school was a lot of fun. It is customary for people in Japan to work long hours, and it felt like they were always in the lab. They would cook dinner together, go out to see a movie or go bowling, and then return to the lab. It seemed like a family. Work, life, and fun were completely intertwined. It felt cozy because Sonia’s supervisor was really kind and supportive, and they had a great kitchen that was always stocked with tea and cakes.
Advice For Us All (38:57)
For people who work with students, be kind and supportive of your students. Everyone has different talents, so try to help your students find their talents and how they can contribute to science. For students, try to find yourself and your talents through the work you do. Also, find a way for your work to be meaningful outside your own career.
Guest Bio
Sonia is a physicist and the proud mother of two young children. Her research lies at the interface of physics, biology, and nanotechnology. In particular, Sonia is an expert in atomic force microscopy of biological systems, and much of her work investigates the role of mechanics in biology. Projects in Sonia’s lab examine the mechanics of cells, tissues, proteins, and membranes. She and her lab members design nano materials that mimic biological functions for biomedical applications such as drug delivery or cell cultures. They focus mainly on the quantitative aspects of these applications involved in the transport and mechanics. Sonia has trained and conducted science in numerous countries, and she continues to collaborate with researchers around the world. She also frequently speaks to the public about the role that physics and nanotechnology should (and will!) play in the future of biology and medicine.
Photo credit: David Fisher
*This episode was originally published on December 16, 2019.
The post 844: Dr. Sonia Contera: Applying Physics and Nanotechnology to Understand Mechanics and Shape in Biological Systems appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
42 min
December 15, 2025 843: Dr. Donovan German: Breaking Down the Mysteries of Digestion in Animals With Unusual Diets
Dr. Donovan German is Associate Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Donovan received his B.A. in Marine Science from the University of San Diego, his M.S. In Biology from California State University in Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Florida. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at UC, Irvine before joining the faculty there in 2011. Donovan’s awards and honors include receipt of the UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, the UCI School of Biological Sciences Dean’s Award for Postdoctoral Excellence, and the UCI School of Biological Sciences Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research. In our interview Donovan shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:23)
Beyond his interests in science, Donovan loves sports and music. He played football through college, and he now enjoys coaching his kids’ baseball and soccer teams. Donovan played bass in a band during college, and he also plays the guitar and drums.
The Scientific Side (3:43)
As a nutritional physiologist, Donovan studies how guts work. He aims to better understand how materials move through the gut, which enzymes are secreted during digestion, what microbes are present, and what role these microbes play. In particular, Donovan focuses his research on animals with unusual diets, such as fish that eat wood or algae, to understand how these foods are digested and how animals can survive on these lower quality foods.
A Dose of Motivation (4:54)
“I won’t back down.” – Song lyrics by Tom Petty
What Got You Hooked on Science? (8:21)
Donovan has always been fascinated by fish, and fishing was one of his childhood hobbies. However, as he grew up, Donovan became more interested in sports. He shifted his focus to his studies when he went to college, and an oceanography class with a fantastic professor changed everything for him. During this class, Donovan went on a field trip to the Upper Newport Bay in Southern California. Seeing this coastal ecosystem firsthand was amazing. It was there that Donovan realized that he wanted to better understand how organisms deal with the fluctuating tides, temperatures, and ion concentrations in an estuary. He became hooked on physiology and marine ecosystems.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (16:29)
Donovan’s graduate research investigated wood-eating catfishes from the Amazon in order to better understand how these animals were able to use wood as a source of food. He went into his dissertation convinced that the fish must have developed a solution like beavers or termites that leveraged gut microbes to help digest their food. Donovan spent years doing eight different tests to ascertain whether microbes might be playing an important role, and his experiments unanimously suggested that this was not the case. At that point, he had to accept that his hypothesis might be completely wrong. This experience led Donovan to think about digestion differently and to contemplate the different ways animals could approach digestion. Ultimately, he discovered that the fish were actually optimized for moving material quickly through their guts and getting energy and nutrients from the microbial biomass that lived in the decomposing wood, instead of from the wood itself. Over the years, Donovan has also faced unexpected challenges in the form of experimental mishaps, such as forgetting to turn off the hose when filling a large fish tank or having to create entirely new assays to measure enzymes when his protocols didn’t work.
A Shining Success! (20:37)
In the process of trying to understand the digestive physiology of wood-eating catfish in graduate school, Donovan identified that a key piece of information was how long it took for material to pass through the digestive system of the fish. He planned to give the fish wood that had been dyed red with food coloring, and then switch back to regular wood. He planned to come back after four hours to start monitoring for when the red dye started to appear as waste in the tank. Since the fish are nocturnal, the experiment started at midnight. About four hours later, Donovan went back to observe the fish, and he was stunned to see that there were already red feces in the tank. The gut of these fish was known to be several meters long, so the material had to be moving through the gut at an amazingly fast rate of about one meter per hour. This was the piece of information that tied everything from his previous experiments together. Rather than relying on microbes to slowly digest wood in their gut, the fish were moving a lot of material very quickly through their gut and focusing on the easier to digest biomass that lived in the decomposing wood. Donovan will never forget sending the email with his findings to his thesis committee at 4:00 am.
Book Recommendations (23:37)
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan, and Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease by Robert Lustig.
