Naked Genetics

The Fly Infest-agation

We got a Christmas present from listener Anna: a small plastic tube full of dead flies. They've recently been infesting the hospital where she works. She wants us to figure out what they are, and what caused the infestation. Can DNA crack the case? Plus, the return of Gins &…

14 Jan 2020 28 min

African genetics and ethics

There are very few African studies in genetics. Most of the existing data are based on Europeans. This is why a number of institutions have collaborated to survey thousands of people's genomes in rural Uganda. In this episode we cover the results of Africa's biggest ever genetics study; and the…

14 Dec 2019 28 min

What's in the water?

This month we're diving into the stuff that makes up two thirds of the Earth's surface. Can you use genetics to figure out what's in the water? We put the science to the test by making a geneticist guess our mystery fish. Plus, a story about whales and dolphins: what…

14 Nov 2019 26 min

Quadrillions: Sequencing the UK Biobank

Half a million genomes. That's how many the UK Biobank has, stored as blood samples in freezers up in Manchester. And in September 2019 they announced a project to sequence every single one of them. It's the obvious next step for the UK Biobank, the research study that began in…

14 Oct 2019 29 min

The Dog Show

It's a doggy dog world... in this episode we're talking pugs, bulldogs, and French bulldogs. They've all been bred for flat faces, but their airways haven't shrunk alongside their skulls - meaning that they often struggle to breathe. How has this happened? After evolving for millions of years, why are…

14 Sep 2019 30 min

Mendel's Trick

Naked Genetics is back with new episodes every month! Today we're taking a step back. Where does genetics actually come from? How did we get to today's world of genome sequences and gene editing? It all started with an 19th-Century monk, working in his garden - but who was he…

13 Aug 2019 30 min

Decoding a Mammoth with George Church

Join Harvard DNA pioneer George Church and Chris Smith in conversation as they discuss gene cloning, DNA sequencing, decoding the mammoth genome, the risks posed by fossil viruses lurking in extinct genomes, the prospects of xenotransplantation and safety of gene therapy, and the risks of human CRISPR. The discussion was…

23 Mar 2019 30 min

The future of forensic genetics

We're returning to the scene of the crime with another look at the latest techniques in the world of forensic genetics - can we really predict physical features or even ethnicity from your DNA, and what does this mean for our criminal justice system? Plus, is the 'CSI effect' real?…

14 Apr 2018 32 min

A Festival of Genomics

We're off to a festival - but before you worry about where your tent and wellies are, it's the Festival of Genomics, held at a clean and dry conference centre in London rather than a muddy field full of rock bands and dodgy burgers. Plus, what does the public really…

14 Mar 2018 39 min

Crime scene genes

It's CSI Naked Genetics, as we find out how genetic technology is used to solve crimes.

13 Feb 2018 31 min

Back to the womb

We take a trip back to the womb and before, to find out about early development. Plus, the importance of placentas, why the age of your womb rather than your eggs matters, and a video game-inspired gene of the month.

13 Jan 2018 34 min

The future of genomic medicine

This month we're finding out how genetic advances are shaping the future of healthcare at the Genetics Society autumn meeting. Plus, signposts for bees and an operatic gene of the month.

14 Dec 2017 32 min

Matchmaking at the zoo

This month we're off to the zoo to meet some lovelorn laughing thrushes, endangered snails, and the Cilla Black of Sumatran Tigers. Plus, a sneak preview of this year's Genetics Society JBS Haldane lecture, and a gene of the month that likes a tipple.

13 Nov 2017 35 min

Evolution's luxury item

You're a mammal. I'm a mammal. Your pet cat or dog is a mammal, as are whales, lemurs, pandas and polar bears. But what exactly is a mammal, and what can our genes tell us about our evolution? Plus, school students take on the whipworm genome, the surprising genetic diversity…

13 Oct 2017 33 min

Exposing the contents of your genes

Would you ever consider donating your genome to research? We meet a man who has, and find out why. Plus, we get our hands dirty in the search for new antibiotics, take a look at the ethics of human gene editing, and our gene of the month is getting ahead…

13 Sep 2017 31 min

Store, write, edit

As scientists announce that they have used CRISPR technology to fix a faulty gene in a human embryo - not for the first time, but more accurately than ever before - we take a look at storing, writing and editing in DNA. Plus, our gene of the month is all…

14 Aug 2017 34 min

Genes and dementia

This month we're taking a look at the role that genes play in dementia, and finding out how researchers are using this knowledge to develop urgently-needed treatments. Plus, a big release of big data from the UK Biobank, and our gene of the month is an expert swordsman.

13 Jul 2017 29 min

Bees, trees and 3-D genes

This month we're literally getting inside our genes, as we explore chromosomes through a 3-dimensional virtual reality art, music and science project. Plus, researchers are turning to bees, trees and more in search of new genetic systems, and our gene of the month has been around for a while.

14 Jun 2017 34 min

Tackling tumours, curing cancer

This month we're zooming in on cancer, finding out how researchers are tackling tumours in unprecedented detail. Plus, our gene of the month is the guardian of your genome, rather than the galaxy.

14 May 2017 44 min

Battle of the sexes

We might joke about the battle of the sexes, but it turns out that this is actually true - at least for a hundred or so imprinted genes. Plus, what opossums can teach us about sex, reporting back from a very special scientific meeting, and a superhero-styled gene of the…

13 Apr 2017 31 min