Finding Genius Podcast

You could very well have cancer cells circulating in your body at this very moment. But don’t worry, because if you do, you’ll probably never know it. And you can thank your immune system for that. So how does cancer develop at all? Why and when does the immune system fail to protect us from cancer? And how can this knowledge lead to an effective treatment? Tune in for the answers to these questions and more, including: Why patchy losses of skin color in people who have melanoma is a good sign that the immune system is doing its job How the body can develop a memory of tumors, equipping it to promptly attack cancer cells that show up months, years, or even decades after the initial tumor About how many immunosuppressive mechanisms exist, and how they work At Dartmouth College, Steven Fiering is a professor of microbiology, immunology, and genetics, with a primary focus on immunotherapy for cancer. While there are good treatments for cancers that have not metastasized, like sur...

The US Federal Government continues to hide clear evidence resulting from a 10-year, $30 million study funded by the FDA: radiation from wireless technology causes cancer and breaks DNA. In fact, the government not only has this knowledge, but uses it as a weapon. Thousands of studies over past decades show clear evidence of biological harm caused by wireless technology radiation, yet most of us don’t think twice about our exposure to it. Listeners will learn: How the frequencies in wireless technology can be weaponized    The  true reason  5G is being rolled out, and it’s not to improve the speed of your internet The difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, and how both cause the same level of biological damage What legal recourse is being taken against the FCC for having ignored over 11,000 pages of evidence submitted to Docket No. 13-84 Why and how adverse health effects are less about radiation levels, and more about the pulsation and modu...

Royal jelly, honey, propolis, pollen…the list of bee products that many of use from day to day is long. But fewer people are aware that there’s something less tangible yet just as healing about bees: their energy. Press play to step into the medicinal world of bees and learn: Why and how one teaspoon of honey per day can prolong your life How bees clean the air inside their hives, and how humans can benefit from this too What studies have shown about the regenerative properties of royal jelly, and how this provides additional evidence of its effectiveness in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) What is known about the composition and properties of different types of propolis around the world Since entering the field of medicine 33 years ago, Cristina Aosan wanted to treat everything—including that which conventional medicine said was untreatable or uncurable. To this end, she began studying various topics on her own, which led her to apitherapy , a branch of medicine that uses hon...

Timothy Saunders, Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore’s Mechanobiology Institute, shares his insights on the science of morphogenesis developmental biology, the study of tissue formation and organization in plant and animal species. Listen to learn more about: How organs are formed The morphological features of plants versus animals How organs change during pregnancy How vital organs develop, particularly in human embryos, is considered a long standing mystery by much of humanity. How do our cells know how to organize and replicate in order to form correctly structured and functional organs? How do they know when to stop replicating and not to continue growing past the ideal size? Timothy and his team aim to increase the understanding of developmental biology in both the medical community and the general public. Much of the research done in this area has centered around plants and fish, which can repair injury and regrow after amputation. What can be lea...

Are customized cancer treatments a real possibility? Benjamin D. Hopkins, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Genomics and Genetic Sciences, Oncological Sciences, and the co-leader of the Functional Genomics Pipeline at The Tisch Cancer Institute. His cancer genetics research has developed an automated screening platform that can be used to identify tumor-specific drug sensitivities used for highly specialized cancer treatment. Tune in to learn more about: Cancer genetics and genomes What the ability to identify a drug resistance mechanism means for cancer treatment The importance of the cancer research impact factor when searching for the most accurate information Dr. Hopkins focuses particularly on lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer, which is one of the 20% of cancers with no specific standard treatment plan. The Functional Genomics Pipeline as a whole screens cancer therapies to identify which types of patients with which types of tumors may be able to benefit from those thera...

