TWiV 676: Tragic gene flow from Neanderthals
- In this episode we explain how regions of the human genome associated with severe COVID-19 are identified, the finding that one of these regions was inherited from Neanderthals, and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 reproduction in an immunocompromised patient. post
TWiV 675: Forget what you've herd about immunity
- Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then we discuss Bill Foege's letter to CDC director Robert Redfield, the false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19, secret blueprints for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials released, and neuropilin-1 as a possible entry protein for the virus. post
TWiM 228: Black in Microbiology with Ninecia Scott and Chelsey Spriggs
- Ninecia and Chelsey, two of the founders of Black in Microbiology, join TWiM to discuss the goals of the organization, then we reveal survival of Deinococcus bacteria for 3 years in space, an experiment that addresses the panspermia hypothesis for interplanetary transfer of life. post
TWiV 674: In the company of coronaviruses with Lisa Gralinski
- Lisa joins TWiV to discuss her research on the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, including work on vaccines and an antiviral, then we review the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as a potential analgesic, and listener questions. post
Immune 36: Aberrant immunity in COVID-19
- Immune describes the striking loss of germinal centers in lymph nodes and spleen in patients with severe COVID-19, providing an explanation for short-lived humoral immunity and limited somatic hypermutation of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. post
TWiV 673: Wake up and smell the pandemic
- Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, we debunk the Great Barrington Declaration, and discuss smell and taste changes as early indicators of the pandemic, vascular disease and thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 infected humans and rhesus macaques, and the ability of the swine pathogen SADS-CoV to infect human respiratory tract cells. post
TWiN 11: A dollar per neuron
- Maria joins TWiN to explain how single-cell transcriptomics is being used to reveal the evolution of the brain, at a cost of about $1 per neuron. post
TWiM 227: The light and dark sides of the fungal world
- TWiM presents an episode for mycophiles: how bacteria disarm mushroom pathogens, and the role of the CARD9 protein in protective immunity against pulmonary cryptococcosis. post
TWiN 10: Remodeling synapses with a cytokine
- TWiN explains how a cytokine produced by neurons activates microglia which modify the extracellular matrix and remodel synapses, leading to memory consolidation. post
TWiM 226: Two microbes you might not know
- TWiM presents two unusual microorganisms, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, heard by Elio in an episode of Doc Martin, and Roseomonas mucosa, which is being used to treat atopic dermatitis. post
TWiP 188: Terrible tropisms
- Dickson, Daniel and Vincent solve the case of the Baby with Hydrocephalus, and present a new clinical case for listeners to solve. post
TWiEVO 60: Five years of TWiEVO on the future of our past
- On the fifth anniversary of TWiEVO, Nels and Vincent invite 11 evolutionary biologists to describe exciting future directions for the field and their laboratory in the next five years. post
Immune 35: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
- Immune examines antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, including the relationship between severe COVID-19 and anti-spike antibodies, kinetics of production, and correlates of protection. post
TWiM 225: Lag phase is no slouch
- The TWiM team explores how delivery of an enzyme into competitor cells leads to synthesis of (p)ppApp, depletion of ATP, deregulation of metabolic pathways, and cell death, and a refinement of our typical view of bacterial lag phase as a period of nonreplication. post
TWiP 187: Granny's granuloma
- Dickson, Daniel and Vincent solve the case of the Middle Aged Woman with Loss of Vision in One Eye, and discuss the role of heme oxygenase in the various protozoan infections. post
TWiEVO 59: The hypothesis giving tree
- Nels and Vincent answer listener questions and discuss a newly discovered virus of amoeba with a nearly complete ORFan genome: none of the proteins encoded in the viral genome look like any other proteins. post
Immune 34: Coronavirus cross-reacting T cells
- Immune explains a study demonstrating T cells that react with SARS-CoV-2 epitopes in individuals who have never been infected with the virus, implying cross-reactivity with common cold coronaviruses. post
TWiEVO 58: Not all coronaviruses ACE2 the test
- Simon and Heather join TWiEVO to discuss their analysis of the evolutionary history of ACE2 usage by coronaviruses in the Sarbecovirus genus. post
TWiN 9: COVID-19 neurology with Genna Waldman
- Columbia University Chief Neurology Resident Genna Waldman joins TWiN to explains how her department prepared for COVID-19, and the neurological symptoms associated with the disease. post
TWiP 186: Not rationing rationality
- Dickson, Daniel and Vincent solve the case of the Elder Gardener Feeling Poorly, and discuss the three-dimensional ultrastructure of Plasmodium falciparum during cytokinesis. post
Immune 33: COVID-19 immunotypes
- Immune explains a study of 125 COVID-19 patients by deep immune profiling, which revealed three immunotypes associated with poor clinical prognosis or recovery. post
TWiN 8: Replacing lost neurons
- TWiN explains how neurological disease in mice can be repaired by using CRISPR/Cas to knock down levels of a single cell protein, which converts astrocytes to neurons. post
TWiP 185: Latrinalia
- Dickson, Daniel and Vincent solve the case of the Wife of a Guy with Cyclospora Diarrhea, and discuss the discovery of an intrinsic oscillator that drives the bloodstream stage cycle of the malaria parasite. post
TWiEVO 57: SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding evolution blooms
- Jessie, Allie and Tyler join Nels and Vincent to describe their work on deep mutational scanning of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain. post
Urban Agriculture 29: Gotham Greens
- Dickson travels to indoor farm Gotham Greens in Brooklyn, New York to speak with Co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri. post
Buckyball viruses
- How to build several types of virus particles using the small, powerful magnets called Buckyballs. post
Urban Agriculture 28: The Vertical Farm Institute
- Daniel joins Dickson and Vincent to talk about the Vertical Farm Institute, which provides advice and planning on the design and construction of indoor farms. post
Urban Agriculture 27: The Next Big Things
- Dickson provides an updates on progress towards establishing long-term, sustainable, local, safe food systems based on indoor farming. post
Zika in the guys
- In this episode of Virus Watch, we explore the finding that Zika virus infects the testis of mice, causing damage to the organ, reduced sperm production, and less fertility. The important question: does the same happen in humans? post
Urban Agriculture 26: Green Sense Farms
- Dickson and Vincent speak with Robert Colangelo, founding farmer and CEO of Green Sense Farms, the world's largest commercial indoor vertical farm. post
Cancer Killing Viruses
- Guest host Lynda Coughlan reviews how oncolytic viruses, which specifically kill tumor cells, are designed and how they work. post
Polio in Nigeria
- Polio returns to Nigeria after two years - but it turns out it had never gone away. post