LearnOn Podcast: The Science Show By Kids, For Everyone!

Jaansi Patel
  • 4.5 (16)
  • MEDICINE

Hello learners! Looking to hear about problems and solutions in medicine? We've love for you to tune into our engaging conversational episodes hosted by Jaansi Patel (16 years old). We discuss anything and everything about health equity, medical technology, neuroscience, and mental health. Don't worry about the details -- we're big fans of breaking down jargon so that all listeners can learn from our guests. We also work with a wide variety of medical professionals, researchers, businesses, non-profits, and other companies to spread our message. Enjoy our podcast with endless learning to come!

  1. Headlines, Honesty, and the Heart of Science

    AUG 30

    Headlines, Honesty, and the Heart of Science

    Curiosity is at the heart of great science and great storytelling. In this episode, we’re joined by Laura Baisas, science news writer at Popular Science, to explore how curiosity fuels her work and shapes the way science is shared with the public. Tune in to hear about her process for finding story ideas, the importance of fact-checking in the age of AI, how journalists balance engaging narratives with accuracy, and why embracing science as an ever-evolving process is key to building public trust. Laura also reflects on her own “aha” moment that solidified her career in science journalism and offers advice for young listeners on charting meaningful paths forward. ​Laura Baisas is a science news writer and reporter at Popular Science. Prior to joining PopSci, she worked in children’s news programming and has built her career around making complex scientific topics accessible and engaging for broad audiences. Her work spans subjects from ocean science and paleontology to health and climate change, with a focus on curiosity-driven storytelling and accurate, impactful journalism. Check out Laura's writing: https://www.popsci.com/authors/laura-baisas/

    31 min
  2. Deconstructing the Healthcare System (featuring Noelle Eder)

    11/12/2024

    Deconstructing the Healthcare System (featuring Noelle Eder)

    Throughout this season in the podcast, we have explored the unique role of cutting-edge technology in driving innovation for medicine. But what about the other way around? It turns out that the unique makeup of the healthcare system is crucial in the context of leading changes in digital health. Today, we're hearing from Noelle Eder, CIO at The Cigna Group, for her insights through a career of over 30 years. Tune in to hear about the verticalization of American healthcare, how the fragmentation of this space affects the demand for innovation in medical technology, and the importance of empathy in leadership. Noelle Eder is the Executive Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer (CIO) at The Cigna Group. Prior to this role, she served as the Chief Information and Digital Officer at Hilton Worldwide Holdings, the Chief Card Customer Experience Officer for Capital One Financial Corporation, as well as other technology leadership roles at Intuit and TeKnowledge.

    26 min
  3. The Forefront of Neurodegeneration (featuring Dr. Brandy Matthews)

    10/21/2024

    The Forefront of Neurodegeneration (featuring Dr. Brandy Matthews)

    As technology gets better than ever, we're unlocking new medical discoveries with the potential to earn billions. However, it's important to not lose sight of what drove us towards these discoveries in the first place: the needs of the patients, and in the case of diseases such as Alzheimer's, their caregivers. Today, we're joined by Dr. Brandy Matthews on behalf of Eli Lilly, which is currently the largest pharmaceutical company in the world with a market cap of over $800 billion. Join us as Dr. Matthews talks us through the recent FDA approval of Alzheimer's drug Kisunla, learning from negative trials, and adopting a treatment approach centering patients and caregivers through the LillyDirect program. See more of Lilly's work: www.lilly.com/ Dr. Brandy Matthews is the Vice President of Global and US Medical Affairs for Alzheimer's disease at Eli Lilly and Company. She has a background in clinical neurology with a medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and a completed neurology residency at the Mayo Clinic.

    23 min
  4. Back to the Basics (featuring Dr. Marc Kirschner)

    10/20/2024

    Back to the Basics (featuring Dr. Marc Kirschner)

    It's always exciting to see flashy headlines about the next revolutionary drug approved by the FDA or how a biotech startup is making millions for a diagnostic test. However, it's equally important to not lose sight of what gets us to the most important discoveries in the first place: basic research. Today, we're interviewing Dr. Marc Kirschner, a renowned cell biologist and biochemist known for his research on the cytoskeleton, cell cycle, and embryo signaling. Join us to hear his thoughts on how scientific disciplines have become more intertwined over time, the crucial role of technological advancements such as electron microscopy in the field of biochemistry, and the dire need for approaching scientific discovery with curiosity instead of going straight for the money. Dr. Marc Kirschner is the founding chair of the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School and is known for major discoveries in cell and developmental biology. He has also coauthored 2 books on the biological basis of evolution and helped launch the peer-reviewed journal PLOS (Public Library of Science) Biology.

