Living Biology: The SEB podcast launches with two episodes available
The Society for Experimental Biology has officially launched its new podcast, Living Biology.
Released today, the series offers an engaging look into experimental biology through conversations with researchers, early-career scientists, and experts across a wide range of life science disciplines.
To mark the launch, two episodes are now available, giving listeners an immediate opportunity to explore the scientific journeys, research insights, and personal experiences that shape modern biology.
The podcast highlights not only scientific discoveries, but also the people behind their motivations, challenges, and career paths.
With Living Biology, SEB aims to make science more accessible by amplifying the voices of those working at the forefront of biological research. The series spans topics from plant biology to animal physiology and cutting-edge experimental approaches, reflecting the diversity of the life sciences community.
The first two episodes can be accessed here:
Episode 1: Dyslexia, Autism and a PhD - with Declan Perry
In this episode of Living Biology, Poppy speaks with plant scientist Declan Perry about his journey through education as someone with severe dyslexia and autism. Declan reflects on the challenges he faced growing up, the teachers and mentors who helped him succeed, and how his neurodivergence has shaped his approach to scientific research.
Declan explains his PhD research at Royal Holloway, University of London, into chloroplast development in plants, why photosynthesis remains a fascinating scientific puzzle, and how understanding it could help improve crop productivity in the future.
Episode 2: Emails from Sea Turtles - With Lucy Hawkes
In this episode of Living Biology, Poppy speaks with physiological ecologist Dr Lucy Hawkes about a career driven by curiosity, adventure, and enthusiasm for the natural world. Lucy reflects on how a chance essay about sea turtles sparked an unexpected path into science, leading her from early fieldwork in North Carolina to tracking some of the ocean and sky’s most extraordinary travellers.
She also explores how advances in biologging have opened up a hidden world of animal behaviour, from migration routes and deep-sea journeys to breaching basking sharks and tuna evading killer whales. Along the way, she shares stories from the field that highlight both the chaos and wonder of working with wild animals, and explains how these discoveries are helping to reshape conservation and our understanding of life on the move.
Further episodes will be released regularly, continuing the mission of fostering dialogue around experimental biology and the experiences of researchers worldwide.
For more information and to explore the podcast series, visit the official SEB podcast page:
www.sebiology.org/ressources/seb-podcast.html
Living Biology: The SEB Podcast
The series offers an engaging look into experimental biology through conversations with researchers, early-career scientists, and experts across a wide range of life science disciplines
Happy listening,
The SEB Team