What happens when a kid who sketches dinosaurs grows up to reimagine biology? In this episode, postdoctoral scholar Arvind Pillai traces his unexpected path from paleoart to designing proteins that change shape on command. Along the way, he reflects on the sting of academic rejection, the joy of discovery, and how online debates with creationists sharpened his view of evolution. Arvind’s story explores how complexity emerges — not just in molecules, but in the making of a scientist. // This podcast was produced at the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine by Ian Haydon, Roni Weissman, Enisha Sehgal, Nora McNamara-Bordewick, Riti Biswas, Joe Min, and Nathan Forest Greenwood. // Music by Kevin MacLeod.

Launching UW’s first iGEM team changed the course of Ingrid’s career. Her team built an enzyme to digest gluten that took first place in the biotech competition — and fueled a new company. Hear Ingrid explain what it takes to translate scientific breakthroughs into real products and companies. // This podcast was produced at the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine by Ian Haydon, Roni Weissman, Enisha Sehgal, Nora McNamara-Bordewick, Riti Biswas, Joe Min, and Nathan Forest Greenwood. // Music by Kevin MacLeod and Ingrid's college band, The Wild Types.

Yuliya Politanska’s path to science began with onion cells and a microscope in her hometown of Chernivtsi, Ukraine. As a teen, she moved to the U.S. and grew comfortable speaking English only after propping a dictionary right next to her textbooks. Now a third-year PhD student in the lab, Yuliya is designing custom proteins that bind to DNA to control how cells behave—work that could one day help repair diseased or damaged tissue. In this episode, Yuliya shares her story of resilience, curiosity, and reinvention: from working in an ambulance to finding confidence in a massive research lab. Along the way, we explore the concept of cellular plasticity—and how people, like cells, can totally transform when placed in new environments. // This podcast was produced at the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine by Ian Haydon, Roni Weissman, Enisha Sehgal, Nora McNamara-Bordewick, Riti Biswas, Joe Min, and Nathan Forest Greenwood. // Music by Kevin MacLeod.