From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. Like – did you know that your individual genomic signature can help determine the healthcare treatment you receive? Or that mapping the genomes of trees can inform forest management?
But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions: How do we study genetic patterns in a way that respects sensitive genetic information, history, and equity? How do we use the power of genomic research to fight climate change? Save the salmon?
Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.
From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. Like – did you know that your individual genomic signature can help determine the healthcare treatment you receive? Or that mapping the genomes of trees can inform forest management?
But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions: How do we study genetic patterns in a way that respects sensitive genetic information, history, and equity? How do we use the power of genomic research to fight climate change? Save the salmon?
Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.
What genomics can tell us about food safety, the microbiome, and the mind.
You’ve heard the saying, “you are what you eat”... Well, our gut microbes take that very literally. If you’ve ever gone on vacation, eaten something tasty, and next thing you find yourself bonding with a bathroom floor, you’re not alone. Food poisoning might occasionally make for a good story later, but it’s a serious issue that lands millions of people in hospitals every year– and tracing the culprit isn’t always as simple as pointing at last night’s tacos.
In this episode, Dr. Kaylee Byers chats with microbiologist Dr. Lawrence Goodridge, who explains how genomics helps track foodborne outbreaks – from the harmful bacteria in our food to the microbes living inside us. Then, Dr. Mary Sco. dives into the science of the gut-brain connection, revealing how your gut and brain are constantly in conversation.
So grab a snack, and get ready to stomach the science.
Click here for tickets and more information about the Nice Genes! Live podcast event on Tuesday December 2nd, 2025.
Resources
1. Yearly food-borne illness estimates for Canada- Government of Canada
2. Salmonella Syst-OMICS – Salmonella Syst-OMICS Consortium
3. Hack Your Health- The Secrets of Your Gut Health- Netflix
4. Probiotics: 100 years (1907-2007) after Elie Metchnikoff's Observation- Research Gate
5. Revisiting Metchnikoff: Age-related alterations in microbiota-gut-brain axis in the mouse- Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
6. Intragastric infection of germfree and conventional mice with Salmonella typhimurium- NIH
7. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial)- BMC Medicine
8. Pick fecal microbiota transplantation to enhance therapy for major depressive disorder- Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry