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.
Why Tuberculosis is still the most deadly infectious disease.
Attention, DNA detectives! We’ve got a rat on the loose – but don’t worry, not the snitching, double-agent kind. We’re talking about the whiskered, hyper-skilled, tiny agents who aren't snitching - they're sniffing out one of the world’s deadliest diseases: tuberculosis (TB).
Tuberculosis might sound old-timey, but it’s still the globe’s top infectious killer– growing tougher, more drug-resistant, and hitting hardest where access to care falls short. So for our Season 5 finale, host Dr. Kaylee Byers digs into TB’s fascinating backstory, and teams up with microbiologist Dr. Jennifer Guthrie to figure out why this ancient disease still has such a tight grip, and how genomics is helping track its every move. Along the way, Dr. Zolelwa Sifumba shares her story as a multidrug-resistant TB survivor, and how her treatment journey fuels her advocacy today.
Buckle up: this investigation has it all : science, politics, global inequities… and a squad of extraordinary rats.
Special thanks to APOPO for sending us field recordings and interviews from their HeroRAT training program.
Highlights
(3:42) The history of TB
(8:19) Why TB sits at the top of the global disease podium
(15:30) Meet Zolelwa - a multi-drug-resistant TB survivor
(30:48) The power of education
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Show Notes/Resources:
1. Giant Rats Trained to Sniff Out Tuberculosis in Africa- National Geographic
2. The Making of a HeroRAT: From Tiny Pup to Life-saving Hero- APOPO
3. Tuberculosis: an ancient disease that remains a medical, social, economical and ethical issue- Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene
4. History of World TB Day- CDC
5. The history of tuberculosis- Respiratory Medicine
6. Chapter 12: An introductory guide to tuberculosis care to improve cultural competence for health care workers and public health professionals serving Indigenous Peoples of Canada- Canadian Journal of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
7. Everything is Tuberculosis- John Green