Genetics Unzipped

Podcast: How do mRNA vaccines work and why were they developed so fast?
Geneticist Dr Kat Arney takes a look at the discovery of messenger RNA (mRNA) and finds out how mRNA vaccines ...

Podcast: Polymerase chain reaction—The ‘transformative’ tool that sparked a genetics revolution
In this episode we’re taking a look at the story and the characters behind one of the most transformative - ...

Podcast: The Human Genome Project is 30 years old. What have we learned since its inception?
In this episode we bring you an in-depth interview with Dr Eric Green, director of the US National Human Genome ...

Podcast: From Philadelphia to Baltimore—Tales of Chromosomes, Cancer Cells and Henrietta Lacks
In this episode we’re taking a road trip from Philadelphia to Baltimore, exploring stories of chromosomal cut-and-paste, cancer cures and ...

Podcast: The future of cancer care—How genomics is transforming research and treatment for all
In this episode, sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific, we’re taking a look at how genomic technologies are transforming cancer care ...

Podcast: Where do babies come from? How developmental genetics revealed the secrets of life’s earliest stages
In this episode we’re going back to the very beginning, telling the stories of the midwives of the field of ...

Podcast: Rare genetic disorders and pregnancy—Navigating an ’emotionally challenging’ journey
We look at the progress that’s been made in tackling rare genetic disorders (and the challenges that remain) and we ...

Podcast: Rebel Cell: Cancer, evolution and the science of life
Geneticist Dr Kat Arney brings you exclusive excerpts from her new book Rebel Cell, exploring where cancer came from, where ...

Podcast: From the Black Death to COVID-19—Investigating the ancient war between genes and disease
Kat Arney looks at the ancient war between our genes and the pathogens that infect us, from the Black Death ...

Podcast: The surprising science of epigenetics—How a family of ‘Mickey Mouse mice’ overturned our understanding of heredity
Kat Arney takes a look at the world of epigenetics, finding out if more than DNA passes on to the ...

Podcast: Let the light shine—Tackling eye disease with gene therapy
Researchers are bringing discoveries about the underlying genetic faults that cause eye diseases all the way through to game-changing gene ...

Podcast: Getting from one generation to the next – the life and work of pioneering embryologist Dame Anne McLaren
Geneticist Dr Kat Arney reflects on the life and work of Dame Anne McLaren, one of the leading embryologists of ...

Podcast: The dark connection between cancer research and the eugenics movement
Exploring how the stories of the 'cancer ladies' - Maud Slye and Pauline Gross - intersect with the eugenics movement ...

Podcast: Out standing in the field – the highs and lows of fieldwork
We talk to the researchers studying genetics and evolution in action, from chasing butterflies up mountains to artificially inseminating kakapos ...

Podcast: Tracing humanity’s roots: uncovering history and genetic diversity in Africa
We explore the genetic diversity in the birthplace of humanity and discover the cultural and historical stories written in the ...

Podcast: Twisted history—The true story of how the DNA double helix was discovered
There's more to the story of the double helix than Watson and Crick. We unwind history to uncover some of ...

Podcast: Nothing about me without me—The importance of involving patients in genomic research
Kat Arney discusses why it’s so important to make sure that academic and commercial genomics research studies involve patients and ...

Podcast: ‘God, what a mess!’—the accidental discovery of genetic fingerprinting
At 9.05am on the morning of 10th September 1984, geneticist Alec Jeffreys developed an X-ray film that would change the ...

Podcast: Can you inherit more than half your genes from one parent? Debunking genomic myths and misconceptions
Is there such a thing as a perfect genome? Kat Arney explores the myths and misconceptions about genetics, genomics and ...

Podcast: Bird poop, pus, and the Manhattan project—the surprising origins of the genetic alphabet
Kat Arney explores the origins of the genetic alphabet: A, C, T and G - the four 'letters' that spell ...

Podcast: ‘How to argue with a racist’—geneticist Adam Rutherford challenges what he calls ‘pseudoscience’ in genetics and politics
Adam Rutherford explains how to argue with a racist, hunting for the ghosts in the human genome, and recreating the ...

Podcast: One of the most infamous fakes in biology? How Ernst Haeckel’s disputed embryo images sows confusion about evolution
Kat Arney takes a closer look at some of the most controversial images in science - Ernst Haeckel's illustrations of ...

Podcast: The phrase ‘Who’s Your (Grand) Daddy’ has shocking relevance to Jack Nunn, as the Australian geneticist learns of his surprising link to Britain’s most notorious ‘sperminator’
Consumer genetic tests are becoming widespread - but what happens when an innocent investigation reveals dark family secrets? ...

Podcast: Why some of the most iconic images and stories depicting evolution are wrong
Kat Arney tackles the myths and misconceptions around two of the most iconic images in evolutionary biology: the 'March of ...

Podcast: Latest discoveries in genetics, archaeology reveal early history of the British people
What's the real story behind the romantic myths about the Celts? And what can modern genetic and anthropological techniques tell ...

Podcast: Sneaky sheep, substandard stallions and sperm wars
Stories of sneaky sheep, substandard racing stallions, and news from the front lines of the sperm wars ...

Podcast: From Jurassic Park to woolly mammoths – is it right to bring back extinct species?
Geneticist Kat Arney takes a look at the science of de-extinction, asking whether it's feasible - or even ethical - ...

Podcast: CRISPR advances, HIV cures and a perfect predator for superbugs
Exploring the latest advances in medical biotechnology including CRISPR-based gene therapies, infection-fighting viruses and a cure for HIV. Plus reflections ...