#9 - Professor Bob Langer - Vaccines, Nanotech and Transforming Medicine
The Biotech Podcast
02/04/21
•45m
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From the delivery of the mRNA vaccines into cells to the delivery of chemotherapy directly to tumours, it is fair to say Professor Bob Langer has revolutionised modern medicine. Bob is the 4th most cited individual of all time and having founded over 40 biotechnology companies including Moderna, Bob is, without doubt, one of the most influential scientists alive today.
Full Synopsis:
00:00 - Introductions
2:12 - Angiogenesis inhibitors and drug-delivery systems
5:50 - Conventional wisdom and challenging sceptics
13:52 - How to go about solving a problem
20:20 - Changing the world
22:14 - Pursuing your passions and academia
28:54 - Setting up a company and using impact as a metric
35:28 - The Moderna vaccine and nanoparticles
42:08 - Advice for young scientists and the exciting areas of research today
Previous 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.
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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
Next Episode
#10 - Dr Rattan Lal - Using soil to combat climate change
February 11, 2021
•45m
Soil is one of the most powerful carbon sequestering tools known to man, and protecting it will lead to greater food security with higher nutritional content, better water quality and of course can also play a huge part in reducing global warming. This week Dr Ratan Lal, winner of the 2020 world food prize, talks passionately about his life's work with soil and how we need to harness this incredible ecosystem for good.
Episode synopsis:
00:00 - Soil and its qualities
6:32 - Soil is alive
11:01 - Giving back to our soils
14:59 - Measuring soil health
16:20 - Soil degradation in impoverished areas
19:35 - What drew you to soil science
24:20 - Regulating soil erosion
25:01 - Soil and its role in carbon sequestration
36:17 - Biogeochemical cycling
41:35 - Advice
44:40 - Extro
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