Raw Talk Podcast

#74: Outbreak Transmission: When Diseases Go Viral

While humans have struggled for millennia with the spread of contagious diseases, rapid global movement of people and food now magnifies the risks of outbreaks, requiring better monitoring and faster response than ever before. Completely by coincidence, during the making of this episode, the 2019 novel coronavirus spread from Wuhan to the rest of Asia, Europe, and North America. The World Health Organization has officially upgraded this outbreak to the status of Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). While many infectious disease specialists were busy dealing with this outbreak, we were fortunate to speak with several key experts about outbreak science, monitoring, response, and prediction. First, we spoke with Dr. Kamran Khan, a physician, academic, and scientist at St. Micheal's Hospital and University of Toronto. Dr. Khan is an Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. He also founded BlueDot, a company specializing in machine learning models to predict the timing and trajectory of infectious disease outbreaks. We also spoke with Dr. Ross Upshur, a professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Upshur is a specialist in public health medicine, and Head of the Clinical Public Health Division at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Join us as we discuss the pressing issues of outbreaks, and track one in real time, on this week's episode of Raw Talk.

Written by: Amber-Anne Mullin

JHU COVID-19 Dashboard
BlueDot
Naming New Viruses: Something Catchy?
History of Outbreaks in Canada
Public Health Agency of Canada
CDC Outbreak Monitoring
WHO Disease Outbreaks Monitoring
WHO Handbook on Epidemics
Dr Margaret Chan speaks at the 70th World Health Assembly
MSF (Doctors Without Borders)
Against Malaria Foundation
Evidence Actions's Deworm the World

#73: Biohacking: From Sci-Fi to Reality

Our genetic information makes us who we are. "Hacking" into such an essential part of nature used to be something that happened only in science fiction. However, technology and scientific knowledge are evolving rapidly and "bio-hacking" has gone from sci-fi to reality. In fact, scientists and doctors around the world are conducting studies to see whether genetic engineering techniques could be used as interventions for various diseases like sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. On this week's episode, we explore what our future could look like if we start to modulate our own biology at the genetic level. Dr. Josiah Zayner, CEO of the ODIN and promoter of DIY biology, shared his passion for hands-on science, learning from self-experimentation and genetic engineering in his own home. The techniques and the potential of genetic engineering were further explained by Andrew Hessel, a "genomic futurist" and co-lead of the Genome Project-Write. We also spoke with Dr. Michael Szego, Clinical Ethicist and Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine and Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, to weigh in on the role of ethics in genetic engineering. Finally, our team reflected on how we envision "biohacking" in the future. Are you ready to biohack yourself? Tune in to find out!

Written by: Tsukiko Miyata

Raw Talk Listener Survey!
Open Insulin
NEO.LIFE: Online Magazine
Josiah Zayner: STAT News Op-Ed
The Odin
Andrew Hessel's Website
New York Times Op-doc: "Gut Hack"
Genome Project-Write
Humane Genomics
Dr. Michael Szego
Article: Gene therapy clinical trials worldwide to 2017: An update
Article: CRISPR'd babies: human germline genome editing in the 'He Jiankui affair'
Article: Where will we draw the line? Public opinions of human gene editing

#72: Burning Up: The Health Impacts of Climate Change

Climate change has been called the defining issue of our time. Its scope, complexity, and impact pose an enormous challenge to humanity. Political, economic, ecological, agricultural, and health systems are already being affected in unprecedented ways. In this episode, we sat down with climate experts and activists to discuss these issues. First, we heard from George Kourounis, renowned global adventurer, storm chaser, and host of Angry Planet, who clarified the difference between climate and weather, and described the impacts of climate change we're already feeling. Next, we listened in on a talk by Gideon Forman, a Policy Analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation and former Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). He discussed the magnitude of climate change in the context of health. Dr. Chung-Wai Chow, a lung transplant physician and leading research scientist at the University Health Network, whom we heard from in episode 38, elaborated on the effects of wildfires and pollution on respiratory health, based on her research in Fort McMurray. You'll also hear from Dr. Edward Xie and learn more about how other vulnerable populations are being impacted by climate change, from Indigenous communities in Canada to climate refugees across the globe. Dr Xie helped us understand how increased flooding, droughts, and spread of infectious diseases are further stressing fragile health systems based on his work as an emergency and family physician at the University of Toronto and board member of CAPE. While the situation is serious, there's much we can do to help fight climate change, from personal lifestyle changes to community activism to international accountability. Along with our other guests, Carol Devine, Humanitarian Advisor for Doctors Without Borders and Community Scholar in the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at York University, shared her insights and recommendations on how we can tackle the climate challenge together.

Written by: Stephanie Nishi

Raw Talk Listener Survey!
TEA: Toronto Environmental Alliance
CAPE: Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
CAPE Toolkit for Health Professionals
David Suzuki Foundation
Angry Planet, with George Kourounis
A crisis in the making: MSF and the global health impact of climate change (Article)
Lancet Climate Change Countdown 2019 Report
Meatless Mondays
Climate-induced migration and displacement: closing the policy gap
The UN Refugee Agency: The 1951 Convention

#71: What Does It All Mean?

