Luke O'Neill recounts his role in discovering key components of the TLR signaling pathway, explains how pursuing unexpected research questions keeps him motivated, and reflects on his experiences as an entrepreneur founding biotech companies.

Host: Cindy Leifer

Guest: Luke O'Neill

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• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• O'Neill lab
• Identification of MAL in the TLR signaling pathway (Nature, 2001)
• GDF 15, immunometabolism and anti-inflammatories (An Rev Pharmacol Tox, 2026)
• Itaconate and regulation of inflammation (Nat Metab, 2024)
• Time stamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Music by Tatami.
Logo image by Blausen Medical

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Information on this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

George Stark from the Cleveland Clinic reflects on his early training in biochemistry and how several sabbatical leaves sparked pivotal changes in his research trajectory, eventually drawing him to interferon signaling where he helped establish the core principles of the JAK–STAT pathway and uncovered interesting roles for interferon signaling in cancer.

Host: Cindy Leifer

Guest: George Stark

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• Stark lab
• Development of the Northern blotting technique (PNAS, 1977)
• Development of Western blotting for proteins (PNAS, 1979)
• Discovery of Tyk2 as a critical kinase in interferon response (Cell, 1992)
• Topical PALA treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer (Exp Dermatol, 2023)
• Time stamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Music by Tatami.
Logo image by Blausen Medical

Send your immunology questions and comments to immune@microbe.tv

Information on this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

The Immune team talks all about cytokines, from what they are to immunotherapies against them to treat diseases.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Cindy Leifer, and Brianne Barker

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• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• Non-specific virus neutralization by IgM and complement (mBio 2026)
• Natural antibodies against viruses (Virology blog, 2009)
• Biologics against inflammatory cytokines (Int J Cell Bio, 2016)
• Biologics against allergic cytokines (JACI, 2022)
• Time stamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Music by Tatami.
Immune logo image by Blausen Medical

Send your immunology questions and comments to immune@microbe.tv

Information on this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.