Genetics Unzipped

S6.27: Next Generation Sequence: Forging new paths in genetics

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Please fill out our listener survey at geneticsunzipped.com/survey before January 31stThis episode is all about the next generation, as we meet three ...

S6.26: The battle for biology: How Mendel came to rule the world

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyIn this episo...

S6.25: 2023 Unzipped

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyAs 2023 draws...

S6.24: Genes, junk and the ‘dark genome’

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyWe discover h...

S6.23: 40 years of HIV: the disease that broke the rules

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Please take a minute or two to fill out our listener survey and help shape the future of the podcast: https://geneticsunzipped.com/surveyWith 2023 mar...

S6.22: Dumb luck: Amazing adaptations from happy little accidents

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Author and science journalist Rebecca Coffey chats with us about some amazing adaptations and Darwinian delights from her book, Beyond Primates. She t...

S6.21: Time of your life: how circadian rhythms shape the world

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re clocking in to chat about the genetics of circadian rhythms. How can molecules tell the time, why don’t we have drugs for je...

S6.20: That’s so extra: Exploring the weird world of extrachromosomal DNA

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We explore the weird and wonderful world of extrachromosomal DNA - what it is, what it does, and why it breaks the normal rules of inheritance.Full sh...

S6.19: Food for the future: Helping plants adapt to a changing world

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re finding out how plants adapt to a changing environment, and how we might be able to give them a helping hand so that we can keep feeding the w...

BONUS Hormones: The Inside Story - Is my diabetes my fault?

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this bonus episode, we’re bringing you the third instalment of Hormones: The Inside Story, Season 3. This podcast is produced for the Society for...

S6.18: An Evolutionary Revolutionary: Alfred Russel Wallace and the discovery of natural selection

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re exploring the epic life of Alfred Russel Wallace; adventurer, naturalist and co-discoverer of natural selection. Biologist and author, Jim Cos...

S6.17: Vax to the future: The science of DNA and RNA vaccines

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We look at the science behind DNA and RNA vaccines - How do they work? What can they do? And how can they be made at scale so that more people around ...

S6.16 Double helix double crossing? What really happened between Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick?

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kat Arney chats with Professor Matthew Cobb about what really happened between James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin during the discovery ...

S6.15: Cordelia Langford: Making Big Science Happen

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re going behind the scenes at the Sanger Institute with Cordelia Langford, Director of Scientific Operations, to find out what it takes to make B...

S6.14: Tracking COVID and tackling obesity: Meet this year’s Genetics Society award winners

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re chatting with two of this year’s Genetics Society award winners - Cecilia Lindgren, who’s an expert on the genetics of obesity and metabol...

S6.13: Kings, car parks and consent: should we sequence DNA from human remains?

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re venturing into ancient territory and archaeological digs, excavating the complex ethics of extracting and sequencing DNA from human remains. W...

S6.12: Da Vinci’s DNA: What happens when genetics meets art

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re taking a journey into the world of art and artefacts, unearthing the genetic secrets of long-dead legends like Da Vinci, Van Gogh and Beethove...

S6.11: Meet the DNA Detectives hunting the causes of cancer

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re chasing down the perpetrator of a scientific Whodunnit, joining the DNA detectives on the hunt for the causes of cancer.Full show notes, trans...

S6.10: Space invaders: The amazing adaptations of tardigrades

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re going microscopic, exploring what tiny tardigrades can teach us about desiccation, vaccine delivery … and even space travel!...

S6.09: Raiders of Noah’s Ark: Stealing genetic tricks from the animal kingdom

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re becoming chromosomal criminals and learning about how researchers are stealing genes from the animal kingdom and using them to...

BONUS Re-release S3.22 - The Past, Present and Future of the Human Genome Project

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To celebrate DNA Day, we are rereleasing an episode from series 3, called The Past, Present, and Future of the Human Genome Project, when Kat intervie...

S6.08: Pop goes the genome! Genetics in popular culture

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We take a leftfield look at public communication of genetics, exploring how the science of DNA turns up in popular culture from comics and music to ca...

S6.07: Chris Hemsworth took a genetic test for Alzheimer's. Should you?

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re discussing Chris Hemsworth’s recent Alzheimer's risk findings and the pros and cons of direct-to-consumer DNA testing with genetic counsello...

S6.06: Bye-bye boys: The genetics behind the extinction of males

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re saying bye-bye to the boys, and exploring whether new gene technologies and climate change will make males extinct.Full show notes, transcript...

S6.05: GMO or GM NO? The ethics and realities of genome editing

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're exploring the ethics and regulations of genome editing. What is allowed? What shouldn't be? And who should get to decide? Plus we explore a new ...

S6.04: The diagnostic odyssey: A journey into genetic testing for rare diseases

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re off on a journey to the world of rare genetic disorders, exploring the diagnostic odyssey that patients go on in search of answers, research i...

S6.03: Confident, competent or confused: What do you think you know about genetics?

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How much do you know about genetics? In this episode we’re sharing the results of a large survey asking the UK public what their opinions are, what ...

S6.02: Would you Adam and Eve it? In search of our earliest genetic ancestors

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re going back to the very genesis of our species in search of the genetic Adam and Eve. Who were they? When and where did they live? Were there r...

S6.01 Baby brain, baby body: the genetics (and epigenetics) of reproduction

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re going back to the womb to explore the genetics of how to make babies - from finding out how birthweight is linked to the risk of diabetes to i...

S525: 2022 Unzipped

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Full show notes, transcript and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipThis episode of Genetics Unzipped wa...

S5.24: Bats, boats and buried bodies: the hidden power of environmental DNA

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re testing the air for tigers and digging up dead bodies as we explore the exciting new field of environmental DNA. Dr Sally Le P...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Michele Goodwin

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society tha...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Joe Cain

26 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society tha...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Anneke Lucassen

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society tha...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Brian Donovan

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society tha...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Adam Rutherford

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society tha...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Elaine Riddick

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

CONTENT NOTE: This interview includes discussion of rape, forced sterilisation and first-hand experience of state-sanctioned eugenic policies.This pod...

Living with the Eugenic Past: Turi King

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society tha...

S5.23: Birds and bees… and sardines: the genetics of animal behaviour

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re taking a look at the birds and the bees - not like that! - from the unusual migratory habits of European blackcaps and the ‘...

S5.22 Little Shop of Genetic Horrors: the evolution of carnivorous plants

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s something unnatural about carnivorous plants. We’re so used to plants being at the bottom of the food chain, that to see them trapping, ki...

S5.21 Past to present: Searching for evolutionary stories in ancient DNA

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re exploring what we can discover about our evolution from our DNA, and what evolutionary secrets might be contained in the ancient DNA of our an...

BONUS! Big Biology: food for thought - plant domestication and the promise of green super rice

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a special bonus episode this week, as we wanted to showcase another podcast we think you’ll like, Big Biology, and featuring their discussion...

S5.20 Bread and fishes: the future of food in a changing climate

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re looking at the future of food. With climate change making crop harvests more unpredictable and fresh water becoming a more sca...

S5.19 Let there be light: the origins of photosynthesis

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re turning the lights on, looking back at the origins of photosynthesis and the mysteries of the chloroplast genome. From The King James Bible to...

S5.18 The Genesis Machine

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re exploring the frontiers of genetic engineering and synthetic biology with Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel, authors of the new book The Genesis Mach...

S5.17 Genetics of Society: How to be a queen bee

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we always say, this is the podcast from the Genetics Society, but that’s more true than ever as today we’re looking at the genetics of societie...

S5.16 Hap-pea 200th birthday, Mendel!

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We celebrate the 200th birthday of Gregor Mendel and learn about the latest genetics research that would have blown his mind.Full show notes, transcri...

S5.15 Does size matter when it comes to your genes?

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re discovering whether size really does matter - when it comes to your genes and genome, that is. Dr Kat Arney gets to grips with...

S5.14 Genes, brains and the mind: How much of your personality is encoded in your DNA?

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re exploring genes, brains and the mind, as we ask how much of our personality is innate, and whether anything we do as adults ca...

S5.13 Genetics at your fingertips: stories from the science of identity

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re looking at the stories at your fingertips. Dr Sally Le Page uncovers how excrement espionage could bring down a superpower, and unearths a 100...

S5.12 In the blood: using circulating DNA to detect and monitor cancer

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re taking a closer look at the red stuff, finding out what a few millilitres of blood can reveal about the development, progression and treatment...

*Repost* Strands of life

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our next episode has been held up, so we're taking the opportunity to look back at our series exploring 100 ideas in genetics. This episode was one of...

S5.11 When should you eat your relatives?

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, presenter Dr Sally Le Page explores the gruesome side of family life in the natural world, getting stuck into a ...

S5.10 Squid Game: the strange science of cephalopods

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We're exploring the genetic secrets of squid. Dr Sally Le Page chats with Dr Sarah McAnulty to find out what has made squid so difficult to geneticall...

