Tgen Talks

Dr. Johanna DiStefano joins TGen Talks to discuss nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, a condition that causes excess amount of fat in one’s liver cells. As evidenced by its name (which could use an update, according to our guest) NAFLD covers a wide-range of liver conditions with the “alcohol” portion somewhat misleading, as it’s not always that cut and dry.   Different factors, such as genetics, lifestyle, and diet could also play a role in NAFLD. It could also be one’s gender or one’s stage in life. For example, the risk increases for women following menopause.   Dr. DiStefano discusses her labs focus on the genetic factors that influence the development of NAFLD and increasing awareness of this population among clinicians.    How does nonalcoholic fatty liver disease develop? How does the liver communicate with other cells in the body, other organs in the body?    The long-term goal, of course, is identifying better ways to detect and treat fatty liver disease. And that means new tests and new drug

This year marks the 20th anniversary of TGen's founding on what at the time was a relatively unknown idea outside the circles of academia and scientific research, precision medicine. The concept of using a person's own genome to diagnose and treat disease at an individual level, to move beyond the one-size-fits-all treatment plans that had dominated the medical landscape for decades, where drugs and therapies considered large groups of people with the same disease, and what worked for the majority. A true public-private partnership, TGen came to fruition through the work of tribal leaders, CEOs, philanthropic trusts, foundations, individuals and university presidents, all united toward an extraordinarily high-risk goal: Forming and funding an institute based on the just-completed Human Genome Project and placing it not in Boston, San Francisco or Washington, D.C., but in Phenix, Arizona. TGen founder, Dr. Jeffrey Trent, joins TGen Talks to discuss the institute’s beginnings as well as how over the past 20

Applied mathematics dramatically advanced the field of finance in the 1970’s, where its application allowed for the modeling of financial markets by mathematicians highly skilled in quantitative analytics. Today, these highly sought-after mathematicians are making a name for themselves in the field of applied science as their skills are increasingly providing solutions in many areas of biomedical research.    The genomic sequencing routinely employed by TGen in precision medicine platforms generates data on a massive scale. Applying mathematical modeling, statistical methods, and machine learning, to these complex datasets has the potential to transform longitudinal (i.e., the same patient sampled over time) genomics data into new predictive biomarkers of disease or response to treatment.    In the latest edition of TGen Talks, Dr. Cristian Tomasetti discusses his mathematical grounding, how applied mathematics influences modern biology, his work at TGen and City of Hope, and the role of somatic mutations on

TGen’s Scientific Technology Assessment Research Team (START) supports the research faculty by bringing new technology into the labs to help answer today’s most pressing research questions.    When the current tools for measuring DNA or proteins or cellular structure aren't sufficient, START scouts the technology landscape for companies that are developing new methods that can, often by partnering to beta test the technology. And that means TGen gains early access … but only after the START lab vets the technology through rigorous testing at a biological level.   Stephanie Pond, Ph.D., Vice President of Emerging Technologies and head of TGen's START program, joins TGen Talks to discuss START. She explains how technologies make the cut, and the avenues by which new technologies hit the START radar. She also discusses a recent collaboration between TGen and Bay Area start-up, Deepcell (see related story Going Deep), who developed a system focused on cell imaging and cell sorting that allows researchers to predi

Episode 45 - Dr. Michael Berens by TGen

For our final episode of TGen Talks in 2021, our host, Karie Dozer, sat down with TGen North Director, Dr. David Engelthaler, who has led TGen’s research into COVID since day one.   Dr. Engelthaler shares his thoughts on Omicron … what we know, what’s left to learn, and why it’s spreading so fast.    While it may be a bit early to predict how Omicron will play out in the U.S., it appears to follow trends seen with other variants and is on pace to replace Delta as the most dominant variant, which may not be all bad news, particularly if it produces symptoms that are milder than its predecessors.   Dr. Engelthaler also discusses which states seem to be hit the hardest, how that changes week-by-week, immunity against Omicron for the fully vaccinated, and how a strong cellular immunity helps prevent serious illness.    All this and more in just eighteen minutes on TGen Talks.

