Future Tech: Almost Here, Round-the-corner Future Technology Podcast

Professor Aaron Kaplan studies ecological processes in photosynthetic organisms, and is looking particularly close at green algae—the fastest growing photosynthetic organism on the planet. On today’s podcast, he talks about the “crust” that this cyanobacteria helps form, called biological soil crust. He explains a number of interesting topics, including the following: How biological soil crust is formed, why it varies in thickness, and what it’s composed of Why it is so important to understand cyanobacteria in order to eliminate toxic algal blooms that are destroying ecological systems What mechanisms organisms acquire in order to grow in the harshest environments on Earth What is meant by saying that organisms use “languages”   Professor Kaplan discusses a range of compelling, technical details about some of the most unique habitats on Earth characterized by biological soil crust, which is a complex system comprised of many organisms which thrive off the metabolites produced by cyanobacteria or gr

Greg Paulsen, the Director of Applications Engineering at Xometry (xometry.com), discusses on-demand manufacturing services, materials, trends, and 3D printing processes. Podcast Points: How is 3D printing changing the way we manufacture products? Current trends in manufacturing Can 3D printing utilize all kinds of materials, or just plastics and metals?   As the leader of the Applications Engineering team, Paulsen handles special projects pertaining to material selection, design-for-manufacturing, and technical engineering resources as well. The team at Xometry is heavily involved in pushing technology, communication, and integration, and helping clients to improve their manufacturing supply line.  Paulsen provides an overview of Xometry, and how they help to make manufacturing easier. Xometry has been innovating in the space for years, and has assisted the established manufacturing industry through the introduction of AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning, just to name a few of the

The European Space Agency (ESA) ARTES Program is an optional program for members of ESA that supports a number of projects, products, and applications. Instrumentation Engineer, Arnaud Runge, discusses an ESA business application program line called Business Space Solutions. Tune in to learn the following: What type of devices and products have been created by ARTES-supported companies and how they’ve provided a significant benefit to the wider community  In what ways an ARTES-supported laboratory helped to clear an Ebola outbreak in an African village The threat of ice crystals for pilots and air flight, and how predictive satellite data and monitoring can help   The Business Space Solutions program line at the ESA is focused on how to go about using all things space-related, such as communications via satellite, positional data, and various technologies to create new products and services for the enhancement of existing services or to meet new needs from different user communities. The types of pro

Bridge Builders supports companies that work towards accessible mind-training technology through investments. He explains some of these steps from idea to implementation by discussing: How Bridge Builders is a collaborative group rather than a fund and why that makes a difference for investments. Some of the most popular apps they've supported like Headspace to some newer ones with great potential like Insight Timer.  Future projects that fit several needs such as mental health support applications.   Operating Partner of Bridge Builders, Charlie Hartwell describes the more fluid style of the collaborative investment model. He touches on the 12 companies his group supports and then goes into more detail about some of the applications they've helped bring about, further explaining their steps from idea to implementation. He describes in particular one app that's growing in popularity called Insight Timer. It offers mindfulness inspiration, meditations, and music from over 5,000 teachers around the wo

From shampoo to carpeting to baby bottles, chemicals are prevalent in our everyday items. Author Rick Smith discusses accompanying concerns such as: The depth of this issue, calling it the second great pollution problem facing humanity. Why the health effects of pollution from such chemicals are prevalent and should be taken seriously. Alternatives for many everyday products that are available. Co-author of Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things and director of Canada's Broadbent Institute, environmentalist Rick Smith describes the research he and co-author Bruce Lourie underwent to see common results of living in close quarters with chemicals. The prevalence of chemicals such as BPA in eating containers raised alarms and he wondered about the health effects of pollution on our bodies from such chemicals. He tells how he and his co-author experimented on themselves over 10 years with their own blood and urine samples. They would establish a baseline first, and then, for exam

Former IBM Chief Scientist, Dr. Alex Liu, discusses the services provided by RMDS Lab, a community-based ecosystem provider in the artificial intelligence (AI) and big data sector. You will learn: Why AI and data-related projects rarely succeed when handled only by a few data scientists and/or one method or approach How the RMDS platform works and what benefits it provides to data scientists and businesses alike Common misconceptions regarding data sets, data analysis, and the usefulness of data, and how RMDS Lab can help For the past 10 years or so, RMDS Lab has been building a data science and AI community using an ecosystem approach, guided by the belief that little can be accomplished in the field of big data and AI without utilizing multiple approaches, multiple methods, considering many algorithms, and combining the minds of more than just a handful of data scientists. Ultimately, the goal is to make data science-driven projects more adaptable and accessible and thereby increase the benefit the

Most of us have heard about intestinal microbiomes, but researchers found that eyes have their own bacteria presence as well. Dr. St. Leger discusses his findings, such as: The part of the eye that works as a niche for the beneficial bacteria. The roles elements like tears and dry eye play in this microecology. Future therapies researchers hope to initiate based on these findings as they better understand eye microbiome and disease. Anthony St. Leger is an assistant professor of Ophthalmology and Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. About three years ago, he and his lab found the presence of bacteria in a mouse’s diseased eye that seemed to serve the same function as the bacteria we have in our intestinal tract. In other words, these bacteria appeared to modulate the susceptibility to infectious disease and immunity. This prompted a more intensive study to understand more fully the purpose for its stable coexistence with the eye. Dr. St. Leger explains that the bacteria is o

