Progress, Potential, and Possibilities: Recent Episodes
Ira Pastor
Interviews and Discussions With Fascinating People Who are Creating A Better Tomorrow For All Of Us Host - Ira S. Pastor
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The same technologies that could transform medicine, agriculture, and manufacturing could also reshape global security. Understanding the future of biotechnology requires scientists who can bridge discovery, engineering, and responsibility.
Today on Progress, Potential, and Possibilities, we’re joined by a true pioneer at the nexus of biotechnology and national security. Dr. Jessica Dymond, Ph.D is the Vice President of Technology at In-Q-Tel ( https://www.iqt.org/ ), a not-for-profit venture fund that invests in companies advancing the strategic priorities of U.S. Intelligence Community, where she provides technical and strategic leadership to accelerate emerging biotechnologies that address some of the most critical challenges to national and global security.
Before In-Q-Tel, Dr. Dymond served as Chief Scientist for Physical and Life Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where she led an interdisciplinary portfolio spanning biological sensing, genomic surveillance, microbiome engineering, and synthetic biology. She founded the Lab’s Biological Sciences group and spearheaded initiatives to anticipate, assess, and mitigate emerging biological threats while strengthening global health security.
Formally trained as a synthetic biologist, Dr. Dymond earned her Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, completed a postdoctoral fellowship in functional genomics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and has contributed to groundbreaking research, including the design of synthetic yeast genomes and combinatorial genomic diversity. She also serves on the editorial board of Synthetic Biology from Oxford University Press.
Dr. Dymond’s career embodies the bridge between cutting-edge science, technology strategy, and real-world impact - protecting health, security, and society through innovation at the molecular frontier.
SyntheticBiology #Biotechnology #Biosecurity #FutureOfBiology #GenomeEngineering #Genomics #DNA #GeneticEngineering #ArtificialBiology #BiologyRevolution #LifeSciences #FutureTechnology #EmergingTechnologies #ScienceInnovation #Innovation #NationalSecurity #GlobalHealthSecurity #PandemicPreparedness #AIandBiology #Bioengineering #SyntheticGenomics #CRISPR #GeneticTechnology #HealthcareInnovation #ScientificDiscovery #TechnologyTrends #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities
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We spend billions of dollars each year funding scientific discovery - but what happens if the people making those discoveries can't communicate them? Today we're exploring why communication may be just as important as innovation itself, and why some of the world's brightest scientists never receive the recognition their work deserves.
Nancy Ancowitz ( https://www.nancyancowitz.com/ ) is career strategist, executive presentation coach, author, educator, and one of the country's leading experts on helping professionals communicate their expertise with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.
Nancy has spent more than two decades teaching communication, presentation skills, and career strategy at New York University ( https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/10734-nancy-h-ancowitz.html ) while coaching everyone from emerging professionals to CEOs on how to translate knowledge into influence.
Nancy is the author of the acclaimed Self-Promotion for Introverts® ( https://www.amazon.com/Self-Promotion-Introverts-Quiet-Guide-Getting-ebook/dp/B00394U8DS?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1 ), recognized by Publishers Weekly as one of the year's best business books, as well as Zoom to Success and Business Writing: Say More With Less.
Before launching her coaching practice, Nancy spent twelve years on Wall Street, leading marketing communications for multibillion-dollar businesses as a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase and earlier at Citibank, where she was recognized for innovation in global marketing communications. Along the way, her insights have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Psychology Today, and she has spoken at organizations ranging from the National Institutes of Health to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Today, we're taking Nancy's work in a slightly different direction. Here on Progress, Potential and Possibilities, we spend much of our time with scientists, physicians, engineers, biotech founders, and technology innovators who are developing extraordinary breakthroughs - but often struggle to communicate those breakthroughs beyond their laboratories, companies, and research institutions.
In an age where groundbreaking discoveries compete with endless streams of information, social media, and artificial intelligence, is communication becoming just as important as innovation itself? Can brilliant ideas change the world if their creators never learn to tell their story?
We explore why communication, authenticity, and thoughtful self-promotion may be some of the most underrated drivers of scientific and technological progress.
ScienceCommunication #STEM #Innovation #Leadership #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #Scientists #Biotechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #InnovationLeadership #Entrepreneurship #CareerDevelopment #PresentationSkills #PersonalBranding #AuthenticLeadership #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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What happens when you step back from individual biotech companies and look at the entire industry?
Today's guest has spent decades connecting biotech CEOs, investors, pharmaceutical leaders, and innovators from around the world - giving her a rare front-row seat to the trends shaping the future of medicine. From AI and TechBio to venture capital, partnering, and breakthrough therapies, we're exploring where biotech is really headed next.
Sara Jane Demy is the Founder and CEO of Demy-Colton ( https://demy-colton.com/ ), one of the most influential organizations in life sciences events and ecosystem connectivity.
For more than two decades, Sara has operated at the intersection of biotech innovation, venture capital, and pharma partnering - first at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), where she helped launch major industry conferences including BIO CEO & Investor Conference, BIO Investor Forum, BIO Asia, and helped develop the partnering systems now widely used across the industry.
Sara later founded Demy-Colton, which runs major industry convenings such as Biotech Showcase, BioFuture, and the Global Biotech CEO Summit - bringing together thousands of CEOs, investors, and BD leaders across the global biotech ecosystem.
What makes Sara particularly unique is that she doesn’t sit inside a single company or investment fund - she sits across the entire system. She has a rare, real-time view of how biotech narratives, capital flows, and strategic priorities are shifting across hundreds of companies and investors at once.
And that’s what we’re going to explore today: not one company, but the state of biotech itself - what’s changing, what’s breaking, and what’s emerging next.
Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #Pharma #DrugDiscovery #Biotechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #TechBio #PrecisionMedicine #LifeSciences #Innovation #MedicalResearch #FutureOfMedicine #Healthcare #Science #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For most of human history, scientists believed that once a cell became a skin cell, a neuron, or a heart cell, that identity was permanent. Then a group of researchers discovered something extraordinary: cells could be reset. My guest today was there when that discovery happened.
Dr. Koji Tanabe, Ph.D. is Founder and CEO of I Peace ( https://ipeace.com/en/ ), one of the world's leading companies advancing induced pluripotent stem cell - or iPSC - technology from the research laboratory into scalable clinical manufacturing.
Dr. Tanabe occupies a truly unique place in modern biomedical history. He earned his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University and was the second author on the landmark scientific paper that first demonstrated the successful creation of human induced pluripotent stem cells - a discovery that fundamentally changed regenerative medicine and ultimately earned Dr. Yamanaka the 2012 Nobel Prize.
After helping establish one of the most important technologies in modern biology, Dr. Tanabe continued his work at Stanford University in the laboratory of Dr. Marius Wernig, a pioneer of direct cellular reprogramming, where he investigated how mature blood cells can be directly converted into neurons and explored the molecular mechanisms that govern cellular identity.
In 2015, Dr. Tanabe founded I Peace with an ambitious vision: to make clinical-grade iPS cells accessible at industrial scale. Today, the company has developed automated GMP manufacturing platforms capable of producing personalized and clinical-grade iPS cells for researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and regenerative medicine programs around the world.
On the episode we'll explore how far the field has come since those first groundbreaking experiments nearly two decades ago, where regenerative medicine stands today, the growing role of iPS cells in drug discovery and transplantation, the excitement surrounding in vivo reprogramming and partial cellular rejuvenation, and what may ultimately become possible when every individual has access to their own personalized stem cell bank.
Important Episode Links -
Future Medicine Lab with Koji Tanabe YouTube Channel -
https://www.youtube.com/@FutureMedicineLab
My Peace (a service from I Peace) - Personal iPS Cell Banking Service -
https://mypeace-personal-ipscbanking.com/en/
iPSC #StemCells #RegenerativeMedicine #CellularReprogramming #ShinyaYamanaka #NobelPrize #Biotechnology #Biotech #Longevity #AgingResearch #FutureMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #DrugDiscovery #CellTherapy #GeneEngineering #BiomedicalResearch #LifeSciences #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalInnovation #Science #Technology #Innovation #FutureOfMedicine #StemCellResearch #HumanBiology #SyntheticBiology #AIinMedicine #PharmaInnovation #DiseaseModeling #RegenerativeTherapy
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Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, and one of its most important modifiable risk factors is elevated LDL cholesterol - the so-called "bad cholesterol." While statins have transformed cardiovascular care for decades, and newer therapies like injectable PCSK9 inhibitors have provided additional options, millions of patients still struggle to achieve recommended LDL cholesterol targets.
In fact, despite the availability of effective therapies, roughly seventy percent of patients receiving cholesterol-lowering treatment still fail to reach guideline-recommended LDL cholesterol levels. The reasons are complex - from biology and treatment intensity to adherence and convenience - but the result is the same: preventable heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths continue to occur.
Now, a new chapter is beginning. Following years of clinical development, the FDA has approved LIPFENDRA™ (enlicitide), the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor, introducing an entirely new approach to LDL cholesterol reduction ( https://www.lipfendra.com/ ).
Joining us today is someone uniquely qualified to help us understand what this approval means for physicians and patients.
Dr. Norman Lepor, MD is Founder and Director of the National Heart Institute ( https://nationalheartinstitute.org/about/meet-our-team ), Clinical Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and an Attending Cardiologist at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai ( https://www.cedars-sinai.org/provider/norman-lepor-106852.html ).
A graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Dr. Lepor has spent more than four decades advancing cardiovascular medicine through patient care, education, and clinical research. He has served as principal investigator on more than sixty clinical trials, authored dozens of influential scientific publications, and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America's leading cardiologists. Throughout his career he has also been a champion for women's cardiovascular health and improving access to cutting-edge care for underserved populations.
Today we'll discuss why LDL cholesterol remains such a difficult public health challenge, what we've learned over the past three decades of lipid management, how oral PCSK9 inhibition works, and what this newly approved therapy may mean for the future of preventing heart attacks and strokes.
HeartHealth #Cholesterol #LDL #Cardiology #HeartDisease #Prevention #PreventiveMedicine #LIPFENDRA #Enlicitide #PCSK9 #PrecisionMedicine #Longevity #CardiovascularHealth #MedicalInnovation #Biotech #FutureOfMedicine #HealthyAging #SciencePodcast #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #PPPPodcast
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What if I told you there is a major genetic risk factor for heart attacks and strokes that affects roughly one in five people worldwide - but most people have never heard of it, and it isn't measured on a standard cholesterol test? Today we're exploring Lp(a), the hidden cardiovascular risk factor that could reshape the future of heart disease prevention.
Dr. Paul Burton, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.C., M.R.C.S., F.R.C.P., is Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Amgen ( https://www.amgen.com/about/leadership/senior-management/paul-burton ).
Dr. Burton has built one of the most remarkable careers in modern medicine and biotechnology. After training as a physician and cardiovascular surgeon in the United Kingdom and earning a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from Imperial College London, he transitioned into the biotechnology industry, where he has spent more than two decades leading the development of innovative medicines across cardiovascular disease, oncology, infectious disease, metabolic disorders and RNA therapeutics.
Before returning to Amgen as Chief Medical Officer in 2023, Dr. Burton served as Chief Medical Officer of Moderna during one of the most consequential periods in modern public health, overseeing global medical strategy and pharmacovigilance. Prior to that he spent sixteen years at Johnson & Johnson, ultimately serving as Chief Global Medical Affairs Officer while helping pioneer digital medicine initiatives, including collaborations exploring virtual clinical trials.
Today, Dr. Burton leads Amgen's worldwide medical organization, helping guide one of the industry's broadest research pipelines while translating breakthrough science into therapies that can improve - and potentially save - millions of lives.
One of those efforts is Amgen's ambitious work targeting lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a genetically inherited cardiovascular risk factor affecting roughly one in five people worldwide. Through its investigational siRNA therapy olpasiran and the expansive OCEAN(a) clinical program, Amgen hopes to answer one of the biggest remaining questions in preventive cardiology: can dramatically lowering Lp(a) prevent heart attacks and strokes?
Today we'll explore Dr. Burton's fascinating career, what it means to lead medical strategy at one of biotechnology's largest innovators, and why the next decade may fundamentally reshape how we prevent cardiovascular disease.
Cardiology #HeartDisease #LpA #LipoproteinA #PrecisionMedicine #RNAmedicine #GeneSilencing #Biotechnology #Biotech #Amgen #DrugDiscovery #PharmaceuticalInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #CardiovascularHealth #HeartHealth #MedicalInnovation #HealthcareInnovation #PreventiveMedicine #Genomics #SiRNA #LongevityScience #RegenerativeMedicine #ClinicalTrials #Pharma #LifeSciences #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades we've measured obesity using one simple number on a scale - but what if that's the wrong metric? Today, one of the world's leading experts in genetics explains why the future of obesity medicine may not be about losing more weight, but about losing the right kind of fat while preserving the muscle that keeps us healthy.
Dr. Erik Ingelsson, MD, PhD is a physician-scientist and internationally recognized leader in human genetics, genomics, and metabolic disease research. He currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer at Wave Life Sciences ( https://wavelifesciences.com/ ), where he leads the development of next-generation RNA medicines designed to address major unmet medical needs.
Before joining Wave, Dr. Ingelsson served as Senior Vice President and Head of Target Discovery at GSK, where he led large-scale efforts integrating human genetics, functional genomics, computational biology, and molecular science to discover and validate new drug targets across therapeutic areas.
Prior to his transition into industry, Dr. Ingelsson was Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, where his laboratory used human genetics and functional genomics to uncover new biological mechanisms underlying insulin resistance, obesity, metabolic disease, and cardiovascular risk.
Over his career, Dr. Ingelsson has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has become one of the leading voices in translating insights from human genetic variation into new medicines.
At Wave, Dr. Ingelsson is helping pioneer a new approach to obesity treatment: targeting the biology of harmful fat accumulation rather than simply focusing on the number on the scale.
Today we’ll discuss the genetics behind obesity, the promise of RNA medicines, why visceral fat may be the true therapeutic target, and whether the next generation of obesity treatments will move beyond weight loss toward healthier body composition.
Obesity #GLP1 #WeightLoss #VisceralFat #MetabolicHealth #RNAMedicine #Genetics #PrecisionMedicine #Longevity #HeartHealth #Diabetes #HumanGenetics #Biotechnology #DrugDiscovery #MuscleHealth #BodyComposition #CardiometabolicHealth #WaveLifeSciences #SciencePodcast #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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When most people hear the word "nuclear," they think of power plants and clean energy production. But every day, nuclear science is helping diagnose and treat millions of cancer patients around the world. Today, we're exploring one of the powerful new tools in our fight against cancer: medical isotopes.
Our guest today is James Scongack, Chair of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council ( https://www.canadianisotopes.ca/ ), a national not-for-profit advocacy organization that supports over 120 members from across science, academia, healthcare, and nuclear-sector organizations dedicated to maintaining Canada’s position as a global leader in the production of life-saving isotopes. The CNIC raises awareness and advocates for long-term policies that support health-care innovation and will save countless lives for decades to come. Under James's leadership, the CNIC launched its ambitious "Isotopes for Hope" campaign ( https://www.canadianisotopes.ca/isotopes-for-hope-campaign/ ), with the goal of doubling Canada's isotope production by 2030 while improving cancer care both domestically and internationally.
Beyond his work at the CNIC, he also serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Bruce Power ( https://www.brucepower.com/ ), home to one of the world's largest operating nuclear generating facilities and Canada's largest private-sector electricity infrastructure project. During more than two decades at Bruce Power, James has helped lead one of the most remarkable transformations in modern nuclear energy - from extending the operating life of the Bruce site through a multi-billion-dollar refurbishment program, to expanding its role as one of the world's premier producers of medical isotopes that are helping diagnose and treat cancer around the globe.
James also serves as Chair of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario ( https://www.pogo.ca/ ) and the Nuclear Innovation Institute ( https://www.nuclearinnovationinstitute.ca/ ), reflecting his deep commitment to improving healthcare through science and innovation.
Recognized as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40, recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and honored by The Globe and Mail's Best Executive Awards, James has become one of the leading voices on the future of nuclear energy - not only as a source of clean electricity, but as a platform for advancing medicine, biotechnology, and global health.
NuclearMedicine #MedicalIsotopes #CancerTreatment #PrecisionMedicine #Radiopharmaceuticals #Theranostics #CancerResearch #NuclearEnergy #HealthcareInnovation #Biotechnology #Radiology #Oncology #MedicalInnovation #BrucePower #STEM
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Every year, nearly 700 million people around the world are infected by norovirus. Most people know it as a miserable few days of vomiting and diarrhea - but for transplant patients, cancer patients, and other immunocompromised individuals, it can become a chronic and potentially life-threatening infection. And despite decades of research, we still have no approved antiviral treatment. Today we're exploring the science behind the race to change that.
James Sapirstein is Chief Executive Officer of Cocrystal Pharma ( https://www.cocrystalpharma.com/ ) and one of the biotechnology industry's most experienced commercialization executives.
Throughout a career spanning more than four decades, James has participated in or led an extraordinary twenty-three pharmaceutical product launches while building and leading multiple biotechnology companies. He has served as CEO of Cocrystal Pharma, Contravir Pharmaceuticals, Tobira Therapeutics, First Wave BioPharma, and several other innovative life science organizations.
Earlier in his career James held senior leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Serono Laboratories, Roche, and Eli Lilly, helping bring important therapies for infectious disease and other major conditions to patients around the world.
Beyond industry, James has served on numerous biotechnology boards, including the Biotechnology Innovation Organization and BioNJ, making him one of the most respected leaders in the biotechnology ecosystem.
James received a BS (Pharmacy) from Rutgers University and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Dr. Sam Lee, Ph.D. is President and Chief Scientific Officer of Cocrystal Pharma.
Dr. Lee has devoted more than twenty-five years to discovering next-generation antiviral medicines. Before joining Cocrystal, he led anti-infective drug discovery efforts at ICOS Corporation, where he pioneered the integration of protein crystallography and structure-based screening technologies into pharmaceutical research. His scientific work contributed to the development of PI3K delta inhibitors that ultimately led to an FDA-approved therapy.
Dr. Lee earned his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame before completing postdoctoral research in viral biochemistry at Stanford University under renowned molecular biologist Dr. I. R. Lehman. His career has focused on understanding viruses at the atomic level to design highly targeted antiviral drugs capable of overcoming viral evolution and resistance.
Norovirus #AntiviralResearch #DrugDiscovery #Biotechnology #Biotech #PharmaInnovation #RNAViruses #ViralDiseases #InfectiousDisease #PublicHealth #StructureBasedDrugDiscovery #PrecisionMedicine #MedicinesOfTheFuture #FutureOfHealthcare #BiomedicalResearch #PharmaceuticalInnovation #ClinicalTrials #PandemicPreparedness #HealthcareInnovation #ScienceAndTechnology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #PPP
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What if one of the most intriguing Alzheimer’s interventions isn’t a drug…but light?
Light has long been recognized as essential for vision, sleep, and circadian rhythms - but could certain wavelengths of light actually influence the biology of the brain itself?
Recent research into photobiomodulation is exploring whether carefully delivered near-infrared and red light can improve mitochondrial function, reduce neuroinflammation, enhance blood flow, and potentially slow aspects of cognitive decline.
A newly published pilot study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease ( https://www.vielight.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Vielight-University-of-Toronto-MCI-Publication.pdf ) reported improvements in memory and cognition among individuals with mild cognitive impairment following six weeks of non-invasive light therapy. While the findings are early, they raise fascinating questions about whether non-drug technologies could someday complement traditional Alzheimer's treatments.
Today we're joined by two guests approaching this challenge from different perspectives.
Dr. Neda Rashidi-Ranjbar, MD, Ph.D. ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4y5SuLYAAAAJ&hl=en) is a physician-scientist, neuroscientist, and clinical research leader at Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's Hospital ( https://unityhealth.to/locations/st-michaels-hospital/ ), where she leads a major neurodegenerative disease research program focused on mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Her work spans clinical trials, biomarkers, neuroimaging, cognitive testing, and translational neuroscience, helping bridge discoveries from the laboratory into patient care.
Joining her is Peter Adams, Vice President of Business Development at VieLight ( https://www.vielight.com/ ), who has spent decades commercializing innovative healthcare technologies following leadership roles with Intel, MaRS Discovery District, and numerous international technology companies. His work focuses on bringing photobiomodulation technologies from research into real-world clinical use.
Together we'll discuss the emerging science behind photobiomodulation, what we know about using light to influence brain function, how this research fits alongside today's rapidly evolving Alzheimer's therapies, and what the next generation of clinical trials will need to demonstrate as this approach becomes part of mainstream neurological care.
Alzheimers #BrainHealth #DementiaResearch #Neuroscience #Photobiomodulation #LightTherapy #MemoryLoss #CognitiveHealth #AgingBrain #MCI #Neurotechnology #MedicalInnovation #BrainScience #HealthyAging #MedicalResearch #Longevity #Biotech #Neurodegeneration
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For decades, getting to space has largely meant one thing: launching vertically atop massive rockets from fixed launch pads. But what if the future of space access also includes aircraft capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, launching payloads from the edge of the atmosphere, and providing researchers with affordable access to hypersonic flight and microgravity?
Joining us today is Tim Franta, Chief Executive Officer of Starfighters Space ( https://starfightersspace.com/ ), an aerospace company operating the world's only commercial fleet of flight-ready Mach 2+ F-104 Starfighters. Based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the company is building capabilities that span hypersonic flight testing, airborne research, astronaut and pilot training, and an ambitious air-launch platform known as STARLAUNCH, designed to provide more flexible and responsive access to space.
Tim brings an unusual blend of aerospace leadership, public policy, infrastructure development, and strategic finance. Before leading Starfighters Space, he helped shape Florida's modern space ecosystem through leadership roles with Energy Florida and the Florida Space Authority, where he worked on launch infrastructure, legislation, and hundreds of millions of dollars in space-related investment.
Today we'll discuss why aircraft may become an increasingly important part of the space economy, how commercial innovation is changing access to orbit, the growing importance of hypersonic technologies, and what the next decade of aerospace infrastructure might look like.
SpaceExploration #CommercialSpace #Aerospace #SpaceTechnology #SpaceInnovation #FutureOfSpace #NASA #Hypersonics #AirLaunch #SatelliteLaunch #ResponsiveSpace #NationalSecurity #DefenseTechnology #RocketScience #SpaceEconomy #NewSpace #AviationTechnology #SupersonicFlight #Mach2 #F104Starfighter #StarfightersSpace #STARLAUNCH #FutureTechnology #Innovation #Engineering #ScienceAndTechnology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities
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Today on Progress, Potential and Possibilities, we're exploring one of the most fundamental challenges facing human performance: heat. Whether it's soldiers operating in desert environments, firefighters battling infernos, police officers wearing heavy body armor, construction crews working under extreme summer temperatures, or elite athletes pushing the limits of endurance, excess heat is more than an inconvenience - it can become a life-threatening limitation.
Joining us is Justin Li, Co-Founder and CEO of Qore Performance ( https://www.qoreperformance.com/ ), a Tennessee-based company pioneering a new generation of personal thermoregulation technologies. Drawing on his background as a Deputy Sheriff with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, Justin founded Qore Performance to solve a problem he experienced firsthand - how to keep people cool, hydrated, and performing at their best in the harshest environments imaginable.
Under Justin's leadership, Qore Performance has developed patented innovations including the ICEPLATE® and ICEFLASK®, systems that transform the water people already carry into wearable thermal batteries capable of cooling the body while simultaneously providing hydration. Today, Qore's American-made technologies are trusted by military personnel, law enforcement officers, first responders, industrial workers, outdoor professionals, and high-performance athletes across the country.
Justin's work brings together physics, engineering, physiology, materials science, and product innovation to rethink how we manage one of the oldest biological challenges facing humanity. We discuss the science of heat transfer, the future of wearable cooling technology, entrepreneurship, and how better thermoregulation may become one of the next great frontiers in human performance.
JustinLi #QorePerformance #Thermoregulation #HeatStress #HumanPerformance #CoolingTechnology #WearableTech #Thermodynamics #Science #Innovation #Engineering #MilitaryTechnology #FirstResponders #OutdoorWorkers #OccupationalSafety #Hydration #ClimateTechnology #HealthTechnology #STEM #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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We spend billions of dollars developing drugs to fight cancer - but what if one of the most powerful therapies begins before treatment even starts? Today we're exploring the rapidly growing field of cancer rehabilitation and the science showing that exercise, nutrition, and personalized recovery plans can dramatically improve life before, during, and after cancer.
Today's first guest is Dr. Jessica Cheng, MD ( https://www.cityofhope.org/patients/find-a-doctor/jessica-cheng ) one of the country's very few fellowship-trained physicians specializing in cancer rehabilitation medicine, and currently the only fellowship-trained cancer rehabilitation specialist serving Orange County at City of Hope.
Dr. Cheng is a board-certified physiatrist whose work focuses on helping cancer patients maximize their strength, mobility, independence and quality of life before, during and after treatment. Her approach combines exercise medicine, physical rehabilitation, pain management, neurological recovery and supportive care into individualized treatment plans designed to remove barriers to successful cancer therapy.
After earning her medical degree from Boston University, Dr. Cheng completed residency training at Loma Linda University Health before pursuing one of the nation's premier fellowships in cancer rehabilitation at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Today she is helping shape the future of this emerging field through clinical care, research and physician education.
Our second guest is cancer survivor Sharyn Araki.
Sharyn's journey encompasses every stage of breast cancer - from discovering a lump and receiving a life-changing diagnosis, through chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy and rehabilitation. Throughout that experience she discovered that recovery wasn't simply about surviving cancer - it was about reclaiming her life.
Working alongside Dr. Cheng, Sharyn embraced structured exercise and rehabilitation - including an unexpected passion for pickleball - which helped combat debilitating fatigue, rebuild strength and restore confidence. ( https://www.cityofhope.org/orange-county/talking-hope/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation )
Perhaps most remarkably, Sharyn navigated this entire journey while raising seven children, offering a powerful perspective on resilience, family, faith and what it truly means to recover after cancer treatment.
CancerRehabilitation #CancerSurvivor #BreastCancer #CancerRecovery #ExerciseIsMedicine #Prehabilitation #CancerCare #Oncology #IntegrativeOncology #CancerResearch #Fitness #HealthInnovation #QualityOfLife #Stem #MedicalScience #PhysicalTherapy #Wellness #CancerFatigue #CityOfHope #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, the war on cancer has focused on destroying cancer cells directly - with chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted drugs. But what if the future of cancer treatment is not about attacking cancer ourselves...but teaching our own immune system to do it for us?
Today we're exploring a new generation of immunotherapies designed to turn the body's own defenses into a precision weapon against cancer.
Over the past decade, immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cell therapies have transformed the treatment landscape for many cancers. But major challenges remain - including limited response rates, treatment resistance, toxicity, and the enormous complexity and cost of manufacturing many next-generation therapies.
Our guest today believes the next breakthrough may come from a new generation of personalized immunotherapies designed to activate a patient’s own immune system against their cancer - while also being manufactured as an accessible, off-the-shelf treatment.
Joining us is Dr. William Williams, MD - President and CEO of BriaCell Therapeutics ( https://briacell.com/ ).
Dr. Williams brings more than 35 years of experience spanning academia and the biopharmaceutical industry. He has helped advance numerous medicines from discovery through clinical development, including work contributing to therapies such as Jakafi and Olumiant during his time at Incyte, and multiple oncology programs during his career at GlaxoSmithKline.
Before entering industry leadership, Dr. Williams was a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania focused on molecular immunology, receptor biology, and early DNA vaccine approaches.
Today we’ll discuss the evolution of cancer immunotherapy, BriaCell’s Bria-IMT platform, the challenges of treating advanced breast cancer, and whether the future of oncology lies in creating therapies that can truly mobilize each patient’s own immune system.
CancerResearch #CancerImmunotherapy #Immunotherapy #CancerTreatment #Oncology #PrecisionMedicine #PersonalizedMedicine #Biotechnology #Biotech #LifeSciences #DrugDiscovery #ClinicalTrials #BreastCancer #MetastaticBreastCancer #CancerVaccine #CellTherapy #TumorImmunology #TCells #ImmuneSystem #MedicalInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #BiomedicalResearch #Pharma #PharmaceuticalInnovation #SciencePodcast #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #PPPShow
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We tend to think of menopause as a personal health issue - but in the workplace it quietly shows up as one of the largest unmodeled productivity shifts in the modern economy.
Recent data from the Korn Ferry Institute, in collaboration with Vira Health, suggests nearly half of women report that perimenopause or menopause symptoms impact their work performance. And research cited by the Mayo Clinic estimates menopause-related productivity loss in the U.S. alone at roughly $1.8 billion annually.
So the question becomes: what happens when a normal biological transition starts to meaningfully affect workforce participation, retention, and productivity?
Karen Bishop, MS is Senior Director of HR Rewards at Astellas Pharma US ( https://www.astellas.com/en ), where she leads global benefits, compensation strategy, and employee well-being programs.
Across more than two decades in HR leadership roles at organizations including MilliporeSigma, Shire (now Takeda), Cabot Corporation, and Putnam Investments, Karen has built deep expertise in total rewards strategy, healthcare benefits design, retirement systems, and organizational change.
At Astellas, Karen has helped evolve an internal menopause workplace pledge into a broader global initiative focused on manager education, employee support systems, and benefits navigation - positioning menopause as part of a larger conversation around workforce health, retention, and productivity.
menopause #workplacewellbeing #hrleadership #futureofwork #corporatestrategy #workforceanalytics #womenshealth #hrtech #talentmanagement #employeeexperience #healthcareeconomics #productivity #leadershipdevelopment #totalrewards #organizationaldesign #publichealth #biologicalaging #genderequity #workplaceculture #healthpolicy
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Every cup of coffee, every chocolate bar, every loaf of bread has a hidden ingredient you probably never think about: water. But as climate change reshapes where and how we grow food, water is becoming one of the biggest risks facing our global supply chains.
We often talk about climate change through the lens of rising temperatures, extreme weather, or carbon emissions — but behind many of these challenges is a resource that determines whether societies can thrive: freshwater.
Agriculture accounts for roughly 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, and the systems that produce, transport, and distribute our food depend on reliable access to water. But climate volatility, changing precipitation patterns, drought, and disruptions in global trade are creating new risks throughout the agricultural supply chain.
Our guest today is helping organizations understand and address these challenges.
Paul Reig is the Founder and CEO of Bluerisk ( https://blueriskintel.com/ ), a company focused on helping businesses identify, assess, and manage water-related risks.
Paul brings nearly two decades of experience working at the intersection of water science, corporate strategy, and sustainability.
Before founding Bluerisk, Paul spent nine years at the World Resources Institute, where he led the development of the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas - one of the world's leading tools for understanding global water risks - and helped create frameworks for measuring corporate water stewardship.
Paul has advised more than 40 major global companies on how to assess water risks, establish resilience strategies, and develop solutions that protect shared water resources.
Today we’ll discuss why water may become one of the defining challenges of the 21st century, how disruptions in agriculture and trade can amplify water stress, and what companies, governments, and innovators can do to build a more water-resilient future.
WaterRisk #WaterCrisis #ClimateChange #ClimateAdaptation #WaterSecurity #FoodSecurity #SustainableAgriculture #AgricultureTechnology #FutureOfFood #SupplyChainResilience #CorporateSustainability #EnvironmentalScience #ClimateInnovation #RegenerativeAgriculture #PrecisionAgriculture #WaterStewardship #GlobalWaterCrisis #ClimateTech #Sustainability #EarthScience #FoodSystems #Agritech #Innovation #ScienceAndTechnology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities
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We usually think of health ministers as politicians. Dr. Evis Sala, MD, PhD is something entirely different. She's one of the world's leading cancer imaging researchers who helped pioneer AI in radiology - and now she's responsible for the healthcare of an entire nation. What happens when a scientist takes the helm of public health?
Our guest today is one of the world's leading physician-scientists in medical imaging who has recently taken on one of the biggest leadership challenges in healthcare.
Dr. Evis Sala, MD, PhD ( https://www.kryeministria.al/en/ministrat/evis-sala/ ) currently serves as the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Albania ( https://shendetesia.gov.al/en/hap/ ).
Before entering government, Dr. Sala built an extraordinary international career spanning the University of Cambridge, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Rome's Policlinico Gemelli, while becoming internationally recognized for her pioneering work in advanced cancer imaging, precision diagnostics, women's cancers, and the integration of artificial intelligence into radiology.
Holding both an MD from the University of Tirana and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Sala has spent decades helping shape how we detect, diagnose, and ultimately treat cancer. Today, she is applying that scientific rigor and international experience to improving the health of an entire nation.
EvisSala #Healthcare #PublicHealth #Medicine #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Radiology #CancerResearch #PrecisionMedicine #CancerImaging #MedicalInnovation #DigitalHealth #HealthPolicy #Oncology #MRI #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalTechnology #SciencePodcast #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Imagine a world where a child with a rare disease in a rural hospital could benefit from the collective intelligence of 500 of the world's best children's hospitals - not years later, but in real time. What if artificial intelligence could connect medical expertise globally while keeping every patient's data private? That is the ambitious vision behind the Pediatric Moonshot ( https://pediatricmoonshot.org/ ).
Our guest today has spent more than four decades at the forefront of nearly every major transformation in enterprise computing. Dr. Timothy Chou earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois before beginning his career at Tandem Computers, one of Silicon Valley's pioneering companies in fault-tolerant distributed computing. He later served as President of Oracle On Demand, helping lead Oracle's early cloud computing initiatives years before "the cloud" became part of everyday vocabulary.
Alongside his industry career, Dr. Chou has taught at Stanford University since 1982, where he created the university's first course on cloud computing and has inspired generations of entrepreneurs and technology leaders. Today he serves on the Board of Directors of Teradata, chairs the IoT initiative at Alchemist Accelerator, advises emerging enterprise software companies, and was recognized as one of the National Association of Corporate Directors' Directorship 100 honorees.
But after what many would consider a complete career, Dr. Chou came out of retirement to pursue perhaps his most ambitious mission yet. Inspired by one of his Stanford students, he founded Pediatric Moonshot, a nonprofit with a bold vision: to reduce healthcare inequity by enabling privacy-preserving artificial intelligence to securely learn from the more than one million medical machines spread across roughly 500 children's hospitals around the world - without requiring patient data to leave those hospitals.
Today we're going to explore not only the future of pediatric healthcare and artificial intelligence, but also whether medicine is on the verge of its own Internet moment - where distributed intelligence, rather than centralized data, could fundamentally reshape how care is delivered around the world.
PediatricMoonshot #ArtificialIntelligence #AIHealthcare #HealthcareInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #MedicalAI #AIRevolution #EdgeComputing #CloudComputing #FederatedLearning #RareDisease #Pediatrics #ChildrenHealthcare #PrecisionMedicine #HealthcareEquity #Innovation #Technology #SiliconValley #StanfordUniversity #AIAgents #FutureTechnology #MedicineOfTheFuture #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities
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For decades, women undergoing mastectomy have largely faced the same choice: reconstruct with permanent implants or use tissue transplanted from another part of the body. But what if there was a third option - not replacing what's been lost, but actually regenerating it? Today we're exploring one of the most ambitious ideas in regenerative medicine: a 3D-bioprinted scaffold designed to help the body rebuild living tissue.
Dr. Claudia Chavez-Munoz, MD, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized surgeon-scientist, regenerative medicine innovator, and Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Conexeu Sciences ( https://www.conexeu.com/ ). With a career spanning plastic surgery, wound healing, tissue engineering, and extracellular matrix biology, she has dedicated more than two decades to understanding how the body repairs itself - and how that knowledge can be translated into next-generation therapies.
Dr. Chavez-Munoz earned her MD from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, completed her Ph.D. in Plastic Surgery at the University of British Columbia, and pursued postdoctoral training in tissue engineering and reconstructive surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her pioneering work has ranged from stem cell biology and skin regeneration to biomaterials and organ reseeding technologies. Throughout her academic career at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, she has mentored future physician-scientists while advancing innovative approaches to tissue regeneration.
Today, she leads the scientific development of Conexeu's "10 Minute Tissue™" platform and is spearheading what may become the world's first 3D-bioprinted regenerative breast - a temporary scaffold designed to disappear over time as a patient's own tissue regenerates and replaces it. Her work represents a bold vision for the future of reconstructive surgery: moving beyond permanent implants and toward living, regenerative solutions that harness the body's natural healing capacity.
BreastCancer #BreastReconstruction #RegenerativeMedicine #3DBioprinting #TissueEngineering #Bioprinting #PlasticSurgery #Biotechnology #StemCells #WoundHealing #Biomaterials #PrecisionMedicine #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalInnovation #ExtracellularMatrix #CancerSurvivorship #Surgery #WomenInSTEM #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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What if radiation could become one of the most precise medicines ever invented? Long before radiopharmaceuticals became one of the hottest areas in biotech, today's guest was helping pioneer targeted radiation therapies that seek out cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Today, the field is attracting billions in investment and reshaping oncology.
Our guest today is one of the true pioneers of modern targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy.
Dr. Ebrahim Delpassand, MD is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of RadioMedix ( https://radiomedix.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation targeted radioactive diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer.
Long before radiopharmaceuticals became one of the most exciting areas in precision oncology, Dr. Delpassand was introducing these therapies to patients who had exhausted every other option.
As former Deputy Chairman and Chief of Clinical Nuclear Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Delpassand served as Principal Investigator on some of the very first FDA Investigational New Drug programs for Lutetium-177 therapies in the United States, including the nation's first INDs for Lu-177 DOTATATE peptide receptor radionuclide therapy and Lu-177 PSMA-617 therapy.
Board-certified in Nuclear Medicine and trained in both pathology and nuclear medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Delpassand has authored more than ninety peer-reviewed publications and has spent decades advancing therapeutic nuclear medicine through research, clinical care, and education.
But perhaps even more remarkable is his entrepreneurial journey. Nearly twenty years ago, convinced that targeted radiopharmaceuticals represented a fundamentally new way to fight cancer, Dr. Delpassand founded RadioMedix and personally sustained the company through its earliest years while helping build not only innovative therapies, but also isotope production capabilities, cGMP manufacturing infrastructure, and broader access to these life-saving treatments.
Today, as radiotheranostics transforms cancer care around the world, Dr. Delpassand joins us to discuss where the field began, where it is heading, and what the next generation of precision radiation medicines could mean for patients.
Radiopharmaceuticals #CancerResearch #CancerTherapy #PrecisionMedicine #Oncology #Radiotheranostics #NuclearMedicine #Biotechnology #Biotech #MedicalInnovation #HealthcareInnovation #TargetedTherapy #AlphaTherapy #Lutetium177 #PrecisionOncology #FutureOfMedicine #CancerTreatment #DrugDevelopment #SciencePodcast #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Can artificial intelligence really think like a physician - or is it simply predicting words?
This week we're joined by Dr. Michal Tzuchman-Katz, MD, physician, AI entrepreneur, pediatrician, and Chief Innovation & Research Officer at Maccabi Healthcare, one of the world's most advanced healthcare organizations. We explore why the future of medicine isn't just better AI - it's building healthcare systems that learn from every patient.
Dr. Michal Tzuchman-Katz, MD is a physician, technologist, entrepreneur, and healthcare innovation leader who currently serves as Chief Innovation & Research Officer at Maccabi Healthcare Services ( https://www.maccabi4u.co.il/ ), one of Israel’s largest and most advanced healthcare organizations.
What makes Dr. Tzuchman-Katz’s story extraordinary is that she has worked across nearly every layer of modern health technology. She began her career as a software engineer, earned her medical degree with honors, trained as a pediatrician, studied genomics and biomedical informatics, and went on to co-found and lead Kahun, an AI-powered clinical reasoning company that developed a knowledge-graph engine containing more than 30 million evidence-based medical insights.
At Kahun, Dr. Tzuchman-Katz became a pioneer in explainable AI for physicians, focusing on making AI-generated recommendations transparent, traceable to medical evidence, and aligned with the way clinicians actually think.
Today, at Maccabi, Dr. Tzuchman-Katz oversees innovation and research initiatives that leverage one of the world’s richest longitudinal healthcare datasets and biobanks to develop and scale technologies that can improve patient outcomes at population level.
Remarkably, while leading innovation for a major healthcare system, Dr. Tzuchman-Katz continues to practice as a pediatrician, giving her a uniquely grounded perspective on the promises and limitations of AI in real clinical care.
HealthcareInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence #MedicalAI #PrecisionMedicine #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #ClinicalAI #Medicine #Healthcare #Biotech #Genomics #Innovation #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareData #MachineLearning #MedicalResearch #Pediatrics #PreventiveMedicine #PersonalizedMedicine #PPP
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For decades we've treated autoimmune diseases by suppressing the immune system - but what if we've been approaching the problem all wrong? What if, instead of lifelong immunosuppression, we could selectively eliminate the immune cells causing disease and allow the immune system to rebuild itself? Today we're exploring one of the hottest areas in biotechnology: T-cell engagers and the possibility of an "immune reset."
Dr. Jeffrey Jones, MD, MPH is Chief Medical Officer of Cullinan Therapeutics ( https://cullinantherapeutics.com/ ) and one of the leaders helping bring the power of T-cell engager therapies beyond cancer and into autoimmune disease. With more than two decades of experience spanning academia and industry, Dr. Jones has been at the forefront of clinical development in hematology, oncology, and immunology.
Prior to joining Cullinan, Dr. Jones served as Vice President of Global Drug Development at Bristol Myers Squibb, leading programs in lymphoma and myeloid diseases and helping guide the lifecycle strategy for Reblozyl®. Earlier, he held leadership positions at Celgene, where he developed clinical strategies across lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia portfolios.
Before entering industry, Dr. Jones spent more than a decade at The Ohio State University, where he led the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia clinical research program and served as Associate Professor of Internal Medicine. Today, he is helping pioneer a new generation of T-cell engagers designed not to continuously suppress the immune system, but potentially to reset it - opening the possibility of durable, treatment-free remission for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, lupus nephritis, and autoimmune cytopenias.
Dr. Jones earned his MD from the University of Michigan Medical School, an MPH from the University of Texas School of Public Health, and an MBA from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.
AutoimmuneDisease #Lupus #RheumatoidArthritis #Immunology #TCellEngagers #Biotechnology #DrugDevelopment #PrecisionMedicine #ImmuneSystem #ImmuneReset #ClinicalTrials #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, fusion researchers were chasing a single goal: ignition. But what if ignition isn't the finish line? What if it's only the starting gun? Today we're joined by Dr. Will Regan, Founder and Chief Scientist of Pacific Fusion, a company betting that the future of fusion won't be won by building bigger machines - but by solving one of engineering's toughest manufacturing challenges.
Dr. Will Regan, Ph.D. is the Founder and Chief Scientist of Pacific Fusion ( https://www.pacificfusion.com/ ), where he is helping lead one of the most ambitious efforts in advanced inertial fusion energy: developing a practical, scalable pathway to commercial fusion power using pulsed power systems and high-yield target physics.
Before founding Pacific Fusion, Will served as a Project Lead and Rapid Evaluator at X, the moonshot factory, where he helped originate and develop breakthrough concepts in agricultural and systems innovation, including early foundational work behind the Mineral initiative focused on sustainable food production at planetary scale.
Earlier in his career, he was an ARPA-E Fellow at Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, where he worked at the intersection of high-risk, high-reward energy technologies and national-scale innovation programs—an experience that helped shape his approach to large-scale energy system design and technology acceleration.
Will earned his PhD in Physics from University of California, Berkeley, following his undergraduate degree in Physics from Cornell University. Across academia, government, and moonshot industry environments, he has consistently focused on translating frontier physics into real-world systems—now centered on one of the most consequential engineering challenges of the century: fusion energy.
At Pacific Fusion, he is working to turn high-gain fusion concepts into repeatable, engineered systems that could fundamentally reshape global energy infrastructure.
FusionEnergy #NuclearFusion #PacificFusion #WillRegan #CleanEnergy #FutureOfEnergy #FusionPower #InertialConfinementFusion #ICF #MagLIF #SandiaLabs #LawrenceLivermore #NIF #AdvancedEnergy #EnergyInnovation #Physics #Engineering #ClimateTech #MoonshotFactory #ARPAE #SciencePodcast #TechnologyPodcast #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #STEM #DeepTech
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Everyone talks about getting humans to Mars. But almost nobody talks about the harder question - how do you keep them alive once they get there? My guest today says the answer isn't bigger rockets - it's plants.
Mark Ciotola is CEO and Co-Founder of Sustain Space ( https://www.sustainspace.com/ ), a company focused on developing regenerative life-support technologies for future space missions while translating those innovations to improve agriculture and sustainability on Earth. Through Sustain Space's Orbital Genomics initiative, he is helping advance research into growing plants in space environments - an essential capability for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Mark's career spans entrepreneurship, academia, industry, and government, including work with NASA, Genentech, Applied Biosystems, Intuit, Carnegie Mellon University, Monash University, San Francisco State University, and Singularity University, where he served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence and faculty member in Space and Physical Sciences.
A physicist, entrepreneur, educator, and sustainability advocate, Mark is particularly interested in regenerative ecosystems, closed-loop life-support systems, space agriculture, and the broader question of how humanity can build a sustainable future both on Earth and beyond it.
Important Episode Link - HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology -
https://www.hudsonalpha.org/
MarkCiotola #SustainSpace #SpaceAgriculture #SpaceFarming #MarsColonization #MoonBase #NASA #SpaceBiology #Astrobiology #PlantScience #OrbitalGenomics #ControlledEnvironmentAgriculture #VerticalFarming #Hydroponics #SyntheticBiology #FutureOfFood #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #LifeSupportSystems #ClosedLoopSystems #MarsMission #MoonMission #Humanity #Innovation #SciencePodcast #STEM #FutureOfHumanity #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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What if a device small enough to fit in your pocket could detect a potentially fatal heart rhythm before symptoms even appear? My guest today helped make that possible. Dr. David Albert, MD - Founder of AliveCor, pioneered smartphone ECG technology and transformed how millions of people monitor their hearts.
Dr. David Albert, MD is a physician, inventor, and serial entrepreneur whose career has helped define the modern era of digital cardiology and personal health technology.
A graduate of Harvard College and Duke University School of Medicine, Dr. Albert has spent more than four decades translating breakthrough ideas into life-saving products. He founded Corazonix in the 1980s, Data Critical in the 1990s - which later became part of GE Healthcare - and ultimately served as Chief Scientist and Chief Clinical Scientist for GE Cardiology before returning to entrepreneurship.
In 2010, Dr. Albert founded AliveCor ( https://alivecor.com/ ), pioneering the smartphone-based ECG and helping launch one of the earliest and most clinically validated digital health platforms. AliveCor’s KardiaMobile technology transformed cardiac monitoring by placing medical-grade electrocardiograms in the hands of millions of consumers and patients worldwide.
Beyond AliveCor, Dr. Albert founded InnovAlarm and Lifetone Technology, developing innovations that improve home safety and emergency alerting.
An inventor with more than 80 U.S. patents and over 100 scientific publications, Dr. Albert has devoted his career to democratizing healthcare technology and empowering people to better understand - and protect - their own health.
DavidAlbert #AliveCor #KardiaMobile #DigitalHealth #Cardiology #HeartHealth #ECG #AtrialFibrillation #WearableTech #HealthcareInnovation #MedTech #RemoteMonitoring #AIinHealthcare #PrecisionMedicine #PreventiveMedicine #Entrepreneurship #HealthcareTechnology #GEHealthcare #MedicalDevices #FutureOfMedicine #DigitalBiomarkers #HealthTech #Inventor #StartupFounder #Cardiologist #PatientEmpowerment #HeartDisease #MedicalInnovation #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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We often assume confusion after surgery is temporary. But what if those few days of delirium are actually a major turning point in the aging brain? New research from Harvard and Hebrew SeniorLife suggests postoperative delirium may be the strongest predictor of long-term cognitive decline - and what we're learning could fundamentally change how we think about dementia and healthy aging.
Each year, millions of older adults undergo surgery successfully, only to experience episodes of confusion, disorientation, memory impairment, or altered awareness in the days that follow. For decades, many clinicians viewed postoperative delirium as a temporary complication that resolved once patients left the hospital.
But emerging research suggests a much more profound story.
Our guest today is Dr. Tammy Hshieh, MD, MPH, is physician-scientist, geriatrician, and internationally recognized expert on delirium, cognitive impairment, and healthy aging.
Dr. Hshieh serves as Assistant Scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/who-we-are/profiles/tammy-hshieh-md-mph ), Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School ( https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/33333 ), and Associate Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital ( https://physiciandirectory.brighamandwomens.org/Details/12170 ).
After earning her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from Harvard University and her MD from Brown University's Alpert Medical School, Dr. Hshieh completed residency training in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine through Harvard Medical School, and earned a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Dr. Hshieh's research focuses on understanding, preventing, and treating delirium and cognitive decline in older adults - conditions that carry enormous consequences for independence, quality of life, and healthcare systems worldwide.
In groundbreaking work recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Hshieh and colleagues demonstrated that postoperative delirium remains the strongest predictor of long-term cognitive decline, even after accounting for rehospitalizations and other markers of illness and frailty. Their findings suggest that delirium may represent far more than a transient hospital complication - it may be a critical turning point in the trajectory of brain aging itself.
Clinically, Dr. Hshieh co-manages older surgical patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital in one of the nation's most innovative geriatric-surgical care programs and leads the Older Adult Hematologic Malignancy Clinic at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ( https://www.dana-farber.org/find-a-doctor/tammy-t-hshieh ), where she works to improve outcomes for older adults facing cancer treatment.
Today we'll discuss delirium, dementia, cognitive resilience, surgical risk, brain aging, and what patients, families, and healthcare systems can do to better protect the aging brain.
Delirium #Dementia #BrainHealth #HealthyAging #CognitiveDecline #Alzheimers #HarvardMedicine #Geriatrics #Longevity #Surgery #PostoperativeDelirium #AgingResearch #Neuroscience #Healthcare #Medicine #BrainAging #CognitiveHealth #Prevention #Podcast #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, scientists have searched for better cancer drugs. But what if the biggest challenge isn't discovering the drug - it's getting it to the tumor? My guest today is developing programmable viruses designed to travel throughout the body, selectively amplify inside metastatic lesions, and transform tumors into factories for their own destruction.
Dr. Eric Poma, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer of Calidi Biotherapeutics ( https://www.calidibio.com/ ), a biotechnology company developing targeted genetic medicines designed to deliver therapeutic payloads directly to tumors throughout the body.
Dr. Poma brings more than three decades of experience across biotechnology, oncology drug development, business development, and capital markets. Prior to joining Calidi in 2025, he served as CEO of Molecular Templates, where he helped raise more than $250 million in equity financing and secured strategic partnerships with companies including Takeda, Vertex, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Poma held leadership roles at ImClone Systems during the rise of targeted cancer therapies, served as Vice President of Business Development at Innovive Pharmaceuticals, and worked as a healthcare and biotechnology analyst. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business.
Today we will discuss one of the most difficult challenges in oncology - how to successfully deliver powerful therapies to metastatic tumors throughout the body - and how Calidi's RedTail platform aims to use engineered oncolytic viruses as targeted delivery vehicles capable of reaching cancer cells, modifying the tumor microenvironment, and potentially enabling a new generation of genetic medicines.
CancerResearch #Oncology #Immunotherapy #GeneTherapy #Biotechnology #CancerTreatment #PrecisionMedicine #OncolyticVirus #CancerScience #BiotechInnovation #MetastaticCancer #IL15 #VacciniaVirus #GeneticMedicine #SyntheticBiology #TumorMicroenvironment #FutureOfMedicine #DrugDelivery #Biopharma #EricPoma #CalidiBiotherapeutics #CancerBreakthrough #MedicalInnovation #LifeSciences #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, oncologists have had to wait until cancer became visible on a scan before knowing whether it had returned. But what if doctors could detect microscopic traces of cancer months earlier with a simple blood draw - and use that information to decide who actually needs treatment? Today we're exploring a breakthrough that may fundamentally change the way cancer is monitored and treated.
Eric Matthews is General Manager of Biopharma at Natera ( https://www.natera.com/ ), a leader in personalized molecular diagnostics and the company behind Signatera, the first FDA-approved molecular residual disease companion diagnostic.
Over the past 25 years, Eric has helped bring nine medicines to market across nineteen indication launches, building a career at the forefront of oncology, precision medicine, and biopharmaceutical innovation.
Before joining Natera, Eric served as Chief Business Officer at Caris Life Sciences, where he focused on diagnostic, data, and drug discovery partnerships. Prior to that, he was Chief Commercial Officer at Arcus Biosciences, helping forge major strategic collaborations including Arcus' landmark partnership with Gilead Sciences.
Eric's previous leadership roles include Vice President of Global Marketing for Immuno-Oncology at AstraZeneca and commercial leadership positions at Genentech and Roche, where he worked on some of the most influential cancer therapies of the modern era, including Avastin and Tecentriq.
Eric holds an MBA in Health Sector Management, a Master's in Health Policy and Economics, and dual bachelor's degrees in Molecular Biology and Economics from Duke University.
Today we discuss the future of molecular residual disease testing, how personalized blood-based diagnostics are changing cancer care, the recent FDA approval of Signatera as the first MRD companion diagnostic, and what the next decade may hold for truly individualized oncology.
CancerResearch #CancerDetection #PrecisionMedicine #Oncology #LiquidBiopsy #Signatera #Natera #CancerCare #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #Immunotherapy #Tecentriq #BladderCancer #MolecularBiology #PersonalizedMedicine #CancerTreatment #MedicalInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #Biotechnology #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, medicine has recognized that pregnancy and menopause transform nearly every system in the body. Yet only recently have researchers begun asking a simple question: what happens to chronic skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis during these major biological transitions? The answers may reveal one of the biggest blind spots in modern medicine.
Dr. Doral Fredericks, PharmD, MBA is Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs and Outcomes Research at Organon ( https://www.organon.com/ ), a global healthcare company focused on improving women's health throughout every stage of life.
With nearly three decades of experience spanning clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical development, medical affairs, and healthcare strategy, Dr. Fredericks has held senior leadership roles across some of the world's leading healthcare organizations, including Organon, Dermavant Sciences, ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Bausch + Lomb, Novartis, AstraZeneca, and Kaiser Permanente.
Throughout her career, Dr. Fredericks has led global medical affairs organizations, overseen clinical development programs, real-world evidence generation, physician education initiatives, and outcomes research efforts across multiple therapeutic areas. Her work has focused on translating scientific innovation into meaningful improvements in patient care while helping healthcare systems better understand the unique needs of diverse patient populations.
Today, Dr. Fredericks is helping drive a growing conversation around female dermatology - a field examining how major biological transitions such as pregnancy, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, and menopause can profoundly influence chronic skin diseases including eczema, psoriasis, and other inflammatory conditions.
On this episode, we'll explore why women's skin health remains an underrecognized area of medicine, how hormonal and immune changes across a woman's lifespan affect dermatologic disease, and what the future of personalized care may look like as researchers begin paying closer attention to the unique biology of female patients.
WomensHealth #Dermatology #Menopause #Psoriasis #Eczema #SkinHealth #Healthcare #PrecisionMedicine #AutoimmuneDisease #Hormones #Postpartum #PregnancyHealth #MedicalResearch #Inflammation #Medicine #Organon #Dermatologist #HealthyAging #Longevity #HealthcareInnovation #SciencePodcast #MedicalScience #FutureOfMedicine #SkinDisease #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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He spent fifty-five years searching for answers. Dozens of doctors. Hundreds of tests. Twelve different diagnoses. And what he discovered wasn't just a problem with medicine - it was a problem with the system itself.
Haresh Patel ( https://hareshpatel.ai/ ) is an entrepreneur, engineer, Founder and CEO of Sanare Health AI ( https://sanarehealth.ai/ ), and author of the memoir The Ghost in My Body: What Twelve Doctors Couldn't Find ( https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-My-Body-Doctors-Couldnt-ebook/dp/B0GL561XNC ).
After immigrating from India and earning an electrical engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame, Haresh built a distinguished career in Silicon Valley, ultimately founding Mercatus, a private-markets data platform that grew to manage more than $1.5 trillion in assets before being acquired by State Street in 2021.
But behind that business success was a deeply personal story. For more than 55 years, Haresh lived with unexplained symptoms, navigating a maze of specialists, tests, and conflicting diagnoses without ever receiving a clear answer. Rather than accepting the limitations of the system, he applied the same systems-thinking and pattern-recognition skills that made him successful in technology and finance to his own health journey.
That experience led Haresh to a provocative conclusion: many patients don't suffer from a lack of doctors - they suffer from a lack of synthesis. Modern medicine excels at specialization, but often struggles to connect information across disciplines, timelines, and life experiences.
Today, Haresh is the founder of Sanare Health AI, an AI-powered diagnostic intelligence platform designed to help patients with complex, chronic, and undiagnosed conditions uncover patterns hidden within fragmented medical data. His mission is to give physicians a more complete picture of the patient, empower individuals to own their health stories, and help solve one of healthcare's most overlooked challenges: the millions of people still searching for answers.
We discuss diagnostic failure, AI in medicine, data sovereignty, root-cause healthcare, and what happens when a patient spends a lifetime becoming the expert on his own condition.
HareshPatel #TheGhostInMyBody #SanareHealth #ArtificialIntelligence #AIHealthcare #RareDisease #UndiagnosedDisease #DiagnosticOdyssey #PrecisionMedicine #RootCauseMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #MedicalAI #HealthTech #ChronicIllness #PatientAdvocacy #Longevity #MedicalDiagnostics #ComplexPatients #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Before your heart, brain, or lungs fully developed, one remarkable temporary organ was making decisions that may influence your health for decades. Dr. Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn ( https://www.placentascience.com/ ) explains why the placenta could be the most important organ you've never thought about.
Dr. Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Woman, Mother & Baby Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center ( https://www.tuftsmedicine.org/research-clinical-trials/research-institutes-research-specialty/woman-mother-baby-research-institute ) and a Research Associate Professor in both Obstetrics & Gynecology at Tufts University School of Medicine ( https://www.tuftsmedicine.org/research-clinical-trials/research-institutes-research-specialty/woman-mother-baby-research-institute/laboratories/otierney-ginn-laboratory ) and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy ( https://nutrition.tufts.edu/academics/faculty/perrie-otierney-ginn ).
A self-described "Perinatal Ecologist," Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn studies one of the most remarkable - and often overlooked - organs in human biology: the placenta. Her research explores how a mother's nutritional status, metabolism, and environment shape placental function, influence fetal growth, and ultimately affect lifelong health outcomes.
Supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn's work focuses on understanding how nutrients are transported from mother to baby, how maternal obesity and metabolic health alter fetal development, and how the placenta acts as a sophisticated biological sensor that helps determine the earliest foundations of human health.
With a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Anatomy from Queen's University and leadership roles at Case Western Reserve University and Tufts Medical Center, Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn is helping redefine our understanding of pregnancy - not as a nine-month event, but as one of the most important developmental windows influencing health across the entire lifespan.
Placenta #Pregnancy #MaternalHealth #WomensHealth #DevelopmentalBiology #Longevity #Metabolism #Obesity #Diabetes #Nutrition #PrecisionMedicine #Epigenetics #Microbiome #SciencePodcast #Medicine #FetalDevelopment #TuftsMedicine #PublicHealth #PreventiveMedicine #FutureOfHealth
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Dogs can detect explosives, narcotics, missing persons, and even disease. But what if their greatest superpower isn't finding things - it's sensing molecular changes inside the human body long before symptoms appear? Today we're exploring whether the canine nose may hold the key to the next generation of cancer diagnostics.
Itamar Bitan is the Co-Founder of Dognosis ( https://www.dognosis.tech/ ), a pioneering company working to unlock one of nature's most extraordinary sensing systems - the canine nose - and combine it with cutting-edge brain-computer interfaces and machine learning.
Driven by a passion for both human health and working dogs, Itamar brings together an unusual blend of expertise spanning elite military operations, canine behavior, disease detection, and technology innovation. He spent nearly four years serving in Oketz, the Israeli Defense Forces' elite special operations K9 unit, where he worked as both a combat soldier and commander, developing deep expertise in canine training, scent detection, and high-pressure operational environments.
Following his military service, Itamar became the first employee and Head of Operations at Dog-Prognose, a groundbreaking Israeli startup focused on disease-detection dogs, helping advance the use of canine scent detection for medical applications.
Today, at Dognosis, Itamar and his team are pursuing an ambitious vision: digitizing canine scent perception itself. By combining the remarkable olfactory abilities of trained dogs with brain-computer interfaces, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, Dognosis aims to create a new generation of diagnostic tools capable of detecting diseases - including cancer - earlier, faster, and potentially more accurately than ever before.
Itamar's work raises profound questions about the future of medicine, the untapped biological capabilities of animals, and how technology may help us translate nature's most sophisticated sensing systems into scalable healthcare solutions.
CancerDetection #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #BrainComputerInterface #BCI #CancerResearch #EarlyDetection #Dogs #MedicalInnovation #Biotechnology #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #MachineLearning #PrecisionMedicine #LiquidBiopsy #CanineDetection #CancerScreening #HealthTech #Diagnostics #SciencePodcast #STEM #Innovation #FutureTech #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, we’ve talked about the digital revolution - but according to Professor Klaus Schwab, we’ve already moved beyond it. We’re now entering what he calls the Intelligent Age - where intelligence itself becomes the most valuable resource on Earth.
Professor Klaus Schwab is Founder of the World Economic Forum and one of the most influential thinkers on how technological and societal systems evolve ( https://schwabacademy.org/klaus-schwab ).
Over more than five decades, Professor Schwab helped shape global conversations around stakeholder capitalism and the Fourth Industrial Revolution - frameworks that examined how digital technologies were transforming economies and institutions.
Now, in a new phase of his work, Professor Schwab has turned his focus to what he calls the “Intelligent Age” - a period defined not just by digital tools, but by the convergence of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing as foundational drivers of society.
Through a series of recent books - including Thriving and Leading in the Intelligent Age, Longevity and Retirement in the Intelligent Age, Restoring Truth and Trust, and Universities in the Intelligent Age - he explores how intelligence itself is becoming the world’s most important resource, and what that means for leadership, education, institutions, and human purpose.
At the core of Professor Schwab's work is a central question:
How do we ensure that as machines become more intelligent, societies become more human?
Important Episode Links -
Schwab Academy - https://schwabacademy.org/
Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship - https://www.schwabfound.org/home
Global Shapers Community - https://www.globalshapers.org/home
Thriving and Leading in the Intelligent Age: Mastering Change with Purpose - https://www.amazon.com/Thriving-Leading-Intelligent-Age-Mastering/dp/297019547X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0
Longevity and Retirement in the Intelligent Age: Opening New Horizons in Later Life - https://www.amazon.com/Longevity-Retirement-Intelligent-Age-Horizons/dp/2970198800/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
Universities, Professors, and Students in the Intelligent Age: A Call for Systems Change - https://www.amazon.com/Universities-Professors-Students-Intelligent-Age/dp/2970198878/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0
Restoring Truth and Trust: An Agenda for the Intelligent Age - https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Truth-Trust-Agenda-Intelligent/dp/2970198835/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
KlausSchwab #IntelligentAge #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #LifelongLearning #FourthIndustrialRevolution #AI #Longevity #FutureOfEducation #DigitalTransformation #HumanCentricAI #Leadership #Innovation #GlobalEconomy #SystemsThinking #FutureOfSociety #EducationReform #AIRevolution #TechnologyTrends #WorkforceTransformation #PurposeDrivenLeadership #Reskilling #Upskilling #FutureTrends #Podcast
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What if aging isn’t just biology…but also psychology - and your brain is quietly shaping how fast you age every day?
Dr. Srini Pillay, MD ( https://drsrinipillay.com/ ) is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, brain researcher, entrepreneur, author, and expert in the science of human potential, resilience, and longevity.
Dr. Pillay previously served as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and directed both the Outpatient Anxiety Disorders Program and the Panic Disorders Research Program in Brain Imaging at McLean Hospital, one of the world’s leading psychiatric institutions.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Pillay has focused on understanding how the brain shapes performance, creativity, emotional health, leadership, and even biological aging. His work bridges neuroscience, psychiatry, technology, and human behavior - translating cutting-edge brain science into practical tools for individuals, organizations, and healthcare systems.
Dr. Pillay is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Reulay ( https://www.reulay.com/ ), an AI-driven digital therapeutics and mindset technology company focused on healthy longevity, stress reduction, and human performance. He is also founder of the NeuroBusiness Group ( https://nbgcorporate.com/ ), where he works with leaders and organizations around the world on brain-based approaches to innovation, adaptability, resilience, and navigating complexity in the age of AI.
Dr. Pillay is the author of several influential books including Tinker Dabble Doodle Try ( https://www.amazon.com/Tinker-Dabble-Doodle-Try-Unfocused/dp/1101883650 ), which explores the neuroscience of creativity and the untapped power of the brain’s unconscious processing systems.
Today, we’ll explore the fascinating intersection of neuroscience, psychobiology, longevity, mindset, AI-powered therapeutics, creativity, and the future of human performance - and ask how our thoughts, attention, and environments may be shaping our biology far more than we realize.
Important Episode Links -
Reulay: https://www.reulay.com/mindset?via=dr-srini
Implementing The Science Behind the Law of Attraction: https://loacourse.drsrinipillay.com/special
Dr. Srini Pillay Socials:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/drsrinipillay/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsrinipillay/
Meta: https://www.facebook.com/SriniPillayMD
X: https://x.com/drsrinipillay
TikTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.srinipillay
Substack: https://drsrinipillay.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
Dr. Srini Pillay Free products:
Ideal Self Guide: https://nas.com/drsrini/products/ideal-self-guide
Weekly newsletter on mind-body connection: Sign up here: https://drsrinipillay.com/
Dr. Srini Pillay Paid products:
Book: Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: https://www.amazon.com/Tinker-Dabble-Doodle-Try-Unfocused/dp/1101883650
Book: Life Unlocked: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Unlocked-Revolutionary-Lessons-Overcome/dp/1609611462
Neuroscience #Longevity #HumanPotential #MindsetMatters #Psychobiology #BrainHealth #AgingScience #Healthspan #MentalHealth #StressManagement #AIHealth #DigitalTherapeutics #Neuroplasticity #FutureOfHealth #HealthTech #WellbeingScience #PerformanceScience #MindBodyConnection #LongevityScience
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He spent decades interviewing some of the toughest athletes on the planet. Meanwhile, he was quietly battling a condition that at times covered nearly his entire body. Today, for the first time, Paul shares the story behind the story.
Paul is an 11-time Emmy Award-winning sports television producer whose career has taken him behind the scenes of some of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment.
For more than sixteen years, Paul served as a senior producer, helping create acclaimed documentaries, television series, and feature programming seen by millions. Along the way he has interviewed and produced stories featuring some of the most recognizable names in sports and popular culture, including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, Charles Barkley, Deion Sanders, Eminem, and many others.
Paul has led large-scale productions, won multiple national Emmy Awards, and directed feature-length documentaries, including projects that reached the top of the streaming charts.
But behind that successful career was a challenge most viewers never knew about.
Since childhood, Paul has lived with severe eczema, a chronic inflammatory skin condition that at times affected nearly his entire body. The condition impacted everything from sleep and travel to confidence, comfort, and everyday interactions. For years he largely kept those struggles private while continuing to work in some of the most visible and demanding environments in professional sports media.
Today we'll talk about Paul's remarkable career in sports storytelling, what it was like navigating a visible chronic condition in a culture that often celebrates toughness and silence, and why broader conversations around men's health need to include conditions that affect quality of life, mental well-being, and self-confidence.
Important Episode Links -
Nemluvio Web Page - https://www.nemluvio.com/
Nemluvio Safety Information - https://www.galderma.com/sites/default/files/2024-12/Nemluvio_Dual%20PI%20for%20website%2013Dec24.pdf
Nemluvio FDA Approval Press - https://www.galderma.com/news/galderma-receives-us-fda-approval-nemluvior-nemolizumab-patients-moderate-severe-atopic
MensHealth #EczemaAwareness #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #AtopicDermatitis #MentalHealth #HealthAndWellness #SportsMedia #NFLFilms #Resilience #QualityOfLife #HiddenStruggles #Nemluvio #MensHealthMonth #HealthAwareness #PersonalStory #PodcastInterview #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #PPPShow #ChronicDisease #Inspiration
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We spend enormous amounts of time trying to extend life - but almost no time learning how to deal with the fact that it ends. And that gap is creating enormous suffering for families.
Dr. Marianne Matzo, Ph.D., FAAN is a nationally recognized gerontologist, hospice nurse, educator, researcher, and advocate whose career has been devoted to one of the most universal - and often avoided - human experiences: dying.
Dr. Matzo is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, one of the profession's highest honors, and served as Professor and the Frances E. and A. Earl Ziegler Chair in Palliative Care Nursing at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Over a distinguished academic career, she helped shape the field of palliative care education, co-authoring the first palliative care nursing textbook published in the United States, now in its fifth edition.
Dr. Matzo's research has explored everything from end-of-life communication and assisted dying to sexual health among people living with serious illness, helping to advance both clinical practice and public understanding.
Following her retirement from full-time academia, Dr. Matzo launched the nonprofit organization Everyone Dies ( https://every1dies.org/ ), dedicated to public education about serious illness, dying, death, and bereavement. Through podcasts, educational resources, and children's literature, she is working to transform how Americans think about mortality and helping families navigate some of life's most difficult conversations with greater confidence, compassion, and clarity.
Today we'll explore Dr. Matzo's remarkable career, the evolution of hospice and palliative care, why our culture struggles to discuss death, and what it would mean to build a society that approaches the end of life with wisdom rather than fear.
DeathEducation #PalliativeCare #HospiceCare #EndOfLifeCare #GriefSupport #Healthcare #MedicalEthics #Aging #Gerontology #AdvanceCarePlanning #HospiceNurse #PublicHealth #Longevity #DeathPositive #SeriousIllness #Caregiving #Wellness #Medicine #Bioethics #EveryoneDies
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What if we could recreate the inside of a star - not in theory, but inside a laboratory on Earth using the world’s most powerful lasers?
Dr. Mario Manuel, Ph.D. is a plasma physicist and laser-science researcher at whose work sits at the frontier of fusion energy, laboratory astrophysics, high-energy-density physics, and advanced laser diagnostics. Trained in applied plasma physics and aerospace engineering, Dr. Manuel has spent his career developing new ways to visualize and understand the extreme electromagnetic environments created when ultra-powerful lasers interact with matter.
Dr. Manuel's research has spanned some of the most ambitious scientific efforts underway today - from inertial fusion energy and plasma-instability control to recreating supernova-like shock waves in the laboratory and generating ultra-intense gamma-ray and particle beams using petawatt-class lasers.
Early in his career, Dr. Manuel helped pioneer advanced proton-radiography techniques capable of imaging invisible electric and magnetic fields inside laser-produced plasmas, work that opened new windows into the turbulent physics that can either enable or destroy fusion reactions.
Today at General Atomics ( https://www.ga.com/ ), Dr. Manuel is involved in next-generation high-repetition-rate laser systems and the GALADRIEL ( https://www.ga.com/galadriel/ ) facility, where researchers are developing the automation, diagnostics, AI-driven optimization, and rapid experimental capabilities that may ultimately make practical laser fusion energy possible. His work also bridges into laboratory astrophysics, where miniature laser-driven plasmas are used to study the same collision-less shocks, turbulence, and magnetic-field generation processes that occur in supernova remnants and other extreme cosmic environments.
With collaborations spanning facilities such as the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California, and the OMEGA Laser Facility in Rochester, New York, along with partnerships across the fusion-energy and laboratory-astrophysics communities, Dr. Manuel represents a new generation of interdisciplinary scientists using ultra-powerful lasers not only to pursue practical fusion energy, but also to recreate and study some of the most extreme physical processes in the universe. From plasma turbulence and magnetic-field generation to collision-less shocks and high-energy particle acceleration, his work connects the quest for clean energy with the physics of stars, supernovae, and cosmic plasmas.
fusionenergy #nuclearfusion #nationalignitionfacility #laserscience #plasmaphysics #labastrophysics #supernova #gammaRays #particlephysics #inertialconfinementfusion #cleanenergy #futureofenergy #deeptech #sciencepodcast #generalatomics #livermore #omegaLaser #highenergyphysics #physics #aiinscience #fusionbreakthrough #scienceinterview
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What if modern medicine has become incredibly good at saving children’s lives…but society still hasn’t figured out how to help many of those children truly live afterward?
Dr. Nicholas Holekamp, MD is the Chief Health Transformation Officer at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in St. Louis ( https://rankenjordan.org/about-us/leadership/nicholas-holekamp-md/ ), one of only a handful of pediatric bridge hospitals in the United States and the only one of its kind in Missouri ( www.RankenJordanFoundation.org ).
For more than two decades, Dr. Holekamp has helped pioneer a radically different approach to caring for children with complex medical conditions through Ranken Jordan’s innovative “Care Beyond the Bedside” model - a philosophy built around a deceptively simple but powerful idea: children heal better when they are active, engaged, social, and out of bed.
Under Dr. Holekamp's leadership, Ranken Jordan evolved from a small 26-bed pediatric nursing facility into a nationally recognized 60-bed specialty hospital focused on helping medically complex children transition safely from intensive hospital care back to home and community life.
A graduate of Dartmouth College and Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Holekamp completed his pediatric residency at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center before joining Ranken Jordan in 2000. Along the way, he has become one of the leading voices in pediatric complex care and transitional medicine.
Dr. Holekamp's work has combined clinical care, hospital transformation, and research - including published studies demonstrating how movement, play, environment, and family-centered care can improve outcomes for medically fragile children while potentially reducing healthcare utilization and costs.
Dr. Holekamp has been recognized for both his medical leadership and community impact, including receiving the Missouri Foundation for Health’s Dr. Corinne Walentik Leadership in Health Award and delivering a TEDxStLouis talk on the future of pediatric healing and healthcare transformation.
Today, as Chief Health Transformation Officer, Dr. Holekamp is focused on sharing the lessons of Ranken Jordan with hospitals and healthcare systems across the country - challenging long-held assumptions about what healing environments for children should actually look like.
Pediatrics #ChildrensHospital #MedicalEthics #HealthcareInnovation #PediatricCare #Neurodevelopment #ChildrenWithMedicalComplexity #HealthcarePodcast #Medicine #PediatricMedicine #HospitalInnovation #CriticalCare #Bioethics #FamilyCenteredCare #HealthcareLeadership #MedicalResearch #VentilatorCare #Rehabilitation #PediatricRehabilitation #FutureOfHealthcare #HealthcareSystems #MedicalTechnology #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #HealthcareTransformation #PediatricICU
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Over the last several years, artificial intelligence has transformed from a speculative concept in healthcare into one of the most heavily funded movements in pharmaceutical and biotech history.
But in 2026, the conversation is changing. The question is no longer whether AI can generate molecules, analyze pathology slides, or identify patterns in clinical data. The real question is: which of these technologies can survive the complexity of biology, regulatory scrutiny, clinical validation, and real-world deployment?
Today we’re joined once again by returning guest Bill Taranto, President and Founding Partner of the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund ( https://www.merckghifund.com/ ), alongside Managing Director, Dr. David Rubin, who brings a deep scientific background spanning molecular biology, oncology, precision medicine, and digital health investing.
Together, Bill and David sit at a unique intersection of pharma strategy, venture investing, translational science, and clinical deployment. Through investments across AI-driven drug discovery, precision medicine, diagnostics, and digital health - including early involvement with companies like PathAI - they’ve had a front-row seat to what’s actually working in AI-enabled healthcare…and what still breaks down when these systems encounter real-world medicine.
Today we’ll explore where AI is genuinely creating value across the pharmaceutical stack, why some approaches are beginning to achieve meaningful validation, what investors and pharma companies are now demanding beyond hype, and how entirely new experimental models - from organoids to AI-native biology platforms - may reshape the future of drug development.
AI #ArtificialIntelligence #DrugDiscovery #Biotech #Pharma #HealthcareAI #PrecisionMedicine #DigitalHealth #Oncology #PathAI #Roche #Biology #MachineLearning #BiotechInvesting #VentureCapital #Merck #DigitalPathology #ClinicalTrials #FutureOfMedicine #LifeSciences #AIHealthcare #MedicalInnovation #Biotechnology #CancerResearch #PrecisionOncology #Bioinformatics #HealthcareInnovation #Pharmaceuticals #MedTech #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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For decades, agriculture and energy were treated as separate worlds. But what happens when farms become part of the global energy infrastructure? Ofer Haviv joins us to discuss the rise of castor as a next-generation industrial crop, the future of sustainable aviation fuel, and how AI-driven biology is transforming agriculture itself.
Ofer Haviv is CEO of Casterra ( https://casterra.co/ ) and longtime President and CEO of Evogene ( https://evogene.com/ ), one of the pioneers in computational biology and AI-driven agricultural innovation.
For more than two decades, Ofer has helped lead the transformation of crop science from traditional breeding into a data-driven discipline powered by predictive biology, artificial intelligence, and advanced genomics. He played a key role in Evogene’s spin-off from Compugen in 2002 and has guided the company through its evolution into a global computational biology platform with applications spanning agriculture, human health, industrial biotechnology, and sustainable materials.
Today, Ofer also serves as CEO of Casterra, an Evogene subsidiary focused on transforming castor farming into a scalable industrial platform for the future bioeconomy. Through elite castor seed varieties and integrated farming solutions, Casterra is helping address growing global demand for sustainable feedstocks used in biofuels, aviation fuel, lubricants, polymers, cosmetics, and other bio-based industries.
With increasing pressure on the world to decarbonize transportation, strengthen energy security, and develop more sustainable industrial supply chains, Casterra’s work sits at the convergence of agriculture, climate technology, and renewable energy innovation.
Ofer holds a degree in Economics and Accounting from Tel Aviv University and is a Certified Public Accountant in Israel.
OferHaviv #Casterra #Evogene #Biofuels #SustainableAviationFuel #SAF #ClimateTech #Agriculture #AgTech #Biotech #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #ComputationalBiology #RenewableEnergy #GreenEnergy #FutureOfEnergy #IndustrialBiotech #Castor #SustainableFarming #EnergyTransition #Bioeconomy #CarbonNeutral #FutureTech #ClimateInnovation #CleanTech #Aviation #JetFuel #SustainableTechnology #FoodTech #PrecisionAgriculture
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Every once in a while, a simple question changes medicine forever.
For decades, chronic and traumatic wounds were among the most frustrating problems in healthcare. Doctors could clean wounds, dress wounds, and hope for healing - but many patients remained trapped in cycles of infection, inflammation, and failed recovery.
Then came one deceptively simple idea: What happens if you apply vacuum?
That question led to the creation of Vacuum Assisted Closure - better known worldwide as V.A.C.® Therapy ( https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/medical/advanced-wound-care/negative-pressure-wound-therapy/vac-therapy/ ) - developed by plastic surgeon Dr. Louis Argenta and biomedical engineer Dr. Michael Morykwas ( https://www.renovoconcepts.com/michaelmorykwasbio ).
The technology transformed wound care by using controlled negative pressure to remove fluid, stimulate blood flow, encourage tissue growth, and accelerate healing. What began as a bold experiment evolved into one of the most important advances in modern medicine, helping more than 20 million patients worldwide - from burn victims and diabetic patients to wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
For this groundbreaking work, Drs. Argenta and Morykwas were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame ( https://www.invent.org/inductees/michael-morykwas ).
Today, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Morykwas - bioengineer, inventor, scientist, and lifelong tinkerer - to explore the origins of this revolutionary technology, the science behind mechanobiology and wound healing, the long road from prototype to global adoption, and what the future of regenerative medicine may look like next.
Photo Credit - National Inventors Hall of Fame
MichaelMorykwas #VACtherapy #WoundHealing #RegenerativeMedicine #Mechanobiology #BiomedicalEngineering #MedicalInnovation #NegativePressureWoundTherapy #TissueEngineering #HealthcareInnovation #PlasticSurgery #Bioengineering #MedicalBreakthrough #Inventor #NationalInventorsHallOfFame #RegenerativeScience #MilitaryMedicine #FutureOfMedicine #MedTech #SciencePodcast #InnovationPodcast #HealthcareTechnology #StemCells #WoundCare #MedicalScience
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For years, T cell therapies have transformed blood cancers - but solid tumors have remained one of the hardest problems in medicine. Now a new company called Deck Bio believes the issue isn’t just finding a better target...it’s that cancer may never have been a single-target disease in the first place.
Dr. Jack Silberstein, Ph.D. is the Founder and CEO of Deck Bio ( https://deck.bio/ ), a biotechnology company developing next-generation T cell engager therapies designed to address one of the most persistent challenges in solid tumor immunotherapy: antigen heterogeneity and immune escape.
Deck Bio’s platform takes a multi-target approach, engineering T cell receptors to simultaneously recognize multiple peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes, with the goal of improving both tumor specificity and durable anti-tumor activity while reducing the on-target/off-tumor toxicity that has limited earlier T cell engager strategies.
Prior to founding Deck Bio, Dr. Silberstein trained as an immunology Ph.D. at Stanford University, where he was a Bio-X interdisciplinary fellow, and later worked at Johns Hopkins University on early clinical and translational oncology studies, including work on AR-V7 as a resistance biomarker in prostate cancer and early immune checkpoint combination trials. His background spans both deep immunology and real-world clinical translation in oncology.
Dr. Silberstein joins us following Deck Bio’s recent preclinical presentation at AACR 2026 in San Diego, where the company shared early data on its multi-pMHC targeting strategy.
DeckBio #JackSilberstein #Immunotherapy #CancerResearch #TCellEngagers #Biotech #AACR2026 #SolidTumors #CancerTherapy #TCellTherapy #PrecisionMedicine #Oncology #TCRTherapy #CancerInnovation #Biotechnology #ImmuneSystem #CellTherapy #CancerBreakthrough #SyntheticBiology #FutureOfMedicine
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What if the next pandemic could be identified, diagnosed, and targeted with programmable CRISPR therapeutics before it spreads globally? That’s exactly what Seek Labs is trying to build.
Jared Bauer is CEO of Seek Labs ( https://seeklabs.com/ ), a clinical-stage TechBio company developing an integrated platform that combines AI-driven genomic intelligence, rapid field diagnostics, and CRISPR-based therapeutics designed to identify and potentially counter emerging pathogens faster than ever before.
In a world where outbreaks can spread globally before traditional systems even identify the threat - as we saw with COVID and more recently with delayed hantavirus confirmation cases - Seek Labs is asking a bold question: what if diagnostics and therapeutics could be programmed and deployed at the speed of software?
Jared is also Chairman of BioHive Utah ( https://www.biohive.com/ ), one of the fastest-growing life science ecosystems in the United States, and has spent his career at the intersection of biotech innovation, AI, diagnostics, and public health preparedness.
We discuss AI-driven drug discovery, CRISPR therapeutics, programmable outbreak response, biodefense infrastructure, and what the next generation of pandemic preparedness may actually look like.
SeekLabs #JaredBauer #CRISPR #AI #Biotech #PandemicPreparedness #BioDefense #Diagnostics #Therapeutics #GeneEditing #SyntheticBiology #InfectiousDisease #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #PrecisionMedicine #Biotechnology #BARDA #ARPAH #DiseaseSurveillance #TechBio #OutbreakResponse #Biosecurity #AIinHealthcare #MedicalInnovation #Podcast
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Most people assume national security delays are about technology.
They’re not. They’re about paperwork - and it can take up to two years just to deploy software the government already wants.
Andrew Black is a national security entrepreneur, cybersecurity executive, and emerging technology strategist whose career has sat at the intersection of AI, defense, cyber risk, and global security operations.
Andrew is currently the CEO of Kovr.ai ( https://kovr.ai/ ) an AI-native cyber compliance platform focused on one of the biggest bottlenecks in modern national security: getting software and cloud systems authorized for use in highly regulated and classified environments. Kovr.ai is using AI to automate complex compliance frameworks like FedRAMP and CMMC, helping organizations become “ATO-ready” (Authority to Operate) in minutes rather than months.
Andrew also now serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Fortreum ( https://fortreum.com/ ) which recently acquired Kovr.ai
Before joining Kovr.ai, Andrew led emerging technology initiatives at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he worked with government leaders on next-generation capabilities spanning artificial intelligence, generative AI, quantum computing, high-performance computing, edge systems, and space technologies.
Andrew's career has also included leadership roles at Gartner, advisory work with the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, venture investing with NextGen Venture Partners, and teaching national security and data analysis as adjunct faculty at Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Earlier in his career, Andrew worked in counter-terrorism, threat modeling, and risk analytics, building data-driven systems to allocate anti-terrorism resources and anticipate geopolitical instability in frontier and conflict-affected regions.
A graduate of University of St Andrews and Georgetown University, Andrew has spent two decades helping government and industry navigate increasingly complex technological and security landscapes - and today he’s focused on transforming how AI can accelerate trust, compliance, and operational readiness across the defense ecosystem.
AI #Cybersecurity #NationalSecurity #DefenseTech #FedRAMP #CMMC #ATO #ArtificialIntelligence #GovTech #CyberCompliance #CloudSecurity #KovrAI #DoD #ZeroTrust #EmergingTech #Startup #MachineLearning #CyberDefense #FutureOfAI #GovernmentTechnology
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Every product you buy has a journey - but for most companies, that journey is basically invisible until something goes wrong.
Today we are diving into one of the most overlooked - yet absolutely essential - pieces of global commerce: the pallet. Every year, billions of products move across the world sitting on these simple platforms, but despite the rise of AI, IoT, robotics, and digital supply chains, the pallet itself has remained largely unchanged for decades.
Our guest today is trying to change that.
Joining us is Rodrigo Castro, Co-Founder and President of Adaptive Pallet Solutions ( APS - https://adaptivepalletsolutions.com/ ), a Philadelphia-based company building what they call a “supply chain intelligence platform” powered through smart pallets. APS leases 100% recyclable plastic pallets embedded with IoT sensors capable of tracking location, temperature, humidity, shock, load status, theft, and other real-time logistics data across global supply chains.
Rather than treating pallets as disposable infrastructure, APS is transforming them into connected data assets - helping Fortune 500 companies gain visibility into food, pharmaceutical, retail, and logistics operations while also reducing waste and improving sustainability.
Rodrigo brings a fascinating mix of finance, infrastructure, and operational thinking to the problem. Prior to APS, he worked in investment banking at PNC Bank within the Financial Institutions Group, was an investor at LL Funds focused on specialty finance and fintech, and is also Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 912 Capital Partners, where he focuses on major secular growth themes including manufacturing, electrification, digital infrastructure, and supply chains.
Rodrigo is also a graduate of Amherst College, where he studied Economics and German, and spent time studying abroad at the University of Vienna.
Today we’ll explore how something as humble as the pallet became a massive blind spot in modern logistics, why the future of supply chains may depend on real-time physical intelligence, and how connected infrastructure could reshape everything from pharmaceuticals and food safety to retail and global trade resilience.
SupplyChain #Logistics #Innovation #IoT #SmartPallets #ColdChain #PharmaLogistics #FoodSupplyChain #RetailTech #InsurTech #AIinLogistics #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #IndustrialIoT #DigitalTransformation #WarehouseAutomation #SupplyChainVisibility #FutureOfLogistics #TechInnovation #AdaptivePalletSolutions
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What if medicines could actually “decide” when and where to activate inside the body? MIT-trained synthetic biologist Dr. Jacob Becraft, Ph.D. is building programmable therapies that behave less like traditional drugs…and more like biological software.
Dr. Becraft is Co-Founder and CEO of Strand Therapeutics ( https://www.strandtx.com/ ), a company pioneering what may become one of the next great frontiers in medicine: programmable mRNA therapeutics.
Long before mRNA became a household term through COVID vaccines, Dr. Becraft and his colleagues at MIT were developing what has been described as the world’s first synthetic biology programming language for mRNA - technology designed not simply to deliver genetic instructions, but to create logic-driven therapies capable of making decisions inside living cells.
Now Strand is translating that vision into cancer therapeutics, with early clinical data from its lead candidate STX-001 showing responses in patients with advanced solid tumors who had exhausted conventional options - including evidence of systemic immune activity and even complete responses.
Beyond the science, Jake is also a leading voice in synthetic biology, biotech entrepreneurship, and the future relationship between software, biology, and medicine.
StrandTherapeutics #JacobBecraft #SyntheticBiology #mRNA #ProgrammableMedicine #CancerImmunotherapy #Immunotherapy #Biotech #PrecisionMedicine #GeneTherapy #SyntheticBiologyEngineering #FutureOfMedicine #Oncology #CAR_T #mRNATherapeutics #Bioengineering #IL12 #RNA #MIT #CellTherapy #Longevity #Biotechnology #MedicalInnovation #NextGenMedicine #CancerResearch #AIinBiology #HealthcareInnovation #GeneticMedicine #ScientificBreakthrough #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Bladder cancer treatment is entering a new era. From gene therapy and bladder preservation to AI-assisted diagnostics and the challenge of detecting “hidden” CIS, Dr. Ravi Chauhan, MD, FACS breaks down the technologies and clinical decisions reshaping urology in 2026.
Dr. Ravi Chauhan, MD, FACS ( https://conradpearson.com/our-specialists/ravi-d-chauhan-m-d-facs/ ) is a board-certified urologist, fellowship-trained uro-oncology specialist, and one of the leading voices in advanced kidney and bladder cancer care in the Mid-South.
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Chauhan graduated Cum Laude from Rhodes College with a degree in molecular biology before earning his M.D. and completing both his general surgery internship and urologic surgery residency at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He joined the Conrad Pearson Clinic in 2005 and has since become a recognized leader in the treatment of advanced bladder and kidney cancers, with numerous publications and presentations to his name.
Dr. Chauhan’s path into medicine was deeply personal. Inspired by watching his father practice medicine and witnessing the profound impact physicians can have on patients and families, he developed a philosophy centered on treating every patient with the same compassion, respect, and attention he would want for his own family.
In addition to his expertise in surgical urology and uro-oncology, Dr. Chauhan has become increasingly focused on one of the biggest challenges in modern bladder cancer management: identifying and treating high-risk non–muscle invasive bladder cancer - or NMIBC, particularly carcinoma in situ - or CIS , which can often be difficult to detect in routine clinical practice.
Today, we’ll discuss the evolving diagnostic landscape for CIS, why missed or under-recognized disease can significantly impact treatment decisions, and the growing importance of collaboration between urologists and pathologists. We’ll also explore how community urologists are navigating these rapidly evolving standards of care, the future of precision bladder cancer management, and what it means for patients facing this disease.
We’ll also discuss bladder-sparing approaches, including Adstiladrin® (nadofaragene firadenovec-vncg), an intravesical gene therapy for adults with high-risk Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-unresponsive NMIBC with CIS, with or without papillary ( https://www.adstiladrin.com/ ).
ADSTILADRIN should not be used in patients with hypersensitivity to interferon alfa or its components, and individuals who are immunosuppressed or immune-deficient should not handle or receive the therapy. Delaying cystectomy in patients with BCG-unresponsive CIS could lead to development of muscle invasive or metastatic bladder cancer, which can be lethal. If patients with CIS do not have a complete response to treatment after 3 months or if CIS recurs, consider cystectomy.
The most common adverse reactions include urinary discharge, fatigue, bladder spasm, urgency to urinate, and blood in urine. Patients should consult their healthcare provider regarding all medications and report any side effects. Please see full Prescribing Information ( https://d2hu1op93domjx.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/24101239/ADSTILADRIN-USPI-Mar.2026-CLEAN.pdf ) for additional details.
BladderCancer #Urology #CancerResearch #BladderCancerAwareness #NMIBC #CarcinomaInSitu #CIS #UroOncology #GeneTherapy #CancerTreatment #PrecisionMedicine #BCG #BladderPreservation #MedicalInnovation #Oncology #CancerCare #Immunotherapy #HealthcareInnovation #Urologist
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Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in multiple countries - yet it receives only a fraction of the attention of other public health crises. Why?
Acacia Landfield is Associate Director, Principal Investigator, and Director of Policy & Implementation Science at The Drowning Research & Injury Prevention Policy Institute ( DRIPPI - https://www.drippi.org/ ), a multidisciplinary nonprofit consortium focused on reducing drowning deaths through research, education, systems thinking, and policy innovation.
Acacia brings together an unusually broad background spanning public health, international diplomacy, education, implementation science, and aquatic safety. A lifelong swim coach and water safety educator, she has spent more than 25 years working across injury prevention, public policy, and community education, with a mission to address one of the world’s most overlooked public health crises: childhood drowning.
Acacia's work focuses on what she calls “universal basic aquatic competency” - the idea that early, gentle, developmentally informed water exposure can fundamentally change drowning outcomes across entire populations. Her research explores everything from breathing mechanics and motor learning in the water to the unintended downstream effects of flotation devices and inequities in aquatic infrastructure.
Acacia is also helping reframe drowning prevention as part of a much larger conversation around climate resilience, disaster preparedness, urban planning, and health equity. As a 2024 Presidential Road Safety Scholar with the American Public Health Association, and an active contributor to climate and disaster preparedness initiatives, she is pushing for drowning prevention to be treated not as a niche issue, but as a core pillar of public health policy worldwide.
Before co-founding DRIPPI and launching her research initiative SASE, Acacia held leadership and strategy roles at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and the U.S. Department of State, where she worked on international education, diplomacy, and policy initiatives across multiple countries and sectors.
Acacia holds degrees from Yale University and San José State University, is completing her MPH, and plans to pursue a DrPH focused on implementation science and injury prevention.
Today, we’ll explore why drowning remains one of the leading causes of death for children worldwide, why many current prevention models may be incomplete, and how a systems-level rethink of aquatic literacy could potentially save tens of thousands of lives each year.
DrowningPrevention #WaterSafety #AquaticLiteracy #Swimming #PublicHealth #ClimateResilience #ChildSafety #AquaticCompetency #DRIPPI #AcaciaLandfield #InjuryPrevention #SwimSafety #Aquatics #GlobalHealth #ClimateChange #ImplementationScience #AquaticEducation #SwimmingLessons #Parenting #HealthPodcast #Longevity #BrainHealth #DisasterPreparedness #HealthInnovation #WaterCompetency
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What if the biggest problem in nuclear energy isn’t reactor technology…but paperwork, regulation, and institutional bottlenecks? Today we explore how AI could compress nuclear deployment timelines from decades to years.
Kevin Kong is founder and CEO of Everstar ( https://everstar.ai/ ), a company building advanced AI reasoning systems designed to accelerate the deployment of nuclear power and modernize the infrastructure workflows surrounding the industry.
Now when most people think about nuclear innovation, they think about reactors, fusion, uranium, or next-generation fuels. But Kevin and his team are focused on a very different problem - the massive institutional and cognitive bottlenecks that slow nuclear projects down. We’re talking about years of regulatory review, millions of pages of compliance documentation, fragmented engineering systems, workforce shortages, operational complexity, and the enormous burden of coordinating safety-critical infrastructure at scale.
Everstar is building AI systems intended to transform that process - converting dormant technical documentation into what they call ‘active intelligence.’ Their platform combines advanced reasoning models, retrieval systems, multimodal AI, computer vision, and eventually robotics and sensor integrations to help accelerate engineering review, licensing, inspections, compliance workflows, and industrial decision-making inside the nuclear ecosystem.
The company recently participated alongside the Department of Energy, Idaho National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Microsoft in the DOE’s Genesis Mission initiative - where Everstar demonstrated AI-assisted nuclear licensing workflows capable of generating NRC-style regulatory documentation in a fraction of the traditional timeline. The project has become an early example of how reasoning-based AI systems may begin operating inside some of the world’s most highly regulated industries.
Kevin’s own background is unusually interdisciplinary. Before entering nuclear, he worked across software engineering, AI infrastructure, data systems, mobility technology, venture investing, and crisis logistics. He held leadership roles at companies including Bird and Rakuten, co-founded the AI data platform Hyperquery, studied economics and organizational sociology at Harvard University, and later pursued nuclear engineering coursework at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In this conversation, we explore:
- why nuclear energy may be essential for the future of AI and civilization-scale energy demand;
- how reasoning systems could accelerate infrastructure deployment;
- whether AI is ready for high-consequence industries like nuclear;
- the future of AI-assisted licensing and compliance;
- digital twins, robotics, and autonomous inspections;
- the growing energy demands of AI datacenters;
and - the deeper question of whether the true bottleneck to civilization is no longer physics…but institutional throughput itself.
NuclearEnergy #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #NuclearPower #EnergyAbundance #SMR #SmallModularReactors #NuclearInnovation #FutureOfEnergy #EnergyInfrastructure #AIInfrastructure #KevinKong #Everstar #AdvancedAI #NuclearEngineering #CleanEnergy #EnergySecurity #MachineLearning #IndustrialAI #Datacenters #FusionEnergy #TechPodcast #FutureTech #EnergyTech #Infrastructure #Robotics #ComputerVision #AIRevolution #NRC #EnergyTransition
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For decades, the beauty industry focused on creams, serums, and surface-level solutions. But what if aging skin is really a reflection of something much deeper happening inside our cells?
Today’s guest is François Vix, a longtime global beauty and wellness executive who has spent more than four decades at the intersection of skincare science, redox biology and oxidative stress research, and healthy aging.
François began his career inside some of the world’s biggest beauty and consumer health companies, holding senior leadership roles at L'Oréal, Lancôme, Biotherm, Johnson & Johnson, Neutrogena, and RoC Skincare, where he helped scale global brands across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Along the way, he became increasingly fascinated by a deeper scientific question: are we truly addressing the biological root causes of skin aging and inflammation - or simply treating the visible symptoms?
That question eventually led François towards a new look at the science of redox biology, oxidative stress and the body’s endogenous antioxidant systems, particularly the enzyme Superoxide Dismutase, or SOD - one of the body’s first-line defenses against free radical damage.
In 2001, François founded ISOCELL Laboratories ( https://www.glisodin.org/ ), focused on developing clinically studied approaches, including the GliSODin nutricosmetics brand, to supporting the body’s own antioxidant defense mechanisms. Over the last two decades, the company has expanded internationally into more than 50 countries and has explored applications spanning skin health, inflammation, immune function, pigmentation disorders, and longevity science.
Today, François speaks widely about redox biology and oxidative stress, integrative dermatology, and what he calls “beautyspan” - the idea that the future of beauty may increasingly be tied to cellular resilience, metabolic health, and healthy aging from within.
FrançoisVix #GliSODin #OxidativeStress #FreeRadicals #Longevity #Beautyspan #AntiAging #Perimenopause #MenopauseHealth #SkinHealth #HealthyAging #Mitochondria #RedoxBiology #Antioxidants #SOD #SuperoxideDismutase #IntegrativeMedicine #FunctionalMedicine #SkinLongevity #Biohacking #Healthspan #Inflammaging #LongevityScience #BeautyScience #Hormones #WomensHealth #CellularHealth #AgingResearch #WellnessPodcast #IraPastor
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Some of the most important cancer and autoimmune disease drugs in the world still require patients to sit in infusion chairs for hours - but that model may be about to change entirely.
Matthew Huddleston is Chief Commercial Officer at Enable Injections ( https://enableinjections.com/ ), a medical device company focused on rethinking how large-volume biologic drugs are delivered to patients.
Enable’s core technology, the enFuse® on-body delivery system, is designed to shift certain therapies from traditional intravenous infusion to subcutaneous, wearable administration - potentially transforming treatment from something that requires a clinic visit into something that can be done at home, more comfortably and more conveniently.
What makes this particularly interesting is where Enable sits in the broader biopharma ecosystem. The company is actively partnering with major pharmaceutical innovators including Sanofi, Roche, Incyte, and Viridian Therapeutics to support the transition of complex biologics into subcutaneous delivery formats.
One of the clearest signals of momentum is that Sanofi’s Sarclisa combined with Enable’s on-body injector has been recommended for approval in Europe by the CHMP, with FDA review ongoing - highlighting that this is no longer theoretical innovation, but an emerging commercial pathway.
Enable is also extending its platform through collaboration with Aptar Pharma and its digital health division, integrating companion software to support patients throughout therapy - bringing drug delivery closer to a connected care ecosystem, where device, data, and treatment adherence increasingly converge.
On this episode we will unpack how this platform works, what it enables for pharma partners, and how wearable drug delivery could reshape the future of biologics.
biotech #medtech #drugdelivery #biologics #pharma #oncology #multiplemyeloma #medicaldevices #healthtech #wearabletech #subcutaneous #infusiontherapy #drugdevelopment #pharmaceuticalindustry #innovation #digitalhealth #enableinjections #sanofi #roche #incyte #clinicaltrials
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Most autoimmune drugs suppress the immune system broadly - but what if you could selectively remove the antibodies actually causing disease? That’s exactly what VYVGART is doing, and it may fundamentally change how we treat conditions like myasthenia gravis and CIDP.
Dr. Luc Truyen, M.D., Ph.D., is Chief Medical Officer at argenx ( https://argenx.com/ ), where he leads the company’s global clinical development and medical strategy across a rapidly advancing portfolio of immunology and neuromuscular therapies.
A neurologist by training, Dr. Truyen brings more than two decades of experience in drug development, with a particular focus on neuroscience, neuroimmunology, and complex CNS disorders. Before joining argenx in 2021, he spent over 20 years at Johnson & Johnson and its pharmaceutical division Janssen Pharmaceuticals, where he held multiple senior leadership roles.
Most notably, Dr. Truyen served as Global Head of Development for Neuroscience at Janssen, overseeing early- and late-stage pipelines spanning mood disorders, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. He also led global external affairs efforts in Alzheimer’s disease, playing key roles in major international collaborations such as the Innovative Medicines Initiative and global dementia platforms.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Truyen was Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer of Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy, where he helped guide strategy across research, clinical development, and regulatory functions for novel immunotherapies targeting Alzheimer’s disease.
At argenx, Dr. Truyen is now helping drive the expansion of VYVGART (efgartigimod), a first-in-class FcRn antagonist, across multiple indications including myasthenia gravis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), while advancing a broader pipeline aimed at transforming treatment paradigms in autoimmune and neuromuscular diseases.
Dr. Truyen earned both his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neurology from the University of Antwerp.
LucTruyen #argenx #VYVGART #efgartigimod #MyastheniaGravis #CIDP #AutoimmuneDisease #Neurology #Biotech #Pharma #DrugDevelopment #FcRn #Immunology #RareDisease #ClinicalTrials #AAN2026 #MedicalInnovation #HealthcareInnovation #BiotechPodcast #LifeSciences #Neuroimmunology #IVIG #PrecisionMedicine #FutureOfMedicine
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In the time it will take you watch this episode, over 2,000 people around the world will die from diseases driven by arterial plaque. But what if we could actually remove the toxic cholesterol already trapped inside arteries?
Today we’re diving into one of the biggest unsolved problems in medicine and aging: how do you actually remove arterial plaque instead of merely slowing its progression?
Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading killer, despite decades of statins, anti-inflammatory drugs, and newer RNA-based therapies. Most existing treatments help manage cholesterol and reduce risk, but very few directly target the toxic debris already embedded inside plaques.
But what if we could literally extract some of the most dangerous oxidized cholesterol molecules from the body?
My guest today is Dr. Matthew ‘Oki’ O’Connor, Ph.D. - CEO and Co-Founder of Cyclarity Therapeutics ( https://cyclaritytx.com/ ), a biotech company developing engineered cyclodextrin molecules designed to bind and remove 7-ketocholesterol, or 7KC - a toxic oxidized cholesterol strongly implicated in atherosclerosis, inflammation, plaque instability, and even broader age-related diseases.
Just recently, the company presented first-in-human clinical data at the American Heart Association Vascular Discovery Scientific Sessions showing dose-dependent urinary excretion of 7KC - potentially the first clinical evidence that this toxic molecule can be safely mobilized and removed from the human body.
We’ll discuss what 7KC actually is, why oxidized cholesterol may be a root driver of cardiovascular disease, how engineered cyclodextrins work like molecular “sponges,” what the new human data really shows - and what it would mean if medicine could move from slowing plaque progression to truly reversing it.
HeartDisease #Atherosclerosis #Longevity #CardiovascularDisease #PlaqueReversal #AgingResearch #Biotech #Cholesterol #OxidizedCholesterol #7Ketocholesterol #Cyclarity #Healthspan #PrecisionMedicine #AIinBiotech #DrugDiscovery #PreventiveMedicine #Cardiology #AntiAging #Lifespan #MedicalInnovation #SENS #FoamCells #Plaque #HeartAttack #StrokePrevention
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One of the biggest drivers of hospital admissions isn’t what most people think - it’s fluid. Not infection, not surgery…fluid overload. And when the body stops responding to diuretics, medicine runs into a wall.
Today we’re exploring one of the most challenging and underappreciated frontiers in hospital medicine: fluid overload and the cardiorenal continuum - where heart failure and kidney dysfunction intersect in ways that dramatically affect outcomes, costs, and quality of life.
Our guest is Ryan Marthaler, Vice President of Product Marketing and Business Development at Nuwellis, Inc. ( https://nuwellis.com/ ), a medical technology company focused on integrated fluid management solutions for both adult and pediatric patients.
Ryan brings a two-decade career spanning Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, and digital health innovation - working at the intersection of clinical evidence, commercial strategy, and product development. At Nuwellis, he has helped drive a strategic shift toward earlier intervention in fluid management and stronger evidence-based commercialization.
We’ll be discussing the company’s core therapy platform, including the Aquadex SmartFlow System, a controlled ultrafiltration system designed to remove excess fluid in patients with fluid overload who are unresponsive to diuretics.
Beyond the technology, this conversation is really about a bigger question:
How do we better manage fluid balance across the heart-kidney axis - and what happens when we intervene earlier, more precisely, and more consistently?
HeartFailure #CardiorenalSyndrome #FluidOverload #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalDevices #CriticalCare #Nephrology #Cardiology #HospitalMedicine #MedTech #Ultrafiltration #KidneyDisease #ICU #HealthTech #HealthcareEconomics #MedicalInnovation
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Pharma has only explored a tiny fraction - less than one-tenth of one percent - of all possible drug-like molecules. So the question is: what happens when AI suddenly opens up the other 99.9%?
Dr. Olga Nissan, Ph.D. is Vice President of Business Development at Evogene ( https://evogene.com/ ) where she leads pharmaceutical partnerships for the company’s ChemPass AI generative chemistry platform - an advanced system designed to dramatically expand the searchable universe of drug-like molecules.
With over 15 years of experience spanning biotech, pharma, and computational biology, Dr. Nissan operates at the intersection of science, strategy, and commercialization. Prior to Evogene, she was Co-Founder and CEO of Protica Bio, a precision oncology company focused on translating novel biological insights into therapeutic opportunities. Earlier in her career, she held scientific and operational roles at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, as well as EcoPhage and BiomX, building expertise across microbiology, molecular biology, and translational R&D.
Dr. Nissan has a strong track record of advancing technologies from early discovery through clinical and commercial partnerships, and of aligning cutting-edge innovation with the practical needs of pharmaceutical companies. She earned her Ph.D. and completed her postdoctoral training at the Weizmann Institute of Science.
DrugDiscovery #AIinPharma #GenerativeAI #Biotech #PharmaInnovation #ChemistryAI #MachineLearning #DrugDevelopment #PharmaceuticalIndustry #Bioinformatics #AIResearch #ChemPass #Evogene #ComputationalChemistry #FutureOfMedicine #DrugDesign #DeepLearning #HealthcareInnovation #BiotechNews #SciencePodcast
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For decades, medicine focused on helping us live longer. Then came healthspan - helping us stay healthier longer. But what if the next frontier is something even deeper: joyspan… the quality, meaning, and fulfillment of the years we actually live?
Today’s conversation sits at the intersection of healthcare delivery, aging science, and one of the most important - and perhaps least discussed - questions in modern medicine:
How do we help people not simply live longer… but live fulfilled lives?
For decades, healthcare systems have largely measured success through clinical outcomes - lowering blood pressure, reducing hospitalizations, extending survival curves. But as populations age and chronic disease becomes increasingly intertwined with loneliness, purpose, financial security, cognition, and emotional well-being, a much broader picture of health is emerging.
And that broader picture is exactly what we explore on this episode.
Joining us is Dr. Sanjay Shetty, MD, President of CenterWell ( https://www.centerwell.com/ ) and a senior leader at Humana ( https://www.humana.com/ ).
Dr. Shetty has one of the most fascinating and diverse backgrounds in modern healthcare - physician, radiologist, Harvard Medical School faculty member, Bain healthcare strategist, hospital system operator, value-based care leader, and now the executive overseeing one of America’s largest senior-focused healthcare platforms spanning primary care, home health, pharmacy, and military health services.
