Best Columbia Sys Bio Initiative Podcasts (2025)

1
Bio Bytes 40: Engineering Novel Immune Circuits with Dr. Livnat Jerby 39:56

10d ago39:56

39:56

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Livnat Jerby, an Assistant Professor of Genetics at Stanford University, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator, and Paul Allen Distinguished Investigator. In this episode, Dr. Jerby shares how her lab is decoding and engineering immune circuits to create next-generation cell therapies, drawing on high-t…

1
Bio Bytes 39 [BenchtoBedside Series]: Biomedical Informatics in Neurocritical Care with Dr. Soojin Park 23:18

3M ago23:18

23:18

Join us for an illuminating discussion with Dr. Soojin Park, an Associate Professor of Neurology (in Biomedical informatics) and an Associate Attending Physician at Columbia University. Dr. Park discusses her career trajectory in neurocritical care and biomedical informatics as well as the potential of machine learning techniques to leverage clinic…

1
Bio Bytes 38 [BenchtoBedside Series]: Biomedical Informatics with Dr. George Hripcsak 33:51

4M ago33:51

33:51

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. George Hripcsak, the Vivian Beaumont Allen Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University. Dr. Hripcsak shares insights regarding his research in biomedical informatics, focusing on how data from electronic health records can be leveraged to transform clinical research and patient care. …

1
Bio Bytes 37: Academia, Scientific Publishing, and Translational Research in Targeted Protein Degradation with Michele Pagano 47:11

6M ago47:11

47:11

Michele Pagano, Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at NYU School of Medicine, takes us through his groundbreaking research on the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Cullin-RING Ligases. As a leading Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Professor Pagano shares insights into targeted protein degradation…

1
Bio Bytes 36 [BenchtoBedside Series]: Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging with Dr. Akiva Mintz 32:02

8M ago32:02

32:02

Join us for an inspiring discussion with Dr. Akiva Mintz, a physician-scientist whose translational research focuses on developing and personalizing cancer therapies using non-invasive molecular imaging. Learn about the role of nuclear medicine in molecular based cancer therapies and the life of a physician scientist.…

1
Bio Bytes 35: Olfactory Transduction with Stuart Firestein and More on Public Engagement with Science 44:58

1+ y ago44:58

44:58

Stuart Firestein, a professor of biological sciences at Columbia University, walks us through his study of the vertebrate olfactory system. Professor Firestein is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. With a unique career trajectory, Professor Firestein shares his thoughts on the current state of science education and…

1
Bio Bytes 34: Decoding the Regulation of Gene Expression with Professor James Manley 51:09

1+ y ago51:09

51:09

Join us for an inspiring episode as Professor James Manley, the Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Life Sciences at Columbia University, takes us on a journey into the intricate world of gene expression regulation in mammalian cells. Professor Manley discusses the pivotal roles of RNA-binding proteins and alternative mRNA splicing, shedding light on…

1
Bio Bytes 33: Space bioinformatics and healthcare with Eliah Overbey 51:41

2y ago51:41

51:41

In which Eliah Overbey, PhD, chief scientific officer at BioAstra, and research associate at the Mason lab discusses the innovations and insights from multi-omics sequencing, specifically with regards to astronaut samples. She also shares her journey into the field of space healthcare and her views on the future of biomedical research in promoting …

1
Bio Bytes 32: Applications of GFP and touch receptor neuron (TRN) development and function with Martin Chalfie 50:36

2y ago50:36

50:36

In which Martin Chalfie, a professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and Nobel laureate recognized for his contribution to the development of green fluorescent protein (GFP), and Sophia discuss the applications of GFP and his current research on the development and function of touch receptor neurons (TRNs) using the nematode Caenorhab…

1
Bio Bytes 31: The structure and functions of p53 with Carol Prives 47:07

2y ago47:07

47:07

Description: In which Sophia speaks with Carol Prives, the Da Costa Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Columbia University and a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, about her journey researching the structure and function of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. She delves into the impo…

1
Bio Bytes 30: Neurotransmitters as Post-translational Modifications with Ian Maze 32:50

2+ y ago32:50

32:50

In which Ian Maze, professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacological science in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Vaibhav discuss the intersection of chromatin biochemistry and neuroscience. Ian describes the diverse mechanistic functions of neurotransmitters, especially as they …

1
Bio Bytes 29: Kinase Proteomics and Oncology with Neil Vasan 57:22

3y ago57:22

57:22

In which Neil Vasan, assistant professor of medicine and medical oncologist at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Vaibhav discuss the biochemistry and structural biology of kinases, as well as their salience in cancer development and progression. Neil tells the story behind his critical discovery of hyper-activating double mutations…

1
Bio Bytes 28: Systems Approaches to Studying Neural Circuitry with Darcy Kelley 33:02

3y ago33:02

33:02

In which Darcy Kelley, Harold Weintraub Professor of Biological Sciences, and James discuss Xenopus as a model organism for understanding the biology of behavior and evolution of neural circuits. Professor Kelley describes several ways in which contemporary methods like single-cell RNA sequencing and optogenetics are helping us understand the true …

