In this episode of TGen Talks, which celebrates Women’s History Month (March), we’ll explore how women in science have shaped the world around us, and how their stories continue to inspire future generations of young women to become researchers, leaders, and trailblazers who continue to break barriers.     

Joining the podcast this month is Bethany Davis, Ph.D., an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and a Research Assistant Professor in TGen’s Clinical Genomics and Therapeutics Division.      

Davis specializes in studying the effects of environmental toxins, like heavy metals, and other conditions that affect the kidneys. She’s particularly focused on understanding the molecular characteristics behind kidney cancer in Native American communities.     

Beyond her research, however, Dr. Davis shares her personal journey into science. As a woman in a field traditionally dominated by men, she’ll highlight some of the unsung pioneers whose work laid the foundation for modern science, reflect on her personal career path, the challenges she’s faced, and her vision for the future of cancer genomics in Native American health.    

Join us for an inspiring conversation that illuminates the power of women in science and their impact on advancing health and innovation.


Episode 79: Breaking Barriers — How Women in Science Help Shape the Future

Pulmonary Fibrosis. A debilitating disease that restricts a person’s lung capacity, controllable with drug therapies, but it’s only “cure” is a double lung transplant. Researchers at TGen have released the results of a study that investigated the disease on a cellular level. Using advanced spatial transcriptomics, they identified hidden disease markers in seemingly healthy lung tissue—offering hope for earlier, more personalized treatments. Targeting these early disruptions could improve lung function and outcomes. With current PF treatments only slowing decline, this discovery, published in Nature Genetics, marks a step toward preventing irreversible damage. In this episode of TGen Talks, Nicholas Banovich, Ph.D., discusses the Nature Genetics finding and the new spatial map of gene expression in lung cells. Instead of blending tissue together and analyzing it, scientists can now examine individual cells and pinpoint where molecular changes happen. We’ll break down what this means, how it’s done, and why it could change the way we study lung disease.

Episode 80: A Spatial Map of Pulmonary Fibrosis

This month on TGen Talks, we get an insider’s perspective on how today’s biomedical research translates into tomorrow's treatments. We sit down with Stephanie Pond, Ph.D., Vice President of Emerging Opportunities at TGen.

We’ll Learn about the crucial role of TGen’s START and EDP programs – the Scientific Technology Assessment Research Team and Enterprise Directed Programs – in accelerating this process.

Dr. Pond explains how her team works to identify gaps in current research tools, partner with biotechnology companies to develop new technologies, and help commercialize TGen’s research discoveries. She highlights how advances in multiomics, single-cell sequencing, and spatial technologies are transforming biomedical research and enabling new diagnostic tests and treatments. Dr. Pond also discusses TGen's Enterprise Directed Programs, which focuses on taking research discoveries and developing scalable clinical tests and products.

Join us to hear Dr. Pond’s passion for technology and science and her dedication to bringing personalized medicine to life, faster.


Episode 81: Accelerating Discovery to Market

In this episode of TGen Talks, we spotlight the Ivy Neurological Sciences Internship Program at TGen. This year-long program bridges the gap between undergraduate studies and medical school, providing aspiring physicians with direct laboratory experience. Interns actively participate in ongoing research, often leading independent projects.
 
Joining our podcast is Ivy Intern, Megan Locklear, who’s completing a year-long internship working in the glioblastoma lab before entering medical school. Her work exemplifies how TGen empowers the next generation of medical researchers. Join us as we discuss her experiences and the impact of this unique internship.

The year of lab work has taught Megan more about what type of medical field she might pursue, the importance of biomedical research when dealing face-to-face with patients and their families and why stepping outside your comfort zone can bring about the best possible learning experiences.

Episode 82: The Ivy Neurological Sciences Internship Program at TGen

Summers at TGen offer a unique opportunity for students to dive into the world of biomedical research. The Helios Scholars Program at TGen actively engages student interns in real-world science and administrative functions, as they gain practical experience and contribute to ongoing projects. Join host Karie Dozer as Helios Scholar Audra Welch shares her unfiltered experience in the intensive eight-week program. Discover how this Northern Arizona University biology and Spanish major is diving headfirst into biomedical research, specifically exploring how age influences the brain's response to sepsis. Audra candidly discusses the thrill and challenge of wet lab work, building on the extensive research of her Ph.D. mentor, and the unique experience of preparing for a research symposium presentation. She also reflects on her journey from environmental engineering to medical microbiology and shares the surprising inspiration she found in an American surgeon and medical researcher Dr. Charles Drew. Whether you are an aspiring scientist, or simply curious about the next generation of researchers behind the biomedical advances of the future, Audra’s insights reveal the supportive and welcoming environment at TGen, where learning and discovery drive the science behind the breakthroughs.