Under Dr. Shetty's leadership, CenterWell has increasingly focused on the idea that healthcare for older adults must move beyond episodic medicine and toward deeply integrated, personalized, and human-centered care.
We’re also joined by Dr. Kerry Burnight, Ph.D. ( https://drkerryburnight.com/ ) - gerontologist, educator, elder justice advocate, and author of the bestselling book Joyspan ( https://www.amazon.com/Joyspan-Science-Thriving-Lifes-Second/dp/1546007350 ).
Dr. Burnight has spent decades studying aging not as decline, but as a stage of life that can be rich with purpose, connection, growth, and meaning. Her work challenges the fear-driven “anti-aging” narrative and introduces the concept of “joyspan” - the quality, vitality, and emotional richness of the years we live.
Together, our guests bring two critically important perspectives:
one from the operational front lines of transforming healthcare delivery for millions of seniors…and the other from the psychological, emotional, and social science of what actually makes later life meaningful.
Part of today’s discussion will center around a fascinating new CenterWell/Humana report titled Understanding Fulfillment for Older Adults: Definition and Impact ( https://assets.humana.com/is/content/humana/CenterWell%20Understanding%20Fulfillment%20in%20Older%20Adultspdf ), which examined more than 5,500 Americans over age 62 and attempted to quantify something medicine rarely measures directly: fulfillment.
The findings are remarkable: that fulfillment in later life is influenced less by traditional clinical variables alone and more by factors like self-contentment, purpose, optimism, gratitude, emotional connection, and feeling appreciated by others.
So on this episode, we ask:
- Can healthcare systems measure fulfillment?
- Should fulfillment become a clinical endpoint?
- What happens when longevity medicine evolves from merely extending lifespan… to supporting joyspan?
- And how do we redesign healthcare, communities, technologies, and even culture itself around what older adults actually value most?
Aging #Longevity #Healthspan #Joyspan #Fulfillment #CenterWell #Humana #SanjayShetty #KerryBurnight #HealthyAging #SeniorCare #FutureOfHealthcare #Gerontology #Loneliness #ValueBasedCare #HealthcareInnovation #PrecisionHealth #AgingWell #HealthcareTransformation #OlderAdults #LongevityScience #Purpose #Wellbeing #HomeHealthcare #PPPShow
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What if saving a life isn’t a single moment…but the beginning of thousands of future moments that only exist because someone chose to act?
Today’s guests are father-daughter duo Brad Newbury ( https://bradnewbury.com/ ) and Kiera Newbury ( https://kieranewbury.com/ ) - two voices at the intersection of emergency medicine, leadership, resilience, and human impact.
Brad is a veteran Fire Captain and paramedic with nearly four decades on the front lines of emergency response.
Over the course of his career, Brad has trained thousands of EMTs and paramedics around the world and built one of the pioneering online EMS education platforms through National Medical Education & Training Center Inc. ( NMETC - https://nmetc.com/ ). Drawing from years of responding to crises, leading under pressure, and building businesses while serving in the firehouse, Brad recently authored the Amazon #1 bestseller The First Responder Advantage ( https://www.amazon.com/First-Responder-Advantage-Thriving-Business/dp/1967424837 ), a guide showing how the mindset and skills developed in emergency services can translate into entrepreneurship, leadership, and long-term impact.
Joining Brad is his daughter Kiera, an EMT and emerging voice in emergency preparedness and public health advocacy.
Together, Brad and Kiera co-authored The Saved Effect ( https://www.amazon.com/Saved-Effect-Stories-Reclaimed-Willing/dp/1637635923 ), a deeply human exploration of what happens after a life is saved - the ripple effects that extend into families, futures, communities, and generations. Through true stories of cardiac arrests, rescues, bystander CPR, and ordinary people stepping forward in extraordinary moments, the book asks a powerful question: What if the most important part of saving a life is everything that comes afterward?
Together, Brad and Kiera bring a rare blend of frontline experience, leadership under pressure, entrepreneurship, public service, and deeply personal storytelling - all centered around one core belief: preparedness, courage, and the willingness to act can change the trajectory of countless lives.
FirstResponders #Paramedic #EMT #EmergencyMedicine #CPR #TheSavedEffect #BradNewbury #KieraNewbury #Firefighter #EMS #Healthcare #Preparedness #CardiacArrest #Leadership #Resilience #PublicHealth #MedicalStories #BystanderCPR #EmergencyResponse #LifeSaving #Podcast #HealthcareInnovation #MentalHealth #Trauma #EMSLeadership
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We used to think of DNA as something we read. Now we’re starting to treat it like something we write - and that changes everything about how medicine gets made.
Dr. Patrick Finn, Ph.D. is President and COO of Twist Bioscience ( https://www.twistbioscience.com/ ), a company that’s helping turn biology into something you can engineer, iterate, and even industrialize.
Dr. Finn has spent his entire career building the infrastructure layer of modern biotech - from sequencing and sample prep at Beckman Coulter and Invitrogen, to scaling commercial platforms at Agilent Technologies and now Twist.
Dr. Finn also served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Enzymatics (recently acquired by QIAGEN), leading commercial activities for North America and Europe, delivering significant top line growth and expanding the base of business to business customers.
So this isn’t just a conversation about the future - it’s about how the tools that make the future possible are actually built and deployed.
On this episode we go beyond the buzzwords and dig into what it really means to “program biology”, and how close we actually are to designing medicines the way we design software.
In addition to his role at Twist, Dr. Finn currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Lasergen and previously served on the Scientific Advisory Board of Enzymatics. He holds a PhD in Nucleic Acid Chemistry from Southampton University and a BSc Hons in Chemistry from Heriot-Watt University.
SyntheticBiology #Biotech #DrugDiscovery #AIinHealthcare #ArtificialIntelligence #DNA #Genomics #Bioengineering #ProgrammableBiology #CRISPR #GeneTherapy #Biotechnology #LifeSciences #MachineLearning #AIResearch #PharmaInnovation #Biology #SciencePodcast #FutureOfMedicine #Biodesign #SyntheticDNA #GenomeSequencing #Bioeconomy #DeepTech #HealthTech
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For more than 30 years, small cell lung cancer has remained one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers - marked by rapid progression, high relapse rates, and very few meaningful advances. But that may finally be starting to change.
Today, we’re joined by Dr. Angela Coxon, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Development at Amgen ( https://www.amgen.com/ ), where she helps lead the development of next-generation therapies aimed at tackling exactly these kinds of challenges. Her work spans discovery research, translational medicine, and molecular oncology - bridging the gap between early scientific insight and real-world impact for patients.
If you’ve been following the show, you may remember our conversation with Amgen's Dr. Ryan Potts, where we explored the emerging concept of Induced Proximity - the idea that instead of simply blocking biology, we can design drugs that bring components together to create entirely new functions. That idea is now playing out in the clinic through approaches like bispecific T-cell engagers, which physically link immune cells to cancer cells and force a targeted immune response - offering a new way to go after tumors that have historically been very hard to treat.
Dr. Coxon earned her D. Phil in Molecular Biology from the University of Oxford and completed postdoctoral training in vascular biology at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She has built her career at the intersection of cutting-edge biology and strategic drug development, contributing to Amgen’s pipeline in areas of significant unmet need, including lung cancer.
SmallCellLungCancer #SCLC #CancerBreakthrough #Immunotherapy #CancerResearch #Biotech #Amgen #DrugDevelopment #Oncology #CancerTreatment #BiTE #BispecificAntibodies #InducedProximity #PrecisionMedicine #ClinicalTrials #MedicalInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #LungCancerAwareness #TranslationalMedicine #Biology #SciencePodcast #HealthcareInnovation #CancerTherapy #Pharma #NextGenMedicine
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What if the future of medicine isn’t about treating disease…but detecting it 20 years before symptoms ever appear? Dr. Julie Chen, MD is helping lead one of the newest precision-health companies trying to build that future.
Dr. Julie Chen, MD is a physician operating at one of the most interesting intersections in modern medicine: rigorous clinical research, precision longevity medicine, integrative care, and the rapidly evolving world of AI-driven health optimization.
Dr. Chen graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Rochester before earning her M.D. with Distinction in Research and Alpha Omega Alpha honors from the university’s School of Medicine. She went on to complete her internal medicine residency and later trained in integrative medicine under Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
Over the course of her career, Dr. Chen has conducted research and published work through institutions including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and University of Southern California.
Dr. Chen has also become a prominent operational leader in the longevity industry, serving in executive medical roles at companies including Human Longevity, Inc., Vitagene, and now as Chief Medical Officer of Radence ( https://radence.com/ ) and Sidestep Health AI. She additionally serves as a Leadership Circle Advisor for the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.
What makes Dr. Chen particularly compelling is that she has seen the longevity ecosystem from nearly every angle: academic medicine, FDA-level research, integrative clinical care, Silicon Valley health-tech, and AI-enabled prevention.
In today’s conversation, we’ll explore where the science around longevity is genuinely promising, where the hype may be outrunning the evidence, how precision medicine is shifting toward early disease interception, and what responsible longevity medicine should actually look like in an era increasingly driven by consumer demand and social-media-driven health trends.
Longevity #Peptides #PrecisionMedicine #Healthspan #DrJulieChen #PreventiveMedicine #Biohacking #Aging #DiseaseInterception #GLP1 #LongevityMedicine #AIHealthcare #IntegrativeMedicine #HealthOptimization #HumanLongevity #FutureOfMedicine #MetabolicHealth #PreventiveHealth #Biotech #CraigVenter #Wearables #Biomarkers #Genomics #Radence
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Psychedelic medicine is no longer fringe science - it’s now part of White House policy discussions, FDA fast-track programs, and a rapidly emerging neuropsychiatric industry. But can these therapies truly become scalable standards of care?
Eric So is Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Helus Pharma ( https://www.helus.com/ ), a company focused on developing next-generation serotonergic therapies for mental illness and advancing the broader field of psychedelic-assisted psychiatry. With a multidisciplinary background spanning science, law, finance, and entrepreneurship, Eric has spent his career building and scaling public and private companies across emerging sectors.
Before launching Helus Pharma in 2019, Eric was involved with a number of high-growth ventures, including leadership roles at Globalive Technology and Therapix Biosciences Ltd., where he gained firsthand experience navigating the intersection of biotechnology innovation, regulation, and capital markets. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Cell Biology and Anatomy from McGill University before obtaining his law degree from University of Windsor.
Today, Eric is helping shape conversations around how psychedelic medicines move from promising experimental therapies into scalable, evidence-based standards of care. His work comes at a pivotal moment for the field, as regulators, policymakers, clinicians, and industry leaders debate how to responsibly accelerate treatments for conditions such as depression, PTSD, addiction, and treatment-resistant mental illness - particularly for veterans and underserved patient populations.
Following recent recognition of Helus Pharma in a White House discussion around psychedelic drug development and policy, Eric joins us to discuss the future of psychedelic medicine, the evolving regulatory landscape, and what it will take to translate scientific promise into real-world psychiatric care.
Psychedelics #MentalHealth #PsychedelicMedicine #Psychiatry #Neuroscience #Biotech #HelusPharma #EricSo #DepressionTreatment #PTSD #VeteransMentalHealth #PsychedelicTherapy #Neuroplasticity #PrecisionPsychiatry #FDA #DrugDevelopment #Ibogaine #Psilocybin #SerotonergicAgonists #FutureOfMedicine #Longevity #BrainHealth #Biotechnology #MentalHealthInnovation #HealthcareInnovation
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What if the next breakthrough cancer therapy can’t be manufactured on Earth at all?
In this episode, BioOrbit CEO Dr. Katie King explains how microgravity may unlock entirely new classes of medicines - from ultra-precise biologics to cancer therapies manufactured in orbit aboard future pharmaceutical factories in space.
Dr. Katie King, Ph.D is a scientist, entrepreneur, and space-tech innovator working at the intersection of biotechnology, nanomedicine, and orbital manufacturing.
Dr. King is the Co-Founder and CEO of BioOrbit ( https://www.bioorbit.space/ ), a pioneering company developing pharmaceutical manufacturing platforms in microgravity with the goal of revolutionizing cancer treatment. BioOrbit is focused on producing next-generation medicines in space - particularly highly structured biologics and crystallized therapeutics that may be difficult or impossible to manufacture optimally on Earth due to gravity-driven limitations. The company is preparing for a major in-orbit demonstration mission connected to the International Space Station and upcoming launch activity in 2026.
Dr. King earned her Ph.D. in Nanomedicine and Chemistry from the University of Cambridge, where her research focused on self-assembling nanoparticle systems for biosensing and precision medicine applications in collaboration with AstraZeneca. Her work spans nanotechnology, drug delivery, materials science, and pharmaceutical engineering.
Beyond the lab, Dr. King has built a remarkably interdisciplinary career. She trained as an officer cadet with the Royal Air Force, interned with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on the Curiosity Rover’s Sample Analysis at Mars program, studied at the International Space University, and has become a leading advocate for using space technology to benefit humanity on Earth.
Dr. King is also a passionate science communicator and STEM advocate, serving as a Tech She Can Ambassador and helping inspire the next generation of women entering science and technology fields.
Dr. King has been recognized as an Everywoman in Tech Innovator Award winner and one of Codex World’s Top 50 Innovators - and today, she joins us to discuss one of the most fascinating frontiers in medicine: manufacturing pharmaceuticals in space.
SpacePharma #BioOrbit #KatieKing #SpaceMedicine #Microgravity #CancerResearch #Biotech #FutureOfMedicine #SpaceTech #OrbitalManufacturing #Nanomedicine #LongevityScience #ISS #DrugDiscovery #CancerTherapy #SpaceBiology #Pharmaceuticals #Innovation #DeepTech #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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What if the biggest public health threat to attention, sleep, relationships, and mental health isn’t a virus or a disease - but the device in your pocket?
Dr. Nidhi Gupta, MD ( https://reconnect.expert/Dr-Nidhi-Gupta ) is a pediatric endocrinologist, TEDx speaker, researcher, entrepreneur, and one of the leading voices exploring the intersection of technology, health, and human connection in the digital age.
Dr. Gupta is the Founder of the Phreedom Foundation, a nonprofit organization built around a simple but increasingly urgent mission: helping individuals, families, schools, and workplaces reclaim their time, attention, and sense of presence in a world dominated by screens and smart devices. Through coaching, retreats, school partnerships, and corporate workshops, she has helped spark a growing movement toward intentional living and healthier relationships with technology.
Long before “screen addiction,” “digital burnout,” and “attention fragmentation” became mainstream concerns, Dr. Gupta was already raising alarms about the hidden physiological and psychological costs of our always-connected culture. Her research and clinical observations have linked excessive digital engagement to anxiety, sleep disorders, burnout, obesity, diminished focus, and increasing social disconnection - especially among children and adolescents.
In parallel with her digital wellness work, Dr. Gupta is also the Founder of KAP Pediatric Endocrinology ( https://www.kapendocrine.com/ ), where she practices a direct-care model focused on personalized, unhurried medicine and deeper physician-patient relationships. She previously served as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and completed her pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
Dr. Gupta is also the best-selling author of Calm the Noise ( https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Noise-Digital-Addiction-Generation-ebook/dp/B0FPBSTR55 ), a deeply personal and science-based guide to navigating modern life with greater clarity, balance, and intentionality.
On this episode we explore the neuroscience and physiology of digital overuse, what screens are doing to our children and ourselves, the loneliness paradox of hyperconnectivity, the future of attention in the AI era, and how we can begin rebuilding healthier, more meaningful human lives in a world increasingly mediated by technology.
NidhiGupta #DigitalWellness #CalmTheNoise #ScreenAddiction #SmartphoneAddiction #MentalHealth #AttentionEconomy #DigitalDetox #Healthspan #BrainHealth #SleepHealth #Burnout #Parenting #ChildrenAndScreens #TechnologyAddiction #Longevity #Mindfulness #Focus #Neuroscience #Podcast #HealthPodcast #ScreenTime #Dopamine #DigitalBalance #Wellness
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Every year, thousands of newborns suffer devastating brain injury during birth - and despite decades of research, there are still no approved drug therapies for Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). But one biotech company believes it may finally have a solution.
Dr. Howard Berman, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of ReAlta Life Sciences ( https://realtalifesciences.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies for severe inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Berman brings a unique background spanning neuroscience, pharmacology, medical affairs, technology transfer, and biotech entrepreneurship. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Neuroscience from Weill Cornell Medical College, where his research focused on pain and temperature processing in the human brain using functional MRI. Over the course of his career, he has held roles at Novartis, Eli Lilly and Company, and AbbVie, working across oncology, neuroscience, immunology, and business development.
Dr. Berman later went on to found Coya Therapeutics, a company focused on regulatory T-cell biology and neurodegenerative disease, and has built a reputation for identifying and advancing novel therapeutic approaches at the intersection of science and translational medicine.
Today, Dr. Berman is leading ReAlta at a particularly important moment for the company. ReAlta recently announced a $40 million financing round to support the continued development of its lead therapeutic candidate, pegtarazimod, for the treatment of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, or HIE.
HIE is a devastating condition caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain during or around the time of birth. It remains one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and long-term neurological disability worldwide, often resulting in conditions such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and cognitive impairment. Despite decades of research, there are currently no approved drug therapies specifically targeting the underlying inflammatory injury associated with HIE.
Pegtarazimod represents a novel approach. Derived from a naturally occurring viral peptide, the therapy is designed to modulate two major upstream drivers of inflammatory damage - the complement system and neutrophil-mediated inflammation. Rather than focusing on a single downstream pathway, the strategy aims to intervene earlier in the inflammatory cascade that contributes to ongoing brain injury following hypoxic events.
The company’s ongoing Phase 2 STAR trial is currently evaluating pegtarazimod in newborns with moderate to severe HIE undergoing therapeutic hypothermia, which remains the current standard of care.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- the biology and clinical burden of HIE,
- why past therapeutic approaches have struggled,
- the scientific origins of pegtarazimod,
- how virus-derived peptides may open new approaches to immune modulation,
- and what success could ultimately mean for neonatal medicine and inflammatory disease more broadly.
NeonatalCare #HIE #HypoxicIschemicEncephalopathy #BrainInjury #NewbornHealth #Biotech #Inflammation #Neuroscience #NICU #DrugDevelopment #Pharma #HealthcareInnovation #ComplementSystem #Immunology #RareDisease #ClinicalTrials #Pediatrics #MedicalInnovation #ReAlta #HowardBerman #FutureOfMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #Neuroprotection #LifeSciences #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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What if you could ship a nuclear power plant like a container - and run it for years without refueling?
Josef Freundorfer is the CEO of Nuclea Energy ( https://www.nuclea.energy/ ), where he is leading the development of next-generation nuclear microreactors designed to bring reliable, zero-carbon power to some of the world’s most challenging environments.
An engineer by training, Josef brings hands-on experience across reactor design, fuel handling, and nuclear operations - having worked at Bruce Power and Candu Energy - combined with a strategic perspective shaped by his role as founder and president of Nuclear Potential Canada, where he has been an active voice in advancing nuclear innovation and public understanding.
At Nuclea, Josef is spearheading the development of the Morpheus Reactor - a lead-cooled, graphite-moderated microreactor platform aimed at powering remote communities, mining operations, defense installations, and energy-intensive infrastructure like data centers.
With a growing patent portfolio in nuclear plant design and a career spanning engineering, policy advocacy, and entrepreneurship, Josef sits at the intersection of technology, regulation, and market deployment - working to redefine how nuclear energy is built, deployed, and scaled in the 21st century.
nuclearenergy #microreactors #smallmodularreactors #SMR #advancednuclear #cleanenergy #energytransition #nuclearpower #HALEU #nextgenerationenergy #energydisruption #climatetech #deepphysics #energysecurity #AIinfrastructure #datacenters #miningenergy #offgridpower #leadcooledreactor #nuclearinnovation #canadanuclear #futureenergy
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On any given night, more than 750,000 people are homeless in America - but that number doesn’t even begin to tell the full story.
Today’s conversation sits at the intersection of advocacy, lived experience, and storytelling - because ending homelessness isn’t just a policy challenge, it’s a human one.
Our first guest, Donald Whitehead Jr., is one of the leading voices in the fight to end homelessness in America. As Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless ( https://nationalhomeless.org/ ), he brings more than 25 years of frontline and leadership experience across housing, recovery, and social services. But Donald’s work is also deeply personal - having experienced homelessness and addiction himself, he now helps shape national policy, elevate lived voices, and push for a more equitable system rooted in dignity and justice.
Joining him is Valerio Zanoli ( https://www.valeriozanoli.com/ ), an award-winning filmmaker and social entrepreneur who believes cinema can be a force for change. His latest documentary, HOMELESS ( https://homelessdocumentary.com/ ), goes beyond statistics to humanize the experience of homelessness - exploring the stories, dreams, and resilience of people too often overlooked. The film has already been featured at global forums and praised for its emotional depth and social impact ( https://buffalo8.com/project/homeless/ ).
Together, they represent two powerful lenses on the same issue: one from the front lines of advocacy and systems change, the other from behind the camera - shaping how the world sees and understands homelessness.
Let's Make a Difference Project - www.letsmakeadifference.info
Homelessness #HousingCrisis #EndHomelessness #SocialImpact #DocumentaryFilm #HousingFirst #PublicPolicy #AffordableHousing #MentalHealthAwareness #EconomicInequality #LasVegas #UrbanCrisis #NonprofitLeadership #StorytellingForChange #HumanStories #SocialJustice #Inequality #HomelessInAmerica #PolicyDebate #ImpactFilm
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There’s a hidden supply chain crisis happening in fine dining right now - and it’s something as simple, and as essential, as chocolate.
Brandon Olsen is a world-class chef and chocolatier known for blending high-end culinary artistry with bold, modern creativity. He trained at some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world, including The French Laundry under Thomas Keller, before becoming a standout force in Toronto’s culinary scene.
Brandon is the founder of CXBO Chocolates and co-founder of La Banane, where his visually striking and technically precise desserts - most famously the “Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg” - earned widespread acclaim.
Now, Brandon is making a pivotal shift from chocolatier to chocolate maker. As co-founder of As We Do Chocolate Company ( https://aswedochocolates.com/ ), he is stepping upstream in the value chain - taking control of the full bean-to-bar process to reimagine how chocolate is designed, produced, and delivered for professional kitchens.
Michael Held is a seasoned entrepreneur and capital strategist with nearly 35 years of experience building and scaling companies across industries. He is best known as the founder of LifeSpeak Inc., a digital mental health platform he grew from inception to approximately $50 million in annual recurring revenue before taking it public at a valuation of roughly half a billion dollars.
With a background spanning law, management consulting, and high-growth technology ventures - including roles at Monitor Group and Borden Ladner Gervais LLP - Michael brings deep expertise in scaling operations, capital formation, and strategic growth.
At As We Do Chocolate, Michael is focused on building the infrastructure and operational backbone required to create something rare in food: a scaled, chef-driven manufacturing platform designed to serve the evolving needs of North American hospitality.
ChocolateIndustry #BeanToBar #FoodSupplyChain #ChefLife #PastryChef #FoodInnovation #HospitalityIndustry #RestaurantBusiness #FoodTech #SupplyChainCrisis #CulinaryArts #GourmetDesserts #FineDining #Entrepreneurship #StartupStory #FoodManufacturing #MadeInNorthAmerica #LuxuryFood #ChocolateLovers #KitchenSecrets #BehindTheScenesFood #DisruptingIndustry #ScalingCraft #FoodBusiness #FutureOfFood
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We may be building something entirely new - a kind of digital nervous system for the planet, where satellites and AI are constantly sensing and interpreting what’s happening on Earth.
Sean Donegan is the Founder and CEO of Satelytics ( https://www.satelytics.com/ ), a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence to high-resolution satellite imagery to monitor and protect critical infrastructure at global scale. With more than three decades of experience in enterprise software and predictive analytics, Sean has built a career at the intersection of data, automation, and real-world industrial problem solving.
Long before “GeoAI” became a buzzword, Sean recognized the potential of combining remote sensing with advanced analytics to deliver continuous, actionable intelligence across vast physical assets - pipelines, power grids, and water systems that were historically difficult to monitor in real time. Under his leadership, Satelytics has helped move satellite-based monitoring from experimental pilot programs into core operational systems, enabling energy and utility companies to detect methane leaks, identify environmental risks, and prevent costly infrastructure failures before they escalate.
Sean is a serial entrepreneur who has founded or led four successful software companies. Prior to Satelytics, he spent 15 years as CEO of Westbrook Technologies, where he engineered one of the more dramatic turnarounds in enterprise software - transforming a struggling firm into a profitable global leader serving customers in more than 50 countries. Earlier, he developed predictive analytics platforms for the oil and gas sector through his firm Sean Allen LLC, laying the groundwork for the industrial AI applications he is advancing today.
Known for his energetic leadership style and sharp wit, Sean combines deep technical insight with a practical understanding of how large industrial operators adopt new technologies. Today, he is at the forefront of a major shift in how the world’s most critical infrastructure is monitored - where satellites, AI, and falling data costs are converging to make continuous, global surveillance not just possible, but essential.
GeoAI #SatelliteTechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #MethaneDetection #OilAndGas #EnergyInnovation #ClimateTech #RemoteSensing #SpaceTech #Infrastructure #Utilities #EnvironmentalMonitoring #DataAnalytics #PredictiveAnalytics #SmartInfrastructure #WildfirePrevention #TechPodcast #FutureOfAI #IndustrialAI #EarthObservation
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Doctors in North America are now prescribing something you can’t buy at a pharmacy… and it’s backed by a growing body of science.
Jennie McCaffrey is the Vice President of Health & Education at the BC Parks Foundation ( https://bcparksfoundation.ca/ ), where she leads initiatives designed to connect people to nearby nature for the benefit of both human health and the planet.
With a career spanning environmental education, behavior change, and large-scale community engagement, Jennie has worked across nonprofits, government, and industry to inspire action on biodiversity, climate, and public health. Her work has helped build movements around ambitious conservation goals like 25x25 and 30x30, while also translating those global targets into everyday human behaviors - getting people outside, active, and reconnected with nature.
Before stepping into her current role, Jennie led education and engagement efforts at the Invasive Species Council of BC, where she scaled programs dramatically during a period of rapid organizational growth. She has also spent over a decade delivering hands-on environmental education through the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and its WildBC program, empowering communities to better understand and protect the natural world.
Jennie holds a Master’s in Environmental Education and a Bachelor’s in Conservation Biology from University of British Columbia, and she brings both scientific grounding and deep community experience to her mission: making nature a daily, accessible part of people’s lives - and a cornerstone of healthier societies.
NatureAsMedicine #HealthyByNature #ParkPrescriptions #PaRx #PreventiveHealth #PublicHealthInnovation #MentalHealth #Longevity #BehaviorChange #EnvironmentalHealth #Biodiversity #ClimateAndHealth #OutdoorWellness #NatureTherapy #HealthcareInnovation #FutureOfHealth #PopulationHealth #WellnessStrategy #UrbanNature #HealthOptimization #BiohackingNature #Sustainability #BCParks #HumanPerformance #NatureConnection
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Today’s conversation sits at the intersection of one of the most ambitious - and most challenging - frontiers in modern medicine: regenerative cell therapy.
For decades, the vision has been incredibly compelling - replace damaged or dying cells with healthy ones, and you could potentially restore function in diseases like macular degeneration, spinal cord injury, hearing loss, and even Type 1 diabetes. But while the science has advanced, the field has consistently run into a different kind of barrier: how do you actually manufacture living cells as consistent, scalable, affordable therapies?
That’s not just a biology problem - it’s an engineering, manufacturing, and business problem.
And it’s one that today’s guest has spent his entire career navigating.
Brian Culley brings more than three decades of experience across the life sciences industry, spanning drug development, business development, and executive leadership. From early work in neuropharmacology at Neurocrine Biosciences, to technology transfer at University of California, San Diego, to building and leading public biotech companies like Mast Therapeutics, he’s seen the industry from nearly every angle - science, capital markets, partnerships, and operations.
Today, as CEO of Lineage Cell Therapeutics ( https://lineagecell.com/ ), Brian is applying that full spectrum of experience to one of the hardest problems in medicine: how to turn the promise of regenerative cell therapy into something that can actually reach patients at scale.
Under his leadership, Lineage has taken a manufacturing-first approach - building an integrated platform designed to deliver high-quality, ‘off-the-shelf’ cell therapies - and in the process has secured major partnerships with companies like Genentech and William Demant.
Today, we’re going to explore not just the promise of cell therapy - but what it really takes to make it real.
CellTherapy #RegenerativeMedicine #Biotech #StemCells #Longevity #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #Biotechnology #GeneTherapy #MedicalBreakthrough #DrugDevelopment #PrecisionMedicine #LifeSciences #Pharma #BiotechCEO #StartupBiotech #Innovation #SciencePodcast #Healthcare #AgingResearch #VisionRestoration #HearingLoss #SpinalCordInjury #Type1Diabetes #Genentech #LineageCellTherapeutics
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Imagine a device that can sense disease in real time… and treat it instantly. That’s the promise of Bioelectronics.
Dr. Robert Spoelgen, Ph.D. is Vice President and Head of Bioelectronics at Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany ( https://www.emdgroup.com/en/the-future-transformation/healing-power-electronics.html ), where he leads one of the company’s most forward-looking initiatives at the intersection of neuroscience, medical devices, and digital health. In this role, he founded and now drives Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany’s bioelectronics strategy, focused on developing implantable neurostimulation technologies - particularly selective peripheral nerve stimulation platforms - to treat chronic diseases and enable real-time patient monitoring.
Dr. Spoelgen’s work reflects a broader shift within pharma toward “beyond the pill” modalities, combining device-based therapies with data-driven insights. His team collaborates with medtech partners to develop precision neuromodulation approaches, including vagus nerve stimulation platforms aimed at conditions ranging from hypertension to inflammatory disease.
Before launching bioelectronics at Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany, Dr. Spoelgen led Technology Foresight & Scouting, where he helped identify and incubate new innovation domains including AI-driven drug discovery, liquid biopsy, neuromorphic systems, and synthetic biology. He was also a co-founder of Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany’s internal Business Builder unit, designed to create new ventures beyond the company’s traditional portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Spoelgen held executive and R&D leadership roles across biotech and med-tech, including serving as CEO of Anteis S.A. and leading medical device R&D at Merz Pharmaceuticals. His scientific foundation is in molecular neuroscience: he completed his PhD at the Max Delbrück Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School under Brad Hyman, focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration.
Dr. Spoelgen's early research - spanning amyloid biology, synaptic signaling, and neurogenesis - resulted in publications in leading journals such as Neuron, PNAS, and Journal of Neuroscience. This deep neuroscience background now informs his efforts to translate neural circuit insights into programmable therapeutic systems.
Bioelectronics #VagusNerve #Neurostimulation #FutureOfMedicine #DigitalHealth #PrecisionMedicine #Neuroscience #MedTech #HealthcareInnovation #Pharma #DrugDiscovery #Neurotechnology #ChronicDisease #Inflammation #AIinHealthcare #ClosedLoopSystems #Electroceuticals #MedicalDevices #Biotech #MerckKGaA
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Today on Progress, Potential And Possibilities, we explore a different kind of breakthrough in cognitive health - not a drug, not a device, but a simple daily practice that’s quietly transforming lives.
Our guest is Rob Liebreich, President and CEO of Goodwin Living ( https://goodwinliving.org/ ), an organization serving thousands of older adults across the Washington, D.C. region.
Rob has spent more than two decades at the forefront of senior living and aging services - leading large-scale communities, building platforms to improve how families navigate care decisions, and working to fundamentally shift the narrative around aging from one of decline to one of purpose and possibility.
But this story isn’t just professional - it’s deeply personal.
When Rob’s mother began experiencing cognitive decline, he refused to accept that deterioration was inevitable. Drawing on both his industry experience and a willingness to experiment, he developed a simple daily regimen - reading aloud, handwriting, and doing math - that helped her regain engagement, confidence, and independence.
What began as a personal intervention evolved into StrongerMemory ( https://strongermemory.org/ ), a free, research-backed program now used by more than 60,000 seniors nationwide. Supported by emerging research from George Mason University, StrongerMemory is challenging conventional assumptions about what’s possible in cognitive aging - and who gets access to meaningful care.
At a time when memory care can cost thousands of dollars per month and pharmaceutical solutions remain limited, Rob’s work raises a powerful question:
What if one of the most effective tools for brain health isn’t something you buy - but something you do, every day?
CognitiveDecline #Alzheimers #DementiaCare #BrainHealth #Neuroplasticity #AgingWell #Longevity #MemoryCare #SeniorLiving #HealthcareInnovation #PreventativeHealth #NonPharmacological #BrainTraining #MentalFitness #Caregiving #AgingPopulation #DigitalHealth #Healthspan #PodcastClips #FutureOfHealthcare #Wellness #CognitiveHealth #BrainExercises #StrongerMemory #Neuroscience #LongevityScience #HealthyAging #PublicHealth
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In times of crisis, innovation doesn’t slow down - it accelerates.
Over the past several years, Ukraine has become globally recognized for its rapid advances in defense technology - particularly in drones and distributed manufacturing. But alongside that transformation, another revolution has been quietly taking shape: the future of medicine, built under extreme conditions.
Today, we’re exploring that frontier through the work of biodrook (https://biodrook.com/en) - a company developing 3D-printed, biodegradable bone implants designed to help the body regenerate itself.
And joining me are three of the leaders building that vision.
Denys Gurak is the Founder of biodrook and a longtime innovator at the intersection of technology, policy, and defense. Through his work at MITS Capital, he’s been deeply involved in scaling Ukraine’s defense-tech ecosystem and connecting it to global supply chains - bringing a systems-level perspective on how innovation happens under pressure.
Kateryna Osetrova is Executive Director for Ukraine at biodrook, with a background spanning stem cells, exosome-based therapies, and regenerative medicine. She brings a deep understanding of how these technologies move from concept to clinical reality - and what it takes to deliver them to patients.
Michael Pluzhnyk is biodrook’s Chief Technology Officer, and is leading the engineering and production of these next-generation implants - translating cutting-edge materials science and 3D printing into real-world medical devices now being deployed in Ukraine.
Together, they represent something rare: the convergence of vision, biology, and engineering - applied not in ideal conditions, but in one of the most challenging environments imaginable.
So this is a conversation about more than just medical technology.
It’s about rebuilding the human body.
It’s about building systems that can operate under extreme stress.
And ultimately, it’s about what the future of medicine looks like when innovation is no longer optional - but necessary.
biodrook Video - https://youtu.be/sK2Y_-A17MI?si=fliuc8oSgaqWxGIE
biotech #regenerativemedicine #3dprinting #bioprinting #medtech #futureofmedicine #healthcareinnovation #orthopedics #tissueengineering #biodegradable #startups #ukraine #innovation #science #technology #medicalbreakthrough #healthtech #longevity #deeptech #engineering #biomaterials #venturecapital #defensetech #futuretech
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Today’s conversation is part of a new series we’re launching — ‘Past Forward: Lessons for the Next Century.’
In this series, we examine pivotal moments, systems, and individuals from the past - not to relive them, but to better understand how they continue to shape the world we are building. Because many of the defining forces of our time - globalized networks, technological escalation, public health crises, and the evolution of law enforcement - did not emerge in isolation. They evolved from earlier systems, earlier decisions, and earlier actors operating under very different constraints.
Today’s episode is titled: ‘The Architecture of a Drug Empire — and the Systems It Forced the World to Build.’
Carlos Lehder is one of the central figures in the rise of the Medellín Cartel, and someone who played a key role in developing the logistics and infrastructure that helped transform the global cocaine trade. After decades of imprisonment, he has recently published a firsthand account of that era in his book, Life and Death of the Medellín Cartel ( https://www.amazon.com/DEATH-MEDELL%C3%8DN-CARTEL-CARLOS-LEHDER/dp/B0FDL8D66M/ ) a narrative that traces his journey from early criminal activity to the creation and evolution of one of the most consequential criminal networks in modern history.
This conversation is not about glamorizing crime or revisiting mythology. It is about understanding systems - how they scale, how they collide with institutions, and how their consequences ripple across decades.
Across this discussion, we explore themes that connect directly to many conversations we’ve had on this show - from the evolution of global law enforcement and emerging technologies, to drug policy, harm reduction, incarceration, and even healthcare behind bars.
And ultimately, the goal is simple: to extract lessons. Lessons about innovation and unintended consequences. Lessons about policy and adaptation. And lessons that may help us better understand - and perhaps better navigate - the systems we are building for the future.
PastForward #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #CarlosLehder #MedellinCartel #PabloEscobar #DrugPolicy #WarOnDrugs #TrueCrime #Geopolitics #CriminalJustice #LawEnforcement #DEA #HistoryMatters #SystemsThinking #GlobalSecurity #OrganizedCrime #Innovation #PublicHealth #HarmReduction #FutureOfPolicing #AIandCrime #DrugEpidemic #ColdWarHistory #TransnationalCrime #Podcast
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What if a simple blood test could detect Alzheimer’s years—maybe even decades—before symptoms ever appear?
Mike Banville is the Chief Executive Officer of ALZpath ( https://alzpath.bio/ ), a company at the forefront of transforming how Alzheimer’s disease is detected and monitored through cutting-edge blood-based diagnostics.
Mike is a seasoned global executive with a track record of scaling businesses, driving operational transformation, and executing strategic growth through both organic expansion and acquisitions. Prior to ALZpath, he served as CEO of SSB - doubling revenue and shifting the business to a predominantly recurring revenue model.
Earlier in his career, Mike spent over two decades at IHS Markit, where he held multiple senior leadership roles across strategy, sales, marketing, and global operations. There, he helped scale the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology division through acquisitions and product integration, while also leading global offshoring strategy and climate-focused market development initiatives.
Mike has also led and turned around companies in digital health and athlete development, bringing a consistent focus on data, analytics, and scalable platforms.
Now at ALZpath, Mike is applying that same operational and strategic expertise to one of the most urgent challenges in medicine - enabling earlier, more accessible detection of Alzheimer’s disease through innovative biomarker technologies, like pTau217, helping accelerate research, improve clinical care, and ultimately impact millions of patients worldwide.
Alzheimers #AlzheimersDisease #Dementia #BrainHealth #Longevity #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #Diagnostics #BloodTest #EarlyDetection #Neuroscience #Neurodegeneration #PrecisionMedicine #FutureOfMedicine #MedTech #Biomarkers #TauProtein #pTau217 #StartupCEO #BiotechCEO #HealthcarePodcast #MedicalBreakthrough #AgingResearch #CognitiveHealth #LifeSciences
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There’s a revolution happening in pet health right now - where a simple stool sample can reveal disease risk, immune health, and even how long your dog might live.
Dr. Bushra Schuitemaker, Ph.D. is a microbiologist, zoologist, and science leader working at the cutting edge of microbiome research, animal health, and nutrition.
Dr. Schuitemaker serves as Head of Science and Research at BIOME9 ( https://biome9.com/ ), a leading platform for canine gut microbiome analysis, and Head of Microbiology at Pooch & Mutt ( https://www.poochandmutt.co.uk/ ), where she helps translate microbiome science into real-world products and interventions for pet health.
Dr. Schuitemaker’s work sits at the intersection of microbial ecology, bioinformatics, and machine learning, where she develops tools to decode the gut microbiome and turn complex data into actionable insights for veterinarians, pet owners, and the pet food industry. Her expertise spans metagenomics, metabolomics, and multi-omics integration, with a focus on identifying biomarkers that can drive precision health approaches in animals.
Dr. Schuitemaker completed her Ph.D. in Zoology at the University of East Anglia, where she pioneered microbiome-based biomarkers of poultry gut health, and has also contributed to human health research, including microbiome and metabolomics studies in childhood obesity.
A passionate advocate for “One Medicine” - the idea that human and animal health are deeply interconnected - Dr. Schuitemaker is also an active science communicator, collaborating across academia, industry, and policy to make microbiome science more impactful, inclusive, and accessible.
Microbiome #DogHealth #GutHealth #CanineMicrobiome #PetHealth #DogLongevity #VeterinaryScience #OneMedicine #OneHealth #PrecisionNutrition #Bioinformatics #MachineLearning #AnimalHealth #PetCare #DogsOfYouTube #DogWellness #HealthScience #FutureOfMedicine #LongevityScience #Metagenomics #Biome9 #PoochAndMutt #SciencePodcast #Biotech #AgingResearch
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What if paralysis wasn’t permanent—but just a biological system we haven’t figured out how to reboot?
Dr. Lior Shaltiel, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer of NurExone Biologic ( https://nurexone.com/ ), a biotech company pioneering a novel exosome-based platform aimed at repairing the central nervous system.
Dr. Shaltiel brings a rare combination of deep scientific training and cross-border biotech leadership. He earned his Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where his research focused on ion channels and retinal biology - early work that connects directly to today’s frontier in neuroregeneration.
Before stepping into the CEO role, Dr. Shaltiel led R&D programs in advanced drug delivery systems, including liposome-based therapeutics, and worked in global biotech investment and partnerships. He’s also the founder of the BioMed MBA program at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, helping train the next generation of biotech leaders.
At NurExone, Dr. Shaltiel is advancing the company’s ExoTherapy platform - leveraging extracellular vesicles to deliver targeted genetic payloads. Their lead program, ExoPTEN, is an intranasal exosome therapy designed to silence the PTEN gene and promote neuronal regeneration after spinal cord injury - an area where, to date, there are no approved treatments that restore lost function.
biotech #neuroscience #spinalcordinjury #regenerativemedicine #exosomes #stemcells #futureofmedicine #geneediting #biotechinnovation #medicalbreakthrough #neuroregeneration #sciencepodcast #healthtech #longevity #drugdiscovery #PTEN #RNAi #nextgenmedicine #biophysics #medtech
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What if the biggest barrier in healthcare today isn’t science - but stigma?
Eric Foster is Chief Commercial Officer at Ardelyx ( https://ardelyx.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company where he leads global commercialization strategy for innovative therapies addressing high-burden gastrointestinal and cardiorenal diseases.
A seasoned biotech executive with over two decades of experience, Eric has built and scaled high-performing commercial organizations across some of the industry’s most complex and competitive markets.
Prior to Ardelyx, Eric held senior leadership roles at Amgen and Horizon Therapeutics, where he led rare disease and specialty business units, overseeing product launches, market access, and global growth strategy. Earlier in his career, he spent over a decade at GSK and began in commercial roles at Johnson & Johnson.
Eric is known for his expertise in rare disease commercialization, payer strategy, and building first-in-class market entry plans, with a strong focus on connecting patients to therapies and reducing barriers to care. He holds an MBA in Healthcare from Auburn University and a BA in Economics from the University of Georgia.
IBSC #GutHealth #WomensHealth #HealthcareInnovation #Biotech #PharmaMarketing #LPGA #WomensSports #DigitalHealth #PatientAwareness #ChronicIllness #HealthEducation #MedicalInnovation #HealthcareMarketing #BehaviorChange #HealthStigma #ChronicDisease #Biopharma #HealthPodcast #FutureOfHealthcare
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What if most dogs aren’t dying of old age - but from losing their ability to move?
Dr. Laurie McCauley, DVM, DACVSMR, CCRT, CVA, CVC is a pioneer in veterinary rehabilitation and one of the most influential figures in canine sports medicine. With over two decades at the forefront of the field, she founded the first dedicated veterinary rehabilitation clinic in the United States and designed the world’s first underwater treadmill specifically for dogs - innovations that helped transform how veterinarians approach mobility, recovery, and performance in animals.
A board-certified specialist in Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dr. McCauley has trained thousands of veterinarians, physical therapists, and rehabilitation professionals around the world, and her work has played a central role in shaping modern standards of care.
Dr. McCauley is the founder and instructional director of Optimum Pet Vitality ( https://optimumpetvitality.com/ ), an education platform focused on delivering evidence-based, practical training to veterinary professionals and pet owners alike, covering areas such as therapeutic exercise, laser therapy, and fascia-based treatments.
In addition, Dr. McCauley is the owner of Red Tail Rehab, where she provides personalized, in-home rehabilitation care, helping animals improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance quality of life.
Dr. McCauley’s career has been defined by a singular mission: to help animals move better, feel better, and ultimately live longer, healthier lives.
DogLongevity #PetHealth #CanineRehab #DogAging #VeterinaryMedicine #PetWellness #HealthyPets #DogHealth #LongevityScience #AnimalHealth #PetCareTips #SeniorDogs #CanineHealth #MobilityMatters #PetLongevity #VeterinaryRehabilitation #DogFitness #AgingResearch #BiohackingPets #Healthspan
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What if we could restore vision, communicate directly with the brain, and even extend human life—not with machines alone, but with living, engineered biology?
Dr. Alan Mardinly, Ph.D. is the Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Science Corp. ( https://science.xyz/ ), a neurotechnology company developing next-generation brain interfaces and biohybrid neural implants aimed at restoring human function.
Dr. Mardinly leads the company’s biohybrid program, focused on combining genetically engineered cells with advanced optical hardware to create optogenetic therapies for vision restoration and new types of brain-machine interfaces.
Dr. Mardinly has spent more than 15 years working at the intersection of neuroscience, genetics, and neural engineering.
Dr. Mardinly earned his PhD in Neurobiology from Harvard University, where his research explored how experience and activity-dependent gene programs shape synaptic plasticity in inhibitory neurons—work that helped illuminate how neural circuits maintain stability while adapting to learning and sensory experience.
Following Harvard, Dr. Mardinly conducted postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley, where he helped pioneer holographic optogenetics, a technology capable of stimulating specific neurons with extraordinary spatial and temporal precision.
Dr. Mardinly later joined Neuralink, where he served as Director of Biology, leading teams focused on advancing brain-machine interface technologies.
In 2021, Dr. Mardinly co-founded Science Corp., where he now works to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into therapeutic systems designed to restore vision and build the next generation of neural interfaces.
Neurotechnology #BrainComputerInterface #Optogenetics #VisionRestoration #Biohybrid #ScienceCorp #Neuralink #FutureOfMedicine #BrainImplants #ArtificialVision #Neuroscience #Biotech #Longevity #LifeSupport #SyntheticBiology #HumanAugmentation #NextGenMedicine #DeepTech #Innovation #FutureOfHealthcare
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There are over 9,000 rare diseases affecting 300 million people—and yet 90% of them have no approved treatment. Why?
Craig Martin is the Founder and CEO of Orphan Therapeutics Accelerator ( https://www.orphantxl.com/ ), a pioneering nonprofit launched in 2024 to advance shelved therapies for ultra-rare diseases—bringing overlooked science back to life and guiding it through approval and into patients’ hands through innovative development and commercialization pathways.
With more than two decades at the intersection of biotech, digital health, and healthcare strategy, Craig has built a career around unlocking value in overlooked opportunities and tackling some of medicine’s toughest challenges. He previously founded Rithm Health, where he has advised emerging biotech and health technology companies on strategy, growth, and stakeholder engagement.
Craig also served as CEO of Global Genes, one of the world’s leading rare disease patient advocacy organizations, where he reversed declining revenues, launched major new initiatives, and led a successful merger with RARE-X—expanding the organization’s impact across the rare disease ecosystem.
Earlier in his career, Craig spent over a decade leading Ogilvy | Feinstein Kean Healthcare, and held leadership roles at Ogilvy Consulting and Ruder Finn, advising global pharma, biotech, and health innovators.
A graduate of Duke University, Craig brings a unique blend of strategic insight, policy awareness, and deep commitment to patients—focused on transforming how therapies for ultra-rare diseases are developed, financed, and delivered.
RareDisease #UltraRareDisease #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #DrugDevelopment #GeneTherapy #OrphanDrugs #Pharma #MedicalInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #HealthTech #LifeSciences #BiotechInnovation #DrugDiscovery #PatientAccess #Healthcare #Medicine #Science #Innovation #NonprofitBiotech #RareDiseaseAwareness #GlobalHealth
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Inside a fusion reactor, you’re not just creating a star—you’re building a machine that has to survive one. Temperatures hotter than the sun, relentless neutron bombardment… and materials that slowly destroy themselves from the inside out.
Daniel Clark is a nuclear engineer and fusion energy expert working at the forefront of turning fusion from a scientific pursuit into a practical energy solution.
Daniel is currently Director of Nuclear and Fuel Cycle Engineering at Type One Energy Group ( https://typeoneenergy.com/ ), where he leads critical efforts in breeder blanket and first wall design, as well as the tritium fuel cycle - core systems that will ultimately determine whether fusion reactors can operate sustainably at scale.
Prior to joining the private sector, Daniel spent nearly eight years at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, where he managed the Fusion Materials Research Portfolio. During that time, he helped launch major national initiatives, including the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the INFUSE public-private partnership program, and the Fusion Prototypic Neutron Source.
With degrees in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University and University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Daniel brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise, federal policy insight, and commercialization experience—making him one of the key voices shaping the future of fusion energy.
FusionEnergy #NuclearFusion #CleanEnergy #FutureOfEnergy #EnergyInnovation #DeepTech #ClimateTech #Physics #NuclearEngineering #MaterialsScience #EnergyTransition #Tritium #SciencePodcast #TechPodcast #HardTech #Engineering #Innovation #FusionPower #StartupEnergy #BigScience #NextGenEnergy #AdvancedMaterials #EnergyFuture #BreakthroughScience #ClimateSolutions
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What if the reason we haven’t explored deep space isn’t because we can’t… but because our engines are fundamentally too slow?
Richard Dinan is Founder and CEO of Pulsar Fusion ( https://pulsarfusion.com/ ) and one of the few entrepreneurs in the world not trying to bring fusion power to Earth… but to space.
While most fusion startups are focused on powering cities, Richard is building engines designed to power spacecraft—fusion propulsion systems that could dramatically cut travel times to Mars, unlock missions to Saturn’s moon Titan, and fundamentally reshape how we explore the solar system.
Pulsar’s flagship efforts—including its Dual Direct Fusion Drive and the Sunbird program—aim to combine high-thrust propulsion with onboard power generation, a combination that could enable entirely new classes of deep-space missions. The company is now working with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority on advanced neutron shielding and activation modeling—critical challenges for making fusion viable and safe in space.
Backed by the UK Space Agency and collaborating with the European Space Agency, Pulsar is positioning itself at the center of a new space race—one where the bottleneck isn’t getting off Earth… but moving once you’re already out there.
On this episode we talk about why space might be the first place fusion actually works, what it takes to build engines that can survive neutron bombardment, and whether radically faster travel could open up the outer solar system within our lifetime.
fusionenergy #spacetechnology #spaceexploration #marsmission #deepspace #futureofspace #nuclearfusion #fusionpropulsion #spacex #nasa #spaceinnovation #aerospace #futuretech #pulsarfusion #richarddinan #sciencepodcast #techpodcast #engineering #physics #spacefuture #interplanetary #spaceindustry #nextgentech #hardtech #innovation #elonmusk #spaceeconomy #ukspace #europespace #austintech
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What if we could build a fusion reactor that runs continuously—without the instability issues that have plagued the field for years?
Brian Berzin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Thea Energy ( https://thea.energy/ ), a next-generation fusion company focused on advancing stellarator technology—one of the most promising but historically underexplored approaches to magnetic confinement fusion.
Brian brings a unique combination of deep technical and financial expertise, with a background spanning electrical engineering, venture capital, private equity, and investment banking.
Prior to founding Thea Energy, Brian served as Vice President of Strategy at General Fusion, where he helped shape commercialization strategy and led engagement with global capital markets during a pivotal period for privately funded fusion.
At Thea Energy, Brian is leading efforts to “end the sun’s monopoly on fusion energy” by leveraging breakthroughs in high-temperature superconducting materials and advanced computational design to build more stable and scalable fusion systems. In 2023, the company was selected as one of a small group of awardees in the U.S. Department of Energy’s milestone-based fusion development program.
Brian holds dual degrees in Electrical Engineering and Finance from Lehigh University, reflecting the interdisciplinary mindset he now applies to one of the hardest engineering challenges in the world: making fusion power a commercial reality.
fusionenergy #fusion #cleanenergy #nuclearfusion #stellarator #tokamak #science #energy #futureofenergy #deeptech #climatechange #renewableenergy #hightech #engineering #superconductors #HTS #fusionpower #energytransition #cleantech #futuretech #startup #innovation #sciencepodcast #energyindependence #decarbonization #physics #bigideas
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Imagine treating back pain not with surgery, not with opioids—but by using your own stem cells to repair the damage at its source.
Lance Alstodt is President, CEO, and Chairman of BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. ( https://biorestorative.com/ ), a publicly traded regenerative medicine company focused on developing stem cell-based therapies to treat highly prevalent conditions, including chronic lower back pain and metabolic disorders.
With more than 25 years of experience across healthcare investment banking, medical technology, and company building, Lance brings a unique perspective at the intersection of science and capital markets. Prior to joining BioRestorative, he was the founder and CEO of MedVest Consulting, advising healthcare companies on growth strategy, M&A, and capital formation.
Earlier in his career, Lance held senior leadership roles at firms including Leerink Partners, Oppenheimer & Co., Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he specialized in healthcare and medical technology transactions.
At BioRestorative, Lance is leading the development of innovative cell therapies such as BRTX-100, an autologous mesenchymal stem cell therapy currently in Phase 2 trials for chronic lumbar disc disease, aiming to offer a non-opioid, non-surgical solution to one of the most widespread causes of disability worldwide.
StemCells #RegenerativeMedicine #BackPainRelief #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalBreakthrough #ChronicPain #BioTech #FutureOfMedicine #StemCellTherapy #DegenerativeDiscDisease #PainManagement #HealthTech #BiotechStocks #Longevity #MedicalInnovation #CellTherapy #NonSurgicalTreatment #OpioidCrisis #SciencePodcast #HealthcareRevolution
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We’re living through a golden age of rare disease breakthroughs—but for many patients, the hardest part begins after the drug is approved.
Today we’re joined by two leaders from the multinational biopharmaceutical company UCB ( https://www.ucb.com/ ) who are helping reshape how the rare disease community thinks about what happens after a therapy is approved—because for many families, approval is just the beginning of the journey.
Dr. Kim Moran, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Rare Diseases at UCB ( https://www.ucb-usa.com/UCB-in-the-U-S/U-S-Leadership-Team/Kim-Moran ).
Dr. Moran leads the company’s U.S. rare disease portfolio strategy and commercial organization, integrating clinical, regulatory, operational, and digital capabilities to bring therapies to patients with devastating and often ultra-rare conditions. Trained as a neuroscientist with a PhD from NYU and an Executive MBA from INSEAD, she has spent nearly two decades at UCB translating patient insights into real-world solutions—from epilepsy portfolio strategy to leading the recent FDA approvals and launches of two major rare disease assets.
Dr. Moran is widely recognized for her leadership in the industry, including honors from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and Medical Marketing + Media, and she remains deeply focused on ensuring scientific breakthroughs actually translate into meaningful impact for patients and families.
Brad Chapman is Head of U.S. Epilepsy and Rare Syndromes at UCB ( https://www.ucb-usa.com/UCB-in-the-U-S/U-S-Leadership-Team/Brad-Chapman ).
Mr. Chapman oversees one of the deepest portfolios of anti-seizure therapies in the industry, including BRIVIACT, NAYZILAM, and FINTEPLA, while leading nationwide teams focused on connecting patients with both treatment and support systems.
Over more than 15 years with UCB, Mr. Chapman has helped pioneer new go-to-market models in neurology that move decision-making closer to patients and providers, strengthen partnerships with the epilepsy community, and rethink how pharmaceutical organizations deliver value “beyond the pill.”
Together, Dr. Moran and Mr. Chapman sit at the intersection of scientific innovation, patient access, and community infrastructure, and they’re helping answer a critical question in rare disease: How do we make sure life-changing therapies actually reach—and work for—the patients who need them most?
Important Episode Link - Caring for Adults with Rare Epilepsy -
https://www.ucb-usa.com/sites/default/files/2024-06/UCBCAREBinder.pdf
RareDisease #UltraRareDisease #Epilepsy #CDKL5 #DravetSyndrome #RareEpilepsy #Biotech #Pharma #DrugDevelopment #PrecisionMedicine #Geroscience #HealthcareInnovation #PatientAccess #CaregiverSupport #MedicalInnovation #Neuroscience #MitochondrialDisease #TK2Deficiency #ClinicalTrials #LifeSciences #Biopharma #HealthPolicy #FutureOfMedicine #PatientCare #Innovation
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Whether it’s a battlefield, a construction site, or a farm, the challenge is the same: how do you turn massive amounts of visual data into fast, accurate decisions? Increasingly, the answer is autonomous systems. transforming how we see the world—turning raw imagery into decisions at unprecedented speed.
Bill Irby is CEO and Board Member of EagleNXT ( https://eaglenxt.com/ ), a leading provider of full-stack drone, sensor, and software solutions serving both commercial and government customers worldwide.
Bill brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across the unmanned systems and defense technology landscape, spanning ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) platforms, communications systems, and advanced autonomy.
Prior to EagleNXT, Bill held senior executive roles across some of the most important defense companies in the world, including serving as President of Reconnaissance Mission Systems at L3Harris Technologies, where he led a $1.5 billion portfolio supporting some of the U.S. military’s most critical airborne intelligence platforms.
Bill also served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Unmanned Systems at Textron Systems, overseeing globally deployed UAV and unmanned maritime systems, and held multiple leadership roles at Northrop Grumman, focusing on C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and tactical communications.
Earlier in his career, Bill served as a Combat Engineer in the United States Marine Corps, leading missions across the globe.
In addition to his operational leadership, Bill has played a key role in shaping the unmanned systems ecosystem serving as Chairman of the Board of AUVSI ( Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International - https://www.auvsi.org/ ), advocating for the safe integration and advancement of autonomous technologies.
Bill is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, and completed executive education at Harvard Business School.
DefenseTech #DroneWarfare #AutonomousSystems #MilitaryDrones #ISR #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWar #UncrewedSystems #Aerospace #NationalSecurity #Robotics #AI #MilitaryTechnology #Innovation #TechPodcast #EmergingTech #BattlefieldTechnology #Surveillance #Geopolitics #StartupDefense
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Preventing transplant loss doesn’t just save organs—it could eliminate hospitalizations, reduce lifelong medications, and transform millions of lives.
Dr. Janine Gaiha-Rohrbach, Ph.D. is a globally recognized leader in immunology and medical strategy, currently serving as Head of Global Medical Immunology at Biogen ( https://www.biogen.com/ ).
With a PhD in Immunology and Virology from the University Hospital of Berne and extensive postdoctoral research at the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard, Dr. Gaiha-Rohrbach has dedicated her career to translating complex scientific advances into high-impact patient care.
Throughout her career, Dr. Gaiha-Rohrbach has driven innovation across diverse therapeutic areas, including HIV, hepatitis, NASH, and specialized immunology, leading multiple new product launches and shaping global strategies to expand patient access.
At Biogen, Dr. Gaiha-Rohrbach now focuses on advancing therapies in immunology with an emphasis on areas of high unmet need, including the evolving field of kidney transplantation.
On today’s episode, we’ll explore the future of kidney transplant care, the limitations of current treatments for antibody-mediated rejection, and how emerging therapies targeting the immune system are poised to transform patient outcomes.
KidneyTransplant #TransplantInnovation #Biogen #Immunology #AntibodyMediatedRejection #AMR #CD38 #Felzartamab #OrganTransplant #HealthcareInnovation #Biotech #DrugDevelopment #PrecisionMedicine #Nephrology #ChronicKidneyDisease #MedicalBreakthrough #FutureOfMedicine #Immunotherapy #TransplantMedicine #LifeSavingScience #Podcast #HealthcarePodcast #BiotechPodcast #SciencePodcast
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Pharma has spent decades building a graveyard of failed drugs — but hidden inside that data may be treatments that actually worked… for someone.
Vin Singh is Founder and CEO of BullFrog AI ( https://bullfrogai.com/ ), a company working at the intersection of machine learning, causal modeling, and drug development.
BullFrog is focused on a fundamental problem in biopharma — not just how to analyze increasingly large datasets, but how to extract meaningful cause-and-effect relationships from them. Their platform integrates data preparation, analysis, and network-based modeling to help research teams better understand biological mechanisms, identify patient subgroups, and improve clinical trial design.
Vin brings a deep mix of technical, operational, and entrepreneurial experience to this challenge. Prior to founding BullFrog, he held leadership roles across the life sciences ecosystem, including serving as Global Director of the Cell Therapy Business at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he oversaw services supporting clinical and commercial-stage therapies. He also founded and led Next Healthcare, a company focused on adult stem cell and skin cell banking, and was an early co-founder at MaxCyte, helping build foundational technologies in cell engineering.
In addition to his operating roles, Vin has been active in the innovation ecosystem as a Mentor in Residence at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures.
Vin holds an MBA in Finance from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University — a background that spans engineering, biology, and business.
CausalAI #DrugDevelopment #Biotech #ClinicalTrials #PrecisionMedicine #AIinHealthcare #PharmaInnovation #FailedDrugs #OncologyResearch #PancreaticCancer #FutureOfMedicine #MachineLearning #Biopharma #TranslationalMedicine #DigitalHealth #MedicalInnovation #DataScience #ClinicalResearch #AIinBiotech #HealthcareInnovation
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Bone marrow transplants have always depended on finding the right donor at the right time. But what if bone marrow could be stored, shipped, and used on demand—just like a drug? That’s exactly what Ossium Health is now showing in human clinical data.
Kevin Caldwell is the Co-Founder, CEO, and President of Ossium Health ( https://ossiumhealth.com/ ), a clinical-stage bioengineering company pioneering off-the-shelf, cryopreserved bone marrow therapies derived from deceased organ donors.
Under Kevin’s leadership, Ossium has developed a novel platform designed to solve one of the most persistent challenges in transplantation medicine: timely access to compatible bone marrow for patients with life-threatening hematologic malignancies such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The company’s approach enables on-demand delivery of viable marrow cells, bypassing the logistical and biological constraints of traditional donor matching and scheduling.
Since its founding, Kevin has scaled Ossium from an early-stage startup into a clinical-stage company with a robust network of over 50 strategic partnerships across supply, clinical development, and commercial channels. He has led multiple financings and secured a landmark contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, validating Ossium’s relevance to national health preparedness and biomanufacturing resilience.
Most recently, Kevin has overseen the company’s transition into human clinical validation, including first-in-human data from the PRESERVE I trial, real-world use cases in transplant rescue scenarios, and peer-reviewed publication of its GMP-based manufacturing platform and early outcomes.
Prior to founding Ossium, Kevin was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, advising biotech and healthcare companies on strategy, M&A, and restructuring. Earlier, he worked in quantitative research at Bridgewater Associates. He holds degrees in Physics and Economics from MIT and a JD from Harvard Law School.
Biotech #BoneMarrowTransplant #StemCells #CancerTreatment #Leukemia #AML #CellTherapy #RegenerativeMedicine #Biotechnology #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalBreakthrough #Immunotherapy #TransplantMedicine #Cryopreservation #LongevityScience #Bioengineering #StartupScience #OnDemandMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #ClinicalTrials #Biopharma #DeepTech #LifeSciences #HealthcareDisruption
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There’s an entire medical specialty, Physiatry, dedicated not to treating disease - but to helping patients regain their lives. And most people have never heard of it.
Dr. Michael Yochelson is a Physiatrist and a nationally recognized leader in rehabilitation medicine and brain injury care ( https://shepherd.org/staff-directory/michael-yochelson/ ).
Dr. Yochelson serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Shepherd Center, one of the top hospitals in the United States for spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Medicine ( https://med.emory.edu/directory/profile/?u=MYOCHEL ).
Board-certified in both neurology and physical medicine & rehabilitation, Dr. Yochelson has spent decades at the forefront of helping patients recover from some of the most complex neurological injuries. Prior to Shepherd Center, he held major leadership roles at MedStar National Rehabilitation Network and Georgetown University, where he also founded and led a Brain Injury Medicine Fellowship program.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Yochelson served for over a decade in the United States Navy, including leadership roles in neurology and rehabilitation medicine.
In addition to his clinical and academic work, Dr. Yochelson serves on the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ( https://www.aapmr.org/ ), where he chairs the Inclusion and Engagement Committee, helping shape the future of a specialty dedicated not just to treating disease—but restoring function, independence, and quality of life.
Important Episode Link -
Understanding Spasticity: A Simple Guide to Symptoms, Treatment, and Getting Better -
https://www.aapmr.org/resources/AAPMR_Spasticity_Patient_Journey.html
Physiatry #RehabilitationMedicine #AAPMR #Neurorehabilitation #BrainInjury #StrokeRecovery #SpinalCordInjury #Mobility #Function #QualityOfLife #Neuroplasticity #RecoveryScience #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #PatientRecovery #DisabilityCare #HumanPerformance #Longevity #MedicinePodcast #HealthPodcast #SciencePodcast #ClinicalInnovation #MedicalEducation #RestoreFunction
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Lyme disease affects hundreds of thousands of people every year—and yet we still struggle to diagnose it, treat it, and prevent it.
David Walsey is a strategic biotech leader with more than two decades of experience helping public life sciences companies translate scientific innovation into market impact.
As Executive Director of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation ( https://www.bayarealyme.org/ ), David leads national efforts to accelerate research, improve diagnostics, and expand access to effective treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses—an area of growing public health urgency.
Prior to joining the Foundation, David served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at MEI Pharma, where he oversaw corporate strategy, investor relations, and communications during a critical period for the company. His career spans leadership roles across the biotech ecosystem, including Alder Biopharmaceuticals, Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Sarepta Therapeutics, Arena Pharmaceuticals, and Maxim Pharmaceuticals, as well as strategic communications roles at agencies such as Real Chemistry (formerly W2O Group), The Ruth Group, and Noonan Russo.
David began his professional journey as a practicing attorney in New York City, bringing a legal and financial lens to his later work in biotech leadership. He holds an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law, a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, and a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College.
LymeDisease #LymeVaccine #Pfizer #Biotech #VaccineScience #PublicHealth #TickBorneDisease #MedicalInnovation #Biotechnology #Healthcare #InfectiousDisease #ClinicalTrials #VLA15 #Pharma #DrugDevelopment #SciencePodcast #Longevity #Diagnostics #VenturePhilanthropy #BayAreaLyme #FutureOfMedicine #BioInnovation #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalResearch
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For decades, male birth control has remained one of medicine’s most elusive goals. Now, a new non-hormonal pill is entering human trials—and could finally change the balance of reproductive responsibility
Akash Bakshi is CEO and Co-Founder of YourChoice Therapeutics ( https://www.yourchoicetx.com/ ), a company working to develop the first hormone-free birth control pill for men.
Akash’s work sits at the intersection of biotechnology innovation, reproductive health, and social change. His team is advancing YCT-529, a first-in-class non-hormonal contraceptive currently in human clinical trials, designed to safely and reversibly suppress sperm production by targeting retinoic acid signaling.
Before founding YourChoice, Akash held leadership roles across biotech and drug development, including serving as CEO of ANA Therapeutics, where he rapidly advanced a COVID-19 therapeutic into clinical trials and led the company through acquisition, as well as COO of NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals.
Earlier in his career, Akash worked at University of California, Berkeley helping bridge early-stage science and commercialization—experience that clearly shaped his approach to translating breakthrough academic research into real-world therapies.
At a time when contraceptive responsibility has largely fallen on women—and amid growing debates around reproductive rights—Akash and his team are trying to fundamentally reshape the landscape.
MaleBirthControl #BirthControlPillForMen #NonHormonalContraception #YCT529 #BiotechBreakthrough #FutureOfMedicine #ReproductiveHealth #MensHealth #WomensHealth #FertilityScience #PharmaInnovation #ClinicalTrials #BiotechStartups #HealthcareInnovation #EndUnintendedPregnancy #SciencePodcast #LongevityAndHealth #DrugDevelopment #MedicalBreakthrough #ContraceptionRevolution #FutureOfHealthcare #RARalpha #YourChoiceTherapeutics #BiotechCEO #HealthTech #PostRoeWorld
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There’s an animal that can rebuild its entire body structure in just a few days—and it might hold clues to a new kind of medicine.
Eden Ben is CEO of Amorphical ( https://www.amorphical.com/ ), a pioneering biotech company out of Israel that’s been quietly building a completely new approach to mineral-based therapeutics.
Founded in 2004, Amorphical has developed a proprietary nano-formulation of amorphous calcium carbonate—what they call ACC—engineered using biomimicry principles inspired by how certain organisms naturally stabilize calcium in highly bioavailable forms.
What makes this so interesting is that ACC behaves very differently from traditional crystalline calcium. It’s dramatically more soluble, significantly more bioavailable, and appears to act not just as a supplement, but as a functional, bioactive material that can influence cellular and tissue-level processes.
The company is leveraging this platform across a range of indications—from bone and metabolic diseases to inflammatory conditions—aiming to move beyond symptom management and toward addressing underlying biological mechanisms.
Eden himself has had a fascinating journey with the company—from early business development and global market expansion, to leading clinical and product strategy, and now stepping into the CEO role to scale both the science and the business globally.
Biotech #Longevity #Geroscience #Calcium #Nanotechnology #Biomimicry #ExtracellularMatrix #CancerResearch #Inflammation #Osteoporosis #BoneHealth #FutureOfMedicine #LifeSciences #Biology #RegenerativeMedicine #HealthInnovation #StartupScience #DeepTech #MedicalBreakthrough #Podcast #SciencePodcast #IsraeliInnovation #NanoMedicine #AgingResearch
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What if AI didn’t need massive data centers—and could think more like the human brain?
Sean Hehir is the Chief Executive Officer of BrainChip ( https://brainchip.com/ ), a pioneer in neuromorphic computing and ultra-low-power artificial intelligence hardware designed for intelligent edge devices.
At BrainChip, Sean oversees the commercialization of the company’s Akida neuromorphic processor—an advanced AI chip inspired by the architecture of the human brain. Akida enables real-time machine learning and pattern recognition directly at the edge, dramatically reducing power consumption and latency compared to traditional cloud-based AI systems. The technology is now being explored for applications ranging from defense and autonomous systems to automotive sensing, robotics, and healthcare devices.
Prior to joining BrainChip in 2021, Sean spent more than two decades in senior leadership roles across the enterprise computing and semiconductor ecosystem.
Earlier in his career, Sean held several senior executive roles at Hewlett‑Packard, including Vice President of Strategic Alliances, where he managed some of the company’s most important global partnerships with industry giants such as Microsoft, Intel, Cisco Systems, Oracle, and SAP.
His earlier leadership experience also includes roles at Fusion‑io and Compaq, where he helped drive large-scale enterprise computing partnerships and global service provider strategies.
Sean holds an MBA in Economics from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business from University of Massachusetts Amherst.
AI #ArtificialIntelligence #NeuromorphicComputing #BrainInspiredAI #EdgeAI #FutureOfAI #AIHardware #TechInnovation #DefenseTech #AutonomousSystems #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #NextGenAI #QuantumComputing #Semiconductors #Robotics #SmartSensors #AIRevolution #EmergingTech #HealthcareAI #WearableTech #MilitaryTechnology #Innovation #FutureTech #Podcast
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Norberto Chaclin is Executive Vice President, Chief Research & Development Officer of Mondelēz International ( https://www.mondelezinternational.com/about-us/leadership/executive-team/norberto-chaclin/ ), a global snacking leader with 2025 net revenues of approximately $38.5 billion, driven by iconic brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar and Tate's Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate.
Norberto most recently served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, R&D, Global Biscuits and Regional R&D partner for North America. Under his leadership, Mondelēz rolled out exciting innovations and renovations across some of its most iconic biscuit and baked snack brands. Previously, he led R&D for the Company’s global gum and candy business.
Before joining Mondelēz International, Norberto spent 18 years with PepsiCo in a series of progressively responsible roles spanning Frito-Lay North America, PepsiCo International, Global Beverages and Joint Ventures – ultimately leading R&D for PepsiCo North America Beverages and the Pepsi/Starbucks joint venture.
An amateur chef and native of Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, Norberto brings to the role a passion for culinary arts and traditions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University. He serves on the Board of Torr FoodTech and on the Board of Trustees for IAFNS – Advancing Food and Nutrition Sciences.
Important Episode Link
Mondelēz International's State of Snacking reports -
https://www.mondelezinternational.com/stateofsnacking/
FutureOfFood #FoodTech #Snacking #Mondelez #Oreo #Cadbury #Chocolate #FoodInnovation #CPG #FMCG #AI #PrecisionFermentation #Sustainability #HealthySnacks #FoodScience #ConsumerTrends #GenZ #SupplyChain #FoodFuture #Innovation
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Adam Molnar is Co-Founder, COO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Neurable ( https://www.neurable.com/ ), a pioneering neurotechnology company developing real-time brain-computer interface systems that translate neural signals into actionable insights.
Over the past decade, Adam and his team have been working at the frontier of non-invasive EEG-based brain-computer interfaces, building technology capable of measuring cognitive states such as workload, fatigue, and attention directly from brain activity. Neurable’s platform has attracted over $40 million in funding and has led to collaborations with organizations including the U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and U.S. Army, where the technology is being evaluated for applications ranging from pilot training and human performance monitoring to the detection of blast-related mild traumatic brain injury.
Adam leads the company’s global strategic partnerships across both commercial and defense sectors, helping bring neurotechnology out of the lab and into real-world environments—from wearable computing platforms to operational military systems. His work sits at the intersection of AI, neuroscience, and human-machine teaming, exploring how brain data can improve safety, cognition, and performance in high-stakes environments.
Beyond Neurable, Adam contributes to the global neurotechnology ecosystem through organizations like NeuroTechX and the Institute of Neuroethics, helping shape the future of neural data governance and ethical brain-computer interfaces. He has also been recognized as part of Forbes 30 Under 30 for his work in advancing consumer neurotechnology.
Today we’ll explore how brain-computer interfaces are moving beyond laboratories and into operational systems—from defense training environments to everyday wearable devices—and what it means when machines can finally begin to understand the human brain in real time.
neurotechnology #BCI #artificialintelligence #futuretech #wearables #braincomputerinterface #AI #defensetech #militaryinnovation #humanperformance #neuroscience #neuroethics #emergingtechnology #innovation #podcast #techtalk #longevity #healthtech #digitalhealth #futureofwork
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Modern warfare is changing—and it’s not just about weapons anymore.
The real battle may be logistics, and autonomous systems are about to transform how wars are fought and sustained.
Brandon Florian is Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Grid Aero ( https://www.grid.aero/ ), a venture-backed aerospace and defense startup building low-cost, autonomous aircraft designed for long-range operations and resilient logistics.
Brandon has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of aerospace engineering, national security strategy, and emerging defense technologies. His career spans engineering, business development, and technology scouting across both large defense primes and the startup ecosystem.
Brandon began his career as a spacecraft engineer at General Dynamics working on space systems before moving into strategic roles at Northrop Grumman, where he focused on innovation, disruptive technology scouting, and growth strategy. He later joined Starburst Aerospace, one of the leading global accelerators for aerospace and defense startups, where he helped build international innovation programs—including collaborations between the U.S. Space Force and the UK Ministry of Defense.
Brandon has also worked extensively in venture and startup ecosystems through Mandala Space Ventures and independent consulting, helping governments and corporations navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of defense innovation.
Today at Grid Aero, Brandon is focused on a critical challenge shaping modern warfare: how to build resilient logistics networks capable of operating in contested environments using autonomy, distributed systems, and radically lower-cost platforms.
With a background in aerospace engineering from UCLA and an MBA from Pepperdine, Brandon brings both technical depth and strategic insight into how emerging technologies—from autonomous aircraft to distributed supply networks—will shape the future of defense operations.
defensetech #militaryinnovation #futureofwar #autonomy #AI #nationalsecurity #military #aerospace #drones #logistics #warstrategy #china #taiwan #iran #pentagon #startups #innovation #technology #supplychain #geopolitics
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Greg Fallon is the CEO of Geminus AI ( https://www.geminus.ai/ ), a company developing real-time, physics-native artificial intelligence designed to operate complex industrial and energy systems. His work focuses on combining engineering simulation, machine learning, and physical laws to create AI systems that can reason about and optimize real-world infrastructure under uncertainty.
Before founding Geminus AI, Greg held leadership roles at Autodesk and Ansys, two of the world’s leading platforms for digital engineering and simulation. Across more than two decades in industrial technology, he has worked at the intersection of computational physics, engineering software, and AI.
At Geminus AI, Greg and his team are building a new class of industrial intelligence platform that allows machines to model their own behavior and make operational decisions in real time—potentially transforming how critical infrastructure such as energy systems, manufacturing plants, and industrial networks are designed, operated, and optimized.
ArtificialIntelligence #IndustrialAI #EngineeringAI #PhysicsAI #EngineeringSuperintelligence #FutureOfAI #DigitalTwins #EnergyTechnology #InfrastructureInnovation #AIRevolution #TechnologyPodcast #EngineeringInnovation #DeepTech #FutureOfEngineering #AIForIndustry
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Artificial intelligence and robotics are rapidly transforming surgery. In this episode we explore the future of the operating room with Medtronic’s vision for the AiBLE ecosystem and the newly cleared Stealth AXiS surgical platform — technologies designed to integrate surgical planning, navigation, robotics, and real-time intelligence into a single system.
Vignesh Shetty is Vice President of AI and Product Development at Medtronic Cranial and Spine Therapies, where he leads the convergence of AI, Robotics, and R&D for the company’s $6B Cranial and Spine portfolio, with objectives of moving beyond standalone devices to create intelligent procedural ecosystems to redefine the standard of care ( https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/index.html ).
Leading a global team of 900+ across Software and R&D, Mr. Shetty bridges the gap between complex engineering and clinical reality, building AI-enabled platforms across robotics, imaging, planning and implants biologics to drive impact across Medtronic’ 3Es -
Efficiency: Streamlining surgical workflows through automation.
Efficacy: Enhancing clinical precision with data-driven insights.
Experience: Elevating the human element for both surgeons and patients.
Prior to joining Medtronic, Mr. Shetty served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Edison AI and Platform at GE Healthcare, where he led a team of 700+ engineers and product managers to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions for healthcare imaging, diagnostics, and workflow optimization.
Mr. Shetty also previously spent 16 years holding diverse roles at Cisco. His career is marked by his passion for developing technical talent and empowering teams, which has resulted in double-digit growth across multiple revenue streams.
Important Episode Links
AiBLE™ Smart Ecosystem - https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/healthcare-professionals/specialties/spinal-cranial-orthopedic/therapies-procedures/technology-ai-driven-surgery/aible-smart-ecosystem.html
Stealth AXiS™ Surgical System - https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/healthcare-professionals/specialties/spinal-cranial-orthopedic/therapies-procedures/technology-ai-driven-surgery/discover-the-stealth-axis-surgical-system.html
AIinMedicine #RoboticSurgery #FutureOfSurgery #MedTech #HealthcareInnovation #AISurgery #MedicalTechnology #SurgicalRobotics #DigitalHealth #FutureOfMedicine #SpineSurgery #AIHealthcare #MedicalInnovation
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Dr. Javad Shabani, Ph.D. ( https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/javad-shabani.html ) is Professor of Physics; Director of the Center of Quantum Information Physics ( https://as.nyu.edu/departments/physics/research/center-for-quantum-information-physics.html ); Director of the NYU Quantum Institute; and member of the Affiliated Faculty, NYU-Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Global Innovation and Research Institute ( https://www.nyu.edu/research/nyu-kaist.html ).
Dr. Shabani’s team of engineers is focused on building hybrid semiconductor–superconductor systems designed to make quantum bits — or qubits — more stable, scalable, and ultimately practical.
Dr. Shabani’s work ( https://wp.nyu.edu/shabanilab/ ) sits at the intersection of materials science, condensed matter physics, and quantum engineering — and could determine whether quantum computing becomes a transformative technology for medicine, materials discovery, cryptography, and beyond.
Dr. Shabani received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 2011. After two years of research on semiconductor-based qubits at Harvard University, he joined UC Santa Barbara. There, he worked closely with Microsoft research on hybrid semiconductors/superconductors heterostructures to study topological superconductivity.
Dr. Shabani is also Co-Founder and CSO of QuantumMatter Inc. ( https://quantummatter.com/ ), a quantum hardware startup developing high-performance components that will power the next generation of quantum tech.
QuantumComputing #QuantumPhysics #QuantumTechnology #QuantumHardware #Majorana #TopologicalQubits #QuantumMaterials #QuantumDevices #QuantumSensing #QuantumCommunication #QuantumInternet #SuperconductingQubits #CondensedMatterPhysics #FutureOfComputing #NYUResearch #QuantumInnovation
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Tara Austraat-Churik is a Partner at Blue Matter ( https://bluematterconsulting.com/ ), a strategic consulting firm serving the life sciences industry, bringing new approaches to consulting with original ideas that deliver a meaningful impact.
Tara began her career as a counterterrorism intelligence analyst at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where she prepared strategic assessments for senior policymakers, Cabinet officials, and members of the intelligence community. Trained in structured analytic tradecraft and foreign denial and deception, she worked in environments defined by incomplete information, high stakes, and institutional bias.
Tar would later bring that analytical lens into the life sciences sector — first at IBM Watson Health during the early wave of AI in drug discovery, where she led major enterprise partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies. From there she went on to senior leadership roles at EY, advising C-suite leaders on R&D transformation, innovation ecosystems, and AI-driven operating model redesign.
Tara has a robust background in consulting, which also includes roles at Booz Allen Hamilton, Navitas, WPP, and IBM.
Today, as a Partner at Blue Matter, Tara is building the firm’s first dedicated R&D strategy and transformation practice.
Blue Matter has advised more than 320 biopharma clients — including 18 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies — and has supported more than 300 therapies across the molecule-to-market continuum.
Tara holds a BA and MA from the University of Notre Dame and an MSc in Translational Medicine from the University of Edinburgh.
AIinPharma #DrugDiscovery #BiotechInnovation #PharmaR&D #ArtificialIntelligence #HealthcareAI #FutureOfScience #BiotechPodcast #RareDiseaseResearch #PharmaStrategy #HumanAI #ConsultingCareers #DrugDevelopment #LifeSciences #TechInHealthcare
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For most of the history of computing, software systems were written by humans and—at least in theory—understood by humans.
But with AI coding assistants now embedded in everyday development workflows, we may be entering an era where large portions of production software are generated, modified, and extended by machines.
Pramin Pradeep is the Co-Founder and CEO of BotGauge ( https://www.botgauge.com/ ), an autonomous “QA-as-a-Solution“ company focused on using AI to improve software testing and observability in modern development environments.
Pramin’s background sits at the intersection of AI-driven development and quality assurance. Prior to founding BotGauge, he held product leadership roles at Sauce Labs, one of the leading platforms for automated testing and continuous quality in enterprise software. Earlier in his career he was a founding product leader at AutonomIQ, an AI-based low-code testing platform that was later acquired by Sauce Labs.
Across these roles, Pramin has focused on a central challenge in modern software engineering: as development accelerates through automation and AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot, Claude, and Gemini, organizations are increasingly deploying code that no single engineer fully understands.
Pramin's work explores how this emerging layer of AI-generated logic—what some are calling “shadow code”—may introduce new security risks, operational blind spots, and governance challenges inside complex software systems.
Today we’ll talk about what happens when software systems start evolving faster than our ability to fully comprehend them.
AI #AICoding #ShadowCode #BotGauge #SoftwareSecurity #Cybersecurity #EnterpriseSoftware #AIgeneratedCode #RuntimeObservability #SoftwareTesting #CriticalInfrastructure #TechnicalDebt #AIrisks #TechLeadership #Innovation
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Kabir Nath is Chief Executive Officer of Compass Pathways ( https://compasspathways.com/ ), a biotechnology company pioneering evidence-based psychedelic innovation for serious mental health conditions.
Kabir brings nearly three decades of leadership experience across the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries. Before joining Compass, he served as Senior Managing Director of Global Pharmaceuticals at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., and previously as President and CEO of Otsuka’s North America Pharmaceutical Business, where he led the development of therapies and digital solutions addressing complex mental health needs. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Bristol Myers Squibb.
Under Kabir’s leadership, Compass has advanced COMP360 — a synthetic, proprietary formulation of psilocybin — through two pivotal Phase 3 trials in treatment-resistant depression. The program has demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in depression severity, potentially positioning COMP360 to become the first FDA-approved psilocybin-based treatment.
Kabir holds an MA from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD.
PsychedelicMedicine #Psilocybin #DepressionTreatment #MentalHealthInnovation #CompassPathways #COMP360 #TreatmentResistantDepression #Biotech #Neuroscience #FutureOfPsychiatry #ClinicalTrials #MentalHealthResearch #PsychedelicTherapy #BiotechInterview #DrugDevelopment
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Lacey Stone is Chief Development Officer at USA for UNHCR ( https://www.unrefugees.org/about-us/ ), the U.S. partner of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR - https://www.unhcr.org/ ), the UN Refugee Agency.
UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building better futures for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. It provides life-saving assistance (shelter, food, medical care) and works in over 130 countries to ensure safety and human rights, often deploying within 72 hours of a crisis.
Lacey is a mission-driven leader with more than two decades of experience mobilizing partnerships, philanthropy, and storytelling to address some of the world’s most urgent humanitarian challenges. In her role, she leads strategy across private philanthropy, corporate and foundation partnerships, and national engagement efforts that amplify refugee voices and generate critical support for displaced communities worldwide.
Lacey’s career spans influential leadership roles with organizations including UNICEF USA, PATH, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where she built cross-sector collaborations advancing global health, children’s wellbeing, and humanitarian response.
Today’s conversation will also focus on the Building Better Futures ( https://www.unrefugees.org/building-better-futures/ ) initiative — a women-led philanthropic effort supporting higher-education scholarships for refugee women and girls — and the broader movement redefining who gives, who benefits, and how philanthropy can drive lasting systemic change.
Lacey holds an M.A. in International Relations from Villanova University and dual B.A. degrees in International Relations and Rhetoric & Communication from the University of Pittsburgh.
LaceyStone #USAforUNHCR #UNHCR #BuildingBetterFutures
RefugeeEducation #WomenLed #InternationalWomensDay
GlobalHealth #Rwanda #HumanitarianLeadership #WomenSupportingWomen #Philanthropy #SystemsChange
RefugeeWomen #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Dr. Tomasz Beer, MD is a nationally recognized medical oncologist and clinical research leader who serves as Chief Medical Officer for Multi-Cancer Early Detection at Exact Sciences Corporation ( https://www.exactsciences.com/ ), a molecular diagnostics company focused on the eradication of cancer by preventing it, detecting it earlier, and guiding personalized treatment.
Before joining Exact Sciences, Dr. Beer spent decades at the forefront of academic oncology, including serving as Deputy Director of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute, where he helped build one of the country’s leading precision cancer programs.
A prostate cancer specialist by training, Dr. Beer has led numerous clinical trials, authored hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, and been a driving force in advancing biomarker-guided cancer therapy. His career has spanned the evolution of oncology—from empiric chemotherapy to precision medicine and now toward population-scale cancer detection.
Today, Dr. Beer is helping lead one of the most ambitious shifts in cancer care: moving from late-stage treatment to early detection across multiple tumor types through advanced molecular diagnostics and blood-based screening technologies.
MultiCancerEarlyDetection #CancerInterception #LiquidBiopsy #PrecisionOncology #CancerPrevention #Immunotherapy #EarlyDetection #OncologyInnovation #CancerResearch #MCED
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Dr. Sharron Gargosky, Ph.D. is Chief Clinical Officer of Spinogenix, Inc. ( https://spinogenix.com/ ), a clinical-stage company pioneering a new class of therapeutics designed to reverse synaptic loss and dysfunction in the brain.
Spinogenix is advancing two first-in-class oral small molecules. Tazbentetol is a synaptic regenerative therapy shown to regrow brain synapses — the vital connections between neurons. Clinical data have demonstrated rapid and significant improvements in memory and thinking in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as clinically meaningful slowing of disease progression in ALS. The therapy is also being evaluated in schizophrenia, with a Phase 2 trial underway. Tazbentetol has received Orphan Drug Designation from both the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency for ALS, and the company has established an Expanded Access Program to provide investigational treatment options to eligible ALS patients.
Spinogenix’s second program, SPG601, is a synaptic corrective therapy for Fragile X Syndrome — the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability and a known genetic driver of autism. Clinical data have shown normalization of abnormal brain activity patterns and improvements in attention and focus. SPG601 has received Orphan Drug and Fast Track Designations and is advancing toward late-stage development.
Dr. Gargosky brings more than 25 years of global development leadership experience across small molecules, biologics, cell therapies, and diagnostics. She has overseen regulatory, CMC, non-clinical, clinical, and medical affairs programs across more than 15 countries, and has led multiple orphan and accelerated approval pathways.
Previously, Dr. Gargosky held senior leadership roles at OncoSec Medical, Prima Biomed, Hyperion Therapeutics, Pfizer, and served in academia at Stanford University and Oregon Health & Science University.
Spinogenix #SynapticRegeneration #FragileX #AlzheimersResearch #ALSResearch #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #BiotechInnovation #Synaptopathy #ClinicalTrials #RegenerativeMedicine #Neurodevelopment #SharronGargosky
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Paul Woodward ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2813295/ ) is a filmmaker, storyteller, and advocate whose deeply personal work has touched audiences around the world.
Paul is the producer of the feature documentary The Little Things ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZDDw4yYl_w ), a film that invites viewers behind the doors of Derian House Children's Hospice ( https://www.derianhouse.co.uk/ ) — not to witness sadness, but to witness love and the remarkable humanity that unfolds in the most challenging of circumstances.
Inspired by his own experience as a parent, Paul began this project to say thank you to the hospice that cared for his son Kalel for seven years. What started as a personal tribute evolved into a powerful documentary that challenges common misconceptions about hospice care, celebrates the relationships between families and caregivers, and shows how places like Derian House become a bridge through grief — offering connection, compassion, and dignity when it’s needed most.
Since its release — including streaming on Amazon Prime — The Little Things ( https://www.primevideo.com/detail/The-Little-Things/0TOUFVXP6JTZZTM28LEA8TS19H ) has moved audiences with its honesty, heart, and belief that the smallest moments can reveal the deepest meaning.
Paul now serves as a Patron of Derian House, continuing his mission to spark conversation, awareness, and empathy for families navigating the unthinkable.
Paul holds an MA in Professional Acting from the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA), has over ten years of work spanning TV, film, theatre, and UK tours, and co-owns Old Swan Films ( https://oldswanfilms.com/ ), a company that focuses on human stories with emotional honesty.
We’re honored to have Paul on the show to talk about the story behind the film, the lessons of love and presence he’s learned along the way, and what it truly means to find light in life’s hardest places.
TheLittleThings #ChildrensHospice #PaulWoodward
PediatricPalliativeCare #GriefAndLove #EndOfLifeCare
HospiceCare #Fatherhood #Bereavement #DocumentaryFilm #LifeAndLoss #Compassion
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Dr. Allison Reiss, MD is an internal medicine physician, molecular biologist, and educator whose career sits at the critical intersection of inflammation, cardiometabolic disorders, and neurodegeneration.
Dr. Reiss serves as Associate Professor of Medicine and Head of the Inflammation Laboratory at the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine ( https://medli.nyu.edu/faculty/allison-b-reiss ). She is also a Member of the Medical, Scientific & Memory Screening Advisory Board of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
For more than 25 years, Dr. Reiss' research has explored how immune and metabolic dysfunction contribute to neuronal loss in Alzheimer’s disease and accelerated atherosclerosis in conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes — helping illuminate the biological links between brain health, vascular disease, and aging.
Clinically trained and board-certified in internal medicine, Dr. Reiss brings a rare translational perspective, connecting bedside observations with molecular mechanisms. Beyond the lab, she is a dedicated mentor and educator, directing translational research training for medical students and actively inspiring the next generation of clinician-scientists.
Dr. Reiss' work has been recognized by organizations including the American Heart Association and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, and she serves in editorial leadership roles across several journals focused on cardiovascular disease, aging, and neurodegeneration.
On this episode, we explore the evolving science of neuroinflammation, the metabolic roots of Alzheimer’s disease, and how understanding immune-brain-vascular crosstalk may unlock entirely new therapeutic strategies for aging populations.
AlzheimersDisease #Neuroinflammation #BrainHealth
DementiaPrevention #MetabolicHealth #VascularHealth
LongevityScience #Neurodegeneration #MedicalResearch #PhysicianScientist
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Dr. Kevin Rynearson, Ph.D. is a medicinal chemist and translational neuroscientist focused on developing disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
Over more than a decade, Dr. Rynearson's work has centered on the design and optimization of gamma-secretase modulators, an approach aimed at altering amyloid biology in a safer and more physiologically balanced way than earlier generations of therapies.
During his time at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Rynearson helped advance mechanistic understanding of gamma-secretase activity, tau phosphorylation, and structure-activity relationships guiding next-generation Alzheimer’s drug design.
Dr. Rynearson currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer of Acta Pharmaceuticals ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/acta-pharmaceuticals/ ), where he leads development of a clinical-stage gamma-secretase modulator emerging from decades of collaborative research, including work with renowned Alzheimer’s researcher Rudy Tanzi.
In parallel, Dr. Rynearson is Head of Research at CogniSHIELD Global ( https://cognishield.com/ ), exploring preventative strategies and interventions aimed at supporting brain resilience and healthy cognitive aging.
Dr. Rynearson’s work sits at the intersection of medicinal chemistry, neurobiology, and preventive neurology — with a focus on shifting Alzheimer’s treatment from late-stage symptom management toward early intervention and disease prevention.
AlzheimersDisease #BrainHealth #Neurodegeneration #LongevityScience #CognitiveHealth #PreventAlzheimers #Neuroscience #BiotechPodcast #GammaSecretase #AmyloidBeta #Neuroinflammation #BrainAging #DementiaResearch #HealthyAging #TranslationalMedicine #DrugDevelopment #PrecisionMedicine #MemoryLoss #BrainResilience #FutureOfMedicine
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Dr. Ben Hwang, Ph.D. is Chairman and CEO of Profusa ( https://profusa.com/ ), a pioneering bioengineering company developing tissue-integrated biosensors designed to continuously measure key chemical markers within the body. Profusa’s mission is to make our body’s chemistry as accessible as heart rate or step count — transforming personal and societal health through real-time molecular insight.
Dr. Hwang has spent his career at the frontier where life science tools, digital systems, and global markets intersect. As an undergraduate research fellow in the laboratory of systems biology pioneer Leroy Hood at California Institute of Technology, he witnessed firsthand how transformative technologies can redefine biology.
Dr. Hwang later held multiple senior leadership roles at Life Technologies (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific), including President of Asia Pacific and Head of the qPCR Division — helping scale molecular biology platforms globally during a pivotal period for genomics and diagnostics.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Hwang worked at McKinsey & Company and even began in professional sports with the Los Angeles Dodgers — an unusual trajectory that informs his leadership perspective today.
Dr. Hwang earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Biology from Johns Hopkins University.
DigitalHealth #Longevity #Biosensors #ContinuousMonitoring #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #WearableTech #Biotechnology
PrecisionMedicine #HumanOptimization #HealthTech #PreventiveMedicine
AgingResearch #Biohacking #MedicalInnovation #MetabolicHealth #Hypoxia #Mitochondria #ChronicDisease #FutureOfHealthcare
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Thomas Hamilton is a Board Director Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance ( FARA - https://www.curefa.org/ ), Co-Founder of the CureFA Foundation ( https://curefafoundation.org/ ), which supports diverse and innovative research strategies aimed at curing the disease, and the Founder of FA212, LLC, an organization pursuing a novel gene therapy strategy designed to address both central nervous system and systemic manifestations of FA.
Thomas' journey into rare disease advocacy began not in a laboratory, but at home when in 2013, his nine-year-old daughter Annie was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia — a rare, progressive neuromuscular disorder that affects balance and coordination and can lead to scoliosis, diabetes, sensory loss, and serious cardiac complications.
Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a rare, inherited, progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the FXN gene, which leads to a deficiency of the frataxin protein.
Like many families facing a rare diagnosis, the Hamilton family was suddenly thrust into a world of uncertainty, limited treatment options, and an urgent need for answers.
Rather than accept the status quo, Thomas made the life-altering decision to step away from his professional career and dedicate himself fully to accelerating therapeutic progress for FA.
Thomas joined the executive leadership of the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), where he remains an active board member, and co-founded the CureFA Foundation to support diverse and innovative research strategies aimed at curing the disease.
In 2014, working alongside family members and clinical partners, Tom helped establish an FA Center of Excellence at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ( https://www.research.chop.edu/friedreichs-ataxia-center-of-excellence ) in collaboration with University of Pennsylvania — creating a dedicated clinical and research hub for patients and scientists focused exclusively on Friedreich’s Ataxia.
Driven by the belief that bold approaches were needed, Thomas also founded FA212, LLC to pursue a novel gene therapy strategy designed to address both central nervous system and systemic manifestations of FA. That program has evolved into SGT-212, now being advanced by Solid Biosciences ( https://www.solidbio.com/our-science/pipeline-programs/pipeline/ ).
The therapy has entered human clinical evaluation through the FALCON study ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07180355 ), with the first participant recently dosed at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center — marking a milestone not only for the Hamilton family but for the broader FA community.
Today, Annie is 19 and a student at University of Notre Dame, living with FA while witnessing firsthand the progress her family helped catalyze.
Thomas and Annie’s story represents the growing power of parent-driven innovation in rare disease — where urgency, collaboration, and perseverance can reshape the therapeutic landscape.
FriedreichsAtaxia #RareDisease #GeneTherapy #SGT212 #FALCONTrial #RareDiseaseAdvocacy #PatientAdvocate #RareDiseaseResearch #BiotechInnovation #MitochondrialDisease #Ataxia
PrecisionMedicine #ClinicalTrials #HopeInScience #CureFA #FARA
NeurodegenerativeDisease #MedicalBreakthrough #ParentAdvocate
ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Donna Letier is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gardenuity ( https://gardenuity.com/ ), a gardening and well-being company dedicated to helping people grow healthier lifestyles through accessible, personalized gardening experiences.
An entrepreneur with a background spanning consumer brands, hospitality, and lifestyle innovation, Donna launched Gardenuity to bridge the gap between everyday wellness and nature — making gardening approachable even for people without outdoor space, time, or prior experience.
Under her leadership, Gardenuity has pioneered customized container and desktop gardening systems designed to support mental health, stress reduction, nutrition, and meaningful daily rituals. Her work sits at the intersection of preventive health, behavioral wellness, and environmental connection, with growing recognition of gardening’s role in cognitive health, emotional regulation, and caregiver resilience.
Donna is also an advocate for using gardening as a tool for intergenerational connection and memory engagement, exploring how sensory interaction with plants — from scent and touch to nurturing routines — can support individuals living with memory loss while providing caregivers with moments of restoration and purpose.
Alzheimers #BrainHealth #CognitiveHealth #DementiaCare #CaregiverSupport #HealthyAging #Longevity #Neuroplasticity #MentalWellness #PreventiveHealth #Gardening #HorticulturalTherapy #MemoryCare #AgingWell #LifestyleMedicine #Wellness #BrainLongevity #Caregiving #NatureHeals #ProgressPotentialPossibilities
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Dr. Karsten Eastman, Ph.D. is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sethera Therapeutics ( https://setheratx.com/ ), a company focused revolutionizing peptide-based drug development with a cutting-edge enzymatic cross-linking technology, and their platform enables the synthesis of highly stable, polymacrocyclic peptides designed to engage multiple targets simultaneously, offering unparalleled precision in therapeutic design.
Trained as a chemist at the University of Utah, where he earned his PhD in 2023, Dr. Eastman has built his career at the intersection of peptide synthesis, protein engineering, and radical enzymology. His work focuses on understanding how enzymes choreograph complex molecular transformations — and then harnessing those principles to build programmable, drug-like molecules.
In collaboration with researchers at the University of Utah, Dr. Eastman and his team recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences a breakthrough discovery involving PapB, a radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) enzyme capable of installing precise, durable thioether “staples” into peptides in a single enzymatic step. This work opens vast new chemical space for macrocyclic peptide therapeutics and offers a powerful new approach to targeting diseases long considered “undruggable.”
At Sethera Therapeutics, Dr. Eastman is translating this enzymatic platform into next-generation peptide medicines that aim to combine the selectivity of biologics with the drug-like properties of small molecules.
PeptideTherapeutics #DrugDiscovery #Biotechnology #Enzymology
RadicalSAM #PapB #SetheraTherapeutics #UndruggableDiseases
MacrocyclicPeptides #Bioengineering #Therapeutics #Innovation #ScienceBreakthrough #PeptideDrugs #EnzymeTechnology
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Susie Singer Carter ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susie_Singer_Carter ) is an award-winning filmmaker ( https://www.gogirlmedia.com/ ) and caregiver advocate with a powerful new docuseries, No Country For Old People ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r ), a Gold Anthem Award-winning exposé on nursing home neglect and the systemic failures facing America’s elderly. Through film, podcasting, and activism, she has become one of the most compelling creative voices in Alzheimer’s awareness and elder care reform.
Susie first captured international attention with her Oscar-qualified short film My Mom and The Girl, starring Valerie Harper in her final performance — a deeply personal story born from Susie’s own caregiving journey.
From writing and producing Bratz the Movie, to co-producing Soul Surfer, Susie has navigated Hollywood at every level — but it’s her advocacy-driven work that has become her defining voice.
Susie is also the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Love Conquers Alz ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-conquers-alz/id1492023291 ), and she serves as host of the 3rd & Fairfax for the Writers Guild of America West.
Most recently, Susie wrote, directed, and produced the 3-part docuseries No Country For Old People ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Loa4tGZ3GwI ), recipient of the 2024 Gold Anthem Award for Health Awareness. The film is a searing examination of nursing home neglect, systemic healthcare failures, and the human cost of institutional indifference — a subject she knows not just as a filmmaker, but as a daughter who lost her mother to Alzheimer’s.
Susie also leads Respect Oversight Advocacy Reform for Long Term Care ( https://www.roar4ltc.org/ ) a 501c3 nonprofit movement that is embracing the power of storytelling to engage and mobilize the public, with a strong focus on younger generations, to demand dignity, accountability, and reform in long-term care.
Susie Singer Carter doesn’t just tell stories. She uses them to fight for change.
Important Episode Links
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r
http://nocountryforoldpeople.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@UCZGC8Htb549M2TNVSR67FOw
My Mom and the Girl - https://vimeo.com/266772460
Respect Oversight Advocacy Reform for Long Term Care - https://www.roar4ltc.org/
SusieSingerCarter #NoCountryForOldPeople #ElderCare #NursingHomeCrisis #CaregiverAdvocacy #AlzheimersAwareness
HealthcareReform #DementiaCare #PublicHealth #AgingPopulation
LongTermCare #HealthPolicy #CaregiverLife #ElderJustice #Longevity
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Why do some scientific breakthroughs begin with ridicule?
In this episode, we explore cancer research, serendipity, and the philosophy behind unconventional biomedical innovation.
Dr. Alexander Shneider, Ph.D. is a biotech entrepreneur and scientist with more than three decades of experience spanning oncology, immunology, vaccines, and translational medicine. He is the Founder and CEO of CureLab Oncology ( https://www.curelaboncology.com/ ), where he is leading the development of a novel biological agent designed to fight cancer through a dual approach—stimulating anti-tumor immunity while also addressing the chronic inflammation that often underlies disease progression.
CureLab’s lead therapeutic, Elenagen, has demonstrated a strong safety profile and encouraging signals of clinical benefit in international Phase II studies, and is being explored both as an adjunct to standard cancer treatments and for its broader potential in inflammation-driven and age-associated diseases. The platform’s reach may extend beyond human medicine, with ongoing interest in applications for oncology in companion animals.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Shneider has advised biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and investment organizations across areas including R&D strategy, licensing, technology transfer, product development, and intellectual property. He previously founded CureLab, Inc., where he worked on tools for the rational design of DNA vaccines and the development of broad-spectrum influenza vaccine concepts.
In academia, Dr. Shneider has held professor-level appointments and led the Genetic Vaccine Laboratory at Sechenov University, where he helped establish multicenter clinical research infrastructure focused on diseases involving chronic inflammation. His research has also explored evolutionarily conserved RNA structures as targets for antiviral therapies and next-generation vaccine design.
In addition to his scientific and entrepreneurial work, he serves on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals in immunology and aging research, reflecting his long-standing engagement at the intersection of basic science, clinical translation, and biotechnology innovation.
CancerResearch #BiomedicalScience #CancerInnovation
ScientificDiscovery #PhilosophyOfScience #Biotech #MedicalInnovation
Oncology #BreakthroughScience #StartupScience #SciencePodcast #DrugDevelopment #Serendipity #Innovation #FutureOfMedicine
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Antimicrobial resistance is a systems failure — not just a prescribing problem.
Olivier Niyonshima, Founder of ZeroX Intelligence and Medikal Africa, explains how NVIDIA-backed edge AI infrastructure is transforming healthcare across Africa.
Olivier Niyonshima ( https://olivierniyonshima.com/ ) is the Founder and CEO of ZeroX Intelligence ( https://zeroxintelligence.com/ ), a Rwandan–Canadian AI company focused on building practical, production-grade technology for healthcare, agriculture, and education across Africa.
He leads Medikal Africa ( https://www.medikalafrica.com/ ), an AI-powered clinical intelligence platform designed to combat antimicrobial resistance and strengthen digital health systems in real-world African healthcare environments. Rather than treating AMR as an awareness problem, Olivier approaches it as a systems failure—one driven by delayed diagnostics, fragmented data, and weak decision support—and is building infrastructure to fix that.
Olivier’s work has been recognized globally. Medikal Africa is an NVIDIA Inception Startup, selected after technical and product review for its work in GPU-accelerated, edge-first healthcare AI. He also serves as a Youth Digital Health Champion with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, contributing to continental digital health strategy, policy dialogue, and systems strengthening.
Through ZeroX Intelligence, Olivier is also leading on-the-ground healthcare infrastructure initiatives, including the deployment of autonomous UV-C disinfection robotics to improve infection prevention in clinical settings. His work is grounded in a clear mission: ensuring Africa doesn’t just host pilots or consume technology, but leads in building scalable systems that work in real conditions.
OlivierNiyonshima #ZeroXIntelligence #MedikalAfrica
AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #HealthAI #DigitalHealth #AfricaInnovation #NVIDIAInception #EdgeAI #ClinicalAI #HealthcareTechnology #AIinHealthcare #PublicHealth #Superbugs
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Dr. Raza Bokhari, MD ( https://www.razabokhari.com/ ) is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medicus Pharma Ltd. ( https://medicuspharma.com/ ), a precision-guided biotechnology company focused on accelerating the clinical development of novel and potentially disruptive therapeutic assets designed to transform the standard of care.
A physician turned serial entrepreneur, Dr. Bokhari has built a distinguished career identifying, aggregating, and advancing life sciences, healthcare services, and pharmaceutical R&D companies. He is also the Managing Partner of RBx Capital, LP, an investment fund dedicated to biotech and life sciences innovation.
Previously, Dr. Bokhari served as Executive Chairman and CEO of FSD Pharma, where he led a strategic transformation of the company from medicinal cannabis into a clinical-stage pharmaceutical R&D organization. Under his leadership, the company achieved a NASDAQ listing in January 2020 and raised nearly $100 million in institutional capital to support growth and expansion.
Dr. Bokhari earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Rawalpindi Medical College at the University of Punjab and holds an Executive MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Dr. Bokhari is Vice Chairman of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. He previously served on the Board of Temple University’s Fox School of Business as Chairman of the Executive Advisory Committee, and as a Trustee of both The Franklin Institute and the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Through his family foundation, Dr. Bokhari is deeply committed to philanthropy and community engagement. In recognition of a $1 million gift to Temple University, the Fox School named its Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute Suite in his honor. In 2018, he was named a Centennial Honoree by the Fox School — recognized among a select group of entrepreneurs, visionaries, and disruptors who have shaped the institution and the broader business world since 1918.
Biotech #Pharma #DrugDevelopment #ClinicalTrials #LifeSciences #MedicusPharma #Phase2Biotech #BiotechStrategy #DeRiskThenPartner #CapitalEfficient #Investing #PharmaInvesting #PrecisionBiotech #OncologyInnovation #DrugRepurposing #MedicalInnovation #HealthcareStrategy #ClinicalDevelopment #BiotechBusinessModel
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Nishant Rastogi is the inaugural Managing Director of Lupus Ventures ( https://www.lupusventures.org/ ), the venture investment fund of the Lupus Research Alliance ( LRA - https://www.lupusresearch.org/ ), where he serves on the Investment Committee. In this role, he leads all aspects of the fund — from sourcing and evaluating opportunities to structuring deals and managing the portfolio — while overseeing team recruitment, business development, and coordination with the fund’s Investment Committee and Scientific Advisory Board.
