Finding Genius Podcast

How do microplastics impact aquatic ecosystems? What can happen if an entire food web of aquatic organisms is exposed to microplastic contaminants? Garth Covernton, a researcher who studies the interactions between microplastic pollution and aquatic ecology, joins the podcast today to enlighten us on these critical questions… Garth is a University of Toronto Arts and Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow working in the Rochman lab and the McMeans lab as part of the pELAstics project. Through his...

In this episode, we connect with Judy Grisel, an internationally recognized behavioral neuroscientist, and professor of psychology at Bucknell University. She joins us today to discuss her work researching the root causes of drug addiction. Judy has a history of her own with addiction, and she uses her past to fuel her mission to understand the neuroscience of addiction. In 2019, she published Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction, a book that explores “how drugs work,...

How do you become a top 1% communicator in your industry? Brenden Kumarasamy, the Founder of MasterTalk joins the podcast today to discuss how he has been helping professionals around the world master their communication skills and share their messages with confidence. After college, Brenden found himself coaching others for debates and case competitions – through which he “accidentally” developed a gift as an educator. Since then, he has used this newfound skill to educate others through...

Pain is a complicated and subjective experience that varies greatly from person to person. Arguably one of the most significant human health problems, pain is a signal from your nervous system indicating something isn’t right – and as we all know, it is a deeply unpleasant feeling. In this episode, we sit down with Jeffrey Mogil, the E. P. Taylor Chair in Pain Studies at McGill University’s Department of Psychology. As someone who has always been fascinated by the science of pain, Jeffrey...

What does it mean to be a man in today’s society? How can God’s vision for men come to fruition? Life and marriage expert Jerry Jacobs Jr. joins the podcast today to talk about his role in reconnecting men with their God-given mission – and how it helps them protect, defend, and serve their families more effectively… In this episode, we cover: What Christ expects from a man. Why God’s natural order means something. What the purpose of a man is.Threats that a man must protect his family...

In this episode, we discuss pollution from tire particles with Dr. Kelly D. Moran, a Senior Scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute. With over 18 years of experience in her field, Dr. Moran has worked in both environmental science and public policy – and has played a major role in assisting government agencies with water pollution management from consumer products… Join us now to discover: How pollutants infiltrate waterways.How tire particles can impact marine wildlife.Solutions...

How do the microorganisms that live in us, on us, and around us influence our biology? Joseph Bruckner joins us today to discuss the gut-brain connection, and how social development is affected by the microbes that reside in our bodies… Joseph is a Senior Scientist at InVivo Biosystems, a company that strives to help pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, biotechnology companies, and academic research institutions advance their research and drug development endeavors. With extensive experience in...

In this episode, we sit down with Joe Pierre, M.D., a Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF, and the Unit Chief of the Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital Adult Inpatient Unit. He has considerable experience working with individuals that suffer from psychotic disorders, substance abuse issues, and those with “dual diagnosis”. He is also a primary contributor to clinical trials in schizophrenia and early intervention for young...

What does electron density look like at the subatomic level? How do chemists and physicists manage to study matter at this level? In this episode, we discuss these topics and more with returning guest Dr. Preston J. MacDougall, a Professor of Chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University. Dr. MacDougall’s research surrounds theoretical chemistry – with a distinct focus on the development of quantum chemistry-based design tools for pharmacology and molecular electronics. How could his...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Colleen A. McClung, a Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She is also the Director of the NIDA-funded Center for Adolescent Reward, Rhythms, and Sleep – a translational center dedicated to understanding the contribution of sleep and circadian disruptions to addiction vulnerability in adolescents. As a renowned leader in her field, Dr. McClung focuses her research on the molecular mechanisms of...

In this episode, we connect with internationally-renowned teacher and healer Dr. Bradley Nelson. As a holistic Chiropractic Physician and Medical Intuitive, Dr. Nelson has used his background to develop The Emotion Code and Body Code Systems – his own distinct approach to energy healing. Drawing from both ancient and modern methods of healing, Dr. Nelson is dedicated to helping people struggling with emotions and diseases that modern healthcare has yet to find a cure to. In an effort to...

In this episode, we connect with Deborah Vinall, a Doctor of Psychology, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a certified EMDR and Brainspotting practitioner. She joins us today to discuss her work as an author, trauma expert, and psychotherapist at Tamar Counseling Services. Dr. Vinall focuses her practice on helping individuals heal from traumatic life experiences and painful relationship dynamics. Additionally, she is the author of Gaslighting: A Step-by-Step Recovery Guide and...

What’s in your sweat, and what can it indicate about your overall health? What if we could use biosensors to track it and improve your overall quality of life? While sweat may not be at the forefront of mainstream science, this type of technology may be more powerful than some may realize… Today we sit down to discuss all things sweat-related with Dr. Shalini Prasad. Dr. Prasad is a Professor in the Department of Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering graduate program at The University...

In this episode, we chat with Fabio Ferrarelli, MD, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Sleep and Schizophrenia Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. With years of experience in his field, Fabio is interested in gaining a better understanding of the neurobiological, cognitive, and social dysfunctions of psychotic disorders – specifically conditions such as schizophrenia. By examining the biomarkers of schizophrenia and related disorders,...

How do contaminants such as microplastics impact marine ecosystems? What can we do to mitigate the harmful effects of these pollutants? In this episode, we discuss these questions through the lens of aquatic toxicology and analytical chemistry with Austin Gray. Austin is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech. Austin’s research interests are centered around environmental toxicology – specifically analyzing how emerging contaminants may pose a risk to a variety of...

Today, we sit down with Patricia Morreale, a Professor and the Director of the School of Computer Science and Technology in the Hennings College of Science, Mathematics, and Technology at Kean University. Patricia’s distinct research on machine learning and network systems has contributed to advances in error detection and secure processing – which has been patented and commercialized. Additionally, Patricia conducts research on broadening participation in computer science, with a specific...

In this episode, we discuss the intricacies of plant genetics and microbiome science with Dr. Maggie Wagner. Dr. Wagner is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Scientist in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas. Here, she focuses her research on the genetic basis of plants' interactions with their environment in both natural and agricultural systems. Dr. Wagner has extensive training in quantitative genetics and evolutionary ecology, and she uses this...

Stroke, heart attack, autoimmune diseases, weight gain and the inability to lose it, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer: what do all of these have in common? According to Dr. Jonathan Greenberg, one of the foremost authorities in treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as a growing body of evidence, they can all occur as a result of snoring or sleep apnea. This is a significant problem, especially considering the fact that tens of millions of people in the...

The truth is that most people who have sleep problems don’t really need to see a doctor about it; they just need to understand the problem, understand the challenges they’re having, and understand sleep, and then be given some ways to resolve it without using medications or medical devices or surgery,” says Jonathan Parker, who has worked as a dentist for over 36 years. For the past seven years, he's been collaborating with a sleep physician by the name of Mike Howell. With their combined...

In this podcast, Dr. Jose Colon explains The different types of sleep interferences we may face.The efficacy of home-sleep studies versus sleep facility studies.Short and long-term sleep health benefits like significant concentration improvement. Triple board-certified author Dr. Jose Colon brings his expertise to this podcast by addressing many common questions about the current state of sleep science. He describes different types of sleep disorders treatment from C-Pap machines to oral...