Best Scientists Walk Into A Bar Podcasts (2024)

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S5E08: A Deep Dive into Drug Modalities 31:06

43m ago31:06

31:06

Small molecules, antibodies, gene therapies – there are so many types of medicines scientists can consider when developing a new treatment for a disease. In this episode, Karin Briner, Senior Vice President and Head of Drug Discovery, joins co-host Maria Wilson to break down different therapeutic modalities, or types of treatments. Together, they c…

1
S5E07: Organoids: From Dish to Discovery 39:44

2M ago39:44

39:44

Did you know that scientists can grow three-dimensional, miniature versions of human organs in a dish? These tiny in vitro models, known as organoids, are helping scientists to better understand human disease and to test new treatments. In this episode, co-host Danielle Mandikian sits down with Kim Homan, Senior Director and Distinguished Scientist…

1
S5E06: Cancer Conversations: Early Detection and Potent Solutions 29:39

3M ago29:39

29:39

To defeat cancer, we need to understand it better. How does it grow? How do we detect it early? And most importantly, how do we treat it? In this episode, co-host Maria Wilson chats with oncology expert Louis Vermeulen, VP and Senior Fellow, Discovery Oncology, about what’s new and exciting in cancer research. Together, they explore the importance …

1
S5E05: The Streets and Deets of Obesity 38:29

3M ago38:29

38:29

What drives metabolic conditions like obesity? In this special episode, co-host and cardiovascular disease expert Maria Wilson, gRED Executive Director and Cardiovascular and Metabolism Research Head, takes the hot seat with fellow host Danielle Mandikian, gRED Senior Principal Scientist, to discuss the complex world of obesity. Tune in to hear abo…

1
S5E04: Engineering Therapeutic Antibodies 29:27

5M ago29:27

29:27

Antibodies are proteins produced by our immune system that neutralize or help destroy abnormal cells and foreign agents, like bacteria and viruses. However, their utility extends beyond our bodies’ defense system. Antibodies can also be engineered in the lab to be used as therapies. Today, over 170 antibodies have been approved as medicines to trea…

1
S5E03: No Delivery, No Drug 35:22

6M ago35:22

35:22

Many health conditions require medicines that can be delivered to specific parts of the body. For instance, someone with asthma requires medication that targets the lungs, while someone with a neurodegenerative disease needs therapeutics that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. But how do scientists create medicines that not only reach their int…

1
S5E02: Seeing Clearly: The Past, Present and Future of Eye Treatment 36:43

7M ago36:43

36:43

Imagine the eyes as cameras, where the cornea acts as the lens and the retina as the film. As with a camera, if something goes wrong in the eye, it needs to be fixed to address the specific problem and restore function. While some visual impairments can be corrected with glasses or surgery, some conditions require medicines – like those that slow o…

1
S5E01: Merging Minds and Machines: The Future of Drug Discovery 36:50

8M ago36:50

36:50

Computational approaches have revolutionized how we interpret data. With the advent of genomic sequencing, scientists can derive significant conclusions from sequence data. For example, through transcriptomics – the study of genes and their expression in different cells – researchers have made groundbreaking discoveries in fields like developmental…

1
Season Five Teaser 4:35

9M ago4:35

4:35

Join Danielle Mandikian and Maria Wilson as they kick off season five of Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar. Hear about their recent lab adventures and enjoy a sneak preview of exciting topics for our new season. From demystifying the impact of AI and machine learning in drug development to exploring diverse modalities for treating diseases, we've got …

1
Ep 120 - The Freedom House Ambulance Service 57:21

1+ y ago57:21

57:21

In today's episode, Harini shares the incredible story of The Freedom House Ambulance Service. Freedom House was the first emergency medical service in the United States to provide training beyond first aid and other amazing things, such as being the first emergency service to supply Narcan in overdose cases! Freedom House, staffed entirely by blac…