Lupus Ventures is the world’s only venture fund dedicated to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related autoimmune conditions. It aims to accelerate the development of new therapies and diagnostics that improve care and deliver meaningful impact for the millions of people living with lupus worldwide.
A seasoned life sciences investor with over a decade of experience in venture capital and private equity, Mr. Rastogi has served as a Board Director and operating partner for multiple biotech and medtech companies. Prior to Lupus Ventures, he was Vice President and Head of Transactions at New Rhein Healthcare Investors, where he helped establish the firm’s U.S. office, executed transactions across diverse therapeutic areas, and managed a portfolio totaling over $200 million in direct investments. His work spanned financing, clinical development, regulatory strategy, manufacturing, and commercialization. Notable investments include Corsair, Theranica, Alveus, American Injectables, Butterfly Medical, Softhale, EirCor, and Neuraptive.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Rastogi was a founding associate at Broadview Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital fund focused on cardiovascular innovation, and has advised multiple disease research foundations — including Beyond Celiac and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy — on venture fund formation and the intersection of philanthropy and private investment in advancing medicines and health equity. He began his career as an analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Mr. Rastogi holds a B.A. in Economics and Mathematical Finance from Dartmouth College, an MBA from Northwestern University (Kellogg), a Medical Science Certificate from Harvard, and a Certificate in Climate Change and Health from Yale.
Lupus #AutoimmuneDisease #LupusResearch #BiotechInnovation #Immunology #HealthcareInnovation #PrecisionMedicine #WomensHealth #HealthEquity #VentureCapital #Biotechnology #SystemicLupus #LupusAwareness #MedicalBreakthrough #LifeSciences
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Over the past few years, artificial intelligence has rapidly entered drug discovery — but one of the true “holy grail” challenges inside pharma is no longer just predicting what proteins look like, but understanding how molecules actually interact: how proteins bind drugs, antibodies, RNA, and each other, and how those insights can guide better decisions long before anything reaches the lab.
Early breakthroughs in structure prediction made protein models widely accessible, but real biology happens at interfaces, in motion, and often in fleeting conformations that determine whether a therapy ultimately succeeds or fails. Today’s conversation explores what it means to move into this next chapter — where structural predictions are translated into actionable insight for real-world drug development.
Joining us are two scientists from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany ( https://www.emdgroup.com/en ), working at the intersection of protein structure prediction, molecular dynamics, and generative design, helping to build internal platforms that turn computational models into practical decision tools for therapeutic discovery.
Dr. Stephanie Linker, Ph.D. is a Senior Computational Biochemist in Merck’s Group Digital Innovation unit, where she leads initiatives in generative antibody design, de novo protein binder development, and advanced structure prediction platforms. Her work focuses on how molecular shape, flexibility, and dynamics influence whether a designed molecule actually performs in biological systems.
Dr. Philipp Schnee, Ph.D. is a Computational Protein Design expert at Merck KGaA, currently part of the GoGlobal Data & AI rotation program. His research bridges high-resolution molecular dynamics simulations with experimental biochemistry to understand protein function, mutation effects, and mechanisms that can be leveraged for enzyme engineering and inhibitor design.
Together, their work reflects a broader shift happening across the pharmaceutical industry — away from static structures and standalone models, and toward integrated platforms that combine folding, binding, ranking, and experimental validation to guide smarter, faster therapeutic decisions.
In this episode, we explore what these next-generation tools can do today, where their limitations remain, and why the ability to move from structure prediction to decision-ready insight may become one of the most important frontiers in modern drug discovery.
AI drug discovery, protein structure prediction, computational biology, biologics design, pharmaceutical R&D
DrugDiscovery #ArtificialIntelligence #AlphaFold #ProteinFolding
Biotech #PharmaInnovation #ComputationalBiology #StructuralBiology #AIinHealthcare #AntibodyEngineering #MolecularDynamics #FutureOfMedicine #SystemsBiology #LifeSciences #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #MachineLearning #BioTechPodcast
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Meduza documentary interview with director Roc Morin.
A Ukrainian actor who once played a sniper on screen is recruited as one in real life—this conversation explores how war reshapes identity, memory, and meaning.
Roc Morin is a filmmaker and journalist whose work explores the intersection of conflict, culture, and the inner lives of people living through historical rupture.
He is the director of the documentary MEDUZA, which follows Ukrainian artist and actor Pavlo Aldoshyn, who became a sniper when the full-scale invasion began in 2022—drawing, uncannily, on skills he had previously learned playing a sniper in a film role. Shot over two years, MEDUZA traces Pavlo’s psychological and spiritual transformation as war reshapes not only his life, but the framework he uses to understand himself and the world.
Before turning to documentary filmmaking, Roc reported extensively on Ukraine beginning in 2014. Following the full-scale invasion in 2022, he entered the country in the earliest days of the war, crossing the border on foot and making his way to Lviv when no formal transportation was available.
Roc previously directed the documentary You Are My Audience and served as a producer on Werner Herzog’s Family Romance, LLC. MEDUZA was produced with his longtime collaborator Leïla Wolf, whose creative partnership deeply shaped the film.
Filmed across Ukraine, the United States, Japan, India, and Ecuador, MEDUZA reflects Roc’s distinctive approach to documentary filmmaking—one that resists spectacle in favor of intimacy, and asks not only what is happening in the world, but how people metabolize it internally.
This episode features MEDUZA director Roc Morin discussing the story behind the documentary.
Important Episode Links:
https://www.rocmorin.com/
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwcjBl2Rayo
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9128669/
Meduza #UkraineWar #DocumentaryFilm #WarAndIdentity #Transformation #ImmortalJellyfish #HumanCondition #WarStories
Filmmaking #IndependentFilm #PsychologyOfWar
ArtAndWar #DocumentaryInterview #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast
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Join us for a deep dive with Dr. Sonia Grego, scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur at the forefront of redefining human health through everyday biological data.
In this episode, we explore how Dr. Grego’s groundbreaking work with Coprata’s smart toilet platform is turning stool into actionable health insights — passively, seamlessly, and in the comfort of your own home. We discuss biomarkers, gut health monitoring, and how cutting-edge sensor and AI technologies are making preventive medicine more personalized and accessible.
Dr. Grego is Co-Founder & CEO of Coprata and Director of the Duke Smart Toilet Lab, where she studies biochemical signals in everyday human waste to unlock early, equitable, and personalized health insights. With a PhD in Physics from the University of Copenhagen, dozens of peer-reviewed publications, and multiple U.S. patents, she bridges rigorous science, sensor technology, and real-world health impact.
This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in digital health, preventive medicine, gut health, sensors, and the future of biomedical technology.
Learn more about Coprata: https://www.coprata.com
Learn more about the Duke Smart Toilet Lab: https://smarttoilet.pratt.duke.edu/people
Learn more about the Nestlé Health Science FIBER-IMPACT study: https://www.nestlehealthscience.us/stories/nestle-health-science-launches-landmark-study-uncover-impact-lifestyle-gut-health
Follow the show for more deep dives into health innovation and emerging biotech.
SmartToilet #Coprata #GutHealth #DigitalHealth #PreventiveMedicine #Biomarkers #HealthTech #StoolAnalysis #MedicalInnovation #FutureOfHealthcare #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast
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Brandon Ganske is Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of LifeRx.md ( https://liferx.md/ ), a U.S.-based telehealth and wellness company providing clinically supervised programs for metabolic, hormonal, cellular, and performance health.
Through its secure, customer-centric digital platform, LifeRx.md connects patients with licensed U.S. medical providers, streamlines treatment access, and delivers provider-reviewed therapies in a secure and private environment.
LifeRx.md empowers individuals to take control of their health with confidence, clarity, and support.
Brandon comes to healthcare from the front lines of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer brand building, with more than a decade of experience scaling high-growth digital businesses. Before entering telehealth, he founded and operated multiple e-commerce ventures, overseeing everything from product development and sourcing to performance marketing and customer acquisition.
Brandon is also the founder of Influenceish ( https://www.influenceish.com/ ), a marketing and growth consultancy focused on helping brands build authentic customer relationships in increasingly crowded digital marketplaces.
Today, at LifeRx.md, Brandon sits at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and consumer behavior—working on how telehealth platforms earn trust, communicate clinical value, and adapt to rapidly changing expectations around weight loss, hormones, and performance-driven medicine.
FutureOfHealthcare #Telehealth #PrimaryCare #DigitalHealth #HealthInnovation #TrustInMedicine #ClinicalCare #MedicalEthics
ResponsibleInnovation #EvidenceBasedMedicine #HumanOptimization
PreventiveHealth #PerformanceHealth #Longevity #MetabolicHealth
HealthcareTransformation #CareDelivery #HealthSystems #BrandonGanske #PatientCentricCare #ValueBasedCare #HealthPodcast #SciencePodcast #MedTech #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Mohammed “Mo” Abouelsoud is a neuroscientist-entrepreneur whose career sits at the intersection of brain science, noninvasive neuromodulation, and precision healthcare. He is the CEO of U: The Mind Company ( https://uthemind.company ), where he leads the development of precision, noninvasive neuromodulation technologies aimed at restoring dysfunctional brain networks in Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.
Mo’s journey into neuroscience began long before the boardroom—rooted instead in hands-on clinical exposure and early immersion in brain imaging and data science. While training at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, he worked in a neuromodulation data analysis lab, learning to map structural and functional brain connectivity using DTI and fMRI, and gaining fluency in tools such as MATLAB and FSL. This early exposure shaped his enduring interest in the brain not as isolated regions, but as dynamic, networked systems that can be measured, modeled, and—critically—modulated.
At OSU, Mo further expanded his technical foundation through research spanning nanotechnology, fluorescence imaging, and signal measurement, synthesizing DNA-gold nanoparticle conjugates for precision sensing. Across these experiences, a unifying question emerged: how can we quantify brain function objectively, and how can we intervene noninvasively to restore lost connectivity?
That question became the backbone of his entrepreneurial work. Prior to founding U: The Mind Company, Mo co-founded Tremo, a quantitative tracking platform designed to objectively measure motor symptoms and treatment response in neurological disease—an early step toward personalized, data-driven neurology.
At U: The Mind Company, Mo now leads a multidisciplinary effort combining transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), neuroimaging, advanced signal analytics, and AI-driven interpretation within the company’s Compressive Healthcare Intelligence Platform (CHIP). His work has helped demonstrate that targeted frontal lobe stimulation can significantly enhance functional connectivity in Alzheimer’s disease networks, with observed increases in local and interhemispheric coherence that suggest meaningful neuroplastic re-engagement of impaired circuits. In Parkinson’s disease, his team has shown measurable reductions in tremor and dyskinesia using objective video analysis and motor tracking—bringing rigor and quantification to outcomes that have traditionally been subjective.
Threaded throughout Mo’s neuroscience journey is an unusually holistic worldview. Before entering research and medicine, he spent years working in permaculture and regenerative farming, an experience that deeply influenced his systems-level thinking. Just as ecosystems thrive through balance, feedback, and interdependence, Mo approaches the brain as a living network—one that can be guided back toward health through precise, adaptive intervention rather than blunt force.
Today, Mo Abouelsoud is driven by a singular mission: to translate neuroscience into scalable, noninvasive technologies that restore brain function, dignity, and agency to patients, while redefining how neurological disease is measured, treated, and understood.
Important Episode Link - Virtual tES Device Treatment for Parkinson's Disease Motor Symptoms -
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07182058
MohammedAbouelsoud #UTheMindCompany #Noninvasive #Neurotechnology #Neuromodulation #Electroceuticals #TranscranialElectricalStimulation #TranscranialDirectCurrentStimulation #TranscranialAlternatingCurrentStimulation #AlzheimersDisease #ParkinsonsDisease #PsychiatricDisorders #DigitalTwinBrain #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Christopher Buck, Ph.D. ( https://cbuck.substack.com/ ) is Senior Investigator, Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, And Head, Tumor Virus Molecular Biology Section, Center for Cancer Research, at the U.S. National Cancer Institute ( https://ccr.cancer.gov/staff-directory/christopher-b-buck ).
Dr. Buck’s lab focuses on the virion proteins of a family of viruses called polyomaviruses, and their research ranges from basic investigation of the mechanisms through which polyomaviruses infect cells to translational development of virus-like particle vaccines. They also maintain an active interest in discovering new virus species, with the goals of uncovering human disease associations and understanding the evolutionary history of cancer-causing viruses.
Dr. Buck received a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Dr. Buck’s graduate research in Dr. Robert Siliciano's lab focused on the translation and immunogenicity of the HIV-1 capsid protein Gag. For his graduate work, Dr. Buck received the Alicia Showalter Reynolds Award.
In 2001, Dr. Buck began post-doctoral training in the Lab of Cellular Oncology, where he developed systems for producing human papillomavirus (HPV)-based gene transfer vectors (pseudoviruses). His work using HPV vectors ranged from basic studies of HPV virion structure and morphogenesis to translational research identifying candidate topical microbicides for blocking HPV transmission. For his work in these areas, Dr. Buck, and his mentors, Drs. John Schiller and Doug Lowy, shared the 2006 Norman P. Salzman Award.
In 2007, Dr. Buck joined the faculty of the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research as an Investigator. In 2013, he shared a second Salzman Award in recognition of his mentoring of Dr. Rachel Schowalter. Dr. Buck was awarded tenure in 2014.
ChristopherBuck #CellularOncology #TumorVirus #MolecularBiology #NationalCancerInstitute #Pseudovirus #Papillomavirus #Capsid #Polyomaviruses #OralVaccines #YeastProducedAntigens #MucosalImmunology #FermentedBeverages #BeerBasedVaccines #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Frederic Bertley, Ph.D. ( https://www.fredericbertley.com/ ) is President & CEO: Center of Science and Industry ( COSI - https://cosi.org/ ), as well as interim CEO or the National Veterans Memorial and Museum ( NVMM - https://nationalvmm.org/ ).
Dr. Bertley is a renowned, civic-minded leader, strategist, innovator, scientist, educator, and communicator.
In his role at COSI, Dr. Bertley works incessantly towards elevating science literacy globally, helping reimagine the STEM workforce development pipeline for the nation and creating engaging, empathetic and innovative citizens.
As interim CEO of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM), Dr. Bertley is leading the national museum through a transformational phase to continue to honor and celebrate the lives of Veterans, their families, and our community.
Dr. Bertley’s drive to innovate has elevated COSI’s on-site science museum experience, as well as taken COSI beyond Central Ohio, with programming across the United States and around the world. His leadership has led to highly engaging experiences including the COSI Science Festival, The Color of Science TM and EiPIC TM programs, as well as the celebrated COSI Connects STEM Kit Learning Lunchboxes.
Dr. Bertley co-created and hosted the prime-time television show QED with Dr. B ( https://www.pbs.org/show/qed-dr-b/ ), in partnership with PBS-WOSU Public Media. He also created the animated online series, Dr. B in 3.
Prior to his leadership of COSI, Dr. Bertley served for 9 years as senior vice president for science and education at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
Dr. Bertley has won numerous prestigious awards some of which include:
• Three (3) Honorary Doctorates (McGill University, Otterbein University, Columbus State)
• National Medal (IMLS-White House)
• Eleven (11) EMMY® Awards.
• Five-time #1 Science Museum in the nation (USA Today)
• President’s Medal (The Ohio State University)
• Dell’s 100 Most Innovative Individuals
• Blooloop 50 Museum Influencer (UK)
• CEO of The Year (Columbus CEO)
• Four-time commencement speaker (McGill, OSU, Otterbein, Columbus State)
• The Spirit of Columbus Award
• George Washington Carver Award for Science Engagement (City of Philadelphia)
Dr. Bertley earned a bachelor’s in physiology, mathematics and the history of science, as well as a doctorate in immunology, both from McGill University. He completed a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and MIT, working on the development of DNA vaccines
for HIV/AIDS. His global health work includes preventative medicine and basic vaccines in Haiti, Sudan and the Canadian Arctic. His international STEM education impact includes programs in Barbados, Dominica, Egypt, England, India, Italy, Japan, Malta, Paraguay, Senegal, and UAE.
FredericBertley #CenterOfScienceAndIndustry #COSI #TheFranklinInstitute #Measles #Immunopathogenesis #HIVVaccination #ScienceLeadershipAcademy #AntibioticResistance #CreativeAging #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfLearning #ImmersiveMedia #DataVisualization #ContextAwareEnvironments #BioInteractiveExperiences #NeuroResponsiveExperiences #SyntheticMedia #LivingArchives #CrossRealityContinuums #DigitalTwins
STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD is a board-certified physician, clinical researcher, and founder of Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine ( https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/ ).
Trained in conventional family medicine, Dr. Hartman earned his MD from the Medical College of Virginia and served as a Major in the U.S. Air Force, where he led medical clinics in both the United States and Europe and received additional training in cardiology, dermatology, and nuclear and biological warfare medicine.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Hartman has participated in more than 70 clinical trials, published research including work in The Lancet, and cared for patients across four continents in more than 100,000 clinical encounters. He is triple board-certified, with advanced credentials in integrative, functional, metabolic, regenerative, and anti-aging medicine, and he previously served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Dr. Hartman’s professional focus was profoundly reshaped by a deeply personal experience: adopting his daughter Anna, who was born with severe neurological injury and cerebral palsy and was labeled “incurable” by conventional standards. Her extraordinary progress—achieved through personalized, root-cause, and systems-based approaches to care—became the catalyst for Dr. Hartman’s transition into functional and precision medicine.
Dr. Hartman is the author of the 2025 book Uncurable ( https://www.amazon.com/UnCurable-Hopeless-Diagnosis-Defying-Odds-ebook/dp/B0FWQ21FDV ), which blends memoir, medical critique, and practical strategy to challenge how modern healthcare defines—and limits—healing. In the book, Dr. Hartman argues that many so-called incurable conditions reflect systemic blind spots rather than biological absolutes, and he calls on patients and clinicians alike to rethink personalized care, patient advocacy, and the foundations of health.
Today, Dr. Hartman continues to practice, teach, and research while advocating for a more individualized, curiosity-driven, and human-centered model of medicine—one that treats patients not as protocols, but as complex, exceptional individuals.
AaronHartman #FunctionalMedicine #IntegrativeMedicine #Uncurable #RootCauseMedicine #Nutrigenomics #Neuroplasticity #Rehabilitation #EnvironmentalMedicine #OffLabel #CerebralPalsy #BrainDamage #PersonalizedCare #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Chris Oswald, DC, CNS, is Head of Medical Affairs for Pure Encapsulations ( https://www.pureencapsulations.com/ ), part of Nestlé Health Science family. He is a chiropractor, certified nutrition specialist and certified functional medicine practitioner and has been treating patients since 2007.
At Pure Encapsulations, Dr. Oswald leads medical education, scientific strategy, and innovation across well-known professional brands including Pure Encapsulations, Douglas Labs, Klean Athlete, Genestra, and others. In this role, he sits at the intersection of clinical science, practitioner education, and product innovation — translating complex evidence into practical tools that help healthcare professionals practice more confident, personalized nutritional medicine.
Dr. Oswald’s clinical work, in combination with his work in professional dietary supplement companies, gives him unique insight into the creation of clinically useful tools and education to support the unique needs of clinicians and patients in functional, integrative and natural health.
Before joining Pure Encapsulations, Dr. Oswald held senior leadership roles across the nutraceutical and health tech landscape, including Chief Science Officer, Head of Product Innovation and R&D, Head of Operations, Interim Head of Sales, and VP of Nutraceuticals at companies like January AI and Further Food. Across those roles, he’s led everything from supply chain and regulatory strategy to product development, claims substantiation, and national practitioner education.
At the core of Dr. Oswald’s work is a consistent theme: bridging rigorous science, real-world clinical practice, and responsible commercialization — all with the goal of improving patient outcomes and advancing the future of personalized, integrative healthcare.
ChrisOswald #PureEncapsulations #NestleHealthScience #FunctionalMedicine #Nutrition #DietarySupplements #Nutraceuticals #PureGenomics #DeniseFurness #Nutrigenomics #Genetics #Epigenetics #PersonalizedHealth #BiologicalAgeProtocol #BiologicalAging #Telomeres #Proteomics #Metabolomics #Biomarkers #Glycans
STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Sheryl Genco, Ph.D. ( https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/contributors/q-t/dr-sheryl-genco ) is Chief Technology Officer of the Advanced Technology Group at Ericsson, one of the world’s largest and oldest telecommunications infrastructure companies that is involved in building the equipment, software, and services that make mobile networks work.
Dr. Genco has over 30 years of experience in engineering and management at organizations spanning industrial, entrepreneurial ventures and the public sector.
At Ericsson, Dr. Genco spearheads activities with industry and the U.S. government to exploit 5G and 6G for increased security and economic benefits. Her career has focused on developing technologies with an emphasis on transforming state-of-the-possible ideas into commercial reality.
Dr. Genco has also served as a senior advisor to the Defense Innovation Board ( https://stib.cto.mil/ ), a senior consultant to DARPA ( https://www.darpa.mil/ ) Commercialization Strategy, and on the Executive Board of CO-Labs ( https://www.co-labs.org/ ), a non-profit consortium of federal research laboratories & institutions, universities, colleges, businesses and economic development organizations that provide financial and in-kind support for programs that promote the retention and expansion of Colorado's scientific resources.
Dr. Genco was previously a member of the Senior Executive Service for the Department of Commerce where she was laboratory director for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration ( NTIA - https://www.ntia.gov/ ) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences.
Before NTIA, Dr. Genco was engineering director at Honeywell Quantum Solutions, where she led an organization developing trapped ion quantum computers. She also served at the National Institute of Standards and Technology ( NIST - https://www.nist.gov/ ), where she led the National Advanced Spectrum and Communications Test Network, managing programs in wireless communications (LTE), 3.5GHz, GPS, and AWS-3.
Dr. Genco is an IEEE Senior Member, IEEE MILCOM VIP Chair, and received a Ph.D. (University of Colorado at Boulder), M.S. (Syracuse), and B.S. (Northeastern) degrees in electrical engineering.
Dr. Genco is passionate about enabling socio-economic prosperity through STEM education. She founded a STEM-focused K-8 public school that has won multiple awards and has educated more than 20,000 students over two decades of operation. She was also one of the founders of NSC’s Women in Spectrum Scholarship ( https://www.nationalspectrumconsortium.org/women-in-spectrum-scholarship-winners ).
Important Episode Link - FutureG for Defense & Warfare Summit 2026 - March 25-26, 2026 - Washington, DC - https://www.defenseadvancement.com/events/futureg-for-defense-summit/
SherylGenco #ChiefTechnologyOfficer #AdvancedTechnologyGroup #Ericsson #5G #6G #AI #Cybersecurity #QuantumComputers #SpectrumSharingSystems #LaserCommunications #Nanomaterials #DefenseModernization #SpectrumPolicy #CognitiveNetworks #JammingResistance #NetworkIntegratedSensing #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Lieutenant Colonel Erin Maurer is the CBRN Defense Lead, J3 Force Protection Directorate, at NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum, The Netherlands ( https://jfcbs.nato.int/ ), a position she has held since July 2024.
LTC Maurer enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 2004, and upon graduating from Penn State University in 2008, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), branched Chemical Corps. Her assignments have included:
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Brigade Chemical Officer, Company Executive Officer, and Forward Operating Base Operations Officer, for 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia;
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Headquarters Company Commander, Support Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne);
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AFRICOM/EUCOM Desk Officer, United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC);
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Operations Officer, and Battalion Executive Officer, Special Troops Battalion, 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne);
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U.S. Army Exchange Officer to the United Kingdom’s Defence CBRN Centre, Winterbourne Gunner, United Kingdom.
LTC Maurer holds a Master Degree in Strategic Security, from the Joint Special Operations program at the National Defense University, completed in 2019, with a defended thesis focused on military response to nuclear terrorism. She has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
The J3 Force Protection Directorate ( or J3 Operations - https://www.jcs.mil/directorates/j3-operations/ ) is a critical component within military joint staffs, responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing operational plans, security measures, and threat protection. J3 often integrates force protection (FP) to align security measures against all hazards and threats, ensuring effective command and control.
LieutenantColonelErinMaurer #CBRN #J3ForceProtectionDirectorate #NATOJointForceCommandBrunssum #ChemicalCorps #NuclearTerrorism #WeaponsOfMassDestruction #NationalDefenseUniversity #ArmyExchangeOfficer #UKDefenceCBRNCentre #MedicalCountermeasures #DecontaminationConcepts #ChemicalBiologicalRadiologicalAndNuclear #ImprovisedNuclearDevice #RadiologicalDispersalDevices #DirtyBombs #JointSpecialOperations
STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Ph.D. is one of the world’s leading stewards of ancient heritage and the Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities ( https://egymonuments.gov.eg/en ), where he leads the organization responsible for Egypt’s monuments, museums, and archaeological sites—from the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings to newly discovered sites that continue to reshape our understanding of human civilization.
Dr. Khaled holds a Ph.D. in Ancient Egyptian Antiquities from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic and previously worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Dr. Khaled received a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Henkel Foundation in Germany, in recognition of his collaborative efforts and his scientific research has been published in numerous prestigious, international peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Khaled has also worked as a visiting professor at the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Yale University, USA.
Dr. Khaled devoted his early career to field research, excavation, and scholarly study of ancient Egyptian civilization. He began his career as an antiquities inspector with the SCA in the Giza Pyramids area, ascending through various leadership roles within the council.
Dr. Khaled was also Director of the Technical Office of the head of Central Administration of Cairo and Giza Antiquities, Scientific Research Department, and Foreign Mission Affairs. He also supervised the Development and Site Management Project of Pyramids at the Giza Plateau.
Under Dr. Khaled's stewardship, Egyptian archaeology stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation, embracing new technologies, confronting misinformation, and preparing for a future where heritage preservation is more critical than ever.
MohamedIsmailKhaled #SecretaryGeneral #Egypt #SupremeCouncilOfAntiquities #Pyramids #ValleyOfTheKings #CradleOfCivilization #ArchaeologicalMissions #MinistryOfTourismAndAntiquities #GreatPyramidOfGiza #SaqqaraNecropolis #AbuGhurabSunTemple #Archaeology #SatelliteImaging #GroundPenetratingRadar #Photogrammetry #PseudoArchaeology #Atlantis #LostCivilizations #AlienBuilders #ZahiHawass #WadiAlNasb #TellElFaraoon #SanElHagar #QubbetElHawa #Sphinx #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Ellen de Brabander, Ph.D. is Executive Vice President, Research, Development and Regulatory Affairs at Elanco Animal Health ( https://www.elanco.com/us/leadership/executive-committee/ellen-de-brabander ), one of the world’s largest animal pharmaceutical companys that develops, manufactures, and sells medicines, vaccines, and other health-care products for both pets (companion animals) and farm livestock (cattle, swine, poultry, etc.).
Dr. de Brabander joined Elanco in October 2021 and is responsible for the global research and development organization and regulatory affairs. She is a highly experienced R&D leader with a proven background of accomplishments in animal health research and development.
From March 2014 to October 2021, Dr. de Brabander served as Senior Vice President for Research and Development with PepsiCo, the global food and beverage company, most recently having company-wide responsibility for food safety, quality, regulatory and R&D digital transformation.
Prior to PepsiCo, Dr. de Brabander led R&D organizations for Merial (now Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health), Intervet (now Merck Animal Health) and DSM.
Dr. de Brabander earned her doctorate (cum laude) in bio-organic chemistry from Leiden University in the Netherlands and completed her post-doctoral work in molecular biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has lived in six different countries, is the co-author of more than 60 publications in scientific journals, holds 18 patents and has received multiple awards for her research, including the Golden Medal from the Royal Dutch Chemical Society in 2000 for Best Chemist Under 40.
Important Episode Links -
Investor Day Presentation - Defining Elanco’s New Era of Growth - December 9, 2025
https://s1.q4cdn.com/466533431/files/doc_events/2025/Dec/09/FINAL_ELAN-2025-Investor-Day-Presentation.pdf
EllenDeBrabander #ElancoAnimalHealth #Parasiticides #Therapeutics #Pharmaceuticals #Vaccines #PreventiveCare #Ruminants #Cattle #Swine #Poultry #Cats #Dogs #OneHealth #FutureProtein #Biologics #AdvancedTherapeutics #MonoclonalAntibodies #Zenrelia #CredelioQuattro #IntestinalIntegrity #Microbiome #Bovaer #MethaneReduction #CattleEmissions #AntimicrobialResistance #ChronicKidneyDisease #AtopicDermatitis #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Natalie Yivgi-Ohana, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and CEO of Minovia Therapeutics ( https://minoviatx.com/ ), a biotech company dedicated to rapidly advance life-changing therapies that address the unmet need of serious and complex mitochondrial diseases, and are the first clinical-stage company to develop a mitochondrial transplantation approach to treat a broad range of indications generated by a mitochondrial dysfunction which lead to rare-genetic or age-related diseases.
Dr. Yivgi-Ohana has twenty years of experience in mitochondrial research and received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at The Hebrew University, after which she completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Dr. Yivgi-Ohana also has her B.Sc., Medical Sciences Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and her Master’s Degree, Human Reproduction Bar-Ilan University.
Dr. Yivgi-Ohana founded Minovia with a passion to help children and adults with mitochondrial diseases worldwide.
NatalieYivgiOhana #MinoviaTherapeutics #MitochondrialDysfunction #Mitochondria #ATPProduction #MetabolicRegulation #CalciumHandling #Redox #Balance #CellFateDecisions #Heteroplasmy #ThresholdEffect #MitochondrialAugmentationTechnology #PearsonSyndrome #KearnsSayreSyndrome #LowRiskMyelodysplasticSyndrome #SyngeneicMaternalMitochondria #AllogeneicMitochondria #Bioenergetics #Aging #Healthspan #Lifespan #Longevity #Israel #Geroscience #RareDiseases #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Tom Frieden, MD, MPH ( https://drtomfrieden.net/ ) is the Founder and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives ( https://resolvetosavelives.org/ ), a global health organization that accelerates action against the world’s deadliest health threats. The organization has partnered with countries around the world to support implementation of programs that will prevent more than 9 million deaths.
Dr. Frieden is a physician who has specialized in internal medicine, infectious diseases, public health, and epidemiology. He has served a Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York City Health Commissioner, and helped start Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s global health philanthropy, particularly the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use.
Dr. Frieden’s work has appeared in medical journals including The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and The Lancet as well as media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
Dr. Frieden’s new book, The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own ( MIT Press, September 2025 - https://www.amazon.com/Formula-Better-Health-Millions-Lives-Including-ebook/dp/B0DVC5Y6JD ), distills four decades of public health leadership into a clear, actionable framework to extend healthy lives.
Dr. Frieden completed his Doctor of Medicine - MD and Master of Public Health - MPH at Columbia University and did a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Yale University.
TomFrieden #ResolveToSaveLives #CentersforDiseaseControlAndPrevention #NewYorkCityHealthCommissioner #MayorMichaelBloomberg #TheFormulaForBetterHealth #HighBloodPressure #UnhealthyLipids #PhysicalActivity #HealthyNutrition #SufficientSleep #AvoidingToxins #TuberculosisControl #Hypertension #BloombergPhilanthropies #Obesity #HeartAttacks #Strokes #LipidLowering #CancerPrevention #Vaccines #OpioidAddictionEpidemic #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #OneHealth #Trust #Disinformation #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. James Mackay, Ph.D. is President, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Crystalys Therapeutics Inc. ( https://crystalystx.com/ ), a development stage pharmaceutical company addressing the significant unmet medical needs of people living with gout and dedicated to developing new therapeutics and helping improve the lives of patients.
Dr. Mackay has over 40 years of development and commercialization expertise in the pharmaceutical industry, including 6 drug product approvals across multiple therapeutic areas. Prior to founding Crystalys Therapeutics, he was CEO and co-founder of Aristea Therapeutics and President and CEO of Ardea Biosciences.
Prior to Ardea, Dr. Mackay held senior executive positions over a 30 year period at AstraZeneca where he led the development and commercialization of drugs across a range of therapy areas and managed significant global functional departments.
Dr. Mackay plays a pivotal role in the San Diego innovation ecosystem and currently sits on the Board and Executive Committee of CONNECT and sits on the Board of Advisors of BIOCOM. He is a former Board member of the San Diego Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
Dr. Mackay holds a BS in Genetics and Ph.D. in Medical Genetics from Aberdeen University, Scotland.
Important Episode Link -
JEWEL Program - https://jewelprogram.com/
JamesMackay #CrystalysTherapeutics #Gout #CrystalInducedArthritis #UricAcid #Hyperuricemia #GoutyArthritis #Allopurinol #UrateLoweringTherapy #XanthineOxidaseInhibitors #UricosuricAgents #Dotinurad #TophaceousGout #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Joel Latham is the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director of Incannex Healthcare Inc. ( https://incannex.com/ ) a science-led combination medicines company leading the way in developing cannabinoid-based medicines and psychedelic-based regimens for people living with challenging chronic conditions.
Incannex Healthcare’s science-driven programs are exploring the therapeutic potential of oral synthetic cannabinoid and psilocybin drug candidates in sleep apnea, anxiety, and inflammatory diseases.
Joel brings more than 20 years of senior management and operations experience in both public and private sectors, and under Joel’s leadership, Incannex has advanced, and prioritized multiple therapeutic candidates into clinical-stage development.
Previously, Joel was the CEO and Managing Director of Incannex Australia, where he played a key role in the company’s growth and its successful transition to Nasdaq.
Joel has also held senior leadership roles in corporate strategy and global market development at Mars Foods, Tabcorp, and Philip Morris International.
JoelLatham #IncannexHealthcare #CombinationMedicines #CannabinoidBasedMedicines #PsychedelicBasedRegimens #ObstructiveSleepApnea #RheumatoidArthritis #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #Acetazolamide #Dronabinol #Cannabidiol #Hydroxychloroquine #Psilocybin #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Peter Basica ( https://peterbasica.com/ ) is the Founder and Chairman of 360 Smarter Care ( https://360smartercare.com/ ), an independent, AI-driven healthcare company redefining how self-funded employers manage healthcare costs and population health. Under his leadership, 360 Smarter Care applies advanced behavioral science, proprietary artificial intelligence, and deep human empathy to deliver personalized, one-to-one engagement at scale — improving health outcomes while significantly reducing costs. Free from venture capital pressure and legacy healthcare conflicts, Peter built 360 to challenge a system he believes too often prioritizes profit over people.
Before launching 360, Peter spent nearly three decades building and leading high-performance organizations across industries including insurance, automotive, marine, manufacturing, and financial services. He is the founder of Silver Bullet Partners, where for 18 years he served as President and Senior Educator, working directly with C-suite executives on sales performance, leadership development, executive coaching, and culture change. His proprietary methodologies helped clients dramatically increase revenue, reverse sales declines, and build durable performance cultures — including doubling sales at Fountain Powerboats, adding tens of millions in revenue at Monterey Boats, and restoring growth at ISG.
Earlier in his career, Peter held senior leadership roles in sales, marketing, and operations, including transforming Pier 33 Marina from an underperforming two-location business into a five-location, multi-state powerhouse growing revenues from $8 million to $50 million. As Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Arrington Performance Industries, he led market expansion initiatives, operational turnarounds, and high-profile brand placements — blending strategic vision with hands-on execution.
In parallel with his business ventures, Peter is also the Founder of Digital Consumerism ( https://digitalconsumerism.com/ ), a platform designed to help individuals maximize financial wellness, protect digital assets, and make smarter everyday decisions across banking, healthcare, travel, and cybersecurity.
Deeply committed to service, Peter founded Remember Our Military ( https://www.rememberourmilitary.com/ ), a volunteer-driven nonprofit ensuring that no active-duty service member or veteran spends a holiday meal alone. He also serves on advisory boards including the Carle Illinois College of Medicine’s Global Consortium for Innovation and Engineering in Medicine and Newark Youth Career Pathways, reflecting his dedication to education, innovation, and community impact.
PeterBasica #360SmarterCare #RuralHealthTransformationFund #OneBigBeautifulBillAct #ExpandingAccess #ImprovingHealthOutcomes #WorkforceDevelopment #InnovativeCareModels #Telehealth #RemoteCare #PrimaryCare #PrenatalCare #MaternalServices #ChronicDiseaseManagement #BehavioralHealthServices #CommunityHealthWorkers #DataSharing #Interoperability #ValueBasedCare #AlternativePaymentModels #AdvancedAI #RuralPatients #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Steven Quay, MD, Ph.D. ( https://drquay.com/ ) is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Atossa Therapeutics ( https://atossatherapeutics.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
Dr. Quay is certified in Anatomic Pathology with the American Board of Pathology, completed both an internship and residency in anatomic pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, and is a former faculty member of the Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Quay is a named inventor on 87 U.S. patents, 130 pending U.S. patent applications, and is named inventor on patents covering five pharmaceutical products that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Quay received an MD and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He received his B.A. degree in biology, chemistry and mathematics from Western Michigan University.
StevenQuay #AtossaTherapeutics #BreastCancer #SelectiveEstrogenReceptorModulators #AromataseInhibitors #SelectiveEstrogenReceptorDegraders #Tamoxifen #Zendoxifen #MetastaticDisease #MammographicBreastDensity #GlioblastomaMultiforme #DuchenneMuscularDystrophy #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Lewis Bender is CEO and Founder of Intensity Therapeutics ( https://intensitytherapeutics.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company whose mission is to help patients live longer, higher quality lives by discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class cancer drugs that attenuate tumors with minimal side effects, while training the patient’s own immune system to fight the cancer.
Intensity’s novel engineered chemistry (lead candidate INT230-6) enables aqueous cytotoxic-containing drug formulations to mix and saturate a tumor's dense, high-fat, pressurized environment following direct intra-tumoral injection. As a result of the saturation, Intensity's clinical trials have demonstrated the ability of INT230-6 to kill tumors and elicit an adaptive immune response within days of injection, representing a new approach to cancer cell death that holds the potential to shift the treatment paradigm and turn many deadly cancers into chronic diseases, even for malignancies that do not respond to conventional immunotherapy.
Prior to founding Intensity Therapeutics, Mr. Bender was the CEO of Interleukin Genetics, a personalized medicine company. At Interleukin Mr. Bender successfully restructured the Company, increased sales eight-fold, developed a new genetic-based testing platform and partnered with a large insurance provider to initiate studies leading to reimbursement of the Company’s lead product.
Prior to joining Interleukin Genetics, Mr. Bender held numerous positions at Emisphere Technologies, Inc., a drug delivery company specializing in the oral delivery of poorly absorbed molecules. While at Emisphere Mr. Bender held positions as; Interim President & CEO, Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President of Business Development, and Vice President of Manufacturing and Process Development. During his career Mr. Bender has partnered with several major pharmaceutical and biotech companies using structures such as joint ventures, licensing and research collaboration agreements.
Mr. Bender has over 25 years of biotech and pharmaceutical experience having led teams taking products from discovery to Phase III for compounds using novel drug delivery techniques. In addition, Mr. Bender has been successful in raising (or helping to raise) capital with institutional investors using several vehicles such as registered direct placements, PIPES, S-3 & S-1 filings, and convertible debt. For Intensity Therapeutics he has raised approximately $13,000,000 in capital with multiple types of investors.
Mr. Bender has both a B.S and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT, an MBA from UPenn’s Wharton School, and an MA in International studies also from UPenn. He spent several years living in Switzerland and speaks French, German and Swiss-German dialect.
LewisBender #IntensityTherapeutics #Intratumoral #Immunotherapy #CellPenetrationAndDispersionEnhancer #AmphiphilicMolecule #CytotoxicChemotherapy #Cisplatin #Vinblastine #DfuseRx #DirectCytotoxicity #NeoantigenRelease #AdaptiveImmuneResponse #SoftTissueSarcoma #TripleNegativeBreastCancer #LocallyAdvancedBreastCancer #Metastatic #RefractorySolidTumors #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D., CMPC, is a clinical psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant known for his work with elite athletes, including members of the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox.
Dr. Jenkins also serves as Assistant Director of Psychology Training at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital ( https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/22465/jonathan-jenkins ) as well as in private practice, Mental Fitness and Psychotherapy ( https://www.mentalfitnesspsych.com/ ), where he integrates performance psychology into clinical care for youth and adults.
With his Psy.D in Clinical Psychology from University of Denver, Dr. Jenkins multidisciplinary expertise in mental health, sport psychology, and resilience positions him as a leading voice on the intersection of mental health and elite performance.
Dr. Kimberly O’Brien, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Unlimited Resilience, LLC ( https://unlimitedresiliencellc.com/ ), a group mental health practice designed for athletes by athletes, and co-founder and director of Athletes Better Together ( https://www.athletesbettertogether.com/ ), an athlete peer mentoring program. She is also a research and training consultant at the Behavioral Research & Training Institute at Rutgers University ( https://ubhc.rutgers.edu/education/brti-overview.xml ).
Dr. O’Brien received her BA from Harvard University, where she was a four-year member and co-captain of the hockey team which won a National Championship in 1999. She obtained her MSW and PhD from Boston College and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University.
Dr. O’Brien's research is focused on intervention development for suicidal adolescents and their families, with additional specializations in substance use, interventions which utilize technology, and athlete mental health and suicide prevention.
Dr. O’Brien has co-authored over 75 articles and book chapters related to adolescent suicide, substance use, and mental health, and was awarded the Young Investigator Research Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in 2019.
Together, Dr. Jenkins and Dr. O’Brien are co-authors of the upcoming book Mentality Wins: The Athlete’s Playbook for Thriving in Sport and Life ( https://www.mentalitywins.com/ ), exploring the fascinating connections between athletic performance and mental health.
Important Episode Links
Mentality Wins Instagram Page -
https://www.instagram.com/mentalitywinsbook/
Dr. Jonathan Jenkins Instagram Page -
https://www.instagram.com/dr.jonathanjenkins/?hl=en
Dr. Kimberly O’Brien Instagram Page -
https://www.instagram.com/unlimited_resilience/
Webinar: Thriving Under Pressure- Mental Fitness for Athletes - Feb 26, 2026 -
https://mentalhealthawarenesseducation.com/events/webinar-thriving-under-pressure-a-mental-fitness-guide-for-athletes/
2nd Annual Coalition of Athletic Communities for Mental Health (COACMH) Conference - Tuesday, February 17, 2026 -
https://calendar.cuanschutz.edu/event/2nd-annual-coalition-of-athletic-communities-for-mental-health-coacmh-conference
JonathanJenkins #KimberlyOBrien #NewEnglandPatriots #BostonRedSox #MassachusettsGeneralHospital #MentalFitnessAndPsychotherapy #ClinicalPsychology #UnlimitedResilience #AthletesBetterTogether #BehavioralResearchAndTrainingInstitute #RutgersUniversity #MentalityWins #Resilience #Flow #Play #EliteAthletes #SportPsychology #MentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #SubstanceUse #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Marcel Ishimwe is a pharmacist and public health advocate based in Kigali, Rwanda who is also the Founder and CEO of AMR Initiative Rwanda ( https://amrinitiativerwanda.org/ ), an organization dedicated to tackling antimicrobial resistance through awareness, stewardship, and community-driven solutions.
With a BS in Pharmacy from Unversity of Rwanda, certificates in organizational leadership from Harvard and in Advanced TB Research Training and Epidemiology from University of Washington, and a strong commitment to public health, Marcel works at the intersection of medicine, education, and policy to promote responsible antimicrobial use and strengthen health systems in Rwanda and beyond. Through AMR Initiative Rwanda, he has helped elevate the conversation around antimicrobial resistance—one of the most pressing and often overlooked global health threats of our time—by engaging healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public.
On this episode, we discuss Marcel’s journey into pharmacy, the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries, and how locally led initiatives like his are shaping the future of global health.
Important Episode Link - Medikal - Revolutionizing African Healthcare with AI - https://www.medikalafrica.com/
MarcelIshimwe #AMRInitiativeRwanda #AntimicrobialResistance #SilentPandemic #EColi #KlebsiellaPneumoniae #ThirdGenerationCephalosporins #Resistance #AntibioticStewardship #CommunityOutreach #DigitalCampaigns #ProfessionalTraining #GlobalHealth #PublicHealth #ScientificIntegrity #SocialStability
STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Tara Williams, Ph.D. is the owner and founder of Innovative Collegiate Consultants, Inc. ( https://innovativecollegiateconsultants.com/ ), a consultancy that provides educational assistance and guides neurodivergent students to build academic confidence and independence through advocacy and personalized executive functioning support in their coursework and daily lives.
Dr. Williams earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Sussex in Falmer, United Kingdom.
Dr. Williams is currently a tenured professor at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, and has been teaching for the last twenty years. She has been working with neurodivergent students across the U.S. since 2010, after noticing that these students were struggling with the transition from K-12 support in their Individualized Education Program to college, where self-advocacy and identification were required by a system built for the neurotypical.
Dr. Williams and her team specialize in executive functioning coaching, with an emphasis on academics. Work with students includes accommodation management, email and Learning Management System support, course planning and registration, summer school transfer courses, housing, internship and job searching, and much more. This work also includes concepts of Universal Design which helps both neurodiverse and neurotypical students build confidence, advocate for themselves and thrive in school and college.
Dr. Williams is currently writing a book about her own experiences and struggles in K-12 and higher education, and documenting several case studies working with neurodivergent college students. This book will be released early next year and is entitled "The Neurodivergent Student Journey: A Story of Hope and Breaking Out of the Box".
TaraWilliams #InnovativeCollegiateConsultants #Neurodivergent #ADHD #Dyslexia #Dyscalculia #Autism #ExecutiveFunctioning #Education #AcademicConsultancy #AccommodationManagement #Advocacy
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Dr. Casey Perley, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Army Applications Laboratory ( https://aal.mil/ ) where she leads the mission to reshape how the U.S. Army works with industry to provide the best tech in the world to the best Army in the world. Her vision is for AAL to work from problem inception to sustainment hand in glove with stakeholders across the Army and the Department of War to accelerate and assess the Army's ability to ingest innovation.
Dr. Perley previously served most recently as the deputy director of AAL and before that as the first director of Insights and Analysis, where their scientists and entrepreneurs collaborate to bring the best companies and technologies into solving Army problems.
Prior to AAL, Dr. Perley was a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), where she managed research projects across a range of topics and stakeholders. She designed DNA vaccines and worked in the lab with bio threats including Ebola.
Dr. Perley holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from Duke University and a BS in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale.
Dr. Perley's is also an accomplished harpist, and her orchestral harp work can be heard on more than 120 recordings, one of which was nominated for two Grammy awards.
CaseyPerley #ArmyApplicationsLaboratory #USArmyTransformationAndTrainingCommand #ArmyFuturesCommand #UnitedStatesArmyTrainingAndDoctrineCommand #DepartmentOfTheArmy #AutonomousBridgingKit #CasualtyCareTraining #QuantumHardening #ModularElectromagneticWarfarePayload #BroadAgencyAnnouncement #DisruptiveApplications #USAMRIID #USArmyMedicalResearchInstituteOfInfectiousDiseases #Hanta #Ebola #Tuberculosis #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Marie-Angélique Sene, Ph.D. is Head of Advanced Vaccine Bioprocessing at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar ( https://institutpasteurdakar.sn/ ), one of the most strategically important vaccine manufacturing and research centers in the world—particularly as Africa works to build long-term, sovereign capacity to develop and produce its own vaccines, and she leads their laboratory responsible for the acquisition and transfer of novel technology.
Dr. Sene began her studies in engineering school studying Material Science, Mechanical Engineering, Quantum Physics, and Relativity while conducting research at one of the French Atomic Energy Commission laboratories.
Afterwards, Dr. Sene joined the graduate program in Seoul National University to do her Master’s work, specializing in Micro/Nano engineering, while overseeing the Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center’s photolithography equipment quality control and offering consulting services for local Korean companies wishing to integrate micro/nanotechnology to their Point-of-Care devices.
Dr. Sene worked on projects from various fields such as Agriculture, Green Energies, Semiconductors, Optics, and Health among others.
Dr. Sene now specializes in Vaccines manufacturing and applies her previously acquired knowledge to this field to contribute in the effort to advance equitable access to vaccines.
During her Ph.D. at McGill University in the Kamen Lab, with a focus on Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Sene obtained a patent as main inventor, in collaboration with Sanofi-Pasteur, focusing on the genetic engineering of the Vero cell vaccine production platform, providing new possibilities to quickly generate high throughput, globally accessible, and pandemic ready cell-based vaccine platforms to efficiently protect global populations from current and emerging diseases.
MarieAngéliqueSene #VaccineBioprocessing #InstitutPasteurDeDakar #VeroCells #PandemicPreparedness #AdvancedBiomanufacturing #GlobalHealthSecurity #Senegal #MRNAVaccineDevelopment #RiftValleyFever #MADIBA #ManufacturingInAfricaForDiseaseImmunizationandBuildingAutonomy #RheumaticHeartDisease
STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. James Giordano, Ph.D. is the Director of the Center for Disruptive Technologies and Future Warfare in the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University ( https://inss.ndu.edu/Centers/Center-for-Disruptive-Technology-and-Future-Warfare/ ). He is Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Neurology and Biochemistry, and Senior Scholar Emeritus of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics of Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Dr. Giordano has served as Senior Scientific Advisory Fellow of the Strategic Multilayer Assessment Branch of the Joint Staff, Pentagon; Senior Bioethicist of the Defense Medical Ethics Center; Distinguished Fellow in Science, Technology and Ethics of the Stockdale Center for Ethics at the United States Naval Academy; and as an appointed member of the Neuroethics, Legal and Social Advisory Panel of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), and an appointed member of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Secretary’s Advisory Committee for Human Research Protections.
Dr. Giordano is internationally recognized for his research on the use of neurocognitive sciences and technology in military and intelligence operations.
A widely published author of over 350 peer-reviewed papers in the international scientific literature, and 25 governmental reports, Dr. Giordano’s recent books include Brains and Bioethics; Neuroscience, Neuroculture and Neuroethics; and Neurotechnology in National Security and Defense: Technical Considerations, Neuroethical Concerns ( https://www.amazon.com/Neurotechnology-National-Security-Defense-Considerations/dp/1482228335 ).
Dr. Giordano received a Ph.D. in biopsychology from the City University of New York, a Master of Arts in neuropsychology from Norwich University; a B.Sc. in physiological psychology from St. Peter’s College; completed post-doctoral training in neuropathology and toxicology at the Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, and is currently completing a D.Phil. in political philosophy of science at the East Bavaria Technical University-Regensburg, Germany.
Dr. Giordano is a former Fulbright Fellow; an elected Fellow of the Hastings Center for Ethics; the European Academy of Science and Arts; and the Royal Society of Medicine (UK); and frequently lectures in German and Italian.
JamesGiordano #CenterForDisruptiveTechnologiesAndFutureWarfare #InstituteForNationalStrategicStudies #NationalDefenseUniversity #Neurobiology #Nociception #Neuroethics #Biosecurity #Neurotechnology #Biotechnology #Biomanufacturing #ArtificialIntelligence #DirectedEnergyWeapons #AutonomousSystems #QuantumTechnologies #SuperSoldiers #Bioenhancement #MilitaryMedicalOperations #WarfighterPerformanceAugmentation #Neuroscience #Weaponization #Countermeasures #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Sami Tellatin is Head of Water & Climate Solutions at Kilimo ( https://kilimo.com/en/ ), an organization that connects companies with farmers in the same watershed to implement water-positive practices, generate measurable water savings, and secure resources for both communities and companies.
Kilimo’s operations already span 7 countries, helping steward water resources across more than 500,000 acres of land and partnering with global leaders like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and major CPGs.
In her role, Sami leads the design and deployment of scalable water-positive solutions that help companies, farmers, and communities address water scarcity through more efficient and sustainable irrigation practices.
Prior to this role, Sami co-founded FarmRaise, an enterprise that unlocks funding for farmers and ranchers seeking to invest in their profitability and sustainability, allowing farmers to learn which public and private funding opportunities they’re eligible for and streamlines the application process, moving the industry toward one common application that unlocks funding to drive conservation practice adoption.
Sami has an MBA and MS (Land Use and Agriculture) at Stanford University. She previously conducted research and education efforts at the USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and University of Missouri Extension, focusing on the economic and environmental impacts of cover crops in Midwestern farming communities. She has worked on farms in Missouri and Costa Rica and also holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Engineering from the University of Missouri.
SamiTellatin #Kilimo #WaterPositive #FreshwaterUsage #WatershedProtection #Agriculture #Farming #WatershedDegradation #ClimateChange #SystemicRisk #Ecosystems #HumanSurvival #GlobalStability #AquaticSpeciesLoss #BiodiversityDecline #DisruptedNutrientCycles #WaterborneDiseases #SanitationChallenges #ContaminatedDrinkingWater #GeopoliticalStrains #WaterConflicts #MigrationPressure #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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January 2026 marks National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the United States ( https://www.state.gov/national-human-trafficking-prevention-month/ ) and the 100th anniversary of the 1926 Slavery Convention that intended to abolish slavery worldwide. But, the highest number of people ever recorded are currently trapped in modern slavery.
Dr. Xanthe Scharff, Ph.D. is the Managing Director for External Affairs and Editor-at-Large at The Freedom Fund ( https://www.freedomfund.org/person/xanthe-scharff/ ), a global fund seeking to end modern slavery, acting as a catalyst, working in the countries and sectors where it is still highly prevalent, and she leads development and communications efforts and serves as an ambassador for the organization in the United States.
Dr. Scharff is a media executive, nonprofit founder, and journalist with a deep commitment to centering the stories and leadership of people on the frontlines of change. She co-founded The Fuller Project—the global newsroom dedicated to groundbreaking journalism about women—while reporting in Turkey and on the Syrian border in 2014. Under her leadership, The Fuller Project drove large-scale policy change, won 39 industry awards, and investigated trafficking and workplace exploitation in Somaliland, Lesotho, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and Bangladesh.
Dr. Scharff is the founder and board chair emeritus of Advancing Girls’ Education in Africa, an education nonprofit that provides scholarships and peer mentoring in Malawi. The National Association of Black Journalists gave her the Salute To Excellence Award in ‘24 for magazine reporting about the girls that inspired her to start the nonprofit.
Dr. Scharff is the former deputy of the Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution, where she helped advance education policies that impacted billions of dollars in development spending. She has received distinguished alumni awards from Tufts University, The Fletcher School and National Cathedral School; was named top 40 under 40 by the Center for Leadership Excellence; and received a Genius Grant for climate journalism from the HGB Foundation.
Dr. Scharff’s and her teams’ work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, The Associated Press, Politico, Reuters, The Guardian, The Washington Post, CNN, The Telegraph, USA Today, CBS, NBC, Al Jazeera, the BBC and beyond.
Dr. Scharff has BA in International Affairs and Latin American Politics, from New York University, and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Relations and Affairs and a Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, in International Security, Human Security, and International Development, both from The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
XantheScharff #TheFreedomFund #ModernSlavery #HumanTrafficking #BondedLabour #ForcedLabour #DomesticServitude #ChildLabour #ExploitativeChildWork #ForcedMarriage #MigrationRelatedExploitation #SexualExploitation #MacKenzieScott #HumanRights #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Andrew Holman, MD is Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Inmedix ( https://inmedix.com/ ), a medical diagnostics company pioneering the field of stress biology through its FDA-cleared CloudHRV® platform. Inmedix brings cloud-based clinical diagnostics and immuno-autonomics to medicine to improve outcomes in autoimmune diseases and beyond.
Dr. Holman is the founding rheumatologist at Pacific Rheumatology Associates Inc PS, Director of Research at Pacific Rheumatology Research Inc., a former President of the Northwest Rheumatism Society (2005) and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington.
Dr. Holman has 25 year clinical (and 19 year rheumatology) research career experience with 16 lead author published papers, and 25 lead author published abstracts. For Inmedix, he has designed, completed and published 15 clinical studies, including FDA negotiations, involving nearly 1500 patients.
Dr. Holman's research highlights include, but are not limited to, studying the use of dopamine agonists as a treatment of fibromyalgia, exploring the impact of hypermobility syndromes, evaluating innovative autonomic nervous system (ANS) analysis with 5-min heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, and broadening understanding of pain in patients with PC3 (positional cervical cord compression) using dynamic flexion-extension, cervical magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI).
Dr. Holman has his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Medicine from University of Missouri-Columbia and did his Rheumatology Fellowship at the University of Washington - School of Medicine.
AndrewHolman #Inmedix #CloudHRV #ClinicalDiagnostics #ImmunoAutonomics #AutoimmuneDiseases #StressBiology #Rheumatology #Fibromyalgia #RheumatoidArthritis #HeartRateVariability #HRV #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Marco de Baar, Ph.D. is a full professor and Chair of Plasma Fusion Operation and Control at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Eindhoven University of Technology ( TU/e - https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/marco-de-baar ).
In addition to his work at TU/e, Dr. de Baar is also head of fusion research at the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research ( DIFFER - https://www.differ.nl/ ) located on the TU/e campus. As member of DIFFER's management team, he has also served as the Dutch representative in the European fusion research consortium EUROfusion ( https://euro-fusion.org/ ).
From 2004 to 2007, Dr. de Baar headed the operations department at JET (Joint European Torus), Europe's largest fusion experiment to date, where he was responsible for the successful operation and development of the reactor. From 2007, he was deputy project leader in the international consortium that develops the upper port launcher. He is program-leader for the Magnetohydrodynamics stabilization work package in ITER-NL ( International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor - https://www.iter.org/ ).
Dr. de Baar’s main scientific interest is the control of nuclear fusion plasmas, with a focus on control of Magnetohydrodynamics modes (for plasma stability) and current density profile (for performance optimization). In his research program, all elements of the control loops are considered, including actuator and sensor design, and advanced control oriented modelling. He also has a keen interest in the operations and the remote maintainability of nuclear fusion reactors.
Dr. de Baar's research largely focuses on understanding and controlling the turbulent plasma in a fusion reactor or tokamak: hot, charged and magnetised gas. Fusion could be a clean, safe, large-scale energy source, but the big challenge to realizing commercially attractive fusion energy is protecting the wall of the fusion reactor against the hot fusion exhaust.
In the research program Dr. de Baar is carrying out with DIFFER, the aim is to start managing the heat load inside the plasma, and bring the energy to the wall in a controlled way.
As a physicist, Dr. de Baar has a strong interest in control engineering, as the two fields make it possible to combine very different viewpoints.
Dr. de Baar received his Ph.D. is physics from TU/e and also holds an MSc in experimental physics from the University of Utrecht.
MarcoDeBaar #EindhovenUniversityOfTechnology #PlasmaFusion #FusionResearch #DutchInstituteForFundamentalEnergyResearch #EUROfusion #DIFFER #JointEuropeanTorus #InternationalThermonuclearExperimentalReactor #Magnetohydrodynamics #PlasmaStability #ControlEngineering #Tokamak #ControlTheory #FusionEnergy #Nuclear #ITER #Thermonuclear #ExperimentalPhysics #Energy #PlasmaPhysics #NuclearFusion #Tritium #Deuterium #InertialConfinementFusion #MagneticConfinementFusion #SustainedPlasmaBurns #FuelCycle #ElectricityGeneration #BurningPlasma #TritiumBreeding #BreedingBlankets #EdgePlasma #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #Science #Engineering #Technology #STEM
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Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, MD, MPH is the Public Health Officer, Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), County of San Diego ( https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/public-health-officer-.html ).
Dr. Thihalolipavan is a board-certified physician in Public Health and Preventive Medicine with a distinguished public health career that started in New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as the Medical Director of Tobacco Control and Chronic Disease Prevention. He joined the County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency 10 years ago as the County’s Deputy Public Health Officer in Public Health Services.
Most recently Dr. Thihalolipavan worked as a Public Health Medical Officer within the Medical Care Services Department where he led HHSA’s justice-involved health efforts. He has served as a liaison with health and justice partners to improve care coordination for individuals before, at and after incarceration as well as collaborating with community, justice and other partners on various initiatives to prevent and reduce incarceration. He has helped lead the countywide Street Medicine Initiative (which facilitates and enhances the direct provision of health care to the unsheltered homeless where they live), bringing together lived experience voices, community street medicine providers, and Medi-Cal Managed Care plans to collaborate on how to expand the capacity of street medicine in San Diego County. He also supports the County’s response to the Tijuana River Valley transboundary sewage and pollution crisis.
Dr. Thihalolipavan has played a pivotal role in multiple County public health responses. These include the Covid-19 pandemic, Hepatitis A, meningococcal, Zika, and opioid epidemic among others. During the pandemic, he drafted and reviewed health alerts, public communications and health orders. He also led a team of medical experts to communicate with various communities and stakeholders.
Recently, Dr. Thihalolipavan worked with the Medical Examiner, Public Health Services , and others to conceptualize the idea of overdose fatality reviews, which was sponsored and passed as legislation (AB 2871) in California’s last legislative cycle . In 2021, he served as the Interim Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health Medical Director while the position was being filled.
Throughout his career, Dr. Thihalolipavan has cherished direct clinical time with patients. Efforts include helping NYC government employees quit smoking at the City’s government smoking cessation clinic, working in San Diego County’s sexual health clinic for a year, providing medical oversight and consultations to nurses at isolation hotels and at the Convention Center’s homeless shelter during the pandemic. For many years and through spring 2025, he would take occasional shifts as a tuberculosis clinic physician.
Dr. Thihalolipavan holds a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and a Medical Degree from New York University School of Medicine. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the San Diego County Top Doctors award in 2022 and the Kresge Foundation Emerging Leaders in Public Health award in 2018, and has led or contributed to various peer-reviewed publications.
SayoneThihalolipavan #PublicHealthOfficer #HealthAndHumanServicesAgency #CountyOfSanDiego #JusticeInvolvedHealth #StreetMedicineInitiative #OpioidEpidemic #Ebola #Pertussis #HealthMisinformation #Trust #Vaccination #Aging
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Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne, MD is a Cardiologist and is one of the nation’s foremost experts on lipids, atherosclerosis and heart disease prevention. He holds many leadership positions at Baylor College of Medicine ( https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/christie-ballantyne-17846 ), including director of the Center for Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention, co-director of the Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis Clinic, and chief of the Section of Cardiology.
With over 1000 publications in the area of atherosclerosis, lipids, and inflammation, Dr. Ballantyne’s research on heart disease prevention has led him to become an established investigator for the American Heart Association and the recipient of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health with a core focus on in basic research of leukocyte–endothelial interactions, translational research in biomarkers, and clinical trials.
Dr. Ballantyne’s many accomplishments have included being elected as Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians. In 2012, he received the American College of Cardiology Distinguished Scientist Award (Basic Domain).
In 2014 and 2015, Thomson Reuters recognized Dr. Ballantyne as one of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.” Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science, named Dr. Ballantyne as a “Highly Cited Researcher” 2017-2022 in the top 1% of researchers most cited.
In 2019, Dr. Ballantyne was awarded the Baylor College of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., Excellence in Research Award. His research in biomarkers has led to the FDA approval of 2 biomarkers for cardiovascular risk prediction, and he has played a prominent role in the development and FDA approval of new therapies for treatment of lipids.
Dr. Ballantyne also serves on the Editorial Board for Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He received his MD from Baylor College of Medicine with internal medicine residency at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and cardiology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine and an AHA fellowship at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Institute for Molecular Genetics at Baylor.
Dr. Alexander Tal, MD is an accomplished and recently retired board-certified Endocrinologist ( https://www.doximity.com/pub/alexander-tal-md ) with extensive training from institutions like Baylor College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University/Quillen College of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center of Chicago and Tel Aviv University Sackler, where he specialized in Diabetes, Metabolism, and Geriatric Medicine, and held Fellow status with the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, treating various hormonal conditions.
Important Episode Link - Merck’s Enlicitide Decanoate, an Investigational Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor, Significantly Reduced LDL-C in Phase 3 CORALreef Lipids Trial - https://www.merck.com/news/mercks-enlicitide-decanoate-an-investigational-oral-pcsk9-inhibitor-significantly-reduced-ldl-c-in-phase-3-coralreef-lipids-trial/
ChristieBallantyne #Cardiologist #Lipids #Atherosclerosis #HeartDiseasePrevention #BaylorCollegeOfMedicine #CardiometabolicDisease #LipidMetabolism #Cardiology #AlexanderTal #Endocrinologist #Diabetes #Metabolism #GeriatricMedicine #Merck #Enlicitide #OralPCSK9Inhibitor #Statins #Ezetimibe #Hypercholesterolemia #apoB #Lpa #Lipoproteins #Healthspan #Longevity #Aging #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Professor Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei, Ph.D. is a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University ( https://mae.ncsu.edu/people/arabiei/ ) and a leading innovator in advanced materials engineering. She is also the founder and CEO of Advanced Materials Manufacturing ( https://advancemnm.com/ ).
Prof. Rabiei is best known for inventing Composite Metal Foam, a novel class of lightweight, high-performance materials that combine exceptional strength, energy absorption, and multifunctional capabilities.
Prof. Rabiei’s research sits at the intersection of materials science, mechanical engineering, and real-world application, with a particular focus on materials that can improve safety, resilience, and performance in extreme environments.
Prof. Rabiei holds a BS in Materials Science and Engineering from the Sharif University of Technology, a Ph.D. in Advanced Materials from the University of Tokyo, and conducted her post-doctoral research at the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University in Boston.
Over the course of her career, Professor Rabiei has led and collaborated on research supported by government agencies and industry partners, translating fundamental materials science into technologies with potential applications in defense, transportation, nuclear energy, space systems, and critical infrastructure. In addition to her research contributions, she is a dedicated educator and mentor, committed to training the next generation of engineers and materials scientists.
Prof. Rabiei’s work exemplifies how innovative materials can redefine what’s possible—turning bold ideas from the laboratory into solutions for some of society’s most demanding engineering challenges.
AfsanehRabiei #NorthCarolinaStateUniversity #MechanicalEngineering #AerospaceEngineering #AdvancedMaterialsManufacturing #CompositeMetalFoam #BallisticResistance #ArmorSystems #BlastMitigation #RadiationShielding #NeutronShielding #ExtremeEnvironments #ThermalStress #AcousticPerformance #MaterialScience #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Philip Huang, MD, MPH is the Director of Dallas Health and Human Services ( https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/ ), which is a nationally accredited public health department responsible for providing health and social services that protect the health and well-being of over 2.6 million people that call Dallas County home.
Dr. Huang previously served as the Medical Director and Health Authority for Austin Public Health for 11 years.
Dr. Huang also formerly served as Medical Director for Chronic Disease Prevention at the Texas Department of State Health Services and Chief of the Bureau of Chronic Disease and Tobacco Prevention at the former Texas Department of Health (TDH).
Dr. Huang received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Rice University, his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and his Master of Public Health degree from Harvard with a concentration in Health Policy and Management.
Dr. Huang completed his residency training in Family Medicine at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, and served two years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assigned to the Illinois Department of Public Health where he conducted epidemiologic studies in chronic disease and infectious disease outbreak investigations.
Dr. Huang is an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the University of Texas School of Public Health and also with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health. He has served as Principal Investigator for numerous CDC and State-funded public health cooperative agreements. He recently received national recognition by Governing Magazine as one of six “Public Officials of the Year” for 2024.
PhilipHuang #DallasHealthAndHumanServices #PublicHealth #CDC #EpidemicIntelligenceService #Cyclospora #ChronicDiseasePrevention #TobaccoPrevention #CommunicableDisease #CancerControl #CardiovascularHealth #InfectiousDisease #PediatricAsthmaSurveillanceSystem #MentalAndBehavioralHealth #SexualHealth #HealthEquity #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #Vaccination #BigCitiesHealthCoalition #NationalAssociationOfCountyAndCityHealthOfficials #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Thomas Gaffney is the COO of OFA Group ( https://www.ofacorp.com/ ), which through its wholly owned operating subsidiary, Office for Fine Architecture Limited, is a premier architectural firm that provides comprehensive architectural services, including design and fit out services for commercial and residential buildings.
OFA’s mission is to leverage not just expertise in architectural design, but also tools like AI and digital assets, to maximize the potential of every property, ensuring that its unique attributes are highlighted and enhanced. The OFA Group is focused on innovation, efficiency, and scalability in it's business model and service offerings.
Mr. Gaffney is a seasoned startup financing attorney with over a decade of experience representing and advising technology startups throughout their growth journey, from seed stage through to IPO or strategic acquisitions. His expertise encompasses venture capital financing, equity structuring, and navigating the complex legal landscape of the tech industry.
Mr. Gaffney holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Pennsylvania State University and a Juris Doctor from the Wake Forest University School of Law.
ThomasGaffney #OFAGroup #OfficeForFineArchitectureLimited #ArchitecturalServices #AI #DigitalAssets #Architecture #Regulation #Compliance #Sustainability #RealEstate #ArtificialIntelligence #PlanAid #BuildingCodes #RealWorldAsset #Hearth #Tokenization #DigitalTokens #Blockchain #Web3 #QikBIM #SeniorHousing #SeniorCare #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Edward Holland is a world-renowned leader in corneal transplantation and severe ocular surface disease, and is the Co-Founder of the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration ( HFSR - https://www.hollandfoundationforsight.org/ ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals affected by these conditions, including limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) – a rare and devastating condition that can result in chronic pain, profound vision loss, and blindness.
Through this HFSR initiative, Centers of Excellence (COEs) focused on the advanced sight restoration procedures of Ocular Surface Stem Cell Transplantation (OSST) are being launched across the country. As part of its mission, the foundation is also committed to broadening education and training so that more physicians nationwide can learn and implement The Cincinnati ProtocolTM for the management of these patients.
Dr. Holland is also the Director of Cornea Services at Cincinnati Eye Institute ( https://www.cincinnatieye.com/doctors/edward-j-holland-m-d/ ) and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati ( https://med.uc.edu/landing-pages/profile/Index/Pubs/hollanej ).
Dr. Holland attended the Loyola-Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago and trained in Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota. He completed a fellowship in cornea and external disease at the University of Iowa and then completed a second fellowship in ocular immunology at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Holland formerly served as the President for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and served as the Program Chair for 12 years.
Dr. Holland was a former member of the Board of Trustees for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and served as the Secretariat of the Annual Meeting. Dr. Holland has served as the Chair of the Eye Bank Association and was the former Chair of the Medical Advisory Board as well as a longtime member of the Board of Directors.
Robert Dempsey, MBA is also a Co-Founder of the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration.
Mr. Dempsey brings more than two decades of domestic and global experience in the ophthalmic space driving successful drug development, business transactions and commercialization. His widespread experience in Ophthalmology stems from diverse Leadership roles across Commercial, Business Development, Medical Affairs and Venture Backed Startups. He brings deep relationships with Key Opinion Leaders and comprehensive knowledge of the ophthalmic ecosystem.
Most recently, Mr. Dempsey served as the Chief Executive Officer for AsclepiX Therapeutics, following his CEO role at TearClear accelerating business and commercial strategies which led to several value inflection points and positive FDA engagements.
Mr. Dempsey holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in healthcare marketing from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Important Episode Link - Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration Launches Light After Darkness Fundraising Campaign -
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/10/22/3171067/0/en/Holland-Foundation-for-Sight-Restoration-Launches-Light-After-Darkness-Fundraising-Campaign.html
EdwardHolland #RobertDempsey #HollandFoundationForSightRestoration #OcularSurfaceStemCellTransplantation #Ophthalmology #LightAfterDarkness #Cornea #LimbalStemCell #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Meghan Gutierrez is the Chief Executive Officer of the Lymphoma Research Foundation ( https://lymphoma.org/ ), the nation’s largest nonprofit organization devoted to funding lymphoma research and education, advancing both the study of new cancer therapies and improved patient care.
An expert in government relations and health care policy, Meghan has pursued an array of public policy issues during her career, ranging from mental health parity and rare disease awareness to medical technology and the treatment of chronic disease. Following her work as a Congressional staff member for Dr. Greg Ganske, one of the U.S. House of Representatives’ foremost leaders on health care policy, she served as a health policy and communications advisor for several national nonprofit and educational institutions, including Columbia University and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.
Meghan joined the Lymphoma Research Foundation in 2008 as its chief program, policy and communications officer. She was a driving force behind programs such as the country’s only Adolescent and Young Adult Lymphoma Initiative and development of the first mobile app for people with lymphoma. She became Chief Executive Officer in 2014. In this role Meghan represents the Foundation before several audiences, including the U.S. Congress, Department of Defense, Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health. She has written and lectured extensively about the needs of lymphoma patients and served on committees and panels of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, Institute of Medicine, and National Cancer Institute, among others.
Jennifer Branstetter is Executive Director, North America Corporate Affairs & Patient Advocacy Lead at BeOne Medicines USA ( https://beonemedicines.com/ ), a global oncology company that is discovering and developing innovative treatments that are more affordable and accessible to cancer patients worldwide. With a portfolio spanning hematology and solid tumors, BeOne is expediting development of its diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through its internal capabilities and collaborations.
Jennifer has a demonstrated 25+ year history of working with Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, in government, and with nonprofits and the media, and has been a strategist for multi-faceted state and federal public affairs and patient advocacy campaigns.
Previously, Jennifer was a Senior Director, Corporate Affairs (North America) at BeOne and also held positions at Cullari Communications Global, Branstetter Consulting, as Director of Policy and Planning in the Commonwealth of PA, Governor's Office, for Governor Tom Corbett, as Director of Education and Outreach for Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, as Communications Manager for the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and as Deputy Press Secretary in the Pennsylvania Office of the Lieutenant Governor during the administration of Governor Tom Ridge.
MeghanGutierrez #JenniferBranstetter #BeOneMedicines #LymphomaResearchFoundation #PatientAdvocacy #PatientCentricAI #PatientNavigation #ClinicalTrialEligibility #FinancialToxicityDetection #PatientDistress #AutomatedInsuranceNavigation #EquityRadar #RegulatoryAdvocacy #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Tony Baldassarre is CEO, President and Director of UniDoc ( https://unidoctor.com/ ), an eHealth Innovator and creator of the H3 Health Cube ( https://unidochealth.com/h3-health-cube/ ), a self-contained virtual clinic that enables patients to have comprehensive medical appointments remotely, offering access to physicians and specialists in real-time, and opens the doors to a large segment of the population challenged by access, experience, or understanding of the evolving Internet Of Medical Things.
Mr. Baldassarre has held senior management and director positions of new business start-ups and established multinational organizations with over 30 years of experience in the Security, Information Technology and Communications industries.
Mr. Baldassarre is involved in all aspects of UniDoc’s business model from Operations, P&L oversight, product distribution, product promotions, sales and development activities and initiatives.
Mr. Baldassare is also the President of LRG Security Canada Inc. and LRG Security Europe, companies involved in security and low-voltage products, distributing items like cameras, networking gear, and tools.
AntonioBaldassarre #TonyBaldassarre #UniDoc #InternetOfMedicalThings #DocInABox #UniDocHealthCorp #VerizonInnovationLabs #ClinicianAssistedExaminations #H3HealthCube #Telemedicine #Interoperability #HealthProfessionalShortage #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Claudia Mahler, Ph.D. is the United Nations Independent Expert on the Human Rights of Older Persons ( https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/ie-older-persons/ms-claudia-mahler-independent-expert-enjoyment-all-human-rights-older-persons ).
Dr. Mahler holds a law degree and a doctorate from Leopold‑Franzens‑Universität Innsbruck in Austria, and has spent over two decades researching and advocating for human rights. She has worked extensively on economic, social, and cultural rights, as well as minority rights, asylum law, and social protection, bringing a deep expertise in the legal and policy frameworks that protect vulnerable populations.
Before joining the UNHRC, Dr. Mahler was a senior researcher at the German Institute for Human Rights, taught human rights law at several universities, and served as a consultant to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In her current role, Dr. Mahler focuses on advancing the rights of older persons globally, including promoting access to work, protecting older adults in conflict zones, and leading efforts to draft a legally binding international instrument on their rights. Her work combines rigorous research, international advocacy, and a passionate commitment to ensuring that older adults can live with dignity, security, and equality worldwide.
Important Episode Links
Report - Older persons in armed conflict and peacebuilding -
https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/203
Report - Intersection between older persons’ right to social protection
and their right to work -
https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/60/24
ClaudiaMahler #UnitedNations #IndependentExpert #HumanRightsOfOlderPersons #MinorityRights #AsylumLaw #SocialProtection #UnitedNationsHumanRightsCouncil #OlderPersonsInArmedConflicts #AccessToWork #Ageism #AgeDiscrimination #AgeTech #Longevity #Lonliness #SocialIsolation #Aging #Ageing #HumanRights #OlderPersons
STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Justin T. Collier, MD is Healthcare CTO for North America at Lenovo ( https://www.lenovo.com/ ) where he brings his expertise in clinical informatics and technology together to help advance clinical outcomes and patient experience ( https://techtoday.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/healthcare ).
Prior to joining Lenovo, Dr. Collier served for nearly 6 years as the Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry Practice manager at World Wide Technology, the global technology solutions provider that offers digital strategy, supply chain, and IT services to large commercial and public sector organizations, supporting their healthcare ecosystem clients nationwide.
Before that, Dr. Collier served HCA Healthcare as their TriStar Division Chief Medical Information Officer for over 7 years, tackling initiatives in EHR, data and analytics, telemedicine, and clinician mobility solutions.
Dr. Collier has been a long-time member of the Tennessee HIMSS chapter, previously serving on their board and continuing to serve on their advisory council.
Dr. Collier has a MD from the Medical College of Georgia and did his Residency in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program, at The Ohio State University.
Lenovo is a global technology company headquartered in Beijing, China, with operational headquarters in Morrisville, North Carolina (USA).
JustinCollier #Lenovo #Healthcare #Digitization #ElectronicHealthRecords #EHR #Interoperability #ApplicationProgrammingInterfaces #SmartHospital #Automation #ClinicalWorkflowModernization #Cybersecurity #EdgeAI #HumanCenteredTechnologyDesign #CaregiverSupport #ClinicalWellBeing #Burnout #DigitalTherapeutics #Biometrics #Robotics #RemoteMonitoring #VirtualCare #AgingInPlace #PhysicalMedicine #Rehabilitation #IoT #SmartDevices #EdgeComputing #AIEnableSolutions #CloudInfrastructure
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Siouxie Boshoff is the founder of SWITCH ( https://switchsweets.com/ ), formerly known as Scrummy Sweets, where she has turned a personal mission to enjoy candy without compromising health into a thriving business, creating sugar-free, keto-friendly, and blood-sugar-conscious treats made with clean, natural ingredients.
From humble kitchen experiments to launching a full line of guilt-free sweets, Siouxie has built a brand that proves candy can be delicious, clean, and healthy.
Siouxie joins us today to share her journey, the evolution from Scrummy Sweets to SWITCH, and her insights on creating a purpose-driven company in a sugar-saturated world.
Siouxie also has two lifestyle blogs - Lipedema Living ( https://lipedemaliving.com/ ) and 365 Days of Awesome ( https://www.365daysofawesome.com/ ) where she blogs about her personally journey and experiences.
SiouxieBoshoff #Switch #ScrummySweets #SugarFree #KetoFriendly #Lipedema #Obesity #Diabetes #DercumsDisease #SugarAlcohols #Starches #Allulose #MonkFruitExtract #SolubleFiber #CassavaRoot #TapiocaFiber #ArtificialSweeteners #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Amar Rewari MD, MBA, FASTRO ( https://amarrewari.com/ ) is a physician executive and oncology leader with over 20 years of experience bridging clinical medicine, healthcare finance, and health policy.
After earning his MD and MBA from Yale University, Dr. Rewari began his career in healthcare investment banking at Credit Suisse—an experience that shaped how he approaches the business and economics of healthcare.
Today, Dr. Rewari leads the radiation oncology service line at Luminis Health ( https://www.luminishealth.org/en/find-a-provider/amar-rewari?language_content_entity=en ), overseeing operations and strategic growth for a program that serves more than 200 patients daily across three centers, and teaches health policy and economics as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Nationally, Dr. Rewari serves on the Board of Directors of the American Society for Radiation Oncology ( ASTRO - https://www.astro.org/about-astro/board-and-leadership/board-of-directors/bios/amar-rewari ), where he chairs both the Health Policy Council and the Corporate Advisory Council. In these roles, he leads efforts around payment reform, advocacy, value-based innovation, and collaboration between providers and industry to advance the field of radiation oncology.
Dr. Rewari is also the founder and co-host of Value Health Voices ( https://www.valuehealthvoices.com/ ), a podcast that makes health policy and economics accessible to clinicians and leaders, and Chair of the Board for the Fund for Education Abroad ( https://fundforeducationabroad.org/ ), advancing nonprofit governance and global education access for students with financial need.
Featured by NBC News, TIME, Politico, and NewsNation, Dr. Rewari is driven to connect insights from the front lines of care to the broader policies shaping a smarter, fairer, and more sustainable healthcare system.
AmarRewari #RadiationOncology #LuminisHealth #FundForEducationAbroad #AmericanSocietyForRadiationOncology #ValueHealthVoices #Radiotherapy #PaymentReform #ReimbursementLevels #Medicare #AlternativePaymentModels #ValueBasedPaymentDesign #HealthPolicy #EpisodeBasedPayment #RelativeValueUnits #Coding #PriorAuthorization #FederalResearchFunding #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Abba Zubair, MD, PhD is a Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida ( https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/zubair-abba-c-m-d-ph-d/bio-00092417 ), where he also has served as the medical director of Transfusion Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy.
Dr. Zubair earned his medical degree from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, and went on to complete a Ph.D. in Cancer Immunobiology at the University of Sheffield in England. From there, he pursued advanced training in pathology and transfusion medicine in the U.S., completing a residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a clinical fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
For more than two decades, Dr. Zubair led the Stem Cell Therapy Laboratory at Mayo Clinic Florida, pioneering the development of clinical-grade cell therapy products. His research has focused on mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC), hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), immune cells, and extracellular vesicles — with the aim of translating basic research into therapies for degenerative disease, brain injury, transplant-related complications, and beyond.
In perhaps one of the most extraordinary bridges between earthly medicine and outer space, Dr. Zubair has sent his lab’s stem cells to the International Space Station — aiming to understand how microgravity affects cell behavior, bone loss, and regenerative potential. This research has profound implications not only for astronauts, but for patients on Earth suffering from osteoporosis, bone degeneration, and other conditions.
Beyond his scientific and clinical roles, Dr. Zubair is a devoted educator and leader: in 2024 he was named Vice Dean of the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine (Florida), shaping the next generation of physicians; previously he served as Associate Dean of the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences and as Dean of Education at a Mayo-Clinic affiliated hospital venture in Abu Dhabi.
AbbaZubair #MayoClinic #LaboratoryMedicine #Pathology #TransfusionMedicine #StemCellTherapy #MesenchymalStemCells #StromalCells #HematopoieticStemCells #ImmuneCells #ExtracellularVesicles #Exosomes #Secretome #RegenerativeMedicine #Immunotherapy #Bioreactors #ClinicalGradeManufacturing #CosmicRadiation #DeepSpaceExploration #Microgravity #InternationalSpaceStation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Brian Wang, PhD is a Program Director at ARIA ( https://www.aria.org.uk/ ), the UK’s bold, mission-driven R&D funding agency, where he leads the Sculpting Innate Immunity opportunity space ( https://www.aria.org.uk/opportunity-spaces/sculpting-innate-immunity/ ): a fascinating initiative to see if rather than harnessing the adaptive immune system in infectious disease for new antibodies, instead asking how we can better mobilize the body’s first line of defense, the innate immune response.
With a PhD in organic chemistry at Berkeley and having conducted post-doctorate research in synthetic biology at MIT, Dr. Wang moved into pandemic preparedness during COVID — leading R&D at Alvea and later co-founding Panoplia Laboratories, a nonprofit organization that evaluates AI-driven biology and conducts biosecurity research in the public interest
— before joining ARIA.
ARIA, the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, is the UK’s new experiment in high-risk, high-reward research. Modeled in part on America’s DARPA for high-risk, high-reward science, ARIA funds bold bets that might not find a home in academia or industry.
Important Episode Link -
Sustained Viral Resilience Program
https://www.aria.org.uk/opportunity-spaces/sculpting-innate-immunity/sustained-viral-resilience/
BrianWang #ARIA #AdvancedResearchAndInventionAgency #SculptingInnateImmunity #SustainedViralResilience #SustainedInnateImmunoprophylactics #SyntheticBiology #Biosecurity #Countermeasures #DayZeroAntivirals #BroadSpectrumAntivirals #InnateImmuneSystem #OpportunitySpace #ProgramDirector #RespiratoryViruses #SystemsImmunology #MaterialsChemistry #ArtificialIntelligence #Biodefense #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Norman Putzki, MD is Senior Vice President, Global Clinical Development Head, and U.S. Development Site Head at Novartis ( https://www.novartis.com/ ) where he oversees global teams working on next-generation gene therapies, RNA-based medicines, targeted biologics, and innovative small molecules.
Dr. Putzki most recently served as Global Head of Development for Neuroscience and Gene Therapy at Novartis, where he oversaw one of the world’s most ambitious pipelines aimed at transforming the lives of patients with neurological, neuromuscular, and rare genetic diseases.
A physician–scientist by training, with an MD from University of Duisburg Essen, Dr. Putzki has built a career at the intersection of clinical medicine, translational research, and large-scale drug development.
Before joining Novartis, Dr. Putzki led programs across multiple therapeutic areas at Biogen Idec and has played key roles in advancing clinical treatments for conditions long considered intractable including MS and Parkison's disease.
Beyond his scientific and clinical contributions, Dr. Putzki is widely recognized for his commitment to patient-centered innovation and his ability to bring together cutting-edge science, regulatory acumen, and real-world medical insight.
Important Episode Links -
Zolgensma Web Site - https://www.zolgensma.com/
Itvisma Web Site - https://www.itvisma.com/
Nature Medicine Papers For Itvisma Phase III study -
Intrathecal onasemnogene abeparvovec in treatment-naive patients with spinal muscular atrophy: a phase 3, randomized controlled trial -
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04103-w
Intrathecal onasemnogene abeparvovec for treatment-experienced patients with spinal muscular atrophy: a phase 3b, open-label trial -
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04119-2
NormanPutzki #Novartis #Neuroscience #GeneTherapy #SpinalMuscularAtrophy #SMN1 #SurvivalMotorNeuron1 #Zolgensma #OnasemnogeneAbeparvovec #AdenoAssociatedVirusSerotype9 #AAV9 #SMA #AveXis #Itvisma #NewbornScreening #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Marc Hedrick, MD is President and CEO of Plus Therapeutics, Inc. ( https://plustherapeutics.com/ ), a U.S. clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, focused on developing innovative, targeted radiotherapeutics for adults and children with difficult-to-treat cancers of the central nervous system. The company’s lead programs focus on leptomeningeal metastases (LM) and recurrent glioblastoma (GBM), leveraging image-guided local beta radiation and targeted drug delivery to improve outcomes.
Additionally, Plus' subsidiary CNSide Diagnostics develops proprietary lab tests such as CNSide®, designed to identify tumor cells that have metastasized to the central nervous system in patients with carcinomas and melanomas. The CNSide® CSF Assay Platform enables quantitative analysis and molecular characterization of tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid that inform and improve the management of patients with leptomeningeal metastases.
Previously, Dr. Hedrick served in a number of executive leadership roles including President, CEO, and Director at Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., and President and CEO of StemSource, Inc.
Dr. Hedrick is a trained general, vascular, and plastic surgeon and former Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Dr. Hedrick also served as Co-Director of the Laboratory of Regenerative Bioengineering and Repair at UCLA.
Dr. Hedrick obtained his MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas and a MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA in 2005.
MarcHedrick #PlusTherapeutics #Radiotherapeutics #Cancer #CentralNervousSystem #Glioblastoma #LeptomeningealMetastases #Rhenium #ConvectionEnhancedDelivery #Oncology #Theranostic #NanoliposomeTechnology #Radioembolization #AlginateMicrospheres#BMEDAChelation#CNSide #REYOBIQ #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Sadie Elisseou, MD is Founder and CEO of Trauma-Informed Practices, LLC (https://www.sadie-elisseou.com/).
Dr. Elisseou is a nationally recognized physician-educator and one of the leading voices in trauma-informed care, a strategic framework for supporting survivors of physical, sexual, psychological, and structural traumas.
Dr. Elisseou is a board-certified primary care physician, who received her B.A. and M.D. at Brown University and completed residency and chief residency at Yale School of Medicine. She a practicing physician in the VA healthcare system, and an instructor at Harvard Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine, where she has become widely known for transforming how clinicians understand and care for patients with trauma histories.
Dr. Elisseou is the co-developer of some of the country’s most widely adopted trauma-informed physical exam trainings, helping thousands of healthcare professionals integrate compassion, safety, and empathy into routine clinical encounters. Her work has been implemented across the VA, community health centers, academic medical systems, and national professional societies.
Dr. Elisseou is also the co-founder of the National Veterans Health Administration TIC Collaborative, a member of the Trauma Informed Health Care, Education and Research (TIHCHER) collaborative, and a member of the Harvard Medical School TIC Steering Committee. She is invited to speak about TIC for broad audiences including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), disaster relief organizations, and health officials in developing nations. She has also been named an Ambassador of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation.
SadieElisseou #TraumaInformedPractices #BrownUniversity #YaleSchoolOfMedicine #HarvardMedicalSchool #BostonUniversitySchoolOfMedicine #VeteransHealthAdministration #Trauma #TraumaInformedCare #ReTraumatization #SubstanceAbuseAndMentalHealthServicesAdministration #SAMHSA #UniversalTraumaPrecautions #ClinicianBurnout #EmergencyDepartment #Telehealth #BodySizeDiversity #Healing #Resilience #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Jamuna Ravi is the Chief Executive Officer of Vayah Vikas ( https://vayah-vikas.org/ ), an organization dedicated to transforming well-being and quality of life for older adults across India. Under her leadership, Vayah Vikas has emerged as one of the most forward-thinking initiatives in the aging sector—integrating digital health, preventive care, social engagement, and evidence-based longevity practices to support India’s rapidly growing elder population.
Dr. Ravi is a seasoned technology leader who has spent more than three decades building and leading large IT organizations before turning her attention to social impact and healthy-aging initiatives. A computer-science engineering graduate of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, she has held senior leadership and delivery roles across India and internationally, including long tenures at Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys, senior roles with Shell and HSBC Technology, and a period as founder-director of an IT consultancy.
Over the course of her technology career Dr. Ravi led large portfolios, global delivery centers and cross-functional teams — with responsibility for strategy, program delivery, and people management across banking, energy, utilities and other verticals. She is widely recognized in the IT community as an advocate for inclusion and women in technology, and as a leader who combines deep technical knowledge with pragmatic enterprise execution.
After retiring from full-time executive work in technology, Dr. Ravi moved into pro-bono and social impact roles focused on aging, leadership and community well-being. She joined Vayah Vikas as Chief Executive Officer, bringing her product, systems and program-management experience to bear on building scalable, tech-enabled programs for older adults in India.
At Vayah Vikas Dr. Ravi has focused on translating enterprise best practices into impact-oriented initiatives: strengthening organizational operations, expanding member engagement, and championing age-friendly digital inclusion and workplace healthy-aging programs. She has represented Vayah Vikas at industry forums and moderated sessions at national senior-care conclaves, signaling her role as a bridge between the tech world and the elder-care ecosystem.
Beyond Vayah Vikas, Dr. Ravi has taken on board and advisory roles that leverage her governance and governance-scale experience including at Bank Of India. She is also active in mentoring and speaking on leadership, emotional intelligence, and purposeful retirement. Her career arc—from computer-science engineer and global IT leader to social-impact CEO—gives her a rare combination of operational discipline, technical literacy, and a commitment to dignity and connection in aging.
JamunaRavi #VayahVikas #BirlaInstituteOfTechnologyAndScience #TataConsultancyServices #Infosys #AlexanderThomas #KrisGopalakrishnan #DeviPrasadShetty #Health #Healthcare #LegalAdvisory #FinancialGuidance #CommunityBuilding #Longevity #Aging #FamilyCaregiving #DementiaCare #Loneliness #DigitalLiteracy #AIAwareness #Intergenerationality #RohiniNilekaniPhilanthropies #MultiGenerationalWorkplaces #SocialConnectedness #AgeTech #Geroscience #AgingInPlace #Lonliness #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Ritu Saluja-Sharma, MD is a double-board–certified physician in Emergency Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, and the visionary founder of Head Heart Hands ( https://www.headhearthandsmd.com/ ), a comprehensive, holistic wellness program for individuals and organizations.
Dr. Saluja-Sharma earned her M.D. from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
For over 15 years, Dr. Saluja-Sharma has worked on the front lines in hospital emergency departments in the Washington, D.C. area, confronting firsthand the chronic and lifestyle-driven illnesses that plaque a large portion of our population and lead to many of the acute emergencies she saw in the ER.
Driven by the belief that many conditions she treated in the ER could have been prevented, she created Head Heart Hands to offer science-based coaching, corporate wellness programs, and engaging family-friendly resources.
Her latest work, The Wonder of What We Eat Cookbook / Workbook series ( https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FPMLYSYB/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=71acc446-4655-42d6-908b-da16920d4108&ref_=ap_rdr ) , co-created with her children, focuses on the pediatric obesity epidemic and brings more than 75 kid-friendly, nourishing recipes to life, grounded in her teaching framework that connects Head (knowledge), Heart (mindset), and Hands (practical skills).
Dr. Saluja-Sharma’s work stands at the intersection of acute care and long-term prevention. She’s passionate about shifting healthcare from reaction to resilience—helping individuals and communities thrive, not just survive.
RituSalujaSharma #EmergencyMedicine #LifestyleMedicine #HeadHeartHands #WakeForestUniversitySchoolOfMedicine #MetabolicHealth #RootCauses #UltraProcessedFoods #CalorieDenseFoods #SedentaryLifestyles #SleepDisruption #Stress #Genetics #Epigenetics #SocioeconomicFactors #FoodAsMedicine #TheWonderOfWhatWeEat #Incretin #Insulin #Leptin #Ghrelin #Microbiome #Phytochemicals #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Richard Daly is President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Pharmaceuticals ( https://catalystpharma.com/ ), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on in-licensing, developing, and commercializing novel medicines for patients living with rare diseases.
Catalyst has successfully brought three therapies to market: FIRDAPSE ( https://firdapse.com/ ) for Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS), AGAMREE ( https://agamree.com/ ) for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and FYCOMPA ( https://www.fycompa.com/ ) for epilepsy.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Mr. Daly served as President of CARsgen Therapeutics Corporation, an emerging oncology company focused on developing CAR-T therapies for both liquid and solid tumors, and as Chief Operating Officer of BeyondSpring Pharmaceuticals, a pre-commercial biotech company focused on oncology with assets in late Phase 3 clinical trials.
Before joining BeyondSpring, Mr. Daly served as Chairman and CEO of Neuralstem, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of central nervous system therapies based on its neuronal stem cell technology; as a partner of RavineRock Partners, a commercial consulting practice focused on biotech and pharmaceuticals; and as President of AstraZeneca US Diabetes.
Mr. Daly also has served on the board of directors of Opiant Pharmaceuticals and Synergy Pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Daly received his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
RichardDaly #CatalystPharmaceuticals #RareDiseases #OrphanDiseases #FIRDAPSE #LambertEatonMyasthenicSyndrome #AGAMREE #DuchenneMuscularDystrophy #FYCOMPA #Epilepsy #PotassiumChannelBlocker #VoltageGatedCalciumChannels #Dystrophin #NextGenerationSteroid #DissociativeSteroid #GlucocorticoidReceptor #AMPAReceptorAntagonist #Glutamate #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Carina Kern, Ph.D. is the CEO of LinkGevity ( https://www.linkgevity.com/ ), an AI-powered biotech company driving innovation in drug discovery for aging and resilience loss.
Dr. Kern has developed a new Blueprint Theory of Aging, which takes an integrative approach to understanding aging, combining evolutionary theory, genetics, molecular mechanisms and medicine, and is used to structure LinkGevity’s AI.
Dr. Kern’s labs are based at the Babraham Research Campus, affiliated with the University of Cambridge and her research has led to the development of a first-in-class necrosis inhibitor targeting cellular degeneration (Anti-Necrotic™). This novel therapeutic is ready to begin Phase II clinical trials later this year, as a potential breakthrough treatment for aging, with UK Government, Francis Crick Institute KQ labs, and European Union (Horizon) support.
The Anti-Necrotic™ has also been selected as one of only 12 global innovations for NASA’s Space-Health program, recognizing its potential to mitigate accelerated aging in astronauts on long-duration space missions.
Dr. Kern has held academic and leadership roles in interdisciplinary networks, including serving as President of the London Evolutionary Research Network and Co-Chair of the CleanTech Business Challenge, an initiative co-led by University College London and the London Business School.
Dr. Kern completed her PhD at UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing.
CarinaKern #LinkGevity #BlueprintTheoryOfAging #BiologicalResilience #UniversityOfCambridge #BabrahamResearchCampus #CellularDegeneration #NecrosisInhibitor #AntiNecrotic #CaenorhabditisElegans #UCLInstituteOfHealthyAgeing #Senescence #Apoptosis #CellDeath #Necroptosis #Pyroptosis #Ferroptosis #PathoPathways #Gerotherapeutics #RyanodineReceptorInhibitors #CellPermeantCalciumChelators #LINK001 #AcuteKidneyInjury #SpaceMedicine #Exposome #Longevity
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Thijs Spoor is Chief Executive Officer at Perspective Therapeutics ( https://perspectivetherapeutics.com/ ), a clinical-stage, radiopharmaceutical company that is pioneering innovative treatments for cancers. The Company’s proprietary technology utilizes the alpha emitting isotope Pb-212 to deliver powerful radiation directly to cancer cells via high-affinity targeting peptides.
Prior to this, Thijs was the Chairman at Verifi H2O. Thijs also held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc. and KBP BioSciences.
Thijs also has served as CEO at AzurRx BioPharma, where they focused on developing targeted therapies for gastrointestinal diseases, and CEO at FluoroPharma, a company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization novel molecular positron emission tomography (PET) agents for the cardiovascular, oncology and neurology arenas.
Thijs also worked as a Strategy Consultant at Oliver Wyman, a Biotechnology Analyst at J.P. Morgan, and a Medical Devices Analyst at Credit Suisse.
Thijs began their career at GE Healthcare, where he served as the Director of Strategic Marketing and played a key role in reshaping the company's strategic directions in various areas.
Thijs completed his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Toronto and an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School.
ThijsSpoor #PerspectiveTherapeutics #Radiopharmaceuticals #NuclearMedicine #Cancer #Oncology #AlphaEmittingIsotopes #AlphaParticles #BetaParticles #Radiation #Lead #Pb212 #Lutetium #Actinium #CellTargetingPeptide #Chelator #Linker #NeuroendocrineTumors #SomatostatinReceptorSubtype2 #Melanoma #Theranostic #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Ben Zimmer is CEO of Priovant Therapeutics ( https://www.priovanttx.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on delivering novel therapies for autoimmune diseases associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality. Priovant is developing oral brepocitinib, a potential first-in-class dual inhibitor of TYK2 and JAK1, across multiple severe autoimmune indications, unlocking new treatment options for patients who are underserved by existing therapies.
Ben joined Priovant from Roivant, where he was a member of the founding team in early 2015 and held multiple leadership roles across the organization, including President, Roivant Health, Chief Operating Officer, and Head, Public Affairs. As President, Roivant Health, Ben led and oversaw the launch of Roivant's Chinese biopharmaceutical subsidiaries, healthcare technology companies (including Datavant), and computationally powered drug discovery platform (including VantAI).
Earlier in his career, Ben was a consultant at McKinsey & Co and co-founded and led a public policy non-profit. He holds a BA magna cum laude from Harvard College and a JD from Yale Law School.
BenZimmer #PriovantTherapeutics #AutoimmuneDiseases #Brepocitinib #TYK2 #JAK1 #Dermatomyositis #NonInfectiousUveitis #Pfizer #Roivant #VivekRamaswamy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Neil Klompas, CPA, CA is President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Augurex ( https://augurex.com/ ), a leading edge diagnostic company focused on developing and commercializing advanced diagnostics with the aim of improving patient outcomes and ending diagnostic delays in autoimmune conditions.
Mr. Klompas has been involved in healthcare and biotechnology for over 30 years in various senior leadership roles spanning operational, financial and research and development responsibilities. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Zymeworks (NASDAQ: ZYME), where he had previously held the role of Chief Financial Officer.
Prior to that, Mr. Klompas’ experience included roles with KPMG, a global financial services firm, in both the United States and Canada where he advised on transactions and financial engagements across the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical devices sectors.
Mr. Klompas serves as a director on the boards of InMed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ; INM), NervGen Pharma (TSXV; NGEN), and HTuO Biosciences. He has previously served as a director and advisor to various biotechnology companies, including previously serving on the boards of Ovensa Inc., and Liminal Biotherapeutics.
Mr. Klompas holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia, and is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Professional Accountant.
NeilKlompas #Augurex #AutoimmuneConditions #Diagnostics #AxialSpondyloarthritis #axSpA #ChronicInflammatoryDisease #AnkylosingSpondylitis #BackPain #1433ηEtaProtein #Anti1433EtaAutoantibody #SPINEstat #JOINTstat
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Evan Mathis ( https://evanmathis.co/ ) is a three-time Emmy Award–winning, multi-disciplinary creative director and filmmaker whose work spans sports, entertainment, brand storytelling, and cinematic short-form content.
Evan recently expanded his creative scope into deeply human, health-centered storytelling with the short film The Hemingway ( https://www.thehemingway.film/ ) which he co-directed with ALS patient Patrick Sean O’Brien. The film offers an intimate, unfiltered, and darkly humorous look at life with this severe disability ( The Hemingway Trailer HD 2025 - https://vimeo.com/1044832501 ).
The Hemingway has been celebrated on the festival circuit, earning awards and recognition for its originality, emotional depth, and collaborative spirit including Best Documentary Short at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
With an educational foundation in fine art and journalism, and a deep fluency in design and technology, throughout his career, Evan has collaborated with leading agencies and global brands.
Evan’s career has been defined by a versatile creative curiosity.
In sports and competition, Evan has led major campaigns for the Daytona 500, the U.S. Open, NFL on FOX, College Football on FOX, ESPN’s World Cup coverage, UFC Fight Night, WWE Raw, and high-profile personality-driven work such as Skip Bayless.
In entertainment, Evan has contributed to prestige series and blockbuster titles, including World War Z, Furious 6, Homeland, The Normal Heart, Monk, Burn Notice, White Collar, and key branding for USA Network, TNT Originals, TV Land, and others.
Evan's brand and lifestyle portfolio includes campaigns for L’Oréal, Discover Card, Scion, Velocity, and a wide range of integrated commercial and digital initiatives.
Evan’s work has earned accolades from the Emmys (three times over), as well as from One Show, Clios, and Promax BDA. He has also judged for Promax BDA, The Television Academy, and SXSW Interactive. His projects and design thinking have been featured in top publications such as Adweek, Ad Age, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated.
In addition to his creative output, Evan is a sought-after speaker: he has presented at major design and media conferences in New York, Los Angeles, London, Cape Town, Toronto, and Chicago.
EvanMathis #PatrickSeanOBrien #TheHemingway #ALS #Documentary #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #LouGehrigsDisease #TransFattyLives #LeonardFlorenceCenterForLiving #Humor #Dignity #Neuralink #SevereDisabilities #EyeTracking #Imagination #Escapism #Advocacy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Edmund Benami is Co-Founder and CEO of NeuraLight ( https://neuralight.ai/ ), a pioneering health-tech company focused on applying advanced computer vision and deep-learning techniques to accelerate and improve drug development and patient monitoring in neurological diseases.
NeuraLight’s mission is to develop objective and sensitive biomarkers in neurology by extracting oculometric markers (measures of eye movement) from standard webcams or smartphones, thereby providing richer digital endpoints for neurological drug development and patient care.
Edmund is a repeat entrepreneur and an award-winning mathematician, with over 20 years of experience designing novel AI algorithms and building world-class teams to take on some of the most challenging technological challenges in signal processing, computer vision and AI.
Edmund has both BS and MS in Mathematics from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
EdmundBenami #NeuraLight #NeurologicalDisorders #OculometricBiomarkers #Oculometry #Saccades #SmoothPursuit #Fixation #PupilDynamics #BlinkPatterns #Vergence #ALS #NeurodegenerativeDisorders #Diagnosis #DiseaseMonitoring #DrugDevelopment #ProgressiveSupranuclearPalsy #CorticobasalDegeneration #FrontotemporalDementia #LewyBodyDementia #RemoteNeurologyCare #ArtificialIntelligence #ComputerVision #Gaze #AlzheimersDisease #ParkinsonsDisease #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Les Johnson is a physicist, author, and space technologist ( https://www.lesjohnsonauthor.com/ ) who most recently served as the Chief Technologist at NASA’s George C. Marshall Space Flight Center.
Les is also the Founder of Infinite Frontiers Consulting ( https://www.lesjohnsonauthor.com/infinite-frontiers-consulting-llc.html ), an aerospace consulting firm dedicated to helping turn innovative space ventures into reality. After decades leading of missions at NASA and collaborating across the industry, Les is excited to work with clients and partners who are pushing boundaries and advancing cutting-edge space technologies.
Over a distinguished career with NASA, Les played a central role in developing advanced space propulsion systems and pioneering technologies designed to expand humanity’s reach beyond Earth orbit. He has led and contributed to multiple interplanetary technology demonstration missions, including work on solar sails, in-space propulsion, and deep-space exploration architectures.
In addition to his NASA career, Les is an accomplished science fiction author and popular science writer, known for making complex space science accessible to broad audiences. His books—both fiction and nonfiction—explore the scientific and philosophical dimensions of humanity’s future in space ( https://www.amazon.com/stores/Les-Johnson/author/B002OUOYZQ?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true ) .
A frequent public speaker and advocate for space exploration, Les continues to inspire curiosity and innovation in the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Les holds a Master’s degree in Physics from Vanderbuilt and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Transylvania University, where he also conducted research in plasma and materials science. His academic foundation has informed his long-standing commitment to bridging theoretical science with practical space engineering.
LesJohnson #NASA #GeorgeCMarshallSpaceFlightCenter #VanderbiltUniversity #StrategicDefenseInitiative #GoldenDome #SpaceBasedHighEnergyLasers #ParticleBeamWeapons #MissileDefense #GeneralResearchCorporation#PropulsiveSmallExpendableDeployerSystem #SolarSail #CubeSat #NearEarthAsteroidScout #InterstellarTravel #Mars #ProximaCentauri #CrewHealth #LifeSupport #PlanetarySunshades #Geoengineering #Astrobiology #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dave Rosa is President & Chief Executive Officer of NeuroOne ( https://nmtc1.com/ ), a developmental-stage medical technology company developing high-definition, minimally invasive thin film electrodes for the diagnosis and treatment of various neurological conditions ( https://nmtc1.com/technology ). The company’s initial focus is on epilepsy and the fast‑growing neurostimulation device market.
Mr. Rosa is an entrepreneur with three decades of experience in the medical device industry spanning a variety of technologies and products.
In addition to CEO roles with early-stage medical device companies, Mr. Rosa’s background also includes senior roles with C.R. Bard Inc., Boston Scientific Inc., and St. Jude Medical, where his responsibilities included marketing, product development and business development. He has been named as an inventor on multiple medical device patents, serves on seven corporate boards, and has raised $200M in the capital markets.
Mr. Rosa holds an MBA from Duquesne University and a BS in Commerce and Engineering from Drexel University.
IMPORTANT EPISODE LINKS -
Electrochemical Testing of a New Polyimide Thin Film Electrode for Stimulation, Recording, and Monitoring of Brain Activity -
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9611492/
First Food and Drug Administration Cleared Thin-Film Electrode for Intracranial Stimulation, Recording, and Monitoring of Brain Activity—Part 1: Biocompatibility Testing -
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9100917/
NeuroOne #DaveRosa #MinimallyInvasive #ThinFilmElectrodes #Theranostics #Stereoelectroencephalography #NeurologicalConditions #Epilepsy #MovementDisorders #ChronicPain #PsychiatricDisorders #Glioblastoma #CognitiveDisorders #Neurostimulation #NerveAblation #BloodBrainBarrier #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Julia Moore Vogel, PhD, MBA is Assistant Professor and Senior Program Director at The Scripps Research Institute ( https://www.scripps.edu/science-and-medicine/translational-institute/about/people/julia-moore-vogel/ ) where she is responsible for managing a broad portfolio of patient-centric health research studies, including The Long COVID Treatment Trial ( https://longcovid.scripps.edu/locitt-t/ ), a fully remote, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial targeting individuals with long COVID, testing whether the drug Tirzepatide can reduce or alleviate symptoms of long COVID.