1
[Bioworks 3]: Biotech Incubators and the Fourth Purpose Task Force with Sam Sia 35:34

3y ago35:34

35:34

This episode is cross-posted from our new show, Bioworks, which focuses on topics in life science policy, business, entrepreneurship, and investment. Check out other episodes on Bioworks here: https://anchor.fm/bioworks

1
Bio Bytes 27: Microbial Systems and Synthetic Biology with Harris Wang 45:32

3+ y ago45:32

45:32

In which Harris Wang, associate professor of Systems Biology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Vaibhav discuss the application of systems and synthetic biology to the study of microbial communities. He describes the motivation and application of many of his group's seminal contributions (MAGE, CAGE, MaPS-seq), the various use ca…

1
Bio Bytes 26: Precision Medicine with Adam Bass 1:01:52

3+ y ago1:01:52

1:01:52

In which Adam Bass, oncologist and inaugural director of the Columbia Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, discusses the relevance of genomic science and treatments informed by sequencing in modern cancer medicine. Among other things, Vaibhav and Adam discuss current standards of care involving sequencing, the importance of first-principles unders…

1
Bio Bytes 25: Engineering Chromatin, DNA Databases, and Neurodevelopmental Organoids with Albert Keung 53:05

3+ y ago53:05

53:05

In which Albert Keung, Assistant Professor in the department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University, shares many insights on Synthetic Biology. He touches on synthetically perturbing the chemical makeup of chromatin, designing and using DNA databases to store digital information, and the challenges and promise a…

1
Bio Bytes 24: Gut Microbiome Biotechnology with Zack Abbott 1:18:19

4y ago1:18:19

1:18:19

In which Aaron speaks with Zach Abbott, PhD, about his company ZBiotics. ZBiotics is a biotechnology start-up that is focused on engineering microorganisms for consumer benefit. Aaron and Zach talk about the company’s current product, a genetically engineered probiotic designed to breakdown acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol. Additionally, …

1
Bio Bytes 23: Machine Learning and Structural Biology with Mohammed AlQuraishi 58:29

4y ago58:29

58:29

In which Vaibhav speaks with Dr. Mohammed AlQuraishi, an Assistant Professor of Systems Biology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, about using machine learning to predict protein structure. Among other things, they discuss the direction of algorithmic development in computational structure prediction, from neighborhood-based assembly…

1
Bio Bytes 22: Aneuploidy and Cancer Biology with Alison Taylor 45:18

4y ago45:18

45:18

In which Vaibhav speaks with Dr. Alison Taylor, an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, about her research on the role of aneuploidy (abnormal numbers of chromosomes) in cancer. Among other things, they discuss the basic mechanisms of aneuploidy, the ways in which it can favor cancer de…

1
Bio Bytes 21: Antiviral Drug Development with Dr. Alex Chavez 47:56

4y ago47:56

47:56

In which Aaron speaks with Alex Chavez, MD-PhD about antiviral drug development. They discuss chemical strategies for protease inhibitor development and the details and rationale of a novel assay that allows for early validation of candidate drugs. Additionally Alex discusses newer collaborations he is engaged in to build cellular resistance to dam…

1
Bio Bytes 20: Orthopedics and Regenerative Biology Research with Stavros Thomopoulos 44:24

4y ago44:24

44:24

In which Josh speaks with Stavros Thomopoulos, PhD about biomechanical engineering at the tendon-bone interface. Dr. Thomopoulos is the director of the Caroll Laboratories for Orthopedic Surgery and the Vice Chair for Basic Science Research in Orthopedic Surgery at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Among other things, they discuss the …

1
Bio Bytes 19: Molecular Cardiology with Andy Marks 48:00

4+ y ago48:00

48:00

In which Josh explores the intersection of molecular biology, structural biology, and cardiology with Dr. Andrew Marks. Dr. Marks is the Chairman of the Department of Physiology at Columbia Medical School, the Founding Director of the Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, and a professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics and Medicine. Among other…

1
Bio Bytes 18: Genome Topology and Leukemia with Aaron Viny 57:19

4+ y ago57:19

57:19

In which Vaibhav and Dr. Aaron Viny (a clinician scientist and assistant professor at Columbia) discuss the role of Cohesin complexes in 3D genome organization and how spatiotemporal irregularities in higher order genetic structures lead to blood cancers. They talk about the importance of linage commitment and how a disorganized genome can prevent …

1
Bio Bytes 17: Epigenome Editing and the Neuroepigenome with Shawn Liu 1:04:41

4+ y ago1:04:41

1:04:41

In which Vaibhav and Shawn Liu (The Joan and Paul Marks, MD ’49 Assistant Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics at CUIMC) speak about the specifics of epigenome editing, from selecting the right model cells, to tool design, to loci considerations for editing experiments and much more. They also touch on how neurons are methylated during m…

1
Bio Bytes 16: The Power of Single Cell Data Analysis with Dana Pe'er 57:26

5y ago57:26

57:26

In which Dana speaks with Vaibhav and Jason about the principles of single cell analysis and informatics challenges associated with it. Among other things, they discuss manifolds and data topology, Bayesian approaches and considerations in prior distribution selection in biology, matrix factorization and imputing missing cell states with graphical …