Most Treasured Travel (25:49)
As an undergraduate, Donovan had the opportunity to travel to Antarctica to do research with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. They went to Deception Island to study the ice cover, as well as the movement of fish and krill. The island is the caldera of a volcano that was flooded by the sea after erupting. There is a ring of beautiful mountains around the perimeter with a bay in the interior. For that month, Donovan lived with the research team on the boat, did exciting research, and marveled at the penguins and other wildlife around him.
More recently, Donovan had an opportunity to travel to Norway to participate in the thesis examination of a student there. In Europe, it is common for a thesis advisor to invite people who are experts in the field to attend a student’s defense and ask the student questions to assess their knowledge. Donovan’s wife (also a scientist) accompanied him on this trip, and they had great scientific discussions with researchers there. In addition, they went on a fjord cruise and got to see some of the nearby sights.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (30:19)
Drinking tea has been an important part of lab culture for Donovan over the years. In the lab where he completed his master’s degree, they often drank tea together. This made lab discussions and reading papers seem more fun and social. His advisor used to take the group to the Spring Tea Garden in Fullerton to enjoy High Tea, and everyone would wear different fancy tea hats during the event. Tea has become a tradition in Donovan’s own lab as well, though no hats are required. In his present lab, Donovan has also made it a tradition to watch a great lecture series by musician Herbie Hancock that emphasizes how we are so much more than our jobs.
Advice For Us All (35:08)
Follow your passion. Make sure you don’t lose sight of what you want to do and what first got you excited about your work. Also, listen to people, be open and accepting, and try to help when you can.
Guest Bio
Donovan’s primary research goal is to understand how organisms are specialized to use specific resources and the consequences of specialization to ecosystem fluxes. His lab’s research integrates isotopic, molecular, biochemical, and physiological approaches to gain insight into the nutritional physiology of a range of animals, from microbes to vertebrates. By understanding the resource acquisition strategies of a range of organisms within a given ecosystem, he and his team can better understand fluxes within that system. Donovan’s longterm goal is to use this information to make more informed management decisions.

*This episode was originally released on December 9, 2019.
The post 843: Dr. Donovan German: Breaking Down the Mysteries of Digestion in Animals With Unusual Diets appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
39 min
December 08, 2025 842: Dr. Trudy Oliver: Investigating the Biology and Origins of Small Cell Lung Cancer
Dr. Trudy G. Oliver is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology as well as a Duke Science and Technology Scholar at Duke University. She received her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Oklahoma Baptist University, and her PhD in cancer biology from Duke University. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and subsequently at MIT. Trudy served on the faculty at the University of Utah for more than a decade before joining the faculty at Duke University where she is today. She has received numerous awards and honors for her work, including the Heine H. Hansen Lectureship Award for Small Cell Lung Cancer from the IASLC World Lung Conference, the William C. Rippe Award for Distinguished Research in Lung Cancer from the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, the Lung Cancer Discovery Award from the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award, the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award, and the Jimmy V Scholar Award from the V Foundation for Cancer Research. In this interview, Trudy shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (3:13)
When she’s not in the lab, Trudy unwinds with walks, jogs, music, and true-crime podcasts. She also enjoys spending quality time with friends, family, and her two energetic orange kittens named Basal and Tuft after her favorite lung cell types.
The Scientific Side (4:40)
Trudy’s research focuses on small cell lung cancer, a disease known for its remarkable ability to “shape-shift” or undergo cellular plasticity. This adaptability allows cancer cells to change types and develop different therapeutic vulnerabilities (or invulnerabilities), making treatment especially challenging and preventing the development of a one-size-fits-all approach.
A Dose of Motivation (5:43)
“We can sleep when we’re dead. Drink more coffee.”
“It’s just as difficult and expensive to answer an unimportant question as it is to answer an important question.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (8:51)
Trudy’s childhood career aspirations included becoming a veterinarian, a heart doctor, or a circus clown. After riding a unicycle in her school circus, Trudy was able to check the circus off her list of career goals early and focus on her interests in science and medicine. Her parents weren’t familiar with what the career path looked like for a scientist or doctor, but they encouraged her to go to college. During college, two of Trudy’s family members were diagnosed with cancer. Seeing patients of all ages and demographics in the waiting room for chemotherapy during one of her great-grandmother’s treatment sessions had a profound impact. Cancer didn’t discriminate. Trudy decided she wanted to become an expert in the field. Excellent mentors helped guide her towards research opportunities and ultimately applying for PhD programs. When Trudy enrolled in graduate school, she didn’t really know what was in store. Despite a large learning curve and some early lab mishaps, Trudy was captivated by the power of controlled experiments to generate new scientific knowledge that could be reliably reproduced. This solidified her passion and set her on the path to becoming an academic researcher.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (20:57)
Right now is a particularly difficult time to get funding for scientific research. One of Trudy’s recent proposals was scored in the top 8% of submissions, and it will not be funded. This has forced her team to scramble to piece together alternative support, which is an added stress for a job that is already highly demanding. Trudy feels a deep sense of responsibility to support and mentor the nearly twenty people who work in her lab and rely on her as a leader. These individuals help to motivate her every day as does the exciting work they are doing together.
