Obesity is one of the most pressing health challenges of our time, with genetic and molecular factors playing a crucial role in how our bodies regulate weight. In this season opener, we explore the science behind obesity, focusing on how hormones, genetics, and brain circuits influence feeding behavior and body weight. Join us for a fascinating discussion about the interplay between molecular biology and real-world health outcomes.

Our guest, Dr. Giles Yeo, is a professor of molecular neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge and an expert in the genetics of obesity. With decades of research experience, Dr. Yeo dives into how hormones like GLP-1 interact with the brain and how genetic mutations can affect eating behaviors. He also explains the innovative molecular biology techniques his lab uses to map brain circuits and decode the genetic influences on body weight.

But this episode isn’t all about the lab. Dr. Yeo shares his journey from studying the genetics of Japanese pufferfish to becoming a leading voice in obesity research and science communication. Whether he’s decoding how Ozempic works or reflecting on the importance of good science communication, Dr. Yeo’s passion for the field—and his knack for making complex topics relatable—shines through.

Subscribe to get future episodes as they drop and if you like what you’re hearing we hope you’ll share a review or recommend the series to a colleague. 

Visit the Invitrogen School of Molecular Biology to access helpful molecular biology resources and educational content, and please share this resource with anyone you know working in molecular biology.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

The start of Season 3 is just around the corner, slated to start in January 2025. What’s the new season hold in store you might ask?

Steve assures us he’ll be back hosting Season 3 and teases at topics that are coming. These include biosecurity, bioengineering, polymer degradation, genetics of obesity, CROs and how they utilize mol bio, platelet biology, and epitranscriptomics.

As if that were not enough to get you excited about the new season, Steve also teases on the inclusion of Mol Bio Minutes mini episodes in the upcoming season. These short but oh, so helpful episodes will cover molecular biology lab techniques – sure to be a hit with those working in the lab.

Subscribe to get future episodes as they drop and if you like what you’re hearing we hope you’ll share a review or recommend the series to a colleague. 

Visit the Invitrogen School of Molecular Biology to access helpful molecular biology resources and educational content, and please share this resource with anyone you know working in molecular biology.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

We’re joined in this episode by Dr. Sarah Barry, Reader in Chemical Biology at King’s College London. Sarah started with an interest in biochemistry, went into organic chemistry because it was more concrete, and now applies her chemist’s approach to understanding and manipulating biosynthesis of natural products for important areas of research, including antibiotics.

This insightful conversation gives a peek into the mind of a chemical biologist’s way of thinking about and approaching challenges that span biology and chemistry. We learn about the historical challenges of discovering and synthesizing natural products, but we then hear about how innovations in molecular biology are allowing researchers to revisit this field with a new approach. Sarah and her team identify and manipulate genes, express and purify proteins in the lab, and then characterize those enzymes for their abilities to drive biocatalytic transformations that are beyond challenging using traditional organic or inorganic chemistry approaches. Our conversation spans from the details of the molecular biology methods used, to the high-level applications being explored in this research, all with an ease that only someone this interdisciplinary could do.

Subscribe to get future episodes as they drop and if you like what you’re hearing we hope you’ll share a review or recommend the series to a colleague. 

Visit the Invitrogen School of Molecular Biology to access helpful molecular biology resources and educational content, and please share this resource with anyone you know working in molecular biology.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.