Bringing Chemistry to Life

After five incredible seasons of amazing guests and sharing captivating conversations, the time has come to conclude Bringing Chemistry to Life. In this final message from the series’ creator and host, Paolo, he recalls how the series began, the impact it has had on him, as well as how grateful he is to you, the listener, who have made the series possible.

Directed evolution and enzyme catalysis have opened up new possibilities for synthetic organic chemistry. Dr. Todd Hyster, Professor of Chemistry and Principal Investigator of the Hyster Lab at Princeton University, uses engineered enzymes in chemical synthesis, expanding the chemist’s toolkit, and enabling radical chemical transformations that traditional methods can’t achieve. In this conversation, Todd and Paolo connect like old friends and share some amazing insights.

A chemist is not the profession most would guess when first meeting Matt Giese, and perhaps that’s because it wasn’t his first, second, or even third profession. Join us for this phenomenal conversation with Matt, Senior Scientist at Vector Laboratories, where he takes us through his very non-traditional career journey and shares lessons learned along the way. Now working to develop technologies to make antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), we dive into the chemistry of ADCs and the tightrope balance and skill needed to design these for success. This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Battery expert and consultant, Dr. Heather Platt got interested in battery chemistry during her undergraduate studies and has been headlong in the battery industry ever since. During this great conversation with Paolo, she reviews the critical history of battery chemistry before discussing its current state. Lithium- vs. sodium-ion battery chemistry, the horizon for solid state batteries, global dynamics of the battery industry, and more is covered. Plus, Heather even shares her vision for the future of the industry. This will be an electrifying conversation, join us!

Dr. Monte Helm is not just an educator, but a life-long learner who embodies the true spirit of academic curiosity. With over 30 years of experience in research and teaching, his flexibility and willingness to take the scenic route; postdoctoral research roles, Deputy Director at a national laboratory and a couple of sabbaticals, made all the difference. In this episode, Paolo chats with Monte Helm, a respected Professor of Chemistry at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City about his journey through crown-phosphine and phosphine ligand synthesis research, and how mentors and sabbaticals played a vital role in his development. Tune in to learn about the joys and challenges of each role, and how Dr. Helm found his true calling in teaching at a community college. If you've ever felt uncertain about the conventional career path, this episode could give you the inspiration you need.

In this special episode of Bringing Chemistry to Life, we turn the spotlight on our host Paolo Braiuca and put him in the guest chair. Paolo is not only a skilled bioorganic chemist and a Director of Global Market Development at Thermo Fisher Scientific, but he also has the gift of authenticity and accessibility that shines through his own story. He shares his personal journey from dreams of being an NBA star, to leading a startup R&D team, to switching to the “dark side” and a career in marketing. He also reveals how hosting the podcast keeps him connected to great science and brilliant scientists.

He loved rock and roll, but chemistry and chromatography became his jam. In this episode, you’ll meet rock star chemist, Frank Steiner, Thermo Fisher Scientific's Senior Manager of Product Applications and Scientific Advisor, an influential contributor in the field of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). He shares the pressures of testing pre and post launch HPLC products and the excitement of anticipating their impact. Any chemist can relate to the fundamental importance of chromatography which makes this engaging conversation between your host, Paolo Braiuca, and his guest an easy listen revealing why HPLC could be the most versatile and impactful technique in science. Please join us!

Laptops, phones, cars all need batteries – making them essential to our everyday lives. But sustainable battery innovation is critical to a greener future and it’s what drives entrepreneur and innovator Simon Engelke. Linking research to industry, he gives his perspective on sustainability, geopolitics, and what’s next on a global scale. Whether you get charge out of chemistry or share Simon’s passion for a better battery, don’t miss this powerful first episode of Season 5 of Bringing Chemistry to Life.

In this episode we talk with Cate Levey about her unique career path that’s allowed her to work with and influence very diverse composite materials. Her ability to consider and influence nano-scale chemistry to control macro-scale properties has allowed her to contribute meaningfully to products as varied as building products and food. Join us to meet Cate and hear her story.

Join us for a conversation with one of our own. We talk with Simon Pierce, who’s had a storied career in the chemicals market over the past 40 year. Simon has a compelling personal story and has seen it all. What’s more, he shares it all in an entertaining way that will have you wanting to share a pint him.

We once again venture into the unknow of astrochemistry via this awe inspiring conversation with Chris Shingledecker. He’s an ace story teller that seamlessly transitions from how he found this career, to the history of the field, and into the exciting discoveries that he and his colleagues are making. Chemistry is in fact happening in outer space, with a richness and diversity that you might not expect. Move beyond terrestrial chemistry with us in this mind-opening episode.

If computational chemistry sounds intimidating or unapproachable, this interview with Dr. Gabe Gomes will change your mind. Gabe is super personable and talks about how his team is applying computers to automate parts of chemistry while still letting humans shine where we do what we do best. Join us to hear how chemistry will be done in the future and how we’ll get there!

To start Season 4, Paolo does a dual interview with two of our first guests from this series. The conversation is jovial yet has great depth as is casually weaves from American football, to parenting, to leadership styles, to what motivates and drives these amazing chemists and humans. A unique and fun episode not to miss.