Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 23 hours ago
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
In Vino Veritas! It is an ancient latin expression meaning “In wine lies truth”
Unfortunately, the modern wine industry does not share this philosophy. In fact, conventional wine companies hide much of their production behind some dark secrets. Todd has spent the last several years as the leading authority exposing the truth about the wine industry. He is passionate about educating people on why it is important to enjoy healthy wines through moderating alcohol consumption (lower alcohol wines), which is vital for brain health and healthy aging.
It will likely surprise you to learn there are 76 additives approved by the FDA for use in U.S. wine manufacturing. The reason you don’t know this; the wine industry has spent tens of millions of dollars in lobby money in Washington, DC to keep contents labeling and nutritional labeling off wine bottles.
The second significant problem with modern wines: rising alcohol levels over the last 30 years. Alcohol is addictive and a dangerous neurotoxin. Todd is promoting a conversation across the U.S. to get real about our relationship with alcohol and how to drink more moderately with low alcohol pure organic Natural Wines.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
In Vino Veritas! It is an ancient latin expression meaning “In wine lies truth”
Unfortunately, the modern wine industry does not share this philosophy. In fact, conventional wine companies hide much of their production behind some dark secrets. Todd has spent the last several years as the leading authority exposing the truth about the wine industry. He is passionate about educating people on why it is important to enjoy healthy wines through moderating alcohol consumption (lower alcohol wines), which is vital for brain health and healthy aging.
It will likely surprise you to learn there are 76 additives approved by the FDA for use in U.S. wine manufacturing. The reason you don’t know this; the wine industry has spent tens of millions of dollars in lobby money in Washington, DC to keep contents labeling and nutritional labeling off wine bottles.
The second significant problem with modern wines: rising alcohol levels over the last 30 years. Alcohol is addictive and a dangerous neurotoxin. Todd is promoting a conversation across the U.S. to get real about our relationship with alcohol and how to drink more moderately with low alcohol pure organic Natural Wines.


![Episode 196: Dominic D’Agostino discusses advances in ketogenic metabolic therapy and hyperbaric ...
Today we have Dr. Dominic D’Agostino, who over the past 10 years has been a frequent guest on STEM-Talk. Today Dom joins us to give us an update on his recent research into ketogenic metabolic therapies, ketone supplements as well as hyperbaric oxygen therapy for traumatic brain injuries. Dom and his lab at the University of South Florida have published more than 20 papers since his last appearance on STEM-Talk in 2023.
Dom is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine. Dom has a background in neuroscience, molecular pharmacology, nutrition and physiology.
In addition to developing and testing metabolic-based therapies, Dom’s lab also investigates seizure disorders, brain cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and rare genetic-metabolic disorders.
Show notes:
[00:03:28] Dawn welcomes Dom back to the show and explaining that he has been quite busy since his last appearance (https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-153/) , authoring or co-authoring more than 20 papers. Over the past several years, Dom has been helping to advance the science and application of ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) with colleagues at Moffitt Cancer Center, particularly focusing on using KMT to enhance immune-based therapies for certain types of cancers. Dawn asks Dom about this collaboration.
[00:05:04] Dawn explains that ketogenic metabolic therapy is a dietary approach that focuses on a high-fat/low-carb diet to reduce glucose availability for cancer cells, potentially slowing their growth and improving treatment outcomes. It has been explored as a complimentary treatment for a variety of cancers including gliomas by shifting the metabolism of tumor cells away from glucose. Dawn asks Dom to explain what is involved in KMT.
[00:06:58] Dawn clarifies that KMT requires less than 20-25 grams of carbohydrates per day, and that ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body switches from glucose metabolism to metabolizing fats in the form of ketones. Dawn goes on to explain that cancer cells typically consume glucose at a higher rate than normal cells. However, cancer cells are also very adaptable, and Dawn asks Dom to talk about this feature of cancer cells.
[00:09:14] Ken explains that KMT has shown the most promise in treating high-grade gliomas, or brain cancers, such as glioblastoma, which is the most aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Ken explains that Dom was part of a massive review titled “Clinical research framework proposal for ketogenic metabolic therapy in glioblastoma,” (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12916-024-03775-4) which proposed guidelines for the management of glioblastoma based on an understanding of cancer as a metabolic disease, particularly involving mitochondria. Ken asks Dom to talk about this review.
[00:11:21] From a patient advocacy perspective, Ken notes that the review recommends that there should be an aggressive education campaign that can arm patients with knowledge about KMT and other novel therapies. Ken asks Dom to talk about that recommendation.
[00:13:15] Ken asks about the process of cutting the review from upwards of 200 pages down to around 50 pages with 49 authors.
