CHRIS: HEY, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS CHRIS ANDERSON.

TODAY ON SCIENCE AROUND CINCY WE'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW GENES CAN AFFECT INDIVIDUALS AND ENTIRE POPULATIONS.

(MUSIC) CHRIS: CINCINNATI IS HOME TO ONE OF THE BEST ZOOS IN THE WORLD, BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CINCINNATI ZOO IS ALSO PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EFFORT TO SAVE OUR PLANET'S ENDANGERED PLANTS AND ANIMALS?

DR. TERRI ROTH IS THE DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTER OF CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.

AND SHE'S GOING TO SHOW US HOW HER AND HER TEAM WORK TO SAVE OUR PLANET'S AMAZING SPECIES.

DR. ROTH: RIGHT.

I AM TERRI ROTH AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CREW, WHICH IS THE CENTER FOR CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE HERE AT THE CINCINNATI ZOO AND BOTANICAL GARDEN.

CREW'S MISSION IS SAVING SPECIES WITH SCIENCE, SO WE'RE ALL ABOUT DOING CONSERVATION RESEARCH THAT IS GOING TO HELP US SAVE SOME OF EARTH'S IMPERILED PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

AND SO I'VE ALWAYS LOVED ANIMALS, WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEM, AND I JUST FIND THE CHALLENGE OF KIND OF FIGURING OUT THE UNKNOWN TO BE JUST REALLY FASCINATING.

AND SO THAT WAS SCIENCE FOR ME.

IT WAS TRYING TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS NOBODY SOLVED BEFORE AND HELPING WILDLIFE AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THAT WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL MARRIAGE OF THE TWO PASSIONS I HAVE.

CHRIS: HEY, TERRI.

DR. ROTH: HEY, CHRIS, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

CHRIS: GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.

DR. ROTH: YEAH.

CHRIS: SO WHERE ARE WE AT?

DR. ROTH: WELCOME TO THE ENDOCRINE LAB.

CHRIS: ENDOCRINE LAB.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO HERE?

DR. ROTH: THIS IS ONE OF CREW'S BUSIEST LABS.

WE DO A LOT OF ASSAYS AND WE GET A LOT OF RESULTS FROM HORMONES BY THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THIS LAB.

CHRIS: OK, SO HORMONES.

SO WHAT DO THOSE HORMONES TELL YOU ABOUT THE ANIMALS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH?

DR. ROTH: HORMONES CAN TELL US ALL KINDS OF STUFF.

IT'S EXTREMELY INTERESTING DATA.

IT TELLS US IF AN ANIMAL IS PREGNANT, IT CAN TELL US IF AN ANIMAL IS REPRODUCTIVELY ACTIVE, IT CAN TELL US IF AN ANIMAL IS SEXUALLY MATURE.

IT CAN EVEN TELL US IF AN ANIMAL IS STRESSED.

CHRIS: SO THAT'S GOT TO BE REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR YOU AS YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THESE SPECIES.

DR. ROTH: IT REALLY IS, THAT'S WHAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LEARN AS FAST AS WE CAN SO WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP SAVE THESE ENDANGERED SPECIES.

CHRIS: SO NOW THIS IS GOING TO BE MAYBE A SILLY QUESTION, BUT HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT GETTING ANIMAL HORMONES?

DR. ROTH: WELL, IT'S TRICKY.

YOU KNOW, IN HUMANS, THEY USUALLY TAKE A BLOOD SAMPLE.

WE CAN'T DO THAT.

CHRIS: OH, NO.

DR. ROTH: MORE OFTEN WE USE POOP.

CHRIS: YOU GUYS USE POOP?

DR. ROTH: WE COLLECT ANIMAL POOP.

CHRIS: WELL, WHO DOESN'T?

DR. ROTH: EVERYONE SHOULD DO IT.

CHRIS: THAT'S RIGHT.

BUT YOU GUYS DO IT FOR SCIENCE.

DR. ROTH: IT'S A GOLDMINE OF INFORMATION.

CHRIS: WELL, CAN WE CHECK OUT SOME ANIMAL POOP?

DR. ROTH: LET'S TALK TO SOMEBODY WHO DOES IT.

ELIZABETH DONELAN: HI, CHRIS.

CHRIS: HI, HOW'S IT GOING?

ELIZABETH: GOOD.

I'M ELIZABETH, A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT CREW.

CHRIS: AWESOME.

WELL, WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

ELIZABETH: I AM PULLING OFF SOME OF OUR FECAL EXTRACTS FOR OUR SAMPLES TO RUN TODAY.

