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

Dr. Bryan Lewis is a Research Associate Professor working in the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory at the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech. Bryan works in the field of computational epidemiology. His research uses computers to simulate disease so they can make policy recommendations and help in response to an infectious disease epidemic. When he has spare time, Bryan likes going mountain biking and exploring the national forest nearby in Blacksburg, Virginia. He also enjoys swimming, hiking, and going for walks with his family and their dogs. He received his B.S. in Computational Biology from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master’s of Public Health specializing in Infectious Diseases from the University of California, Berkeley. Afterwards, Bryan attended graduate school at Virginia Tech where he was awarded his PhD in Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology and then later joined the faculty. In this interview Bryan shares more about his life and research.

Dr. Suzanne Clough is the Chief Medical Officer at Amalgam Rx and Chief Innovation Officer at ArmadaHealth. In her free time, Suzanne revels in the pleasant chaos of her house with her husband, two children, and two dogs. She is also an athlete who enjoys basketball, swimming, and cycling. Suzanne is a physician by training, but she has been dedicating her efforts in recent years to investigating the behavioral science and psychosocial aspects of being a patient. She is working to discover what motivates people to engage in their healthcare, what creates barriers, and what can help people build reduce stress and build resilience. Through her companies, Suzanne develops digital health solutions that help people better manage their chronic diseases, improve their healthcare experience, and live happier lives. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from James Madison University and her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She completed her residency and an endocrinology fello

Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga is a Professor and Director of the Centre for Systems Neuroscience at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. He is also an author of the books Borges and Memory, Principles of Neural Coding, Imaging Brain Function with EEG, and the recently published book The Forgetting Machine. Rodrigo enjoys getting out of the lab to do different activities to give his mind a break from thinking about experiments. In particular, he enjoys hanging out with his wife and kids, playing sports, and practicing Judo. Rodrigo is interested in understanding how memory works and how the brain works in general. He conducts experiments to determine how the neurons in our brain make us see, feel, make decisions, and remember the things we experience and learn in our lives. The memory research in Rodrigo’s lab investigates how memories are formed, stored, consolidated, and forgotten. Rodrigo received his undergraduate training in physics from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina and was awarde

Dr. Edward DeLong is a Professor in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawai’i Manoa as well as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. When he’s not working, Ed loves to be out in nature. He enjoys spending time outside with his family, hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling in the beautiful coral reefs near his house. Ed has also taken up yoga to help him stay limber and relaxed. Research in Ed’s lab brings together a variety of disciplines to study microbial communities in the ocean. He is interested in their ecology, evolution, biochemistry, genomics, and their impacts on marine systems. Particularly of interest for Ed are the microscopic organisms that are the primary producers or “forests of the ocean” responsible for releasing oxygen and serving as food for other organisms in marine food chains. Ed received his B.S. in Bacteriology from the University of California, Davis and his Ph.D. in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography

Dr. Abby Polter is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology at George Washington University. Outside of the lab, Abby enjoys spending her free time curled up with a great book, conducting complicated cooking experiments in the kitchen, and visiting the many wonderful museums where she lives in Washington D.C. Her research examines how synapses on neurons producing neurotransmitters like serotonin are affected by adversity or stress during development, how neurons that produce dopamine are differentially affected in males compared to females, and why individuals respond differently to stress. These research questions are relevant for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse disorders. Abby received her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Ohio Wesleyan University and her PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Before joining the faculty at George Washington University, Abby was a postdoctoral fellow at Brown University. Abby joined us for a

Dr. Joel Sachs is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Biology at the University of California, Riverside. For Joel, free time is best spent outdoors with his wife and two kids. They enjoy hanging out in their yard and hiking some of the fantastic trails in Southern California. Joel is also an avid gardener and landscaper. He has been working to transform his yard into a native habitat with plants like shrubs and cactuses. In Joel’s lab, they study bacteria that promote plant growth. He wants to understand how these bacteria work, how they are attracted from the soil into plants, how they get into plant cells, how plants maintain these microbes, and how these systems vary with different microbes. Some bacteria are beneficial for the plants, but others aren’t. Joel is investigating how plants deal with the diversity of microbes that they encounter and how they invest in the bacteria that can help them the most. He received his PhD in Integrative Biology from the University of Texas, Austin and was awarded

Dr. Ted Price is an Associate Professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas, Dallas. He is also a neuroscientist with and the founder of a startup company called Ted’s Brain Science Products which develops non-opioid pain management products. Ted and his wife love spending time with their two year old daughter, and they are excited to welcome their second child into the family soon. Basketball is another one of Ted’s passions, and he wakes up early three days each week to hit the courts with his teammates. Though everyone experiences pain in their everyday lives, many people aren’t familiar with the extent of the issues caused by chronic pain. In his research, Ted is examining how the nervous system works and how it changes in response to experiencing pain. He wants to understand at the molecular level how pain becomes chronic and to develop new treatments to help people with chronic pain. Ted received his B.S. degree in neuroscience from the University of Texas, Dallas a