A Shining Success! (23:20)
A major milestone for Trudy’s lab was their first publication in Nature. This paper presents groundbreaking evidence that small cell lung cancer likely originates from basal stem cells in the lung, rather than neuroendocrine cells, as it was long believed. Motivated by inconsistencies in traditional neuroendocrine-based models, her team shifted to studying basal cells and found that introducing human-relevant mutations into these cells generated tumors that far more accurately reflected human disease. This insight reshapes how the field understands, models, and may eventually prevent small cell lung cancer. Their findings were further reinforced by independent machine-learning analyses of human tumors that came to the same conclusion.
Book Recommendations (27:31)
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, Radical Candor by Kim Malone Scott, The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
Most Treasured Travel (28:32)
Travel opportunities are one of Trudy’s favorite parts about being a scientist, and she’s been to many wonderful places around the world as part of her job. One particularly memorable trip brought her to Barcelona where she enjoyed incredible food, world-class cocktail bars, breathtaking views from Park Güell, and a visit to the Gaudí-designed Palau Güell. Visiting a collaborator at the University of Essen in Germany was also a stand-out experience, and she’ll never forget the wide variety of remarkable breads she sampled while there. A third trip worth mentioning was to Banff, Canada, where she attended a small conference in a castle-like lodge. There, she experienced a dramatic weather shift that transformed a nearby hiking trail from autumn terrain to a snowy landscape, complete with icicles and moose. Each of these locations left lasting impressions with their natural beauty and culture.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (31:38)
During her time as a postdoc in Dr. Tyler Jacks’ lab at MIT, they had an annual tradition where they split into themed teams, wore costumes, and spent the day completing elaborate city-wide adventures across Boston. These events combined scavenger hunts, pub crawls, and homemade “Olympic” competitions with sack races and water balloon battles. This was a fun and unforgettable way to get the group together outside of the lab. While Trudy’s current lab hasn’t developed anything quite as elaborate, they’ve built their own meaningful tradition: a birthday celebration featuring a “gratitude circle.” Whenever it is a lab member’s birthday, they form a circle, and each person shares something they admire or appreciate about that lab member. This has become a wonderful, uplifting, and inclusive way to recognize everyone in the lab.
Advice For Us All (36:45)
When someone says something, it’s about them and what’s going on in their lives. It’s not about you, and it’s important not to take it personally. Also, make sure to take time to celebrate your successes.
Guest Bio
Trudy is a cancer biologist whose research explores how cancers evolve and shapeshift, allowing them to adapt and resist treatment. Her lab uses sophisticated mouse and organoid models to uncover how small cell lung cancers (SCLCs) emerge, change identity, and evade therapy. By studying these dynamic transitions, her team aims to find new ways to stop aggressive cancers in their tracks and improve outcomes for patients. Outside of the lab, Trudy loves spending time outdoors—especially hiking and mountain biking. She lives with two lively orange cats named Basal and Tuft (a nod to her favorite lung cell types), who keep her company during late-night data analyses. When she’s not on a trail or in the lab, she’s usually drinking coffee, listening to crime podcasts, or hanging out with friends and loved ones.

Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by Innovative Research, Inc.
The post 842: Dr. Trudy Oliver: Investigating the Biology and Origins of Small Cell Lung Cancer appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
39 min
December 01, 2025 841: Dr. Ian Winship: Investigating How Brain Damage Occurs in Stroke and Developing Therapies to Improve Stroke Recovery
Dr. Ian Winship is an Associate Professor and a former Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Scholar in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta. He is also Director of the Neurochemical Research Unit there. Ian received his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in Psychology from the University of Alberta. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia before returning to the University of Alberta to join the faculty. In this interview Ian shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:30)
Much of Ian’s free time is spent on or near the ice rink. He coaches his son’s hockey team and his daughter’s ringette team, as well as playing on his own recreational hockey team. In the summer, Ian enjoys being outside, traveling, visiting the mountains, and relaxing at the beach.
The Scientific Side (3:47)
While Ian’s job includes teaching students neuroscience and psychiatry, most of his time at work is spent on research. Ian is interested in understanding how we can reduce the damage early after a stroke and ways we can improve recovery in people who had a stroke a long time ago. His research also examines changes in the brain that lead to symptoms in other brain disorders like schizophrenia.
A Dose of Motivation (5:02)
“We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good.” – Carl Sagan
“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.” – Charles Darwin
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:34)
As a high school student, Ian started getting interested in biology through his courses. At the time, he didn’t have a plan for his future career, and he didn’t know he wanted to become a scientist. In college, Ian started off majoring in general sciences. He attempted an honors physiology program, but it didn’t go well, and he left after one year. However, Ian was fascinated by the brain and behavior after learning about this area in his science psychology courses. Ian applied to work in his professor’s lab to get research experience. After reviewing Ian’s transcript, his prospective mentor was hesitant to allow Ian into the lab. Fortunately, Ian managed to convince his professor to give him a chance. The lab was doing research that involved tracing projections from different neurons using microscopy and electrophysiology. Ian was hooked. He loved studying these neurons and their projections.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (21:53)
It takes a lot of time and perseverance to get to the point where you are effectively and efficiently collecting the data you need for a project. When Ian began his postdoc, working with two-photon microscopy, mice, and calcium indicators were all completely new to him. A lot of different things went wrong in conducting his experiments and collecting the data, but the difficulties didn’t end there. Once he made it through these challenges, Ian was left with a huge amount of data that he didn’t really know how to analyze. At the same time, Ian was struggling to balance his research, his finances, and commuting back and forth to see his wife in a different city. The experience was really frustrating, and Ian had to constantly remind himself why he was doing this and why the work was so important.
