Salk Talk - Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Satchin Panda is a professor in Salk’s Regulatory Biology Laboratory. He explores the genes, molecules and cells that keep the whole body on the same biological clock, also known as a circadian rhythm. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Panda talks about what a biological clock is, how living in sync with your clock can improve your health, and how growing up in India informed his research.

Dmitry Lyumkis is an assistant professor in Salk’s Laboratory of Genetics. He is using an imaging technique called cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to better understand the structure and function of proteins. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Lyumkis talks about his transition from the Soviet Union to the USA, what three-dimensional images can reveal about protein assemblies, and why Salk is such an inspirational place to pursue science.

Julie Law is an associate professor in Salk's Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory. She studies chemical modifications to DNA that control genes. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, she describes why gene control matters, how her research may help address global warming, and what she enjoys doing outside of the lab. 

Gerald Pao is a staff scientist in the lab of Professor Tony Hunter. Trained in molecular biology, he has diverse research interests. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Pao discusses his international upbringing, his coronavirus research, and trying to make animals transparent.

Nikki Lytle is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Professor Geoffrey Wahl. She studies protein interactions involved in cancer. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Lytle discusses growing up in rural Oregon, what she loves about science, and why she said she’d never work on cancer (but does now).

Tom Albright is a professor and director of Salk's Vision Center Laboratory. He combines physiological, neurological and computational studies, to reveal how the brain enables humans to perceive and respond to varying sensory demands. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Albright talks about eyewitness recognition, the neuroscience of architecture, and why he's not a fan of sweet potatoes. 

Ron Evans is a professor and director of Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory. He is an authority on hormones, both their normal activities and their roles in disease. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Evans talks about discovering the first hormone receptors, “exercise-in-a-pill,” and how heart surgery changed his attitude about playing the guitar.

In this bonus episode of Where Cures Begin, we hear about the parallels between polio and COVID-19, and how Salk is responding to the pandemic, from faculty in Salk's NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis. Professor Susan Kaech aims to understand how memory T cells are produced during infection and vaccination, how they function and why they can fail to induce long-term immunity, particularly during chronic disease or cancer. Professor Greg Lemke discovered a family of proteins called TAM receptors, which play a crucial role in regulating the response of the immune system to infection from bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. Professor Martin Hetzer is Salk's VP/CSO, responsible for providing leadership in developing and implementing Salk’s overall scientific strategy, as well as overseeing research operations in support of that strategy. Additionally, his lab uses a variety of techniques to pose questions about how the human genome is organized inside a cell’s nucleus.  

Martin Hetzer is a Salk’s vice president, chief science officer, and a professor. He uses a variety of techniques to pose questions about how adult tissues are maintained and repaired and why long-lived cells fail to work properly as a cell ages. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Hetzer talks about why chronological age is different than biological age; what it means to be Salk’s Chief Science Officer; and what he learned from his grandfather the veterinarian.

Tatyana Sharpee is a professor in Salk’s Computational Neurobiology Laboratory. She seeks to understand how the brain and other biological systems work while their components are constantly changing. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Sharpee talks about how she studies vision and our other senses; growing up in a family of scientists; and her takeaways from the movie A Beautiful Mind.

Uri Manor is a staff scientist and the director of the Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Core Facility. He primarily focuses on integrating and applying imaging technologies to study problems of critical biological significance. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Manor talks about the importance of high-end microscopy; what mitochondria are doing in our cells; and how childhood hearing loss has affected his life.

Reuben Shaw is a professor and the director of the Salk Cancer Center. Fifteen years ago, he discovered that a gene frequently mutated in cancer (LKB1) regulates an enzyme named AMPK. Ever since, he has been studying the AMPK pathway to see if drugs originally designed to treat metabolic diseases could also work against cancer. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Shaw talks about his initial discovery; what it’s like running the Salk Cancer Center; and his continual drive to study the hardest-to-treat cancers.

Joseph Noel is a professor and director of Salk’s Jack H. Skirball Center for Chemical Biology and Proteomics. He studies the structure and chemistry of compounds produced by plants. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Noel talks about his love of nature; coming from a family of coal miners; and whether elephant poop is good for tomatoes.

Molly Matty is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Associate Professor Sreekanth Chalasani. She is interested in how environmental microbes can elicit changes in behavior and neuronal signaling in microscopic worms called C. elegans. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Matty talks about gaining insights into human behavior from these tiny worms; pun competitions; and sharing her love of science through Salk’s Education Outreach.

Salk research professor Marga Behrens is a member of Salk’s Computational Neurobiology Laboratory. She examines genes, environmental influences and the interplay between the two to determine why some individuals develop a neurodevelopmental disorder while others do not. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Behrens talks about the brain’s slow maturation; how she uses molecular tools to study mental disorders; and why science is one of her two great loves.

Wolfgang Busch is a professor and the co-director of Salk’s Harnessing Plants Initiative. He is a renowned plant biologist who focuses on understanding plant roots, which are critical for obtaining water and nutrients from the soil and play a major role in the global carbon cycle. On this episode of Where Cures Begin , he talks about why he left microbiology for plant biology; how plants can help address climate change; and possibly having the biggest collection of root movies in the world.

