Talking Techniques

We have teamed up with the journal mAbs to cover their article collection on artificial intelligence and machine learning in antibody development. In this, the first episode of the series, we speak to Charlotte Dean, Professor of Structural Bioinformatics in the Department of Statistics at the University of Oxford, about her paper in the collection: Humatch - fast, gene-specific joint humanization of antibody heavy and light chains.Charlotte takes us through a critical issue in the development of antibody therapeutics – humanization – and reveals how new AI-based software can improve our solutions to this long-held problem in the field.Contents[0:47] Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your lab?[1:16] You authored a paper in the article collection, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Antibody Development. What was it that attracted you to that collection? And why did you think it was important to contribute to?[2:36] What other antibody characteristics make for a good drug?[3:36] Why do we need to humanize antibodies? How hard is it to achieve? How many drugs or potential drug candidates are limited by a lack of humanization?[5:43] Can you tell us a bit more about Humatch? How does it work and how does it deliver this sort of humanization?[7:10] Do you have any advice for anyone who might be using Humatch for the first time or is looking to implement it in their own research?[9:18] Your paper was released at the end of 2024. Have you been able to implement this tool in your own research or seen any particularly exciting applications of this platform in the wider research space?[10:20] What are your predictions for the impact of AI in this space in the next five years?[12:20] If there was one thing that you could ask for to help advance the design of antibody therapeutics, what would it be?

In our third episode of the BRAIN (Black Researchers Addressing Inequalities in Neuroscience) podcast miniseries, we're exploring the research being done at the intersection of neuroscience, immunology and pharmacology to investigate HIV. Our guest is Dionna Williams, an Associate Professor at Emory University whose research centers on the neuropharmacology and neuroimmunology of HIV, identifying mechanisms by which HIV antiretroviral therapies cross the blood-brain barrier, the capacity of the brain as a drug-metabolizing organ, and the impact of substance use on treating the brain during HIV. Dionna's group is also evaluating whether cannabinoids can be used to modulate immune responses to HIV and restore neurologic health. Furthermore, Dionna incorporates studies evaluating biologic contributors that perpetuate HIV health disparities into their research program. Beyond research, Dionna is passionate about supporting trainees from marginalized groups in their scientific journeys.

In our second episode of the BRAIN (Black Researchers Addressing Inequalities in Neuroscience) podcast miniseries, we explore the lab techniques and interdisciplinary approaches being leveraged to understand how vascular health impacts neurodegeneration, particularly in underrepresented populations. Our guest is Cellas Hayes, a neuroepidemiologist and postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine (CA, USA), whose work traverses brain aging, Alzheimer's disease and vascular health, with a particular focus on blood-based biomarkers, white matter disease and cognitive aging across diverse populations. Using large, deeply phenotyped cohorts, Cellas studies how different modifiable and cardiometabolic risk factors shape brain health long before clinical dementia emerges. Beyond research, Cellas is strongly engaged in mentorship, grant writing and building equitable pathways in aging and neuroscience research.

In our first episode of the BRAIN (Black Researchers Addressing Inequalities in Neuroscience) podcast miniseries, we dive into the research world of neuroengineering to gain an insight into the innovative devices being developed to monitor neurological disorders in addition to highlighting organizations that are playing a crucial role in supporting Black academics. Our guest is De-Shaine Murray, a Wu Tsai Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University (CT, USA), working at the intersection of biomedical engineering and neuroscience to make devices to monitor disorders such as traumatic brain injury, stroke and brain cancers. He is also interested in using these same techniques for sweat monitoring, women's health, and lab-on-a-chip applications. His academic career began at the University of Birmingham (UK) in chemistry, but has since moved into neurotechnology and bioengineering at Imperial College London (UK), the University of Cambridge (UK) and Yale. During that time, De-Shaine has been an instrumental community builder, founding organizations to support Black students in academia, participating in outreach and using his voice to create change in neuroscience.