A Shining Success! (24:44)
After about 10 years at the University of Alberta, Ian is at a stage in his career where he is excited to celebrate the successes of his trainees. Most recently, one of their papers was just published in an excellent journal. The paper included work from a former PhD student who had spent years doing a behavioral study on rehabilitation in a stroke model in rats. This student persisted in the research even though it was difficult, and she had severe allergies to rats. This study was also the first in Ian’s lab on which they sought media coverage. Though the interviews for magazines, online articles, and TV were daunting, it was rewarding to see how thrilled his student was about these opportunities and the feedback she got from friends and family.
Book Recommendations (27:26)
Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space by Carl Sagan, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Most Treasured Travel (29:30)
One of Ian’s favorite destinations he visited for science was Munich, Germany. Ian traveled there to attend a conference and present his work, but he didn’t really know any of the other conference attendees. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and do some sightseeing while he was there. Ian enjoyed touring palaces, visiting the opera house, and seeing some historical sites. The age of the city, its history, and what it had been through were remarkable.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (32:11)
Scientists often spend a lot of time together in close quarters, so you form bonds and memories that can last a lifetime. Some of Ian’s favorite moments with his colleagues involve sitting around and talking about science. For their recently funded schizophrenia project, Ian met with two of his colleagues at a pizza place during a conference trip to discuss the possibility of submitting this grant. Looking back, it was a hilarious conversation. They started off thinking their ideas were the best and the grant was sure to be funded. After talking through it more, they decided that it was actually a horrible idea, they didn’t have any of the data they needed, and the grant wouldn’t stand a chance. By the end of their meeting, they decided it just might work, and they were going to give it a try.
Advice For Us All (37:29)
In science, you need to publish in order to show productivity and move on to the next step. In life, keep in mind that people will remember how you treat them more than they will remember your big paper, promotion, or other achievements. Science is amazing, but don’t let your career in science remove you from the rest of your life. You have to work hard and be passionate about what you do, but don’t forget there is a whole world outside the lab.
Guest Bio
Ian’s multi-disciplinary research investigates fundamental pathophysiology that leads to brain damage and dysfunction, and looks to use these insights to develop experimental therapies for brain disorders including stroke. Current projects seek to better understand the failure of the “collateral circulation” during acute stroke that leads to poor outcome and to develop new approaches to improve collateral flow (“collateral therapeutics”). Additionally, because most stroke survivors are left with permanent disability, his lab is exploring methods to restart recovery during chronic stroke by facilitating rewiring of the brain and spinal cord. Outside of stroke, a new direction in the lab investigates the role of perineuronal nets in the cognitive dysfunction associated with schizophrenia, with an interest in using advanced imaging to better understand the functional consequences of these perineuronal net changes. Outside the lab, Ian spends the majority of his time attempting to regain feeling in his toes after spending hours on-ice with his childrens’ hockey and ringette teams.

*This episode was originally released on March 12, 2018.
The post 841: Dr. Ian Winship: Investigating How Brain Damage Occurs in Stroke and Developing Therapies to Improve Stroke Recovery appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
41 min
November 17, 2025 839: Dr. Scotty Yang: Managing Ant Infestations and Invasions and Studying Ant-Pathogen Interactions
Dr. Chin-Cheng “Scotty” Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech. He received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in entomology from National Taiwan University. Scotty served as a Visiting Scientist at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) within the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. He then conducted postdoctoral research in the Biodiversity Research Center at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Scotty served as a faculty member at National Taiwan University, Kyoto University in Japan, and National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan before joining the faculty at Virginia Tech where he is today. In our interview, Scotty shares more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:21)
When he’s not working, Scotty spends most of his free time with his two kids, and he especially enjoys playing and coaching basketball. He’s a passionate fan who even adopted the name of his basketball hero, Scottie Pippen.
The Scientific Side (4:12)
Scotty’s research focuses on ants. He’s interested in understanding their fascinating biology and how they respond to pathogens, as well as finding better ways to control ant infestations and invasive ant populations.
A Dose of Motivation (5:52)
One of Scotty’s favorite motivational quotes is “Just do it.” He’s also motivated by observing the organisms he studies, and watching their behavior can inspire new research questions.
What Got You Hooked on Science? (8:59, 11:07)
Scotty can trace his interest in the natural world back to his father, who encouraged his curiosity about living things and often brought the family to national parks, beaches, mountains, and other cool places in nature for vacations. Growing up with aquariums at home, Scotty began running his own small experiments, which sparked his fascination with biology. Later, Scotty discovered a university flyer describing entomology as a field that would let him explore the mountains at night, and that sealed the deal. Influential mentors encouraged Scotty to pursue research that could meaningfully improve people’s lives, and this drove his commitment to studying invasive fire ants to protect communities and the environment.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (26:04)
A major challenge for Scotty was adjusting to the different expectations for scientific writing and grant proposals after moving from Asia to the United States for his faculty position. He was excited about his early proposals, and it was discouraging when they were rejected. However, Scotty didn’t give up. He sought feedback, asked colleagues to share sample proposals, had others review his drafts, and treated each setback as part of the learning process. Scotty’s persistence paid off when he recently secured his first federally funded grant.
