BioHackers Podcast Ep. 12 – Bug Pheromones & Agriculture featuring Markandeya Gorantla

Welcome to Episode 12 of the BioHackers Podcast!

In this episode, David and Alex welcome world-renown insectologist Markandeya Gorantla from India. Together, they explore insect pheromones as a solution for crop-destroying pests, the power of interdisciplinary research, GMOs, insect attraction, and how computational biology can help anyone solve humanity’s largest problems as well as landing you a sweet bug posse!

Watch the Video Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qYAI3hHQcvU  

Here is a list of topics: 

• Welcome to Episode 12 (00:00)
• Bugs and Crop Production (1:15)
• Alex, Markandeya, and DNA Microarrays (3:06)
• Welcome Markandeya to the Show (4:29)
• Markandeya’s Story: Early Genetics with Rice Crops (6:29)
• The Development of a Pheromone to Control Bug Populations (9:30)
• Locust Epidemics and Agriculture (12:11)
• The Diversity of Insect Pheromones (14:30)
• Why Bugs Follow Markandeya Everywhere (22:07)
• The Concept of Clean Food (26:55)  
• The Magic of Markandeya’s Pheromones (28:26)  
• Endless Possibilities of Computational Biology Skills (33:23)  
• The Interdisciplinary Nature of Markandeya’s Work (35:39)  
• Benefits of Integrating Computational Biology into Research (38:18)  
• What is a BioHacker to You? (41:33)  
• Closing Thoughts (42:42)  

 Enjoy the Show!