Best Science Changing Life Podcasts (2024)

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Beyond the hype: AI’s impact on medicine and science with Eric Topol 40:00

18h ago40:00

40:00

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing what we once thought impossible. But how can we distinguish genuine breakthroughs from mere hype? In this episode of Science Changing Life, we welcome Eric Topol, MD—renowned physician, scientist, and author. As executive vice president at Scripps Research and founder of the Scripps Research Translational …

1
Beyond Survival: The Science and Soul of True Happiness 12:08

1d ago12:08

12:08

Ever-Changing Mind Podcast | Episode 2 What does it mean to really be happy? In this episode, host Alysa Hope PhD dives deep into the age-old question of happiness—exploring insights from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience to understand how we can thrive instead of just survive. From Aristotle’s vision of a flourishing life to the neuroscienc…

1
Finding Meaning: My Journey from Disconnection to Self-Discovery 8:09

10d ago8:09

8:09

In this first episode, Alysa Hope shares her personal story of feeling lost and disconnected, and how she found a path to meaning through philosophy, psychology, and science. Discover the foundation of the podcast and how these fields will help guide us toward deeper understanding and personal growth. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The …

1
Gene editing, CRISPR, and drawing the line between science and fiction 39:33

1M ago39:33

39:33

Thanks to revolutionary technologies like CRISPR, we’re now living in an age where it’s becoming possible to rewrite the very building blocks of life itself—our DNA. We sit down with Scripps Research Fellow and CRISPR expert Shannon Miller, PhD, to discover how these gene editing technologies are poised to reverse a range of diseases. Listen in as …

1
Everything we know about H5N1 bird flu 27:54

3M ago27:54

27:54

Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, another virus threatens to reach pandemic potential: the H5N1 bird flu. We sit down with Arnab Chatterjee, vice president of medicinal chemistry at Calibr-Skaggs, who explains the need to invest in the best science to make sure we’re more prepared than we were for the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Chatter…

1
Building a 'telescope' for the brain 27:40

5M ago27:40

27:40

Galileo’s telescope revolutionized our modern understanding of the universe. Assistant neuroscience professor Xin Jin, PhD, wants to do just that—except for the brain. By building new tools that enable her and other neuroscientists to peer into the inner workings of the mind, Jin is uncovering the cells, genes and other complex drivers behind neuro…

1
A physician-scientist’s guide to developing medicines 30:30

6M ago30:30

30:30

More than 90% of drugs fail to make it from the lab bench to approval. How, then, has a physician-scientist like Hugh Rosen found so much success in developing medicines? Rosen, who’s the chair of molecular and cellular biology at Scripps Research, co-invented the drugs ozanimod (approved for multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis) and navacapra…

1
Solving the origins of life and other mysteries in chemistry 37:34

7M ago37:34

37:34

Donna Blackmond never thought her career would lead to solving how life first formed on the prebiotic Earth. But as she points out in this episode of Science Changing Life, does any scientist start out knowing where their research will take them? Blackmond, who is a professor and the John C. Martin Endowed Chair in Chemistry at Scripps Research, sh…

1
How biosensors are enabling a new era in medicine 30:10

8M ago30:10

30:10

Dr. Jay Pandit is a director of digital medicine at the Scripps Research Translational Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research, where he combines medicine and technology to improve patients’ clinical outcomes. Listen in as we explore how biosensors and wearable technologies are enabling users…

1
Episode 43 – Ahmed Badran: Bioengineering our way out of climate change 31:00

1+ y ago31:00

31:00

Ahmed Badran is an assistant professor of chemistry at Scripps Research, where his lab harnesses synthetic biology to address some of biggest global problems. Listen in as we discuss reengineering plant enzymes to capture carbon, plastic-eating bacteria and new classes of antibiotics that spare our gut microbiome.Episode transcript: https://www.scr…

1
Episode 42 – Mia Huang: How sugar biology can help diagnose and treat cancer 19:45

1+ y ago19:45

19:45

Professor Mia Huang is based in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research, where her lab explores how vital sugar molecules in the body orchestrate complex biological events. Listen in as we discuss deciphering cancer cell signals to develop new therapies, engineering red blood cells for transfusions and how to become a master of str…

