A STEM podcast 🎙️, where I interview, PhD candidates, postdocs, professors, and industry professionals to learn more about the path they took, their experiences, and the knowledge they gained which lead them to become successful in their respective fields.
#10 - Jeff Smith, PhD: These Machines Will Be In Every Home In The Future!
Dr. Jeff Smith is an analytical Chemistry, a Mass spectrometry expert, and an associate professor in the Chemistry department at Carleton University. He received his BSc in Biochemistry and PhD in Chemistry from York university. He has been the director of the Carleton Mass Spectrometry Center (CMSC) at Carleton since 2015. Additionally, Dr. Smith is currently the Associate Director of the Ottawa Carleton Chemistry Institute since 2016. His work spans many collaborations with companies and government contracts and has a keen insight on the development and limitations of mass spectrometry.
In this episode, Dr. Smith and I discuss what mass specs are, how they are used, and why they are such a crucial tool in every sector you can think of, from healthcare, to home appliances. Having one of these tools implemented in homes can tell you when your food will spoil ahead of time, when you might have a mold problem before you even find out, testing small traces of biomolecules that can detect diseases before they become serious, and many more applications.
Time Stamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:31 - Disaster that delayed this episode
04:06 - Education & Insights on Grad Studies
15:38 - Mass Spec facility setup & Projects
28:21 - What are mass spectrometers
41:06 - Orbitraps
43:11 - Iontraps
45:08 - Carleton magic show
48:37 - Airport chemical testers
54:48 - Turbine pump catastrophe
01:01:6 - Applications in homes, hospitals, & backpack mass specs
18 Mar 2024
#9 - Mahmoud El Saadi: Cold Resistance & Immunity In Fruit Flies
Mahmoud Is a PhD candidate at Carleton University in the biology department, working in Dr. Heath MacMillian's lab.
His work involves studying fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) under cold stress by freezing them for periods of time in ethylene glycol, then observing physiological changes after they warm back to room temperature. Mahmoud hopes his research will help identify what makes certain insects resistant to cold, which can have broad applications for pollinators (like bees) in mitigating predation and beginning pollination earlier in the season. We also discuss cold tolerance in fruit flies as it relates to their immune response.
Did you know that fruit flies also have an immune system? Unlike ours it does do not possess antibodies nor does it remember prior infections like our immunity does. Rather, they use peptide chains (a series of amino acids) that can detect and defend against invading bacteria, fungi, and other types of pathogens!
Check out my website (https://whereknowledgestemsfrom.com/) for more information about the podcast.
You can also watch this episode on my YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@wkSTEMsf) channel.
Time Stamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:41 - Background
03:38 - Preserving Insects
07:36 - Graduate Research
16:15 - Fruit Fly Cold Tolerance
28:56 - Fruit Fly Physiology
32:46 - Why Flies Rub Their Hands
33:40 - Applications of Understanding Cold Tolerance
47:34 - Fruit Fly Immunity
1:09:39 - Why Use Fruit Flies
1:12:16 - CRISPR Fruit Flies
1:16:02 - Closing Remarks
3 Mar 2024
#8 - Eugene Fletcher, PhD: Yeast Makes Your Beer & Breaks Down Your Plastic Too
Beer is an internationally loved drink, consumed by millions of people world wide. From different flavours to different types, Dr. Eugene Fletcher, an Assistant professor at Carleton University studies the function of yeast in both brewing your favourite beverage and breaking down plastics.
In this Episode, we discuss the process of fermentation, how beer is made, the difference between lager and ale, what steps are taken to infuse beer with different flavours, how yeast is engineered to break down plastic, and future direction for Dr. Fletchers research path.
This was fun episode to make as I learned more about beer than i ever knew before, and I hope you do too!
Stream on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-knowledge-stems-from/id1715136670)
Check out my Website (https://whereknowledgestemsfrom.com/)
Visit my YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@wkSTEMsf) Page
For more information about Dr. Eugene Fletcher, you can visit his official Carleton (https://carleton.ca/biology/people/eugene-fletcher/) profile page, or his LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugene-fletcher-phd-20740225?originalSubdomain=ca) profile. You can read any of his publications (https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=HKJQkzUAAAAJ&hl=en) on yeast, synthetic biology, or microbial fermentation.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
02:00 - Educational background
06:14 - Europe life & travel
09:42 - Lager, Ale, IPAs, & brewing process
18:11 - Beer flavour & fermentation
28:43 - Yeast makes biofuel (ethanol) from plastic
36:23 - His students create mock Biotech startups
42:23 - Closing thoughts
19 Feb 2024
#7 - Xiao Xiang, PhD: Understanding Viruses, Their Replication, & How Vaccines Combat Them
Dr. Xiao Xiong earned his PhD degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from University of Ottawa. He studied the tumour-suppressive function and mechanism of a channel protein, in rhabdomyosarcoma, and published 8 high-impact papers of which he first-authored 3 of them. Upon completion of his Ph.D., he took on a pot Doc after becoming interested in oncolytic viruses and immunotherapy. He started working on bioengineering Reovirus, a benign gastro-intestinal virus, for use in cancer therapy and an oral vaccine for infectious diseases.
