The Symbiotic Podcast

Changing the Game in Stem Cell Engineering: Xiaojun (Lance) Lian

The field of stem cell research has progressed immensely since its high-profile politicization in the early 2000s, with researchers now able to harvest cells from uncontroversial sources and manipulate them with ever-increasing accuracy and efficiency. Associate Professor of Biology and Biomedical Engineering Lance Lian talks about his key role in advancing our understanding and mastery of stem cells and the incredible medical applications they promise.

Changing the Game in Epigenetics: Sally Mackenzie

Sally Mackenzie is one of the world’s foremost experts on epigenetics, the study of how environmental changes affect the way genes are expressed. In this conversation we cover an epigenetic techniques she’s patented, the biotech company she founded, and the potential role that epigenetics could play in human health. Relevant Links * Mackenzie Laboratory Website [https://sites.psu.edu/mackenzielab/] * Epicrop Technologies Inc. [http://www.epicrop.com/] * Trailblazers: Sally Mackenzie’s Vision for the Future of Plants [https://www.huck.psu.edu/newsletters/trailblazers-sally-mackenzies-vision-for-the-future-of-plants] Featured Guest * Sally Mackenzie Director of the Plant Institute; Huck Chair of Functional Genomics; Professor of Biology and of Plant Science

Changing the Game in Ancient DNA Research: Laura Weyrich

Laura Weyrich leads efforts to better understand the impact of diet on the communities of microorganisms residing in our mouths, and their influence on human health. In this livestreamed conversation, she talks about her work with Neanderthal teeth, the ethics of dealing with human remains, and shifts in human activity that have changed the makeup of our microbiomes. Relevant Links * MicroARCH Lab Website [https://microarchlab.github.io/] * "The woman who loves the gunk on Neanderthal teeth." Cosmos Magazine, December 14, 2017 [https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/biology/friday-profile-the-woman-who-loves-the-gunk-on-neanderthal-teeth/] * Laura S. Weyrich Google Scholar Profile [https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=AHkU86cAAAAJ] Featured Guest * Laura Weyrich Associate Professor of Anthropology

Changing the Game in Global Pediatrics: Dr. Steven Schiff

Dr. Steven Schiff has spent much of his career fighting the scourge of infant infection, especially in low and middle-income countries with minimal healthcare infrastructure. In this livestreamed conversation, he explains the difficulties of working in places like Mbale, Uganda and Hanoi, Vietnam; shares hard-won victories in treatment and prevention; and forecasts future possibilities. Relevant Links: * Steven J. Schiff, MD, PhD — Engineering Science and Mechanics Wiki Page [https://sites.esm.psu.edu/wiki/research:sjs49:start] Featured Guest: * Dr. Steven Schiff Director of the Center for Neural Engineering; Brush Chair Professor of Engineering; Professor of Neurosurgery; Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics

Changing the Game in Epidemiology: Nita Bharti

Nita Bharti is an expert on the interplay of population movement and disease and a pioneer in the use of unorthodox data sources to better inform public health decisions. In this livestreamed conversation, she shares her open-minded, intellectually curious approach to epidemiology on multiple continents, working with people, animals, and spillover events between the two. Relevant Links * The Bharti Lab of Human Infectious Diseases [https://www.humidlab.com/] * Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics [https://www.huck.psu.edu/institutes-and-centers/center-for-infectious-disease-dynamics] Featured Guest * Nita Bharti Huck Early Career Professor; Assistant Professor of Biology