Shows
AudiommunityF is for FlumeA retrospective on audiommunity, and some solid rants about the importance of science,
science communication, and government funding.
2025-12-2252 minAudiommunityKevin has learned a tautologyIn this episode, Matt and Kevin stick with the brain,
this time looking at the immunological implications of
a variant of a gene called Apolipoprotein E
that has been linked to Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
It's a long one, and we get snarky in this one folks!
Buckle up!
2025-12-102h 04AudiommunityScatch that itchy worm in your headIn this episode, Matt and Kevin are joined by [Nicole Ackermans](https://nicoleackermans.com)
to discuss her recent review paper tracing human thoughts about headbutting
from 10,000 BCE to the present day.
How are animals like bighorn sheep and woodpeckers protected
from brain injury?
Actually, wait... **are** they protected from brain injury?
2025-11-191h 10AudiommunityThe Tyranny of the FACS machineIn this episode Matt and Kevin welcome special guest Zach Hilt
from the University of Toledo -
we're talking neonatal Tregs!
2025-11-061h 17AudiommunityWhen you're a hammerIn this episode, Matt and Kevin talk about glycoRNAs and inflammation,
but Matt insists that it's really about Lupus
2025-10-2359 minAudiommunityWalk farther and farther to the leftMatt and Kevin take a humbling look back a classic 1989 immunology paper
from the lab of David Baltimore (RIP)
in which the gene encoding RAG-1,
one of two genes that is responsible for
the VDJ recombination -
a mechanism for the generation of diversity
in the adaptive immune system.
2025-09-1958 minAudiommunityBig if trueSomeone made an AI-based "virtual lab" to engineer nanobodies -
is this a paradigm shift in how we do science,
or a transpararent and cynical effort to slurp up all of the citations for being first?
Por que no los dos?
2025-08-271h 18AudiommunityEvolution - it's a hell of a drugBacteria have immune systems? Even adaptive immune systems? And autoimmunity?
Well... sort of
2025-08-111h 04AudiommunityWhy don't you go stain a brain?Matt and Kevin discuss a new paper about the "subfornical organ"
which (once again) undermines the idea of immune privilage,
and also points to an interesting evolutionary question:
why would T-cells migrating from fat to the brain affect hunger response?
2025-07-211h 16AudiommunityHypercube in the common parlanceThink vaccines aren't important?
Kate, Kevin, and Matt discuss a paper modeling just how wrong you are -
that is, unless you don't mind children dying.
2025-06-031h 08AudiommunitySense of adventureMatt and Kevin speak with Abbie Smith,
an assistant professor at Emory's Hope Clinic,
about the current state of American biomedical science.
2025-05-261h 062025-05-211h 02AudiommunityBan the Lomb-ScargleI'm certain that what you've really been missing in these dark times
is two guys mansplaining menstruation...but also cool immunology!
2025-05-061h 03AudiommunityIt is a problem to encounter LPS in your eyeIn this episode, we're talking about a strange phenomenon where the immune system
seems to intentionally shuttle certain microbes from the gut to lymph nodes and the spleen.
2025-04-151h 16AudiommunityOh no, it rhymes!In this episode, we're talking about the OAS-RNaseL virus-sensing pathway,
and the passage of its product, 2,5-oligoadenylate, through gap junctions.
2025-03-271h 21AudiommunityMice touching grassHow does "rewilding" mice change their immune system? Also, an interview with an organizer of the Atlanta Stand Up for Science march!
2025-03-182h 07AudiommunityOne hundred times mosquito, by massIn this episode, we're talking itch, and the sweet sweet relief you get when degranulating your mast cells.
2025-02-281h 17AudiommunityA blacksmith that decides to make wheelsAre you bleak, disenchanted, stressed out, and unhappy?
No, we're not talking (only) about US politics,
we're talking about Postdocs!
And about a new paper showing how academic success
is linked to publications.
