Welcome SCP fans to Episode 52 and thanks as always for tuning in. Be sure to visit stemcellpodcast.com for current and past episodes and to sign up for our newsletter. We begin as always with our Science Roundup sponsored by Thermo Fisher. In this episode, we discuss topics ranging from STAP author accusations, stem cells go to space, different types of bacteria in homes, tricking the body to fight colon cancer stem cells, growing a human brain in the lab, the female “viagra” is now available, and much more. For the interview portion of the show, sponsored by Stem Cell Technologies, we bring on Dr. Flora Vaccarino from Yale University to discuss stem cells and autism, specifically her work on neural stem cells and how she is using them to study Autism Spectrum Disorder. We then finish off the show with a rant on the metal tops to Matrigel. Enjoy!
Below are all of the papers mentioned on the show. We are working on a way to categorize all of the research papers we mention and possibly even provide audio summaries. Enter in your name and e-mail address below, and we will notify you of when this feature is available.
Resources, Links and Research Papers Mentioned In This Session Include:
Citizen Science Effort Highlights How Little We Know About Invisible Life in Our Own Homes – According to this article, scientists are announcing the discovery of thousands of unidentified species living in and around homes in the United States.
Reprogramming Cancer Cells Back To Normal Looks Feasible, Study Shows – In this article, a new study in Nature Cell Biology suggests there may be a way to change the code so that cancer cells revert back to normal cells.
Does This Phylum Make Me Look Fat? – This article describes that beyond carbs and fats, some studies have hinted that a key group of gut microbes — from the phylum Firmicutes — might be more common among people who are overweight.
Identifying The Gene Switch That Turns Fat Cells Bad – This article reports that using state-of-the-art DNA editing tools, scientists have identified a genetic switch that helps govern the body’s metabolism.
Human Brain Grown In A Lab Could Be Most Complete Yet – According to this article, scientists have developed a miniature brain in the lab that was grown from the skin cells of an adult human and, incredibly, boasts 99% of the genes found in a human fetal brain.
Science Of Making Memories: Part Of Your Hippocampus Decides Which Experiences Are New Or Different Versions Of The Same – This article reveals that the CA3 region, a region of the hippocampus, decides what you will and can remember by answering the question: Is it the same or is it different?
Major Publisher Retracts 64 Scientific Papers In Fake Peer Review Outbreak – This article reports that in the latest episode of the fake peer review phenomenon, one of the world’s largest academic publishers, Springer, has retracted 64 articles from 10 of its journals after discovering that their reviews were linked to fake e-mail addresses.
Safeguarding Gene Drive Experiments In The Laboratory – This article suggests that multiple stringent confinement strategies should be used whenever possible in creating gene drive systems.
Estimating The Reproducibility Of Psychological Science – In this article, scientists conducted a large-scale, collaborative effort to obtain an initial estimate of the reproducibility of psychological science.
Adding Chili To Food Really CAN Help You Lose Weight: Compound In Fiery Peppers Tells The Body It's Full, Preventing Over-Eating – According to this article, eating chili peppers can activate the stomach to stretch and release the 'full-feeling' signals, stimulating a receptor called potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel protein which stops a person from overeating.
F.D.A. Approves Addyi, a Libido Pill for Women – In this article, Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drug to enhance women’s sexual drive.
