STEM-Talk

By: Dawn Kernagis and Ken Ford
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • The most interesting people in the world of science and technology
    Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
    Show more Show less
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2
Episodes
  • Episode 173: Anurag Singh on urolithin-A’s ability to optimize mitochondrial efficiency

    Episode 173: Anurag Singh on urolithin-A’s ability to optimize mitochondrial efficiency
    Sep 23 2024
    Our guest today is Dr. Anurag Singh, the chief medical officer at Timeline Nutrition, a Swiss life-science company that focuses on ways to improve mitochondrial and cellular health. Anurag is particularly known for his research into the gut metabolite, urolithin-A, which has been shown to improve muscle strength, protect immune systems and optimize mitochondrial efficiency. Anurag is an MD in internal medicine with a Ph.D. in immunology. He has led more than 50 randomized clinical trials, many of them focusing on urolithin-A over the past decade. In today’s episode we talk to Anurag about his investigations into urolithin-A and the role it plays as a postbiotic that enhances mitochondrial function. Foods that contain the polyphenols needed to produce urolithin-A include pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries and walnuts. Show notes: [00:02:48] Marcas starts the interview by mentioning that Anurag grew up in India, in Lucknow, and asks what Anurag’s childhood was like. [00:03:56] Marcas follows up, asking Anurag what he was like as a kid, given the competitive environment he grew up in. [00:04:47] Ken asks Anurag if it is true that, at an early age, his parents noticed he was gifted in biology and encouraged him to think about pursuing medical school. [00:05:47] Ken asks if Anurag started medical school at only 18 years of age. [00:06:28] Marcas explains that Anurag went to India’s Armed Forces Medical College for training in internal medicine and asks if it is true that this is one of India’s top medical schools. [00:07:07] Marcas explains that it is typical for graduates from the India Armed Forces Medical College to serve a few years in the Indian army after graduation. Marcas asks Anurag to tell the story of how he was able to go to the U.S. post-graduation rather than serving time in the army. [00:08:00] Ken asks if Anurag’s interest in medical research led him to pursue a Ph.D. in immunology. [00:08:56] Ken asks Anurag what his Ph.D. research was on. [00:09:37] Marcas mentions that in 2009, Anurag accepted a position at Nestlé at a time when the company was entering into the space between food and pharma. Marcas asks Anurag how this move came about. [00:11:20] Ken explains that Anurag quickly became medical director at Nestlé and started initiating clinical trials around food and allergies, as well as research on aging and how the immune system declines with age. Ken asks Anurag to explain what his time at Nestle was like. [00:12:53] Marcas mentions how the shift from practicing physician to research scientist is an interesting course and asks Anurag to talk about a mentor who gave him the advice that led to his career shift. [00:13:55] Ken mentions that in 2014 Anurag joined a Swiss company, Amazentis, as chief medical officer, and later became the lead for their medical and clinical research strategies. Ken asks Anurag to talk about the company and the work he does. [00:15:00] Ken asks Anurag to describe the relationship between Amazentis and Timeline. [00:15:42] Marcas asks Anurag to elaborate on his biotech approach to nutrition science, and how hard biology is used in his nutritional approaches at Amazentis. [00:18:02] Marcas asks Anurag to give listeners an overview of the function and importance of mitochondria. [00:19:15] Ken asks Anurag if there are any other benefits to good mitochondrial health, other than an increased energy supply. [00:20:24] Ken asks Anurag to define the terms “mitochondrial biogenesis” and “mitophagy.” [00:22:13] Marcas pivots to discuss age-related frailty and healthspan, specifically bringing up a study Anurag conducted on a Dutch population comparing active seniors to sedentary seniors. [00:25:09] Ken mentions that Marcas likes to refer to exercise as medicine, given its potent effects on a wide variety of biomarkers. Ken asks Anurag to discuss the importance of exercise. [00:26:59] Following up on the Dutch study,
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Episode 172: Kevin Tracey on neuro-immunology and the treatment of inflammatory diseases