2025-02-101h 222025-01-301h 01
Scholars Strategy Network's No JargonEpisode 220: Vaccination EducationAs the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it's widely accepted that without a vaccine, life cannot go back to normal. But as it turns out, not everyone is on board. Over the last several years, an anti-vaccine movement has gained steam in the United States, with more and more people deciding to skip vaccines for themselves and their children. In this archive episode, Dr. Matthew Woodruff dives into the science and history behind vaccines and how we can better educate people on their value. This episode originally aired on August 8, 2017. For More on This Topic:
2020-05-2127 min
MonsterTalkGoing Viral: The Covid19 MonsterDiscussing COVID19 with virology expert Vincent Racaniello. Best place to get Covid19 Information: WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center for Disease Control) sites for the latest factual information on this pandemic. Non-Profit Vaccine Effort: https://cepi.net/ Tony Fauci - NHI health advisor to US Master site for Vincent's network: http://www.microbe.tv/ Shows from the Microbe.TV network: IMMUNE * TWiEVO: This Week in Evolution * TWiM: This Week in Microbiology * TWiN: This Week in Neuroscience *
2020-03-151h 10AudiommunityCamilla's Science is CursedI swear, we know how to count; this episode was originally recorded back in January, but Camilla's audio file was weirdly corrupted. And in this attempt, Chadene's computer exploded, but we soldiered on without her.
2018-08-201h 06AudiommunityNot an accurate representation of grad schoolIn this episode, Chadene, Kate and Kevin discuss Kate's recently published paper about how STING, once thought to be involved only in defense against DNA viruses, actually slows RNA virus replication as well. Also, Chadene throws herself under the bus, and Kevin manages to only talk for about 20% of the time.
2018-05-281h 22AudiommunityTwo Bucket DiseaseIn this episode, we're talking about *Salmonella*, and the peculiar way in which it tries to keep you eating to keep you alive. Who knew pathogens could be so kind?
2018-04-071h 08AudiommunityNo Drop Shadows on Error BarsIn this episode, Kevin and Camilla discuss *Salmonella* virulence,* and how different strains alter the immunogenicity of pathogens. Oh, and Kate's here too... KATE'S BACK!! WOO!! Dr. Franz has a new job, but is just as snarky and ill-prepared as ever. Plus she refuses to drink on the job.
2018-02-261h 12AudiommunityGiant Bag of AutoimmunityToday (well, three weeks ago), Matt and Kevin talked about epitope spreading in Lupus, and a ton of crazy mouse models that allowed researchers to dissect the way a single auto-reactive B-cell clone can spread the disease party to its neighbors.
2018-01-2256 minAudiommunityMacaque Prison GangsIn this episode, we're talking cure for the common cold... or at least, a vaccine for it. Also, Kevin and Matt read the wrong paper, Chadene corrects Kevin's pronunciation of her name (again!) and we give a big round of applause for Dr. Kate Franz (though she's still too busy for us).
2017-12-231h 03AudiommunityLies and MagicIn this episode, we're talking cancer, checkpoint blockade and poop - what's not to love? Also, Camilla is the only one drinking, Matt thinks the study needs more mice, and it took Kevin an extra 2 hours to edit this episode to remove all (he hopes) of his sniffles.
2017-12-051h 17
AudiommunityEpisode 25 - You're famous if you have a wikipedia page
OMG, Audiommunity is back! With a... vengeance? That doesn't make any sense. But we're back!We've got a couple of new hosts - Please give a warm welcome to Chadene Tremaglio and Camilla Engblom! Kate is still holed up in a cave (lab) trying to wrap up her PhD. But she'll soon return... we hope...Audiommunity is now accepting donations via Patreon. The way it works is that you set up a pledge amount that we'll get each time we release an episode (up to a maximum you set). We'll keep doing this f...