Where Cures Begin is the podcast of the Salk Institute, highlighting the iconic institution’s cutting-edge science and the researchers making it all possible. On the podcast, hosts Allie Akmal and Brittany Fair continue to interview Salk’s internationally renowned and award-winning scientists, who explore the very foundations of life, and learn about new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more.

Rusty Gage is a professor and Salk’s president as well as one of the world’s most renowned authorities in neuroscience. Aside from discovering neurogenesis, Gage has made many critical discoveries in the fields of genetics, mental disorders and aging-related dementia, like Alzheimer’s. In this episode, he talks about what it’s like to lead both a research lab and one of the top scientific research institutes in the world.

Joanne Chory is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, professor and director of Salk’s Harnessing Plants Initiative. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, the globally renowned researcher describes how plants can help mitigate climate change. Specifically, by understanding and improving several genetic pathways in plants, the Salk team aims to develop plants that grow bigger, more robust root systems containing an increased amount of suberin (cork) to absorb larger amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, and bury the carbon-rich suberin deep in the soil. Read more: www.salk.edu/hpi

Ken Diffenderfer is assistant director of Salk’s Stem Cell Core facility. For this episode of Where Cures Begin, he explains what stem cells are, why they are so valuable for research, and what their favorite medium is (sadly, it’s not audio).

Nicola Allen is an associate professor at Salk. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Allen discusses her research investigating star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes. Once thought to be merely supportive cells in the brain, astrocytes have a much more important role in health and disease than previously thought. We also take an audio tour of her lab to learn about the process of scientific discovery.

Dannielle Engle is an assistant professor at Salk, with a personal and professional connection to pancreatic cancer. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Engle tells us why pancreatic cancer is both hard to detect and hard to treat, as well as innovative approaches her lab is taking to tackle these deadly tumors.

Emily Manoogian is a postdoctoral fellow at Salk, where she studies the biological clock that affects every cell in our body. The lab she works in has made several discoveries showing that eating within a certain number of hours (dubbed the time-restricted diet) can have a host of health benefits. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Manoogian shares insight about when is best to eat and workout among other tidbits to maintain a healthy body and mind.

Tony Hunter is an American Cancer Society Professor at Salk who has garnered many prestigious international awards for his work. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, Hunter shares highlights from his 50-year journey as a scientist, including how he made the critical discovery that launched an entirely new class of anti-cancer drugs.

Eiman Azim is an assistant professor at Salk. On this episode of Where Cures Begin, he speaks about how the brain controls skilled movements such as throwing a dart. Azim uses cutting-edge technologies to lay the groundwork for better treatment and recovery of motor function after injury and disease.Azim also shares about his life as a husband and dad, and the importance of training the next generation of scientists.

Where Cures Begin is the Salk Institute’s podcast that highlights cutting-edge science and the researchers making it all possible. On the podcast, hosts Allie Akmal and Brittany Fair interview Salk’s internationally renowned and award-winning scientists to explore the very foundations of life, and learn about new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more.

As the only electrophysiologist in the Gage lab, Shani Stern uses her engineering expertise to delve into the biological mysteries that most intrigue her, particularly bipolar disorder.

Why does the simple act of raising your coffee mug to take a sip involve more computation than a supercomputer can do? Why do robots move, well, robotically? Join neuroscientist Sam Pfaff as he explains the answers to the these questions as well as describing the flashy neurological circuits—called “circuitoids”—his lab builds from stem cells to study repetitive actions like walking—and how that work might provide insights into degenerative motor diseases like ALS. 

With two chemists for parents, the last thing Abby Buchwalter wanted to be when she grew up was a scientist. But in high school she became driven to uncover the fundamental scientific laws governing life. Now, in the lab, she weaves together clues about the structure of our cells while outside of lab she creates fabrics of her own. Podington Bear – Releasing the Sculpture Reinsamba – Street Accordionist Ars Sonor- After the Rain comes Rainbow Blue Dot Sessions – The Zeppelin Blue Dot Sessions – Spins and Never Falls

What do punk rock music, the martial art of muay thai and neuroscience have in common? They’re all passions of Salk Postdoctoral Scholar Elena Blanco. As a member of Nicola Allen’slab, Blanco studies cells called astrocytes, which she terms “the security guards of the brain.” We’ll hear about her childhood in Spain, California dreaming, and why she enjoys explaining science at schools, gyms and even at bars.

Primary season may be over, but Bernie Salamanders lives on! He’s the Dungeons & Dragons alter ego of Salk’s Chris Howard, a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Xin Jin. When Howard is not playing D&D, he studies the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is implicated in diseases like Parkinson’s and drug addiction. He’ll tell us the bittersweet story of why he got interested in neuroscience and how music is a big part of his life.

An Ecuadorian child actor, Pablo Hollstein now resides at the Salk Institute in Reuben Shaw’s lab where he studies cancer. We will touch on his former acting career after we visit how he fosters community at the Salk, his adventurous eating, and why he is passionate about studying cancer.