CHRIS: THIS IS ANIMAL POOP?

ELIZABETH: IT IS.

SO AT THE BOTTOM THERE, THAT'S ANIMAL POOP AND THAT'S OUR EXTRACT.

CHRIS: WHAT ANIMAL?

ELIZABETH: THIS HAPPENS TO BE RENJI, WHO'S A SNOW LEOPARD.

CHRIS: THAT'S SNOW LEOPARD POOP?

ELIZABETH: YES, IT IS.

AND ONE OF THE REALLY COOL THINGS, HER POOP IS NOT ACTUALLY GREEN.

WE GIVE ALL OF OUR ANIMALS DYE WHO ARE IN STUDIES LIKE THIS SO WE CAN TELL WHOSE POOP IS WHOSE WHEN WE'RE MEASURING IT.

CHRIS: SO RENJI IS GREEN?

ELIZABETH: RENJI'S IS GREEN.

CHRIS: OKAY, SO WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING HERE WITH RENJI THE SNOW LEOPARD'S POOP?

ELIZABETH: WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AND TRACKING TO SEE IF SHE'S READY TO BREED OR NOT.

AND SINCE SHE HAS BEEN BREEDING, IF SHE'S ACTUALLY PREGNANT.

CHRIS: OKAY.

ELIZABETH: THAT'S ANOTHER TEST WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH HER.

CHRIS: VERY COOL.

SO HOW DOES THIS -- SO THIS IS A CENTRIFUGE, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

DOES IT SEPARATE SOME OF THE CHEMICALS WITHIN HER FECAL MATTER?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

ELIZABETH: YES, SO THE SAMPLES HAVE BEEN ROCKING ON THIS GUY HERE OVER NIGHT AND THEY'VE BEEN ALL MIXED UP.

SO WHAT THE CENTRIFUGE DOES IS IT PUSHES ALL THAT FECAL MATTER DOWN TO THE BOTTOM.

AND IT LEAVES THE EXTRACT HERE, WHICH NOW HAS ALL THE HORMONES THAT I'M GOING TO TEST IN IT.

CHRIS: SO WE'RE GOING TO TEST THIS HORMONE -- THAT GREEN LIQUID TO SEE WHAT HORMONES AND SEE IF SHE'S READY TO HAVE A BABY?

ELIZABETH: YES, EXACTLY.

CHRIS: OH, THAT'S AWESOME.

CAN WE SEE HOW YOU GUYS DO THAT?

ELIZABETH: YEAH.

CHRIS: ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S DO IT.

ELIZABETH: CHRIS, HERE IS ONE OF OUR PLATES WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY RUN SOME HORMONES AND DONE HORMONE TESTING ON.

AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE DIFFERENT COLORS THERE, WE LOOK AT THE COLORS TO TELL US HOW MUCH HORMONE IS IN EACH ONE OF THOSE SAMPLES.

SO IN THE CASE OF RENJI, WE'RE LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT COLORS TO TELL US IF SHE IS ACTUALLY PREGNANT OR NOT.

CHRIS: THAT'S JUST SO COOL.

SO WHAT ELSE CAN THESE HORMONES TELL YOU, OTHER THAN IF ONE OF THE ANIMALS IS PREGNANT OR NOT?

ELIZABETH: SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE USE THEM FOR IS TO TIMING ESTRUS TO SEE IF AN ANIMAL IS READY TO MATE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN BREEDING SITUATIONS.

IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HELP TIME OUR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATIONS THAT WE DO HERE.

CHRIS: OH, VERY COOL.

SO THE HORMONES TELL YOU WHEN IT'S TIME TO DO THE ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE A WHOLE CRYOBIOBANK.

ELIZABETH: YES, CORRECT.

CHRIS: OH THAT'S REALLY, REALLY COOL.

CAN WE CHECK THAT OUT?

ELIZABETH: OF COURSE.

CHRIS: AWESOME.

AMY SHOWED ME AROUND THE CRYOBANK WHERE CREW USES LIQUID NITROGEN TO FREEZE AND STORE THEIR SAMPLES.

THAT GOT ME INTERESTED IN CREW'S WORK WITH ENDANGERED PLANTS.

SO I HEADED OVER TO THE PLANT PROPAGATION LAB TO TALK TO VALERIE AND LEARN ABOUT HER RESEARCH.

HEY, VALERIE.

VALERIE: HI.

CHRIS: HOW ARE YOU DOING?

VALERIE: I'M DOING WELL, THANKS.

CHRIS: TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH HERE.