Scotty also struggled early in graduate school when he was assigned a project focused on the genetics of fire ants after doing poorly in his genetics coursework as an undergraduate. He asked others for help, but he soon realized that to get meaningful support, he needed to put in effort himself first. This meant reading, studying, and building up his foundational knowledge of genetics. This reinforced Scotty’s belief that seeking help is important, but you also have to be persistent and willing to work hard to reach your goals.
A Shining Success! (31:58)
Securing his first federal research grant was a huge success for Scotty, but it didn’t come easily. His initial proposal was rejected, but by carefully revisiting the (sometimes harsh) reviewer comments, Scotty realized he could turn those critiques into strengths. He used feedback from the reviewers to reshape and improve his research proposal for the resubmission. Ultimately, the hard work paid off. The experience taught him that setbacks can fuel growth, and that persistence and openness to feedback can lead to meaningful breakthroughs.
Book Recommendations (34:09)
The Guests of Ants: How Myrmecophiles Interact with Their Hosts by Bert Hölldobler and Christina L. Kwapich
Most Treasured Travel (35:47)
Scotty will never forget a trip he took to Cairns, Australia. He was invited there to study the invasive yellow crazy ant, a species that causes billions of dollars in environmental and economic damage. Upon arriving at their destination in the field, Scotty was shocked to see that the hiking trail was completely carpeted with ants. The ants were so dense that he and his colleagues were told to keep walking to avoid being covered.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (38:47)
During his time in Japan, people were often surprised when they met Scotty, and they told him he didn’t fit the stereotypical serious portrait of a scientist in a lab coat. Those experiences helped him realize the importance of using humor to make science engaging and accessible, especially when communicating with people who don’t have a scientific background. He now intentionally brings humor into his teaching and seminars to keep audiences connected and interested.
In terms of traditions in his lab, Scotty and his team hold regular pipette-tip refilling competitions to see who can reload a box the fastest. Of course, the winners of these friendly competitions win prizes. When working out in the field, Scotty and his team try to make the routine and sometimes difficult work fun by having contests as well.
Advice For Us All (42:46)
Be persistent and don’t give up. Even when there are setbacks and you are discouraged, keep trying. Sometimes the best path to a solution is to be hands-on and start doing something. Don’t forget to take breaks when you need them, and this can help renew your focus. Stay curious, and remember that even well-studied research areas can be treasure troves for new discoveries. It can also be helpful to keep your study system in sight. For Scotty having ants as desk pets does wonders for lifting his team’s spirits during difficult periods.
Guest Bio
The Yang Lab is focused on studying insect-microbe and pathogen interactions using ants (and other pests) and their associated microbes/pathogens as model systems. They use a variety of approaches including methods from behavioral science, genetics, genomics, and disease transmission ecology. Their work is interdisciplinary with relevant ties to population genetics, invasion ecology, and urban pest management. Current projects in the lab are investigating two different areas. One area examines the ecology and co-evolutionary history of insect-microbe (pathogen) interactions, as well as how social insects respond behaviorally and physiologically to pathogens. The second area is focused on controlling insect pests through studies of potential microbial biocontrol agents and development of new insect microbial pest control strategies. Outside of the lab, Scotty is a huge basketball fan, and you can often find him watching games or shooting hoops with his kids.
The post 839: Dr. Scotty Yang: Managing Ant Infestations and Invasions and Studying Ant-Pathogen Interactions appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
46 min
November 10, 2025 838: Dr. Jonathan Payne: Examining Interactions Between Changes in Earth’s Environments, Extinction Events, and Evolution of Life
Dr. Jonathan Payne is a Professor and Chair of Geological Sciences at Stanford University. He also holds a courtesy appointment in Biology, is a Member of Stanford’s interdisciplinary biosciences institute Bio-X, and is an Affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Jonathan received his B.A. in Geosciences from Williams College. Afterwards, he worked as a high school math and science teacher in Switzerland for two years before returning to graduate school. Jonathan was awarded his Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard University, and he conducted postdoctoral research at Pennsylvania State University before joining the faculty at Stanford. Jonathan has received many awards and honors for his work, including the Stanford University Medal for excellence in advising undergraduate research, the Charles Schuchert Award from the Paleontological Society, and a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. He has also been named a Fellow of the Geological Society of America as well as a Fellow of the Paleontological Society. In this podcast interview, Jonathan spoke with us about his experiences in life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:48)
When not working, Jonathan is often going to sporting events, traveling, and playing Nerf basketball in his house with his wife and two kids. He also enjoys hiking and working out at the gym.
The Scientific Side (4:16)
Jonathan studies the history of life on Earth. He is interested in the interactions between the changes in earth’s environments and the evolution of life on Earth. In particular, Jonathan focuses on large extinction events like asteroid impacts and volcanic eruptions, and how these impacted life in the oceans.
A Dose of Motivation (5:53)
Focus on enjoying the process.