Prior to this current role, Dr. Vogel managed The Participant Center (TPC) for the NIH All of Us Research Program ( https://www.scripps.edu/science-and-medicine/translational-institute/translational-research/precision-medicine/index.html ) which was charged with recruiting and retaining 350,000 individuals that represent the diversity of the United States. TPC aims to make it possible for interested individuals anywhere in the US to become active participants, for example by collaborating with numerous outreach partners to raise awareness, collecting biosamples nationwide, returning participants’ results and developing self-guided workflows that enable participants to join whenever is convenient for them.
Prior to joining the Scripps Research Translational Institute, Dr. Vogel created, proposed, fundraised for, and implemented research and clinical genomics initiatives at the New York Genome Center and The Rockefeller University. She oversaw the proposal and execution of grants, including a $44M NIH Center for Common Disease Genomics in collaboration with over 20 scientific contributors across seven institutions. She also managed corporate partnerships, including one with IBM that assessed the relative value of several genomic assays for cancer patients.
Dr. Vogel has a BS in Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a PhD in Computational Biology and Medicine from Cornell and an MBA from Cornell.
Important Episode Links -
Nature Reviews Microbiology - Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations -
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2
npj Digital Medicine - Long-term changes in wearable sensor data in people with and without Long Covid -
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-024-01238-x
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes - A Randomized Trial of At-Home COVID-19 Tests, Telemedicine, and Rapid Prescription Delivery for Immunocompromised Individuals -
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542454825000384
JuliaMooreVogel #ScrippsResearchInstitute #EricTopol #LongCovidTreatmentTrial #AllOfUsResearchProgram #ComputationalBiology #NewYorkGenomeCenter #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #ImmuneDysregulation #MicrovascularInjury #MetabolicDysfunction #Neuroinflammation #AutonomicDysfunction #Tirzepatide #Zepbound #RemoteClinicalTrial #Cornell #RockefellerUniversity
MemorialSloanKetteringCancerCenter #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Komeil Nasrollahi is a seasoned innovation and business‐development leader currently serving as Senior Director of Innovation & Venture Partnerships at Siemens Healthineers ( https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/ ), where he is charged with forging strategic collaborations, identifying new venture opportunities and accelerating transformative healthcare technologies.
With an academic foundation in industrial engineering from Tsinghua University (and additional studies in the Chinese language) and undergraduate work in civil engineering from Azad University in Iran, Komeil blends technical fluency with global business acumen.
Prior to his current role, Komeil held senior positions driving business engagement and international investment, including leading market‐entry and growth initiatives across China and the U.S., demonstrating a strong ability to navigate cross‐cultural, high‐stakes innovation ecosystems.
In his current role, Komeil works at the intersection of healthcare, technology and venture creation—identifying high-impact innovations that align with Siemens Healthineers’ mission to “pioneer breakthroughs in healthcare, for everyone, everywhere, sustainably.”
Based in the Greater Philadelphia region, his international exposure and multilingual capability (including English, Chinese and Persian) enable him to bridge diverse geographies and stakeholder groups in service of advancing healthcare innovation.
Komeil’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to translating emerging technologies into meaningful clinical and market outcomes, making him a key driver in Siemens Healthineers’ venture partnerships and innovation strategy.
KomeilNasrollahi #SiemensHealthineers #TsinghuaUniversity #AzadUniversity #ChesterCountyEconomicDevelopmentCouncil #WestChesterUniversity #SiemensAG #MedicalTechnology #VenturePartnerships #DigitalSolutions #MedicalImaging #LaboratoryDiagnostics #DigitalHealth #ArtificialIntelligence #HealthcareIT #EnterpriseServices #PrecisionMedicine #DigitalTwins #SystemsBiology #BioelectronicMedicine #AutonomousClinicalSystems #MedicalRobotics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Shari and Bill Hall ( https://familiesfightingflu.org/family-story/the-hall-family/ ) are a really remarkable couple whose story shines a light on just how far-reaching the effects of influenza can be — not only for the person who gets sick, but for the loved ones who care for them.
What began as an ordinary illness became a life-changing experience for the Hall family, one that tested their strength, deepened their compassion, and opened their eyes to the true impact of flu.
Through this amazing journey, they’ve become powerful advocates for awareness and prevention — reminding us all that influenza isn’t “just the flu.” It’s an extremely serious illness that can touch every part of life, from health and family to community and hope.
Shari and Bill’s experience is both deeply personal and universally relevant, and it underscores why sharing these stories matters, because behind every statistic about influenza, there are real people — families, caregivers, and survivors — whose lives have been changed.
Influenza #Vaccine #FluShot #TheHallFamily #ShariHall #BillHall #Advocacy #AutoimmuneInjury
SystemicInflammation #MicrovascularInjury #ExtracorporealMembraneOxygen #ECMO #LifeSupport #Hospitalization #Bronchitis #CardiacArrest #Amputation #Rehabilitation #NerveDamage #Recovery #Caregiving #FamiliesFightingFlu #ICU #CSLSeqirus #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Adnan Masood, Ph.D. ( https://medium.com/@adnanmasood ) is Chief AI Architect at UST ( https://www.ust.com/ ), the giant global digital transformation solutions company.
Dr. Masood brings over two decades of leadership in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and large-scale system architecture, bridging cutting-edge academic research with real-world business outcomes.
At UST, Dr. Masood leads the firm’s global strategy for cognitive computing, AI, ML, and generative-AI initiatives. He oversees the development of scalable data-integration platforms, high-performance recommendation systems, and enterprise-grade AI solutions — all while fostering deep collaborations with elite research institutions, including Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL) and MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).
Before his current role, Dr. Masood’s experience spanned financial-services technology, start-ups, systems architecture, and cloud-native engineering — always grounded in a strong research mindset focused on machine learning, Bayesian belief networks, and enterprise engineering.
Recognized as a Microsoft Regional Director and a Microsoft MVP for Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Masood is not only a practitioner but a thought leader and educator. He has taught data science, spoken at international conferences, authored best-selling books on functional programming and AI governance, and mentors the next generation — for example volunteering as a STEM robotics coach for middle-school students.
In his role at UST, Dr. Masood has also helped shape the company’s AI-center-of-excellence model — guiding clients to build governance, cross-functional AI teams, and measurable value from AI investments.
AdnanMasood #UST #AI #ML #GenerativeAI #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #CognitiveServices #CognitiveRobotics #QuantumComputation #QuantumComputing #Cryptography #MicrosoftMVP #MIT #Stanford
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Ariel Garten is a neuroscientist, innovator, and entrepreneur whose driving purpose is to empower and help others overcome mental obstacles in order to live healthy, happy lives and reach their maximum potential, by harnessing real-time brain data to improve focus, relaxation, and meditation.
Ariel is Co-Founder of InteraXon, the makers of Muse: the brain sensing headband ( https://choosemuse.com/ ).
Muse is the award-winning wearable, clinical-grade Electroencephalography (EEG) device used by meditators and researchers around the world ( https://musehealth.ai/ ).
Before founding InteraXon, Ariel was not only trained as a neuroscientist, working in research labs exploring the neural basis of consciousness as well as researching Parkinson’s disease and hippocampal neurogenesis, and a practicing psychotherapist, but also started her own international clothing line.
Ariel’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit combined with her fascination with the brain lead her to start InteraXon with partners in Silicon Valley developing the platform technology that ultimately sparked the creation of Muse.
ArielGarten #InteraXon #Muse #Electroencephalography #EEG #NonInvasive #NeuroTechnology #DeepBrainStimulation #HippocampalNeurogenesis #Neuroplasticity #Psychotherapist #Biofeedback #Meditation #BrainwavePatterns #Wearables #Mindfulness #ImprovingSleep #EnhancingFocus #ReducingStress #DiagnosticTool #SleepDisorders #CognitiveEnhancement #AgeTech #Memory #Learning #Neurofeedback #BrainComputerInterfaces #Dementia
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Fred Grossman, D.O., FAPA is President and Chief Medical Officer of Coya Therapeutics ( https://coyatherapeutics.com/ ), a clinical-stage company focused on developing multi-modality, Regulatory T Cell (Treg) therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Coya has already developed strong proof of concept data in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s, and is also active in the autoimmune and metabolic disease domains.
Dr. Grossman brings over 20 years of drug development expertise having held senior executive leadership positions in large and small pharmaceutical companies, leading the development and FDA approval of numerous multi-billion dollar blockbuster drugs addressing significant unmet medical needs particularly across CNS disorders. He has close relationships with thought leaders worldwide and has negotiated directly with the FDA and Global Health Authorities for approval of many drugs across therapeutic areas.
Dr. Grossman held executive positions at Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Sunovion. He served as President and Chief Medical Officer at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, a $1.5 Billion per annum global pharmaceutical company based in India, overseeing development of an entire pipeline including generics, complex generics including 505(b)(2) candidates, and next-generation biologics (including bi-specific antibodies).
Dr. Grossman also previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Mesoblast, Inc., developing allogeneic cellular therapies for inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Grossman is Board-Certified in Psychiatry and a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and was a Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He has held several academic appointments and authored numerous scientific publications.
RegulatoryTCells #Tregs #AutoimmuneDisorders #ShimonSakaguchi #ImmuneSystem #FredGrossman #CoyaTherapeutics #NeurodegenerativeDiseases #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #ALS #Alzheimers #CNSDisorders #StanleyAppel #Immunomodulation #ProInflammatoryCytokines #SelfTolerance #Microglia #Macrophages #CTLA4Ig #LowDoseIl2 #FusionProtein #ImmuneCheckpointModulator #FrontotemporalDementia #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Douglas Leech is Founder and CEO of Ascension Recovery Services ( https://www.ascensionrs.com/ ), an organization focused on developing and managing comprehensive, fully integrated behavioral health systems, treating Substance Use Disorders and co-occurring mental illness across the full continuum of care.
Mr. Leech has a B.S. degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and worked at Ernst & Young in Pittsburgh before returning to Morgantown, West Virginia and founding Ascension RS.
Through his own struggles with addiction and subsequent recovery, Mr. Leech developed a passion for helping those suffering from the diseases of addiction and set out to increase access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment across West Virginia and the United States.
Mr. Leech has built Ascension RS into a national leader for developing comprehensive behavioral health systems that provide the highest quality clinical care with a sustainable business model.
Mr. Leech also founded West Virginia Sober Living ( WVSL - https://westvirginiasoberliving.com/ ), a self-sustaining 501(c)(3) non-profit, operating recovery residences, job creation and reintegration programming, and a network of peer recovery coaches providing broad community support for SUD throughout West Virginia.
DouglasLeech #AscensionRecoveryServices #SubstanceUseDisorders #MentalIllness #BehavioralHealth #IntensiveOutpatientPrograms #PartialHospitalizationPrograms #ResidentialTreatmentCenters #RecoveryResidences #PeerRecoveryCoachNetworks #WorkforceDevelopmentPrograms #WestVirginiaSoberLiving #AmericanSocietyOfAddictionMedicine #PawneeNationOfOklahoma #NativeAmericans #CulturallyTailoredApproaches #HarmReduction #OverdosePrevention #TraditionalHealingPractices
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Yael Elish is CEO and Founder of StuffThatWorks (https://www.stuffthatworks.health/open-stuff), a company that offers an online platform where people suffering from chronic diseases can share information to learn which treatments work best for their specific condition, based on the experience of their peers combined with a smart, AI-based crowdsourcing system.
Last week, StuffThatWorks announced the alpha launch of OpenStuff ( https://www.openstuff.com/open-stuff ), the world’s first patient-powered AI health search. Built on 1.3 billion structured data points shared by over 3 million people living with 1,250 chronic conditions, OpenStuff transforms lived patient health experiences into real-time, actionable insights.
A passionate entrepreneur with expertise in crowdsourcing and consumer-facing products, Yael was on the Waze founding team (Waze is now a subsidiary company of Google that provides satellite navigation software on smartphones and other computers), where she drove the overall product strategy that led the company from User One to one of the world’s most notable crowdsourcing endeavors.
Yael also co-founded eSnips and NetSnippet, and was part of the senior management team that took Commtouch to its successful NASDAQ IPO in 2000.
Prior to Commtouch, Yael led the sales and marketing efforts for various start-ups in Israel.
Yael holds a first degree in Foreign Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
StuffThatWorks #OpenStuff #YaelElish #Crowdsourcing #ChronicDiseases #RareDiseases #ArtificialIntelligence #Healthcare #Medicine #Repurposing #ClinicalTrials #RealWorldData #RealWorldEvidence #PatientAdvocacy #Israel #PharmaceuticalResearch #Waze #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Joel Krikston is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in venture investments and strategic innovation within the healthcare sector.
Joel currently serves as Managing Director Venture Investments Merck Global Health Innovation Fund ( https://www.merckghifund.com/?profile=joel-krikston ) and Co-Founder of MSD Idea Studios ( https://www.msd.de/ideastudio/ ), a global innovation hub organization that is committing $38 million to scale high-impact health technologies that directly align with Merck’s access and R&D priorities. They are strategically located in the innovation hubs of Singapore and Berlin.
With a career spanning over two decades, Joel has held pivotal roles at renowned organizations like Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and JPMorgan, focusing on biotechnology, corporate development, and health equity.
As the Managing Director of Venture Investments and Head of Strategic Innovation Alliances, Joel excels in bridging the gap between life sciences and digital health technology. He is a recognized advocate for diversity and inclusion, emphasizing health equity in his professional endeavors.
Joel’s board engagements extend to various innovative healthcare startups, showcasing his commitment to shaping the future of healthcare.
Joel also contributes to academia as a venture mentor and guest lecturer at prestigious institutions, including NYU Stern and Princeton University.
Joel has an MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU, completed his Bachelor’s degree in Finance and International Business at Fairfield University, and has specialized certifications from Harvard and MIT, underscoring his dedication to ongoing learning and leadership in healthcare innovation.
JoelKrikston #MSDIdeaStudios
MerckGlobalHealthInnovationFund #InvestmentBanking #CorporateVentureCapital #LifeSciences #DigitalHealth #NYUStern #BNPParibas #ABNAMRO #InnovationHubs #LungCancer #VentureMentor #JohnsonAndJohnson #JPMorgan #BillTaranto #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Théau Peronnin, Ph.D. is a physicist by training and a visionary leader in the field of quantum computing.
After earning his master’s degree from École Polytechnique in Paris and completing his PhD in quantum physics at École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Dr. Peronnin embarked on a mission to tackle one of the greatest technological challenges of our time: building a truly fault-tolerant quantum computer.
In 2020, Dr. Peronnin co-founded the quantum‐computing start-up Alice & Bob ( https://alice-bob.com/ - based in Paris with global ambitions) and took the helm as its CEO. Under his leadership, the company has focused on a novel architecture known as “cat qubits” — a design that embeds error correction directly into the qubits, aiming to significantly reduce the hardware complexity and error rates compared with more conventional quantum-computing approaches.
Dr. Peronnin’s work sits at the intersection of deep physics and engineering enterprise. He was part of academic research advancing superconducting qubit read-out and control techniques, and has since translated that research momentum into building infrastructure: labs, cleanrooms, cryogenic systems, and a growing team of quantum experts.
Dr. Peronnin frequently speaks about how quantum computing will not simply accelerate existing algorithms, but unlock totally new classes of problems — in materials, chemistry, biology and beyond.
Beyond technology, Dr. Peronnin emphasizes the importance of ecosystem, funding and audacity: he argues that Europe must pair deep science with industrial scale and ambition if it hopes to lead in the quantum race.
Important Episode Link - Cat Qubits and LDPC Codes, a New Step Towards Quantum Error Correction - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI0Yg-QRAns
ThéauPeronnin #AliceAndBob #QuantumComputing #CatQubits #Superposition #Entanglement #QuantumInterference #Coherence #Decoherence #NISQ #NoisyIntermediateScaleQuantum #MicrowaveQuantumNode #SuperconductingQubits #MicrowaveSuperconducting #CryogenicEngineering #QuantumNode #QuantumCommunication #SchrödingersCat #SuperconductingMicrowaveCavities #BosonicQubit #TransmonQubit #TrappedIons #PhotonicQubits #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Xaque Gruber ( https://www.xaquegruber.com/ ) is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and artist.
Xaque is the writer and director of the hit independent film Sallywood ( https://sallywoodmovie.com/ ) — a touching, funny and deeply insightful look at the career of actress Sally Kirkland ( https://www.sallykirkland.com/ ), as well as current trials and tribulations navigating life and identity in the film industry.
The limited theatrical release for Sallywood debuted on November 8, 2024 and Buffalo 8 will release the film on digital platforms on November 14, 2025.
Through Sallywood, Xaque explores themes of ageism, resilience, and the quiet struggles faced by Hollywood’s “working class” — the actors, crew members, and creatives who live just outside the spotlight but keep the dream machine running.
Xaque’s first TV writing credit came with reuniting the cast of his favorite 80s soap “Dynasty” for the 2006 CBS special “Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar.” Since then, he’s written “The Scream Awards (Spike),” “The World Music Awards (ABC),” “The Producer’s Guild of America Awards,” and many others.
Xaque has written for feature length films including "M.I.A." and "Broken Roads" and for the short films "The Pistol", "THE" and "Laurel Casey: The Hurting Truth".
Before his filmmaking career, Xaque wrote for outlets including The Huffington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Miami Herald, and worked in television, visual art, and education. His storytelling — across every medium — is known for its empathy, wit, and sharp social observation.
Xaque is also the author/illustrator of the book "A Big Adventure In The Smallest State: A History of Rhode Island For All Ages" ( https://www.amazon.com/Big-Adventure-Smallest-State/dp/1403333262 ).
Xaque has an MA in Education from Tufts University and an MS in Television Production & Writing from Boston University.
Important Episode Link - Support Sally Kirkland's Urgent Medical Care -
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-sally-kirklands-urgent-medical-care
XaqueGruber #Sallywood #SallyKirkland #Ageism #Hollywood #Resilience #IntergenerationalFriendships #EricRoberts #JenniferTilly #KeithCarradine #MariaConchitaAlonso #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Karen Mayer Cunningham is a nationally recognized leader in special education advocacy and the Founder and CEO of the Special Education Academy ( https://specialeducationacademy.com/ ), an organization dedicated to empowering parents to navigate the complex world of special education with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
After confronting the challenges of the system firsthand as a parent, Karen transformed her experience into a mission — helping families across the country understand their rights, communicate effectively with schools, and ensure that every child receives the support and services they are entitled to under the law.
Through the Special Education Academy, Karen has built a trusted community and a practical, education-based training model that bridges the gap between parents and educators. Her work emphasizes collaboration, knowledge, and empowerment — giving families the tools to become informed, effective advocates for their children.
Known for her energy, honesty, and engaging communication style, Karen has become a leading voice for reform and accountability in special education, inspiring parents and professionals alike to work together toward a more equitable and inclusive educational system.
Karen is also an accomplished stand-up comedian.
Karen's new book, The Epic IEP: A Powerful Playbook for Parents, Educators, and Advocates Navigating the Special Education Process ( https://theepiciep.com/ ) is available for pre-order and will be released January 27, 2026 ( https://www.amazon.com/Epic-IEP-Educators-Advocates-Navigating/dp/1637635125 ).
:Links to Karen's Podcast -
• Buzzsprout: https://specialeducationboss.buzzsprout.com
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/special-education-boss-with-karen-mayer-cunningham/id1805933912
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/03I43tikXlYvR6xIe3F24w?si=53e4f3b73e514a06
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/271518986/
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d75378a3-0f8b-4fd1-989b-67a5723b5377/special-education-boss%C2%AE-with-karen-mayer-cunningham
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI3YgeQrpe51K4Ia4GWqS3fTnGj_DGLan
KarenMayerCunningham #SpecialEducationAcademy #IndividualizedEducationProgram #IndividualsWithDisabilitiesEducationAct #504Plan #RehabilitationActOf1973 #AutismSpectrumDisorder #EmotionalDisturbance #Deafness #Blindness #IntellectualDisability #OrthopedicImpairment #SpecificLearningDisability #LanguageImpairment #SpeechImpairment #TraumaticBrainInjury #PresentLevelsOfAcademicAchievementAndFunctionalPerformance #Comedy #Humor #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Edward You is recently coming off an amazing career at the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) where most recently he served in roles as Supervisory Special Agent, National Counterintelligence Task Force, Counterintelligence Division, as well as a Supervisory Special Agent in the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. He was also previously simultaneously detailed as a Liaison Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of National Security, and as a National Counterintelligence Officer for Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
Mr. You was responsible for creating programs and activities to coordinate and improve FBI and interagency activities to identify, assess, and respond to biological threats or incidents. He supported FBI initiatives to build partnerships with the life sciences community, domestically and internationally, and lead efforts to identify and address potential security challenges in advanced biotechnology. His overall goal was to safeguard the scientific community, the life science research enterprise, and the U.S. bioeconomy.
Before being promoted to the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, Mr. You served as a member of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI Hazardous Evidence Response Team.
Mr. You has also been directly involved in policy-making efforts with a focus on biosecurity. He served as an active Working Group member of the White House National Security Council Policy Coordinating Committee on Countering Biological Threats and represented the FBI as an Ex Officio member of the National Institutes of Health National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity. He also served on two National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committees, the Institute of Medicine’s Forum on Microbial Threats and the Committee on Science, Technology, and Law’s Forum on Synthetic Biology. He is currently a Senior Fellow for the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.
Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. You had extensive experience in academic research having worked for three years in autoimmune disease research at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and six years in human gene therapy and retrovirology at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, where he received his Master of Science (M.S.), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Just prior to joining the FBI, Mr. You worked for three years in the commercial biotechnology sector conducting cancer research and assay development at AMGEN, Inc.
Mr. You recently set up EHY Consulting LLC, dedicated to consulting activities focused on safeguarding science and innovation at the intersection of biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and national security.
EdwardYou #FederalBureauOfInvestigation #WeaponsOfMassDestructionDirectorate #FBI #SupervisorySpecialAgent #Biosecurity #Bioeconomy #Biohackers #DualUse #Anthrax #Ricin #FBIHazardousEvidenceResponseTeam #JointTerrorismTaskForce #AutoimmuneDisease #MolecularBiology #GeneTherapy #Angiogenesis #WMDCoordinator #Chemical #Biological #CBRN #UnitedNationsInterregionalCrimeAndJusticeResearchInstitute #UNICRI #NationalAcademies #NationalCounterintelligenceAndSecurityCenter #OfficeOfTheDirectorOfNationalIntelligence #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Christian Maugee is a PhD Candidate at the University of Florida, in Genetics and Genomics ( http://www.vulpelab.net/graduate-and-undergrad-students.html ), where his research explores how gene expression differs in the hearts of individuals with Friedrich’s Ataxia (FA), a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease. His work could lead to new insights into the cardiac complications that can be associated with FA and how to potential treat them better.
Christian’s dissertation work is focused on identifying gene modulators of the transcriptional phenotype of FA in human induced pluripotent stem cells differentiated into cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs). He accomplishes this through use of a novel method: Perturb-seq - a CRISPR screen coupled with single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) readout.
Christian is driven by much more than academic curiosity, as he brings a unique and deeply human perspective to his work as someone living with FA. He doesn’t just study the challenges faced by those with disabilities; he lives them. His work is not only informed by data and theory, but by resilience, authenticity, and a commitment to making research more inclusive and impactful.
In the lab, Christian loves mentoring, and outside of the lab he loves fundraising and raising awareness for FA, mainly through FARA ( https://www.curefa.org/ ) and MDA ( https://www.mda.org/disease/friedreichs-ataxia ).
Christian received a Bachelor's degree in Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology, from the University of South Florida.
Important Episode Link - The Science Guy: Back In The Lab For FA
https://www.ataxia.org/billnye-for-fa/
ChristianMaugee #FriedreichsAtaxia #UniversityOfFlorida #Genetics #Genomics #MolecularBiology #UniversityOfSouthFlorida #Frataxin #MitochondrialDysfunction #OxidativeStress #Neurodegeneration #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #FrontotemporalDementia #Dystonia #HypertrophicCardiomyopathy #DilatedCardiomyopathy #Cardiomyocytes #InducedPluripotentStemCells #Epigenetic #BillNye #Mitochondria #RareDisease #Neurology #Biogen #Omaveloxolone #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Kenneth Russell DeGraff ( https://www.russelldegraff.com/ ) is a Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School ( https://shorensteincenter.org/person/k-russell-degraff/ ), where he focuses on the challenges American voters face in understanding how legislation in Congress affects them, and how they can engage with or benefit from these laws. He is also a Visiting Scholar Vanderbilt University Law School.
Kenneth spent nearly two decades on Capitol Hill, culminating in 12 years as the chief climate and technology advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Kenneth played several key roles in helping Congress architect, enact, explain and enforce significant legislation as well as helping form coalitions and lead negotiations to enact policies and laws spanning administrations from different parties, reflecting his skill in bipartisan collaboration.
Kenneth’s work included pivotal contributions to President Biden’s “Investing in America” jobs strategy, featuring landmark laws like the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS & Science Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Before his advisory role to Speaker Pelosi, Kenneth served as the Legislative Director and Assistant to Congressman Mike Doyle, focusing on sectors such as technology, healthcare, and consumer protection.
Prior to working on the Hill, Kenneth was a Policy Analyst at Consumer Union and was a Truman Scholar from Butler University where he received a B.A., Communications and Political Science.
Important Episode Link - Truth in the Machine -
https://www.truthinthemachine.com/
KennethRussellDeGraff #CapitolHill #HouseSpeakerNancyPelosi #Congress #Legislation #Policies #Laws #Bipartisan #Moonshots #ClimateChange #InvestingInAmerica #InflationReductionAct #CHIPSAndScienceAct #InfrastructureInvestmentAndJobsAct #CongressmanMikeDoyle #ConsumerUnion #RecursiveSelfImprovement #ArtificialIntelligence #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Douglas G. Adler, MD, F.A.C.G., A.G.A.F., F.A.S.G.E. ( https://douglasgadler.com/ ) is Director of the Center for Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy, AdventHealth Porter in Denver, Colorado ( https://www.adventhealth.com/find-doctor/doctor/douglas-adler-md-1891748687 ).
Dr. Adler is also the Editor-in-Chief of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy ( https://www.giejournal.org/ ).
Prior to moving to Colorado, Dr. Adler was a tenured Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, UT. Dr. Adler was also the GI Fellowship Program Director at the University of Utah School of Medicine for seven years.
Dr. Adler focuses his clinical, educational, and research efforts on the diagnosis and management of patients with gastrointestinal cancers and complex gastrointestinal disease, with an emphasis on therapeutic endoscopy.
Dr. Adler is an internationally recognized expert on all facets of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), gastrointestinal stenting, Gastric Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (GPOEM), and other topics. He is the author of more than 600 scientific publications, articles, and book chapters and he has published 9 gastroenterology textbooks, including the first textbook on Interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound.
Dr. Adler has also published more than 70 articles on history, aviation, aerospace, and astronomy.
Dr. Adler received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York, NY. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. Dr. Adler completed both a general gastrointestinal fellowship and a therapeutic endoscopy/ERCP fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He then returned to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for a fellowship in endoscopic ultrasound.
DouglasAdler #TherapeuticEndoscopy #AdventHealthPorter #GastrointestinalEndoscopy #EndoscopicRetrogradeCholangiopancreatography #EndoscopicUltrasound #GastrointestinalStenting #GastricPeroralEndoscopicMyotomy #Transluminal #Lumen #Choledochoduodenostomy #MinimallyInvasive #GlucagonLikePeptide1Agonists #FecalMicrobiotaTransplantation #Colonoscopy #AdvancedPancreaticobiliaryEndoscopy #NeilArmstrong #BuzzAldrin #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Michael McCullar, PhD is Chief Executive Officer of RegCell ( https://regcellbio.com/ ), a biotechnology company has developed a best-in-class proprietary platform that allows the generation of epigenetically reprogrammed antigen-specific regulatory T-cells (Tregs) that are stable in vivo and maintain a high degree of functionality (S/F-Epigen-Tregs) to restore immune tolerance and ultimately reverse autoimmune disorders as well as the limitations with transplantation.
Dr. McCullar has a wealth of experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, spanning more than two decades. Throughout his career, he has been involved in various aspects of drug development and played pivotal roles in the success of several pharmaceutical companies.
Dr. McCullar formerly served as the CEO of OnQuality Pharmaceuticals, where he provided executive leadership to this targeted oncology supportive therapy company focused on developing pioneering medications tailored to address the intricacies of cancer treatment-related toxicities. Before that, he was Chief Operating Officer at Tolero Pharmaceuticals, where he had a prominent role in the company’s acquisition by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and also served as the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Astex Pharmaceuticals, during it’s acquisition by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. McCullar has held several high-level executive positions at SuperGen, showcasing his commitment and upward career path within the company. His journey at SuperGen culminated in the role of Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations, where his expertise paved the way for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Dacogen as a treatment for myelodysplastic syndromes, and the acquisition of Astex Therapeutics, which resulted in the formation of Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dr. McCullar holds a Ph.D. in Toxicology from the University of California, Riverside and an MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
MichaelMcCullar #RegCell #RegulatoryTCells #Tregs #AutoimmuneDisorders #Transplantation #ShimonSakaguchi #ImmuneSystem #SelfAntigens #Tolerance #AntiInflammatoryCytokines #AntigenPresentingCells #Thymus #BoneMarrow #Anergy #AntigenSpecificTregs #AntigenTargeting #Homing #EpigeneticEditing #Reprogramming #AutologousManufacturing #Japan #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Brian A. Grierson, Ph.D. is a leading physicist and engineer in magnetic fusion energy and is currently Director of Fusion Energy Technologies at General Atomics ( https://www.ga.com/ ) in San Diego. In this role, he leads the technical vision, design strategy, and integration of plasma physics, engineering, diagnostics, and tritium fuel‐cycle technologies for fusion pilot‐plants aimed at moving fusion from experimental facilities toward viable commercial power ( https://www.ga.com/magnetic-fusion/ ).
Dr. Grierson’s career bridges academic research and applied development. He earned his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2004, majoring in Applied Mathematics, Engineering & Physics, with emphases in nuclear engineering and plasma physics. He then pursued graduate studies at Columbia University, where he obtained his M.S. (2005), M.Phil. (2008), and Ph.D. in Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics in 2009, defending a dissertation titled “Interchange Turbulence in a Dipole‐Confined Plasma.”
After his Ph.D., Dr. Grierson joined the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory ( PPPL - https://www.pppl.gov/ ), working on experimental diagnostics and plasma behavior at the DIII‐D National Fusion Facility ( operated by GA - https://d3dfusion.org/ ) and other tokamak projects.
Over several years Dr. Grierson held roles including Associate Research Physicist, Staff Physicist, and Research Physicist within PPPL’s ITER & Tokamaks Department, and led groups focused on the plasma edge (“pedestal”), ion transport, and diagnostics development.
In 2014, Dr. Grierson was awarded a U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Research Program grant to advance diagnostics of main‐ion behavior at the edge of fusion plasmas — work critical for understanding confinement, stability, and performance of devices like ITER and future tokamaks.
In recognition of his research contributions, Dr. Grierson received the Kaul Foundation Prize for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research and Technology Development in 2017.
In 2021, he joined General Atomics to direct the Fusion Pilot Plant Design Hub and served as Director of the Fusion Pilot Plant Design Hub for 4 years. Under his leadership, GA has put forth a concept for a compact advanced steady‐state tokamak Fusion Pilot Plant (FPP) that draws on innovations in plasma physics, simulation tools like the proprietary FUSE (Fusion Synthesis Engine), modular breeding blanket design, materials engineering, control, diagnostics, and systems integration ( https://www.ga.com/magnetic-fusion/promise-of-fusion ).
Dr. Grierson has also played a major role in partnerships such as GA’s collaboration with Savannah River National Laboratory ( https://www.srnl.gov/ ) to address tritium fuel handling — a critical component of making fusion power practical.
General Atomics (GA) is an American energy and defense corporation headquartered in San Diego, California, that specializes in research and technology development. This includes physics research in support of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion energy. The company also provides research and manufacturing services for remotely operated surveillance aircraft, including its MQ-1 Predator drones, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless, and laser technologies.
BrianGrierson #GeneralAtomics #FusionEnergy #Nuclear #ITER #Thermonuclear #Tokamak #ExperimentalPhysics #Energy #PlasmaPhysics #NuclearFusion #Tritium #Deuterium #CollisionlessTerrellaExperiment #InertialConfinementFusion #NationalIgnitionFacility #MagneticConfinementFusion #SustainedPlasmaBurns #FuelCycle #ElectricityGeneration #BurningPlasma #TritiumBreeding #BreedingBlankets #EdgePlasma #ProgressPot
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Dr. Aliza Apple, Ph.D. is a Vice President of Catalyze360 AI ( https://www.lilly.com/science/partners/catalyze-360 ) and Global Head of Lilly TuneLab ( https://tunelab.lilly.com/ ) at Eli Lilly where she leads the strategy, build and launch of Lilly’s external-facing AI/ML efforts for drug discovery.
Lilly Catalyze360 represents a comprehensive approach to enabling the early-stage biotech ecosystem, agnostic of the therapeutic area, designed to accelerate emerging and promising science, strategically removing barriers to support biotech innovation.
In her previous role at Lilly, Dr. Apple served as the COO and head of Lilly Gateway Labs West Coast, where she supported the local biotech ecosystem through early engagement and providing tailored offerings to meet their needs.
Prior to Lilly, Dr. Apple served as a co-founder at Santa Ana Bio, a venture-backed precision biologics company focused on autoimmune disease, and as an advisor to the founders of Firefly Biologics.
Prior to biotech, Dr. Apple was a partner in McKinsey & Co’s life sciences practice. During her nine years at McKinsey in New York and San Francisco, she collaborated with leaders from over 20 biopharma companies to develop their corporate and portfolio strategies, evaluate business development opportunities and improve their organizational effectiveness.
Dr. Apple completed her Ph.D. in bioengineering at UC Berkeley and UCSF, and holds a Bachelor of Science in physics from Georgetown University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell Medical College supported by the NIH Kirschtein National Research Service Award.
AlizaApple #Catalyze360 #TuneLab #EliLilly #LillyGatewayLabs #DrugDiscoveryModels #SmallMolecules #AntibodyTherapeutics #InSilicoPropertyPredictions #AI #ML #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #LillyVentures #InnovationHubs #Preclinical #DiscoveryChemistry #StructuralBiology #Toxicology #Immunogenicity #DrugMetabolism #Pharmacokinetics #Pharmacodynamics #ClinicalOperations #SmallMoleculeDrugDevelopment #LargeMoleculeDiscoveryProcess #CorporateVentureCapital #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Leonard Petrucelli, PhD ( https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/petrucelli-leonard-ph-d/bio-00027816 ), is a leading translational neuroscientist and Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic — Jacksonville, where he leads the Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory ( https://www.mayo.edu/research/labs/neurodegenerative-diseases/overview ).
Dr. Petrucelli’s lab seeks to understand and prevent neuronal degeneration and death in diseases characterized by abnormal protein aggregation and defects in RNA metabolism. His team uses a combination of cell biology, induced pluripotent stem cell technology, transcriptomics and mouse modeling to gain insight into disease mechanisms. They then leverage their findings to develop new therapeutic strategies and clinical tools tailored for these complicated disorders. Their current work focuses on a range of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Dr. Petrucelli trained in molecular and cellular biochemistry (Ph.D., Loyola University & Stritch School of Medicine) after earning a B.S. in Biology from Barry University, and he joined Mayo Clinic as a research fellow before rising to professor and department chair. His group combines human neuropathology, cell and molecular biology, and animal models to connect disease-linked genes and protein misprocessing to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.
Scientifically, Dr. Petrucelli is best known for mechanistic work on aggregation-prone proteins and pathways that underlie neurodegeneration — including seminal contributions on TDP-43 biology, progranulin (GRN) dysfunction, and pathogenic mechanisms associated with C9orf72 repeat expansions — and for translating those findings toward biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. His lab’s work appears in high-impact journals and has helped define key pathogenic cascades now pursued by academic and industry drug-development programs.
Beyond his laboratory, Dr. Petrucelli serves in prominent advisory and leadership roles across the field: he is a voice on state and national Alzheimer’s advisory efforts, has advised disease-focused nonprofits and consortia (including Target ALS and others), and participates on scientific advisory boards for translational ventures. He is also an R35 (Research Program Award) recipient and an investigator with an extensive record of NIH-supported projects investigating mechanisms and potential interventions for FTD/ALS and related dementias.
LeonardPetrucelli #Neuroscience #Neurodegenerative #MayoClinic #Proteinopathies #Tauopathies #AlzheimersDisease #ParkinsonsDisease #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #HuntingtonsDisease #PrionDiseases #CreutzfeldtJakobDisease #ProgressiveSupranuclearPalsy #CorticobasalDegeneration #FrontotemporalDementia #ChronicTraumaticEncephalopathy #RichardRainwater #BruceWillis #TauopathyChallenge #RainwaterFoundation #AgingMindFoundation #AlzheimersAssociation #CurePSP #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Robert Allen, PhD is Chief Scientific Officer of Invivyd ( https://www.invivyd.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company devoted to delivering protection from serious viral infectious diseases, beginning with SARS-CoV-2, by deploying a proprietary integrated technology platform, to create best in class monoclonal antibodies.
Dr. Allen brings over 30 years of experience across the infectious disease space, most recently as the Chief Scientific Officer of SmartPharm Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Sorrento Therapeutics. During that time, he led efforts to develop gene-encoded monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 that could be quickly adapted to respond to emerging variants of concern. He also served concurrently as Senior Vice President, Antiviral and Oncolytic Immunotherapy Development, at Sorrento Therapeutics.
Prior to his time at SmartPharm Therapeutics, Dr. Allen held multiple senior scientific roles across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries including at Sorrento Therapeutics, SIGA Technologies, and the Oregon Translational Research and Development Institute.
Dr. Allen holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Columbia University, an M.S. in Applied Biology from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Biology from Rhodes College. He has published extensively in the field of virology and completed his postdoctoral training in virology at Washington University in St. Louis and Emory University.
RobertAllen #Invivyd #Biopharmaceuticals #InfectiousDiseases #SARSCoV2 #MonoclonalAntibodies #Immunocompromised #RareViralEpitopes #Pemivibart #PreExposureProphylaxis #Covid19 #EmergencyUseAuthorization #EUA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Mark Lloyd Davies, Ph.D. is the Global Head for the Strategic Partnerships and Resource Group at Johnson & Johnson ( https://www.jnj.com/ ) where he leads a global team that forges novel strategic public-private partnerships to secure collaborations that accelerate groundbreaking R&D, advances strategies that widen access to care for patients and health systems worldwide, and ultimately unlocks possibilities that transform lives.
Dr. Davies has built a distinguished career at the intersection of science, policy, and global health strategy.
Before taking on his current global role, Dr. Davies held a number of senior leadership positions within Johnson & Johnson, where he was instrumental in shaping external engagement strategies and guiding policy development in areas ranging from pharmaceutical innovation to public health preparedness, leading strategic initiatives such as the Johnson & Johnson Lung Cancer Initiative.
Dr. Davies was previously Chair of the Med Tech Europe Research & Innovation Committee, where he worked on the evolution of the EU funded Innovative Medicines Initiative, as well as at Sanofi, involved in various External Affairs initiatives.
Dr. Davies holds a Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in Climate Change, Physical Geography and Geology, and a BSc, Biology and Geography, Earth Sciences, Climate Change, from the University of London, UK.
MarkLloydDavies #StrategicPartnershipsAndResourceGroup #JohnsonAndJohnson #PublicPrivatePartnerships #MedTechEurope #InnovativeMedicinesInitiative #InnovativeHealthInitiative #OperationWarpSpeed #LungCancerInitiative #GlobalNeurodegenerationProteomicsConsortium #Antarctica #ClimateChange #PhysicalGeography #Geology #CARBX #DrugsForNeglectedDiseasesInitiative #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Wade Demmer is Vice President of Research & Development at Medtronic where he is responsible for the development of new generations of pacemakers ( https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/l/patients/treatments-therapies/pacemakers.html ). With extensive expertise in medical technology and innovation, he leads the company's R&D efforts to develop cutting-edge healthcare solutions and is dedicated to advancing medical advancements that improve patient outcomes and transform healthcare delivery.
Wade began his career at Intel, where he gained valuable experience in technology development and engineering. Building on his technical expertise, he transitioned into the medical device industry, bringing a strong innovation-driven mindset to healthcare solutions.
Wade is best known for his pioneering work on pacemakers, where he contributed to the design and development of advanced cardiac pacing technologies. His innovative approaches have helped improve the reliability, longevity, and patient comfort of pacemaker devices, significantly impacting the field of cardiac care.
Wade received his Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), with a focus on Computer Engineering, from Iowa State University, and his MBA from University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.
WadeDemmer #Medtronic #Pacemaker #MedicalDevice #Defibrillator #Bradycardia #CardiacResynchronization #RateAdaptivePacing #Micra #HeartRhythm #HeartFailure #Arrhythmias #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research #Podcast #Podcaster
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Professor Eyal Zimlichman, MD is an internal medicine physician, a health care executive and a researcher focused on assessing and improving health care quality and value, patient engagement and patient safety.
Professor Zimlichman is currently Chief Transformation, Innovation and AI Officer at Sheba Medical Center ( https://www.shebaonline.org/ ), the largest hospital system in Israel and one that is routinely listed among the top 10 on Newsweek’s list of best hospitals worldwide.
Professor Zimlichman is also the Founder and Director of Sheba’s ARC ( Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate - https://arcinnovation.org/ ) innovation program: an open global innovation ecosystem which aims to redesign healthcare through digital health solutions by 2030, focused on connecting entrepreneurs and clinicians, identifying needs, and advancing the development and deployment of new technologies from within hospital settings.
Prior to these roles Professor Zimlichman has held the position of Lead Researcher at Partners Health Care Clinical Affairs Department in Boston where he was involved in the efforts to bring about a strategic care redesign initiative.
Professor Zimlichman has served on several advisory committees commissioned by the Office of the National Coordinator for health information technology at the US Department of Health and Human Services and is chairing and sitting on several committees at the Israeli Health Ministry.
Professor Zimlichman is also founding member of the International Academy of Quality and Safety in Health Care ( https://isqua.org/networks/isqua-academy.html ).
Professor Zimlichman is a graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health Executive Health Care Management Master of Science program and earned his MD, specializing in internal medicine, at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.
EyalZimlichman #InternalMedicine #HealthcareExecutive #ShebaMedicalCenter #Israel #OpenInnovation #DigitalHealth #MedicalQualityManagement #Telemedicine #DisruptiveInnovation #TelAviv #ShebaLongevityCenter #ArtificialIntelligence #VirtualReality #Telepsychiatry #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Brigitte Robertson, MD ( https://www.adial.com/team/brigette-roberston-md/ ) is Chief Medical Officer of Adial Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing therapies for the treatment of addiction and related diseases, specifically Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In the U.S. alone, an estimated 35 million people suffer from AUD, resulting in significant health, social and financial costs. Current treatment options present significant barriers to patient adoption including abstinence and side effects which can lead to social stigmatization.
Dr. Robertson has nearly 20 years of academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical industry experience. She has managed global development portfolios across multiple CNS indications, mechanisms, and in biotech, small, and large pharma. Her experience spans all phases of development, from the bench to bedside, and she has actively engaged throughout her career in advancing biomarkers to improve translation and trial outcomes (leveraging precision approaches, omics, wearables and AI). She is a scientific advisor to biotech companies, has served on industry and academic consortia and authored numerous articles published in leading peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Robertson’s industry career started at GlaxoSmithKline as a physician scientist in translational medicine for the Center for Excellence in Drug Discovery. She subsequently held senior roles in clinical development at Sepracor/Sunovion, Neurovance, Euthymics, and Shire/Takeda, where she served as VP and the Therapeutic Area Head of Neuroscience. In this last role, she led global clinical development and helped drive the disease area strategy for a large portfolio of early and late-stage assets in neurological, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders, resulting in successful approvals across several indications.
Dr. Robertson then served as the Chief Medical Officer of Yumanity Therapeutics, and led development of novel small molecule treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. She comes to Adial from Delix Therapeutics, where she most recently served as CMO, setting the strategy and leading clinical development for their portfolio of psychedelic-related analogs targeting the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, and psychiatric illness including Depression, Anxiety/PTSD, and Substance use.
Dr. Robertson completed residency training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, followed by a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry and a second post-doctoral research fellowship, sponsored by the NIH in neuroimaging and psychopharmacology at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). In addition, she has held faculty positions at CCP Children’s hospital in San Diego, USCD, and Duke University.
BrigitteRobertson #AdialPharmaceuticals #Addiction #AlcoholUseDisorder #Ondansetron #DrugRepurposing #5HT3Receptor #SingleNucleotidePolymorphisms #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research #Podcast #Podcaster
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Bilu Huang ( https://biluhuang.com/ ) is a visionary scientist dedicated to finding solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. His interdisciplinary work spans multiple fields, including biological aging, dinosaur extinction theories, geoengineering for carbon removal, and controlled nuclear fusion technology.
Born in Sanming City, Fujian Province, Huang is an independent researcher whose knowledge is entirely self-taught. Driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of scientific exploration, he has achieved numerous research results through his dedication and passion for science.
As a talented theoretical gerontologist, he proposed the Telomere DNA and ribosomal DNA co-regulation model for cell senescence (TRCS) and he is now using this latest theory to develop biotechnology to rejuvenate cells which will be used to completely cure various age-related degenerative diseases and greatly extend human life at Fuzhuang Therapeutics ( https://lab.fuzhuangtx.com/en/ ).
Aging #Longevity #BiluHuang #FuzhuangTherapeutics #TelomereDNAAndRibosomalDNACoRegulationModelForCell #Senescence #TRCS #DinosaurExtinctionResearch #CarbonRemovalTechnology #ControlledNuclearFusion #TelomereDNA #RibosomalDNA #CellularAging #GeneticProgram #Telomere #P53
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy ( PICI - https://www.parkerici.org/ ), a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases.
Dr. Knudsen most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), where she led both organizations through a period of transformative growth, significantly expanding research investments, advocacy reach, and direct patient support initiatives. Under her leadership, ACS evolved into a unified, high-performing enterprise, increasing revenue by more than 30 percent and broadening its impact to serve over 55 million lives annually. Moreover, Dr. Knudsen developed and scaled innovative programs that included joint ventures and an impact innovation arm to accelerate progress against cancer.
Prior to ACS, Dr. Knudsen served as Executive Vice President of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health and Enterprise Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, growing a multi-state oncology network and spearheading advancements in translational cancer research that increased early access to the most advanced cancer care.
A globally recognized expert in prostate cancer, Dr. Knudsen has authored over 200 scientific publications and generated practice-changing discoveries.
Dr. Knudsen held leadership roles with organizations including the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She currently serves on the boards of Exai Bio, Paradigm Health, and Research!America, and advises multiple biotech ventures including ArteraAI and Transcarent.
Dr. Knudsen holds numerous awards for her scientific and healthcare accomplishments, and this year will be honored with the Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), recognizing her lifetime achievement of outstanding contributions to the field of oncology.
Dr. Knudsen holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business. She has been recognized as one of Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Women of Impact”, a CNBC Changemaker, and is a CEO Council Member for both the Wall Street Journal and CNBC.
Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #KarenKnudsen #ParkerInstituteForCancerImmunotherapy #AmericanCancerSociety #JeffersonHealth #UniversityOfCalifornia #LudwigInstituteForCancerResearch #UniversityOfCincinnati #ProstateCancer #CART #CellTherapy #CheckpointInhibitors #TumorAntigenDiscovery #TumorMicroenvironment #OncolyticViruses #Pluvicto #Philadelphia #CarlJune #JamesAllison #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Ayah Hamdan is the Head of Health, at Plug and Play Tech Center ( https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/ ), where she spearheads strategies that bring together startups, corporations, and investors to solve some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare.
Plug and Play Tech Center is one of the world’s largest innovation platforms and startup accelerators, headquartered in Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, California), with innovation hubs across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and are best known for their model bringing together Startup Accelerator Programs, Corporate Innovation Partnerships and Venture Capital Investments under one roof.
Ayah’s role is pivotal in accelerating the development and scaling of health technologies with real-world impact.
Before stepping into this leadership position, Ayah founded Fatima Connect, a digital health venture focused on serving refugee populations—a project that has been recognized in prestigious publications like the Harvard Medical Review.
Ayah also has deep experience in research and public health, including roles in epidemiology, clinical studies, and community health initiatives.
Ayah holds a Master of Science in Epidemiology from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.
AyahHamdan #PlugAndPlayTechCenter #StartupAccelerator #CorporateInnovation #VentureCapitalInvestments #DigitalHealth #BigDataAnalytics #Diagnostics #HospitalWorkflow #MedicationAdherence #Sensors #Wearables #Telemedicine #AI #VR #AR #ArtificialIntelligence #Longevity #HealthyAging #ChronicDiseaseManagement #RegenerativeCare #Prevention #SaeedAmidi #PejmanNozad #PeterThiel #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Stephanie Psaki, Ph.D. is a public health leader with expertise at the intersection of national security, global health, and equity who is currently both a Senior Advisor, Global Health Policy Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS - https://www.csis.org/people/stephanie-psaki ) and a distinguished senior fellow at Brown School of Public Health ( https://facultyaffairs.sph.brown.edu/people/stephanie-psaki ).
Dr. Psaki has held leadership positions across government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and research institutions. She previously served as special assistant to the president and the inaugural U.S. coordinator for global health security at the White House, a role that included overseeing the federal government’s response to emerging global health threats such as mpox, Ebola, and Marburg.
While on staff at the National Security Council, Dr. Psaki also coordinated U.S. government engagement on issues ranging from ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat, investing in health workers, expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, and protecting human rights.
Dr. Psaki previously worked for twenty years at NGOs and research institutions, including Partners in Health, FHI 360, and the Population Council, where she led a research center focused on expanding opportunities for young people around the world.
Dr. Psaki holds a PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an MS from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service.
StephaniePsaki #GlobalHealthSecurity #PandemicPreparedness #OutbreakResponse #HIV #AIDS #SexualAndReproductiveHealth #MaternalAndChildHealth #HumanRights #BrownUniversity #CenterForStrategicAndInternationalStudies #CSIS #USDevelopmentPolicy #HumanitarianAssistance #MultilateralHealthInstitutions #FamilyPlanning #Immunization #InfectiousDisease #PublicHealth #Biodefense #Countermeasures #Preparedness #Policy #Surveillance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Alex Haro is the Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Chairman of Hubble Network Inc. ( https://hubble.com/ ), a startup building the first global satellite network capable of communicating directly with standard Bluetooth devices—enabling connectivity anywhere on Earth, even without cellular coverage, creating a satellite-enabled IoT platform.
Alex is also the Co-Founder of Life360 ( https://www.life360.com/ ), the information technology company that provides location-based services, including sharing and notifications, to consumers globally. He has served on the company’s Board of Directors since 2010, and previously held several key leadership roles, including Chief Technology Officer and President, where he helped scale the platform from startup to global category leader.
Prior to Life360, Alex worked at Orbited, an open-source project enabling real-time browser communication.
Alex studied Computer Science at Pomona College and Harvey Mudd College.
AlexHaro #HubbleNetwork #BluetoothToSpace #Life360 #GlobalCoverage #BatteryLife #BluetoothLowEnergy #SmartLuggageTrackers #PetCollars #WildlifeTags #Wearables #Logistics #SupplyChain #InternetOfThings #InternetOfMedicalThings #SatelliteConstellation #RemotePatientMonitoring #Telemedicine #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Adam Rogers, MD is Chief Executive Officer of NervGen Pharma Corp. ( https://nervgen.com/ ) a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to developing innovative treatments to enable nervous system repair in the settings of traumatic injury and disease. NervGen’s lead drug candidate, NVG-291, is being evaluated in mid stage clinical trials in an initial target indication, spinal cord injury. NervGen has initiated preclinical evaluation of a new development candidate, NVG-300, in models of ischemic stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury.
Dr. Rogers is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous, and previously co-founded and served as CEO of Hemera Biosciences, a clinical stage gene therapy biotech company targeting dry age-related macular degeneration where he oversaw all aspects of the company until the Hemera assets were acquired in December 2020 by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
From 2001 to 2020 Dr. Rogers served as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the New England Eye Center of Tufts Medical Center (Boston, MA).
Dr. Rogers has published 29 articles in peer reviewed journals and co-authored two textbooks and numerous chapters in major ophthalmic textbooks. Since 2007 he has served on the board of One Family Inc., an organization whose mission is to end homelessness in Massachusetts. He is a member of the Emory University Board of Trustees.
Dr. Rogers has a MD from Emory College and Emory School of Medicine.
SpinalCordInjury #SCI #IschemicStroke #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #ALS #NervGen #Rehabilitation #RegenerativeMedicine #RegenerativeBiology #ChondroitinSulfateProteoglycans #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Professor Dragan Primorac, MD., PhD ( https://www.draganprimorac.com/ ) is a globally recognized physician-scientist whose work spans personalized medicine, regenerative therapies, and forensic genetics.
From 2003 to 2009 Prof. Primorac served as the Minister of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia. The Ministry of Science and Education of Croatia is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is in charge of primary, secondary and tertiary education, research institutions and sports ( https://mzom.gov.hr/en ).
Prof. Primorac is the Founder of St. Catherine Specialty Hospital in Zagreb Croatia ( https://www.stcatherine.com/ ), the official hospital of the Croatian Olympic Committee as well as the official hospital of the Croatian Football Federation. St. Catherine Hospital is affiliated with four medical schools and the Ministry of Science and Education recently announced that the St. Catherine Hospital became “Scientific Center of Excellence for the Personalized Medicine" in the Republic of Croatia.
Prof. Primorac is also Co-Founder of the International Society for Applied Biological Sciences ( ISABS https://isabs.hr/ ), a global scientific platform organized with Mayo Clinic that brings together Nobel laureates and researchers from over 75 countries. A pioneer in applying DNA technology to identify war victims, he helped establish international standards in clinical and forensic genetics.
Prof. Primorac has authored nearly 300 scientific papers, received over 20 international honors including Croatia’s highest state awards, and was recently named among the top 2% of global scientists by Elsevier for career impact.
Prof. Primorac also serves as professor at Penn State, the University of New Haven, and several European medical schools.
Prof. Primorac is an inductee of the Taekwondo Hall of Fame, based in the United States.
Prof. Primorac received his medical degree and PhD at University of Zagreb School of Medicine, and did post-doctoral work in Molecular Medicine at The University of Connecticut Health Center.
DraganPrimorac #MinisterOfScienceEducationAndSports #Croatia #InternationalSocietyForAppliedBiologicalSciences #OsteogenesisImperfecta #AdministrationForDetainedAndMissingPersons #ForensicGenetics #RegenerativeMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #PersonalizedMedicine #Genomics #Glycome #CancersOfUnknownPrimary #StCatherineSpecialtyHospital #ClinicalDiagnostics #OncoOriginAI #LiquidBiopsy #MedicalTourism #Nutrigenomics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Juho Jalkanen, M.D., Ph.D. is CEO and Founder of Faron Pharmaceuticals ( https://faron.com/ ), is a global, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on creating innovative cancer treatments that leverage the patient’s own immune system. The Company’s lead asset bexmarilimab is currently being investigated in clinical trials as a potential therapy for patients with hematological cancers, with an initial focus on higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR MDS), in combination with other standard treatments.
Dr. Jalkanen an experienced biopharmaceutical industry executive with extensive leadership experience across key functional areas including operations, business development, clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs.
Dr. Jalkanen earned a Master´s degree in economics and business administration from the Turku School of Economics and both his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Turku. He is a fully licensed general practitioner and specialist in vascular surgery.
JuhoJalkanen #FaronPharmaceuticals #Bexmarilimab #MyelodysplasticSyndrome #HematologicalCancers #HematologicalMalignancies #BloodCancer #AcuteMyeloidLeukemia #Clever1 #Macrophages #Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Annalee Kruger is the President of Care Right Inc. ( https://carerightinc.com/ ), a consultancy providing corporate training and consulting services for organizations wanting to learn more about aging, family caregiving, dementia, end-of-life, as well as direct to consumer family caregivers who are realizing caregiving without a plan is not safe, nor sustainable.
Annalee has spent over 28 years helping more than 20,000 families navigate the emotional, financial, and logistical complexities of aging, caregiving, dementia, and long-term care planning. She is the founder of Care Right Inc., a global virtual consultancy that develops fully customized Aging Strategies for high-achieving, high-net-worth families. Her white-glove approach guides families through difficult transitions with clarity and compassion. To ensure accessibility, Care Right also offers scalable hybrid and DIY planning options for families with more modest means.
In addition to her work with families, Annalee provides workforce solutions for employers who want to support employees dealing with aging loved ones. Options include white-glove Aging Strategy consulting for leadership, product bundles like the Grab and Go e-Binder and The Aging Guide, or the 8-week DIY Aging Plan Hybrid Program, complete with weekly office hours with Annalee to help employees complete their plans. These services help reduce absenteeism, stress, and turnover caused by caregiving crises—preserving employee well-being and workplace productivity.
Annalee is also the co-founder of Plan4Life ( https://plan4lifenow.com/ ), home of the Certified Elder Planning Specialist Program, a training and credentialing program that equips financial advisors to better serve aging clients. It teaches advisors how to build deeper relationships and deliver more holistic, aging-informed guidance through a collaborative, team-based approach. She is also the creator of the Aging Strategy Coaching Academy ( ASCA - https://www.joinasca.com/ ), a 150-hour training and certification program for professionals entering the senior care consulting field.
As a keynote speaker, Annalee has delivered more than 500 live events and 2,000 webinars on topics including aging planning, dementia care, family dynamics, and caregiver burnout. Her powerful personal stories—like surviving being hit by a bus—resonate deeply with audiences. Her clients include financial firms, healthcare systems, associations, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies seeking to humanize aging in the workplace and improve morale and retention.
Annalee is the author of The Invisible Patient: The Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers, a practical guide to navigating caregiving challenges with clarity and compassion ( https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Patient-Emotional-Financial-Caregivers-ebook/dp/B09J64RGJW ).
Annalee has her Bachelor of Science in Social Work, from University of Northern Iowa, and an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University in Wisconsin.
AnnaleeKruger #CareRightInc #Aging #FamilyCaregiving #DementiaCare #EndOfLife #LongTermCare #Plan4Life #AgingStrategyCoachingAcademy #TheInvisiblePatient #SandwichGeneration #SilverTsunami #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Torkil Færø, MD ( https://thepulsecure.com/ ) is a Norwegian medical doctor, author, documentary filmmaker and photographer whose work sits at the intersection of frontline medicine and practical preventive health. As a clinician who received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from University of Oslo, he’s served as both a general practitioner and emergency-room physician, and in 1996 was among the first Norwegian medics to work with Doctors Without Borders in Angola. Over more than two decades as a travelling, freelance physician around Norway, he has conducted tens of thousands of consultations — an experience that shaped his conviction that many modern diseases are rooted in chronic stress and lifestyle mismatches.
His debut English-language book, The Pulse Cure ( https://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Cure-revolutionary-balance-optimise/dp/1529437334 - original Norwegian title Pulskuren ), became a national bestseller and has been published internationally. In the book Dr. Færø explains heart-rate variability (HRV) — the tiny variations in the time between heartbeats — and how readily available wearables (smartwatches, rings, chest straps) can give people a real-time window into their autonomic nervous system, sleep, recovery and inflammation. He combines clinical case stories, accessible physiology and hands-on protocols so readers can personalize sleep, exercise, alcohol and relaxation practices based on measurable feedback rather than guesswork.
Beyond the book, Dr. Færø translates his ideas through podcasts, public talks and the online community pulskuren.no. His personal health work — applying the same monitoring and behavioral changes he recommends — has driven measurable results: significant weight loss, markedly improved sleep and dramatic reductions in alcohol and fatigue for himself and many of his clients and readers. He frames wearables and HRV as tools to catch problems early, prevent chronic disease and extend healthy, functional years of life.
TorkilFærø #ThePulseCure #HeartRateVariability #Wearables #AutonomicNervousSystem #ParasympatheticNervousSystem #SympatheticNervousSystem #Electrocardiogram #Longevity #Healthspan #Aging #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Neal Baer, MD ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Baer ) is an award-winning showrunner, television writer/producer, physician, author, and a public health advocate and expert.
Dr. Baer lectures on Global Health and Social Medicine and is the Co-Director of the master’s degree program in Media, Medicine, and Health at Harvard Medical School ( https://ghsm.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-staff/neal-baer ).
Previously, Dr. Baer was Clinical Professor of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Community Health at the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA where he established the Global Media Center for Social Impact using new media to promote global health.
Dr. Baer was an Executive Producer and showrunner for Designated Survivor, Under the Dome, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and a writer and producer on ER ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046371/ ).
Dr. Baer is an accomplished author with both fictional novels, including Kill Switch and Kill Again, and non-fiction titles, including The Promise and Peril of CRISPR ( https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Peril-CRISPR-Neal-Baer/dp/1421449307 ), a timely collection of essays on the pressing possibilities and risks of gene-editing technology, available at major booksellers.
Dr. Baer graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed his internship in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles. He received the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Scholarship from the American Medical Association as the most outstanding medical student who has contributed to promoting a better understanding of medicine in the media. The American Association for the Advancement of Science selected him as a Mass Media Fellow.
NealBaer #HarvardMedicalSchool #CRISPR #GeneEditing #Pediatrics #DesignatedSurvivor #UnderTheDome #LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit #ER #SocialImpact #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #JenniferDoudna #EmmanuelleCharpentier #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Michael Lebenstein-Gumovski, Ph.D. is Senior Scientific Officer and Neurosurgeon, in the Neurosurgery Department, of the Sklifosovsky Clinical and Research Institute for Emergency Medicine, Moscow, Russian Federation ( https://sklif.mos.ru/ ), where his team is engaged in both neurosurgical and experimental practice, conducting advanced research in the field of spinal cord injury restoration, spinal cord transplantation and head transplantation.
The Sklifosovsky Institute for Emergency Medicine is a large multidisciplinary scientific and practical center dealing with problems of emergency medical care, emergency surgery, resuscitation, combined and burn trauma, emergency cardiology and acute poisoning.
Since 2013, Dr. Lebenstein-Gumovski has been studying spinal cord injury, and also developing methods for restoring the full functional and morphological repair of the spinal cord.
Dr. Lebenstein-Gumovski's work is aimed at studying the effect of fusogens on nervous tissue, developing new methods and techniques for treating spinal cord injury, developing methods for its resection and transplantation. The lab develops and studies various methods of neuroprotection, combining methods to achieve better results and the current focus is the study of combination fusogen-induced (PEG-chitosan, Neuro-PEG) axonal restoration of the spinal cord after its complete transection.
Dr. Lebenstein-Gumovski did his doctoral studies in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of the Stavropol State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.
Dr. Lebenstein-Gumovski is also a Scientific Advisor to Dowell Bio, Inc. ( https://dowell.bio/ ), a start-up company developing his various technologies.
Andrei Panferov is the Chief Executive Officer of Dowell Bio, Inc.
Andrei is a deep-tech entrepreneur and does the Russian-English / English-Russian translations during this episode.
MichaelLebensteinGumovski #DowellBio #SklifosovskyClinicalAndResearchInstituteForEmergencyMedicine #Neurosurgery #SpinalCordInjuryRestoration #SpinalCordTransplantation #HeadTransplantation #EmergencyMedicalCare #EmergencySurgery #Resuscitation #Trauma #SpinalCordInjury #Fusogens #PEGChitosan #Neuroscience #SergioCanavero #Chitosan #PolyethyleneGlycol #EyeTransplant #BrainTransplant #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Cristina Durán is President of Evinova ( https://evinova.com/ ), a healthtech company empowering global life sciences organizations to accelerate better health outcomes with a suite of globally scaled digital health solutions, empowering sites, sponsors and contract research organizations to optimize the entire clinical development lifecycle.
Prior to launching Evinova in November 2023, Cristina led AstraZeneca’s Digital Health function in Research & Development (R&D) across key therapy areas: Oncology; Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism; and Respiratory and Immunology.
Cristina previously held senior leadership roles at AstraZeneca across global commercial, in-country commercial, finance and R&D, and led a global transformation in clinical development across R&D functions, focusing on patients’ experiences and outcomes with benefits delivered globally.
Before joining AstraZeneca, Cristina was a senior management consultant at Accenture, leading large transformation programs, including the set up, from scratch, of a new joint venture between two technology companies, which is now a major business for a top retailer, as well as guiding business transformation strategy reviews and implementing global change initiatives for large telecoms.
Cristina is passionate about innovation and increasing enterprise value by inspiring organizations to change for the future and has spoken about using innovative technologies to transform patients' lives at conferences, including the Digital Health World Congress, HLTH EU, BiotechX EU, and the Financial Times Global Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Conference.
Cristina is a chartered accountant (CIMA) and has completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Leading Enterprise Transformation program.
CristinaDuran #Evinova #AstraZeneca #DigitalHealth #ClinicalTrials #PatientExperience #RemoteMonitoring #DecentralizedClinicalTrials #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Professor Dr. Anders Hviid ( https://en.ssi.dk/about-us/contact/employees/a/anders-peter-hviid-aii ) is Head of Department and Professor of Epidemiology at the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, Denmark — one of the world’s foremost public health and infectious disease research centers.
Professor Dr. Hviid has dedicated his career to using large-scale population data to answer critical questions in medicine and public health. His expertise lies in pharmacoepidemiology, vaccine safety, and the long-term health outcomes of medical interventions. Over the years, he has become internationally recognized for his rigorous, evidence-based research that directly informs vaccine policy and clinical practice around the world.
Perhaps most notably, Professor Dr. Hviid has led groundbreaking studies using Denmark’s unique nationwide health registries to investigate the safety of childhood vaccines. His work has been pivotal in debunking claims of links between vaccines and autism, as well as reassuring the global public about the safety of vaccines against influenza, HPV, and COVID-19. These studies are widely cited and have influenced not only European but also global vaccination guidelines.
In addition to his research, Professor Dr. Hviid is a frequent contributor to the scientific literature, with over 200 peer-reviewed publications in top journals, and he is often called upon to advise governments, health agencies, and international organizations on vaccine safety and public health monitoring.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Professor Dr. Hviid represents a new generation of epidemiologists who bridge data science, medicine, and public trust — ensuring that scientific evidence can serve as a guide for both policy and individual health decisions.
Professor Dr. Hviid received his of Doctor of Medical Science in Epidemiology, from University of Copenhagen and his Master of Science (M.Sc.), in Mathematics and Statistics from Aalborg University.
AndersHviid #StatensSerumInstitut #Pharmacoepidemiology #VaccineSafety #ChildhoodVaccines #Debunking #RfkJr #Epidemiology #UniversityOfCopenhagen #ChildhoodVaccination #Thimerosal #AluminumAdsorbedVaccines #InfectiousDisease #PublicHealth #AntimicrobialResistance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Kurt Avery is the Founder and Owner of Sawyer Products ( https://www.sawyer.com/) and currently serves as President.
Sawyer is a leading provider of high-performance outdoor protection products, specializing in water filtration, insect repellents, sunscreens, and first aid solutions.
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Safety Harbor, Florida, Sawyer is committed to safeguarding individuals from microscopic threats in both wilderness and everyday settings. Their innovative products utilize advanced technologies, such as time-released liposome insect repellents, to ensure effective and long-lasting protection.
Beyond product development, Sawyer is deeply invested in social responsibility, partnering with over 140 nonprofits across more than 80 countries to provide clean water solutions to underserved communities.
Kurt is also the founder of the Sawyer Foundation ( https://www.sawyerfoundation.org/ ) and through initiatives like the installation of Sawyer filters and wells, the company has positively impacted over 28 million lives globally.
Before founding Sawyer, Kurt served as a marketer for several globally known brands.
Kurt is passionate about and committed to creating disease-free water for life in communities throughout the world. He is a graduate of Hope College and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Kurt is also an accomplished author with his book Sawyer Think: How a Small Company Disrupts Markets and Changes the World ( https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Think-Company-Disrupts-Markets-ebook/dp/B0DNKDRYD5 ) available at all major book sellers.
KurtAvery #SawyerProducts #SawyerFoundation #OutdoorProtectionProducts #WaterFiltration #InsectRepellents #Sunscreens #FirstAidSolutions #GlobalWaterCrisis #WaterborneIllness #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Courtney Barriger ( https://www.courtneybarriger.com/ ) is a fashion expert, sustainability advocate, writer, and entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to reimagining the way we create and consume clothing. After building a successful career in the fashion world, Courtney shifted her focus to tackling the urgent environmental and ethical issues caused by fast fashion. She has since launched several sustainability-driven initiatives that combine style with conscious design, helping brands and consumers alike make choices that respect both people and the planet.
Courtney’s work spans across consulting, content creation, and advocacy, where she educates global audiences about the hidden costs of fashion and the innovations leading us toward a more sustainable future. Through her voice and vision, she has become a leading figure in the movement to transform fashion from one of the world’s most polluting industries into one of its greatest opportunities for positive change.
Courtney’s apparel line Holding Court ( https://holdingcourtinc.com/ ) was featured in Vanity Fair and GQ and won the Sustainability Award at iHollywood Film Festival and the prize of Americas It Girl on the eponymous TV Show on Oprah's WE TV network.
Courtney has written investigative pieces and deep dives into culture and power dynamics for the LA Times and has been honored as "The Future of Fashion" by United Nations non-profit, Fashion Fights Poverty.
Courtney is also the producer and host of Environmental Style Now, a leading international information hub on sustainable and ethical fashion, where she and contributors explain the science and sustainability of fashion to shoppers and industry pros alike with prominent guests like Adrian Grenier and Fair Trade.
Courtney frequently serves as a guest lecturer at universities in the United States and internationally and conducts art exhibitions, films and literature that push the conversation for sustainability in fashion.
Courtney is an accomplished author with her book ReFashion Workshop: The Planet Healing Mindset ( https://www.amazon.com/ReFashion-Workshop-Planet-Healing-Courtney-Barriger/dp/1803414227 ) which just came out in April 2025.
Courtney studied Communications, International Relations, Broadcasting and Broadcast Journalism at the University of North Florida.
CourtneyBarriger #Clothing #Fashion #Sustainability #FastFashion #HoldingCourt #FutureOfFashion #EnvironmentalStyle #ReFashionWorkshop #CircularManufacturing #SustainableDesign #CircularOffsets #OrganicTextiles #EthicalManufacturing #SustainableClothingCare #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Warren Roberts is CEO and Founder of Living Legacy Forest ( https://livinglegacyforest.com/ ), an innovative profit-for-purpose company and leader in green memorialization reforestation, which is creating urban memorial forests by turning human (and pet) ashes into trees and living memorial forests, instead of cemeteries, with the ultimate goal of reforesting the planet.
With the Living Legacy treatment protocols, the company is focusing on return human ashes to the earth without causing harm to the eco-system, and as human ashes have the same pH as bleach or oven cleaner, and contain 200-2,000 times the amount of salt normally used to fertilize most trees, their organic processes gradually detoxify ashes so they are not harmful to soil and tree health.
Living Legacy Forest was founded in Melbourne, Australia and they have successfully created multiple dedicated Living memorial forests, including at sites in Altona, Lillydale and Fawkner.
Warren has a Bachelor degree of business in Property from RMIT University.
WarrenRoberts #LivingLegacyForest #GreenMemorialization #Reforestation #UrbanMemorialForests #Cemeteries #Cremation #Burial #LivingLegacyTree #TreeBurial #Taphophile #Funerals #Tombstone #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Jacob Lalezari, MD is the Chief Executive Officer of CytoDyn ( https://www.cytodyn.com/ ), a biopharma company committed to enhancing the lives of patients through target specific medicine and a next generation of monoclonal antibody therapeutics. CytoDyn’s team is focused on developing leronlimab, a monoclonal antibody CCR5 receptor antagonist, to be used as a platform drug for a variety of indications.
Dr. Lalezari brings over 34 years of industry experience to CytoDyn, including nearly 20 years of experience with leronlimab, also known as PRO 140, and he previously served as interim CEO and Chief Medical Officer and has been a member of the Company’s scientific advisory board for the past several years.
Dr. Lalezari has previously served as the CEO and Medical Director of Quest Clinical Research and served as the Chief Medical Officer of Virion Therapeutics.
Dr. Lalezari has served as Principal Investigator for Phase I, II, and III clinical studies of new therapies for such viral diseases as HIV/AIDS, CMV, HPV, HSV, Hepatitis B and C, influenza, RSV, and COVID-19, including clinical trials conducted by the Company. His work has been published extensively and he is a well-regarded international speaker and patient advocate.
Dr. Lalezari received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.A. from the University of Virginia, and his B.A. from the University of Rochester. He also holds a board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine.
JacobLalezari #Cytodyn #MonoclonalAntibody #Leronlimab #CCR5Receptor #CCR5Antagonist #ChemokineReceptor5 #HIV #AutoimmuneDisorders #HIVCoReceptor #Macrophages #DendriticCells #TripleNegativeBreastCancer #TLymphocytes #MetastaticColorectalCancer #PD1 #ProgrammedCellDeathProtein1 #Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr, MD ( https://ritms.rutgers.edu/faculty/reynold-panettieri/ ) is the inaugural Director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, and Vice Chancellor for Translational Medicine and Science, at Rutgers University, and previously served as the Director of the Airways Biology Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Panettieri’s interests include the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate airway smooth muscle cell growth and the immunobiology of airway smooth muscle, which lead to the irreversible airflow obstruction and airway remodeling seen in patients with chronic severe asthma. Dr. Panettieri’s lab also focuses on cytosolic signaling pathways that mediate gene expression and alter myocyte growth.
Dr. Panettieri also served as the Deputy Director of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania. He directed the human exposure chamber that defines the molecular mechanisms regulating ozone- and particulate matter-induced airway hyperresponsiveness.
In addition to his research and clinical interests, Dr. Panettieri served as chairperson of the NIH Lung Cellular, Molecular, and Immunobiology Study Section, is a member of the NIH Distinguished Editorial Panel, and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and Association of American Physicians.
Dr. Panettieri has an M.D. from University of Pennsylvania, and completed his
Residency and Fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Important Episode Links -
As-Needed Albuterol–Budesonide in Mild Asthma
Published May 19, 2025
New England Journal Of Medicine -
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2504544
BATURA Study Press Release -
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2025/statistically-significant-clinically-meaningful-batura-phase-iii-trial-provide-evidence-airsupra-standard-care-as-needed-rescue-treatment-asthma.html
AIRSUPRA (albuterol/budesonide) is a prescription medication used as a rescue inhaler for adults with asthma -
https://www.airsupra.com/
ReynoldPanettieri #InstituteForTranslationalMedicineAndScience #RutgersUniversity #Asthma #COPD #ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease #AirwaysBiology #UniversityOfPennsylvania #Immunobiology #EnvironmentalHealth #Bronchiectasis #IdiopathicPulmonaryFibrosis #InterstitialLungDiseases #RescueInhalers #Albuterol #AIRSUPRA #Budesonide #Corticosteroid #BATURA #AstraZeneca #Exposome #RespiratoryDiseases #InflammatoryResponse #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Alex Reed is a Co-founder, President and CCO of Yokogawa Fluence Analytics ( https://www.fluenceanalytics.com/ ), a manufacturer of systems that produce continuous data streams enabling real-time optimization of manufacturing and R&D processes. The company, formerly known as Fluence Analytics, is a division of the Yokogawa Electric Corporation ( https://www.yokogawa.com/ ).
Prior to founding Fluence Analytics, Alex worked as the Associate Director for Operations and Strategy at Tulane-PolyRMC (Center for Polymer Reaction Monitoring and Characterization), an R&D center which is active in fundamental and applied polymer research.
Alex co-founded Advanced Polymer Monitoring Technologies (APMT) in 2012 to commercialize technologies developed at Tulane-PolyRMC. His vision and leadership took the University spin-out from patented laboratory concepts to a company delivering innovative products for process monitoring and optimization for chemical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers.
In 2017 APMT became Fluence Analytics to emphasize its focus on continuous process analytics and better reflect the company’s vision for the future of polymer and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. As the CEO of Fluence Analytics, Alex works with customers, team members and other stakeholders to develop and execute the strategic vision of the company.
Alex serves on the boards for the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition and the Applied Polymer Technology Extension Consortium.
Alex holds a B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies and a minor in Business Administration from Tulane University. In 2016 Forbes recognized Alex as a 30 under 30 recipient, and he has been recognized with several local entrepreneur and innovation awards.
AlexReed #YokogawaFluenceAnalytics #Polymers #Polymerization #Biophysics #Macromolecules #TechTransfer #SmartManufacturing #Biopharmaceuticals #Entrepreneurship #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Paul Jaffe, Ph.D. ( https://www.darpa.mil/about/people/paul-jaffe ) is a Program Manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, where he oversees the Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay ( POWER - https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/power ) project, which aims to revolutionize energy distribution through airborne wireless power transfer, enabling high power beaming, radically reshape society’s relationship with energy, and unlocking power opportunities everywhere, from energy-starved communities to space colonies and everything in between.
Prior to joining DARPA, Dr. Jaffe spent 30 years as an engineer and researcher at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). At the NRL, he led or held major roles on dozens of space missions and breakthrough technology development programs for NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the military services, and other sponsors. These include the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI), the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO), TacSat-1, TacSat-4, Operationally Responsive Space (ORS), the Photovoltaic Radiofrequency Antenna Module (PRAM), the Microwave Imager/Sounder (MIS), CARINA, Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS), Power TRansmitted Over Laser (PTROL), Space Solar for Forward Operating Bases and Remote Installations (S2FOBs), the Light-Emitting Rectenna STEM demonstration on the International Space Station (LEctenna), and the Space Wireless Energy Laser Link (SWELL) which was the first demonstration of optical power beaming in space.
Dr. Jaffe served as a coordinator of the NRL’s seminal studies of the military applications of space solar, and as an editor of the study groups’ acclaimed final reports. He was the principal investigator for a ground-breaking research effort involving the development and testing of modules for conversion of sunlight into microwaves. The modules have a number of potential applications, including satellites for space solar, and have been launched and tested in space via the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Space Test Program (STP) and have returned valuable data to inform future efforts. He was also the champion for the first power beaming STEM demonstration in space, conducted on the International Space Station by Astronaut Jessica Meir.
Dr. Jaffe is the lead author of a 2024 book, "Power Beaming: History, Theory, and Practice", a textbook covering various methods of power beaming, including both RF (microwave) and optical (laser) technologies.
Dr. Jaffe received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, graduating with honors. He earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Important Episode Links -
- DARPA Connect - https://www.darpa.mil/about/darpaconnect
- DARPA breaks power beaming record - https://www.darpa.mil/news/2025/darpa-program-distance-record-power-beaming
- Short video explaining the record-breaking effort - https://youtube.com/shorts/l94FsFATQZI?si=Vr29mNBYglP2GnIo
- Dissertation on conversion modules for space solar - https://drum.lib.umd.edu/items/dcb3d60d-55bb-4044-9b41-edca792caa4c
- How to build a LEctenna - https://www.nrl.navy.mil/STEM/LEctenna-Challenge/
- Power beaming book - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Beaming-Scientific-Technologies-Bar-Cohen/dp/9811243107
- 2016 space solar pitch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9dQsRv1XDg
- More about SWELL - https://www.navy.mil/DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print.aspx?PortalId
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Martin Burns is the CEO of Bruin Biometrics, a platform company focused on digital solutions for pressure injury prevention and management, where since 2012 he has designed and led the successful journey of Bruin Biometrics’ Provizio SEM Scanner ( https://sem-scanner.com/) through the company’s concept-to-commercialization “formulas strategy”. Significant milestones along the way that Martin has presided over include FDA de novo Marketing Authorization (2018), CE Marking (2013) and in 2020 he negotiated a global distribution arrangement and investment with Arjo.
Martin also has extensive experience in management consulting with prominent firms such as Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In these roles, he led corporate strategy and business transformation projects for medical device and life sciences companies.
Martin earned his MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, where he is a guest speaker on healthcare strategy and medical device marketing courses, and his BA from the London School of Economics.
MartinBurns #BruinBiometrics #PressureInjury #Provizio #BedSores #PressureUlcers #SubEpidermalMoisture #Biocapacitance #MedicalTechnology
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Ashwin Gopinath, Ph.D. ( https://ashwingopinath.com/ ) is Co-Founder and CTO of Biostate AI ( https://biostate.ai/ ), a startup building generative AI that predicts the evolution of human disease and drug response based on RNA sequencing data. Its patented wet lab technologies, including BIRT (Barcode-Integrated Reverse Transcription), allow affordable and scalable collection of massive amounts of transcriptomic and genomic data.
With sites in Houston, TX, Palo Alto, CA, Bangalore, India, and Shanghai, China, Biostate AI is an international company with collaborations with top hospitals, academic researchers, and biotech/biopharma companies.
Dr. Gopinath was an Assistant Professor at MIT, working at the intersection of CMOS nanofabrication, molecular self-assembly, biology, and machine learning.
Dr. Gopinath earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Boston University, and subsequently worked as a research scientist at Caltech and Google [X].
Dr. Gopinath has co-authored over 21 papers in journals including Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Dr. Gopinath was awarded the 2017 Robert Dirk Prize in Molecular programming for his contributions to merging DND nanotechnology with conventional semiconductor processing.
AshwinGopinath #BiostateAI #GenerativeAI #RNASequencing #OpticalPhysics #DNANanotechnology #DNAOrigami #MolecularDiagnostics #RNAseq #GenAI #Leukemia #MultipleSclerosis #Reactome #TranscriptomicAgePrediction
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Luis Pizarro, MD is Executive Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative ( DNDi - https://dndi.org/ ), the international, not-for-profit research and development organization focused on discovering, developing, and delivering affordable and patient-friendly treatments for neglected patients around the world.
Dr. Pizarro is a medical doctor and global health leader. He also serves as founder and member of the Global Health 2030 think tank ( https://santemondiale2030.fr/en/qui-sommes-nous-english/ ), as scientific advisor for Global Health at Sciences Po Paris, and as board member of Sidaction, a major French public event that started in 1994 in France for raising awareness and collecting charitable funds for AIDS.
Having led medical projects for several years in West Africa, Dr. Pizarro became the first CEO of Solthis, from 2007 to 2019, successfully developing the international health and solidarity organization to become one of the leaders in health in West and Central Africa.
In 2020, Dr. Pizarro joined Unitaid’s leadership team during the COVID crisis to lead the international organization’s HIV portfolio and related access programs.
Born in Chile, and trained as a medical doctor at the University of Paris, Dr. Pizarro also holds a masters’ degree in Political Sciences from Sciences Po and an executive health MBA from a joint program of EHESP School of Public Health, the London School of Economics, and the ESCP European Management School.
LuisPizarro #DNDi #DrugsForNeglectedDiseasesInitiative #GlobalHealth #HIV #ResourceLimitedSetting #PEPFAR #PandemicPreparedness #AntimicrobialResistance #Dengue #Chagas #Leischmaniasis #RiverBlindness #SleepingSickness #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Jason Matuszewski is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of BioStem Technologies ( https://biostemtechnologies.com/ ), a leading innovator focused on harnessing the natural properties of perinatal tissue in the development, manufacture, and commercialization of allografts for regenerative therapies.
Jason brings a wealth of experience in strategic operations planning and technical projects management from his rigorous technical background. His diverse expertise includes continuous process improvement, training and development programs, regulatory compliance and best practices implementation, and advanced problem solving.
Jason began his career as a technical engineer working for Adecco at SC Johnson in 2009, where he developed comprehensive maintenance plans to support manufacturing processes at scale. He then transitioned to manufacturing and quality engineering for major organizations, including ATI Ladish Forging, Nemak, and HUSCO International, where he spearheaded process design and implementation, solved complex supply-chain and manufacturing problems, and improved product sourcing and purchasing.
Jason's philanthropic work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation sparked an interest in biotech, leading him to co-found Biostem Technologies in 2014. As CEO he has leveraged his expertise to optimize tissue sourcing, strategically build out a 6,000 square foot tissue processing facility that is fully compliant with FDA 210, 211, 1271, and AATB standards, and put together an expert team of professionals to support the company’s continued growth.
Jason holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology and a minor in Mathematics from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and is Six Sigma Black Belt certified. He also serves as a Processing and Distribution Council Member for the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), as well as serves as a member of the Government Affairs committee for BioFlorida.
JasonMatuszewski #BioStemTechnologies #PerinatalTissue #RegenerativeTherapies #ChronicWounds #DiabeticFootUlcers #VenousUlcers #PressureUlcers #AmnioticTissue #TissueAllografts #ExtracellularMatrix #ECM #GrowthFactors #Cytokines #Collagen #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Bill Taranto is President of the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund ( MGHIF - https://www.msdghifund.com/ ).
The Merck Global Health Innovation Fund was established in late 2010 as a strategic response to the challenges surrounding Merck’s core business of discovering, developing and marketing innovative drugs and vaccines.
Bill has more than three decades of experience in the healthcare industry.
MGHIF is a $750m evergreen fund focused on identifying opportunities that are adjacent to Merck’s core business of pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Under Bill's leadership, MGHIF has invested more than $1bn in 70 companies, with more than $7bn in exits.
Prior to joining Merck, Bill spent 18 years at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in various roles. As VP of healthcare strategy and venture at J&J, he was responsible for evaluating and creating new healthcare business models through venture capital and acquisitions.
Prior to joining J&J, Bill spent eight years in investment banking.
BillTaranto #MerckGlobalHealthInnovationFund #Scale #Impact #InvestmentBanking #DrugDiscovery #ClinicalDevelopment #Manufacturing #SupplyChain #RealWorldEvidence #CorporateVentureCapital #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. On-Yee (Amy) Lo, Ph.D. is Assistant Scientist II at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/who-we-are/profiles/yee-amy-lo-phd ) and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ( https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/147630 ).
Dr. Lo is a physical therapist and research scientist who aims to prevent functional decline and enhance functional independence for older adults with mobility impairments by conducting experimental and translational research. She has expertise and experience in physical therapy, biomechanics, neuroimaging, and neuromodulation.
Dr. Lo has dedicated her career to enhancing functional independence and quality of life in older adults. Her specific research objectives are:
-
To investigate connections between the brain and body that enable safe navigation throughout daily environments.
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To innovate rehabilitative interventions that target these brain and body connections to preserve and restore the control of mobility.
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To implement the experimental findings into the clinical setting.
Dr. Lo’s clinical and scientific training in physical therapy, biomechanics, neurophysiology, neuroimaging, neuromodulation, and gerontology have enabled her to cultivate her passions in conducting translational research to help older adults walk and move safely in real life. She incorporates cognitive, brain, and movement sciences to understand the complex control of gait and mobility, and develop individualized, multi-modal, and patient-centered interventions that can both stand alone and be combined with current evidence-based geriatric rehabilitation programming to improve mobility and mitigate fall risks in older adults.
Dr. Lo has a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Pathokinesiology from New York University and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Human Physiology from University of Oregon.
PhysicalTherapy #Biomechanics #Neurophysiology #Neuroimaging #Neuromodulation #Gerontology #TranscranialDirectCurrentStimulation #Gait #Mobility #GeriatricRehabilitation #Cognition #Pathokinesiology #HumanPhysiology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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George Vradenburg is Founding Chairman of the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative ( DAC - https://www.davosalzheimerscollaborative.org/ ), a pioneering worldwide initiative to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, seeking to mirror the success of global efforts against infectious diseases.
DAC is extending global research beyond its current focus on traditional Western European ethnic populations into the highly diversified populations of the Global South, where the vast majority of those with Alzheimer’s live. By introducing lower-cost screening and diagnostic tools as well as new treatment and prevention modalities in primary care and community health settings, DAC is driving implementation of health system solutions that are appropriate for worldwide application. DAC also promotes the vital importance of brain health throughout the lifespan by addressing cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors, especially in early and mid-life.
Absent effective action at scale around the world, by 2050, more than 150 million families and half a billion people will be personally impacted by dementia, creating a social, financial, economic, and global security disaster of historic proportions. DAC was launched in Davos in 2021 by the World Economic Forum and the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer's Disease.
Mr. Vradenburg is also Chairman and Co-Founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s ( https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/ ), which he co-founded in October 2010 with his late wife, Trish, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending Alzheimer's disease. The organization advocates for increased research funding, policy changes, and provides resources for individuals and families affected by the disease. The organization emphasizes the importance of prevention, early detection, and access to treatment.
Mr. Vradenburg was named by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to serve as a founding member of the Advisory Council on Research, Care, and Services established by the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA Council) and has testified before Congress about the global Alzheimer’s pandemic.
Under Mr. Vradenburg’s leadership, UsAgainstAlzheimer's co-convenes both the Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer's Disease ( LEAD - https://www.leadcoalition.org/ ) Coalition and the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer's Disease.
Mr. Vradenburg is also a founding member of the World Dementia Council ( https://www.worlddementiacouncil.org/ ).
Mr. Vradenburg has long been a dedicated member of Washington's civic and philanthropic community, serving as Chairman of the Phillips Collection for 13 years.
Mr. Vradenburg is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of Washington. He has served in senior executive and legal positions at CBS, FOX, and AOL/Time Warner.
Important Episode Link - The Davos Brain House Video: A global call to prioritize brain health - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azKVS6SxBy4
GeorgeVradenburg #UsAgainstAlzheimers #AlzheimersDisease #Prevention #EarlyDetection #Brainspan #Healthspan #BrainHouse #BrainEconomy #BrainCapital #WorkplaceBrainHealth #MentalWealth #SocialProduction #Advocacy #Philanthropy #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Lara Nyman, Ph.D. is the Vice President of Research & Discovery at AG1 ( https://drinkag1.com/learn/research/scientific-research ), responsible for leading the company's innovative research efforts to develop cutting-edge nutritional products. In this role, she oversees the research and development of new formulations, ensures the scientific integrity of product claims, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to drive product innovation.
Dr. Nyman previously served as the Chief Scientific Officer at Weo, a water augmentation company, providing strategic guidance and scientific oversight to the company's product development and research initiatives, working closely with their R&D team to identify emerging trends, evaluate new technologies, and translate scientific insights into compelling consumer offerings.
Prior to Weo, Dr. Nyman served as Senior Principal Scientist in the Claims Center of Excellence for Consumer Health & Wellness at PepsiCo, leveraging her deep understanding of consumer needs and scientific principles to develop innovative, evidence-based claims for the company's health and wellness products.
Dr. Nyman holds a Master of Science (MS) in Exercise Physiology from Southern Connecticut State University, a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Physiology from University of Alabama at Birmingham, and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
LaraNyman #AG1 #AthleticGreens #ExercisePhysiology #Endocrinology #Metabolism #FoundationalNutrition #Wellness #NutrientGaps #NutrientSynergy #Nutrigenomics #Synbiotics #Microbiome #WholeFood #Superfoods #Probiotics #Adaptogens #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Pedro Sanchez de Lozada is Co-Founder and CEO of Canid ( https://www.canid.io/ ), a company which is modernizing every aspect of providing vaccines in pediatrics, from operations, to finances, to maximizing care. Canid focuses the details of executing a vaccine program so that pediatricians can instead focus on the children.
Pedro is a seasoned CEO with a background in early-stage startup development, operations, and marketing at prominent venture-backed companies, including roles as: Director Of Marketing at Merlin, Head of Launch in Washington DC at Rinse, Growth Engineer at Koding, Business Development and Marketing professional at Udemy, and Vice-president of Marketing at Road to Innovative Social Entrepreneurship.
Pedro has also served as a Curator at TEDxUChicago, Founder of LogiMD, and was a Fellow at On Deck.
Pedro has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Chicago.
PedroSanchezDeLozada #Canid #Vaccines #Vaccination #Pediatrics #VaccineAcquisitionCosts #ReimbursementRates #Overhead #InventoryManagement #ImmunizationInformationSystems #StateImmunizationRegistries #AdvisoryCommitteeOnImmunizationPractices #ACIP #PatientEligibility #Procurement #Pediatricians #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Marc Salzberg, MD is President, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Medical Officer of Airway Therapeutics ( https://www.airwaytherapeutics.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of biologics to break the cycle of injury and inflammation for patients with respiratory and inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Salzberg has more than 25 years of academic and pharmaceutical experience in the management of drug development and clinical research, including medical management of anti-viral drugs clinical development and market introduction including saquinavir and ganciclovir. He spent several years at Roche’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland as well as its affiliate in Toronto, Canada. As Head of Clinical Cancer Research at the Basel University, he co-founded and managed a clinical research network in Switzerland (CCRC).
During his career, Dr. Salzberg has successfully managed the growth and acquisition of two contract research organizations benefitting shareholders. He was a founder and President of Pharma Brains, a European boutique CRO, which has been acquired by Medpace, a US based global CRO, after 10 years of successful growth under his leadership. He then served as Vice President of Medical Affairs at Medpace.
Dr. Salzberg earned his Medical Doctorate degree from the University of Basel, Switzerland. His medical training and practice include pediatrics/ neonatology and oncology.
MarcSalzberg #AirwayTherapeutics #HumanSurfactantProteinD #Collectin #PathogenRecognition #RespiratoryDiseases #InflammatoryResponse #BronchopulmonaryDysplasia #ZelpultideAlfa #Covid #Asthma #COPD #Influenza #RSV #ARDS #AcuteRespiratoryDistressSyndrome #ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Paul Keable is Chief Strategy Officer at Ashley Madison ( https://www.ashleymadison.com/ ) - the global online dating and social networking platform, specifically catering to individuals in committed relationships seeking discreet connections.
As Chief Strategy Officer, Paul oversees the strategic direction of Ashley Madison, emphasizing discretion, authenticity, and innovation within the dating industry. Under his leadership, the platform has implemented initiatives such as user verification through government IDs to combat fraudulent activity and build trust among members.
Paul has become a prominent figure at the intersection of technology, culture, and societal norms, offering insights on shifting dynamics in relationships and online dating.
Prior to Ashley Madison, Paul spent the past two decades in communications, public relations and branding, at agencies including Ketchum and MSL, working with a lot of tier-one brands across both the technology and consumer goods sectors.
Paul studied Corporate Communications at Centennial College and English at York University.
Important Episode Links -
Decoding Gen Z: A global report on non-monogamy, sex, and the desire for discretion -
https://www.ashley.date/wp-content/uploads/Gen-Z-Report-USA.pdf
YouGov Survey: Relationships, April 2025 -
https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Relationships_poll_results.pdf
PaulKeable #AshleyMadison #OnlineDating #CommittedRelationships #DiscreetConnections #SocietalNorms #DatingTrends #RelationshipNorms #MarriedDating #Discretion #Privacy #Authenticity #Trust #Culture #Polyamorous #Monogamy #MatchingAlgorithms #DigitalIntimacy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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William Ho is a Co-Founder, and has served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of IN8bio ( https://in8bio.com/ ), a biotech company with a mission of developing next-generation therapies for treating cancer, with a focus on gamma-delta T cells, since its inception.
Mr. Ho has worked in the biotechnology industry for nearly 24 years.
Prior to the founding of IN8bio, from 2014 to 2017, Mr. Ho was the Founder and Managing Partner at AlephPoint Capital, a private healthcare investment fund. Prior to that, Mr. Ho was at New Leaf Venture Partners, a leading healthcare venture capital firm, where he launched and managed the public investments and cross-over portfolio and served as its Public Investment Director from 2010 to 2014.
Previously, Mr. Ho served as a Senior Equity Research Analyst at Bank of America from 2006 to 2009 and an Equity Research Analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co. from 2003 to 2006, covering the biotechnology and life-science tools sectors.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Ho was responsible for FP&A and operational analysis at CuraGen Corporation and worked as an Associate on the Healthcare Investment Banking team at Cowen, Inc.
Mr. Ho was an inductee into the McMaster University Alumni Gallery in 2020 and previously served as a member of their Dean’s Advisory Board for the Faculty of Science.
Mr. Ho received an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a B.S. in Biochemistry from McMaster University.
WilliamHo #IN8bio #GammaDeltaTCells #ImmuneSystem #Glioblastoma #AcuteMyeloidLeukemia #NonSignalingCART #InducedPluripotentStemCells
Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Thomas Ehmer, Ph.D. ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/tehmer/ ) is a seasoned technology strategist with over two decades of experience in IT innovation, business development, and R&D within the pharmaceutical industry, and co-founder of the Quantum Interest Group, at Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany ( https://www.emdgroup.com/en ).
Dr. Ehmer currently is in the Sector Data Office - AI Governance and Innovation Incubator at Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, where he scouts emerging and disruptive technologies, demonstrating their potential value for R&D applications, with a focus on quantum technologies.
Throughout his career at Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, Dr. Ehmer has played a pivotal role in shaping IT strategy, business process optimization, and digital transformation across the entire pharmaceutical value chain, currently focusing on transparent AI and how and where emerging technology can help patients live a better life. His expertise spans technology scouting, business analysis, and IT program leadership, having successfully driven major global projects.
Beyond his corporate career, Dr. Ehmer is an active private seed investor and has contributed to quantum computing research and applications in drug discovery, authoring publications on the potential of quantum computing and machine learning in pharmaceutical R&D ( https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9783527840748.ch26 ).
Dr. Ehmer holds a Ph.D. in Physics, Biophysics, and Physiology from Heidelberg University and continues to mentor within the German Physical Society / Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG). His forward-thinking approach, combined with deep technical expertise, has earned him multiple innovation awards, and he remains dedicated to bridging the gap between emerging technologies and real-world industry applications.
Important Episode Link - Entangled Health Podcast -
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/entangled-health/id1819364423
ThomasEhmer #MerckKGaADarmstadt #Physics #Biophysics #Physiology #GermanPhysicalSociety #QuantumComputing #QuantumSensing #MolecularImaging #Spectroscopy #DrugScreening #Diagnostics #QuantumSensors #QuantumMagnetometers #QuantumGravimeters #Biomanufacturing #QualityControl #Neuroscience #BrainDrugInterface #ReservoirComputing #QuantumMachineLearning #Bioconvergence #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Josh Haimson is Co-Founder and CEO of Inductive Bio ( https://www.inductive.bio/about ), a technology company focused on democratizing artificial intelligence (AI) models to transform small molecule drug discovery, eliminating Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicology (ADMET) bottlenecks with state-of-the-art AI models and generative chemistry, powered by a unique pre-competitive data consortium.
Josh has spent his career focused on the intersection of machine learning, product, and life sciences/healthcare.
Prior to Inductive, Josh was the Director of Product for the ML and data curation organizations at Flatiron Health, where his teams worked to generate real-world evidence (RWE) at scale across Flatiron’s network of over 2 million active cancer patients for use by researchers in pharma, academia, and government.
Prior to Flatiron, Josh was at MIT studying computer science and working with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital to use ML and NLP to predict patient response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.
JoshHaimson #InductiveBio #SmallMolecule #DrugDiscovery #Absorption #Distribution #Metabolism #Excretion #Toxicology #ADMET #AI #GenerativeChemistry #MachineLearning #CardiacResynchronizationTherapy #MolecularGlue #FlatironHealth #PreCompetitiveDataConsortium #RealWorldEvidence #RealWorldData #RWE #ArtificialIntelligence #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Shai Melcer, Ph.D. is Head of the National Bioconvergence Program ( https://bioconvergence.org.il/ ) at the Israel Innovation Authority ( https://innovationisrael.org.il/en/ ).
In this role, Dr. Melcer, who brings 15 years of experience and entrepreneurship in the bio-medical ecosystem, leads the implementation of the bioconvergence goals for TELEM – the National Infrastructure Forum for Research and Development ( https://innovationisrael.org.il/en/programs/telem-the-national-infrastructure-forum-for-research-and-development/ ).
Dr. Melcer has both an LLM in Law and Ph.D. in genetics from the Hebrew University, and has collaborated with various entities such as the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical Center, IBM, the Jerusalem Development Authority (Bio-Jerusalem), and others to establish numerous innovative bio-med ventures, including BioGiv, BIOHOUSE, and Hadassah Accelerator.
In his public and private sector activities, Dr. Melcer has worked with hundreds of biomedical companies in Israel and around the world in the fields of pharma-biotech, medical devices, and digital health, many of which are in the bioconvergence sector. He also served as the Chief Business Officer at Minovia, a company in the liquid biopsy consortium established by the Israel Innovation Authority as part of the bio-convergence program.
Bioconvergence #IsraelInnovationAuthority #ShaiMelcer #BugEra #Biotic #ClimateTech #Biomanufacturing #Biofuel #Biodiesel #SustainableAviationFuel #BlackSoldierFly #BiodegradablePolymers #BioBased #Microplastics #CarbonFootprint #Renewable #Sustainable #TechnologicalIncubators #InnovationCenters #AngelInvestors #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Robert Schwab, MD is a Resident Physician, Research Specialist, and Hematology-Oncology Fellow at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System ( https://www3.pennmedicine.org/departments-and-centers/department-of-medicine/divisions/hematology-and-oncology/education-and-training/hematology-oncology-fellowship/fellows ).
Dr. Schwab’s work to date has focused on leukemia and bone marrow transplantation, and previously, he worked as a research specialist in Dr. Carl June's laboratory, investigating cancer immunotherapy and CAR-T cell treatments.
More recently Dr. Schwab's research is centered on studying novel CAR-T cell therapy applications for addressing inflammation and atherosclerosis related to malignancies. In 2019, he founded Cartio Therapeutics, a biotech startup dedicated to developing cellular immunotherapy for cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Schwab received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Master of Science - MS, Translational Research, from the University of Pennsylvania and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Biophysics and Biochemistry from Amherst.
RobertSchwab #PennMedicine #UniversityOfPennsylvaniaHealthSystem #CART #CarlJune #CancerImmunotherapy #CardiovascularDisease #AtheroscleroticPlaques #Atherosclerosis #Macrophages #OxidizedLDL #FoamCells #CARTregs #ChimericAntigenReceptor #TRegulatoryCells #ClonalHematopoiesisOfIndeterminatePotential #CVD #CheckpointInhibitors #Autoimmune #Cancer #Oncology #HematologyOncology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Daniel Schmitt is President & Chief Executive Officer of Actuate Therapeutics, Inc. ( https://actuatetherapeutics.com/ ), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for the treatment of high-impact, difficult-to-treat cancers through the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β).
Mr. Schmitt brings over 30 years of successful industry experience in operations management, new product development, and business development, having held senior executive positions in both large pharmaceutical and small biotechnology companies, including Fujisawa, Searle / Pharmacia, and Ilex Oncology. During his career, Daniel has led and contributed to the successful development and launch of multiple pharmaceutical products, and has constructed and executed numerous high value licensing, acquisition, and development deals for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, totaling nearly $1 billion in upfront and potential milestone payments.
Mr. Schmitt received his M.B.A and a B.S. in Chemistry from West Virginia University, and has held research positions affiliated with the National Foundation for Cancer Research and at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He has served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Northwestern University, and as an external expert consultant for the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois-Chicago. Mr. Schmitt is also a founding member of Chicago Innovation Mentors.
ActuateTherapeutics #GlycogenSynthaseKinase3Beta #GSK3β #Oncology #Cancer #Elraglusib #PancreaticDuctalAdenocarcinoma #PDAC #EwingSarcoma #Melanoma #ProgressionFreeSurvival #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Frank Bedu-Addo, Ph.D. has served as a director, president and CEO of PDS Biotech ( https://pdsbiotech.com/ ) since its inception in 2005, a biotech company focused on transforming how the immune system targets and fights disease by developing a new generation of targeted cancer treatments.
Dr. Bedu-Addo is a veteran biotech executive with experience successfully starting and growing biotechnology organizations. He has been responsible for the development and implementation of both operational and drug development strategies, supervising and managing both large organizations and emerging biotechnology companies.
Dr. Bedu-Addo was a founding and senior executive at KBI BioPharma, Inc. As Vice President of Drug Development, he oversaw all business and drug development operations. Before his tenure at KBI, he successfully started and managed Cardinal Health’s East Coast biotechnology drug development operations.
Prior to Cardinal Health, Dr. Bedu-Addo was an Associate Director at Akzo-Nobel, Senior Scientist at Elan (The Liposome Co.), and Principal Scientist at Schering-Plough. In these positions, he contributed to the development of numerous drugs, including antiviral and anticancer products.
Dr. Bedu-Addo obtained his M.S. in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Pittsburgh.
FrankBeduAddo #PDSBiotech #ChemicalEngineering #Pharmaceutics #Liposomes #EnantiospecificCationicLipidNanoparticles #Versamune #IL12 #AntibodyDrugConjugate #HumanPapillomavirus #HPV #HeadAndNeckCancer #UniversalFluVaccines #TumorAssociatedProteins #Oncology #ProgressionFreeSurvival #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Fiona Cauley ( https://www.fionacauley.com ) is a Nashville-based comedy superstar who uses her comedy for a greater purpose – to raise awareness about her rare, genetic disease, Friedreich's Ataxia (FA), that progressively damages the nervous system, causing loss of muscle control over time, and is found in approximately one in 50,000 people worldwide (5,000 individuals in the United States and 15,000 worldwide).
Diagnosed at just 18 with this degenerative neurological condition, Fiona transformed adversity not just into an amazing career in comedy, but also beyond the stage, as an extremely powerful voice for disability visibility—sharing her story in conversations on podcasts and shows, and using comedy to foster understanding and empathy.
Fiona’s style has been defined as both fearless and impactful. She tackles everything from dating while in a wheelchair, to confronting audience discomfort and all sorts of stigma head-on.
Dr. David Lynch, MD, PhD, ( https://www.research.chop.edu/people/david-r-lynch ) is an attending neurologist in the Division of Neurology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Director of the Friedreich's Ataxia Program ( https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/friedreichs-ataxia-program ).
Dr. Lynch maintains a dynamic program focused on the Friedreich's Ataxia, which spans clinical, translational, and basic science research efforts on FA that include conducting double-blind clinical trials, identifying biomarkers, and leading mechanistic studies in animal and cellular models of FA.
The research conducted by Dr. Lynch and his lab team have led to a greater understanding of the metabolic dysfunction underlying FA. Their work has led to the creation of a patient database as well as a pipeline of more than 20 drug candidates that represent potential new therapies. Dr. Lynch is currently working with pharmaceutical industry partners to develop drug candidates as well as biomarkers for FA.
Dr. Lynch has a Medical Degree, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore.
Important Episode Links -
SKYCLARYS (omaveloxolone) - Patient Site - https://www.skyclarys.com/
"Friedreich's Back" - https://adage.com/video/viatris-friedreichs-back-6m38s/
FionaCauley #FriedreichsAtaxia #RareDisease #Comedy #Comedian #DavidLynch #ChildrensHospitalOfPhiladelphia #Neurology #Biogen #Omaveloxolone #CannesLions #Humor #Laughter #Skyclarys #NikkiGlaser #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Sarah Mastrorocco is Vice President and General Manager of Health at Instacart ( https://www.instacart.com/company/health ), the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,800 retailers, covering nearly 100,000 stores, and serving over 7,000 consumer packaged goods brands.
An innovative leader with extensive expertise in business development and strategy, Sarah spearheaded the creation of Instacart Health and continues to oversee the initiative designed to support consumers, businesses, and nonprofits across three key areas: increasing nutrition security, inspiring healthier choices, and scaling food and nutrition programs within healthcare. In her role, she is focused on expanding consumer health tools and empowering organizations with technology to help improve access to nutritious food and nutrition education.
A longtime Instacart veteran, Sarah has played an integral role at the company since joining as the first member of the company’s business development team in 2014. During her tenure, she has held various leadership positions across business development and operations including building relationships with North America’s largest retailers, leading Instacart’s catalog, developing strategic partnerships, and scaling new businesses.
Previous to Instacart, Sarah held roles in other CPG companies, including at PepsiCo, in strategy, business innovation, and mergers and acquisitions, as well as at Hershey’s and in the consulting segment.
Sarah has an MBA from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management and a BS from the McIntire School of Commerce, at University of Virginia.
