Genetics Unzipped
The Genetics Society
From Mendel's peas to personal genome sequencing, Genetics Unzipped brings you stories from the world of genes, genomes and DNA. In association with The Genetics Society.
S6.27: Next Generation Sequence: Forging new paths in genetics
Please fill out our listener survey at geneticsunzipped.com/survey before January 31stThis episode is all about the next generation, as we meet three up-and-coming scientists who have been supported by the Genetics Society, and learn all about Bermuda skinks, the Black Death and life after a genetics PhD.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally L
S6.26: The battle for biology: How Mendel came to rule the world
Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyIn this episode, we talk to Greg Radick from the University of Leeds to explore the impact that Gregor Mendel and his populariser William Bateson have had on the past century of genetics, and ask whether there could have been a more Weldonian view of the world.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @G
S6.25: 2023 Unzipped
Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyAs 2023 draws to a close, we’re bringing you a smorgasbord of previously unaired clips from some of our favourite interviews this year.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page & Kat Arney with audio
S6.24: Genes, junk and the ‘dark genome’
Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyWe discover how 500,000 whole genome from UK Biobank will help medical research, plumb the depths of the ‘dark genome’ with Nucleome, and Larry Moran tells us how much of our DNA is just junk.Please fill out our short listener survey hereFull show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episod
S6.23: 40 years of HIV: the disease that broke the rules
Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyWith 2023 marking 40 years since the discovery of HIV, we're looking back over four decades of AIDS, from the earliest whispers of a mysterious new disease to fighting back against this deadly virus.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, pre
S6.22: Dumb luck: Amazing adaptations from happy little accidents
Author and science journalist Rebecca Coffey chats with us about some amazing adaptations and Darwinian delights from her book, Beyond Primates. She tells us about wasp facial recognition genes, how yeast epigenetics explain the Dutch Hunger Winter and a dinner party tale of spider cannibalism.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page with
S6.21: Time of your life: how circadian rhythms shape the world
In this episode we’re clocking in to chat about the genetics of circadian rhythms. How can molecules tell the time, why don’t we have drugs for jet lag yet and could a midnight snack stop malaria in its tracks?Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page with audio production by Emma Werner.This podcast is created by First Create the Media fo
S6.20: That’s so extra: Exploring the weird world of extrachromosomal DNA
We explore the weird and wonderful world of extrachromosomal DNA - what it is, what it does, and why it breaks the normal rules of inheritance.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented and produced by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedica
S6.19: Food for the future: Helping plants adapt to a changing world
We’re finding out how plants adapt to a changing environment, and how we might be able to give them a helping hand so that we can keep feeding the world sustainably in the future. Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented and produced by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the
BONUS Hormones: The Inside Story - Is my diabetes my fault?
In this bonus episode, we’re bringing you the third instalment of Hormones: The Inside Story, Season 3. This podcast is produced for the Society for Endocrinology by the same team behind Genetics Unzipped. Find it on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.In this episode, Dr Sally Le Page investigates the role of genetics, ethnicity and maternal environment on type 2 diabetes, with our guests Dr Inês Cebola, Dr Shivani Misra and Dr Lorna Smith.This week, we investigat
S6.18: An Evolutionary Revolutionary: Alfred Russel Wallace and the discovery of natural selection
We’re exploring the epic life of Alfred Russel Wallace; adventurer, naturalist and co-discoverer of natural selection. Biologist and author, Jim Costa, recounts the life of this often forgotten founding father of evolution.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Ge
S6.17: Vax to the future: The science of DNA and RNA vaccines
We look at the science behind DNA and RNA vaccines - How do they work? What can they do? And how can they be made at scale so that more people around the world can benefit from them? With John Tregoning from Imperial College London, Christian Ottensmeier from the University of Liverpool, and Lisa Caproni from Touchlight.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by K
S6.16 Double helix double crossing? What really happened between Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick?
Kat Arney chats with Professor Matthew Cobb about what really happened between James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin during the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Soc
S6.15: Cordelia Langford: Making Big Science Happen
We’re going behind the scenes at the Sanger Institute with Cordelia Langford, Director of Scientific Operations, to find out what it takes to make Big Science happen, and hear the stories behind the sequencing.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Med
S6.14: Tracking COVID and tackling obesity: Meet this year’s Genetics Society award winners
We’re chatting with two of this year’s Genetics Society award winners - Cecilia Lindgren, who’s an expert on the genetics of obesity and metabolic disorders, and Lucy van Dorp, who has spent the past three years tracing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 around the world.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le P
S6.13: Kings, car parks and consent: should we sequence DNA from human remains?
We’re venturing into ancient territory and archaeological digs, excavating the complex ethics of extracting and sequencing DNA from human remains. We chat to Prof. Turi King about her role uncovering the body King Richard III and who decides which research gets done.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is
S6.12: Da Vinci’s DNA: What happens when genetics meets art
We’re taking a journey into the world of art and artefacts, unearthing the genetic secrets of long-dead legends like Da Vinci, Van Gogh and Beethoven.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned soci
S6.11: Meet the DNA Detectives hunting the causes of cancer
We’re chasing down the perpetrator of a scientific Whodunnit, joining the DNA detectives on the hunt for the causes of cancer.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to promo
S6.10: Space invaders: The amazing adaptations of tardigrades
In this episode we’re going microscopic, exploring what tiny tardigrades can teach us about desiccation, vaccine delivery … and even space travel!Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to promoting r
S6.09: Raiders of Noah’s Ark: Stealing genetic tricks from the animal kingdom
In this episode we’re becoming chromosomal criminals and learning about how researchers are stealing genes from the animal kingdom and using them to improve human health. From 13-lined ground squirrels teaching us how to recover from heart attacks, to bowhead whales showing us how to avoid cancer, there’s a lot geneticists can learn from Mother Nature.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzippe
BONUS Re-release S3.22 - The Past, Present and Future of the Human Genome Project
To celebrate DNA Day, we are rereleasing an episode from series 3, called The Past, Present, and Future of the Human Genome Project, when Kat interviewed the director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute, Dr Eric Green about his work on the Human Genome Project from its very inception. Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of t
S6.08: Pop goes the genome! Genetics in popular culture
We take a leftfield look at public communication of genetics, exploring how the science of DNA turns up in popular culture from comics and music to cakes, with Great British Bake Off winner Syabira Yusoff.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media fo
S6.07: Chris Hemsworth took a genetic test for Alzheimer's. Should you?
