Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Max Scott discusses the significant threat posed by screw worms, a parasitic insect that lays eggs in live animals, leading to severe economic and health impacts on livestock. The conversation covers the historical eradication efforts using the sterile insect technique, the current resurgence of screw worms in North America, and the innovative biotechnology approaches bei...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Jackie Douglas discusses the emerging field of neoantigens and their significance in cancer immunotherapy. Neoantigens, which are unique to cancer cells, offer a promising target for personalized immunotherapies. The conversation covers the formation of neoantigens, the role of HLA alleles in their presentation, recent advances in research, and various therapeutic strateg...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Kevin Folta interviews Derek Small, co-founder and CEO of Syndeoo, focusing on the increasing prevalence of neurological disorders and the challenges in developing effective therapies. They discuss the importance of synaptic function in mental health and neurodegenerative diseases, the innovative Boost platform for drug development, and the potential of event-driven pharm...

Listener Request!  The YouTube channel Veritasium has been recognized by scientists and the public as a great source for scientific information. So what happened in the recent episode?  The episode originally entitled "Exposing the Monsanto Conspiracy" attempts to link the historic horrors of Agent Orange and contaminated herbicides with current claims against the herbicide glyphosate. To build the story this science chann...

Anti-vaccination activists, including the US Health and Human Services Secretary, decry the risk of vaccination. In two recently developed vaccines the emerging story is that there is risk in not being vaccinated.  Analysis of large data sets shows that over the last 20 years, those vaccinated with the HPV vaccine have a lower incidence of cervical, penile and anal cancers, as they should.  But they also show lower inciden...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Andrey Zarur, CEO of Greenlight Biosciences, discusses the innovative applications of RNA technology in agriculture. The conversation covers the challenges of food security, the role of RNA in pest control, and the regulatory advantages of RNA-based products. Dr. Zarur highlights the efficacy and safety of RNA insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, as well as the compa...

Summary

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Kevin Folta interviews Dr. Robert Tarone, a retired scientist with extensive experience in cancer statistics and experimental design. They discuss the controversial IARC monograph that classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen, the flaws in the evaluation process, and the implications of this classification on legal actions against glyphosate manufacture...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Kevin Folta and Dr. David Zaruk discuss the complexities surrounding glyphosate, particularly in light of the IARC Monograph 112 published a decade ago. They explore the implications of the reclassification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen, the ensuing litigation, influence and corruption, and the ethical concerns regarding scientific integrity. The conversation delves ...

This conversation explores the domestication of pigs, highlighting their importance in human society, the historical evidence of their domestication, and innovative research methods used to study their relationship with humans. Dr. Jiajing Wang from Dartmouth College discusses the significance of dental calculus in elucidaing pig diets and behaviors, as well as the complex interactions between humans and pigs throughout hi...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Kevin Folta speaks with Dr. Pascal Geldsetzer about the relationship between the shingles vaccine and dementia. They discuss the prevalence of shingles, the current vaccination rates, and the potential implications of shingles vaccination on cognitive decline. The data come from a clever analysis of public health data that revealed this surprising result. Dr. Geldsetzer s...

Summary

In this episode of the Talking Biotech Podcast, Kevin Folta speaks with Maria Rodtersman, a Ph.D. candidate at UC Davis, about her research on developing wheat to reduce gluten content, specifically targeting immunogenic proteins that trigger celiac disease. They discuss the significance of wheat as a staple crop, the differences between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, and the use of radiation-induced mutatio...

The elucidation of DNA's structure led to questions about how it was replicated. Today's Talking Biotech Podcast commemorates the landmark experiments by Dr. Franklin Stahl, who died recently at the age of 95. The experiments have beed described as amont the most elegant in the history of biology, and used a simple test to determine the physical nature of DNA replication. This is a must-know story for the molecular biologi...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech Podcast, Dr. Kevin Folta discusses the challenges of misinformation in food science with Dr. Cami Ryan and registered dietitian Connie Diekman. They explore the role of social media and traditional media in spreading misinformation, the difficulties scientists face in communicating effectively, and the importance of peer review and other information-honing strategies to reinforce legi...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech Podcast (464) host Dr. Kevin Folta engages with journalist and author Michael Grunwald about his book 'We Are Eating the Earth.' They discuss the complex relationship between food production, climate change, and biotechnology, emphasizing the need for multifaceted solutions rather than single silver bullet approaches. Grunwald shares insights from his journey into understanding food p...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Roger Cone discusses the complexities of obesity and eating disorders, emphasizing the role of brain circuits in regulating feeding behaviors. He explains the significance of GLP-1 agonists and melanocortin receptors in developing therapeutic approaches for conditions like obesity, anorexia, and cachexia. The conversation highlights the potential of combining these therap...

This episode of the Talking Biotech podcast features Dr. Anita Shukla discussing the critical issue of antibiotic resistance and the innovative engineering solutions being explored to combat it. The conversation covers the evolutionary nature of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the importance of antibiotics in healthcare, and the collaborative efforts of the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) to identify researc...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Kevin Folta interviews Dr. Sarah Taber, who shares her journey from agricultural consulting to running for Ag Secretary in North Carolina. It is mostly a story of dedication to changing the norms and changing the rules to benefit more farmers, trying to break deeply entrenched interests to create real change. The conversation explores the challenges facing North Carolina ...

In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Dr. Kevin Folta discusses the current state of avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 strain, its history, zoonotic potential, and the implications for both poultry and human health. Into 2025 it was being detected in wild birds,domestic flocks, cattle and humans. Where did it go?  He highlights the importance of surveillance, the impact of the virus on domestic poultry produ...

This episode of the Talking Biotech podcast delves into the evolutionary significance and domestication history of corn (maize). Dr. Kevin Folta hosts a discussion with Regina Fairbanks and Dr. Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra from UC Davis, exploring the traits that enabled maize's domestication, the role of the TGA gene, and the implications for modern breeding. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding maize's gene...