Dr. Ellen Zweibel is the W. L. Kraushaar Professor of Astronomy and Physics, and the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Ellen’s interest outside of science include creative writing, art, and exercise. She has recorded her thoughts and sketches in a journal since 1977, and drawing is a wonderful way for Ellen to see details in her surroundings that she might otherwise miss. In addition, Ellen has explored her artistic side through sculpting clay and painting. As far as exercise, Ellen runs at least 45 minutes every day, and each year on her birthday, she extends the duration of her run to match the minutes to her age in years. Ellen is a theoretical astrophysicist who specializes in plasma astrophysics. Her studies examine electricity and magnetism in the cosmos, including phenomena like sun spots, the solar cycle, and high energy electromagnetic emissions (e.g. x-rays, gamma rays, and radio waves) from stars and galaxies. She received her bachelor’s degree in Ma

Dr. Greg Dussor is an Associate Professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas, Dallas. He is also a neuroscientist with the startup company Ted’s Brain Science Products which develops non-opioid pain management products. His research focuses on identifying the mechanisms of chronic headache pain and identifying potential therapeutic targets. Greg’s interests outside the lab include wine and coffee. He enjoys trying different kinds of wine and has gotten into the habit of experimenting with espresso each morning. Greg received his B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Alabama and his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Greg conducted postdoctoral research at the Vollum Institute of Oregon Health and Science University. He worked as a faculty member at the University of Arizona College of Medicine before coming to Dallas. Greg is the recipient of the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio Department of P

Dr. David Fitzpatrick is Chief Executive Officer, Scientific Director, and Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. When David isn’t hard at work at Max Planck, he spends his time hiking, biking, kayaking, and immersing himself in nature. He has also become a keen photographer, capturing captivating photos of the natural world and memorable moments in his life. Scientifically speaking, the brain important for so many aspects of our daily experiences, including what we perceive, what we think about, how we move, the decisions we make, and more. However, we still know relatively little about how the brain works and how it develops. David’s goal is to dive deep into these basic science questions of how the brain works and how it develops. David received his B.S. degree in Biology from Pennsylvania State University and his PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience from Duke University. He conducted postdoctoral research at the Medical University of South Carolina and then returned to D

Dr. Audrey Dussutour is a National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) Scientist at Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse, France. When she’s not in front of her computer screen for work, Audrey loves going out to the movies and watching DVDs from her extensive collection. Some of her favorite directors are John Cassavetes and David Lynch, and she gets into sci-fi films as well. Audrey studies animal behavior and collective intelligence in ant colonies and slime molds. In ant colonies, she examines how the ants regulate traffic to avoid traffic jams. By observing how they behave, she can create algorithms that may help alleviate our own traffic jams. In slime molds, Audrey investigates the different cognitive abilities they are able to display even though they don’t have brains. Audrey received a Masters Degrees in Ecology from Paul Sabatier University, a Masters Degree in Neurosciences and Ethology from the Free University of Brussels in Belgium, and a PhD in Animal Behavior working in laboratories from bot

Dr. Kevin France is an Assistant Professor in the Department for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences as well as an investigator within the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Kevin spends his free time enjoying an outdoor lifestyle living in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. His hobbies include hiking, skiing, biking, trail running, and spending time with his wife and 9-month old baby. Kevin’s research focuses on improving our understanding of planetary systems outside of our own solar system. His research helps determine how the earth was formed, how it came to look the way it does, and how it fits into the broader perspective of planetary systems throughout the galaxy. Kevin also does laboratory and space mission work to develop the technology that will allow them to answer these questions. He received his bachelor’s degree in Physics and Astronomy from Boston University, and he was awarded his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Johns Hopkins University. Afterwards,

Dr. Chris Moulin is a Professor in the Laboratory of Psychology and Neurocognition at University of Grenoble as well as a Senior Member of the University Institute of France. When Chris isn’t working, he loves spending time with his family, including his two young sons. They have been restoring their 19th century house in France and exploring the history of the home. Chris is also an avid collector of old postcards. Scientifically speaking, Chris is a memory researcher. He examines memory disorders to determine how areas in a healthy brain operate and are used in memory. Chris also works with patients to better understand memory disorders and help people with memory problems. He is particularly interested in subjective states and experiences related to memory such as déjà vu. Chris completed his PhD in Neuropsychology at Bristol University. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Bristol, the University of Reading, and at a Clinical Research Institute in Bath. Chris worked as a fac