What Got You Hooked on Science? (10:18)
During his childhood, Jonathan was fascinated by news stories about Mount St. Helens erupting and the discovery of high concentrations of iridium in sediments that potentially suggested the dinosaur extinction was caused by a large asteroid impact. His father taught at Colgate University in New York, and the surrounding area consists of fossiliferous marine rocks that are 370-380 million years old. It was common to see fossils in rocks around his home, and Jonathan used to go on collecting expeditions with a family friend who was a geochemist. When he went to college, Jonathan wasn’t sure whether to study math, geology, or other subjects, but thinking about summer job opportunities helped him make the decision. He chose to spend his summer outside in the sun doing geology fieldwork in the hills of Wyoming over being cooped up inside at a computer working on a math project. The opportunities to travel and spend time exploring the outdoors while doing geology research were exciting, but Jonathan didn’t go straight to graduate school after finishing college. He taught middle school in Switzerland for two years, and this gave him time to think about what he was most interested in and get experience teaching. Jonathan applied to graduate programs in paleontology, and his first field work experience in China cemented his decision to remain in this field.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (26:53)
For Jonathan, the period in graduate school leading up to his qualifying exams was very difficult. He wasn’t sure what his project was going to be or how it was going to turn out, and this stage of his career was full of stress and anxiety. He began to question whether he could succeed in his program and if he even wanted to pursue this path. Exercise and counseling helped, but what really made all the difference was a two-month trip to China. Jonathan had never been to China, he didn’t speak Chinese, they visited a very rural part of the country where there was a lot of poverty, and the living conditions were very different from what he was used to. This experience helped him put his experiences into perspective and get through the toughest part of graduate school.
A Shining Success! (31:26)
Jonathan is happy to celebrate the successes of his students and trainees in both life and science. Recently, two of his former advisees got engaged, and they plan to get married next year. After a year apart, these two have both accepted positions at the University of Wyoming where they can pursue their dream careers and be together. In addition, two of Jonathan’s current students published their first scientific papers this year, and it was wonderful to see them kicking off their research careers. As department chair, Jonathan has found their recent faculty search rewarding as well. This process led their group to think broadly and look into new, exciting scientific areas. They sent job offers to three potential faculty hires and are awaiting their final decisions.
Book Recommendations (34:34)
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Most Treasured Travel (37:52)
The most memorable trip Jonathan has been on for science was his first trip to China. He had so many new and unexpected experiences on this trip, including breakfasts at the local noodle and dumpling shop, being startled out of bed at 6am by fireworks for a traditional funeral, meeting local elementary school children, daily walks across town to access a shower, and experiencing the September 11th attacks in the U.S. from a remote and far away place. He will never forget the friends he made and the kindness of his hosts. Everyone tried to teach him as much as they could about the food, culture, and language.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (46:59)
Over the years, Jonathan’s lab has maintained their long-standing connection and collaborations with a group of researchers in China. This relationship now spans multiple academic generations, and every few years they get the group together for a research meeting. Last year, everyone came to Stanford for a meeting. It was fun to see everyone again and to watch slideshows with field work photos from the group dating back to the 1980s. They’ve become like a family now, and Jonathan hopes this continues for many years in the future.
Advice For Us All (50:31)
Keep your sense of humor, and don’t bite the teacher.
Guest Bio
Jonathan’s research addresses the evolution of animal life on Earth, with a particular focus on the causes and consequences of mass extinction events. To address these questions, he and members of his lab draw on approaches and data from the fields of paleontology, ecology, physiology, sedimentary geology, and geochemistry. Field studies (to date) have taken them to China, Japan, Turkey, Italy, and Mexico. Jonathan teaches undergraduate courses in historical geology and paleontology and graduate courses in paleontology and carbonate sedimentology. Outside of work, Jonathan enjoys camping, skiing, and traveling with his family, cheering on his kids at their various sporting events, riding his bike, and baking sourdough bread.

Photo credit: Steve Castillo
*This episode was originally released on October 8, 2018.
The post 838: Dr. Jonathan Payne: Examining Interactions Between Changes in Earth’s Environments, Extinction Events, and Evolution of Life appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
53 min
November 03, 2025 837: Dr. Kathryn Whitehead: Developing Novel Nature-Inspired Drug Delivery Systems
Dr. Kathryn (Katie) Whitehead is an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University where she also holds a courtesy appointment in Biomedical Engineering. Katie received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware and her PhD in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research in the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. Katie has received numerous awards and honors, including the DARPA Young Faculty Award, the DARPA Director’s Fellowship, the Controlled Release Society Capsugel/Pfizer Oral Drug Delivery Award, the Diabetes Technology Society Peterson Research Award, a UC Graduate Research and Education in Adaptive Biotechnology Fellowship, an NIH Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship, the Kun Li Award for Excellence in Education, the Popular Science Brilliant 10 Award, and very recently the 2018 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s New Innovator Award. She has also been named an MIT Technology Review Innovator Under 35 and the 2016 Young Innovator Award from Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE). In our interview, Katie speaks more about her experiences in life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:42)
Since she was a PhD student, Katie has been interested in gardening. She started with just a single tomato plant, and now she grows over 20 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, as well as other vegetables, fruits, and berries.
The Scientific Side (4:15)
Research in Katie’s lab group focuses on therapeutic drug delivery. Their goal is to make the process of drug delivery more efficient by sending medicines only to specific parts of the body where they are needed. Katie is also working to create new precision medicines using RNA and DNA and to develop the drug delivery systems for these future medicines.