[00:15:04] Dawn mentions that Dom was part of another paper in 2024 titled “Targeting the mitochondrial stem cell connection in cancer treatment – a hybrid orthomolecular protocol.” (https://expose-news.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Targeting-the-Mitochondrial-Stem-Cell-Connection-in-Cancer-Treatment A-Hybrid-Orthomolecular-Protocol-ISOM.pdf) Dawn explains that this paper looked at the mitochondrial stem cell connection theory (MSCC), which argues that cancer originates from chronic oxidative phosphorylation insufficiency in stem cells. This insufficiency leads to the formation of cancer stem cells and abnormal energy metabolism ultimately resulting in malignancy. There were 16 research centers and organizations involved in this paper which introduced a hybrid orthomolecular protocol to target the mitochondrial stem-cell connection. Dawn asks Dom to give an overview of MSCC.
[00:18:26] Dawn explains that in this paper Dom and his co-authors propose a protocol that would enhance oxidative phosphorylation and inhibit the primary fuels of cancer, glucose and glutamine. This would target both cancer stem cells and metastasis. Dawn asks Dom to explain why this concept is attracting so much interest as a potential therapeutic approach for cancer.
[00:20:48] Dawn asks if Dom could discuss the orthomolecular protocol, which is an approach that focuses on preventing and treating diseases by correcting nutritional balances in the body.
[00:24:41] Ken asks if the proposed dietary intervention in the orthomolecular approach is different from a standard or typical ketogenic diet.
[00:26:48] Ken shifts the discussion to talk about ketone supplements, explaining that Dom recently published a paper title... Episode 196: Dominic D’Agostino discusses advances in ketogenic metabolic therapy and hyperbaric ...](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JgbzSoR0CDs/mqdefault.jpg)


![Episode 199: Ken and Dawn respond to listener questions on aging, meat consumption and dementia, ...
Today we have the second of a two-part AMA. In part one, episode 198 (https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-198/) , we covered a multitude of listener questions about AI, which lately seems to dominate the news cycle. Other than one AI question that managed to sneak in, today’s AMA features a wide range of questions on a number of topics other than artificial intelligence.
Today, Ken and Dawn respond to listener questions that range from:
— Whether there’s a critical difference between whey protein powders and ready-to-drink protein shakes?
— Is there a sweat spot for how much time a person should spend on resistance training during a week?
— Ken’s thoughts on a paper that looked at whether higher meat consumption could be associated with a lower risk of dementia among people carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant.
— What kind of Pandora’s box will we open if parents start doing genetic tests on their infants to see if their children have, say, the APOE ε4 gene variant?
— Will NASA will be able to meet its target date of sending astronauts back to the Moon by 2028?
— And a lot more.
Show notes;
[00:03:05] A listener asks Ken about the 2019 Trim study by Gregory Fahy and colleagues in Aging Cell (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ACEL.13028) , which reported reversal of epigenetic aging and signs of thymic regeneration in nine healthy men treated with the growth hormone, DHEA, and metformin.
[00:06:56] Ken responds to a question about the market being flooded with protein supplements. The listener asks if whether there’s a critical difference between whey protein and ready-to-drink protein shakes, and if there are any specific products he recommends.
[00:10:50] A listener asks Ken about a recent article in Nature Reviews Neuroscience titled:
[00:15:26] A listener asks Ken about a Chinese company called Moonshot AI and its open-weight model, Kimi K3. The listener references Gary Marcus who anticipates that the power of this model paired with the open-weight design will have immense implications. The listener asks for Ken’s take.
[00:25:56] A listener mentions that they’ve heard that Ken likes to tell graduate students a fable about a rabbit pursuing their Ph.D. A listener asks Ken if he would share the fable.
[00:30:15] A listener asks Ken about a study published in Jama Network Open (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2846712) by Norgren and company which suggests that higher meat consumption may be associated with lower Alzheimer’s risk for people carrying the APOE 4 gene variant, the strongest common genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer’s.
[00:38:24] A listener mentions in their question for Ken that the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, but this recommendation does not break down how much of that time should be spent on aerobic versus strength training. The listener goes on to mention a study in the that looked at identifying this sweet spot for resistance exercise, finding that between 90-119 minutes per week of weightlifting was associated with a 13 perent lower risk of premature death and a 27 percent reduction in neurological disease mortality, particularly Alzheimer’s. The listener also mentions that they are aware of IHMC’s ongoing clinical trial looking at the ability of exercise to mitigate the hallmarks of aging in people over 60 years old. The listener asks if this study is similarly trying to identify a sweet spot for resistance exercise, and if Ken has any recommendations on this topic.
[00:46:32] Another listener mentions that they really enjoyed our interview with Doug Cooke (https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-195/) on the Artimis II mission (episode 195), as well as our interview with Mike Griffin and Lisa Porter (https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-189/) about NASA’s plan to return to the moon (episode 189). The listener goes on to mention that since then a Blue Origin rocket, one of the companies responsible for building a lunar lander, exploded on the launch pad in Florida. The listener asks if Ken is he’ still skeptical about the Artemis III mission architecture and timeframe in light of the recent news.
[00:54:37] A listener asks Ken for his thoughts on the growing research efforts to investigate the feasibility of doing genetic testing on infants to identify their predisposition to specific diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
[01:01:57] A listener asks for Kens thoughts on a study of creatine’s effects on physically active vegans (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-026-06323-5) . The study reported that 4 weeks of creatine supplementation improved lower-body power, especially jump height and flight time. But they did not find improvements in strength tests.
[01:08:10] A listener asks for Ken’s thoughts on a recent White House report “Science: A New Golden Age” (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uplo... Episode 199: Ken and Dawn respond to listener questions on aging, meat consumption and dementia, ...](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KeyxB4U1LWM/mqdefault.jpg)




![Episode 180: Pascal Lee on NASA’s ambitions to send humans to the Moon and Mars
Today we have planetary scientist Dr. Pascal Lee and STEM-Talk host Dr. Ken Ford in a wide-ranging conversation about NASA’s ambitions to return humans to the Moon as a stepping stone to sending astronauts to Mars.
Pascal is making his third appearance on STEM-Talk. Much of his research focuses on asteroids, impact craters, and the future human exploration of Mars. Pascal and Ken have a lively discussion about the growing momentum for space exploration.
Pascal is a researcher at the SETI Institute, a not-for-profit NASA program focused on searching for extraterrestrial intelligence in an effort to understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe. He also is the co-founder and chairman of the Mars Institute, and director of the Haughton-Mars Project at NASA Ames Research Center.
Last year, Pascal received significant news coverage for his discovery of a giant volcano along with a possible sheet of buried glacier ice in the eastern part of Mars’ Tharsis volcanic province. This was the first geological find of this magnitude since the other major volcanos on Mars were discovered back in the 1970s.
Show notes:
[00:03:06] Ken welcomes Pascal back to STEM-Talk and starts our interview by mentioning the developments in space exploration over the past few years, including civilian space missions, NASA’s Artemis program which aims to send humans back to the moon, and commitments to a manned mission to Mars. Given Pascal’s career in advancement of space exploration, Ken asks if Pascal is excited by these recent developments.
[00:04:43] Ken explains that for a couple of decades Pascal has spent his summers visiting Devon Island in the Canadian arctic archipelago, which is the largest uninhabited land on Earth. When Pascal was last on STEM-Talk, his annual trip to Devon Island was cancelled due to COVID-19. Devon Island has unique geological characteristics that are in some ways similar to those on Mars. Since 2001, Devon Isalnd has been the home of the Haughton Mars Project (HMP). Ken asks Pascal to talk about the advances in this project since his last appearance on STEM-Talk.
[00:07:59] Ken mentions that while much conversation has been centered on a human trip to Mars, a mission to return humans to the Moon and establish a permanent base is a more immediately feasible goal in the short term. Ken asks Pascal to talk about the importance and significance of such a mission.
[00:12:06] On the topic of a Moon base, Ken explains that NASA’s Artemis project aims to send humans to the south pole of the Moon. Pascal has written a paper on that topic titled “An Off-Polar Site Option for the NASA Artemis Space Camp (https://isdc.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ISDC-2024-Moon-2001-Lee-Clavius-FINAL.pdf) .” Ken asks Pascal what he sees as the primary weakness in the south pole location.
[00:20:25] Ken agrees with Pascal’s perspective on sending humans to the lunar south pole, and the two discuss the problems with focusing human space exploration on romantic ideas such as “living off the land.”
[00:22:24] Ken follows up on the previous questions by mentioning that in Pascal’s aforementioned paper, he suggests setting up a lunar base at the floor of the Clavius crater. Ken asks Pascal to talk about Clavius and why it is a potentially good permanent location for a moon base.
[00:27:56] Ken asks Pascal how confident he and the community at large is in the Sophia finding of water.
[00:29:00] Ken notes that contemporary interest in human space exploration appears tied to current geopolitical issues, much like the first space race between the US and USSR. Today, interest in space travel is closely linked with relations between the US and China. Ken asks Pascal to discuss this and how he believes the US should view this current situation.
[00:35:43] Ken asks Pascal what he knows about the China’s current plans for a lunar mission.
[00:34:36] Ken talks about a meeting at IHMC that addressed power-beaming to the lunar surface.
[00:39:01] Ken notes that there is a lot of talk these days about not not only traveling to Mars, but also colonizing Mars. Ken asks Pascal where he believes this sentiment is coming from and what are some of the challenges associated with colonizing Mars.
[00:46:48] Ken notes that last year Elon Musk made an announcement to his SpaceX employees that he expects 1 million people to be living on Mars in the next 20 years. Ken asks Pascal what his thoughts are on this.
[00:53:28] Ken asks Pascal to talk about a paper he published discussing a previously unrecognized volcano on Mars. Given that it was generally accepted for decades that all the volcanos had been accounted for, Ken asks Pascal to talk about the story of his recent discovery.
[01:02:44] Ken pivots to a discussion of the Moons of Mars, specifically Phobos, asking Pascal to talk about the nature of this Moon.
[01:07:42] Ken mentions that docking on Phobos and then going from... Episode 180: Pascal Lee on NASA’s ambitions to send humans to the Moon and Mars](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NjUStiDa5bg/mqdefault.jpg)