1
Episode 41 – Ram Krishnamurthy: Astrobiology, origins of life and the search for extraterrestrials 22:57

1+ y ago22:57

22:57

Professor Ram Krishnamurthy is based in the Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research, where his lab investigates the reactions that could have first given way to life on Earth. Listen as we discuss finding biological building blocks on meteorites, NASA’s search for life on other planets, and staying grounded with philosophy and meditation.Episod…

1
Episode 40 – Sumit Chanda: How can we prepare for the next pandemic? 31:39

1+ y ago31:39

31:39

Professor Sumit Chanda is an infectious disease expert and immunologist, where he works both in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology and at Calibr, Scripps Research’s nonprofit drug discovery and development division. He has devoted his career to understanding how the immune system responds to numerous viruses, such as influenza, Dengue vi…

1
Episode 39 – Ali Torkamani: Preventing heart disease with personalized genetic testing 22:43

1+ y ago22:43

22:43

Professor Ali Torkamani is the Director of Genome Informatics at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, where his team mines population-level genetic data to make predictions about future disease risk. Listen in as we discuss smartphone apps that could help predict the risk of a heart attack, the addition of genetic data to biosensors of the…

1
Episode 38 – Danielle Grotjahn: What mitochondria tell us about disease, stress and cell death 33:23

1+ y ago33:23

33:23

Are the mitochondria truly the powerhouses of the cell? In this episode, assistant professor Danielle Grotjahn shares why she thinks “the stress sensors of the cell” may be a more appropriate name for this cellular organelle–and more. Dr. Grotjahn works in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology at Scripps Research, where…

1
Episode 37 – Stuti Jaiswal: Improving sleep health with wearable devices 33:08

2y ago33:08

33:08

Dr. Stuti Jaiswal is an assistant professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research and an internist at Scripps Clinic. Listen in as we discuss the health issues associated with insufficient sleep, the best time to go to bed and what the latest wearables can tell us about our sleep patterns.Show notes:Episode transcript: https://www.scripps.edu/_…

1
Episode 36 – Evert Njomen: Hacking our cellular recycling system to prevent the next deadly pathogen 18:07

2+ y ago18:07

18:07

Dr. Evert Njomen is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Professor Ben Cravatt, based in the Department of Chemistry. Listen as we talk about the autophagy process to cleanse cells, new ways of dealing with antibiotic resistance and cooking with homegrown herbs.Show notes:Episode transcript: https://www.scripps.edu/_files/images/2022_images/podc…

1
Episode 35 – Andrew Su: How artificial and community intelligence are shaping medicine 26:48

2+ y ago26:48

26:48

Professor Andrew Su is based in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, where his lab develops digital tools to draw conclusions from the vast streams of medical data generated each day. Listen to us discuss gaming as a way of being a scientist, the replacement of doctors with machine-learning and your Netflix watching h…

1
Episode 34 – Travis Young: Finding a cure for cancer with novel immunotherapies 29:49

2+ y ago29:49

29:49

Dr. Travis Young is the Vice President of Biologics at Calibr, the drug discovery and development division of Scripps Research. Travis and the team have created a new type of immunotherapy called “switchable” chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, which is already delivering precise and powerful therapies to patients with the most difficul…

1
Episode 33 – Frederick Barrett: Psychoactive compounds to treat depression, addiction & inflammation 22:21

2+ y ago22:21

22:21

Part three of our mini-series centered on brain health. Professor Frederick Barrett is based in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Associate Director at the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. Fred and his colleagues investigate the therapeutic effects of psychoactive substances i…

1
Episode 32 – Ryan Shenvi: Ethnomedicine to improve learning, memory and mental health 26:17

2+ y ago26:17

26:17

The second part of our three-part mini-series on brain health. Professor Ryan Shenvi is based in the Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research, where his lab reconstructs useful molecules typically found in remote corners of the world. Listen as we talk about traditional remedies of indigenous cultures, formulating medicines from industrial waste…

1
Episode 31 – Sandra Encalada: Linking traffic jams in the brain to neurodegenerative disease 30:57

2+ y ago30:57

30:57

We kick off the Summer 2022 podcast season with the first of a three-part mini-series dedicated to brain health. Professor Sandra Encalada is based in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research, where her lab investigates the transport of cargo within brain cells and its role in health and disease. Listen as we talk about new therapeu…

1
Episode 30 – The biochemistry of aging: Scripps Research Magazine 6:54

3y ago6:54

6:54

The fifth and final episode in our healthy aging series. We discover what happens inside the cell with age and how new chemical tools are leading us towards ways of repairing the damage and preserving our youth.This article is taken from the Summer 2021 of our award-winning Scripps Research Magazine.Show notes:Explore the Scripps Research Magazineh…

1
Episode 29 – Precision therapies for age-related diseases: Scripps Research Magazine 5:17

3y ago5:17

5:17

The fourth segment of our series on healthy aging. We take a look at how breakthroughs in chemistry have enabled the rational design of therapies that can stop or slow complex diseases of the heart and nervous system.This article is taken from the Summer 2021 of our award-winning Scripps Research Magazine.Show notes:Explore the Scripps Research Mag…

1
Episode 28 – Personalized genetic testing: Scripps Research Magazine 5:17

3y ago5:17

5:17

We roll on with part 3 of our healthy aging series. We examine the role of our DNA blueprint in the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as how understanding our personal genetic risk scores could help us avoid that deadly heart attack.This article is taken from the Summer 2021 of our award-winning Scripps Research Magazine.Show notes:Explore th…

1
Episode 27 – Overcoming arthritis: Scripps Research Magazine 6:31

3y ago6:31

6:31

In the second of this series on healthy aging, we reveal how Scripps Research scientists are developing interventions to remove stiff, achy joints from the aging equation.This article is taken from the Summer 2021 of our award-winning Scripps Research Magazine.Show notes:Explore the Scripps Research Magazinehttps://magazine.scripps.edu/…

1
Episode 26 – Cellular secrets to a longer life: Scripps Research Magazine 7:14

3+ y ago7:14

7:14

Peer into the future of healthy aging. In this episode (the first of a 5-part series), we shed new light on how our cells and organs work together to influence longevity, and how newly discovered molecules may be able to block biological degeneration.This article is taken from the Summer 2021 of our award-winning Scripps Research Magazine.Show note…

1
Episode 25 - Ed Ramos: Reversing diabetes with personalized nutrition 19:34

3+ y ago19:34

19:34

Dr. Ed Ramos is director of Digital Clinical Trials for the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center. Listen as we talk about empowering the individual with wearable health devices, the worst foods for spiking our blood sugar and the importance of lifelong flexibility.Show notes:PROGRESS study enrollmenthttps://progress.scripps.edu/ PROGRESS study ex…

1
Episode 24- Eric Topol & Andrew Ward: How Spike Protein Discoveries Drove Coronavirus Vaccine Design 35:35

4y ago35:35

35:35

Another special edition featuring an extended conversation between Dr. Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, and Professor Andrew Ward in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology at Scripps Research. Listen as they talk about structural biology as a gamechanger in coronavirus research, what …

1
Episode 23 – Daphne Lurie: Taking Care of your Mental Health 19:46

4y ago19:46

19:46

Dr. Daphne Lurie is a California-licensed clinical psychologist and Director of the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) on the Scripps Research La Jolla campus. Listen as we talk about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health trends, using mindfulness to become more efficient and ziplining in Costa Rica. Show notes:Daphne’s Scr…

1
Episode 22 – Discovery in an Era of Social Distancing: Scripps Research Magazine 9:57

4y ago9:57

9:57

Stories brought to life! Today’s audio adventure comes from the Fall 2020 edition of our Scripps Research Magazine. We dive into the adaptations made by institute researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure both safety and continued scientific discovery. Show notes:Explore our Scripps Research Magazine and subscribehttps://www.scripps.edu/ne…