VALERIE: WELL, WE WORK WITH PLANTS IN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WAY HERE.

WE WORK WITH PLANTS IN TEST TUBES AND WE ALSO FREEZE TISSUES.

SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE ROOM WHERE WE GROW ALL OUR PLANTS IN TEST TUBES.

AND WE DO THAT SO WE CAN PROPAGATE THE PLANTS.

THERE'S A SPECIAL METHOD FOR PROPAGATION AND WE'RE WORKING WITH ENDANGERED PLANTS.

AND SO ENDANGERED PLANTS MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF PLANTS OUT THERE IN THE WILD, THE NUMBERS ARE GETTING SMALL.

AND SO WE WILL TAKE TISSUES FROM THOSE PLANTS AND PUT THEM IN TEST TUBES ON A SPECIAL MEDIUM.

IT'S A GEL.

CHRIS: YEAH, IT'S GEL.

VALERIE: YEAH, IT'S LIKE AUGER.

CHRIS: SO YOU GUYS DON'T USE SOIL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT'S JUST LIKE A GEL.

VALERIE: NOT AT THIS STAGE.

EVERYTHING IN HERE IS STERILE AS WELL.

CHRIS ANDERSON: GOTCHA.

VALERIE: AND THIS IS A CLONING METHOD.

CHRIS: YOU GUYS CLONE PLANTS HERE?

VALERIE: RIGHT.

CHRIS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES.

VALERIE: EXACTLY.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, CLONES MAKE COPIES OF THE SAME THING.

CHRIS: RIGHT.

VALERIE: AND WE'RE IN CONSERVATION AND WE WANT TO PRESERVE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF THOSE ENDANGERED PLANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

CHRIS: BECAUSE THAT'S BETTER FOR THEIR POPULATION.

VALERIE: EXACTLY.

SO WHAT WE DO IS, IN THE FIELD, WE TRY TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF ONE PLANT, A LITTLE BIT OF ANOTHER PLANT, A LITTLE BIT OF ANOTHER PLANT WITHOUT HURTING THE PLANTS OUT THERE.

JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TISSUE AND WE CAN PUT THAT IN CULTURE AND GROW PLANTS, MORE PLANTS FROM EACH ONE OF THOSE TISSUES.

SO WE CAN MAINTAIN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLANTS, BUT MAKE MORE OF THEM AND THEN WE CAN PRODUCE PLANTS AND PROPAGATE THEM AND GIVE THEM BACK TO FOLKS WHO ARE RESTORING POPULATIONS IN THE FIELD.

DR. WJTUSIK: HEY, CHRIS, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING REALLY COOL.

WE'RE GOING TO GO UP AND DO AN AARDVARK ULTRASOUND.

CHRIS: AARDVARK ULTRASOUND?

DR. WJTUSIK: YEAH.

CHRIS: THAT SOUNDS AWESOME.

YEAH, I DEFINITELY WANT TO CHECK THAT OUT.

CHRIS: SO HOW FAR ALONG IS OUR AARDVARK?

DR. WJTUSIK: SO WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT ALI IS ABOUT 60 TO 90 DAYS ALONG IN HER PREGNANCY.

WE ACTUALLY CAPTURED THIS PREGNANCY EARLIER THAN WE NORMALLY DO WITH THE AARDVARKS, SO THE EMBRYO IS STILL VERY TINY AT THIS POINT.

SO WE'RE, YEAH, WE'RE NOT EXACTLY POSITIVE, BUT SHE SHOULD BE DUE AROUND SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER.

CHRIS: THEY SEEM LIKE QUITE A HAPPY COUPLE.

DR. WJTUSIK: YEAH, YEAH, THEY'RE VERY CUTE TOGETHER.

CHRIS: SO CREW IS REALLY DOING SOME AWESOME WORK HERE AT THE ZOO.

HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH THE OVERALL IDEA OF CONSERVATION?

LIKE WHAT KIND OF EFFECTS ARE YOU GUYS SEEING ON THE POPULATIONS OUT IN THE WILD WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

DR. ROTH: WELL, YOU KNOW, WITH SCIENCE, THE STEPS ARE INCREMENTAL.

SO IT IS A SLOW PROCESS, BUT ULTIMATELY THE RESULTS CAN BE SPECTACULAR.

AND I THINK SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE HERE JUST IN TRYING TO BREED THESE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES AND USING OUR REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUES, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MANAGED TO BREED THE SUMATRAN RHINO.

NOBODY ELSE HAD DONE THAT.