Dr. Randy Blakely is a Professor of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University and Executive Director of the Florida Atlantic University Brain Institute. Randy lives in beautiful South Florida near the Everglades, so getting outside to enjoy nature and observe the local wildlife is a lot of fun there. He also spends his time reading, listening to audiobooks during his commutes, and listening to Americana and folk music. In the lab, Randy studies how chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters work. He is examining how neurons control neurotransmitter signaling, as well as how medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse impact neurotransmitters and ultimately behavior. Randy received his B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He next conducted postdoctoral research at the Yale/Howard Hughes Medical Institute Center for Molecular Neuroscience. Randy was an investigator and faculty member at Emory University and Vanderbilt university be

Dr. Kristen Lynch is a Professor and Chair of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. When she’s not at work, Kristen loves being outdoors. She spends her free time kayaking, paddle boarding, biking, hiking, and doing yoga. Kristen’s research focuses on alternative splicing of genes. She is investigating how cells decide when to use an entire portion of the DNA instruction manual versus when to exclude parts of the instructions that are not useful or would be harmful. In particular, Kristen is interested in alternative splicing in the immune system and what happens when cells are faced with an immune challenge. She received her B.A. in biochemistry and her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Harvard University. Afterwards, Kristen pursued postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco. She served on the faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center prior to joining the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in 2009. Kristen is the recipient of many award

Dr. Alan Goldberg is a Professor in Environmental Health Sciences at The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health as well as Founding Director (Emeritus) of The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing. In addition, he is Principal of Global Food Ethics at Johns Hopkins University. In his free time, Alan enjoys traveling, going for walks, being out in nature, and visiting farms. Alan is developing a program that will allow foods that have been produced ethically to be certified. They are also creating an associated information program that will act as a template for industry to enhance their efforts related to food ethics, as well as serve as a consumer information database that will help informed consumers find out more about the ethical issues they are interested in related to different food products. These ethical issues include environmental and resource conservation, labor and small holder farms, animal welfare, and public health and well-being. They will be able to certi

Dr. Alex Spyropoulos (“Dr. Spy”) is a Professor of Medicine at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine as well as System Director of Anticoagulation and Clinical Thrombosis Services for the multi-hospital Northwell Health System. In addition, Dr. Spy is a Professor of the Merinoff Center for Patient-Oriented Research as part of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Spy loves spending time with his wife and his young kids. Lately, they’ve been enjoying apple picking, hay rides, pumpkin carving, and apple carving. His other hobbies include sailing, snowboarding and mountain biking. As a thrombologist, Dr. Spy studies blood clots. Many people worldwide are either at risk for blood clots or have existing clots. He focuses on venous thromboembolism primarily in the lungs and legs. These blood clots could cause morbidity or mortality, and many people are not familiar with the risks, common symptoms, or the situations in which clots may occur. He received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania Schoo

Dr. Ellen Arruda is the Maria Comninou Collegiate Professor of Mechanical Engineering with joint appointments as Professor of Biomedical Engineering, as well as Macromolecular Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan. Ellen’s hobbies include running, cooking, and knitting. Running is one of her favorite ways to get exercise and generate great ideas for her work. She is a skilled sweater knitter who learned how to crochet from her mother and picked up knitting from her mother-in-law. Ellen studies the mechanical behavior of soft materials, including polymers, plastics, and soft tissues of the body. Her research group focuses on understanding how to design with soft materials so the materials don’t break in different applications, as well as how to design replacements for soft tissues in our bodies when they are damaged. She received her B.S. with Honors in Engineering Science and her M.S. in Engineering Mechanics from Pennsylvania State University. Ellen was awarded her Ph.D. in Mechanical Enginee

Dr. John Kress is a Distinguished Scientist and Curator of Botany at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Not only does John enjoy investigating the natural world at work, he also enjoys spending his free time outside exploring nature. John often goes on walks or hikes with his wife and dog to see nature in action. In addition, John is an avid gardener. Among the plants he cultivates in his own yard are some of the ginger and banana plants that he studies. John’s research involves exploring the natural world and all the organisms that make up the natural world. Since graduate school, he has been exploring different areas, particularly tropical areas, to determine what grows there now, what grew there in the past, and how the plants and animals there interact. John received his B.A. in biology from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in botany from Duke University. John formerly served as the Interim Undersecretary for Science for the Smithsonian Institution, Executive Director of the Association

Dr. Mark Saffman is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For Mark, physics is a hobby as well as his job. When he’s not thinking about physics, Mark likes spending time with his family, including his young kids. Getting outside and spending time in nature is a great way for Mark to relax and unwind. Mark’s research focuses on quantum computing. He and his colleagues are trying to build a new kind of computer called a quantum computer that can solve some kinds of problems that are unreachable for current supercomputers. A quantum computer uses individual atoms and has power that exceeds what you can do with known classical computing approaches. Mark received is B.Sc. with honors in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology. Mark worked as a Technical Staff Member at TRW Defense and Space systems and subsequently an Optical Engineer at Dantec Electronics Inc. in Denmark before going back to graduate school to earn his Ph.D. in Physics from the Univer