The Genetics Podcast

Sano Genetics
  • 4.8 (50)
  • NATURAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Exploring all things genetics. Dr Patrick Short, University of Cambridge alumnus and CEO of Sano Genetics, analyses the science, interviews the experts, and discusses the latest findings and breakthroughs in genetic research. To find out more about Sano Genetics and its mission to accelerate the future of precision medicine visit: www.sanogenetics.com

  1. EP 228: What genomes reveal about Epstein–Barr virus and human disease with Ryan Dhindsa and Caleb Lareau

    5D AGO

    EP 228: What genomes reveal about Epstein–Barr virus and human disease with Ryan Dhindsa and Caleb Lareau

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. Ryan Dhindsa, Assistant Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and PI at Texas Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Caleb Lareau, PI at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Assistant Professor of Computational Biology and Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. They discuss how a Twitter DM sparked a multi-year collaboration to extract Epstein–Barr virus signals from large-scale human genomic datasets, how measuring viral persistence in UK Biobank data reveals insights into autoimmune disease risk and host genetic control, and what this work means for understanding the long-term impact of chronic viral infections on human health. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 00:59 Welcome to Ryan and Caleb 01:58 How a Twitter DM led to a long-term collaboration 03:10 Rescuing Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) sequences from human whole genome data  04:45 Quantifying EBV persistence in UK Biobank, validating the signal, and uncovering links to autoimmune disease 12:00 Computational virology, chronic viral effects on human disease, and extending the approach to the broader human virome 16:59 Design considerations for population genomics programs to better capture chronic viral effects on human disease 21:30 Genetic, viral strain, and environmental factors that shape EBV persistence and immune control 26:09 Future directions for EBV research and expanding beyond European ancestry cohorts 29:46 Focus areas of Ryan’s research including rare variant genetics, neurological disease mechanisms, and pediatric population genomics 33:49 Focus areas of Caleb’s research including the human virome and expanding sequencing technologies to detect uncharacterized nucleic acids 37:03 Where genomic “dark matter” may underlie unexplained cancer and severe disease 38:46 Gaps in non-coding variant interpretation and incomplete penetrance in unsolved genetic disease 42:01 Closing remarks Find out more: Ryan’s research group Caleb’s research group

    46 min
  2. EP 227: Discovering a new neurodevelopmental syndrome in the non-coding genome with Nicky Whiffin of the University of Oxford

    FEB 19

    EP 227: Discovering a new neurodevelopmental syndrome in the non-coding genome with Nicky Whiffin of the University of Oxford

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. Nicky Whiffin, Associate Professor and Wellcome Career Development Fellow at the Big Data Institute, University of Oxford. They discuss the discovery of a new neurodevelopmental syndrome caused by mutations in the small nuclear RNA gene RNU4-2, what this reveals about the non-coding genome and the spliceosome, and how large-scale genome sequencing is reshaping diagnosis, variant interpretation, and the future of genetic medicine. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 00:59 Welcome to Nicky 02:09 Overview of the non-coding genome and its functional elements 03:59 How small nuclear RNAs drive splicing and exon recognition 04:54 Overview of the major and minor spliceosomes and the role of small nuclear RNAs in intron removal 06:34 Discovery of recurrent de novo RNU4-2 mutations in developmental disorders through large-scale genomics data 12:18 Growth of patient advocacy groups and global networks following the discovery of ReNU syndrome 14:43 Potential for antisense oligonucleotide therapies for ReNU syndrome 16:06 Clinical endpoints, treatment timing, and biomarker development for ReNU 18:32 Impact of RNU4-2 discovery on exome design, genome sequencing adoption, and targeted testing strategies 19:52 Distinct dominant, recessive, and retinal phenotypes arising from variants within RNU4-2 22:15 Open questions on mutation rates and selection in spliceosomal small nuclear RNAs 25:25  Limits of non-coding variant discovery and the unresolved genetic burden in developmental disorders 29:52 Therapeutic upregulation strategies targeting untranslated regions in haploinsufficiency  33:40 The MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Genomics’ approach to scalable genetic medicines 35:54 Long-term prospects and delivery challenges for gene editing approaches  36:56 Newborn genome screening, actionability debates, and implications for rare disease diagnosis 40:25 Population genomics insights from unascertained newborn genome sequencing cohorts 42:04 Closing remarks Find out more: ReNU discovery paper