CHRIS: YEAH, IN THE WORLD.

DR. ROTH: THAT'S HUGE.

THAT'S HUGE.

AND THAT SPECIES IS ALMOST EXTINCT, SO WHAT A DRAMATIC IMPACT THAT HAS HAD NOW ON TURNING THAT EXTINCTION CRISIS AROUND.

OCELOTS, WE PRODUCED OVER 23 OCELOT KITTENS IN ZOOS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.

JUST, YOU KNOW, IT ADDS UP AND SO IT DOES MAKE AN IMPACT.

IT MAKES AN IMPACT ON THE ANIMALS IN OUR ZOOS.

IT MAKES AN IMPACT ON THE POPULATIONS.

AND THEN IT STARTS TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON WILD POPULATIONS AS WELL, LIKE WITH THE SUMATRAN RHINO.

CHRIS: SO WHAT CAN WE DO HERE IN CINCINNATI TO HELP WITH THE CONSERVATION EFFORT OVERALL?

DR. ROTH: THERE'S SO MANY THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.

AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT CREW DOES IS REALLY IMPORTANT, THE SCIENCE IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT ALONE IS NOT GOING TO SAVE THESE WILDLIFE SPECIES.

SO AS INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SOCIETY, WE CAN DO THINGS JUST EVERY DAY IN DECREASING OUR FOOTPRINT.

YOU KNOW, RECYCLE, ALL THOSE THINGS ADD UP.

CHRIS: BRING A WATER BOTTLE.

DR. ROTH: EXACTLY, LEAVE THE PLASTIC BOTTLES ALONE.

WE DON'T NEED THEM.

SO ALL THESE INCREMENTAL THINGS, EVEN, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE VOTE?

WHO ARE WE VOTING FOR?

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO HELP PRESERVE THE WILDLIFE AND WILD PLACES?

YOU KNOW, THINK OF THOSE THINGS.

THERE'S JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

CHRIS: WELL, TERRI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING US AROUND YOUR LAB.

IT WAS AWESOME.

AND THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE ENTIRE CREW STAFF AND THE ENTIRE CINCINNATI ZOO FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN CONSERVATION.

CHRIS: CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S IS ONE OF THE BEST HOSPITALS IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S ALSO HOME TO WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH.

DR. RICHARD LU AND HIS LAB HAVE MADE SOME AMAZING DISCOVERIES ON BRAIN DISEASES, SUCH AS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND CANCER.

DR. LU: SO MY NAME IS RICHARD LU.

I'M A PROFESSOR AND THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR OF BRAIN TUMOR CENTER AT A CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

I WAS FASCINATED BY THE NATURE BECAUSE I GREW UP IN A RURAL AREA.

SO I WAS ALWAYS WONDERING HOW THINGS WORKED AROUND ME.

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL SO I FOUND OUT I CAN SEE THE CHEMICAL REACTION IN THE CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOK AND REALLY HAPPENED IN THE TEST TUBE.

AND THEN I SAID, "WOW, THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY TO TRUE."

SO IT WAS A WOW MOMENT FOR ME, I MEAN, SO MY INTEREST IN SCIENCE SOARED.

CHRIS: DR. LU.

DR. LU: HI, CHRIS.

CHRIS: GOOD TO SEE YOU.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF NERVE CELLS.

WHAT KIND OF NERVE CELLS ARE YOU AND YOUR LAB RESEARCHING?

DR. LU: SO, WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ONE OF SPECIAL CELL TYPE IN OUR BRAIN IS CALLED OLIGODENDROCYTE.

CHRIS: OLIGODENDROCYTE?

DR. LU: OLIGODENDROCYTE.

CHRIS: OLIGODENDROCYTE.

OKAY, SO WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THESE CELLS?

DR. LU: SO OLIGODENDROCYTE CELLS WHICH CAN PRODUCE MYELIN SHEATHS.

CHRIS: MYELIN SHEATHS?

DR. LU: RIGHT, SO THEY CAN WRAP AROUND THE AXON NEURON.

CHRIS: AND WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THAT MYELIN SHEATH?

DR. LU: RIGHT, THE MYELIN SHEATH IS JUST LIKE THE INSULATION FOR ELECTRICAL WIRES.

SO WITHOUT THAT INSULATION THAT IS KNOWN CAN -- THE NEURONS CANNOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

CHRIS: OKAY, SO THESE CELLS MAKE THE INSULATION FOR OUR NERVE CELLS.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: SO THEY CAN TRANSMIT ALL SORTS OF SIGNALS BETWEEN OUR BRAINS AND OUR BODIES.

