In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Abby Gillespie, who is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Joe Nassour’s lab. She shares her interests in telomeres, especially their role in aging and protecting chromosomes, how she ended up at CU Anschutz, and her past outreach activities in jails. We talk about how her research regarding telomere shortening and repair didn’t necessarily match with preconceived notions, demonstrating science is an ever evolving platform. Additionally ,we learn about how she got involved in jail outreach, what activities typically occur, and the impact her work has had on those that are currently incarcerated. This is a great episode for those interested in combining interests in Academia with something more academia adjacent, specifically looking at science policy as an interesting career path.  

Date Recorded: April 21, 2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned:  

https://www.vera.org/ 

https://clas.ucdenver.edu/communication/cu-denver-prison-education-program 

https://tjpcolorado.org/ 

https://www.denverjusticeproject.org/ 

https://nassourlab.com 

https://jailoutreach.biosci.ucsd.edu/ 

🎙️ Other episodes you may like:   

 Neel Mukherjee: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2tBo070C6q1rW1DSlg6Xux?si=6a194f68d6144ff5

Dominic Shayler: https://open.spotify.com/episode/211aKD8sWnwKowzKHxZRkE?si=sIfK4Ey8R9CfC5tAsh54_Q

✨ Connect With Us:  

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky   

• Visit our Linktree here  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website  

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries  

🎵 Credits:  

• Hosts: Jon Woodward and Natasha Shrivastava 

• Editor: Jon Woodward 

• Music By: Jeff Westcott  

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar  

Disclaimer:  
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance.  

In this episode Dr. Neel Mukherjee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, shares his journey into academia and his philosophy surrounding scientific communication. He found an early interest in RNA biology and has remained in the field. Dr. Mukherjee shares his insights into communicating his research effectively to all audiences, specifically through the use of puppets.   

 Date Recorded:  4/14/2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned:  

https://www.mukherjeelab.org/

🎙️ Other episodes you may like:   

Cassie Minne: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LEl2fkT06Ru8e4Jg2fPtF

✨ Connect With Us:  

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky   

• Visit our Linktree here  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website  

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries  

🎵 Credits:  

• Hosts:  Ginny Fogg and Grace Rodenberg  

• Editor:  Preston Stafford 

• Music By: Jeff Westcott  

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar  

Disclaimer:  
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance. 

In this episode, we catch up with PhD candidate Rachael Kostelecky. Rachael is in the last few months of her PhD at Anschutz and has lots of wisdom to share. She shares with us the skills she has found to be most helpful in a PhD, how to navigate through hard times, and how she found herself in a molecular biology PhD program. We dive into the biology behind herpes viruses, specifically how they work, the difference between latent and active infections, and how her research involves the study of immune cells. We also chat about the importance of science communication and how Rachael has used these skills in various steps in her career. This is a light and fun episode you won’t want to miss!  

Date Recorded: April 10, 2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned:  

Rachael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-kostelecky-71278a152/  

🎙️ Other episodes you may like:   

Sam Greenfield- https://open.spotify.com/episode/11yUKklA4TZYCGdo4VpDRn 

Cassie Minne- https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LEl2fkT06Ru8e4Jg2fPtF 

✨ Connect With Us:  

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky   

• Visit our Linktree here  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website  

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries  

🎵 Credits:  

• Hosts: Lauren Dunn and Preston Stafford  

• Editor: Breanna Bishop 

• Music By: Jeff Westcott  

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar  

Disclaimer:  
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance.  

Meet the newest hosts of the Science Bridge podcast- Bre, Grace, and Natasha (aka the Girls)! They are first year PhD students from Pharmacology, Human Medical Genetics, and Molecular Biology programs at CU Anschutz. Tune in and hear about their scientific journeys, passion for science communication, and the turbulent 2025 PhD admissions cycle. They all come from unique backgrounds, experiences, and parts of the country, but they relate in their joy for scientific inquiry and desire to communicate their science to broader audiences. Stay tuned for future episodes hosted by Bre, Grace, and Natasha! 

 Date Recorded: 4/6/26

🎙️ Other episodes you may like:   

Ep #10: Meet the hosts pt2: “The Boys” 

Ep #1: Meet the Hosts 

✨ Connect with Us:  

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky   

• Visit our Linktree here  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website  

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries  

🎵 Credits:  

• Hosts: Bre Bishop, Grace Rodenberg, and Natasha Shrivastava 

• Editor:  Grace Rodenberg

• Music By: Jeff Westcott  

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar  

Disclaimer:  
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance. 

In this episode, we sit down with physician-scientist Dr. Cailin Collins to explore how her work bridges the gap between the lab and the clinic. Dr. Collins shares her journey through MD-PhD training and how it shaped her passion for a career that combines patient care with scientific discovery. Focused on hematologic malignancies, she discusses the unique opportunity to treat patients in the clinic while simultaneously advancing research in the lab. She also reflects on the collaborative environment at the University of Colorado, where a strong emphasis on patient-centered care drives both clinical practice and innovation.

Date Recorded:  3.23.2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned:   

• www.thecollinslabcu.com 

🎙️ Other episodes you may like:   

Dr. Bruce Mandt: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gczcHa3mwk9mjM9E0hpOD?si=f18801200bf74c0d 

Dr. Joanne Cole: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7IO1vwVY1duM2PM8vs0QC7?si=d678f12ad1cf4cd4 

✨ Connect With Us:  

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky   

• Visit our Linktree here  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website  

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries  

🎵 Credits:  

• Hosts: Jeremy Fleck, Ginny Fogg 

• Editor:  Lauren Dunn

• Music By: Jeff Westcott  

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar  

Disclaimer:  
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance.  

