Nice Genes!

Genome BC

From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. Like – did you know that your individual genomic signature can help determine the healthcare treatment you receive? Or that mapping the genomes of trees can inform forest management?

But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions: How do we study genetic patterns in a way that respects sensitive genetic information, history, and equity? How do we use the power of genomic research to fight climate change? Save the salmon?

Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.

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20 episodes
monthly
Avg 25 min
English

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August 25 · 1 min
Welcome to ‘Nice Genes!’ Season 6
Have you heard about the radioactive wolves in Chernobyl? Or the latest gene-editing tech that’s curing rare diseases? Or that male birth control might be on the horizon? No?!Well, get ready, because while we’ve been busy living our lives, genomics...
August 4 · 41 min
Genomic Repeat: Nodding our Tusks to Heroic Mutations
This episode was originally released on August 2, 2022Just like any good superhero comic, we start this episode with the science going incredibly wrong. Think: vats of toxic waste producing evil mutants that ravage the city. Or maybe not so evil. I...
July 7 · 5 min
Why Orange Cats Are Orange
Have you ever wondered why most orange cats are male? Scientists have been scratching their heads over this for decades, and now we finally have answers. In our final Gene Short of the season, Sarah Lando and Dr. Kaylee Byers explain the surprising...
June 2 · 52 min
Genomic Repeat: Calls from the Deep - A genomic whale of a story
This episode was originally released on November 15, 2022Things aren’t always what they seem on the surface, especially when it comes to our oceans. So many mysteries hum below its watery surface. So, you may just have to use your ears when it's to...
May 5 · 8 min
Spit Happens! The History of 23andMe
The story of 23andMe has more twists than a soap opera. Spit parties, ghosting the FDA, unicorn valuations, and massive data breaches—this company has done it all. In this Gene Short, Sarah Lando walks Dr. Kaylee Byers through the drama behind the ...
April 7 · 33 min
Genomic Repeat: Slipping Through the Spectrum - Rethinking the Divide in Autism Diagnoses
This episode was originally released on November 5, 2024Dr. Hannah Belcher was already studying autism she found out she herself was Autistic. Getting her diagnosis felt like everything suddenly clicked… but why did it take so long to get answers?I...
March 10 · 7 min
The 200-Year Old Whale
Bowhead whales can live for nearly 2 centuries, weigh as much as 22 elephants, and– surprisingly– rarely get cancer. So what’s their sea-cret? Sarah Lando from Genome BC brings us the splashy new genomic research behind these Arctic giants’ longevi...
February 10 · 46 min
Genomic Repeat: Germ Spotting - Tracking diseases using genomics
This episode was originally released on December 13, 2022Stop the presses! New research shows that viruses locked in the Arctic permafrost for thousands of years have the potential to infect present-day organisms. Accompanied with a warming planet,...
S5 · E9
February 3 · 43 min
The Music That Moves Us
Listening to and creating music is one of the most universal human experiences. It gets stuck in our heads, makes us cry in the car, and has the power to bring people together – sometimes without even a single word. So for something so deeply ingra...
S5 · E8
Dec 16, 2025 · 35 min
TB Trails and Tails
Why Tuberculosis is still the most deadly infectious disease.Attention, DNA detectives! We’ve got a rat on the loose – but don’t worry, not the snitching, double-agent kind. We’re talking about the whiskered, hyper-skilled, tiny agents who aren't s...
Dec 9, 2025 · 1 min
Leave Us a Review
Got a sec?Kaylee’s popping into your feed with a teensy, weensy favour to ask: if you’re a fan of the podcast, would you do us the honour of leaving Nice Genes! a review?Not only does it help the show, but it could also score you some very fun, one...
S5 · E7
Dec 2, 2025 · 30 min
Menopause Mysteries
Turning up the heat on a life stage science is still catching up to.Ok, most of us may have gotten “the period talk.” But the “menopause talk?” Not so much. For something that half the world will experience, menopause and perimenopause are still wi...
S5 · E6
Nov 18, 2025 · 31 min
Gut Check
What genomics can tell us about food safety, the microbiome, and the mind.You’ve heard the saying, “you are what you eat”... Well, our gut microbes take that very literally. If you’ve ever gone on vacation, eaten something tasty, and next thing you...
S5 · E5
Nov 4, 2025 · 32 min
Bite Club
How vector-borne diseases spread– and the critters that carry themMalaria, Lyme disease, dengue, Zika… what do they all have in common? They’re what we call vector-borne diseases– spread to us by tiny, bite-happy arthropods. These little troublemak...
S5 · E4
Oct 21, 2025 · 34 min
Why Athletes Collapse
The genetic clues behind sudden cardiac arrest in young individualsEvery so often, we see headlines about an elite athlete collapsing mid-game. The crowd goes silent, emergency crews rush to the field, and everyone’s left wondering: how could this ...
S5 · E3
Oct 7, 2025 · 31 min
Genetics and the Silver Screen
How medical dramas shape the way we think about genomicsMedical dramas have been a staple of television for decades, from iconic primetime hits like Grey’s Anatomy and HOUSE, to newer favorites like The Pitt. It’s easy to get swept up in the high-s...
S5 · E2
Sep 23, 2025 · 30 min
Babies and Breakthroughs
How new genomic approaches are helping diagnose and treat our tiniest patientsWelcoming a new baby brings boundless love, joy, and the usual sleepless nights of early parenthood. But in the NICU, when a newborn is unexpectedly sick, it’s the uncert...
S5 · E1
Sep 9, 2025 · 31 min
Poo Dunnit
How wastewater surveillance is tracking diseases outbreaksWhen you flush your toilet, where does the waste go? Down the pipes, through the sewers, and into a… lab? That’s right, hidden in our collective waste is a archive of genomic clues revealing...
Aug 26, 2025 · 2 min
Welcome to ‘Nice Genes!’ Season 5
Every mystery leaves a trail of clues. Fingerprints, call logs, maybe some tire tracks… or, of course, DNA. And when it comes to mysteries about our health, there are no shortages of leads to chase.This season, join host, Dr. –or Detective– Kaylee ...
S5 · E1
Aug 19, 2025 · 7 min
Spaced Out!
Houston, we have… a microbe? A mysterious bacterial species has shown up aboard China’s Tiangong Space Station, and Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando are hopping into the Nice Genes! mothership to investigate. Where did this intriguing new organism ...

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