    25 min
  5. Synthetic Biology and Antibiotic Resistance (featuring Dr. James Collins)

    10/19/2024

    Synthetic Biology and Antibiotic Resistance (featuring Dr. James Collins)

    It's always interesting to think about how many technologies that we take for granted today, such as genome sequencing and bioengineering, were completely unheard of just a few decades ago. This episode, we're going back to the roots of these applications with Dr. James Collins, who is widely regarded as one of the founders of the field of synthetic biology. Tune in to hear his thoughts on the importance of leveraging the tools we have today for pandemic prevention and readiness, how to reframe thinking around biosecurity when it comes to applications of these technologies, and how AI can help us outrun antibiotic resistance with rapid drug discovery. Dr. James Collins is a professor of medical engineering and science at MIT, a core faculty member at the Wyss Institute of Harvard University, and a member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He is a member of the National Academies of Engineering, Science, and Medicine, and his technologies have been licensed by over 25 biotech and medical device companies.

    23 min
  6. The Future of Gene-Based Medicines (featuring Ian Karp)

    10/16/2024

    The Future of Gene-Based Medicines (featuring Ian Karp)

    You've probably heard about gene editing to create hybrid species or designer babies. But what about its purpose to aid the wellbeing of humanity? Today, we're joined by Ian Karp on behalf of Intellia Therapeutics, a biotechnology company employing CRISPR-based gene editing to develop curative therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune disease. Tune in to hear his thoughts on recent clinical trial updates, how to effectively communicate the purpose of these therapies with the public, and what it's like to be at the forefront of medical innovation when it comes to gene editing. Check out the work that Intellia is doing: www.intelliatx.com/ Ian Karp is a Senior Vice President at Intellia Therapeutics. He has over 25 years of expertise in the biopharmaceutical industry for investor relations, corporate communications, business development, and product commercialization.

    26 min
  7. Pandemic Preparedness (featuring Dr. Barney Graham)

    10/14/2024

    Pandemic Preparedness (featuring Dr. Barney Graham)

    If something like the COVID-19 pandemic ever happened again, how would we deal with it? Would it be any different from last time? Through our experiences from 2020 to now, it's important to remember how crucial vaccine development and preventative research efforts are in matters of public health. Today, we're joined by Dr. Barney Graham, who has made major contributions to vaccines for HIV/AIDS, Zika, RSV, and ultimately SARS-CoV-2. Tune in to hear Dr. Graham's firsthand experiences with discovering virus spike proteins, working on various teams to develop vaccines for different epidemics, and advocating for global health policy reform. Dr. Barney Graham is the former deputy director and one of the founding members of the Vaccine Research Center, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2022 and currently serves as the director of the David Satcher Global Health Equity Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

    27 min
  8. The Need for Creativity in Scientific Innovation (featuring Dr. Robert Langer)

    10/13/2024

    The Need for Creativity in Scientific Innovation (featuring Dr. Robert Langer)

    Some of the biggest scientific discoveries and biotechnology companies today were born out of skepticism. But what is it actually like to have participated in building this work from the group up? Today, we're hearing a first-hand perspective in this from Dr. Robert Langer, billionaire cofounder of Moderna and widely renowned biotechnologist. Join us in a riveting discussion about how the ups and downs of his career taught him to advocate for himself through research, how his lab is collaborating with The Gates Foundation to create more efficient treatments for developing countries with novel drug delivery systems, and the importance of having a creative mindset to find solutions in unusual places. Dr. Robert Langer is currently an Institute Professor at MIT and a faculty member of the Harvard–MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. Having authored over 1,500 scientific papers, he is the most cited engineer in history and one of the 10 most cited individuals in any field. Dr. Langer has participated in founding 40+ biotechnology companies including Moderna and holds over 1,500 granted or pending patents.

    24 min
See All (94)

Trailers

4.5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Hello learners! Looking to hear about problems and solutions in medicine? We've love for you to tune into our engaging conversational episodes hosted by Jaansi Patel (16 years old). We discuss anything and everything about health equity, medical technology, neuroscience, and mental health. Don't worry about the details -- we're big fans of breaking down jargon so that all listeners can learn from our guests. We also work with a wide variety of medical professionals, researchers, businesses, non-profits, and other companies to spread our message. Enjoy our podcast with endless learning to come!

Information