Genomic analysis of a cancer tumor is fairly common these days. Researchers sequence and compare a patient’s non-cancerous DNA with their tumor DNA to identify changes that may allow a patient to receive medicine that specifically targets those changes. But what happens when the tumor comes back? Has the tumor changed? And if so, how? These were questions that intrigued TGen Assistant Professor Floris Barthel, M.D. In particular, his latest research focuses on the effects of radiotherapy on the cancer tumor. What is different in the DNA of the first tumor compared to the normal DNA, and what is different in the DNA of the second tumor compared to the first tumor? How does treatment affect the DNA of these tumors over time? On this episode of TGen Talks, Dr. Barthel discusses how his work has shown that radiotherapy, while highly beneficial, appears to create breaks in the DNA and instead of dying, the cancer cell repairs itself, which alters the tumor make-up upon recurrence. He cautions there is still

At the Center for Rare Childhood Disorders, it's all about the kids. Center staff dedicate themselves to finding a diagnosis and possible treatments for disorders so rare that many may not even have a name.     In episode 42 of TGen Talks, we go inside the Center with Clinical Director Keri Ramsey, who talks about the parents and kids who come to the Center for answers, and how TGen scientists are solving as many of these medical mysteries as possible ... some years after the search began through a special program that brings cold cases to the forefront and offers renewed hope to families in search of answers.

For TGen’s Dr. Matt Huentelman, leveraging today’s technology to rewrite the playbook on research recruiting and reimagine the scientific landscape involves attracting people to genomic studies in a whole new way. Leaning on a riff from the Doobie Brothers, Huentelman wants to take it to the streets. The Internet — in one form or another — has been around since the late 1960s, yet it’s only been within the last decade or so that scientists have taken advantage of online platforms to recruit for and drive large-scale research studies. For Huentelman, his MindCrowd study was among the early adopters and today has recruited over 160 thousand participants. But, not wanting to stop there, he believes the next iteration involves mobile laboratories that bring the science to a town and neighborhood near you. This month, on TGen Talks, Dr. Huentelman addresses his latest efforts with MindCrowd, plus his drive to understand aging and age-related diseases through a process he refers to as precision aging. And not j

The range of emotions a Helios Scholar at TGen experiences — from application through the program’s end — shifts dramatically as the summer unfolds. The end result, however, is one of accomplishment. 2021 marked the 15th year of TGen’s flagship internship program that has seen nearly 600 alumni gain often career-defining exposure to biomedical research and medicine by working alongside TGen faculty and staff. In episode 40, TGen Talks host Karie Dozer sits down with three Helios Scholars from the class of 2021 who share their summer of science as they discuss what they've learned and how they'll put that training to use as they move forward in their careers.

The range of emotions a Helios Scholar at TGen experiences — from application through the program’s end — shifts dramatically as the summer unfolds. The end result, however, is one of accomplishment. 2021 marked the 15th year of TGen’s flagship internship program that has seen nearly 600 alumni gain often career-defining exposure to biomedical research and medicine by working alongside TGen faculty and staff. In episode 40, TGen Talks host Karie Dozer sits down with three Helios Scholars from the class of 2021 who share their summer of science as they discuss what they've learned and how they'll put that training to use as they move forward in their careers.

Science has come a remarkably long way, especially since sequencing the human genome, but has it come far enough for everyone? A focus of TGen research has always been finding a path to the clinic and ensuring the work is relevant to all ethnicities, ages and genders. But that’s not always easy. "Right now, precision medicine is not precise for every American, and especially it's not precise for those that are of non-European ancestry," says Jeffrey Trent Ph.D., F.A.C.M.G., TGen's Founding President and Research Director, on episode 39 of TGen Talks, who discusses a new project that comes at a time where the focus on diversity in our population should be represented more significantly in our research and healthcare system. He also explains how investigators at TGen headquarters continued their research into various cancers and other diseases without missing a beat while most of the world was on COVID lockdown, and shares his views on the value of having summer interns. All this and more on TGen Tal

With the Delta variant of COVID-19 garnering worldwide attention, it begs the question: When will the pandemic end? This month, on Episode 38, we circle back with David Englethaler, Ph.D., Director of TGen's Pathogen and Microbiome Division, more commonly known as TGen North, for an update on all things COVID-19 related. How much longer will we be dealing with COVID-19? Do we really know where COVID came from? Will we need vaccinations against COVID for years to come? Dr. Engelthaler answers these questions, and also explains how TGen is working with local and state health officials to track variants of COVID-19 — and posting that information freely on Arizona COVID-19 Sequencing Dashboard— and how we’re preparing for the next pandemic.

