People Behind The Science Podcast - Stories From Scientists About Science, Life, Research, And Science Careers

Dr. David Berman is Head of Research and Development at Immunocore, a leading T cell receptor biotechnology company. David and his team are working on new therapies that can train the immune system to recognize and kill cancer. This approach to treating cancer is called immunotherapy. Immunocore is taking a novel approach to immunotherapy by leveraging the mechanisms used by T cell receptors to identify indicators of cancer within cancer cells. Much of David’s time outside of work is spent driving his daughters to their soccer and lacrosse games and watching them play. He also enjoys cycling with his family and thought-provoking solo cycling outings. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Afterwards, David was awarded his PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Alfred Gilman (Nobel Prize 1994) and his MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He completed his Residency in Anatomic Pathology at the National Cancer Institute and a Fellow

Dr. Lisa Whitenack is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Biology and Geology at Allegheny College. Through her research, Lisa aims to better understand how animals work from a mechanical perspective. She studies how sharks have used their teeth over their 400 million years of evolution, how salamanders jump, and how stone crabs perform pinching movements. When she’s not at work, Lisa loves getting creative with a variety of crafts such as crochet, cross-stitch, and painting. She also enjoys refereeing roller derby, hiking, and spending time with her family. Lisa received her B.S. in geology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, her M.S. degree in geological sciences from Michigan State University, and her Ph.D. in integrative biology from the University of South Florida. Lisa served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Tampa for about a year. She next conducted postdoctoral research in geology at the University of South Florida before joining the faculty at Allegheny Coll

Dr. Al Robichaud is Chief Scientific Officer at Sage Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing novel medicines to treat life-altering central nervous system disorders. The team at Sage Therapeutics is focused on delivering new medicines for people with central nervous system disorders, such as depression. The compounds they have developed modulate the activity of receptors in the brain that respond to specific neurotransmitters. Outside of science, Al has been an avid scuba diver for most of his life. He particularly enjoys exploring the ocean in the Caribbean with his family. Al received his B.S. in chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He worked as a staff chemist at FMC Corporation for about two years before returning to school to earn his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine. Al next conducted research as an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow in organic chemistry at Colorado State University. Befor

Dr. Christine Drea is the Earl D. McLean Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, as well as Professor in the Department of Biology, the University Program in Ecology, and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences at Duke University. Research in Christine’s lab examines animal behavior from an integrative perspective. She and her colleagues are investigating the genetic, behavioral, cognitive, sensory, and endocrine mechanisms involved in social interactions and communication in socially complex animals. Christine focuses primarily on female-dominant species such as hyenas, lemurs, and meerkats. Christine’s hobbies outside of science include gardening, playing and walking with her two dogs, and traveling. Christine completed her undergraduate training in zoology at the University of Maryland College Park. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in psychobiology from Emory University. Afterwards, Christine conducted postdoctoral research in physiology at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and subsequently she was awar

Dr. Paul Cannon is the Parkinson’s Disease Program Manager at 23andMe. Paul and the team at 23andMe are working with patients, genetic data, and other self-report data to understand genetic mutations linked to Parkinson’s disease, disease risk factors, and other comorbidities experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease. Outside of work, Paul enjoys traveling to visit new places in countries or parts of countries that are not necessarily considered typical tourist destinations. He also likes to hike, watch cricket matches, and watch Premier League Soccer games. Paul received his Master’s degree in Natural Sciences from Christ’s College in Cambridge and his PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Calgary. Afterwards, he worked as a Research Scientist at Syntex. Next, Paul spent nearly 15 years in various roles at Roche Pharmaceuticals and Genentech. He worked as a Senior Consultant for Tynan Consulting for about four years before joining the team at 23andMe. In our interview, Paul tells us more about

Dr. Cori Richards-Zawacki is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Director of the Pymatuning Lab of Ecology at the University of Pittsburgh. Cori studies topics in ecology, evolutionary biology, behavior, and conservation in frogs. In particular, she is working to understand how frogs use different body forms, colors, and other features to survive partially on land and partially in water. When she’s not working and doing research, Cori enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two young daughters. She likes to play soccer, hike, go mountain biking, and do other outdoor activities. Cori received her Bachelor’s degree in engineering and biology as well as her PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology both from the University of Michigan. She conducted postdoctoral research at the Smithsonian Institute and the University of California, Berkeley. Cori next served on the faculty at Tulane University prior to joining the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in 2015. In our in

Dr. Jim Doherty is Chief Research Officer at Sage Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing novel medicines to treat life-altering central nervous system disorders. Jim and his colleagues are focused on developing new treatments for different brain disorders including psychiatric, neurodegenerative, and movement disorders. Outside of science, Jim enjoys traveling, seeing cool new sites, and exploring the history of different places with his wife and two kids. He also enjoys participating in a variety of team sports like golf, softball, and ultimate frisbee leagues. Jim received his B.A. in biology from the University of Delaware and his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Georgetown University. Next, he conducted postdoctoral research at Emory University Medical School and subsequently served on the faculty at Emory for about two years. Prior to joining the team at Sage in 2014, Jim worked for about eleven years at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. In our interview

