Stay ConnectedTalking Biotech is a weekly podcast that uncovers the stories, ideas and research of people at the frontier of biology and engineering.
Each episode explores how science and technology will transform agriculture, protect the environment, and feed 10 billion people by 2050.
Interviews are led by Dr. Kevin Folta, a professor of molecular biology and genomics.
Copyright: © 2023 Colabra
The National Academies of Science is one of the most respected scientific organizations on the planet, composed of well-established scientists and other scholars that perform important functions in vetting scientific claims and steering scientific agendas of a nation. Every several years the NAS commissions a review of the literature on genetic engineering in crop plants. Over the last several years the NAS appointed a diverse group do perform the 3rd such comprehensive evaluation. Dr. Fred Gould was the Chair of that group, and speaks with Dr. Paul Vincelli about the charge to the committee and some of the outcomes.
The report can be downloaded for free here.
Follow Paul Vincelli at @Pvincell
Follow the Talking Biotech Podcast at @TalkingBiotech
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
Following on last week’s episode, plants contain a family of genes called “R genes” that play important roles in resistance to disease. They are part of an evolutionary arms race between plants and pathogens. Matt Helm is a graduate student at Indiana University in Roger Innes’ lab. They are working on reworking the networks that sense pathogens, hoping to adapt their sensitivity to threats not innately sensed. In other words, putting different different bait on the mousetrap in the interest of catching a different pest with the same hardware.
Follow Matt at @Mattdhelm
Follow Kevin Folta at @kevinfolta
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
Plants contain a family of genes called “R genes” that play important roles in resistance to disease. Plants and pathogens exist in an evolutionary arms race, each developing new means to attack or defend against the other. Professor Jonathan Jones has been at the forefront of R gene biology for decades. How to plants use these specialized molecules to detect a pathogen? How do pathogens evade detection? How can these genes be mixed and matched between plants to create new varieties resistant to disease? Hosted by Dr. Paul Vincelli.
Follow Dr. Jones at @jonathandgjones
Follow Dr. Paul Vincelli @pvincell
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
When we discuss new technology with the public, there is inevitable fear and push back with at least a fraction of those we are trying to reach. How we address this is critical to our own credibility. Jay Baer is an author and consultant in customer service and marketing. He has written the book Hug Your Haters, a book that outlines the value of criticism and the proper ways to address it. These concepts are especially important in the days of social media. These tips from marketing translate well to science communication, as we attempt to share science with an oftentimes skeptical audience.
Follow Jay at @jaybaer
Blog at www.jaybaer.com
www.convinceandconvert.com
Follow Kevin Folta : Twitter @kevinfolta
Professional Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/kmfolta/
Lab website: www.arabidopsisthaliana.com
All funding: www.kevinfolta.com/transparency
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
I’ll always remember 2016 as an eclectic mix of hell and success. We learned a lot about how to engage the public and got lots of practice. We took a lot of heat, suffered lots of personal and professional damage and defamation. We got through it by telling the truth, being soft, and enjoying a conversation about science with the world’s experts. Ultimately the efforts led to wonderful recognition that maybe provided a better conduit for the message.
But what can we do better in 2017? Today’s podcast provides that guidance. What are the resolutions we can make now that can serve as helpful guidelines in improved communications in the new year? With guest Dr. Paul Vincelli @Pvincell
Follow Kevin Folta : Twitter @kevinfolta
Professional Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmfolta/
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
Experts agree that dogs have evolved from the gray wolf, but after that there are many questions and debates about how and why they became our prized companions. Prof. Greger Larson applies the lessons of evolution, archaeology and genomics to describe the canine lineage and describe this progression. There are many inferences and surprises along the way, and DNA from dog fossils is shedding light on this interesting question.
Follow Prof. Larson at @Greger_Larson or www.palaeobarn.com
Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report.
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
Discussion of biotechnology risks and benefits frequently cites “terminator genes” as a reason to oppose the technology. The fear is that these plants contain genetic information that can release widespread plant sterility, leading to the demise of the planet. However, there is much more to the story. The inventor of the technology, Dr. Mel Oliver, describes why the technology was devised, and how far it moved toward application.
In the first part of the podcast, Florida high school students were interviewed about biotechnology. These were students that just completed a certificate program in biotech, and they share their thoughts about the technology and how it fits with their values and long-term aspirations.
Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report.
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
Dr. Mark Williams has extensive training in molecular biology. He also is interested in sustainable crop production, and leads training in organic production at University of Kentucky. In this interview he speaks about the intersection of these areas, touching on how what have been treated as disparate approaches really fit well together. Dr. Williams touches on gene editing, food labeling, environmental impact, and how education efforts need to focus on sustainable agriculture using the best tools going forward. Hosted by Dr. Paul Vincelli
Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report.
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
Increasing efficiency in photosynthesis has been one of the desired goals of plant biology. A recent paper in the journal Science presents work by a team led by Dr. Stephen Long from the University of Illinois/University of Lancaster. By overexpressing three genes in tobacco, the plants were able to increase carbon assimilation, showing that there are mechanisms to improve the process. We discuss the paper, but also its extensions into food security, climate change and future fuels. Dr. Long’s website is here and his Gate’s foundation project is here.
Dr. Long also had strong ties to Dr. Sharon Gray, the UC Davis postdoctoral researcher who we tragically lost in a horrible situation in Ethiopia. Her family has developed a memorial fund to raise support toward scholarships for women in science. Please consider a donation, even a small one. If everyone downloading this podcast contributed even a few dollars the fund could almost double. I’d love to see it hit $1 million and provide beautiful impacts to others, to honor the memory of Dr. Gray.
https://www.gofundme.com/SharonBethGray
Also, Chelsea Boonstra and The Boonstra Report.
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
The last episode contained information about glyphosate that was allegedly detected in common grocery store items. Today’s podcast is an important follow up.
At the time the discussion was 100% correct based on the methods and information provided. I have since been contacted by the laboratory that did the testing. I’m confident that their numbers were reported correctly, as described on their analytical reports. So is there herbicide detected in parts per billion? Looks like it could be in some cases, is correctly detected with reliable quantitation in other cases, and in other cases it is not detected (still could be there below limit of detection).
What it means again is that we are very good at detecting something that almost isn’t there, and you’d need to eat billions of boxes of Cheerios to reach a physiologically perilous level of the herbicide.
It also means no reason for alarm. The levels are amazingly small, and are a testament to outstanding detection– and are not the poisons as described. This clarification also underscores the importance of peer review. When methods are incomplete, and controls like organic products are coming back positive– it suggests that there are serious issues with the measurements.
So the question shifts again to the ethics of activist groups that attempt to scare parents with minuscule non-zero numbers. That is the conversation we must be having.
# COLABRA
Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/
# TALKING BIOTECH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
Website: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahq
The Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.
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