The Lab Coats & Life™ Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Quinn speaks with scientist Dr. Chantelle Leveille and software engineer Peyton Lee from the Allen Institute for Cell Science about the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in modern research. Chantelle shares her journey from biochemistry and biophysics into large-scale imaging data analysis, while Peyton discusses combining his interests in programming, design, and biology to build interactive scientific tools. Together, they describe the development of the Timelapse Feature Explorer , a visualization tool that allows researchers to explore complex cellular imaging data and uncover patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. The conversation explores the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, open science, and creating research environments where people feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and relying on each other’s expertise. Chantelle and Peyton also reflect on the importance of communication, curiosity, and finding the “secret sauce” each person brings to a scientific team, offering thoughtful advice for researchers looking to build collaborative, meaningful careers in science. Image courtesy of Chantelle Leveille and Peyton Lee. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud speak with Dr. Alae Kawam, a surgical pathologist in New York City, about burnout in medicine and the biomedical sciences. Drawing from her personal experience in medical training, Dr. Kawam explains the core components of burnout, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, and explores how systemic pressures, productivity culture, visa constraints, debt, and lack of institutional support contribute to disengagement. The conversation highlights parallels between medicine and academic research, emphasizing the importance of human connection, identity beyond work, cultural awareness, and organizational accountability. Dr. Kawam closes with practical guidance for individuals and leaders alike, encouraging self-awareness, community support, and structural change to foster healthier, more sustainable scientific careers. Image courtesy of Dr. Alae Kawam Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Quinn speaks with Dr. Rachel Owen, a sustainability and science policy entrepreneur and founder of RKO Consulting, about how scientists can engage effectively in policy and advocacy. Rachel shares her journey from soil science to science policy and explains how researchers can get “in the room” with policymakers through professional societies, relationship-building, or formal policy roles. The conversation explores how to communicate uncertainty, build trust across political divides, and present science using an honest broker approach. Rachel also outlines practical pathways for scientists who want to stay at the bench while influencing policy, as well as those considering full-time careers in science policy. Image courtesy of Dr. Rachel Owen. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Quinn speaks with Dr. Tenneille Ludwig, board member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, and Dr. Rita Carsetti, President of the International Union of Immunological Societies, about the essential role scientific societies play in the global research ecosystem. They discuss how societies bring researchers together across borders, establish guidelines and nomenclature, support early-career scientists, and advocate for science at the policy level. The conversation also explores how international societies promote equitable access to knowledge, combat misinformation around issues like stem cell therapies and vaccines, and strengthen public trust through clear communication and global collaboration. Image courtesy of Drs. Tenneille Ludwig and Rita Carsetti Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Daylon James speak with Dr. Sarahanne Field, Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Trial and Error, about the importance of publishing negative results and studying science itself through meta-science. Sarahanne shares how the journal was founded to challenge publication bias and create space for well-designed studies that produce unexpected or null findings. The conversation explores incentives in academic publishing, the “file drawer problem,” registered reports, open data, and how cultural and structural change can support more transparent and rigorous science. Sarahanne closes with a hopeful vision for a research culture that rewards honesty, collaboration, and high-quality work, even when the results are not flashy. Image courtesy of Dr. Sarahanne Field Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud speak with Dr. Rachel Perry at the Yale School of Medicine about the long-standing expectation that scientists must move between institutions or countries to advance their careers. Rachel shares her unconventional path of remaining at Yale from undergraduate training through faculty appointment, and discusses the intentional decisions, mentorship strategies, and clear scientific differentiation required to build independence while staying in one place. Brenda offers a contrasting perspective shaped by international mobility, highlighting both the professional benefits and personal costs of relocating. Together, they explore how shifting norms around dual-career couples, family considerations, remote collaboration, and open data are challenging traditional models of academic progression, and offer practical advice for scientists navigating whether to move—or stay—while building meaningful, impactful careers in science. Image courtesy of Dr. Rachel Perry. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Arun Sharma speak with Euan Adie, Founder of Altmetric, about rethinking how we measure research impact beyond traditional citations. Euan shares the origin story of Altmetric and explains the difference between attention and real-world influence, including policy, education, and clinical impact. The conversation explores the challenges of reforming research assessment, the role of social media and institutional communications in increasing visibility, and how AI is changing the way scientific information is discovered and evaluated. Euan also reflects on the need to better reward researchers for contributions outside of traditional publications, and what meaningful change in research culture could look like. Image courtesy of Euan Adie. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Jason Goldsmith chat with Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada. Rob shares insights on workforce trends in the life sciences and explains why the biggest skills gaps in biotech aren’t technical, but in so-called “success skills” like communication, project management, and critical thinking. He discusses how co-ops, internships, and work-integrated learning help bridge the gap between academic training and industry expectations, the role of government and employers in building talent pipelines, and what trainees can do to better prepare for careers in today’s bioeconomy. Image courtesy of Rob Henderson Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Jason Goldsmith chat with Dr. César de la Fuente, Presidential Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. de la Fuente discusses his work using AI to discover new antibiotics, and building a new large language model in his lab. He talks about opportunities for AI to assist researchers with administrative tasks, as well as current limitations of the technology. He also touches on the future of AI, including the generation of “AI scientists,” and the need to address server use and environmental impacts. Image courtesy of Dr. César de la Fuente Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Arun Sharma chat with Tamara Poles, Founder and CEO of Universal SciCom . Tamara discusses her career path into science communication and how she helps scientists become effective communicators. She also talks about the importance of authenticity and storytelling when engaging with the public, and how early-career scientists can cultivate their communication skills. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Daylon James chat with Drs. Lisa Corwin and Sandhya Krishnan from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Corwin is an Associate Professor and Principal Investigator of the REACH Lab , which studies how early-career scientists engage with and persevere through challenges in their research. Dr. Krishnan is a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Postdoc Associate with FLAMEnet, and Project Lead at the Science of Failure . They talk about how students cope with research failures and how mentors can normalize and allow for failure on a smaller scale. They also talk about how researchers can be transparent with their experimental results. Images courtesy of Drs. Lisa Corwin and Sandhya Krishnan Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud chat with Dr. Judy Mielke and Kate Gardner, Co-Founders of scientifyRESEARCH , a database that helps connect researchers with funding opportunities. They discuss trends in scientific funding, how to be strategic when applying, and opportunities for researchers in lower- and middle-income countries. Images courtesy of Dr. Judy Mielke and Kate Gardner Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Arun Sharma chat with Dr. Karen Kelsky, the founder of The Professor Is In , an online resource, book and consultancy for navigating academic careers. Dr. Kelsky shares how she has helped over 15,000 PhDs find fulfilling paths inside and outside academia, reflects on her own career journey, and gives practical advice for thriving in the academic job market. Image courtesy of Dr. Karen Kelsky Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Jason Goldsmith chat with Lynn Csontos, VP of Regulatory Affairs at STEMCELL Technologies. Lynn discusses the process of developing reagents for the manufacture of cell and gene therapies, how standards vary from country to country, and the need for diversity in clinical trials. She also talks about her career transition from research and development to regulatory affairs and the creativity involved in her role. Image courtesy of STEMCELL Technologies Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

