Base Pairs

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
  • 4.3 (40)
  • SCIENCE

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Base Pairs podcast ​tells​ stories that ​convey​ the power of genetic information – past and present. Named among the 2018 Webby Awards’ “five best podcasts in the world” for the subjects of science and education. Presented the Platinum Award for podcasting by PR News.

  1. 17.5 – Special interview with Yaniv Erlich

    12/27/2018

    17.5 – Special interview with Yaniv Erlich

    SPECIAL EPISODE! [We strongly recommend listening to Base Pairs episode 17 to contextualize this extended discussion.] Some of the most sought after gifts this holiday season are at-home DNA tests. These tests let anyone send a sample of his or her DNA to get analyzed for various results: the geographic location of ancestors; predisposition to illness; and other data points a person’s genetic code can reveal about themselves. But there is more to personal genotyping than simply learning about ourselves. Host Brian Stallard sat down with Dr. Yaniv Erlich, a Watson School of Biological Sciences alumnus who is currently the Chief Scientific officer at MyHeritage DNA, to get his unique academic and commercial perspective on the use of personal genetic information. Listen as Erlich discusses privacy concerns, using genetics for justice, and his list of pros and cons for finding out about your genetic code.

    50 min
  2. 17 – Genomes, Justice, and the Journey Here

    09/15/2018

    17 – Genomes, Justice, and the Journey Here

    Mail-order genetic testing —more accurately known as genotyping— is a growing trend. But what exactly is this data that's send back? And what can people (even law enforcement) DO with that data? We explore the tricky situation posed by private genetic information in an "open data" world.

    29 min
  3. 16.5 – Fuels of the Future

    08/15/2018

    16.5 – Fuels of the Future

    Biofuels are the wave of the future, and a small plant called duckweed could be a significant part of that. Hear more from Professor Rob Martienssen about how genetic modification and advances in genome mapping technology factor in to the future of fuel. On our pop culture segment, we dive into some cinematic biofuels of the future, both hopeful and dystopian. -- Disclaimer: This product is a not-for-profit learning resource. All film clips included are solely for the purposes of critique and education. They are solely the property of Warner Bros. production, Warner Bros. Pictures, and in association with Village Roadshow Pictures and Groucho Film Partnership. Music and sounds from White Noise Factory.

    18 min
  4. 16 – Big Plans for a Tiny Plant

    07/15/2018

    16 – Big Plans for a Tiny Plant

    As concentrations of greenhouse gasses continue to rise, scientists are working hard to develop ways to ween the world off our need for fossil fuels. Biofuels are one promising solution, and they're commonly made from food crops like corn, or even byproducts like husks. Now CSHL Professor Rob Martienssen is trying to pull fuel from something surprisingly unique: pond scum.

    28 min
  5. 15.5 – Cellular Hide and Seek

    06/14/2018

    15.5 – Cellular Hide and Seek

    Immunotherapy has been receiving much more attention over the past few years, but the history of this promising type of cancer therapy is a long one. Adding to the story of William Coley’s early immunotherapy from Base Pairs 15, “The Immune System, Unleashed!” we hear about how his daughter used a barn full of case notes to start the Cancer Research Institute. Then, Professor Doug Fearon talks about on why the immune system is able to identify certain types of cancer cells more easily than others. Finally, in our pop culture segment, we talk about how invaders in the body are often met with the might of the white blood cell, no matter what (or who) they are! -- Disclaimer: This product is a not-for-profit learning resource. All film clips included are solely for the purposes of critique and education. They are solely the property of South Carolina ETV, Nelvana, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Warner Bros., and Conundrum Entertainment.

    14 min
  6. 15 – The Immune System, Unleashed

    05/15/2018

    15 – The Immune System, Unleashed

    You may have heard of it; "immunotherapy" has started to appear in headlines over the last few years. In this episode, however, we reveal that the practice of cancer immunotherapy is actually far older than even our understanding of the immune system! We also talk to a CSHL researcher who is showing that the immune system doesn’t even need to be engineered to kill cancer. It just needs to be unleashed.

    25 min
  7. 14.5 – Medicine and Mad Scientists

    04/13/2018

    14.5 – Medicine and Mad Scientists

    It’s important to know that a drug works, but knowing how it works can be just as crucial. CSHL Fellow Jason Sheltzer discovered that the hypothesis explaining the action of a new cancer drug was incorrect, indicating that its beneficial effects had to be due to other factors. Hear more from him following up on his discussion in episode 14, “The cancer answer that wasn’t.” Also, in a new pop culture segment, we talk about movie “mad scientists” and how they contribute to misconceptions about the way real science is done. -- Disclaimer: This product is a not-for-profit learning resource. All film clips included are solely for the purposes of critique and education. They are solely the property of (in order of mention) Universal Pictures (as Universal Pictures Corp.), Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, U-Drive Productions, and Universal Pictures (presents).

    15 min
  8. From the hosts: An exciting update!

    04/06/2018

    From the hosts: An exciting update!

    Base Pairs was just named among the 2018 Webby Award’s “five best podcasts in the world” for the subjects of science and education. Now, WE NEED YOUR HELP to take home the People's Voice award🏆 Place your vote at: http://bit.ly/cshlwebby

    1 min
See All (27)

4.3
out of 5
40 Ratings

About

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Base Pairs podcast ​tells​ stories that ​convey​ the power of genetic information – past and present. Named among the 2018 Webby Awards’ “five best podcasts in the world” for the subjects of science and education. Presented the Platinum Award for podcasting by PR News.

Information

  • Creator
    Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2018
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Base Pairs