Welcome to Blue Genes and Boots, everyone!

In this episode, Veronika talks to Dr. R. Graham Reynolds. Dr. Reynolds is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina Asheville and an associate at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. He received his B.A. in Biology from Duke University and his PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Reynolds is an expert in vertebrate evolution and endangered species biology, especially reptiles in the Caribbean, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, Harvard Gazette, Discover Magazine, Newsweek, National Geographic, and Smithsonian Magazine, among others.

If you want to know more about the research discussed in this episode or about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Dr. Reynolds’ lab: https://reynoldslab.wp.unca.edu/
Dr. Reynolds’ Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Onue3acAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
Dr. Reynolds’ National Geographic Explorer Page: https://explorers.nationalgeographic.org/directory/r-graham-reynolds

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu
Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

Welcome to Blue Genes and Boots, everyone!

In this episode, Sarah talked to two speakers from the 2024 Genome Editing Symposium at Texas A&M: Dr. Paul Christou and Dr. Makoto Saito. Dr. Christou is an ICREA research professor at Universitat de Lleida (UdL) Life and Medical Sciences. Dr. Saito is a senior scientific fellow conducting post-doctoral research in Dr. Feng Zhang’s lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGovern Institute. We invite you to listen in on what they have to say about their path to their current positions, impactful moments and colleagues encountered during their career, and their advice for aspiring graduate students.

If you’d like to learn more about our guests, please visit the following websites:

Dr. Christou: https://www.icrea.cat/Web/ScientificStaff/paul-christou-319

Dr. Saito:

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=caJcp0cAAAAJ&hl=en

Feng Zhang lab: https://www.zlab.bio/

Genome Editing Symposium 2024: https://genomeeditingsymposiumtamu.wordpress.com/

If you want to know more about the research discussed in this episode or about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu

Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

Welcome to Blue Genes and Boots, everyone!

In this episode, Anthony talks to Dr. George Church. Dr. Church is a Robert Winthrop Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and founding Core Faculty member of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. He received his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology at Harvard University in 1984. His research has spanned many disciplines, from genomic sequencing to synthetic biology. He has also co-founded multiple companies, such as Colossal Biosciences, which is working to de-extinct various species like the woolly mammoth.

If you want to know more about the research discussed in this episode or about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Dr. Church’s bio from the Wyss Institute: https://wyss.harvard.edu/team/core-faculty/george-church/

George Church’s Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SfDzdgEAAAAJ&hl=en

Colossal Biosciences: https://colossal.com/

Nebula Genomics: https://nebula.org/whole-genome-sequencing-dna-test/

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu

Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

Welcome to Blue Genes and Boots, everyone!

In this episode, Samantha and Sarah talk to Dr. Qing Sun, one of our Genetics and Genomics Faculty members. Dr. Sun is an assistant professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. She received her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware and did her postdoctoral training at the Synthetic Biology Center at MIT. Her lab uses synthetic biology to improve human health and the environment.

If you want to know more about the research discussed in this episode or about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Sun Lab Website: https://qsunlab.com/

Dr. Qing Sun’s Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=pEZ1tkEAAAAJ

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu

Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

Welcome to Blue Genes and Boots, everyone!

In this episode, Sarah and Veronika talk to Dr. Seth Murray. Dr. Murray is a professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and Eugene Butler Endowed Chair in Agricultural Biotechnology at Texas A&M University. He received his B.S. in Crop and Soil Science at Michigan State University and Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Cornell University. His research focuses on the breeding, quality, and genetics of maize (aka corn), and he is the founder and editor of the Plant Phenome Journal.

If you want to know more about the research discussed in this episode or about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Dr. Seth Murray bio: https://soilcrop.tamu.edu/people/murray-seth-c/

The Plant Phenome Journal: https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25782703?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxNW2BhAkEiwA24Cm9PwyaIH-uEoLMNYg5H3_rU12ZOqPSM3TnaIUkqKV-66Ey5_1VBZQZRoCtjsQAvD_BwE&utm_campaign=R3MR425&utm_content=LifeSciences&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=google

Dr. Murray’s Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=o2U40BEAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu

Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

Howdy, and welcome to Blue Genes and Boots everyone! In this episode, Sarah spoke with four undergraduates from universities across the county who participated in our Summer Undergraduate Research in Genetics and Genomics (SURGe) program.

The National Science Foundation SURGe Program is a 10-week intensive research experience under the mentorship of one of our Faculty of Genetics and Genomics members that includes a 3-credit hour Bioinformatics class. The credits are transferable to their home institution. Additionally, students have weekly meetings to explore research and career opportunities in genetics and genomics, discuss research ethics, how to apply to graduate school, and learn practical oral and written presentation skills.

Come listen in as we speak with Lance Nuique, Dante Lopez, Julia Hunter and Neryan Castrodad about their decision to apply, how their experience went in the program and where they'll go from here!

If you'd like to learn more about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu

Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

Welcome to Blue Genes and Boots everyone! In this episode, Anthony Matarazzo speaks with Veronika Mojik and Charles Mitchell, two current PhD students in the TAMUGENE program.

Veronika obtained her undergraduate degree from The University of North Carolina - Asheville and studies under Dr. Hubert Amrein. Charles' undergraduate studies were completed at The University of Texas - Dallas, and he is advised by Dr. Dmitry Kurouski.

They've just finished up their first year of graduate studies and have got some great advice that you won't want to miss! Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy!

If you'd like to learn more about the Genetics program at Texas A&M, please visit the following websites:

Genetics IDP: https://genetics.tamu.edu

Genetics Graduate Student Association: https://g2sa.tamu.edu

In this episode Veronika Mojik talks with third year PhD candidate Mayra Mendoza about what it's like to traverse graduate school while being a mom to two boys! They also discuss Mayra's research on the alpaca genome and the in's and out's of running a cytogenetic service lab within an academic setting.