Lessons from Lab and Life

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The New England Biolabs podcast series, Lessons from Lab and Life, is dedicated to sharing helpful life lessons from successful scientists. From an overview of cutting edge research to finding sources of inspiration, our podcasts can be enjoyed by science enthusiasts that like to ponder “what it all…

New England Biolabs


    • May 19, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 21m AVG DURATION
    • 98 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Lessons from Lab and Life

    DNA Cleanup 101

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 14:32


    NEB technical support scientist, Jack Martz and NEB Development Scientist Heejin Kim talk about best practice for DNA Cleanup. We will talk about the history of DNA Cleanup and the methods available, as well as share some guidance on selecting the method that is right for your work.

    Interview with Dr. Anne Madden: A Microbial World of Possibilities

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 23:58


    In this podcast, Dr. Anne Madden, founder of the Microbe Institute, shares why understanding microbes is important and why she is compelled to educate others.

    Interview with Dr. Rita Colwell: A lifetime in science

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 27:33


    Dr. Rita Colwell, internationally recognized expert on cholera and other infectious diseases, shares insights from a lifetime in the field of science.

    science lifetime rita colwell
    Interview with Dr. Ben Kleinstiver: Genome editing and healthcare

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 24:54


    Dr. Ben Kleinstiver, whose lab is located at the Center for Genomic Medicine at Mass General Hospital, joins us to talk about programmable nucleases, genome editing, and the applications of this technology in the future of healthcare.

    Interview with Passion in Science Winners 2024: Arts and Creativity Awardees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 21:52 Transcription Available


    The three Passion in Science Award winners in the Category of Arts and Creativity joined us in the studio to talk about their art and what initiated its creation. Sam Siljee shares his soundscapes, Sally Kong describes her weaving patterns, and Michael Weiner his details his uniquely scientific large-scale portraits.

    Episode 64: Interview with Nathan Tanner: Enzymes for Innovation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 12:54


    In this podcast, New England Biolabs Associate Director of Research, Nathan Tanner explains the portfolio of NEB products called Enzymes for Innovation.

    Episode 63: Interview with Sophie Vaud: Environmentally-friendly Textile Dyeing

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 18:47


    In this podcast, Sophie Vaud explains the environmentally friendly textile dyeing process developed by Colorifix.

    Episode 62: Interview with Dr. James Lee: Understanding inflammatory bowel disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 17:37


    In this podcast, Dr. James Lee discusses his research efforts to identify biomarkers and molecular disease-drivers of inflammatory bowel disease.

    Interview with Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui: Molecular Diagnostic and Precision Medicine access in Mexico and Latin America

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2024 22:45


    In this podcast, Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui explains how she is working to increase access to molecular diagnostics and precision medicine in Mexico and Latin America.

    Episode 60: Interview with Shelly Xie: The importance of art in healthcare

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 14:14 Transcription Available


    2014 Passion in Science Award winner Shelly Xie joins us to share what she has learned about the benefits of art for healthcare providers and patients. 

    Molecular Cloning Series: NEBuilder 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 13:51


    NEB Production Scientist Lindsey Spiegelman, joins us to explain the seamless DNA assembly method NEBuilder, which was developed at NEB. NEBuilder HiFi offers fast, accurate assembly of DNA fragments, including the ability to easily assemble DNA libraries, as well as the ability perform multisite mutagenesis in a single reaction.

    Episode 58: Interview with Jo Handelsman: Microbial Communities and Expanding Diversity in Science

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2024 24:44


    Dr. Jo Handelsman, Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery shares her expertise in microbiome research and the importance of community. 

    Episode 57: Interview with Genes in Space: 2023 Winner Isabel Jiang

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2024 11:38


    The Genes in Space team joins NEB to share the mission of their program, and 2023 Genes in Space Contest winner Isabel Jiang explains how her experience with the program has impacted her education, and the details of her experiment – which will be performed aboard the International Space Station.

    Episode 56: Molecular Cloning Series: Restriction Enzymes 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2023 22:45


    NEB Emeritus Scientist Bill Jack explains how the discovery of new enzymes has helped advance the capabilities and possibilities of molecular cloning

    Episode 55: Molecular Cloning Series: Golden Gate Assembly 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023 13:44


    Hear NEB Research Scientist Andy Sikkema, introduce Golden Gate Assembly and it's uses, as well as tips for successful DNA assemblies.