A Dose of Motivation (6:11)
“Do your best and forget the rest.” – Tony Horton
“Nevertheless, she persisted.” – Mitch McConnell
What Got You Hooked on Science? (13:42)
During her childhood, Katie didn’t have a particular fascination with the natural world or dreams to become a scientist or engineer. In high school, she was interested in a variety of subjects, including math. Katie took chemistry during her sophomore year, and she liked how it involved math, molecules, and 3D molecular structures. However, she also enjoyed English, literature, and writing. In college, Katie had to make a tough decision between pursuing English or chemical engineering. She ultimately chose the chemical engineering route, and she later discovered that this career path also gives her many opportunities to write as well. When Katie began to doubt her choice partway through college, her academic advisor encouraged her to get research experience. Getting involved in engineering research was an excellent experience, and it confirmed for Katie that she wanted to pursue a career in chemical engineering.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (22:43)
Katie’s early years as a professor were among the most difficult in her career. She had a difficult time convincing people to fund her research. Over the course of about 4 years, she submitted 28 grant proposals to external agencies, and every one of these proposals was rejected. Katie began to think perhaps she didn’t have what it took to succeed as a researcher. She also started to consider whether she needed to submit applications on other topics that she wasn’t as interested in, but she really wanted to pursue the work she was most excited about. The constant rejection was demoralizing, and on top of this, Katie was also struggling with challenges in her personal and family life. However, Katie refused to quit. Receiving support from colleagues, students, and others helped, and she found the motivation to persevere.
A Shining Success! (25:49)
Recently, Katie was honored by receipt of one of the NIH Director’s New Innovators Awards. This is a huge success because it will provide funding for her lab, and it will allow her to research an interesting topic that is brand new to her. Receiving the award was also deeply rewarding because the idea for the grant came from her own experiences in becoming a mother and breastfeeding her child. After the birth of her daughter, Katie spent a lot of time breastfeeding, and she started learning more about breast milk. There were some remarkable findings in the literature about the living human cells in breast milk and how these cells incorporate into an infant’s tissues. This seemed to suggest that human cells in breast milk might make amazing drug delivery vehicles because, though the cells are relatively large, they are able to be transported out of the gut to other areas of an infant’s body. It was a challenge for Katie to write a proposal that was outside her main area of expertise, but she is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her students on this project to address a major knowledge gap that may have exciting applications in drug delivery.
Book Recommendations (31:08)
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
Most Treasured Travel (33:03)
In her second year of graduate school, Katie attended her first scientific research conference. The conference was held by the Controlled Release Society, which is the premiere international drug delivery society. That year, the conference was held in Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It was the first time Katie ever went to a scientific conference and also her first trip to Hawaii. Being able to see and meet scientists she respected, admired, and had been reading about in the literature was amazing. The conference sessions were fascinating, and it felt surreal to spend five days surrounded by brilliant scientists, enjoying beautiful beaches, and drinking Mai Tais in the evenings.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (36:21)
As a postdoc, Katie and her labmates enjoyed eating lunch outside in a courtyard at MIT when the weather was nice. One day, she took off her shoes to sit in the grass to eat, and as she stood up, Katie stepped in a seriously questionable substance. It was absolutely disgusting. Katie hobbled up to the lab and tried to wash her foot in the lab sink. Everyone was laughing, and one of her labmates took a picture of her at the sink next to the eyewash station balancing precariously on one foot while washing the other foot with a bottle brush. To make the matter more ridiculous, as a joke, someone in the lab submitted the photo to the university’s environmental health and safety (EH&S) group as an example of an unsafe lab situation. In subsequent EH&S presentations, Katie saw her hilarious photo turn up in the section describing things not to do in lab.
Advice For Us All (40:44)
Be persistent, and seek help when you need it. You’re not alone. Getting support can help you find solutions to get through tough situations.
Guest Bio
Katie’s research is focused on drug delivery, which involves directing medicines to the exact locations within the body where they are needed. Specifically, she is interested in developing delivery solutions that are more patient-friendly than injections (for example, creating oral delivery systems for protein drugs like insulin). She also develops nanoparticle delivery vehicles for RNA drugs that will enable personalized medicine. When not at work, Katie is an avid gardener who enjoys cultivating fruits and vegetables in her urban garden. Tomatoes are her favorite product, and she typically grows 15-20 heirloom varietals in any given summer. Katie shares her life with her Canadian chemist husband, her joyful toddler daughter, and two spoiled Siberian cats in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

*This episode was originally published on November 5, 2018.
The post 837: Dr. Kathryn Whitehead: Developing Novel Nature-Inspired Drug Delivery Systems appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
43 min
October 27, 2025 836: Dr. Heather Lench: Investigating the Impacts of Emotions on Behaviors, Thoughts, and Decisions
Dr. Heather Lench is Professor in Psychological and Brain Sciences and Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs at Texas A&M University. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Florida State University, her Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Fresno, and her PhD in Social Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. After completing her PhD, Heather joined the faculty at Texas A&M University in 2007. She has received numerous awards and honors for her work, including the American Psychological Association New Investigator Award, the Texas A&M University Faculty Merit Award, and she is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, and the American Psychological Association. In this interview, Heather shares more about her life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:21)
In her free time, Heather enjoys exploring a variety of hobbies, and her favorite pastimes continue to change over time. She loves going scuba diving, painting, reading, long-distance running, and glassblowing. A few years ago, she also began to experiment with building things with power tools, including fences and stairs.
