Introduction: Secrets of Science (SOS)

By: Shivani Kanjerla

Hey! My name is Shivani Kanjerla and welcome to the Secrets of Science (SOS) podcast where I delve into the field of biology. I am passionate about STEM and particularly the field of human sciences. For example, this includes the development of research for diseases and biotechnological advancements such as CRISPR Cas-9. The field of biotechnology has advanced over centuries and can be dated back to the discovery of single-celled organisms such as yeast and bacteria. By considering this information, Mesopotamians were able to convert wine into vinegar using bacteria. Additionally, the Egyptians were able to allow their loaves of bread to rise through the use of yeast. Furthermore, I would like to highlight the advancement of minorities within the STEM field such as the incredible unnoticed accomplishments made by women over the centuries. For instance, Ruth Rogan Benerito was an American chemist who is recognized for her advancements within the cotton industry after World War II for developing wrinkle-free, stain-free, and flame-resistance cotton fabrics. Benerito was also commended for her work in the medical field in which she created intravenous feeding methods using fats harvested from seeds. This research has laid the foundation within the medical field because of the importance of parenteral nutritional supplements. Through this podcast, I hope to convey essential information within the therapeutics field and speak about how they affect individuals daily. This includes the development of cancer within the human body and how individualistic treatment patterns are directly correlated to the improvement of a patient's condition.

As one of my role models Rosalind Franklin once said, "Science, for me, gives a partial explanation for life. In so far as it goes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment."

Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein once said "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

It is important to never stop learning and questioning the scientific reality within our world.

I hope that you will join me on this journey starting with the first episode of my first series as a part of this podcast. Within the first series we will be discussing the basics of organism biology which includes genetics, heredity, and biotechnology among other topics. The first episode regarding DNA and DNA replication will be released on Tuesday!

To access the podcast you can visit: https://anchor.fm/shivani-kanjerla1

To learn more about women in the STEM field visit: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/women-in-stem

For background on the history of biotechnology feel free to check out this link: https://newint.org/features/1991/03/05/simply

Thank you for your time,

Shivani Kanjerla