Episode 83: Discovering a Future in Science — The Helios Scholars at TGen Program

What if medicine worked to get you healthier overall—not just people like you or for one or another symptom? In the latest episode of TGen Talks, host Karie Dozer sits down with Nicholas Schork, Ph.D., and Laura Goetz, M.D., co-authors of a recent commentary published in Nature Communications, From Precision Interventions to Precision Health, to explore the promise—and complexity—of truly personalized healthcare.
   Traditional medicine treats symptoms. Precision healthcare, however, rethinks that model entirely. By tapping into genomics, environment, lifestyle, and even real-time data from wearable devices, Drs. Schork and Goetz discuss developing highly individualized approaches that don’t just treat illness—they aim to prevent it.
   Together, they unpack how this shift could redefine everything from how drugs are tested, to how diseases are managed, and even how we define “health.” They discuss cutting-edge innovations like anti-sense oligonucleotides—drugs custom-made for an individual’s genetic code—and the rise of geroprotectors, compounds designed to support whole-body wellness as we age. They discuss the difficulties of such specific treatments and the differences in the way different patients might metabolize and respond to the same medicine. 
   The future of medicine isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s N-of-1—and it might just be closer than you think.


Episode 84 Precision Medicine

What connects a fashion show to biomedical research? More than you'd expect—especially in the fight against women’s cancers and the local support for TGen and City of Hope.   TGen’s 5th annual Runway for Research takes place on Friday, October 17, in partnership with Neiman Marcus, Scottsdale Fashion Square, and City of Hope Phoenix.  Runway for Research blends fashion and purpose, supporting advancements in women’s cancer research and treatment. Attendees will experience the season’s latest runway trends, connect with community leaders, and support groundbreaking local research.   In this episode of TGen Talks, Runway co-chairs Lee Courtney and Amy Hair spotlight Runway for Research, and explain why it’s about more than style; it’s about saving lives. This year’s “Pink Elegance” theme continues the color tradition launched in 2023, encouraging guests to wear their favorite shades of pink in honor of cancer survivors and in support of future discoveries. 
Registration is now open at tgen.org/runway.

Episode 85: Runway for Research

In this episode of TGen Talks, we sit down with three researchers who are working to make cancer care safer and more precise for some of the most vulnerable patients—children with rare brain tumors.

Dr. Floris Barthel, Dr. Shea Gallus, and graduate student Sharvari Mankame are part of a team at TGen and Phoenix Children’s Hospital exploring liquid biopsies—a method that uses small samples of blood or spinal fluid to detect and monitor brain cancer. This approach could reduce the need for invasive surgeries, which are especially hard on young patients.

Our guests explain how liquid biopsies work, what they’re learning from genetic markers called K-mers, and how artificial intelligence is helping them analyze tumor DNA in ways that weren’t possible before. Their goal is to find a better way to track cancer in real time—giving doctors more information while easing the burden on patients and families.

While this science is still developing, it’s already showing real potential to shift how we approach diagnosis and treatment—not just in pediatrics, but across cancer care.


Liquid Biopsy TGT September

Episode 87 of TGen Talks features Dr. Haiyong Han, who dives into his latest work on one of the deadliest of cancers: pancreatic cancer. 

He breaks down why this disease is so hard to catch early, how it can grow silently for years before symptoms appear, and why identifying true positives in the general population is such a big challenge. 

Dr. Han also shares promising progress toward a new non-invasive screening test that could one day enable earlier detection of pancreatic cancer. The goal? To turn this deadly disease into a more manageable condition, and give patients real hope for the future.

As we recognize Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November, this episode emphasizes the urgent need for improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatments, and continued research to change the outcome for patients everywhere.

Episode 87: From Deadly to Detectable?

Why do some people stay mentally sharp well into their seventies and eighties, while others begin to struggle with memory much earlier in life? MindCrowd, an ambitious online brain study created at TGen, set out to explore that question more than a decade ago. Instead of bringing small groups of volunteers into a lab, Matt Huentelman, Ph.D., and his team did something almost unheard of at the time: they opened the study to anyone with an internet connection. In just a few minutes, participants answered basic questions and completed simple tasks that measured memory and reaction time.  
Over time, those millions of data points have revealed how thinking, learning, and remembering evolve across the human lifespan. Today, MindCrowd is nearing an extraordinary milestone: one million participants. That massive, global dataset representing people of all ages, backgrounds, and countries has made possible discoveries that simply couldn’t be captured in traditional studies. 
Researchers have seen clear patterns in how response time changes with age, consistent performance differences between men and women, and even surprising findings about participants with high blood pressure. And despite our widespread fears about Alzheimer’s and dementia, MindCrowd reinforces a hopeful truth: roughly 87 percent of us will not experience dementia in our lifetime. 
As the project approaches the one-million mark, Dr. Huentelman joins us to talk about what study’s already taught us, the outliers who intrigue him most, why identifying the factors that protect, or challenge, our brain health matters to every one of us, and how this work moves us closer to the goal of precision aging.


Episdoe 88: Closing in on One Million

TGen Talks explores the human genome to tackle the latest science and discoveries in cancer, neurological disorders, rare diseases, metabolic disorders and infectious disease. Learn about causes and potential cures in our monthly podcast!