Podcasts about Human Molecular Genetics

Send us a textThis week we look to deunk myths about rising autism rates and explain the genetic and environmental factors at play, while exploring the resurrection of dire wolves through genetic engineering and how puppy cognition predicts adult dog behavior.• CDC data shows autism diagnoses increased from 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 31 in 2022• Approximately 80% of autism cases stem from inherited genetic variations with 200+ genes linked to early brain development• Better screening, diagnosis, and awareness accounts for much of the increase in autism rates• Scientists have genetically engineered puppies with dire wolf traits using DNA from ancient remains• The three pups—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—received 20 gene edits targeting coat color, body size, and facial features• Study of 1,400+ puppies shows early cognitive traits persist into adulthood• Puppies good at following pointing gestures became more trainable adults, while those with better impulse control grew into calmer dogs• Understanding puppy cognition allows for customized training approaches that support lifelong well-beingSome Links and Studies:https://www.sciencenews.org/article/autism-adhd-risk-not-linked-prenatal-exposure-antidepressantsS. Gilman et al. Rare de novo variants associated with autism implicate a large functional network of genes involved in formation and function of synapses. Neuron, Vol. 70, June 9, 2011. DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.021D. Levy et al. Rare De Novo and Transmitted Copy-Number Variation in Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Neuron, Vol. 70, June 9, 2011. DOI 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.015Y. Sakai et al. Protein interactome reveals converging molecular pathways among autism disorders. Science Translational Medicine, Vol. 3, June 8, 2011. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002166Sanders et al. Multiple Recurrent De Novo CNVs, Including Duplications of the 7q11.23 Williams Syndrome Region, Are Strongly Associated with Autism. Neuron, Vol. 70, June 9, 2011. DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.015C. Schaaf et al. Oligogenic heterozygosity in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Human Molecular Genetics. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddr243. Available online: [Go to]C.P. Schaaf and H.Y. Zoghbi. Solving the autism puzzle a few pieces at a time. Neuron, Vol. 70, June 9, 2011. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.025I. Voineagu et al. Transcriptomic analysis of autistic brain reveals convergent molecular pathology. Nature. doi: doi:10.1038/nature10110Our links:Our Website!  www.bunsenbernerbmd.comSign up for our Weekly Newsletter!Bunsen and Beaker on Twitter:Bunsen and Beaker on TikTokSupport the showFor Science, Empathy, and Cuteness!Being Kind is a Superpower.https://twitter.com/bunsenbernerbmd

In this episode, we focus on the microbiome and how it is increasingly linked to disease and illness. It seems that this is true for understanding the illness of the body and the brain. Dr Amir Minerbi, the Deputy Director of the Institute for Pain Medicine at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel talks to us about how the microbiome may hold the secrets of fibromyalgia. This chronic disorder causes widespread pain, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and potentially dozens of other symptoms. We are also joined by Prof Illana Gozes, Director of Elton Laboratory for Molecular Neuroendocrinology in the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Tel Aviv University. She elaborates on her research surrounding the role of specific microbiota signatures as a biomarker for PTSD. Show notes Minerbi, Amir, Gonzalez, Emmanuel, Brereton, Nicholas, Fitzcharles, Mary-Anna, Chevalier, Stéphanieh, Shir, Yorama. (2022) ‘Altered serum bile acid profile in fibromyalgia is associated with specific gut microbiome changes and symptom severity', PAIN Vol.10 (1097). doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002694. Levert-Levitt E, Shapira G, Sragovich S, Shomron N, Lam JCK, Li VOK, Heimesaat MM, Bereswill S, Yehuda AB, Sagi-Schwartz A, Solomon Z, Gozes I. (2022) ‘Oral microbiota signatures in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) veterans,' Mol Psychiatry. doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01704-6. Keywords: microbiome, pain, ptsd, fibromyalgia, bacteria, gut microbiome, microbiota, bile acids, tel aviv university, veterans, symptoms, composition, biomarkers, patients

