Mendelspod Podcast

Mar 13 2025 474 ep. 28 mins 107

Mendelspod Podcast artwork

Offering a front row seat to the Century of Biology, veteran podcast host Theral Timpson interviews the who's who in genomics and genomic medicine.

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A New Sequencing Technology Has Entered the World: Keith Robison Reviews AGBT and New Tech in our Annual Sequencing--er, Multi-Omics Show

Mar 13 2025 8 mins

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comIt’s time for our annual deep dive into sequencing—no, wait—multi-omics! Back on the show is our resident sequencing guru, Keith Robison, scientist at Ginkgo Bioworks and author of the OmicsOmics blog. Keith is our all time return champion, and as always, he brings technical experience alongside t

Unlocking the Future of Forensic Genetics with Mirna Ghemrawi

Mar 06 2025 21 mins

This week on Mendelspod, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting groundbreaking contributions from women in science. Our guest, Dr. Mirna Ghemrawi, is at the forefront of forensic genetics, where DNA analysis meets the pursuit of justice. As Associate Director at the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, Ghemrawi applies next-gen sequencing a

Public Science in Peril: Hank Greely of Stanford on Funding, Fishing, and the Fight for Knowledge

Mar 04 2025 33 mins

In this urgent and unflinching conversation, Stanford law professor Hank Greely returns to Mendelspod to address the mounting threats of the Trump administration to public science funding and the institutions that regulate medicine. As the NIH faces existential challenges and the FDA comes under fire, Greely lays out a compelling case for why government-supported research remains e

Breaking the ‘Undruggable’ Barrier with AI and Synthetic Biology: Eswar Iyer, CEO of Aikium

Feb 27 2025 31 mins

For decades, drug developers have struggled with so-called "undruggable" proteins—those regions of the proteome that evade traditional small molecules and antibodies. But Aikium, led by Eswar Iyer, could be changing the game. In today’s show, Iyer, a prolific scientist with over 100 patents and a background in George Church’s lab, shares how his company is tackling one of the

"They're not cutting a branch. They're cutting the whole tree." Laura Hercher Defends DEI in Genomic Research and Medicine

Feb 10 2025 40 mins

Today Theral talks with Laura Hercher, Director of Research for Human Genetics at Sarah Lawrence College, about the growing political assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in scientific research. With the NIH facing sweeping budget cuts and DEI programs cancelled, Hercher makes a compelling case for why diversity isn’t just a social or moral issue—but a

Early Detection for Lung Cancer with Susan Tousi, DELFI Diagnostics

Feb 06 2025 5 mins

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comLung cancer is the most deadly of all the cancers worldwide. Very few of those who should be— are getting screened. There is enormous medical need here, and early cancer detection through advanced liquid biopsy could be a tremendous part of the answer.Today, as part of our series on the future of gene

Big RNA with Brendan Frey of Deep Genomics

Jan 30 2025 6 mins

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comIn our first conversation with Deep Genomics, Theral sits down with Brendan Frey, the company's founder and Chief Innovation Officer, to explore the power of AI in RNA biology and drug discovery. Frey, a pioneer in deep learning who trained in the lab of AI luminary Geoffrey Hinton, shares how his perso

Genome Informatics in the Age of AI With Ben Busby, DNAnexus

Jan 23 2025 31 mins

In this Mendelspod episode, Theral explores the state of genome informatics with Ben Busby, principal scientist at DNAnexus.Busby reflects on his journey into the field, which was influenced by key projects and experiences during his time at the NCBI and his genomics hackathons. He outlines the current genome informatics landscape, emphasizing DNAnexus' role in fostering collaborat

AI & the Future of Genetic Testing: Ezra Cohen, CMO of Tempus

Jan 16 2025 5 mins

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comAs 2025 begins, we are launching a new series The New Genetic Testing. To do that we’re welcoming today Dr. Ezra Cohen, Chief Medical Officer at Tempus to offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the company is transforming healthcare through cutting-edge AI. With its recent successful IPO, Tempus has fi

PredxBio and the Promise of Spatially Intelligent Biology

Jan 10 2025 5 mins

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comThis week we welcome the innovative minds behind PredixBio, a new and groundbreaking company at the forefront of spatial biology. CEO Dusty Majumdar and co-founder Chakra Chennubhotla join us to discuss their mission to revolutionize cancer therapeutics through spatially intelligent biology. Founded in