May 08 2023 43 mins
Welcome to Episode 12 of the BioHackers Podcast!
In this episode, David and Alex welcome world-renown insectologist Markandeya Gorantla from India. Together, they explore insect pheromones as a solution for crop-destroying pests, the power of interdisciplinary research, GMOs, insect attraction, and how computational biology can help anyone solve humanity’s largest problems as well as landing you a sweet bug posse!
Watch the Video Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qYAI3hHQcvU
Here is a list of topics:
- Welcome to Episode 12 (00:00)
- Bugs and Crop Production (1:15)
- Alex, Markandeya, and DNA Microarrays (3:06)
- Welcome Markandeya to the Show (4:29)
- Markandeya’s Story: Early Genetics with Rice Crops (6:29)
- The Development of a Pheromone to Control Bug Populations (9:30)
- Locust Epidemics and Agriculture (12:11)
- The Diversity of Insect Pheromones (14:30)
- Why Bugs Follow Markandeya Everywhere (22:07)
- The Concept of Clean Food (26:55)
- The Magic of Markandeya’s Pheromones (28:26)
- Endless Possibilities of Computational Biology Skills (33:23)
- The Interdisciplinary Nature of Markandeya’s Work (35:39)
- Benefits of Integrating Computational Biology into Research (38:18)
- What is a BioHacker to You? (41:33)
- Closing Thoughts (42:42)
Enjoy the Show!