What does it mean to lead a meaningful life? How do we find meaning in a modern context? Are we in the midst of a "meaning crisis"? Answering such profound questions is no easy task, but in this episode, we speak to several guests who are diving into the deep end and trying to do just that. First, we speak with Dr. Fabienne Picard, a neurologist at the University Hospital of Geneva, about using ecstatic seizures to scientifically study the feeling of meaning and what occurs physiologically during these moments. Then, we hear Dr. Tayyab Rashid, a clinical psychologist at the Health and Wellness Centre at the University of Toronto Scarborough, discuss how he uses positive psychology in his clinical practice to help people achieve a sense of well-being. Finally, we sat down with Dr. John Vervaeke, an associate professor of psychology and cognitive science at the University of Toronto, to hear all about zombies, the "meaning crisis", and to get a more philosophical perspective on meaning and how to live a more meaningful life. So join us as we tackle these profound questions, and explore the science, psychology, and the philosophy of meaning and wellbeing. And hopefully you find something meaningful in our exploration!

Written by: Amber-Anne Mullin

Consciousness and Wisdom Lab
Dr Tayyab Rashid's Website
Awakening from the Meaning Crisis YouTube Series

#70: Not Just Tiny Adults

Children have historically been excluded from medical research studies and clinical trials in order to protect them. While this exclusion is well intentioned, we need pediatric research to answer important clinical questions and improve clinical care for this patient population. On this episode of Raw Talk, we explored the nuances of pediatric health research and clinical practice. Our conversation started with Dr. Elizabeth Stephenson, Staff Cardiologist, researcher, and Chair of the Research Ethics Board at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), who shares why it's so important to include vulnerable populations, like children, in research and the ethical considerations that make this possible. Dr. Stephenson also discussed concepts including capacity, consent vs assent, and risk vs benefit in the pediatric setting. We also spoke with Nurse Practitioner Tara McKeown and Clinical Research Nurse Andrea Cote about their exciting and challenging roles in the New Agent and Innovative Therapy (NAIT) program, conducting early phase clinical trials at SickKids. Finally, Dr. Paul Nathan, Director of the AfterCare childhood cancer survivorship program at SickKids, shares how clinical care differs in childhood vs adult cancer survivors, the concept of "shared care" in this field, and both he and Dr. Stephenson discuss the importance of including children and adolescents in conversations about their health.

Written by: Melissa Galati

Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario
All Ontario AfterCare Programs - POGO
SickKids AfterCare Program
New Agent and Innovative Therapy (NAIT) Program
Children's Oncology Group (COG)
Ronald McDonald House Toronto

#69: Forgotten Voices: Exploring Homelessness and Health

Homelessness remains a persistent, societal and human rights issue that affects over 250,000 Canadians. The challenges go beyond just finding a place to live – those who are homeless or vulnerably housed have higher incidences of chronic mental and physical health problems and often face stigma while navigating the healthcare system. On this episode, we heard from different voices at the intersection of homelessness and health. We started our conversation with Linda Bingham from Working for Change, who shared her lived experience with homelessness and addiction and how she has now found her voice to tell her story for the very first time. We also spoke to Daniela Mergarten, who told us about her struggles to find stable housing, her experiences with the healthcare system, and her advocacy work with the Lived Experience Caucus of the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness. Dr. Alissa Tedesco, a physician in the Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program and co-chair of Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) Ontario, told us about the work being done on the frontline to address the healthcare needs of people who are homeless as well as some of the shortcomings of our healthcare and social service systems. Finally, Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos, a clinician-scientist and physician in chief at CAMH, told us about her work looking at the effectiveness of a Housing First approach to improve housing stability and health outcomes amongst people experiencing homelessness.

Written by: Thamiya Vasanthakumar

Linda Bingham's full interview
Daniela Mergarten's full interview
Voices on the Street, Working for Change
Dr. Naheed Dosani TedX Talk
Daniela's CBC article on losing home on Dovercourt
PEACH Website
Journey Home Hospice
Paper by Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos: Key Ingredients of a Cross-Section Partnership
Extension of At Home/Chez Soi Study by Vicky Stergiopoulos
Upstream Lab
Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP)
A Housing First Success Story
Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness
Street Health Report Card
Too Little Too Late: How we fail vulnerable Canadians as they die and what to do about it

#68: Down the Rabbit Hole of Psychedelics

Humans have been captivated by the power of psychedelics for millennia. Traditionally, natural psychedelics have been used in religious rituals to communicate with gods or in warfare to take courage. More casual use of synthetic psychedelics like LSD and DMT is often depicted in movies and songs as surreal and stimulating events. Despite being highly regulated and poorly studied, people continue to use psychedelics for the unique and impactful experiences. In today's episode, we want to learn what science says about these magic drugs. Dr. Edward Shorter, Professor of History of Medicine and an author of many books on medical drugs, talked to us about how psychedelics were discovered. We also spoke to scientists who explore the potential therapeutic use of psychedelics. Dr. Fred Barrett, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, gave us an overview of current understanding of psychedelics on brain function. Dr. Norm Farb, Professor of Psychology at University of Toronto Mississauga, explained to us his upcoming trial on psychedelic microdosing. Finally, one of our hosts Amber Mullin shared with us her personal experiences with and perspectives on psychedelics. Tune in to find out what psychedelics have to offer.