We’re discussing Chris Hemsworth’s recent Alzheimer's risk findings and the pros and cons of direct-to-consumer DNA testing with genetic counsellor and host of the podcast DNA Today, Kira Dineen.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the
S6.06: Bye-bye boys: The genetics behind the extinction of males
We’re saying bye-bye to the boys, and exploring whether new gene technologies and climate change will make males extinct.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to promoting research, training, teachi
S6.05: GMO or GM NO? The ethics and realities of genome editing
We're exploring the ethics and regulations of genome editing. What is allowed? What shouldn't be? And who should get to decide? Plus we explore a new exhibit on the topic that lets the public have their say.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society -
S6.04: The diagnostic odyssey: A journey into genetic testing for rare diseases
We’re off on a journey to the world of rare genetic disorders, exploring the diagnostic odyssey that patients go on in search of answers, research into variants of unknown significance and new approaches for treating the rare disease Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome (AGS)Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally
S6.03: Confident, competent or confused: What do you think you know about genetics?
How much do you know about genetics? In this episode we’re sharing the results of a large survey asking the UK public what their opinions are, what they know, or more importantly, what they think they know about genetics and what that means for society.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Sally Le Page with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.T
S6.02: Would you Adam and Eve it? In search of our earliest genetic ancestors
We’re going back to the very genesis of our species in search of the genetic Adam and Eve. Who were they? When and where did they live? Were there really just two of them? And how should we really be referring to these ancient ancestors anyway?Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This podcast i
S6.01 Baby brain, baby body: the genetics (and epigenetics) of reproduction
We’re going back to the womb to explore the genetics of how to make babies - from finding out how birthweight is linked to the risk of diabetes to investigating the multifaceted role of the hormone prolactin in pregnancy and the role of epigenetics in the placenta.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally L
S525: 2022 Unzipped
Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to promoting research, training, teaching and public engagement in all areas of genetics.
S5.24: Bats, boats and buried bodies: the hidden power of environmental DNA
In this episode we’re testing the air for tigers and digging up dead bodies as we explore the exciting new field of environmental DNA. Dr Sally Le Page chats with Prof. Elizabeth Clare about sampling the DNA of rare species from the air, and Dr Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser and Charles Konsitzke tells us about their project using eDNA to recover the missing bodies of fallen service personnel.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzip
Living with the Eugenic Past: Michele Goodwin
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has changed its name to the Adelphi Genetics Forum to firmly reject and distance itself from the discredited and damaging ideas of its namesake, Fra
Living with the Eugenic Past: Joe Cain
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has changed its name to the Adelphi Genetics Forum to firmly reject and distance itself from the discredited and damaging ideas of its namesake, Fra
Living with the Eugenic Past: Anneke Lucassen
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has changed its name to the Adelphi Genetics Forum to firmly reject and distance itself from the discredited and damaging ideas of its namesake, Fra
Living with the Eugenic Past: Brian Donovan
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has changed its name to the Adelphi Genetics Forum to firmly reject and distance itself from the discredited and damaging ideas of its namesake, Fra
Living with the Eugenic Past: Adam Rutherford
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has changed its name to the Adelphi Genetics Forum to firmly reject and distance itself from the discredited and damaging ideas of its namesake, Fra
Living with the Eugenic Past: Elaine Riddick
CONTENT NOTE: This interview includes discussion of rape, forced sterilisation and first-hand experience of state-sanctioned eugenic policies.This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has ch
Living with the Eugenic Past: Turi King
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly known as the Galton Institute, and before that, the Eugenics Education Society, the society has changed its name to the Adelphi Genetics Forum to firmly reject and distance itself from the discredited and damaging ideas of its namesake, Fra
S5.23: Birds and bees… and sardines: the genetics of animal behaviour
In this episode we’re taking a look at the birds and the bees - not like that! - from the unusual migratory habits of European blackcaps and the ‘greatest shoal on earth’ to the division of labour in a beehive, we’ll be exploring the role that genetics plays in shaping animal behaviours.Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by
S5.22 Little Shop of Genetic Horrors: the evolution of carnivorous plants
There’s something unnatural about carnivorous plants. We’re so used to plants being at the bottom of the food chain, that to see them trapping, killing and eating animals seems to go against the laws of nature. But of course, carnivory in plants is very real and has evolved multiple times in response to a lack of nutrients. In this episode we’re looking at how carnivorous plants work, what lives inside the digestive juices, and even a future with carnivorous crops.Full show notes, transcript and
S5.21 Past to present: Searching for evolutionary stories in ancient DNA
We’re exploring what we can discover about our evolution from our DNA, and what evolutionary secrets might be contained in the ancient DNA of our ancestors. Kat Arney looks at why this year’s Nobel Prize awarded for the genomics of ancient humans, how genetic mutations allow Tibetans and their dogs to survive in high altitudes, and dispelling the myth about why many adults can drink milk.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Tw
BONUS! Big Biology: food for thought - plant domestication and the promise of green super rice
It’s a special bonus episode this week, as we wanted to showcase another podcast we think you’ll like, Big Biology, and featuring their discussion about the domestication and genetic modification of rice.If you’re enjoying it, you can find more about them at bigbiology.org and on Twitter @Big_Biology
S5.20 Bread and fishes: the future of food in a changing climate
In this episode we’re looking at the future of food. With climate change making crop harvests more unpredictable and fresh water becoming a more scarce resource, what are geneticists doing to make sure we will still have food on our plates? Dr Kat Arney chats with Dr Hannah Rees about giving wheat jet lag to create a more reliable crop, and Dr Sally Le Page talks to Dr Tarang Mehta about breeding genetically improved tilapia for fish farming.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and referen
S5.19 Let there be light: the origins of photosynthesis
We’re turning the lights on, looking back at the origins of photosynthesis and the mysteries of the chloroplast genome. From The King James Bible to The Great Oxygen Catastrophe, every lungful of air you breathe has a remarkable story.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Emma Werner and Sally Le Page.This pod
S5.18 The Genesis Machine
We’re exploring the frontiers of genetic engineering and synthetic biology with Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel, authors of the new book The Genesis Machine - taking a look at what’s possible now, what’s coming fast in the future, and what we as individuals and wider society should do about it.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with aud
S5.17 Genetics of Society: How to be a queen bee
As we always say, this is the podcast from the Genetics Society, but that’s more true than ever as today we’re looking at the genetics of societies. How can you find your place within a rigid social structure, and is it possible to rise up the ranks and become queen?Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page.This podcast is p
S5.16 Hap-pea 200th birthday, Mendel!
We celebrate the 200th birthday of Gregor Mendel and learn about the latest genetics research that would have blown his mind.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicat
S5.15 Does size matter when it comes to your genes?
In this episode we’re discovering whether size really does matter - when it comes to your genes and genome, that is. Dr Kat Arney gets to grips with why the human genome has so few genes, why some species have more junk DNA than others, and whether you should avoid eating anything with more genes than you.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by K
S5.14 Genes, brains and the mind: How much of your personality is encoded in your DNA?
In this episode we’re exploring genes, brains and the mind, as we ask how much of our personality is innate, and whether anything we do as adults can change who we fundamentally are. Presenter, Dr Sally Le Page, sits down with Kevin Mitchell, an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and author of the book Innate: How the wiring of our brains shapes who we are.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow
S5.13 Genetics at your fingertips: stories from the science of identity
We’re looking at the stories at your fingertips. Dr Sally Le Page uncovers how excrement espionage could bring down a superpower, and unearths a 100 year old family secret. But it’s not just genetic fingerprinting we’re interested in. We also grasp the genetics of fingerprints, and what they tell us about our early life in the womb.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was
S5.12 In the blood: using circulating DNA to detect and monitor cancer
We’re taking a closer look at the red stuff, finding out what a few millilitres of blood can reveal about the development, progression and treatment of cancer within the body. Rather than painful surgical biopsies, expensive scans or complicated screening tests, what if we could simply take a small tube of blood and discover a wealth of information, such as whether or not you have cancer in your body, where it started, how to treat it, and whether that treatment is actually working? Presenter Dr
*Repost* Strands of life
Our next episode has been held up, so we're taking the opportunity to look back at our series exploring 100 ideas in genetics. This episode was one of Kat's favourites, where she explores the discovery of chromosomes - the strands of genetic material within every living cell. Take a look at Lyonisation, and solve the case of the missing chromosomes.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned
S5.11 When should you eat your relatives?
In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, presenter Dr Sally Le Page explores the gruesome side of family life in the natural world, getting stuck into a spot of cannibalism and asking: “When exactly should you eat your relatives?”Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the
S5.10 Squid Game: the strange science of cephalopods
We're exploring the genetic secrets of squid. Dr Sally Le Page chats with Dr Sarah McAnulty to find out what has made squid so difficult to genetically manipulate and how they do unusual things with their RNA. We then sit down with Professor Jamie Foster who has been sending glow-in-the-dark squid into space to find out more about our microbiome.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetic
S5.09 Nature, Nurture and 'The Wobble'
Presenter Dr Kat Arney explores the importance of randomness in genetics. How can we explain differences between individuals with identical nature and nurture? We look at how Ben Lehner’s worm-breaking research has changed our understanding of epigenetics.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Sally Le Page.Thi
S5.08 Have a heart: the science of xenotransplantation
In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, Dr Sally Le Page is delving into the seemingly science fiction world of xenotransplantation, that is, taking organs from animals and using them as organ transplants for humans. We chat with cardiologist Rohin Francis about the groundbreaking operation this year transplanting a genetically modified pig heart into a human, and we chat with Professor Angelika Schneike about how we can avoid getting more than we bargained for from pigs.Full show notes, transcrip
S5.07 Face to face: The viruses that made us human
In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, Dr Kat Arney is looking at the monkey in the mirror, investigating how flipped genetic switches and long-dead viruses make all the difference between our human faces and those of our closest primate relatives.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Sally Le Page.This podcast
S5.06 Introducing exosomes: exciting ideas for biological mailbags
We’re unpacking the science behind exosomes: one of the hottest new areas of research for both diagnosing and treating diseases.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page with Kat Arney.This podcast is created by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to su
S5.05 Sex and the Single Cell
In this week’s episode of the Genetics Unzipped podcast, we’re exploring groundbreaking discoveries about the secret sex lives of cancer cells, and what it means for our understanding of tumour growth, evolution and treatment. Dr Kat Arney tells the story of how we discovered cancer cells were having sex, plus we look into why female tumours and male tumours act so differently.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @Gene
S5.04 Genetics of the Americas: from migration to the modern day
In this week’s episode of the Genetics Unzipped podcast, we’re looking at a genetic history of the Americas. Professor Jennifer Raff discusses her new book, Origins: A Genetic History of the Americas, telling the story of how humans first populated the American continents.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped was written, presented and produced by Sally Le Page.This podcas
S5.03 On Growth and Form: The extraordinary life and work of D'Arcy Thompson
We’re exploring the life and work of D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson - one of the first scientists to bring together the worlds of mathematics and biology in the quest to understand how living things are built.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Sally Le Page.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society -
S5.02 Breeding better humans: Exposing the dark legacy and troubling present of eugenics
We sit down with geneticist and author Adam Rutherford for a chat about his new book, Control, which explores the horrific legacy of eugenics and its present-day manifestations.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at Genetics UnzippedFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned soc
S5.01 How the zebra got its stripes: When maths and molecules collide
We find out how one of the world’s greatest minds, Alan Turing, revealed the maths behind the stripes on a zebra to the spots on a leopard, and even the pattern of bones in your own body.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the old
S4.26 *Repost* Sex and death
In this reposted episode from August 2019, we’re telling tales of the genetics of sex and death, from the evolutionary origins of sex to Francis Galton's dark eugenic fantasies.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned
S4.25 Best of 2021
We’re bringing you our favourite bits from 2021, from the history of mRNA to canine superheroes, brilliant bats to the world’s most adventurous palaeontologist. Enjoy!Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societie
S4.24 The Natural Lottery: How our genes shape our lives
We’re chatting with Professor Paige Harden from the University of Texas about her new book, The Genetic Lottery, how genetic variations might affect our chances in life, and what - if anything - we should do with this information.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Medi
S4.23 A menagerie of malignancy: Cancer across the animal kingdom
We’re taking a trip to the zoo, to find out how studying tumours across the animal kingdom in species like elephants and naked mole rats can reveal insights into cancer in our own species.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the ol
Bonus: Hormones: The Inside Story - Will taking hormones make me taller?
Introducing the second series of Hormones: The Inside Story - the podcast from the Society for Endocrinology, produced by the team behind Genetics Unzipped. Find it on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Ever had a moment at a crowded gig or in a cramped airplane seat when you wished you could change your height? Georgia Mills investigates how hormones affect our height destinies, and what they have to do with the legend of the Irish giants. Featuring Professor J
S4.22 Wired for sound: The genetics of music
If you like science podcasts, check out the latest series of Hormones: The Inside Story, from the team behind Genetics Unzipped. We’re busting myths and misconceptions about the complex world of hormones, and exploring everything from how hormones impact our height to whether they hold the key to defying aging. Find Hormones: The Inside Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts. We’re getting in harmony with the science of music. Is there a music gene? Does mus
S4.21 Rarities and Oddities: the strangest genetics stories of 2021
We’re squelching through Californian mud, swimming with platypuses, bearing witness to daylight robbery and even finding time to catch an episode of Star Trek as we look back on the strangest genetics stories of 2021.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall and additional research and scripting by Emily Nordvang.This po
S4.20 Baby boom: The surprising science of the placenta
We’re exploring the science behind one of the most remarkable but often overlooked organs in the mammalian body - the placenta - and its role in maternal mental health.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com.Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societi
S4.19 Reading the book of life: A brief history of DNA sequencing
We’re taking a look at how we learned to read the book of life, from the earliest days of DNA sequencing to the very latest futuristic technologies.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall with additional research and scripting by Emily Nordvang.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society
S4.18 Meet the Robinson Crusoe Islanders: the genetic roots of speech and language development
Dianne Newbury discusses the story of the Robinson Crusoe islanders and what their genes can teach us about speech and language development.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to s
S4.17 Back to the beginning: Exploring the origins of life
We discover the origins of DNA, find out where genes come from, and explore what’s next for the genetic code with Hachimoji XNA.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall with additional research and scripting by Emily Nordvang.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest
S4.16 Direwolves and Denisovans: Uncovering the stories in ancient DNA
We delve back into the past discover the stories of Denisovans and direwolves that researchers are now able to read in ancient DNA left in bones and cave dirt.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the
S4.15 Catching cancer: A story of devils, dogs and cannibal hamsters
We tell the story of transmissible tumours, looking at the history of contagious cancers in dogs, devils, clams and cannibal hamsters. Plus, the man who caught cancer from his tapeworm.Full show notes, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned soc
S4.14 Genes for all: Making sure everyone benefits from genetics research
We’re meeting some of the researchers who are working to make sure that everyone gets the benefits of genetic research - from underserved, indigenous and tribal communities to entire continents.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of
S4.13 Six toed cats and cyclops lambs: The story of Sonic Hedgehog
From six-toed cats to cyclops lambs, Kat Arney and Professor Bob Hill from the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh explore the fascinating story and science behind the Sonic Hedgehog gene. Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for th
S4.12 Why me? Searching for genetic susceptibility to chronic fatigue syndrome and pain
We discover how researchers are using genetics to understand more about what’s going on in long-term debilitating conditions including myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and chronic pain.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Geneti
S4.11 From genes to drugs to bugs: How genetic engineering is used to make medicines
We discover how researchers have used genetic engineering to create lifesaving drugs such as insulin and monoclonal antibodies that are used to treat autoimmune conditions, cancer and infectious diseases like COVID-19.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall with additional research and scripting by Emily Nordvang.This
S4.10 Creatures of the night: the genetics of bats
We’re taking to the night skies with a closer look at the genetics of bats and what they can tell us about evolution, longevity and susceptibility to infections like coronaviruses.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. With additional reporting by Georgia Mills.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for t
S4.09 Genes and giants - the science of big and small
Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. With additional research and scripting by Henry Nicholls.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genetics.
S4.08 Making better medicines: unlocking the promise of genomics for drug discovery
We find out how researchers are unlocking the information hidden within the human genome using new technologies like CRISPR gene editing and artificial intelligence to develop better drugs and get them faster to patients.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the
S4.07 A brief history of CRISPR: how we learned to edit the genome
We take a look at the history of gene editing, from the early days of restriction enzymes in the 1960s through to the CRISPR revolution and the very latest base editing techniques.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. With additional research and scripting by Emily Nordvang.This podcast is produced by First Create t
Suffrage Science: Dr Tamsin Edwards
An interview with climate scientist Dr Tamsin Edwards from the Suffrage Science podcast: How women are changing science, from the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences Suffrage Science scheme.Subscribe to the Suffrage Science podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts to get the rest. Find out more about the Suffrage Science scheme at suffragescience.org and get full transcripts from suffragescience.org/podcast.
S4.06: Giving nature a helping hand: how humans are shaping species
We take a look at how humans have shaped animal species all over the world with author Helen Pilcher. Alex Ball from the Wild Genes project explains how genetics helps conservation, and we meet Bill Ritchie, the man who cloned Dolly the Sheep.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Cre
S4.05: How to be a superhero: the hidden powers within your genes
We’re exploring the idea of genetic superheroes, and why you might have hidden health powers within your genes. Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting th
S4.04 - Dogology: The genetics of our four-legged friends
Is there a gene for being a Very Good Dog or having a boopable snoot? And how do you turn a fearsome wolf into a pug in a party hat?Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall and additional research and reporting by Georgia MillsThis podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest
S4.03 - A dominant character: The life of JBS Haldane
Kat Arney and Samanth Subramanian look at the extraordinary life of JBS Haldane, whose work, writing and political leanings made him one of the most interesting characters of 20th century genetics. Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one o
S4.02 - 100 not out? Genes and ageing
Andrew Steele, author of Ageless, and researcher Raheleh Rahbari talk about the genetic changes that underpin ageing, and how we can use this knowledge to live longer, healthier lives. Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest
Genes and vaccines
In this episode we’re taking a look at the story behind the development of mRNA vaccines, and how they’ve been pressed into service at breakneck speed to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest
S4.01 Genes and Vaccines: Where mRNA COVID-19 vaccines came from and how they work
We take a look at the history of mRNA, and the story behind the development of mRNA vaccines and how they’ve been pressed into service at breakneck speed to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the olde
S3.28 *Repost* Chimps, cancer genes and missing kids: An interview with Mary-Claire King
In this reposted episode from March 2019, we bring you a very special interview with Mary-Claire King - one of the world’s leading geneticists, whose work has spanned everything from comparing chimps and humans to finding the first breast cancer gene to reuniting families that have been torn apart.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production
S3.27 *Repost* Not just the wife
We’re reposting some of our favourite episodes over the holiday period. In this episode from March 2019, we told the often-overlooked stories of four women who helped to shape the science of life: Esther Lederberg, Harriet Creighton, Tsuneko Okazaki and Martha Chase.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall and additional
Genetics Shambles 12: 9 Lessons and Carols for Socially Distanced People
AudioEDITREMOVEThe last episode of Genetics Shambles comes from the Cosmic Shambles 25-hour marathon event, 9 Lessons and Carols for Socially Distanced People, broadcast live on Saturday 12th through to Sunday 13th December 2020. Shambler-In-Chief Robin Ince chats with geneticist Emma Hodcroft, medical doctor Kevin Fong and immunology expert Dan Davis about what we’ve learned over the past year about COVID-19, vaccines and the way ahead. To view previous episodes in the Genetics Shambles series
S3.26 *Repost* When 'Becky' met Bateson: Edith Rebecca Saunders, the mother of British plant genetics
Repost from October 2019. The history of genetics has a few famous partnerships - such as James Watson and Francis Crick or Francois Jacob and Jacques Monod. But there’s one pair without whom this podcast wouldn’t exist at all, and that’s Edith Rebecca Saunders and William Bateson, who founded The Genetics Society one hundred years ago. But while Bateson tends to get the glory, particularly for his popularisation of Gregor Mendel’s ideas about heredity, much less is heard about Saunders - the ‘m
S3.25 *Repost* Uprooting the tree of life: Darwin, DNA and de-extinction
Repost from November 2019 We’re uprooting the tree of life - asking whether we should believe our eyes or our sequencing machines when it comes to deciding what makes a species. Plus, the greatest comebacks of all time - we look at the science of de-extinction and find out whether Jurassic Park could ever become a reality.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com [UPDATE LINK to URL for latest episode]Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unz
Are my hormones making me fat? Hormones: The Inside Story
We bring you a sneak peek of a new science podcast that you might also enjoy, brought to you by the Society for Endocrinology and produced by First Create the Media - the team behind Genetics Unzipped. Presented by Georgia Mills, Hormones: The Inside Story uncovers the truth about how hormones affect stress, sleep, body fat, fertility and almost every aspect of our daily lives and health in this new, expert-led, myth-busting show. Available now on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotif
Genetics Shambles 11: In conversation with Prof Steve Jones
Robin Ince sits down for a chat with Steve Jones, Emeritus Professor of Human Genetics at UCL. Steve is one of the foremost and most popular science writers on the subject of evolution and genetics and is also a world-leading expert on snails.To view previous episodes in the Genetics Shambles series head to Cosmicshambles.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzip
S3.24 Best bits of 2020
We look back over our favourite bits from the podcast over the year, from dark family secrets revealed by genetic testing to the secret scientific history of bird poop.Jack Nunn - hidden family secrets revealed Listen to the full episode The bird poop boom Listen to the full episodeEwen’s angry birds Listen to the full episodeDarwin’s finches Listen to the full episodeSarah Tishkoff Listen to the full episodeFull show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzippe
Genetics Shambles 10: In conversation with Prof Aoife McLysaght
Robin Ince sits down for a chat with Aoife McLysaght, Professor in the Molecular Evolution Laboratory of the Smurfit Institute of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College and one of the 2018 Royal Institution Christmas Lecturers.This series of Genetics Shambles is presented in association with The Genetics Society and The Milner Centre for Evolution. Find out more at CosmicShambles.com.To view previous episodes in the Genetics Shambles series head to Cosmicshambles.comFollow us on Twitter
S3.23 Heat, Stick, Duplicate, Repeat: The Story Of The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Anyone who has worked with DNA in the laboratory is undoubtedly familiar with the polymerase chain reaction - PCR, as it’s usually known.Invented in 1985, PCR is an indispensable molecular biology tool that can replicate any stretch of DNA, copying it billions of times in a matter of hours, providing enough DNA to use in sequencing or further research, or for applications like forensics, genetic testing, ancient DNA analysis or medical diagnostics.It’s hard to overstate the transformation that P
Genetics Shambles 9: The ethics of genetics
Whenever the topic of genetics is mentioned this is always a question of ethics not far behind. Whether that is in Stem Cell research, genetic modification or even basic healthcare.In this show Robin chats to two experts in the field. Dr Sarah Chan is Chancellor’s Fellow in Ethics and Science Communicator in The Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh. Professor Anna Middleton leads the Society and Ethics Research Group in Connecting Science. She is also Professor/Affiliate Lecturer at Fa
S3.22 The Past, Present and Future of the Human Genome Project
Thirty years ago this month saw the birth of one of the most audacious research programmes in biology: The Human Genome Project, an ambitious plan to read the DNA sequence of the entire human genome. Ten years later, in June 2000 - after billions of dollars, countless hours of DNA sequencing, and a huge amount of effort from an international collaboration from 20 institutions in six countries - the first draft of the Human Genome was unveiled.Dr Eric Green has seen the Human Genome Project throu
Genetics Shambles 8: New genetic technologies
Genetic technologies are improving all the time. Not just in sequencing, but in ways that improve our lives. From better crops to curing diseases. And, by pure chance, just hours before we went live with this show it was announced that Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna had won the 2020 Nobel Prize for chemistry for their work with CRISPR and the technology of genome editing.Robin Ince chats to two experts in the field. Professor Alison Bentley leads the National Institute of Agricultura
S321 From Philadelphia to Baltimore: Tales of Chromosomes, Cancer Cells and Henrietta Lacks
In this episode we’re taking a road trip from Philadelphia to Baltimore, exploring stories of chromosomal cut-and-paste, cancer cures and Henrietta Lacks’ incredible cancer cells.Studying human cells in the lab allows us to understand more about how they work, investigate the causes of disease, and design new treatments. But growing cells in the lab isn’t as easy as you might think. We explore the story of how Henrietta Lacks’s immortal cells (known today as HeLa cells) became the go-to human ce
Genetics Shambles 7: COVID expert panel 3
Every couple of months we gather a new panel of experts for a Q&A on where things are at with our current understanding of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With so much misinformation out there it’s important that you, the public and viewers, get a change to ask a panel of experts directly and unfiltered.For this, volume 3 of our COVID-19 Q&As Robin is joined by three experts. Dr Emma Hodcroft is a researcher at the University of Basel in Switzerland working on sequencing and builds of SAR
S3.20 The Future of Cancer: How Genomics is Transforming Research and Treatment for All
In this episode, sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific, we’re taking a look at how genomic technologies are transforming cancer care - now and in the future, and the importance of making sure that these advances are available to all.With:- Greg Simon, past president of the Biden Cancer Initiative and former executive director of the White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force.- Jim Downing - president and CEO of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital- Dr Marianne Grantham, Head of Cytogenetics and Mole
Genetics Shambles 6: Dealing with pathogens
Bacteria are all around us, and inside us. Some of these of these are fine, even good, but others are pathogens and cause disease. How do they evolve and how are we learning to cope with them through new research. And are we in danger of a new age of antibiotic resistance?Robin Ince is joined by three experts in the field. Dr Siouxsie Wiles is a microbiologist specialising in infectious diseases at the University of Auckland and has been one of the most prominent public faces of New Zealand’s wo
S3.19 Making Babies and Getting Organised: Celebrating Hilde Mangold and Salome Gluecksohn-Waelsch
In this episode we’re going back to the very beginning, telling the stories of the midwives of the field of developmental genetics, two talented researchers whose work helped to reveal the secrets of life in its very earliest stages: Hilde Mangold and Salome Gluecksohn-Waelsch.The tale of developmental genetics is a thrilling one, with everything you need for a good story. There’s politics, drama, upheaval, prejudice, and even a suspicious death. So hold on tight, this is a good one.Full show no