RIGHT?

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THESE OLIGODENDROCYTES, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY DON'T WORK OR THEY STOP FUNCTIONING?

DR. LU: SO IF THOSE CELLS CANNOT PRODUCE MYELIN SHEATHS SO OUR NEURON IS NOT FUNCTIONING, SO THEREFORE WE CANNOT COMMUNICATE EACH OTHER.

CHRIS: SO YOU LOSE BRAIN FUNCTION?

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: SO WHAT KIND OF DISEASES CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE MYELIN SHEATH ISN'T WORKING?

DR. LU: THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF DISEASE, BUT THE MOST FAMOUS ONE IS THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

CHRIS: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

DR. LU: RIGHT.

SO WE TRY TO STRIVE TO IDENTIFY IF THIS GENE CAN PROMOTE THE DIFFERENT TREATING PROCESS AND THEN TO PUSH THOSE OUT TO START MAKING MYELIN SHEATH.

CHRIS: SO YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT THE GENES THAT TURN THESE CELLS ON AND GET THEM MAKING MYELIN SHEATHS AGAIN?

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: SO YOU GUYS COULD REALLY HELP PEOPLE WITH MS OR BRAIN CANCER.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: CAN YOU SHOW ME MORE?

CAN YOU SHOW ME MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK?

DR. LU: OH, YES.

SO I CAN SHOW YOU RIGHT HERE.

CHRIS: AWESOME.

SO, DR. LU, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE?

DR. LU: SO WE ARE LOOKING IN THE ONE SECTION IN THIS SECTION COMING FROM THE MOUSE, MOUSE BRAIN AND THIS MOUSE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED BRAIN TUMORS.

CHRIS: SO THIS IS A BRAIN TUMOR.

DR. LU: BRAIN TUMOR.

CHRIS: IN ONE OF THE ANIMALS THAT YOU TEST.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: SO THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE.

SO WHY IS THIS A DARKER COLOR?

WHY IS THIS A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE BRAIN?

DR. LU: BECAUSE THE BRAIN TUMOR TISSUE, THEY HAVE WAY HIGH CELL DENSITY.

CHRIS: SO THEY'RE VERY DENSE, A LOT OF CELLS AND A SMALL AREA.

DR. LU: IN A SMALL AREA.

CHRIS: OK, SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S SHOWING UP DIFFERENTLY.

DR. LU: RIGHT.

CHRIS: SO WHY -- DO WE KNOW WHY THIS MOUSE HAS BRAIN CANCER HERE?

DR. LU: SO WE CAN DEVELOP AN ANIMAL MODEL TO MODEL THE HUMAN BRAIN TUMORS, BECAUSE WE KNOW IN HUMANS WE HAVE A GENETIC MUTATION, PARTICULARLY IN THAT TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENES.

SO WE CAN WE RECREATE THE PHENOTYPE IN A MOUSE MODEL.

CHRIS ANDERSON: SO YOU GUYS ARE -- LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

SO YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT THE GENES THAT TURN ON AND OFF BRAIN CANCER.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: AND YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT THE GENES IN THIS MOUSE?

DR. LU: SO WE CAN LOOK AT -- WE CAN MAKE A MUTATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN USE CRISPR.

CHRIS: SO YOU GUYS ARE USING CRISPR TO DO THIS?

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: SO YOU GUYS ARE CHANGING THE GENE TO SEE IF IT TURNS ON THE BRAIN -- THE BRAIN TUMORS.

DR. LU: RIGHT.

SO WE KNOW IN HUMANS THERE'S A FAULTY GENE CAN CAUSE A BRAIN TUMOR FORMATION.

CHRIS ANDERSON: SURE.

DR. LU: SO THEREFORE, WE CAN USE CRISPR TO MUTATE THAT GENE.

CHRIS: AND DO THE SAME THING IN THE MICE.

DR. LU: SAME THING IN MICE.

CHRIS: THAT'S CRAZY.

SO YOU GUYS ARE TURNING ON AND OFF GENES.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: THAT'S AWESOME.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THIS THAT WE CAN USE IN HUMANS?

DR. LU: YEAH.

SO BY ESTABLISHING A MOUSE AS AN ANIMAL MODEL FOR A BRAIN TUMOR, SO WE CAN LOOK AT HOW TUMOR CELLS DEVELOP.

AND WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT WHAT'S CELL ORIGIN FOR THE TUMORS.