1
Bio Bytes 15: Small Molecule Perturbation, Ferroptosis, Computational Chemistry, and COVID-19 treatments with Dr. Brent Stockwell 59:40

5y ago59:40

59:40

In which Vaibhav and Dr. Stockwell talk about how using small molecule screening helped uncover pioneering details about Iron influenced cell death (Ferroptosis), the therapeutic context for Ferroptosis, and ligand prediction with computational chemistry. They conclude with some discussion about Dr. Stockwell's current collaborative SARS-CoV2 antiv…

1
Bio Bytes 14: Quantifying and Representing Genetic Variation with Dr. Tuuli Lappalainen 34:54

5y ago34:54

34:54

In which Dr. Lappalainen speaks to Vaibhav and Mona about a variety of topics including her latest paper in Science, the various considerations one needs to make when interpreting statistical genomic data, and a graphical representation of genomes as opposed to the traditional linear model.

1
Bio Bytes 13: CRISPR-Cas13 and Using Deep Learning to Model Gene Regulatory Networks with Dr. Xuebing Wu 37:04

5y ago37:04

37:04

In which Vaibhav, Jason, and Professor Xuebing Wu discuss the mechanism and applications of CRISPR-Cas13 and how deep learning might be used to model a unified gene regulatory network.

1
Bio Bytes 12: All About Coronavirus with Dr. Vincent Racaniello (Part 2) 24:27

5y ago24:27

24:27

In which Vaibhav and Professor Racaniello continue to speak about the epidemic timeline, the use and biology of Anti-Malaria drugs against COVID-19, single cell and CRISPR based antiviral studies, and other topics, like how strong immunity to the virus is (once developed).

1
Bio Bytes 11: All About Coronavirus with Dr. Vincent Racaniello 26:17

5y ago26:17

26:17

In which Vaibhav speaks to Vincent Racaniello, professor of Virology at Columbia University, about the science behind the current Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Among other topics, they discuss the origins of the virus and the rationale behind current retroviral drug based approaches to treat patients.

1
Bio Bytes 10: Dr. Elham Azizi Part 2 23:03

5+ y ago23:03

23:03

In which Vaibhav and Dr. Azizi continue their discussion on using machine learning to integrate various data modalities into sensible probabilistic and statistical models to better understand cancer genetic networks.

1
Bio Bytes 9: Dr. Elham Azizi Part 1 26:44

5+ y ago26:44

26:44

In which Vaibhav and Dr. Elham Azizi discuss the role of machine learning, AI, and data modeling in cancer biology.

1
Bio Bytes 8: Dr. It'sik Pe'er Part 2 23:49

5+ y ago23:49

23:49

In which Vaibhav and Jason talk to Dr. Pe'er about the central goals of Systems Biology, the projects that he's most excited about, and what sorts of coursework students should complete to prepare themselves for getting into the field

1
Bio Bytes 7: Dr. It'sik Pe'er Part 1 26:20

5+ y ago26:20

26:20

In which Vaibhav and Jason talk to Dr. It'sik Pe'er, Associate Professor of Computer Science with cross-affiliation in the Systems Biology department, about his current projects and the emergence of computational biology

1
Bio Bytes 5: Dr. Sam Sternberg - Part 1 23:48

5+ y ago23:48

23:48

In which Vaibhav and Jason speak with Dr. Sam Sternberg about his work at the forefront of CRISPR tools development

1
Bio Bytes 6: Dr. Sam Sternberg - Part 2 27:34

5+ y ago27:34

27:34

In which Vaibhav and Jason talk to Dr. Sternberg about how computational power is advancing his work with CRISPR

1
Bio Bytes 4: Chao Lu 20:01

6y ago20:01

20:01

In which Vaibhav speaks to Dr. Chao Lu, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Development at CUMC, about his work in the field of Epigenetics and how computation is accelerating progress in discovering novel targets for therapy.

1
Bio Bytes 3: Raul Rabadan 19:03

6y ago19:03

19:03

In which Miriam Interviews Dr. Raul Rabadan about the role of computing in Systems Biology, his journey as a theoretical physicist from CERN to the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, to Columbia's Systems Biology Department, and why now is the time to be excited about Systems Biology.

1
Bio Bytes 2 with Nicholas Tatonetti 21:49

6y ago21:49

21:49

In which Miriam speaks to Dr. Nicholas Tatonetti, Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics, about his research regarding EHR, his children's book Toshi Builds Consensus, and much more!

1
Podcast 1: Understanding Systems Bio, Synthetic Bio, and Computational Bio, and Bioinformatics 25:42

6y ago25:42

25:42

In which Miriam, Allison, and Vaibhav go over similarities and differences between Systems Bio, Synthetic Bio, and Computational Bio, and Bioinformatics.

1
Podcast 0 23:49

6y ago23:49

23:49

In which we introduce ourselves, give a brief overview of Systems Biology, and discuss the potential of the field.

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Columbia Sys Bio Initiative Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen