The Biollywood Podcast

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Associate Director for Research, J.T. O'Brien, and Associate Director for Government Relations and Policy, Robert Bradley, discuss the 1982 film, The Thing.

Premise: Set in a remote Antarctic research station, The Thing tells the story of a group of American scientists who encounter a parasitic, shape-shifting extraterrestrial organism. This organism can assimilate and imitate other life forms with terrifying accuracy. The team must figure out how to identify and neutralize the creature before it can spread beyond their...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss the 2005 film, V for Vendetta.

Premise: In a near-future United Kingdom ruled by the fascist Norsefire regime, a masked vigilante known only as V seeks to topple the government through theatrical acts of sabotage. He rescues Evey Hammond and catalyzes a year-long campaign culminating on Guy Fawkes Night. As Chief Inspector Eric Finch investigates, he uncovers that the regime itself engineered a deadly “St. Mary’s viru...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss the 1998 episode of The X Files titled, The Pine Bluff Variant (S05E18).

Premise: In The Pine Bluff Variant, FBI agent Fox Mulder goes undercover to infiltrate a domestic terrorist group suspected of possessing a genetically engineered biological weapon. As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the group plans to release the agent in a public space, and that the U.S. government may not o...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, Policy Principal, Robert Bradley, and our new intern, Madi Kim, tackle James Gunn’s Superman (2025), the first film in DC Studios’ new shared universe.

Premise: Gunn’s film drops us into a world where Superman is already an established hero. After stopping Boravia from invading Jarhanpur, Clark faces backlash and is publicly outmatched by the “Hammer of Boravia,” later revealed as Ultraman, a clone orchestrated by Lex Luthor. Luthor unleashes a kaiju in Metropo...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss the new 2025 film, 28 Years Later

Premise: 28 Years Later is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a highly contagious virus, known as the Rage Virus, has decimated the population of the United Kingdom. 

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In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss the iconic 2003 film, 28 Days Later

Premise: 28 Days Later is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a highly contagious virus, known as the Rage Virus, has decimated the population of the United Kingdom. The story follows a group of survivors as they navigate the dangers of this new world, including infected individuals and other hostile survivors. The film explores themes of survival, humanity, and the impact of...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss the second film in the Mission Impossible franchise.

Premise: Mission: Impossible 2 follows IMF agent Ethan Hunt as he is tasked with recovering a deadly virus known as Chimera and its cure, Bellerophon. The virus has been stolen by a rogue IMF agent, Sean Ambrose, who plans to release it and profit from the sale of the cure. The film explores themes of espionage, betrayal, and the...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss the first season of the HBO show, The Last of Us (2023), based on the hit video game.

Premise: "The Last of Us" is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a fungal infection, known as the Cordyceps Brain Infection (CBI), has decimated humanity. The story follows Joel, a hardened survivor, and Ellie, a young girl who may hold the key to curing the infection. Together, they navigate t...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss Season 3 Episode 2 of Vikings: Valhalla - Honor and Dishonor (2024).

In this episode, the Vikings face numerous challenges as they navigate their way through political intrigue and warfare. One of the key plot points involves the use of a biological weapon—fungi—to attack the stronghold of Jomsburg. This tactic showcases the strategic and ruthless nature of Viking warfare.

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Fo...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss the TV Series Dune: Prophecy (2024).

The series is set 10,000 years before the events of Dune, following the aftermath of the Battle of Corrin. It focuses on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, a powerful social, religious, and political force. The story follows sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen as they combat forces that threaten the future of humanity, including a mysterious fear-based virus.

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Premise: The series is set 97 years after a devastating nuclear war wiped out almost all life on Earth. The only known survivors are the residents of twelve space stations in Earth's orbit prior to the war. The space stations banded together to form a single massive station named "The Ark", where about 2,400 people live. Resources are scarce and all crimes no matter their nature or severity are punishable by death ("floating") unless the perpetrator is under 18 years of age. After the Ark's life support systems are found to be critically failing, one hundred juvenile prisoners are declared "expendable" and...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss the film Life (2017).

In the film, a six-member crew of the International Space Station uncovers the first evidence of extraterrestrial life on Mars. When members of the crew conduct their research, the rapidly evolving life-form proves to be far more intelligent and dangerous than expected.

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In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss the novel Project Hail Mary (2021) by Andy Weir.

Premise:

Set in the near future, it centers on school-teacher-turned-astronaut Ryland Grace, who wakes up from a coma afflicted with amnesia. He gradually remembers that he was sent to the Tau Ceti solar system, 12 light-years from Earth, to find a means of reversing a solar dimming event that could cause the extinction of humanity. The story follows two storylines, each...

In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, and Policy Principal Robert Bradley, discuss The West Wing S05E20: No Exit (2004).

Premise: After a black-tie dinner, the President and his staff are locked down inside the White House when a foreign substance is detected inside.

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In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss Alien: Romulus (2024).

Premise: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. Romulus takes place after the events of Alien (1979) and before the events of Aliens (1986). The film was written and directed by Fede Alvarez and produced by Ridley Scott.

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In this episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss the Alien film franchise.

The Alien franchise depicts a series of deadly encounters, predominantly spanning the 21st and 24th centuries, between humanity and the Aliens. Humanity is depicted as a space-faring species with an interstellar dominion; space journeys typically last months, even years, and require the use of cryosleep. Throughout the series, characters are repeatedly manipulated and endangered by the unscrupulous megacorporation Weyland-Yutani Corp, which seeks to profit from the Al...

In this inaugural episode of The Biollywood Podcast, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, and Research Principal, J.T. O'Brien, discuss the film Hidden (2015).

Hidden is a 2015 American psychological thriller film written and directed by the Duffer Brothers in their feature film debut. The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Andrea Riseborough, and Emily Alyn Lind. In this film, an unknown strange outbreak has devastated the United States. A family of three, Ray, Claire, and their daughter Zoe, have taken refuge in an abandoned fallout shelter shortly after the catastrophe to h...