Genetics Shambles 5: The evolution of cancer
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in humans globally. But the catch all term of ‘cancer’ is often misunderstood. So what exactly is this cell disease that impacts so many of our lives? How long has it been around? How does it spread? What is our current understanding of its evolution and genetics? And the big question many of us have, where are we at with our fight against it?Robin Ince is joined by three experts in the field. Dr Kat Arney is a writer and presenter and former spokesper
S3.18 Rare, Well Done: Progress and challenges in rare genetic disorders
We take a look at the progress that’s been made in tackling rare genetic disorders (and the challenges that remain) and we hear from a prenatal genetic counsellor about how new tests are helping people carrying genetic variations make decisions about starting a family.With Dr Ron Jortner (founder and CEO of Masthead Biosciences and trustee of the Cambridge Rare Disease Network) and Genetic counsellor Kira Dineen.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped
Genetics Shambles 4: The sequence of everything
Over the first four episodes of this series we’ve looked at COVID-19, historic epidemics, human evolution and the human genome and in each episode we’ve invariably talked about ‘sequencing’. Sequencing genomes and DNA of living things. So we thought it time to discuss the very act of sequencing itself. What is it, how do we do it, why do we do it and how can we get better at as technology improves.Robin Ince is joined by three experts in the field. Professor Jay Shendure is a human geneticist at
S3.17 Rebel Cell: Cancer, evolution and the science of life
We bring you exclusive excerpts from my new book, Rebel Cell: Cancer, evolution and the science of life, exploring where cancer came from, where it’s going, and how we might beat it.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com.Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall.This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest le
Genetics Shambles 3: Humans - Evolved and evolving
Over millions of years Humans have evolved into becoming quite the dominant species on the planet. So, how did we get to now? What have we come from and how are we still evolving as a species? And what changes can we expect in the future in terms of diet, life span and population?Robin Ince is joined by three experts in the field. Professor Chris Stringer is an anthropologist and Research Leader in Human Evolution at the Natural History Museum in London. Dr Becky Wragg Sykes is an archaeologist,
S3.16 Sickness and susceptibility: The ancient war between genes and disease
We look at the ancient war between our genes and the pathogens that infect us, going back thousands of years to the Black Death and before, through to our very latest foe. With Claire Steves (King’s College London), Christiana Scheib (University of Tartu) and Lucy van Dorp (UCL).Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall.
Genetics Shambles 2: A guide to the human genome
The Human Genome Project has been referred to as one of the great feats of scientific exploration and discovery in human history. But what was it, and, more to the point, what is the human genome and why was sequencing it such a big deal? And in 2020, some 17 years after it was deemed completed, what has it helped us with in the fields of biology and medicine, and what is there still to discover?Robin Ince is joined by three experts in the field. Geneticist, broadcast and author of a number of b
S3.15 Pimp My Genome: the wonderful world of epigenetics
We take a look at the world of epigenetics - finding out if more than DNA passes on to the next generation, whether Darwin was wrong and Lamarck was right, and how to pimp your genome. Plus - meet the Mickey Mouse Mice.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with audio production by Hannah Varrall. This podcast is produced by First Create the Media for the Ge
Genetics Shambles 1: COVID-19 and Learning from the Past
What can research into past viruses and epidemics tell us about this new pandemic of COVID-19? What has changed in the world of genetics research since the time of HIV for example? Robin Ince chats to Dr Emma Hodcroft, a phylogenetics researcher from the University of Bath and Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, pharmacologist, geneticist and the NHS Chair of Pharmacogenetics at the University of Liverpool.To view previous episodes in the Genetics Shambles series head to Cosmicshambles.comFollow us
S3.14 The eyes have it: From genetics to gene therapy
In this episode, supported by the Medical Research Council, we discover how researchers are letting the light shine in, literally, by bringing discoveries about the underlying genetic faults that cause eye diseases all the way through to game-changing clinical trials of gene therapy designed to save sight.With RP patient advocate and fundraiser Ken Reid, Robin Ali from Kings College London, and Roly Megaw and Chloe Stanton from the MRC Human Genetics Unit, in the Institute of Genetics and Molecu
S3.13 The Cancer Ladies: Maud Slye and Pauline Gross
In this episode we tell the stories of two women - one a scientist fascinated by dancing mice, the other a seamstress with a deadly family legacy - who made significant contributions to our understanding of cancer as a disease driven by genetic changes, paving the way for lifesaving screening programmes for families.Over the past year or so I’ve been writing a new book, Rebel Cell: Cancer, Evolution and the Science of Life, exploring what we’ve learned so far about where cancer comes from, where
S3.12 Out Standing in the Field: the highs and lows of genetics fieldwork
We’re off on our virtual travels, finding out about the highs and lows of genetics fieldwork. From chasing butterflies up mountains to artificially inseminating kakapos with the help of drones and putting angry birds in paper bags until they poo, we talk to the researchers studying genetics and evolution in action.Every year The Genetics Society runs the Heredity Fieldwork Grant scheme, awarding up to £1,500 to cover the travel and accommodation costs for researchers wanting to carry out a field
S3.11 From one generation to the next: the life and work of Anne McLaren
In this episode we’re taking a look at the life of Dame Anne McLaren - one of the leading embryologists of the 20th century, whose work underpinned the development of the in vitro fertilisation techniques responsible for bringing millions of bundles of joy into the world, and much more besides.This story was first published in the book A Passion for Science: Stories of discovery and invention, which is packed with 20 stories about amazing women in science and is available to download as an ebook
S3.10 Out of Africa: uncovering history and diversity in the human genome
In this episode we’re taking a virtual trip to Africa to explore the genetic diversity in the birthplace of humanity, discover how researchers can read the cultural and historical stories written in the genome, and discuss the implications for the lack of diversity in our current genetic databases for global health. With Sarah Tishkoff from the University of Pennsylvania and Garrett Hellenthal and Lucy van Dorp from UCL.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at Genetics
S3.09 Twisted history: the true story of the double helix
The names of James Watson and Francis Crick are inextricably linked with the discovery of the DNA double helix. And if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that credit is also due to Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins and Ray Gosling too.But what about Elwyn Beighton, Fred Griffith or Rudolf Signer? In this episode we’re unwinding history to uncover some of the less well-known stories behind the discovery of the structure and function of DNA.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and re
S3.08 Nothing about me without me: involving patients in genomic research
Research into genetic conditions relies on information from patients and their families, whether that’s detailed health records or genomic data. As the tools and techniques for DNA and data analysis become cheaper and more organisations get in on this fast-growing field, it’s vital to make sure that the most valuable research resource - human lives - doesn’t get overlooked in the rush. In this episode, recorded at the recent Festival of Genomics in London, we find out why it’s so important to ma
S3.07 An accidental invention: the story of genetic fingerprinting
35 years ago this month, a small team of scientists at the University of Leicester published a paper that changed the world. We take a look at the story of genetic fingerprinting, and some of the very first ways that this game-changing technique was put to work.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney with additional scripting and research by Emily Nordvang an
S3.06 Can you have a 'perfect genome'? Myths and misconceptions in genomics