In this episode we discuss the inner workings of viruses, how they replicate and overwhelm host machinery, how they evade the immune system, and discuss the basis of vaccines and their subsequent development. To learn more about the podcast, check my website below:
https://whereknowledgestemsfrom.com/
Sound track:
https://pixabay.com/music/drama-scene-ominous-tension-157906/
Dr. Xiao Xiang Publications:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=L-bS7H8AAAAJ&hl=en
If you are interested in specific parts of this episode, here are the timestamps of different chapters:
(00:00) Intro
(01:29) Research Background
(07:03) What Are Viruses
(09:13) Are Viruses Alive
(10:39) Viral Makeup
(13:53) Virus Types & Immune Evasion
(20:15) Antivirals
(24:41) Infectiousness, Lethality, Resistance
(40:33) Dormant Viruses
(43:05) Viral Replication & Detection
(54:24) Vaccine History, Types, & Efficacy
(1:11:20) Injected Vs Oral Vaccines
(1:20:53) Outro
4 Feb 2024
#6 - Abraham Jabakhanji, EIT: Why I Decided To Leave Engineering To Pursue Medicine
Abraham Jabakhanji obtained his bachelors degree in Aerospace engineering from Carleton University in 2016 and is an Engineer In training (EIT), which is the step before becoming a fully licensed engineer.
After graduating he worked in companies as an EIT, first in HVAC engineering sales, then in system engineering. While working full time Abraham was also volunteering with a local search and rescue team, then got his certification as a wilderness first responder (WFR). Through this, he found his calling in medicine, and has now switched gears and got back into university to apply to med school.
Music credits:
Risk - StudioKoloma (pixabay)
Scapazzzz - Maxol (soundcloud)
Website:
https://whereknowledgestemsfrom.com/
Follow me on:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFlKm_rjdA4RPyPbRm4eKrQ
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-h-a17325a0?trk=people-guest_people_search-card&originalSubdomain=ca
22 Jan 2024
#5 - Dr. Bill Willmore: Cancer Immortality, Metastasis, Replication, Immune Evasion, & Drug Resistance
Dive into Part 2 with Professor Bill Willmore, where we explore the ‘Hallmarks of Cancer’ through the lens of groundbreaking research from 2000 and its latest updates in 2022. Discover how these insights are shaping the future of oncology, by understanding new methods which allows cancer to spread and rise against conventional therapeutics.
Dr. Willmore's:
Profile (https://carleton.ca/biology/people/bi...)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-w...)
Publications (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...)
Cancer papers discussed:
- Hallmarks of Cancer
(https://www.cell.com/fulltext/S0092-8674(00)81683-9)
- Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation (https://www.cell.com/fulltext/S0092-8674(11)00127-9)
- Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions
(https://aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscovery/article/12/1/31/675608/Hallmarks-of-Cancer-New-DimensionsHallmarks-of)
22 Jan 2024
#4 - Dr. Bill Willmore: Cell Stress & Low Oxygen
In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Bill Willmore from Carleton University’s Department of Biology. We’ll delve into his journey to professorship and his pioneering research in hypoxia. Discover how reactive oxygen species and cell stress impact health, shedding light on potential medical breakthroughs. Professor Willmore’s insights into the challenges and discoveries of studying the body’s response to low oxygen levels aim to shed light on our understanding of the cellular response to stress.