Guest: In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud chat with Dr. Nokuthula Mchunu, Deputy Director of the African Open Science Platform. Dr. Mchunu discusses challenges faced by scientists in Africa, including infrastructure limitations, language barriers, and inequities in research funding and publishing. She shares insights on fostering equitable partnerships, strengthening research systems, and rethinking scientific publishing to ensure broader access to knowledge and collaboration across the global scientific community. Image courtesy of Dr. Nokuthula Mchunu Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Daylon James chat with Dr. Brandon Stell, Research Scientist at the National Center for Scientific Research in Paris and Founder of PubPeer.com , a website that provides scientists with a forum to discuss published research literature. Dr. Stell talks about his and his co-founders’ motivations for launching, and the platform’s impacts since then. He discusses PubPeer as a place for not only scrutinizing data, but also for facilitating discussions between researchers. He also talks about receiving an Einstein Foundation Award , the role of anonymity on the site, and future plans for the platform. Image courtesy of Dr. Brandon Stell Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

Guest: In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Jason Goldsmith chat with Dr. Alex Shalek, the J. W. Kieckhefer Professor in the Institute for Medical Engineering & Science and the Department of Chemistry at MIT. He and members of his lab strive to engineer and create technologies and methods achievable by any lab, anywhere in the world through open source experimental protocols and computational packages. He talks about ownership, reproducibility, and privacy considerations when sharing data. Featured Products and Resources: Which Scientific Conferences Should You Attend? How to Prioritize and Manage Your Research Image courtesy of Dr. Alex Shalek Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

Guest: In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud chat with Dr. Sara Yeo, an Associate Professor of Communications at the University of Utah. Specializing in science and risk communication, Dr. Yeo’s research explores the intersection of science, media, and politics. She talks about building trust and engagement in science communication and how humor can help. She also discusses unconventional career paths and how social media can help scientists be more open. Featured Products and Resources: Personalize Your Science News Webinar: Using Social Media to Advance Your Scientific Career Image courtesy of Dr. Sara Yeo Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

Guest: In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Arun Sharma chat with Dr. Caroline Hookway, a Scientist at the Allen Institute for Cell Science , who specializes in live-cell imaging. She talks about how to choose the right technology to answer scientific questions, strategies to ensure quality and reproducibility, and overcoming barriers to adopting new technologies. Image courtesy of Dr. Caroline Hookway Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up

Guest: In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Daylon James chat with Dr. Richard Sever, Assistant Director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and Co-founder of the preprint servers bioRxiv and medRxiv . He discusses how preprints can help advance science, the role of funding, and the future of peer review. Image courtesy of Dr. Richard Sever Get Updates! Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes. Sign Up