The DNA of Things with Dr. Jeremy Koenig

Dr. Jeremy Koenig

The DNA of Things," hosted by Dr. Jeremy Koenig, is an auditory journey into the evolving world of health science, performance, and longevity. This podcast brings together the sharpest minds in the field, including elite health strategists, pioneering scientists, and wellness mavericks, to share cutting-edge practices and revolutionary insights. Each episode is meticulously curated to enrich your understanding of well-being and to extend your vitality, propelling you toward a future filled with possibilities. Join Dr. Koenig as he unveils the secrets of human potential through the lens of genomics, and discover how to transform your health and life trajectory.

  1. 2d ago ·  Video

    Episode 130: Mark Talbot of Lifecycle Health on the Wearable Data Your Doctor Never Sees

    Engineer Mark Talbot was tracking his weight, food, steps, and sleep across five apps when his weight loss stalled, and none of them could tell him why. One question to AI about a year of his own Apple Health data gave him the answer. It also pointed to a bigger gap: doctors never see what happens between visits. Dr. Jeremy Koenig talks with Mark Talbot, co-founder of Lifecycle Health, a platform that brings patients' wearable data into specialist practices. After going from about 5,000 to 12,000 daily steps and losing five to seven pounds in under a month, Talbot shared the idea on LinkedIn and heard from more than 80 people in under 10 days, including cardiologists, menopause specialists, and weight loss clinics. He explains how a practice can go live in about 10 minutes, how each patient is flagged red, amber, or green against their own baseline, and how cardiologists can watch blood pressure readings come in after a heart attack instead of waiting for the next appointment. They also discuss an early pattern from a small informal group of women wearing Oura or WHOOP, where skin temperature rose a few minutes before a hot flash, and ask whether longitudinal health data could replace "How have you been?" at every GP visit. Mark Talbot is co-founder of Lifecycle Health and a former mainframe systems programmer whose career runs through British Airways, IBM, and two decades building software partnerships.   LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 130: Mark Talbot of Lifecycle Health on the Wearable Data Your Doctor Never Sees

  2. Sep 27 ·  Video

    Episode 129: Dr. Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen on the PCL-R and the Myth of the Psychopath

    Dr. Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen has spent years reviewing the research behind the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R), a tool that helps shape parole, prison placement, and even capital sentencing decisions. What he found is that many of the core claims about psychopaths aren't supported by the evidence. Dr. Jeremy Koenig sits down with Larsen, a philosopher of science at the University of Toronto Mississauga and author of Psychopathy Unmasked, to look at what the psychopathy diagnosis actually rests on. Larsen's group is building a database to synthesize the roughly 2,300 studies that use the PCL-R. He explains why common claims, like psychopaths lacking emotion or empathy, haven't held up in that research. He traces the idea back to a 1786 speech by Benjamin Rush and walks through how a score of around 30 out of 40 can follow someone through the justice system, even though there's no solid evidence those individuals are meaningfully more dangerous than other offenders. That leaves forensic psychology with an uncomfortable question: if most human wrongdoing comes from psychologically ordinary people, why is the psychopath still treated as a separate category? Dr. Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Epistemology and Philosophy of Science at the University of Toronto Mississauga and author of Psychopathy Unmasked: The Rise and Fall of a Dangerous Diagnosis (MIT Press, 2025). Website: https://www.rasmusrosenberg.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosenberglarsen  LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 129: Dr. Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen on the PCL-R and the Myth of the Psychopath

  3. Sep 20 ·  Video

    Episode 128: Chris Mearns of LIV3 Health on Fructokinase, Endogenous Fructose, and Cravings

    High fructose corn syrup dominated health headlines for years, then the conversation went quiet. Chris Mearns argues the research on fructose metabolism only got stronger, and that one enzyme called fructokinase may explain why cravings spike, why energy crashes an hour after eating, and why restrictive diets stop working around week three. Chris Mearns, founder of LIV3 Health and creator of the Fructose Model, walks Dr. Jeremy Koenig through the mechanism: metabolizing fructose depletes cellular ATP along the path to uric acid, which drives mitochondrial fission and a low-energy, inflammatory state the brain reads as scarcity. He explains why diet alone often fails, since the body also makes fructose endogenously through the polyol pathway in response to high glycemic carbs, salt, alcohol, dehydration, and sleep apnea. The conversation covers why GLP-1 drugs blunt cravings without restoring energy, why people with essential fructosuria who lack fructokinase entirely appear largely protected from metabolic dysfunction, and a four-week approach that pairs sugar reduction with compensatory slow carbs and MCT oil while taste preferences recalibrate. Mearns is also direct about the limits of his own case for luteolin as a fructokinase inhibitor, which has been studied in liver cells and rodent models but not in living humans, leaving the question of whether this enzyme is the central lever in metabolic disease still open. Chris Mearns is the founder of LIV3 Health and the creator of the Fructose Model, a systems-based framework connecting fructose metabolism to cellular energy and chronic metabolic dysfunction. Website: https://liv3health.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrismearns Your Free DNA of Things Starter Kit: https://liv3health.com/dna  LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 128: Chris Mearns of LIV3 Health on Fructokinase, Endogenous Fructose, and Cravings

  4. Sep 13 ·  Video

    Episode 127: Gustavo Ruthes on Stress Inoculation and the Fighter Pilot Mindset Under Pressure

    What do fighter pilots and founders have in common? Mental performance consultant Gustavo Ruthes explains why the same stress inoculation techniques used to train NATO fighter pilots can rewire how anyone handles high-stakes decisions. Gustavo Ruthes, a Registered Psychotherapist and Mental Performance Consultant who trains fifth-generation fighter pilots at Canada's International Tactical Training Centre, joins Dr. Jeremy Koenig to unpack the neurobiology of performing under pressure. Ruthes discusses explicit monitoring theory and why choking under pressure often comes from overanalyzing instead of trusting your training, and he breaks down why even one week of six-hour sleep can impair cognitive performance as much as two full nights of no sleep at all, without the person noticing. Drawing on his own path from Brazilian soccer and Jiu-Jitsu into military aviation psychology, he explains why self-compassion, not harsh self-criticism, is what actually builds resilience in high performers. The conversation closes with a candid look at how AI is reshaping cognitive habits in both classrooms and cockpits, and what parents should be doing about it. Gustavo Ruthes is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP Qualifying, CRPO) and Mental Performance Consultant (MPC, CSPA) and the founder of Perfect Mind Mental Performance, where he works with NATO fighter pilots, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Website: https://perfectmind.ca   LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 127: Gustavo Ruthes on Stress Inoculation and the Fighter Pilot Mindset Under Pressure

  5. Sep 6 ·  Video

    Episode 126: Tim Maloney of Dalhousie Athletics on GPS Data, Academics, and Winning Culture

    Tim Maloney, Dalhousie University's Assistant Vice-President, Athletics & Ancillary Services, has spent over a decade proving that student-athletes can win conference championships and top the honor roll at the same time — so why do so few programs believe both are possible together? Maloney oversees Dalhousie's athletics and recreation department, where student-athletes carry a 3.4 average GPA and 54 percent earned Academic All-Canadian status last year, both ahead of the general student body, while the Tigers have won 78 conference championships over the past decade. He explains how the Kinduct data platform and GPS tracking, driven by strength and conditioning coach Brett Armstrong, reshaped training for the women's soccer program down to individual player minutes. Maloney also unpacks the "energy vampire" concept borrowed from the New Zealand All Blacks and the counterintuitive advice he gives every recruit's parent: let your kid lead. The conversation raises a bigger question for any competitive program — can rigorous academics and elite athletics genuinely reinforce each other, or does one always come at the other's expense? Tim Maloney is Dalhousie University's Assistant Vice-President, Athletics & Ancillary Services, overseeing varsity athletics, recreation, club sports, and facilities across Dalhousie's Halifax and Truro campuses.  Website: https://daltigers.ca/  LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 126: Tim Maloney of Dalhousie Athletics on GPS Data, Academics, and Winning Culture

  6. Aug 30 ·  Video

    Episode 125: Olympic Medalist Andrew Steele on Genomics, Gut Microbiome Testing, and Biological Age

    Andrew Steele went from Olympic sprinter to co-founder of DNAFit to CEO of Stride, and he thinks biological age testing is the "Wild West" of consumer health, with no standardized way to measure it. Dr. Jeremy Koenig talks with Andrew Steele, Olympic bronze medalist and CEO of Stride, about why single-test health platforms leave people stuck self-triangulating their own data. Steele explains how Stride combines genomics, gut microbiome testing, and advanced blood work (75 to 100 biomarkers per draw) with human practitioner coaching to move consumer health from raw data toward accountable outcomes. He also details a recent grant from Innovate UK, the government's research and innovation arm, to help standardize biological age testing, and shares why Stride has seen over 90 percent member retention past the first year. What would it take for an entire industry built on dashboards to start taking ownership of results instead? Andrew Steele is the co-founder and CEO of Stride, an Olympic bronze medalist in the 4x400m relay, and the former co-founder of DNAFit, which was acquired by Prenetics ahead of its NASDAQ IPO. Website: https://www.getstride.com/ | Instagram: @andrewsteele Catch Andrew's first appearance on the show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-43-from-olympic-tracks-to-health-tech-with/id1738771019?i=1000686629712  LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 125: Olympic Medalist Andrew Steele on Genomics, Gut Microbiome Testing, and Biological Age

  7. Aug 23 ·  Video

    Episode 124: Finding Your Oldest Organ Before Disease Finds You with Paul Coletta from Vero Bioscience