In this special episode, Dr. Bruce Mandt, Associate Dean at CU Anschutz and our organization's faculty mentor, takes us through his exciting and, eventually non-traditional, journey in academia. His early interest in psychology and neuroscience led him to addiction studies and unpacking cocaine use in rodent models. While his interest in these science questions remained, Dr. Mandt discovered his true passion and unique skill-set for helping graduate students and post-docs find community, navigate a plethora of career options, and ultimately leave graduate school confident to enter the workforce, whether that be in academia, industry, or other sector of science. If you are curious about how scientist study addiction in mouse models, what your career options are as a PhD, or what a non-traditional but exciting job with a PhD looks like, then this episode is for you! 

 Date Recorded: 2/26/2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned:   

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucemandt/ 

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/offices/career-development 

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/offices/postdoc 

✨ Connect With Us:  

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky   

• Visit our Linktree here  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website  

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries  

🎵 Credits:  

• Hosts: Bre Bishop and Preston Stafford 

• Editor: Jon Woodward 

• Music By: Jeff Westcott  

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar  

Disclaimer:  
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance. 

In This Episode:  

Can stem cells be used to repair and regenerate damaged retinas? And how close are we to restoring vision for those who have lost it? 

Join hosts Jon Woodward and Preston Stafford for an engaging conversation with retinal organoid expert and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Dominic Shayler. Inspired by watching his father lose his sight to retinitis pigmentosa, Dr. Shayler shares his journey into vision science, his path to retinal research, his passion for organoid developmental biology, and his pursuit of translational stem cell therapies aimed at treating degenerative eye diseases.

All this and more on The Science Bridge. 

Date recorded: 2-25-26 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned: 

https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/ophthalmology/research/cellsight-program 

https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/ophthalmology/research/cellsight-program/research-groups/3dret-laboratory 

Bsky: dominicshayler.bsky.social  

✨ Connect With Us: 

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website 

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky 

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries 

🎵 Credits: 

• Host(s): Jon Woodward and Preston Stafford 

• Editor(s): Breanna Bishop 

• Music By: Jeff Westcott 

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar 

Disclaimer: 
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado,  or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance. 

Hosts Jeremy Fleck and Lauren Dunn sit down and chat with Arjun Krishnan, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, about all things related to AI, computer science, and using large datasets to answer complex biological problems. In this episode, they learn about Arjun’s background and his journey through science, and how he landed at the Anschutz campus. They also chat about large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, how they really work, and how we can use these tools to advance biological research forward, specifically in context of human disease. This is a super fun episode you won’t want to miss!  

Recorded on: January 21, 2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned 

• Website: www.thekrishnanlab.org 

• Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/compbiologist.bsky.social 

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/compbiologist 

✨ Connect With Us: 

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website 

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky 

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries 

🎵 Credits: 

• Host(s): Lauren Dunn and Jeremy Fleck

• Editor: Preston Stafford

• Music By: Jeff Westcott 

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar 

Disclaimer: 
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado, or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance. 

In This Episode: 
Do your genetics change which foods you like and dislike? Is there a way we can make those unsatisfying, distasteful foods delicious for the masses? Join us on this episode of the Science Bridge with Dr. Joanne Cole as we dive into the genetics that drive our preferences for different types of food. Can broad population genetics be used to unlock why we all have such different preferences for food, from fruits to meat and veggies and everything in between? Tune in now and find out on the Science Bridge!  

[Date recorded]: January 14, 2026 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned: 

• Jcolelab.com 

✨ Connect With Us: 

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Project Bridge Colorado Website 

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky 

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Greenfield, a PhD candidate studying DNA replication in yeast, to explore what happens when cells copy their genetic “book” and certain sections are unexpectedly delayed. Sam uses creative analogies to break down complex molecular biology and explains how these rare replication events may connect to cancer, development, and aging. We also hear about his unconventional path to grad school, from an organic chemistry meltdown to studying extreme microbes and working at a major biorepository. Along the way, we talk career pivots, industry vs. academia, and how to turn scientific curiosity into a career. It’s a fun conversation about persistence, passion, and finding your place in science. 

 Date Recorded: November 19, 2025 

🛠️ Resources & Links Mentioned: 

• https://www.mcclurelabdna.org/ 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-greenfield-0219251b6/   

• https://www.goldengooseaward.org/01awardees/thermus-aquaticus  

• ATCC 

🎙️ Other episodes you may like:  

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LEl2fkT06Ru8e4Jg2fPtF?si=899ff8969f584a8c 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rrD3M7oP4NDJ1dMFJYUVd?si=24ff8092502444be

✨ Connect With Us: 

• Follow The Science Bridge Podcast on Instagram & BlueSky  

• Visit our Linktree here 

• Project Bridge Colorado Website 

• Follow Project Bridge Colorado on Instagram & BlueSky 

• Email us at [email protected] if you have any inquiries 

  
  

🎵 Credits: 

• Hosts: Lauren Dunn and Jon Woodward 

• Editor: Breanna Bishop 

• Music By: Jeff Westcott 

• Cover Art By: Johnathan Biffar 

  
  

Disclaimer: 
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Science Bridge, Project Bridge Colorado,  or CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The information provided is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for specific guidance.