To get involved in the Genomics Education Programme’s week of action you can follow them on Twitter, @genomicsedu, and get on the hashtag #GenomicsConversation or head over to genomicseducation.hee.nhs.ukIn this episode in partnership with the Genomics Education Programme, we’re taking a look at some of the common myths and misconceptions surrounding genomics and genetics tests. Are mutations always bad? If you’re more like your mum, does that mean you’ve inherited more of her genes? And is ther
S3.05 - Poop, pus and the Manhattan Project: How we learned to spell the genetic alphabet
If you know a bit of biology, you might know that the genetic code of DNA is written in just four ‘letters’ - A, C, T and G. You may even know that these letters are the initials come from the names of the molecules that make up the double helix, known as nucleotide bases: adenine, cytosine, thymine and guanine. But where did those strange-sounding names come from? In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, we go from poop to pus to atomic bonds on our journey to learn about the discovery of these vi
S3.04 Race to the Bottom
In this episode, we’re hunting for the ghosts in our genomes, recreating the story of the discovery of the double helix in Lego, and science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford tells us how to argue with a racist. Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world ded
S3.03 - Fish, facts and fiction, from Haeckel’s embryos to Tiktaalik
In this episode exploring great ideas in genetics, we’re discovering our inner fish - finding out whether we really do go through a fishy phase in the womb, and looking at the legacy of Tiktaalik, the first fish to walk on land.Born in 1834, Ernst Haeckel was a German zoologist with a flair for illustration - and a knack for creating incredibly detailed and widely shared scientific images. But do his infamous embryo drawings really show the true picture of early development?Haeckel thought that
S3.02 - Hidden family secrets revealed by genetic testing
It’s become cheaper and easier than ever to access genetic testing, and more and more people are having their genomes ‘done’ for reasons of personal interest, health or ancestry. But what happens when an innocent genetic investigation reveals dark family secrets? And how do we properly engage and inform people about genetic testing and research, so that they really know what they’re getting into? Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on
S3.01 - Investigating the icons of evolution, from Darwin's Finches to the March of Progress
In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re exploring a couple of iconic images in evolution - the much-parodied March of Progress, portraying the inexorable journey from monkey to man, and the famous finches of the Galapagos islands, which are supposedly the inspiration for Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Where did these infamous images come from, and do they really show what everyone seems to think they do?Full show notes, transcript, music cr
S2.07 New Light on Old Britons - Professor Turi King
Professor Turi King from the University of Leicester reveals the secrets of the Y chromosome and how the remains of Richard III were identified. Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons.Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find out more about the society and its work and follow them on Twitter @GaltonInstitut
S2.06 New Light on Old Britons - Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe
The Celts are one of the most famous - and misunderstood - people who lived in ancient Britain. Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe CBE, FBA from the University of Oxford explores the myths and the reality. Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons.Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find out more about the society
S2.05 New Light on Old Britons - Dr Lara Cassidy
Dr Lara Cassidy from Trinity College Dublin talks about her work exploring the genomic history of Ireland. Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons.Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find out more about the society and its work and follow them on Twitter @GaltonInstitute
S2.04 New Light on Old Britons - Professor Sir Walter Bodmer
Professor Sir Walter Bodmer FRS from the Weatherall Institute, Oxford, explains what we know so far about genetic structure and origins of populations of the British Isles. Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons.Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find out more about the society and its work and follow the
S2.03 New Light on Old Britons - Dr Silvia Bello
Dr Silvia Bello from the Natural History Museum in London is investigating how patterns of human behaviour have changed over the last million years.Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons.Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find out more about the society and its work and follow them on Twitter @GaltonInsti
S2.02 New Light on Old Britons - Professor Ian Barnes and Dr Selina Brace
Professor Ian Barnes and Dr Selina Brace, ancient DNA researchers at the Natural History Museum in Lopndon, discuss how their work on ancient DNA is shedding light on the British population from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age.Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons.Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find
S2.01 New Light on Old Britons - Galton Institute Symposium 2019 - Nick Ashton
Professor Nick Ashton, an archaeologist at the British Museum, is studying the earliest humans in Europe.Part of our special series from the 2019 Galton Institute Symposium - New Light on Old Britons. Presented and produced by Georgia Mills for First Create The Media.More info at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipVisit the Galton Institute website to find out more about the society and its work. and follow them on Twitter @GaltonInstitute
028 - Sperm wars, sneaky sheep, substandard stallions and more
In this episode we’re bringing you highlights from the Society’s Centenary Conference, held up in Edinburgh last month. We’ve got stories of sneaky sheep, substandard racing stallions, the Vikings of the Scottish Isles and a ceilidh with a scientific spin. Plus, news from the front lines of the sperm wars.Full transcript online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzip Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for The Genetic
027 - Uprooting the tree of life: Darwin, DNA and de-extinction
In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re uprooting the tree of life - asking whether we should believe our eyes or our sequencing machines when it comes to deciding what makes a species. Plus, the greatest comebacks of all time - we look at the science of de-extinction and find out whether Jurassic Park could ever become a reality.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGene
026 - The future is now: Curing HIV, advancing CRISPR therapies, predatory phages for superbug infections and advice for a healthy life
We’re reporting back from the Manova Global Health Summit, exploring the latest advances in health technology such as CRISPR-based gene therapies, infection-fighting viruses and a potential cure for HIV. Plus veteran health columnist Jane Brody’s advice for a healthy life, and reflections on progress in cancer from US journalist and advocate Katie Couric.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is
025 - When 'Becky' met Bateson: Edith Rebecca Saunders, the mother of British plant genetics
We explore the story of Edith Rebecca Saunders - co-founder of The Genetics Society and the ‘mother of British plant genetics’.Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.comFollow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application o
024 - Exploring the Poop-ome, from the microbiome to metagenomics
In this episode we’re getting our hands dirty by delving into the poop-ome - the trillions of bacteria that live inside our guts and make up what’s known as the microbiome. Rather than simply being a bunch of bugs, the microbiome is now believed to play a role in virtually every aspect of health and disease. But what are they up to? How do we even know what species are in there? And can you blame your stinky farts on your bacteria?With:-Tim Spector, King's College London-Rob Finn, European Bioin
023 Mergers and Acquisitions
In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re looking at mergers and acquisitions - but in a biological rather than a financial sense. We find out what happens when two cells decide to move in together, unpack the history of genetic engineering and bleat on about the story of Dolly the Sheep.Full shows notes including transcript and music credits at GeneticsUnzipped.comGenetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Med
022 - Big Questions about the Big C
Why are tumours more likely to develop in some tissues than others? Why are bowel and breast cancers so common when heart cancer is so rare? And will low doses of radiation from medical scans create the conditions for unruly cells to grow, even without damaging DNA? In the latest episode of Genetics Unzipped we’re tackling the Big Questions about the Big C as we dig into some of the mysteries surrounding what’s often seen as the ultimate genetic disease: cancer.Genetics Unzipped is written and p