SarahMastrorocco #Instacart #Health #NutritionSecurity #FoodDesert #SupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram #MaternalHealth #MaternalOutcomes #FoodAsMedicine #HealthyLabel #Access #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #HealthOutcomes
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Forrest Ringold, MD of Surgical Association of Mobile ( https://sampadocs.com/about-us/dr-forrest-ringold/ ), is a leading expert in bariatric and robotic surgery and is renowned for his expertise in transforming lives through weight loss surgery and innovative abdominal treatments.
With an advanced understanding of both traditional laparoscopic techniques and cutting-edge robotic technology, Dr. Ringold specializes in a wide range of surgical procedures aimed at improving the health and quality of life of his patients, including life-changing weight loss surgeries such as sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, duodenal switch, SADI, and lap band, as well as pioneering advancements in reflux surgery and esophageal and stomach diseases.
As a leading authority in his field, Dr. Ringold serves as a key opinion leader for both Intuitive Surgical and Teleflex Medical ( https://www.teleflex.com/usa/en/index.html ), two of the most respected names in medical devices. His innovative approach extends to the latest in gastrointestinal surgery, where he is actively pursuing groundbreaking advancements in magnetic anastomotic technology.
Dr. Ringold’s commitment to excellence extends beyond patient care. He is a clinical instructor at the University of South Alabama’s Department of Surgery, where he shares his wealth of knowledge with the next generation of surgeons. His dedication to his craft is also reflected in his leadership roles, including his current position as President of the Alabama State Chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Since 2018, Dr. Ringold has led the Epicenter at Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, a distinguished program designed to train surgeons nationwide in the fields of robotic and bariatric surgery.
Dr. Ringold attended medical school at University of South Alabama Medical School and did his residency in general surgery at University of South Alabama Medical Center.
ForrestRingold #SurgicalAssociationOfMobile #Bariatric #RoboticSurgery #WeightLossSurgery #SleeveGastrectomy #GastricBypass #DuodenalSwitch #LapBand #MagneticAnastomoticTechnology #TeleflexMedical #SouthAlabamaMedicalSchool #ObesitySurgery #PostoperativeReflux #DeNovoGastroesophagealRefluxDisease #GERD #TitanSGSStapler #SurgicalStaplers #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Aarti Holla-Maini is Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs ( UNOOSA - https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/de/aboutus/director.html ) in Vienna, part of the UN organization ( https://www.un.org/ ) that works to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space, and in the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development.
Ms. Holla-Maini brings to this position over 25 years of professional experience in the space sector including in managerial and advocacy functions. Most recently, she has held the role of Executive Vice-President Sustainability, Policy & Impact at NorthStar Earth & Space; prior to which she spent over 18 years as Secretary-General of the Global Satellite Operators Association.
Ms. Holla-Maini’s experience includes service as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Space; member of the Advisory Group of the Space Sustainability Rating managed by eSpace at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Space Center; member of the Advisory Board of the Satellite Industry Association of India; Senior Space Policy Adviser to Forum Europe and as Expert Adviser on Space Traffic Management for European Union studies 2021-2023. She was also one of the chief architects of the Crisis Connectivity Charter established in 2015 for emergency telecommunications via satellite with the UN World Food Program’s Emergency Telecommunications Cluster.
Ms. Holla-Maini holds a bachelor’s degree in law with German law from Kings College London, UK, a master’s degree in business administration from HEC Paris, France, and she is also an alumna of the International Space University.
AartiHollaMaini #UnitedNationsOfficeForOuterSpaceAffairs #UN #Airbus #GlobalSatelliteOperatorsAssociation #UNOOSA #SpaceObjectRegister #SpaceLaw #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #SDG #CommitteeOnThePeacefulUsesOfOuterSpace #COPUOS #PlanetaryDefense #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Sunita Satyapal, Ph.D. is an internationally known subject matter expert and leader in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells with three decades of experience in government, industry, and academia.
Dr. Satyapal has had diverse roles including as a researcher, a visiting assistant professor, as Chief Engineer and Director for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office ( https://www.energy.gov/eere/person/sunita-satyapal ), and as a manager in industry at United Technologies, overseeing research and development (R&D) as well as business development and stakeholder collaboration. She has been responsible for R&D in industry as well as developing national hydrogen strategies, coordinating over $10 billion in hydrogen funding over the years, and collaborating across more than 25 countries through global hydrogen partnerships.
Dr. Satyapal received her Ph.D. from Columbia University and completed postdoctoral work in Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. She has also served in business development, management, and deployment related roles in industry. She has numerous publications, including in Scientific American, 10 patents, and various recognitions including a Meritorious and a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award.
Hydrogen #FuelCell #SunitaSatyapal #DepartmentOfEnergy #PhysicalChemistry #Photodissociation #Electrolysis #EnergySecurity #GreenhouseGasEmissions #RenewableEnergy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Colonel Dr. Tanja Roy is Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense ( https://usamricd.health.mil/ ), a subsidiary of United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) and is the leading science and technology laboratory of the Department of Defense for the development, testing, and evaluation of medical chemical warfare countermeasures, including therapies and materials to treat casualties of chemical warfare agents, as well as biochemical and other emerging non-kinetic acute battlefield injuries.
Colonel Dr. Roy received her commission from the University of Notre Dame Reserve Officer Training Corps as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 2000 into the Army Medical Specialist Corps.
Colonel Dr. Roy holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh (Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology), Doctor and Master of Physical Therapy from Baylor University, Master of Science from the University of Pittsburgh (Epidemiology), and Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Colonel Dr. Roy recently served as the Director of Occupational Health Sciences at the Defense Centers for Public Health.
Previously, Colonel Dr. Roy created and served as Director of the Soldier Performance, Health, and Readiness Database at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). Previous assignments include executive officer for the Clinical Public Health and Epidemiology Directorate, Army Public Health Center; Physical Therapy Researcher, University of Pittsburgh; Physical Therapy Researcher at USARIEM; Chief, Physical Therapy Troop Medical Clinic, Fort Drum; Chief, Physical Therapy, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Fort Drum and Afghanistan; Assistant Chief, Baumholder Physical Therapy Clinic; Chief, Physical Therapy, 701st Main Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Iraq; Physical Therapist, 31st Combat Support Hospital, Iraq; Chief, Baumholder Physical Therapy Clinic; and Physical Therapist, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. She has 29 medical research publications.
Colonel Dr. Roy is a graduate of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer Basic Course, the AMEDD Captains Career Course, Intermediate Level Education, the Defense Strategy Course, and U.S. Army War College. She is Airborne Qualified (5P); a Strategic Studies Graduate (6Z); an Army Medical Department Acquisitions Officer (8X); a certified Medical Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation Officer (8Z); and holds the Medical Proficiency Designator (9A).
Colonel Dr. Roy’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (4 oakleaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (2 oakleaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Soldier Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Overseas Service Medal (1 oakleaf cluster), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award (3 oakleaf clusters), Meritorious Unit Award (1 oakleaf cluster), Parachutist Badge, German Sports Badge (Gold), and Combat Medic Badge. She is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit.
TanjaRoy #USArmyMedicalResearchInstituteOfChemicalDefense #BattlefieldInjuries #ClinicalTraining #MedicalResearch #Warfighter #MedicalCountermeasures #NerveAgents #Vesicants #SulfurMustard #MetabolicPoisons #Cyanide #PulmonaryToxicants #Phosgene #MRICD #DepartmentOfDefense #AberdeenProvingGround #Toxin #Toxicant #PharmaceuticalSciences #ChemicalWarfare #CBRN #Epidemiology #PhysicalTherapy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Paurvi Bhatt is the Interim CEO of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers ( https://rosalynncarter.org/ ), an organization that drives transformative systems change to improve the strength, health, and resilience of family caregivers.
Paurvi is also the Founder and CEO of ThirdEyeFocus, a consultancy for private companies & nonprofits focused on the care economy.
Paurvi is a global healthcare executive known for creating strategies that optimize public, private, and philanthropic capital to expand more equitable decisions, resources, and care outcomes in communities around the world. She’s known for creating unique solutions that bring together nonprofits, government and companies to pilot, pivot, and scale health care and social services.
As a second generation, Indian immigrant, and family caregiver, Paurvi focuses on culturally responsive solutions in the care economy by integrating community-led voices, solutions, and organizations to shape the referral pathway that brings care into the home.
As a board director, leader and advisor on several private company, foundation, institution and nonprofit boards, Paurvi combines her lived experience with her seasoned focus on outcomes and deep knowledge of financing.
Paurvi has focused much of her career on HIV/AIDS; women’s health and health equity worldwide and is trained in health systems and economics with a B.A. in Neuroscience from Northwestern University, an M.P.H from Yale University (Health Management and Population Economics), and a PhD (ABD - Global Health Systems and Economics) from Johns Hopkins University.
Paurvi is an active spokesperson, author, podcast guest and presenter on issues ranging from women’s leadership, Asian American and immigrant issues, health systems and economics, philanthropy, HIV and women’s health, and the role of women as working daughters and family caregivers.
PaurviBhatt #TheRosalynnCarterInstituteForCaregivers #Caregivers #CareEconomy #Caregiving #Dementia #Cancer #CorporateSocialResponsibility #Philanthropy #WomensHealth #HIV #AIDS #MedtronicFoundation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Mark Jacobs is the Director of Pacific Technical Support and WHO Representative to the South Pacific. He was appointed in this position in August 2021. Prior to this, he has held a series of senior public health leadership roles.
Dr. Jacobs was previously the WHO Representative to Lao People’s Democratic Republic from November 2018 to August 2021. From May to October 2018, Dr Jacobs was Acting Director of Programme Management for WHO in the Western Pacific Region. He was also previously the Director of Communicable Diseases in the Region for 5 years.
Before joining WHO, Dr. Jacobs was New Zealand’s Director of Public Health for 9 years and managed the Public Health Programme at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for 3 years. He also spent several years in Director of Public Health roles for state health authorities in Australia.
Dr. Jacobs’ interests include developing healthy public policy, strengthening disease surveillance, strengthening all hazards emergency preparedness, and working across sectors to improve health.
Dr. Jacobs holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, a Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management and a Master of Public Health.
MarkJacobs #WHO #WorldHealthOrganization #SouthPacific #CommunicableDiseases #PublicHealth #DiseaseSurveillance #AllHazardsEmergencyPreparedness #InfectiousDisease #Fiji #NoncommunicableDiseases #WesternPacificRegion #HealthSecurity #AntimicrobialResistance #OneHealth #Aging #Ageing #Healthspan #Anxiety #Loneliness #Depression #ClimateChange #AirPollution #EnvironmentalHazards #PacificIslands #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Sui Huang, MD, PhD is a Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology ( ISB - https://isbscience.org/people/sui-huang-md-phd/?tab=biography ) where his lab is focused on studying how gene regulatory networks control gene activity to create stable cellular states, such as different cell types, and how these states transition into different lineages in both healthy and diseased conditions.
Dr. Huang is a molecular and cell biologist with a strong background in theoretical biology and has devoted much of his research to understanding the very phenomenon of cancer from a complex systems perspective.
Before joining the ISB in fall 2011, Dr. Huang held faculty positions at the University of Calgary (Institute of Biocomplexity and Informatics), where he helped establish biocomplexity as a discipline in research and teaching, and at Harvard Medical School (Children’s Hospital) where he obtained first experimental evidence for the existence of high-dimensional attractors in mammalian gene regulatory networks.
Dr. Huang grew up in Geneva and Zurich. He received his MD degree from the University of Zurich and obtained thereafter, as the first recipient of the PhD-Program-for-Physicians Award of the Swiss National Science Foundation, his PhD in molecular biology and physical chemistry for work on interferons. As a postdoctoral fellow at Children’s Hospital Boston he investigated tumor angiogenesis and cell growth control. In that period he also studied dynamical systems through his affiliation with the New England Complex Systems Institute.
Important Episode Link - "The end of the genetic paradigm of cancer" - PLOS Biology
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003052
SuiHuang #InstituteForSystemsBiology #Interferon #Angiogenesis #AttractorStates #Epigenetics #Cancer #Oncology #TumorMicroenvironment #DonaldIngber #ConradWaddington #Organogenesis #Morphogenesis #LeeHood #BeatriceMintz #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Samir Khleif, MD is CEO of Georgiamune ( https://www.georgiamune.com/team ), a private, science and discovery clinical stage immunotherapeutic biotechnology company focused on reprogramming immune signaling pathways to redirect the immune system to fight diseases.
Dr. Khleif is a pioneer in the field of immunotherapy. He is a medical oncologist, immunologist, innovator, and entrepreneur, as well as a transformational executive in health care and biomedical research.
Prior to becoming CEO of Georgiamune, Dr. Khleif served in different academic and leadership positions. He was a National Cancer Institute (NCI)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientist and Chief of the NCI Cancer Vaccine Section, where he led the development of pioneering immune-oncology and cancer vaccines into clinical trials. As a national and international academic leader, and detailed by the US government, he served as the founding director and CEO of the King Hussein Cancer Center ( https://www.khcc.jo/en ) in Amman, Jordan, where he led the development of the largest cancer center in the MENA region. He also served as the director of the Georgia Cancer Center, the state cancer center, at Augusta University. He is currently a biomedical scholar and holds a professorship at Georgetown University Medical School.
Dr. Khleif also served as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the FDA, leading the FDA's Critical Path Initiative for Oncology. He is a member of the board of directors of Ayala Pharmaceuticals and Emerald Biopharmaceutics, and served as a member of the scientific advisory board of more than 20 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Dr. Khleif is an international KOL in immunology and immunotherapy. He has served on many national committees, including the Scientific Advisory Board of the Biden Cancer Initiative, as chair of the Immunotherapy Committee for NRG, and as a member of the NCI Cooperative Group. He currently serves as an advisor for the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.
Dr. Khleif is an editor of three books, the author of hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific research articles, and a prolific inventor with more than 150 patents issued or pending in the field of immunology and immunotherapy.
Dr. Khleif received his medical degree at the University of Jordan, Amman Jordan. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Ohio and his fellowship in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland.
SamirKhleif #Georgiamune #Immunotherapy #KingHusseinCancerCenter #CriticalPathInitiative #FDA #Tregs #RegulatoryTCells #Cancer #Oncology #CheckpointInhibitors #ImmuneEscapeMechanisms #DualFunctioningAntibody #Autoimmune #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Mark McDonough is the CEO of Cyrex Labs ( https://www.cyrexlabs.com/ ), a clinical immunology laboratory specializing in functional immunology and autoimmunity testing.
Cyrex offers multi-tissue antibody testing for the early detection and monitoring of today’s complex autoimmune conditions and develops innovative arrays through continuous collaboration with leading experts in medical research and clinical practice.
Mark is a global technology business executive with 30 years of experience, and his personal mission is to impact change in the field of healthcare in a compassionate yet resolute manner, leading by example.
Prior to Cyrex, Mark served in several private and public company CEO roles including PierianDx and CombiMatrix, a publicly held molecular diagnostics company performing DNA-based testing services for reproductive health, oncology, and developmental disorders.
Earlier in his career, Mark served in various sales leadership roles at high growth diagnostic companies to include Ventana Medical Systems (acquired by Roche) and US LABS (acquired by LabCorp).
Mark is married with three children and is a proud former Naval Officer having served as a Navigator and Communications Officer on the USS FLETCHER (DD 992).
MarkMcDonough #CyrexLabs #ClinicalImmunology #FunctionalImmunology #Autoimmunity #AristoVojdani #FoodAssociatedAutoimmunities #Neuroimmunity #BrainGutConnection #LifestyleMedicine #Antigenic #Inflammation #MolecularMimicry #ImmuneReactivity #PathogenAssociatedImmuneReactivity #MultipleChemicalSensitivities #MicrobialTransglutaminase #CeliacDisease #NonCeliacGlutenSensitivity #CrohnsDisease #Neuroautoimmunity #Neurodegeneration #BloodBrainBarrier #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH ( https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/michael-t-osterholm-phd-mph ) is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Osterholm is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Council of Foreign Relations.
In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.
Dr. Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology and is the author of more than 300 papers and abstracts, including 20 book chapters, and New York Times best-selling 2017 book, Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs ( https://www.amazon.com/Deadliest-Enemy-Against-Killer-Germs/dp/0316343692 ).
Dr. Osterholm's new book will be coming out in September, 2025, entitled The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics ( https://www.amazon.com/Big-One-Prepare-World-Altering-Pandemics-ebook/dp/B0C1G5BHG3 ).
Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary doctorate from Luther College; the Pump Handle Award, CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA; the Squibb Award, IDSA; Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UMN; and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership Award, American Public Health Association. He also has been the recipient of six major research awards from the NIH and the CDC.
Dr. Osterholm received his PhD and MS in Environmental Health, and MPH in Epidemiology, from the University of Minnesota.
MichaelOsterholm #InfectiousDisease #CenterForInfectiousDiseaseResearchAndPolicy #CIDRAP #PublicHealth #AntimicrobialStewardship #VaccineIntegrityProject #AntimicrobialResistance #MinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth #Epidemiologist #ToxicShockSyndrome #FoodborneIllness #Hepatitis #Biodefense #Countermeasures #ChronicWastingDisease #Preparedness #Policy #Surveillance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Manfred Stapff, MD, PhD is a physician and pharmaceutical industry leader with over 30 years of experience in internal medicine, clinical research, and drug development, who has worked across a range of therapeutic areas including NASH, CV, CNS, respiratory, oncology, GI, anti-infective, and orphan diseases.
Dr. Stapff has held senior roles at Merck & Co., Forest Laboratories (now Allergan), and LG Chem (CMO / COO), specializing in clinical development, regulatory affairs, and global medical operations.
As Chief Medical Officer at TriNetX, he helped build the worldʼs largest real-world data (RWD) research network.
Dr. Stapff’s expertise spans clinical trials, drug development, regulatory affairs, quality management, and real-world studies.
As the founder of Candid Advisory (https://candid-advisory.com/), Dr. Stapff helps organizations leverage real-world data and AI to improve healthcare decision-making and regulatory strategies.
Dr. Stapff’s new book, Real-World Evidence Unveiled: Navigating the Maze of Modern Misinformation ( https://www.amazon.com/Real-World-Evidence-Unveiled-Navigating-Misinformation-ebook/dp/B0F6DWR6MY?ref_=ast_author_mpb ), explores how misinformation shapes science, media, and public health and how we can separate fact from fiction.
RealWorldEvidence #ManfredStapff #ClinicalTrials #RegulatoryAffairs #RealWorldData #DrugRepurposing #RWE #ArtificialIntelligence #FakeNews #MediaBias #Misinformation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Muffy Walker ( https://www.muffywalker.com/ ) is a psychiatric nurse with 45 years of experience, the founder of the International Bipolar Foundation, ( https://ibpf.org/ - an organization focused on raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health ), a dedicated Alzheimer’s caregiver, and an author with a passion for crafting compelling fiction that educates, inspires and sheds light on important topics, sparking meaningful conversations and fostering greater understanding.
Muffy’s debut novel, Memory Weavers ( https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Weavers-Muffy-Walker/dp/B0DT7V6K3L ), a poignant and timely work of women’s fiction exploring memory, trauma, and the realities of caregiving, was just released April 8, 2025, with her other titles including a children’s book, The Great Jungle Talent Show, as well as Healthy Living with Bipolar Disorder, written for both people living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers.
Muffy holds a Master of Science in Psychiatric Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from University of California, Irvine, and has written extensively on mental health topics, contributing many chapters, guides, and newspaper articles to the field.
Muffy has also has served on a plethora of boards including Children’s Hospital, Kids Korps USA, NeighborHelp, and ChildHelp USA.
MuffyWalker #MemoryWeavers #AlzheimersCaregiving #InternationalBipolarFoundation #PsychiatricNursing #Dementia #PTSD #Empathy #Fiction #PatientAdvocacy #HusseiniManji #ScottSmall #CraigVenter #JohnCReed #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Michelle I. Cardel, PhD, MS, RD is Chief Nutrition Officer of WeightWatchers ( https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/science-center/team/michelle-cardel?srsltid=AfmBOooheyN06Ngdf86tF274AuTsCjebrDKN1ccjFWOsyMk8hZPs_IRw ), where she oversees the company’s academic research partnerships and clinical trials, nutrition portfolio, and science communication. In collaboration with fellow scientists and teams across the organization, she plans and executes research studies, then implements and disseminates the findings for WeightWatchers members, the scientific community, and the greater community at large. She also leads the company’s nutrition point of view using the latest in nutritional science, and works across the organization to translate the evidence in member content, programs, and beyond.
Dr. Cardel is an obesity and nutrition scientist and registered dietitian with a focus on the development and implementation of evidence-based healthy lifestyle strategies for adults and children, particularly those from medically-underserved backgrounds.
Before joining the WeightWatchers Science team in 2021, Dr. Cardel was an assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine. She was also the founder and director of the University of Florida Obesity Research Alliance, and an associate director for the Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases.
Dr. Cardel holds a PhD in nutrition sciences and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Florida State University. She also holds specialized training in motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment therapy, implementation science, and is a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Throughout her career, Dr. Cardel has authored over 120 scientific publications and received numerous honors including the Excellence in Emerging Outcomes Research award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Superior Accomplishment Award for Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of Florida Health Sciences Center, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Outstanding Woman Award and Outstanding Young Alumni Award. She was also awarded Fellow Status for The Obesity Society, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of obesity.
Dr. Cardel is a skilled proponent of science communication and has conducted dozens of media interviews, including a recurring segment on nutrition for Channel 9 News in Denver. She’s also highly active on social media in efforts to translate scientific findings to the public.
MichelleCardel #ChiefNutritionOfficer #WeightWatchers #Obesity #Diabetes #MetabolicDiseases #Cardiovascular #Nutrition #Dietetics #Health #Wellness #WomensHealth #Aging #GLP1 #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Neil Steinberg and Mark Jonathan Harris are both acclaimed filmmakers and through a partnership with Generation Entertainment, The John A. Hartford Foundation ( https://www.johnahartford.org/resources/view/new-pbs-documentary-film-release-and-screenings-aging-in-america---survive-or-thrive ) and PBS SoCal ( https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/aging-in-america-survive-or-thrive ), on May 1st will be debuting Aging in America: Survive or Thrive ( https://aginginamericasurviveorthrive.com/ ), a one-hour documentary that explores the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly aging population.
The documentary identifies critical issues associated with our rapidly aging population, including ageism, healthcare, economic insecurity, and Alzheimer’s disease, but also highlights innovative approaches to address these concerns, and featuring a range of renowned experts, personal stories, and narration from Martin Sheen, the film celebrates the promise of increased longevity while addressing crucial and unprecedented public policy challenges.
Neil is President at Generation Entertainment and has worked extensively as producer/ director in nearly all forms of media ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0825796/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm ). His documentary work includes directing Kisses for the TNT Network and writing and producing a one-hour documentary on the life of Bishop TD Jakes for Lionsgate Television.
Neil was the producer and director for the highly acclaimed PBS documentary, Boomer Century 1946-2046. Other aging related projects he has produced and directed for PBS include Life’s Third Age and Sages of Aging.
Mark ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0365057/ ) is a 3-time Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and Emeritus Distinguished Professor in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California ( https://cinema.usc.edu/faculty/profile.cfm?id=6530&first=&last=harris&title=&did=50&referer=%2Ffaculty%2Ffacultydirectory.cfm&startpage=1&startrow=1 ), where he ran the documentary program for many years. In 2021, Asian Americans, a 5-part series for PBS for which he was Consulting Producer, received a Peabody Award.
Among the many documentaries Mark has written, produced and/or directed are The Redwoods, which won an Oscar for Best Short Documentary (1968); The Long Way Home, Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary (1997); and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport, which won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary in 2000 and was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry. Foster, which he wrote and directed, aired on HBO in 2019 and was nominated for Best Documentary Screenplay by the Writers Guild of America.
NeilSteinberg #MarkJonathanHarris #GenerationEntertainment #TheJohnAHartfordFoundation #PBSSoCal #AgingInAmerica #SurviveOrThrive #Documentary #RobertButler #NationalInstituteOnAging #Ageism #EconomicInsecurity #AlzheimersDisease #MartinSheen #Geriatrics #Gerontology #Longevity #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Marc Elia is the Founder of M28 Capital ( https://www.m28capital.com/ ), a healthcare sector investment fund, as well as Chairman of the Board of Invivyd ( https://www.invivyd.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company devoted to delivering protection from serious viral infectious diseases, beginning with SARS-CoV-2, by deploying a proprietary integrated technology platform, to create best in class monoclonal antibodies.
In March 2024, Invivyd received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. FDA for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) in its pipeline of innovative antibody candidates.
Marc has a passion for investing in and developing innovative healthcare solutions, and dedicated much of his career to make a meaningful difference in human health, and advocate for the development of therapies that address unmet medical needs.
Prior to M28, from January 2012 to September 2019, Marc served as a partner at Bridger Capital, an investment fund and has served on the Board of Directors of numerous companies.
Prior to his time in the healthcare investment space, Marc served in Strategy and Corporate Development roles at Chiron Corporation, in Business Development at Protein Sciences Corporation, as well as in consulting at L.E.K. Consulting.
Marc holds a B.A. in economics from Carleton College.
MarcElia #M28Capital #Invivyd #Biopharmaceuticals #InfectiousDiseases #SARSCoV2 #MonoclonalAntibodies #Immunocompromised #RareViralEpitopes #Pemivibart #PreExposureProphylaxis #Covid19 #EmergencyUseAuthorization #EUA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Bobby Reddy, MD is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Pi Health ( https://www.pihealth.ai/ ), a health technology and clinical research company committed to empowering life sciences companies to develop medicines faster and reach diverse patient populations. Dr. Reddy leads global operations, business development, and commercial activities with the mission of driving equal access to innovative medicines and clinical trials for patients around the world.
Previously, Dr. Reddy served in leadership positions at BeiGene and AstraZeneca.
At BeiGene, Dr. Reddy was Executive Director of Applied Innovation, a technology incubator in the Office of the CEO, which developed novel technologies to improve R&D and commercial capabilities. In this role, Dr. Reddy was the co-inventor of multiple patented technology applications which have successfully undergone enterprise adoption. He also built and managed multidisciplinary, global teams who led strategy, business development, global operations, and legal activities to drive development, implementation and growth of incubated technologies and companies.
At AstraZeneca, Dr. Reddy was Head of Oncology Regulatory Science and Innovation, where he was a member of the global Oncology Regulatory Science and Strategy leadership team.
Previous to Dr. Reddy’s roles in pharma and biotech, Dr. Reddy was faculty of Harvard Medical School and a physician scientist and clinical dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focused on investigating the role of genetic and immunologic factors in melanoma development and progression, along with the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Reddy is also an alumnus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute – National Institutes of Health Research Scholars Program, through which he conducted research at the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Reddy completed an Internal Medicine internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, during which he was given the Dunne Award for Humanism in Medicine by Harvard Medical School. He subsequently completed a Dermatology residency at Columbia University Medical Center, where he served as a Chief Resident during his final year of training. After residency, he completed a Melanoma Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Reddy obtained his M.D. with Alpha Omega Alpha honors from Rutgers–New Jersey Medical School.
Dr. Reddy is a board-certified dermatologist and maintains an active clinical practice caring for patients at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he also teaches and mentors medical students and trainees.
Important Episode Link - Pi Health Cancer Hospital -
https://www.pihealthcancerhospital.com/
BobbyReddy #PiHealth #Dermatology #Oncology #Melanoma #Cancer #ElectronicHealthRecords #GenerativeAI #CDSCO #ClinicalTrials #India #CentralDrugsStandardControlOrganisation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Mirza Rahman, MD, MPH serves as the President of the American College of Preventive Medicine ( ACPM - https://www.acpm.org/about-acpm/governance/executive-officers/mirza-rahman/ ), a professional community, founded in 1954 as a professional community for board-certified physicians to network, share their expertise and advocate for the advancement of prevention. Today, ACPM represents over 2,000 physicians, medical students, non-physicians, and other partners. All believe in the importance of preventive medicine in our society.
Dr. Rahman also serves as the Senior Vice President, Patient Safety & Pharmacovigilance at Cybin ( https://cybin.com/our-team/ ), a pharmaceutical company seeking to bring novel, second-generation psychedelics to market. He also and is a Co-Founder and President of the Guyanese Diaspora Charity ( https://www.guyanesediasporacharity.org/ ), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on helping to improve the lives of Guyanese.
In addition, Dr. Rahman is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University ( https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/profile/mirza-i-rahman-md ) and as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Guyana.
Most recently, Dr. Rahman was the Vice President & Chief Safety Officer at Organon, a global healthcare company. There, he was responsible for leading and setting the broad strategic direction for pharmacovigilance for this multinational company.
Prior to that, Dr. Rahman was the Senior Vice President, Chief Global Pharmacovigilance Officer & European Research & Development Lead at Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, a global Japanese based pharmaceutical company. In 2013, he created the ACPM - Otsuka Pharmacovigilance Physician Program in Global Medical Safety.
Dr. Rahman joined Otsuka from Merck Research Laboratories, where he was an Executive Director in the Clinical Risk Management/Global Safety department. Before this, he worked at Johnson & Johnson in a variety of positions, serving as a Worldwide Vice President, Health Economics & Reimbursement at Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics in his last role there.
During his 25+ years in the pharmaceutical industry, while Dr. Rahman has worked primarily in Pharmacovigilance, he has also worked in Medical Affairs, Medical Information, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Quality Management, Clinical Development, Manufacturing, and Regulatory Affairs.
Dr. Rahman completed his Public Health & General Preventive Medicine Residency along with his Family Medicine Residency at Stony Brook University. He completed the Advanced Management Program at the Columbia Business School and earned his Master of Public Health degree from the Columbia University School of Public Health.
Dr. Rahman earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and his Bachelor of Science degree from the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education at the City College of the City University of New York.
MirzaRahman #AmericanCollegeOfPreventiveMedicine #PatientSafety #Pharmacovigilance #GuyaneseDiasporaCharity #Epidemiology #ColumbiaUniversity #UniversityOfGuyana #MedicalAffairs #HealthEconomics #OutcomesResearch #QualityManagement #ClinicalDevelopment #RegulatoryAffairs #PublicHealth #BrainHealth #DiabetesPrevention #ReducingHypertension #LifestyleMedicine #PopulationHealth #ViolencePrevention #Psychedelics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Anastasia Liapis, Ph.D. is Global Head of Innovation & New Business Creation, HP Health Solutions ( https://www.izb-online.de/en/companies/hp-health-solutions-germany-gmbh/ ), a division of HP ( https://www.hp.com/us-en/home.html ) , that develops technology specifically for the healthcare industry and reimagines healthcare tech for diagnostics and precision medicine of the future.
Dr. Liapis’ team leads innovation in diagnostics and health-tech, driving the development and commercialization of ultrafast PCR and microfluidic-based diagnostic platforms, as well as focuses on early-stage technology development, partnerships, and business strategy, ensuring breakthrough innovations translate into real-world impact.
Previously, Dr. Liapis served as Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Partnerships at GNA Biosolutions GmbH, a molecular diagnostics start up that was acquired by HP, and she played a pivotal role in enhancing the organization's strategic vision, focusing on innovative solutions in the bioscience sector.
Before taking her role at GNA Biosolutions, Dr. Liapis made significant contributions to various notable organizations such as TBWA, the healthcare agency creative collective, where she served as a Group Account Supervisor, and as of Vice President of Medical Affairs at Medical Dynamics, developing medical education programs and fostering key opinion leader (KOL) relationships.
Dr. Liapis completed her doctoral training in Genetics at the Mount Sinai School of Biomedical Sciences and her post-doctoral fellowship in Immunology at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at NYU Langone. She earned both her Master’s and Bachelor's degrees in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis.
AnastasiaLiapis #HPHealthSolutions #HP #HewlettPackard #Healthtech #Biosecurity #LifeSciences #FoodSafety #NucleicAcidAmplification #MolecularAssays #Biotechnology #Nanotechnology #GNABiosolutions #MolecularDiagnostics #Microfluidics #PolymeraseChainReaction #PCR #Bioscience #CarT #LysosomalStorageDisorders #BrandStrategy #ScientificWriting #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr. is Chief Executive Officer of the American Psychological Association ( https://www.apa.org/about/apa/senior-staff/evans-bio ), the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. With more than 146,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as members, APA promotes and disseminates psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives – a mission consistent with Dr. Evans' life work.
Before joining APA in March 2017, Dr. Evans spent 12 years as commissioner of Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. In that post, he led the transformation of that agency's approach to serving a wide range of individuals with complex needs. The transformation of the $1.5 billion Philadelphia system has relied heavily on public health strategies that contribute to better community health.
Dr. Evans has emphasized a data-driven, population health approach to improve outcomes for people and increased system efficiency. Over his tenure, the agency saved more than $110 million that the city reinvested in improving and expanding services and employing innovative strategies to reach more people. The work in Philadelphia has become a national and international model, with over 25 states and more than a dozen countries having either visited the city or invited Evans to speak about the Philadelphia model.
An unconventional leader, Dr. Evans has employed science, research, community activism, spirituality, traditional clinical care, policy, and cross-system collaborations to change the status quo.
Dr. Evans approach gave voice to and empowered individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized. He ensured those with lived experiences were involved with every policy decision. He enlisted political and community leaders, grassroots organizations, academic institutions and advocates in a citywide commitment to think differently about behavioral health and intellectual disabilities.
Dr. Evans has been honored nationally and internationally for his work. In 2015, he was recognized as an “Advocate for Action” by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2013, he received the American Medical Association's top government service award in health care, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. In 2017, he received the Visionary Leadership Award from the National Council of Behavioral Health and was inducted into the Florida Atlantic University Alumni Hall of Fame. His work as a strong advocate for social justice has led to his receiving three different awards named for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Evans has held faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Drexel School of Public Health. He also held a faculty appointment at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Dr. Evans holds a doctorate in clinical/community psychology from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in experimental psychology from Florida Atlantic University, where he also completed his undergraduate work.
ArthurEvans #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation #Psychology #MentalHealth #AddictionServices #RecoveryOrientedSystemOfCare #BehavioralHealth #PhiladelphiaModel #PennCollaborative #BeckCommunityInitiative #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #EvidenceBasedPractices #ImplementationScientists #CommunityPsychology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Peter Ordentlich, Ph.D. is Chief Scientific Officer and Founder, Syndax Pharmaceuticals ( https://syndax.com/team/peter-ordentlich-ph-d/ ), a company with a mission to obtain regulatory approval and commercialize drugs that extend and improve the lives of cancer patients, by drawing on the newest scientific research and advances, collaborating with determined problem solvers, and identifying value in overlooked aspects of science.
Dr. Ordentlich co-founded the Company in October 2005 and has served as Chief Scientific Officer since September 2016.
Dr. Ordentlich previously served as Syndax’s Chief Technical Officer, Vice President, Translational Medicine, Executive Director, Translational Science, and Director, Scientific Affairs and Strategic Alliances.
Prior to founding the company, Dr. Ordentlich was a scientist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a biological research non-profit organization. He also spent five years as a research scientist at X-Ceptor Therapeutics, Inc., a drug discovery company, which was acquired by Exelixis, Inc.
Dr. Ordentlich received a B.A. in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania.
PeterOrdentlich #SyndaxPharmaceuticals #Oncology #Cancer #Menin #KMT2Ar #AcuteLeukemias #NPM1m #AcuteMyeloidLeukemia #Revuforj #Niktimvo #Axatilimab #Revumenib #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Prof. Dr. Islam Abou El-Magd, Ph.D. is the President of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, Egypt ( https://www.narss.sci.eg/professor/47 ), which focuses on applied research using earth observation and geo-informatics in environmental-related issues
Prof. Abou El-Magd is also Counsellor for the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Space Technology and African Affairs ( https://mohesr.gov.eg/en-us/Pages/home.aspx ), which is responsible for all related education, science and technology in Egypt with Africa either on bi-lateral, multi-lateral and AUC agreements.
Prof. Abou El-Magd has been involved in developing many international, regional and national Geographic Information System (GIS) projects in different disciplines. He was a GIS consultant for the Centre of Environment and Development for Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), Arab League.
Prof. Abou El-Magd spent five years of his career in the UK as a GIS Program Coordinator for the University of Southampton and Gifford Excellence. He has been selected as an international consultant for a short-term consultancy to some of the UN Programs, including the Food and Agriculture Organization in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organization in Sudan, and the United Nations Development Program in Kuwait.
Prof. Abou El-Magd is also general secretary of the space council of Egypt, which is responsible for setting up the policy and strategy of space and earth observation applications in Egypt. He represents Egypt as a focal point in some European-African space initiatives and partnerships such as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES). He was also a co-chair of the Implementation Plan Working Group – Group on Earth Observation that developed the ten-year implementation plan for GEO (2016-2025). Moreover, He is also an acting member of the African Space policy and Strategy by the Space Working Group that developed the African Space policy and strategy. Finally, he is the Vice-President of the African Association of Remote Sensing and the Environment, the largest remote sensing and geo-informatics association and network in Africa.
Prof. Abou El-Magd chaired the high-level national committee to strategize and develop the National Space Program, which the Egyptian Space Agency ( https://www.egsa.gov.eg/ ) currently implements. He was also appointed for a short period as the Vice Executive President of the Egyptian Space Agency before being appointed president of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, which was the cradle of the Egyptian Space Program.
Prof. Abou El-Magd has an MSc, University of El-Mansoura, Egypt and Ph.D., School of Civil Engineering and The Environment, University of Southampton, UK.
ProfDrIslamAbouElMagd #RemoteSensing #SpaceSciences #Egypt #GeographicInformationSystems #SatelliteImagery #DisasterMitigation #SandDuneMovements #AeolianProcess #Dengue #MedicalEntomology #AquaticBiology #Fisheries #AedesAegypti #GreenhouseGases #GeothermalEnergy #FishingZoneDetection #Sardinella #Geosciences #GoldExploration #ArchaeologicalSites #SandStorms #Sinai #RedSea #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Professor Dr. Mark Kendall (BE PhD FRSA FTSE FNAI) is CEO & Founder of WearOptimo ( https://wearoptimo.com/prof-mark-kendall/ ), a private Australian health-tech company developing the next generation of wearable technology, redefining how we approach hydration and biomarker monitoring.
Professor Kendall is also Vice-Chancellor's Entrepreneurial Professor at the Australian National University ( https://research.anu.edu.au/research-initiatives/wearoptimo ).
Professor Kendall is a biomedical engineer, inventor, scientist, entrepreneur and business-builder with more than 25 years’ experience in creating medical technologies to tackle key global health challenges, and companies licensing/advancing his patents/technologies have created a combined economic value of more than $2 billion for investors.
While at the University of Oxford, Professor Kendall was an inventor of the biolistics technology, commercialized with PowderJect (sold to Chiron Vaccines for US$1 billion in 2003), and then PowderMed, purchased by Pfizer for US$400 million in 2006.
Professor Kendall was then Founder, CTO and a Director of Vaxxas (2011-2015), which was the commercialization vehicle for his Nanopatch vaccine delivery invention, featured in his TEDGlobal talk, which has more than 1 million views.
In recognition of his innovation and translation of commercial technologies focused on the delivery of drugs to skin, and skin-based disease diagnostics, Professor Kendall has received more than 40 awards and accolades. These include the 2016 CSL Young Florey Medal, a 2012 Rolex Laureate Award for Enterprise and the Eureka Prize for Interdisciplinary Research (2011). He was also named a 2015 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, winner of The Australian Innovation Challenge in 2011 and 2004 Younger Engineer of Britain.
Professor Kendall’s work has featured in diverse media outlets, including TEDGlobal, WIRED, ABC, BBC, NBC, National Geographic, New Scientist, Popular Science and Vanity Fair.
Professor Kendall’s international recognition extends to his election as a Fellow: of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI, USA); the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, (RSA, UK); and Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE).
With a strong global network, and a significant international profile, Professor Kendall serves on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Biotechnology and is co-chair of the Australian Stem Cell Therapies Mission.
Professor Kendall has a BE (Hons I) and a PhD, Mechanical Engineering from The University of Queensland.
WearOptimo #MarkKendall #WearableBiometrics #HydrationMonitoring #Dehydration #PeakPerformance #EliteAthletes #AgedCare #MarkWebber #CompanionDiagnostics #Theranostics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Kilian Kelly, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Cynata Therapeutics ( https://cynata.com/ ), a stem cell and regenerative medicine company that is known for its proprietary Cymerus platform, for the scalable and consistent production of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies.
Unlike traditional MSC therapies that rely on multiple donors, the Cymerus manufacturing process ensures that cells for therapeutic use can be produced in virtually limitless quantities from a single donor – making the opportunities endless and attractive from a manufacturing standpoint. The company has completed Phase I studies for Graft vs Host disease & Diabetic Foot Ulcers and have a number of Phase II, and even have a Phase III clinical trial, in progress.
Dr. Kelly has over 20 years’ experience in biopharmaceutical research and development, including almost 15 years focused on the development of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) based therapies. He joined Cynata in March 2014, initially as Vice President, Product Development, then Chief Operating Officer from May 2019, and since July 2023 has been CEO & MD. At Cynata, he has overseen all stages of the development of the Cymerus induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived MSC technology, including the first completed clinical trial of any iPSC-derived product worldwide.
Dr. Kelly previously held positions at Biota Pharmaceuticals, Mesoblast Limited, Kendle International, Amgen and AstraZeneca.
Dr. Kelly holds a Masters in Pharmacy degree from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Strathclyde University, Glasgow, and he is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Melbourne. He is a member of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT), the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the AICD.
Dr. Kelly also serves on the ISCT Asia-Pacific Industry Committee, the ISSCR Best Practices Working Group for the Development of PSC-Derived Therapies and the Industry Interface Committee of the Center for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) Australia.
KilianKelly #CynataTherapeutics #InducedPluripotentStemCells #MesenchymalStemCells #Immunomodulation #Immunoregulation #Mesenchymoangioblasts #GraftVersusHostDisease #GVHD #MSC #iPSC #IschaemicHeartDisease #Osteoarthritis #AcuteRespiratoryDistressSyndrome #ARDS #Inflammation #Secretome #Paracrine #RegenerativeMedicine #DiabeticWounds #KidneyTransplantation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Blythe Adamson, PhD, MPH ( https://www.blytheadamson.com/ ) is Head of Outcomes Research and Evidence Generation at Flatiron Health ( https://flatiron.com/ ), where her work has been focused on developing deep learning language models for extraction of clinical details from EHR documents, ultimately learning from the experience of millions of patients with cancer, and generating evidence of treatment effectiveness and value used by governments around the world.
Dr. Adamson is a scientist, epidemiologist and economist ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jAflVcUAAAAJ&hl=en ), who co-invented a patented clinical decision-support tool, enabled by machine learning, that is used by cancer clinics to benefit patients.
Formerly a lead data scientist in the West Wing of The White House, Dr. Adamson has been involved in advising public and private institutions including professional sports leagues, the entertainment industry, retailers, manufacturers, and more.
Dr. Adamson founded the company Infectious Economics ( https://www.infectiouseconomics.com/ ), with a focus to provide thought leadership to policy makers and industry leaders on cost-effective strategies to prevent the transmission of viruses.
Dr. Adamson holds degrees in microbiology, epidemiology, and pharmaceutical economics with a focus on infectious disease prevention, doing her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy, at the University of Washington, where she still lectures as an Affiliate Assistant Professor ( https://sop.washington.edu/people/blythe-adamson/ ).
Dr. Adamson has also held roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Institute for Disease Modeling and the NIAID HIV Vaccine Trials Network and is a Board Member of NBA-funded SalivaDirect lab at Yale.
BlytheAdamson #FlatironHealth #EHR #Oncology #Cancer #HIV #InfectiousEconomics #RWE #RealWorldEvidence #ElectronicHealthRecords #RealWorldData #ClinicalDecisions #HealthPolicies #LargeLanguageModels #LLM #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #ML #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Martin Brenner, DVM, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of iBio ( https://ibioinc.com/team/martin-brenner-dvm-ph-d/ ), a biotech company developing the next generation of cardiometabolic and obesity medicines to promote higher quality weight loss and enhance overall metabolic health and function, as well as a pipeline of therapeutic candidates in immuno-oncology for some of the most-difficult-to-treat cancers, including solid tumors in lung, colorectal, and breast cancer, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain tumor.
Dr. Brenner has a strong history of success heading drug discovery and development teams at several of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., and Merck Research Laboratories.
Most recently, Dr. Brenner served as the CSO at Pfenex Inc., which, using its patented Pfēnex Expression Technology® platform, created an advanced pipeline of therapeutic equivalents, vaccines, biologics and biosimilars. Pfenex was acquired by Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated for approximately $516 million in October 2020.
Previously, Dr. Brenner served as the CSO at Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company focused on accelerating drug discovery for rare diseases and diseases with high unmet medical need.
Prior to his time at Recursion, Dr. Brenner was Vice President and Head of Research & Early Development at Stoke Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company using antisense oligonucleotides to increase gene expression for the treatment of rare diseases.
Prior to Stoke, Dr. Brenner was Executive Director at Merck, where he built a biotech unit from scratch, focusing his team’s research on diabetes and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Earlier in his career, Dr. Brenner was the Senior Director and Head of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism (CVRM) biosciences at AstraZeneca.
In addition, Dr. Brenner was an Associate Research Fellow at Pfizer where he led the islet biology and in vivo pharmacology in the CVMED Target Exploration Unit before assuming the role of Head of the Insulin Resistance Group.
Dr. Brenner has a DVM, Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and a Ph.D., Pharmacology Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover.
MartinBrenner #iBio #Cardiometabolic #Obesity #Medicines #WeightLoss #MetabolicHealth #ImmunoOncology #GLP1 #BispecificAntibodies #ArtificialIntelligence #TransformingGrowthFactorBeta #Myostatin #ActivinA #ActivinE #MuscleMass #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Ilke Demir, Ph.D ( https://ilkedemir.weebly.com/ ) works at the intersection of computer vision and machine learning and her research focuses on generative models for digitizing the real world, deep fake detection and generation techniques, analysis and synthesis approaches in geospatial machine learning, and computational geometry for synthesis and fabrication ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6837MdMAAAAJ&hl=en ).
Most recently Dr. Demir served as a Senior Staff Research Scientist at Intel Corporation, leading Intel’s Trusted Media team. She established the research foundations of the world’s largest volumetric capture studio at Intel, bridging the gap between the creative process and AI approaches.
Prior to joining Intel, Dr. Demir had startup experience at DeepScale, working on perception for autonomous vehicles (with a successful acquisition by Tesla), and she was also a visiting scholar at UCLA.
Dr. Demir earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science from Purdue University advised by Prof. Daniel Aliaga, and her B.S. in Computer Engineering from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Türkiye with a minor in Electrical Engineering.
Afterwards, Dr. Demir joined Facebook as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist working with Prof. Ramesh Raskar from MIT, where their team developed the breakthrough innovation on generative street addresses. Her research further included deep learning approaches for human behavior understanding in next generation virtual reality headsets, geospatial machine learning for map creation, and 3D reconstruction at scale.
At the intersection of art and science, Dr. Demir also contributed to several animated feature and VR/AR short films in Pixar Animation Studios and Intel Studios, respectively.
In addition to her publications in top-tier venues, Dr. Demir has organized workshops, competitions, and courses in deep learning, computer vision, and graphics such as DeepGlobe, SkelNetOn, WiCV, SUMO, DLGC, EarthVision, and OpenEDS, to name a few.
Dr. Demir received numerous awards and honors such as Jack Dangermond Award, Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship, and IEEE Industry Distinguished Lecturer, in addition to her best paper/poster/reviewer awards. Her scientific articles received significant attention from researchers and media outlets around the world, such as The Independent, VentureBeat, MIT Tech Review, and Liberation. She has been invited to present over 120 talks and panels worldwide, on the wide range of topics that her work spans.
Dr. Demir has been actively involved in women in science organisms, always being an advocate for women and underrepresented minorities.
IlkeDemir #ComputerVision #MachineLearning #DeepFakes #ComputerScience #ComputerEngineering #Intel #Meta #Facebook #3DVision #ComputationalGeometry #GenerativeModels #RemoteSensing #DeepLearning #PixarAnimationStudios #Purdue #MiddleEastTechnicalUniversity #Türkiye #GazeTracking #SyntheticFaceDetection #PatternRecognition #MyBodyMyChoice #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Jessica Sacher, Ph.D. is Co-Founder of Phage Directory ( https://phage.directory/ ), a global network of phage researchers from more than 80 countries, where she directs its phage-sourcing and community-building efforts, including coordinating over 50 phage-finding efforts, where a network of more than 1,300 members of the global phage community volunteer their time and lab space to identify active phages for patients.
Dr. Sacher is also a Staff Scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine ( https://profiles.stanford.edu/jessica-sacher ) in Dr. Paul Bollyky's lab where she leads strategy & lays groundwork for a new phage-based therapeutic development and delivery center at Stanford, developing manufacturing processes and quality control pipelines for clinical-grade phage biologics, as well as evaluating phages as gene and peptide delivery vectors for eukaryotic and microbial cells.
Dr. Sacher was previously a member of Prof. Jon Iredell’s group in Sydney, Australia as a postdoctoral research scientist for the Phage Australia project where she developed and streamlined Phage Australia’s phage selection, biobanking, and manufacturing process, to make phage therapy available for patients Australia-wide and eventually beyond.
Dr. Sacher received her PhD in Microbiology and Biotechnology in 2018 from the University of Alberta, Canada.
Dr. Sacher is also Founder, Editor, Writer of Capsid & Tail: the phage community newsletter, a weekly report on bacteriophage news and research
Important Episode Links -
Bacteriophage therapy for multidrug-resistant infections: current technologies and therapeutic approaches - Published March 3, 2025 - The Journal of Clinical Investigation -
https://www.jci.org/articles/view/187996
The Citizen Phage Library (https://citizenphage.com)
JessicaSacher #PhageDirectory #Bacteriophage #StanfordUniversity #Campylobacter #SteffanieStrathdee #Microbiology #PhageBiobank #Biofilms #AMR #AntimicrobialResistance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Sean Tucker, Ph.D. is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Vaxart Inc. ( https://vaxart.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a range of oral recombinant pill vaccines based on their innovative Vector-Adjuvant-Antigen Standardized Technology (VAAST) platform.
Dr. Tucker previously served as Vice President of Research and Director of Immunology for Vaxart and has held numerous scientific and engineering roles at various biotechnology companies including The Dow Chemical Co., Systemix, Inc. and Genteric, Inc.
Dr. Tucker has published several papers in immunology and served as a grant reviewer for several vaccine related study sections at the NIH.
Dr. Tucker has a BSc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, an MSc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Washington.
SeanTucker #ChiefScientificOfficer #Vaxart #Immunology #OralVaccines #Norovirus #Flu #Coronavirus #HPV #BARDA #ProjectNextGen #Adenovirus #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Taylor Justice is the Co-Founder & President of Unite Us ( https://uniteus.com/team/taylor-justice/ ), a technology company with a mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities by integrating all the social determinants of health.
The Unite Us goal is to unlock the potential of every community by strategically partnering with government agencies, health systems, insurers, and community organizations, through their best-in-class technology, expansive network of resources and care options, and qualified team of experts.
With Unite Us, providers across sectors can send and receive secure referrals, track every person’s total health journey, and report on tangible outcomes across a full range of services in a centralized, cohesive, and collaborative ecosystem.
Taylor is a social entrepreneur, who previously co-founded HigherEchelon, Inc., a government consulting company.
Taylor is passionate about solving significant problems in the health and human service sectors, and with an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.S. from West Point leads a team of innovators at Unite Us who create accountable coordinated care networks that interconnect clinical and non-clinical social service providers and track the outcomes across the full range of services.
TaylorJustice #UniteUs #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #SocialCare #SDOH #ClosedLoopReferralPlatform #Veterans #Eldercare #HomeHealth #Medicaid #CostSavings #CommunityOrganizations #PredictiveAnalytics #ReEntry #JusticeInvolvedPopulations #Recidivism #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, is the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics ( https://www.aap.org/en/about-the-aap/aap-leadership/susan-kressly-md-faap/ ), an organization of 67,000 pediatricians committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Dr. Kressly is board certified in Pediatrics and Clinical Informatics, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Kressly has also been at the forefront of innovation, advocating for pediatric functionality in Health IT. Her expertise includes Quality Improvement, Healthcare Financing and Payment, Practice Management and Optimization of Clinical Workflows.
Dr. Kressly received a Bachelor of Science (BS), in Biology, from Moravian University, her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and served her residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children.
Dr. Kressly began practicing in the Doylestown area in 1990 and has been an involved member of the medical community since then. Her independent pediatric practice has been a recognized medical home since 2011, a model that Dr. Kressly strongly believes all children deserve access to, and that all pediatricians, including medical and surgical specialists, deserve sufficient resources, payment, and support to meet the needs of the patients and families they serve.
SusanKressly #Pediatrics #Pediatrician #ClinicalInformatics #AmericanAcademyOfPediatrics #MedicalHome #Advocacy #Telehealth #Vaccination #Vaccines #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Marianne Holm, MD, Ph.D. is Vice President of the Infectious Diseases Program area, at the Novo Nordisk Foundation ( https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/ ) where she is responsible for supporting the development and implementation of new strategic initiatives and research programs, and developing partnerships that contribute to the global visibility and impact of the foundation’s activities within Infectious Diseases, and this responsibility includes supporting multiple cross disciplinary initiatives in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Dr. Holm is a medical doctor and epidemiologist, who previously led the department of epidemiology and public health research at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, where she was responsible for the coordination and implementation of several large development programs funded by the Fleming Fund, working with local governments and healthcare institutions to build capacity in AMR surveillance in low- and middle- income countries in the Asian region.
Prior to joining IVI in 2018, Dr. Holm worked for 4 years at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong working in the health services research unit coordinating the School's evidence based practice education program.
Dr. Holm has been a member of the coordination group of the WHO Technical Advisory Group and Coordination Group on Vaccines and AMR. She is also a member of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Collaborator Network as well as the Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) network.
Dr. Holm received her MD and Ph.D. from University of Copenhagen and Master of Science (MSc), Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London.
IMPORTANT EPISODE LINK - Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI) - https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/innovations-gram-negative-antibiotic-discovery
The Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI) is tripartite initiative of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust, that will focus on discovery of direct-acting small-molecule antibiotics with broad-spectrum activity against Enterobacteriaceae (a large family of Gram-negative bacteria that includes Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Shigella and Klebsiella), with Klebsiella spp. selected as an initial targeted pathogen. Klebsiella organisms can lead to a wide range of disease states, notably pneumonia, urinary tract infections, sepsis, meningitis, diarrhea, peritonitis and soft tissue infections. The program aims to address the lack of novel antibiotics for gram-negative bacteria and the public health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
NovoNordiskFoundation #GramNegativeAntibioticDiscoveryInnovator #BillAndMelindaGatesFoundation #WellcomeTrust #AMR #AntimicrobialResistance #Enterobacteriaceae #Klebsiella #Salmonella #EscherichiaColi #Shigella #InfectiousDiseases #MarianneHolm #Vaccines #MultidrugEffluxPumps #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Laura Aguilar, MD, Ph.D. is Chief Medical Officer at Diakonos Oncology ( https://www.diakonosoncology.com/ ), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company dedicated to revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy and focusing on difficult-to-treat indications, including glioblastoma.
Dr. Aguilar, a physician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur, has over 20 years of experience in clinical and regulatory development of complex biologics for cancer with a focus on solid tumors including glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Aguilar was co-founder of Advantagene (now Candel Therapeutics) where she served as chief medical officer. She was a leader in the company’s strategic development from inception to successful IPO, and she oversaw the company’s clinical development portfolio of viral immuno-oncology products in four disease indications.
Dr. Aguilar also was an attending physician at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital and associate director of the Harvard Gene Therapy Initiative at Harvard Medical School. She currently serves on several boards including the Board of the American Brain Tumor Association.
Dr. Aguilar earned her MD and Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her clinical residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at Texas Children’s Hospital.
LauraAguilar #DiakonosOncology #ChiefMedicalOfficer #Glioblastoma #PancreaticAdenocarcinoma #Immunooncology #Immunotherapy #DendriticCells #MajorHistocompatibilityComplex #CrossPresentation #DoubleLoading #Interferon #Melanoma #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Agree to Agree (https://agreetoagree.org/) is an Ad Council ( https://www.adcouncil.org/ ) initiative focused on finding common ground to reduce the impact of gun violence on children and teens across all communities in the U.S. This new campaign launched in early 2025 and is focused on reaching distinct audiences, including parents and those with children in their lives who have a vested interest in protecting our youth and health care professionals who witness the impact of gun violence firsthand.
Dr. Chethan Sathya, MD, MSc, is a pediatric trauma surgeon and National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded firearm injury prevention researcher (https://www.northwell.edu/chethan-sathya-md). He serves as director of Northwell Health's Center for Gun Violence Prevention and oversees the health system's expansive approach to firearm injury prevention.
The largest health system in New York, Northwell has taken a public health approach to gun violence prevention, focusing on key areas such as research, medical education, clinical screening, advocacy and community engagement.
Under Dr. Sathya's leadership, the center has leveraged the health system's diverse patient population and wide reach to implement ground breaking preventative strategies and perform high-level research.
Furthermore, Dr. Sathya spearheaded the formation of the National Gun Violence Prevention Learning Collaborative for Hospitals and Health Systems.
Dr. Sathya is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Action Collaborative for preventing firearm-related violence. He's also a consultant to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.
Ms. Rowena Patrick is a Senior Vice President and group campaign director at the Ad Council ( https://www.adcouncil.org/rowena-patrick ), a non-profit organization, that brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media and tech to address the most worthy causes.
Since 1942, Ad Council icons and slogans have woven into the very fabric of American culture. From their earliest efforts including “Loose Lips Sink Ships,” Smokey Bear’s “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” and “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” to the recent groundbreaking Love Has No Labels, #EndFamilyFire and #SheCanSTEM, the Ad Council’s social good campaigns shift mindsets and spur movements. The Ad Council settles for nothing less than a lasting impact on American life.
For the past two decades Ms. Patrick has collaborated with some of the best creative and marketing minds in the country to tackle critical issues like gun violence, the overdose crisis and empowering girls in STEM. Her current roster of clients includes AARP, Brady, and a consortium of leading tech companies: Google, Verizon, IBM, and Bloomberg.
Prior to that, Ms. Patrick worked at various companies with roles such as Account Supervisor / Account Executive at FCB, Business Development Manager at Initiative, and Account Executive / Assistant Account Executive at Ogilvy & Mather. She also worked as a Marketing Consultant at The Nova Collective and as a Teaching Assistant at Columbia University.
Ms. Patrick holds a MS in Strategic Communications from Columbia University and a BS in Marketing & Information Systems from New York University.
ChethanSathya #RowenaPatrick #AdCouncil #NorthwellHealth #AgreeToAgree #ViolencePrevention #FirearmInjuries #GunViolence #FirearmSafety #PublicServiceAdvertisement #PublicHealth #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Alycia Halladay, Ph.D. is Chief Science Officer of the Autism Science Foundation ( https://autismsciencefoundation.org/teams/dr-alycia-halladay/ ), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people with autism and their families by funding scientific research to understand the causes of autism and to develop better treatments, to enable individuals with autism to lead fulfilling lives with dignity.
Dr. Halladay oversees the scientific activities, grants, and initiatives of ASF. She also produces a weekly podcast aimed specifically at explaining scientific information to the public.
Prior to joining ASF in 2014, Dr. Halladay served as the Senior Director of Clinical and Environmental Sciences at Autism Speaks.
Dr. Halladay has authored over two dozen peer reviewed papers in science journals. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Phelan McDermid Syndrome Foundation and on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
Dr. Halladay received a Ph.D. in biopsychology from Rutgers in 2001 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ in 2004 and is on the editorial board of Neurotoxicology and Frontiers in Pediatrics. She still holds a faculty appointment at Rutgers.
Important Episode Link - Autism BrainNet - https://www.autismbrainnet.org/
AutismScienceFoundation #AlyciaHalladay #ChiefScienceOfficer #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Genetics #Epigenetics #Exposome #Neurotoxicology #Biopsychology #Pharmacology #Toxicology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Catharine Young, Ph.D. recently served as Assistant Director of Cancer Moonshot Policy and International Engagement at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy ( https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ ) where she served at OSTP to advance the Cancer Moonshot ( https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-cancer-initiative ), with a mission to decrease the number of cancer deaths by 50% over the next 25 years.
Dr. Young’s varied career has spanned a variety of sectors including academia, non-profit, biotech, and foreign government, all with a focus on advancing science.
Dr. Young previously served as Executive Director of the SHEPHERD Foundation, where she championed rare cancer research and drove critical policy changes. Her work has also included fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and advancing the use of AI, data sharing, and clinical trial reform to accelerate cancer breakthroughs.
Dr. Young's leadership in diplomacy and innovation includes roles such as Senior Director of Science Policy at the Biden Cancer Initiative and Senior Science and Innovation Policy Advisor at the British Embassy, where she facilitated international agreements to enhance research collaborations.
A Presidential Leadership Scholar and TED Fellow, Dr. Young holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences and completed her post-doctorate work in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University and is recognized for her ability to bridge science, policy, and advocacy to build sustainable, impactful health ecosystems.
CatharineYoung #OSTP #WhiteHouseOfficeOfScienceAndTechnologyPolicy #CancerMoonshot #SHEPHERDFoundation #BidenCancerInitiative #DepartmentOfDefense #BritishEmbassy #Neurogenetics #AntimicrobialResistance #GlobalHealthSecurityAgenda #OneHealth #RareCancers #ChildhoodCancer #RareDisease #ForeignAndCommonwealthOffice #BiologicalThreats #MitigationStrategies #RiskMitigation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Courtney Millar, Ph.D. ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/who-we-are/profiles/courtney-millar-phd ) is an Assistant Scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, and Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Dr. Millar is a research scientist devoted to improving health and well-being of older adults through dietary interventions and her current research aims to test the ability of anti-inflammatory dietary strategies that promote both physical and emotional well-being in older adults.
Dr. Millar received her PhD in molecular nutrition at the University of Connecticut, where she developed a deep understanding of the relationship between dietary bioactive components and metabolic disease.
Dr. Millar’s post-doctoral fellowship focused on training related to conducting both nutritional epidemiological analyses and clinical interventions.
The Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/ ) is focused on finding solutions to the most pressing challenges of aging, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, osteoporosis, falls, frailty, and more.
Important Episode Link - Tart Cherry Research Study -
https://studies.buildclinical.com/bcfs001399-hsl-millar-79
CourtneyMillar #MarcusInstitute #AgingResearch #HebrewSeniorLife #HarvardMedicalSchool #BethIsraelDeaconess #MolecularNutrition #BioactiveCompounds #Atherosclerosis #Frailty #Inflammation #Senolytics #Dasatinib #Quercetin #Microbiome #TartCherryJuice #Alzheimers #Dementia #Lipid654 #Healthspan #Geroscience #Longevity #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Rose Loughlin, Ph.D. is Executive Vice President, Research at Moderna ( https://www.modernatx.com/en-US ), a biotech company harnessing the power of mRNA technology to develop a new class of medicine for a range of unmet medical needs.
Dr. Loughlin leads the company’s platform science and therapeutics research organization, focusing on pioneering scientific advancements and further strengthening the Moderna’s innovative pipeline.
Dr. Loughlin previously served as Senior Vice President of Research and Early Development at Moderna, where she played a crucial role in advancing the Company's portfolio and platform strategy since joining in 2016.
Before joining Moderna, Dr. Loughlin held roles at Biogen in business development and at L.E.K. Consulting, where she contributed to defining corporate and portfolio growth strategies for biopharmaceutical companies.
Dr. Loughlin holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts in physics from Harvard University, and did post-doc work in Germany at European Molecular Biology Laboratory.
RoseLoughlin #Moderna #mRNA #MessengerRNA #CancerVaccines #NeoantigenTherapy #Melanoma #RareDisease #IntercellularTherapeutics #PropionicAcidemia #MethylmalonicAcidemia #CMV #Cytomegalovirus #EpsteinBarrVirus #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Noel Gahamanyi, Ph.D. ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HWW6M_wAAAAJ&hl=en ) is Division Manager, National Reference Laboratory at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).
Rwanda Biomedical Centre ( RBC - https://rbc.gov.rw/ ) is the nation's central health implementation agency which strives to improve the health of the Rwandan population by providing high quality, affordable and sustainable health care services, accomplished through the implementation of preventative, rehabilitative, and curative health interventions. RBC conducts scientific research, provides diagnostics services, and implements innovative health interventions to protect the nation against diseases and other health threats.
Dr. Gahamanyi is a Microbiologist with interest in Bacterial pathogens and their drug-resistance potentials and has served as a Lecturer of Microbiology in the School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda.
Dr. Gahamanyi received his Ph.D. from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania.
Dr. Gahamanyi also holds a MSc in Microbiology from Jain University (India) and BSc in Biotechnology from the former National University of Rwanda.
Before embarking on Ph.D. journey, Dr. Gahamanyi served as a Lecturer of Microbiology-related courses at Catholic University of Rwanda where he also served as Head of Biology Department and then as the Vice-dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.
In Research, Dr. Gahamanyi has nine published papers and one book chapter all related to Microbiology. Five of these are indexed in PubMed. He also served as a reviewer for six international journals.
Dr. Gahamanyi is a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Young East African Health Research Scientists (YEARS) forum affiliated to the East African Health Research Commission.
Dr. Gahamanyi received a number of awards including the Best Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) Postgraduate student Research Award for the academic year 2020-21 and the First-class with gold medal after completing MSc in Microbiology at top of the class (2013).
Important Episode Link - Students Against Superbugs (SAS) Africa - https://www.studentsagainstsuperbugs.org/
NoelGahamanyi #Microbiology #RwandaBiomedicalCentre #NationalReferenceLaboratory #AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #AntimicrobialStewardship #Campylobacter #Marburg #ZoonoticSpillover #Ethnobotany #Ethnopharmacology #Phytochemistry #NaturalProducts #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Mahmoud Alyamany, MD is Health And Wellbeing Sector Head, at NEOM ( https://www.neom.com/en-us/our-business/sectors/health-wellbeing-and-biotech ), where he is responsible for overseeing a revolution in healthcare delivery at Saudi Arabia’s accelerator of human progress and hub for innovation.
Dr. Alyamany brings a vast understanding of health and wellbeing issues facing the wider population being on many of the Boards driving the healthcare transformation in the Kingdom including: Co-Chairman of the Founding Board of Directors, Western Healthcare Clusters Board, Member of the Founding Board of Directors Northern Healthcare Clusters Board, Member of the Board of Advisors King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital, and Healthcare Transformation Advisor to the Minister of Health.
Previous roles for Dr. Alyamany have also included chairing the Board for Madinah Health Cluster and CEO of Riyadh 2nd Health Cluster and King Fahad Medical City. This vast experience, combined with his medical background in practice, gives him a unique understanding of the population health management and impacts of operational and clinical practice to drive sustainable solutions delivering improvements in patient outcomes.
Dr. Alyamany gained master’s degrees in health administration, and health management from Washington University, bachelor’s degrees in medicine, and surgery from King Saud University’s college of medicine in Riyadh.
Dr. Alyamany also did Fellowships in Cerebrovascular Surgery and Neuro-Oncology & Skull-Base Surgery, University of Toronto, and a Fellowship, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Western University.
Dr. Alyamany has also served as director of the National Neuroscience Institute, chairman of the board of directors of the Scientific Committee for Neurosurgery, medical director of neurology and head of the department of neurosurgery, both at King Fahd Medical City, and as a consultant of neurosurgery at the Riyadh Medical Complex.
Neom #SaudiArabia #DigitalTwins #AI #DigitalHealth #SmartCities #Genetics #Epigenetics #Neuroscience #HealthyAging #CerebrovascularSurgery #NeuroOncology #PediatricNeurosurgery #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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On April 11, 2025, Gravitas Ventures ( https://gravitasventures.com/ ) will be releasing the movie Relative Control ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBq2dOcgUKA ), a family drama that follows the life a middle-age corporate attorney (played by Teri Polo of the Meet the Parents) whose life literally spirals out of control as she juggles the demands of her career, her family, and most importantly the care of her aging parents, which includes a very headstrong and accident-prone father.
Relative Control is a wonderful film that gets into a range of themes, including the complex world of unpaid caregiving, the principal of the “sandwich generation” (a term for adults who care for both their aging parents and their children, as well as provide financial support for them and embark on a career), as well as themes of intergenerationality, dementia care, and end-of-life/palliative care, among others.
On this episode of Progress, Potential and Possibilities, we have the honor of being joined by both the Writer, Charlene Davis, and Director, Dafna Yachin, of Relative Control to talk about all these topics.
RelativeControl #CharleneDavis #DafnaYachin #TeriPolo #PatrickMcDade #GravitasVentures #UnpaidCaregiving #SandwichGeneration #Aging #Intergenerationality #DementiaCare #EndOfLifeCare #PalliativeCare #AARP #MelindaGates #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast
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Brig. Gen. Tanya S. McGonegal ( https://www.jtfcs.northcom.mil/About/Leadership/Bio-Article-View/Article/1199880/brigadier-general-tanya-s-mcgonegal/ ) currently serves as the Commander of Joint Task Force Civil Support, the Nation’s only standing, no-notice Joint Task Force that conducts Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response and All-Hazards Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations.
Brig. Gen. McGonegal most recently served as the Division Chief for Strategy and Policy in the Joint Manpower and Personnel directorate for the National Guard Bureau. The Strategy and Policy division provides personnel accountability of National Guard Service members during Domestic Operations. The division develops and coordinates Congressional, OSD, CNGB, JS-J1 and NGB-J1 products on National Guard manpower and personnel readiness concerns.
Brig. Gen. McGonegal enlisted in the Virginia Army National Guard in September 1997. Upon completion of Basic Training, she attended the Virginia State Officer Candidate school in Ft Pickett, VA. She was one of 15 to graduate out of 54 candidates and was the only female to graduate with her class in June 1999. She was branched Military Police and assigned to the 229th Military Police Company, which she later commanded from September 2004 to August 2006. While serving with the 229th Military Police Company, she deployed in support of Operation Noble Eagle in 2001, Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and put on State Activation in support of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. During this time, she spent four years working as a county police officer but was deployed two years of that time. Her time as a police officer enhanced her career in the military but due to the deployments, she transitioned to serve in military full time. In April 2005, she was hired by the Army National Guard Bureau’s Comptroller directorate as a Budget Officer.
In 2012, Brig. Gen. McGonegal transitioned from the Virginia Army National Guard to the West Virginia Army National Guard to command the 151st Military Police Battalion. After battalion command, she served in a joint assignment with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Policy, Homeland Defense and Global Security from 2014 to 2018. From August 2019 to July 2021, she served as Brigade Commander to the 77th Brigade Troop Command in the West Virginia Army National Guard. In recognition of her strengths in relationship building, communication, multi-tasking, and organizational leadership, Brig. Gen. McGonegal was selected by senior leaders six times to serve as their Executive Officer.
Brig. Gen. McGonegal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, a Master’s of Science Degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Masters from the The United States Army War College in Military Strategic Studies, American Government and Politics (United States). She is also a graduate of the Military Police Officer Basic Course, Military Police Advanced Officer Course, Combined Arms Exercise Course, Intermediate Level Education/Advanced Operations Officer Course resident Command General Staff College, and Joint and Combined Warfighting School – JPME II.
TanyaMcGonegal #JointTaskForceCivilSupport #NationalGuardBureau #CBRN #NorthernCommand #Northcom #DepartmentOfDefense #JointBaseLangleyEustis #VibrantResponse #Chemical #Biological #Radiological #Nuclear #Response #AllHazards #Hurricane #Wildfire #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Craig Katz, MD ( https://profiles.mountsinai.org/craig-l-katz ) is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Medical Education, and System Design and Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the founder and director of Mount Sinai’s Program in Global Mental Health ( https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/medical/global-health-education/global-mental-health ), an interest that grew out of his experience in organizing and providing psychiatric services to disaster-affected communities since 1998 through an organization he co-founded and led: Disaster Psychiatry Outreach.
As part of Disaster Psychiatry Outreach, Dr. Katz has organized the psychiatric response to 9/11 in New York City, including founding and directing the World Trade Center Mental Health Screening and Treatment Program for 9/11 responders for a number of years.
Dr. Katz is also currently the special advisor to the Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth ( https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/center-stress-resilience-personal-growth ), Mount Sinai’s system-wide program for addressing healthcare workers' mental health issues arising from COVID-19.
Dr. Katz’s honors include the Medical Society of the State of New York’s 2022 David B. L. Meza, III, M.D. Award for Excellence in Emergency Preparedness and Disaster/Terrorism Response.
Dr. Katz has written and co-edited a number of books and papers in the fields of disaster psychiatry, human rights, medical education, and global psychiatry, including A Guide to Global Mental Health Practice: Seeing the Unseen (Routledge) and his most recent, Unseen: Field Notes of a Global Psychiatrist ( https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Field-Notes-Global-Psychiatrist/dp/9815129422 ).
After attending Harvard College, Dr. Katz received his medical degree at Columbia University, where he completed his psychiatric residency training and served as chief resident in psychiatry. He subsequently completed a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at NYU.
Dr. Katz also has a private practice in general and forensic psychiatry in Manhattan and is a former President of the New York County District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association as well as a Distinguished Fellow of the APA. He is currently the Vice Chair of the Medical Society of New York’s Committee on Emergency Preparedness and also serves as the National Trauma Consultant to Advanced Recovery Systems and the International Association of Firefighters Center of Behavioral Excellence.
CraigKatz #Psychiatry #GlobalHealth #IcahnSchoolOfMedicine #MountSinai #MentalHealth #Stress #Resilience #Trauma #Disasters #Psychodynamics #Telepsychiatry #TeleMentalHealth #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Alessandra Maleddu, MD ( https://www.uchealth.org/provider/alessandra-maleddu-md/ ) is a Medical Oncologist specializing in the care of patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.
Dr. Maleddu treats patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas, and she has a special interest in desmoid tumors (aka desmoid fibromatosis), as well as leiomyosarcoma and treatment delivery in the elderly population.
Dr. Maleddu completed her training in Italy and the UK. She did her Sarcoma Fellowship at the University College London Hospital in 2020, her general oncology training at the University of Bologna and her MD from the University of Cagliari in Italy.
Important Episode Link - https://www.desmoidtumors.com/
AlessandraMaleddu #MedicalOncologist #UniversityOfColorado #Sarcoma #DesmoidTumors #Oncology #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH ( https://blumberginstitute.org/faculty/chari-a-cohen/ ) is the President of the Hepatitis B Foundation ( https://www.hepb.org/ ), a global nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for people affected by hepatitis B worldwide.
Dr. Cohen conducts research and implements programs to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes associated with hepatitis B, as well as hepatitis D, and liver cancer.
Dr. Cohen is also co-chair of the Hep B United Coalition, co-founder and chair of Hep B United Philadelphia, co-founder and chair of CHIPO: Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin; and immediate past co-chair of the Hep Free PA Coalition.
Dr. Cohen is also a member of the International Coalition to Eliminate of HBV (ICE-HBV) steering committee, HepVu advisory committee (an online platform that visualizes data and disseminates insights on the viral hepatitis epidemic across the U.S), and HBV Forum for Collaborative Research.
Dr. Cohen serves as both a Professor at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, and adjunct faculty for Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
Dr. Cohen received her DrPH in Community Health and Prevention from Drexel University and her MPH from Temple University.
The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute ( https://blumberginstitute.org/ ) is a nonprofit translational research organization focused on understanding the pathobiology of hepatitis B virus and related diseases, developing diagnostics for early detection of liver cancer, and discovering therapeutics, antivirals and immune modulators for the cure of chronic HBV and other RNA viruses that cause hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever.
ChariCohen #HepatitisBFoundation #HepBVaccine #BaruchSBlumberg #LiverCancer #Cirrhosis #AntiVirals #HarmReduction #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Gregg Sylvester, MD is Chief Health Officer and Vice President, Medical Affairs, at CSL Seqirus ( https://www.cslseqirus.us/our-company/leadership/gregg-sylvester ), one of the world’s largest influenza vaccine companies.
Dr. Sylvester has led CSL Seqirus Medical Affairs since 2016, overseeing the global team that scientifically differentiates company’s vaccines by generating Real World Evidence and presenting CSL Seqirus research to national vaccine recommending organizations.
Dr. Sylvester has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, government and patient care.
Prior to joining CSL Seqirus, Dr. Sylvester led Medical Affairs teams at Pfizer and Merck involved in the worldwide launches of vaccines including Gardasil (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine), Prevnar 13 (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) and Trumenba (Meningococcal Group B Vaccine).
Dr. Sylvester obtained specialty boards in Pediatrics and General Preventive Medicine. Augmenting his clinical expertise, he served in the CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service and as a Public Policy Fellow in the U.S. Congress.
During his distinguished career in state government, Dr. Sylvester was appointed to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services in Delaware, leading the state’s largest agency.
Dr. Sylvester has a MD from Albany Medical College and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
GreggSylvester #CSLSeqirus #Influenza #Vaccine #FluShot #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Sean Gibbons, Ph.D. is Associate Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology ( ISB - https://isbscience.org/people/sean-gibbons-phd/?tab=biography ) where his lab investigates how the structure and composition of evolving ecological networks of microorganisms change across environmental gradients, with a specific focus on how ecological communities in the gut change and adapt to individual people over their lifespans (i.e. host genotype, host development and host behavior) and how these changes impact human health ( https://gibbons.isbscience.org/ ). His lab develops computational and experimental tools for investigating host-associated microbial communities to explore the interactions between ecology, evolution and ecosystem function, applying these insights to develop personalized interventions for improving human health and well-being.
Dr. Gibbons received his PhD in biophysical sciences from the University of Chicago in 2015, dual-advised by Jack Gilbert and Maureen Coleman. His graduate work focused on using microbial communities as empirical models for testing ecological theory.
Dr. Gibbons completed his postdoctoral training in Eric Alm’s laboratory in the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT from 2015-2018. His postdoctoral work focused on developing techniques to quantify individual-specific eco-evolutionary dynamics within the human gut microbiome.
Dr. Gibbons was awarded a Fulbright Graduate Fellowship to study microbiology and synthetic biology at Uppsala University in Sweden, where he earned a master’s degree in 2010. His PhD work was supported by an EPA STAR Graduate Fellowship. Upon joining the ISB faculty in 2018, his startup package was supported, in part, by a Washington Research Foundation Distinguished Investigator Award.
Important Episode Link - Metagenomic estimation of dietary intake from human stool - Nature Metabolism - https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01220-1
SeanGibbons #InstituteForSystemsBiology #ISB #Microbiome #Microbes #Ecology #Medicine #Dysbioses #EcologicalTherapeutics #Virome #PrecisionNutrition #GutDigitalTwin #FecalMicrobiotaTransplantation #Longevity #Aging #Healthspan #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Prof. Dr. Niels Riedemann, MD, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of InflaRx ( https://www.inflarx.de/Home/About-Inflarx/Team~Niels-C.-Riedemann~.html ), a biopharmaceutical company focused on applying its proprietary anti-C5a and C5aR inhibitors to the treatment of life-threatening or debilitating inflammatory diseases with high unmet medical need.
Prof. Dr. Riedemann has over 15 years of experience in the biotech industry and drug development, as well as over 20 years of experience in complement immunology research. He founded InflaRx in 2007 and has served as Chief Executive Officer since inception of the company. He has been instrumental in and led numerous private and public financing rounds of the company and has been the responsible lead for its Nasdaq IPO in 2017. He is named inventor on several internationally granted core patents of InflaRx.
As physician, Prof. Dr. Riedemann was appointed Vice Director (“Leitender Oberarzt”) of Intensive Care Medicine, and led a 50-bed University ICU unit for over 6 years at Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany until 2015. Before that, he received his board certification as General Surgeon upon completion of his surgical fellowship at MHH (Hannover Medical School, Germany) in 2007 where he also received his habilitation (equivalent to Ph.D.) and where he still holds an Adjunct Professorship (APL Professor). He spent three years as postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan, USA until 2003. He received his medical training at Albert Ludwig University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany, and Stanford University, USA and graduated as Dr. med. (equivalent to M.D.) from ALU in 1998.
Prof. Dr. Riedemann’s research has been awarded with several national and international awards. He has received extensive extra-mural funding and published over 60 peer reviewed scientific publications in highly ranked journals. He has served as a member on a Board of Directors and a Scientific Advisory Board of two large scientific governmental funded programs. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Health Politics working group of Bio-Deutschland and he serves as member of the board of trustees for the German Sepsis Foundation.
NielsRiedemann #InflaRx #Inflammation #ComplementComponent5a #Sepsis #AcuteRespiratoryDistressSyndrome #Covid #ARDS #GOHIBIC #Vilobelimab #PyodermaGangrenosum #ChronicSpontaneousUrticaria #HidradenitisSuppurativa #Preparedness #BARDA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Billy W. Loo Jr., MD PhD ( https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/6839 ) is a Professor of Radiation Oncology, a member of the Stanford Cancer Institute, the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), and of Bio-X Interdisciplinary Biosciences Institute. He is a physician-scientist Radiation Oncologist and Bioengineer who directs the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program and is Principal Investigator of the FLASH Sciences Lab at Stanford ( https://med.stanford.edu/loo-lab.html ).
Dr. Loo’s clinical specialty is precision targeted radiotherapy for lung/thoracic cancers, including stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Dr. Loo is a recognized expert in thoracic cancers serving on multiple national committees (including as writing member or vice-chair) that publish clinical guidelines on the treatment of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, particularly the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).
Dr. Loo’s clinical research is in clinical trials and implementation of new treatment techniques for lung cancer, and development of new medical imaging methods for measuring organ function and predicting response to cancer treatment. He also has developed novel applications of SABR including treatment of pulmonary emphysema and cardiac arrhythmias.
The research focus of the FLASH Sciences Lab at Stanford, directed by Dr. Loo, is the development and study of extremely rapid FLASH therapy to optimize the biological therapeutic index of cancer radiotherapy, and the technological infrastructure for this basic research and its clinical translation.
Dr. Loo is co-inventor of a fundamentally new approach to delivering ultra-rapid, ultra-precise cancer therapy, pluridirectional high-energy agile scanning electronic radiotherapy (PHASER), and co-leads a program to develop it into a transformative and clinically practical technology.
Dr. Loo is also a co-founder of an early stage company, TibaRay ( https://www.tibaray.com/ ) developing next generation linear accelerator technology (derived from Stanford research) to bring these advances to patients.
Dr. Loo received his MD from University of California, Davis and his PhD in Bioengineering from University of California, San Francisco and Berkeley. He completed his Radiation Oncology residency training at Stanford Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology in Radiation Oncology, and is a Fellow of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and a Fellow of the American College of Radiology (ACR).
BillyLoo #Oncology #Cancer #RadiationOncology #FlashRadiotherapy #Stanford #Tibaray #Phaser #Bioengineering #LinearAccelerator #Klystron #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Fleur Hassan-Nahoum ( https://www.fleurhassann.com/ ) is Israel’s Special Envoy for Trade & Innovation. She was appointed to this position in 2023 by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, after coming off of six years of service as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem where she was in charge of foreign relations, international economic development, and tourism.
Following the historic 2020 Abraham Accords, Fleur cofounded the UAE-Israel Business Council ( https://www.uaeisraelbusiness.com/ ), an association of Emirati and Israeli business and government leaders fostering bilateral trade, innovation, and cooperation, as well as the Gulf Israel Women’s Forum, the first association bringing together female leaders from across the Middle East with a strong network extending from Bahrain and Morocco.
Fleur is very well known in political, policy, and media circles and following her tenure as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem remains involved in the advancement of women’s rights and marginalized populations in the city, through economic development and the fight for a pluralistic Jerusalem.
Fleur studied law at Kings College, London and practiced in London, and before joining politics, Fleur worked in throughput the Jewish nonprofit world as well as led her own communications consulting business.
Fleur is also the first woman to be appointed as Secretary General for Kol Israel ( https://kol-israel.org/ ), the ideological successor to the General Zionist Party in the World Zionist Congress. Fleur recently joined the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy ( https://www.misgavins.org/en/author/fleur_hassan_nahoum/ ) as a senior fellow and sits on the international advisory council of this think tank that advances pragmatic and realistic approaches in Israeli foreign and defense policy.
Important Episode Link - FemForward - Shaping a shared society where women lead the way in innovation, peacebuilding, and global connectivity - https://www.femforward.org/
Israel #FleurHassanNahoum #DeputyMayor #Jerusalem #StartupNation #EconomicDevelopment #AbrahamAccords #UAE #Bahrain #Morocco #CampusIsrael #FemForward #MisgavInstitute #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Kevin Caldwell is CEO, Co-Founder & President of Ossium Health ( https://ossiumhealth.com/ ), a commercial stage bioengineering company that leverages its proprietary organ donor bone marrow banking platform to develop stem cell therapies for patients with life-threatening hematologic conditions, organ transplant rejection, and musculoskeletal defects.
Mr. Caldwell built Ossium from a small startup into the clinical stage bioengineering company it is today, setting the company’s mission to improve human health through bioengineering and designed its platform-based model for cellular therapeutics development. He has led the company’s successful pursuit, negotiation, and execution of more than 50 business relationships, including 5 successful fundraisings and dozens of supply partnerships, clinical partnerships, and commercial contracts with biopharmaceutical companies.
After seven years of strategic engagement and networking, Mr. Caldwell drove the team to successfully secure a transformative federal contract with BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) that validates Ossium’s innovative approach. This milestone represents the culmination of persistent relationship-building, targeted proposals, and unwavering commitment to addressing national biomedical challenges through cutting-edge technology and collaborative partnerships.
Prior to founding Ossium, Mr. Caldwell served as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey’s San Francisco office where he advised clients in the biotechnology and healthcare sectors. His projects ranged from due diligence of acquisition targets in the biotech startup ecosystem to restructuring distressed biopharma companies. Mr. Caldwell led more than 20 engagements with more than a dozen clients, leading teams that advised clients on revenue growth, go to market strategy, and organizational restructuring.
Before McKinsey, Mr. Caldwell served as a Senior Investment Associate at Bridgewater Associates where he did quantitative research for the firm’s global macro investments.
Mr. Caldwell studied Physics and Economics at MIT before receiving his JD from Harvard Law School. In addition, he is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and a Fellow of the Leaders in Tech Program.
KevinCaldwell #OssiumHealth #BoneMarrow #HematopoieticStemCellTransplantation #HSCT #MesenchymalStemCells #Leukemia #Lymphoma #Myeloma #SickleCellDisease #OrganTransplantRejection #GraftVersusHostDisease #GVHD #BARDA #ASPR #CBRN #NuclearEmergencyPreparedness #Longevity #Aging #Frailty #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Amir Baniassadi, Ph.D. is an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Assistant Scientist in Marcus Institute for Aging Research ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/who-we-are/profiles/amir-baniassadi-phd ) where he works on environmental impacts on health and well-being of older populations.
Dr. Baniassadi works on the impacts of ambient air temperature and air quality (both indoors and outdoors) on outcomes related to the health and well-being of physiologically and socioeconomically vulnerable populations. His research applies novel environmental modeling and measurement techniques along with remote and long-term physiological and functional monitoring of individuals to establish relationships between exposure and outcome variables of interest outside clinical lab settings. The ultimate goal of his research is to develop environmental interventions that optimize the environment for health and longevity of older adults.
Dr. Baniassadi has a Ph.D. in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering from Arizona State University and a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran. His post-doctoral training includes a three-year T32 fellowship in Translational Research in Older adults, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
AmirBaniassadi #HarvardMedicalSchool #MarcusInstituteForAgingResearch #EnvironmentalGerontology #VulnerabilityScience #Exposome #Health #WellBeing #Wearables #SmartHome #AgingInPlace #Thermoregulation #HeatIslands
#ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Erica Goldman, Ph.D. is Director of Policy Entrepreneurship ( https://fas.org/expert/erica-goldman/ ) and the Day One Program (https://fas.org/day-one-project/ ), at the Federation of American Scientists ( FAS - https://fas.org/ )
FAS is an organization formed at the end of World War II, made up of scientists across diverse disciplines, who joined together to advance science policy and counter scientific misinformation, and which currently works to minimize the risks of significant global threats, arising from nuclear weapons, biological and chemical agents, and climate change. The organization also works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table.
Dr. Goldman has served in various roles spanning the boundaries between science and policy throughout her career. She has a diverse background that includes science writing, science policy, and academic research and her passions lie in making connections between these domains.
Most recently, Dr. Goldman served as the Deputy Director of the Global Council for Science and the Environment, where she worked across a network of institutions and diverse groups of scientists to improve the scientific basis of environmental decision-making. Previously, she served as the Director of Policy Engagement for COMPASS, a nonprofit organization that helps environmental scientists effectively share their knowledge in the public discourse and decision-making. She also served a six-month term in the White House Council on Environmental Quality on the Land & Water Ecosystems Team during the Obama Administration.
Dr. Goldman has worked as a science writer for the Maryland Sea Grant College Program; served as a Knauss marine policy fellow in the Natural Resources Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives; and worked as a news intern at Science Magazine.
Dr. Goldman received her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Washington and her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Yale University.
EricaGoldman #PolicyEntrepreneurship #DayOne #FederationOfAmericanScientists #Policymaking #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Yael Elish is CEO and Founder of StuffThatWorks ( https://www.stuffthatworks.health/ ), a company that offers an online platform where people suffering from chronic diseases can share information to learn which treatments work best for their specific condition, based on the experience of their peers combined with a smart, AI-based crowdsourcing system.
A passionate entrepreneur with expertise in crowdsourcing and consumer-facing products, Yael was on the Waze founding team, where she drove the overall product strategy that led the company from User One to one of the world’s most notable crowdsourcing endeavours. She also co-founded eSnips and NetSnippet, and was part of the senior management team that took Commtouch to its successful NASDAQ IPO in 2000.
Prior to Commtouch, Yael led the sales and marketing efforts for various start-ups in Israel.
Yael holds a first degree in Foreign Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
StuffThatWorks #YaelElish #Crowdsourcing #ChronicDiseases #RareDiseases #ArtificialIntelligence #Healthcare #Medicine #Repurposing #ClinicalTrials #RealWorldData #RealWorldEvidence #Waze #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Georges Benjamin, MD is Executive Director of the American Public Health Association ( APHA - https://apha.org/about-apha/executive-board-and-staff/apha-staff/georges-c-benjamin-md ), the professional membership and advocacy organization for public health professionals in the United States. APHA is the largest professional organization of public health professionals in the United States.
Dr. Benjamin is known as one of the nation’s most influential physician leaders because he speaks passionately and eloquently about the health issues having the most impact on our nation today. From his firsthand experience as a physician, he knows what happens when preventive care is not available and when the healthy choice is not the easy choice. As executive director of APHA since 2002, he is leading the Association’s push to make America the healthiest nation.
Dr. Benjamin came to APHA from his position as secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Dr. Benjamin became secretary of health in Maryland in April 1999, following four years as its deputy secretary for public health services. As secretary, Benjamin oversaw the expansion and improvement of the state’s Medicaid program.
Dr. Benjamin is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, is board-certified in internal medicine, a master of the American College of Physicians, a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a fellow emeritus of the American College of Emergency Physicians, an honorary fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.
An established administrator, author and orator, Dr. Benjamin started his medical career as a military physician in 1978 when he trained in internal medicine at the Brooke Army Medical Center. In 1981, he was assigned to the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, where he managed a 72,000-patient visit ambulatory care service as chief of the Acute Illness Clinic and was faculty and an attending physician within the Department of Emergency Medicine.
A few years later, Dr. Benjamin was reassigned to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he served as chief of emergency medicine.
After leaving the Army, Dr. Benjamin chaired the Department of Community Health and Ambulatory Care at the District of Columbia General Hospital. He was promoted to acting commissioner for public health for the District of Columbia and later directed one of the busiest ambulance services in the nation as interim director of the Emergency Ambulance Bureau of the District of Columbia Fire Department.
At APHA, Dr. Benjamin also serves as publisher of the nonprofit's monthly publication, The Nation's Health, the association's official newspaper, and the American Journal of Public Health, the profession’s premier scientific publication. He is the author of more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters. His recent book Public Health Under Siege: Improving Policy in Turbulent Times explores the impact of policy on our nation's health and offers specific actions to improve health and extend life expectancy. He is also the author of The Quest for Health Reform: A Satirical History, an exposé of the 100-year quest to ensure quality affordable health coverage for all using political cartoons.
GeorgesBenjamin #PublicHealth #AmericanPublicHealthAssociation #APHA #DisasterMedicine #EnvironmentalHealth #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #Aging #Healthspan #Injury #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Thomas Chen, MD, Ph.D. is Founder, CEO & CSO, and Board Director, of NeOnc Technologies ( https://neonc.com/ ), a developer of a proprietary, patented platform technology that can potentially transport pharma-based therapeutics directly to the brain without the normal boundary restrictions imposed by the body’s Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB), providing patients with potentially more effective treatments.
NeOnc is developing a portfolio of treatments for brain cancer and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
Dr. Chen is a board-certified neurosurgeon and the Director of Surgical Neuro-Oncology at USC where he is also a tenured Professor of Neurosurgery and Pathology ( https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/thomas-c-chen/ ).
Dr. Chen graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also received Bronze Tablet honors and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa national academic honor society. He attended the University of California, San Francisco, where he obtained his MD, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. He underwent neurosurgery training at USC and obtained a Ph.D. degree in pathobiology where his thesis was on the role of immunotherapy in malignant brain tumors.
Dr. Chen is also a fellowship-trained spine surgeon and one of a few surgical neuro-oncologists in the country specializing in spine cancer surgery. He maintains a busy clinical practice in both surgical neuro-oncology and spine surgery and heads a research laboratory focused on glioma biology.
Dr. Chen has published extensively on glioma biology and neurosurgery. He is on the editorial board for The Spine Journal and on the review board for Neurosurgery and Journal of Neurosurgery. He also serves on numerous national neurosurgery committees.
NeOnc #ThomasChen #NeurologicalSurgery #Neurosurgery #BrainTumor #Glioblastoma #Glioma #BloodBrainBarrier #NeuroOncology #Temozolomide #PerillylAlcohol #Meningioma #Neurology #CNS #SpinalCordInjury #BrainMetastases #Alzheimers #ParkinsonsDisease #Neuropathology #MedicalOncology #Chemotherapy #RadiationOncology #USC #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Vasily Popov ( https://entities-meta.com/index_en.html ) is a contemporary artist, not afraid to go beyond the boundaries of traditional art, using new technologies and formats to express his ideas, combining the talents of a poet, artist, and innovator in the field of art and technology.
Mr. Popov's many achievements include:
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As a Poet: authoring five books of poetry, testifying to his deep creative potential and love for words;
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As an Artist: creating more than 300 canvases, demonstrating a variety of techniques and styles in the visual arts;
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As an Innovator: launching the world's first NFT (non-fungible token) into real space on the International Space Station (ISS), a very unique event at the intersection of art, technology and space, which highlights his desire for experimentation and innovation.
Mr. Popov has won many of prestigious awards and his contribution to culture and art is recognized at a high level. He is a laureate of the Bunin Prize in Literature, a laureate of the Lermontov Prize, and a winner of the Grand Prix of the literary forum "Golden Knight".
Mr. Popov also serves as a Member of the Union of Writers of Russia, and serves as a secretary of the board of this organization.
Mr. Popov attended the Siberian Institute of Law, Economics and Management, Irkutsk, Russian Federation and the Gorky Literary Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation.
This episode is recorded in English And Russian with real-time episode translation by Ms. Victoria Ustimenko Laskina, Preto Business Corp - https://pretobusiness.com/
VasilyPopov #Art #Paintings #Poetry #Space #NFT #ISS #SpaceStation #ElonMusk #OlegArtemyev #Blockchain #NonFungibleToken #Cosmonaut #BaikonurCosmodrome #InternationalSpaceStation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Hernan A. Bazan MD, FACS, CEO & Co-Founder of South Rampart Pharma, Inc. ( https://southrampartpharma.com/about-us/hernan-bazan/ ), a clinical stage biopharma company developing safer, non-opioid therapies for acute and chronic pain, where he spearheads the company’s scientific, clinical and technology development efforts, as well as it’s fundraising.
As an academic vascular surgeon, Dr. Bazan is the John Ochsner Endowed Professor of Surgery in Innovation ( https://www.ochsner.org/doctors/hernan-bazan ). His clinical interests include treating carotid artery disease and acute stroke, using minimally invasive approaches to aortic aneurysms and peripheral arterial disease, and managing acute post-operative pain.
Over the years, Dr. Bazan has realized the significant clinical and societal need for safer and non-addictive pain relief in ambulatory and post-operative settings. From these critical unmet needs, South Rampart Pharma, Inc. was founded in 2016 to develop safer, non-opioid therapies for acute and chronic pain.
Dr. Bazan authored the first manuscript describing the library of analgesic compounds’ synthesis, lack of hepatoxicity analgesic characterization, and antipyretic properties, published in September 2020 in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and a current paper under advanced review (open access) in Nature Communications.
Dr. Bazan is the PI or Co-I on two NIH/NINDS STTR (small business commercialization) grants to develop a novel non-narcotic and non-toxic analgesic to safely treat acute, chronic, and neuropathic pain. He is the co-inventor of 7 issued or pending patents and has authored over 50 publications. He and his team have completed Phase 1 clinical trials, paving the way for Phase 2 RCTs in acute and neuropathic pain. He was bestowed the 2024 NIH HEAL Director’s Trailblazer Award for this work.
Dr. Bazan received a B.S. in Molecular Biology (Vanderbilt University). He spent two years in medical school as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Research Scholar at the NIH. He earned an M.D. (Georgetown University), followed by a General Surgery Residency (Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York) and a Vascular Surgery Fellowship (Yale University).
Pain #Opioids #NSAIDS #Acetaminophen #Analgesia #Nociception #PostOperative #HernanBazan #NicolasBazan #SouthRampartPharma #Ochsner #Fentanyl #Aspirin #Ibuprofen #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Christopher Stubbs, Ph.D. is the Samuel C. Moncher Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and has recently served as the Dean of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, at Harvard University ( https://astronomy.fas.harvard.edu/people/istopher-stubbs ).
Dr. Stubbs is an experimental physicist working at the interface between particle physics, cosmology and gravitation. His interests include experimental tests of the foundations of gravitational physics, searches for dark matter, characterizing the dark energy, and observational cosmology.
Dr. Stubbs was a member of one of the two teams that first discovered dark energy by using supernovae to map out the history of cosmic expansion.
Dr. Stubbs is currently heavily engaged in the construction of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), for which he was the inaugural project scientist. He founded the APOLLO collaboration that is using lunar laser ranging and the Earth-Moon-Sun system to probe for novel gravitational effects that may result from physics beyond the standard model.
Dr. Stubbs received an International Baccalaureate diploma from the Tehran International School in 1975, a BSc in physics from the University of Virginia in 1981, and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Washington in 1988.
Dr. Stubbs is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a recipient of the National Academy of Sciences Award for Initiative in Research, the NASA Achievement Medal, and is a co-recipient (with other members of the High-z Supernova Team who discovered the accelerating expansion of the Universe) of the Gruber Foundation Cosmology Prize and the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Dr. Stubbs was awarded a McDonnell Centennial Fellowship, and a Packard Fellowship, and currently serves on the advisory panel for the Packard Foundation. He is an Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, in connection with his interest in arms control and technical aspects of international security issues, has served as a member of JASON advisory, a group of elite scientists and engineers who provide technical advice to government agencies on national security issues. He also serves on the technical advisory group for the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
He recently published a book entitled "Going Big - A Scientist's Guide to Large Projects and Collaborations" ( https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262547963/going-big/ ) which describes all the crucial skills scientists need to make a professional transition into large projects and collaborations that require governance and project management.
ChristopherStubbs #Physics #Astronomy #Astrophysics #GravitationalPhysics #DarkMatter #DarkEnergy #ObservationalCosmology #DeanOfScience #HarvardUniversity #ParticlePhysics #Cosmology #Gravitation #JasonAdvisory #QuantumComputing #NuclearWeapons #NuclearReactors #DualUse #CitizenScience #HumanGenomeProject #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Steve Rader ( https://www.nasa.gov/people/steve-rader /) serves as the Program Manager of NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation ( CoECI - https://www.nasa.gov/coeci/ ) and the NASA Tournament Lab ( NTL - https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-tournament-lab/ ), which are working to infuse challenge and crowdsourcing innovation approaches at NASA and across the federal government. CoECI focuses on the study and use of curated, crowdsourcing communities that utilize prize and challenge-based methods to deliver innovative solutions for NASA and the U.S. government.
In 2015, Steve was named as one of 20 Challenge Mentors for U.S. Government Services Administration’s (GSA) Prizes and Challenges government-wide community of practice. Steve has worked with various projects and organizations to develop and execute over 100 different challenges. He speaks regularly about NASA’s work in crowd-based challenges and the future of work both publicly and internally to the NASA workforce to promote the use of open innovation tools.
Steve has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Rice University and has worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for 33 years. Prior to joining CoECI/NTL, Steve worked in mission control, flight software development for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, command and control systems development for the X-38 (the experimental re-entry vehicle designed by NASA to research a possible emergency crew return vehicle), and led the Command, Control, Communications, & Information (C3I) architecture definition for the Constellation Program.
SteveRader #NASA #CenterOfExcellenceForCollaborativeInnovation #TournamentLab #OpenInnovation #GovernmentServicesAdministration #Prizes #Challenges #MechanicalEngineering #X38 #ConstellationProgram #JohnsonSpaceCenter #SpaceShuttle #InternationalSpaceStation #Crowdsourcing #DualUse #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Patty Keating is Executive Director of the HypoPARAthyroidism Association ( HPA - https://www.hypopara.org/ ), an advocacy organization that works to improve the lives of people impacted by hypoPARAthyroidism through education, support, research, and advocacy.
Patty comes to HPA as a post-surgical hypoPARAthyroidism patient since 2015. She spent over 30 years in leadership roles within the hair salon business overseeing up to 400 locations prior to taking on the executive director role with HPA in February 2024. Patty is also a licensed real estate agent.
As a patient herself, Patty knew she needed to quickly learn as much as she could about this rare disease to be an advocate for herself. Seeing the struggles patients go through she knew she could offer more to the community with her leadership skills so she joined the board and has led the team as Chairman since 2022.
Patty has a passion for people and helping them live with this rare disease through education and advocacy.
HypoparathyroidismAssociation #PattyKeating #Palopegteriparatide #Yorvipath #Parathyroid #Advocacy #RareDisease #OrphanDisease #Patients #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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H.E. Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Ph.D. is Chairman of the Egypt Healthcare Authority ( EHA - https://eha.gov.eg/en/about-eha/ ) and a prominent figure esteemed for his visionary leadership and expertise across clinical and managerial domains.
As the Chairman of the EHA since 2020, Dr. El-Sobky has founded the guiding principles of the organization and led transformative measures to enhance healthcare services and accessibility nationwide.
Dr. El-Sobky’s contributions extend globally as a Member of the UHC2030 Steering Committee and a Governing Council member in the International Hospital Federation, as well as at the Ministry of Health and Population ( MOHP - https://www.mohp.gov.eg/ ), where he supervises critical projects like the Hayah Karima Project ( https://hayakarima.com/en/about-us ) and the Universal Health Insurance Project, leveraging his insights to drive impactful change.
Dr. El-Sobky’s career in health strategic management started early in 2015 being the youngest assistant, then Deputy Minister of Health and Population for Monitoring and Follow-up affairs, underscoring his dedication to advancing public health locally and globally.
Dr. El-Sobky’s academic journey is marked by a Ph.D. in Diagnostic Radiology from Menoufia University, Master of Science in Clinical Service Operations from Harvard Medical School, an Executive Diploma in Public-Private Partnership in Healthcare from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, and an MBA in Business Administration and Management from Ecole Supérieure Libre des Sciences Commerciales Appliquées.
Dr. El-Sobky also chairs the scientific council of the Egyptian board of healthcare management, a position he has held since 2021.
Egypt #AhmedElSobky #EgyptHealthcareAuthority #UniversalHealthInsurance #DiagnosticRadiology #BigData #NewLibraryOfAlexandria #MinistryOfHealthAndPopulation #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #AbdelFattahAlSisi #HepatitisC #HealthcareInformationAndManagementSystemsSociety #Aging #AntimicrobialResistance #Cairo #HayaKarima #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Heather Ikemire, Ph.D. is Executive Director of Lifetime Arts ( https://lifetimearts.org/ ), a national service organization focused on accelerating the impact of creative aging nationwide and leading this national, multi-sector movement to establish creative aging as an essential driver of older adult health and well-being.
The vision of Lifetime Arts is to imagine a world without ageism and social isolation, where creative aging is embraced as a fundamental human right.
Dr. Ikemire joined the Lifetime Arts team as Deputy Director in July 2022 and has been involved in leading Lifetime Arts’ work to organize initiatives like the annual International Creative Summit in partnership with colleagues from the U.K. and Finland, bringing together more than 440 arts and aging leaders from 24+ countries.
Dr. Ikemire came to Lifetime Arts with twenty years of experience in arts education and nonprofit management, including fifteen years with the National Guild for Community Arts Education, also a national service organization. While working there, she was focused on directing the Guild’s large-scale, multi-year investment in Catalyzing Creative Aging as well as Creative Youth Development National Partnership.
Dr. Ikemire has a Ph.D. in Theater for Youth from Arizona State University and a B.A. in English Literature from Vassar College.
Important Episode Link - E.A. Michelson Philanthropy -
https://eamichelsonphilanthropy.org/vitality-arts/videos/
Go visit the “Videos to Inspire” page to see this work in action – and hear from Jane Fonda in the Foundation’s recent video about the importance of creative aging.
LifetimeArts #HeatherIkemire #CreativeAging #Ageism #SocialIsolation #HumanRights #SocialPrescribing #Health #WellBeing #NationalGuildForCommunityArtsEducation #CommunityArts #HealthyAging #Dance #Music #Education #Drama #Art #Literature #EAMichelsonPhilanthropy #Libraries #Museums #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin, Ph.D. ( https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/ ) is Clinical Associate Professor of Life Science and a research fellow at the Center for Neural Science, at NYU ( https://liberalstudies.nyu.edu/about/faculty-listing/nikolay-kukushkin.html ).
Dr. Kukushkin studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms of memory formation and his research has been exploring that memory is not just confined to neuronal circuits, but rather exists in all types of cells in humans and other organisms, relying on a conserved set of molecular tools.
Working at the convergence of neuroscience, molecular biology, evolution, and philosophy, Dr. Kukushkin’s core research program currently deals with the role of time patterns in memory formation and how these time patterns of experience determine which memories are formed, and which ones are forgotten.
Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Kukushkin held a post-doctoral appointment at Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology. He was also a fellow of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation for his work on the temporal aspects of protein degradation and its role in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive disability.
Dr. Kukushkin’s academic work has been published in Nature Communications, Nature Medicine, Neuron, and PNAS among others.
Dr. Kukushkin is also the author of a bestselling, award-winning book “One Hand Clapping: The Origin Story of The Human Mind” (Alpina Non-Fiction, Moscow, 2020), which deals with the origins of human consciousness. The book will be published in English in 2025 by Prometheus (US) and Swift Press (UK and worldwide). The book won the most prestigious book prize for Russian nonfiction, the Enlightener (Prosvetitel) Award, as well as the Alexander Belyaev Medal, awarded to the best Russian-language nonfiction and science fiction.
Dr. Kukushkin holds a D. Phil. in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford (UK) and a B. Sc. in Biology from St. Petersburg State University (Russia).
Important Episode Link - Nature Communications, November 2024 - The massed-spaced learning effect in non-neural human cells - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53922-x
NikolayKukushkin #NYU #NeuralScience #Memory #Learning #Neurons #Neuroscientist #Brain #NonNeuralCells #ProteinDegradation #Dementia #SeaSlugs #AplysiaCalifornica #Cramming #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Ian Simon, Ph.D. is the Director for the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice ( https://www.hhs.gov/longcovid/index.html ), in the Office of Science and Medicine, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
The Office of Science and Medicine harnesses the power of collaboration, scientific analysis, data-driven innovation, and emerging technologies for advancing initiatives across the Department, including not just Long COVID, but in the areas of behavioral health, health equity, kidney disease, infection-associated chronic conditions, mother-infant dyad, sickle cell disease, and traumatic brain injury.
Previously Dr. Simon was the Assistant Director for Health Strategy and Biopreparedness at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he led pandemic prevention and biosecurity policy priorities. Most recently, he was the Senior Advisor to the Director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
Prior to working at NIAID, Dr. Simon was the Assistant Director of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) Science and Technology Policy Institute. In that role, he specialized in developing policy initiatives including bioeconomy, STEM education, pandemic preparedness, biosecurity, and international S&T cooperation.
