Beste Foundational Skills podcaster (2024)

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41. Exclude or include seemingly irrelevant experiences in your academic CV? (Q&A-4: CV) 22:04

3d ago22:04

22:04

“Should I exclude irrelevant experiences from my academic CV?” This is a question that students often ask. In this episode, I would like to give you my thoughts about this question. In general, there is a way of creating a comprehensive CV: it will show that you have unique experiences, and you are a careful and a thoughtful writer. The key would b…

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40. Short or long CV for applying for a research position? (Q&A-3: CV) 16:23

1M ago16:23

16:23

“Should my CV be short or long, when I apply for a research assistant position in a college/university lab?” This is a question that students often ask. In this episode, I would like to give you my thoughts about this question. The content in a CV depends on the person’s career stage. But I have one common viewpoint for CVs at all stages. I would l…

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39. Eight key components define the Abstract structure (mini-series: reading-25) 18:57

1M ago18:57

18:57

How do top-tier scientific journals, like Nature, make sure their abstracts are clear and impactful? In today’s episode, we will identify the eight key components that make those abstracts effective, by naming the components in our own words, and clarifying their roles and order. Our system was inspired by the Nature document for the Abstract guide…

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38. The journal, Nature, dissects the Abstract structure (mini-series: reading-24) 13:26

2M ago13:26

13:26

What is the best way to learn how to read the Abstract of a scientific paper? In my view, the best way is to learn how the Abstract is structured in any paper. Today, we will learn it, by reading a very short document. It is a one-page document that describes the Abstract guidelines, provided by the journal, Nature. Here is the URL that brings you …

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37. Announcement of The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024, relevant to life scientists! 9:23

2M ago9:23

9:23

The 2024 Nobel Prize was announced! Two days ago, it was in Physiology or Medicine. Yesterday, it was in Physics. Today, it was in Chemistry. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Dr. David Baker “for computational protein design”, and to Dr. Demis Hassabis and Dr. John Jumper, “for protein structure prediction.” Their work is directly relate…

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36. Announcement of The Nobel Prize in Physics 2024, relevant to life scientists! 8:25

2M ago8:25

8:25

The 2024 Nobel Prize was announced! Yesterday, it was in Physiology or Medicine. Today it was in Physics. It was awarded to Dr. John Hopfield, and Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks.” It is somewhat (indirectly) related to my field, neuroscience! Let’s learn…

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35. Announcement of The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 3:19

2M ago3:19

3:19

The 2024 Nobel Prize was announced! This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Dr. Victor Ambros, and Dr. Gary Ruvkun, “for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.” Let’s learn about the work by watching a YouTube video. It is the archived video of the announcement of The Nobel Prize. He…

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34. Lessons learned from Nobel Laureates' work, about positive and negative controls (mini-series: reading-23) 31:10

3M ago31:10

31:10

We will complete the analysis of positive and negative controls in the milestone article of the Nobel Laureates of 2023. The article shows us one of the best examples of how to use positive and negative controls in life-science experiments. This episode will be Part 2 of a 2-part summary of control experiments. This will also conclude Step 11 of re…

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33. How to do a good oral presentation? Hidden, but important tip (Q&A-2: presentation) 17:44

3M ago17:44

17:44

Question of today: What is a practical tip for effective oral presentations? There are many important things to do, for delivering oral presentations successfully. But I will be happy to give you my number one tip and the reasons why. And this tip is not discussed often in scientific communities. I hope you will find it useful! Disclaimer: What I'm…

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32. Is it important to include positive and negative controls in each experiment? Lesson from Nobel Laureates' work (mini-series: reading-22) 21:32

3M ago21:32

21:32

We will examine the positive and negative controls in the milestone article of the Nobel Laureates. The article shows us one of the best examples of how to use positive and negative controls in life-science experiments. We will compare a total of eight figure panels. And we will learn important lessons from them, for designing experiments and for r…

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31. Is it OK to say, “I don’t know” in response to technical questions? (Q&A-1: interview) 12:02