AND THEN WITH THIS SYSTEM, WE CAN TREAT THE ANIMAL WITH DRUGS WE IDENTIFY FROM THE CULTURE.

AND THEN -- AND THEN TREAT THOSE DRUG -- TREAT THE ANIMAL WITH THE DRUGS AND SEE HOW THIS DRUG FUNCTION TO BLOCK THE TUMOR.

CHRIS: AND IF THE MICE GET BETTER, THEN YOU KNOW THAT THAT COULD WORK FOR HUMANS.

DR. LU: EXACTLY.

CHRIS: THAT'S AMAZING.

THAT'S SO COOL.

THAT -- I MEAN, THAT'S JUST COOL.

SO HOW ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO CHANGE THE GENE?

YOU SAID WITH CRISPR.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

HOW ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO DO THAT?

DR. LU: YEAH.

SO NORMALLY YOU DESIGNED AN RNA GUIDE ON IT.

CHRIS: OKAY, SO THEY'VE GOT LIKE A LITTLE OF RNA THAT GUIDES?

DR. LU: RIGHT, THEY CAN TARGET TO THE GENOME SPECIFIC SEGMENT.

CHRIS ANDERSON: OKAY, SO YOU HAVE THIS LITTLE GUIDE RNA THAT'LL MATCH UP RIGHT WITH THE GENE -- DR. LU: EXACTLY.

CHRIS: -- THAT YOU WANT.

DR. LU: RIGHT.

AND THEN YOU CAN CONVERT, YOU CAN DELETE THE GENE, YOU CAN TARGET IT DELETION, OR YOU CAN REVERSE THE FAULTY GENE INTO A NORMAL ONE.

CHRIS: OKAY, AND YOU GUYS CAN JUST DO IT HERE WITH LIKE PIPETTES?

DR. RICHARD LU: YES.

SO WE CAN GENERATE THIS GUIDE ON IT AND THEN WE CAN INJECT THEM INTO THE CELL OR INTO MOUSE BRAIN.

CHRIS: JUST RIGHT IN THE MOUSE BRAIN.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: AND IT WILL CHANGE THE GENES SO YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AND SEE THE EFFECTS OF THAT?

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: AND YOU CAN JUST DO IT RIGHT HERE WITH THESE PIPETTES?

DR. LU: YES.

YEAH, IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

EVERYBODY CAN DO IT.

CHRIS: WELL, ANYONE CAN DO IT?

YEAH, ANYONE CAN RESEARCH BRAIN GENETICS.

YOU CAN DO IT AT HOME.

CHRIS: SO, RICHARD, WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE BRAIN?

DR. LU: SO NEXT, I TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW BRAINS FUNCTION AND HOW CAN WE HELP TO RESTORE THE DAMAGED NERVE SYSTEM?

CHRIS: SO HOW CAN THAT HELP PEOPLE WITH M.S.

OR BRAIN CANCER?

DR. LU: RESEARCHING TO IDENTIFY A DRUG CAN HELP, POTENTIALLY HOW TO PROMOTE THE MYELINATION PROCESS.

SO THIS KIND OF DRUG MAY FUNCTION ALSO CAN PREVENT THAT THE OVERGROWTH TO PREVENT TUMOR GROWTH.

CHRIS: SO THIS DRUG CAN NOT ONLY HELP THE MYELIN SHEATH TO REGENERATE, TO HAVE THOSE OLIGODENDROCYTES REGROW THAT MYELIN SHEATH, BUT COULD ALSO KEEP BRAIN CELLS FROM OVERGROWING.

DR. LU: YES.

CHRIS: AND HELPING, KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING BRAIN CANCER.

DR. LU: YES.

IT'S MORE LIKE THE ONE STONE TO KILL TWO BIRDS.

CHRIS: THAT'S AWESOME.

DR. LU: YEAH.

CHRIS: WELL, RICHARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME TO YOUR LAB AND SHARING YOUR AWESOME WORK.

DR. LU: THANK YOU, CHRIS.

CHRIS: SOME OF US EXPERIENCE EVENTS IN OUR LIVES THAT ARE SO OVERWHELMING, STRESSFUL, OR FRIGHTENING THAT THEY CAN AFFECT US MONTHS, YEARS, OR EVEN DECADES AFTER THEY HAPPENED.

DR. MARIA ESPINOLA'S RESEARCHING NEW AND INNOVATIVE METHODS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO'VE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA.

DR. ESPINOLA: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN IS MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, BASICALLY INCREASING ACCESS TO THERAPY.