Dr. Neil Solomons is Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies in disease areas of high unmet medical need. Neil is working to develop a drug to treat a rare autoimmune disease called lupus nephritis. In lupus nephritis, there is inflammation of the kidneys that can result in kidney failure, need for dialysis, or kidney transplant. Currently, there are no FDA-approved therapies for this disease, and the team at Aurinia is excited to be in the final stages of developing a drug called Voclosporin to treat lupus nephritis. Outside of research, Neil is an obsessive soccer fan, and he has been avidly watching English Premier League games since he was a child. He also enjoys playing the guitar and spending time with his family. Neil was awarded his Medical Degree from the University of London’s Guys Hospital Medical School. Afterwards, he worked as a physician in London and completed specialist trai

Dr. Anne Fung is the Global Development Lead for the Port Delivery System with Ranibizumab and Lucentis at Genentech. She is also a practicing retina specialist and researcher at Pacific Eye Associates and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Macular degeneration is a degenerative condition of a portion of the retina in the eye. This disease generally affects older adults. While there are some amazing medicines that can help people with macular degeneration, these medicines must be injected into the eye every 4-6 weeks. Anne is working on a tiny implant that serves as a reservoir for medicine so it can be slowly released over 6 months or more. They are currently investigating how long this implant can effectively treat the disease. Outside of science, Anne loves practicing yoga, as well as reading, listening to podcasts, and listening to audiobooks on a variety of topics including business, organizations, and psychology. Anne received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College and her Medi

Dr. Karl Heilbron is a Scientist I in Statistical Genetics at 23andMe. He focuses on identifying genetic variants that are associated with diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Once variants are identified, he conducts more targeted analyses to better understand the genetic basis of disease. When he’s not working, Karl enjoys staying active by playing soccer and other sports. In addition, he has been having fun staying in touch with old friends by playing Dungeons and Dragons together online. Karl received his Bachelor's degree in Evolutionary Science from Western University where he was awarded the Western Gold medal for highest course average. He next attended The University of Oxford where he earned his Ph.D. degree in evolutionary genomics. Karl was awarded a Julie Payette Research Scholarship from The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for his graduate work. Afterwards, Karl conducted postdoctoral research in computational biology at 23andMe before accepting his current position

Dr. Jennifer Wargo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a Stand Up To Cancer researcher. Jennifer is a physician scientist, and this means she splits her time between providing care to patients and doing research to find better ways of treating disease. Specifically, Jennifer performs surgeries and treats patients one day each week. She spends the rest of her week studying how to treat patients with cancer and how cancer may ultimately be prevented. When she’s not doing research or treating patients, Jennifer enjoys spending quality time with her family. Some of their favorite activities include going for walks, biking, hiking, and visiting the beach. Jennifer also likes to explore her creative side through art and photography, as well as to be active through running, biking, yoga, and surfing. She received her A.S. degree in nursing and B.S. degree in biology from Gwynedd-Mercy College. Afterwards, Jennifer attended the Medi

Dr. Brian Goode is a Research Scientist at the Fralin Life Science Institute at Virginia Tech, formerly the Biocomplexity Institute. Brian’s background is in engineering, and his current research aims to understand how data-driven and theoretical models can be applied to the real world. For example, in one project, he is working to predict outcomes for people and their families using data from their first nine years of life. Their goal is to make the best models they can, identify the considerations needed to apply these models to reality, and then determine how their models can be used to help craft interventions and policies. Lately, Brian has been spending his weekends with his wife repairing and preparing their sailboat. He learned how to sail during graduate school, and he is excited to be nearly ready to set sail in his own sailboat. Brian received his B.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech. He was awarded an Office of Naval Research assistantship to complete his doctoral work. Afte

Dr. Edith Widder is Co-Founder, CEO, and Senior Scientist at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA), a scientific based conservation nonprofit. ORCA aims to find upstream solutions to the pollution problems that are plaguing our oceans. They use science-based approaches to determine where pollution is coming from and what can be done to stop it. When Edie isn’t doing science, she loves immersing herself in nature through hiking and kayaking. She also enjoys visiting museums, especially art museums. Edie received a BS in Biology from Tufts University and worked as a Laboratory Technician at Harvard Medical School before enrolling in graduate school. She attended UC, Santa Barbara where she earned a MS in biochemistry and a PhD in Neurobiology. Prior to founding ORCA, Edie worked for 16 years as a senior scientist at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. Edie has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including a MacArthur Fellowship, the 2018 Explorers Club Citation of Me