1
Episode 21 - Kara Marshall: The Science of Bladder Control 25:28

4y ago25:28

25:28

Dr. Kara Marshall is based in the Department of Neuroscience at Scripps Research, working as a postdoctoral researcher in Professsor Ardem Patapoutian’s lab. Listen as we talk about the circuitry involved in urination, burst bladders and improv comedy. Show notes:The Patapoutian Labhttps://patapoutianlab.org/Kara’s recent discovery on bladder funct…

1
Episode 20 – Eric Topol & Dennis Burton: Antibodies, Vaccines and the Current State of COVID-19 45:06

4y ago45:06

45:06

Today’s special edition features an extended conversation between Dr. Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, and Professor Dennis Burton, Chair of the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research. Listen as they talk about antibody cocktail treatments, the mystery of “longhaul” COVID-19 symptoms and h…

1
Episode 19 – Amanda Roberts: Mice in Outer Space 26:30

4+ y ago26:30

26:30

Dr. Amanda Roberts is the Senior Scientific Director of the Mouse Behavioral Core at Scripps Research. Listen as we talk about microgravity as a model of accelerated aging, NASA’s top-secret agents and what happens to slime in space. (Image Credit: Andrew Roberts)Show notes:Amanda’s research profile:https://vivo.scripps.edu/display/RobertsAmandaRep…

1
Episode 18 - Biodiversity beyond the horizon: Scripps Research Magazine 10:46

4+ y ago10:46

10:46

Research discoveries brought to life! In today’s segment, we explore Scripps Research’s Natural Products Discovery Center, a historic natural collection that may hold the key to thousands of future therapies. This article is taken from the Fall 2019 edition of our Scripps Research Magazine.Show notes:Digital version of our Fall 2019 magazine: https…

1
Episode 17 - Time is ticking against Lyme: Scripps Research Magazine 4:19

5y ago4:19

4:19

Research discoveries brought to life! In today’s short story, we find out how medicines designed for our pets are now being repurposed by our scientists to provide a lasting, protective vaccine against Lyme disease. This article is taken from the Fall 2019 edition of our Scripps Research Magazine.Show notes:Digital version of the Scripps Research F…

1
Episode 16 – David Biello: What Makes a Great Science TED Talk 26:44

5y ago26:44

26:44

David Biello is an award-winning journalist and the scientific curator for TED. Listen as we talk about his favorite areas of science, how to craft a compelling narrative and being obsessed with blind cavefish.Show notes:David’s profile at TED (and book link)https://www.ted.com/speakers/david_bielloDavid’s work at Scientific Americanhttps://www.sci…

1
Episode 15 – Kristen Johnson & Maria Millan: Regenerative Medicine for Osteoarthritis 16:53

5+ y ago16:53

16:53

Dr. Kristen Johnson is a lead investigator at Calibr, the drug discovery division of Scripps Research. Dr. Maria Millan is the President and CEO of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Listen as we talk about the world’s largest stem cell bank, restoring healthy cartilage to patients, and the advantages of non-profit research.…

1
Ep. 14–Brian Fiske & Jeff Kelly: Accelerating Discoveries to Treat Neurodegenerative Disease 18:50

5+ y ago18:50

18:50

Dr. Brian Fiske is the Senior Vice President for Research Programs at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease. Professor Jeff Kelly is in the Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research. Listen as we talk about biomarkers for early disease detection, the importance of long-term human trials, and how Parkinson’s disease could originate…

1
Episode 13 – Eric Topol: High Performance Medicine – How Technology Can Bring Back Humanity 22:22

5+ y ago22:22

22:22

Dr. Eric Topol is the Founder and Director of The Translational Institute at Scripps Research. Listen as we talk about bringing back empathy in medicine, smartphone ultrasounds and the best media for absorbing scientific information.Show notes:Translational Institute at Scripps Researchhttps://www.scripps.edu/science-and-medicine/translational-inst…

