Big Little Explorers | Science Literacy Podcast for Kids · Big Little Books

Episode 8: Drug Delivery During Ex-Vivo Lung Perfusion with Jenny Yune

·22 min

Farheen opens the conversation by introducing Jenny and asking about her education path. Jenny says she studied biochemistry at McMaster and is now doing her PhD in the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto. The discussion then moves into lung transplantation. Jenny describes it as a process where a donor lung replaces a sick patient's lung to improve quality of life. She frames donation as an act of kindness from a patient or family in a difficult moment. The episode then shifts to the research itself. Jenny explains that her work is tied to ex-vivo lung perfusion, or EVLP, which keeps lungs alive on a machine. From there, she talks about gene delivery. One approach uses viruses that have been stripped of their harmful parts and loaded with a gene of interest. Another uses lipid nanoparticles, which she describes as a fat-based vehicle for carrying genetic material. Farheen repeats that idea back in simpler language, making the packaging-and-delivery piece easy to follow. Jenny then describes how these therapies are actually introduced into the EVLP setup. The material is prepared like a regular drug and injected into the circulating solution that acts like blood inside the machine. Because the lungs are being perfused, the delivery goes into the blood vessels. She also explains that delivery through the airway is possible. That method uses a bronchoscope or a long tube inserted through the trachea so the drug can be placed across different sections of the lung. The episode notes that this airway approach is being explored by another team. Jenny says that work is aimed more at airway-specific diseases. Her own project focuses on vascular-specific disease, which is why the blood-vessel route matters for her. Near the end, the conversation broadens again. Jenny talks about science as a wide field where people should try things, see what fits, and keep exploring. Farheen echoes that idea and closes by thanking her for the conversation and wishing her success. The tone stays warm, patient, and clear throughout.

As heard by us

Patient, detailed discussion of lung transplantation and gene delivery.

This is a careful, technically grounded conversation about lung transplantation, ex-vivo lung perfusion, and how treatment can reach a lung before transplant.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a calm, detailed look at lung transplantation, ex-vivo lung perfusion, and how donor lungs can be given new therapies before transplant.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify