DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

Discover New Advances in the world of genetics, from technology like CRISPR to rare diseases to new research. For over a decade, multi-award winning podcast "DNA Today" has brought you the voices of leaders in genetics. Host Kira Dineen brings her genetics expertise to interview geneticists, genetic counselors, patient advocates, biotech leaders, researchers, and more. ***Best 2020 and 2021 Science and Medicine Podcast Award Winner*** Learn more (and stream all 180+ episodes) at DNApodcast.com. You can contact the show at info@DNApodcast.com.

Episodes

May 5, 2023

If you are one of the listeners that tune into DNA Today every week, then you definitely know by now we have launched our Patreon. This is where you can not only get bonus content from DNA Today, you can get early access to episodes before the public. You also get to influence the content of the show, this includes episode topics and guests plus pitching questions I ask during interviews, a...

Mark as Played

Congratulations to everyone who matched with a genetic counseling program last week! Special shoutout to our Communications Lead, Corinne Merlino, for matching with the University of Pennsylvania! 


Check out DNA Today Episode #101, Genetic Counseling Match Day, to prepare you to start grad school. We...

Mark as Played

We are officially launching our Patreon next week on DNA Day, April 25th! To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA and 20th anniversary of the completion of the human genome. By becoming a Patreon supporter you can receive benefits like joining our exclusive genetics book/movie club, mentorship sessions with me, even being on an episode of DNA Today! If you...

Mark as Played

We are thrilled to be launching our Patreon very soon. It might be on a genetics holiday, I’ll let you figure that one out. In the meantime we would appreciate your insight on what you want from the Patreon. It’s your last chance to fill out our survey so that we will offer the benefits you want. You can access the 60 second survey here. Maybe you really want DNA Today merch or would love t...

Mark as Played

Have you heard? We are launching a Patreon! For those that are not familiar with Patreon, it’s a platform that allows creators (like podcasters) to offer their followers more content, experiences, and even gifts. We have an exciting list of ideas on what we will offer you listeners, but we want you to make the final decisions on which benefits we end up offering you. So get your votes in th...

Mark as Played

As you may have heard, we are launching a Patreon! For those that don’t know what Patreon is, it’s a platform that allows creators (like podcasters) to offer their followers more content, experiences, and even gifts. We have a survey that will be open for a limited time so get your input in now so we can provide the benefits you want. Maybe that’s a one-on-one Zoom with me for mentorship or...

Mark as Played

We have an exciting announcement, we are launching a Patreon! For those that are not familiar with Patreon, it’s a platform that allows creators (like podcasters) to offer their followers more content, experiences, and even gifts. In order to provide what YOU want, please take 60 seconds to fill out our survey. By filling out the survey not only are you influencing what benefits we will off...

Mark as Played

Update: One of our recurrent guests genetic counselor and fellow podcaster Laura Hercher had a couple important thoughts after listening to our episode we want to share. Laura has been a guest on Episodes 157 & 191 where she has shared her insight on abortion bans including Texas SB 8 and the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

“I understand the reasons ...

Mark as Played

In this episode, we are exploring limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD). Joining us for this conversation are two experts, Dr. Louise Rodino-Klapac, and genetic counselor Livija Medne.


Dr. Louise Rodino-Klapac is the Executive Vice President, Head of R&D and Chief Scientific Officer at Sarepta Therape...

Mark as Played

Can rapid whole genome sequencing (WGS) be utilized in the NICU setting? We explore in this podcast episode! 


Joining us for this episode is Dr. Hong Li, a clinical geneticist at Emory University. Our other expert is a recurring guest, world-renowned geneticist Dr. Madhuri Hegde. She serves as the Se...

Mark as Played

Last episode we learned about non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for recessive conditions through BillionToOne’s UNITY Screen. Jen Hoskovec, Senior Director of Medical Affairs at BillionToOne, is back for this episode where we are exploring NIPT for fetal antigen. Jen is BillionToOne’s Senior Director of Medical Affairs.

Jennifer Hoskovec, MS, CGC,...

Mark as Played

In this episode we are learning about UNITY Screen non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for recessive conditions. Joining our host Kira Dineen are two experts from BillionToOne, the CEO Oguzhan Atay and the Senior Director of Medical Affairs, Jen Hoskovec. Stay tuned for our part two about their new fetal antigen NIPT! 

Oguzhan Atay, PhD, Billio...

Mark as Played

Happy Rare Disease Month! With over 10,000 rare diseases, reaching a diagnosis is a long and arduous process for the 300 million people affected by a rare disease worldwide. Advancements in technology, bioinformatics, and improved collaboration hold the promise to end or reduce this diagnostic odyssey; however, valuable diagnostic data still remains siloed and fragmented within healthcare s...

Mark as Played

We are kicking off Rare Disease Month by talking about Wilson’s disease, a rare, inherited disorder that causes copper to accumulate in the liver, brain, and other vital organs. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern and left untreated, Wilson’s disease can be fatal. Joining us for this episode is Naseem Amin, the CEO of Orphalan, which develops and commercializes treatments for ...

Mark as Played

In this episode we are chatting about the genetic counseling field in South Africa! Joining us for this discussion are two guests from the University of Cape Town (UTC), current student, Samantha Bayley, and UCT-professor, Tina-Marié Wessels. Special thanks to our social media intern, Kajal Patel, for recommending Samantha and Tina for this episode!

...

Mark as Played

This week we’re discussing all things microfluidics! Joining us for this discussion is Franz Pruefer. He is the Co-Founder of Maxwerk Bio which has a pipeline of  biotech diagnostic and therapeutic devices. Franz is also the Co-Founder of CERTESS Therapeutics an early stage Cell Therapy Company in stealth mode based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

...

Mark as Played

A new year means a new podcast! We are thrilled to announce that our host, Kira Dineen, is a co-producer of a new rare disease and medical challenges podcast called, It Happened To Me


In celebration of the launch we wanted to share an upcoming episode of the podcast where the hosts Cathy Gildenhorn...

Mark as Played

Happy New Year! Joining us for the first episode of 2023 is Betsy Humphreys, Karen Volle and Karina Mancini, who will share their experience with the New Hampshire-Maine Leadership Education Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) and the New England Regional Genetics Network programs, and how they relate to genetics advocacy. 


Mark as Played

Patient advocate, Mike Graglia, and genetic counselor, Elli Brimble, join DNA Today for a conversation about SYNGAP1-related non-syndromic intellectual disability, a rare genetic disorder caused by a variant on the SYNGAP1 gene. 


Mike Graglia has always worked on complicated problems – he can’t help ...

Mark as Played

Nicka Smith (she/her), a pro genealogist with over 20 years of experience, joins DNA Today for our second to last episode of the year! She is the host of BlackProGen LIVE, a web series focused on genealogy and family history with a special focus on people of color. 


Nicka Smith is a professional phot...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Burden

    The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.

    SmartLess

    "SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.