    43 min
  3. EP 226: Scaling AAV gene therapy: Engineering delivery, safety, and cost with David Dismuke of Forge Biologics and Steven Gray of UT Southwestern

    FEB 12

    EP 226: Scaling AAV gene therapy: Engineering delivery, safety, and cost with David Dismuke of Forge Biologics and Steven Gray of UT Southwestern

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. David Dismuke, Chief Technical Officer at Forge Biologics, and Dr. Steven Gray, Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. They discuss the evolution of AAV gene therapy from academic labs to industrial-scale manufacturing, how vector design and capsid engineering are improving CNS delivery, and what manufacturing innovation and next-generation delivery technologies mean for safety, cost, and the future of gene therapy. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 00:59 Welcome to David and Steven 01:47 David and Steven’s overlapping academic paths and long-term collaboration 03:39 Steven’s research on AAV engineering for central nervous system (CNS) gene therapy 04:50 Forge Biologics’ platform approach to scalable AAV manufacturing 06:28 How AAV vectors are manufactured 08:24 How CNS AAV vectors are designed, tested, and refined across programs 10:58 How manufacturing quality and trial outcomes can shape AAV development decisions 15:13 Factors that impact the ratio of full versus empty AAV capsids 17:21 Manufacturing scale, capsid efficiency, and the future cost curve of AAV gene therapy 24:19 Scaling AAV manufacturing for common diseases and the shift toward industrialized production models 27:07 Engineered AAV capsids for CNS delivery and the tradeoffs between innovation and platform stability 30:31 Next-generation AAV delivery and gene editing technologies 34:41 Lessons from Jude Samulski on translating AAV science into real-world therapies 37:21 Closing remarks Find out more: Forge Biologics

    39 min
  4. EP 225: Lessons from 20 years of building ocular gene therapies with Daniel Chung of Beacon Therapeutics

    FEB 5

    EP 225: Lessons from 20 years of building ocular gene therapies with Daniel Chung of Beacon Therapeutics

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Daniel Chung, Chief Medical Officer of Beacon Therapeutics. They discuss lessons from developing the first ocular gene therapy (Luxturna), the complexities of designing and executing pivotal trials in inherited retinal disease, and how endpoint selection, delivery, and immunogenicity shape clinical and commercial success. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 00:59 Welcome to Daniel 01:57 Daniel’s firsthand experience with the development and approval of Luxturna for inherited retinal dystrophy 06:13 Factors contributing to delays in approval for gene therapies in recent years  08:13 Overview of ocular diseases and their suitability for gene therapy 11:40 Why Daniel joined Beacon Therapeutics and current priorities for the lead program 13:22 Key challenges in designing and executing a pivotal gene therapy trial for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) 15:49 Lessons from prior inherited retinal disease trials and selecting the right clinical endpoints 21:03 Expanding beyond the lead program into earlier patients and additional ocular indications 23:43 AAV packaging constraints and managing immunogenicity in ocular gene therapy 26:29 Lessons from academia–industry collaboration in developing gene therapies 28:23 Access to genetic testing in inherited retinal diseases and remaining gaps 32:10 Key scientific, regulatory, and commercial challenges facing gene therapy today 35:39 Closing remarks Find out more: Beacon Therapeutics Please consider rating and reviewing us on your chosen podcast listening platform!