2017-11-1900 minAudiommunityYou're famous if you have a wikipedia pageWe've got a couple of new hosts - Please give a warm welcome to Chadene Tremaglio and Camilla Engblom! Kate is still holed up in a cave (lab) trying to wrap up her PhD. But she'll soon return... we hope...
2017-11-1953 minScholars Strategy Network's No JargonEpisode 94: Vaccination EducationFueled by misinformation, some parents are wary of vaccinating their kids. But this seemingly personal choice can cause disease outbreaks. Dr. Matthew Woodruff explains the science behind vaccines and how we can better educate people on their value. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, Why "Personal Belief" Vaccine Exemptions Place Many Vulnerable Americans at Risk Check out his podcast, Audiommunity Further Reading: Assessing the Effectiveness of the U.S. Vaccine Injury Compensation Court, Anna Kirkland, University of Michigan Restoring Trust in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mark A...
2017-08-0827 minAudiommunityEpisode 24 - The Devil Went Down to... awww, C'mon Matt
Path of Devil Facial Tumor Disease. Figure 1 from doi:10.1038/ncomms12684
Audiommunity loves Tasmanian devils, so we bite the shit out of them... In this episode, we're talking about a contagious tumor that couldn't happen to a nicer species. No seriously, it really couldn't. Tasmanian devils bite each other on the face to say hello. WTF devils?And we answer audience e-mail that's been in the inbox for months! I know, I know... we're going to record more frequently going forward - honest!LinksPaper: Rapid evolutionary response to a...
2016-09-3000 minAudiommunityThe Devil Went Down to... awww, C'mon MattAudiommunity loves Tasmanian devils, so we bite the shit out of them... In this episode, we're talking about a contagious tumor that couldn't happen to a nicer species. No seriously, it really couldn't. Tasmanian devils bite each other on the face to say hello. WTF devils?
2016-09-3059 minAudiommunityIf At First You Don't SucceedThis week - Evidence that viruses drive the evolution of their hosts - who would have guessed? Matt struggles to remember how evolution works, and Kate and Kevin yell past each other about open peer review.
2016-06-171h 16AudiommunitySo, a B-cell walks into a germinal center...In this episode, Matt and Kevin give in to aesthetics. This paper's just really pretty.
2016-05-111h 17AudiommunityAllergies Suck Less than CancerThis week, a guy gets a kiwi allergy from a bone marrow transplant from his sister, Matt envisions a magic mouse, and Kate peaces out after 20 min. Meanwhile, Kevin continues to be the only one drinking... that schtick may not last much longer.
2016-04-2658 minAudiommunityBacteriophiles with Jesse NoarSomething a bit different this episiode. Last month, we joined Jesse Noar, host of the excellent Bacteriophiles podcast to record an episode about oncolytic viruses (viruses that blow up cancer cells).
2016-04-2157 minAudiommunityJ Lo Poop PillsIn this episode, how parasitic worms alter in immunomodulatory effects of the gut microbiome. Also, Kate expresses her distaste for large datasets and animal experiments, and Matt proposes a weight loss company that will only market to identical twins.
2016-03-171h 17AudiommunityMore cow... sirens?In this episode, we talk about the innate immune system's Trojan cow strategy - using a cyclic dinucleotide as a signaling molecule means that viruses can package the seeds of their own destruction.
2016-02-251h 12AudiommunityWhen your immune system is all up in itIn this episode we talk about lymphatics in the brain and why that's both obvious and not obvious. Meanwhile, Kate drinks disgusting smoothies and Kevin triggers Matt with a trigger warning.
2016-01-2851 minAudiommunityJimmy Carter's Brain on DrugsIn this episode, Matt and Kevin discuss checkpoint blockade cancer immunotherapy (wow, that's a mouthful). When cancer stamps down the breaks of the immune system, cutting the break line can allow T-cells to do their job.
2016-01-131h 01AudiommunityThe other DRACOThis week, we're discussing DRACOs - not the Harry Potter character, a "new" class of antiviral therapeutics that links up the double-stranded RNA-binding part of one protein to the cell-death (apoPtosis)-activating part of a different protein.
