The Jenes Pod

Today, we have a special guest on The Jenes Pod: Dr. Jonathan Choi from CUHK!!! In this episode, we discuss his aims for his research, the field of biomedical engineering, and delve deep into specific examples of his research from papers I found the most interesting. I hope you enjoy as this is certainly the most special episode I have recorded so far. 

Here are the websites and papers I have referred to during the episode:

https://www.bme.cuhk.edu.hk/jchchoi/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37812696/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36744992/

Today, we divert a bit away from genes to focus on the DNA itself, and namely, DNA nanotechnology and its various uses. From 2D crystals, 3D crystals, dynamical systems, integration with transition metals, organic molecules, and other nanomaterials, this paper I've stumbled upon ("DNA Nanotechnology" by Nadrian C. Seaman and Hanadi F. Sleiman) was just too cool not to share. So today, I'll be breaking down this review paper for everyone to enjoy!

Seeman, Nadrian C., and Hanadi F. Sleiman. “DNA Nanotechnology.” Nature Reviews Materials, vol. 3, no. 1, 8 Nov. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2017.68. Accessed 11 May 2025.

We've all heard about the butterfly effect, a small action causing a big consequence. But how about the butterfly effect in the context of the human body? Well, at the Jenes Pod, of course, I'm going to link it to genetics, with the prime suspect of the butterfly effect coming from a phenomenon called the single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP. So yes that's what we're going to be talking about today, get ready to see how one change in your genetic code can manifest in such a massive difference which can be extremely helpful for us to know. 

APS. “Circa January 1961: Lorenz and the Butterfly Effect.” Aps.org, www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/200301/history.cfm. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Armitage, Rebecca. “For 40 Years, Police Hunted the Golden State Killer. A Discarded Tissue Brought Him Down.” Www.abc.net.au, 21 Aug. 2020, www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-22/the-forty-year-hunt-for-the-golden-state-killer/12579638. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Li, Yun, et al. “Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Detection and Genotype Calling from Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) Data.” Statistics in Biosciences, vol. 5, no. 1, June 2012, pp. 3–25, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12561-012-9067-4. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

NHS England. “Personalised Medicine.” England.nhs.uk, NHS, 2019, www.england.nhs.uk/healthcare-science/personalisedmedicine/. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Novroski, Nicole M. M., and Jennifer C. Cihlar. “Evolution of Single‐Nucleotide Polymorphism Use in Forensic Genetics.” WIREs Forensic Science, vol. 4, no. 6, May 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/wfs2.1459.

Ray, Balmiki, et al. “CYP2D6 Haplotypes with Enhancer Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Rs5758550 and Rs16947 (*2 Allele).” Pharmacogenetics and Genomics, vol. 29, no. 2, Feb. 2019, pp. 39–47, https://doi.org/10.1097/fpc.0000000000000363. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Saey, Tina. “New Genetic Sleuthing Tools Helped Track down the Golden State Killer Suspect.” Science News, 29 Apr. 2018, www.sciencenews.org/article/golden-state-killer-suspect-dna-genetics-genealogy. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Sorry for the late upload, kind of got sick while this episode was in development and got swamped by work as I went back to school!

This episode is about TP53, a tumor suppressor gene critical when fighting one of the world's biggest medical evils, big C, cancer. I also recently wrote a review paper which investigated the different utilisations of TP53 in cancer treatment, which lead me to writing an entire podcast episode about it. When researching TP53, I also had the chance to read an article which showed how TP53's discovery as a tumor suppressor gene was actually pretty interesting, as at first it was found to be an oncogene, a direct opposite of its now widely accepted definition, really shows how the tables turn in science eh?! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this episode of The Jenes Pod and I'll see you in another. bye bye~

Anand, Preetha, et al. “Cancer Is a Preventable Disease That Requires Major Lifestyle Changes.” Pharmaceutical Research, vol. 25, no. 9, July 2008, pp. 2097–116, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9. Accessed 27 Aug. 2024.

Chen, Xiaohua, et al. “Mutant P53 in Cancer: From Molecular Mechanism to Therapeutic Modulation.” Cell Death & Disease, vol. 13, no. 11, Nov. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-022-05408-1. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Chiang, Yen-Ting, et al. “The Function of the Mutant P53-R175H in Cancer.” Cancers, vol. 13, no. 16, Aug. 2021, p. 4088, https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13164088. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Hernández Borrero, Liz J., and Wafik S. El-Deiry. “Tumor Suppressor P53: Biology, Signaling Pathways, and Therapeutic Targeting.” Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer, vol. 1876, no. 1, Aug. 2021, p. 188556, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188556.

Levine, Arnold J., and Moshe Oren. “The First 30 Years of P53: Growing Ever More Complex.” Nature Reviews Cancer, vol. 9, no. 10, Oct. 2009, pp. 749–58, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc2723.

Mijit, Mahmut, et al. “Role of P53 in the Regulation of Cellular Senescence.” Biomolecules, vol. 10, no. 3, Mar. 2020, p. 420, https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10030420. Accessed 27 Aug. 2024.

National Cancer Institute. “NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms.” National Cancer Institute, Cancer.gov, 2011, www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/metastasis. Accessed 27 Aug. 2024.

---. “What Is Cancer?” National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 11 Oct. 2021, www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer.

