STEMcast

STEMcast

STEMcast is a not-for-profit podcast that serves to highlight the connections between the largely varying subfields of STEM. We interview guest speakers from a diverse range of fields, bringing listeners into the loop on STEM research in biotech, AI, medicine, environment, math and much more.

  1. 2025. 08. 11.

    STEMcast Episode 36 | “Specialization is for Insects”: Building Neuroscience Foundation Models with Prof. Adrien Peyrache and Prof. Blake Richards

    Welcome to the Beyond the Lab series of STEMcast! Today, AI is helping us understand what allowed us to create it in the first place: our brains. Although the intersection of neuroscience and AI is nothing new, tools that leverage this combination are now making their way from the lab and into consumer markets. What are these tools? Why are they better equipped to analyze neural data, and why are researchers launching entrepreneurial ventures to bring them to life? In this episode, Adrien Peyrache and Blake Richards, professors at McGill University’s Montreal Neurological Institute and pioneers in the NeuroAI space, join us to discuss their research careers and what led them to co-found Lamarck Labs, a neurotech company building foundation models for neuroscience. Note: After this episode, this series will be taking a short break. We’re excited to come back in the Fall, refreshed and ready to share more stories beyond the lab. In this episode we cover: (01:27) A rave that lead to Blake’s research origins (04:03) Adrien’s scientific beginnings (09:05) Scientific collaboration: How did they meet and start working together? (14:53) Why are AI systems better at “decoding the brain”? (19:59) Entrepreneurial collaboration: Founding Lamarck Labs (25:58) Why now? Using foundations models in neuroscience (31:35) Applications of foundation models in Lamarck Labs (37:00) What excites and worries both professors about the future of this technology. Further reading/listening Read more about Prof. Adrien Peyrache hereRead more about the Peyrache LabRead more about Prof. Blake Richards hereRead more about LiNC LabRead more about Lamarck Labs herePapers, essays and other media that we mentioned:Paper: Sequential Predictive Learning is a unifying theory for hippocampal representations and replaySuperDataScience Podcast with John KrohnAdrien Peyrache’s Amazing Brain Science TalkBlake Richards’ Amazing Brain Science Talk Host and producer : Sabrina Du Contact: igem@mcgill.ca

    42분
  2. 2025. 08. 03.

    STEMcast Episode 35 | Handshakes between Methods and People: Fostering Collaboration at the Flatiron Institute with Prof. Andrew Millis

    Welcome to the Beyond the Lab series of STEMcast! With Prof. Andrew Millis, Professor of Physics at Columbia University and co-director of the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute, we dive into the fundamental and fundamentally strange world of quantum mechanics and how it is connected to the world of everyday things. How do collective properties arise from the interaction of individual atoms and electrons? How is the whole different from the sum of its parts? Alongside these questions, we discuss the origins of the Simons Foundation and its internal research division, the Flatiron Institute. Prof. Millis describes the philosophy of philanthropy-driven science at Flatiron, how it differs from traditional academic funding models, and how it fosters a culture of collaboration. Thanks to this culture, the whole can truly go beyond the sum of its parts. Note: At 3:30-4:51, there is a difference in audio quality. Our sincerest apologies! In this episode, we cover: (01:21) What is quantum condensed matter physics? (5:15) Simons Foundation and the Flatiron Institute (12:54) Funding models for long-term projects (16:21) A culture of collaboration at the Flatiron (20:03) Interdisciplinary vs. deep domain expertise (24:25) Sharing a “common language” between fields (30:20) Picking up the basics of mathematics and physics (33:06) Philanthropic funding Further reading/listening Read more about Prof. Andrew MillisRead more about the Simons FoundationRead more about the Flatiron Institute Episode host and producer: Sabrina Du Contact: igem@mcgill.ca

    38분
  3. 2025. 07. 27.

    STEMcast Episode 34 | A Lesson in Science History: The Discovery vs. The Discoverer with Prof. Matthew Cobb

    Welcome to the Beyond the Lab series of STEMcast! This week, we are joined by Matthew Cobb, Professor of zoology (Professor Emeritus) at the University of Manchester, historian and author. From the discovery of the double helix to the 1975 Asilomar conference on recombinant DNA, we explore various historical events that shaped public perception of the life sciences and talk about how the history of science can help explain disruptive technologies. Through these discussions, Prof. Cobb draws our attention both to the scientist(s) that made the discovery and to the discovery that made the scientist(s). Is there more to the connection that binds the two? Note: Many readings and resources were mentioned during this episode. Please find links to all of them below. In this episode we cover: (01:11) Origin of Prof. Cobb’s research interests (07:29) A Second Hat: Prof. Cobb as a Historian (11:38) Public opinion shaping life sciences discoveries and vice-versa (14:44) Using history to communicate disruptive technologies (21:58) How a scientific background positions you as a historian: His experience with Rosalind Franklin Archives (25:37) Tug-of-war between scientific advancement and ethical concerns (30:22) Protecting ethical science in a publish or perish culture (34:41) Using history to communicate the importance of foundational advances: The Story on PCR and CRISPR (37:39) The discovery versus the individual who discovered: Watson Crick and the discovery of the double helix Further reading/listening Read more about Prof. Matthew CobbListen to Prof. Cobb’s 2024 Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Prize LectureView annotated copies of Rosalind Franklin’s DNA notebooksExtended show notesBooks mentioned: The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA (James Watson)The Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul (Francis Crick)As Gods: A Moral History of the Genetic Age ((Matthew Cobb)Crick: A Mind in Motion (Matthew Cobb)Episode host and producer : Sabrina Du Contact: igem@mcgill.ca

    44분
  4. 2025. 07. 15.

    STEMCast Episode 33 | “The Paper Beyond the Paper”: Publishing in Nature Neuroscience with Dr. Shari Wiseman

    Welcome to STEMCast: Beyond the Lab, a series where we explore the many hats that scientists wear. From professors embarking on entrepreneurial journeys to researchers involved in policy making, join us as we explore both inside and beyond the lab. With Dr. Shari Wiseman, Chief Editor at Nature Neuroscience, we peer into her journey from the lab bench to the editor's desk, and how that transition gave her a broad view of scientific progress in neuroscience. Dr. Wiseman shares her perspective on the future of the field, explains how her team identifies and nurtures emerging research, and describes the responsibility of curating a journal that sets global research standards. From the art and science of publishing to the importance of listening to your emotions as a student, this conversation is filled with practical wisdom for scientists at every stage. In this episode, we cover: (00:40) Dr. Wiseman’s research background and appreciation for lab culture (4:28) How did her interest in scientific editing emerge? (8:20) Finding excitement and fulfillment as Chief Editor at Nature Neuroscience (12:49) Curating Nature Neuroscience (16:27) Creativity in science publishing and shaping the field (21:46) Current and emerging trends in neuroscience (28:08) Paradigm shifts in neuroscience (32:14) Open science (36:13) The future of neuroscience and neuroscience publishing (39: 52) Advice for students Further reading Read more about Dr. Shari WisemanRead Nature Neuroscience’s July IssueNature Neuroscience is hiring!Episode host and producer: Sabrina Du Contact: igem@mcgill.ca

    44분

소개

STEMcast is a not-for-profit podcast that serves to highlight the connections between the largely varying subfields of STEM. We interview guest speakers from a diverse range of fields, bringing listeners into the loop on STEM research in biotech, AI, medicine, environment, math and much more.