Written by: Tsukiko Miyata

Frederick Barrett Homepage
Norman Farb Homepage
Edward Shorter's Website
Soma Elixir: Nectar of the Gods (Article)
Tripping through Time: The Fascinating History of the Magic Mushroom (Article)
Ayahuasca: Shamanism Shared Across Cultures (Article)
Peyote Website

#67: Out of this World: Research and Health in Space

Fifty years after humans first set foot on the Moon, we're on the verge of a new era in space exploration. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA have upcoming plans to go back to the Moon and even the private sector is in on the action, with SpaceX aspiring to send a crew to Mars by 2024. Space exploration is exciting, but we are far from understanding all the effects of space travel on the human body. In today's episode, we spoke to Dr. Shane Journeay, a physician specializing in physical and rehabilitation medicine. He told us about the requirements for becoming an astronaut, the physical toll of space travel, and the rehabilitation required after returning to Earth. We also spoke to former CSA astronaut and physician Dr. Dave Williams, who told us all about his experience on the International Space Station - from eating and sleeping to running experiments in outer space. Scientists Dr. Laurence Harris and Marieke de Korte told us about the space health research they're involved with, and Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, CEO of Hexoskin, told us about Astroskin, an intelligent textile that continuously monitors the vital signs of astronauts. You don't want to miss out on this stellar episode!

Written by: Thamiya Vasanthakumar

Astronaut Dave Williams' book Defying Limits
NASA Twin Study
Vection Project
Immuno Profile: Staying Healthy in Space
Canadian Space Agency: Life in Space

#66: Investing in Tomorrow: Why Are You Voting Science?

On October 21, we will be voting in an important federal election that will determine the next 4 years of Canadians' lives. While voters have many concerns they want addressed, one topic that does not often get the spotlight is science. In this week's episode, we turned to leading Canadian science advocates for advice on how we can speak up for science. Dr. David Naylor, former President of the University of Toronto and chair of the recent Fundamental Science Review (throwback to episode 65), spoke to us about the importance of fostering a science culture and the misuse of science by politicians. Dr. Molly Shoichet, University Professor at U of T and former Ontario Chief Scientist, shared with us her views on the politicization of science, the vitality of science evidence in providing policy solutions for the future, and the inclusion of scientists into the decision-making process. You'll also hear from Dr. Imogen Coe, Founding Dean of Science and Professor at Ryerson University, as well as a champion for equity, diversity and, inclusion programs in Canada. She further illustrated the importance of active science communication to improve contributions to science. We spoke to Farah Qaiser, President of the science advocacy organization Toronto Science Policy Network and Graduate Student at U of T, who provided us with a student's perspective on these vital issues in addition to discussing the ongoing Vote Science campaign - a great and easy way for everyone and anyone to get involved in the world of science policy. Last, but certainly not least, Dr. Amanda Veri, a Research associate at U of T shared her inspiring example of science advocacy we hope will light a fire in you as we approach election day.

Written by: Frank Telfer and Tsukiko Miyata

Vote Science
Toronto Science Policy Network
Evidence4democracy
Canadian Science Policy Conference
Science Outside the Lab North
Canada's Fundamental Science Review
Political Party Platforms

#65 Investing in Knowledge: The Life Cycle of Research

On this episode, we explore the life cycle of research: from seeking funding to sharing findings that inspire. Grace spoke to Dr. David Naylor about science culture in Canada and the Fundamental Science Review panel that he chaired. This review reported on the science funding ecosystem in Canada and was key to Federal research budget increases in 2018. Stephania also sat down with Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and former President of the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR). He shared what makes a grant application great and more likely to be awarded funds, as well as the collaborative research that CIFAR is leading. We also spoke with Dr. Orli Bahcall, a Senior Editor at Nature, who gave us her perspective on publishing, the value of preprints, and impact factor as a measure of publication success. Finally, we dived into what we can do to advocate for more research funding and engage with the public about science. From inspirational ideas to a published article, the research process is an extensive and expensive one.

Written by: Zeynep Kahramanoglu

Dr. Ben Mudrak on Preprints
CIFAR
Fundamental Science Review
The Impact Factor
Guide to Scholarly Metrics
Illinois Library: Scholarly Metrics
CIHR Grants and Award Expenditures
CIHR In Numbers