Skin color is something that has baffled scientists for centuries. As we look around ourselves, we find tremendous amounts of variation in skin color, from black to brown to white. There is an entire spectrum of skin color to be found. Why does this variation exist? In this episode, we dive into the evolutionary origins of skin color. We will begin our discussion by exploring melanin and why it is important to humans. We will then move onto a discussion of how and why we are able to observe such a wide variety of skin tones. Finally, we will end the episode with a conversation on the importance of understanding skin color and how this knowledge can be applied to medicine.

From wound healing to cell growth to bone formation, fibroblast growth factors (FGF) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) are responsible for a diverse range of biological processes. This episode begins with the basics: the functions of FGFs and FGFRs. We will then move on to an indepth dive into the structure of FGFRs and how they work with FGFs to initiate the desired cellular response. Finally, we will end the episode by exploring the three main pathways used by FGFs and their corresponding receptors.

FGFR Model: https://images.app.goo.gl/FaZjvuh5H1QnTgfa8

Cancer is a disease that has a chokehold on today’s society. With approximately 2 million new cancer diagnoses in the US every year paired with 10 million cancer-caused deaths worldwide, scientists have been struggling for centuries to find a cure. In today’s episode, we discuss the two main classes of genes that lead to cancer: proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. We will dive into the functions of these genes along with how and why they induce cancer.