S5.09 Nature, Nurture and 'The Wobble'

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Presenter Dr Kat Arney explores the importance of randomness in genetics. How can we explain differences between individuals with identical nature and...

S5.08 Have a heart: the science of xenotransplantation

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, Dr Sally Le Page is delving into the seemingly science fiction world of xenotransplantation, that is, taking org...

S5.07 Face to face: The viruses that made us human

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Genetics Unzipped, Dr Kat Arney is looking at the monkey in the mirror, investigating how flipped genetic switches and long-dead vi...

S5.06 Introducing exosomes: exciting ideas for biological mailbags

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re unpacking the science behind exosomes: one of the hottest new areas of research for both diagnosing and treating diseases.Full show notes, tra...

S5.05 Sex and the Single Cell

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week’s episode of the Genetics Unzipped podcast, we’re exploring groundbreaking discoveries about the secret sex lives of cancer cells, an...

S5.04 Genetics of the Americas: from migration to the modern day

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week’s episode of the Genetics Unzipped podcast, we’re looking at a genetic history of the Americas. Professor Jennifer Raff discusses her...

S5.03 On Growth and Form: The extraordinary life and work of D'Arcy Thompson

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re exploring the life and work of D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson - one of the first scientists to bring together the worlds of mathematics and biolo...

S5.02 Breeding better humans: Exposing the dark legacy and troubling present of eugenics

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We sit down with geneticist and author Adam Rutherford for a chat about his new book, Control, which explores the horrific legacy of eugenics and its ...

S5.01 How the zebra got its stripes: When maths and molecules collide

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We find out how one of the world’s greatest minds, Alan Turing, revealed the maths behind the stripes on a zebra to the spots on a leopard, and even...

S4.26 *Repost* Sex and death

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this reposted episode from August 2019, we’re telling tales of the genetics of sex and death, from the evolutionary origins of sex to Francis Gal...

S4.25 Best of 2021

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re bringing you our favourite bits from 2021, from the history of mRNA to canine superheroes, brilliant bats to the world’s most adventurous pa...

S4.24 The Natural Lottery: How our genes shape our lives

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re chatting with Professor Paige Harden from the University of Texas about her new book, The Genetic Lottery, how genetic variations might affect...

S4.23 A menagerie of malignancy: Cancer across the animal kingdom

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re taking a trip to the zoo, to find out how studying tumours across the animal kingdom in species like elephants and naked mole rats can reveal ...

Bonus: Hormones: The Inside Story - Will taking hormones make me taller?

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Introducing the second series of Hormones: The Inside Story - the podcast from the Society for Endocrinology, produced by the team behind Genetics Un...

S4.22 Wired for sound: The genetics of music

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you like science podcasts, check out the latest series of Hormones: The Inside Story, from the team behind Genetics Unzipped. We’re busting myth...

S4.21 Rarities and Oddities: the strangest genetics stories of 2021

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re squelching through Californian mud, swimming with platypuses, bearing witness to daylight robbery and even finding time to catch an episode of...

S4.20 Baby boom: The surprising science of the placenta

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re exploring the science behind one of the most remarkable but often overlooked organs in the mammalian body - the placenta - and its role in mat...

S4.19 Reading the book of life: A brief history of DNA sequencing

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re taking a look at how we learned to read the book of life, from the earliest days of DNA sequencing to the very latest futuristic technologies....

S4.18 Meet the Robinson Crusoe Islanders: the genetic roots of speech and language development

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dianne Newbury discusses the story of the Robinson Crusoe islanders and what their genes can teach us about speech and language development.Full show ...

S4.17 Back to the beginning: Exploring the origins of life

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We discover the origins of DNA, find out where genes come from, and explore what’s next for the genetic code with Hachimoji XNA.Full show notes, tra...

S4.16 Direwolves and Denisovans: Uncovering the stories in ancient DNA

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We delve back into the past discover the stories of Denisovans and direwolves that researchers are now able to read in ancient DNA left in bones and c...

S4.15 Catching cancer: A story of devils, dogs and cannibal hamsters

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We tell the story of transmissible tumours, looking at the history of contagious cancers in dogs, devils, clams and cannibal hamsters. Plus, the man w...

S4.14 Genes for all: Making sure everyone benefits from genetics research

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re meeting some of the researchers who are working to make sure that everyone gets the benefits of genetic research - from underserved, indigenou...