    What if your biological age is hiding the one organ that matters most? In this episode of The DNA of Things, Dr. Jeremy Koenig sits down with Paul Coletta, Co-Founder and CEO of Vero Bioscience, to explore a new approach to predictive health built around proteomics and organ-specific aging. Paul shares how his own organ-age test flagged his kidney as years older than his chronological age despite normal traditional labs, ultimately leading to the discovery of a renal cyst. They unpack why different organs age at different rates, how Vero’s OrganAge™ uses thousands of circulating proteins and machine learning to identify early signals, and why the future of health may depend less on a single “biological age” and more on finding your weakest link before disease takes hold. Key Takeaways 🧬 You aren't one biological age. Your brain, heart, kidneys, immune system, and other organs can age at different rates, making a whole-body age score potentially less actionable.🩸 Paul's test changed his career. His kidney came back roughly seven years older than his chronological age despite normal traditional kidney labs. A follow-up ultrasound found a large renal cyst, which was benign.🔬 Proteins provide a real-time window into biology. Vero's current OrganAge™ approach analyzes 11,000+ proteins from a blood draw and uses machine learning to identify organ-specific aging patterns.🧠 Brain aging carries serious predictive information. In the 2025 UK Biobank study, an especially aged brain was associated with a 3.1x hazard of Alzheimer's disease, while youthful brain and immune-system profiles were associated with lower mortality risk.🔄 Paul wants health tools to “close the loop.” His model is simple: measure the signal, make a targeted intervention, then retest to see whether the biology actually changed.💰 The goal is healthcare, not “wealthcare.” Paul says today's broad proteomic assays are too expensive for mass adoption, and Vero is working toward a smaller focused protein panel that could dramatically reduce costs. The proposed future pricing discussed in the episode remains a company target, not a verified current consumer price.🩺 Clinicians stay in the loop. Vero is currently working through clinical partners, including a new six-month study with Biograph comparing OrganAge™ with imaging, VO2 max, DEXA, clinical labs, and intervention outcomes.💃 Healthspan is ultimately personal. Paul closes with the story of dancing with his grandmother around her 100th birthday, a reminder that the goal isn't simply adding years. It's staying healthy enough to live them. CONNECT WITH PAUL + VERO Learn more about Vero Bioscience / join the waitlist → https://verobioscience.com/?utm_source=the_dna_of_things&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast_collective&utm_content=paul_coletta Paul on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulcoletta/ Vero on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/vero-bioscience  LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 124: Finding Your Oldest Organ Before Disease Finds You with Paul Coletta from Vero Bioscience

  8. Aug 16

    Episode 123: The Human Sleep Paradox: Why We Sleep Less Than Every Other Primate with Dr. David R. Samson

    What if the biggest problem with modern sleep isn’t duration, but disconnection? Dr. David R. Samson, evolutionary anthropologist and author of The Sleepless Ape, joins Dr. Jeremy Koenig to explain why humans sleep less than every other primate studied, yet devote an unusually large share of that sleep to REM. They explore what sleep among the Hadza reveals about circadian health, how early humans built a protective “SHELL” around sleep, and why light, temperature, social structure, and evolutionary history may matter more than chasing a universal eight-hour target. Key Takeaways  🦧 Humans are evolutionary outliers: comparative models predict we should sleep roughly 11.5 to 12 hours, yet we sleep far less than other primates.  🌍 Data from 54 populations found that small-scale societies averaged 6.4 hours of sleep, compared with 7.1 hours in large-scale societies.  ⏱️ Sleep efficiency averaged 74% in small-scale societies and 88% in large-scale societies, challenging the idea that industrialized populations universally sleep worse.  ☀️ Small-scale societies showed stronger circadian function, pointing to regular exposure to natural light and temperature as a major advantage.  🛖 Samson’s SHELL framework covers Shelter, Hearth, Environmental preparation, Lux, and Lookouts.  👁️ During 20 days of Hadza observation, everyone was simultaneously scored asleep for only 18 minutes; a median of eight people remained awake at any given nighttime interval.  👵 Intergenerational chronotype variation may have created a natural security system, with older “larks” and younger “owls” covering different parts of the night.  🧠 REM sleep helps regulate emotion, while slow-wave sleep supports immune function, placing a biological floor on how far humans can safely reduce sleep.Connect with Dr. David R. Samson  Website: davidrsamson.com University of Toronto: Sleep and Human Evolution Lab Instagram: @primalprimatologist X: @Primalprimate LINKS: https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/ https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

    Episode 123: The Human Sleep Paradox: Why We Sleep Less Than Every Other Primate with Dr. David R. Samson
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The DNA of Things," hosted by Dr. Jeremy Koenig, is an auditory journey into the evolving world of health science, performance, and longevity. This podcast brings together the sharpest minds in the field, including elite health strategists, pioneering scientists, and wellness mavericks, to share cutting-edge practices and revolutionary insights. Each episode is meticulously curated to enrich your understanding of well-being and to extend your vitality, propelling you toward a future filled with possibilities. Join Dr. Koenig as he unveils the secrets of human potential through the lens of genomics, and discover how to transform your health and life trajectory.

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