Monthly Archives: May 2025

Mom Genes Look Good on Everyone

Mammals encompass some of the most interesting animals on the planet. We can see how bats have mastered the sky with wings like birds or how dolphins have adapted streamlined bodies for life in the ocean just like fish. The ability to evolve similar characteristics to overcome common problems found in the environment is called convergent evolution and opens our eyes to the fundamentals of how life has changed to face the challenges of our planet. One such trait that is the product of convergent evolution is echolocation, which is the subject of research for our guest on the show this week Serena Frazee.


Serena is a 2nd year PhD student in the lab of Dr. Katie Everson, a part of the Department of Integrated Biology. Serena is an Oregon native from Portland and was initially driven to science by an interest at the intersections of neuroscience and art. However, it was her love of understanding genetics that inspired her to come to OSU and pursue her PhD. Since coming to OSU she has been a part of a few projects, but on the show we’ll get to hear what she’s learned while studying tenrecs, a relative of shrews that are only found in Madagascar.



Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7 pm PST on May 25th to hear Serena explain how echolocation evolves in unusual places and her fight to change how people view the narrative of gene research. Hopefully she’ll also answer my burning question of “why does everything become crab?”

Written by Mireia Roig-Paul

Nanoplastics: From Farm to Table

Nanoplastics are an emerging contaminant and the result of plastics breaking down in the environment. In most cases these particles can be more than 70 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair. Their small size means that nanoplastics can easily entire the bloodstream where they can travel to every part of the body. The prevalence of plastic waste mixed with incomplete risk assessment data highlights the importance of further research like what’s being conducted by our guest this week Kelso Arther.

Kelso is a third-year PhD student in the Stacey Harper lab, part of the department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology here at OSU. Their research focuses on understanding how nanoplastics interact with pesticides in agricultural systems. They ask questions like how the presence of these nanoplastics effects pesticide efficacy, spread, and degradation. They’re also looking at how the mixing of nanoplastics with pesticides changes the toxicological profile of both components. Raised in Kentucky, Kelso is the grandchild of hard working coal miners so fighting to keep workers safe from occupational exposure to toxins is in Kelso’s lifeblood. We’ll get a glimpse at how growing up around a proud but dangerous pillar of America’s workforce inspired Kelso to strive and keep workers safe.   

Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7 pm PST on May 18th to hear Kelso break down the complexities of the “nano world”, help us understand nanoscopic soil environments, and highlight how animal models help us answer important questions about molecule’s toxicity. We’ll also get to hear about their journey from undergrad to industry and what drove them to come to graduate school.

SHIME on: Simulated Guts, Prebiotics and Passion

If you walk into any grocery store today and find yourself in the beverage aisle, you’ll be able to find all sorts of “prebiotic” sodas touting ingredients like inulin that claim to improve gut health. Many of us are familiar with probiotics and the gut benefits of fermented or cultured foods that contain beneficial bacteria, but prebiotics are a little different. Prebiotics are typically nondigestible fiber compounds that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and function as a food source for your gut’s microorganisms.

However, it is unclear what the effects of prebiotics are on the human gut microbiome, and more specifically, how diet influences these effects. This is exactly what Emilee Lance, second year PhD student in the department of microbiology, is aiming to understand. Under the guidance of PIs Ryan Mueller and Tom Sharpton, Emilee is working on understanding how the gut microbiome is affected by prebiotics like inulin, and the impact that diet can have on prebiotic efficacy. Using a gut simulator called a SHIME (The Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem) she is able to totally control the initial microbial environment, diet, and mimic specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract such as the stomach, small intestine and different colon regions.

Emilee Lance with the SHIME (The Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem)

To hear more about the inner workings of those tiny guys in your gut, what they like to eat, and how they impact you, tune in to 88.7 KBVR Corvallis at 7PM PST on May 11, 2025 or tune in wherever you get your podcasts, including on our KBVR page, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts!

Written by Hannah Stuwe

Tracking Sharks in the Pacific Northwest

Announcement: TONIGHT WE HAVE A SHARK SCIENTIST ON THE SHOW!

Meet Jessica Schulte, a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. Jess is part of ‘The Big Fish’ lab, and guess what—she still has all her limbs! As you’ll hear on the show tonight, this isn’t a Jaws sequel. Sharks are often portrayed negatively in the media, but Jess is here to flip the script. She’ll highlight why sharks are fascinating, misunderstood, and worthy of far more research attention.

Broadly speaking, Jess is studying the movement and foraging ecology of an apex predator: the broadnose sevengill shark. Her work takes place primarily in Willapa Bay, Washington, where—mysteriously—these sharks gather in large numbers. Why they congregate there is unknown, but Jess is sinking her teeth into finding the answer. In fact, little is known about the movement and foraging ecology of broadnose sevengills. Last year Jess co-authored a paper on the first scientifically confirmed sighting of sevengills in the Puget Sound. To uncover more about what they are doing, Jess heads out on a boat 3–4 times each month from March to October and catches (yes, catches) these sharks. Utilizing strong ethical methods, she collects stomach contents and secures tracking tags before safely releasing them back to the ocean.

If you think Jess’s research sounds exhilarating, wait until you hear about her journey to grad school. She served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines, became a dive master in Honduras, assists with OSU’s scientific diving program, and has traveled to countless countries. She’s also just an awesome person—so tune in to our chat tonight on KBVR 88.7 FM, May 4th. You can listen to the episode anywhere you listen to your podcasts, including on KBVR, Spotify, Apple, or anywhere else!