1
Ep 119 - Ozempic: No Longer Hot Right Now 1:24:12

1+ y ago1:24:12

1:24:12

In today's episode, Megan provides a step-by-step update on her compounded semaglutide journey. She and Harini also contemplate the quick but quiet death of the Ozempic craze (at least by frenzied-netizen-discourse standards). Why were we all so passionately opiniated about Ozempic for five months, and now can barely get DailyMail to cover it? And …

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Ep 118 - MegaSyn and the Greater Conversation Around AI in Healthcare 1:02:12

1+ y ago1:02:12

1:02:12

"AI, so hot right now. AI." - Mugatu In today's episode, Harini and Megan discuss the perceived implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. MegaSyn, an AI drug discovery platform originally invented to develop drugs to combat orphan (rare) diseases, made waves in 2021 when it's creators discovered that a simple change of code would …

1
Ep 117 - Snail Slime and Skincare 38:14

1+ y ago38:14

38:14

In today's episode, Megan talks about the slime-tastic world of snail mucin and how, in the past 10 years, it has gained a foothold in the beauty/skincare industry. Is slime mucin simply a gimmicky ingredient advertised to coerce the curious (or desperate) to shell out more money on skincare products? Or does it actually have scientifically-backed …

1
Ep 116 - Golden Geese and Horseshoe Crabs 39:28

1+ y ago39:28

39:28

We're back(!)... with a continuation of Harini's coverage of significant Golden Goose Recipients. In today's episode, Harini talks about 2019 Golden Goose awardees, Dr. Jack Levin and Dr. Frederik Bang, who pioneered the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) Test by identifying the sterilizing potential of horseshoe crab blood. To this day, the blood of h…

1
Ep 115 - Golden Geese and Cone Snails 37:41

1+ y ago37:41

37:41

In today's episode, Harini regales us with the origin story of the Golden Goose Awards (formerly Golden Fleece Awards) - a designation given to impactful research projects that, from the outset, may not seem potentially beneficial to society, but end up being so. One such project involved an obsession with cone snails and their ability to paralyze …

1
Ep 114 - The Philadelphia Latex Spill with Arizona Milotich 54:07

1+ y ago54:07

54:07

Yup, there was another latex spill and, yup, we're covering it! Happy Earth Day? In this episode, Harini and Megan chat with long-time friend and Philly resident, Arizona Milotich, about the latex spill in Philadelphia (Delware River) this past March. What happens when the sixth most populous city in the United States suddenly faces water insecurit…

1
Ep 113 - Mad Scientist Midgley 48:43

1+ y ago48:43

48:43

In today's episode, Harini introduces Megan to Thomas Midgley Jr., the inventor of leaded gasoline and freon, two of the most harmful industrial pollutants to captivate the world. To this day, local environments and the ozone are still on long journeys to recovery. In this episode: Ep. 48 - One Rock to Rule Them All Ep. 109 - Environmental Disaster…

1
Ep 112 - Lizard Lips and Sunken Cheeks: Demystifying Ozempic 59:24

1+ y ago59:24

59:24

In today's episode, Harini and Megan discuss the recent pop-culture fascination in weight loss drugs. Specifically Ozempic, Wegovy, and generic semaglutide. What are these drugs, what do they do, and why have they (allegedly) taken the celebrity world by storm? Are these drugs legitimately controversial or has the online zeitgeist created artificia…

1
Ep 111 - Mushroom Minisode: Death Cap for Cutie 26:25

1+ y ago26:25

26:25

In today's episode, Megan gives a quick mycology lesson on the most poisonous mushroom in the world: the DEATH CAP. Equipped with a toxin that inhibits DNA transcription, and whose only antidote (in extreme cases) is a liver transplant, this mushy is truly as metal as it's name. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
Ep 110 - Chemotherapy: A Life-Saving Treatment Born from a WWII Conspiracy 42:51

1+ y ago42:51

42:51

Happy International Women's Day! If you're looking to learn about a rockstar woman scientist, check out Episode 40 - The Mirror Image Disaster. In it, we talk about Dr. Frances Oldhem Kelsey, the FDA scientist who single-handedly fought to keep Thalidomide off the market and out of our medicine cabinets. In today's episode, Harini teaches Megan abo…