I TRY TO GO INTO A COMMUNITY AND I TRY TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, USING ART, USING ANIMALS, IN THIS CASE EQUINE THERAPY.

THE MAIN GOAL FOR MOST OF MY PATIENTS IS TO OVERCOME TRAUMA, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM HAVE GONE THROUGH A LOT IN THEIR LIVES, LIKE VERY SEVERE TYPES OF TRAUMA.

THEY HAVE SURVIVED VIOLENCE, MANY OF THEM.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN HEAL THOSE INVISIBLE WOUNDS, THE ONES THAT WE CANNOT SEE.

CHRIS: HI, MARIA.

DR. ESPINOLA: HI.

CHRIS: NICE TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

DR. ESPINOLA: OF COURSE.

CHRIS: SO WHAT IS TRAUMA FROM A SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE?

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

DR. ESPINOLA: YEAH, SO TRAUMA CAN HAPPEN AFTER YOU GO THROUGH AN EVENT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS, BUT WHERE YOU FELT THAT YOUR LIFE WAS AT RISK, OR YOU WERE AT RISK OF SIGNIFICANT BODILY HARM OR SOMEONE ELSE YOU CARE ABOUT WAS AT RISK OF HARM.

CHRIS: OK, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS, SOME EVENT THAT HAPPENS WHERE YOU FEEL THAT EITHER YOUR LIFE OR SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR LIFE IS AT RISK.

DR. MARIA ESPINOLA: IS AT RISK, UM-HMM.

CHRIS ANDERSON: WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE BRAIN?

DR. ESPINOLA: IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL.

SO FOR THE MOST PART, THE MAIN ISSUE THAT HAPPENS TO THEIR BRAIN IS THAT IT ALTERS OUR RESPONSE TO SURVIVAL SITUATIONS, LIFE OR DEATH SITUATIONS.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, SO IF WE HEAR A VERY LOUD NOISE, WE ARE GOING TO KIND OF LIKE JUMP A LITTLE AND GET READY TO EITHER FIGHT A POTENTIAL ATTACKER OR RUN AWAY FROM THAT THREAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

RIGHT?

SO THAT TYPE OF RESPONSE CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE.

THE PROBLEM THAT TRAUMA SURVIVORS HAVE IS THAT RESPONSE CAN GET ALTERED, MEANING THAT IT CAN GET SHUT DOWN.

SO YOU'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO IDENTIFY THREATS THE WAY THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BECAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF DAY DREAMING.

IT'S LIKE YOUR MIND IS IN A PLACE WHERE -- NOT WHERE YOUR BODY IS, BASICALLY.

YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION; YOU'RE NOT FOCUSING IN THE MOMENT SO YOU MISS OUT ON THREATS.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS A LOT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY WAITING FOR THREATS.

SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY LIVE IN A VERY DANGEROUS WORLD, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT SURROUNDED BY DANGER.

CHRIS: SO THE BRAIN'S NORMAL FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE, THAT EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP US SURVIVING, THAT GETS CHANGED.

SO EITHER SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE A RESPONSE OR EVERYTHING IS A RESPONSE.

DR. ESPINOLA: EXACTLY.

CHRIS: THAT'S GOT TO BE REALLY HARD TO LIVE WITH.

DR. ESPINOLA: YEAH.

SO IMAGINE LIKE TRYING TO LEARN WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THAT.

CHRIS ANDERSON: WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY ON EDGE.

DR. ESPINOLA: YOU CANNOT OR MEET PEOPLE OR MAKE FRIENDS.

CHRIS: SO LET'S TALK ABOUT INTERACTING WITH THE ANIMALS.

SO HOW CAN THAT HELP PEOPLE KIND OF MOVE PAST THE TRAUMA THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED?

DR. ESPINOLA: YEAH.

SO I CAN TALK ABOUT HORSES SPECIFICALLY.

SO HORSES ARE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS, AS YOU KNOW.

BUT BESIDES THAT, THEY ARE VERY INTERESTING IN TERMS OF HELPING YOU OVERCOME TRAUMA.

ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS BECAUSE HORSES HAVE A NATURAL TENDENCY TO SEE HUMANS AS POTENTIAL THREATS.

SO THEY SEE US AS A POTENTIAL DANGER.

CHRIS: OKAY.

DR. ESPINOLA: OKAY?

SO IT TAKES WORK TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP.

YOU HAVE TO GAIN THE HORSES TRUST TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP.

OKAY?

SO THAT COULD BE CHALLENGING, RIGHT?

AND AT THE END IS VERY REWARDING, BUT IT COULD BE CHALLENGING AT THE BEGINNING.

