About Signal and Noise
Why We Made This
Lab tests sit at the center of modern medicine. They influence diagnoses, guide treatment decisions, and carry an outsized amount of weight in how people think about their health. But the numbers don't explain themselves.
We created Signal and Noise because there's a gap between what lab results say and what they mean. That gap causes confusion, unnecessary worry, and sometimes real clinical missteps. We want to close it—not by oversimplifying, but by walking through the thinking that sits behind the numbers.
This podcast is for anyone who wants to understand how medical tests actually work, what results can and can't tell you, and why the story behind the data often matters more than the data itself.
Meet the Host
Chris Zahner
Clinical Laboratory Physician • Focused on Interpretation and Decision Making
Chris Zahner is a clinical pathologist who thinks about how laboratory medicine connects to real clinical decisions. His work focuses on diagnostic interpretation— understanding not just what a test shows, but what it means in context and how that meaning should shape care.
Before medicine, Chris worked as an engineer at NASA's Johnson Space Center on the International Space Station, where precision and clear thinking weren't optional. He brings that same mindset to diagnostics: systems should make sense, decisions should have reasons, and complexity should be handled—not ignored.
How We Approach Topics
Calm and thoughtful. We don't do hype. Medical topics often get oversimplified or sensationalized elsewhere—we try to do the opposite.
Honest about uncertainty. Medicine is full of judgment calls, gray areas, and incomplete information. We acknowledge that instead of pretending everything is clear-cut.
Practical, not theoretical. We're interested in how things actually work, not how they work in textbooks. Real decisions, real tradeoffs, real cases.
Accessible but not dumbed down. You don't need to be a clinician to follow along, but we don't shy away from complexity when it matters.
Important Note
Signal and Noise is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this podcast constitutes medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider about your specific situation. The views expressed are those of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or affiliated institutions.