A virologist by training, Dr. Simon has also held health and science advisor positions at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Senate, including serving as the Health and Science Advisor to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as part of the American Society for Microbiology Congressional Science Fellowship. He earned his B.S. from the University of Maryland and his Masters and Ph.D. from Yale University.
Important Episode Link - Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID - https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/long-covid/index.html
LongCovid #InfectiousDiseases #Virology #HHS #Policy #Biopreparedness #OSTP #USDepartmentOfHealthAndHumanServices #Epidemics #Pandemics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Eli Mohamad is a prominent figure in the biotech, space, and AI industries who has co-founded several successful startups and has a real passion for groundbreaking ventures that focus on the development of futuristic technologies.
Currently as a Core Team Member at CryoDAO ( https://www.cryodao.org/ ), a decentralized organization focused on sourcing and funding research in cryopreservation, Eli continues to work at the forefront of innovative technologies and applies his extensive experience in biotechnology and innovative projects to advance novel cryopreservation technologies and their various applications, from critical tissue and organ preservation, to cryo-sleep and suspended animation for space exploration.
Eli has also been involved in setting up another decentralized organization called HydraDAO ( https://hydradao.org/ ) which is focused on funding and incubating biological replacement research to significantly extend human lifespan and will be looking at everything from Limb Regeneration, Organ Bioprinting and Xenotransplantation, to Progressive Brain Replacement, head/brain transplants, and even whole body replacement via non sentient cloning.
Throughout his career, Eli has held various leadership positions in cutting-edge companies including as Co-founder and Chief Business Officer at X-Therma Inc., a company focused on complex tissue preservation; Advisor and Chief Business Officer at Rimac Automobili, working on high-performance electric vehicles; CFO/CBO at Insilico Medicine, Inc., as well as Co-founder of Organ Preservation Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the future of organ banking, Orphidia Ltd., a medical diagnostics company, and Walkmore, a data science company.
Eli holds a Master's degree in Science, Technology and Innovation Management from the University of Sussex. He is also an alumnus of Singularity University's GSP (Global start up) 2012 program.
Kai Micah Mills ( https://kaimicahmills.com/ ) is the visionary founder of Cryopets ( https://cryopets.com/ ), a company focused on advancing cryopreservation technologies for pets. Cryopets was founded in 2023 with the aim of revolutionizing the field of cryopreservation. Starting with pets, the company is innovating on existing methods to create reliable and accessible cryopreservation services. Cryopets aspires to make cryopreservation available in local veterinary clinics and, eventually, in human hospitals.
With a deep passion for defeating death, Kai is driven by the belief that true progress in longevity science must be bold and unapologetic. He has received backing from the prestigious Thiel Fellowship and is a recognized thought leader in the radical life extension community.
Kai is a co-founder of CryoDAO and HydraDao.
Important Episode Link - Vitalist Bay - https://www.vitalistbay.com/
EliMohamad #KaiMicahMills #Longevity #Immortality #LifeExtension #ProgressiveBrainReplacement #Cryopreservation #OrganPreservation #Bioprinting #VitalistBay #Vitalism #AdamGries #NathanCheng #HydraDAO #CryoDAO #DeSci #Cryonics #Regeneration #Cryoprotectants #LimbRegeneration #Xenotransplantation #HeadTransplant #BrainTransplant #SpinalCordInjury #SergioCanavero #RenXiaoping #ClonedNonSentientBodies #Cloning #ArtificialWombs #Cryosleep #Crypto #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD is a board-certified infectious diseases physician who is the Founding Director of BU Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases ( https://www.bu.edu/ceid/about-the-center/team/nahid-bhadelia-md-mald/ ) as well an Associate Professor at the BU School of Medicine. She served the Senior Policy Advisor for Global COVID-19 Response for the White House COVID-19 Response Team in 2022-2023, where she coordinated the interagency programs for global COVID-19 vaccine donations from the United States and was the policy lead for Project NextGen, $5B HHS program aimed at developing next generation vaccines and treatments for pandemic prone coronaviruses. She also served as the interim Testing Coordinator for the White House MPOX Response Team. She is the Director and co-founder of Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network (BEACON), an open source outbreak surveillance program.
Between 2011-2021, Dr. Bhadelia helped develop and then served as the medical director of the Special Pathogens Unit (SPU) at Boston Medical Center, a medical unit designed to care for patients with highly communicable diseases, and a state designated Ebola Treatment Center. She was previously an associate director for BU’s maximum containment research program, the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories. She has provided direct patient care and been part of outbreak response and medical countermeasures research during multiple Ebola virus disease outbreaks in West and East Africa between 2014-2019. She was the clinical lead for a DoD-funded viral hemorrhagic fever clinical research unit in Uganda, entitled Joint Mobile Emerging Disease Intervention Clinical Capability (JMEDICC) program between 2017 and 2022. Currently, she is a co-director of Fogarty funded, BU-University of Liberia Emerging and Epidemic Viruses Research training program. She was a member of the World Health Organization(WHO)’s Technical Advisory Group on Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR). She currently serves as a member of the National Academies Forum on Microbial Threats and previously served as the chair of the National Academies Workshop Committee for Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) and member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Current State of Research, Development, and Stockpiling of Smallpox Medical Countermeasures.
Dr. Bhadelia’s research focuses on operational global health security and pandemic preparedness, including medical countermeasure evaluation and clinical care for emerging infections, diagnostics evaluation and positioning, infection control policy development, and healthcare worker training. She has health system response experience with pathogens such as H1N1, Zika, Lassa fever, Marburg virus disease, and COVID-19 at the state, national, and global levels.
NahidBhadelia #BostonUniversity #CenterOnEmergingInfectiousDiseases #HIV #EmergingInfections #Policy #Preparedness #HealthSecurity #SpecialPathogensUnit #BSL4 #Ebola #HotZones #DataScience #DiseaseSurveillance #OneHealth #H1N1 #Zika #LassaFever #MarburgVirus #Covid #InfectiousDiseases #Outbreaks #Zoonoses #Epidemics #Pandemics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Debra Whitman, Ph.D. is Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer, at AARP ( https://www.aarp.org/ ) where she leads policy development, analysis and research, as well as global thought leadership supporting and advancing the interests of individuals age 50-plus and their families. She oversees AARP’s Public Policy Institute, AARP Research, Office of Policy Development and Integration, Thought Leadership, and AARP International.
Dr. Whitman is an authority on aging issues with extensive experience in national policy making, domestic and international research, and the political process. An economist, she is a strategic thinker whose career has been dedicated to solving problems affecting economic and health security, and other issues related to population aging.
As staff director for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Dr. Whitman worked across the aisle to increase retirement security, lower the cost of health care, protect vulnerable seniors, safeguard consumers, make the pharmaceutical industry more transparent, and improve our nation’s long term care system.
Before that, Dr. Whitman worked for the Congressional Research Service as a specialist in the economics of aging. She provided members of Congress and their staff with research and advice, and authored analytical reports on the economic impacts of current policies affecting older Americans, as well as the distributional and intergenerational effects of legislative proposals.
From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Whitman served as a Brookings LEGIS Fellow to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Earlier in her career, she conducted research on savings and retirement for the Social Security Administration, helping to establish the Retirement Research Consortium and serving as the founding editor of the Perspectives section of the Social Security Bulletin.
Dr. Whitman has been quoted by or appeared in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, Bloomberg, USA Today, NBC Nightly News, CBS News, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and Politico, among others. She serves on several boards, including the National Advisory Council on Aging for the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging, the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the National Coalition on Health Care, and the Pension Rights Center.
Dr. Whitman holds master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in economics, math and Italian from Gonzaga University.
Dr. Whitman recently released 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘺: 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 7 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 ( https://www.amazon.com/Second-Fifty-Answers-Questions-Midlife/dp/039386765X ), to explore the most important questions we face as we age and offer practical advice for living a longer, healthier, more meaningful second half of life.
AARP #Aging #AmericanAssociationOfRetiredPersons #DebraWhitman #AgeTech #Longevity #Geroscience #Gerontology #Dementia #Alzheimers #LifeLongLearning #PalliativeCare #Hospice #EndOfLife #Death #Dying #USSenateSpecialCommitteeOnAging #Economics #SocialSecurity #Medicare #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research
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Dr. Marcia McNutt, Ph.D. is President of the National Academy of Sciences ( https://www.nasonline.org/directory-entry/marcia-mcnutt-6apamq/ ), where she also chairs the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and serves a key role in advising our nation on various important issues pertaining to science, technology, and health.
From 2013 to 2016, Dr. McNutt served as editor-in-chief of the Science journals.
Dr. McNutt is a geophysicist who prior to joining Science, was director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and science adviser to the United States Secretary of the Interior from from 2009 to 2013. During her tenure, the USGS responded to a number of major disasters, including earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and Japan, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Dr. McNutt led a team of government scientists and engineers at BP headquarters in Houston who helped contain the oil and cap the well. She directed the flow rate technical group that estimated the rate of oil discharge during the spill’s active phase. For her contributions, she was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard’s Meritorious Service Medal.
Before joining the USGS, Dr. McNutt served as president and chief executive officer of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), in Moss Landing, California. During her time at MBARI, the institution became a leader in developing biological and chemical sensors for remote ocean deployment, installed the first deep-sea cabled observatory in U.S. waters, and advanced the integration of artificial intelligence into autonomous underwater vehicles for complex undersea missions.
From 2000 to 2002, Dr. McNutt served as president of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). She was chair of the Board of Governors for Joint Oceanographic Institutions, responsible for operating the International Ocean Drilling Program’s vessel JOIDES Resolution and associated research programs.
Dr. McNutt is a National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI)-certified scuba diver and trained in underwater demolition and explosives handling with the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) of the United States Navy and the United States Navy SEALs.
Dr. McNutt began her academic career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she was the E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics and directed the Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science & Engineering, jointly offered by MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Her research area is the dynamics of the upper mantle and lithosphere on geologic time scales, work that has taken her to distant continents and oceans for field observations. She is a veteran of more than a dozen deep-sea expeditions, on most of which she was chief or co-chief scientist.
Dr. McNutt received a B.A. in physics from Colorado College and her Ph.D. in Earth sciences at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She holds honorary doctoral degrees from the Colorado College, the University of Minnesota, Monmouth University, the Colorado School of Mines, University of Miami, Uppsala University, Michigan State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, George Washington University, Boston University, Texas A&M University, Indiana University Bloomington, and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
MarciaMcNutt #NationalAcademyOfSciences #Convergence #USGeologicalSurvey #ScienceMagazine #MontereyBayAquariumResearchInstitute #AmericanGeophysicalUnion #MIT #Geoscience #EarthScience #Physics #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Nina Siragusa, Ph.D., MBA, is the Strategy, Business, and Data & Digital Lead within the global R&D organization of Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. In this role, she leads strategic projects, manages business operations, and drives digital transformation.
Previously, she served as Chief of Staff to Dr. Laura Matz, Chief Science and Technology Officer at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. As part of the Science and Technology Office Leadership Team, she was responsible for fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, innovation, and digitalization across Merck’s three business sectors. She also spearheaded the company’s efforts in Bioconvergence, a multidisciplinary approach that synergizes biology, engineering, data, and digitalization. This initiative promises groundbreaking advancements in healthcare and the life sciences, heralding a new era of scientific collaboration for a healthier, more sustainable future.
Prior to that, Dr. Siragusa contributed to corporate innovation in several leadership roles:
• As Biotechnology Lead of a synthetic biology innovation project,
• As Senior Manager, responsible for creating strategic alignment and building high-performing teams, and
• As Associate Director, focusing on sourcing innovative ideas to generate new business opportunities.
Dr. Siragusa earned her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Tuebingen, Germany, and conducted research in Europe and the USA, including at Yale University, before joining Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in 2016.
In 2024, she completed an MBA in Digital Transformation Management with a focus on Digital Leadership at Goethe Business School, Frankfurt, Germany.
Dr. Siragusa is also the lead author of the recently published book, Bioconvergence Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities in Research Productivity. You can find it here:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-61593-1
Home Page Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany - https://www.emdgroup.com/en
NinaSiragusa #EMDGroup #MerckKGaADarmstadtGermany #Bioconvergence #Ethics #Collaboration #Fungi #NaturalProducts #Biomimicry #AI #DrugDiscovery #Bioremediation #TranslationalMedicine #SmartManufacturing #DigitalTwins #Supermind #MIT #ResearchFunding #Israel #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Jackie Kunzler, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President and Global Head of Research and Development (R&D), and member of the Executive Management Committee, of Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies ( https://www.terumobct.com/ ), where she focuses on innovation and development leading the way for unlocking the potential of blood and cell collections in varied sectors, including blood banking, plasma-based therapies and cell and gene therapies.
Dr. Kunzler joined Terumo from Baxter Healthcare where she held successive leadership roles in their business, including as Baxter Healthcare's Senior Vice President for Quality and Regulatory and Head of Global Life Sciences.
Dr. Kunzler holds a Ph.D. in Cell Biology/Neuroscience from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She earned a Master of Science in Toxicology from the University of Florida, Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Medical Technology (Laboratory Medicine) from University of Iowa and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Benedictine University.
Terumo #JackieKunzler #Blood #SickleCell #Alzheimers #Dementia #Biotherapies #Immunology #TherapeuticApheresis #AutoimmuneDiseases #BloodDisorders #BloodBanking #TransfusionMedicine #RegenerativeMedicine #TherapeuticPlasmaExchange #ConvalescentPlasma #ExtracorporealPhotopheresis #Parabiosis #Longevity #Aging #HospiceCare #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Sam Murray, MT-BC, CADDCT, CDP, is a Music Therapist at Goodwin Living ( https://goodwinliving.org/ ), a non-profit senior living and healthcare organization, located in Northern Virginia, that serves more than 2,500 older adults in the National Capital Region (Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland) and more than 25,000 older adults across the nation who participate in their brain health programs.
Sam and her team are exploring novel ways to help residents living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia connect with through music therapy programs. With approximately 7 million Americans facing Alzheimer's today, and the eventual loss of communication that they experience, music therapy is becoming more widely acknowledged by many experts as a viable way to communicate with individuals for whom language is no longer enough, helping to re-establish comfort and connection.
Goodwin Living’s foundation recently invested in a new instrument called the Crdl ( https://www.crdl.com/ ) that helps translate physical touch into music, in essence transforming a person's body into an instrument, for an entirely new concept in communications and human interaction.
GoodwinLiving #SamMurray #SamTedrow #SeniorLiving #Crdl #MusicTherapy #BrainHealth #Neurodivergent #Dementia #Alzheimers #SocialIsolation #PallaitiveCare #Hospice #EndOfLifeCare #Autism #MentalDisabilities #VisualImpairments #FrancisCollins #ReneeFleming #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. David Feinberg, M.D., is Chairman of Oracle Health ( https://www.oracle.com/health/ ), where he and his team are committed to making healthcare more accessible, affordable and equitable, building an open healthcare platform with intelligent tools for data-driven, human-centric healthcare experiences to connect consumers, healthcare providers, payers, and public health and life sciences organizations.
Dr. Feinberg’s work advances thought leadership and strategy related to unleashing the healing power of data through an open and connected healthcare ecosystem.
Previously, Dr. Feinberg served as president and CEO of Cerner, now Oracle Health, where he led teams delivering tools and technology to execute on this strategy of improving the patient and caregiver experience.
As a pediatric psychiatrist, Dr. Feinberg built his early career around helping children and families. He served as president and CEO of both UCLA Health and Geisinger Health prior to assuming leadership of Google Health in early 2019.
Dr. Feinberg began his career at UCLA, researching and publishing in the areas of addiction and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He took on additional leadership responsibilities, including becoming the Medical Director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
Dr. Feinberg earned his M.D. from Chicago Medical School in 1989, finishing at the top of his class and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He also holds an economics degree from the University of California-Berkeley and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
DavidFeinberg #OracleHealth #Oracle #LarryEllison #GoogleHealth #GeisingerHealth #UCLAHealth #ElectronicHealthRecords #EHR #ClinicalDigitalAssistant #PediatricPsychiatry #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #ArtificalIntelligence #MentalHealth #AgingInPlace #DigitalHealth #FoodPharmacy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Robert Stone is the CEO of City of Hope ( https://www.cityofhope.org/robert-stone ), a premier cancer research and treatment center dedicated to innovation in biomedical science and the delivery of compassionate, world-class patient care. A seasoned health care executive, he has served in a number of strategic decision-making roles since he joined City of Hope in 1996, culminating with his appointment as president in 2012, CEO in 2014, and as the Helen and Morgan Chu Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair in 2021.
Mr. Stone has J.D., University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL.
Mr. Stone’s strategic acumen, empathy and visionary leadership have driven City of Hope’s rapid evolution.
As an independent institution dedicated to advancing the fight against cancer and diabetes, City of Hope is accelerating opportunities for high-impact discovery and ensuring that patients around the world have access to the most advanced therapies. Recent examples include a groundbreaking alliance in precision medicine with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), a leader in genomic analysis and bioinformatics; leadership in CAR T cell therapy research and therapy; and an innovative program to offer cancer support services to the employees of some of American’s largest employers, regardless of geography.
Dr. Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D.( https://www.cityofhope.org/marcel-van-den-brink ), is President of City of Hope Cancer Center, main campus in Los Angeles, and National Medical Center, chief physician executive and the Deana and Steve Campbell Chief Physician Executive Distinguished Chair, and is a globally recognized leader in the basic and translational science of bone marrow transplantation (BMT), the microbiome and cancer immunotherapy. His specialties include immune reconstitution and graft-versus-host disease — side effects many BMT patients experience — as well as the impact of the microbiome on immunotherapy for cancer.
A researcher who has opened new fields of investigation and improved patient outcomes, Dr. Van den Brink has pursued innovative ways to improve and optimize BMT, developing strategies to make the process less toxic and lower the rate of recurrence. Throughout his career, he has maintained an intense focus on converting scientific discoveries in his laboratory into better therapies for patients around the world.
Dr. Van den Brink joined City of Hope in part because of their shared commitment to advancing the frontiers of cancer care and research. He is known for his inclusive approach to leadership and his devotion to providing junior faculty colleagues with mentorship and career development opportunities.
A recipient of numerous national and international awards, Dr. Van den Brink is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Among many leadership roles, he serves as vice chair of the board for Deutsche Knochenmark Stiftung, a global donor registration that facilitates 40% of all unrelated allogenic blood stem cell donations worldwide.
Dr. Van den Brink has a Ph.D., Medicine (Immunology), and M.D., Cum Laude, University of Leiden, The Netherlands, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh, PA and residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.
Cancer #Oncology #CityOfHope #RobertStone #MarcelVanDenBrink #Microbiome #Immunotherapy #CarT #Thymus #ThymicInvolution #Regeneration #BoneMarrowTransplantation #TranslationalGenomicsResearchInstitute #PrecisionMedicine #GraftVersusHostDisease #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Sudip Parikh, Ph.D. ( https://www.aaas.org/person/sudip-parikh ), is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the Science family of journals and has spent the last two decades at the nexus of science, policy, and business.
Prior to joining AAAS, Dr. Parikh was senior vice president and managing director at Drug Information Association (DIA Global), a neutral, multidisciplinary organization for healthcare product development where he led strategy in the Americas and oversaw DIA programs that catalyzed progress globally toward novel regulatory frameworks for advanced therapies.
Prior to DIA, Dr. Parikh was a vice president at Battelle, a multibillion-dollar research and development organization, where he led two business units with over 500 scientific, technical, and computing experts performing basic and applied research, developing medicines and healthcare devices, developing agricultural products, and creating advanced analytics and artificial intelligence applications to improve human health.
From 2001 to 2009, Dr. Parikh served as science advisor to the Republican leadership of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, where he was responsible for negotiating budgets for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and other scientific and health agencies.
As a key legislative liaison to the research and development ecosystem, Dr. Parikh was on the frontlines of many science policy issues debated during that time, including embryonic stem cell research, cloning, disease surveillance, bioterrorism, cyber security, and doubling the NIH budget.
An active member of the scientific advocacy community, Dr. Parikh serves as a board member and officer for several impactful organizations, including Research!America ( https://www.researchamerica.org/ ), which he has chaired since 2023, Friends of Cancer Research, and ACT for NIH. He also serves as co-chair of the Science and Technology Action Committee ( https://sciencetechaction.org/ ), Science CEO Group, and the Coalition for Trust in Health and Science ( https://trustinhealthandscience.org/ ). He is also a member of the Board of Life Sciences of the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
Dr. Parikh is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Council on Foreign Relations. He has also received multiple public service awards, including recognition from the Society for Women’s Health Research, the American Association of Immunologists, the National AIDS Alliance, the Coalition for Health Services Research, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Early in his career, Dr. Parikh was a Presidential Management Intern at the NIH. He was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship while earning his Ph.D. in macromolecular structure and chemistry at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. There, he used structural biology and biochemistry techniques to probe the mechanisms of DNA repair enzymes.
Dr. Parikh completed undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, first as a journalism major before switching into materials science.
SudipParikh #AAAS #AmericanAssociationForTheAdvancementOfScience #Science #Policy #Business #DrugInformationAssociation #Battelle #ResearchAmerica #ScienceAndTechnologyActionCommittee #CoalitionForTrustInHealthAndScience #Appropriations #Congress #ArtificialIntelligence #DrugDevelopment #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilit
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Dr. Abigail Stevenson is Chief Science Officer (CSO), at Mars ( https://www.mars.com/ ), the multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products, and a provider of pet care services, where she champions Mars’ involvement in global, cutting-edge science discovery, drives external partnerships with academia, start ups, non-governmental organizations and peers; helps build the pipeline of leading science and technology talent at Mars; and provides leadership of the Mars Science Leadership Team.
Dr. Stevenson assumed the CSO role in October 2022 and she also oversees the Mars Advanced Research Institute ( MARI - https://www.mars.com/mari ), which connects Mars with emerging science and technology to spark discoveries with the potential to reinvent the future of its business, and the Mars Global Food Safety Center ( GFSC - https://gfsc.mars.com/ ), a state-of-the-art research and training facility that sits at the heart of a global network of partners and collaborators tackling the most significant food safety challenges facing the planet today.
In her career at Mars, Dr. Stevenson has led significant research outputs, delivering innovative solutions that have delivered significant business value and helped address long-standing food industry challenges. Through her career at Mars she has served in multiple roles with the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, including Head of Science Communications and Engagement; and was Director of the Mars GFSC from 2017 to 2020 before assuming the role of Vice President of MARI in 2020.
Dr. Stevenson studied Ecology as an undergraduate at University of Stirling and then went on to do a PhD at University College London in nutrition and health.
Interesting Episode Link -
COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study - https://cosmostrial.org/
Mars #AbigailStevenson #Health #Nutrition #Wellness #Cocoa #Cacao #Chocolate #Flavanols #OralMicrobiome #NaturalBlue #Nutrigenomics #Phytochemicals #MarsAdvancedResearchInstitute #MarsGlobalFoodSafetyCenter #Aging #Longevity #CocoaSupplementAndMultivitaminOutcomesStudy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Steve Blank is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford and Co-Founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation (https://gordianknot.stanford.edu/people/steve-blank). He has been described as the Father of Modern Entrepreneurship.
Credited with launching the Lean Startup movement and the curriculums for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps and Hacking for Defense and Diplomacy, Steve has changed how startups are built; how entrepreneurship is taught; how science is commercialized, and how companies and the government innovate.
Steve is the author of The Four Steps to the Epiphany and The Startup Owner’s Manual which revolutionized how startups were built. His Harvard Business Review cover story redefined how large companies can innovate at speed.
Steve blogs at www.steveblank.com
SteveBlank #NationalSecurity #DepartmentOfDefense #DoD #Entrepreneuship #LeanStartup #NationalScienceFoundation #InnovationCorps #HackingForDefense #IntelligenceCommunity #SpaceX #ElonMusk #DefenseInnovationUnit #VannevarBush #VentureCapital #PrimeContractors #LockheedMartin #Boeing #GeneralDynamics #Raytheon #NorthropGrumman #Anduril #Palantir #Stanford #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Professor Carlos Duarte, Ph.D. is Distinguished Professor, Marine Science, and Executive Director, Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform ( CORDAP - https://cordap.org/ ), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology ( KAUST - https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en/study/faculty/carlos-duarte ), in Saudi Arabia, as well as Chief Scientist of Oceans2050, OceanUS, and E1Series.
Prior to these roles Professor Duarte was Research Professor with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Director of the Oceans Institute at The University of Western Australia. He also holds honorary positions at the Arctic Research Center in Aarhus University, Denmark and the Oceans Institute at The University of Western Australia.
Professor Duarte’s research focuses on understanding the effects of global change in marine ecosystems and developing nature-based solutions to global challenges, including climate change, and developing evidence-based strategies to rebuild the abundance of marine life by 2050.
Building on his research showing mangroves, seagrasses and salt-marshes to be globally-relevant carbon sinks, Professor Duarte developed, working with different UN agencies, the concept of Blue Carbon, as a nature-based solution to climate change, which has catalyzed their global conservation and restoration.
For the past years, Professor Duarte has also lead efforts to quantify the global role and importance of algal forests. He has conducted research across all continents and oceans, spanning most of the marine ecosystem types, from inland to near-shore and the deep sea and from microbes to whales, and has a particular focus on the role of seaweed aquaculture as a sustainable solution for multiple challenges.
Professor Duarte led the Malaspina 2010 Expedition, including over 700 scientists from 38 institutions from across 18 nations, that sailed the world’s oceans to examine the impacts of global change on ocean ecosystems and explore deep-sea biodiversity.
Professor Duarte served as President of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography between 2007 and 2010. He has published more than 950 scientific papers a and has been ranked within the top 1% Highly-Cited Scientist by Thompson Reuters in all assessments of this rank, as was ranked as the top marine biologist in the world, and recently, the 12th most influential climate scientist in the world (Reuters). He has received many honors, including the G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award from the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography in 2001, the National Science Award of Spain (2007), and the I. Vernadsky Medal of the European Geophysical Union. the Prix d’Excellence by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES, 2011), the Carlo Heip award for excellent in Marine Biodiversity (2018), and the Ramon Margalef Ecology Award (2019), and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Ecology and Conservation Biology (2020).
Professor Duarte earned a bachelor's degree in environmental biology from Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain and obtained a Ph.D. in limnology from McGill University
Corals #Oceans #Seagrass #BlueCarbon #BlueEconomy #Mangroves #Reefs #KAUST #ClimateChange #CarbonCapture #CarlosDuarte #Aquaculture #SaltwaterAgriculture #KingAbdullahUniversityOfScienceAndTechnology #KSA #SaudiArabia #RedSea #Bioprospecting #Genomics #CraigVenter #CarbonSink #Environment #Biodiversity #COP16 #Limnology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. James L. Madara, MD, is CEO and Executive Vice President of the American Medical Association ( https://www.ama-assn.org/about/authors-news-leadership-viewpoints/james-l-madara-md ), the United States' largest physician organization. He also holds the academic title of adjunct professor of pathology at Northwestern University ( https://www.pathology.northwestern.edu/Faculty/profile.html?xid=24099 ).
Since taking the reins of the AMA in 2011, Dr. Madara has helped sculpt the organization’s visionary long-term strategic plan. He also serves as Chairman of Health2047 Inc. ( https://health2047.com/ ), the wholly-owned innovation subsidiary of the AMA, created to overcome systemic dysfunction in U.S. health care and located in Silicon Valley. Working closely with the AMA, Health2047 finds, forms and scales transformative health care spinout companies in four fields: chronic care, data utility, radical productivity and health care value. Several companies have been launched to date.
Prior to the AMA, Dr. Madara spent the first 22 years of his career at Harvard Medical School, receiving both clinical and research training, serving as a tenured professor, and as director of the NIH-sponsored Harvard Digestive Diseases Center. Following five years as chair of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory University, Dr. Madara served as dean of both biology and medicine, and then as CEO of the University of Chicago Medical Center, bringing together the university’s biomedical research, teaching and clinical activities. While there he oversaw the renewal of the institution’s biomedical campus and engineered significant new affiliations with community hospitals, teaching hospital systems, community clinics and national research organizations.
Dr. Madara also served as senior advisor with Leavitt Partners, an innovative health care consulting and private-equity firm founded by former Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt.
Having published more than 200 original papers and chapters, Dr. Madara has served as editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Pathology and as president of the American Board of Pathology.
In addition to Modern Healthcare consistently naming him as one of the nation’s 50 most influential physician executives, as well as one of the nation’s 100 most influential people in health care, Dr. Madara has been recognized with several national and international awards. These include the prestigious MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Davenport Award for lifetime achievement in gastrointestinal disease from the American Physiological Society, and the Mentoring Award for lifetime achievement from the American Gastroenterological Society.
Dr. Madara is an elected member of both the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. He also co-chairs the Value Incentives & Systems Action Collaborative of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), and is a member of NAM’s Leadership Consortium for Value & Science-Driven Health Care.
JamesMadara #AmericanMedicalAssociation #AMA #Physicians #Pathology #IntestinalEpithelialPathobiology #MedicalSchool #MedicalEducation #HealthEquity #UniversityOfChicago #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #NorthwesternUniversity #Health2047 #VentureCapital #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Amal Al-Maani, MD is Director General for Diseases Surveillance and Control at the Ministry of Health of Oman ( https://moh.gov.om/en/hospitals-directorates/directorates-and-centers-at-hq/directorate-general-for-disease-surveillance-and-control/ ), senior consultant in pediatric infectious diseases in the Sultanate, and is the focal point for the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance System (GLASS) and is responsible for Oman national surveillance system for AMR (OMASS) and the national Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) program.
Dr. Al-Maani completed her medical degree from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman and passed the London School diploma in tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) during her internship period. Followed by her postgraduate training at the University of Toronto, she achieved her fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada. She has the Certificate In Infection Control from the Certification Board of Infection Control & Epidemiology, a certificate in global health from Dalla Lana School of Public Health the Centre for International Health in the University of Toronto (UFT), and the Patient Safety & Quality Improvement certificate from the center for patient safety in UFT.
Dr. Al-Maani has participated in many national and International Conferences and presented many papers. She received Dr Susan King Award at the Canadian AMMI conference 2011 and in 2021 the WHA Sasakawa health development award for her work in AMR and IPC. She published many papers in the field of infectious diseases and infection control with a focus on Antimicrobial resistance and emerging resistant pathogens. She had been a co-author in multiple positional statements for the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) group in infection control, including most recently about the Global Antimicrobial Stewardship with a Focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries and on the Prevention of Clostridioides.
AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #AmalAlMaani #DiseasesSurveillance #MinistryOfHealth #Oman #SultanQaboosUniversity #WHO #WorldHealthOrganization #OneHealth #Antibiotics #Vaccines #TropicalMedicine #Hygiene #VancomycinResistantEnterococcus #MethicillinResistantStaphylococcus #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Michael J. Burton is the CEO of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation ( https://diabetesresearch.org/ ), a philanthropic organization which funds the Diabetes Research Institute, one of the largest and most comprehensive research centers dedicated to curing diabetes.
A passionate nonprofit executive, Michael has more than 30 years of experience in leading high-impact philanthropic programs and cultivating strategic relationships to secure transformative funding. Prior to assuming the role of CEO at DRIF, Michael advanced the missions of some of the nation’s most dynamic and trusted institutions including Princeton University, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
Michael’s accomplished nonprofit career includes significant contributions in the advancement of cancer research and care, most recently as President and CEO of Gateway for Cancer Research, a Chicago-based nonprofit engaged in funding early phase clinical research, where he began his tenure as Chief Development Officer. Prior to that, Michael served as Chief Development Officer and Executive Director of the Foundation at the AACR, the nation’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to the prevention and cure of all cancers. Michael’s 15 years of experience in the oncology sector also includes leading the development program at Fox Chase Cancer Center as Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer.
Before working in the field of oncology, Michael had a distinguished career in higher education, most notably at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as Special Assistant to the President during the tenure of Judith Rodin, the first female president of an Ivy League institution; and at Temple University, where he held the title of Assistant Dean and lead the development program at the Fox School of Business. Before entering higher education, Michael served as Legislative and Press Assistant to the late Congressman Tom Lantos, the only survivor of the Holocaust ever elected to Congress.
Michael is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Prof. Dr. Matthias von Herrath, MD is the Scientific Director of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and Stacy Joy Goodman Chair at the University of Miami School of Medicine ( https://med.miami.edu/faculty/matthias-georg-von-herrath ) where he is leading the DRI mission to conduct and accelerate research to delay, prevent and ultimately find a cure for type 1 diabetes. He is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work in understanding the molecular mechanisms of T1D, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, and developing novel therapies for this disease.
Prof. Dr. von Herrath served as a Professor and Director for the Type 1 Diabetes Research Center at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, and also currently serves as Vice President and Senior Medical Officer at Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, where he is responsible for overseeing the company’s research and development efforts in diabetes care.
Prof. Dr. von Herrath earned his medical degree in 1988 from Freiburg Medical School, where he also completed a Ph.D. equivalent thesis on biochemistry. His postdoctoral training included an intensive care residency at Diakonie Hospital, Freiburg.
DiabetesResearchInstituteFoundation #T1D #Insulin #IsletCellTransplant #Regeneration #Immunomodulation #Immunoregulation #Autoimmune #UniversityOfMiami #Philanthropy #NovoNordisk #Instacart #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podc
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Dr. Legena Henry, Ph.D. is a Lecturer for Renewable Energy at University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados ( https://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/fst/cmp/faculty-and-staff/academic-staff/physics/legena-henry.aspx ) with research specializing in Renewable Energy, Ocean Engineering Analysis, Ocean Wave Statistics, Marine Hydrodynamics, and Applied Mechanics.
Dr. Henry is also the CEO and Founder of Rum and Sargassum Inc. ( https://rumandsargassum.com/ ), a novel transportation biofuel company in Barbados where her research has been translated and focuses on sustainably generating usable power output from natural resources of the Caribbean Sea, such as Sargassum seaweed and ocean waves.
Dr. Henry completed her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at Howard University, her M.Sc. in Ocean Engineering at the Center for Ocean Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and completed her Ph.D. research in mechanical engineering at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus.
Dr. Henry also currently serves on the MIT Educational Council.
Important Episode Link - Experimental Evidence on the Use of Biomethane from Rum Distillery Waste and Sargassum Seaweed as an Alternative Fuel for Transportation in Barbados – 2021 – Interamerican Development Bank -
https://publications.iadb.org/en/experimental-evidence-use-biomethane-rum-distillery-waste-and-sargassum-seaweed-alternative-fuel
LegenaHenry #Sargassum #Biofuel #Biomethane #CNG #CompressedNaturalGas #Rum #RenewableEnergy #UniversityOfTheWestIndies #Barbados #PrimeMinister #MiaMottley #OceanEngineering #WaveStatistics #MarineHydrodynamics #AppliedMechanics #Nature #Biodiversity #Environment #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Linda Jiang is Head of Strategy and Government Partnerships, Healthcare, at Lyft ( https://www.lyft.com/healthcare ), where she’s responsible for accelerating the growth of the business, driving public sector strategy, and partnering with policymakers and regulators to bring access to the rideshare service to millions of people who need it for healthcare access.
Previously, Linda was an early growth operator at healthcare startups, leading strategy for Modern Fertility and consumer marketing for Color Genomics.
Linda began her career as a management consultant at PwC, with clients including academic medical centers, top integrated healthcare systems, medical device companies, and big box retailers, and also had a role in corporate strategy at Twitter.
She holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Bachelor of Science, Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology from Emory University.
Lyft #RideShare #NonEmergencyMedicalTransportation #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #Health #Wellbeing #MedicareAdvantage #Medicaid #MaternalHealth #AgingInPlace #Loneliness #Isolation #SocialConnection #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Michael Demurjian is CEO And Chairman of Aspargo Labs ( https://aspargolabs.com/ ), which he co-founded in 2019, which is a distinguished pharmaceutical and med-tech company committed to developing innovative oral spray formulations and drug delivery systems.
Mr. Demurjian brings extensive experience across finance, manufacturing, sales & marketing, logistics, and general management. He has experience in taking companies public, raising funds in public and private markets with both retail and institutional investors.
Prior to Aspargo Labs, Mr. Demurjian served as COO, CFO and member of the Board of Directors of Tyme Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYME), an emerging biotechnology company developing cancer therapeutics that are intended to be broadly effective across tumor types and have tolerable toxicity profiles. At Tyme, Mr. Demurjian was instrumental in raising over 50 million dollars and obtaining a public listing on NASDAQ. He also served as CEO of Luminant Biosciences, an oncology research company studying metabolic pathways to destroying cancer cells.
Throughout his career, Mr. Demurjian has successfully completed strategic transactions with G.E., Stryker, Black & Decker Corp., and Crane Cams.
Mr. Demurjian currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the NYU board of advisors and has served in the past on the Board of Directors of Luminant Bio., Mikronite Tech & KCC.
Aspargo #MichaelDemurjian #DrugFormulation #PatientCompliance #LiquidOralSuspensions #Bioavailability #Pharmacokinetics #Pharamcodynamics #Pharmacology #Adherence #Sildenafil #Dimenhydrante #Statins #Metformin #PotassiumIodide #Antiemetics #Dysphagia #MeteredDose #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Päivi Sillanaukee, MD, Ph.D. is Special Envoy for Health and Wellbeing, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Finland ( https://stm.fi/en/rdi-growth-programme-for-health-and-wellbeing ).
Dr. Sillanaukee has over 20 years of experience at highest civil servant administrative positions, both from government, including roles as Director General at Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ambassador for Health and Wellbeing at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as well as various additional roles in the public sector at the Municipalities and Special Health care district levels.
Actively participating also in Global Health, Dr. Sillanaukee has chaired and facilitated global multisectoral, multi-partner Health Security collaborations, facilitating capacity building at the country level. She served as Vice chair and member of WHO Executive Board, as Executive President for WHO/Europe Regional Committee, Member of Women in Global Health advocating for Gender Equity in Health, a member of Global Pulse Finland’s health sector advisory board, as Member of Board of Directors, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and Member of the Inaugural Board of Digital Health & AI Research Collaborative (I-DAIR).
Dr. Sillanaukee has also served as the co-chair of the Alliance for Health Security Cooperation (AHSC) and a member of the Steering Group of the Global Health Security Agenda.
Dr. Sillanaukee is skilled in Health Care and Social Affairs management, Health and social service management, Health Security, Universal Health Coverage, Integrated care, Communicable & Noncommunicable diseases, Government, Management, Health Technology & innovation, Entrepreneurship, Quality Management, Interpersonal Skills, Non-profit and for profit Boards.
Dr. Sillanaukee graduated with an MD, PhD, and eMBA from University of Tampere, specialization for Public Health Management, and an Honorary Doctor from University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine. She also studied humanities and cultural sciences in University of Jyväskylä.
PaiviSillanaukee #Finland #Healthcare #Ambassador #ForeignAffairs #SocialAffairs #HealthSecurity #UniversalHealthCoverage #IntegratedCare #CommunicableDiseases #Wellbeing #NoncommunicableDiseases #AgingInPlace #OneHealth #SilverEconomy #HealthTechnology #Entrepreneurship #QualityManagement #HIMSS #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Angela Aina, MPH is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance ( https://blackmamasmatter.org/ ), where she works to convene Black Maternal Health professionals and community-based organizations to develop trainings, programs, quality improvement initiatives, research projects, and black feminist advocacy strategies to advance holistic maternity service provision, policy, and systems change in global public health.
Ms. Aina has over 16 years of public health experience, working in different capacities on projects focused on: incorporating health equity strategies into reproductive and maternal health initiatives; strengthening strategic planning and community-based workforce development; and data collection.
Ms. Aina has previously served as a Public Health Analyst, Health Communications Specialist, and a Public Health Prevention Service Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), working on various issues including Zika and Pregnancy, scientific program management, and 2014 Ebola response staffing.
Ms. Aina holds a Master of Public Health degree in International and Women’s Health from Morehouse School of Medicine where she conducted a sequential mixed-method analysis of the reproductive health attitudes and behaviors of Nigerian-born immigrant women in the U.S., and a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University in Psychology and African-American Studies.
Ms. Aina’s expertise and perspectives on Black Maternal Health has been featured in media outlets, such as the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, the Root, and HLN/CNN. In March of 2020, she was recognized as a 2020 WebMD Health Hero and highlighted as an advocate for Black Maternal Health in Time Magazine. She is passionate about and committed to work that seek to achieve: the self-determination of women of African descent; the elimination of violence against women; the promotion of Black and African women’s rights and leadership; and womanist solutions to social and economic injustices.
Ms. Aina enjoys all things diasporic Black cultural expressions in dance, music, art, fashion, theatre and film.
BlackMamasMatterAlliance #AngelaAina #MaternalHealth #Pregnancy #HumanRights #Prenatal #Perinatal #SocialJustice #Midwifery #Doula #MaternalMortality #GEHealthcareFoundation #Nigeria #Postpartum #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Tina Ipe, MD, MPH is Chief Executive Officer at Regen Med Clinic ( https://www.regenmed.vip/ ), a medical practice which provides multi-specialty infusions, cutting-edge treatments such as therapeutic apheresis (plasmapheresis and collections), as well as novel aesthetic treatments, for patients with a variety chronic illnesses.
Dr. Ipe is a board-certified physician and clinical researcher. Before entering private practice, she was Chief Medical Officer at the Oklahoma Blood Institute, Associate Medical Director at Houston Methodist Hospital, and Division Director at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She is an expert in the fields of blood disorders, immunology, therapeutic apheresis, blood banking, and transfusion medicine. She has published more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters.
Dr. Ipe received her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia and completed her residency in clinical pathology and fellowship in transfusion medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She also has an MPH from Dartmouth.
TinaIpe #BloodDisorders #Blood #Biotherapies #Immunology #TherapeuticApheresis #BloodBanking #TransfusionMedicine #RegenerativeMedicine #TherapeuticPlasmaExchange #ConvalescentPlasma #ExtracorporealPhotopheresis #Parabiosis #Longevity #Aging #HospiceCare #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. David B. Agus ( https://davidagus.com/ ) is one of the world's leading doctors and pioneering biomedical researchers.
Dr. Agus is the Founding Director and Co-CEO of the Ellison Institute of
Technology ( https://eit.org/ ) and a professor of medicine ( https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/david-b-agus/ ) and engineering ( https://viterbi.usc.edu/directory/faculty/Agus/David ) the University of
Southern California.
A medical oncologist, Dr. Agus leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers
dedicated to the development and use of technologies to guide doctors in making health-care decisions tailored to individual needs.
An international leader in global health and approaches for personalized healthcare, Dr. Agus serves in leadership roles at the World Economic Forum and is co-chair of the Global Health Security Consortium ( https://institute.global/tags/global-health-security-consortium ). He is also a CBS News contributor.
Dr. Agus’ three books The End of Illness, A Short Guide to a Long Life and The Lucky Years: How to Thrive in the Brave New World of Health are all New York Times and international bestsellers. His latest book, The Book of Animal
Secrets: Nature’s Lessons for a Long and Happy Life, was released in December 2023. He is a 2017 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
DavidAgus #LawrenceEllison #LarryEllison #TonyBlair #ShinyaYamanaka #ArtificialIntelligence #Health #MedicalScience #FoodSecurity #SustainableAgriculture #ClimateChange #CleanEnergy #DrugDiscovery #MolecularAnalytics #Microenvironment #Cancer #Oncology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite, MD is a medical doctor trained in infectious diseases, with extensive experience in global health, health systems and science-based policy making.
Dr. Baptista Leite served four terms as a Member of Parliament in Portugal on Health and Foreign Affairs committees, is currently a city councilor in Sintra, served as Deputy Mayor of Cascais, and as Head of Public Health at the Catholic University of Portugal.
Dr. Baptista Leite is Founder and President of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health ( https://www.unitenetwork.org/ ), a network of current and former policymakers from 110 countries committed towards the promotion of efficient and sustainable policies for improved global health systems, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr. Baptista Leite is also CEO of HealthAI - The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health ( https://www.healthai.agency/ ) in Geneva; Chair of the Board of the Harvard-Charité Global Health Policy Lab ( https://www.globalhealthpolicylab.org/about-us ) in Berlin; and Chair of the Centre for Global Health at NOVA University Information Management School ( https://www.novaims.unl.pt/en/nova-ims/labs/nova-center-for-global-health-lab/ ) where he also has teaching and research responsibilities at the department of Microbiology and Parasitology.
Dr. Baptista Leite completed postgraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Baptista Leite was a practicing physician for several years, including an internship at the World Health Organization. He was a medical volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic in his hometown hospital in Portugal and as part of a humanitarian mission at the Lviv Regional Hospital in Ukraine after the beginning of the war.
RicardoBaptistaLeite #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #InfectiousDiseases #Portugal #UNITEParliamentariansNetwork #HealthAI #HIV #AIDS #TB #Hepatitis #AntimicrobialResistance #HealthyAging #Wellbeing #UnitedNations #WHO #WorldHealthOrganization #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalHealth #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #OneHealth #HealthPolicy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Tristan Colonius, DVM is the Chief Veterinary Officer and Deputy Director for Science Policy at FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine ( CVM - https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary ).
Dr. Colonius previously worked in various positions at FDA, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf and as an International Policy Analyst.
During his career at FDA, Dr. Colonius has been working on numerous initiatives including the Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda, One Health, Intentional Genomic Alterations in animals, and zootechnical animal feed substances (ZAFS) among many other programs at CVM.
Prior to joining FDA, Dr. Colonius held positions in the US Senate and US Department of Agriculture.
Dr. Colonius came to the Hill as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology fellow in 2012 in Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (NY) office and worked to help pass the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the “Farm Bill”) renewal.
Dr. Colonius then went to work for Senator Diane Feinstein, first as a Legislative Assistant and then as her Deputy Legislative Director. While in Senator Feinstein’s office, Dr. Colonius worked on disaster preparedness, climate resiliency, emerging public health threats, homeland security, federal science policy, and animal welfare/conservation.
Dr. Colonius holds a BA in Political Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University, as well as a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois.
Important Episode Link
The Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda - Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) - FDA - https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-supports-innovation-animal-biotechnology-veterinary-products-food-animals-through-new
FoodAndDrugAdministration #FDA #CenterForVeterinaryMedicine #OneHealth #TristanColonius #AnimalWelfare #PetMedicine #ConditionalApproval #SciencePolicy #AntimicrobialResistance #Zoonotic #Zoooses #GMO #RobertCaliff #KirstenGillibrand #DianeFeinstein #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Mike Kelly is President & Chief Executive Officer of NervGen Pharma Corp. ( https://nervgen.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to developing innovative treatments to enable nervous system repair in the settings of traumatic injury and disease.
NervGen’s lead drug candidate, NVG-291, is being evaluated in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in an initial target indication, spinal cord injury. NervGen has initiated preclinical evaluation of a new development candidate, NVG-300, in models of ischemic stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury.
Mr. Kelly brings three decades of pharmaceutical experience playing instrumental roles in the creation, development and strengthening of several companies.
Most recently, Mr. Kelly served as President of US Operations for Adapt Pharma, Inc. from March 2016 to June 2019, and played a key leadership role in the development and commercialization of NARCAN (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray in the US and Canada and in the eventual sale to Emergent BioSolutions for US$735 million.
Prior to his tenure at Adapt Pharma, Inc., Mr. Kelly served as the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Covis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where, along with its European affiliate, grew and sold the company assets for US$1.2 billion. Mr. Kelly was also a member of the founding management team of Azur Pharma Limited, a specialty pharmaceutical company, and later, following a strategic merger, served as the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc. Mr. Kelly has also held various commercial and medical roles at Guilford Pharmaceuticals Inc., ViroPharma Incorporated and TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc. and has been a Director of ARS Pharmaceuticals Inc. since May 2019.
Mr. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from The College of New Jersey and a Master of Business Administration from Rider University.
SpinalCordInjury #SCI #IschemicStroke #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #ALS #NervGen #Rehabilitation #RegenerativeMedicine #RegenerativeBiology #ChondroitinSulfateProteoglycans #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast
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Dr. Leonard Tender, Ph.D. is a Program Manager in the Biological Technologies Office at DARPA ( https://www.darpa.mil/staff/dr-leonard-tender ) where his research interests include developing new methods for user-defined control of biological processes, and climate and supply chain resilience.
Prior to coming to DARPA, Dr. Tender was a principal investigator and led the Laboratory for Molecular Interfaces in the Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. There, among other accomplishments, he facilitated numerous international collaborations with key external stakeholders in academia, industry, and government and his highly interdisciplinary research team, comprised of electrochemists, microbiologists, and engineers, is widely recognized for its many contributions to the field of microbial electrochemistry.
Dr. Tender earned a doctorate degree in analytical chemistry from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley; and served as a visiting scientist in the Stanford University Department of Chemistry.
Dr. Tender co-founded the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology and is a recipient of the Arthur S. Flemming Award, which honors outstanding federal employees, by the George Washington University's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.
Darpa #Biomanufacturing #QuantumBiology #QuantumComputing #NavalResearchLaboratory #MicrobialElectrochemistry #DefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency #Bioelectronics #TissueRegeneration #UnderseaEnergy #BreathableArmors #EdibleMacronutrients #Lubricants #Adhesives #TacticalFibers #PotableWater #Plastic #OrbitalManufacturing #Extremophiles #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Mehmood Khan, MD is the Chief Executive Officer of Hevolution Foundation ( https://www.hevolution.com/ ), a first of its kind non-profit organization that funds research through grants and provides investments in biotech to incentivize healthspan science across disciplines and borders for the benefit of all. Established by a Saudi Royal Decree, with its headquarters in Riyadh, with additional international hubs to support the expansion and execute the global mission, it's vision is to expand healthy human lifespan for the benefit of all humanity.
Hevolution Foundation aims to be positioned as a global leader, catalyst, partner, and convener, to increase the number of scientists entering the field, to increase the investable opportunities in the field of aging, and to help shape the regulatory and government environment.
Dr. Khan also currently serves as the Executive Chairman of Life Biosciences Inc. where he joined the company in April 2019 as the Chief Executive Officer and Board Member. Life Biosciences was founded to advance scientific research and develop innovative new therapies to improve and extend healthy lives for everyone.
Dr. Khan previously served as Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of Global Research and Development at PepsiCo, a Fortune 50 company employing upwards of 250,000 employees across 22 brands. At PepsiCo, Dr. Khan played a pivotal role in the company’s global R&D efforts to create breakthrough innovations in food, beverages, and nutrition, including the incorporation of healthier and more nutritious offerings across its portfolio. Dr. Khan also oversaw PepsiCo's global sustainability initiatives based on the belief that success in business is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world we share.
Prior to joining PepsiCo, Dr. Khan served as President of Global R&D at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, leading the global efforts of one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world by revenue.
Before moving into industry, Dr. Khan had a distinguished medical career as a faculty member in endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical School where he served as Director of the Diabetes, Endocrine and Nutritional Trials Unit. He also spent nine years leading programs in diabetes, endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition in Minneapolis, MN.
Dr. Khan is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Reckitt Benckiser.
Dr. Khan has also served as a board member in Spectrum Health, CorMedix, HemoShear Therapeutics, and Indigo Agriculture.
Dr. Khan earned his medical degree from the University of Liverpool Medical School, England, and completed a fellowship in clinical endocrinology and nutrition in the Department of Medicine and Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in London and a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology.
MehmoodKhan #HevolutionFoundation #Healthspan #Lifespan #IntrinsicCapacity #Resilience #Aging #Longevity #Rejuvenation #LifeBiosciences #Endocrinology #GeriatricSyndromes #Nutrition #Xprize #FoodScience #Diabetes #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Jay Hooper, Ph.D. is Chief, Molecular Virology Branch, at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases ( USAMRIID - https://usamriid.health.mil/ ) where his research is aimed at the discovery and development of medical countermeasures targeting exotic viral diseases of military importance including hemorrhagic fever caused by hantaviruses, arenaviruses, filoviruses (e.g., Ebola virus), and diseases caused by poxviruses (e.g., smallpox and monkeypox).
Dr. Hooper’s discoveries include one of the world’s most potent monoclonal antibodies targeting smallpox (7D11), and the first practical lethal disease animal model for a hantavirus (Andes virus in Syrian hamsters).
Dr. Hooper is an expert in DNA vaccine technology and the use of this technology to develop both active vaccines and passive (antibody-based) medical countermeasures, and is the lead scientist in an effort that has resulted in multiple hantavirus DNA vaccines moving into Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials.
To expedite medical countermeasure research, Dr. Hooper’s group established a pseudovirion neutralization assay capability which has been used to support the rapid development of candidate antibody-based products and vaccines, including candidate Ebola virus vaccines.
During the COVID-19 outbreak Dr. Hooper led an effort to establish rodent animal models to discover and advance medical countermeasures targeting COVID-19. That work resulted in among the first publications on the use of the Syrian hamster model, and human ACE2 mouse model, to evaluate medical countermeasures. These models were then used to advance vaccines and antibody treatments, including Operation Warp Speed-funded research.
Dr. Hooper’s is currently collaborating with industrial partners to develop future generation vaccines and antibodies to combat monkeypox.
Dr. Hooper has a Ph.D. in Virology from Harvard University and a BA in Biology from Colby College.
USAMRIID #MolecularVirology #MedicalCountermeasures #Hantavirus #Ebola #Monkeypox #Smallpox #Covid #MonoclonalAntibodies #Vaccines #OperationWarpSpeed #Army #Biodefense #MrnaVaccines #DNAVaccines #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Luba Perry, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and CEO of ReConstruct Bio ( https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/reconstruct/ ), an innovative venture emerging from Harvard’s Wyss Institute ( https://wyss.harvard.edu/team/advanced-technology-team/luba-perry/ ), aimed at redefining the fields of medical reconstruction and aesthetics with an initial application of their groundbreaking technology on breast reconstruction and augmentation. With a multidisciplinary team of experts, the ReConstruct Bio team has developed the BioImplant—a living, bioengineered tissue created from the patient’s own cells, to provide safer, more natural alternative to current standards, which are often associated with significant drawbacks and health concerns.
Dr. Perry also serves as a Senior Scientist at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering working at the 3D Organ Engineering Initiative since 2018 and is leading a Wyss Validation Project aiming to fabricate vascularized functional tissues for transplantation. Her interest is in tissue and organ engineering, focusing on vascularization and implantation studies utilizing complex surgical models.
Dr. Perry’s background is in molecular biology, pharmacology, and biomedical engineering, with a Bachelor of Science - BS, Biology, Master of Science - MS, Molecular Pharmacology, and a Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Biotechnology, all from Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. She also has industry experience in a vascular gene therapy company (MGVS, now VESSL Therapeutics).
LubaPerry #Harvard #WyssInstitute #ReConstructBio #Aesthetics #3DOrganEngineering #BreastReconstruction #BreastAugmentation #Vascularization #Innervation #Fat #AdiposeTissue #BreastImplants #Organogenesis #OrganEngineering #TissueEngineering #Bioengineering #Organs #Tissues #MolecularPharmacology #Breasts #Nipples
ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Oren Gilad, Ph.D., is President and Chief Executive Officer of Aprea Therapeutics ( https://aprea.com/ ), a clinical stage, platform biotechnology company focused on the development of novel, synthetic lethality-based therapies, with direct on-target mechanisms of action, and clear clinical pathways, that target various aspects of DNA Damage Response (DDR) Pathways.
Dr. Gilad previously served as President and CEO of Atrin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., leading its transaction with Aprea Therapeutics.
Dr. Gilad brings extensive experience across multiple phases of drug development. During his time at Atrin, he led development from idea through early stage into the clinical stage while securing financing to support pre-clinical and clinical development, regulatory, and intellectual property activities.
Before founding Atrin in 2011, Dr. Gilad authored several high-impact scientific publications over a 13-year academic career, including one demonstrating the importance of the ATR kinase pathway in cancer development and treatment.
Dr. Gilad earned his doctorate in comparative pathology from the University of California at Davis, did his post-doc work at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and his B.S. from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
Cancer #Oncology #TumorBiology #OrenGilad #ApreaTherapeutics #Biotechnology #DrugDevelopment #Macrocycles #SyntheticLethality #DNADamageResponse #Doylestown #Philadelphia #ATRKinase #WEE1 #BRCA #PARP #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Richard Scranton, M.D., M.P.H., is the President of Global Product Development and the Chief Medical Officer of Lyndra Therapeutics ( https://lyndra.com/ ), a company pioneering long-acting oral therapies, designed to deliver medicine for up to a week or longer in an oral form.
Dr. Scranton is responsible for advancing the company's proprietary LYNX™ drug delivery platform ( https://lyndra.com/platform/ ) and evolving and overseeing portfolio strategy, current and future product development from preclinical through commercialization, and external partnerships and alliances.
Dr. Scranton has 20+ years of expertise in pharmaco-epidemiologic research, clinical epidemiology, health services research and clinical trials research.
Prior to joining Lyndra, Dr. Scranton held roles with increasing responsibility at Pacira Pharmaceuticals, including Chief Medical Officer, where he led the global development and advancement of their non-opioid long-lasting injectable local anesthetic. Dr. Scranton also served as Chief Medical Officer at VeroScience, where his responsibilities included all aspects of clinical development, regulatory and pharmacovigilance of their investigational drugs in the metabolic disease and immunological domains.
Dr. Scranton also has served as instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate physician in the division of aging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, associate medical director and research consultant for Phase V Technologies, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and a senior research fellow at the Massachusetts Veterans Administration Epidemiology, Research and Information Center (MAVERIC).
Dr. Scranton earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee and a Doctor of Medicine from the Quillen College of Medicine at Eastern Tennessee State University. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va, and served as chief resident. He completed his Harvard General Medicine Fellowship and received a Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health.
RichardScranton #LyndraTherapeutics #LongActing #OralTherapies #Risperidone #Pharmacoepidemiology #MedicationAdherence #RobertLanger #BiochemicalEngineering #Schizophrenia #OpioidUseDisorder #PregnancyPrevention #Pharmacokinetics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Mrs. Cheryl Halpern is a Director, Producer, Documentarian, and Co-Founder and Partner of HQ Creative LLC ( https://www.hqcreative.com/ ), an Emmy Award-winning production company and branding agency serving clients around the world.
The award winning film '"The Golden Rule: Do Unto Others" produced by HQ Creative and Indonesian award winning company Angel Pictures, began it's theatrical release from September 20-27th, 2024 -
https://vimeo.com/904241685/c4fae53c3a
Mrs. Halpern has a long record of public service in broadcasting, education and international affairs.
Mrs. Halpern was nominated to serve on the boards of America’s national and international broadcasting organizations by Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. In 1990, she was confirmed as a member of the Board for International Broadcasting and as a director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). From 1995 through 2002, Mrs. Halpern served on the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) overseeing Voice of America, Radio and TV Marti, RFE/RL, Worldnet, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Iraq. While serving on the BBG she helped create Radio Sawa, a new American Arabic radio voice to the Middle East. In August, 2002, she was confirmed to serve as a director of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). She was subsequently elected by her peers as chairman of the CPB and served the two-term limit. In addition, Mrs. Halpern was a Public Delegate of the United States, with the rank of Ambassador, to the 63rd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. During the Obama Administration she has been a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.
Mrs. Halpern has also chaired the character education program of the Words Can Heal organization. This national campaign to curb gossip, fight verbal violence and promote the healing powers of ethical speech received bipartisan support from the US Congress as well as from diverse ethnic and religious groups. In her capacity as a Presidential-appointed US delegate to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Conference on Anti-Semitism, Mrs. Halpern addressed the plenary on children’s programming and textbook development.
As the current chairman of the Queen of Sheba Foundation Mrs. Halpern has partnered in the development of “Midako”, an illustrated children’s book publishing initiative to promote literacy in Ethiopia.
As a documentarian, Mrs. Halpern has produced several commissioned as well as independently produced documentaries. Most notably, the government of Ethiopia commissioned Mrs. Halpern and her HQ Creative LLC team to produce a memorial documentary to the late Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. A special tribute to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was also produced for screening at the 50th Anniversary of the African Union.
Mrs. Halpern’s independently produced documentaries have provided compelling historical and cultural information to her audiences. Her films have focused on embodying the spirit of achievement and thereby providing positive visual images and messages for all; regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. Mrs. Halpern’s documentaries have received awards from film festivals around the world. They have been screened by colleges and universities and have been included in Museum exhibits and archive collections.
TheGoldenRule #DoUntoOthers #CherylHalpern #EthicOfReciprocity #Peace #Coexistence #Interfaith #Humanitarian #Tolerance #Religion #EphraimIsaac #ImamShamsiAli #Ghandi #Documentary #Indonesia #Ethiopia #Israel #Nigeria #CorporationForPublicBroadcasting #HerRoyalMajestyQueenAngeliqueMonet #HolocaustMemorialCouncil #OrganizationForSecurityAndCooperationInEurop
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Dr. Rasha Hammamieh, Ph.D. is Director, Medical Readiness Systems Biology (MRSB), at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research ( https://wrair.health.mil/Biomedical-Research/Center-for-Military-Psychiatry-and-Neuroscience/Medical-Readiness-Systems-Biology/ ) where her lab seeks to apply integrative biology approaches to diseases of military relevance, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury pain and biological responses to polytrauma and austere environments (heat stress, acute mountain sickness, hypoxia, radiation and microgravity).
The majority of Dr. Hammamieh’s work aims to provide an understanding and develop countermeasures for diseases and injuries in support of service members.
Currently, the MRSB lab is assessing the effect of spaceflight conditions onboard the International Space Station (ISS) on health and disease, and Dr. Hammamieh’s team has multiple biological investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory examining the effects of microgravity on the healing of bone and skin wounds.
Dr. Hammamieh has authored and co-authored more than 145 publications, three book chapters, and is a co-inventor of the patent “Biomarkers of Immune Dysfunction in Response to Chronic Stress.”
Dr. Hammamieh earned a pharmacy degree from Damascus University, Damascus, Syria and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Georgetown University.
RashaHammamieh #MedicalReadiness #SystemsBiology #WalterReedArmyInstituteOfResearch #MilitaryPsychiatry #PTSD #Neuroscience #IntegrativeBiology #Military #PostTraumaticStressDisorder #TraumaticBrainInjury #Polytrauma #AustereEnvironments #HeatStress #AcuteMountainSickness #Hypoxia #Radiation #Microgravity #EpigeneticClocks #SpaceBiology #InfectiousDiseases #Sepsis #Toxicology #Radiobiology #InternationalSpaceStation #ISS #Biomarkers #ImmuneDysfunction #ChronicStress #Aging #Damascus #Syria #Georgetown #NASA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., ( https://www.francisscollins.com/ ) is the former Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), where as the longest serving director of NIH (spanning 12 years and three presidencies) he oversaw the work of the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world, from basic to clinical research.
Dr. Collins continues to serve as NIH Distinguished Investigator,
Center for Precision Health Research, at the National Human Genome Research Institute ( NHGRI - https://irp.nih.gov/pi/francis-collins ).
Dr. Collins is a physician-geneticist noted for his landmark discoveries of disease genes and his leadership of the international Human Genome Project, which culminated in April 2003 with the completion of a finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book. He served as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH from 1993-2008.
Dr. Collins' research laboratory has discovered a number of important genes, including those responsible for cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, Huntington's disease, a familial endocrine cancer syndrome, and most recently, genes for type 2 diabetes, and the gene that causes Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a rare condition that causes premature aging.
Dr. Collins received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Virginia, a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Yale University, and an M.D. with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to coming to the NIH in 1993, he spent nine years on the faculty of the University of Michigan, where he was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Collins was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2007 and the National Medal of Science in 2009.
Dr. Collins also founded and served as President of The BioLogos Foundation ( https://biologos.org/ ), which promotes discourse on the relationship between science and religion.
Dr. Collins is also an accomplished author with many available titles including The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, and a new book coming out The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust - Sep 17, 2024 ( https://www.amazon.com/Road-Wisdom-Truth-Science-Faith/dp/0316576301 ).
FrancisCollins #NationalInstitutesOfHealth #HumanGenomeProject #NIH #Progeria #Cancer #Diabetes #Repurposing #Wisdom #Faith #Truth #Trust #BioLogosFoundation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Benjamin L. Oakes, Ph.D., is Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Scribe Therapeutics ( https://www.scribetx.com/ ), a molecular engineering company focused on creating best-in-class CRISPR-based therapies that permanently treat the underlying cause of disease. Previously, as an Innovative Genomics Institute Entrepreneurial Fellow, Dr. Oakes focused on the holistic engineering of genome editing technologies to build novel genome editing molecules.
Dr. Oakes has contributed to over 35 publications and patent applications across synthetic biology, molecular engineering, CRISPR, and zinc finger-based genetic modification.
Dr. Oakes has been named to the MIT Technology Review 35 Innovators Under 35, San Francisco Business Times 40 Under 40, Endpoints 20 Under 40 in Biopharma, Business Insider 30 Under 40 Transforming Healthcare, and the Biocom Life Sciences Catalyst Awards. He received a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2017, where he worked in the Doudna Lab and Savage Lab developing CRISPR-Cas9 molecules with enhanced characteristics. Two such projects resulted in distinct versions of synthetic sensing systems that can modify nucleic acids only when triggered by external stimuli, and have found use in both research and pragmatically applied technologies.
Prior to his Ph.D., Dr. Oakes received his B.A. in the fields of Philosophy and Neurobiology and worked as a researcher applying unbiased, combinatorial evolution methods to build tens of thousands of “version one” genome editing tools, providing an open source framework for scientists and medical professionals to modify the genome before the discovery of CRISPR technology.
BenjaminOakes #ScribeTherapeutics #MolecularEngineering #CRISPR #InnovativeGenomicsInstitute #JenniferDoudna #MolecularBiology #UniversityOfCalifornia #Berkeley #SyntheticBiology #ZincFingerNucleases #Optogenetics #EmmanuelleCharpentier #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Ben Zimmer is CEO of Priovant Therapeutics ( https://www.priovanttx.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on delivering novel therapies for autoimmune diseases associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality. Priovant is developing oral brepocitinib, a potential first-in-class dual inhibitor of TYK2 and JAK1, across multiple severe autoimmune indications, unlocking new treatment options for patients who are underserved by existing therapies.
Ben joined Priovant from Roivant, where he was a member of the founding team in early 2015 and held multiple leadership roles across the organization, including President, Roivant Health, Chief Operating Officer, and Head, Public Affairs. As President, Roivant Health, Ben led and oversaw the launch of Roivant's Chinese biopharmaceutical subsidiaries, healthcare technology companies (including Datavant), and computationally powered drug discovery platform (including VantAI).
Earlier in his career, Ben was a consultant at McKinsey & Co and co-founded and led a public policy non-profit. He holds a BA magna cum laude from Harvard College and a JD from Yale Law School.
BenZimmer #PriovantTherapeutics #AutoimmuneDiseases #Brepocitinib #TYK2 #JAK1 #Dermatomyositis #NonInfectiousUveitis #Pfizer #Roivant #VivekRamaswamy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Rocky Batzel is CEO of SnapSlide ( https://www.snapslide.com/ ), a company that recently introduced to the market the First Child-Resistant Closure with Single-Handed Opening for RX and OTC medication Bottles. This patented solution, of which Mr. Batzell is the inventor, is focused on bringing life-changing potential for over 60 million Americans with physical limitations, finally addressing the vital yet widely overlooked aspect of inclusivity – namely medication accessibility.
Mr. Batzell earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marywood University in Pennsylvania, and while enrolled in medical school, he noticed his grandmother struggling with a traditional, "push-and-twist", child-resistant cap on her prescription bottle. That inspirational moment led him to pivot his career into the world of entrepreneurship, and he set out to design the very first prototype of what would eventually become SnapSlide.
After securing patent protection, Mr. Batzell ultimately formed a company around his groundbreaking innovation. As the company’s CEO, he is dedicated to advancing engineering, diversifying applications, and leading SnapSlide’s mission to bring this adaptive solution to those who need it most.
RockyBatzel #SnapSlide #ChildResistantClosure #SingleHandedOpening #RX #OTC #MedicationBottles #Arthritis #Fibromyalgia #MultipleSclerosis #ParkinsonsDisease #Amputation #Stroke #Paralysis #BirthDefects #Disabilities #MedicationAdherence #Compliance #Pharmacy #Agetech #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Angie Burnett, Ph.D. is Program Director at the Advanced Research and Invention Agency ( ARIA - https://www.aria.org.uk/ ), a UK organization created by an Act of Parliament, and sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, to fund projects across a full spectrum of R&D disciplines, approaches, and institutions, per the ARIA mission statement to “Look beyond what exists today to the breakthroughs we’ll need tomorrow”.
Prior to this role, Dr. Burnett was a Research Associate in the Department of Plant Sciences, and a former David MacKay Research Associate at Darwin College and Cambridge Zero where her work focused on understanding the response of maize plants to high light and cold temperature stresses, and the genetic basis for stress tolerance, so that breeders can produce plants which are better able to withstand environmental stress.
Dr. Burnett’s background is in plant physiology. She holds a BA from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the University of Sheffield, where she was awarded the inaugural PhD studentship from the Society for Experimental Biology. Before commencing her role at the University of Cambridge, she worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the USA and as a Consultant at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Italy.
Important Episode Links
"Programmable Plants" Opportunity Space - https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ARIA-Programmable-Plants-v1.pdf
"Synthetic Plants For A Sustainable Future" Program Thesis - https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ARIA-Synthetic-plants-for-a-sustainable-future.pdf
AngieBurnett #AdvancedResearchAndInventionAgency #ARIA #SyntheticPlants #PlantPhysiology #FoodSecurity #CropStress #CropYield #PlantBiotechnology
Genetics #PlantEnvironmentInteractions #ClimateChange #DepartmentForScienceInnovationAndTechnology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Deborah Sesok-Pizzini, MD, MBA, is Chief Medical Officer And Senior Vice President, Labcorp Diagnostics, and Global Head of Quality And Discipline Director, Immunohematology, Labcorp ( https://www.labcorp.com/deborah-sesok-pizzini-md-mba ), where she is involved in furthering the company's initiatives to enhance the patient experience, enable health provider decisions and develop innovative testing solutions.
Dr. Sesok-Pizzini joined Labcorp with over two decades of experience in healthcare, holding multiple appointments with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, including Patient Safety Officer, Chief of the Division of Transfusion Medicine and Vice-Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. She was also a professor of clinical pathology and laboratory medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Sesok-Pizzini earned her medical degree from the Penn State College of Medicine and did her residency and fellowship at The University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. She also graduated from Villanova University, with a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance.
Dr. Sesok-Pizzini holds certifications in clinical pathology and blood bank and transfusion medicine. She is a member of the College of American Pathology, the American Society of Clinical Pathology, and the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies. She is a board member of the Intersociety Council for Pathology Information and serves as an adjunct professor with the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
DeborahSesokPizzini #ChiefMedicalOfficer #Labcorp #Diagnostics #Immunohematology #ChildrensHospitalOfPhiladelphia #CHOP #TransfusionMedicine #Pathology #LaboratoryMedicine #PerelmanSchoolOfMedicine #UniversityOfPennsylvania #Penn #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Vid Desai is Chief Information Officer, Office of Digital Transformation (ODT), at the U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA), where he sets and leads the agency’s Information Technology (IT) strategy, as well as the agency’s enterprise IT, data management, and cybersecurity. (https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/vid-desai)
The ODT oversees the overall FDA IT spend of close to $1Bn and a staff of around 2,500 employees and contractors. In this capacity, Mr. Desai was recently named to the Forbes CIO Next List 2023 and was the only federal CIO to receive this honor. He was also selected as a WashingtonExec Top Government IT Leaders to watch in 2023, in additional to multiple agency and industry awards.
Prior to being named CIO, Mr. Desai served as the FDA’s Chief Technology Officer, overseeing day-to-day technology operations as the leader of the Office of Information Management and Information Technology.
Mr. Desai is a seasoned, nationally recognized technology leader with over 35 years of experience in the IT field, and healthcare and life sciences industries. He has previous experience working for large pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and clinical research organizations.
Prior to joining the FDA in 2019, Mr. Desai held the CIO role at Vyaire Medical, a respiratory medical device company formed from a divestiture from Becton Dickinson. He was CIO at Endochoice, a GI device and services provider, and Lake Region Medical, which was acquired by Greatbach to form Integer, a medical device, outsource manufacturer. His previous experience includes IT leadership roles with large CRO and pharmaceuticals, including Quintiles Transnational, where he served as executive director, Global IT Infrastructure. Prior to Quintiles, Mr. Desai held several leadership positions of increasing responsibility with GlaxoSmithKline. He started his career in IT as a software engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation in Reading, U.K.
Mr. Desai holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (first class with honors) from Royal Holloway College, University of London.
Important Episode Links
FDA’s Technology Modernization Action Plan (TMAP) - https://www.fda.gov/media/130883/download
FDA's Data Modernization Action Plan (DMAP) -
https://www.fda.gov/media/143627/download?attachment
FDA's Cybersecurity Modernization Action Plan
https://www.fda.gov/media/163086/download?attachment
VidDesai #ChiefInformationOfficer #OfficeOfDigitalTransformation #FoodAndDrugAdministration #FDA #InformationTechnology #ZeroTrust #ArtificialIntelligence #QuantumComputing #IT #Cybersecurity #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Lily Brown, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and Director at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, Perelman School of Medicine, at University of Pennsylvania ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsa/LilyBrownPhD.html ).
Dr. Brown received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology at Drexel University and her Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and Learning and Behavior Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In graduate school, Dr. Brown researched mechanisms of change in fear conditioning and extinction, with a particular focus on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in the Anxiety and Depression Research Center. She completed her predoctoral internship at Brown University in the Psychosocial Research Department where she completed research on the rate of suicidal behaviors in patients with PTSD.
Dr. Brown’s current research focuses on treatment development and implementation to mitigate suicide risk in patients with anxiety disorders and PTSD. She specializes in cognitive-behavior therapy for anxiety disorders, including Exposure and Response prevention (EX/RP) for obsessive compulsive disorder, and has been trained in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.
LilyBrown #Psychology #CognitiveBehaviorTherapy #CenterForTheTreatmentAndStudyOfAnxiety #PerelmanSchoolOfMedicine #UniversityOfPennsylvania #PTSD #Suicide #PosttraumaticStressDisorder #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCD #Panic #SocialPhobia #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Professor Dr. Dan Blumberg, Ph.D. is the Vice-President for Regional and Industrial Development at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev ( BGU - https://www.blumberg.bgu.ac.il/ ), an elected Member of the International Academy of Astronautics, and Chair of the Israel Space Agency ( https://www.space.gov.il/en ), a position he was appointed to by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology ( https://www.gov.il/en/departments/ministry_of_science_and_technology/govil-landing-page ) in 2022.
Prior to these positions, Prof. Blumberg completed five years as Vice President and Dean for Research and Development at BGU and before that he fulfilled several positions including Deputy Vice President, Chairperson of the Department of Geography and Environmental Development and the founder of the Green Campus initiative at BGU which gained the University an international ranking of #18.
Prof. Blumberg earned a Ph.D. from Arizona State University (1993) where he studied and worked in the Planetary Geology Group and focused on aeolian processes and microwave radar remote sensing to study arid zone environments and planetary geology. He was a Co-Investigator on the SRL (Spaceborne Radar Laboratory) mission, SRTM (Spaceborne Radar Topography) mission and other space missions.
Prof. Blumberg has been working for the past 20 years on analysis of multi-parameter remote sensing data including radar, hyperspectral, multi-spectral and ground penetrating radar data. He has also published numerous papers in the areas of target and anomaly detection and combined field studies with the use of remote sensing data. He also led the development and successful launch on February 15, 2017 of a Nanosatellite, BGUsat.
Prof. Blumberg has also been a key leader in the development of the cyber eco-system in Beer-Sheva ( https://www.blumberg.bgu.ac.il/_files/ugd/d86da1_7750b399fc5843af9763fd4e1ffe59af.pdf ), which brought 39 multi-national companies and 70 startups to the advanced technologies park in Beer-Sheva. Additional roles include as Director of the Homeland Security Institute ( https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/hsi/Pages/Board.aspx ) and Simon Family Chair in Remote Sensing at BGU.
DanBlumberg #RemoteSensing #Mars #Venus #BenGurionUniversityOfTheNegev #Astronautics #IsraelSpaceAgency #NASA #Geology #Geography #BaruchBlumberg #Astrobiology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Parag Mallick, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at Stanford University ( https://profiles.stanford.edu/parag-mallick ) and Co-Founder of Nautilus Biotechnology ( https://www.nautilus.bio/ ), a development stage life sciences company, engaged in creating a platform technology for quantifying and unlocking the complexity of the proteome for a new era of scientific discovery.
Originally trained as an engineer and biochemist, Dr. Mallick’s research spans proteomics, computational and experimental systems biology, cancer biology and nanotechnology.
Dr. Mallick received his B.S. in Computer Science from Washington University in St. Louis. He then obtained his Ph.D. from UCLA in Chemistry & Biochemistry, where he worked with Dr. David Eisenberg. He completed his post-doctoral studies at The Institute for Systems Biology with Dr. Ruedi Aebersold.
Dr. Mallick’s group has been pioneering systems-biology approaches towards understanding disease mechanisms, discovering biomarkers and enabling personalized medicine. Most recently, his group has been developing model-based and physics-based approaches to machine learning that enable learning over domains that span a wide range of time and length scales.
Dr. Mallick has over 100 publications and holds patents in the fields of artificial intelligence, proteomics technology, biomarker development, and nanotechnology. Additionally, he serves as an advisor to numerous biotechnology and diagnostics companies and is an accomplished magician. Dr. Mallick is a member, and frequent performer at the prestigious Magic Castle in Hollywood. He has performed all over the world for clients ranging from A-List Celebrities to Fortune 500 companies.
ParagMallick #Proteomics #Proteome #StanfordUniversity #NautilusBiotechnology #LifeSciences #DrugDiscovery #Diagnostics #Cancer #Alzheimers #Ashwgandha #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Ronnie Vasishta is Senior Vice President, Telecom at NVIDIA ( https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/author/ronniev/ ), where he leads all aspects of NVIDIA's telecom business from business management to product go-to-market strategy. His organization is responsible for defining and architecting next-generation virtualized, open 5G advanced and 6G networks, which act as a software-defined overlay on telecommunication networks powered by accelerated computing. His team is working with telecom operators around the world on their transformation journeys using NVIDIA’s full-stack accelerated computing platform and extensive developer ecosystems.
Ronnie joined NVIDIA in 2020 from Intel, where he most recently served as the vice president and general manager of the Network and Configurable Logic Division, Data Products Group. At Intel, Ronnie’s team managed the company’s programmable business with telecom manufacturers and communication service providers.
Ronnie formerly served as CEO of privately held eASIC, which focused on the telecom and storage markets and was sold to Intel in 2018. Previously, he was vice president of technical marketing at LSI Logic, a pioneer in the custom ASIC business. At LSI Logic he also held a series of engineering roles extending across wafer processing, chip design, IP and packaging.
Ronnie studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nottingham Trent University.
Important Episode Resources -
NVIDIA State of AI in Telecom 2024 Survey Report - https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/lp/industries/telecommunications/state-of-ai-in-telecom-survey-report/?ncid=ref-inor-605102-vt26
NVIDIA AI Solutions for Telecommunications - https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/industries/telecommunications/?ncid=ref-inor-463257-vt26
RonnieVasishta #Telecom #NVIDIA #6G #Telecommunication #RadioAccessNetworks #DigitalTwins #ArtificialIntelligence #InternetOfThings #QuantumComputing #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Prof. Dr. Alan Widgerow, MBBCh, FCS, MMed, FACS, is Division Chief, Research, Center for Tissue Engineering ( https://sites.uci.edu/ctelab/team/ ) and Adjunct Professor Plastic Surgery, Dept of Plastic Surgery, University of California, Irvine ( https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6048 ) and Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Skin Science Center of Innovation at Galderma ( https://www.galderma.com/ ).
Prof. Widgerow is a plastic surgeon who ran a solo private practice in South Africa for over 20 years.
Prof. Widgerow completed his undergraduate and post-graduate studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He has held various positions in numerous academic and professional associations including that of President of the Association of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery of Southern Africa (APRSSA). He is author of over 190 plastic surgical related publications and 2 books. He was also the founder and medical director of 13 wound clinics in South Africa.
Prof. Widgerow relocated to Irvine California in Dec 2009 to pursue his interests in medical device innovations, cosmeceuticals and wound care, but he still plays an active role in academic medicine world-wide. In 2012 he was appointed to the Faculty of the University of California Irvine Plastic Surgery Dept as Full Adjunct Professor and Director of the Center for Tissue Engineering and in 2021 was appointed as its Division Chief of Research. He is involved in multiple projects related to adipose derived stem cell and adipose decellularized matrix, wound healing and transplantation. In 2018 he was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Mentor of the year Award by the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, UCI.
Prof. Widgerow has developed and licensed multiple products in the US and South African markets. In 2015 he joined ALASTIN Skincare, Inc. an early start up professional skin care company as their Chief Medical Officer. Over the past 6 years he has spearheaded the scientific innovations team introducing multiple new products based on novel wound healing pathways. The resulting products have been validated with gene expression, in vitro and ex-vivo testing, biopsies, and multiple clinical trials resulting in a range of products that have surpassed previous scientific validations in this space. He continues to pursue patented novel concepts, peptide technologies and vigorous testing thus contributing to Alastin Skincare’s position as the fastest growing professional skin care company in the US for the past 4 years.
In 2021, Alastin Skincare was acquired by Galderma, the largest privately owned dermatology company in the world, and in June 2022, Prof. Widgerow was appointed Chief Scientific Officer of Galderma, Head of the Skin Science Center for Innovation and Head of Alastin innovations. He is involved in aesthetic, prescription and consumer product science research and development.
AlanWidgerow #CenterForTissueEngineering #PlasticSurgery #UniversityOfCalifornia #Irvine #ChiefScientificOfficer #SkinScience #Galderma #Dermatology #ExtracellularMatrix #StemCells #Exosomes #ECM #Aging #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Ryan Potts, Ph.D. is Vice President and Head, Induced Proximity Platform at Amgen ( https://www.amgen.com/science/research-and-development-strategy/multispecifics-and-other-modalities ) which is focused on novel ways to bring two or more molecules in close proximity to each other to tackle drug targets that are currently considered “undruggable.” He also leads Amgen’s Research & Development Postdoctoral Fellows Program ( https://www.amgen.com/science/scientific-community-initiatives/postdoctoral-fellows ).
Dr. Potts obtained his B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina and his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from UT Southwestern in 2007. In 2008 he was awarded the Sara and Frank McKnight junior faculty position at UT Southwestern Medical Center. During this time his lab focused on answering a long-standing question in cancer biology regarding the cellular function of cancer-testis antigen (CTAs) proteins. In 2011 he was appointed Assistant Professor in the Departments of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center. His lab’s work defined a function for the enigmatic MAGE gene (Melanoma Antigen Gene) family in protein regulation through ubiquitination.
In 2016 Dr. Potts lab moved to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where he was an Associate Member in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. There his lab continued to work on CTAs, with a focus on elucidating the biochemical, cellular, physiological and pathological functions of the MAGE gene family.
In 2020 Dr. Potts moved to Amgen, Inc. in Thousand Oaks, California to build a new department called the Induced Proximity Platform (IPP).
Important Episode Link - Amgen Molecular Matchmakers Science Cartoon -
https://wwwext.amgen.com/stories/2020/10/new-video-multispecific-medicines-that-work-as-molecular-matchmakers?_gl=11ygduyj_gaMjc5OTk2NDUzLjE3MjI0NTk5Nzc._ga_CBMSV0J9VL*MTcyMjQ2MzI0MS4yLjEuMTcyMjQ2MzUyMC4zOC4wLjA.
Amgen #RyanPotts #InducedProximityPlatform #MultispecificDrugs #UndruggableTargets #MolecularMatchmakers #PROTAC #RNATAC #Proteasome #Lysosome #UbiquitinLigases #Ubiquitination #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD is the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ( https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/about-doh/the-commissioner.page ).
Dr. Vasan is a primary care physician, epidemiologist and public health expert with nearly 20 years of experience working to improve physical and mental health, social welfare and public policy for marginalized populations here in New York City, nationally and globally. Since 2014 he has served on the faculty at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he continues to see patients as a primary care internist in the Division of General Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Dr. Vasan most recently served as the President and CEO of Fountain House, a national nonprofit fighting to improve health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people most impacted by mental illness. During his tenure, he grew the organization from a New York-based community mental health organization to a national network across eight markets, and grew the budget by nearly $20 million annually. He helped navigate the organization through COVID-19 by driving new telehealth and digital mental health programs while its physical locations closed, as well as developing new community-based outreach and accompaniment programs. Further, Dr. Vasan led the creation of a national policy office in Washington, D.C., working to change national mental health policy on the issues of crisis response services and funding for and quality of community-based mental health services.
From 2016 to 2019, Dr. Vasan served as the founding Executive Director of the Health Access Equity Unit at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which focused on the intersection of clinical and social services for the care of people involved in the justice system and other vulnerable populations — a first-of-its-kind government program in the nation. Under his leadership the team launched the NYC Health Justice Network — an innovative partnership between community-based primary care providers, criminal legal system reentry organizations, the Health Department and the Fund for Public Health — to embed tech-enabled, peer community health workers to promote health and wellness of people reentering the community from incarceration, and their families.
Early in his career, Dr. Vasan spent nearly a decade at the intersection of global health, HIV and primary care, working with the nonprofit Partners In Health (PIH) in Rwanda, Lesotho and Boston, and at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Uganda and Geneva. At PIH, he led efforts to improve integrated primary care and HIV care delivery using WHO Integrated Management guidelines and training. Dr. Vasan worked as a Technical Officer under Dr. Jim Yong Kim on the WHO/UNAIDS "3by5 Initiative" to expand HIV treatment access in the developing world, focusing on pricing and access to HIV medications, and on health worker training and education.
Dr. Vasan received his BA in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles; his ScM in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health; his MD from the University of Michigan; and his PhD in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine-primary care at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
NewYorkCity #AshwinVasan #Commissioner #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #HIV #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #MentalHealth #PaulFarmer #ColumbiaUniversity #Aging #Healthspan #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast
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The Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative ( DAC - https://www.davosalzheimerscollaborative.org/ ) is a pioneering worldwide initiative to cure Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, seeking to mirror the success of global efforts against infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Covid, and Malaria. Absent effective action at scale around the world, by 2050, more than 150 million families and half a billion people will be personally impacted by Alzheimer’s, creating a social, financial, economic, and global security disaster of historic proportions. DAC was launched in Davos in 2021 by the World Economic Forum and the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer's Disease.
Dr. Tim MacLeod is the Director of the Systems Preparedness workstream of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) where he executes on a mission to facilitate the implementation of national, regional, and global commitments to provide access to future innovations in treatment, diagnosis, and care.
Drawing on his background in implementation science and innovation consulting, Dr. MacLeod guides the development, execution, and dissemination of multi-site, real-world implementation studies that generate evidence about the facilitators and barriers to adopting and scaling novel technology in the ADRD space.
Before joining DAC, Dr. MacLeod led the award-winning human-centered design studio Bridgeable as Managing Director, where he worked with Fortune 500 companies in the financial service and health spaces on significant innovation initiatives.
Dr. MacLeod holds a Ph.D. in community psychology and has published widely on health innovation and implementation science. His research with the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s At Home/Chez Soi team scaled the Housing First model from 5 pilot sites to over 20 cities nationally through multi-level policy change.
Dr. Vaibhav Narayan is Executive Vice President at the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC), which he joined after 13+ years at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) where he was Vice President of Digital Health Innovation and Head of Data Science for Neuroscience R&D.
At J&J, Dr. Narayan created and led programs that utilized multi-modal data from ‘genomics to digital’ to understand disease subtypes and develop AI/ML driven digital health solutions for prevention, early detection, disease course monitoring and prediction in Alzheimer’s and neuropsychiatric diseases.
Dr. Narayan also previously served as Head, Discovery Informatics, Eli Lilly and Company, and as Director, Computational Sciences, Celera Genomics. He also currently serves a role as Chief Industry Officer, UK Mental Health Mission, University of Oxford.
Dr. Narayan obtained a PhD from Yale University in computational biology and an Executive MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Important Episode Links
The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Healthcare System Preparedness
(DAC-SP) Early Detection Blueprint - https://www.dacblueprint.org/
Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2024 - https://aaic.alz.org/
Alzheimers #Dementia #Davos #Neurology #Neuroscience #HealthyAging #BrainHealth #TimMacLeod #VaibhavNarayan #DavosAlzheimersCollaborative #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Andrea Choe, MD, Ph.D. is the CEO and Co-Founder of Holoclara ( https://www.holoclara.com/ ), a company focused on creating novel, safe, orally bioavailable worm-derived therapeutics with a focus on indications such as allergies and autoimmune disorders.
While pursuing her doctorate at the California Institute of Technology, Dr. Choe uncovered a unique pheromone language shared by roundworms that may have evolved over hundreds of millions of years.
Dr. Choe’s research, including her discovery of novel molecules derived from worms that blocked formation of disease in animal models of allergic and autoimmune disease, has led to advances in the fields of evolutionary biology and extreme biology. Her work has become the foundation of Holoclara’s technology and mission to pioneer a new class of therapeutics that can provide relief for millions of people living with chronic and debilitating diseases.
Dr. Choe is a winner of the Emerging Women Founders in Biotech Award. She received her MD at USC Keck School of Medicine and her PhD at Caltech.
CaenorhabditisElegans #WormDerivedTherapeutics #AutoimmuneDisease #Allergies #Nematodes #AndreaChoe #Holoclara #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Abdulelah Alhawsawi, MD is the CEO of Novo Genomics ( https://novogenomics.sa/ ), a company located in KSA with a vision of being the regionally trusted, globally recognized biotech leader in the field of genomics & multiomics.
Dr. Alhawsawi is the former Founding Director General of the Saudi Patient Safety Center ( SPSC - https://www.spsc.gov.sa/English/Pages/Home.aspx ), and MOH Advisor on Patient Safety and was involved in the core efforts establishing SPSC as a WHO Collaborating Center for patient safety policies and strategies (1 of only 5 WHOcc worldwide in this field).
Dr. Alhawsawi is a consultant to several national and international quality and safety organizations and recently became a board member and Vice President of the Global Sepsis Alliance ( GSA - https://globalsepsisalliance.org/ ) as well as a Board member of Joint Commission Resources Board. He was part of the Expert Panel on the 3rd Global Patient Safety Challenge of the WHO and chaired the Organizing Committee for the 4th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Alhawsawi has helped introduce Patient Safety as a G20 priority in the 2020 G20 of Saudi Arabia. Currently, Dr. Alhawsawi is part of the WHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan Taskforce and is a Global Ambassador of the G20 Health & Development Partnership ( https://g20healthpartnership.com/dr-abdulelah-alhawsawi/ ).
Dr. Alhawsawi holds a bachelor’s degree in Medicine from King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is Dual board certified in transplant and hepato-biliary surgery (American – Canadian), and he completed his training in Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. He is a member of numerous medical societies and national quality committees.
AbdulelahAlhawsawi #PatientSafety #SaudiArabia #PreventableHarm #Sepsis #AntimicrobialResistance #HealthDiplomacy #ScienceDiplomacy #NovoGenomics #Genomics #Multiomics #PersonalizeMedicine #Agrigenomics #Premarital #Prenatal #NewbornCare#HereditaryDiseases #Oncology#GeneticsCounseling
ClinicalGenetics
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Dr. Vanúsia Nogueira, Ph.D. is Executive Director of The International Coffee Organization ( ICO - https://icocoffee.org/ ), an organization focused on strengthening the global coffee sector and promoting it’s sustainable expansion in a market-based environment for the benefit of all actors in the Global Coffee Value Chain.
Dr. Nogueira comes from a family of coffee producers, and started her career at PwC Consulting, where she was a partner and worked for 15 years. She started working directly with coffee in 2002, always focusing on niche markets.
Dr. Nogueira served as executive director at the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) from 2007 through April 2022 and took over as Executive Director at the International Coffee Organization in May 2022.
Dr. Nogueira holds a Ph.D. in Administration/Marketing from Rosario National University in Argentina, a BS in Systems Engineering and Administration from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RJ) and MBAs and post-MBA focusing on Management, Marketing and Advanced Project Management from Fundação Getulio Vargas-Rio de Janeiro (FGV-RJ).
The ICO was established in 1963 under the aegis of the United Nations and following the approval of the first International Coffee Agreement in 1962. And is the only intergovernmental organization for coffee, bringing together exporting and importing Governments. It currently represents 93% of world coffee production and 63% of world consumption.
Important Link - The Center for Circular Economy in Coffee - https://www.circulareconomyincoffee.org/
Coffee #InternationalCoffeeOrganization #CircularEconomy #ICO #Macroeconomics #CoffeeValueChain #VanusiaNogueira #MinasGerais #Brazil #Sustainability #Producers #Growers #UnitedNations #SpecialtyCoffee #Beverages #Tea #Cocoa #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Oren Milstein, Ph.D. is CEO and Board Member of StemRad ( https://stemrad.com/ ), a world leader in the provision of personal radiation protection solutions and is the first company to offer life-saving protection from penetrating ionizing radiation and is making the lives of first responders, military personnel, utility personnel, medical teams, and astronauts safer without compromising mission objectives. Comprised of radiation biology experts, nuclear physicists, designers, and engineers and backed by dozens of prominent doctors and scientists including three Nobel Laureates, StemRad provides cutting-edge technology to protect these heroes on Earth and beyond.
Dr. Milstein co-founded StemRad in 2011, shortly after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. He has been leading R&D efforts ever since and was appointed CEO in February of 2016.
Dr. Milstein has more than 12 years of Life Sciences research experience; formerly, Dr. Milstein was an European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) fellow at NYU’s Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, where his research provided basic insights into the mechanism of T cell activation. Later in his career, as an NIH fellow at the Scripps Research Institute, he discovered a novel mechanism for iron deficiency anemia. Subsequently, Dr. Milstein focused his research on radiation-induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
Dr. Milstein received his Ph.D. degree from The Weizmann Institute of Science in 2008, where he developed novel strategies for successful bone marrow transplantation into irradiated subjects. He received his B.Sc., Magna Cum Laude, from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His research has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications and patents.
OrenMilstein #StemRad #PersonalRadiationProtection #GammaRadiation #Fukushima #Chernobyl #Israel #Nagasaki #Hiroshima #NuclearAccidents #USANCA #CBRN #WMD #DTRA #BoneMarrow #NuclearWar #Putin #Iran #KimJungUn #NASA #LockheedMartin #NationalGuard
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Dr. Jeffrey DellaVolpe, MD is Medical Director of the Adult Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program at Methodist Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. He is also the Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Methodist Healthcare System and the Texas IPS Critical Care Service Line ( https://texasips.com/jeffrey-dellavolpe-md/ ). He also serves as chair of the Joint Society of Critical Care Medicine/Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Task Force and has created a platform for ECMO training and ECMO transport ( https://ecmotransports.com/about/ ).
ECMO is a form of extracorporeal life support, providing prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to persons whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of oxygen, gas exchange or blood supply (perfusion) to sustain life.
Dr. DellaVolpe served as a Flight Surgeon with the 27th Special Operations Wing where he deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara. After completing his fellowship, he was assigned to the San Antonio Military Medical Center where he served as a critical care physician and a member of the 59th Medical Wing Critical Care Air Transport Team and Acute Lung Rescue Team.
Dr. DellaVolpe is originally from Newport, RI. After receiving his bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College, he went on to attend medical school at Tulane University School of Medicine. He then completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Tulane Medical Center and his fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. DellaVolpe wrote The ECMO Book, published Elsevier Health Sciences, in 2023 ( https://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/the-ecmo-book-9780443111983.html ).
JeffreyDellaVolpe #MedicalDirector #ExtracorporealMembraneOxygenation #ECMO #MethodistHospital #SanAntonio #Texas #Cardiovascular #IntensiveCare #CriticalCare #LifeSupport #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. William Padula, PhD, MS, MSc, is Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical & Health Economics and Fellow, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, at the Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California ( https://healthpolicy.usc.edu/author/william-padula-phd/ ). His research explores the theoretical foundations of medical cost-effectiveness analysis, especially pertaining to issues around the value of vaccines, healthcare delivery and patient safety in hospitals for acquired conditions such as pressure injuries. He has received grant funding in the form of a Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the PhRMA Foundation Frontier Award. He has authored 100+ scientific papers, letters and book chapters that have been published in leading medical, economic, and health policy journals. Dr. Padula is also Co-Founder & Principal of Stage Analytics ( https://stageanalytics.com/william-v-padula-phd/ ), a consulting firm that is committed to providing the highest quality of scientific solutions to advance health care. Dr. Padula is an Associate Editor of Value in Health, and serves on the editorial boards of Applied Health Economics and Health Policy and Journal of Clinical Nursing. His work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Hill, Forbes and other media. He is a past recipient of the Award for Excellence in Health Economics and Outcomes Research from the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR); the Academy Health Outstanding Dissertation Award; and the Society for Advancement in Wound Care (SAWC) Young Investigator Award. He served as President for the U.S. National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) from 2021-2022. He was also Commissioner for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet® Recognition Program from 2016-2019. Dr. Padula has previously held appointments as an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, USA, and as a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Chicago. He was a visiting scholar at the University of York Centre for Health Economics in York, UK, the Oxford Institute for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health in Oxford, UK, and the University of Technology Sydney in Sydney, Australia. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University, M.S. in Evaluative Clinical Science from Dartmouth College, M.S. in Data Analytics from University of Chicago, and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Economics from University of Colorado.
HealthEconomics #USC #WoundCare #Pharmacy #PressureSores #Pharmaceuticals #WilliamPadula #HealthcareValue #Outcomes #WastefulSpending #Medicare #Medicaid #progresspotentialandpossibilities #IraPastor #podcast #podcaster #viralpodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research
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Dr. Raj Yavatkar, Ph.D. is Chief Technology Officer at Juniper Networks ( https://www.juniper.net/us/en/the-feed/topics/raj-yavatkar.html ), where he has responsibility for charting the company’s technology strategy, leading and executing the company’s critical innovations and products for intelligent self-driving networks, security, Mobile Edge Cloud, network virtualization, packet-optical integration, and hybrid cloud. A technology and products pioneer throughout his career, Dr. Yavatkar has envisioned how emerging technologies can be applied to creatively solve enterprise and business problems ahead of competitors to help establish new product lines. Before joining Juniper, Dr. Yavatkar was at Google (GCP), where he led a large team of engineers to deliver cloud networking infrastructure and products for Google Cloud customers. Prior to that at VMware, he ideated a new product concept to address the private/hybrid cloud markets by defining VMware Cloud Foundation—an easy way to deploy and manage virtual clouds—leading a large product team to successfully deliver product to market. He started his career at Intel, rising to the position of Intel Fellow, a position he held for 10 years. During his various leadership roles there, Dr. Yavatkar was responsible for driving new product and R&D initiatives in many areas of software. He brings a wealth of experience in emerging technologies. He has been awarded more than 45 patents, published over 60 research papers, authored 5 Internet standards, and co-authored a book on internet quality of service. He is an IEEE Fellow and holds a PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University.
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Cary Claiborne is CEO of Adial Pharmaceuticals ( https://www.adial.com/ ), a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing therapies for the treatment of addiction and related diseases, specifically Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In the U.S. alone, an estimated 35 million people suffer from AUD, resulting in significant health, social and financial costs. Current treatment options present significant barriers to patient adoption, including abstinence and side effects, which can lead to social stigmatization.
Mr. Claiborne has over three decades of experience in leadership roles with clinical and commercial stage, publicly traded biopharmaceutical companies.
Most recently, Mr. Claiborne served as Chief Financial Officer and director of Indivior PLC, a publicly traded specialty pharmaceutical company developing medicines to treat addiction and serious mental illnesses. He led Indivior’s spin-off from its then parent company, Reckitt Benckiser, to become an independent, publicly traded company.
Prior to joining Indivior, Mr. Claiborne served as the CFO of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company, which was later sold to Mallinckrodt.
Before joining Sucampo, Mr. Claiborne served as CFO and Corporate Secretary of Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. during the company’s initial public offering.
Mr. Claiborne currently sits on the boards of NeuroSense Therapeutics, a clinical-stage drug development company that is advancing a treatment for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing new cancer therapeutics.
Mr. Claiborne graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Business Administration and earned his M.B.A from Villanova University and was a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Governance Fellow.
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Dr. Jasneet Bhullar, MD, MS, is a colorectal surgeon and member of the general surgery team, Ascension Providence Hospital, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine ( https://healthcare.ascension.org/find-care/provider/1316177876/jasneet-bhullar ), where he provides both surgical and non-surgical treatments for a range of conditions including pelvic floor disorders, fecal incontinence, colon and rectal cancer, hemorrhoids, and other complex issues of the colon and rectal system.
Dr. Bhullar is also a practitioner with the Cornerstone Medical Group ( https://www.cornerstonemedgroup.com/physicians-staff/jasneet-bhullar-md/ ), a multi-specialty group consisting of primary care and specialty physicians in the metro Detroit area, where he was responsible for earning recognition as an Medtronic InterStim™ Center of Excellence for his work with their MRI-compatible implantable neuromodulation technology for Fecal incontinence (FI).
Dr. Bhullar earned his medical degree at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College in India and completed residencies in general surgery through Government Medical College, India and Providence Hospital and Medical Centers — Michigan State University, and did a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota. He is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery (ABS) and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery (ABCRS).
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Dr. Valerie Sarisky-Reed, Ph.D. ( https://www.energy.gov/eere/person/valerie-sarisky-reed ) is the Director of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE). In this role, she manages efforts to improve performance, lower costs, and accelerate market entry of bioenergy technologies. She assists in overseeing strategic planning to meet aggressive goals covered by the BETO research and development budget of approximately $250M annually, working with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) national laboratories, academia, and industry.
The Bioenergy Technologies Office current focus areas include scaling up renewable hydrocarbon fuel technologies with an emphasis on sustainable aviation fuels as well as on the recycle and upcycle of plastics through DOE’s Plastics Innovation Challenge which aims to reduce ocean-bound plastic waste.
Dr. Sarisky-Reed has more than 30 years of experience in addressing energy and environmental issues faced by the United States and globally. In addition to her programmatic activities, she is a founding member of the Metabolic Engineering Working Group, chartered by the Biotechnology Research Subcommittee, an inter-agency coordinating committee under the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Dr. Sarisky-Reed also spent two years serving the chief scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helping to build bridges between DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in support of the bioeconomy. She also served as acting director for EERE's Wind Energy Technologies Office where she enabled the development of the most recent Multi-Year Program Plan with a heavy focus on bringing offshore wind to the United States.
Dr. Sarisky-Reed holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Georgetown University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Senior Executive Service Career Development Program.
Important Link - Bioenergy Technologies Office 2023 Multi-Year Program Plan - https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/beto-mypp-fy23.pdf
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Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Schor, Ph.D. is Principal Investigator and Chair, Department of Zoology at Tel Aviv University ( https://en-lifesci.tau.ac.il/profile/nogaks ) where her research centers on environmental physiology with a focus on biological rhythms of diverse vertebrate species. Her research asks questions regarding the consequences and adaptive significance of these rhythms, as well as the interaction between physiological and endocronological processes and the evolutionary ecology of organisms and communities. She also is involved in studying the impact of events like global warming and light pollution on biodiversity, as well as on human and environmental health.
Prof. Kronfeld-Schor also serves as Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection ( https://www.gov.il/en/departments/units/chief_scientist_office ), where she provides strategic, scientific, and technological consultations that are aimed at promoting the environmental field in Israel in accordance with advancements being made in leading developed countries and OECD member countries.
Prof. Kronfeld-Schor has a BSc in Biology, an MSc in Zoology, magna cum laude and Ph.D. in Zoology, all from Tel Aviv University, and was a post-doctoral fellow at Boston University, in Zoology & Neuroendocrinology.
In addition to the roles mentioned above, Prof. Kronfeld-Schor has also served as a member of the board of directors of the Society for the Protection of Nature, was a member of the plenum and was head of the Scientific and Professional Committee of the Nature and Parks Authority, and has managed numerous national and international projects, and advised various government bodies and international organizations.
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Dr. David Boucher, Ph.D. is Director, Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ( https://aspr.hhs.gov/Pages/Home.aspx ).
The HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) leads the nation's medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and other public health emergencies.
ASPR collaborates with hospitals, healthcare coalitions, biotech firms, community members, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and other partners across the country to improve readiness and response capabilities.
Dr. Boucher previously held several other critical roles in the organization, including as Chief of the Antivirals & Antitoxins branch at BARDA’s Anthrax, Botulinum, Ebola and Smallpox therapeutics program office, Acting Director for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response's Office of Industrial Base Management and Supply Chain (IBM/SC) and serving as HHS’s lead negotiator for product development/procurement agreements for COVID-19 medical countermeasures.
Dr. Boucher has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Genetics, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of California, Davis.
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Dr. Eliah Overbey, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Bioastronautics at The University of Austin ( UATX - https://www.uaustin.org/people/eliah-overbey ) where she is involved in pioneering research in the field of astronaut health, specializing in spaceflight-induced genomic changes. Her work focuses on mapping changes in the human body during spaceflight and developing Earth-independent laboratories to make humans a multi-planetary species ( https://www.eliahoverbey.com/ ). Dr. Overbey comes to UATX from her previous position as a Research Associate at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Overbey's most recent projects have analyzed genomic changes in astronauts from the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, and she is currently working on data analysis and sample collection for the Axiom-2 and Polaris Dawn missions. Dr. Overbey’s work launched the Space Omics and Medical Atlas ( SOMA - https://soma.weill.cornell.edu/#main ), an online portal with the largest compendium of molecular measurements from astronauts. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Cornell Aerospace Medicine Biobank ( CAMbank - https://cambank.weill.cornell.edu/#main ), which is the first biorepository of samples from commercial astronauts. Dr. Overbey is also Chief Scientific Officer at BioAstra ( https://www.bioastra.org/ ), a non-profit developing healthcare systems for astronauts. Dr. Overbey received a B.S. in Computer Science from UC San Diego, a Ph.D. in Genome Sciences from the University of Washington, and was a Postdoctoral Associate in Computational Biomedicine in the laboratory of Dr. Christopher Mason.
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Dr. Xiaorong He, Ph.D., MBA is Senior Vice President, Head of Global Development Sciences and U.S. Site Head of Non-Clinical Development at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us ), where with over two decades of experience, her leadership focus lies in advancing transformative medicinal product development and fostering a culture of scientific excellence and engagement across her teams.
Prior to this role, Dr. He was VP and Head of the Material & Analytical Sciences Department at Boehringer Ingelheim, leading a large team of multidisciplinary scientists to develop and apply scientific methods and tools to support new drug development of chemical and biological entities.
Dr. He has previously worked for several large pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, GSK, Pharmacia & Upjohn before joining Boehringer Ingelheim. She received her Pharmacy B.S. degree from Beijing Medical University, M.S. degree in Pharmaceutics from University of Minnesota, Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutics from Purdue University and M.B.A. degree from Western Michigan University.
Dr. He has also taught several short courses, given numerous podium presentations at national and international conferences, published many peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and held several patents. She has been a member of scientific and editorial advisory boards for the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2013.
Dr. He has also been volunteering with organizations such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) since 2005, first with the Excipient Monograph Expert Committee (2005-2010), then with the General Chapter-Physical Analysis Expert Committee (2010-2015). She has served as the Chair of the General Chapters–Physical Analysis Expert Committee during the 2015–2020 cycle.
Boehringer Ingelheim Open Innovation Portal - https://www.opnme.com/
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Maj. Gen. Dr. Paul Friedrichs, MD is the Inaugural Director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, at the White House ( OPPR - https://www.whitehouse.gov/oppr/ ), a permanent executive office aimed at leading, coordinating, and implementing actions to prepare for and respond to pathogens that could lead to a pandemic or significant public health-related disruptions in the U.S., and principal advisor on pandemic preparedness and response, appointed by President Biden. Dr. Friedrichs was previously the Joint Staff Surgeon at the Pentagon where he provided medical advice to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff and the Combatant Commanders, coordinating all issues related to health services, including operational medicine, force health protection and readiness among the combatant commands, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the services. He also led the development and publication of the initial Joint Medical Estimate and served as medical advisor to the Department of Defense COVID-19 Task Force. Dr. Friedrichs received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps and his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the Uniformed Services University. He has commanded at the squadron and group level, served as an Assistant Professor of Surgery and led joint and interagency teams which earned numerous awards, including “Best Air Force Hospital.” As Chair of the Military Health System’s Joint Task Force on High Reliability Organizations, he oversaw developing a roadmap to continuously improve military health care. As the Command Surgeon for Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Combat Command, the general and his teams identified gaps, developed mitigation plans and enhanced readiness for future conflicts and contingencies.