3M ago12:02

12:02

The first Q&A session! Question of today: Is it OK to say, “I don’t know” in response to technical questions in an interview when you apply for a life-science research position in a laboratory? I will give you my answer and the reasons why. Disclaimer: What I'm going to tell you is my personal opinion. It is possible that it does not apply to you i…

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30. Positive controls in another experiment by Nobel Laureates (mini-series: reading-21) 32:41

4M ago32:41

32:41

We will keep analyzing the specific positive controls that the Nobel Laureates used in their milestone article 1 that led to the Nobel Prize. We will examine the four positive controls in the third figure of this paper, and in other figures as well. Those positive controls did not necessarily show positive responses in multiple figures. We will obs…

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29. Positive controls in experiments by Nobel Laureates (mini-series: reading-20) 25:31

4M ago25:31

25:31

Let’s analyze the specific positive controls that the Nobel Laureates used in their milestone article 1 that led to the Nobel Prize. We will look at the first two figures and four positive controls therein. As always, we are impressed by the meticulous design of the experiments by the Laureates. Here are the links to the Milestone Article 1 (Immuni…

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28. Defining positive controls in life-science experiments (mini-series: reading-19) 13:11

4M ago13:11

13:11

In this episode, we shift our focus from negative controls to their counterparts: positive controls. We will begin by defining what we mean by positive controls. Then we will refine that definition to encourage practical and cautious thinking. Here are the links to the Milestone Article 1 (Immunity, 2005) by the Laureates, Dr. Katalin Karikó & Dr. …

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27. One-year anniversary: I started podcasting to help you (podcast update 5) 21:02

4M ago21:02

21:02

One-year anniversary of this podcast channel! Thank you for listening. Why did I start podcasting? The motivation or the trigger was the students’ feedback to my teaching and training: they loved it. My goal is to help you learn and polish your skills in life sciences. In this episode, I will talk about a little story of how I started podcasting. (…

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26. Lessons learned from a failed experiment. Part 2 (mini-series: reading-18) 34:47

5M ago34:47

34:47

This episode continues from the last one. This will mark the end of our story about the life-science experiment that did not work at first, but worked well after extensive troubleshooting. We will talk about the remaining three lessons we can learn from the story. They will be about thoughtful approaches, and about probably the most important minds…

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25. Lessons learned from a failed experiment. Part 1 (mini-series: reading-17) 31:30

5M ago31:30

31:30

In the last episode, we finished discussing details of the life-science experiments in our story. We observed that negative controls can be powerful tools for troubleshooting and ensuring data quality. The story gave us invaluable learning experience. What lessons can we learn? We will talk about three lessons related to negative controls today. Th…

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24. Negative controls put the pieces together in troubleshooting experiments (mini-series: reading-16) 46:41

5M ago46:41

46:41

We will see how the experimenters implemented a good, troubleshooting idea into a protocol that appeared to be challenging at first. We are continuing to discuss the troubleshooting of a real, life-science experiment in our story. Sophisticated thought processes made the experiment possible in the end. This episode celebrates the power of well-desi…

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23. Refining a troubleshooting idea: the power of identifying unknowns (mini-series: reading-15) 25:11

5M ago25:11

25:11

We will discuss the fourth and final idea, for troubleshooting a real, life-science experiment in our story. This idea was based on the previous three ideas. Then the experimenters took an impressive step. They identified key unknowns about the experiment, and refined and updated their idea. The updated idea laid the foundation for designing the cr…

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22. Negative controls unveil a hidden culprit in a problematic experiment (mini-series: reading-14) 14:39

6M ago14:39

14:39

We continue our deep exploration into negative controls and their importance in troubleshooting life-science experiments. We follow a real-life story of an experiment that yielded unexpected results. Through the third troubleshooting experiment utilizing negative controls, the experimenters finally uncovered the culprit. We discuss how negative con…

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21. An exciting new way to stay connected (email newsletter; podcast update 4) 1:34

6M ago1:34

1:34

We will be happy to announce the launch of a new way to stay connected with the show - a FREE email newsletter! Sign up to get updates on upcoming episodes, behind-the-scenes insights, and more. Please join the community by sending an email to: ideas@synaptologica.com. (My email is active. But my website is under construction. Please wait for a whi…

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20. Detective work of troubleshooting a puzzling experiment: negative control as a guide (mini-series: reading-13) 23:20

7M ago23:20

23:20

We will experience the fascinating world of scientific troubleshooting. In this episode, we will revisit a life-science experiment where researchers aimed to see if a specific chemical compound could enhance a particular function in cultured cells. Their plan seemed straightforward - a pilot experiment with a positive control (active compound) and …

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19. Negative controls are important: a story (mini-series: reading-12) 12:07

8M ago12:07

12:07

There are many reasons why life-science experiments do not work well. Today, I will tell you a real story about an experiment. It is an experiment that did not go well. We will explore the problem that researchers encountered. In the following episodes), we will discuss how they identified the problem, and how they solved the problem. The story wil…

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18. In-depth analysis of negative controls: using Nobel Laureates’ as example (mini-series: reading-11) 30:11

8M ago30:11

30:11

Today's focus: negative controls. In life-science experiments, negative controls play critical roles. In my view, they are more important than the positive controls! They form such a rich topic that we will spend at least a few episodes on discussing them. Today, we introduce basic aspects: 1) what the negative controls do in life-science experimen…

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17. Links to 3 milestone articles & YouTube video presentation: Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine 2023 (mini-series: reading-10) 6:01

9M ago6:01

6:01

I will list four sets of links mentioned in this episode. All are related to the Laureates, Dr. Katalin Karikó & Dr. Drew Weissman of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023. Milestone Article 1: Immunity, 2005 - DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2005.06.008 - PDF: https://www.cell.com/immunity/pdf/S1074-7613(05)00211-6.pdf - PubMed: htt…

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16. Graph axis labels by Nobel Laureates: the secret method of scientific communication (mini-series: reading-9) 28:58

9M ago28:58

28:58

Today's focus: the power of text elements in figures. We explore how category axis labels in bar graphs, when meticulously organized, reveal key experimental conditions at a glance. For a prime example, take Fig. 2B from our milestone article 1 by the Laureates of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023. Here, the labels use two key strategi…

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15. Let's read a bar graph made by Nobel Laureates (mini-series: reading-8) 22:42

10M ago22:42

22:42

Dive deep into Step 11 of reading the milestone article written by Nobel Laureates. We will examine the most important bar graph. We will read the labels and the legend, and combine our knowledge with the Nobel Committee video. We will use the information flexibly to understand the story the graph tells. This is Part 8 of the reading mini-series "L…

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14. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 7 (mini-series: reading-7) 17:00

10M ago17:00

17:00

Visual elements in scientific papers often convey information faster than words. In Part 7 of reading mini-series, we will discuss previewing the paper content by scanning the figures and tables. This step will help us gain a quick overview of Nobel Prize-winning research. (My email is active. But my website is under construction. Please wait for a…

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13. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 6 (mini-series: reading-6) 14:06

11M ago14:06

14:06

In Part 6 of reading mini-series, we will discuss key steps before diving into a paper. We will verify the paper's identity and map its structure. These simple actions will give us a bird's-eye view of the paper and set us up for a deeper, rewarding reading experience. (My email is active. But my website is under construction. Please wait for a whi…

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12. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 5 (mini-series: reading-5) 15:12

11M ago15:12

15:12

Welcome to Part 5 of our mini-series on reading. Today, we will discuss a crucial step before diving into a paper. This powerful step will shift your focus from passively absorbing the written content to actively engaging with the authors' intent. By understanding what they are doing with each sentence and paragraph, you will gain a clearer overvie…

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11. 2023 Wrap-up (podcast update-3) 3:03