The Scientific Side (3:30)
Heather’s research focuses on emotions, and how emotions affect people, their thinking, and their behavior. She is particularly interested in anger and boredom.
A Dose of Motivation (4:11)
“Life is a mystery to be lived, not a puzzle to be solved.”
What Got You Hooked on Science? (6:52)
As an undergraduate student, Heather began working as a research assistant in a lab studying insight tasks, where participants narrated their thoughts as they tried to solve difficult problems. She had to record everything participants said and then transcribe their comments. Listening to people reflect on their thought process was fascinating and sparked her interest in pursuing psychology. Heather began her academic training focused on cognitive psychology, but she also considered the possibility of becoming a counselor in marriage and family therapy. In her cognitive psychology work, Heather couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was missing. She later realized that emotions have tremendous impacts on how people think and act, and she decided to build her career studying emotions.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (15:33)
Heather and her colleagues conducted a meta-analysis on how emotions impact people, and it was a massive undertaking. They reviewed and coded 10 years of research studies, including thousands of articles. Once the paper was written, they submitted it to a well-respected scientific journal. Overall, the reviews were positive, but the editor requested that, instead of only including 10 years of data, they should include all research ever conducted. Also, the revised manuscript had to be re-submitted within 30 days. For the next 30 days, all Heather and her graduate students did was work on this meta-analysis. She had recently welcomed her son into the world, and this added to the stress of working around the clock to hit the deadline for the resubmission. They managed to get the paper back to the editor in time, but it was then rejected. Looking more closely at the feedback from reviewers, Heather realized that one reviewer had looked at the uncorrected version of the manuscript instead of the revised version. Bringing this to the editor’s attention changed their decision, and the paper was ultimately accepted. This was an extremely difficult and exhausting process, but in the end, Heather and her students were excited to have the paper published.
A Shining Success! (19:13)
For Heather, the biggest wins are seeing her students graduate and start their careers. This past spring, three PhD students in her lab finished their studies and successfully defended their dissertations. She loves being there for the moment when the committee calls the student back into the room and congratulates them as a newly minted doctor.
A smaller, but particularly meaningful success had to do with one of their recent papers. Heather likes to include quotes in her articles to build the narratives for her projects. The reviewers and editor made her take the quote out of this particular manuscript, but they overlooked a reference to the quote in the title. It was satisfying to be able to keep that reference in the title in the accepted manuscript.
Book Recommendations (21:10)
Books Stephen King, especially The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger and The Green Mile
Most Treasured Travel (22:47)
One unforgettable scientific travel experience brought heather to the Chinese National Academy of Sciences in Beijing. A neuroscientist there wanted to learn more about Heather’s research methods, and they hosted her for the visit. The scientist’s entire lab was so engaged and wanted to spend the entire time talking about these methods and potential collaborations. Heather’s research at the time involved showing participants images, such as chocolate desserts, that would evoke feelings of desire. It was interesting to hear her colleagues in China tell her that the images did not translate to Chinese culture, and they actually looked kind of disgusting. This really highlighted the importance of making sure that experiments on emotion are culturally appropriate. To study desire, you have to show people something they find desirable, and this won’t be the same for every culture. While she was in China, Heather also had an opportunity to see the Forbidden City, fantastic restaurants, the Great Wall, and other sights in Beijing.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (25:51)
To train her new research assistants at the beginning of each semester, the lab engages in fun simulations. Many of their studies involve creating situations that evoke emotions in research participants, and the research assistants are often critical for creating the situations. Whether it’s making the participants believe they’ve been rejected for a paid research opportunity or working with participants in situations that are meant to make them angry, the research assistants benefit from a little practice. In the simulation sessions, more senior members of the lab pretend to be participants who are disengaged, falling asleep, or otherwise unruly. The different scenarios are often really funny, and it’s a good opportunity for members of the group to bond.
Advice For Us All (31:52)
Make sure that you stay focused on the big questions and the big, important things that you want to know in your science. It’s easy to get caught up in mundane and trivial tasks that need to get done, and in doing so, you can lose sight of those big, important questions you really want to answer. Talk to people and work with people who keep you focused on those big questions. Also, keep asking great questions. This is the key to transformative science and innovation.
Guest Bio
Heather’s research explores emotions and how they impact people. She has a particular passion to find ways that people can best use emotions to support their romantic relationships, workplaces, and lives. She works with her team of students to ask and answer questions about a range of emotions from boredom to anger to awe. She enjoys new adventures in and out of the lab, and spends as much time as possible traveling and scuba diving. She has two wonderful teenagers that give her a chance to see a range of emotions up close every day.
The post 836: Dr. Heather Lench: Investigating the Impacts of Emotions on Behaviors, Thoughts, and Decisions appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.
37 min

About People Behind the Science Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Science Podcast - Journey through the minds of today's brilliant scientists

Share People Behind the Science Podcast

Sign up to save your podcasts

People Behind the Science Podcast

People Behind the Science Podcast episodes

About People Behind the Science Podcast