021 In case you missed it...
In this episode we’re bringing you a selection of our favourite bits from the year so far that you might have missed.We’re taking a short summer break and will be back again with new episodes from the 12th of September. In the meantime, I’ve picked a few highlights from our earlier episodes that you may have missed. I hope you enjoy listening to them, whether again or for the first time, as much as producer Hannah and I enjoyed making them.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney,
020 Sex and Death
Please fill in our short listener survey so we can make the podcasts even better, and you’ll be entered into a draw to win a signed copy of Kat’s book, Herding Hemingway’s Cats.In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re telling tales of sex, death and extinction, and exploring the very darkest side of genetics.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned s
019 - The Genetic Time Machine
In this episode we’re taking a trip in a genetic time machine - back into the past to discover the origins of ancient human populations, and into the future to explore the realities of personal genome sequencing.Please fill in our short listener survey so we can make the podcasts even better, and you’ll be entered into a draw to win a signed copy of Kat’s book, Herding Hemingway’s Cats.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetic
018 Cut. Paste. Pair. Repeat.
Please take a moment to do our brief listener survey - https://geneticsunzipped.com/survey - thanks very much.In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re exploring the dark heart of the genome, untying nature’s shoelaces, and looking back at the discovery of RNA splicing.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to suppor
017 Happy 100th Birthday To Us
We’re celebrating the actual birthday of the society - founded on the 25th June, 100 years ago - with past president, Nobel laureate and winner of the Genetics Society’s first centenary medal, Sir Paul Nurse (and some very fruity DNA-based cocktails...)Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and applicatio
016 Genetics By Numbers
In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re unravelling the story of the double helix, cracking the triplet code, and sketching out a Punnet square.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genetics. Production by Hannah Varrall.Full show notes, music c
015 Up the Garden Path
In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, reporter Graihagh Jackson loses herself in the Valley of Hybridisation at the Genetics Society's medal-winning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, and discover the importance of playing with your genes.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genetics.
014 The Seeds of a Great Idea
In this episode from our series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re taking the train to London with William Bateson as he brings Mendel's ideas to Britain, seeking the secrets of snapdragons, and discovering how to build an army of MinIONs.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genet
013 The Zero Dollar Genome
The first draft of the human genome came with a price tag running into billions of dollars. In less than twenty years, the cost of whole genome sequencing had plummeted, making the thousand dollar genome a reality by 2014, and opening up a consumer market for personal genome sequencing - although as geneticist Elaine Mardis quipped, it’s a $1000 genome, and a £100,000 analysis. The price for sequencing continues to fall, and several companies are vying to be the first to break the hundred dollar
012 - Strands of Life
In this episode from our series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we explore the discovery of chromosomes - the strands of genetic material within every living cell - take a look at Lyonisation, and solve the case of the missing chromosomes.Genetics Unzipped is written and presented by Kat Arney, and produced by First Create the Media for the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genetics
011 - Darwin vs Mendel
In this episode we ask, what would have happened if Darwin had read Mendel? And what if they’d been on Twitter? Plus, something else that Darwin would have loved: an ambitious project to sequence the DNA of everything across the tree of life.Presented by Kat Arney, with Greg Radick (University of Leeds) and Dan Mead (Wellcome Sanger Institute).Full transcript, notes and references available from GeneticsUnzipped.com
010 - Not just 'the wife' - the overlooked stories of women in genetics
Kat Arney tells the stories of four women from the history of 20th century genetics, and explores how sexism in scientific culture led to their achievements being overlooked.There's Esther Lederberg, whose work on phage Lambda paved the way for her husband Joshua's 1958 Nobel Prize. She was also the inventor of replica plating - a technique still used in microbiology labs all over the world today - yet struggled to get tenure and recognition for her work.Harriet Creighton, the first graduate stu
009 - Chimps, cancer genes and missing kids
In this episode we bring you a very special interview with Mary-Claire King - one of the world’s leading geneticists, whose work has spanned everything from comparing chimps and humans to finding the first breast cancer gene to reuniting families that have been torn apart.Get the full transcript, links and references from https://geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2019/3/14/009-chimps-cancer-genes-and-missing-kidsProduced by First Create the Media for The Genetics Society. Written and presented by Kat Ar
008 - Getting ready for genomic medicine
This is a special edition of Genetics Unzipped, in association with the Genomics Education programme - part of Health Education England. We’ll be finding out how genomic medicine is coming into the NHS, and what it means for everyone working in the health service.Since the publication of the draft sequence of the human genome back in the early noughties, researchers and doctors have been working hard to harness the secrets within our DNA in order to benefit human health. Progress was slow for se
007 - Supermodels of science
In this episode from our series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re entering the glamorous world of modelling, taking a look at the eclectic collection of model organisms that have been put to work in the lab to reveal the secrets of biology.Full transcript and notes online: https://geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2019/2/28/007-supermodels-of-science
006 - Big fat failure
We’re looking at the genetics of failure - why we fail to lose weight thanks to our genes, and why billions of dollars are wasted developing drugs that don’t work. Full show notes and transcript available at https://geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2019/2/14/006-big-fat-failure
005 - Vegetable soup
Genetics Unzipped is the Genetics Society podcast. Written and presented by Dr Kat Arney, produced by Hannah Varrall for First Create the Media. Full show notes available online at https://geneticsunzipped.com/
004 - Witness the fitness
In this episode we’re taking a dive into the world of evolutionary genetics to witness the fitness - we ask whether street smart city-dwelling birds are genetically different from their country bumpkin relatives, how butterflies got their brightly patterned wings, and if today’s genetic research would have blown Darwin’s mind.Full show notes and references online at https://geneticsunzipped.com/
003 - Hunting Huntington's, Nobel viruses and spidergoats
In this episode from our series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re hunting down Huntington’s disease, discovering why viruses are so important for geneticists, and chasing the science behind spidergoats.
002 - Behind the scenes at the Christmas Lectures
behind the scenes at the iconic Royal Institution Christmas Lectures with Professors Alice Roberts and Aoife McLysaght - plus the fire-obsessed demonstration expert Fran Scott - to find the answer to the question “Who am I?”
001 - Get unzipped!
Big news! Genetics Unzipped is a new podcast from the Genetics Society, taking a look at the world of genes, genomes and DNA. Here's a quick teaser from our first episode, featuring Alice Roberts, Aoife McLysaght and Fran Scott, taking a sneak peek behind the scenes at the 2018 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures.More info online at geneticsunzipped.com