Timmerman, Dennis M., et al. “Mechanisms of TP53 Pathway Inactivation in Embryonic and Somatic Cells—Relevance for Understanding (Germ Cell) Tumorigenesis.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 22, no. 10, May 2021, p. 5377, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22105377. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Wang, Haolan, et al. “Targeting P53 Pathways: Mechanisms, Structures, and Advances in Therapy.” Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, vol. 8, no. 1, Mar. 2023, pp. 1–35, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01347-1. Accessed 27 Aug. 2024.

ONLY READ THIS AFTER THE MUSIC HAS PLAYED, DON’T SPOIL YOURSELF!

I read Five Feet Apart when I was 13 I think. Looking past all the love and romance (a genre that eventually became my guilty pleasure when it came to my summer reading that year), it introduced a specific disease to me, cystic fibrosis. This was important as it was the first genetic disease that I’ve heard of besides cancer, leading me to investigate it a bit. That was 3 years ago, and now I’m finally revisiting this disease. taking a deep dive into what it is and telling you how gene therapy can be used to treat it. 

The name "65 Roses" was attributed to cystic fibrosis in 1965, as that was what one 4-year-old CF sufferer Ricky Weiss thought that he heard when his mother was trying to raise money for her son's cystic fibrosis research. 

Works Cited:

CFM. “Mist Tent.” Cystic Fibrosis Medicine, CFM, 22 Feb. 2023, cysticfibrosis.online/mist-tent/#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20the%20unpalatable%20nature. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

Chalmers, Sarah. “Cystic Fibrosis - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic, 23 Nov. 2021, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystic-fibrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353700. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

Cleveland Clinic. “Postnasal Drip: Symptoms & Causes.” Cleveland Clinic, 19 May 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23082-postnasal-drip. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Basics of the CFTR Protein | Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.” Www.cff.org, www.cff.org/research-clinical-trials/basics-cftr-protein#:~:text=CFTR%20Protein%20Do%3F-. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

---. “Gene Editing for Cystic Fibrosis | Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.” Www.cff.org, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2023, www.cff.org/research-clinical-trials/gene-editing-cystic-fibrosis. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

---. “High-Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (the Vest) | Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.” Www.cff.org, 2023, www.cff.org/managing-cf/high-frequency-chest-wall-oscillation-vest. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

Elborn, Stuart. “The History, and the Future, of Cystic Fibrosis | Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust.” Rbht.nhs.uk, 3 Dec. 2019, www.rbht.nhs.uk/blog/history-and-future-cystic-fibrosis. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

elsie. “Cystic Fibrosis: Global Clinical Trials Landscape and Treatments.” Clinical Trials Arena, Clinical Trials Arena, 24 May 2024, www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/sponsored/cystic-fibrosis-global-clinical-trials-landscape-and-treatments/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

Lomunova, M. A., and P. M. Gershovich. “Gene Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis: Recent Advances and Future Prospects.” Acta Naturae, vol. 15, no. 2, 2023, pp. 20–31, https://doi.org/10.32607/actanaturae.11708.

News In Health. “Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm.” NIH News in Health, 27 July 2020, newsinhealth.nih.gov/2020/08/marvels-mucus-phlegm. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.

Hello everyone, welcome to the first ACTUAL episode of The Jenes Podcast where we will be highlighting one of the most exciting genetic discoveries in modern science, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing!

This piece of technology was what first made me interested in looking into genetics in the first place when I was back in primary school, so I hope I am able to show you the awesomeness of CRISPR-Cas9 today while offering you some other perspectives regarding the possible drawbacks of it. 

Enjoy the episode! Citations below:

Ayanoglu, Fatma Betul, et al. “Bioethical Issues in Genome Editing by the CRISPR/Cas9 Technology.” Turkish Journal of Biology, vol. 44, no. 2, Apr. 2020, pp. 110–20, https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-1912-52. Accessed 29 July 2024.

Casgevy. “How CASGEVYTM Works | CASGEVYTM (Exagamglogene Autotemcel).” Www.casgevy.com, www.casgevy.com/sickle-cell-disease/how-casgevy-works. Accessed 29 July 2024.

Klug, William S. Concepts of Genetics : William S. Klug ... [et Al.]. 2024. Pearson, Cop, 2016.

Liu, Qier, et al. “Application of CRISPR/Cas9 in Crop Quality Improvement.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 22, no. 8, Apr. 2021, p. 4206, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22084206. Accessed 29 July 2024.

Park, Jae-Ryoung, et al. “Applications of CRISPR/Cas9 as New Strategies for Short Breeding to Drought Gene in Rice.” Frontiers in Plant Science, vol. 13, Feb. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.850441.

Philadelphia, The Children’s Hospital of. “FDA Approves Two Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease.” Www.chop.edu, 5 Dec. 2023, www.chop.edu/news/fda-approves-two-gene-therapies-sickle-cell-disease. Accessed 29 July 2024.

Powerhouse of the Cell. “But What Is CRISPR-Cas9? An Animated Introduction to Gene Editing. #Some2.” YouTube, 12 July 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANehpGhbuF4&t=320s. Accessed 29 July 2024.

Quinton, Amy. “CRISPR Genome Editing Strategy Could Improve Rice, Other Crops.” College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 16 Mar. 2020, caes.ucdavis.edu/news/crispr-genome-editing-strategy-could-improve-rice-other-crops. Accessed 29 July 2024.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration. “CASGEVY.” FDA, Dec. 2023, www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/casgevy. Accessed 29 July 2024.

Helloooo

 This is just the start for Jenes, a podcast to inform the general public about the genetic engineering and technology of tomorrow. 

Keep your eyes out for the first episode coming out later this May!