VIDEOS: COVID-19 VACCINATED PEOPLE SUFFERING STRANGE HALLUCINATIONS BEFORE COLLAPSING – 7:15 WHISTLEBLOWER NURSE IN WASHINGTON DESCRIBES VACCINE INJURIES FROM EMPLOYMENT MANDATE – 1:45 FUNERAL EMBALMER: 85% OF DEAD BODIES NOW HAVE STRANGE BLOOD CLOTS SINCE COVID VACCINE ROLL-OUTS – 15:20 “UNEXPLAINED DEATHS” BECOMING #1 CAUSE OF DEATH IN 2022 IN CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND EUROPE – 5:26 Jay Bhattacharya: The legal case against Anthony Fauci    Rhodiola found to be an effective herbal medicine for treating fatigue and weakness National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, September 28, 2022 With everything that's going on in life, it's normal to feel tired at some point. Fatigue is a condition characterized by extreme feelings of either physical or mental tiredness. One study shows that rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) can be used as an herbal medicine for fatigue. People who are experiencing fatigue can have symptoms like sore muscles, lack of motivation, headaches, drowsiness, and irritability. If fatigue lasts for one to six months it can be classified as prolonged fatigue. However, if it goes beyond that it is already classified as chronic fatigue. Studies show that a third of the adult population has experienced chronic fatigue at least once in their life. With the high prevalence of chronic fatigue, it is unfortunate that there is still no standard medication available for it. Previous studies have shown that rhodiola can reduce symptoms in people suffering from mental fatigue. In addition to this, animal studies have also revealed that rhodiola can stimulate physical work capacity. For this study, which was published in Complementary Medicine Research, the researchers looked at rhodiola as a potential medication for prolonged and chronic fatigue. Researchers performed a clinical trial with 100 participants suffering from either prolonged or chronic fatigue. Although the trial lasted for eight weeks, significant improvements in fatigue symptoms were already observable after just one week. Further improvements could still be observed throughout the trial period. Furthermore, no adverse effects were observed with rhodiola intake. Parenting practices in teen years set the stage for closeness, warmth later on Penn State University, October 5, 2022 High-quality parenting practices in adolescence lay the foundation for close parent-child relationships when the children become young adults, according to new research from Penn State. The study is one of the first to examine how changes in parental involvement, parental warmth, and effective discipline during adolescence predict the quality of the relationships between parents and their young adult children, said Greg Fosco, professor of human development and family studies and associate director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State, who was co-principal investigator on the study. The study's findings were published recently in Developmental Psychology. The research team surveyed 1,631 participants in a long-term research study of families in rural and semi-rural Pennsylvania and Iowa who completed surveys between sixth and 12th grades and again at age 22. “Our research showed that parenting can change a lot during the teenage years: parents often express less warmth and affection, spend less time with their teens, and become more harsh in their discipline. Parents that were able to maintain positive parenting and involvement laid the foundation for a close relationship when their teens became adults,” said Fosco. Staying involved in teens' lives may look different than when they were younger, and it can be challenging to stay close with teens as they seek greater independence and autonomy, Fosco acknowledged. Based on the study's findings, he suggested these activities: Do something together, like playing sports, bike riding, exercising, going for a walk, gaming, cooking, attending events, or going out for a meal or dessert. Work on a project together around the house. Talk about what's going on at school. Discuss what you want to do in the future. Further, adolescents who experienced higher levels of parental warmth in the early teen years reported feeling more closeness and warmth with mothers and fathers when they were in their 20s, Fosco said. The study also found that parents who were skilled at using effective discipline with their sixth grade children — and maintained these effective practices over the course of adolescence — had less conflictual relationships when their children were in their 20s. Lifestyle Influences Metabolism Via DNA Methylation Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen (Germany) September 20, 2022 An unhealthy lifestyle leaves traces in the DNA. These may have specific effects on metabolism, causing organ damage or disease. Scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München have now identified 28 DNA alterations associated with metabolic traits. This world-first epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of modified genes and metabolites has been now published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. In the course of life, aging processes, environmental influences and lifestyle factors such as smoking or diet induce biochemical alterations to the DNA. Frequently, these lead to DNA methylation, a process in which methyl groups are added to particular DNA segments, without changing the DNA sequence. Such processes can influence gene function and are known as epigenetics. To this end, the team analyzed blood samples from more than 1800 participants of the KORA study *. In doing so, they analyzed more than 457,000 loci in the DNA as to biochemical alterations and compared them with the concentrations of 649 different metabolites. The analysis showed that the methylation of 28 DNA segments changed a number of important metabolic processes. In the relevant DNA regions there were also already known disease-related genes: for example, the TXNIP gene that regulates glucose metabolism and is associated with the development of diabetes mellitus. Appropriately, with the methylated TXNIP there were altered concentrations of metabolites from the lipid and glucose metabolism. Also genes that are known to be biochemically altered due to smoking affect different metabolic activities, and specifically those with corresponding biological functions. “This study gives us new insights into how lifestyle factors can influence metabolism via the resulting alterations in the DNA,” said Gieger, research group leader at the IGE. “We can now use these results to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes.” Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association York University (Ontario), September 30, 2022 Epidemiological and animal-based studies have suggested that prenatal and postnatal fluoride exposure has adverse effects on neurodevelopment. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between exposure to fluoridated water and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States. Methods: Data on ADHD prevalence among 4-17 year olds collected in 2003, 2007 and 2011 as part of the National Survey of Children's Health, and state water fluoridation prevalence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collected between 1992 and 2008 were utilized. Results: State prevalence of artificial water fluoridation in 1992 significantly positively predicted state prevalence of ADHD in 2003, 2007 and 2011, even after controlling for socioeconomic status. A multivariate regression analysis showed that after socioeconomic status was controlled each 1% increase in artificial fluoridation prevalence in 1992 was associated with approximately 67,000 to 131,000 additional ADHD diagnoses from 2003 to 2011. Overall state water fluoridation prevalence (not distinguishing between fluoridation types) was also significantly positively correlated with state prevalence of ADHD for all but one year examined. Conclusions: Parents reported higher rates of medically-diagnosed ADHD in their children in states in which a greater proportion of people receive fluoridated water from public water supplies. The relationship between fluoride exposure and ADHD warrants future study.

