Genes are NOT the "blueprint of life" | Dr. Alfonso Martinez Arias

Live Longer World

Dr. Alfonso Martinez Arias is a development biologist and the author of the book The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell Is Rewriting the Story of Life. He also co-authored the biology textbook Principles of Development, which was awarded the Royal Society of Biology book prize. Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/aarias OVERVIEW: Each of our cells has the same DNA. Yet they somehow differentiate into different body parts - eyes, ears, skin, and so on. There is no information in the DNA that tells our cells what to be. How then do they do it? This is just one example of how contrary to what many might think, DNA does not explain every problem state in biology. Biology has placed too much emphasis on our genes, trying to explain every disease state using genes, when the answer might not reside with them. What if answers to these questions lies with cells? Even though Dr. Martinez started off as a geneticist, he decided to pivot to understand the properties of cells better. By understanding our cells better, we can make further progress in understanding disease, longevity, and development.

Towards the end, we also talk about Alfonso's fascinating work on gastruloids which are a model to unravel the mysteries of embryonic development, and understand how humans are formed. This conversation is about the cell’s eye view of biology, and how the gene's eye view of biology might have mislead us. We also talk about why the popular selfish gene theory espoused by Richard Dawkins is incomplete. Looking beyond genes is instrumental to making progress in longevity.

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/aarias Find me: https://x.com/aasthajs TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro 1:15 DNA does not make us unique 5:28 Cells use our genes 10:42 “We have overstretched what genes can explain” 15:41 Relation between genes and cells 20:28 What about the role of epigenetics? 22:42 Cells use mechanical and chemical signals 27:34 Thoughts on bioelectricity and Michael Levin 32:28 Emergence of cells 38:10 Importance of biophysics; What is life? 42:32 Is cancer when cells lose control? 47:58 Richard Dawkins’ Selfish Gene is Incomplete 54:11 But what if genes control development? 57:29 How to complete the selfish gene view? 1:02:05 Cell’s eye view of biology 1:04:48 Understanding embryonic development; gastruloids 1:18:15 Questions Dr. Alfonso is pursuing1:19:47 Thoughts from Feynman AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD: X: https://x.com/aasthajs Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/ DR. ALFONSO MARTINEZ ARIAS: Master Builder book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Builder-Science-Rewriting-Story/dp/1541603273 X: https://x.com/AMartinezArias Bio page: https://www.icrea.cat/Web/ScientificStaff/alfonso-martinez-arias-352001