BODY BANTER

Welcome to Body Banter, a podcast where we explore different perspectives of the human body in all its forms! Our hosts, Dr. Claudia Krebs and Dr. Segun Oyedele, are joined by an amazing line up of guests to share their expertise and thoughts about what the human body means to them. Our guests come from all over the world and include researchers, clinicians, anatomy instructors, scholars of language and culture, and people with lived experiences navigating the healthcare system. Anatomy is for everybody and every body, and we are here to get the body banter going!

Body Banter Title Image

#36  |  Claire Smith:  How One Body Donation Sparked a Conversation on Ethics

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05 February 2025 | 44:26
Welcome to the fifth season of Body Banter! In our opening episode, Professor Claire Smith shares her journey into anatomy, driven by personal health experiences and a fascination with body donation. She explores the complex motivations behind donation, including altruism and a desire to contribute to medical education. A key discussion revolves around "My Dead Body," a documentary featuring the dissection of Toni, a body donor who wished to educate the public about cancer, sparking both praise and controversy. Claire also reflects on ethical questions surrounding donor consent, anonymity, and how anatomical education is evolving to be more transparent and inclusive.

#35  |  Christopher Smith:  The Intersection of Art and Science: Revealing the Secrets of the Inner Ear

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20 November 2024 | 40:33
In our final episode of 2024, Dr. Christopher Smith takes us through his unique path from exercise science and fine arts to his role as a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History. Combining his artistic training with scientific research, Chris explores the evolution of the inner ear and its role in balance and spatial awareness. He shares how his interdisciplinary approach, blending creativity with analytical precision, opens new doors for understanding anatomy and its functions. Chris’s journey underscores the transformative power of merging art and science to uncover insights into human evolution.

#34  |  Valerie O'Loughlin:  Unlocking Anatomy with Inclusivity, Mentorship, and the Power of Embryology

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16 October 2024 | 40:39
In this episode Dr. Valerie O'Loughlin shares her unconventional journey into the fields of anatomy and embryology, from studying biological anthropology to becoming a tenured professor of anatomy. She reflects on how early challenges with understanding embryology sparked her passion for creating accessible and innovative learning tools to help students grasp complex concepts. Valerie highlights the importance of inclusivity in teaching, emphasizing the use of non-gendered language and communicating science in ways that everyone can understand. Her commitment to mentorship and advancing educational research in anatomy has made a lasting impact on both her students and the field.

#33  |  Jon Cornwall:  Ethics in Anatomy: Exploring Body Donation, Culture and Global Standards

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02 October 2024 | 49:02
Join us this episode as Dr. Jon Cornwall shares his journey from physiotherapy to academia, where he developed a strong focus on anatomy and ethics. His interest in the ethical implications of dissection grew while conducting research on back muscles, leading him to question the use and treatment of body donors. Jon emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and ethical considerations in anatomical education, particularly regarding diverse practices around death and the treatment of human remains. He advocates for expanding global networks and improving ethical standards in anatomy education worldwide.

#32  |  Theodore Smith:  Breaking Boundaries: Inclusive Anatomy Education and Queer Representation

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18 September 2024 | 45:42
Welcome back from summer break! This week on Body Banter, Dr. Theo Smith shares insights on integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into anatomy education. As Director of DEI at Touro University, Theo discusses the importance of representing LGBTQIA+ identities in medical curricula, particularly in topics like pelvic anatomy and queer health. His personal journey of coming out and advocating for queer medical students influenced his research and teaching, emphasizing the need for inclusive and respectful patient care. Theo's work challenges traditional anatomical education to better reflect the diverse experiences of all patients.