Hearing the words you have cancer comes as a shock. Hearing that your child has cancer is almost unimaginable. And when you learn that it is a rare form of brainstem cancer known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma or DIPG — a central nervous system cancer that forms from glial cells, the supportive tissue of the brain and spinal cord that affects less than 300 children per year — the questions become endless.     Joining TGen Talks is Dr. Michael Berens, professor and director of TGen’s Cancer and Cell Biology Division and head of the Glioma Research Laboratory, whose research efforts focus on conducting genomic profiling of tumors to increase the understanding of DIPG at the genomic level and developing techniques to monitor how tumors are responding to treatment.    Brain tumors are now the most common cause of cancer related death in children younger than 15 years of age today, with DIPG accounting for nearly 80 percent of all brain stem cancer cases.     Dr. Berens talks about liquid biopsies and the eff

At TGen, scientists have studied naturally occurring cancer in canines for over a decade. This expertise led to the formation of a company aimed specifically at partnering with veterinarians to identify treatment options for our four-legged friends and bring greater peace of mind to pet parents.   Vidium Animal Health was launched in September of 2020, to provide genomic based precision medicine to veterinary oncologist through its flagship test Searchlight DNA.    Searchlight DNA was designed to specifically identify any of the nearly 120 known cancer associated genetic mutations in dogs and to use the molecular profile of misbehaving genes to help guide diagnosis and treatment.    In episode 36 of TGen Talks, veterinarian and Vidium president Dr. David Haworth discusses how Vidium can help inform veterinarians and pet parents about which mutations are causing their pet’s cancer to grow and spread, and how Vidium wants to  use precision medicine to combat canine cancer in new and more effective ways.

At TGen's Center for Rare Childhood Disorders, we are committed to developing, refining, and applying the latest tools of genomic medicine to help diagnose and direct treatment for children with rare diseases and disorders. Did you know that there are over 7,000 rare diseases that affect over 25 million Americans? Many of these patients endure a diagnostic odyssey that involves multiple tests and doctor visits that all too often are expensive and painful, yet offer no additional clues. To address this challenge, TGen established the Center for Rare Childhood Disorders in 2012 with the goal of using advanced genomic testing to identify the factors that cause rare disorders in children, which comprise approximately half of all rare disease patients. In honor of Rare Disease Day (February 28) Center medical director, Vinodh Naryanan, M.D., talks numbers, treatments and more on this month's edition of TGen Talks.

It took under a year to develop, test and begin to deploy vaccines against COVID-19. And despite a few hiccups upon arrival, the rollout is underway... and that's great news for a world that's nearing 100 million cases and over 2 million deaths.   Joining TGen Talks to discuss his take on COVID-19 vaccines is Dr. David Engelthaler, Director of TGen North, the Pathogen and Microbiome Division of TGen located in Flagstaff, Arizona.   Dr. Engelthaler discusses the vaccine's available today, those that are currently in the development pipeline and why getting vaccinated is important. He also tackles the known side-effects, the speed at which the vaccines were developed, and the recent variant strains that were discovered in the UK, South Africa and elsewhere, and which of these are already being seen in the US.    All that and more on this month's edition of TGen Talks.

Internships provide students an opportunity to learn more about potential career choices and equally important, following the experience, gauge whether that career is right for them. Joining TGen Talks is Josh Niska, MD — a 2007 Helios Scholar at TGen — who explains the value of his Helios internship experience, how it helped shape his career, and how the lessons learned at the bench continue to inform his work as a radiation oncologist.   He explains how the technologies and techniques and concepts he learned at TGen helped with his undergraduate education, medical school, residency and his work today. He also discusses the importance of mentorships, and how the Helios Scholars at TGen program offered more than just applicable hands-on learning but created friendships and networks that exist to this day.

For 45 students, Summer 2021 could be life-changing … an opportunity to look into the future of biomedical science and see where their own careers could lead them. It’s possible thanks to The Helios Education Foundation and TGen.    For 14 years, these forward-thinking organizations have offered gifted students the opportunity to work on real-life projects as paid interns, side-by-side with skilled TGen mentors.    In this podcast, learn how this program has been a springboard to inspiring careers and find out how the next generation of students can apply to change their lives.

Recent events and social protests have prompted increased dialog, and rightly so, on the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion in America. It's a big topic that covers multiple segments of society. But this edition of TGen Talks will focus on how diversity relates to the fields of science and medicine.   Our guest this month on TGen Talks is Dr. Joseph Mikhael, professor of Applied Cancer Research and drug discovery at TGen and Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, or IMF, and a counselor on the Executive Committee of the American Society of Hematology, who shares his insights on the into how we all can become better at embracing and understanding differences that make us unique and the value inherent in assessing our own thoughts and beliefs.   To Dr. Mikhael, it's not just business, it's personal.