Dr. Robert A. Montgomery, MD, DPhil, FACS, (https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1467404137/robert-montgomery) is the Director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, and Chair and a Professor in their Department of Surgery, where he oversees a diverse team of medical and surgical specialists who provide a wide variety of surgery and transplantation services including bone marrow, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and facial transplantation. Dr. Montgomery received his Doctor of Medicine with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, his Doctor of Philosophy from Balliol College, The University of Oxford, England in Molecular Immunology, and completed his general surgical training, multi-organ transplantation fellowship, and postdoctoral fellowship in Human Molecular Genetics at Johns Hopkins. For over a decade Dr. Montgomery served as the Chief of Transplant Surgery and the Director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Montgomery was part of the team that developed the laparoscopic procedure for live kidney donation, a procedure that has become the standard throughout the world. He and the Hopkins team conceived the idea of the Domino Paired Donation (kidney swaps), the Hopkins protocol for desensitization of incompatible kidney transplant patients, and performed the first chain of transplants started by an altruistic donor. He led the team that performed the first 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, 5-way, 6-way, and 8-way domino paired donations, and in the first 10-way open chain donation. Dr. Montgomery's current research focuses on stem cell therapies and gene- and cell-based therapies in transplantation. He was co-lead of a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health involving simultaneous donor bone marrow and live donor kidney transplantation. He also runs multiple clinical trials for novel desensitization therapies. Dr. Montgomery is credited in the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records with the most kidney transplants performed in 1 day, is a world expert on kidney transplantation for highly sensitized and ABO incompatible patients, and is referred the most complex patients from around the globe. Dr. Montgomery has received several awards recognizing his experience in patient care and research, including the American Society of Human Genetics' Postdoctoral Basic Science Award, the Johns Hopkins Clinician Scientist Award, the Fujisawa Faculty Development Award from the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the Champion of Hope Award from the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland, and the Terasaki Medical Innovation Award from the National Kidney Registry. Dr. Montgomery is also a transplant recipient himself so he has unique perspectives as both patient and clinician.

