The JGI launched two podcasts in March 2020. Check out these audio stories, complete with transcripts.
Genome Insider hosted by Menaka Wilhelm
“Genome Insider” is a podcast that showcases the work of JGI collaborators in brief forays, connecting audiences with the people behind the science. Hear diverse voices in science talk about their groundbreaking research to better understand — and harness — the superpowers encoded in plants, fungi, microalgae, environmental viruses, and bacteria to contribute to a more sustainable world. Learn about JGI-supported projects, delving into the researchers’ motivations, the insights that amaze them, and how their work contributes to solving energy and environmental challenges.
Natural Prodcast hosted by Dan Udwary
“Natural Prodcast” is a “fireside chat”-style podcast about natural products and the science and scientists of secondary metabolism. Natural products, secondary metabolites, and specialized metabolites all refer to the chemicals that make species unique and different from one another. They are incredibly important to medicine, the environment, and human health. As the JGI acts on its goals in — and builds out its capabilities for — secondary metabolism research, “Natural Prodcast” serves as an important line of communication to the scientific community. Hosts Dan Udwary and Alison Takemura talk to luminaries in the field about current and future developments, and how the JGI can be part of that space.
Recent and Past Podcasts from JGI
Listen to all the latest episodes of Genome Insider and Natural Prodcast.
Genome Insider is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn Radio – Subscribe today! Natural Prodcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify – Subscribe today!
- JGIota: Looking back at how our cow rumen study drives higher learning (11/17/2022) - Hear from CSU-San Marcos course instructor Matt Escobar and UC Davis Associate Professor Matthias Hess, also the chair of the JGI User Executive Committee, on how a JGI study on cow rumen went from the lab to the classroom.
- Genome Insider S3 Episode 4: From Sample Shipments to Sequences – A Tour of the JGI’s Sequencing Pipeline (11/3/2022) - Every year, the JGI sequences around 35,000 samples — from plants, algae, bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses — to support scientists around the world. Most of those researchers send their samples in from afar, without ever hearing much about the sequencing lab. So today, Chris Daum walks through the JGI’s sequencing pipeline, where there are freezers with names — but not doors — and robots handle a bunch of benchwork.
- JGIota: Looking Back at Methane-Making Microbes (10/6/2022) - Since 2010, the JGI has supported researchers studying microbial methane-makers. Eventually, that could help us dial back their emissions, while still producing things like meat, milk, and wool.
- Genome Insider S3 Episode 3: The Fungi That Survive in Antarctica (9/22/2022) - Black fungi are microscopic and mighty. They survive everywhere from Antarctica to Joshua Tree National Park, despite extremely harsh conditions. And their survival secrets could one day help other organisms survive hotter, drier climates. So University of Tuscia researchers Laura Selbmann and Claudia Coleine are working with scientists from around the world – and the JGI – to understand them better.
- JGIota: Looking Back at Sequencing for Soybeans (9/15/2022) - In honor of the JGI's 25th anniversary, a JGIota episode on soybean, a crop that could boost biofuels and fertilize fields.
- Genome Insider S3 Episode 2: Better Crops With a Pointillist Approach to Plant Genomics (8/25/2022) - In this episode, we peer into plant cells. Researchers are using measurements from single cells to understand which genes help plants grow, get nutrients, weather drought, and more. And eventually, their findings could help us grow better crops, with less impact on our planet.
- JGIota: The Algae Nicknamed “Chlamy” (8/11/2022) - In honor of the JGI's 25th anniversary, a JGIota episode on a single-celled alga called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
- Genome Insider S3 Episode 1: Chomping Toward Better Plastic Recycling (7/28/2022) - Some hungry insects can digest plastic, so researchers aim to follow their lead to improve plastic recycling.
- Natural Prodcast Episode 17 – Cassandra Quave (4/19/2022) - Natural Prodcast guest Cassandra Quave makes the case for investigating the chemistries and pharmacological promise of plants.
- Genome Insider S2 Episode 10: Filling in the Plant Tree of Life (2/8/2022) - In this episode, hear about a project that aims to unlock innovations in plants that could drive more productive food, medicine, and bioenergy crops.