Stanford Engineering
25 July 2025
Biologist Lauren O’Connell studies poisonous frogs, but not just the toxins that make them dangerous. She also studies the neuroscience of their complex parenting. She’s learned that tadpoles recognize their mothers by smell and do a “begging dance” when hungry, and that the frogs produce a protein that protects them from their own poisonous chemistry. That protein could help treat overdoses in humans, O’Connell tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Lauren O'ConnellConnect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Lauren O’Connell, a professor of biology at Stanford. (00:03:34) Why Poison Frogs? Lauren shares what led her to focus her research on poison frogs (00:05:16) Parenting Styles in Frogs The diverse parental strategies across frog species. (00:08:36) The Role of Opioids in Parenting The signalling factors in the frog brain that regulate bonding, (00:10:05) Hormones & Gender Roles The influence of testosterone and estrogen on caregiving behaviors. (00:11:34) Implications for Human Research How studying frogs reveals basic neural blueprints of parenting. (00:13:23) Tadpole’s Communication The neural circuits behind tadpole communication and behavior. (00:15:10) Autism Gene Experiments in Tadpoles How genetic changes can alter tadpole social communication (00:17:47) Transparency & Tadpole Biology Observing tadpole behavior and neural activity via their transparency. (00:20:59) Tracking Frogs in the Wild Research on how frogs navigate back to their tadpoles (00:24:31) Male vs. Female Navigation Testosterone’s influence on the ability to navigate more efficiently. (00:25:38) Toxin Tolerance Mechanisms A toxin-binding protein that allows frogs to avoid self-poisoning. (00:29:01) Origin of the Toxins The origin and mechanisms of the toxins found in frogs. (00:31:15) The Value of Basic Science How studying fundamental science can lead to unexpected applications. (00:33:10) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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