Prof. Karen B. Avraham, professor at the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University in Israel. She and her team lead the effort in the discovery of disease genes and the use of models for therapy, with an emphasis on precision medicine. Her laboratory of neural and sensory genomics focuses on deafness and developmental epileptic encephalopathies. Karen takes great pride in the 135 undergraduate, MSc, PhD, MD-PhD students and post-docs she has mentored, both from Israel and abroad, and 60 junior faculty she has helped recruit to the Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. She also works as a coordinator in research efforts for neurological diseases, as co-director of the Aufzien Family Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and of the Taube-Koret Global Collaboration in Neurodegenerative Diseases. She founded and directs the Biomed@TAU Research Hubs, whose mission is to gather together scientists and foster collaboration from across Tel Aviv University and affiliated hospitals who share overlapping research interests (https://en-biomed.tau.ac.il/) Music: Music credits: Funkorama Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/macademia/message

Professor Dame Kay Davies is the Dr. Lee's Professor of Anatomy in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and Director of the MRC Functional Genomics Unit at the University of Oxford. She is also the Honorary Director of the MRC Functional Genomics Unit, a deputy chairman of the Wellcome Trust, and Executive Editor of the journal Human Molecular Genetics. Kay is also a co-founder of a biotechnology company and is a director of another. In her research, Kay uses genetics techniques to help find effective treatments for muscular dystrophy. Much of her work has focused on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe and progressive muscle wasting disease that primarily affects males. When she’s not working, Kay loves taking walks in the English countryside, listening to classical music, and playing the piano. She completed her undergraduate studies at Somerville College and served as a Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College in Oxford. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Saclay Nuclear Research Center, and went on to serve as a research fellow at St. Mary's Hospital Medical School and John Radcliffe Hospital and then as a faculty member at John Radcliffe Hospital and the University of London before joining the faculty at Oxford. Kay has received many awards and honors during her career, and to name just a few, she was elected as a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society. She was also named Commander of the Order of the British Empire and then Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Kay is also an Honorary Fellow of Sommerville College, and had the honor of giving the inaugural Rose lecture at Kingston University in 2012 and the Harveian Oration at the Royal College of Physicians in 2013. In our interview, Kay tells us more about her journey through life and science.

Dr. Charles Rotimi is the director of the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health at the National Institutes of Health. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. F.S. Collins and Others. Human Molecular Genetics and Genomics — Important Advances and Exciting Possibilities. N Engl J Med 2021;384:1-4.

Picture Genetics Kit Giveaway! Enter to win your own free kit on our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Guests for this episode are from Fulgent Genetics (offering Picture Genetic kits), which is the sponsor of this new Direct To Consumer Genetic Testing Series. Jessica Shiles is a genetic counselor and Dr. Samuel Strom is the lab director.Jessica serves as Fulgent’s Clinical Genetics Marketing Specialist. Her main role is to provide clinical training and expertise to help develop marketing material that is used to educate, support, and inform the patients and providers Fulgent serves. With Jessica’s strong passion for patient advocacy, she also leads Fulgent’s community outreach. She is a fellow Sarah Lawrence College’s alumni where she received her Masters of Science in Human Genetics.Previously Dr. Strom was an assistant professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine where he pioneered interpreting genomics results in the context of clinical diagnostic testing for rare inherited diseases and cancer. At Fulgent, he is continuing to forward this new science at an industrial scale. He is also an accomplished researcher in the fields of neurogenetics, ophthalmic genetics, and molecular diagnostics, with publications in top journals such as Science, JAMA, Genetics in Medicine, and Human Molecular Genetics.On This Episode We Discuss:Overview of Picture Genetics’ approach to DTCs (including genetic counseling)Difference between DTC genotyping and sequencingConditions on carrier screening (Picture Parenting)Ideal time for carrier screeningNewborn testing for healthy vs sick babiesNewborn testing vs newborn screeningConditions on newborn testing (Picture Newborn)Value of newborn testing after negative carrier screeningACMG59 qualification of conditions (Picture Wellness)Purpose of ordering testing on the ACMG59 genesCOVID-19 DTC testing, including FDA approvalThere is one correction during the episode, Jessica mentioned ACMG when she meant to say ACOG.As a DNA Today listener you can order your kits with code “DNATODAY” for a 25% discount and free shipping. Order at picturegenetics.com and the kit will be delivered right to your home! Thanks for Picture Genetics for sponsoring this DTC series. Don’t forget to enter our Picture Genetics Kit Giveaway on our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on September 4th, 2020! New episodes are released on the first Friday of the month with some bonus episodes thrown in there. In the meantime, you can listen to over 125 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or streaming on the website. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNApodcast.com.

