About this episode

Dr. Dillon Pruett discusses his research on the genetic basis of stuttering and its implications for understanding the condition.

Dr. Dillon Pruett has lived both sides of stuttering: the anxious kid rehearsing every word and the scientist searching DNA for answers. His groundbreaking research, recently published in Nature Genetics, uncovered 57 genetic hotspots tied to stuttering -- proof that our voices carry a biological story as complex as any human trait. In our conversation, Dillon shares how his personal journey shaped his path into research, what the findings reveal about stuttering’s overlap with traits like musicality and sleep, and why the goal isn’t to “fix” stuttering but to demystify it. At its heart, this episode is about turning stigma into science and science back into compassion. You can read the study here . ----- 🎟 Get tickets for a community art and film event sponsored by Proud Stutter on October 9 in San Francisco Read about our latest film update here . ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at…

People in this episode

Host: Maya Chupkov

Guest: Dr. Dillon Pruett

Topics covered

• genetic research
• stuttering
• personal journey
• science and compassion
• biological traits

Keywords

• stuttering
• genetics
• research
• biological story
• musicality
• sleep
• compassion

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Nature Genetics, Proud Stutter, Independent Arts & Media

More episodes of Proud Stutter

• Stuttering, Comedy, and Embracing Uncomfortable Situations · April 20, 2026 · 38 min
• Episode Swap: Down To The Struts · March 23, 2026 · 35 min
• The Story She Needed as a Kid: Jennifer Dickinson on Writing a Young Girl Who Stutters · March 11, 2026 · 31 min
• Anjali Hid Her Covert Stutter for Years. Then Acceptance Became a Spiritual Practice. · February 7, 2026 · 48 min
• From Delhi to Data and Back to the Stutter That Shaped Him · December 26, 2025 · 33 min
• From The Vault: The Psychology Behind Our Responses To Stuttering · November 7, 2025 · 27 min

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