Dr. Willmore's:
Profile (https://carleton.ca/biology/people/bi... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFVlRE9ZdTRtUTJTWXMtTjhPNVB5SXBiR1pHUXxBQ3Jtc0tsX3dpTHpRbVI1elF5VUE4eHhkbzNGcERQYlVNM1NocFZlbGF5dHJHTWdINmRRNnZVaDRLVzE1RE5Xc2t0RjdXQzEzbHlsSjFkUTd4UW9nSHZJdWhoeS1wUGdvQ3AwX281cUxfUTk5RHNvZG5wLWVrRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcarleton.ca%2Fbiology%2Fpeople%2Fbill-willmore%2F&v=dIr4r8hXHTE))
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-w... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEs2UkhWRXlZNU5pMktpT2t4cmxUMGZXY1VvUXxBQ3Jtc0tuMjVwWG9ScmRhOGJIaWkxV2hXck5Ja2N5WFVnZVBOaWhPdkY1NFpOV3JIZ0dieGJLQUhoc0VzcU9Sc0VPd3YxaGZhQnFRdFlIaUxvYWdRcVNDelhJNVowSDlmT0c5dmtXcW9uZ1ZSR2J1NHJPT3hxZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fwilliam-willmore-1a613321%3ForiginalSubdomain%3Dca&v=dIr4r8hXHTE))
Publications (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqay1MdF80RVM0azlfVGREb2dSenk5MnRON3VkZ3xBQ3Jtc0trSF9RVjFoeHpaVy1vREFxY19WNW0zWjNwZG1oS0Y5RXlpU1RGSWc0MzFBa2ZseE52MXlWdUpBSWl6aTF2aXRyUGFYdUh5LWstS1ZyZUJKdi1IQ1ctNVl4UHdWQUNVLUlpaTJDWFNfTURXV3VCQlZabw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fprofile%2FWilliam-Willmore&v=dIr4r8hXHTE))
Check out my website:
https://whereknowledgestemsfrom.com
21 Nov 2023
#3 - Dr. Martha Mullally: Adapting new learning methods for student success
Dr. Martha Mullally is a Professor at Carleton University, teaching Biotech, Microbiology, and plant biology. She has quite the unique approach to teaching. Rather than the traditional method of lecturing where the students listen and the professor speaks, Dr. Mullally aims to provide a more engaging experience by organizing workshops, presentations, and activities that puts the students in groups together to solve specifically designed problems where the goal is to develop their critical thinking. We explore how Dr. Mullally never considered becoming a professor until she did, and all the great work she's done since to help students succeed.
(00:00) Intro
(01:57) Life changing injury
(05:52) Educational background
(11:02) Fast-tracking to a PhD
4 Nov 2023
#2 - Dr. Mathew Hoekstra: A Challenging Journey, Food Waste Solutions, and Innovations in Plastics
Dr. Mathew Hoekstra, a postdoc researcher and research manager at Food Cycle Science, shares his journey from overcoming a life-altering injury to advancing science. We delve into Food Cycle Science's solutions for food waste, including Food Cyclers, and explore innovations in petroleum-based plastic alternatives and enzymatic bioplastic degradation.
Intro/outro track:
https://soundcloud.com/maxsolmusic/scapazzzz?in=maxsolmusic/sets/tto&utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing (https://soundcloud.com/maxsolmusic/scapazzzz?in=maxsolmusic/sets/tto&utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
Dr. Hoekstra's selected paper:
Spectrophotometric-Based Assay to Quantify Relative Enzyme-Mediated Degradation of Commercially Available Bioplastics
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/11/2439# (https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/11/2439#)
(00:00) Intro
(01:57) Life changing injury
(05:52) Educational background
(11:02) Fast-tracking to a PhD
(14:27) Pandemic impact on PhD progress
(16:39) COVID research project
(18:05) Patent on peptide inhibitor
(25:34) How Mitacs grants work
(27:13) Food Cycle Science (FCS)
(29:41) FCS machines reduce food waste
(34:08) Can it kill food born pathogens?
(35:39) What does it produce?
(37:26) Community implementations
(40:09) The recycling problem
(41:33) Bioplastics, history, pros, cons
(47:10) Challenges of degrading bioplastics
(49:56) Using enzymes to catalyze the process
(1:02:08) Wetlab plastic waste
(1:04:13) Food safety advancements
(1:09:30) Final thoughts
(1:11:47) Closing question
4 Nov 2023
#1 - Francois Charih: Unveiling the AI Frontier in Science and Drug Discovery
In this episode, Francois and I discuss the implications of Artificial intelligence in the field of science and drug discovery. We talk about coding fundamentals, languages used in AI training, how machine learning is used in biochemistry for peptide binding predictions, and touch on concerns of AI and machine learning to be cognisant of.
Intro/outro track:
https://soundcloud.com/maxsolmusic/scapazzzz?in=maxsolmusic/sets/tto&utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing (https://soundcloud.com/maxsolmusic/scapazzzz?in=maxsolmusic/sets/tto&utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
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