Sign up for your FREE trial to The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/2UGB30qCbvs. Because of the way genetic reprogramming works, it’s hard to make one clone based on an adult cell, and it’s almost impossible to make a second-generation one. Thanks also to our Patreon patrons https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth and our YouTube members. ___________________________________________ To learn more, start your googling with these keywords: Cell: The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism. Clone: An organism produced asexually from one ancestor, to which they are genetically identical. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms as the main component of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information. Embryo: An unborn or unhatched offspring early in the process of development. Enzyme: A substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction. Gene: A unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring. These are encoded within DNA and help determine traits. Genetic Reprogramming: This refers to erasing and remodeling epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation during mammalian development. Zygote: A diploid cell resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes ___________________________________________ Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ And visit our website: https://www.minuteearth.com/ Say hello on Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6 And Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC And download our videos on itunes: https://goo.gl/sfwS6n ___________________________________________ Credits (and Twitter handles): Script Writer: Cameron Duke (@dukeofcam) Video Director, Narrator, and Script Editor: David Goldenberg (@dgoldenberg) Video Illustrator: Arcadi Garcia Rius (@garirius) With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Alex Reich, Kate Yoshida, Ever Salazar, Peter Reich, Julián Gómez, Sarah Berman Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder ___________________________________________ References: Chan, M. M., Smith, Z. D., Egli, D., Regev, A., & Meissner, A. (2012). Mouse ooplasm confers context-specific reprogramming capacity. Nature Genetics, 44(9), 978–980. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.2382 Dean, W., Santos, F., & Reik, W. (2003). Epigenetic reprogramming in early mammalian development and following somatic nuclear transfer. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, 14(1), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1084-9521(02)00141-6 Evans, M. J., Gurer, C., Loike, J. D., Wilmut, I., Schnieke, A. E., & Schon, E. A. (1999). Mitochondrial DNA genotypes in nuclear transfer-derived cloned sheep. Nature Genetics, 23(1), 90–93. https://doi.org/10.1038/12696 Gao, R., Wang, C., Gao, Y., et al. (2018). Inhibition of Aberrant DNA Re-methylation Improves Post-implantation Development of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos. Cell Stem Cell, 23(3), 426–435.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2018.07.017 Histone Deacetylase - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Www.Sciencedirect.Com. Retrieved March 2, 2020, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/histone-deacetylase Hochedlinger, K., & Plath, K. (2009). Epigenetic reprogramming and induced pluripotency. Development, 136(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.020867 Hochedlinger, K., Rideout, W. M., Kyba, M., Daley, G. Q., Blelloch, R., & Jaenisch, R. (2004). Nuclear transplantation, embryonic stem cells and the potential for cell therapy. The Hematology Journal, 5, S114–S117. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.thj.6200435 Lister, R., Pelizzola, M., Kida, Y. S., et al. (2011). Hotspots of aberrant epigenomic reprogramming in human induced pluripotent stem cells. Nature, 471(7336), 68–73. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09798 Morgan, H. D., Santos, F., Green, K., Dean, W., & Reik, W. (2005). Epigenetic reprogramming in mammals. Human Molecular Genetics, 14(suppl_1), R47–R58. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddi114 Reik, W. (2001). Epigenetic Reprogramming in Mammalian Development. Science, 293(5532), 1089–1093. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1063443 Srivastava, D., & DeWitt, N. (2016). In Vivo Cellular Reprogramming: The Next Generation. Cell, 166(6), 1386–1396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.08.055 Wakayama, S., Kohda, T., Obokata, H., et al. (2013). Successful Serial Recloning in the Mouse over Multiple Generations. Cell Stem Cell, 12(3), 293–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2013.01.005 Wakayama, T., Shinkai, Y., Tamashiro, K. L. K., et al. (2000). Cloning of mice to six generations. Nature, 407(6802), 318–319. https://doi.org/10.1038/35030301 Yamanaka, S. (2012). Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Past, Present, and Future. Cell Stem Cell, 10(6), 678–684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2012.05.005

