Science Changing Life

Latest Episodes:

Everything we know about H5N1 bird flu Jul 31, 2024

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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/

Building a 'telescope' for the brain Jun 19, 2024

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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/

A physician-scientist’s guide to developing medicines May 14, 2024

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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/

Solving the origins of life and other mysteries in chemistry Apr 17, 2024

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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/

How biosensors are enabling a new era in medicine Mar 14, 2024

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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/

Episode 43 – Ahmed Badran: Bioengineering our way out of climate change Mar 13, 2023

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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/

Episode 42 – Mia Huang: How sugar biology can help diagnose and treat cancer Mar 06, 2023

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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/

Episode 41 – Ram Krishnamurthy: Astrobiology, origins of life and the search for extraterrestrials Feb 27, 2023

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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/

Episode 40 – Sumit Chanda: How can we prepare for the next pandemic? Feb 21, 2023

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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

Episode 39 – Ali Torkamani: Preventing heart disease with personalized genetic testing Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

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/

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