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
One of the amazing success stories of genetic engineering is the eggplant, known as the “brinjal” in Asia and the “aubergine” in Europe. In the west it is occasional table fare, yet in many parts of Asia it is a daily staple. Farmers in Bangladesh and India rely on doses of old-school insecticides to protect their crop, up to eighty a season, and not always with appropriate protection equipment. The problem is insects that bore into the plant and into the fruit, destroying a crop.
One solution has been the use of the bacterial protein known as “Bt”, only that the plant produces itself to protect it from insects. It is the same protein used in corn and cotton in other countries, including the USA. The new eggplant lines have been wonderfully accepted, and poor farmers in Bangladesh are making excellent profits from this technology, while making safer produce.
The story is told by Dr. Tony Shelton, Professor of Entomology with Cornell University in Geneva, NY. The story has captured the interest of many, including science journalist and filmmaker Dr. Hidde Boersma. Dr. Boersma has a Ph.D. in microbiology, and appreciates the potential contributions of genetic engineering. He has captured the story of the eggplant in a beautiful documentary called Well Fed. The documentary tells the story of the farmers that grow the plant, and the well-fed Europeans that change their attitude toward the technology when they see the beautiful ways it can benefit people.
Website for Dr. Tony Shelton here, but this is the website to the Bt Brinjal project.
Website for Dr. Hidde Boersma here
This link is Hidde Boersma’s beautiful prelude to the documentary, sharing much of the same footage.
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotech
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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.
Those of you that follow social media know Dr. Paul Vincelli. He’s a visible contributor to the discussion on genetic engineering, but also ventures into discussion of climate change. So how do scientists learn to rethink their approach to public hot-button topics to be effective?
This has been a question for scientists for a long time, as we perennially fail to connect well with the public.
Podcast Resources:
* Genetic Engineering and Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities for Case-by-Case Decision-Making, http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/5/495
* Are Biocontrols for Plant Diseases Safe to Humans?, https://vincelliblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/26/are-biocontrols-for-plant-diseases-safe-to-humans/
Follow Dr. Vincelli on Twitter (@Pvincell)
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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.
Talking Biotech Podcast #46 was a lot of fun. My co-host is the effervescent Kiona Elliott, a wonderful undergraduate student in my lab that not only is studying science, but she’s also studying how to communicate with public audiences. The main guest is Dr. Ashley Winslow, Director of Neurogenetics at the Orphan Disease Center at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. We discuss the results from her recent paper in Nature Genetics that used voluntary public information from 23 and me to identify areas of the genome that may contain genetic markers of clinical depression.
Dr. Winslow also discusses life as a driven woman scientist, and some of the unique challenges she faced in pursuit of her current position. She also provides excellent guidance for young scientists… and there’s a bit of a surprise!
Co-hosted by University of Florida undergraduate Kiona Elliott (@kionaelliott)
# 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.
Talking Biotech #45 discusses the viral threats to coffee. We’re joined by Dr. Michael Goodin, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology from the University of Kentucky. Coffee viruses are important threats to sustainable production. They are spread by insects, so insect control is a critical aspect of their spread. Dr. Goodin talks about the unusual molecular aspects of the virus, plus the reasons he enjoys researching coffee, as it is a high-value crop that helps farmers in the developing world, and is a product enjoyed by people worldwide.
Nat Graham is a Graduate Student in the University of Missouri Biology Department.
# 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.
Talking Biotech Podcast #44 continues Kavin Senapathy’s interview with Dr. Ronald Herring. Dr. Herring is a Professor of Government and International Professor of Agriculture and Rural Development at Cornell University. Dr. Herring is a social scientist that has carefully studied the situation in India. This is the second part of the interview discussing the myths and facts surrounding Indian farmer suicides, a popular narrative in anti-genetic-engineering circles. Professor Herring provides first-hand illumination of the topic, from his experience in India, and scholarly examination of the facts around the topic.
In the second half of the podcast Kevin Folta answers questions submitted from the Facebook page.
Kavin Senapathy is a science writer and mom, who frequently writes for Forbes and other venues. Her twitter handle is @ksenapathy
# 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.
In discussion of genetically engineered crops there is frequent reference to farmer suicides in India. Claims are made that Indian farmers build massive debt for cotton seeds, they become beholden to Monsanto for the money, and then kill themselves. This story is repeated ad nauseum by Vandana Shiva and others that exploit the untimely deaths of farmers for political gain, and to foment anger against biotechnology. Today’s podcast features Dr. Ronald Herring. Dr. Herring is a Professor of Government and International Professor of Agriculture and Rural Development at Cornell University. Dr. Herring is a social scientist that has carefully studied the situation in India. Guest host Kavin Senapathy interviews Dr. Herring and provides perspective of a first-generation Indian-American in the discussion.
Kavin Senapathy is a science writer and mom, who frequently writes for Forbes and other venues. Her twitter handle is @ksenapathy
# 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 Seralini Rats make an appearance a the NAS Report Summary.
A report on Genetically Engineered Crops was commissioned by the National Academies of Science, and a committee was convened to review the current literature. The committee also considered testimony of experts, including self-described experts. A wide range of opinions were considered.
This week’s podcast summarizes the findings of the committee, along with specific questions to Dr. Neal Stewart, a member of the NAS committee.
The podcast concludes with Dr. Stewart’s song on genetic engineering. You can read more about his philosophy of how science and music mesh here.
The NAS Panel member presentation was edited, mostly to remove crowd noise or references to slides you can’t see in an audio podcast.
# 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.
If there was anyone that could be dubbed a science wizard, it might be Dr. Jude Grosser. Dr. Grosser has made a career of edgy innovation, creating new solutions that define the forefront of genetic improvements in citrus. He has mastered unconventional techniques that produce new variants of trees (both their scions and rootstocks) that bring improved production quality to Florida’s fresh fruit and orange juice industries. Currently he is a key strategist in the fight to save Florida citrus, where some of his solutions are being trialed, and don’t face the regulatory impediments of “GMO” citrus trees.
# 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. Steve Strauss is a Distinguished Professor of Forestry at Oregon State University. He has been at the forefront of forest biology and genetic engineering of trees, contributing greatly to the understanding of fundamental tree biology, as well as the development of techniques and tools to perform genetic engineering in tree species. We discuss the many opportunities in tree breeding, as well as the limitations and other challenges.
Please follow Dr. Strauss on Twitter: @shstrauss
# 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.
It is so wonderful to share the time with Prof. Danny Chamovitz. He’s an accomplished researcher, a successful Dean, and leader in Israel’s agricultural research enterprise. He discusses his book, What a Plant Knows and describes plants as beings in tune with their environments, planning to adapt to change on demand. He’ll change your perspective on plants for ever. He also talks about his lab’s research and the climate toward biotech in Israel.
We’ll also take a look at Miles Greb’s comic, After the Gold Rush, a science-based comic that emphasizes its scientific precision in telling a compelling sci-fi story. It is more sci than fi. Check out @GoldRushComic.
# 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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