Why You Might Have More Than Just Your Father's Eyes—Corrado Spadafora—Institute of Translational Pharmacology; Italian National Research Council

Finding Genius Podcast

Richard Jacobs

Medicine, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 30 September 2019

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, we are joined by Corrado Spadafora of the Institute of Translational Pharmacology and the Italian National Research Council. Spadafora gives us an inside look at how his laboratory discovered that mature sperm cells of several species can take up DNA molecules from outside themselves and bring that DNA to oocytes during fertilization. Because this can compromise the genetic identity of the resulting embryo, the seminal fluid that surrounds sperm protects it from exogenous DNA upon ejaculation.

However, the sperm cells are not protected when still in the epididymous. While Spadafora is more focused on the evolutionary implications of these findings, he does note some possible medical consequences; particularly the suggestion that the father's lifestyle and environmental conditions could be reflected in the makeup of his children, potentially predisposing them to certain metabolic conditions.

Press play to hear more. If you are interested in reading about his research, you can find his papers on Medline by searching at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to the Future Tech Podcast with Richard Jacobs.
0:09.0	Future Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence,
0:11.8	Stem Cells, 3D printing, gene editing,
0:14.6	Bitcoin, blockchain, the microbiome, quantum computing, virtual reality, and exploring space
0:21.0	are much closer than you might think.
0:23.0	In fact, many early versions of these technologies are in play right now,
0:27.0	and the companies that are using these technologies
0:30.0	for the focus of this podcast.
0:32.0	My goal for you, the listener, is to learn from these
0:34.4	podcasts. You may very well learn something that may change the course of your life
0:38.2	for the better, steer you towards a new career, or give you insight into
0:42.4	addressing a thorny medical problem.
0:44.6	Remember, this podcast and its content is informational and nature only.
0:48.6	No medical, tax, legal, financial, or psychological advice is being given.
0:53.0	If you've enjoyed the podcast, please listen, subscribe, like, and tell your friends about it.
0:58.0	Thank you. Hello, this is Richard Jacobs with the Future Tech and Future Tech Health Podcast.
1:10.0	I have a great guest today, Corado Spada fora.
1:13.1	He's with the Institute of Translational Pharmacology,
1:16.3	the Italian National Research Council.
1:19.0	He has a laboratory that discovered that mature sperm cells come from a variety of species share the ability to
1:26.0	spontaneously take up DNA from outside themselves.
1:30.1	It's called exogenous DNA molecules and deliver them to oo sites at fertilization.
	...

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