1
Ep 109 - Environmental Disaster Watch: The Norfolk Southern Train Derailment 41:29

1+ y ago41:29

41:29

We've been keeping a close eye on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. It has been over three weeks since the 38-car freight train derailed and leaked toxic chemicals - most significantly, vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate - into the soil. In an effort towards containment, the EPA authorized a control burn of these chemica…

1
E 108 - The Last of Us and Fungus Fever 52:57

1+ y ago52:57

52:57

In today's episode, Megan addresses the recent uptick in public interest in fungi and fungal infections as a result of HBO's newest series, The Last of Us. When the series aired, frenzied netizens were quick to take to online forums - Reddit, TikTok - to draw parallels between the show/video game and real life. Zombifying fungi do exist in the real…

1
Ep 107 - The Toxic Lady 1:02:42

1+ y ago1:02:42

1:02:42

In Riverside, CA, 1994, a young woman by the name of Gloria Cecilia Ramirez was admitted to the emergency department of Riverside General Hospital for tachycardia and abnormal respiratory patterns. As emergency staff proceeded with defribillation, it was observed that Gloria's body was covered in an oily sheen and was emitting a garlicky-fruity sme…

1
Ep 106 - Mystery Meat: An FDA Origin Story 1:05:19

2y ago1:05:19

1:05:19

This is the epic story of Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, an American chemist who pulled back the curtain on the unregulated, U.S. food industry of the late 1800s. With the assistance of his "Poison Squad" - a group of test subjects who willingly volunteered to eat food preserved with toxic substances such as formaldehyde and borax - and the indirect …

1
Ep 105 - Yokkaichi Asthma 45:24

2y ago45:24

45:24

We're rounding out the Four Big Pollution Disasters/Diseases of Japan with Yokkaichi asthma. Yokkaichi asthma was the name given to a breadth of respiratory ailments that the people of Yokkaichi, Japan suffered due to negligent industrial plant practices between 1960-1970. Sodium dioxide and sodium trioxide (in the form of acid mist) filled the ski…

1
Ep 104 - Itai Itai 37:52

2y ago37:52

37:52

Harini is launching a YouTube channel! Today I Learned Science by Dr. Harini Bhat goes live on Thursday, January 26th at 12pm PST. Click the link below and subscribe for additional, riveting science content that goes beyond the world of toxicology and poison. https://youtube.com/@tilscience In this episode, we discuss Itai Itai disease - one of the…

1
Ep 103 - (Don't) Take Your Vitamins! 1:04:18

2y ago1:04:18

1:04:18

In this episode, Harini gives us a rundown of the history of vitamins and supplements. An unexpected byproduct of post-WWII, high-yield agricultural practices and the development of genetically modified, disease-resistant grains, supplements and supplemental vitamins quickly became a household staple to accommodate for nutrient-poor food. In less t…

1
Ep 102 - Permafrost: What Lies Beneath? 35:07

2y ago35:07

35:07

In this episode, Harini explains the importance of permafrost and how this frozen slurry of soil, rocks, and sand is the guardian of millennia-old bacteria, fungi, and viruses! Permafrost has become a greater topic of public interest as concerns around climate change and the reduction of our greater carbon footprint have intensified within the last…

1
Ep 101 - The Hand of Wetterhahn 41:09

2y ago41:09

41:09

In our first episode of 2023, Harini introduces us to Dartmouth professor and chemist Karen Wetterhahn, who specialized in toxic metal exposure. In the 1990s, Dr. Wetterhahn was a tour de force in the world of toxic metal research and greatly influenced an increased interest among women to pursue science majors through Dartmouth College's Women in …

1
The Deadly Dose Celebrates 100 Episodes! 56:35

2y ago56:35

56:35

Today we are celebrating our 100th episode! Join us as we reminisce on our favorite episodes and test each other's knowledge in a game of Deadly Dose trivia! We want to give a big, BIG "thank you" to all of the Poison Pals out there who have inspired us to keep creating and sharing these crazy, wonderful stories about science and poison. We could n…