11M ago3:03

3:03

Thank you for listening. I started podcasting earlier in 2023. The total number of episode downloads reached 250 on the day of this recording. Please keep listening to the episodes to come!Av Dr. Synaptologica

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10. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 4 (mini-series: reading-4) 18:16

12M ago18:16

18:16

This episode is Part 4 of a multi-episode mini-series on reading. When we want to read a paper written by the Nobel Laureates, you might wonder which one to choose. We will discuss how to select the right paper from among the many that the Laureates have written. How do we do it? There's a simple way. (My email is active. But my website is under co…

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9. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 3 (mini-series: reading-3) 24:53

12M ago24:53

24:53

This episode is Part 3 of a multi-episode mini-series on reading. The biggest hurdle when we read a paper written by the Nobel Laureates is usually our lack of knowledge necessary to understand even the basics of the paper. We will talk about how to obtain the minimal amount of the most accurate background information. It is to watch a YouTube vide…

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8. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 2 (mini-series: reading-2) 24:44

1y ago24:44

24:44

Let's enjoy the Nobel Prize announcement. How do we enjoy it? We will read one paper written by the Nobel Laureates, and dive deep. This episode is Part 2 of a multi-episode mini-series on reading. We will talk about: 1) how the Nobel Prize laureates are selected, 2) what a milestone article is, 3) why we would want to read the milestone article by…

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7. Let’s read a paper written by Nobel Prize Laureates, 2023: Part 1 (mini-series: reading-1) 20:57

1y ago20:57

20:57

Let's enjoy the Nobel Prize announcement. How do we enjoy it? We will read one paper written by the Nobel Laureates, and dive deep. This episode is Part 1 of a multi-episode mini-series on reading. We will talk about two goals of reading the paper. (My email is active. But my website is under construction. Please wait for a while. Thank you for the…

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6. Thank you for 100 downloads of episodes (podcast update-2) 2:23

1y ago2:23

2:23

I would like to report to you: the total number of my episode downloads reached 100! It took me 2 months. Thank you for listening. Please keep listening to the episodes to come!Av Dr. Synaptologica

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5. Happy Birthday, Google! (mini-series: online information search-3) 13:03

1y ago13:03

13:03

Google celebrates the 25th birthday in September, 2023, when this episode is recorded. Google CEO, Mr. Pichai, reflects on the paths that Google chose to take in the past, and on the paths that Google is going to take from now. Similarly, we would like to reflect on 1) how the online information search looked like before Google, 2) how it has chang…

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4. "Thank you for listening" in three languages (podcast update-1) 7:03

1+ y ago7:03

7:03

In this episode, I would like to thank you for listening. I will report to you the number of downloads for the first three episodes so far. It is a tiny but mighty audience! I will also report to you the three countries where my listeners are located. Then I would like to express my gratitude by thanking you in three languages of those countries. W…

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2. ChatGPT is here. Do we still need Google search? (Part 1) (mini-series: online information search-1) 28:22

1+ y ago28:22

28:22

This is the first episode of a mini-series. We rely very much on online information every day. How can we choose reliable websites for the correct information? As an introduction to the mini-series, we will introduce two common search methods: the traditional Google Search and the new ChatGPT. To help us understand that we need high-quality informa…

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3. ChatGPT is here. Do we still need Google search? (Part 2) (mini-series: online information search-2) 19:18

1+ y ago19:18

19:18

In this episode (Part 2) and the one before (Part 1), we are discussing how to search for life-science information online. What method would give us the reliable online information? Now, ChatGPT has arrived and it is becoming very popular. Shall we rely on ChatGPT and other tools of generative artificial intelligence? That’s what we will talk about…

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1. Introduction to the Podcast 15:03

1+ y ago15:03

15:03

Welcome to the "Foundational Skills in Life Sciences" podcast. I am your host, Dr. Synaptologica. In this episode, I will introduce you to this series, by answering three key questions: #1. What foundational skills are we going to discuss? #2. What are life sciences? #3. Who will be my target audience? I hope you enjoy starting listening to my podc…

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