
Ants doing gene therapy, and tadpole microbiomes
From The eLife Podcast by Dr Chris Smith
September 8, 2025 · 43 min · Episode 99
About this episode
This episode discusses gene therapy in ants, the microbiomes of tadpoles, and various health insights related to sepsis and tapeworms.
This month, as the eLife Podcast hits its century, we hear how getting frog dads to cross-foster tadpoles has revealed the way in which some frogs come by their microbiomes, the ants that do gene therapy, signs that disease causes a breakdown in nutrient exchange between the elements of the microbiome, how fungi reprogram immune cells to cause over-reactions in sepsis, and new insights into how tapeworm larvae in the brain cause seizures... Get the references and the transcripts for this programme from the Naked Scientists website
People in this episode
Host: Dr Chris Smith
Topics covered
- gene therapy
- microbiomes
- sepsis
- tapeworms
- frogs
- ants
- fungi
Keywords
- gene therapy
- microbiomes
- frogs
- sepsis
- tapeworms
- ants
- fungi
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Naked Scientists
Places: brain
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