1
S4E08: Learning from Vaccines: Training our Immune System to Fight Cancer 44:55

2y ago44:55

44:55

When we consider how a vaccine works, we typically think about vaccines that prevent infectious disease like flu or measles. But another type, known as therapeutic vaccines, may be able to treat diseases even after they’ve taken hold in the body – including cancer and viral infections. Similar to preventative vaccines, these therapeutic cancer vacc…

1
Ep 99 - The Good Nurse Part 2 1:06:30

2y ago1:06:30

1:06:30

In today's episode, Harini reviews the new Netflix documentary Capturing the Killer Nurse, a supplement to the streaming platform's recently released The Good Nurse. Both films depict the actions and eventual capture of serial killer Charles Cullen, and how the self-interest of healthcare employers and prioritization of hospital reputations ultimat…

1
Ep 98 - The Stingray Shuffle Hustle 1:22:22

2y ago1:22:22

1:22:22

In this episode, Megan takes us on an underwater adventure to swim alongside the magnificent and often misunderstood stingray! Megan even shares her own personal experience of being stung by one of these silly water pancakes, the traumatic event that inspired this episode! So don't hit that shuffle button just yet. The only shuffling we're doing to…

1
Ep 97 - The Good Nurse Part I 57:55

2y ago57:55

57:55

In today's episode, Harini provides a play-by-play of The Good Nurse, Netflix's recent true-crime biopic that details the harrowing story of nurse Amy Loughren who became a confidential informant for the New Jersey Police Department in their efforts to catch serial killer Charles Cullen. Cullen was a nurse who moved discreetly within the healthcare…

1
Ep 96 - Waves of Pain 46:51

2y ago46:51

46:51

In this episode, Harini sheds light on Havana Syndrome, the mysterious ailment plaguing U.S. government officials since 2016. Alleged symptoms include auditory pain, ringing in the ears, and cognitive difficulty. Is this merely an example of mass psychogenic illness or is there something more malevolent in the air? Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/…

1
Ep 95 - River on Fire: The Environmental Oopsie that Changed America 45:35

2y ago45:35

45:35

In 1969, a river in the midwest caught on fire for 24 minutes. Despite its minimal damage and zero death-toll, this short-lived fire had a lasting impact on the United States. Its legacy includes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Water Act, and Earth Day. How did this pitiful fire become a raging beacon in the battle against envi…

1
Spooktober Special: Bloody Mary 52:49

2y ago52:49

52:49

We wish this episode was about the best breakfast cocktail ever, but alas, it is not. In our final installment of our Spooktober Series, Megan talks about the origins of the most infamous urban legend that plagues slumber parties and tween girls everywhere. Who is Bloody Mary and why is the act of summoning her of particular fascination to children…

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Spooktober Special: Poisons, Potions, and Potter 1:02:33

2y ago1:02:33

1:02:33

In today's episode, Harini takes us on a magical voyage through the Potterverse to study a handful of poisons and potions that have become iconic as world-building, plot devices in the series and franchise. Did you know that a majority of these enchanting elixirs and the lore behind them actually exist in the muggle world - our muggle world? Better…

1
Spooktober Special: Deathbed Visions and Terminal Lucidity 1:02:00

2y ago1:02:00

1:02:00

For as long as humans have observed death, we still don't know a lot about what happens cognitively in our final days and hours. Anecdotes of dying loved ones seeing visions of deceased relatives or having moments of lucidity despite battling degenerative neurological diseases have been shared for centuries. What are deathbed visions and terminal (…

1
Spooktober Special: Vampyres! 56:52

2y ago56:52

56:52

Spooktober is officially here! In our first installment of our annual Spooktober series, we're talking all about Vampyres. To this day, we still celebrate the seductive, undying, Euro-centric interpretation of vampires in our media, literature, and costumes despite being a centuries-old trope. What is the history and science behind the mythology th…

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Scientists Walk Into A Bar Podcasts

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