
#7 - Dr Josh Starmer: Bioinformatics, StatQuest, and Education
The Biotech Podcast
01/14/21
•61m
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Josh Starmer is the founder and CEO of StatQuest, a channel which breaks down complex mathematics into easy, visual, bitesize content. Today we talk about his success with StatQuest, his career in music and tips on how to effectively explain complex topics.
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Full Synopsis:
00:00 - Intro
01:40 - Beautiful statistics
05:51 - Bootstrapping
08:39 - Struggles of learning statistics
17:43 - Knowing your data
20:03 - Bioinformatics
21:41 - Machine learning as a microscope
24:25 - The exciting futures of statistics
29:38 - StatQuest and what makes a good explanation
39:22 - Music and Maths
48:06 - Education changing in the future
52:12 - Lies, damned lies and statistics
55:14 - What lies ahead
1:00:07 - Extro
Episode Links:
Neural Networks or Big Fancy Squiggle Fitting Machines (BFSFM) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqOfi41LfDw
StatQuest Website - https://statquest.org/about/
StatQuest Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYLUTtgS3k1Fg4y5tAhLbw
Previous Episode

Having worked with the likes of Freeman Dyson, we hear about the incredible achievements of Dr Bruce Alberts, winner of both the National medal of science in 2014 and the Lasker award in 2016.
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Full synopsis:
00:00 - Intro
01:30 - The scientific process
09:51 - Scientific thinking and education
24:25 - Writing 'Molecular biology of the cell', its intentions and its impacts
41:32 - DNA replication - mechanisms, evolution and discovering the biochemistry
1:03:54 - Book recommendations and advice
1:08.09 - Freeman Dyson, Leroy Hood and the Human Genome project
Next Episode

A professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Greg has theorised interesting genetic ideas such as the 'Kerplunk Model' and more recently has been influential in coordinating effective Covid testing strategies. Today we talk about the heredity of traits, the importance of robustness in evolution and the current state of scientific publication. Greg also writes a monthly blog called The Genome's Take, which I highly recommend reading.
If you are interested in helping The Biotech Podcast please take 30 seconds to take the following survey: https://harry852843.typeform.com/to/caV6cMzG
Full Synopsis:
00:00 - Intro
01:53 - Heritability, and twin studies
11:28 - The 'Kerplunk model'
19:31 - Environmental effects on genetics
22:88 - Model organisms and working with Walter Gehring
29:25 - Canalisation and robustness
38:38 - Career choices and the future of genetics
43:17 - Covid testing regimes
51:34 - The problems with scientific publication and publishing preprints
1:02:06 - The Genome's take blog and book recommendations
1:05:11 - Extro
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