An Everyday DNA blog article
Written by: Sarah Sharman, PhD
Illustrated by: Cathleen Shaw
Another year spent exploring the incredible world of genetics is coming to an end. From diving into depictions of genetics and biotechnology in pop culture (along with our sister production, Tiny Expeditions podcast) to interviewing some really fascinating scientists, 2024 has been a whirlwind of exciting stories from the Everyday DNA team.
To wrap up 2024 and celebrate the end of the year, I am sharing 5 of my favorite stories from this year. I hope you enjoy revisiting a story you already read this year or maybe seeing it for the first time.
Happy holidays!
– Dr. Sharman


1. Exploring genetics in pop culture
Throughout 2024, the Tiny Expeditions team produced and released Season 5 of Tiny Expeditions. The theme this year was ‘Tiny Expeditions Gets Pop Cultured’. We had such a fun time exploring the representation of genetics and biotechnology in some fan-favorite movies and TV shows.
Listen to Tiny Expeditions Season 5 wherever you listen to podcasts.
The Everyday DNA team didn’t want to be left out of the pop culture fun, so we took a dive into common stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding science and scientists in pop culture and met some real-life scientists whose stories could one day become the subject of a movie or TV show.
Read “Everyday DNA: Science in Pop Culture” to learn about some representations of science in pop culture, including unrealistic depictions of science processes and the allure of the mad scientist and other stereotypes.

2. Bringing Science to Life: Everyday DNA in Motion
When we launched Everyday DNA in 2020, we wanted to take our readers inside the science behind HudsonAlpha’s discoveries. With video becoming increasingly popular, we decided to apply the Everyday DNA model to short, entertaining video clips.
Everyday DNA in Motion is our new animated video series that promises to make science fun, accessible, and visually captivating. These short, animated episodes are perfect for all ages, from curious kids to lifelong learners.
Watch our first two installments of Everyday DNA in Motion by clicking the links below.

3. The Faces of Science: Q&A with HudsonAlpha Researchers
One of the most rewarding parts of my job is working with so many bright scientists. Last year, we introduced a new blog series called “Everyday DNA Q&A,” in which I talk to scientists about their research and their career journeys. I’ve interviewed several scientists over the past two years, and this year’s guests did not disappoint.
First, I interviewed a scientist who found his passion for science and research by being on the receiving end of life-changing treatments for cystic fibrosis. James Lawlor, PhD, now studies rare disease genetics to help bring hope to others fighting to find answers and treatments for their rare disease.
Learn more about James’ experiences as a patient, scientist, and rare disease advocate here.
Another story I want to highlight is that of Abby Burch. Abby is the lab manager of HudsonAlpha Wiregrass, HudsonAlpha’s new campus located in Dothan, Alabama. She manages the ins and outs of two main projects at HudsonAlpha Wiregrass: the Wiregrass Peanut Project and the ADECA Timber Project.
Abby has an inspirational drive and passion for her work. She loves her new career so much that she is going to graduate school to further her education in the plant breeding genetics and genomics PhD program at the University of Georgia.
Learn more about Abby’s story here.

4. Decoding Sugarcane: A Complex Genome
I love baking cookies during the holiday season, and that means a lot of sugar! Most of our processed sugar comes from sugarcane, a tall, tropical grass with thick, jointed stems packed with sweet, sugary juice. While sugarcane thrives in tropical climates, it’s facing challenges due to climate change and emerging pests and diseases.
Scientists have created new, stronger varieties of sugarcane using traditional breeding methods. However, genome-directed breeding can speed up the process. Scientists at HudsonAlpha are some of the best in the world at sequencing and analyzing the DNA of complicated plant genomes. They recently sequenced the sugarcane genome, which is the most complicated genome they’ve worked on to date. It has, on average, 12 copies of each chromosome and 114 chromosomes with highly repetitive regions.
By studying the sugarcane genome, scientists can identify genes that make the plant resistant to diseases and drought. Read the blog post here to learn more about this complicated plant genome and what the new information from the genome sequence has allowed scientists to discover.

5. Alzheimer’s Disease Research: A Guest Perspective
In June, Everyday DNA welcomed a guest blogger, Dr. Becky Hauser, a postdoctoral researcher in the Cochran lab at HudsonAlpha. Becky focuses much of her research efforts on gene regulation in Alzheimer’s disease.
Becky’s blog post covered the history of Alzheimer’s disease and the progress made in understanding it. You can read it here.