S4.13 Six toed cats and cyclops lambs: The story of Sonic Hedgehog

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From six-toed cats to cyclops lambs, Kat Arney and Professor Bob Hill from the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh explore...

S4.12 Why me? Searching for genetic susceptibility to chronic fatigue syndrome and pain

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We discover how researchers are using genetics to understand more about what’s going on in long-term debilitating conditions including myalgic encep...

S4.11 From genes to drugs to bugs: How genetic engineering is used to make medicines

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We discover how researchers have used genetic engineering to create lifesaving drugs such as insulin and monoclonal antibodies that are used to treat ...

S4.10 Creatures of the night: the genetics of bats

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re taking to the night skies with a closer look at the genetics of bats and what they can tell us about evolution, longevity and susceptibility t...

S4.09 Genes and giants - the science of big and small

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com Follow us on Twitter @GeneticsUnzipGenetics Unzipped is writt...

S4.08 Making better medicines: unlocking the promise of genomics for drug discovery

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We find out how researchers are unlocking the information hidden within the human genome using new technologies like CRISPR gene editing and artificia...

S4.07 A brief history of CRISPR: how we learned to edit the genome

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We take a look at the history of gene editing, from the early days of restriction enzymes in the 1960s through to the CRISPR revolution and the very l...

Suffrage Science: Dr Tamsin Edwards

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An interview with climate scientist Dr Tamsin Edwards from the Suffrage Science podcast: How women are changing science, from the MRC London Institute...

S4.06: Giving nature a helping hand: how humans are shaping species

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We take a look at how humans have shaped animal species all over the world with author Helen Pilcher. Alex Ball from the Wild Genes project explains h...

S4.05: How to be a superhero: the hidden powers within your genes

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re exploring the idea of genetic superheroes, and why you might have hidden health powers within your genes. Full show notes, transcript, music c...

S4.04 - Dogology: The genetics of our four-legged friends

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a gene for being a Very Good Dog or having a boopable snoot? And how do you turn a fearsome wolf into a pug in a party hat?Full show notes, t...

S4.03 - A dominant character: The life of JBS Haldane

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kat Arney and Samanth Subramanian look at the extraordinary life of JBS Haldane, whose work, writing and political leanings made him one of the most i...

S4.02 - 100 not out? Genes and ageing

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Steele, author of Ageless, and researcher Raheleh Rahbari talk about the genetic changes that underpin ageing, and how we can use this knowledg...

S4.01 Genes and Vaccines: Where mRNA COVID-19 vaccines came from and how they work

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We take a look at the history of mRNA, and the story behind the development of mRNA vaccines and how they’ve been pressed into service at breakneck ...

S3.28 *Repost* Chimps, cancer genes and missing kids: An interview with Mary-Claire King

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this reposted episode from March 2019, we bring you a very special interview with Mary-Claire King - one of the world’s leading geneticists, whos...

S3.27 *Repost* Not just the wife

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re reposting some of our favourite episodes over the holiday period. In this episode from March 2019, we told the often-overlooked stories of fou...

Genetics Shambles 12: 9 Lessons and Carols for Socially Distanced People

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

AudioEDITREMOVEThe last episode of Genetics Shambles comes from the Cosmic Shambles 25-hour marathon event, 9 Lessons and Carols for Socially Distance...

S3.26 *Repost* When 'Becky' met Bateson: Edith Rebecca Saunders, the mother of British plant genetics

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Repost from October 2019. The history of genetics has a few famous partnerships - such as James Watson and Francis Crick or Francois Jacob and Jacques...

S3.25 *Repost* Uprooting the tree of life: Darwin, DNA and de-extinction

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Repost from November 2019 We’re uprooting the tree of life - asking whether we should believe our eyes or our sequencing machines when it comes to d...

Are my hormones making me fat? Hormones: The Inside Story

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We bring you a sneak peek of a new science podcast that you might also enjoy, brought to you by the Society for Endocrinology and produced by First Cr...

Genetics Shambles 11: In conversation with Prof Steve Jones

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Robin Ince sits down for a chat with Steve Jones, Emeritus Professor of Human Genetics at UCL. Steve is one of the foremost and most popular science w...

S3.24 Best bits of 2020

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We look back over our favourite bits from the podcast over the year, from dark family secrets revealed by genetic testing to the secret scientific his...

Genetics Shambles 10: In conversation with Prof Aoife McLysaght

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Robin Ince sits down for a chat with Aoife McLysaght, Professor in the Molecular Evolution Laboratory of the Smurfit Institute of Genetics, University...