In this episode of Talking Techniques, Ritwika Biswas, Field Application Scientist at Sino Biological US Inc. (PA, USA), discusses the role of cytokines in autoimmune diseases, the techniques used to examine them and some emerging therapeutic innovations beginning to change the way we approach the treatment of autoimmune diseases.ContentsIntroduction: 00:00–02:06The role of cytokines in a healthy body: 02:06–03:57Cytokines in autoimmune diseases: 03:57–06:24Techniques for detecting cytokines in autoimmune diseases: 06:24–09:48Targeting cytokines for therapeutic purposes: 09:48–11:54Challenges with targeting cytokines in autoimmune diseases: 11:54–14:28Addressing the challenges of targeting cytokines: 14:28–16:43Established cytokine-targeting drugs: 16:43–18:57The future of cytokines in autoimmune diseases: 18:57–21:54 

This episode of Talking Technique deviates slightly from specific lab technologies to instead discuss techniques and methods we use for teaching and testing life sciences.To do this, I’m speaking to two pioneers of unconventional teaching and testing approaches to STEM education. Angela Consani is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Bioscience Core Skills Institute (KS, USA). This skills-first microcredential program provides certification for lab skills in techniques, safety and quality control, using performance-based practical testing. Natalie Kuldell is the Founder and Executive Director of Biobuilder (MA, USA), a nonprofit organization, set up to increase interest, understanding and engagement in STEM by converting lab research projects in into teachable modules aimed primarily at the pre-graduate level to give students the practical skills needed for a career in the life sciences.Together, we’ll question the current system of STEM education and training and whether it captures all the potential talent that could be channeled into the life sciences, best serving all the roles available in the industry.Contents:Introductions: 00:00-03:00Introducing BioBuilder: 03:00-07:00What industry wants from skills-based testing: 07:00-11:25How well do current university degrees meet these requirements: 11:25-15:40Designing curriculums to meet the requirements of industry and updating life science education to meet the demands of a new world: 15:40-21:55The practicalities of a skills-based curriculum: 21:45-23:50Conducting skill-based testing: 23:50-28:40Testing BioBuilder’s curriculum: 28:40-32:00Can skills-based courses really provide the underlying knowledge needed to flourish in a career in STEM: 32:00-37:00How the biotech industry is responding to skills-based teaching and testing: 37:00-46:00The interplay between testing and learning and industry: 46:00-51:20Outro: 51:20-54:00 

This episode of the Talking Techniques podcast dives into the realm of cancer immunotherapies, focusing on antigen discovery and T-cell receptor engineering for T-cell therapies. Guiding us through the field is Jim Heath, President of the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, where he runs the Heath Lab, investigating fundamental immunology, and infectious and chronic diseases. Jim discusses the computational models and wet lab techniques he uses to characterize T cells, the importance of targeting a balanced immune response with immunotherapies and more in this podcast recorded at AACR 2024 (5th–10th April 2024; San Diego, CA, USA).Contents:Introductions: 00:00-02:00Intro to cancer vaccines and T-cell therapies: 02:00-04:00Antigen detection and validation in T-cell therapies: 04:00-05:20Wet lab and computational techniques for antigen detection: 05:20-09:15The importance of a balanced immune response to cancer immunotherapies: 09:15-10:30Technological developments in antigen detection: 10:30-13:45 Tips for best practice when conducting T-cell receptor design 13:45-15:40What is one thing you would like to see change in the field of antigen detection and T-cell receptor engineering? 15:40-16:30 Designing the path towards a more balanced immune response from immunotherapies 16:30-19:40

In this episode of Talking Techniques, Ritwika Biswas, Field Application Scientist at Sino Biological US Inc. (PA, USA), discusses the use of cytokines in immunotherapy. Ritwika details the role of cytokines in the body, before going on to discuss how they can be used as therapeutics and to guide treatment decisions. Ritwika also shares how she thinks these proteins will be used in the future.Contents·      Introduction: 00:00–01:35·      The role of cytokines in the body: 01:35–02:52·      Immune regulation and signaling: 02:52–05:40·      Cytokine interactions and networks: 05:40–08:42·      Modulating cytokine activity for therapeutic purposes: 08:42–12:35·      The influence of cytokines on immunotherapy outcomes: 12:35–16:04·      Using cytokines to predict treatment responses and guide immunotherapy decisions: 16:04–20:44·      The importance of standardizing and validating cytokine diagnostic assays: 20:44–24:36·      The future of cytokines in immunotherapy: 24:36–26:11