Robert Quinn, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses his research, detailing information on rare bacterial lung infections, anaerobic bacteria infection, and especially cystic fibrosis. Podcast Points of Discussion: * What exactly is cystic fibrosis? * How might pure oxygen impact bad bacteria? * What are the long term possibilities for a cystic fibrosis patient? Quinn’s education includes: a PhD in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Lafayette, LA, an MSc in Microbiology from the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and a BSc in Microbiology, also from the University of Guelph in Canada. Quinn discusses cystic fibrosis, which he states is a classic genetic disease, and those who are afflicted with it have various mutations in a particular gene. As he explains cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The body produces thick and sticky mucus that can clog the lungs and obs

Inerjys is a private equity fund investing in companies and technologies in the clean energy and climate change arena. Founder and managing partner, Stephan Ouaknine, discusses the following: Why the commercialization of technologies is crucial in order for products to make a real impact on climate change, and why commercialization can be difficult What types of new clean energy and agricultural technologies are being developed and how they work What would be necessary in order to lower the cost of solar energy Ouaknine understands that a budding technology company needs more than just the funds to develop its product: it needs early adopters and proof points in order to reach a greater market and actually have a tangible effect. In the world of technological developments designed to tackle climate change, this is even more important, since the cash risk is substantial for early adopters. In order to address this challenge, Inerjys ensures that they not only fund companies but invest in projects that

In this podcast, Dr Claudia Gray, PhD, Paediatrician and Allergologist, Kids Allergy Paediatric & Allergy Centre—South Africa, talks in detail about allergy issues and research, discussing many common child allergies, child skin allergy treatment, and what’s coming in the future for allergy testing and treatment. Podcast Points of Discussion: * How do allergy tests work? * Why do certain allergies improve over time, but some actually worsen? * Do allergy shots work as an effective treatment? Dr Gray has an extensive history and background in her field, as a paediatrician with a subspecialist accreditation in allergology, and as a noted researcher. She received her medical degree from the University of Cape Town, then continued studies in London, specializing in paediatrics, paediatric clinical pharmacology, and paediatric allergy. Additionally, she holds a PhD related to the specific study of eczema and food allergy.  Dr Gray talks about her background, why she decided to specialize in paediatr

This podcast explores essential principals in childhood emotional development as researched by journalist Katherine Lewis. She discusses her book on this subject by explaining: Her discovery process that leads to combing the ideas of experts, observations, and studies together in her book. Unique behaviors children exhibit today such as lack of self-regulation, which was less common 30 years ago. Practical ways we can engage with children to help them learn better self-regulation skills. Katherine Lewis had been a journalist for 20 years covering business and policy issues when she became concerned by her own children's challenging behavior. She began intensive researching that led to a popular article and eventually a book: The Good News about Bad Behavior discusses parent's misguided attempts to correct behavior rather than offer behavioral skills. She found that the current generation of young people has fewer self-regulation skills than past generations. This means younger people have difficulty

Marine biogeochemistry is the study of how microscopic organisms like bacteria and phytoplankton modify the chemistry of the ocean, and at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Joseph Vallino’s work as Senior Scientist revolves around it. Tune in to learn: How microbes are distributed in the ocean and what kinds of processes and metabolic functions they carry out How the differences and similarities between living and nonliving systems is helping Vallino elucidate how living organisms might organize How the theory of maximum entropy production relates to marine chemistry and microbial function In a single liter of ocean water, there are billions of bacteria, which makes it difficult to identify all the players at any one time. In turn, this makes it difficult to understand the overall chemistry of the ocean, since each microbial process contributes to it. In an attempt to overcome this challenge, Joseph Vallino is developing different approaches based on ideas derived from thermodynamics. His aim is to d

While working at his post doc at Oxford University, Dr. Akbar focuses on the signals the immune system uses and resulting actions through extracellular vesicles research. He discusses: How our body’s healing mechanisms post-heart attack can both benefit and undercut healthy arteries through immune-induced inflammation. The difference between a healthy blood vessel and atherosclerosis plaque build up and how the epithelial cell cascade that the body sends to heal the area ends up progressing the inflammatory condition. Why his research to turn on and off these inflammatory signals may aid in better healing from heart disease. Dr. Naveed Akbar focuses on extracellular vesicles research and how the vesicles relate to metabolic disease. Atherosclerosis, which causes heart attacks and strokes, tends to be much thicker in a diabetic patient. He believes this junction of immunological and metabolic disease is an important crossroads.  He explains that while atherosclerosis builds up over decades due to ma