#31  |  Adam Taylor:  Anatomy Isn't as "Common Knowledge" as We Thought

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24 July 2024 | 40:41
In this episode of Body Banter, Dr. Adam Taylor joins us to talk about his research on science communication and the general population's understanding of basic anatomy knowledge—or lack thereof. Adam shares how he collaborated with a citizen science group to collect survey data from over 80,000 participants worldwide, and how his research became "Buzzfeed famous". We talk about the importance of health literacy for understanding the "scientific kit" that is our own body, how this has implications for being able to communicate with healthcare professionals and advocate for our own health, and what the next steps are to improve global health literacy as educators and communicators.

#30  |  Blake McCabe:  Designing Drag: Behind the Seams of Drag Artists

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12 June 2024 | 29:04
Happy Pride Month! In this episode of Body Banter, fashion designer and drag artist Blake McCabe joins us to talk about how he views the body when designing costumes for his drag family. Blake shares insights into the creative process of both dressing in drag and designing for performers, explaining how drag as an art form transforms self-perception by fostering confidence through the celebration of fashion, inspirational role models, and personal identity.

#29  |  Valerie DeLeon:  Exploring the Ethical Treatment of Legacy Anatomical Collections: Next Steps

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15 May 2024 | 38:37
Join us on this episode of Body Banter as we welcome Valerie DeLeon, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Florida and Past-President of the American Association for Anatomy. We explore the treatment of historical skeletal remains and tissues in the broader science community and how the mistreatment of marginalized communities continues to influence science. Valerie delves into her recent work, including the publication of guidelines for the ethical management of legacy anatomical collections. Through her insights, she emphasizes the critical importance of respecting decedent and living individuals.

#28  |  Chloё Angus:  Beyond the Runway: Fashioning a Future for Spinal Cord Injuries with Wearable Technology

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10 April 2024 | 32:24
In this week's episode of Body Banter, Vancouver-based fashion designer and spinal cord injury advocate Chloë Angus shares her unique perspective on the human body through the lens of fashion design. Chloë reveals how her experiences in the fashion industry as well as her own experience of living with a spinal cord injury have deeply influenced her understanding and appreciation of the body. She talks about her involvement with Human in Motion, supporting the development of innovative wearable exoskeleton technology, and her vision for a future where this technology can empower folks with motion disabilities to move freely and independently.

#27  |  Lara Boyd:  Choosing to Change Your Brain

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06 March 2024 | 31:35
In this episode of Body Banter, Dr. Lara Boyd joins us to talk about neuroplasticity, aka the brain’s capacity to change, from her perspective as a physical therapist-turned-neuroscience researcher. We discuss the inseparable relationship between the brain and the body, as well as how the sweet spot for changes in the brain occurs when we engage in activities that are challenging yet achievable. Lara also shares her 'recipe for brain health and longevity' (surprise, it’s really quite simple!) and how we all have the agency to change our brains.

The Hosts

Claudia Krebs

Claudia Krebs

Dr. Claudia Krebs, MD, PhD, has been teaching neuroanatomy and gross anatomy to MD undergraduates, biomedical engineering and allied health professions at UBC for over a decade. She focuses on integrating technology and novel visual approaches in the classroom, particularly with AR and VR. In 2017, Dr. Krebs created the HIVE (Hackspace for Innovation and Visualization in Education), a multidisciplinary space for innovation in biomedical education, such as the creation of educational xR apps. Along with local and global collaborators, Dr. Krebs is creating a library of open educational resources, including videos, e-books and interactive web materials.

Olusegun Oyedele

Olusegun Oyedele

Dr. Olusegun Oyedele, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the UBC Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, as well as in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program (SMP), at the UBC Okanagan campus in Kelowna, BC. He also teaches and oversees the case-based learning curriculum at SMP. Over the past decade, Dr. Oyedele has taught anatomy and all its subdisciplines to pre-clerkship students in the UBC MD Undergraduate Program. His research focuses on medical education, particularly on small group learning pedagogies, and on how case-based learning equips medical students for clinical decision-making during clerkship and beyond.

Collaborate

Do you want to appear on Body Banter, or have an interesting idea for a podcast? We'd love to hear from you!

bodybanter.hive@gmail.com