This Is Nashville

Profile: Dr. Steven Townsend

Listen Later

Dr. Townsend’s lab ‘cares about why people get sick’ and applies organic chemistry to help people everywhere get and stay healthy. He is pioneering the chemical make-up of human breast milk. He discovered a new class of sugars in human milk that prevent babies from getting viral and bacterial infections, and the wide-reaching applications for his lab’s work span from new medicines to industrial paint from new medicines to industrial pain. 

Today we’re talking with Dr. Townsend about his work, how he became a chemist,  and why he especially loves helping others find their success in what many consider one the most difficult fields of scientific study. Join us!

Today's Guest:

Dr. Steven Townsend, Stevenson Professor of Chemistry at Vanderbilt University

Further Reading and Listening:

  • Vanderbilt's Quantum Potential series featured Dr. Townsend. You can watch the video here.
  • Check out our episode Exploring Vanderbilt’s new Quantum Potential series
    • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    This Is NashvilleBy WPLN News - Nashville Public Radio
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7

    4.7

    58 ratings

    More shows like This Is Nashville

    View all
    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,460 Listeners

    The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

    The New Yorker Radio Hour

    6,720 Listeners

    Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

    Hidden Brain

    43,572 Listeners

    The Book Review by The New York Times

    The Book Review

    3,873 Listeners

    On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti by WBUR

    On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

    3,947 Listeners

    Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

    Travel with Rick Steves

    2,499 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    112,489 Listeners

    It's Been a Minute by NPR

    It's Been a Minute

    8,991 Listeners

    Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda by Alan Alda

    Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda

    3,753 Listeners

    Throughline by NPR

    Throughline

    16,234 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    16,035 Listeners

    The Interview by The New York Times

    The Interview

    1,549 Listeners

    NashVillager by WPLN - Nashville Public Radio

    NashVillager

    42 Listeners

    This Old House Radio Hour by American Public Media

    This Old House Radio Hour

    86 Listeners

    Sources & Methods by NPR

    Sources & Methods

    575 Listeners