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Priya Basu ( https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/people/p/priya-basu ) is the Executive Head of The Pandemic Fund ( https://www.thepandemicfund.org/ ) Secretariat at the World Bank ( https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/financial-intermediary-fund-for-pandemic-prevention-preparedness-and-response-ppr-fif ), which has a focus of financing critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. During the pandemic, Ms. Basu she led the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 to address key bottlenecks in vaccine access and delivery, as well as the Bank’s engagement on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response with the G20 and G7 - coordinating across finance and health. She also led the development of the Pandemic Fund, working with a large group of donors and development partners, the WHO, and other stakeholders, including international agencies, philanthropies, private sector, and civil society, mobilizing political and financial support to establish the fund in record time with initial seed capital of $2 billion. In previous roles at the World Bank, Ms. Basu led the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, a multi-donor partnership focused on women's economic empowerment. Prior to that, she managed the World Bank’s $21 billion portfolio of multilateral financing mechanisms and trust funds to address global challenges, such as epidemics and pandemics, climate change, and refugee crises. She also previously served as the Bank's lead financial economist for India, where she led the Bank’s engagement to promote resilient and inclusive financial systems and enabling reforms for private sector-led growth. Ms. Basu grew the Bank’s India finance and private sector lending/advisory portfolio from $500 million to over $5.5 billion and oversaw the portfolio. Prior to the World Bank, she worked as an economist at the IMF in Washington DC, the Asian Development Bank in Manila and UNCTAD and ILO in Geneva. Before that, she worked in investment banking in London. In a career spanning three decades, Ms. Basu has successfully managed complex engagements across regions to solve country-level development challenges as well as developed and managed high-level strategic international partnerships with donors, client governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to address global development challenges, particularly at the intersection of global health and international finance and mobilized resources to back these initiatives. Ms. Basu brings thought leadership on a variety of international development issues and a deep understanding of development cooperation. She is the author of three books, including Creating Resilient Financial Regimes in Asia: Challenges and Policy Options (Oxford University Press), India’s Financial Sector: Recent Reforms, Future Challenges (Macmillan), and Improving Access to Finance for India's Rural Poor (World Bank). She holds a first class B.A (Hons.) degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, a B.A (Hons.)/M.A in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and postgraduate degrees in development economics from Merton College, Oxford University, U.K.
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Dr. Jack Hoppin, Ph.D. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ratio Therapeutics ( https://ratiotx.com/ ), a discovery through early clinical phase pharmaceutical company, employing a suite of innovative technologies to develop best-in-class targeted radiotherapeutics for the treatment of cancers. Dr. Hoppin holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Arizona and worked as an Alexander von Humboldt post-doctoral fellow at the Research Center Jülich, Germany. Previously, Dr. Hoppin was the President of Konica Minolta Precision Medicine, Co-Founder and CEO of Invicro, VP of Imaging Systems at Bioscan, Inc. and has a couple decades of experience in imaging research. As an active member of the imaging community, Dr. Hoppin is a member of the World Molecular Imaging Society Board of Trustees. Dr. John Babich, Ph.D. is Director, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of Ratio Therapeutics and has been an active researcher in the field of molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy for the past three decades. He previously worked at Weill Cornell Medical College for several years as a Chief of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences in Radiology, was President & Chief Scientific Officer, Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative radiopharmaceuticals in the emerging field of molecular medicine, and Assistant Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School, and Principal Nuclear Pharmacist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Babich has a Ph.D. with a focus in Biophysics, Medical Physics and Radiation Biology from University of London, an M.Sc., Radiopharmacy, University of Southern California and a B.Sc., Pharmaceutical Sciences from St. John's University.
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Tiara Green is President of Accessia Health ( https://accessiahealth.org/ ), a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) patient assistance organization that supports individuals living with rare or chronic health conditions. Ms. Green leads the organization through strategic organizational growth that expands the nonprofit’s programs and services to meet the healthcare needs of underserved communities. Ms. Green has been with Accessia Health for over a decade and has 20 years of expertise in the public health and nonprofit sectors to her position. Throughout her tenure with the organization, she has served in various capacities, most recently as SVP of programs and policy leading strategic development and health equity initiatives and streamlining operational processes. Currently, Ms. Green is leading an initiative to refocus and strengthen the nonprofit’s impact model, disease funds, and programs. This work will more holistically address the unique needs of the communities it serves. Ms. Green also the co-founder of Liberated Arts Foundation ( https://www.liberatedfoundation.org/ ), a nonprofit initiative that uses art to give back to the local community. Ms. Green earned her B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University, in Exercise Science with a concentration in Community Health Education, and her MS.Ed. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with a focus on community health and health promotion. She has also recently been named a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council.
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Dr. Michael Platt, Ph.D. ( https://www.drmichaelplatt.com/ ) is the James S. Riepe University Professor, University of Pennsylvania, where he has appointments as Professor of Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine ( https://plattlabs.rocks/our-team/michael-platt ), as Professor of Psychology at the School of Arts and Sciences ( https://psychology.sas.upenn.edu/people/michael-l-platt ), and as Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School ( https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/mplatt/ ), where he works at the fascinating intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. Dr. Platt has a B.A., Biological Anthropology, Yale University, a Ph.D., Biological Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, and did a Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Neuroscience, New York University and is known for asking some of the most challenging questions in 21st century neuroscience—and conceiving innovative ways to find the answers. Dr. Platt’s principal questions focus on the biological mechanisms that underlie decision-making in social environments, the grasp of which has broad-scale implications for improving health and welfare in societies worldwide. A former president of the Society for Neuroeconomics, Dr. Platt publishes regularly in top-tier scientific journals and has been featured in prominent TV, radio, print, and online media. With the support of such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, Sloan Foundation, Klingenstein Foundation, McDonnell Foundation, and Department of Defense, he has produced seminal articles that have been collectively cited over 4,000 times. His expertise is sought after outside the realm of academia, as well, leading him to serve in science advisory roles for three major motion pictures and is featured in an upcoming episode of HBO Vice. Dr. Platt also directs the new Wharton Neuroscience Initiative ( WiN - https://neuro.wharton.upenn.edu/ ), a community of faculty, undergraduates, graduate and professional students, and staff interested in connecting brain science and business. Dr. Platt is the former Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke, and the founding Co-Director of the Duke Center for Neuroeconomic Studies. He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of multiple companies, as well as the Yang-Tan Autism Centers at MIT and Harvard and the National Primate Research Centers at Emory and UC Davis, served on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Brain Science, served as President of the Society for Neuroeconomics, consulted on The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky, and co-founded the neurotechnology company Cogwear Technologies Inc. ( https://cogweartech.com/ ) His most recent book The Leader's Brain: Enhance Your Leadership, Build Stronger Teams, Make Better Decisions, and Inspire Greater Innovation with Neuroscience is available at all major booksellers.
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Joseph Ferra is CEO of Elevation Oncology ( https://elevationoncology.com/ ), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of precision oncology products, specifically antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs), for patients with genomically defined cancers, where he brings over 20 years of financial, strategic and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. Prior to becoming CEO, he served Elevation as Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO. Before joining Elevation, Joseph was Chief Financial Officer of Syros Pharmaceuticals where he led the development and implementation of key financial and capital strategies and contributed to corporate initiatives. Previously, he spent over a decade as an investment banker in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, where he established a strong track record of advising on equity and M&A transactions. This included serving as Managing Director and Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at JMP Securities and being a member of the investment banking groups at JP Morgan and UBS. Earlier in his career, Joe served in sales and engineering roles in the life science tools industry. He earned his MBA from The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He obtained a B.S. in Chemistry with Distinction from Purdue University, where he contributed to published papers and conducted research at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. David Dornan is Chief Scientific Officer of Elevation Oncology where he brings over two decades of industry and academic oncology drug discovery and development experience. His research spans across multiple therapeutic modalities targeting cancer susceptibilities and modulating the immune system to translate into meaningful therapeutic interventions for patients. He joins Elevation Oncology from Bolt Biotherapeutics. As Chief Scientific Officer, he was responsible for the scientific strategy and building of the company’s portfolio in targeted immunotherapies. Prior to this, Dr. Dornan was the head of Oncology Research at Gilead, identifying, validating, and translating oncogenic targets into actionable entities with biologic and small molecule therapeutics and oversaw the integrated oncology strategy team. He began his career at Genentech, where he spent 10 years serving in positions of increasing responsibility and played key roles in target discovery and validation, as well as translational research programs. Dr. Dornan received his Ph.D. from the University of Dundee in Molecular Oncology and Biochemistry and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Genentech.
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Dr. Masayuki Goto, MD, PhD is Director and President of the Space Medical Accelerator ( https://space-healthcare.jp/ ), an organization founded in 2022 in Japan with a mission to keep people healthy in space and to develop terrestrial medicine by utilizing space technology and research. Dr. Goto is a Medical Doctor, a Neurosurgeon, and a Space Medicine researcher with degrees from University of Tsukuba and Yamagata University. Dr. Goto has been certified by the Japanese Society of Aerospace Medicine and Environmental Medicine.
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Dr. Kevin Bugin, Ph.D. is Deputy Director of Operations in the Office of New Drugs ( OND - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/office-new-drugs ) in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research ( CDER - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder ), where among his many responsibilities he serves as lead for the Center for Clinical Trial Innovation ( C3TI - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti ), a central hub within CDER to support the implementation of innovative approaches to clinical trial design and conduct.
Prior to his current role, from May 2020 through May 2021, Dr. Bugin served as the Chief of Staff for the Therapeutics Response Efforts as part of the US Government’s HHS and DOD operation formerly known as Operation Warp Speed.
Dr. Bugin is adjunct faculty at the George Washington University in the Clinical Leadership Program, focusing on areas of clinical research and medicines development.
Dr. Bugin joined the FDA in 2008 in the Office of Business Process Support, then joined the Division of Gastroenterology and Inborn Errors Products within OND as a Regulatory Health Project Manager in 2010, and as the Chief of Project Management from 2015 to 2017. From 2017 until 2020, he served as the Director of Special Programs and the lead of CDER’s New Drugs Regulatory Program Modernization.
Prior to joining the FDA, Dr. Bugin held roles in multiple areas and phases of drug development, including discovery (molecular biology) at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, translational research and technology transfer at the National Institute of Health’s Office of Technology Transfer, safety and pharmacovigilance with NIH’s National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, and regulatory affairs and quality assurance at Amarex Clinical Research.
Dr. Bugin received a BS in Biology and Chemistry from Virginia Tech in 2005, an MS in Biotechnology from American University in 2006, and a PhD in translational health science from George Washington University in 2020, with a focus on the Science of Team Science in drug development and regulatory science teams. He is certified in US regulatory affairs (RAC) and participates in numerous policy and regulatory science program working groups across the FDA.
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Ms. Rita El Zaghloul is Director of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People Secretariat ( HAC - https://www.hacfornatureandpeople.org/ ), an intergovernmental group of more than 100 countries, co-chaired by Costa Rica and France, and by the United Kingdom as Ocean co-chair, championing a global deal for nature and people with the central goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of land and 30% of the ocean, globally, by 2030. The 30x30 target is a global target that aims to halt the accelerating loss of species and protect vital ecosystems that are the source of our economic security. Prior to this role, Ms. Zaghloul served as Coordinator of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature on behalf of Costa Rica as part of the Costa Rican Ministry of Environment and Energy, as well as Minister Counsellor and International Relations Advisor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations. Ms. Zaghloul studied International Relations and Affairs at the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica and Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica and then received a Master of Arts - MA, Conflict, Security and Development King's College London
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Episode Disclaimer - The views presented in this episode are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) or its components. Dr. Diane DiEuliis, Ph.D. is a Distinguished Research Fellow at National Defense University ( NDU - https://www.ndu.edu/ ), an institution of higher education, funded by the United States Department of Defense, aimed at facilitating high-level education, training, and professional development of national security leaders. Her research areas focus on emerging biological technologies, biodefense, and preparedness for biothreats. Specific topic areas under this broad research portfolio include dual-use life sciences research, synthetic biology, the U.S. bioeconomy, disaster recovery, and behavioral, cognitive, and social science as it relates to important aspects of deterrence. Dr. DiEuliis currently has several research grants in progress, and teaches in foundational professional military education. Prior to joining NDU, Dr. DiEuliis was Deputy Director for Policy, and served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Department of Health and Human Services. She coordinated policy and research in support of domestic and international health emergencies, such as Hurricane Sandy, and Ebola outbreaks. She was responsible for implementation of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act, the National Health Security Strategy, and supported the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE). From to 2007 to 2011, Dr. DiEuliis was the Assistant Director for Life Sciences and Behavioral and Social Sciences in the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President. During her tenure at the White House, she was responsible for developing policy in areas such as biosecurity and biodefense, synthetic biology, social and behavioral science, scientific collections, and biotechnology. Dr. DiEuliis also worked to help coordinate agency response to public health issues such as the H1N1 flu. Prior to working at OSTP, Dr. DiEuliis was a program director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she managed a diverse portfolio of neuroscience research in neurodegenerative diseases. She completed a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research and completed her postdoctoral research in the NIH Intramural research program, where she focused on cellular and molecular neuroscience. Dr. DiEuliis is a National Merit Scholar, and has a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. She is the author of over 70 publications. Important Episode Link - The Unique Role of Federal Scientific Collections: Infrastructure Generating Benefits, Serving Diverse Agency, published by Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press on behalf of the Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections - https://doi.org/10.5479/si.24559996
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Elizabeth Reynolds is Managing Director, US of Starburst Aerospace ( https://starburst.aero/ ), a global Aerospace and Defense (A&D) startup accelerator and strategic advisory practice championing today’s aerospace renaissance, aligning early-stage technology innovators with government and commercial stakeholders and investors to modernize infrastructure in space, transportation, communications, and intelligence. Elizabeth's team works alongside hundreds of technology startups developing new aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, drones, sensors, autonomy, robotics, and much more. Elizabeth brings 15 years of experience in deep tech entrepreneurship, growth, business operations, and strategy to the team. Prior to joining Starburst, she served as an executive for biotech, medtech, mobility, and interactive media companies, from founding through IPO. She is also an advisor to a number of startups and nonprofits supporting STEM education. Starburst has offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Paris, Munich, Singapore, Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Madrid, has grown into a global team of 70 dedicated team members with a portfolio of 140+ startups, 20 accelerator programs, and 2 active venture funds which strive to provide enabling growth services for deep tech leaders disrupting the industry and working towards a safer, greener, and more connected world. SPACE-H Space Heath Accelerator - www.spacehealthaccelerator.com
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Dr. Roland Roesch, Ph.D. is Director, Innovation and Technology Centre (IITC), of the International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA - https://www.irena.org/ ) where he oversees the Agency’s work on advising member countries in the area of technology status and roadmaps, energy planning, cost and markets and innovation policy frameworks. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is a leading global intergovernmental agency for energy transformation that serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, supports countries in their energy transitions, and provides state of the art data and analyses on technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment. IRENA drives the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, and energy security, for economic and social resilience and prosperity and a climate-proof future. Dr. Roesch currently leads IRENA´s work on RE Innovation, Grids-Assessments and the Strategies Teams for the Power Sector Transformation and for the Gas Sector Transformation. He actively leads the development of IRENA´s work in the fields of ocean energy, blue economy and decarbonizing the shipping sector. Before becoming Director, Dr. Roesch served as IITC Deputy Director from 2018. With a MSc. in Industrial Engineering, and MBA / Ph.D. in Energy Economics, from Technische Universität Darmstadt, Dr. Roesch joined IRENA in 2012 and has worked in multiple work programs since. For two years prior to joining IRENA, Dr. Roesch had been Professor for Energy Economics at the University of Applied Science in Darmstadt. Previously, he worked for 15 years in the oil and gas and utilities industries for Shell and E.ON, latterly as General Manager Power with Shell and as Head of Division, Project Leader, Project Executive and Technical Project Developer with E.ON. Prior to that, he worked as an Energy Market Consultant for Lahmeyer International and as a researcher in renewable energy. Dr. Roesch has solid business experience in energy markets, energy economics and strategies, renewable integration management, energy project development and project financing.
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Prof. Isabel Oliver is the Director General of Science and Research & Chief Scientific Officer, at the UK Health Security Agency ( UKHSA - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency ). The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a government agency in the United Kingdom, responsible since April 2021 for England-wide public health protection and infectious disease capability and replacing Public Health England. It is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Prior to this role, Prof. Oliver was Director of National Infection Service at Public Health England (PHE) having held other roles previously in the organization. She is also professor and co-director of the National Institute for Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit on Behavioral Science and Evaluation, at the University of Bristol and an honorary professor at University College, London. Prof. Oliver has broad research interests ranging from infectious diseases epidemiology and the evaluation of public health interventions and services, to the surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases and environmental hazards, antibiotic resistance, emergency preparedness and response, sexual health and the mental health impact of major incidents. She leads the National Study of Flooding and Health, a longitudinal study aimed at understanding the impact of flooding on mental health and wellbeing. Prof. Oliver received an MSc, Public Health, from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London and a Medical Degree from Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
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Dr. Arti Garg, Ph.D. is Head of Technology Strategy & Evaluation, Office of the CTO and HPE Sr. Distinguished Technologist, at Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( https://www.hpe.com/us/en/home.html ). Previously Dr. Garg served as Deputy, Global CTO for Data & AI and Lead Sustainability & Edge Innovation Architect, as Chief Strategist for the AI Strategy & Solutions organization, overseeing HPE’s advanced AI technology programs, and as Emerging Market and Technology Director, at Cray Inc. which was acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in September 2019. Over her career, Dr. Garg has held several data science leadership roles in the computing and industrial sectors, including at Datapipe, NRG, and GE. In the past, Dr. Garg has also worked in the U.S. government, at the White House Budget Office where she oversaw over $5 billion of R&D investments at the Department of Energy, and as a legislative adviser in the U.S. Congress, as a American Physical Society-sponsored AAAS S&T Congressional Fellow. with the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Her science policy journey also includes working for the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP). Dr. Garg holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University, an MS in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering from Stanford University, and she did post-doctoral work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics. Dr Garg is also founder and chair of Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally ( ESAL - www.esal.us ), a national organization dedicated to increasing city, county, and state level engagement by professionals with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
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Jill Pellegrino is CEO of AutoCruitment ( https://www.autocruitment.com/ ), a company with a focus on identifying, targeting, and qualifying patients for clinical trials with direct-to-patient recruitment, technology, and engagement services and which has to date been involved in randomizing over 12,000 patients into clinical trials across more than 120 conditions for clients including Pharmaceutical, Biotech, and Contract Research Organizations. Jill has over 15 years of leadership experience in patient recruitment, real world evidence and clinical research site operations and is passionate about growing businesses that rely on innovative, data driven methods to reach patients to provide them with opportunities to participate in research opportunities. Most recently Jill was at CVS Health where she was responsible for establishing and growing the Real World Evidence and Patient Recruitment businesses and her businesses were successful in placing 35,000 patients into research opportunities in both clinical trials and research settings, drastically increasing diversity participation in research studies. Prior to CVS Health, Jill was General Manager of Accelerated Enrollment Solutions, which was comprised of 2,000 employees across 11 countries and encompassed a patient recruitment offering and clinical research site network of 160 sites. Jill received her Bachelors degree from LaSalle University in Mathematics and Computer Science.
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Dr. Jonas Hannestad, M.D., Ph.D. is Chief Medical Officer of Gain Therapeutics ( https://www.gaintherapeutics.com/ ), a company focused on the discovery and development of groundbreaking medicines that transform lives and provide hope and improved quality of life to people suffering from debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, rare genetic disorders and cancer.
Dr. Hannestad joined the Company in March 2024 and brings 25 years of translational and early clinical development experience in CNS. His academic work focused on immuno-neurology, particularly on the effect of systemic inflammation on myeloid cells in the brain, and his drug development expertise spans multiple indications, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and ALS.
Previously, Dr. Hannestad served as Chief Medical Officer at Tranquis Therapeutics and Capacity Bio, SVP of Clinical Development at Alkahest, Medical Director at Denali Therapeutics, and Director of Neuroscience Discovery Medicine at UCB Pharma.
Prior to his industry career, Dr. Hannestad led the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit at the Yale School of Medicine. He did postdoctoral work and residency training at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Duke School of Medicine, and the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Messina, Italy, and his M.D. from the University of Oviedo, Spain.
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Dr. David Latshaw, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and CEO of BioPhy ( https://www.biophy.ai/ ), a Philadelphia based artificial intelligence company which has developed a set of platforms that provide quantitative metrics to drug company partners about what drugs and clinical trials will ultimately succeed. Dr. Latshaw is a computational biomolecular and chemical engineer by training and most recently led the deployment of more than 20 programs that leveraged AI across several drug development functions at Johnson & Johnson’s Advanced Technologies Center of Excellence. This impacted $16 billion in yearly sales, reducing costs by 20 percent, and a 50 percent increase in reliability. His work has been recognized by the World Economic Forum, McKinsey & Company, and the National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Latshaw has a BSE in Chemical Engineering from Arizona State University, a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Business Administration - MBA, Finance and Operations, from The Wharton School.
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Dr. Joshua Gonzalez, M.D. is Co-Founder of Popstar Health ( https://popstarhealth.com/ ), a physician-founded sexual wellness company focused on promoting the importance of sexual health for all. Dr. Gonzalez is a board-certified urologist who is fellowship trained in Sexual Medicine and specializes in the management of male and female sexual dysfunctions. He completed his medical education at Columbia University and his urological residency at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Throughout his career, Dr. Gonzalez has focused on providing improved healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community, a group often left behind in conversations about sexual and reproductive health. Dr. Gonzalez also serves as an official Sexual Health Advisor to Astroglide Lubricants and is on the board of directors for the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health. Dr. Gonzalez has appeared on The Doctors television show, been featured in Vogue, and is a medical contributor to Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and Oprah magazines. He is a sexual health expert that continues to build a robust following on TikTok ( https://www.tiktok.com/@joshuagonzalezmd?lang=en ) where he uses social media to educate the public on sexual and reproductive health.
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Dr. Jaime Yassif, Ph.D. serves as Vice President of Global Biological Policy and Programs, at the Nuclear Threat Initiative ( https://www.nti.org/about/people/jaime-yassif-phd/ ) where she oversees work to reduce global catastrophic biological risks, strengthen biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, and drives progress in advancing global health security. Prior to this, Dr. Yassif served as a Program Officer at the Open Philanthropy Project, where she led the initiative on Biosecurity and Pandemic Preparedness. In this role, she recommended and managed approximately $40 million in biosecurity grants, which rebuilt the field and supported work in several key areas, including: development of new biosecurity programming at several leading think tanks; cultivation of new talent through biosecurity leadership development programs; initiation of new biosecurity work in China and India; establishment of the Global Health Security Index; development of the Clade X tabletop exercise; and the emergence of a new discussion about global catastrophic biological risks. Previously, Dr. Yassif was a Science and Technology Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense, where she focused on oversight of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program and East Asia security issues. During this period, she also worked on the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) at the Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped lay the groundwork for the WHO Joint External Evaluations and the GHSA Steering Group. Dr. Yassif’s previous experience includes work with Connecting Organizations for Regional Disease Surveillance, Chatham House, NTI, the Federation of American Scientists and the Tsinghua University Institute for International Studies. Dr. Yassif holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from UC Berkeley, an MA in Science and Security from the King’s College London War Studies Department, where she wrote her thesis on verification of the Biological Weapons Convention, and a BA in Biology from Swarthmore College. Important episode link - The International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) - https://ibbis.bio/
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Bill Taranto is President of both the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund ( MGHIF - https://www.merckghifund.com/ ), and Merck Global Health Private Equity (GHIPE). He is the founder of MGHIF and is responsible for leading the global health capability for Merck ( https://www.merck.com/ ). The Merck Global Health Innovation Fund was established in late 2010 as a strategic response to the challenges surrounding Merck’s core business of discovering, developing and marketing innovative drugs and vaccines. MGHIF is a $500m evergreen fund focused on identifying opportunities that are adjacent to Merck’s core business of pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Under Bill's leadership, MGHIF has invested more than $1bn in 70 companies, with more than $7bn in exits. Bill has more than three decades of experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Merck, he spent 18 years at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in various roles. As VP of healthcare strategy and venture at J&J, he was responsible for evaluating and creating new healthcare business models through venture capital and acquisitions. Prior to joining J&J, he spent eight years in investment banking.
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Captain (ret) Dr. Gurpartap "GP" Sandhoo, Ph.D. is Director, Emerging Technologies and Architectures - Space Sector at Northrop Grumman ( https://www.northropgrumman.com/space ), where he is focused on leveraging new and emerging technologies and manufacturing process to shape the future of civil and national security space. Dr. Sandhoo previously served at the Defense Innovation Unit ( DIU - https://www.diu.mil/ ) at the Pentagon, a United States Department of Defense organization founded to help the U.S. military make faster use of emerging commercial technologies, supporting that organization’s space portfolio, focused on operationalizing commercial space technologies for national security space. He also served as Deputy Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Project Activity ( IARPA - https://www.iarpa.gov/ ) support the director in the day-to-day management of the organization, and execution of the diverse portfolio of high-risk, high-payoff research programs to tackle some of the most difficult challenges of the Intelligence Community. Dr. Sandhoo previously occupied the Distinguished Visiting Professor Robert A. Heinlein Endowed Chair in Astronautics at the U.S. Naval Academy. At the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, he headed the Spacecraft Engineering Division, and was also the acting director of the Naval Center of Space Technology. He provided executive direction and technical leadership in conducting research of space systems with advanced technologies. He was also a flight controller at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and was a research & development engineer at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, as well as in industry. Since 1986, until recently retiring from public service, Dr. Sandhoo served in uniform in the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy and as a Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve as an Engineering Duty Officer. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, Master’s from the U.S. Naval War College, a Master’s and a Doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics from George Washington University, and is a MIT Seminar XXI fellow.
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Danielle Halstrom is President of the GE HealthCare Foundation ( https://www.gehealthcare.com/foundation ), a philanthropic foundation arm of GE HealthCare that supports nonprofit organizations aimed at making healthcare more accessible, personal, human, and flexible – and ultimately, strives to remove barriers that separate underserved communities from equitable healthcare. With an initial focus on improving maternal health outcomes globally, the Foundation addresses a critical need: Every two minutes, a woman dies due to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications, compounded by a severe shortage in primary care and midwifery professionals worldwide. Ms. Halstrom was previously Chief Communications and Corporate Marketing Officer for GE HealthCare. Prior to GE HealthCare, Ms. Halstrom was SVP and head of comms at biotechnology company Zai Lab, and at Bristol Myers Squibb as VP and head of commercial, research and development and manufacturing comms, including patient advocacy. Before that, she served in roles as senior director and leader of global colleague communications at Pfizer, Director, Product Communications at GlaxoSmithKline, and Manager, USHH Public Affairs at Merck. GE HealthCare ( https://www.gehealthcare.com/ ) is a leading global medical technology and digital solutions innovator, enabling clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications and services. Important episode links Urban Institute - https://www.urban.org/ Lwala Community Alliance - https://lwala.org/ Black Mamas Matter Alliance - https://blackmamasmatter.org/ Project ECHO - https://projectecho.unm.edu/
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Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D. is Owner of Nonlinear Solutions LLC., an advisory group that provides strategic scientific and intelligence consulting services, with a focus on emerging science and technology trends, to clients in both the defense and intelligence communities. Dr. Kirkpatrick recently retired from federal Senior Service in December 2023 and prior to his current responsibilities he answered to the Deputy Secretary of Defense to stand-up and lead the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office ( AARO - https://www.aaro.mil/ ) in early 2022, leading the U.S. government’s efforts to address Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) using a rigorous scientific framework and a data-driven approach. Dr. Kirkpatrick attended University of Georgia as an undergraduate, to study physics, where he also did his Ph.D. work in nonlinear and nonequilibrium phonon dynamics of rare earth doped fluoride crystals, and currently serves as an adjunct professor at UGA. Dr. Kirkpatrick began his career in Defense and Intelligence related science and technology immediately out of graduate school. After receiving his Ph.D. in Physics in 1995, he subsequently took a postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, investigating laser-induced molecular vibrations of high explosives under an AFOSR program. In 1996, he was offered a National Research Council Fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. investigating novel solid-state lasers for the Department of the Navy. In 1997, he was recruited by the Air Force Research Laboratory to build an Ultrafast Laser Physics Lab to investigate nonlinear optics, novel ultrafast spectroscopic methods, and nonlinear micro/nano-fabrication techniques for the Air Force. In 2003, Dr. Kirkpatrick was offered a program manager position in the National Reconnaissance Office and converted to CIA in 2005. In 2007, he was assigned as Chief Technology Officer in a joint CIA-DIA program office, where he later became division chief as a DIA officer. In 2010 he was asked to serve as the space control portfolio manager for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Space and Intelligence, Office of the Secretary of Defense. In 2012, Dr. Kirkpatrick returned to DIA and served as the Defense Intelligence Officer for Scientific and Technical Intelligence, serving as the Department of Defense’s counterpart to the National Intelligence Manager for Science and Technology until 2016. Towards the end of his tenure as DIO/S&TI, Dr. Kirkpatrick served on special assignment to the Principal Deputy Director National Intelligence leading the Intelligence Community’s support to the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center (now the National Space Defense Center). From 2016 onwards, Dr. Kirkpatrick served in a variety of no-fail roles including Deputy Director of Intelligence, US Strategic Command; Director, National Security Strategy, National Security Council; Deputy Director of Intelligence and the DNI Representative for USSPACECOM. The USSPACECOM Intelligence Enterprise was the fifth organization he has been the IC lead for establishment, with AARO being the sixth “new start” he’s led. Dr. Kirkpatrick is the recipient of several scientific, military, and intelligence awards. These include the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal, four National Intelligence Collaboration medallions, the NRO Innovation and Achievement Award, the Cleary Award for Scientific Excellence, and the DIA Director’s Award for Excellence. Dr. Kirkpatrick holds 2 open patents and has contributed to several scientific books on nonlinear phenomena as well as written multiple strategies for the National and Defense Intelligence Communities. He was appointed to the Senior Service in 2012.
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Dr. Tahmeed Ahmed, MD, PhD is Executive Director of the icddr,b ( https://www.icddrb.org/ - formerly known as the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh), an organization committed to solving public health problems facing low- and middle-income countries through innovative scientific research – including laboratory-based, clinical, epidemiological and health systems research. By developing, testing and assessing the implementation of interventions specifically designed for resource-poor settings, they aim to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in the world’s poorest nations. Dr. Ahmed has been working for the last three decades in simplifying the management of childhood malnutrition, childhood tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases. He leads the BEED (Bangladesh Environmental Enteric Dysfunction) study that attempts to discover non-invasive biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction, an important cause of stunting in children. Together with Dr Jeffrey Gordon of Washington University in St. Louis he discovered microbiota directed complementary food (MDCF) - a novel intervention for childhood malnutrition. This discovery was highlighted by the prestigious journal Science as one of the scientific breakthroughs of 2019. He is continuing the research on MDCF with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Ahmed studied in St. Gregory’s High School and Notre Dame College, Dhaka and then obtained his medical degree from Mymensingh Medical College. He received residential training in Dhaka Children’s Hospital and subsequently studied at the University of Tsukuba in Japan for his PhD. He has recently been appointed the Executive Director of icddr,b where he has been working for the last three decades. As a member of the Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group of the WHO, Dr. Ahmed revised the global guidelines for management of childhood acute malnutrition. He advises the Global Task Force on Cholera Case Control (GTFCC) on case management of cholera in children. Dr Ahmed was awarded the Bangladesh Academy of Science - Dr Sultan Ahmed Choudhury Gold Medal for outstanding achievement in Medical Science in 2003. He received from the Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, the Islamic Bank Development Transformers’ Roadshow Award in 2018. Dr Ahmed works closely with the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh, WHO, UNICEF and the International Atomic Energy Agency in research, policy issues and training on nutrition. He has more than 400 papers published in international journals and books. Dr Ahmed was the President of the Commonwealth Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (CAPGAN), an association of professionals in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition from the 54 Commonwealth nations. He is Professor of Public Health Nutrition of James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka and also Affiliated Professor of School of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle. Dr Ahmed has recently been appointed Honorary Senior Fellow of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS). Social Media - icddr,b - icddr,b Twitter - https://twitter.com/icddr_b/ icddr,b LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/icddrb/
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Ashley Kalinauskas is the Founder and CEO of Torigen Pharmaceuticals ( https://www.torigen.com/ ), a company dedicated to researching and developing novel immuno-oncology products and services specifically for the veterinary market, with a focus on autologous cancer vaccines. Torigen Pharmaceuticals is a start‑up that resulted from Ashley’s graduate thesis project at the University of Notre Dame, as she was working on her Masters in Engineering, Science and Technology Entrepreneurship in collaboration with Dr. Mark Suckow ( https://www.research.uky.edu/staff/mark-suckow ). Ashley also received an undergraduate degree in Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology from University of Connecticut.
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Professor Dr. Thomas Rademacher, MD, PhD, is CEO and Co-Founder of Emergex ( https://emergexvaccines.com/ ), a company that has developed a novel nanoparticle-based vaccine technology to deliver synthetic viral fragments via microneedles on a skin-adhesive patch. Emergex’s approach works on the principle of priming immune T-cells, opening the door for the development of universal vaccines against highly mutagenic viruses such as the seasonal flu and covid. T-cell priming offers a superior inoculation strategy over traditional vaccines, which rely on the body’s generation of antibodies and fail to keep up with seasonal mutations. A serial entrepreneur, Professor Rademacher also serves as Emeritus Professor of Molecular Medicine at University College London (UCL) and is widely considered one of the founders of biotech from the early 1980s (having been involved in many of it’s core disciplines – from recombinant proteins, to monoclonal antibodies, to glycobiology). Professor Rademacher has authored over 200 publications and 50 patents – 19 of which are in the nanomedicine field. In addition to being a world leader in nanomedicine, he is also an expert in fetal-maternal medicine, having produced 25 publications and filed 5 patents related to preeclampsia. Professor Rademacher was co-Founder of the field of Glycobiology and subsequent Glycobiology Institute in Oxford and co-founded Oxford GlycoSciences, the first of Oxford University’s biotech spinouts, which, in 1998, was listed on the London Stock Exchange and reached a market capitalization of £1.7 billion. After moving to UCL, Professor Rademacher founded several biotech spin-out companies, including Rodaris Pharmaceuticals Ltd. In 2000, Professor Rademacher entered into a collaboration with the Spanish Research Council and co-founded the first nanomedicine company, Midatech Ltd. Midatech floated on the AIM and NASDAQ stock exchanges in December 2015.
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Dr. Mariângela Simão, MD, MPH is the Director-President of the All For Health Institute ( Instituto Todos pela Saúde - https://www.itps.org.br/ ), a non-profit organization based in São Paulo that focuses on outbreaks, epidemic and pandemic preparedness, in support of the Brazilian health system. Dr. Simão is also a Member of the Supervisory Board of the Access to Medicine Foundation ( https://accesstomedicinefoundation.org/our-team/mariangela-simao ), an organization working to stimulate and guide the pharmaceutical industry to do more for people living in low- and middle-income countries, and recently became a member of the Science & Technology Expert Group (STEG) of the G7 International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat ( https://ippsecretariat.org/about-us/ ). Dr. Simão attended medical school in Brazil, with degrees in Pediatrics and Public Health, and received a MSc in Mother and Child Health at the University of London, United Kingdom, and she has worked in Brazil’s public health system since 1982, from the primary health care level to a series of managerial positions throughout the years. As a public health professional, at municipal, state and national levels, Dr. Simão played an active role in the decentralization of the national health system, acquiring an extensive experience in health system strengthening. She has also served on the boards of a number of organizations and government committees related to public health and HIV. Between 2006 and 2010, Dr. Simão worked for the Ministry of Health in Brazil as the Director of the Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS. She also worked in the UN Program for HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) as Director for Prevention, Gender, Community Mobilization and Human Rights for 7 years. Most recently, Dr. Simão was Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products at the WHO from 2017 to 2022.
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Dr. Phyllis Ferrell, DrPH, MBA, is Chief Impact Officer for StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot ( https://www.startuphealth.com/alzheimers ), a new global initiative created to develop a collaborative innovation community alongside leading companies, research teams, and stakeholders, with a mission to accelerate progress in prevention, diagnosis, and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. With support from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Gates Ventures, StartUp Health is looking to break down silos and foster meaningful collaboration between mission-aligned founders, funders, and partners. Dr. Ferrell also serves as Strategic Advisor, Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative ( https://www.davosalzheimerscollaborative.org/ ) which is building a global clinical trial network and technology platform that will link trial sites around the world. Prior to these roles, Dr. Ferrell served almost three decades at multiple roles at Eli Lilly including as Global Head External Engagement, Alzheimer's and Neurodegeneration, Chief Commercial Services Officer, and Vice President, Global Alzheimer’s Disease Platform Team Leader in Lilly BioMedicines, where her team were responsible for the late-stage development, global registration and launch of 4 late-stage assets including Solanezumab, Amyvid and AZD3293. Dr. Ferrell received a DrPH, Public Health from Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, an MBA in General Management and a certificate in Public Management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and management from DePauw University. Dr. Ferrell was recognized with the Rising Star Award from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and the Indianapolis Star Top 40 Under 40. She serves as a member of the World Dementia Council, a steering committee member of the Milken Institute Center for Aging Alliance for Dementia Care and National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) Alzheimer’s Disease Index working groups, and a strategic reviewer for the Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Discovery Foundation Diagnostics Accelerator. She is also a member of the Indiana Chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association; on the Boards of Directors for Alzheimer’s Research UK EDoN, Gates Ventures Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative, the Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Stanford Associate Board of Governors, Indianapolis 500 Festival, and the Lebanon Area Boys & Girls Club. She is a founding member of Women Against Alzheimer’s and Women of Impact Boone County; co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Council; the alumna sponsor of the Women in Economics and Business Program at DePauw University; a member of the Washington C. DePauw Society; a Tocqueville donor to United Way; an active supporter of Boone County Special Olympics and the Boone County Community Foundation.
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Dr. Doron Behar, MD, PhD is Founder & CEO of an end-to-end genetic platform company, Igentify ( https://www.igentify.com/ ), that provides a suite of digital tools designed to scale the provision of genomic medical services to more people worldwide, making it more accessible and actionable for clinicians, laboratories, and patients. Dr. Behar received his degrees from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. As an MD, he has dual specialization in Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine from Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel. Dr. Behar's research areas of interest are across the broad range of evolutionary genomics, ancestry, phylogenetics, and translational genomics. He has been the leading author and co-author of numerous research papers in these areas. Dr. Behar is the former Chief Scientific Officer of Gene-by-Gene Ltd., a commercial genetic testing company. His expertise covers various aspects of mass genotyping, including regulation, privacy, genetic analysis, quality assurance, and more.
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Dr. Ira Spector, PhD is CEO and a Co-Founder of SFA Therapeutics ( https://sfatherapeutics.com/ ), a microbiome-derived biopharma company focused on new advancements in the treatment inflammatory diseases. Dr. Spector is an experienced drug developer, with over 30 years of experience. He has helped develop 34 approved drugs, including Enbrel, Effexor, Protonix, Prevenar-13, Mylotarg at Wyeth/Pfizer, where he was Vice President of Clinical Operations and Vice-Chief of Development. At Allergan, Dr. Spector helped develop Ozurdex for Diabetic Macular Edema and Retinal Venous Occlusion, Botox for Overactive Bladder, Botox for Chronic Migraine, Juvederm XL and Botox for Cerebral Palsy. Prior to Wyeth, he was Vice President and Partner at the PA Consulting Group. Before founding SFA Therapeutics, Dr. Spector was Executive Vice President of Analytics & Consulting at ICON. Dr. Spector holds BS degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering from Washington University, where he was a Langsdorf Fellow, an MBA from Drexel University, and a PhD in Health Sciences from UMDNJ.
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Dr. Ariel Dowling is a Senior Director and Head of the Sensing and Measurement group within the Data Sciences Institute at Takeda Pharmaceuticals ( https://www.takeda.com/our-impact/our-stories/integrating-data-sciences-into-clinical-development/ ). In this role, her group oversees the assessment, validation, and deployment of digital devices and endpoints across the organization. Dr. Dowling was previously a Senior Clinical Data Scientist at Biogen Inc. where she managed the wearable sensors deployed in clinical trials for Parkinson’s Disease. She was also the algorithm team lead at MC10 Inc., a company developing thin, conformal electronics systems that flex, stretch, and bend seamlessly with the natural world, and worked at BioSensics LLC., a company developing of wearable sensors and digital platforms for clinical trials, patient monitoring and health assessment. Dr. Dowling holds an MS and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, an AB and BE in Mechanical Engineering from Dartmouth College, and did post-doctoral work in robotics at Technion in Israel. She currently serves on the Strategic Advisory Board of the Digital Medicine (DiMe) Society.
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Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, MD ( https://arpa-h.gov/about/people/darshak-sanghavi ) is Program Manager, Resilient Systems Mission Office, at ARPA-H where he heads up the HEalthcare Rewards to Achieve Improved OutcomES ( HEROES - https://arpa-h.gov/research-and-funding/programs/heroes ) program which aims to trial and validate radically different approaches to creating preventative care incentives in the health market, one example being offering direct payments to individual “health accelerators” – such as non-profits or care consortiums – that successfully implement preventative care campaigns that improve the rates for specific health harms in an entire geographic population. Dr. Sanghavi joined ARPA-H in May 2023 from Babylon – a digital-first, end-to-end health care provider serving more than 24 million people across the globe. As chief medical officer, he was responsible for overseeing the company’s international operations as well as leading its wider mission to help bring affordable and accessible health care to everyone worldwide. Previously, Dr. Sanghavi worked as national chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare and OptumLabs, as a group director at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center during the Obama Administration, as managing director of the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institute, and as a pediatrician for the U.S. Indian Health Service. Dr. Sanghavi has a doctorate in medicine from Johns Hopkins University and specializes in pediatric cardiology after training at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Sanghavi is also a best-selling author, with his book "A Map of the Child: A Pediatrician's Tour of the Body", available at all major book sellers, and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Boston Globe, and Washington Post.
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Dr. William Karesh, DVM ( https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/personnel/dr-william-karesh ) is an internationally recognized expert on infectious diseases, wildlife conservation, and the environment. He is the Executive Vice President for Health and Policy for EcoHealth Alliance. Dr. Karesh also serves as the Co-Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC) Wildlife Health Specialist Group, Chair of the World Animal Health Organization’s Working Group on Wildlife, and on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations Roster of Experts focused on the human-animal interface and wildlife health. In 2016, Dr. Karesh was appointed as an ex-officio member of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense ( https://biodefensecommission.org/teams/william-b-karesh-dvm/ ) and became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He works with government agencies around the world and is an invited expert for intergovernmental and development organizations including United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), FAO, WHO, and the World Bank. Dr. Karesh has pioneered initiatives focusing attention and resources on solving challenges created by the interactions among wildlife, people, and their animals, developing and leading projects in over 50 LMIC countries. In 2003, he coined the term “One Health” to describe the interdependence of healthy ecosystems, animals and people. Dr. Karesh received a BS, Biology from Clemson University, and a Doctorate, in Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.
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Gladys H. Morales is Senior Officer, Global Head of Innovation in the International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD - https://www.ifad.org/en/w/gladys-morales ), where she leads the design and implementation of innovation initiatives and partnerships aiming to support testing, learning and scaling up of innovative solutions that impact poor rural people directly. She is also currently the Regional Ambassador in Italy of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC). Prior to joining IFAD, Ms. Morales led the digital transformation of a range of Multilateral Development Banks and United Nations agencies’ projects in Latin America, Asia, and Europe; and worked for the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China (IPRCC) where she led the design of digital platforms and established partnerships and knowledge networks for the Global Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth (GPIG) Portal. She is also familiar with the startup eco-system having been part of the management team for a digital advertising startup in Indonesia and founding her own startup in Italy. Ms. Morales is a graduate from the Executive Program on Digital Business Leadership at Columbia Business School, Columbia University in New York. She also has a Master’s in Development Economics and International Cooperation, Food Security and Rural Development from University of Rome, a certificate on Leadership and Innovation from MIT, and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and International Economics from Georgetown University. She also has a series of certificates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, United States, in Artificial Intelligence and Leadership and Innovation. IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency based in Rome, the UN’s food and agriculture hub and since 1978, and has provided US$23.2 billion in grants and low-interest loans, investing in rural people, empowering them to increase their food security, improve the nutrition of their families and increase their incomes, ultimately helping them build resilience, expand their businesses and take charge of their own development.
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Dr. James Murphy, PhD is Director, Research and Science, at British American Tobacco ( BAT - https://www.bat.com/DOCNLKSF.html ) where he plays a central role in leading the organization’s extensive research and development programs, which supports the company’s commitment to reducing the health impact of its business by offering consumers a range of alternative tobacco and nicotine products with a reduced risk profile. In this role, Dr Murphy leads the global Research and Science team, ensuring world-class science and best practice are applied to all aspects of BAT’s work and helps to deliver further scientific evidence that supports BAT’s New Categories products. Dr. Murphy has played a significant role in the development of BAT’s New Categories having been Product Development Lead for BAT’s first vapour launches and as Head of Reduced Risk Substantiation, he created and published the Group’s nine-step scientific assessment framework to assess BAT’s New Category products. Dr. Murphy brings two decades of experience and has held a number of senior roles in R&D, Operations and Marketing at BAT. He was most recently Executive Vice President, U.S. Scientific Research & Development, based at the headquarters of BAT’s U.S. business in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Murphy has a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from the Queen’s University of Belfast, a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh, and did his Postdoctoral Studies in Sugar Based Synthetic Organic Chemistry Polymer Chemistry, at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan. Disclaimer: Reduced-risk product statements in this podcast are based on the weight of evidence and assuming a complete switch from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk-free and are addictive. BAT's products as sold in the U.S., including Vuse, Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, and Camel Snus, are subject to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation and no reduced-risk claims will be made as to these products without FDA clearance.
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Dr. Omid Veiseh, Ph.D. ( https://profiles.rice.edu/faculty/omid-veiseh ) is Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research and Director of the Biotech Launch Pad at Rice University ( https://biotechlaunchpad.rice.edu/ ), where he leads a research program aimed at engineering next-generation treatments for a wide range of human diseases by leveraging the latest techniques in synthetic biology, immuno-engineering, and materials science to develop innovative cell-based platforms for real-time production of biologics. He is also a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded Sigilon Therapeutics (Nasdaq:SGTX), Avenge Bio, Sentinel Bio, and Curada Bio. These companies collectively have attracted ~ US$500M in private and public investment capital. Dr. Veiseh received a dual Ph. D. in Materials Science & Engineering and Nanotechnology from the University of Washington. He completed his postdoctoral research with Prof. Robert Langer and Daniel G. Anderson at MIT and Harvard Medical School. Throughout his career, he has authored or co-authored more than 75 peer-reviewed publications, including those in Nature, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Materials, Nature Medicine, and Natural Biomedical Engineering. He is an inventor of more than 40 pending or awarded patents. Dr. Paul Wotton, Ph.D. ( https://biotechlaunchpad.rice.edu/paul-w ) is Rice Biotech Launchpad, Executive Director. Dr. Wotton received his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Nottingham and is an experienced CEO, Board Member, named inventor and entrepreneur. He has extensive experience in strategic growth management, business transactions and product development. Dr. Wotton serves on the Board of Directors of Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ: VCEL), Cynata Therapeutics (ASX: CYP), Kytopen (Chairman), Combined Therapeutics and is a Co-Founder and Director of Avenge Bio., a clinical stage biotechnology company. Dr. Wotton was President and CEO of Ocata Therapeutics (NASDAQ:OCAT) until its acquisition by Astellas Pharma in 2016. Paul was named as a “Top 100 Innovation CEO” by World Biz Magazine and won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Regional (NJ) Life Sciences award in 2014.
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Dr. Thomas Karr, PhD ( https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/1808202/dr-thomas-j-karr/ ) is the Former Assistant Director, Directed Energy in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Research and Engineering), U.S. DoD. His responsibilities covered all Directed Energy research and development in the Department of Defense. Dr. Karr has four decades of experience in the application of science to national security. Prior to joining OUSD(R&E) he was a DARPA program manager for six years, where he created new programs for kinetic and non-kinetic effects, communication, information processing and exploitation, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Dr. Karr was the Director of Innovative System Solutions at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Director of Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) Technology at Northrop Grumman, and was a Group Leader, Program Leader and senior scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for twelve years. He also co-founded a commercial space company, and consulted for many companies in the national security industry. Dr. Karr earned his A.B. cum laude in Physics from Princeton, his Ph.D. in Elementary Particle Physics from the University of Maryland, and was a Joliot-Curie Fellow of the Atomic Energy Commission of France. He has published over 50 scientific papers, serves on the Organizing Committees of three scientific conferences, holds three patents, and he is a Fellow of the Military Sensing Symposia (MSS), the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), and the Optical Society of America (OSA).
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Dr. William Kapp, MD is Chief Executive Officer of Fountain Life ( https://fountainlife.com/about/ ), a company focused on transforming the current healthcare system into one that is both proactive and data-driven, enabling enhanced longevity and catching and treating illnesses earlier than ever before, focusing on the detection and reversal of asymptomatic diseases and advancing an entirely new healthcare paradigm. Dr. Kapp received his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Georgia and his M.S. in Immunology and M.D. at the Medical College of Georgia, where he graduated with honors and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical honor society. He attended the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas for residency in Orthopaedic Surgery and completed his specialty training in 1994. Dr. Kapp is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, has served on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Orthopaedic Association and has been chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee. Until 2005, he served as flight surgeon in the US Air Force Reserves with the rank of Major. Dr. Kapp is a dynamic entrepreneur who has founded several healthcare start-ups, ranging from surgical centers and hospitals to electronic health record systems and medical real estate developments. Previously Dr. Kapp served as Founder and Chairman of Landmark Hospitals, with several regional referral centers for critical care and medically complex patients requiring hospital-based post-acute care; managing partner and leader for Physicians Alliance Surgery Center, a multi-specialty outpatient surgical center; and managing partner for Orthopaedic Associates of SE Missouri, the region’s only orthopaedic center. Dr. Kapp is also a founding advisory board member of Missouri Physicians Mutual, a company focused on providing affordable medical malpractice insurance.
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Dr. Melanie Egorin, Ph.D. ( https://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/melanie-egorin.html ) is Assistant Secretary for Legislation (ASL), at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dr. Egorin has a unique roll at HHS at the intersection of the executive and legislative branches of government, with responsibility for interacting with Congress and responding to various congressional oversight requests as it pertains to HHS role across its 12 operating divisions, which are responsible for administering a wide variety of health and human services programs to more than 100 million people. Dr. Egorin has had a 25 year career in the health policy domain and has recently served as Democratic Deputy Staff Director, Subcommittee on Health, Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she was staff lead for Affordable Care Act, Medicare Advantage, dual-eligible beneficiaries, women’s health, and health tax issues. Prior to joining Ways and Means, Dr. Egorin worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the University of California Office of the President, as well as teaching at San Francisco State University. Dr. Egorin holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Emory University, where she studied Sociology and Public Health, and a Ph.D. from the University of California San Francisco in Medical Sociology.
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Ronald Tong is Senior Vice President of the Singapore Economic Development Board ( EDB - https://www.edb.gov.sg/ ) and Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Space Technology & Industry ( OSTIn - https://www.space.gov.sg/ ), Singapore’s national space office, where he leads teams of mission-driven Space champions to 1) develop and carry out Singapore’s national space strategy, 2) grow a vibrant and thriving Space industry and ecosystem, 3) promote research & development in Space technologies and translating them to commercial use 4) develop workforce and talent for Space, 5) shape international Space norms and build fruitful international relationships with public and private Space entities, and 6) create local legislation to govern Space activities. Mr. Tong has also been an officer and fighter pilot with over 1,000 flying hours on the F-16s. He joined the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) as a pilot trainee in 2003 and was subsequently awarded the President’s cum SAF Overseas Scholarship. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated (Summa cum Laude) with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology and Economics in 2007. He also graduated from United States Air Command and Staff College in 2017 with a Master in Military Operational Art and Science, and in 2022 from Stanford Graduate School of Business with a Master of Science in Management for Experienced Leaders (MSx), also known as the Sloan Fellow program. Mr. Tong has held various command and staff appointments in the defense and diplomacy sectors. He has served Command tours at the Flight and Squadron levels with 145 Squadron, participating in various exercises such as Ex PITCH BLACK and Ex COPE TIGER, and supporting various high key Air Defense operations such as the Trump-Kim Summit. He held various staff appointments including Staff Officer (Fighter) and Head Force Development Branch (Covering) in Air Plans Department, where he oversaw the force structuring and long term strategic planning for the Air Force. He served as Director (International) in MINDEF Policy Office where he oversaw the bilateral defense relations between Singapore and the Americas, Europe, Middle East, South Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States, and Africa. He also served as Military Private Secretary to the Minister for Defense, and as Secretary to MINDEF HQ Meeting. Most recently, he served as the Group Head of Strategies and Plans in the Air Operations Department, where he oversaw current and future operations for the RSAF.
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Dr. Calvin Roberts, M.D. is Program Manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) where manages for the Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts ( THEA - https://arpa-h.gov/research-and-funding/programs/thea ) program, which aims to transplant whole human eyes to restore vision in patients who are blind or visually impaired by reconnecting the nerves, muscles and blood vessels of whole donor eyes to the brain. Dr. Roberts joined ARPA-H in September 2023 from Lighthouse Guild International, where is the president and chief executive officer. Lighthouse Guild is a not-for-profit organization that provides programs and services to people who are blind or visually impaired. Previously, Dr. Roberts was the chief medical officer for the global eye care company Bausch + Lomb. For the past 40 years, Roberts has also served as a clinical professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical Center. As a practicing ophthalmologist from 1982 to 2008, he performed more than 10,000 cataract surgeries, as well as 5,000 refractive and other corneal surgeries. He is credited with developing surgical therapies, over-the-counter products for vision care, prescription ocular therapeutics and innovative treatment regimens. He also holds patents on the wide-field specular microscope and has done extensive research on ophthalmic non-steroidals and post-operative cystoid macular edema. Dr. Roberts also hosts the podcast series “On Tech and Vision” ( https://lighthouseguild.org/technology/on-tech-and-vision-podcast/ ) – where innovators discuss how rapidly evolving assistive technology creates equity among those who are visually impaired. Dr. Roberts received his medical degree from Columbia University, completed an internship and ophthalmology residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and conducted cornea fellowships at Massachusetts Eye and Infirmary and the Schepens Eye Institute.
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Dr. Kartik Sunagar, Ph.D. is Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Evolutionary Venomics Lab ( https://www.venomicslab.com/members ) at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), Indian Institute of Science (IISC), where his team investigates venomous animals and their venoms as model systems to address basic but broad questions in evolutionary biology and genetics. Dr. Sunagar is an evolutionary geneticist, and a major focus of his research has been on innovating pan-India efficacious snakebite therapies through the discovery and development of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Dr. Sunagar’s Ph.D. (University of Porto, Portugal) and postdoctoral research (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) provided fascinating insights into venom ecology and evolution, including the dynamics of venom evolution across large time, evolutionary origin and development of venom-producing cells, coevolutionary arms races, molecular mechanisms of venom action, the genetic basis of venom resistance, and the role of environmental and ecological factors in driving the evolution of venom.
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Dialogues In Longevity - A discussion with Dr. Aubrey de Grey & Dr. Michael Rose about the past, present and future of longevity biotechnology Host - Ira S. Pastor Special thanks to longevity advocate Eric Schulke (https://ruliaderic.wordpress.com/) for helping to organize and coordinate the episode - Dr. Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D., is President & Chief Science Officer of the Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation ( https://www.levf.org/ ), an organization focused on proactively identifying and addressing the most challenging obstacles on the path to the widespread availability of genuinely effective treatments to prevent and reverse human age-related disease. Dr. de Grey is internationally recognized as a visionary biomedical gerontologist who devised the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence: a comprehensive set of methods to rejuvenate the human body, thereby preventing age-related ill health and mortality. He has co-founded multiple non-profit organizations – including Methuselah Foundation, SENS Research Foundation, and now LEV Foundation – to specifically enable and accelerate its development and clinical translation. Dr. de Grey received his BA in Computer Science and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Cambridge in 1985 and 2000, respectively. He is the author of 'The Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging', 'Ending Aging', and a large number of academic papers. Dr. de Grey is a Fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Aging Association, and sits on the advisory boards of numerous scientific journals and research organizations. He is a prolific speaker who regularly presents at conferences and events world-wide. Dr. Michael Rose, Ph.D. ( https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=5261 ) is the Director of the Network for Experimental Research on Evolution (NERE), and Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine, where his main area of work over the years has been the evolution of aging. He received his PhD from the University of Sussex in 1978. In 1991, Dr. Rose published seminal work per his text 'Evolutionary Biology of Aging' exploring a view of the subject based on antagonistic pleiotropy, the hypothesis that aging is caused by genes that have two effects, one acting early in life and the other much later. The genes are favored by natural selection as a result of their early-life benefits, and the costs that accrue much later appear as incidental side-effects that we identify as aging. Dr. Rose’s laboratory has conducted the longest-running artificial selection experiment designed to test the theory of antagonistic pleiotropy using Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) bred for longevity by collecting eggs from the longest-lived flies in each generation. The experiment has run since 1981, and has produced flies with quadruple the original life span. In 1997, Dr. Rose was awarded the Busse Research Prize by the World Congress of Gerontology. He has authored 10 books, including 'The Long Tomorrow: How Advances in Evolutionary Biology Can Help Us Postpone Aging'.
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Professor Nadeem Sarwar is Corporate Vice President, Co-Founder and Head, Transformational Prevention Unit, Novo Nordisk ( https://www.novonordisk.com/partnering-and-open-innovation/transformational-prevention-unit.html ), Co-Chair UK Dementia Mission (a UK Government Ministerial appointment) and Honorary Professor, University of Edinburgh Medical School. Professor Sarwar joined Novo Nordisk in June 2023 as Corporate Vice President, Co-Founder and Head of Novo Nordisk’s new Transformational Prevention Unit (TPU) whose mission is to increase obesity-free life years, so people live healthier and longer lives. To achieve this, the TPU is establishing an integrated ecosystem that will deliver science-first, empowering, and scalable commercial solutions that predict and pre-empt obesity and its consequences through innovative partnerships, with solutions intending to push the boundaries of what is possible with drugs, genomics, microbiome, digital health, and behavioral science. Professor Sarwar’s expertise stems from scientific and business models at the intersection of genomics, data sciences and digital technologies for therapeutic and health innovation and he utilizes this expertise to steer the strategy and implementation of the predictive and pre-emptive obesity solutions being developed by the TPU, spanning both R&D and commercial strategy. Professor Sarwar joins Novo Nordisk with extensive executive experience in academia (Cambridge, Edinburgh), pharma (Pfizer, Eisai, Novo Nordisk), biotech (Genetics Guided Demantia Discovery - G2D2), company incubation (Eisai Innovation Biolabs), and government (UK Dementia Mission). He has successfully built and led organizations across the UK, US, Japan, and Denmark; and contributed to delivery of therapeutics into clinical trials for cardiometabolic diseases, oncology, SLE, COVID-19 and neurodegeneration. Professor Sarwar’s research has been published in leading medical journals (eg, NEJM, Lancet, JAMA), presented at international meetings (eg, American Diabetes Association; World Dementia Council), and profiled by international media (eg, BBC, Forbes). He has provided expert insights for the UK Department of Health, the World Economic Forum, and the US National Academies of Sciences. Apart from his current position at Novo Nordisk, Professor Sarwar holds the position of Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. He also currently serves on the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Neuroscience and Mental Health Board, the UK MRC Prevention Task and Finish Group, the Health Data Industry Expert Sub-Group, and the UK Life Sciences Council. Professor Sarwar was born and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland. He trained in molecular and genetic epidemiology as a MRC scholar with Prof. John Danesh (Cambridge, UK). Reflecting his own journey, he is passionate about diversity and equality in science, and inspiring and mentoring the next generation of medicine makers.
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Dr. Robert Kristovich, Ph.D. is Director of the Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO), at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency ( DTRA - https://www.dtra.mil/ ), an integral component of the United States Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP). As Director of DTRA JSTO, Dr. Kristovich leads an office of 200 professionals including eight divisions of scientists, researchers and administrative staff. He manages the execution of over US$505 million focused on transforming science and technology (S&T) to prepare for current and emerging chemical and biological (CB) threats to better protect the Joint Force, our allies, and the nation. Prior to assuming his current position, Dr. Kristovich served as Chief of the Threat Agent Sciences Division of the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC). In that role, Dr. Kristovich directed a team of CBC experts who evaluate emerging chemical threats facing the Joint Force and the nation. Among his responsibilities, he headed the Forensic Analytical Center, one of only two U.S. laboratories accredited by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Dr. Kristovich previously served as a senior adviser to the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Chem Bio Defense, in providing a strategic vision for how the CBDP can use science and technology to help the warfighter win in a CB-contested environment. In 2022, Dr. Kristovich was appointed as the U.S. representative of the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), providing science and technology guidance in overseeing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) treaty. OPCW ( https://www.opcw.org/ ) is a global body of 193 member states, including the U.S., which seeks to eliminate the production and use of chemical weapons. The SAB is a consortium of 25 preeminent experts chosen from the state parties to the CWC treaty. It provides scientific advice and support to the Director General and the state parties regarding implementation of the treaty and deterrence of chemical weapons use. Dr. Kristovich received a B.S. in Chemistry from Fairmont State University, and a PhD in Chemistry from Ohio State University.
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Susan Ferensic is Assistant Director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD) at FBI Headquarters where her unit leads the FBI’s efforts to mitigate threats from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive weapons. The FBI or Federal Bureau of Investigation is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency (https://www.fbi.gov/). Ms. Ferensic most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in South Carolina. Ms. Ferensic joined the FBI in 1997 as a computer forensic examiner in the Laboratory Division and was selected for new agent training in 2000, and then as a new agent, she was assigned to investigate criminal and national security computer intrusion matters in the Washington Field Office. In 2007, Ms. Ferensic was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Cyber Division at FBI Headquarters, where she was a program manager for criminal computer intrusion investigations. She then transferred to the Albuquerque Field Office in New Mexico in 2009 to lead the cyber and technically trained agent squad, and later she served and supervised Albuquerque's Joint Terrorism Task Force which included oversight of WMD coordinators and bomb technicians. Ms. Ferensic was promoted in 2014 to special assistant to the executive assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch at FBI Headquarters, providing advice on broad program management and administrative matters. In 2016, she was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Criminal Branch of the Sacramento Field Office in California. In 2018, Ms. Ferensic became section chief of the Digital Forensics and Analytics Section in the Operational Technology Division at FBI Headquarters. The next year, she was promoted to chief of staff of the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch at FBI Headquarters. She was named special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in 2020. Ms. Ferensic earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Maryland. Prior to working at the FBI, she was a computer scientist at the Department of Defense. Important Episode Links - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - https://www.ic3.gov/ FBI Electronic Tip Form - https://tips.fbi.gov/
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Ambassador Dr. Bonnie Jenkins, PhD, ( https://www.state.gov/biographies/bonnie-denise-jenkins/ ) has served as the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security since July 22, 2021. As Under Secretary, Ambassador Jenkins leads three bureaus: the Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability Bureau; the International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau; and the Political-Military Affairs Bureau. In addition, as of May 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken named Under Secretary Jenkins as the senior official to lead the Department’s efforts on AUKUS implementation. U/S Jenkins previously served in the Obama Administration as Special Envoy and Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) from July 2009 until January 2017. Ambassador Jenkins coordinated U.S. efforts on threat reduction globally and U.S. government programs in chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological (CBRN) security. She was the State Department lead for all four of the Nuclear Security Summits held from 2010 to 2016, as well as the U.S. Representative to the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. Before serving as Coordinator, she was a Legal Adviser to the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency where she provided advice to U.S. ambassadors and delegations negotiating arms control and nonproliferation treaties. Ambassador Jenkins also provided legal advice to treaty implementation bodies including the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty, the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). She has worked with international institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Office of Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Interpol, and the BWC Implementation Support Unit. From 2014 to 2017, Ambassador Jenkins led diplomatic efforts to promote the Global Health Security Agenda, a group of 70 countries, international organizations, non-government organizations, and private sector companies that builds countries’ capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats like Ebola and Zika. She was the lead staff member conducting research, interviews, and preparing commission reports on counterterrorism policies in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and on U.S. military plans targeting al Qaeda before 9/11. Ambassador Jenkins served as General Counsel to the U.S. Commission to Assess the Organization of the Federal Government to Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and worked at Rand Corporation focusing on Middle East weapons of mass destruction issues. From its inception in 2017 until April 2021, Ambassador Jenkins was the Founder, Executive Director, and Board Chair of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security ( WCAPS - https://www.wcaps.org/ ), a leading advocacy organization supporting women of color in the security and peace-building sector that believes global issues are best approached from a variety of perspectives. Ambassador Jenkins has a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Virginia; an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center; an M.P.A. from the State University of New York at Albany; a J.D. from Albany Law School; and a B.A. from Amherst College. She also attended The Hague Academy for International Law. Jenkins is a retired U.S. Naval Reserve Officer and received numerous awards for her military service. She is a member of the New York State Bar.
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The Undiagnosed Diseases Network Foundation ( https://udnf.org/ ) is a patient-led nonprofit organization founded in 2023 committed to improving access to diagnosis, research, and care for all with undiagnosed and ultra-rare diseases, with a focus on fostering collaboration among patients, clinicians, and scientists to enhance the quality of life of undiagnosed and ultra-rare disease patients and their families. Michele Herndon, MSN, RN, is the Program Director of the UDNF’s Patient Navigation Program. For the past two decades, she has served as a pediatric nurse, leader, and manager in an academic hospital setting. Michele is also the mother to Mitchell who enrolled in the UDN in 2017 after five years of symptoms. After genetic sequencing and a model organism study using fruit flies, his gene mutation was identified by the UDN. Mitchell died in 2019 from the ultra-rare disease that was ultimately named after him, Mitchell Syndrome. Michele and her family started the Mitchell & Friends Foundation to support families and raise both awareness and money for research into Mitchell Syndrome. Michele lives in St. Louis, MO and is currently working to complete her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. F. Sessions Cole, MD is Board Secretary of UDNF and Professor of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Cole is a neonatologist who began studying rare diseases with genomic methods during his fellowship in the laboratory of the late Harvey R. Colten, M.D. and has participated in the discovery of new genetic causes of structural birth defects and of respiratory failure in full-term infants, expanded phenotypes of known genetic diseases, and suggested novel therapeutic strategies. His research has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a Principal Investigator for more than 25 years. Most recently, he led the NIH-funded Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) Clinical Site at Washington University from 2018-2021. He currently co-chairs the UDN’s Sustainability Working Group and is leading the UDN’s Therapeutic Matching Committee aimed at identifying therapies for rare disease patients.
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Dr. Ha Hong, Ph.D. ( http://hahong.org/ ), is Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Medtronic Endoscopy ( https://www.medtronic.com/covidien/en-us/clinical-solutions/gastrointestinal-health.html ) where he oversees AI R&D and strategy, emphasizing building responsible AI solutions for patient care, and has a track record of inventing and delivering breakthrough technologies in the medical device field ( https://www.medtronic.com/covidien/en-us/products/gastrointestinal-artificial-intelligence/gi-genius-intelligent-endoscopy.html ). Before joining Medtronic, Dr. Hong was a founding team member and the Chief Architect at Caption Health, which GE HealthCare acquired, where he led the R&D, including the development of the first commercially available AI navigation system for cardiac ultrasound examination. Dr. Hong has a Ph.D. in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics from the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program and a BS in Physics from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Medtronic Edonscopy is part of Medtronic plc (https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/index.html), the world’s largest medical device company, which operates in more than 150 countries and employs over 90,000 people. Important Episode Links Medtronic GI Genius™ Intelligent Endoscopy Module - https://www.medtronic.com/covidien/en-us/products/gastrointestinal-artificial-intelligence/gi-genius-intelligent-endoscopy.html Medtronic Artificial Intelligence (AI) Compass for responsible use of AI - https://www.medtronic.com/content/dam/medtronic-wide/public/brand-corporate-assets/resources/medtronic-ai-compass.pdf Dr. Ha Hong Linkedin Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ha-hong/
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Dr. Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D., ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p20322 ) is a 2023 Nobel Laureate in Medicine ( https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2023/summary/ ), Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research and Director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation ( https://rnainnovation.med.upenn.edu/ ). He is also a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of Vaccine Research in the Infectious Diseases Division at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania ( https://www.pennmedicine.org/providers/profile/drew-weissman ). Dr. Weissman is a physician-scientist and pioneer in the science of immunology, with major contributions to the field. Most notably, Dr. Weissman, and his colleagues discovered a novel nucleoside-modified mRNA platform that bypasses adverse immunologic response, which was the result of decades-long dedication and research, not just focused on modifying mRNA, but also developing a novel lipid nanoparticle delivery technique, ensuring that it could reach the proper part of the body and trigger the immune system to fight disease. This platform not only serves as the basis for the burgeoning research of targeted therapeutics for some of the world’s most devastating diseases, but paved the way for the first mRNA vaccines, being the critical backbone to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Dr. Weissman and his lab team ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/weissmanlab/ ) continue to conduct basic science research to understand and develop new nucleoside-modified mRNA platforms to advance effective and safe vaccines for different types of diseases, as well as new therapeutics. Dr. Weissman and his team are currently at work on a variety of novel projects such as a pan-coronavirus vaccine to stop the next coronavirus epidemic, a universal flu vaccine, and a vaccine to prevent herpes, as well as working with Penn colleagues to develop interventions in various non-communicable diseases, such as cancer therapeutics with mRNA technology. Dr. Weissman's lab is also developing a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine with Chulalongkorn University in Thailand to help residents of Thailand and other surrounding nations with fewer financial resources than the United States access lifesaving vaccines. Before joining Penn in 1997, Dr. Weissman was a fellow at the National Institutes of Health studying HIV in the immunoregulation lab of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Weissman received his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Brandeis University, majoring in biochemistry and enzymology, and earned his MD and PhD working in immunology and microbiology at Boston University and completed his residency at Beth Israel Hospital.
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Dr. David Grier, Ph.D. is Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Soft Matter Research, at NYU ( https://as.nyu.edu/features/meet-faculty-of-as/david-grier.html ). Dr. Grier’s research focuses on experimental soft condensed matter physics—an interdisciplinary field that includes physics, chemistry, biology, and nanotechnology, ultimately aiming to understand how objects interacting in simple ways manage to organize into sophisticated hierarchies of both structure and function. After completing a B.S. in Physics from Harvard College, a Ph.D. in Physics from University of Michigan, and two years as a postdoctoral fellow in the Condensed Matter Physics Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Dr. Grier accepted a faculty position at the University of Chicago, where he was a member of the physics department for 12 years. He moved to New York University (NYU) in 2004 and served as Department Chair for eight years. Dr. Grier has numerous laboratory achievements including developing state-of-the-art methods of digital video microscopy, introducing powerful new methods of holographic video microscopy, demonstrating the first practical tractor beams, the first knotted force fields, and the first optically organized micromachines. Dr. Grier’s group, as part of its National Science Foundation-funded basic research program, developed a holographic optical trapping technique, which provides the groundwork for a range of new categories of applications in photonics, medical diagnostics, drug discovery, and environmental monitoring. Dr. Grier has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on basic research in this area and holds more than 50 U.S. Patents on technology invented in the course of this research. His efforts have been recognized with a David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowship. More than a dozen of his former graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have gone on to faculty positions in major universities or leadership roles in industrial research and development. Dr. Grier is also Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, Founder and Member of the Board of Directors of Spheryx Inc. ( https://spheryx.solutions/ ), a revolutionary company leveraging his research in finding solutions to deliver better, safer products at reduced costs, and providing benefits to consumers and manufacturers across multiple industries.
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J. Craig Venter, PhD, ( https://www.jcvi.org/about/j-craig-venter ) is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous invaluable contributions to genomic research. Dr. Venter is founder, chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit, research organization with approximately 120 scientists and staff dedicated to human, microbial, synthetic, and environmental genomic research, and the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics. Dr. Venter began his formal education after a tour of duty as a Navy Corpsman in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. After earning both a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and a PhD in physiology and pharmacology from the University of California at San Diego, he was appointed professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In 1984, he moved to the National Institutes of Health campus where he developed expressed sequence tags or ESTs, a revolutionary new strategy for rapid gene discovery. In 1992, Dr. Venter founded The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR, now part of JCVI), a not-for-profit research institute, where in 1995 he and his team decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, using the new whole genome shotgun technique. In 1998, Dr. Venter founded Celera Genomics to sequence the human genome using new tools and techniques he and his team developed. This research culminated with the February 2001 publication of the human genome in the journal, Science. He and his team at Celera also sequenced the fruit fly, mouse, and rat genomes. Dr. Venter and his team at JCVI continue to blaze new trails in genomics. They have sequenced and analyzed hundreds of genomes, and have published numerous important papers covering such areas as environmental genomics, the first complete diploid human genome, and the groundbreaking advance in constructing the first self-replicating bacterial cell using synthetic DNA. Dr. Venter is one of the most frequently cited scientists, and the author of more than 280 research articles. He is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, public honors, and scientific awards, including the 2008 United States National Medal of Science, the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award, the 2001 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, and the King Faisal International Award for Science. Dr. Venter is a member of numerous prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology. Dr. Venter is also a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded several companies including Synthetic Genomics, Inc., now Viridos and Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI). Dr. Venter's newest book "The Voyage of Sorcerer II: The Expedition That Unlocked the Secrets of the Ocean’s Microbiome" was recently released on September 12, 2023 - https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Sorcerer-II-Expedition-Microbiome/dp/0674246470
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Brigadier General (Res.) Uri Oron is Israeli Space Agency (ISA) Director ( https://www.space.gov.il/en ). ISA is a national agency operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology ( https://www.gov.il/he/departments/ministry_of_science_and_technology/govil-landing-page ), and they are responsible for initiating, leading and coordinating all activities of the civilian space program in Israel. Director Oron earned a bachelor’s from Auburn University at Montgomery, a Master degree with distinction from Haifa University, in National Security Policy Studies, and he is a graduate of USAF Air Command and Staff College at the US Air University and the Israel's National Security College. Director Oron served as a fighter pilot with command and operational experience of over thirty-two years in the Israel Air Force, having served in various positions, including squadrons wing commander and the head of the Israel Air Force’s Intelligence Directorate. Prior to joining the Israeli Space Agency, Director Oron managed operations in an Israeli Artificial Intelligence start-up and he has accumulated extensive experience in managing complex systems and implementing state-of-the-art technologies, based on broad-scale strategies. He has led innovative projects in the space field in collaboration with the IDF, as well as the defense industries, while also interfacing with the political echelon.
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Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Ph.D. ( https://www.ree.usda.gov/biographies ) serves as the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE), and Chief Scientist at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The REE mission area is comprised of more than 8,500 employees with a $4 billion budget across its five component organizations including the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Economic Research Service (ERS), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS). Together these organizations advance agricultural research, innovation, data, and Extension across a full range of agricultural issues including climate-smart agriculture, nutrition security, equity, and strengthening food supply chains. As Chief Scientist, Dr. Jacobs-Young advises the Secretary of Agriculture and other senior officials on scientific matters and chairs the USDA Science Council, which convenes all parts of USDA’s scientific enterprise. Prior to being appointed by President Biden to serve as the REE Under Secretary, Dr. Jacobs-Young was Administrator for ARS from 2014 to 2022. Prior to that role, she served as ARS Associate Administrator for National Programs, leading the research objectives of the entire Agency. She also led the Office of International Research Programs, which is responsible for ARS' liaison with its international partners. From 2009 to 2012, Dr. Jacobs-Young served as the inaugural OCS Director, where she was responsible for facilitating the coordination of scientific leadership across the Department to ensure that research supported by, and scientific advice provided to, the Department and external stakeholders were held to the highest standards of intellectual rigor and scientific integrity. She has also served as the Acting Director for NIFA and as a senior policy analyst for agriculture in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Jacobs-Young is a native of Georgia. She holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Wood and Paper Science and a B.S. degree in Pulp and Paper Science and Technology from North Carolina State University. She is a graduate of American University's Key Executive Leadership in Public Policy Implementation Program, and a proud fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Public Administration. Resource Links: Link to @USDAScience on X: https://twitter.com/USDAScience Link to Research, Education, and Economics website: https://www.ree.usda.gov/ Link to USDA Science and Research Strategy: https://www.usda.gov/usda-science Link to ASCEND for Better Health: https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/ascend-better-health Link to the USDA announcement about the launch of AIM for Climate: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/11/02/launching-agriculture-innovation-mission-climate Link to the USDA's 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum, “Cultivating the Future” - https://www.usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum
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Mr. Ian Watson currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense (DASD/CBD) at the U.S. Department of Defense ( https://www.acq.osd.mil/ncbdp/leadership/bio-Watson.html ). In this capacity he is the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (ASD) for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs (NCB) and conducts Department level research, development, and acquisition (RDA) activities from concept and requirements development, through early science and technology, to advanced development, testing and evaluation, and procurement. These efforts focus on reducing risk from emerging threats and fielding sustainable capabilities to all Services in accordance with Department, Service and Combatant Command priorities for chemical, biological, and ensure our warfighters can fight and win in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) contested environments. Previously, Mr. Ian Watson served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Director of the Office of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and Requirements (SPPR), and for Industrial Base Expansion in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this position, Mr. Watson was responsible for leading the policy planning life-cycle, to ensure that ASPR’s preparedness and emergency response capabilities align with the ASPR’s mission, as well as broader policy and planning considerations to support the ASPR in protecting Americans from 21st Century health security threats. Mr. Watson was also responsible for the Department’s Industrial Base Expansion, supply chain management, industrial policy, and Defense Production Act (DPA) program for the pandemic response. Mr. Watson previously served as the Assistant Director for Biotechnology and Biosecurity within the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) whose mission is to ensure America is the world leader in science and technology. While at OSTP Mr. Watson worked national security and S&T policy initiatives pertaining to the Bioeconomy, biodefense, planetary protection, scientific collections, biological sciences, etc. Prior to being detailed to OSTP, Mr. Watson was in the Department of Defense, where he has previously served in multiple positions as a leader for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction research, development, implementation, policy; systems integration for missile defense; Countering Threat Networks and Counter Proliferation initiatives; and managing and developing interagency and international relationships under Cooperative Threat Reduction, foreign military sales, and international armaments cooperation. Mr. Watson’s graduate background includes degrees in international relations, biodefense, and public health.
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Dr. Anthony S. Fauci is Distinguished University Professor in the Georgetown University School of Medicine’s Department of Medicine, in the Division of Infectious Diseases ( https://medicine.georgetown.edu/divisions/infectiousdiseases/ ), an academic division that provides clinical care, conducts research and trains future physicians in infectious diseases. He also holds an additional appointment in the university’s McCourt School of Public Policy. Dr. Fauci served as U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director from 1984 to 2022. He oversaw an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola, Zika and COVID-19. He also led the NIAID research effort on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma, and allergies ( https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/anthony-s-fauci-md-bio ) . Dr. Fauci advised seven Presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues. He was one of the principal architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved more than 20 million lives throughout the developing world. Dr. Fauci was a key advisor to seven Presidents and their administrations on global HIV/AIDS issues, and on initiatives to bolster medical and public health preparedness against emerging infectious disease threats such as pandemic influenza and COVID-19. As an HIV/AIDS researcher he was involved in the scientific effort since AIDS was recognized in 1981, conducting pivotal studies that underpin the current understanding of the disease and efforts to develop therapies and tools of prevention. Dr. Fauci was the longtime chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation. He made many contributions to basic and clinical research on the pathogenesis and treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases. He helped pioneer the field of human immunoregulation by making important basic scientific observations that underpin the current understanding of the regulation of the human immune response. In addition, Dr. Fauci is widely recognized for delineating the precise ways that immunosuppressive agents modulate the human immune response. He developed effective therapies for formerly fatal inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases such as polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly Wegener's granulomatosis), and lymphomatoid granulomatosis. Dr. Fauci made seminal contributions to the understanding of how HIV destroys the body's defenses leading to its susceptibility to deadly infections. Further, he was instrumental in developing treatments that enable people with HIV to live long and active lives. In a 2022 analysis of Google Scholar citations, Dr. Fauci ranked as the 44th most-cited living researcher. According to the Web of Science, Dr. Fauci ranked 9th out of 3.3 million authors in the field of immunology by total citation count between 1980 and April 2022. During the same period, he ranked 22th out of 3.3 million authors in the field of research & experimental medicine, and 715th out of 1.4 million authors in the field of general & internal medicine. Dr. Fauci has delivered major lectures all over the world and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor given to a civilian by the President of the United States), the National Medal of Science, the George M. Kober Medal of the Association of American Physicians, the Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, the Robert Koch Gold Medal, the Prince Mahidol Award, and the Canada Gairdner Global Health Award.
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Craig Thompson is the Chief Executive Officer of Cerevance ( https://www.cerevance.com/about ), a private, clinical-stage drug discovery and development company focused on developing novel therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) diseases using the company’s proprietary Nuclear Enriched Transcript Sort sequencing (NETSseq) technology, a machine learning platform that helps measure precise levels at which thousands of genes are expressed in any cell type in any region of the brain, and then map those genes to specific diseased and healthy brain states. Most recently, Mr. Thompson was President and Chief Executive Officer of Neurana Pharmaceuticals. Prior to Neurana, Mr. Thompson was President and Chief Executive Officer of Anthera Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Thompson's previous biotech experience includes Chief Operating Officer for Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals and Chief Commercial Officer for Trius Therapeutics where he was involved in the $707M up front acquisition of Trius by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, as well as a partnership with Bayer Pharma AG. Prior to Trius, Mr. Thompson served in various global and U.S. roles at Pfizer Inc., including Therapeutic Group Leader of Allergy, Respiratory, Pulmonary Vascular Disease and Inflammation; and ultimately served as Vice President of Marketing for Pfizer’s Specialty Care Business Unit. Previous to Pfizer, Mr. Thompson served in positions of increasing responsibility at Merck & Co., Inc including leading the partnership with Schering Plough. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from McMaster University and an M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.
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Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, FMedSci is Pro-Provost (Health), Dean, Faculty of Population Health Sciences and Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, University College London ( UCL - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/tb/people/professor-ibrahim-abubakar ). He was previously director of the UCL Institute for Global Health until July 2021. Prof. Abubakar was appointed National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator in 2017 and elected Fellow Academy of Medical Sciences in 2020. He led the UCL Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, UCL-TB and was a senior investigator at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Trials Unit. He was also head of TB at Public Health England and prior to his appointment at UCL, he was Professor in Health Protection at the Norwich Medical School. Prof. Abubakar qualified in medicine in 1992 and initially trained in general medicine before specializing in public health medicine. His academic public health training was undertaken at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia. Prof. Abubakar is a member of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board ( https://www.gpmb.org/ ), Chair of Lancet Migration: global collaboration to advance migration health, Lancet Nigeria Commission and the NIHR Global Health Professorship Committee. He also served as chair of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis until 2019 and of the Wellcome Trust Expert Review Group on Population Health until 2022.
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Dr. Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, FASA ( https://www.purdue.edu/provost/health/adams.html ) is Presidential Fellow, Executive Director of Purdue's Health Equity Initiatives, and Distinguished Professor of Practice in the Departments of Pharmacy Practice and Public Health, at Purdue University. As the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and a prior member of the President’s Coronavirus task force, Dr. Adams has been at the forefront of America’s most pressing health challenges. A regular communicator via tv, radio, and in print, Dr. Adams is an expert not just in the science, but also in communicating the science to the lay public, and making it relevant to various audiences. Dr. Adams is a licensed anesthesiologist with a master’s degree in public health, and ran the Indiana State Department of Health prior to becoming Surgeon General. In the State Health Commissioner role he managed a $350 million dollar budget and over 1,000 employees, and led Indiana’s response to Ebola, Zika, and HIV crises. Notably, Dr. Adams helped convince the Governor and State Legislature to legalize syringe service programs in the state, and to prioritize $13 million in funding to combat infant mortality. As Surgeon General, Dr. Adams was the operational head of the 6,000 person Public Health Service Commissioned Corps ( https://www.usphs.gov/ ), and oversaw responses to 3 back to back category 5 hurricanes, and to a once in a century pandemic. In addition to his recent COVID19 work, Dr. Adams has partnered with and assisted organizations as they navigate the opioid epidemic, maternal health, rising rates of chronic disease, the impacts of rising suicide rates in our Nation, and how businesses can become better stewards and stakeholders in promoting community health. His new book, Crisis and Chaos: Lessons from the Front Lines of the War Against COVID-19, came out on October 24, 2023 ( https://www.amazon.com/Crisis-Chaos-Lessons-Against-COVID-19/dp/B0C28RRHFJ )
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COL Tina Schoenberger is Director of the U.S. Army Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Agency ( USANCA - https://www.usanca.army.mil/ ); a U.S. Army HQ field operating agency of both nuclear and CWMD military and civilian professionals, headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. USANCA is operationally and technically responsive to the Army’s Total Force and the Joint Force commander, and they are responsible for delivering key nuclear, CWMD, and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) subject matter expertise to the generating and operating forces. Col Schoenberger has a Bachelors degree in Microbiology and a Master of Science in Molecular Biology, both from Southeastern Louisiana University, and served as a Fellow in the Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity initiative (ELBI) Fellowship program, at the Center for Biosecurity of Pittsburgh Medical Center for Health Security. During her extensive career in the U.S. military, COL Schoenberger has previously served as: - an Army War College, Office of the Director of National Intelligence Fellow with duty at the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center; - a Plans, Integration and Assessments Division Chief for USSOCOM J10- Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Directorate; - a J5 Division Chief at the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), J5 Branch Chief, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) liaison officer to JSOC; - a Military Assistant to the Deputy Director of DTRA, while serving at the U.S. Strategic Command’s Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (SCC-CWMD), where she was a key planner in the Regional Contingency Team that led planning efforts in support of the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Department of State, and the National Security Staff, for the Syria Chemical Weapons destruction and elimination mission; - a J3 Science Advisor and primary subject matter expert (SME) leading the fielding of the Weapons of Mass Destruction – Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) up-graded Analytical Laboratory System (ALS) at the National Guard Bureau (NGB) and operated and maintained the ALS as the Nuclear Medical Science Officer for the 62nd Weapons of Mass Destruction – Civil Support Team in Louisiana.
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Dr. Jomana Musmar, MS, PhD, is the Designated Federal Officer and Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria ( https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/paccarb/membership/designated-federal-officer-jomana-musmar/index.html ), and Senior Public Health Advisor within the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy ( https://www.hhs.gov/oidp/index.html ), at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria ( PACCARB - https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/paccarb/index.html ) is a US federal advisory committee that provides advice, information, and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS Secretary). The council supports and evaluates U.S. government activities focused on fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human health, animal health, and environmental health. Using this One Health approach, members of the PACCARB have expertise from a range of backgrounds, including academia, industry, public health, advocacy, veterinary, and agricultural production. Dr. Musmar has been managing the PACCARB since its establishment in 2015, during which time she has hosted 24 public meetings and overseen the development of seven reports providing recommendations on a range of issues related to antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) for both human and animal health. Dr. Musmar has over 10 years of Federal Advisory Committee experience, with a focus on the areas of public health, biodefense, and AMR. Her graduate degrees include a Master’s in Biomedical Science Policy from Georgetown University School of Medicine and a Doctorate in Biodefense and Homeland Security from George Mason University. PACCARB REPORT - Preparing for the Next Pandemic in the Era of Antimicrobial Resistance - https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/paccarb-pandemic-preparedness-report.pdf
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A cognitive neuroscientist by training, Dr. Vijeth Iyengar ( https://www.aarpinternational.org/about-us/staff/vijeth-iyengar ) is Director of Global Aging at AARP where he leads cutting-edge research, drives thought leadership on global aging issues, and cultivates relationships and strategic alliances to promote the enterprises vision for the global 50+ population.
Prior to joining AARP, Dr. Iyengar served in a variety of roles in the U.S. Federal Government including as Brain Health Lead and Technical Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, as a Policy Advisor to the 4th Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, as co-lead coordinator of the older adult working group for the Healthy People 2020/2030 initiative, and as lead author of the U.S. Country Report for the Fourth Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing – a process overseen by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Among other recognitions, Dr. Iyengar was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, a Presidential Management Fellow, selected as a Aspen Ideas Festival Health Fellow, and a Bronze Telly Award Winner for work on AARP's Aging Readiness & Competitiveness Initiative. He has contributed articles appearing in Devex, JAMA Health Forum, Scientific American, STAT News, National Academy of Medicine Perspectives, and WHO Bulletin.
Dr. Iyengar serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, an Advisor to Ashoka's New Longevity Initiative, Member of the SUNY-Albany Healthy Aging Initiative Community Advisory Committee, Regional Mentor for the Atlantic Fellows Equity in Brain Health Program, Mentor for the Techstars Future of Longevity Accelerator, and Principal Member of the Meridian International Center Corporate Council.
A native of Louisiana, he was a visiting undergraduate student at Cornell University, received his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University and masters and doctoral degrees from Duke University.
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Dr. Susanne Rafelski, Ph.D. is Deputy Director, Scientific Programs at the Allen Institute for Cell Science ( https://alleninstitute.org/division/cell-science/ ) and was named to this position in December, 2020. Dr. Rafelski began imaging live cells and visualizing intracellular dynamics in 3D when she was only 17 and hasn't been able to stop since. Her life-long scientific goal is to decipher the patterns and rules that transform the overwhelming complexity found inside cells into functioning units of life and believes that to do this we must understand the organization of the structures within the cell in space and time. Dr. Rafelski's team takes an interdisciplinary, quantitative approach to cell biology, combining live-cell image-based assays, molecular genetics, and computational methods. Prior to joining the Institute in 2016, Dr. Rafelski was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and the Center for Complex Biological Systems at UC Irvine. Dr. Rafelski obtained her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology with an additional emphasis in Mathematics from the University of Arizona. She then completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Stanford University, followed by a postdoc at the Center for Cell Dynamics at the Friday Harbor Labs, University of Washington, where she learned computational modeling approaches. Her research focused on integrating bacterial polarity with host-cell cytoskeletal dynamics to understand Listeria actin-based motility. She then initiated her current research program on mitochondrial structure-function as a postdoc at UCSF, where she developed 3D microscopy and image analysis methods to quantify mitochondrial morphology and applied these to investigate mitochondrial size control regulation. As a model system for intracellular organization her lab extended this work to studying the size, topology, and function of mitochondrial networks in budding yeast and mammalian cells.
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Major General (ret) Dr. Aamer Ikram is currently the Director of the Pakistan Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP), as well as Chairperson of the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network ( TEPHINET - https://www.tephinet.org/aamer-ikram ) Advisory Board; a global network of Field Epidemiology Training Programs spanning more than 80 programs actively training field epidemiologists in more than 200 countries and territories. Dr. Ikram recently spent 7 years in leadership as Executive Director of the National Institute of Health Pakistan ( https://www.nih.org.pk/ ). Dr. Ikram is also a member Board Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; Executive Board International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI); Executive Committee Institute of Safety in Technology & Research, UK; Technical Advisory Group – Biosafety, WHO; adjunct faculty Emory University; Ex-Executive Council of International Society for Infectious Diseases; and Co-Chair Biological Sciences Committee, Higher Education Commission; and member multiple National Working Groups. Dr. Ikram has extensive experience working with International Health Regulations, Global Health Security Agenda, Integrated Disease Surveillance & Response, One-Heath, Biosafety & Biosecurity. Dr. Ikram graduated from Army Medical College with a Diploma in Pathology, qualified MCPS (Clinical Pathology) and Fellowship (Clinical Microbiology), and then did his Ph.D. in molecular biology. He is a Registered Biosafety Professional from the American Biological Safety Association, a Biosafety Professional from the Institute of Safety in Technology and Research (UK), and an International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA) Certified Professional. Furthermore, he was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) by the Royal College of Edinburgh; FRCPath by the Royal College of Pathologists in London; and a Fellowship in Public Health from Royal Colleges UK. He was also recently elected as a Fellow in the Pakistan Academy of Sciences. Dr. Ikram has served as the President of the Pakistan Biological Safety Association (PBSA); Ex-President of the Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Society (MMIDSP); Higher Education Commission Focal Point of Expertise for Medical Research, and Convener of Microbiology Pakistan Health Research Council.
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Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala is the Rector of the United Nations University ( https://unu.edu/about/staff/tshilidzi-marwala ) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. The United Nations University (UNU) is the think tank and academic arm of the United Nations. Headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, with diplomatic status as a UN institution, its mission is to help resolve global issues related to human development and welfare through collaborative research and education ( United Nations University - Strategic Plan 2020–2024 - https://i.unu.edu/media/unu.edu/attachment/100694/UNU-Strategic-Plan-2020-2024.pdf ). Prior to taking up the role of UNU Rector, Prof. Marwala served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg (South Africa) and had previously served as that university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalization and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. Prior to those roles Prof. Marwala progressively held the positions of Associate Professor and Full Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa); as Executive Assistant to the Technical Director at South African Breweries; and as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Imperial College (then University of London). Prof. Marwala has been a visiting scholar/professor at universities in the USA, the UK, China, and South Africa and has extensive academic, policy, management, and international experience, and is a co-holder of multiple patents. His research has been multi-disciplinary, involving the theory and applications of artificial intelligence to engineering, social science, economics, politics, finance, and medicine. He has served on a variety of global and national policymaking bodies, and has worked with such United Nations entities as UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, and WIPO. Prof. Marwala holds a PhD degree from the University of Cambridge (UK) with a focus on AI and engineering, a Master of Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Pretoria (South Africa), and a Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) from Case Western Reserve University (USA). He also completed management and leadership programs at the Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School. Prof. Marwala is, inter alia, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Academy of Science of South Africa, and the African Academy of Sciences. Prof. Marwala is the author of more than 20 books, including Leadership Lessons from Books I Have Read and Leading in the 21st Century: The Call for a New Type of African Leader; dozens of book chapters, journal papers, and conference papers; and more than 200 magazine articles and newspaper op-eds.
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As Vice President of Strategic Alliances for Tavistock Development Company ( https://www.tavistock.com/ ), Gloria Caulfield oversees the health and medical partnerships, as well as business development, for Tavistock's visionary Lake Nona community ( https://www.lakenona.com/ ). In her role, Gloria is instrumental in managing corporate partnerships and identifying strategic intersections with stakeholders in the Lake Nona community. These efforts focus on advancing research, technology and innovative solutions that promote healthy lifestyles, extend health span and advance longevity medicine within the dynamic environment of Lake Nona’s living lab. Additionally, she serves as the chief architect and Executive Director of the Lake Nona Impact Forum ( https://lakenonaimpactforum.org/ ), a globally recognized health innovation gathering and a signature event of the Tavistock Group. Prior to joining Tavistock, Gloria worked as an executive for a national consulting group with the mission of identifying and quantifying new revenue streams for integrated healthcare systems across the country. She also had a distinguished career at Advent Health. Here, as the Sr. Executive Director for Community Development, she provided strategic leadership for corporate partnerships and business development, as well as spearheaded critical community benefit and community relations initiatives in the Central Florida region. Gloria serves on boards that reflect her passion for driving the future of human health and wellbeing including the StartUp Health Impact Board, focused on mobilizing entrepreneurs committed to solving the biggest health challenges of our time, and the ChopraX Advisory Board, a wellness-dedicated venture platform and accelerator that sits at the convergence of whole person health. Additionally, Gloria aligns her passion for great female founders focused on wellness-oriented companies by sitting on the LFE Capital Advisory Board. Gloria Caulfield is a proud alumna of the University of Arizona and brings her extensive experience and visionary leadership to every aspect of her role.
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Dr. Jamie Justice, Ph.D. ( https://www.xprize.org/about/people/jamie-justice-ph-d ) is the Executive Vice President of the Health Domain at XPRIZE Foundation, where she leads international networks to drive innovative solutions to improve human health and aging that is affordable and accessible to all. She also serves as Adjunct Professor in Internal Medicine Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, and Sticht Center on Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM). Dr. Justice is dedicated to Geroscience research that advances the hypothesis that by targeting the basic biology of aging the incidence of multiple age-related diseases can be delayed or prevented and her training background at University of Colorado Boulder and WFUSM allowed her to lead translational research and clinical trials networks to test the Geroscience hypothesis in humans. At WFUSM, Dr. Justice was director of the Biogerontology Lab, and co-leader of the Integrative Biology Core (IBC) of the WF Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) and was a Principal Investigator of the National Institute of Aging-supported Geroscience Education and Training Network, an engaged member of the Translational Geroscience Network, Gerontological Society of America’s ESPO scientific section officer and executive committee member from 2018-2021. She is the recipient of the Jarrahi Research Scholars Fund in Geroscience Innovation, the 2022 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star in Aging Research, and the 2022 NIA Nathan W Shock Awardee. Dr. Justice received her Ph.D. and postdoc at University of Colorado Boulder and second postdoc at Wake Forest School of Medicine where she gained a translational research background (mice, human and nonhuman primate), studying interventions with potential to prevent, delay, or treat age-related functional decline and chronic diseases. XPRIZE Healthspan - https://www.xprize.org/prizes/healthspan XPRIZE Healthspan Preliminary Competition Guidelines - https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/5cb25086-82d2-4c89-94f0-8450813a0fd3/15509c25-6198-4104-b7e3-3f6528e7d43a/XPRIZE%20Healthspan%20Preliminary%20Competition%20Guidelines_V1.0.pdf
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Disclaimer: The views, information and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers. Irina Pelphrey is the Vice President of Health and Managed Care at Albertsons Companies, Inc. ( https://www.albertsons.com/ ), a national grocer, second-largest supermarket chain in North America, represented by store banners such as Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Shaw’s, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Tom Thumb and more. Overall, Albertsons Cos. operates 2,270 stores—including 1,720 pharmacies—in 34 states and the District of Columbia. In this role, Irina is responsible for leading Sincerely Health, Albertsons Companies’ health and wellness engagement platform and oversees healthcare payer relationships across pharmacy and their food is medicine program. Irina’s career is centered on passion for healthcare at retail, solving complex customer problems and consistently delivering financial results and she is quite passionate about use of analytics and data to make right customer decisions and the role food, medication therapy and behavior change can play in prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Prior to joining Albertsons, Irina held a variety of leadership roles at Walmart’s Health & Wellness division. Irina holds a BA degree from American Public University and an MBA degree from the Kellogg Business School at Northwestern University.
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Dr. Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, MCP is the Senior Director of the System-wide Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health + Hospitals ( https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/institute-for-disease-and-disaster-management/the-team/ ). Her work focuses on the preparedness for, response to and recovery from infectious disease outbreaks with an emphasis on healthcare and public health biopreparedness. Dr. Madad built NYC Health + Hospitals special pathogens program from the ground up, maintaining readiness for the nation’s largest municipal healthcare delivery system for all infectious disease threats through ongoing training, education, drills, developing protocols, and processes and more. She’s responded to multiple infectious disease outbreaks as an infectious disease epidemiologist including Ebola, Measles and Zika. In addition, Dr. Madad is a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs ( https://www.belfercenter.org/person/syra-madad ) where she regularly publishes on the latest public health guidance, epidemiological concepts and scientific literature to help the public understand complex topics using infographics and simplified science communication. She was prominently featured in the Netflix docuseries, Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak ( https://www.netflix.com/title/81026143 ), and the Discovery Channel documentary, The Vaccine: Conquering COVID ( https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/the-vaccine-conquering-covid/full-episodes/the-vaccine-conquering-covid ). Dr. Madad received a B.S. in Psychology and a master's degree in Biotechnology with a concentration in Biodefense and Biosecurity, from the University of Maryland, College Park and then received an DHSc degree in health science with a concentration in Global Health from Nova Southeastern University. She holds numerous professional certifications, licenses and training certificates including Master Continuity Practitioner Certification (FEMA), Advanced Emergency Planning Certification, All Hazard Response (CBRNE) Training for Laboratory Personnel, Infection Control and Prevention Certification, Biosafety Level III Training, and Identification of the Primary Select Agents of Bioterrorism Training.
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Dr. Mohammed Alhamali, is Chairman of the National Innovation & Regulatory Sandbox Committee, And Chief Innovation Officer & Regulatory Sandbox, SEHA Virtual Hospital & Enablement Centre, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia (https://www.moh.gov.sa/). Dr. Alhamali is also Cofounder / General Manager of the Society of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and has served as a Strategy Consultant for Health Sector Transformation Program (HSTP) and Director of Research & Development at the Model of Care Vision Realization Office 2030. Dr. Alhamali has a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - (MBBS, Dentistry), from King Saud University, and a Master of Science - (MS, Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology) from UCLA.
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Karen Zaderej is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Axogen Corporation ( https://www.axogeninc.com/ ), a leading company focused specifically on the science, development and commercialization of technologies for peripheral nerve regeneration and repair, with a primary goal of restoring peripheral nerve function and quality of life to patients with physical damage or discontinuity, providing innovative, clinically proven and economically effective repair solutions for surgeons and health care providers. Karen joined the company in May 2006 and has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Member of the Board of Directors since September 2011 and became Chairman of the Board of Directors in May 2018, and has previously held positions as Chief Operating Officer and as Vice President of Marketing and Sales. Previous to joining the company, Karen founded Zaderej Medical Consulting, which assisted medical device companies build and execute successful commercialization plans. From 1987 to 2004, Karen worked at Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, where she held senior positions in marketing, business development, research & development, and manufacturing. Karen is a member of the University of Tampa Board of Trustees and sits on the Board of Directors for EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Karen has an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.
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Eric Olson is Founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Chairman, of Babson Diagnostics ( https://www.babsondx.com/ ), a company bringing medically-accurate blood testing to the retail pharmacy setting, and empowering people to take charge of their health, by reimagining the entire blood testing process from ordering, collection, handling, analyzing, and reporting of results, making it less invasive and more convenient, accessible, and patient-centered. Eric is a 20-year veteran of the diagnostics industry. Prior to incubating Babson Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers, Eric was Siemens’ VP, Portfolio & Product Management, responsible for its $3 billion global product portfolio of central laboratory technologies. He was also responsible for the company’s web properties and $1 billion in e-commerce operations as the global head of Siemens’ clinical laboratory automation and IT business, which advanced from #2 to #1 in market share during his tenure. Eric earned his BS in Biology from MIT and his MS in Technology Management from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Dr. Steven H. Landers, MD, MPH is President and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife ( https://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/services/profiles/steven-h-landers-md-mph ), a nonprofit Harvard Medical School affiliate offering senior living communities and senior health care services for older adults in the Boston metropolitan area. They also conduct aging research that is improving the way we grow older, and education for the next generation of health care providers and caregivers. Dr. Landers is a practicing physician, certified in family medicine, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine. Dr. Landers is also a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, and holds an appointment as clinical associate professor of medicine and community health at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Prior to joining Hebrew SeniorLife, Dr. Landers served for 11 years as president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Health Group, Inc., a multistate home health, hospice, and community health organization. He previously served as the director of the Center for Home Care and Community Rehabilitation and director of post-acute operations for the Cleveland Clinic. In 2014, Dr. Landers received the NJBiz 40 Under 40 Award, a recognition of New Jersey’s most accomplished young business leaders. Dr. Landers is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (MD) and the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health (MPH). He has authored several articles in national publications on the role of home care, including in the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of the American Medicine. He was also a regular blogger for the Huffington Post, focusing on health policy, family caregivers, and nurses and finding ways to improve quality and value in American health care. Dr. Landers is a recognized leader and innovator in home health, primary care, and aging services and is an outspoken advocate for nursing, the front-line workforce, and improving care for older Americans.
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Dr. Mitchell Lee, Ph.D. is the Chief Executive Officer of Ora Biomedical ( https://orabiomedical.com/ ), a biotech company developing small molecule therapeutics that extend lifespan and delay chronic illness by targeting the underlying molecular mechanisms of aging. Dr. Lee’s research interests are focused on identifying healthy aging therapeutics, understanding the connections between aging and age-related disease, and investigating how natural genetic variation modifies disease and therapeutics efficacy. He has earned awards for science communication, multiple NIH training grants, and in 2015 was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study. Dr. Lee has centered his career around leading and managing scientists. During graduate and postdoctoral studies, he mentored over 45 trainee researchers ranging from high schoolers, community college and university undergraduates, to post-baccalaureates and grad students. In recognition of his research mentorship, Dr. Lee was awarded a UW Undergraduate Research Mentor Award in 2018. Dr. Lee was the founding Chair of the American Aging Association (AGE) Trainee Chapter and served on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for AGE. During this time, Dr. Lee established standing leadership committees, founded and managed the GeroScience Peer Review Training Program, and organized multiple research conferences. Dr. Lee received a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Philosophy from Western Washington University in 2010. He remained at WWU and completed an M.S. in Biology in 2012. He received his PhD in Experimental Pathology from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 2018. Most recently, Dr. Lee completed a certificate in Biotechnology Project Management from UW/UCSD in 2022.
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Ashley Gaines is Vice President, Head of Breast Cancer Franchise, US Oncology Business Unit, at AstraZeneca ( https://www.astrazeneca-us.com/az-in-us/ashley-gaines.html ) where she is responsible for overseeing commercialization in the US for ENHERTU, TRUQAP and future breast cancer assets and indications. Ashley joined AstraZeneca in 2014 and has led commercial teams across various US and Global franchises, including Infectious Disease, Women’s Cancers, Lung Cancer and Hematologic Cancers. Her experience prior to AstraZeneca includes marketing and strategy, investment banking and management consulting roles at Pfizer, McKinsey & Co. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. Ashley has a Bachelor of Arts, Math and Urban Studies, from University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Business Administration, General Management, from Harvard Business School.
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Dr. Alejandro (Alex) Dorenbaum, M.D., is the Chief Medical Officer of Reneo Pharmaceuticals ( https://reneopharma.com/ ), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapies for patients with rare genetic diseases, including mitochondrial diseases, with significant unmet medical needs. Previously, Dr. Dorenbaum was Chief Medical Officer at Allakos, where he achieved proof-of-concept in clinical trials for novel therapeutic antibodies targeting inflammatory cells. He also served as Chief Medical Officer at Lumena Pharmaceuticals until its acquisition by Shire Pharmaceuticals. Prior to that, Dr. Dorenbaum worked at Genentech, where he was responsible for the respiratory programs for asthma and cystic fibrosis, and at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, where he conducted the clinical development of Kuvan. He began his career at Chiron Corporation, gaining broad expertise in several areas of drug development including biologics, small molecules and vaccines. Dr. Dorenbaum received his M.D. from the National Autonomous University in Mexico City. He completed his residency in pediatrics at University of Texas Health Science Center and held a fellowship in allergy and immunology at Baylor College of Medicine. He maintains an active academic position as Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he specializes in allergy and immunology.
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Dr. Julia Allen is Chief Scientist, Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence, at Saab ( https://www.saab.com/ ) where her team’s primary focus is developing AI technologies to support the organization’s customers across all U.S. Department of Defense branches, helping government research and development leaders take on their hardest challenges. Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions from military defense in all domains to civil security. Previously, Dr Allen was the director of artificial intelligence and tactical space research at BAE Systems FAST Labs(TM) and was the Principal Investigator of the DARPA MindfuL(TM) Competency-Aware Machine Learning and ONR Advanced Long Range Targeting programs. Prior to joining BAE Systems, Dr. Allen was a member of the Senior Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and a Military Intelligence Officer in the Army National Guard. Dr. Allen is a graduate of Dickinson College (B.S. - Mathematics) and Johns Hopkins University (M.S. - Applied and Computational Mathematics) and has a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Department of Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on Explainable Artificial Intelligence.