    37 min
  5. EP 224: Genomic newborn screening in Australia: From pilot studies to population-scale programs with Zornitza Stark of the University of Melbourne

    JAN 29

    EP 224: Genomic newborn screening in Australia: From pilot studies to population-scale programs with Zornitza Stark of the University of Melbourne

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Zornitza Stark, Professor at the University of Melbourne and Co-Group Leader at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Using early findings from the BabyScreen+ genomic newborn screening study, they examine feasibility, clinical impact, and family-wide implications beyond standard screening, and consider what these insights mean for infrastructure, policy, and equitable implementation at scale. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Zornitza 01:55 Methods and findings of the BabyScreen+ study  04:35 Scaling the BabyScreen+ study from pilot to population screening 07:46 Balancing benefits, risks, and downstream implications in genomic newborn screening 15:55 How the genes tested in BabyScreen+ were selected 19:00 Cascade testing and the family-wide implications of genomic newborn screening 22:05 What large-scale genomic newborn screening could reveal about penetrance  23:57 Expanding genomic newborn screening over time and addressing equity, scale, and long-term value 27:47 Rapid genomic sequencing in critically ill newborns from pilot studies to national implementation 34:32 Building evidence infrastructure to interpret variants and support reimbursement decisions 37:25 Why global data sharing in genomics requires policy alignment and sustained infrastructure investment 39:55 Current priorities and the future direction of genomics in Australia 42:14 Closing remarks Find out more: BabyScreen+ study Please consider rating and reviewing us on your chosen podcast listening platform!

    44 min
  6. EP 223: Live at JPM: Rewriting disease with next-generation genetic medicines with Michelle Werner of Alltrna and Mike Severino of Tessera Therapeutics

    JAN 22

    EP 223: Live at JPM: Rewriting disease with next-generation genetic medicines with Michelle Werner of Alltrna and Mike Severino of Tessera Therapeutics

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined for a special recording at the Flagship Pioneering studio during JPM 2026 by Michelle Werner, CEO of Alltrna, and Mike Severino, CEO of Tessera Therapeutics. They discuss the molecular mechanisms behind Alltrna’s engineered tRNA and Tessera’s gene-writing platforms, why 2026 marks a major inflection point as both programs enter the clinic, and considerations around trial design, patient needs, and delivering therapies at scale. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 00:59 Welcome to Michelle and Mike 01:26 Overview of Alltrna’s therapeutic approach to rare genetic diseases using engineered tRNAs 03:19 Overview of Tessera Therapeutics’ gene writing approach 04:51 Preclinical evidence supporting first-in-human testing of Alltrna’s lead candidate 07:50 Why Tessera’s preclinical models are predictive of clinical success 10:40 Key features that differentiate Tessera’s RNA-based gene writing 14:02 Advantages of using basket trials for engineered tRNAs 18:00 Clinical trial design and early efficacy signals for gene writing in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency 21:59 Genetic testing, patient identification, and patient advocacy in Alltrna trials 24:18 Differentiating Tessera’s gene writing approach for patients and investigators 26:35 Site readiness and expertise required for genetic medicine trials 28:32 Scaling Alltrna’s platform across mutations, tissues, and diseases 32:34 Expanding Tessera’s gene writing platform beyond alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency 35:57 Perspectives on biotech funding, pharma partnerships, and rare disease investment 39:08 The data pharma looks for when partnering on novel genetic therapies 42:49 Emerging technologies Michelle and Mike are watching beyond their own platforms  47:19 Closing remarks Find out more: Alltrna (https://www.alltrna.com/) Tessera Therapeutics (https://www.tesseratherapeutics.com/) Please consider rating and reviewing us on your chosen podcast listening platform!  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bp2_wVNSzntTs_zuoizU8bX1dvao4jfj/view?usp=share_link

    49 min
  7. EP 222: From genetic risk to gene editing in heart failure with Travis Hinson of the Jackson Laboratory and University of Connecticut

    JAN 15

    EP 222: From genetic risk to gene editing in heart failure with Travis Hinson of the Jackson Laboratory and University of Connecticut

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. Travis Hinson, Professor and physician at the University of Connecticut and investigator at the Jackson Laboratory. They discuss how genetics is reshaping the understanding of heart failure, why sarcomere biology has become a central target for new gene-based therapies, and how advances in genome editing and preventive genetics could redefine cardiovascular care. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Travis 01:44 Overview of gene editing for inherited cardiovascular disease 05:01 Delivery methods and viral capsid engineering to target heart tissue 07:29 Role of the titin gene in dilated cardiomyopathy and treatment opportunities 10:32 Genetic variants in titin and differences in phenotype 13:51 Promising therapeutic approaches for targeting titin  16:21 Possibility of using a mini titin gene for replacement 17:31 Sarcomere proteins and their role in cardiomyopathy 20:28 Limits of current understanding in heart failure, including cardiac regeneration and congenital heart disease 24:50 Predicting drug-induced cardiotoxicity using stem cell models, animal studies, and digital twins 30:02 How Travis balances clinical genetics at the University of Connecticut with translational research at the Jackson Laboratory (JAX) 32:03 Where genetic testing is used in cardiology today and what’s limiting broader access 35:19 Understanding polygenic risk and unexplained heritability in cardiovascular disease 37:07 Managing inherited cardiomyopathy risk in families after a pathogenic variant is identified 40:36 Genetic testing as a prevention strategy and the public health case for earlier intervention 43:03 Balancing early genetic screening with penetrance, uncertainty, and patient anxiety 45:51 Closing remarks Find out more: Review on cardiovascular gene editing approaches Please consider rating and reviewing us on your chosen podcast listening platform!

    47 min
  8. EP 221: How to build a woolly mammoth: Ancient DNA and de-extinction with Beth Shapiro of Colossal Biosciences

    JAN 8

    EP 221: How to build a woolly mammoth: Ancient DNA and de-extinction with Beth Shapiro of Colossal Biosciences

    This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences. They discuss her path into ancient DNA and evolutionary genetics, how advances in genome engineering are reshaping de-extinction and conservation science, and why restoring lost ecological functions could transform the future of biodiversity. Show Notes:  0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 00:59 Welcome to Beth 01:43 Beth’s path from journalism to ancient DNA research 04:46 Beth’s first project on American bison and near extinction 08:26 How Beth worked on a dodo sample at Oxford and what ancient DNA could reveal 11:09 How de-extinction entered the field and why resurrecting species became a scientific goal 14:54 Why de-extinction efforts could strengthen ecosystems and accelerate species conservation 18:33 How cloning a mammoth works and why genome engineering replaces traditional cloning 25:05 Understanding the genome of a woolly mammoth 28:06 What functional de-extinction means in practice 30:55 Genetic clues behind the woolly mammoth’s coat 33:25 The technical hurdles behind de-extinction 38:23 Building a stepwise path to de-extinction through near-term conservation tools 39:36 Ethics risk management and working with local and Indigenous communities in de-extinction projects 44:59 Scientific and technological breakthroughs needed over the next decade to make de-extinction and biodiversity preservation viable 49:20 Closing remarks Find out more: Colossal Biosciences (https://colossal.com/) Please consider rating and reviewing us on your chosen podcast listening platform!  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bp2_wVNSzntTs_zuoizU8bX1dvao4jfj/view?usp=share_link

    51 min
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4.8
out of 5
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About

Exploring all things genetics. Dr Patrick Short, University of Cambridge alumnus and CEO of Sano Genetics, analyses the science, interviews the experts, and discusses the latest findings and breakthroughs in genetic research. To find out more about Sano Genetics and its mission to accelerate the future of precision medicine visit: www.sanogenetics.com

Information

  • Creator
    Sano Genetics
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    228
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sano Genetics
  • Show Website
    The Genetics Podcast

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