People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Are you searching for great stories to ignite your curiosity, teach you to perform better in life and career, inspire your mind, and make you laugh along the way? In this science podcast, Dr. Marie McNeely introduces you to the brilliant researchers behind the latest scientific discoveries. Join us as they share their greatest failures, most staggering successes, candid career advice, and what drives them forward in life and science. Our website with show notes ]]Greetings science fans!We're elated to welcome you to People Behind the Science where we explore the lives and experiences of the people behind the research and scientific discoveries of today.People Behind the Science's mission is to inspire current and future scientists, share the different paths to a successful career in science, educate the general population on what scientists do, and show the human side of science.In each episode, a different

People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 300 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers, a business show with 300 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #878

  878: Researching Flood Resistance in Rice and Other Plants - Dr. Julia Bailey-Serres

  Aug 17, 202637 min

  Dr. Julia Bailey-Serres is Director of the Center for Plant Cell Biology and Distinguished Professor of Genetics at the University of California, Riverside. She also holds the University of California John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Chair and is Professor of Rice Physiology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. A major focus of Julia's lab is to investigate how plants survive water extremes with the goal of improving the ability of crops to survive a temporary flood. When she's not working, Julia enjoys gardening, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. She also has fun baking and cooking with fresh vegetables from her garden. She was awarded her B.S. in biology from the University of Utah and her Ph.D. in botany from the University of Edinburgh. Afterwards, Julia conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley before joining the faculty at UCR. She has received many awards and honors over the course of her career, including being named an elected Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Fellow of the American Society of Plant Biologists. In addition, she has been recognized with the Stephen Hales Prize from the American Society of Plant Biologists. In our interview, Julia shares more about her life and research.

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  Episode #877

  877: Studying How Dynamic Biological Systems Shape Health and Aging - Dr. Alan Cohen

  Aug 10, 202652 min

  Dr. Alan Cohen is Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Chair of Biological Complexity and Healthy Longevity, and Co-Director of the Science of Health Program in the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at Columbia University. In his research, Alan takes a theoretical biology approach to some of the biggest questions in science, including what aging is and what it means to be alive. Rather than viewing biology only as a collection of individual genes, molecules, and cells, he studies how these components interact as complex dynamic systems to maintain the internal balance that supports health. His work explores how the breakdown of these interconnected systems may underlie aging and disease, and how scientists can develop new ways to measure and understand these changes beyond traditional reductionist approaches. When he's not working, Alan enjoys practicing Aikido, a martial art he first learned while living in Japan. He also does contact improvisation dance, where partners use spontaneous points of physical contact to create movement together without knowing where the dance will lead. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Asian Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and he was awarded his PhD in Biology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Afterwards, Alan completed postdoctoral research at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Sherbrooke. He then served on the faculty at the University of Sherbrooke for about 12 years before accepting a position at Columbia University in 2022. Alan has received various awards and honors, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Aging New Investigator Prize of Excellence in Research on Aging and the CIHR New Investigator Salary Award. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.

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  Episode #876

  876: Dr. Isaac Harris: Uncovering the Hidden Roles of Antioxidants in Health, Cancer, and Other Diseases

  Aug 3, 202656 min

  Dr. Isaac Harris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Sciences and the Center for Discovery in Cancer Research at McMaster University. Isaac's research examines the roles of antioxidants in health and disease, including how they are produced and used in cells. He is particularly interested in how cancer cells rely on antioxidant pathways to survive and grow. Isaac is working to understand why high-dose antioxidant supplements may sometimes promote cancer rather than prevent it, and whether blocking cancer cells' natural antioxidant systems could slow tumor growth. When he's not working, Isaac enjoys spending time with his wife and five-year-old daughter, doing things like coloring, playing outside, visiting the park, or eating ice cream. He also likes cooking, reading, relaxing, watching TV, and introducing his daughter to some of his favorite childhood shows like The Simpsons. He received his bachelor's of engineering degree in chemical engineering and PhD in molecular biology from the University of Toronto. Next, he conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard medical school before joining the faculty at the University of Rochester and Wilmot Cancer Institute in 2019. In 2024, he was awarded the Wilmot Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) Innovator Award. He very recently moved his lab and joined the faculty McMaster University. In this interview, Isaac shares more about his life and research.

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  Episode #875

  875: Investigating How Disruptions in the Gut Microbiome Impact Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Lead to Disease - Dr. Mariana Byndloss

  Jul 27, 202637 min

  Dr. Mariana Byndloss is Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Research in Mariana's lab investigates how the bacteria that live inside our gut can affect our health. She is interested in how things like diet, antibiotics, or infection may change how our body behaves. This, in turn, can change how the bacteria in our gut behave and lead to disease. Outside of science, Mariana loves animals, and she spends a lot of her free time with her dog and new puppy. They are both German Shorthair Pointers, and she trains them to hunt and to participate in American Kennel Club competitions. Mariana also enjoys quality time with her husband and son, listening to live music, and exploring all the great restaurants in Nashville. Mariana earned her DVM, MSc in veterinary pathology, and PhD in veterinary pathology from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil. She was awarded the Brazilian National Prize for best PhD thesis in Veterinary Medicine. Afterwards, Mariana conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Davis before joining the faculty at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In our interview, Mariana will tell us more about her life and science.

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  Episode #874

  874: Searching for Signs of Life on Mars and Beyond - Dr. Amy Williams

  Jul 20, 202648 min

  Dr. Amy Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and Assistant Director of the Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida. She is an astrobiologist who builds instruments and analyzes data from other worlds to help us try to answer the question of whether there is life on other planets beyond Earth. She is particularly interested in investigating whether there was once life on Mars. When Amy's not working, Amy enjoys spending time with her family and her cats. Some of her favorite pastimes include birdwatching, hiking, walking, and gardening. Amy received her B.S. in Earth & Environmental Science from Furman University, her M.Sc. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of New Mexico, and her Ph.D. in Geology from the University of California, Davis. Afterwards, Amy accepted a position as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. She served on the faculty at Towson University before joining the faculty at the University of Florida in 2018. She has received several NASA group achievement awards for her work with the Curiosity and Perseverance rover teams, and she was awarded the Provost's Excellence Award for Assistant Professors from the University of Florida. She received the American Geophysical Union's Award for Advancing Inclusive Excellence in STEM with the GeoSPACE Field Program, and she was a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellow and a Scialog: Signatures of Life in the Universe Fellow. In this interview, Amy shares more about her life and science.

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