What is missing when it comes to Western medicine’s standard approach to treating chronic health problems? Dr. Will Cole, author of Intuitive Fasting: The Flexible Four-Week Intermittent Fasting Plan to Recharge Your Metabolism and Renew Your Health, grew up watching his loved ones battle autoimmune disorders. Now, he is leading a movement to change the way we treat chronic diseases using functional medicine. Tune in to discover: New ways to discover the underlying causes of chronic disease How to get out of fight or flight mode and back into a state of “rest and digest” The role of intuition in intermittent fasting Dr. Cole looks beyond simple numbers and lab results in order to treat the whole patient and not just their current symptoms. His natural and holistic approach often utilizes functional medicine nutrition, intuitive eating intermittent fasting, and a hormonal imbalance diet. Understanding autoimmune thyroid disease, for example, and which foods can prompt the body t...

What if everything we have been told about breast cancer prevention is wrong? Dr. Susan Wadia-Ells, author of the new book, Busting Breast Cancer: Five Simple Steps to Keep Breast Cancer Out of Your Body , has combined decades of ignored statistical studies with the recently published metabolic theory of cancer,  to help women learn how to block most breast cancer from taking form in their bodies. Tune in to learn more about: Why 75 percent of US women are now overweight or obese, causing the US to have the highest breast cancer rates in the world, no matter one’s age. Why year-round outdoor/indoor tanning and taking 5,000-10,000 IUs of D3 supplements daily, can block most breast cancer from happening. What is causing today’s growing, but still unreported, metastatic breast cancer epidemic that is reaping billions, annually, for the cancer industry After losing three close friends to recurrent metastatic breast cancer, Dr Wadia-Ells decided to try and understand how to best ...

Is hustle and hope really enough to make it big in the modern world of online finance? Jeff Rose, Youtube’s Wealth Hacker and Founder of the finance blog Good Financial Cents shares how he went from cold calling and holding underwhelming local finance planning and analysis seminars to creating one of the most popular financial advice blogs on the internet. Listen to learn more about: Investment strategies Recovering from financial loss and depression The power of mentorship for online entrepreneurs Jeff’s down to earth approach to finance and willingness to use his own mistakes as a teaching tool has made him a crowd favorite on YouTube. Wealth Hacker offers how-to videos on financial topics like how to create passive income streams, how to invest your first $100, and how to turn $500 into $520,367. His blog, Good Financial Cents , has been featured on Fox Business, ABC News, CNN Money, CNBC, and more. Weighing in on the recent GameStop stock market debacle, modern investme...

Dr. Eric Zielinski, author of the national bestseller, The Healing Power of Essential Oils , is back on the podcast with a new book available for preorder called The Essential Oils Apothecary . He shares his professional views on and personal experiences with essential oils as a key part of a healthy lifestyle . Tune in to discover: The power of natural remedies and natural healing products General healthy living tips Why sitting is now considered more dangerous than smoking Perfume, laundry detergent, scented candles, fabric freshener, hand sanitizer, bleach, new car smell; how many chemicals do you inhale, ingest, or absorb each day? Studies have suggested that wealthy countries that can afford to practice over-sanitization with cleaning chemicals tend have higher rates of Alzheimer’s Disease. Why? A lack of bacteria in the environment creates poorly developed immune systems, which puts brains at higher risk of inflammation. How many other diseases could we be inadvertently ...

Scott Young, former Finding Genius guest and author of Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career , shares tips of how to use a more focused mind to live a more productive life. Listen to discover: How to be more productive in life The difference between general focus and focusing in one direction How to stay focused on tasks and goals Technology detoxes, sheer willpower, unyielding impulse control; these traditional approaches to increased productivity simply cannot be relied upon. A new system for focusing is required for the new age. Scott has created a series of courses, including Rapid Learner , Life of Focus , Top Performer , and Make It Happen , that offer people the opportunity to learn how to increase focus using unique concentration exercises. Deep work is the concept of achieving a level of cognitive depth through periods of continuous distraction-free, interruption-free concentration. Scott’s books and courses provide ...

Can mathematics really be applied to brain cancer treatment ? Dr. Kristin Swanson, Vasek, and Anna Maria Polak Professor in Cancer Research at Mayo Clinic, goes to work each day to create individualized predictive models using mathematics to more effectively treat patients diagnosed with brain cancer.  Listen to learn more about: The most common symptoms of brain cancer Theories on what causes brain cancer How cancer cells prey on normal brain functions Imagine an exact 3-D replica of your brain that you can hold in your hands. Using mathematical model predictions, it is now possible to print a 3-D MRI of an actual human brain with cancer. This model can predict and show both current and predicted cancer cell density bands, making it possible to choose more efficient cancer treatment methods sooner. Mathematic models and the data they provide have also revealed differences in male versus female brain cancer survivors and their gene signatures, along with other differen...

How is the rest of the world responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and how is the virus itself changing over time? Jim Bijl, Finding Genius listener and Pulmonary Function Technician in The Netherlands, weighs in on the state of the global Covid-19 pandemic.  Tune in to discover: The typical stages of a Covid-19 infection The effectiveness of mask mandates and other public health interventions  The role of the media and politics in response to the pandemic  As a technician who administers pulmonary function tests and has access to the pulmonary function test results of patients with Covid-19 in comparison to those with other lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis , SARS, Influenza, pulmonary fibrosis , and MERS, Jim has a unique perspective on the pandemic and the world’s response to its threats in both the short and the long term. If most of the people who suffer severe consequences from Covid-19 have preexisting conditions, such as a cystic fibrosis diagn...

How do genes affect your health? Dr. Yael Joffe, Adjunct Professor of nutrigenomics at Rutgers University and Chief Scientific Officer at 3x4 Genetics, has dedicated her career to finding out exactly how much bearing a person’s genetics has on their weight, on their ability to manage it with diet and exercise, and on their heath as a whole. Tune in to discover: What a nutrigenomics diet is and how it can help with weight control How a DNA based diet and fitness regime can activate or deactivate certain genes The connection between DNA based dieting and disease prevention and management Every human being on the planet shares 99.9% of the same DNA. It is the remaining 0.1% that determines the ways in which we are all unique from each other. Yael explains how she has led the way in the emerging field of nutrigenomics and personalized nutrition . The nutrigenetic testing she has developed can be used to analyze a person’s hunger cues, satiety response, fat burning abilities, beha...

What is Metabolic Syndrome and how is it related to obesity and Type 2 Diabetes? Vivian Tran, Ph.D. candidate in the Vascular Biology and Immunopharmacology group at La Trobe University, shares what her studies on mice have revealed about Metabolic Syndrome, the cardiovascular complications of Diabetes, and the risk factors of obesity . Listen to learn more about: The differences in fat distribution between men and women and the associated obesity risks Whether or not obesity should be considered a Type 2 Diabetes cause The different types of fat cells and which type is more dangerous to your health Metabolic Syndrome is not one disease; it is a group of medical conditions that occur together in the same person. These conditions include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Due to rising rates of obesity, it is estimated that nearly one third of the U.S. population suffers from Metabolic Syndrome. Vivian has set out to f...

Could female Kenyan sex workers be the key to preventing HIV spread on a much larger scale? Keith Fowke, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Professor at the University of Manitoba, explains the connection between these Kenyan sex workers and HIV resistance, plus what this could mean for the future of HIV prevention as a whole. Tune in to discover: The genetic basis for resistance to HIV transmission in certain ethnic groups Stages of the HIV life cycle HIV and immune system factors that could translate to new disease prevention technology HIV and AIDS have devastated parts of the world over the past five decades. Africa has been particularly affected by the epidemic. Now, specific populations of sex workers in Kenya have shown resistance to the HIV virus , despite repeated exposure for decades, thanks to their quiescent immune systems. What information can be taken from these women and applied to other groups of people across the world t...