Dr. Annaliesa Anderson is Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Bacterial Vaccines within Vaccine Research and Development at Pfizer Inc. In the lab, Liesa is working to develop new vaccines that prevent infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Outside of work, Liesa loves spending time at home with her husband, sixteen year old son, twelve year old daughter, and the family’s new dog. She also enjoys being outside, visiting the Jersey Shore beaches, taking exercise classes with her husband, and serving as a girl scout leader. She earned her PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Warwick in the UK. Afterwards, Liesa was awarded a Natural Environment Research Council postdoctoral fellowship which she completed at the University of Coventry. She was subsequently awarded a Royal Society postdoctoral fellowship during which she conducted research at the University of Warwick. Next, Liesa worked for about 9 years at Merck Research Laboratories. She then joined the team at Wyeth a few years before

Dr. Denver Lough is President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of PolarityTE, a biotech company developing methods for patients’ own cells to regenerate functionally-polarized tissues. Denver and the team at Polarity TE have developed novel methods to successfully induce regeneration across the full spectrum of tissue types including skin, muscle, and bone. They have accomplished this by understanding the environment, stimuli, and interactions needed for these tissues to orient, self-organize, and develop. With their technology, patients with a variety of diseases and injuries can regenerate fully functional tissues from their own cells. When he isn’t working at PolarityTE, Denver enjoys spending time with his wife and three young children. It is exciting to watch them learn and discover new things about the world, and it makes Denver appreciate all the incredible things in life that we sometimes overlook. Denver received his MD and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology from Georgetown Univ

Dr. Karen Strier is the Vilas Research Professor and Irven Devore Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Karen is a Primate behavioral ecologist. She is working to understand the biological basis of human behavior, evolution, and adaptation by studying our closest living relatives. Research in Karen’s group involves observing a critically endangered primate, the northern muriqui, in its natural habitat to understand how their behaviors are similar to or different from human behaviors. When she’s not in the lab or observing primates in the wild, Karen enjoys being outside, going for walks in nature, cooking delicious multi-course meals for her friends and family, reading, and spending time with her cats. Karen received her B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology and Biology from Swarthmore College, and she was awarded her M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University. After completing her Ph.D., Karen served as a lecturer at Harvard University and subsequently became a faculty member

Dr. Eric Pop is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering as well as Materials Science & Engineering at Stanford University. Research in Eric’s laboratory spans electronics, electrical engineering, physics, nanomaterials, and energy. They are interested in applying materials with nanoscale properties to engineer better electronics such as transistors, circuits, and data storage mechanisms. Eric is also investigating ways to better manage the heat that electronics generate. When he’s not working, Eric enjoys snowboarding up in the mountains of California. He also enjoys traveling, playing soccer, and following professional soccer leagues. Eric received his B.S. in electrical engineering, B.S. in physics, and a M.Eng. in electrical engineering from MIT. He was awarded his PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Afterwards, Eric conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University before accepting a position as a Senior Engineer at Intel. Prior to joining the faculty at Stanford Univ

Dr. Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist and Chief Science Advocate at 3M. Jayshree is developing and studying adhesives and tapes for use in industrial environments. Her goal is to create stronger, more versatile, and more sustainable products. In addition to science, Jayshree enjoys a variety of creative pursuits such as writing poetry, writing articles, and cooking a wide array of foods. Jayshree received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy in India. She then attended Clarkson University in New York where she earned her MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering. Jayshree has worked at 3M now for over 25 years, and she holds 65 patents for a wide variety of innovations. In our interview, Jayshree shares more about her life, science, and the 3M State of Science Index.

Dr. Kimberly Blackwell is Vice President of Early Phase Development and Immuno-oncology at Lilly Oncology. In addition, Kim is Co-Founder of Cereius, a company that aims to improve the lives and survival of patients with solid tumor brain metastasis by using personalized and highly targeted radiotherapy. After 25 years of treating patients and conducting breast cancer research, Kim recently left her position in academic medicine to focus her efforts on getting new drugs to patients facing cancer. Kim’s hobbies include spending time with her family, watching her son’s baseball games, practicing yoga, meditating, skiing, and horseback riding. Kim received her bachelor’s degree in bioethics from Duke University and her M.D. from Mayo Clinic Medical School. Afterwards, she completed an internship and residency in internal medicine, as well as a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Duke University Medical School. Prior to accepting her position at Lilly, Kim was a faculty member at Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Rafael Carbunaru is Vice President of Research and Development of the Neuromodulation Division of Boston Scientific Corporation. Rafael is dedicated to creating innovative medical solutions to transform the lives of patients worldwide. He and his team are developing non-drug treatments to help patients with chronic neurological disorders such as chronic pain and Parkinson’s disease. To do this, they are creating new devices and therapies that can modify the signals the nervous system is sending that may cause the symptoms of these neurological disorders. Outside of work, Rafael enjoys spending time with his family. They like to explore outside, ride through the beautiful bike trails in Southern California, and hang out at the beach together. Rafael received his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Venezuela. He was awarded his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University. After completing graduate school, Rafael joined