SO IT IS A JOURNEY.

AND DURING THAT JOURNEY, YOU CAN LEARN WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF, AND CONFRONT THOSE FEARS.

CHRIS: BECAUSE HORSES ARE GOING TO KIND OF SENSE THAT ALREADY INSIDE YOU?

DR. ESPINOLA: EXACTLY.

YES.

YES.

THE HORSES ARE VERY SMART ANIMALS, SO THEY CAN SENSE IF YOU'RE AFRAID.

SO THEY CAN SENSE OUR FEAR AND THEY ALSO MIMIC THAT FEAR.

SO THEY MAKE IT MORE OBVIOUS TO YOU THAT YOU'RE AFRAID BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING IT IN THE HORSE.

SO IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP, YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME THAT FEAR AND THEN PROMOTE THAT CALMNESS TO THE HORSE SO HE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOU.

CHRIS: SO THAT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, LIKE YOU HAD TO BE TOTALLY IN THE MOMENT WHEN YOU WERE AROUND THAT HORSE.

YOU CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE.

YOU JUST YOU JUST HAD TO BE RIGHT THERE WITH THE HORSE.

DR. ESPINOLA: EXACTLY.

CHRIS: THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.

I CAN IMAGINE THAT HAS TO BE REALLY GREAT FOR THESE FOLKS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACTS HAVE YOU SEEN WITH THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH?

DR. ESPINOLA: SO FOR ME, WHAT I SEE IS JUST A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION, WHICH IS SO INSPIRING.

BECAUSE WHEN TRAUMA VICTIMS COME TO SEE US AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THEY'RE OFTENTIMES SHAKING.

THEY CAN'T SPEAK OPENLY.

THEY'RE VERY AFRAID OF EVERYTHING.

THEY FEEL THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FUTURE.

THEY ARE OFTENTIMES HOPELESS.

THEY HAVE VERY LOW SELF-ESTEEM.

THEY HAVE NEVER HAD A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.

SO THEY GO FROM THAT TO FEELING COMFORTABLE IN SESSION, LAUGHING IN SESSIONS.

BECAUSE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE THINK LIKE, "WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO WORK WITH TRAUMA VICTIMS?

THAT'S SUCH A BUMMER.

LIKE YOU LIKE HEAR THESE HORRIBLE STORIES EVERY DAY."

IT IS TRUE THAT WE HEAR HORRIBLE STORIES AT THE BEGINNING.

THAT IS TRUE.

AND THAT COULD BE VERY TOUCHING AND MOVING, AND OFTENTIMES IT'S SAD.

AND BUT THE THING IS, IT'S LIKE WHAT KEEPS US GOING IS THE BELIEF THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING, RIGHT?

SO WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IT WORKS, SO THAT IT KEEPS ME MOTIVATED.

CHRIS: IT'S GOT TO BE REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH.

CASSIA SEAY: YEAH, IT'S REALLY AWESOME.

I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE MINDFULNESS AND OTHER NONTRADITIONAL THERAPY METHODS IS THAT THEY CAN WORK WITHOUT MEDICINE.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME, IF YOU'RE TAKING A WALK, IF YOU'RE DRIVING IN YOUR CAR.

AND THAT'S REALLY, REALLY AWESOME AND YOU CAN JUST SEE A REDUCTION IN SYMPTOMS, TRAUMA SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS.

CHRIS: IT'S GOT TO FEEL REALLY GREAT THAT YOU'RE -- YOU GUYS ARE FACILITATING A REALLY IMPORTANT CHANGE IN THESE PEOPLE'S LIVES.

CASSIA: YEAH.

DR. ESPINOLA: ABSOLUTELY.

CHRIS: THAT'S OUR SHOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

WE HOPE YOU LEARNED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW GENES CAN AFFECT INDIVIDUALS AND POPULATIONS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON SCIENCE AROUND CINCY.

DR. RICHARD LU AND HIS LAB HAVE MADE SOME AMAZING DISCOVERIES ABOUT BRAINS.

(BEEP) - - SOME AMAZING THINGS -- SORRY.

SCIENCE AROUND CINCY IS AN INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED COLLABORATION BETWEEN EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS IN CINCINNATI AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

FUNDING IS PROVIDED IN PART BY NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF INFORMATICS AND DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION, THE HAMILTON COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER, OUTSIDER PRODUCTIONS, AND FUEL CINCINNATI.

STAY CURIOUS, MY FRIENDS.

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