In order to create anti-parasitic medications like filariasis treatment, researchers like Dr. Geary study how parasites hide from their hosts. When you listen in to this discussion, you'll learn: How parasites are closer in cell type to us than bacteria and why that makes them harder to kill. Why the coevolution of humans and malaria has made it unique among parasites. Why molecules that parasites release like micro RNAs may be the key to their ability to hide from their host and survive. Dr. Timothy Geary serves as Chair in Parasite Biotechnology at McGill University and also has an appointment at Queen's University in Belfast. His background is in pharmacology, but he has developed a specialty in anti-parasitic medication discovery. This includes genomic work on the host-parasitic interface, especially for filariasis treatment and gastrointestinal nematode infections. In this podcast, he explains several aspects of how parasites function and how vertebrates and arthropod vectors maintain the parasi

Raghu Kalluri, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Cancer Biology University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses exosomes cancer, cancer stages, and his life’s work in research and medicine.  Podcast Points of Discussion: * Why do cells generate extracellular vesicles? * What are exosomes and how might they affect cancers? * Can extracellular vesicles alter the cells around them? In addition to being a professor and chairman of the Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Kalluri is also Adjunct Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at Rice University. Dr. Kalluri earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Kansas Medical Center, earned an MD degree from Brown University Medical School, and was a Post-doc fellow, and research associate as well, at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. Dr. Kalluri has devoted much

Epigenetics is a mechanism for regulating gene expression, and Professor Upasna Sharma at the University of California, Santa Cruz defines epigenetic inheritance as the inheritance of phenotypic changes in the absence of changes in the underlying DNA. She explains her research by exploring the following: The three primary ways in which gene regulation can take place What function small non-coding RNA play in epigenetic gene regulation and intergenerational inheritance, and how their location in the cell is dependent upon their function within the cell In what ways RNA is more complex than DNA What impact stress, environmental toxins, and diet might play in sperm small RNA and transfer RNA Dr. Sharma is studying the role of small non-coding RNAs in epigenetic inheritance by examining RNA in sperm. How is the environment being signaled to these small RNAs? When do tRNA fragments become abundant in sperm? Through the research she and her team have already done, they’ve found that testicular sperm or g

Organoid modeling can be done using adult human tissues, mouse models, or by engineering induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). At UC San Diego Health, Associate Project Scientist, Herve Tiriac, is using adult tissues to create 3D patient-derived pancreas-like organoids. He discusses the following: What portion of the pancreas is modeled in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumor organoids What happens when different cell types are cultured together How models can be created using only the tissue from fine needle biopsies What types of variation are present in pancreatic tumors Driven by both professional and personal reasons, Dr. Tiriac is interested in using 3D patient-derived organoid modeling in order to better understand pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that’s both very deadly and understudied. He sees this research as an opportunity to implement meaningful clinical improvement in the lives of those affected, and build a precision medicine technology platform in doing so. Dr. T

Dr. Abby Johnson, Postdoctoral Associate, Knights Lab at the University of Minnesota, discusses her work in research, including detailed information on nutrition and a healthy gut diet.   Podcast Points of Discussion: * Phytochemicals, and fiber compositions of certain foods * Can we actually change the stability of the microbiome? * How does what we eat impact the bacteria in our gut? Dr. Johnson studies the relationship between diet and the microbiome. She holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and devotes much of her time to research. Since 2010, Dr. Johnson has been heavily interested in gut issues and the microbiome. While studying in Chicago, she learned a great deal about fats in the gut, bowel disorders, and more, and her interest was triggered. She states that what we eat can literally change the bacteria in our guts. She talks about the foods we eat and the many microbes that are within. Her research begs the questions: can we change the stability of the microbiome? How

At WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, the goal is to understand what drives health and wellbeing in our pets—whether cats, dogs, fish, or horses. Vice president of the institute, Kay O’Donnell, discusses the following: How an identification of biomarkers and an understanding of the microbiomes of different species can elucidate what drives health and sickness in pets (e.g. a recently discovered biomarker helps identify cats at high risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) two years earlier than it would otherwise be detected) The importance of routine health checks and microbiome testing for pets What factors cause the microbiome to change in pets (e.g. age, environment) Through the use of vast amounts of data from veterinary practices and the implementation of an AI algorithm, the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute has developed a method for obtaining useful information from samples of blood, urine, and feces collected from pets over the course of many years. This has given way to the ability to identify

Paul Turner & Robert McBride, co-founders of Felix Biotechnology (felixbt.com), discuss the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and the new therapies on the horizon. In this podcast they’ll discuss: * The ways in which targeted biotherapeutics could change modern medicine * What regulatory hurdles do biotech companies face as they march to the marketplace? * Just how bad is the antibiotic resistance problem globally? Turner & McBride’s biotech company, Felix Biotechnology, is heavily focused on progressing the deployment of novel biotherapeutics that can target urgent microbial challenges within human health, and much more. Turner & McBride discuss the greatest challenges they face in the biomedical field, including the widespread failure of traditional antibiotics. They discuss some of the older technologies they are in the process of updating, such as developing viruses that specifically kill bacteria. Turner & McBride believe that this option will give the medical commun