Science Talks

See how an interdisciplinary scientific approach shaped the future of molecular diagnostics and personalized healthcare on a global scale. Amy Randall-Barber from the BIO5 Institute was joined on Science Talks by Dr. Frederic Zenhausern, director of the Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine (ANBM) at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, among many other appointments in the college including in Basic Medical Science, Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Engineering, and Clinical Translational Science. Prior to coming to the university, Dr. Zenhausern co-founded and directed the Flexible Display Center at ASU MacroTechnology Works. He received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Geneva, an MBA in finance from Rutgers University, and his doctorate in applied physics from the Department of Condensed Physics Matters at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Dr. Zenhausern is an inventor, mastering interdisciplinary work in science, technology and healthcare, to drive clinical translation.  

Science ignites curiosity about the natural world, leading people to explore and advocate for it. Amy Randall-Barber from the BIO5 Institute was joined on Science Talks by Caroline (Mosley) Bartelme, the senior manager of communications and content at the BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona. Caroline's journey into science began with a fascination for ecosystems, studying invasive species in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later, she moved to Washington, DC, where she worked on protecting marine life and the environment. Now at the BIO5 Institute as the senior manager of communications and content, Caroline crafts compelling narratives that highlight the institute's groundbreaking research and innovations. She tirelessly bridges the gap between science and society, utilizing innovative communication channels to highlight the institute's pioneering work.

Cancer is an incredibly complex disease. To better understand how it interacts with the human body, researchers in the lab grow organoids, miniature three-dimensional tissue cultures derived from stem cells.

Amy Randall-Barber from the BIO5 Institute was joined on Science Talks by Dr. Martha Dua-Awereh who uses organoids to study colorectal and pancreatic cancer with the Alfred Bothwell lab in the Department of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine — Tucson. Dr. Dua-Awereh earned her PhD from the Department of Systems Biology and Physiology at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine and was a 2023 BIO5 Postdoctoral fellow. She is the first in her family to live in Arizona, and additionally has several other firsts that are discussed in the interview.

*As of the publication of this podcast and interview, Dr. Martha Dua-Awereh has taken a position as researcher at Avery Therapeutics, Inc. and Dr. Alfred Bothwell has left the University of Arizona. 

Unfortunately, many aspects of women’s health are underfunded and understudied. Better understanding women’s health conditions and microbiomes can help lead to better health outcomes and improve the quality of life.

Amy Randall-Barber from the BIO5 Institute was joined on Science Talks by Dr. Nicole Jimenez, currently in the Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz lab, at the University of Arizona College of Medicine — Phoenix with a focus on women’s health research. She received her doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and was awarded two postdoctoral fellowships in 2023, one from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona and the other from the BIO5 Institute. 

Adding fertilizers to our soil is not as simple as it seems. Plants use some of it, but unseen microbes metabolize fertilizers into gas, including nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to our changing climate. How can we not only understand how current agriculture affects our ecosystems, but also use that knowledge to advance new agricultural technology? 

Amy Randall-Barber from the BIO5 Institute interviewed Dr. Holly Andrews, a postdoctoral researcher working with both the Greg Barron-Gafford research group and Laura Meredith ecosystem genomics lab at the University of Arizona who is looking to answer both those questions. She received her PhD from the University of California, Riverside. In 2021, she was awarded a National Science Foundation fellowship at the UArizona School of Natural Resources and Environment to work with the Meredith lab and in 2023 was awarded a BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellowship. She started a joint postdoc position across the Barron-Gafford and Meredith labs in August 2023.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus that infects a majority of the world’s population. It’s a significant cause of viral induced birth defects and can cause complications in transplant patients or immunocompromised individuals.

Amy Randall-Barber from the BIO5 Institute interviewed Dr. Rebekah Mokry, a postdoctoral research associate and 2023 BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine — Tucson. She received her PhD in microbiology and immunobiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Mokry currently works on HCMV replication and its modulation of cellular metabolism in the lab of Dr. John Purdy, associate professor of immunobiology and member of the BIO5 Institute. Better understanding those cellular metabolism interactions helps guide the development of novel antiviral therapies.

The field of public health has become even more critical in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health professionals must balance strategic thinking with compassionate thinking, and must truly be able to collaborate on the state, national, and global levels. Today, we are joined by physician and scientist Dr. Purnima Madhivanan. Dr. Madhivanan is an Associate Professor of Public Health, Medicine, Psychology, and Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona, as well as a member of the UA’s BIO5 Institute and  Cancer Center. She is currently the Director of the MCH program as well as the NIH funded Global Health Equity Scholars (or GHES) Training Program at UA, and she serves as a co-PI for the GHES consortium in collaboration with Stanford, Yale and the University of California at Berkeley. She completed her medical training in India, received a MPH/PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California Berkeley, and completed her postdoctoral training at San Francisco Department of Public Health on Clinical Trials Management. Dr. Madhivanan is an epidemiologist and biomedical researcher examining the intersection of infectious diseases and cancer using -omics technology. Her current work is examining the vaginal and gut microbiome and their role in women's reproductive health.

With metabolic processes being a complicated aspect of biology, it takes specially trained scientists with a respect for the multidisciplinary approaches to tackle the science and the innovation related to this area. Today, we are joined by Dr. Ashley Snider, an Associate Professor of Nutritional Science and Cancer Biology at the University of Arizona. Having received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dr. Snider aims to understand more about fatty acids and their effect on inflammation and gastrointestinal diseases including colorectal cancer. She is a member of the BIO5 Institute and most recently was selected a 2022 Women of Impact recipient for UArizona Research, Innovation & Impact based on her commitment to the university’s mission and values, an application of skills toward discovery and innovation, the enrichment of our community, and the empowerment of others to ensure lasting change.

Epigenetics, or the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself, is a very important and complex research interest. Currently, we are just now starting to understand how and when epigenetic information is passed from generation to generation through work done at the Mosher lab. At the Mosher lab, plant sciences are utilized to their full potential so advancement in the study of genetics/epigenetics can occur. Today, we are joined by fellow scientist Dr. Rebecca Mosher. Dr. Mosher is the Associate Director at the School of Plant Sciences and Associate Professor of Genetics, Plant Sciences, and Applied Bioscience here at the University of Arizona. Dr. Mosher is also a collaborator and member of the BIO5 Institute.

Neurological Diseases are disorders that affect the brain and the nervous system, and include Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. As researchers work diligently, the goal of better understanding these diseases and appropriate treatment becomes paramount. Trained physician and scientist Dr. Lalitha Madhavan is an Associate Professor of Neurology, and also a member of the Evelyn F Mcknight Brain Institute and BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona.  Her research merges the fields of Neuroscience and Stem Cell Biology to understand how the brain works and contribute towards the development of treatments for disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.