    Episode 172: Kevin Tracey on neuro-immunology and the treatment of inflammatory diseases
    Sep 5 2024
    Few people know as much about inflammation and neuroscience as Dr. Kevin Tracey does. In this episode of STEM-Talk, we learn much from Tracey, who was the first to identify the inflammatory reflex, a physiological mechanism that regulates the body’s immune response to injury and invasion. He is a neurosurgeon, a pioneer in bioelectrical medicine and president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y. The conversation in this episode covers a career spent working on “producing tomorrow’s cures today” in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including: How the death of his mother from a brain tumor when Tracey was 5 years old ultimately influenced his scientific journey. How the death of a young patient of his from sepsis further fueled his path, leading him to the insight that “good science begins with hard questions,” as Tracey shared in a TedTalk. The molecular mechanisms of inflammation and the use of vagus nerve stimulation to treat it. His 1987 discovery of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which contributed to a new class of drugs for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Another discovery that allowed him and his colleagues to merge neuroscience and immunology. His work on “The Inflammatory Reflex”, which emphasized the basic neural pathway that reflexively monitors and adjusts the inflammatory response. A sketch he drew while having lunch, which laid out how treating inflammatory diseases using a bioelectronic device might be possible. What advances in bioelectronic medicine he envisions in the next decade, and much more. [00:03:04] Dawn asks Kevin to tell the story of how he developed an interest in science that evolved into him becoming a neurosurgeon. [00:04:56] Dawn mentions that Kevin was a curious youth and asks if it is true that after getting his first car, Kevin removed the entire engine because he wanted to better understand how to do a valve job. [00:06:33] Ken mentions that after Kevin graduated from high school, he enrolled in Boston College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Ken explains that Kevin went to Boston University Medical School for his M.D. and asks Kevin about the transition. [00:08:41] Ken asks if it is true that during Kevin’s first year at medical school his classmates had better luck finding him on the golf course than in the classroom. [00:10:42] Dawn asks Kevin about his transition from medical school to the neurological surgery training program at New York Hospital, home of the Cornell University Medical College. [00:13:11] Dawn pivots to talk about sepsis, which kills more than 350,000 people annually. She asks Kevin to discuss his tragic story of treating a patient with sepsis as a young neurosurgeon and how that changed the trajectory of his career. [00:16:38] Ken explains that since the aforementioned incident, Kevin has focused on determining why septic shock occurs. Ken refers to a Ted Talk of Kevin’s in which he says, “good science begins with hard questions.” Ken asks Kevin to elaborate on this point. [00:20:49] Dawn mentions that Kevin often describes himself as a brain surgeon who is fascinated by inflammation. Dawn asks Kevin how he responds when people ask him what inflammation is. [00:22:29] Ken follows up by explaining that in 1987 Kevin made progress investigating inflammation with his discovery of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which contributed to a new class of drugs for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Ken asks Kevin to discuss this discovery. [00:25:56] Dawn mentions that in the late ‘90s, Kevin made another discovery that allowed him and his colleagues to merge neuroscience and immunology. Before getting into that discovery, Dawn asks Kevin to explain how humans have simple reflex circuits that harmonize the activity of our organs. She also asks him to talk about Charles Sherrington’s Nobel Prize-winning research, which laid the groundwork for contemporary neuroscience by...
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 34 mins
  • Episode 171: Ken and Dawn on AI, Alzheimer’s, global security, keto vs low carb and more

    Episode 171: Ken and Dawn on AI, Alzheimer’s, global security, keto vs low carb and more
    Aug 8 2024
    In today’s Ask Me Anything episode, Ken and Dawn answer a wide range of questions that cover: A recent FDA approval of a neural implant device for people with degenerative neuromuscular disease or spinal-cord injuries. Global security in the age of AI. A study that looked at ways to optimize glymphatic clearance for people with acute or chronic sleep deprivation. Why more gyms don’t offer blood-flow restriction classes for their clients. Developments in the realm of Generative AI. The tradeoffs between a low-carb diet versus a ketogenic diet. A study on Alzheimer’s titled, “APOE 4 Homozygosity Represents a Distinct Genetic Form of Alzheimer’s Disease.” Plus, Ken reveals his favorite science-fiction author. [00:02:38] Dawn opens the episode with a question for Ken about the FDA’s recent approval of a neural implant device which is touted as a means of allowing people with degenerative neuromuscular disease, or spinal-cord injuries, to interface with external technology via neural signals. The listener asks Ken for his insights into what is being called “brain-computer interface technologies.” [00:05:44] A listener asks Ken if he has a favorite science-fiction writer, or if there is a particular sci-fi series/story that really moves him. [00:08:48] Multiple listeners ask Ken about a paper recently published titled: “APOE 4 Homozygosity Represents a Distinct Genetic Form of Alzheimer’s Disease.” Listeners ask if it is true that people with two copies of APOE4 allele are certain to develop the disease. [00:19:30] A listener asks Ken about his time on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. The commission issued its report five years ago with specific recommendations on how the government should prepare for and defend against the national security implications of AI. Ken shares his thoughts on the implementation of the commission’s recommendations. [00:21:16] A listener asks Dawn about her collaboration with Dr. Jeff Iliff that looked at a potential approach to optimizing glymphatic clearance for people with acute or chronic sleep deprivation. [00:27:10] A listener asks Ken why more gyms and physical therapy centers don’t have blood flow restriction devices (BFR) available for their clientele, given that studies have shown that BFR improves strength and muscle mass in both young and older adults. (Two STEM-Talk episodes that cover blood-flow restriction include episode 34 and episode 161. [00:28:38] A listener asks Ken for his thoughts on AI given the recent developments in the field, particularly in the realm of Generative AI, with programs like Chat GPT becoming a household name. The listener mentions that one of their friends thinks that AI is about to peak, and another says that AI is just getting warmed up. [00:37:00] A listener writes that they are astounded at how many disorders can be treated with a ketogenic diet and mentions that they themselves have difficulty with a ketogenic diet. Instead, the listener eats low-carb diet and asks if the benefits of a low-carb, non-ketogenic diet are similar to a ketogenic one. [00:38:19] A listener asks if Ken could talk about carotid scans and if this is a test that those with high LDL should consider getting. [00:40:17] A 72-year-old listener explains how they structure their daily exercise routine between resistance and endurance training. The listener asks Ken whether they should focus more on resistance training as they are beginning to lose strength, and if so, how they should implement that given their age and the increasing risk for injury. [00:45:51] To wrap up this episode, a listener asks Ken if he has any new annoyance that he would like to share, as he did in 2022, when he noted his disdain for the phrase “new normal” and the prevalence of cellphone addiction. Links: Learn more about IHMC STEM-Talk homepage Ken Ford bio Ken Ford Wikipedia page Dawn Kernagis bio
    Show more Show less
    49 mins
Alternative & Complementary Medicine Natural History Hygiene & Healthy Living
Show more Show less

What listeners say about STEM-Talk

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com reviews

Amazon reviews
No Reviews are Available