Science at the Fifty-Third Degree

Tetro, Jason
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Great science doesn't happen in a vacuum — it happens at universities, in labs, and in the minds of researchers who've dedicated their lives to solving problems that matter. At the fifty-third degree of latitude, the University of Alberta is home to some of the world's most compelling scientific work. And most people have never heard of it. Science at the Fifty-Third Degree changes that. Hosted by Dr. Nayiar Shahid, each episode takes a deep dive into a single piece of research — exploring not just the science itself, but the human story behind it. The questions being asked. The methods being used. And what the answers might one day mean for the rest of us. From the molecular machinery of a healing heart to the cutting edge of fields you didn't know existed, this is science made accessible, personal, and genuinely surprising — one discovery at a time. New episodes available on the University of Alberta's Aviary platform and wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions or feedback? Reach us at basicsci@ualberta.ca. This podcast was recorded and produced at the University of Alberta. The University of Alberta, its buildings, labs and research stations are primarily located on the territory of Néhiyaw (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Nakoda (Stoney), Dene, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux), lands that are now known as part of Treaties 6, 7 and 8 and homeland of the Métis. The University of Alberta respects the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

Episodes

  1. 4D AGO

    S1E1: How She Mends A Broken Heart

    Your heart beats more than 100,000 times a day without you ever asking it to. But what happens when something interrupts that rhythm — and more importantly, what happens after? In this pilot episode of Science at the Fifty-Third Degree, host Dr. Nayiar Shahid sits down with Dr. Zam Kassiri, a professor at the University of Alberta, to explore the fascinating and surprisingly delicate science of cardiac repair. After a heart attack, the heart doesn't just sit still — it begins a complex process of remodeling itself, reshaping its own structure to survive. But that same repair process, if it goes too far or lasts too long, can quietly become the source of long-term damage. Dr. Kassiri's research focuses on the molecular signals — including a family of proteins called ADAMs, and particularly ADAM17 — that guide whether the heart heals properly or continues to decline. Using cutting-edge tools like single-cell sequencing, her lab is mapping the conversations happening between individual cells in an injured heart, one cell at a time. This episode covers: What's actually happening inside the body during a heart attack The process of cardiac remodeling and why timing is everything How the same molecules that protect the heart early on can become harmful later What single-cell sequencing is revealing about heart disease at the microscopic level What it feels like to do science that could one day change — or extend — someone's life

    19 min

  2. SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Science at the Fifty-Third Degree: Trailer

    Have you ever seen a news headline about a medical breakthrough and wondered about the rest of the story? In this trailer for Science at the Fifty-Third Degree, host Dr. Nahid Shahid introduces a podcast designed to bring science "from the bench right to your backdoor."   After a decade-long journey spanning pharmaceutical quality control, drug discovery in London, diabetes research in Malaysia, and a PhD in pharmacology at the University of Alberta, Dr. Shahid is moving from the lab bench to the bridge. This series shifts the focus from dry data to the human stories, precision, and invisible systems that make scientific success possible.

    4 min

Trailer

About

Great science doesn't happen in a vacuum — it happens at universities, in labs, and in the minds of researchers who've dedicated their lives to solving problems that matter. At the fifty-third degree of latitude, the University of Alberta is home to some of the world's most compelling scientific work. And most people have never heard of it. Science at the Fifty-Third Degree changes that. Hosted by Dr. Nayiar Shahid, each episode takes a deep dive into a single piece of research — exploring not just the science itself, but the human story behind it. The questions being asked. The methods being used. And what the answers might one day mean for the rest of us. From the molecular machinery of a healing heart to the cutting edge of fields you didn't know existed, this is science made accessible, personal, and genuinely surprising — one discovery at a time. New episodes available on the University of Alberta's Aviary platform and wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions or feedback? Reach us at basicsci@ualberta.ca. This podcast was recorded and produced at the University of Alberta. The University of Alberta, its buildings, labs and research stations are primarily located on the territory of Néhiyaw (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Nakoda (Stoney), Dene, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux), lands that are now known as part of Treaties 6, 7 and 8 and homeland of the Métis. The University of Alberta respects the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

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