DNA Today is a multi-award winning podcast and radio show exploring how genetics impacts our health.

Host/Producer Kira Dineen interviews leaders in genetics including genetic counselors, researchers, physicians and patient advocates.

New episodes every Friday.

DNA Today is broadcast Fridays at 10:30am EST on WHUS 91.7 FM in Connecticut.

#92 Dr. Erin Young on Pain Genetics

#92 Dr. Erin Young on Pain Genetics

Dr. Erin Young discusses the role genetics play in pain susceptibilities. She is an Assistant Professor of both the School of Nursing and Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the University of Connecticut. Her career has been focused on studying genetic contributions to pain susceptibility, for which she has published numerous papers sharing her findings. She received her BA at Wesleyan College, and her MA and PhD at Kent State University. She also completed two postdoctoral fellowships, at Texas A&M University and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research.

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This Episode We Discuss...

  • The Role Genetics Plays in our Experience of Pain

  • Why People Have Differences in Pain Responses

  • Genes and Pathways Involved in Pain

  • Environment Factors Affecting Pain Susceptibility

  • Somatic vs. Visceral Pain Behaviors

  • Pain Mechanisms Behind Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

  • Animals Models Used and Translating Findings to Human Pain

  • Opportunities for Integrating Genetic Analysis into Precision Healthcare Initiatives


To learn more about Dr. Erin Young, check out her profile on UCONN’s InCHIP and School of Nursing website. Dive more into her research explore painresearch.uconn.edu and read one of her publications on the topics we discussed, “Genetic Basis of Pain Variability: Recent Advances”. To stay updated with Dr. Young, check out her LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.

Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on October 19th, 2018. New episodes are released on the first and third Fridays of the month. Can’t wait? There are 90 other episodes to explore in the meantime.

See what else I am up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and iTunes. Questions/inquiries can be sent to Kira at info@DNApodcast.com.

#93 Team Telomere

#93 Team Telomere

#91 Ellen Matloff on Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing

#91 Ellen Matloff on Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing