Therese Markow: Look Deeper, Stay Critical, Question More

Dr. Therese Markow is an award-winning geneticist who has held prestigious academic positions at major universities in the U.S. and abroad. As the host of the Critically Speaking podcast, she is passionate about translating complex scientific concepts into everyday language, empowering audiences to make informed decisions about their health, communities, and the planet. She also serves as the president of Sin Fronteras, a nonprofit supporting arts and science, and is a dedicated champion for women, bringing her expertise and commitment to equality to every conversation.

In this episode, Wendi and Therese discuss:

• Transition from mentoring to hosting "Critically Speaking" on societal and health issues
• Challenges of misinformation spreading faster than peer-reviewed publications
• Links between underarm treatments, breast cancer, and autism prediction in fetal brain imaging
• Impact of obesity, endocrine disruptors, and chemical exposure on rising health conditions
• Sin Fronteras nonprofit supporting scientists, collaboration, and artistic innovation

Key Takeaways:

• The podcast "Critically Speaking" emerges as a platform bridging societal and health concerns while addressing the lag in combating misinformation, underscoring the importance of timely, factual communication.
• Scientific insights reveal startling links between chemically-treated underarms and breast cancer, as well as autism prediction through fetal brain imaging, pushing for deeper exploration of health and environmental impacts.
• Amid systemic challenges like mansplaining and gender discrimination, there’s a powerful call to champion female scientists, advocate for their contributions, and inspire the next generation of women in biological sciences.
• Emphasizing informed decision-making, the discussion highlights the risks of chemicals like glyphosate, the value of organic food, and the need for tools like the EWG app to guide safer lifestyle choices.
• Rooted in perseverance and self-belief, the narrative inspires action—urging individuals to embrace opportunities, critically evaluate contrasting evidence, and champion publicly funded science for a better future.

“I guess one of the most important things, I think, is that people look at the data. If they're going to believe something or they think, 'Oh, wow, I better be careful about that,' or, 'Did you hear this?' I think they should try to find a way to access the original information so that they can really make an informed decision and not just base it on what they heard or saw from some sound bite headline on social media. I think that's really important.” - Therese Markow

Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/O5n07L1xTTE