Who pays for scientific studies and what types of biases can the matter of this funding create? Professor Sheldon Krimsky, author of Conflicts of Interest In Science: How Corporate-Funded Academic Research Can Threaten Public Health, uses his more than 30 years of studying conflicts of interest in science to weigh in on the issue of corporate influence inside the world of science. Listen to learn more about how corporate funding has impacted scientific research in the areas of: The risks of burning of coal and fossil fuels for energy Side effects of vaccines and other medications Tobacco product safety concerns Sheldon is a Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences at Tufts University and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Tufts University School of Medicine. In this revealing interview, he shines a bright light upon the matters of ethics vs science, the importance of environmental ethics, and the role of genetics in society toda...

“There may not be a cure for cancer , but there may be a strategy, a set of principles that can lead to the eradication of cancer,” says Dr. Robert A Gatenby of the Moffitt Cancer Center. He is working on a novel approach to the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer that could one day prove effective for many other types of cancers as well. Press play to discover: What the evolutionary dynamics of Anthropocene extinction can tell us about the potential eradication of cancer How mathematical models can be used to better understand cancer as a complex, nonlinear system, and predict the success of certain therapies How to avoid selecting for chemo-resistant cancer cells with the use of chemotherapy Dr. Gatenby’s background in physics led him to a key insight: cancer is a complex dynamic system with nonlinear interactions, and to understand such systems, mathematical models are necessary. This insight underlies his most recent work, which involves a novel approach to the treatmen...

What can wildlife research teach us about the nature of life, death, and disease? Carolyn Hogg, Senior Research Manager for the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, explains the importance of wildlife conservation and the preservation of our natural world for future generations. Tune in to discover: The ecological importance of wildlife Why Australia has the fastest extinction rate in the world The secret venomous nature of the Platypus The Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group researches Koala, Tasmanian Devil, and other Australian animal genes to find ways to fight back against the endangerment and extinction of these unique creatures. Due to the effects of climate change, invasive species, human habitat destruction, and disease, the populations of many of Australia’s most loved and well-known wildlife animals are rapidly dwindling. When animal populations shrink down to a certain size, the risk of inbreeding depression becomes a reality and a threat to the species. This lac...

Can recurring skin infections in dogs be effectively treated without the use of antibiotics? Stephanie Lynch, Ph.D. Researcher at La Trobe University in Melbourne, is working on a potentially groundbreaking treatment for canine pyoderma known as bacteriophage therapy . Listen to learn more about: The most common skin infections types seen in dogs by veterinarians The types of skin infections that can potentially be treated with bacteriophage therapy How this emerging skin infections treatment could change the veterinary landscape  Canine pyoderma is one of the most common skin diseases in dogs. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most persistent. The standard treatment for pyoderma is a month-long course of systematic antibiotics, with or without the addition of routine bathing with a medicated shampoo. Unfortunately, some strains of the bacteria that cause pyoderma have become antibiotic resistant over the years, creating a big, red, itchy problem for som...

The link between a keto diet and weight loss is very well known, but can this approach to nutrition really be used to heal chronic disease? Dr. David Jockers believes it can. David is functional nutrition counselor, popular guest on The Dr. Oz Show, and the author of Keto Metabolic Breakthrough and The Fasting Transformation . His natural health website receives over a million views per month from people curious about keto and natural health. Tune in to discover: How David used a keto diet plan and intermittent fasting to reverse his own cancer The importance of herbal medicine and other natural health tips How women can use functional nutrition training to work with their natural hormone cycles After suffering from severe irritable bowel syndrome to the point of becoming quite underweight for his height, David began to experiment with adhering to a ketogenic diet. After receiving a skin cancer diagnosis, he got even more serious about tackling the issue of nut...

Why is there anything but cancer ? If we are nothing but a collection of individual cells, and if individual cells are perfectly competent at fulfilling their own morphological, behavioral, and physiological needs, then how is it that multicellular organisms—and healthy, functioning ones at that—even exist? Michael Levin explores these questions and more, including: Is cancer a form of swarm intelligence, or the breakdown of it? Are cancer cells particularly “selfish,” as many scientists believe, or are they just as selfish as any other biological system? How does the regeneration of amphibian legs stop at just the right point, and what does this tell us about collective cell decision-making? In the absence of broken hardware (e.g. mutated proteins), how and why does cancer begin? Is there a common language amongst many different cell types in the body? Michael Levin is a Distinguished Professor, Principal Investigator of the Levin Lab, and Director of the Allen Discover...

Is it possible to synchronize the biological clocks of immune cells and tumor cells to bypass cancer’s ability to avoid the human body’s defense system? Maria Casanova Acebes, Postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, believes that it absolutely is. Tune in to discover: Differences between the innate and adaptive immune systems The connection between circadian rhythms, macrophages , and cancer cells A new immunotherapy approach for treating lung carcinoma and other common cancers A circadian rhythm is an internal process that triggers behavioral changes in relation to light and dark cycles on a 24-hour schedule. Every living being, whether nocturnal or diurnal, is affected by these changes. Maria’s research group, the Cancer Immunity Group, studies the connection between circadian rhythms, the immune system, and the development of cancer cells and tumors. So far, studies have shown that animals whose circadian rhythms are disrupted become more susceptible to...

Can bee stings really treat common human medical ailments like pain, inflammation, or even cancer? Dr. Janos Zsolt Kormendy Racz, President of the Hungarian Apitherapy Association, explains the naturopathic practices of apitherapy and beekeeping . Tune in to learn more about: Bees impact on humans from a health perspective The dramatic effects of apitherapy products on a wide variety of patients Apitherapy benefits versus risks Apitherapy is the practice of applying bee farming products to humans for their health benefits. Honey, for instance, has been well-documented throughout recorded human history as a natural topical antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic. Its components are now even being researched as a possible COVID-19 treatment due to its anti-inflammatory and immune response enhancing properties. Honey is far from the only bee therapy products that has been shown to have a dramatic effect on human health. Royal jelly, the sole food of queen bees, is so nutri...

Are Type 1 Diabetes symptoms the same as Type 2 Diabetes symptoms? Can Type 1 Diabetes treatments be applied successfully to Type 2 Diabetes? Dr. Jody Stanislaw, whose Tedx Talk entitled Sugar is Not a Treat has surpassed one million views, breaks down the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Tune in to discover: The connection between dietary fat and insulin resistance Nutrition and fitness facts to help with effective Diabetes management The ideal Type 1 Diabetes diet Jody is a naturopathic doctor and a Certified Diabetes Educator, who specializes in training Type 1 Diabetes patients to properly adjust and administer their insulin without fear or guesswork. She also suffers from the disease herself and has since her early childhood. Unlike Type 2 Diabetes, Type 1 is an irreversible auto-immune disorder. There is currently no Type 1 Diabetes cure. Managing Type 1 Diabetes is much more complex than simply monitoring sugar intake. Hormone levels, genetics, body m...

The biggest challenge in breeding honey bees? Keeping the right balance of desirable traits in colonies, from mite biting to pollinating behaviors, requires a complex process. Krispn Given discusses some of the subtleties and important considerations in apiculture . Listen and learn Why the varroa mite is like a dirty hypodermic needle invading honey bee colonies, jeopardizing bee health and productivity; How these mites are obligate parasites, even breeding within the beehive cells, What traits are especially important for a beekeeper to consider, from mite biting to grooming and honey production, and Why breeding research will transition to marker-assisted selection rather than phenotypic traits. Krispn J. Given is an apiculture specialist at Purdue University and focuses on selecting for behavioral traits to reduce the impact of varroa mites and the bee diseases they cause. He gives listeners an appreciation for the complexities of beekeeping while keeping the fascinat...

“We’re wired to change the world,” remarks Dr. Topher Fox as he discusses best practices for reversing and preventing type 2 diabetes . Like many doctors who work in endocrinology and diabetes care, considering his patients’ daily routines and habits is significant to their outcomes. He includes more than just traditional medical frameworks, adding in research-based behavior-changing measures. Listen and learn His thoughts on hypothyroidism medication, such as a T4 or a combined T3 and T4 approach; Why he thinks prediabetics and type 2 diabetic patients are underserved and what he’s doing about it, and Examples of effective methods for coaching endocrinology diabetes patients through behaviors conducive to healthy results. Christopher (Topher) R. Fox is an endocrinologist, diabetes and obesity specialist practicing in Superior, Colorado, at the Alpine Center. He spends the whole of his practice as a clinician with an extremely patient-focused approach, which is clear as he...

Could the study of cancer epigenetics lead to new, specific, and more effective drug therapies for cancer? Manel Esteller, MD, PhD seems to think it could. Press play to learn about his research and discover:   Whether changing your diet could cause epigenetic changes that protect you from cancer How to use epigenetic marks as a tool for identifying sites of primary tumors What can be said about the relationship between chemotherapy and cancer epigenetics How one tumor type can transform into another, and what this has to do with immune system evasion  Director of the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute (IJC), Dr. Manel Esteller, and his team are tackling the study of cancer epigenetics from a number of angles, such as by looking at the epigenomic changes of cancer cells, examining the interactions between epigenetic modification and non-coding RNAs, and developing new epigenetic drug therapies for cancer. Dr. Esteller starts with the basics: how epigenetic ...

Can we ever truly prepare ourselves for the next war? How can new technological advancements be effectively countered when the next technology is always just around the bend? David Olney, Defence and Security Studies Expert and Associate Lecturer of Politics and International Relations (POLIR) at the University of Adelaide sheds light on the stakes and the everchanging nature of modern warfare. Listen to learn about: Sociological perspectives on war in the modern age The evolution of counter terrorism strategies Philosophies of violence and civil-military relations theory Post-9/11 conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan changed the definition of modern war across the entire world. Can a professional, ethical modern military ever prevail in counter terrorism measures when faced with the opposition of lawless terrorist organizations? How does the growing prevalence of ultra-violence in conventional warfare affect the already crippling rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and mora...

Are we alone in the universe? Society’s popular view on the possibility of life existing on other planets has completely reversed over the past few decades, but is there any real evidence of extraterrestrial life out there? Paul Davies, author of the upcoming book What’s Eating the Universe and Other Cosmic Mysteries along with 30 other titles, shares his exciting research. Tune in to discover: The role of Mars in interplanetary exploration What the nature of time and space means for the likelihood of life beyond Earth The way physics in cancer treatment could change modern medicine’s approach to the disease Paul is a professor at Arizona State University and a theoretical cosmologist. As Director of the BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, the Center for the Convergence of Physical Sciences and Cancer Biology, and Co-Director of the ASU Cosmology Initiative, his work in the field of cosmology physics is expansive. From cancer treatment to alien life forms and...

Should ants be considered unsightly pests or ecological saviors? Before you decide to eradicate the ant hills from your backyard, take the time to learn about the ecological role of insects in their local ecosystems and the benefits of keeping ants in yours. Listen to expand your knowledge on: The difference between indigenous and invasive ants species How ants see, walk, hear, communicate and other fascinating ants facts The striking similarities between ant and human social behaviors Professor and Ant Scientist, Andrew Suarez specializes in ant biology and psychology. His research on ants sheds light upon this commonly misunderstood and even villainized insect. Andrew’s lab focuses on bio-inspired design, which boils down to observing organisms in nature and adapting their approaches to work, survival, and life for potential human use. Exploring the ants habitat and turning their intricate design processes into human innovations could lead to countless breakthroughs in an...

Out with the old, in with the new COVID-19 virus detection method? A faster, more cost-effective, and more sensitive test may soon replace the status quo. Press play to discover: How to deactivate the covid-19 virus without destroying the outer spike proteins, and how to test whether it’s truly been deactivated How this novel detection method discriminates between specific viruses and other particles in the body How soon this COVID-19 virus detection method could be available for commercial use Brian T. Cunningham is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and for the past several months, he’s been working on a novel detection method for the COVID-19 virus that’s faster and more sensitive than the PCR test. How does it work? The method uses engineered nucleic acid molecules that can bind to the spike proteins on the surface of th...