2015-12-211h 10AudiommunityMatt got married, and we're talking about pregnancyIn this episode, we're talking about the placental microbiome - that is, the bacteria that hang around a developing fetus in the womb. Wait, there are bacteria hanging around a developing fetus? Apparently!
2015-12-091h 12AudiommunityGATACAIn this episode, we discuss the moral implications of doing experiments on babies without brains, and editing the genomes of unborn humans. I reveal my nature as a moral monster, and Kate can't resist bringing up Kim Kardashian's artificial selection of her own offspring.
2015-10-011h 07AudiommunityEpisode 12 – Bee pollen is one of those hippy things
Welcome to spring from everyone at Audiommunity! To celebrate the return of the warm(ish) weather, we discuss a paper looking at immune responses to bee venom, and the underlying causes of environmental allergy. In doing so, we focus in on the mast cell – the immune mediators of allergy and anaphylaxis – and why they may actually be helpful in helping you (or your more worm-exposed ancestors) fight off intestinal parasites. Ever wonder where histamines come from? Why your skin turns red when you scratch it? Why you should never take bee pollen as a supplement? What eosinophils and baso...
2015-04-1700 minAudiommunityBee pollen is one of those hippy thingsTo celebrate the return of the warm(ish) weather, we discuss a paper looking at immune responses to bee venom, and the underlying causes of environmental allergy.
2015-04-1652 minAudiommunityNo, Not SeminolA discussion about sCD38, a molecule that's secreted in mouse and human sperm,
and may play a role in suppressing a mother's immune response to a new fetus.
2015-03-1158 minAudiommunityTaco shock syndromeTurns out *Staphylococcus aureus* can evade the immune system by activating it.
Also, Matt's bad hair day and a link between tacos and tampons.
2015-01-2854 minAudiommunityI'd just like to second everything Abbie saidIn this episode, we're joined by Abbie Smith, a postdoctoral fellow studying HIV at Emory University, and author of the popular (and always wonderful) ERV blog.
2014-09-041h 15AudiommunityLet's just make it more deadlyKate and Kevin talk influenza and gain of function research. Should we be making flu more deadly?
2014-08-181h 22AudiommunityHot Dog Buns, Hard Lines and Floppy BitsAfter a hard day's work, sometimes you want to just kick your feet back and relax. Unfortunately, sometimes your CD8 T-cells want the same thing, even though they don't have feet.
2014-07-141h 16AudiommunityJust a Huge DistractionIn this episode, Kevin talks with Pamela Ronald, professor of plant pathology at the University of California, Davis. Almost 20 years ago, Ronald discovered Xa21, a plant pattern recognition receptor that guards against bacterial infection. This receptor shares many features with Toll-like receptors, and the role of Xa21 was shown a year before TLRs were implicated in immunity.
2014-06-0437 minAudiommunityWhen the Carnies Roll InIn Episode 5, we're talking about neutrophils, and the special way they die.
2014-05-1451 minAudiommunityWilly Nilly Brownian MotionAfter a long absence, we're back! With an episode about the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis and how immune cells navigate the around the body.
2014-04-251h 16AudiommunityImmunologists' Dirty Little SecretToday, we're talking the *other* immunity (that both Kate and Kevin happen to study). Neglected for nearly one hundred years, the innate immune system is required for getting inflammation going, and without it, adaptive immunity wouldn't function.
2014-03-061h 38AudiommunityAntibodies and InfantryIn this episode, we're talking antibodies - what they are and what they have to do with Vaccines. Also, we discuss efforts to use engineered antibodies to treat HIV.
2014-02-241h 26AudiommunityEveryone else’s kidneysIn this episode, we're talking transplantation: Why is it so damned hard to transfer tumors between mice? Why do we have to go to extraordinary lengths to transplant kidneys between humans?
2014-01-3050 min