PEERing into Science

Don’t focus on your weaknesses, identify and harness your strengths | PEERing into Science with Dr. JP Flores

Today’s episode, I get to chat with a future (as of April 2026 itwill be official) Dr. JP Flores! He is a powerhouse of a scientist and trainee, he is a Philopeno American raised in LA. He stayed in LA for undergrad, going to Occidental College, found his love for research studying cone snails, and continued with that love for science to UNC Chapel Hill, where he has led multiple science communication and advocacy roles as a PhD student. It was anabsolute pleasure to talk with him about how he started the Science for Goodnon-profit and the From Where Does it Stem Podcast (available everywhere), all while completing a PhD! Forewarning, this was a lesson in audio production – don’t use a regular microphone that you can’t control the gain on! Sorry for the choppy editing on this one, but thankfully, I interviewed a seasoned podcaster, so his audio quality is great!  JP’s Projects mentioned in this episode Science for Good [https://sciforgood.org/] From Where Does it Stem [https://open.spotify.com/show/1KLdFOVbk70n2qAz6zcdv2] I hope you enjoy this and let us know what you think! You can find us at https://peeringintosciencepod.figma.site/ @peeringintosciencepod on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/peeringintosciencepod/], ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/peeringintoscience.bsky.social], and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@peeringintosciencepod] The PEERing into Science Podcast is made possible by our lovely team of neuroscience graduate students, including Tania Miramontes, Nina Luong, Joseline Medranos, and Juliana Cuartas. And our music is by ⁠Aztec Caves⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0R678ieSUSqhzJOqiE3nXS⁠] Audio content credits: All effect sounds were from Pixabay and the royalty-free artistsfrom there, thank you!

PEERing with a systemic lens at academia with Dr. Antoinette Foster

This episode is for the new PI, the new student, and the future PEER scientist. I talk with Dr. Antoinette Foster about her journey into a new role in the academic sphere: a scientist of science. As a faculty member at Oregon Health & Science University's Vollum Institute for Neuroscience, she leads a student guidance center, teaches lectures on the social history of science, and counsels the program directors on admissions and administrative decisions. Through her journey, she offers advice and questions how the academic system's current state is impacting students and the quality of science. I encourage you to reflect on your own experiences and plans for your career in science. I hope you enjoy this and let us know what you think! You can find us at https://peeringintosciencepod.figma.site/ @peeringintosciencepod on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/peeringintosciencepod/], Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/peeringintoscience.bsky.social], and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@peeringintosciencepod] The PEERing into Science Podcast is made possible by our lovely team of neuroscience graduate students, including Tania Miramontes, Nina Luong, Joseline Medranos, and Juliana Cuartas. And our music is by Aztec Caves [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0R678ieSUSqhzJOqiE3nXS⁠]

Through science she found her power | PEERing into Science with Dr. Swetha Murthy

Have you ever wondered about the molecules that allow our cells to sense touch? Well, Dr. Swetha Murthy has made it her lab's mission to understand just this. Yet how did she get to be a somatosensory (the science behind our sensations) neuroscientist? Growing up in Bangalore, India, she knew that she had a passion for biology, and with that passion, she directed her career into science. She reminisces about her experiences going down the academic path in India, until she knew she needed to move to America to pursue a career as a scientist, and from there she explored the world of molecular biology and biochemistry, only to end up as a neuroscientist! Using her skills to study the electrical activity of cells paired with her ability to capture the image of proteins (the machines cells use to do their thang) at the atomic level, to understand how the proteins behave. And she specifically studies proteins that change shape in response to a mechanical stimulus, called mechano-sensitive proteins, and our cells use these proteins to sense touch! Anyways, to learn more about her work on how we sense the world around us visit her lab's website at: https://www.murthylab.com/ I hope you enjoy this conversation with Dr. Murthy about her journey to becoming a neuroscientist! And if you have any questions you wish we had asked, or someone you’d like to hear a similar story from, leave a comment below! The PEERing into Science Podcast is made possible by our lovely team of neuroscience graduate students, including Tania Miramontes, Nina Luong, Joseline Medranos, and Juliana Cuartas. Our music is by Aztec Caves: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/0R678ieSUSqhzJOqiE3nXS⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0R678ieSUSqhzJOqiE3nXS] More information about this episode can be found at ⁠PEERingintosciencepod.⁠figma.site [http://PEERingintosciencepod.com]

From gazing at stars in the sky to the star cells in your mind | PEERing into Science with Dr. Anusha Mishra

To start off this podcast series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Anusha Mishra, a scientist who studies how the cells in our brain respond to stroke, from the vessels that burst to the support cells called glia cells that rush to the scene and protect our neurons. Specifically, she studies how the cells that wrap our blood vessels in the brain change their messaging after a stroke to control the blood vessels’ size. To learn more about this, go to her lab website by following this link:https://www.ohsu.edu/jungers-center/mishra-lab [https://www.ohsu.edu/jungers-center/mishra-lab]. In today's episode, I talk with Anusha about her journey into science, from her time growing up in Nepal, to how she discovered a career in science, the family responsibilities she had to carry as she pursued that career, and her wisdom in mentoring and building seminar programs that increase access to science for the general public as well as underrepresented communities. I hope you enjoy, and if you have any questions you wish we had asked, or someone you’d like to hear a similar story from, leave a comment below! The PEERing into Science Podcast is made possible by our lovely team of neuroscience graduate students, including Tania Miramontes, Nina Luong, Joseline Medranos, and Juliana Cuartas. Our music is by Aztec Caves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0R678ieSUSqhzJOqiE3nXS [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0R678ieSUSqhzJOqiE3nXS] More information about this episode can be found at PEERingintosciencepod. [http://PEERingintosciencepod.com]figma.site

Introduction to PEERing into Science | EP1

Finally, a podcast about PEER scientists for PEER scientists, and really anyone who dreams of being a scientist! In this introduction episode, I share my story for the inspiration and the mission behind the PEERing into Science Podcast, and what you can expect from the conversations with PEER scientists we have all been waiting for! If you want to follow the PEERing into Science team and stay up to date on new releases, follow @peeringintosciencepod on all social media and save this podcast so you don't miss the first episode! Check out our website peeringintoscience.com for more information on each PEER scientists we interview!