1
Episode 12 – Arnab Chatterjee: Teaching Old Drugs New Tricks 23:11

6y ago23:11

23:11

Dr. Chatterjee is the Vice President of Medicinal Chemistry at Calibr, the biotechnology division of Scripps Research. Listen as we talk about re-purposing existing compounds for new diseases, the future of robotics in drug discovery and our favorite Superheroes.Show notes:About Calibrhttps://www.scripps.edu/science-and-medicine/calibr/about/index.…

1
Episode 11 – Matthias Pauthner: Novel Approaches to Combat Infectious Disease 29:09

6y ago29:09

29:09

Matthias is based in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, working in Prof. Kristian Andersen’s Lab. Listen as we talk about wearable devices to monitor disease progression, research field-trips to West Africa and fancy nights at the symphony. **p.s. if you enjoyed the Christmas jingle, Matthias and I are currently work…

1
Episode 10 – Alyssa Shepard: Harnessing Social Media in Science 19:15

6y ago19:15

19:15

Alyssa is based in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research, under the supervision of Prof. Joseph Kissil. Listen as we talk about cancer biology, naked mole-rats and practical tips for improving science communication. Show notes:Kissil Laboratory https://www.scripps.edu/kissil/Alyssa’s bloghttps://thecurioussheep.net/blog/@the_curi…

1
Episode 9 - Courtney Miller: How To Forget Addictions 19:13

6y ago19:13

19:13

Prof. Miller is based in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research. Listen as we talk about methamphetamine-use disorder, short- and long-term memory formation, and Breaking Bad.Show notes:Prof. Miller’s Scripps Research biohttps://www.scripps.edu/faculty/miller/Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction http://www.pearsoncenter.org…

1
Episode 8 – Scripps Research Branding Party Highlights 21:49

6y ago21:49

21:49

A compilation of interview highlights recorded live from the branding launch party at Scripps Research. I heard from scientists about how their work is changing life, and spoke with members of communications/marketing/philanthropy about what this new brand means for the institute and the wider community. Show notes:Scripps Research Community Events…

1
Episode 7 – Gary Siuzdak: The Golden Age of Metabolism 19:59

6y ago19:59

19:59

Prof. Gary Siuzdak is the Director of the Metabolomics Center at Scripps Research. Listen as we talk about using our own metabolites to impact health status, environmental estrogen-mimics and the potential benefits of Red Bull.Show notes:Metabolomics Center websitehttps://masspec.scripps.edu/landing_page.php?pgcontent=mainPageGary’s VIVO Scientific…

1
Episode 6 – Courtney Peterson: Intermittent Fasting 36:57

6+ y ago36:57

36:57

Dr. Peterson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Listen as we talk about different fasting strategies, the big bang and the importance of our biological rhythms.Show notes:Dr. Peterson’s UAB Biohttps://www.uab.edu/shp/nutrition/about-the-department/faculty-and-staff/primary-f…

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Episode 5 – Tod Williams and Billie Tsien: The Architecture of a Science Institute 16:14

6+ y ago16:14

16:14

Tod Williams and Billie Tsien are the architects responsible for designing what was formerly the Neurosciences Institute (NSI); the buildings now make up the Hazen Campus and serve as the focal point of The Scripps Research Institute. Listen as we talk about the history of the build, common motifs for all science buildings and the importance of aft…

1
Episode 4 - Steve Steinhubl: Digital Medicine 23:28

7y ago23:28

23:28

Steve is the Director of Digital Medicine at the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI). Listen as we talk about Fitbits, perverse healthcare incentives and hiking to Mount Everest Base Camp.Show notes:Steve’s bio at STSIhttps://www.stsiweb.org/about/faculty/steinhubl-steven/STSI Precision Medicine Initiativehttps://www.stsiweb.org/translat…

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Episode 3 - Matt Tremblay: Technology Transfer - From Bench to Bedside 27:15

7y ago27:15

27:15

Matt is the Vice President of Business Development at TSRI, as well as Chief Operating Officer at Calibr. Listen as we talk about what constitutes commercially valuable research, why TSRI is #1 for science innovation and how to design a home jungle gym.Show notes:Matt’s recent Biocom Catalyst Awardhttp://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/i_20171002/2017…

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