    Episode 54: Molecular Cloning Series: Mutagenesis 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 11:17


    Hear NEB Senior Tech Support Scientist Rachel Carver-Brown explain site-directed mutagenesis and multi-site mutagenesis techniques.

    Episode 53: Interview with Genes in Space: Student designed experiments launch into space

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 16:42


    Hear from Genes in Space 2022 contest winner Pristine Onuoha, whose experiment explores the measurement of DNA length in space.

    Episode 52: Interview with Abdul Sesay: How COVID-19 brought diagnostic access to The Gambia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2023 22:35


    Hear Dr. Sesay explain how The Gambia dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has influenced the country's preparedness for future viral outbreaks.

    Episode 51: Interview with Brad Langhorst: How bioinformatics informs sequencing

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2023 17:32


    Hear NEB Development Group Leader Brad Langhorst talk about how bioinformatics informs sequencing, from primer design to analysis.

    Episode 50: Interview with Dr. Charlotte Houldcroft: Sequencing Double stranded DNA Viruses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 20:32


    Hear Charlotte Houldcroft, lecturer at the University of Cambridge – talk sequencing, from double-stranded DNA viruses to ancient DNA.

    Episode 49: Interview with Mihir Kekre: Antimicrobial Resistance and Pathogen Surveillance

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2022 27:51


    Hear Mihir Kekre, who spent 4 years at the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, share his experience in antimicrobial resistance research and pathogen surveillance.                                  

    Episode 48: Interview with Orley 'Chip' Taylor: Understanding the Monarch Butterfly

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 29:50


    Hear Chip Taylor, founder of the non-profit Monarch Watch, share his research findings and explain how we can help protect this endangered insect.

    Episode 47: Interview with Jessie Stickgold-Sarah: Teaching science communication

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2022 27:29


    Hear MIT Lecturer Jessie Stickgold-Sarah, who shares her perspective on the importance of good communication skills –– especially in science.

    Episode 46: Interview with Susan Aitken: Building a CLIA lab during a pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2022 17:28


    Hear Susan Aitken, Molecular Laboratory Asst. Manager of the HUCL lab, which provided testing for Harvard and MIT students and staff during the pandemic.

    Episode 45: Interview with Anu Rebbapragada: Building a Diagnostics Company During a Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2022 28:53


    Hear Dr. Anu Rebbapragada of FH Health – a Health-Tech company that was created early in the COVID-19 pandemic to address public diagnostic testing needs.

    Episode 44: Interview with Nídia Trovão: Understanding Infectious Diseases

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 25:07


    Hear Dr. Nídia Trovão of the Fogarty International Center at the NIH, explain how the evolution of viral pathogens in human and animal populations are studied and the insights this research offers. 

    Episode 43: Interview with Greg Powell: Carbon Capture Through Reforestation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 15:31


    Hear how the nonprofit organization Reforest the Tropics is working to capture carbon through reforestation from the company's Executive Director Greg Powell.

    Episode 42: Women in Science: Bijoyita Roy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 10:19


    Hear from Dr. Bijoyita Roy, NEB RNA Research Senior Scientist, whose work focuses on mRNA synthesis, methods for RNA research and RNA therapeutics.

    Episode 41: Women in Science: Eileen Dimalanta

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 9:21


    An interview with Dr. Eileen Dimalanta, Associate Director of Applications and Product Development at NEB, whose work focuses on next generation sequencing. 

    Episode 40: Women in Science: Tilde Carlow

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 8:05


    Hear from Dr. Tilde Carlow, Scientific Director of Genome Biology at NEB, who has dedicated her career to infectious disease research.

    Episode 39: Interview with Neville Sanjana: Using chemically modified RNAs to guide CRISPR/Cas13

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 35:24


    Hear from Dr. Neville Sanjana about his publication detailing the use of modified guide RNAs and protein delivery to enhance control of CRISPR/Cas13 activity.

    Episode 38: Interview with Jim Collins: Synthetic Biology's role in pandemic detection and prevention

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2021 24:16


    Hear from Professor Jim Collins of MIT how synthetic biology helped us detect and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and how it can help prevent future pandemics.

    Episode 37: Interview with Karmella Haynes: Synthetic Biology and the future of epigenetic medicine

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2021 20:27


    Hear from Professor Karmella Haynes, whose work focuses on using synthetic biology to fine tune approaches to epigenetic medicine. 

