The modern technologies in medicinal and agricultural biotechnology are powerful tools that can address a wide range of problems. From improved plants, animals and microbes, the technologies under the umbrella of"genetic engineering" are mostly misunderstood and oftentimes maligned. Biotechnology is well regarded by scientists, yet approached skeptically by a concerned public. The disparity has been conjured by prevalent misinformation on the internet and in activist literature and documentaries. At the same time farmers and scientists have not been good communicators about what the technology is, and isn't.
The Talking Biotech Podcast is a weekly podcast that provides science-based discussion on current topics. The discussion is led by Dr. Kevin Folta, a professor with training in these areas and familiarity with the scholarly literature. Guest will describe current issues in biotechnology, twitter-based questions are answered, and there is a segment dedicated to plant genetic improvement from domestication through today's breeding efforts.
The podcast is geared to anyone wishing to know more about biotechnology, its risks and benefits, and how it can be used to help farmers, the needy, consumers and the environment.
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2024-11-30 | In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Kevin Folta interviews John Rizk, a pharmacist and epidemiologist, about M-Pox (formerly known as monkeypox). They discuss the emergence of M-Pox, its characteristics, transmission, symptoms, and recovery... |
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2024-11-17 |
Anticipating Future Limiters of Biotech Applications - Joe Damond n this episode, Dr. Kevin Folta speaks with Joe Damond about the rapidly evolving landscape of life sciences, particularly focusing on gene and cell therapies. They discuss the exciting advancements in medical technology, the economic challenges associ... |
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2024-11-09 | In this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Kevin Folta interviews Jenny Du, co-founder and senior vice president of operations at Apeel, a company focused on reducing food waste through innovative post-harvest technology. They discuss the signific... |
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2024-10-19 | Citrus greening disease or HLB has severely impacted Florida citrus production. And while many solutions have been proposed, there is interest in a number of trees that have shown to not show symptoms of the disease. This week's episode discusses the ... |
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2024-10-12 | In this conversation, Dr. Kevin Folta and Vance Crowe discuss the evolving landscape of agriculture communication, the rise of pseudoscience, and the cultural shifts affecting public trust in science. Vance shares his journey from working at Monsanto t... |
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2024-10-05 |
Biotech Enhancement of Protein in World Staple Crops - Dr. Ling Li Protein is essential for normal human development and physiology, yet is a significant global deficiency. World food staple crops like rice, wheat, cassava, and potato have relatively protein levels, yet constitute a significant portion of calories con... |
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2024-08-31 |
Update on Controlled Environment Agriculture - Chris Higgins Two decades ago the idea of growing crops indoors seemed like an excellent way to grow food closer to urban centers. Greenhouses and 100% indoor operations grew with significant investment. Years later we see that major efforts have not succeeded. Wh... |
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2024-08-17 |
The GMO Tree You Never Heard About - Dr. Chris Dardick, USDA/ARS We regularly discuss a small suite of commercial crops that have been genetically enhanced with transgenes. However, one additional genotype was transformed long ago, and approved for use in the USA, Canada and EU-- but nobody talks about it much. It... |
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2024-08-10 |
Anti-GMO Hawaii Memories; A Career in Ag Science - Dr. Steve Savage In 2013 a number of county ordinances sought to end the use of biotech crops on various Hawaiian islands. Hawaii's warm year-'round climate permits several corn seasons a year, so seed corn for the mainland is produced in these locations. However, thes... |
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2024-08-04 |
Enabling Local Production of Protein Therapeutics - Dr. Kerry Love, Sunflower Therapeutics Great products and ideas are everywhere, yet limited by the ability to actually produce them in needed quantitites. The technologies from Sunflower Therapeutics enable bioprocess applications throughout the globe in a deployable unit with a small footp... |
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