Science Changing Life

Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, another virus threatens to reach pandemic potential: the H5N1 bird flu. We sit down with Arnab Chatterjee, vice president of medicinal chemistry at Calibr-Skaggs, who explains the need to invest in the best science to make sure we’re more prepared than we were for the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.

Chatterjee breaks down how likely it is for H5N1 to become transmitted between humans, and the steps we can take now to better protect ourselves in the future.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arnab-chatterjee-b024661/

Scripps Research Magazine: magazine.scripps.edu/

Galileo’s telescope revolutionized our modern understanding of the universe. Assistant neuroscience professor Xin Jin, PhD, wants to do just that—except for the brain. By building new tools that enable her and other neuroscientists to peer into the inner workings of the mind, Jin is uncovering the cells, genes and other complex drivers behind neurological diseases. Listen in as we explore the galaxy of the brain.

Twitter: https://x.com/xinjin

Jin lab: https://www.jin.scripps.edu/

Scripps Research Magazine: magazine.scripps.edu/

More than 90% of drugs fail to make it from the lab bench to approval. How, then, has a physician-scientist like Hugh Rosen found so much success in developing medicines? Rosen, who’s the chair of molecular and cellular biology at Scripps Research, co-invented the drugs ozanimod (approved for multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis) and navacaprant (in Phase 3 trials for major depressive disorder).

In this episode of Science Changing Life, listen in as Rosen unveils the success stories behind these groundbreaking treatments—shedding light on the challenges and triumphs shaping modern medicine.

Rosen Lab: https://www.scripps.edu/rosen/index.html

Scripps Research Magazine: magazine.scripps.edu/

Donna Blackmond never thought her career would lead to solving how life first formed on the prebiotic Earth. But as she points out in this episode of Science Changing Life, does any scientist start out knowing where their research will take them? Blackmond, who is a professor and the John C. Martin Endowed Chair in Chemistry at Scripps Research, shares how her wide-ranging background across chemistry and chemical engineering is helping answer some of today’s biggest questions in science and medicine.

Episode transcript: https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2024_images/donna-blackmond-podcast-episode-45-transcript.pdf

Blackmond Lab: https://www.scripps.edu/blackmond/

Blackmond’s recent PNAS and Nature papers: https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2024/20240228-blackmond-molecules.html

Scripps Research centennial: 100.scripps.edu/

Scripps Research Magazine: magazine.scripps.edu/

Dr. Jay Pandit is a director of digital medicine at the Scripps Research Translational Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research, where he combines medicine and technology to improve patients’ clinical outcomes. Listen in as we explore how biosensors and wearable technologies are enabling users to take control of their own health data and usher in a new era of personalized medicine.

Episode transcript: https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2024_images/jay-pandit-transcript.pdf

X: https://twitter.com/JayPandit

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jay-pandit-9489008

Scripps Research centennial: https://100.scripps.edu/

Scripps Research Magazine: https://magazine.scripps.edu/

Ahmed Badran is an assistant professor of chemistry at Scripps Research, where his lab harnesses synthetic biology to address some of biggest global problems. Listen in as we discuss reengineering plant enzymes to capture carbon, plastic-eating bacteria and new classes of antibiotics that spare our gut microbiome.

Episode transcript: https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2023_images/ahmed-badran-transcript.pdf

Badran lab website

https://badranlab.com/

Twitter

@AhmedHBadran

Scripps Research Magazine

https://magazine.scripps.edu/

Professor Mia Huang is based in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research, where her lab explores how vital sugar molecules in the body orchestrate complex biological events. Listen in as we discuss deciphering cancer cell signals to develop new therapies, engineering red blood cells for transfusions and how to become a master of strategy.

Episode transcript: https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2023_images/mia-huang-transcript.pdf

Huang lab website

https://www.huangresearch.com/

Q&A with Mia

https://magazine.scripps.edu/profiles/2020/fall/science-with-a-view-understanding-how-natures-biomolecules-tick-with-mia-huang/

Twitter

@HuangMia

Scripps Research Magazine

https://magazine.scripps.edu/

Professor Ram Krishnamurthy is based in the Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research, where his lab investigates the reactions that could have first given way to life on Earth. Listen as we discuss finding biological building blocks on meteorites, NASA’s search for life on other planets, and staying grounded with philosophy and meditation.

Episode transcript

https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2023_images/ram-krishnamurthy-transcript.pdf

Ram’s faculty profile

https://www.scripps.edu/faculty/krishnamurthy/

Astrobiology at NASA

https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/new-nasa-research-consortium-to-tackle-lifes-origins/

Scripps Research Magazine

https://magazine.scripps.edu/

Professor Sumit Chanda is an infectious disease expert and immunologist, where he works both in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology and at Calibr, Scripps Research’s nonprofit drug discovery and development division. He has devoted his career to understanding how the immune system responds to numerous viruses, such as influenza, Dengue virus and SARS-CoV-2. Listen as we discuss everything from pandemic preparedness to drug discovery, as well as his unrelenting drive to uncover new treatment options—including for COVID-19.

Episode transcript

https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2023_images/sumit-chanda-transcript.pdf

Infectious disease sleuth Sumit Chanda, PhD, joins Scripps Research and its Calibr drug discovery division

https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2021/20210915-chanda-calibr.html

Center for Antiviral Medicines & Pandemic Preparedness

https://www.campp.org/

Chanda lab website

https://linktr.ee/thechandalab

Twitter/Instagram

@thechandalab

Professor Ali Torkamani is the Director of Genome Informatics at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, where his team mines population-level genetic data to make predictions about future disease risk. Listen in as we discuss smartphone apps that could help predict the risk of a heart attack, the addition of genetic data to biosensors of the future and the use of video games as an introduction to data science.

Show notes:

Episode transcript: coming soon….

MyGeneRank app

https://mygenerank.scripps.edu/

Ali’s faculty profile

https://www.scripps.edu/faculty/torkamani/

Twitter

@ATorkamani

Scripps Research Magazine

https://magazine.scripps.edu/