Susana Vazquez Torres embodies courage. Born in Mexico, she moved to a big city to study science — and then crossed continents twice to advance her studies. Unfamiliar cultures, language barriers, and imposter syndrome were all part of her journey. But with support from labmates and others, Susana found her footing and joined the Baker Lab for her PhD studies. Here, she’s used AI to create antitoxins for snakebites. These pioneering treatments could one day save the lives and limbs of farmers just like her grandparents. Susana’s story shows that stepping far out of your comfort zone isn’t just brave — it’s often the first step toward changing the world. Join us as we explore how courage and innovation come together to make a life in science. // This podcast was produced by the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine. // Music by Kevin MacLeod and Taylor Lidsky.

Born a Palestinian refugee, Mohamad Abedi didn’t have the luxury of exploring science as a kid. But at 17, when he unexpectedly immigrated to the United States, he discovered that learning could be a creative and transformative process. This led him to pursue degrees in biomedical engineering and eventually to his current research on cellular communication and drug development as a postdoctoral scholar in the lab. In this episode, Mohamad shares his perspective on what it means to be a good scientist and how he found his way into science without it ever being one of his childhood dreams. Through his story, we explore how struggles — both inside and outside of science — can shape a journey and spark creativity in unexpected ways. // This podcast was produced by the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine. // Music by Kevin MacLeod.

Your front-row seat to the human side of science.

Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under CC BY 3.0.