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Dr. Nigel McCracken, Ph.D. is Chief Operating Officer of Virax Biolabs ( https://www.viraxbiolabs.com/ ), an innovative diagnostics and detection biotech company developing a game-changing T-Cell immunology technology platform to provide early diagnosis for post viral syndromes, and indications associated with chronic inflammation and T cell exhaustion, to enable early treatment interventions. Dr. McCracken brings over 25 years of research & development experience in drug development, within a number of indications, including oncology and infectious disease. Prior to joining Virax, Dr. McCracken was the Chief Scientific Officer at BerGenBio AsA where he drove the plan for BerGenBio AsA’s companion diagnostics and assay development. Prior to that role, he served as COO at NuCana PLC, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on significantly improving treatment outcomes for patients with cancer, where he provided oversight and direction to the operations of the business, research and development and execution of corporate strategy. Dr. McCracken also spent time over his career at major biopharma companies including Debiopharma, Shire, Nycomed, and Abbott. Dr. McCracken obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Pharmacology from Kings College London, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biochemical Toxicology from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Pharmacology from Strathclyde University.
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Dr. Josh Denny, M.D., M.S., is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program ( https://allofus.nih.gov/about/who-we-are/joshua-denny ), an initiative that seeks to enroll at least one million diverse participants to build an indispensable resource that accelerates precision medicine for all populations. Dr. Denny has been involved since the program’s inception when he was a member of the NIH Precision Medicine Initiative Working Group of the Advisory Committee to the Director ( https://allofus.nih.gov/about/who-we-are/pmi-working-group-advisory-committee-director ), which developed the program’s initial scientific blueprint and he then led the program’s initial prototyping project and the All of Us Data and Research Center. He was named CEO of All of Us in January 2020. Before joining NIH, Dr. Denny was a practicing physician and held several leadership positions at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, including professor of biomedical informatics and medicine, founding director of the Center for Precision Medicine, and vice president for personalized medicine. At Vanderbilt, he led discovery and implementation projects in precision medicine, including clinical pharmacogenomics and Vanderbilt’s DNA biobank. He was a pioneer in the use of electronic health records for genomics studies, including the initial descriptions of phenome‐wide association studies and phenotype risk scores. Dr. Denny is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the American College of Medical Informatics. Dr. Denny has a Medical Degree, and a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Informatics, from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
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Jerry McLaughlin is Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Life Biosciences, Inc. ( https://www.lifebiosciences.com/ ), a private biotechnology company dedicated to developing novel therapies to extend healthy human lifespan, pursuing a platform approach to develop therapeutics that can prevent, treat, and/or reverse multiple aging-related conditions. Jerry has over 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and has been involved in the discovery, clinical development, and global commercialization of more than a dozen FDA- approved drugs with multiple successful exits. Most recently, Jerry was President and CEO for Neos Therapeutics, Inc., a commercial stage pharmaceutical company. Before that, he served as president and CEO of AgeneBio, Inc., a clinical-stage private biopharma company developing therapies for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Earlier, he held the role of senior vice president & chief commercial officer at NuPathe Inc., acquired by Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2014. Jerry began his career at Merck and was extensively involved in multiple blockbuster product launches. He holds a BA in economics from Dickinson College and an MBA from the Villanova School of Business.
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Christina Tobin is an activist and leader in the election reform and voters’ rights movements. She is the founder and chair of the Free & Equal Elections Foundation ( https://freeandequal.org/ ), and president and chief executive officer of Free & Equal, Inc. Tobin’s non-profit the Free & Equal Elections Foundation leads national, state and local efforts to open the electoral process in the United States by hosting open all-inclusive gubernatorial, Presidential and senatorial debates; organizing Electoral Reform Symposiums; producing United We Stand tours uniting the younger generations with musicians, artists, and thought leaders to promote political and cultural change; supporting individuals running for office; and creating a blockchain election assistant app to promote transparency and empower voters with information about all their candidate choices. Tobin started her career as a non-partisan ballot access coordinator under her ballot access and petitioning company Free & Equal, Inc. An expert in defending signatures and coordinating petition drives, Tobin helped gather and defend millions of signatures for the Green Party, Constitution Party, Republican Party, Democratic Party, Libertarian Party, Socialist Equality Party and independents. In 2008, Tobin served as Ralph Nader’s national ballot access coordinator. She helped coordinate more than 500,000 signatures to put Ralph Nader on the District of Columbia ballot and 45 state presidential ballots, more than any other third party or independent candidate. Throughout her life, Tobin has brought people of different backgrounds together, as her life’s mission is to spread unity, peace, and opportunity by reforming the electoral process. She earned her B.A. from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota where she served as varsity tennis captain and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity.
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Dr. Elizabeth Garner, MD, MPH, ( https://ferringusa.com/?team=elizabeth-garner-md-mph ) is Chief Scientific Officer, U.S., Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives. Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and maternal health, as well as in specialty areas within gastroenterology and urology, including microbiome therapeutics and orthopedics, and has been developing treatments for mothers and babies for over 50 years. Dr. Garner has broad responsibilities for U.S. Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Project Planning and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Garner has nearly 30 years of experience in medicine and industry. Prior to joining Ferring in 2022, she held chief medical officer roles for ObsEva, a biotechnology company focused on women’s health, and Agile Therapeutics, a women’s healthcare company in the contraceptive space. Earlier, she held leadership roles in medical affairs at Myriad Genetics Laboratories and clinical development at Abbott Laboratories and Merck Research Laboratories. Dr. Garner holds a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and has practiced in obstetrics, gynecology, gynecologic oncology, and internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition, she holds a master’s degree in public health from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in music from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Dr. Garner is a member of the Boards of Directors (BOD) of Kezar Life Sciences (KZR), a publicly traded company developing novel therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer, Sermonix Pharmaceuticals, which is developing targeted therapies for breast cancer, and is also on the board of Medicines360, a non-profit pharma company. She also serves on the BOD, and is President of, the American Medical Women’s Association ( https://www.amwa-doc.org/about-amwa/leadership/ ), whose mission is to advance women in medicine, advocate for equity, and ensure excellence in health care.
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Dr. Wade Blair, Ph.D. is Head of Virology and Vaccine Discovery, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, at AstraZeneca ( https://www.astrazeneca.com/ ). Dr. Blair did his Ph.D. in Microbiology at University of California, Irvine - College of Medicine, did Postdoctoral Research at Duke University in HIV, and has held positions of increasing responsibility across both therapeutic and vaccine domains, including positions at both major pharma companies like BMS, Pfizer, Merck, Gilead and Genentech, as well as some smaller biotech companies. Over his impressive career, Dr. Blair contributed to the discovery and/or development of several approved drugs and molecules in late-stage clinical trials, including the HIV protease inhibitor atazanavir; the HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor doravirine; the HIV attachment inhibitor fostemsavir; the HIV capsid inhibitor lenacapavir; and letermovir, a treatment for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections.
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Dr. Rolland Carlson, PhD, is Chief Executive Officer of Immunexpress, Inc. ( https://immunexpress.com/company-overview/ ), a Seattle-based molecular diagnostic company committed to improving outcomes for patients suspected of having sepsis. Immunexpress' FDA cleared SeptiCyte™ technology rapidly quantifies, directly from whole blood, specific molecular markers from the patient's own immune system – the 'host response'. SeptiCyte™ LAB, is the first of its kind in using the host immune system to differentiate systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis. Detecting the host's response to infection has the potential to differentiate infection earlier, faster and more accurately than finding the invading pathogen because it is independent of whether or not the pathogen is present in the sample. Dr. Carlson brings over 25 years of global commercial, business development, new product development and general management experience in biotechnology. Dr. Carlson most recently served as President and CEO of WaferGen Biosystems, genomic analysis company; prior to that he was President and CEO of Asuragen, a privately-held molecular diagnostic company; and prior to joining Asuragen, Dr. Carlson held increasingly senior positions at Abbott Laboratories over a 20-year period, including Vice President and General Manager of the Vysis molecular diagnostic business following its acquisition. In this role, he was wholly responsible for P&L he tripled sales with a five-fold increase in profit; created and drove the commercialization strategy for UroVysion, one of the most successful oncology product introductions in the U.S. IVD market over the past 10 years. In previous positions, he was responsible for business development, licensing and strategic planning to establish new pharmaceutical and diagnostic platforms for the pediatric and women's health channels of the Ross Division of Abbott, and ran Abbott's global custom biopharmaceutical and specialty generics pharmaceutical business. Dr. Carlson graduated with Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Physiology from Southern Illinois University and was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Research Institute, Ft. Pierce Florida.
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Saed Nuh Ahmed, MPH, B.Pharm. is Chairman of the Medicines Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Health Development (MoHD), of Somaliland ( https://mohd.govsomaliland.org/ ) and National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordinator. Saed has also served a a member of the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Commission of the International Pharmaceutical Federation ( https://www.fip.org/antimicrobial-resistance ). Saed has his M.Sc. in Public Health (MPH) - Epidemiology, from Amoud University, Hargeisa, Somaliland, his B.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan, and has spent over a decade working as a public health professional with a focus on epidemiology, vaccination programs, and regulatory affairs.
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Dr. Sofiya Milman, MD, MS ( https://www.einsteinmed.edu/faculty/12865/sofiya-milman/ ) is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Geriatrics, and is the Director of Human Longevity Studies at the Institute for Aging Research, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Milman’s research focuses on a unique population of centenarians and their families ( https://www.superagersstudy.org/ ) who are generally free of age-related diseases, where extreme healthy longevity runs in most of these families, suggesting a heritable basis for this phenomenon. Dr. Milman's team conducts translational research focused on the discovery of genomic mechanisms that regulate endocrine and metabolic pathways that protect against common age-related diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's. Dr. Milman became fascinated by both physiology and genetics during her college years and at SUNY Stonybrook School of Medicine, from which she received her medical degree. Following internal medicine residency and fellowship in endocrinology, both at Montefiore, the opportunity arose to combine her passions for physiology and genetics through work with Dr. Nir Barzilai, MD, Director of Institute for Aging Research, the Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging, and of the Glenn Center for the Biology of Human Aging at Einstein. During her two years of post-doctoral training in translational gerontology and genetics at Einstein’s Institute for Aging Research under Dr. Barzilai’s mentorship, she got hooked on the study of aging and found what has become her life’s work.
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Pete O’Heeron, MSHA, is the CEO of FibroBiologics ( https://fibrobiologics.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing fibroblast cell-based therapies for patients suffering from chronic diseases. Mr. O’Heeron has over 25 years of medical technology and biotech development experience and brings together the resources necessary to commercialize unique technologies with expertise from business start-ups and biologics, to medical devices and patient centered healthcare delivery. Prior to founding FibroBiologics, Mr. O’Heeron founded an operational investment group, Advanced Medical Technologies, LLC, that identified early-stage opportunities in the medical field with strong intellectual property potential. He also founded NeoSurg Technologies that developed the T2000 Minimally Invasive Access System. The sale of NeoSurg Technologies to Cooper Surgical occurred in 2006. Mr. O’Heeron brings decades of executive-level experience at Christus Health Care Corporation and strategic advisory to healthcare companies in the areas of biologics, advanced surgical instrumentation, and telemedicine to the company along with an academic foundation rooted in healthcare administration. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration at Texas State University, his Masters in Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston Clear Lake, and his Executive Management Certification in Mergers and Acquisition from University of Chicago.
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Kaushik Gune is Head of Healthcare (US) for Huma ( https://www.huma.com/ ), a global digital health technology company that uses AI to advance a digital-first care delivery and research model to help people live longer, fuller lives. Huma's regulated Software as a Medical Device is the only disease agnostic platform to hold both EU MDR (The European Union Medical Device Regulation) Class IIb and US FDA Class II regulatory status and has applications including - - Digital first care for health systems, - Companion apps to support patients through treatment and drug therapies, and - Virtual clinical trials to accelerate research. Kaushik has over 20 years of operational, financial and strategic experience in companies such as McKinsey & Co, NuVasive and United Airlines. Before joining Huma, Kaushik was responsible for building Smith+Nephew’s digital health business within the musculoskeletal space. Kaushik has a BE, Mechanical Engineering, from University of Mumbai; an MS, Industrial Engineering, from Purdue University; and an MBA, Strategy & Finance, from INSEAD.
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Marcie Finney is the Executive Director of the Cleveland Cord Blood Center ( https://clevelandcordblood.org/about-us/leadership/ ) where her responsibilities include strategic planning, finance, administration and quality product development. With an extensive background in the field of cord blood, she spent over 10 years at Case Western Reserve University where she participated in all aspects of cord blood research and she is active in the cellular therapy community, sharing knowledge and experiences in cord blood banking research and cellular therapy throughout the U.S. and globally. The Cleveland Cord Blood Center (CCBC), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), is an independent public cord blood bank serving as a leader in the collection, processing, storage and distribution of quality cord blood stem cell units for transplantation in patients with life threatening disorders such as leukemia, lymphoma and immune system disorders. The Center is one of only eight FDA-approved cord blood Centers in the U.S. Prior to her current role, Marcie served as the organization’s Director of Hospital Relations where she headed the education and training of collection coordinators and medical staff at hospital collection sites. She received a Master of Science in Chemistry and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Slippery Rock University. Marcie also serves on the Board of Directors for the Cord Blood Association, one of the industry’s foremost organizations. She is a member of the Advisory Board for Gamida, a cell therapy company that is pioneering new standards of care for patients with blood cancers and other blood diseases. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio. Dr. Frances Verter, Ph.D., is Founder & Director of Parent's Guide to Cord Blood ( https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/staff ), an organization she started in 1998 in memory of her daughter Shai, who when unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer, led her to become a patient advocate in order to take better care of her child. Dr. Verter started her career as a research scientist, earning a BS in physics from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Princeton University, and she found that her training as a scientist enabled her to review medical research on Shai's diagnosis and seek out treatment from the best doctors and the best hospitals. After Shai passed away, Dr. Verter formed the Parent's Guide to Cord Blood organization and in 2006 she made a career out the project. Since then, she has thrown herself even deeper into following everything about cord blood, from education for expectant parents to the use of cord blood in clinical trials. She regularly attends conferences, gives talks, and publishes articles and is LinkedIn to professionals around the world. Dr. Verter also launched CellTrials.org as a subsidiary of the Foundation in 2017 which aims to provide the world’s most complete and most accurate data on clinical trials of advanced cell therapies.
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Dr. Carl Dieffenbach ( https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/carl-w-dieffenbach-phd ) is the Director of the Division of AIDS at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Dr. Dieffenbach has oversight of a global HIV/AIDS research portfolio of over one billion dollars and a staff of over 150 federal employees and is responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating programs in 1) fundamental basic laboratory research, 2) discovery and development of therapies and treatment strategies for HIV infection and its co-infections and/or complications through basic research and clinical trials, and 3) discovery and development of vaccines, topical microbicides, and other prevention strategies through basic research and clinical trials. Over the years Dr. Dieffenbach played a key role in restructuring the DAIDS-supported clinical trials research networks and has actively fostered collaboration and partnerships with other federal agencies, international research organizations, professional societies, foundations, community advocacy groups, and industry. Dr. Dieffenbach received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Maryland and his Ph.D. in biophysics from The Johns Hopkins University and completed his postdoctoral fellowship with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) Department of Pathology.
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Leslie Orne ( https://trinitylifesciences.com/our-experts/leslie-sandberg-orne/ ) is President & Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Life Sciences, a fast-growing consultancy in the healthcare industry and with a reputation as a trusted strategic partner, delivering evidence-based solutions for the life sciences, including: advisory services, insights and analytics, and technology, to meet the unique needs of established pharmaceutical companies, and emerging biotech firms. Leslie oversees the delivery of integrated consulting, insights and analytic services to Trinity’s customers and has been a critical advisor to hundreds of customers across thousands of projects, spanning an array of therapeutic areas and business models, and has supported billions of dollars in strategic transactions and the launches of dozens of products which gives her a unique vantage point on the industry. Leslie graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College with a BS in Biology. While at Dartmouth, she was also an All-American and captain of the National Championship varsity sailing team.
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Dr. Malin Grape, Ph.D. is Ambassador on Antimicrobial Resistance, at the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of Sweden ( https://www.government.se/government-of-sweden/ministry-of-health-and-social-affairs/ ), a role she has held since March 2022 ( https://www.government.se/articles/2022/10/swedens-ambassador-for-work-against-antimicrobial-resistance/ ). Previous to this position, Dr. Grape was Deputy Head of Department for Communicable Disease Control and Health Protection, and Head of Unit for Antibiotics and Infection Control, at the Public Health Agency of Sweden, where she was responsible for national coordination and international cooperation on antimicrobial resistance and healthcare associated infections. Dr. Grape is a licensed pharmacist and holds a Ph.D. in medical science from the Karolinska Institute. Her research and previous professional experience span a broad field from clinical microbiology to global health. Dr Grape has been the chair of the national sector-wide coordinating mechanism on antibiotic resistance, including 22 governmental agencies, as well as director of a WHO Collaboration Centre for antimicrobial resistance containment. She was a member of the program committee of the national research program on antibiotic resistance and council member of the National Council for Patient Safety.
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Dr. Alex Colville, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and General Partner of age1 ( https://age1.com/ ), a venture capital firm focused on catalyzing the next generation of founder-led, longevity biotech companies, with a strategy of building a community of visionaries advancing new therapeutics, tools, and technologies targeting aging and age-related diseases. With a recent initial closing of US$35 million, age1 will be focusing on founders and companies at the earliest stages of first-money in, pre-seed and seed funding, and is resourced to continue to support companies through later rounds. Dr. Colville previously established the biotech arm of Starbloom Capital and served as founding Chief of Staff of Amaranth Foundation, where he led: the foundation’s support of skilled researchers and ambitious moonshot projects in the longevity field, and helped to advance their lobbying efforts; the TIME Initiative (a group with mission to activate undergraduate students' interest in aging biology); the Marine Biology Laboratory Biology of Aging Summer Course, among other programs. Dr. Colville completed his Ph.D. in Genetics at Stanford University studying the biology of aging in Dr. Thomas Rando's lab while consulting for several family offices, the R&D team of Rubedo Life Sciences, and the business development team of Maze Therapeutics. Prior to his Ph.D., while at Northeastern University completing his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemical Engineering with a Minor in Biochemical Engineering, he advised pharma companies as a management consultant at Putnam Associates, a boutique life sciences consulting firm.
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Linda Burger is Director of the Office of Research and Technology Applications ( https://www.nsa.gov/Research/Technology-Transfer-Program/Research-and-Technology-Applications/ ), at the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) where her team is focused on accelerating and improving the exchange of expertise between NSA and other government agencies, academia, and industry, to ultimately hasten national research breakthroughs. She has been with the ORTA program since 2011, serving as director since 2014. Prior to NSA, Ms. Burger previously worked in the economic development offices in Howard and Frederick counties and launched her own IT consulting firm providing management consulting to hundreds of emerging technology companies in Maryland. Recently, in addition to her NSA role, Ms. Burger was elected to serve as the Federal Laboratory Consortium ( FLC - https://federallabs.org/ ) Executive Board Chair, the highest elected position of that organization, which represents more than 300 federal laboratories, agencies, and research centers. Ms. Burger has a BS in Information Systems Management from University of Maryland Baltimore County, and a Master's in Management from The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School. The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence purposes, specializing in a discipline known as signals intelligence (SIGINT). The NSA is also tasked with the protection of U.S. communications networks and information systems. The NSA has roughly 32,000 employees.
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ENA Respiratory ( https://enarespiratory.com/ ) is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing innate immune modulators for the prevention of complications associated with respiratory viral infections in at-risk populations, including the elderly, those with chronic lung conditions and individuals with occupational risk (e.g. first responders, military or essential services personnel). The company is also developing its innate immune modulators as vaccine adjuvants. ENA Respiratory is based in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia Dr. Ruth Tal-Singer, Ph.D., Medicine Development Leader, ENA Respiratory, is an internationally recognized healthcare leader and clinical scientist with extensive Research and Development experience including recent roles as Vice President of Respiratory Medical Innovation R&D Value Evidence & Outcomes and Senior Fellow at GSK Pharmaceuticals where during her career she led many projects that resulted in new insights, bringing new treatments to the market. She also formerly served as Chief scientific officer and CEO of the COPD Foundation, where she led the patient-centered research, education, and global community outreach advocacy organization focused on the prevention and early diagnosis and treatment of chronic lung diseases. Her vision led to the creation of World Bronchiectasis Day, observed on July 1. Dr. Tal-Singer’s idea resulted in global awareness of the under-researched and under-represented bronchiectasis disease in partnership with 20 other global patient advocacy, academic, and research organizations. As the leader of COPD360Net, the COPD Foundation’s digital health, medical devices, and therapeutics development accelerator network, she championed the partnership between ENA Respiratory and the COPD Foundation and served as a member of its Board of Directors on behalf of the COPD Foundation until March 31, 2023. Dr. Tal-Singer has a proven history of successfully leading international public and private partnerships and non-profit organizations through critical advancements and progress of clinical trials and large observational cohorts. As a researcher, Dr. Tal-Singer has authored 180+ peer-reviewed papers including highly cited scientific publications. She has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Molecular Biology / Microbiology, from University of Pennsylvania, did post-doctoral work at the Wistar Institute, and continues to lecture at the Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at Penn. Dr. Scott M. White, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, ENA Respiratory, is an infectious diseases physician who has spent over 17 years working in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Most recently he served as Vice President Clinical Development for the infectious diseases therapeutic area of Inovio Pharmaceuticals where he was responsible for the clinical development of immunotherapeutic and prophylactic DNA-based vaccines. Prior to this he was a Physician Project Leader for GlaxoSmithKline. In this role he was accountable for several development programs spanning pre-candidate selection through early stage clinical development of assets in the therapeutic areas of infectious diseases, hematology, and dermatology. During this time at GlaxoSmithKline, in collaboration with AstraZeneca, the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative, and medical and scientific leaders throughout Europe, he led the establishment of COMBACTE; a European antibacterial clinical trial network supporting the development of antibiotics targeting resistant organisms. Dr. White has his M.D. from Pennsylvania State University College, and did an Infectious Diseases Fellowship at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
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Dr. Marco Quarta, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and CEO of Rubedo Life Sciences ( https://www.rubedolife.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company developing a broad portfolio of innovative therapies engineered to target cells which drive chronic age-related diseases. The company's proprietary ALEMBIC™ drug discovery platform has engineered novel first-in-class small molecules designed to selectively target senescent cells, which play a key role in the progression of pulmonary, dermatological, oncological, neurodegenerative, fibrotic and other chronic disorders. Dr. Quarta received his doctorate degree in Biotechnology from the University of Bologna and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Padua. He completed a post-doc in Aging and Stem cell Biology in the lab of Prof. Thomas Rando at Stanford University and continued his work at Stanford directing a research team at the Center for Tissue Regeneration, Repair, and Restoration at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto, CA. While there, he established a translational program in regenerative medicine. He has over 35 publications and patents in the field of aging, stem cells, regenerative medicine, and rejuvenation. Dr. Quarta also co-founded Wetware Concepts, Young European Biotech Network (YEBN), and Turn Biotechnology, and served as an executive board member of the European Federation of Biotechnologies. He currently sits on the advisory board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Calpoly Bridge program, and the advisory board at the Center for Healthcare Innovation. He is a member of the Paul F Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging Studies at Stanford University, one of the most prestigious institutions supporting the science of aging. Dr. Quarta also serves as CEO and President for the Board of Directors of The Phaedon Institute ( https://www.phaedon.institute/ ), a think-tank organization that operates with the mission of supporting and enabling effective and sustainable growth in the field of aging and longevity sciences.
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Dr. Peter M. Fleischut, M.D., is Group Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Transformation Officer at NewYork-Presbyterian ( https://www.nyp.org/ )where he oversees the strategic vision and management of enterprise information technology, lab operations, pharmacy operations, innovation, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and cybersecurity. Dr. Fleischut has led the development of the Hospital’s award-winning digital health services and the implementation of clinical operations at NewYork-Presbyterian David H. Koch Center, a world-class ambulatory care center. In his previous role as Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, he focused on creating a single electronic medical record across NewYork-Presbyterian and its affiliated medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Fleischut also led efforts to standardize care across NYP’s ten hospitals and hundreds of clinics and doctor practices, and oversaw all aspects of Graduate Medical Education (GME) for programs across the NYP enterprise. Joining NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell in 2006, Dr. Fleischut previously served as Medical Director of Operating Rooms, Deputy Quality Patient Safety Officer, founding Director of the Center for Perioperative Outcomes, Vice Chairman, Chief Medical Information Officer, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Medical Operating Officer. In 2016, Dr. Fleischut became Vice Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College, where he is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology. He is a graduate of Jefferson Medical College and the Wharton Program for Working Professionals at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Fleischut has received numerous awards and honors, including NewYork-Presbyterian’s Physician of the Year, Modern Healthcare Up and Comers, Becker’s Hospital Review 40 under 40, and the American Telehealth Association President’s Award. NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic health care delivery systems, dedicated to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care and service to patients in the New York metropolitan area, nationally, and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research, and innovative, patient-centered clinical care.
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Dr. George R. Dodge, Ph.D. is CEO & Co-Founder of Mechano-Therapeutics LLC ( https://mechano-therapeutics.com/ ), a biotechnology company spun out from his lab, and the labs of his partners Dr. Rob Mauck and Dr. Daeyeon Lee, at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in microcapsule development using proprietary microfluidics for drug encapsulation, with a mission to revolutionize musculoskeletal health using an innovative platform technology to enhance delivery of therapeutics for improving patient outcomes. Dr. Dodge recently served on the faculty of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; as Director, Philadelphia VA Shared Instrument Core; and Director, Translational Musculoskeletal Research Center, Philadelphia Crescenz Veterans Administration Medical Center, Department of Veteran Affairs. Dr. Dodge has a B.S. (Biology) from Asbury College, a B.S. (Biology and Health Science / Public Health) from State University of New York, a Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Immunology) from McGill University, and did Post-Graduate work in Molecular and Cell Biology, at Thomas Jefferson University Department of Pathology and Cell Biology. Dr. Dodge is an established investigator with a career long commitment to translational musculoskeletal research and in particular research focused on cartilage and chondrocyte biology, extracellular matrix and research related to osteoarthritis.
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Dr. Majid Fotuhi, M.D., Ph.D. ( https://neurogrow.com/about-us/dr-majid-fotuhi-md-phd/ ) is the Medical Director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center, a neurology practice dedicated for treating patients with concussion, memory loss, or attention deficit disorder. He is also an affiliate staff at Johns Hopkins Medicine ( https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/majid-fotuhi ) and teaches medical students at Harvard Medical School. He has been an active member of the American Academy of Neurology, American Medical Association, International Brain Research Organization, and Society for Neuroscience. Dr. Fotuhi received his MD degree (cum laude) from Harvard Medical School, as a member of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) and his doctoral PhD degree in Neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Fotuhi’s initial clinical research at Johns Hopkins focused on basic brain neurochemistry and on finding effective ways to prevent dementia. More specifically, he worked on longitudinal studies to determine the beneficial role of a combination of vitamins and natural supplements along with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in maintaining cognitive function and brain health. His current research focuses on designing multi-disciplinary treatment programs for patients with memory loss and/or post-concussive syndrome. He has published his research findings in Brain Research, Journal of Neuroscience, the Lancet, Nature, Neurology, Neuron, and Proceedings of National Academy of Science. Dr. Fotuhi has dedicated much of his time to educating the public about memory, aging, and concussion. In his book, The Memory Cure: How to Protect Your Brain Against Memory Loss and Alzheimer's Disease, he provides clear and concise information about how to prevent dementia. His second book, entitled The New York Times Puzzles to Keep Your Brain Young: The 6 Step Age Defying Program, was released in January 2008. His most recent book, Boost Your Brain, teaches people how they can grow the size of their hippocampus. He has had two PBS programs, entitled “Conquering Memory Loss” and “Fight Alzheimer’s Early.” He has been interviewed by more than 50 media outlets including ABC News, CTV, CBS, TODAY show, Montel show, Fox News, Dr. Oz show, Discovery Channel, The Boston Globe, USA Today, Health magazine, Ladies’ Home Journal, Forbes, BusinessWeek, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Montreal Gazette, and The Times (London). Dr. Fotuhi has taken a leadership role in medical education as well. He has received numerous awards for his innovative and dynamic teaching style. He is one of the most popular instructors at Harvard Medical School, where he designed and helped to build two 5O foot tall brain models for his students in neuroanatomy classes. He won the distinguished teaching award from the American Academy of Neurology in 2001. He has presented academic lectures as the honorary visiting professor in Canada, Egypt, China, Israel, and Japan; he also had the honor of presenting a lecture at a United Nations meeting in New York in September 2010 and at the legislative briefings for the house and senate in Maryland in February 2015.
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Mr. Benson Kanyembo is Law Enforcement Advisor, Conservation South Luangwa ( https://cslzambia.org/ ), an organization which works in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) on the frontline of wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence in the South Luangwa Valley. The organization is focused on protecting the 1,400,000 hectares of largely intact wilderness in eastern Zambia that make up the South Luangwa National Park and the surrounding Upper and Lower Lupande game management areas. The Luangwa Valley is home to over 60 species of mammals and 450 species of birds. Species include the unique Crawshay’s zebra, Cookson’s wildebeest, and a geographically isolated population of Luangwa giraffe (G. t. thornicrofti), a subspecies of Masai giraffe. The Valley is also known for its high densities of lion, leopard and wild dog, and it remains a stronghold for elephants in Zambia. Born in Kitwe, the son of a policeman, Mr. Kanyembo grew up with an understanding of the importance of good law enforcement and has devoted over 20 years of his life to protecting Zambia’s wildlife for future generations, including his own four daughters. In 1994, Mr. Kanyembo started his career in wildlife enforcement as a village scout in North Luangwa. In 2000, after the formation of ZAWA (Zambian Wildlife Authority) he became a community scout before rising to the rank of Senior Wildlife Police Officer and was in charge of the training of all scouts and transferred to South Luangwa in 2008. In 2009, Mr. Kanyembo joined CSL as Operations Manager, and during the restructuring in 2018 was promoted to Law Enforcement Advisor. He leads all CSL anti-poaching law enforcement and wildlife rescue operations either in the field or from his control room in collaboration with DNPW. He has facilitated the growth and development of the anti-poaching unit from 30 to 92 scouts. In 2019, Mr. Kanyembo's commitment to conservation in Africa was recognized on the global stage, when he was awarded the TUSK Wildlife Ranger Award in London by Tusk’s Royal Patron HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William of Wales.
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Dr. Grzegorz (Greg) Ombach, Ph.D. ( https://councils.forbes.com/profile/Greg-Ombach-Head-Disruptive-R-T-Senior-Vice-President-Airbus/b60db4cb-0b87-48cb-a3a0-41068d3d05ab ) is Head of Disruptive R&T ( https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/disruptive-concepts ) and Senior Vice President, at Airbus, the multinational aerospace corporation, where he is passionate about managing technological innovation from an idea to broad market adoption, and his combination of technology, leadership and commercial expertise together with a truly global outlook, having worked across Europe, the USA and China, puts him in a solid position to drive international market success for high-tech innovations. As a Head of Disruptive R&T, Dr. Ombach shapes Airbus's ability to be the global leader in innovation and future technologies across all Airbus divisions and he works very closely with all businesses and divisions globally. Prior to this role, when Dr. Ombach served as Executive Vice President, Head of Battery Systems Business and Group Strategy and Innovation at Dräxlmaier, he was responsible for the strategy for the business and led the entire product commercialization, from the initial concept to high volume production of cutting-edge technology in a premium market for the automotive sector, including the first high-volume production of an 800V battery system for the Porsche Taycan. Earlier, Dr. Ombach worked at Qualcomm as a Global Vice President and General Manager of a breakthrough automotive technology licensing business and also gained experience from Siemens VDO, Continental and Brose. Dr. Ombach holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Silesian University of Technology, Poland and a Certificate in Global Management from INSEAD, The Business School for the World. He has also been awarded Guest Professorship at the Zhejiang University in China.
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Dr. Lesley Ogilvie, Ph.D. is Director, Global AMR R&D Hub Secretariat ( https://globalamrhub.org/about/global-amr-rd-hub-secretariat/ ), part of a global partnership focused on addressing challenges and improving coordination and collaboration in Global Antimicrobial Resistance R&D using a One Health approach. Dr. Ogilvie joined the Global AMR R&D Hub in February 2021, hoping to combine scientific insight with targeted action to help combat the silent pandemic of AMR, following over ten years-experience working in academia as a researcher and lecturer in Microbial Ecogenomics, applying molecular and bioinformatics techniques to tackle questions regarding the human gut microbiome/virome in health and disease. Dr. Ogilvie has a BSc (Hons) in Ecology from University of Dundee, UK.; an MSc in Marine Resource Development and Protection from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK; a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from University of East Anglia; and did Postdoctoral work at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics.
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Advitya Gemawat ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/people/agemawat/ ) is a Machine Learning Research Engineer who currently works in the Responsible AI (RAI) team as part of the Azure Machine Learning (AML) and Azure AI Studio product lines, in the Azure AI Platform org. Prior to the RAI team, he was part of the 4th cohort of the Microsoft AI Development Acceleration Program (MAIDAP), where he worked with Azure Quality, Microsoft’s Gray Systems Lab (GSL), Azure Edge & Platform, and Azure Machine Learning (AML). His research experience is at the intersection of Machine Learning & Scalable Systems. His work with GSL was identified as the Microsoft Global Hackathon Executive Challenge 2022 Winner and recipient of the Best Demonstration Award at VLDB 2022. His work with the AML team on expanding the RAI Dashboard to support Object Detection models was released in Public Preview at Microsoft Build 2023. Prior to Microsoft, Advitya graduated from UC San Diego with a Data Science major, where he contributed to Project Cerebro (a Layered Data Platform for scalable Deep Learning) and was advised by Professor Arun Kumar. There, his research won the 2021 ACM SIGMOD Student Research Abstract Competition and the Best Project Award as part of UCSD’s Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program HDSI Scholarship Program. As part of an internship with VMware, his work on Massively Parallel Automated Model Building for Deep Learning was included in Apache MADlib 1.18.0 release. Opinions expressed in the video solely reflect Advitya’s views and not the views of his employer. Follow Advitya on the handles below: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/agemawat YouTube: youtube.com/@AdvityaGemawat Microsoft Research: microsoft.com/research/people/agemawat
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Dr. Joni L. Rutter, Ph.D., ( https://ncats.nih.gov/director/bio ) is the Director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences ( NCATS - https://ncats.nih.gov/ ) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) where she oversees the planning and execution of the Center’s complex, multifaceted programs that aim to overcome scientific and operational barriers impeding the development and delivery of new treatments and other health solutions. Under her direction, NCATS supports innovative tools and strategies to make each step in the translational process more effective and efficient, thus speeding research across a range of diseases, with a particular focus on rare diseases. By advancing the science of translation, NCATS helps turn promising research discoveries into real-world applications that improve people’s health. The NCATS Strategic Plan can be found at - https://ncats.nih.gov/strategicplan In her previous role as the NCATS deputy director, Dr. Rutter collaborated with colleagues from government, academia, industry and nonprofit patient organizations to establish robust interactions with NCATS programs. Prior to joining NCATS, Dr. Rutter served as the director of scientific programs within the All of Us Research Program, where she led the scientific programmatic development and implementation efforts to build a national research cohort of at least 1 million U.S. participants to advance precision medicine. During her time at NIH, she also has led the Division of Neuroscience and Behavior at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). In this role, she developed and coordinated research on basic and clinical neuroscience, brain and behavioral development, genetics, epigenetics, computational neuroscience, bioinformatics, and drug discovery. Dr. Rutter also coordinated the NIDA Genetics Consortium and biospecimen repository. Throughout her career, Dr. Rutter has earned an international reputation for her diverse and unique expertise via her journal publications and speaking engagements, and she has received several scientific achievement awards, including the 2022 Rare Disease Legislative Advocates–RareVoice Award for Federal Advocacy and the 2022 FedHealthIT–Women in Leadership Impact Award. Dr. Rutter received her Ph.D. from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, and completed a fellowship at NCI within the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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Dr. Reshmi Ghosh, Ph.D. ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/people/reshmighosh/ ) is an Applied Scientist as part of Microsoft’s AI acceleration program, under their Office of Applied Research, where she serves as a Tech Lead to drive teams towards bettering customer experience by integrating state-of-the-art machine learning capabilities in Microsoft products and services while working at the intersection of Natural Language Processing, human-centered AI, and Reinforcement Learning. Dr. Ghosh’s collaborations at Microsoft have revolved around researching and building machine learning models that can help understand/predict enterprise user and consumer behavior, to power intelligent service improvements (e.g., efficient search, information consumption) and commanding experiences (e.g., search, command prediction, task automation, etc.). Additional collaborations also include research on topic segmentation methods for unstructured conversation data using transfer learning approaches. Prior to joining Microsoft, Dr. Ghosh completed her doctorate degree at Carnegie Mellon University, researching novel deep-learning and bayesian approaches to strategize methods for climate change adaptation and mitigation in collaboration with the University of Michigan and CMU Portugal. She also has two other masters’ degrees from Carnegie Mellon University: M.S. in Engineering and Public Policy (Focus: Data Science techniques for Policy Analysis) and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Focus: Data Analytics for Engineered Systems)
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Dr. Jamie Jonker, Ph.D. ( https://www.nmpf.org/team/jamie-jonker/ ) is the National Milk Producers Federation’s Chief Science Officer and Vice President of Sustainability & Scientific Affairs where he serves as the organization’s lead scientific expert on dairy issues ranging from animal health and sustainability, to dairy farm biosecurity, air and water quality, and more. Dr. Jonker leads NMPF’s engagement with scientific groups such as the U.S. Animal Health Association, the International Dairy Federation (IDF), the World Animal Health Organization, and Codex Alimentarius. Dr. Jonker serves on the IDF Board of Directors and in 2020 was elected chair of the IDF Science Program Coordinating Committee. He is also involved in coordinating relations with the Federation’s Animal Health & Wellbeing Committee and Environmental Issues Committee. Dr. Jonker received his B.S. degree (Animal Science) and M.S. degree (Animal Science, with concentration in dairy cattle nutrition) from Cornell University, and his Ph.D. (Animal and Avian Science) from the University of Maryland. Prior to joining NMPF he worked at the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture. NMPF was organized in 1916 to provide a forum for dairy producers and the cooperatives they own to participate in public policy discussions and they currently advocate to Congress, U.S. and foreign government agencies, industry organizations, the news media, and the public, addressing policies including milk pricing, domestic and international market development, agriculture credit and taxation, environmental issues, food safety and health, animal welfare, product standards and labeling, and research and biotechnology. Dr. Jonker is also the Executive Director of the National Ice Cream Mix Association (NICMA).
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Dr. Scott O'Neill (PhD, FAA, FAAAS) is Founder of the World Mosquito Program ( https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org/en/work/about-us/team/scott-oneill ) and Professor at Monash University ( https://lens.monash.edu/@scott-oneill ), where he leads a large international research collaboration (formerly known as Eliminate Dengue), which is focused on developing the Wolbachia bacteria as a novel method to block the transmission of dengue fever and other mosquito-transmitted viral diseases, such as Zika and chikungunya. This global, not-for-profit program is currently conducting field trials of the Wolbachia method in multiple countries, in areas where these diseases are endemic, working closely with communities, local health organizations and governments to implement its self-sustaining method through controlled releases. Dr. O’Neill has spent his academic career at the University of Illinois, Yale University, the University of Queensland and Monash, where he was previously the dean of the Faculty of Science. Dr. O’Neill is internationally recognized for his contributions to the field of insect symbiosis and the way the intimate bacterial associations of invertebrates are ubiquitous and can generate major effects on the reproductive physiology, developmental biology and ecology of the insects they infect. His work has made major contributions to understanding how insect symbionts exert their effects and the consequences for infected hosts.
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Dr. Joshua Tewksbury, Ph.D. is the Ira Rubinoff Director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ( STRI https://www.si.edu/about/bios/joshua-tewksbury ), part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. He oversees more than 400 employees, with an annual budget of $35 million. Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, with field sites around the world, STRI furthers the understanding and public awareness of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare. In addition to its resident scientists and support staff, STRI’s facilities are used annually by some 1,400 visiting scientists, pre- and postdoctoral fellows and interns from around the world. Dr. Tewksbury is an ecologist with more than two decades of research in conservation and biodiversity, as well as nearly a decade of executive leadership experience at international research institutes. Prior to his role at the STRI, Dr. Tewksbury was serving as Executive Director at Future Earth, a global research program dedicated to sustainability and global change, where he led a network of tens of thousands of scientists and managed a wide range of conservation research projects, staff, programs and partnerships. In this role at Future Earth, Dr. Tewksbury oversaw dozens of interdisciplinary research projects, from assessing threats to biodiversity to understanding the relationship between human and environmental health. He has also founded initiatives like the Earth Leadership Program, which supported skills development for academic researchers working to address sustainability challenges. Previously, he was the founding director of the Luc Hoffman Institute, a global research center within World Wildlife Fund International focused on conservation science. Dr. Tewksbury is also co-founder and executive editor of Anthropocene magazine, a publication that highlights sustainability solutions. He holds faculty positions at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado State and George Mason University’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy. He also has an appointment as senior scholar with Colorado State University’s School of Global Environmental Sustainability and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology. Over the course of his research career, Dr. Tewksbury has published more than 85 scientific papers on topics in conservation, climate change and natural history, including the relationships and diversity of tropical plants, animals and fungi. He holds a bachelor’s degree in field biology from Prescott College and a doctorate from the University of Montana in organismal biology and ecology.
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Dr. Subha Madhavan, Ph.D. is Vice President & Head of AI/ML, Quantitative & Digital Sciences, Global Biometrics & Data Management, at Pfizer ( https://www.pfizer.com/ ), where she works at the interface of science, technology, and business, helping to shape various aspects of their biopharma focus from small molecule design, to precision medicine, to global access in the future. Dr. Madhavan’s responsibilities over her career have included initiating, designing, and executing several large national and international clinical research programs, including Cancer Moonshot, The Cancer Genome Atlas, Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, and Human Cell Atlas, and she has put together an impressive portfolio of experience in oncology R&D, precision medicine, digital health, data science & analytics, bioinformatics, product development, clinical informatics, and health IT. Before joining Pfizer, Dr. Madhavan was AstraZeneca's Head of Data Science, Oncology R&D where she led cross-functional teams in early oncology, clinical development, R&D strategy, precision medicine, and competitive intelligence in bringing life-changing therapies to patients. Previously Dr. Madhavan was the Director of the Innovation Center for Biomedical Informatics (ICBI) at the Georgetown University Medical Center, Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology, and chief Data Scientist for the Georgetown University Medical Center with responsibility for all data-related research initiatives. Dr. Madhavan has a Master’s degree in Computer Information Systems from University of Maryland and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biological Sciences from the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences through a highly ranked Indo-US Collaborative program. She received post-doctoral training in computational biology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
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Dr. Michael Roberts, Ph.D. is Chief Science Officer of the International Space Station National Laboratory ( https://www.issnationallab.org/ ), and Vice President at the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space ( CASIS - https://www.issnationallab.org/about/center-for-the-advancement-of-science-in-space-leadership/ ), which as manager of the ISS National Laboratory in partnership with NASA, is responsible to the nation for enabling access to the International Space Station for research, technology development, STEM education, and commercial innovation in space as a public service to foster a scalable and sustainable low Earth orbit economy. Before joining CASIS in 2013, Dr. Roberts worked as a microbial ecologist, principal investigator, and research group lead in the NASA Advanced Life Support program at the Kennedy Space Center. Prior to arriving at NASA-KSC in 1999, Dr. Roberts completed an undergraduate degree in biology at Maryville College, a doctorate in microbiology at Wesleyan University and post-doctoral research at the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University and the RIKEN Institute in Wako-shi, Japan.
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Bill Taranto is President of both the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund ( MGHIF - https://www.merckghifund.com/ ), and Merck Global Health Private Equity (GHIPE). He is the founder of MGHIF and is responsible for leading the global health capability for Merck. The Merck Global Health Innovation Fund was established in late 2010 as a strategic response to the challenges surrounding Merck’s core business of discovering, developing and marketing innovative drugs and vaccines. Mr. Taranto has more than three decades of experience in the healthcare industry. MGHIF is a $500 Million evergreen fund focused on identifying opportunities that are adjacent to Merck’s core business of pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Under his leadership, MGHIF has invested more than $1 Billion in 70 companies, with more than $7 Billion in exits. The unit’s recent deals include participation in the pre-seed round for blockchain-based genomics company IndyGeneUS AI and roles as lead investor on both the $3m venture round for TransVoyant, a developer of digital supply chain services, and the €20m series A round for cancer therapeutics firm Turbine. Other notable investments include PathAI, M2GEN,Navigating Cancer, Syapse, Strata, Precise DX, Trinetx, and Cleardata. Recent unicorn exits include Livongo Health, Preventice Solutions, Ciox and Absci. Prior to joining Merck, Mr. Taranto spent 18 years at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in various roles. As VP of healthcare strategy and venture at J&J, he was responsible for evaluating and creating new healthcare business models through venture capital and acquisitions. Prior to joining J&J, Mr. Taranto spent eight years in investment banking.
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Dr. Ross Uhrich, DMD, MBA, is Program Manager, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health ( ARPA-H - https://arpa-h.gov/people/ross-uhrich/ ), which is focused on advancing high-potential, high-impact biomedical and health research that cannot be readily accomplished through traditional research or commercial activity, accelerating better health outcomes targeting society's most challenging health problems. Under the ARPA-H portfolio, Dr. Uhrich is responsible for the recently launched Novel Innovations for Tissue Regeneration in Osteoarthritis ( NITRO - https://arpa-h.gov/engage/programs/nitro/ ) program which seeks to develop new ways of helping the human body repair its own joints, with the goal of revolutionizing treatment for osteoarthritis — a common and often very painful condition where bones and cartilage break down. Dr. Uhrich joined ARPA-H in March 2023 from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, where he worked as a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and assistant professor of surgery. In addition to these roles, he spent 12 years with the U.S. Navy, finishing his tenure as a Lieutenant Commander. Throughout his career, Dr. Uhrich has cared for thousands of members of the U.S. Armed Forces at various healthcare facilities, including the USS Gerald R. Ford , Naval Health Clinic Quantico, and WRNMMC, and served as an oral and maxillofacial surgery consultant to Congress. He also treated patients at Charleston Area Medical Center, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, and Suburban Hospital. Dr. Uhrich holds a doctorate in dental medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from the University of Virginia, and completed his surgical residency at WRNMMC. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University.
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Sanford Browne is President of Research & Innovation (R&I) at L’Oréal's North American Zone ( https://www.loreal.com/en/usa/news/group/loreal-appoints-sanford-browne-as-president-of-research-and-innovation/ ), where he also serves as a member of the L’Oréal USA’s Management Committee, as well as a member of the Global R&I Management Committee. Previous to this role Mr. Browne served as Senior Vice President of R&I for L’Oréal’s Asia-Pacific Zone, where he helped build a complete R&I division across the Zone, including the research Hubs of China and Japan, along with Seoul, Bangalore and Singapore, and in addition to R&I, being a great advocate for cultural diversity, Mr. Browne made a strong contribution to developing local researchers throughout L’Oréal’s Asia-Pacific zone. Mr. Browne joined L’Oréal in 2013 as Vice President of R&I in China, where he was the major architect of research and strategic partnerships that drove the innovation needed to meet the specific consumer expectations of the market, growing business across all divisions. Prior to joining L’Oréal, Mr. Browne served in various research and leadership roles at Unilever and P&G, and joined the personal care industry right out of University of Waterloo where he studied Biochemistry and Microbiology.
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Dr. Thomas Metz, Ph.D. ( https://www.pnnl.gov/people/thomas-o-metz ) is Senior Scientist, Laboratory Fellow and Principal Investigator, in the Integrative Omics group, within the Biological Sciences Division, of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where his research focuses on development and applications of high throughput metabolomics and lipidomics methods, in conjunction with proteomics, to answer various biological questions. Currently, Dr. Metz is the director of the Pacific Northwest Advanced Compound Identification Core within the NIH Common Fund Metabolomics Program, co-PI of the Proteomics Laboratory for The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young consortium, Lead of the PNNL m/q Initiative, and an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Oregon State University. With a BS in Biology, Frostburg State University, a BS in Chemistry, San Jose State University, and a PhD in Chemistry, University of South Carolina, Dr. Metz's work has resulted in more than 180 publications to date. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is one of the United States Department of Energy national laboratories, managed by the Department of Energy's Office of Science. They are focused on advancing the frontiers of knowledge, taking on some of the world’s greatest science and technology challenges. Distinctive strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology, and data science are central to their scientific discovery mission and their research lays a foundation for innovations that advance sustainable energy through decarbonization and energy storage and enhance national security through nuclear materials and threat analyses. PNNL collaborates with academia in fundamental research and with industry to transition technologies to market.
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Jermonica Boardley is President and CEO of SIVAD Diagnostic Medical Group LLC ( https://sivadppe.com/ ), a minority-owned company dedicated to addressing the unique needs of underserved and unserved communities in the United States and globally, which most recently announced the launch of HarmGuard FX ( https://www.harmstopper.com/ ), a single, low-cost strip that provides an affordable, reliable way for people to test substances for fentanyl and xylazine (popularly known as tranq), two dangerous adulterants that are exacerbating the already critical opioid epidemic. Ms. Boardley is a graduate of Delaware State University, brings over 20 years of diverse corporate leadership experience to her role as President and CEO and her expertise spans Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Communications, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). Joseph Scrocco, is President & CEO, Diagnostic Solutions Group ( https://www.diagnosticsolutionsgroup.com/ ), the developer of HarmGuardFX, and their company has developed custom diagnostic solutions for over 25 years ranging from complex mass screening for blood banks to individual point-of-care testing with a focus on large-scale, global diagnostic needs, including antibody, molecular, and antigen tests in traditional and non-traditional settings. Their clients include Johnson & Johnson; Pfizer; Novo Nordisk; Abbott Labs; Ortho Clinical Diagnostics; the Red Cross; the governments of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Bangladesh, Liberia, Jamaica, India, Mali; numerous Broadway companies; plus, hundreds of hospitals, urgent care centers, and long-term care facilities. Mr. Scrocco has a MS in Neurophysiology from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and an MA in Information Systems from New York University.
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Dr. Pierre A. Fischer is a Technology Leader who serves as Product Line Lead - Data Storage Technologies at Roche ( https://www.roche.com/ ), where among his various responsibilities are leading their Open Source Database strategy, to increase productivity, reduce costs, and ultimately help the various teams Roche, improve drug discovery, development, clinical trial selection, helping to get the right drugs to the right patients faster, all in a highly sustainable manner.
Dr. Fischer has a Ph.D. in Experimental Particle Physics, from Louis Pasteur University, France, and then spent time at CERN in their cooperant program, a civil service program of the French State Department, allowing Graduate Students to serve their country by working for various companies or research organizations. He also undertook post-doctoral work at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.
Dr. Fischer then spent over a decade in the software development business at KLA-Tencor, the semi-conductor giant, before moving to Roche in 2013 spending time in IT Architecture, Engineering & Operations Portfolio as well as Data Lifecycle Management and Elastic Compute.
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Liz Scott is Co-Executive Director, of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer ( ALSF - https://www.alexslemonade.org/ ), an organization which emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of her daughter, Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, at the age of four, Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for other children with cancer, herself already bravely fighting neuroblastoma, which she was diagnosed with at age one. Over her lifetime, Alex would raise over $1 million before she passed away in 2004 at the age of 8. Since then, Liz and her husband Jay have worked alongside thousands of supporters across the country to carry on Alex's legacy of hope. To date, ALSF has raised more than $250 Million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 1,000 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. Alex’s story has inspired lemonade stands in all 50 states across America and in more than 10 countries across the world, including places as far away as Japan, Brazil and Australia. The book "Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand", written by Alex’s parents about her journey, can be found on all major book sellers.
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Dr. Khalid Salaita, Ph.D. ( https://www.salaitalab.com/salaita ) is a Professor of Chemistry at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia (USA), program faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, program member of Cancer Cell Biology at Winship Cancer Institute, and most recently is the recent winner Future Insight Prize given by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany ( https://www.emdgroup.com/en/research/open-innovation/futureinsightprize_streaming.html ) for his cutting edge work in the area of mechanobiology. Dr. Salaita earned his B.S. in Chemistry, from Old Dominion University, his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University, completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and then started his own lab at Emory University, investigating the interface between living systems and engineered nanoscale materials. To achieve this goal, his group has pioneered the development of tools like molecular force sensors, DNA mechano-technology, smart therapeutics, and nanoscale mechanical actuators to help manipulate living cells. In recognition of his work, Dr. Salaita has received a number of awards, most notably: the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, the Camille-Dreyfus Teacher Scholar award, the National Science Foundation Early CAREER award, and the Kavli Fellowship. Dr. Salaita is currently a member of the Enabling Bioanalytical and Imaging Technologies (EBIT) study Section and an Associate Editor of Smart Materials. His program has been supported by NSF, NIH, and DARPA. The Future Insight Prize was set up Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to stimulate innovative solutions to solve some of humanities greatest problems and to realize the dreams for a better tomorrow in the areas of health, nutrition and energy.
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Dr. Behnaam Aazhang, Ph.D. ( https://aaz.rice.edu/ ) is the J.S. Abercrombie Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Director, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative ( NEI - https://neuroengineering.rice.edu/ ), Rice University, where he has broad research interests including signal and data processing, information theory, dynamical systems, and their applications to neuro-engineering, with focus areas in (i) understanding neuronal circuits connectivity and the impact of learning on connectivity, (ii) developing minimally invasive and non-invasive real-time closed-loop stimulation of neuronal systems to mitigate disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson, depression, obesity, and mild traumatic brain injury, (iii) developing a patient-specific multisite wireless monitoring and pacing system with temporal and spatial precision to restore the healthy function of a diseased heart, and (iv) developing algorithms to detect, predict, and prevent security breaches in cloud computing and storage systems. Dr. Aazhang received his B.S. (with highest honors), M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1981, 1983, and 1986, respectively. From 1981 to 1985, he was a Research Assistant in the Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois. In August 1985, he joined the faculty of Rice University. From 2006 till 2014, he held an Academy of Finland Distinguished Visiting Professorship appointment (FiDiPro) at the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. Dr. Aazhang is a Fellow of IEEE and AAAS, and a distinguished lecturer of IEEE Communication Society. Dr. Aazhang received an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Oulu, Finland (the highest honor that the university can bestow) in 2017 and IEEE ComSoc CTTC Outstanding Service Award “For innovative leadership that elevated the success of the Communication Theory Workshop” in 2016. He is a recipient of 2004 IEEE Communication Society’s Stephen O. Rice best paper award for a paper with A. Sendonaris and E. Erkip. In addition, Sendonaris, Erkip, and Aazhang received IEEE Communication Society’s 2013 Advances in Communication Award for the same paper. He has been listed in the Thomson-ISI Highly Cited Researchers and has been keynote and plenary speaker of several conferences.
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Dr. Robert Floyd, Ph.D. is Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization ( CTBTO - https://www.ctbto.org/ ), the organization tasked with building up the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, a multilateral treaty opened for signature in 1996 by which states agree to ban all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes. Prior to joining CTBTO, Dr. Floyd was the Director General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office (ASNO), where he was responsible for Australia’s implementation of and compliance with various international treaties and conventions including the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and the Chemical Weapons Convention. During his time as Director General of ASNO, Dr. Floyd also chaired the advisory group to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency on safeguards implementation (SAGSI), co-chaired the Preparatory Committee for the review of the amended CPPNM, co-chaired one of the working groups of the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification, was the lead official for Australia in the Nuclear Security Summit process, and chaired the Asia-Pacific Safeguards Network. Prior to his appointment with ASNO, Dr. Floyd served for more than seven years in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he held a number of senior executive positions providing advice to the Prime Minister on policy issues covering counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, emergency management, and homeland and border security. Dr. Floyd was awarded a commemorative medal on the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence in recognition of the strong and enduring partnership between the CTBTO and Kazakhstan on nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament, peace, and security. Dr. Floyd also received the Australian Nuclear Association (ANA) award for 2021 in recognition of his outstanding leadership role as Director General of the ASNO. With a Ph.D. in population ecology, Dr. Floyd spent the first 20 years of his career as a research scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). As a long-time believer in the cause of gender equality and the empowerment of women, Dr. Floyd is an International Gender Champion (IGC) and joined the IGC network in 2021.
AvePoint: Collaborate With Confidence
Modernize and Secure Your Data, Today!
These Fukken Feelings Podcast©
Are you tired of feeling like you're the only one struggling with your emotions? Do...
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Dr. Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D., is President & Chief Science Officer of the Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation ( https://www.levf.org/ ), an organization focused on proactively identifying and addressing the most challenging obstacles on the path to the widespread availability of genuinely effective treatments to prevent and reverse human age-related disease. Dr. de Grey is internationally recognized as a visionary biomedical gerontologist who devised the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence: a comprehensive set of methods to rejuvenate the human body, thereby preventing age-related ill health and mortality. He has co-founded multiple non-profit organizations – including Methuselah Foundation, SENS Research Foundation, and now LEV Foundation – to specifically enable and accelerate its development and clinical translation. Dr. de Grey received his BA in Computer Science and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Cambridge in 1985 and 2000, respectively. He is the author of The Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging (1999), Ending Aging (2007), and a large number of academic papers. Dr. de Grey is a Fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Aging Association, and sits on the advisory boards of numerous scientific journals and research organizations. He is a prolific speaker who regularly presents at conferences and events world-wide.
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Dr. Brad Ringeisen, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Innovative Genomics Institute ( https://innovativegenomics.org/people/brad-ringeisen/ ), an organization founded by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Jennifer Doudna, on the University of California, Berkeley campus, whose mission is to bridge revolutionary gene editing tool development to affordable and accessible solutions in human health and climate. Dr. Ringeisen is a physical chemist with a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Wake Forest University, a pioneer in the field of live cell printing, and an experienced administrator of scientific research and product development. Before joining the IGI, Dr. Ringeisen was Director of the Biological Technologies Office at DARPA, where he managed a division working at the cutting edges of biology, physical sciences and engineering. Programs in his office included research in genome editing, epigenetics, neurotechnology, food security and biomanufacturing, as well as diagnostics and therapeutics development. Prior to DARPA, Dr. Ringeisen ran his own research group at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory as the head of the Bioenergy and Biofabrication Section where he oversaw diverse research programs including the development and application of laser-assisted printing approaches to biology, development of organs-on-a-chip, microbial energy harvesting and extracellular electron transfer as well as microbial discovery and microbiome characterization. Dr. Ringeisen now uses his amazing expertise to guide IGI’s scientific and development strategy, but his duties also include promoting entrepreneurship, working with biotech investors and companies to ensure commercial translation of technologies, donor outreach and development, scientific project development and team building, communication with campus leadership, personnel management and mentoring, program management, and reporting and engagement with both Governance and Scientific Advisory Boards.
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Dr. Angeli Möller, Ph.D, is Head of the Data and Integrations Generating Insights Group (DIGI) at Roche ( https://www.roche.com/ ), which is a fascinating group focused on bringing together data & technology from Roche diagnostics and pharma divisions to enable innovation for patients. Previously, Dr. Möller served as Head of Pharma Informatics International at Roche focused specifically on driving the employment of AI technologies to help get the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. Prior to joining Roche, Dr. Möller led the artificial intelligence workstream and was responsible for the research digital investment strategy at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Before Bayer, she worked as a data scientist for translational medicine at Thomson Reuters and researcher at Cancer Research UK and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine. As a proponent of pre-competitive collaboration, Dr. Möller co-founded the Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (AAIH), where she is Vice Chair and is also a member of the scientific advisory board of Multiomic Health. She also serves as a Member of The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which supports research in astronomy, physics and space science, and operates world-class research facilities for the UK. Dr. Möller has her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Molecular Biology from University of Aberdeen, her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology with an oncology focus, from The University of Edinburgh, and did post-doc work in the neuroproteomics of neurodegeneration at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine.
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David Zuniga is Senior Director of In-Space Solutions at Axiom Space ( https://www.axiomspace.com/ ), a space infrastructure developer headquartered in Houston, Texas, which plans human spaceflight for government-funded and commercial astronauts, engaging in in-space research, in-space manufacturing, and space exploration. The company aims to own and operate the world's first commercial space station, and Mr. Zuniga helps to develop strategy and growth around Axiom’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) economy, also playing a critical role in business and technical integration of Axiom’s in-space manufacturing and research capabilities for Axiom Station architecture. Mr. Zuniga has over 20 years of experience through engineering and business development in human spaceflight and the department of defense, developing system architectures and technology for deep space systems via the Constellation, Orion, and Gateway programs. He was a Certified Principal Engineer for Orion’s Air Revitalization System, and subsystem manager for NASA’s Gateway program for the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) where he developed requirements and certification criteria for future architectures. Mr. Zuniga also has helped to evolve strategy around growth for LEO commercialization through the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) where he created a pipeline and managed a portfolio for aerospace technology development projects on the International Space Station National Laboratory (ISS NL). He has also served in numerous committees around human spaceflight safety and commercialization, has been an invited speaker to brief NASA HQ on strategy for the ISS NL, and was the recipient of the top prize at NASA’s Ignite the Night competition through NASA iTech when serving as the managing director for the Danish Aerospace Company’s North American Division. Mr. Zuniga earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and holds a graduate certification in Space Resources from Colorado School of Mines where he studied space policy, economics, and space resource utilization.
Art of Prevention
Attention athletes and coaches. This podcast is to help you prevent your next injury.
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Dr. Brandon Berry, Ph.D. ( https://halo.dlmp.uw.edu/people/brandon-berry/ ) is a postdoctoral researcher in the Kaeberlein Laboratory at University of Washington where his research focuses on how aging and metabolism are linked. Dr. Berry is interested in how mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, contribute to and modulate functional decline that occurs during aging, and he is involved in using novel tools, like optogenetics, to precisely control mitochondria and metabolism with light. Through these types of experiments, he can more precisely determine if mitochondrial dysfunction is a cause or a consequence of metabolic aging and may reveal new ways to understand and impact health. Dr. Berry has BS in Biochemistry from SUNY Geneseo, and an MS and PhD in Physiology from University of Rochester.
Manufacturing Matters
The Manufacturing Matters podcast aims to get to the heart of automation technology and...
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Dr. David Carmouche, MD is Senior Vice President of Omnichannel Care at Walmart, where he leads the fleet of Walmart Health centers, Walmart Health Virtual Care, Walmart’s work to address Social Determinants of Health, and all new omnichannel healthcare offerings ( https://www.walmarthealth.com/ ). He joined Walmart in 2021, bringing a unique combination of provider, payer, and integrated delivery network experience - serving as a physician, an executive for an insurance company, and as a leader in a regional health system. Dr. Carmouche joined Walmart from Ochsner Health, the largest nonprofit academic healthcare system in the Gulf South, where he served as EVP, Value-based Care and Network Operations; President, Ochsner Health Network; and Executive Director, Ochsner Accountable Care Network. Prior to joining Ochsner Health, Dr. Carmouche was Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of External Operations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, where he introduced the company’s first value-based care contracts. As the first lipidologist in Louisiana and a Fellow of the National Lipid Association, he practiced preventative cardiology in Baton Rouge through 2012, where he built a large, multidisciplinary internal medicine and preventive cardiology practice as Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the Baton Rouge Clinic. He also championed an Epic electronic medical record (EMR) single instance implementation across three entities. Dr. Carmouche attended Tulane University where he studied biology, and LSU Medical School in New Orleans. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, he completed his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he later served as Chief Resident. He serves as President of the Board of the Consortium for Southeastern Healthcare Quality, and he serves on the advisory board at Stellar Health. He is a board observer and advisor for a New Orleans-based startup, Ready, and he serves nationally as a board member for the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations.
The Imposter Syndrome Network Podcast
The Imposter Syndrome Network (ISN) is a community of technology professionals who...
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Dr. Mark Bailey, Ph.D. is the Department Chair of Cyber Intelligence and Data Science (CIDS) at the Oettinger School of Science and Technology Intelligence, and the Co-Director at the Data Science Intelligence Center, at the U.S. National Intelligence University ( https://ni-u.edu/wp/ ). The National Intelligence University (NIU) is a federally chartered research university in Bethesda, Maryland, operated by and for the United States Intelligence Community (IC), as its staff college of higher learning in fields of study central to the profession of intelligence and national security. The Anthony G. Oettinger School of Science and Technology Intelligence (MSTI) prepares students for careers specifically at the forefront of science and technology intelligence. Prior to this role, Dr. Bailey served in several roles in the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of State, and the Intelligence Community, including: as a Biochemical Intelligence Analyst and Medical Support Officer in the United States Army Reserve (where he also has the title of Major); as a Chemical and Biological Foreign Policy Advisor within the Office of Missile, Biological and Chemical Nonproliferation, U.S. Department of State; as a Department Chief at USAMRIID; and as a Chemical Engineer at National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Bailey has Master of Science (MS), in Technology Intelligence, from National Intelligence University. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from University of Pittsburgh, and an MS in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from University of Kansas.
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Dr. Rita Baranwal, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President of the Energy Systems business unit of Westinghouse Electric Company, which is the nuclear power unit of Westinghouse, where her core focus is in leading the team developing and deploying their AP300 Small Modular Nuclear Reactor ( https://www.westinghousenuclear.com/Portals/0/about-2020/leadership/WEC_Bio_Dr._Rita_Baranwal_JUL22.pdf ). Dr. Baranwal recently served Chief Technology Officer of the organization, where she led the company’s global research and development investments, spearheading their technology strategy to advance the company’s nuclear innovation, and drove next-generation solutions for existing and new markets. Dr. Baranwal’s appointment to this CTO role in 2022 marked a return to Westinghouse where she worked for nearly a decade in leadership positions in the Global Technology Development, Fuel Engineering, and Product Engineering groups. Prior to rejoining Westinghouse, Dr. Baranwal served as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy where she directed the R&D portfolio across current and advanced nuclear technologies while collaborating across nuclear utilities, national labs, reactor developers, academia and government stakeholders. She has also held senior leadership roles with the Idaho National Laboratory as Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), and most recently was the Chief Nuclear Officer and Vice President of Nuclear for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Prior to joining Westinghouse, Dr. Baranwal was a manager in Materials Technology at Bechtel Bettis, Inc. where she led and conducted R&D in advanced nuclear fuel materials for US Naval Reactors. Dr. Baranwal is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society. She has a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in materials science and engineering and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in the same disciplines from the University of Michigan.
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Dr. Michael Ott, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President and Chief Research and Development Officer of The Clorox Company ( https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/company/corporate-governance/executive-team/michael-ott/ ). In this role, which he assumed in June 2022, Dr. Ott leads global research and development, and is responsible for product development and innovation, from concept to commercialization, and oversees the company’s stewardship activities and technical capability areas. Dr. Ott has spent his entire professional career at Clorox, supporting nearly every part of the business. Prior to his current assignment, he was Vice President of Research and Development – Specialty, helping reset the business through the creation of innovation platforms such as Fresh Step Outstretch cat litter, Glad with Clorox trash bags and Hidden Valley Special Sauce. During this time, he also served as the company’s interim Chief Sustainability Officer, working with the businesses to achieve the company’s packaging and emissions goals. Previously, Dr. Ott was Vice President of Research and Development for the Cleaning, International and CloroxPro divisions. For more than a decade, he led initiatives resulting in significant expansion of the company’s Home Care and Professional businesses. Starting as a bench scientist in 1996, Dr. Ott moved to the Product Supply Organization’s Global Strategic Sourcing team before returning to research and development to help launch the company’s Open Innovation capability. Dr. Ott serves as chair and chief volunteer officer of the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland, California, and coaches Pop Warner youth football in West Oakland. Dr. Ott holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Villanova University.
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Dr. Elica Kyoseva, Ph.D. is the Quantum for Bio Program Director, at Wellcome Leap ( https://wellcomeleap.org/our-team/elicakyoseva/ ), a $40M +$10M program focused on identifying, developing, and demonstrating biology and healthcare applications that will benefit from the quantum computers expected to emerge in the next 3-5 years. Wellcome Leap was established with $300 million in initial funding from the Wellcome Trust, the UK charitable foundation, to accelerate discovery and innovation for the benefit of human health, focusing on build bold, unconventional programs and fund them at scale—specifically programs that target global human health challenges, with the goal of achieving breakthrough scientific and technological solutions. Dr. Kyoseva completed her Ph.D. in Quantum Optics and Information, at Sofia University in Bulgaria, and then moved to the Center for Quantum Technologies in Singapore as a postdoc. Three years later, she established her own research group in Quantum Engineering at the Singapore University of Tech & Design and subsequently spent a year at MIT (Cambridge, USA) as a Research Fellow in the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department doing research on quantum control and engineering. In 2016, Dr. Kyoseva was awarded a Marie Curie fellowship for research excellence by the European Commission with which she relocated to Tel Aviv, Israel and continued her research in robust control methods for Quantum Computing at Tel Aviv University. Since the beginning of 2020 she served as an Entrepreneur in Residence and Advisor at a venture capital firm and was instrumental for their investments in quantum computing startups. In September 2020, she took a senior role with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop applications of quantum algorithms to the drug discovery process working on the cutting edge of applied quantum computing technologies to improve the lives of both humans and animals. Additionally to her scientific career, Dr. Kyoseva is very passionate about ending gender inequality in the STEM fields and served as a STEM Ambassador to the UN Women Singapore Committee for 2 years. Currently, she is the Managing Director for Israel of the global non-profit organization Girls in Tech and on the Advisory Board of She Quantum and works towards encouraging more girls and women to pursue a career in Quantum Computing.
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Emilio Alonso-Mendoza, J.D., CFRE is the Chief Executive Officer of the Alexander Graham Bell Association (AG Bell) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing ( https://www.agbell.org/ ) and has served in this role since April 2014, guiding the organization in international growth and innovation. Created in 1890, the mission of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is to work globally to ensure that people who are deaf and hard of hearing can hear and talk. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with chapters located throughout the United States and a network of international affiliates. Prior to this role, Mr. Alonso-Mendoza served in multiple President and CEO roles for Take Stock in Children; the Catholic Community Foundation; the Children’s Home Society of Florida, and the National Parkinson’s Foundation, where he established 52 centers for research throughout the US, Europe, South America, and Asia. Mr. Alonso-Mendoza has served, or currently serves, on the board of directors at Children’s Home Society Foundation, Leadership Learning Center, St Vincent de Paul Seminary and the League Against Cancer, among others. Mr. Alonso-Mendoza received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the same institution. He also holds a professional credential as a Certified Fundraising Executive from CFRE International.
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Dr. Anders Nordström, MD is Ambassador for Global Health at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden ( https://www.government.se/government-of-sweden/ministry-for-foreign-affairs/ ), Member of the Virchow Foundation for Global Health Council and Secretary of the World Health Organization's Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR). A trained physician at the Karolinska Institute in the field of national and international health policy, planning and strategic leadership, Dr. Nordström has held the position of Ambassador for Global Health at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs since September 2010. Dr. Nordström also has served as Assistant Director-General and acting Director-General for the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the Head of the WHO Country Office in Sierra Leone. In addition, Dr. Nordström is a member of the Commission for Universal Health convened by Chatham House. Previously, Dr. Nordström was the Chief Executive Officer of SIDA (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), worked for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Geneva, and for the Red Cross, and has been posted internationally in a diverse range of countries from Zambia to Cambodia to Iran.
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Dr. Leroy Hood, MD, Ph.D. ( https://isbscience.org/bio/leroy-hood/ ) is Co-Founder, Chief Strategy Officer and Professor, at the Institute of Systems Biology (ISB) in Seattle, as well as CEO of Phenome Health ( https://phenomehealth.org/ ), a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering value through health innovation focused on his P4 model of health (Predictive, Preventive, Personalized and Participatory) where a patient’s unique individuality is acknowledged, respected, and leveraged for the benefit of everyone. Dr. Hood, who is a world-renowned scientist and recipient of the National Medal of Science in 2011, co-founded the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in 2000 and served as its first President from 2000-2017. In 2016, ISB affiliated with Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH) and Dr. Hood became PSJH’s Senior Vice President and Chief Science Officer. Dr. Hood is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Medicine. Of the more than 6,000 scientists worldwide who belong to one or more of these academies, Dr. Hood is one of only 20 people elected to all three. Dr. Hood received his MD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and his PhD in biochemistry from Caltech. Dr. Hood was a faculty member at Caltech from 1967-1992, serving for 10 years as the Chair of Biology. During this period, he and his colleagues developed four sequencer and synthesizer instruments that paved the way for the Human Genome Project’s successful mapping and understanding of the human genome. He and his students also deciphered many of the complex mechanisms of antibody diversification. In 1992, Dr. Hood founded and chaired the Department of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Washington, the first academic department devoted to cross-disciplinary biology. Dr. Hood has co-founded 17 biotech companies including Amgen, Applied Biosystems, Rosetta and Arivale. His many national and international awards include the Lasker Prize, the Kyoto Prize, and the National Medal of Science. Dr. Hood's new book "The Age of Scientific Wellness: Why the Future of Medicine Is Personalized, Predictive, Data-Rich, and in Your Hands" is available on all major book sellers.
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EPISODE DISCLAIMER - At any time during this episode when anyone says Merck, in any context, it shall always be referring to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Dr. Emre Ozcan, Ph.D. is VP, Global Head of Digital Health, at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany ( https://www.emdgroup.com/en ), where he brings 15+ years experience in biopharma, med-tech and healthcare consulting with experience across strategy, research, marketing, and operations in several therapeutic areas. In his current role, he holds the accountability for the design and end-to-end delivery of digital health solutions to support Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany franchise strategies and shape the architecture of the offering "around the drug" including devices and diagnostics. Prior to joining Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Dr. Ozcan was a Junior Partner at Boston Consulting Group. He holds a BA degree from Yale University; and MPhil and PhD from Oxford University. Walid Mehanna is Group Data Officer And Senior Vice President, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, where he has responsibility for driving Data & Analytics strategy, implementation, architecture, governance, and culture across all its businesses. Previously, Mr. Mehanna served as Mercedes-Benz Car’s first Chief Data Officer and prior to joining Mercedes Benz, he spent over a decade at Horváth, serving as a Consultant, Senior Project Manager and later as Principal of Business Intelligence & Big Data. With more than twenty-five years of technology experience and twenty years in consulting and major corporations, he enjoys working at the intersection of business and technology in all domains.
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EPISODE DISCLAIMER - The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. Dr. Devi SenGupta, MD, MPhil, is Executive Director of Clinical Development at Gilead Sciences ( https://www.gilead.com/ ), where she leads the company’s HIV cure development program and during her time at the company has led multiple HIV treatment and cure studies. As head of the HIV cure program, she provides strategic direction for cross-functional internal teams and external multi-stakeholder collaborations developing combination approaches aimed at achieving long-term HIV remission. Before joining Gilead in 2015, Dr. SenGupta was a physician scientist leading translational HIV immunology research as an Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Her NIH-funded program focused on identifying novel strategies to enhance cellular immunity against HIV. Dr. SenGupta received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and biology at Harvard University, MPhil. in neuropsychology at Cambridge University, UK, and MD at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and infectious diseases fellowship at UCSF.
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Helmuth Martin Reisner, is Director, Defense Resolve Department, Ministry Of Defense, Republic Of Estonia ( https://www.kaitseministeerium.ee/en ), where he leads this department at the ministry focused specifically and dedicated to monitoring and improving the defense resolve of both reservists, as well as the general population. With a Master of Arts (Honors), in Politics, from University of Glasgow, as well as undergraduate studies in Political Science from Stockholm University and University of Copenhagen, Mr. Reisner has had a diverse range of experiences. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Mr. Reisner served as both Deputy Coordinator of Foreign and Security Policy at Estonian Permanent Representation to the EU, and Chief of Staff / Policy Adviser to the Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT, with a focus on digitization and cybersecurity policy. Prior to his current role at the Ministry Of Defense, Republic Of Estonia, Mr. Reisner served NATO and EU Defense Policy Consultant, European Defense Policy Adviser, International Communications Adviser, in addition to being a squad leader in military service. Mr. Reisner also serves as a content adviser for the Tallinn Digital Summit (an annual event hosted by the Estonian Prime Minister that gathers together leaders of like-minded and digitally-advanced countries, international organizations, and the private sector to address the most pressing issues on our road toward a connected digital future) focusing on data and AI, cybersecurity, emerging technologies and digital public goods.
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Dr. Antonio Tataranni, MD is Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Life Sciences of PepsiCo ( https://www.pepsico.com/docs/default-source/leadership-bio/drpietroantoniotatarannibiography.pdf?sfvrsn=aa4e9fe6_15 ). As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tataranni oversees all aspects of the company's efforts to protect its global workforce, products, and communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. He also leads PepsiCo's Life Sciences strategy and the R&D Fellows Program as its Executive Sponsor. Dr. Tataranni joined PepsiCo in September, 2018 as the Senior Vice President of R&D Life Sciences, responsible for leading the development and execution of a nutrition and bio-sciences strategy in support of the company’s portfolio transformation and Pep+ agenda. Dr. Tataranni serves on the Boards of several for-profit and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Dr. Tataranni was Senior Vice President, Head of Global Medical Affairs, Diabetes & Cardiovascular Business Unit, in charge of medical strategy worldwide and operations for mature markets at Sanofi. Previous responsibilities within the group included the roles of Vice President Global Medical Affairs, Medical Director Europe, Vice President for the Metabolism Medical Unit in the US affiliate (2006-2008) and Medical Director for the Metabolism Franchise (2005-2006). Between 1999 and 2004 he was Head of the Obesity, Diabetes and Energy Metabolism Unit at the Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. and Director of the Clinical Research Center at the same institution from 2000 through 2004. Dr. Tataranni is an avid researcher who has published and lectured extensively at national and international meetings on obesity, diabetes, and their cardio metabolic complications. Professional awards presented to Dr. Tataranni include the NIH Fellowship Award for Research Excellence (FARE) in 1998 and the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO)- Lilly Scientific Achievement Award in 2004. Dr. Tataranni is a native of Italy. He graduated from Catholic University School of Medicine in Rome in 1990 and went on to receive a specialty diploma in Endocrinology, Metabolic Diseases and Diabetes at this University. He has authored more than 100 original manuscripts, in addition to contributing to numerous review articles and book chapters.
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John Bencich is Chief Executive Officer, at Achieve Life Sciences ( https://ir.achievelifesciences.com/ ), a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to addressing the global smoking and nicotine addiction epidemic through the development and commercialization of the drug compound Cytisinicline. Mr. Bencich is an experienced financial executive who has spent over 20 years guiding financial and corporate strategy in the life sciences and technology industries. Before his appointment to Chief Executive Officer in 2020, he served as Achieve Life Sciences Chief Financial and Operating Officer. Prior to joining Achieve Life Sciences in 2017, Mr. Bencich served as CFO of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, a publicly traded biotechnology company. Before joining OncoGenex in 2014, he served as CFO of Integrated Diagnostics and Allozyne, both private VC-backed companies. Earlier he served as the CFO and Treasurer of Trubion Pharmaceuticals, a publicly traded biotechnology company where he helped complete the successful sale of the company to Emergent BioSolutions. Prior to his role at Trubion, he led the global financial operations for Onyx Software Corporation, a publicly traded software company through its sale to Battery Ventures. Mr. Bencich started his career at Ernst & Young LLP. He graduated from the University of San Diego with a BA in Accounting, earned his MBA from Seattle University and was a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Washington for 17 years.
Dr. Kathryn Huff, Ph.D. ( https://www.energy.gov/ne/person/dr-kathryn-huff ) is Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, where she leads their strategic mission to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs, both realizing the potential of advanced technology, and leveraging the unique role of the government in spurring innovation. Prior to her current role, Dr. Huff served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Secretary and also led the office as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. Before joining the Department of Energy, Dr. Huff was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she led the Advanced Reactors and Fuel Cycles Research Group. She was also a Blue Waters Assistant Professor with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Dr. Huff was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow in both the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium and the Berkeley Institute for Data Science at the University of California - Berkeley. She received her PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Chicago. Her research focused on modeling and simulation of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel cycles. Dr. Huff is an active member of the American Nuclear Society, a past Chair of the Nuclear Nonproliferation and Policy Division as well as the Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division, and recipient of both the Young Member Excellence and Mary Jane Oestmann Professional Women's Achievement awards. Through leadership within Software Carpentry, SciPy, the Hacker Within, and the Journal of Open Source Software she also advocates for best practices in open, reproducible scientific computing. Dr. Huff's book "Effective Computation in Physics: Field Guide to Research with Python" can be found on all major book sellers.
Dr. Erwin Gianchandani, Ph.D. is Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, U.S. National Science Foundation, leading the newly established TIP Directorate ( https://new.nsf.gov/tip/leadership ). The TIP Directorate is focused on harnessing the nation's vast and diverse talent pool to advance critical and emerging technologies, addressing pressing societal and economic challenges, and accelerating the translation of research results from lab to market and society, ultimately improving U.S. competitiveness, growing the U.S. economy and training a diverse workforce for future, high-wage jobs. Prior to becoming the Assistant Director for TIP, Dr. Gianchandani served as the senior advisor for Translation, Innovation and Partnerships, where he helped develop plans for the new TIP Directorate in collaboration with colleagues at NSF, other government agencies, industry, and academia. During the previous six years, Dr. Gianchandani was the NSF deputy assistant director for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), twice serving as acting assistant director. His leadership and management of CISE included the formulation and implementation of the directorate's $1 billion annual budget, strategic and human capital planning, and oversight of day-to-day operations for a team of over 130. During this time, Dr. Gianchandani has led the development and launch of several new NSF initiatives, including the Smart & Connected Communities program, Civic Innovation Challenge, Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research, and the National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes. Before joining NSF in 2012, Dr. Gianchandani was the inaugural director of the Computing Community Consortium, providing leadership to the computing research community in identifying and pursuing bold, high-impact research directions such as health information technology and sustainable computing. Dr. Gianchandani holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia. In 2021, he received the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award, awarded to members of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service for sustained extraordinary accomplishment.
Dr. S. Indu Rupassara, Ph.D., MBA is Co-Founder, President and CEO, of FruitVaccine ( http://www.fruitvaccine.org/ ), a company developing and manufacturing novel, safe and cost-effective fruit-based vaccines, with a goal of providing immunity against globally problematic infectious diseases. FruitVaccine's lead product is a vaccine which will immunize against the human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), a disease that all humans, especially infants and the elderly, are susceptible to, which effects the lower respiratory system and which no vaccine is available. Dr. Rupassara leads FruitVaccine overseeing its organizational, business, and R&D growth and is the Principal Investigator of FruitVaccine’s NSF-SBIR Grant Award, and has presented talks in conferences in the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Dr. Rupassara’s multidisciplinary expertise includes biotechnology, immunology, and ‘omics’ technologies, using an array of biological systems such as humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms. Dr. Rupassara received her PhD (Metabolomics/Biotechnology), MBA, and MS (Biochemistry) degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA (UIUC), MSc (Microbiology) from the University of Sydney, Australia, and BSc (Agric. Sc.) from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Colonel Christopher Grice is the Acting Director, Joint Science and Technology Office, of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency ( https://www.dtra.mil/ ), a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense (DoD), focused on countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosives) and their mission enables DoD and the U.S. Government to prepare for and combat weapons of mass destruction and improvised threats, as well as to ensure nuclear deterrence. Previous to DTRA, Colonel Grice was Director of Materiel for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA), as well as Division Chief for the Full Dimension Protection division. Prior to those assignments, Colonel Grice commanded the 69th Chemical Company in Hanau, Germany, the Blue Grass Chemical Activity at Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky, and the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Pueblo, Colorado. Colonel Grice's other key assignments included Instructor and Chief of Officer Training at the CBRN School, Battalion Executive Officer and Operations Officer for 110th Chemical Battalion at Joint Base Lewis McCord, Washington, Executive Assistant to the Director of the Joint Staff and Counter-proliferation Branch Chief for the Joint Staff, Senior Strategic Planner, U.S. Plans for United States Forces Korea. Colonel Grice's other operational and support deployments include Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo as part of Task Force Falcon while the CBRN Officer for 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division and Operation Iraqi Freedom as the company commander of the 69th Chemical Company. A native of Galesburg, Illinois, Colonel Grice enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1989. He earned a Biological Sciences Degree from Southern Illinois University and a commission as a Chemical Officer in 1995. Colonel Grice also earned a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management from Webster University in 2006 and a Master of Science Degree in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University (Joint Advanced Warfighting School) in 2015. Colonel Grice's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with OLC), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (with OLC), Army Commendation Medal (with OLC), Army Achievement Medal (with OLC), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 2), NATO Medal, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, Army Staff Identification Badge, and the Senior Parachutist Badge. His foreign awards include the German Armed Forces Efficiency Badge.
Dr. Mang Shi, Ph.D. is a Professor at Sun Yat-sen University ( https://www.sysu.edu.cn/sysuen/ ) in Guangzhou, China, where his research is focused on the genomics of RNA viruses, and his work uses metagenomics and meta-transcriptomics tools for virus discovery and characterization, based on which he has helped re-define the diversity and evolutionary history of the RNA virosphere. Currently he is interested in using the same approaches to reveal the interesting interactions between virome, microbiome, and hosts within an infected individual. Prior to joining Sun Yat-sen University, Dr. Shi was a senior research associate at the University of Sydney. He was also an adjunct faculty at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre and before that, an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) fellow and Guest researcher at the U.S. CDC. Dr. Shi received his undergraduate degree in microbiology and Mphil degree in viral evolution from the University of Hong Kong, and his Ph.D. in virus evolution from the University of Sydney, with work also accomplished at Penn State. Mr. Keegan Li serves as Director for Alibaba Cloud Digital Medical Product / Solution team, a division of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence ( https://www.aliyun.com/ ), and prior to Alibaba has spent time in a range of research and business development roles at health-tech organizations including Philips, Synovate and Ali Health. Mr. Li studied Biology for his undergraduate degree at The University of Hong Kong, and did his Master work in Economics, firstly at University of Navarra in Spain, and later at London School of Economics and Political Science.
Dr. Pablo Garcia Tello, Ph.D. is Section Head, New Projects & Initiatives, at the EU Office Of CERN ( https://home.cern/ ), the European Organization for Nuclear Research, an intergovernmental organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. As section head of the CERN EU Office he is responsible for developing new EU funded projects and initiatives ( https://ideasquare.cern/ ) and has also served as Knowledge Transfer (KT) Liaison Officer collaborating to enhance the KT CERN industrial network and relationships ( https://knowledgetransfer.web.cern.ch/ ). Dr. Tello graduated with a degree in Physics from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain and has a Ph.D. in Material Science from the Basque Country University in San Sebastian, Spain. He was Postdoctoral Associate and Teaching Assistant of Semiconductor Processing Technology in the Department of Material Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA. Dr. Tello has worked at Philips and NXP Semiconductors in the areas of Micro/Nano-Electronics and Biotechnology. He has also served as a Contracts & Programs Manager at the Aerospace and Defense Industry Association of Europe, and has worked as a Consultant in EU Innovation Programs for PNO Consultants, for private and public sector organizations in the Chemical and ICT areas. Dr. Tello is also participating actively in EC Innovation Initiatives and Funding Programs. His expertise is certified by having published more than 50 scientific papers in top international peer reviewed journals and conferences, and holds more than 10 international patents in the areas of Micro/Nanotechnology and Biotechnology. He has received among others the NXP Semiconductors Golden Patent of the Year award.
Dr. Kyriacos M. Koupparis, Ph.D. is the Head of the Hunger Monitoring Unit at the United Nations World Food Program ( WFP - https://www.wfp.org/ ) where he leads a dynamic team of software engineers, data scientists, and food security analysts utilizing real-time data, predictive analytics, and artificial intelligence to track food security globally, to support WFP’s fight against hunger. In his previous role at the WFP Innovation Accelerator ( https://innovation.wfp.org/ ), Dr. Koupparis led a team that explored how emerging technologies – such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robotics – could be applied to catalyze impact within the context of humanitarian assistance and food security. Dr. Koupparis has devoted the last 15 years working at the nexus between science, technology, innovation and international development – first as a biomedical researcher working on drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases and further on in his career by pioneering innovation programs to advance human and planetary prosperity across the globe. He has worked in more than 20 countries throughout Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa through his various roles with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and the United Nations. Dr. Koupparis holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco. He is a graduate of the Management of Technology program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and holds a B.A. in Chemistry from Wayne State University.
Dr. Peter Singer, OC, FRSC ( https://singerp.substack.com/ ) is Special Advisor to the Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, of the World Health Organization where he helps support the Director General to transform WHO into an Organization sharply focused on impact at the country level. Dr. Singer co-chaired the transition team; was the architect of WHO’s strategy and its “triple billion” target (1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage, better protected from health emergencies and enjoying better health and well-being); and supports strategy implementation of WHO’s program budget, results framework, delivery stock-takes, investment case, innovation framework, innovative finance initiatives, brand strategy, and multilateral partnerships through the UN SDG3 Global Action Plan (focused on Good Health and Well-being) and during the Covid pandemic, he has been a passionate advocate for vaccine equity. Before joining WHO, Dr. Singer co-founded two innovative, results driven, social impact organizations. From 2008-2018 Singer was Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada, a Canadian nonprofit organization that uses a Grand Challenges model, requiring coordinated, collaborative, and collective efforts, to fund solutions to critical health and development challenges in the developing world. During this period Grand Challenges Canada raised CAN $450M to support 1,000 innovations in more than 90 countries, which have the potential to save 450,000-1.6 million lives and improve 11-35 million lives by 2030. From 1996-2006 Dr. Singer was Sun Life Financial Chair and Director of the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. He is also Adjunct Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto. Dr. Singer has an MD from University of Toronto, an MPH from Yale University, and a Fellowship in Bioethics/Medical Ethics from University of Chicago. His book The Grandest Challenge: Taking Life-Saving Science from Lab to Village ( https://www.amazon.com/Grandest-Challenge-Life-Saving-Science-Village/dp/0385667191 ), is available at major book sellers.
Ambassador Dr. John N. Nkengasong, Ph.D. ( https://www.state.gov/biographies/john-n-nkengasong/ ), is U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Health Diplomacy, a position he was officially sworn in on June 13, 2022, where he leads, manages, and oversees the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, prevent millions of HIV infections, save lives, and make progress toward ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Born in Cameroon, Dr. Nkengasong is the first person of African origin to hold this position. In 2017, Dr. Nkengasong was appointed as the first Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Through his leadership, a framework for moving Africa CDC into a full autonomous health agency of the Africa Union was established. Dr. Nkengasong led efforts to create policy frameworks to guide countries to establish and strengthen their public health institutes and defined and implemented a system to collate national surveillance data. He also led the COVID-19 response in Africa, coordinating with heads of state and governments across the continent, and among other achievements to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped secure 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines at the height of vaccine scarcity. During his tenure, he was appointed as one of the World Health Organization’s special envoys on COVID-19 preparedness and response. Dr. Nkengasong served as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis’ International Laboratory Branch Chief and as the Associate Director for Laboratory Science. Subsequently, he served as Acting Deputy Director at the CDC Center for Global Health and Co-Chair of the PEPFAR’s Laboratory Technical Working Group. As a leading virologist with over 30 years of experience in public health, Dr. Nkengasong was appointed as a board member for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in New York, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, in Norway. Dr. Nkengasong received his B.Sc. from the Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon; his M.Sc. from the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; and his Ph.D. from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Brussels, Belgium. He also received a Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Dr. Nkengasong is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and recognitions. Most recently, he served as one of the World Health Organization Director General’s Special Envoys for COVID-19. In 2021, Dr. Nkengasong was recognized as Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, where he was described as “a modern-day hero.” Additional awards include the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for excellence in Public Health Protection Research, the Shepard Award, the U.S. Director’s Recognitions Award and the William Watson Medal of Excellence, the highest recognition awarded by CDC; which was awarded for outstanding contributions and leadership in advancing global laboratory services and programs to support the PEPFAR. Most recently, Dr. Nkengasong was invited to become a member of the National Academy of Medicine and he became the first-ever laureate of the Virchow Prize for Global Health, for his dedication to improving the health and wellbeing of the world’s most vulnerable people. He has authored or co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters in professional journals.
Dr. Chris Altman, Pharm.D., is Director, Immunization and Clinical Programs, at Rite-Aid Corporation ( https://www.riteaid.com/ ), one of the largest U.S. drug store chains that operates 2,177 pharmacies across the United States. Dr. Altman received his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from Ohio Northern University, and over the past couple of decades has served in a series of roles of increasing responsibility in the organization, from pharmacy manager, to Manager, Field Clinical Services, and into his current role of Director, Immunization and Clinical Programs.
Dr. Charles Tahan, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director for Quantum Information Science (QIS) and the Director of the National Quantum Coordination Office (NQCO) within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy ( https://www.quantum.gov/nqco/ ). The NQCO ensures coordination of the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) and QIS activities across the federal government, industry, and academia. Dr. Tahan is on detail from the Laboratory for Physical Sciences ( https://www.lps.umd.edu/ ) where he drove technical progress in the future of information technology as Technical Director. Research at LPS spans computing, communications, and sensing, from novel device physics to high-performance computer architectures. As a technical lead, Dr. Tahan stood up new research initiatives in silicon and superconducting quantum computing; quantum characterization, verification, and validation; and new and emerging qubit science and technology. As a practicing physicist, he is Chief of the intramural QIS research programs at LPS and works with students and postdocs from the University of Maryland-College Park to conduct original research in quantum information and device theory. His contributions have been recognized by the Researcher of the Year Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, election as a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and as an ODNI Science and Technology Fellow. He continues to serve as Chief Scientist of LPS. Dr. Tahan earned a PhD in Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2005 and a B.Sc. in Physics and Computer Science with Highest Honors from the College of William & Mary in 2000. From 2005-2007 he was a National Science Foundation Distinguished International Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, UK; the Center for Quantum Computing Technology, Australia; and the University of Tokyo, Japan. He served as chief technical consultant for quantum information science and technology programs in DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) while at Booz Allen Hamilton from 2007-2009. He has a long-term commitment to science and society including creating one of the first games meant to build intuition about quantum computing.
Dr. Aysha Akhtar, MD, MPH ( https://ayshaakhtar.com/ ) is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences ( https://contemporarysciences.org/ ), which is catalyzing the replacement of unreliable animal testing with more effective human-specific research techniques. As a double Board-certified neurologist and preventive medicine/public health specialist, she is on a mission to educate the world and demonstrate how there is a mutual benefit to both humans and animals when animals are protected. A U.S veteran, Dr. Akhtar previously served as Deputy Director of the U.S. Army Traumatic Brain Injury Program developing the Army’s brain injury prevention and treatment strategies for soldiers, and as a Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Akhtar frequently deployed to assist with national public health emergencies. For a decade, Dr. Akhtar was a Medical Officer at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), most recently in the Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats, implementing studies on vaccine effectiveness and safety and using her Top Secret Security clearance to develop national preparedness strategies for public health threats. She is published in peer-reviewed journals including Lancet, Pediatrics, Journal of Public Health Policy and Reviews in the Neurosciences. Dr. Akhtar is a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. She is the author of the two books, Our Symphony With Animals. On Health, Empathy, and Our Shared Destinies and Animals and Public Health, which argues for the need for health institutions to include animals as part of the “public” in public health. Dr. Akhtar is a graduate of the Eastern Virginia Medical School. She subsequently completed her general medicine internship at Washington Hospital Center and her neurology and preventive medicine residencies at the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill. She received her Masters in Public Health at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, where she focused on bioethics.
Dr. Paul-Peter Tak, M.D., Ph.D., FMedSci ( https://www.candeltx.com/our-team/paul-peter-tak-m-d-ph-d-fmedsci/ ), is President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Candel Therapeutics, a biotech company developing and commercializing novel viral immunotherapies to induce immunogenic cell death in cancer cells at the site of injection, with a focus on unmasking tumor neo-antigens within an activated microenvironment, leading to a systemic, durable immune response against the tumor, with the potential to change disease outcomes across a variety of indications. Dr. Tak received his medical degree cum laude from the Free University in Amsterdam and was trained as an internist, rheumatologist and immunologist at Leiden University Medical Center, where he also received his Ph.D. Dr. Tak has been Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego as well as Professor of Medicine and founding Chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at the Academic Medical Center/University Medical Center Amsterdam, during this time, where he founded Arthrogen b.v., a biotech company focused on gene therapy. Dr. Tak has published over 580 papers in peer-reviewed journals, received numerous awards, and been elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (U.K.). Dr. Tak previously served as Senior Vice President, Chief Immunology Officer, and Global Development Leader at GlaxoSmithKline from 2011 to 2018 where he oversaw a cluster of Therapy Area Units including Dermatology, Immuno-Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Oncology, where he oversaw the creation of a portfolio of new medicines. He was also the President and CEO of Tempero Pharmaceuticals, which was integrated into GSK in 2015. From 2018 to 2020, Dr. Tak served as venture partner at Flagship Pioneering and also as President and CEO of Kintai Therapeutics (Senda Biosciences). In addition, he has served as board director of Galvani Bioelectronics, ViiV Healthcare, and Omega Therapeutics. Currently, he is also on the Board of Sitryx Therapeutics (co-founder), Levicept, and Citryll. He is a 2021 PharmaVOICE100 honoree (100 most inspiring people in life sciences). Dr. Tak has also been a member of the Scientific Advisory Boards of Index Life VI and Medicxi Ventures funds.
The University Kidney Research Organization ( UKRO - https://ukrocharity.org/ ) is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit charity, co-founded prominent entertainment attorney Kenneth Kleinberg, inspired by his personal journey with kidney disease, focused on supporting medical research and education related to the causes, treatment, and eradication of all forms of kidney disease. Dr. Andrew McMahon, Ph.D. ( https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/andrew-p-mcmahon/ ) is Director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Provost Professor and the inaugural holder of the W. M. Keck Professorship of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and is responsible for overseeing UKRO's Synthetic Kidney Project. In addition, Dr. McMahon chairs the recently created Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the Keck School. He also holds an appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. Previously Dr. McMahon served as professor in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and principal faculty member in the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, as well as led the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the Roche Institute for Molecular Biology. Dr. McMahon received his bachelor’s degree from St. Peter’s College, Oxford University and his Ph.D. from University College in London. He subsequently worked for three years as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. Lewis Kleinberg, a board member of UKRO and son of Kenneth Kleinberg, is a writer/producer who has written, developed and produced projects for Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, New Regency, 21st Century Fox, TNT, Anonymous Content, BBC Productions, Renegade 83, Kapital Entertainment, and USA Network, among others, and currently creates and produces films for UKRO’s website, media outreach, and benefit dinners. A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he serves as an advisor to Donate Life Hollywood and as a mentor for USC’s Compass program, which supports undergraduate students pursuing careers in regenerative medicine.
H.E. Salem Humaid Al Marri, is Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC), in Dubai, UAE, which is an advanced scientific and technological hub, responsible for making the UAE a world leader in space services and exploration. Established in 2006, MBRSC started out with five engineers but since then, the center has significantly expanded on a journey to be the incubator of the UAE National Space Program, building, developing, and operating a number of Earth observation satellites, providing imaging services and analysis, as well as producing relevant data to scientific communities and research centers around the world. Among the satellites that the center operates are DubaiSat-1 & DubaiSat-2. The MBRSC is also responsible for KhalifaSat, celebrated as the first satellite that was fully built by Emiratis in 2018. Recently, the center revealed its plan to develop the new satellite MBZ-SAT, which is expected to be launched at the end of 2023 and to be the latest in the field of high-resolution imaging from outer space. Mr. Al Marri’s role is centered on ensuring that the vision and mission of MBRSC are achieved through the different technical and scientific programs being run at the Center and has previously held the same position at the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) before it was integrated into the Center. He is currently overseeing the expansion of the Center in different scientific and technical fields along with the center's continued development in the space field, and working towards ensuring all initiatives at MBRSC serve the stakeholders with useful value added services, with one of his major goals ensuring the achievement of domestic satellite development through Emirati engineers. Mr. Al Marri’s has over 10 years experience in the Space Field, was part of the team which setup EIAST and MBRSC, was formally the Director of the Space Program Department at (EIAST), and he was the Project Manager for MBRSC’s earlier satellite projects DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2.
Colonel Alex Cann serves as both Chief Instructor, Ghana Military Academy and Operations and Training Staff Officer, Headquarters Central Command, Ghana Army, as well as a Research Fellow, Africa Research Institute, Doctoral School on Security and Safety Sciences, Obuda University. Colonel Cann has over 20 years of military experience with extensive backgrounds in Leadership, Security Policy, Operations Management, Humanitarian Operations, Program Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, Training, And Conflict, Crisis & Security Management. His extensive, management and leadership experience and positions on national and international United Nation missions has equipped him with a variety critical problem-solving skills. Colonel Cann is also a professional security management specialist, a certified protection professional, Senior Consultant for United Nations Institute for Training and Research’s Multilateral Diplomacy Program, a member and Subject Matter Expert for the International Association of Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP) Program, and a member of ASIS International, an American professional security management group with about 40,000 members. Colonel Cann previously has served in a wide variety assignments including as Chief Military Training and Evaluation Officer of UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali; led the operational, logistics, and administrative efficiency of Ghanaian troops UN peacekeepers in South Sudan; led an international team of commissioned Officers to monitor and report cease fire violations in a remote village in Democratic Republic of Congo; served as Director of Army Peacekeeping Operations, Army Headquarters in the Ghana Army. Colonel Cann has studied at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration with a focus on Public Administration and Defense and Conflict studies, the Ghana Military Academy, with a focus on Military Operational Art and Science Studies, has an MBA in Finance from University of Leicester, and is currently completing his PhD, with a focus on Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
Ilana Golant is the Founder and CEO of The Food Allergy Fund ( https://foodallergyfund.org/ ) a leading nonprofit dedicated to funding food allergy research, with a focus on identifying underlying causes, discovering new therapeutics, and improving the lives of all people living with food allergies, and through their ground-breaking research and unique thought leadership summits, accelerating innovation to find solutions. Ms. Golant is a marketing and PR executive, an attorney, and a former government official, as well as a mother of a child with food allergies. Ms. Golant has extensive experience working with media organizations, academic institutions, and Fortune 100 clients. She has held executive roles at WPP, the world’s largest advertising and PR conglomerate, as well as at NBCUniversal, specifically working with CNBC, MSNBC, and NBC News. Prior to joining NBCU, Ms. Golant was an attorney-advisor in the Office of Financial Stability at the U.S. Department of Treasury and an attorney at Mayer Brown LLP. She received her B.A. from Columbia University and her J.D. from the New York University School of Law.
Dr. Rovshan Muradov is the Secretary General of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center ( https://www.nizamiganjavi-ic.org/ ), a leading international cultural organization based in Baku, Azerbaijan, aimed at promoting Dialogue, Understanding, Learning and Tolerance across the globe. He is also a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Sciences, Board of Governance Member of the East West Bridge, and the driving force behind the huge success of the Baku International Forum which assembles dozens of current and former heads of state or government and hundreds of academicians from all over the world to help solve critical global issues. Born in 1987, Dr. Muradov studied at the State Economic University/Azerbaijan and graduated with a masters in International Economic Relations, and was later accepted for the doctorate program in political science. He also studied at Cambridge College Boston/USA, Sterling University Edinburgh/UK, and the University of Georgia Tbilisi. In 2007, Dr. Muradov was nominated to represent the Republic of Azerbaijan at the United Nations General Assembly as a youth delegate and the only delegate serving for the full 4-year term. He is also Founder of the first and the biggest Student Youth Organization in the Republic of Azerbaijan with 17,000 student members. Dr. Muradov also interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies, and State Committee on work with the Diaspora. He has lectured at the State Economic University, participated at international scientific conferences in Tbilisi, Bucharest, London, Istanbul, Alexandria and Warsaw, and has also published several books dedicated to the economic situation of Caucasus Region, and cultural and historical view on Azerbaijan. He worked as a Country coordinator, and later International Advisory Board Member, of the Youth Employment Summit International Organization based in Massachusetts, USA.
Dr. Ebere Okereke, MD is a highly respected public health physician, specializing in global health security and health system strengthening, who has dedicated her career and won awards for her work promoting women and under-represented groups in public health leadership. Dr. Okereke currently serves as a Senior Adviser in Health at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change ( https://www.institute.global/experts/ebere-okereke ), honorary senior public health adviser at Africa CDC, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, and is the incoming CEO of Africa Public Health Foundation ( https://aphf.africa/ ). Dr. Okereke is currently on a career break from Public Health England (now the UK Health Security Agency) where she led the UK-aid funded International Health Regulations strengthening project; a technical assistance project aimed at sustainably strengthening public health systems. Dr. Okereke is an experienced trainer, coach and mentor and was an honorary senior lecturer at the Leeds and Hull-York medical schools. Dr. Okereke is a graduate of the University of Nigeria College of Medicine and a Fellow of the UK Faculty of Public Health. Her journey in global health started at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) where she was first introduced to the field of communicable diseases and where she completed post-graduate work in International Health Consultancy. After leaving LSTM for the first time, Dr. Okereke joined the Public Health Specialty Training Program, where she trained across Northern England and became a consultant in communicable disease control. Her interests then took her to emergency preparedness, emerging and re-emerging infections, and zoonoses, ultimately leading her to Kenya where she worked for the International Rescue Committee.
Mariah Collins ( https://www.bridgespan.org/team-members/mariah-collins ) is a Partner at The Bridgespan Group, a global nonprofit, that strives to make the world more equitable and just. Since 2000, they have had the privilege of advising and collaborating with many of the world’s most extraordinary social change leaders including philanthropists, nonprofit and NGO leaders, and impact investors. The Bridgespan Group is passionate about helping social change leaders find solutions to economic and social barriers that perpetuate inequities and prevent individuals, families, and communities from having access to opportunities they need to thrive. They use rigorous research to gain insights that help clients solve problems and achieve their goals. Mariah leads Bridgespan’s Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning Area of Expertise and co-leads the Public Health Area of Expertise. She has experience working with philanthropists, donor collaboratives, foundations, nonprofits, and impact investors. With her philanthropy clients, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation, Mariah helped to design high-impact strategies (including many big bets), strengthen operations, set grantmaking priorities, determine impact targets, and identify potential grantees. Mariah’s nonprofit clients include Compass Working Capital, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Nurse-Family Partnership, and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. With these clients, she has primarily focused on growth strategy and measurement. Mariah recently published an article on how Nonprofits can Incorporate Equity into their Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning. Mariah’s impact investing clients include Texas Pacific Group’s (TPG) Rise Fund—where Bridgespan partnered to develop and deliver rigorous, quantitative impact underwriting, as detailed in Harvard Business Review’s “Calculating the Value of Impact Investing.” Mariah has also explored opportunities for family offices and high-net-worth individuals to get involved in "impact-first" forms of impact investing in the article “Back to the Frontier: Investing that Puts Impact First.” Mariah has a longstanding interest in the social determinants of health and co-authored “The Community Cure for Health Care” for Stanford Social Innovation Review and “Why Big Health Systems are Investing in Community Health” for Harvard Business Review online as well as “With the ACA Under Fire, Can Health Conversion Foundations Patch the Safety Net for Low-Income Americans” in Health Affairs Grantwatch Blog. Mariah holds a Master of Science degree from the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Brandeis University where she studied health policy/public health and environmental studies.
Dr. Heather Whitley, Ph.D. is Associate Program Director for High Energy Density Science ( https://heds-center.llnl.gov/ ), Weapons and Complex Integration Directorate, at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), where she is responsible for providing technical oversight and management of the design, execution, and analysis of experiments at the National Ignition Facility and other laser programs. Prior to this role, Dr. Whitley served as a detailee on assignment to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Defense Programs Office of Experimental Sciences. Dr. Whitley completed her graduate studies of quantum systems at the University of California, Berkeley with a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry, prior to joining LLNL as a postdoctoral researcher in September 2007. She was hired as a permanent staff member in August 2010 and was a recipient of the 2011 Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering. Her work at LLNL has broadly supported the physics data and modeling needs of nuclear warhead studies and high-energy density experiments. She was awarded the NNSA Defense Programs Award of Excellence twice in 2018.
Ambassador Dr. John-Arne Røttingen, MD, Ph.D. ( https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/people/john-arne-rottingen ) is Ambassador for Global Health, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway, and a Visiting Fellow of Practice, at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University. Ambassador Dr. Røttingen has previously served as the Chief Executive of the Research Council of Norway; the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI); Executive Director of Infection Control and Environmental Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health; founding Chief Executive of the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services; Professor of Health Policy at the Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo; and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. From 2020, