BioHackers Podcast Ep. 11 – Training Through Trees featuring Alex Harkess

Welcome to Episode 11 of the BioHackers Podcast!

In this episode, David and Alex welcome famed plant geneticist Alex Harkess from HudsonAlpha Biotechnology Institute. Together, they discuss genomic time traveling, cloning trees, the bridge from education to research, biohacking, and the power of telling stories for organisms that can’t speak for themselves. 

Watch the Video Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KqFdb4pbVlI

Here is a list of topics: 

• Welcome to Episode 11 (00:00)
• Ethnobotany and Childhood Trees (01:07)
• Welcome Alex to the Show (06:56)
• Alex’s Story and Love of Trees (07:28)
• The Magic of Diversity (13:24)
• How Did the World Work Together with Hudson Alpha? (16:04)
• Genome Sequencing is Time Traveling (20:26)
• How Do Trees Capture Your Imagination? (26:32)
• Expanding the Harkess Lab Digitally (28:23)
• Overcoming the Inequity of the Field of Science (30:53)
• Cloning the Iconic Auburn Oaks (39:15)
• Unleashing Creativity with Online Learning (44:15)
• Democratizing Course Creation (47:52)
• Sharing and Caring in Genomics Academics (51:45)
• What is the Difference Between Research and Education? (56:00)
• What is a BioHacker to You? (59:40)
• Closing Thoughts (01:01:15)

Enjoy the Show!

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Episode 11
• 1:07 Ethnobotany and Childhood Trees
• 6:56 Welcome Alex to the Show
• 7:28 Alex’s Story and Love of Trees
• 13:24 The Magic of Diversity
• 16:04 How Did the World Work Together with Hudson Alpha?
• 20:26 Genome Sequencing is Time Traveling
• 26:32 How Do Trees Capture Your Imagination?
• 28:23 Expanding the Harkess Lab Digitally
• 30:53 Overcoming the Inequity of the Field of Science
• 39:15 Cloning the Iconic Auburn Oaks
• 44:15 Unleashing Creativity with Online Learning
• 47:52 Democratizing Course Creation
• 51:45 Sharing and Caring in Genomics Academics
• 56:00 What is the Difference Between Research and Education?
• 59:40 What is a BioHacker to You?
• 1:01:15 Closing Thoughts