    Episode 36: Interview with Professor Tom Ellis: Using synthetic biology to scale Engineered Living Materials

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2021 27:37


    Hear from Tom Ellis, Professor of Synthetic Genome Engineering, in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London whose lab focuses on using synthetic biology to enable scalable production of Engineered Living Materials.

    Episode 35: Interview with Jim Haseloff: From Plant Growth to Accessibility of Instrumentation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2021 25:31


    Hear from Professor Jim Haseloff, whose work has primarily focused on using synthetic biology to engineer plant growth, but during the pandemic he has focused his efforts on increasing global accessibility of low-cost instrumentation and access to diagnostics.

    Episode 34: Interview with Kate Creasey Krainer: Enabling Global Agricultural Growth

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2021 23:02


    Hear Kate Creasey Krainer explain how the Grow More Foundation is bringing synthetic biology tools to developing countries to help end world hunger.

    Episode 33: Interview with Claudia Vickers: Growing Synthetic Biology in Australia

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 19:10


    Listen as Claudia Vickers of CSIRO explains both her work engineering plant pathways within microbes to manufacture natural products and how Australia is focusing building synthetic biology.

    Episode 32: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with Todd Camenisch

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 20:22


    Hear Todd Camenisch describe the COVID-19 surveillance testing program that he helped establish, which is guiding precaution and mitigation efforts at St. John Fisher College.

    Episode 31: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with Peter Hotez

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2021 35:03


    Hear vaccine expert Dr. Peter Hotez discuss his new book, his thoughts on the current COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine development and manufacturing, as well as democratizing vaccine distribution.

    Episode 30: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with Bas Oude Munnink

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2021 13:56


    Hear Bas Oude Munnink of Erasmus MC in the Netherlands about the ongoing sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in the country and what it has revealed.       

    Episode 29: COVID-19 Research Spotlight: Interview with UCSF and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Scientists

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 26:41


    Hear scientists from the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and UCSF describe their work providing COVID-19 testing and genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 for California.

    Episode 28: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with Joshua Quick

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 21:24


    Hear Joshua Quick explain how the ARTIC Network's protocol for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 is helping the world better understand the virus and its global spread.

    Episode 27: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with Naama Geva-Zatorsky

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 19:03


    Hear Naama Geva-Zatorsky explain how her lab is using LAMP technology to detect SARS-CoV-2 directly from saliva or UTM containing swab samples.

    Episode 26: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with the developers of STOPCovid

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 19:44


    Hear from Feng Zhang, Omar Abudayyeh and Jonathan Gootenberg about the STOPCovid initiative for point-of-care testing for COVID-19.

    Episode 25: COVID-19 Researcher Spotlight: Interview with Brian Rabe

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 19:18


    Hear from Brian Rabe of HMS about his work applying RT-LAMP to develop a fast SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic assay.

    Episode 24: Interview with James Bevington: Sending Science to Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 20:46


    Hear from James Bevington about how he is applying synthetic biology to space studies and the potential of life on Mars.

    Episode 23: Zero Out Lab Waste - Panel Discussion

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 31:42


    Hear how to move your laboratory toward zero waste from experts in lab sustainability and recycling, lab plastic manufacturing and microplastics pollution.

    Episode 22: Interview with Genes in Space: High School Science Performed on the Space Station

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 9:48


    Listen to members of the Genes in Space program as they talk about the program's mission and its impact on young scientists.

    Podcast 21: Interview with Eva Nogales: How Cryogenic Electron Microscopy Informs Molecular Biology

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 31:57


    Listen to Dr. Eva Nogales describe how cryo-electron microscopy addresses the challenge of visualizing macromolecular structures.

    Podcast 20: Interview with NEB Scientists: The Evolution of Overexpression and Protein Purification

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 23:07


    Hear from NEB Scientists Mehmet Berkman and Paul Riggs about the lessons that New England Biolabs has learned about protein expression and purification over the last 40 years.

    evolution scientists protein purification overexpression new england biolabs proteinexpression
    Episode 19: Interview with UCL synthetic biologists: UCL's iGEM team examines perceptions of synthetic biology

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 28:08


    Hear the UCL iGEM team's Rupali Dabas interview her peers and professors about perceptions and misconceptions surrounding synthetic biology.

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