Sara Winokur is a geneticist, researcher, and author. Sara has a master’s degree in cytogenetics and a Ph.D. in molecular genetics. Her research helped identify mutations underlying muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, dwarfism, and a rare craniofacial syndrome. She continues to work as a consultant on potential therapies for genetic disease. She is also the author of the Icelandic mystery, Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders.  Dozens of her articles have been published in scientific journals. Her research has appeared in Human Molecular Genetics, Nature Genetics, and Cell Stem Cell. Sara is a well-respected figure in the scientific community. As an ovarian cancer "thriver", Sara has a sense of gratitude, strength, and perspective. She resides with her husband and writes in Southern California. 

The Nordic Thriller, or Scandinavian Noir as it is sometimes called, is a hot genre even if it’s set against an icy-cold backdrop. Authors like Stieg Larsson and the Millennial trilogy which included The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are what people often think of. Netflix and other channels are doing well with TV shows like Fortitude, Deadwind, Tin Star, and more There is an exciting new author in this genre who is turning heads. Sara Winokur, author of Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders is the guest for this show. Discover more about this exciting genre, why people love it so much, and find out how Sara weaves her real experience as a molecular geneticist into her writing. She’ll talk about provocative topics like databasing the public’s DNA, how genetic diseases differ from infectious diseases like Covid-19, and the real Icelandic manuscripts she researched which helped inspire her writing. Sara Winokur is a PhD molecular geneticist at the University of California and an author. With dozens of articles published in scientific journals, including Human Molecular Genetics, Nature Genetics, and Cell Stem Cell she is very respected in the community. Sara was even part of the team that discovered the gene that causes Dwarfism and Huntington’s Disease. ​ Sara Winokur is also an ovarian cancer “thriver” and decided to pen her first novel after dealing with the illness. Her writing is an exquisite blend of her expertise in genetics and her affinity for the culture and surreal landscape of Iceland, where she has traveled to frequently in researching her book. If you love books, be sure to  explore more on the Books That Make You website, and sign up for the Books That Make You Newsletter to stay informed about all the books that make you who you are. 

Recording of a debate at the Battle of Ideas festival on Sunday 3 November 2019. Debate is growing about the use of a genetic/genomic approach called ‘polygenic scores’ to understand health and assess health risks. These scores are different from traditional genetic tests and can be used in relation to a vastly greater number of diseases and conditions. Advocates claim this new approach could revolutionise healthcare and – in the UK context – help redefine the NHS. Critics retort that polygenic scores are of limited use, and are perilously easy to misconstrue. Do polygenic scores offer vital information for patients and clinicians or could they lead to unnecessary anxiety and pointless medical intervention? DR TOBY ANDREWlecturer in human genetics, principal investigator in genetics, and programme organiser MSc in Human Molecular Genetics, Imperial College London SIR PETER DONNELLYCEO and founder, Genomics plc; professor of statistical science, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford NICKY DRURYprincipal genetic counsellor, Nottingham Regional Clinical Genetics Service; former member, United Kingdom Human Genetics Commission CHAIR: SANDY STARRdeputy director, Progress Educational Trust

Learn about the weird science behind why people like the taste of black coffee; how entropy keeps time flowing forward; and how smiling really can make you feel happier. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Taking Your Coffee Black Might Be Genetic — https://curiosity.im/2Yf0FQK Entropy Is Why You Can't Unbreak an Egg. Is It Also Why Time Can't Go Backward? — https://curiosity.im/2GNCYIe A New Study Shows Smiling Really Can Make You Feel Happier — https://curiosity.im/2GS9uZy If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please consider supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/curiositydotcom Download the FREE 5-star Curiosity app for Android and iOS at https://curiosity.im/podcast-app. And Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing — just click “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Why we should encourage A&P students to say the difficult terms out loud before reading. Will we ever pin down the number of genes in the human genome? Get a free book of brain facts from the Society for Neuroscience. Please help Kevin extend the reach of TAPP Radio! Summer is a good time to binge listen all the episodes of this podcast, perhaps enjoying the beverage of your choice (mine is iced tea...unsweet). How many genes in the human genome? (3.5 min) Free book of brain facts (2.5 min) Expand the reach of this podcast (3.5 min)Why students should read A&P terms out loud (10 min) Binge much? (1 min)   If you cannot see or activate the audio player click here. Follow The A&P Professor on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Nuzzel, Tumblr, or Instagram!   (0:43) New research increases the number of coding genes in the human genome up from around 19,000 or so genes to just over 21,000 genes. New human gene tally reignites debate (recent news item in Nature) Thousands of large-scale RNA sequencing experiments yield a comprehensive new human gene list and reveal extensive transcriptional noise (2017 unreviewed research preprint) Size of the human genome reduced to 19,000 genes (2014 new item from Science Daily) Multiple evidence strands suggest that there may be as few as 19 000 human protein-coding genes (2014 research article in Human Molecular Genetics)     (4:12) Brain Facts book: great summary of basic concepts of neuroscience (with great pictures). Brain Facts (from Society of Neuroscience; has links to low- and high-resolution PDFs, audio files of previous editions, and requests for free print versions for educators)       (6:50) I ask your help to spread the news and share this podcast with others who might be interested. Or complete strangers. Okay, maybe just folks you know who are actual A&P teachers or have related interests. Apple iOS app Android OS app Kindle Fire OS app Main TAPP Radio podcast page Subscription page     (10:23) It sounds wacky, for sure, but reading complex terms out loud before reading the textbook can helps speed up reading and improve comprehension. Reading Information Aloud to Yourself Improves Memory (article from Neuroscience News) This time it's personal: the memory benefit of hearing oneself (journal article in Memory) Reading Terms in A&P (post in The A&P Professor blog; has additional links to resources) Reading Scientific Terms (post in The A&P Student blog; you can provide this link to students) Word Lists Help Students Build Their Mental Lexicon (post in Patton's Anatomy & Physiology blog Say It Out Loud 18 Times (post in o-log-y blog)     (20:57) Even if you've already heard them all, it's worth your while to listen again, starting at Episode 1 and working your way through. If you know you've missed some previous episodes, that's an even better reason to binge! Exploring the Benefits of Binge Listening to Podcasts (post at Life by Cyndi blog) Choose your TAPP Radio binge: Apple iOS app Android OS app Kindle Fire OS app Main TAPP Radio podcast page Subscription page If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page. More details at the episode page. Transcript available at the script page. Listen to any episode on your Alexa device. Join The A&P Professor social network: Blog Twitter @theAPprofessor Facebook theAPprofessor Instagram theAPprofessor YouTube Amazon referrals help defray podcasting expenses.

Dr Karin Ried is Director of Research at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine and will be discussing the dangers of high blood pressure, the silent killer, and more about her recent groundbreaking research in celebration of May National High Blood Pressure Awareness Month.   A/Prof Dr Karin Ried is Director of Research at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine. Dr Ried is Honorary Adjunct Assistant Professor, Bond University, Queensland, and Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide, South Australia. Dr Ried has over 15 years’ experience in medical and public health research, and research interest in complementary and integrative medicine with a focus on nutritional health. Her research projects encompass nutritional medicine, cardiovascular health, bone health, gastrointestinal health, cancer, women's health, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr Ried received a Masters Degree in Chemistry (1993) and PhD from the University of Heidelberg, Germany in the Department of Human Molecular Genetics (1997). In addition, Dr Ried completed a Graduate Diploma of Public Health at the University of Adelaide (2001), and a Certificate in Integrative Medicine at the University of Queensland (2009).  Dr Ried is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Her research has been featured on national radio, television, and in the print media in Australia and overseas.

Dr Karin Ried is Director of Research at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine and will be discussing the dangers of high blood pressure, the silent killer, and more about her recent groundbreaking research in celebration of May National High Blood Pressure Awareness Month.   A/Prof Dr Karin Ried is Director of Research at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine. Dr Ried is Honorary Adjunct Assistant Professor, Bond University, Queensland, and Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide, South Australia. Dr Ried has over 15 years’ experience in medical and public health research, and research interest in complementary and integrative medicine with a focus on nutritional health. Her research projects encompass nutritional medicine, cardiovascular health, bone health, gastrointestinal health, cancer, women's health, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr Ried received a Masters Degree in Chemistry (1993) and PhD from the University of Heidelberg, Germany in the Department of Human Molecular Genetics (1997). In addition, Dr Ried completed a Graduate Diploma of Public Health at the University of Adelaide (2001), and a Certificate in Integrative Medicine at the University of Queensland (2009).  Dr Ried is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Her research has been featured on national radio, television, and in the print media in Australia and overseas.

At the heart of precision medicine is taking into consideration that each person is unique. Two people with the same disease can have very different outcomes depending on their specific genetic milieu, a complication that is largely overlooked in research and therapeutics. Clement Chow, Ph.D., assistant professor of human genetics at the University of Utah, explains why science has been slow to acknowledge genetic variation, and describes his research on how an individual’s overall genetic makeup influences manifestation of retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disease that causes blindness. Learn more in his review “Bringing genetic background into focus” and read about his retinitis pigmentosa research in Human Molecular Genetics.

Eleni is a clinical nutritionist, geneticist and founder of Primal Baby. She has her Masters in Human Molecular Genetics. And she left the academic research environment to focus on her true passion, which is evidence-based natural health and alternative medicine. Eleni helps women, who are trying to conceive or are already expecting a baby, to optimize their diet and lifestyle in order to conceive naturally and have the healthiest baby possible. Her passion is empowering women to take control of their fertility and their baby´s health, effectively protecting the well being of the next generation, one baby at a time. In today's show, we talk about Eleni's approach with her fertility clients and how she helps her clients improve their fertility naturally through diet and lifestyle changes as well as addressing environmental factors. Topics discussed in today's episode What is the connection between our genetics and our health? Is it our genes or our environment that determines our likelihood of getting illnesses or diseases? To what extent do diet, lifestyle and environmental factors impact our overall health? How do disordered eating patterns impact overall health and fertility? Why is it important for women to get enough healthy saturated fats when trying to improve fertility and have a healthy pregnancy? Why should we all be avoiding trans fats, especially when trying to conceive and during pregnancy? Why are trans fats bad for a baby's development during pregnancy? What are xenoestrogens and how do they impact hormonal health and fertility? The role of probiotics in digestion and fertility Why we should all be mindful of the type of menstrual products we use in our bodies Connect with Eleni You can connect with Eleni on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter! Resources mentioned Primal Baby | Eleni Roumeliotou Join the community! Find us on the Fertility Friday Facebook Fan Page Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Professor Dame Kay Davies is the Dr. Lee's Professor of Anatomy at Oxford University and a fellow of Hertford College. She is also the Honorary Director of the MRC Functional Genomics Unit, a deputy chairman of the Wellcome Trust, and Executive Editor of the journal Human Molecular Genetics. Kay is also a co-founder of a biotechnology company and is a director of another. She completed her undergraduate studies at Somerville College and served as a Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College in Oxford. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Saclay Nuclear Research Center, and went on to serve as a research fellow at St. Mary's Hospital Medical School and John Radcliffe Hospital and then as a faculty member at John Radcliffe Hospital and the University of London before joining the faculty at Oxford. Kay has received many awards and honors during her career, and to name just a few, she was elected as a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society. She was also named Commander of the Order of the British Empire and then Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Kay is also an Honorary Fellow of Sommerville College, and had the honor of giving the inaugural Rose lecture at Kingston University in 2012 and the Harveian Oration at the Royal College of Physicians in 2013. Kay is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.

Gil Ast, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Tel Aviv University Medical School, Tel Aviv - ISRAEL speaks on "How chromatin organization and epigenetics talk with alternative splicing". ICGEB 2nd Post-EURASNET Symposium “RNA Alternative Splicing” This seminar has been recorded at ICTP Trieste by ICGEB Trieste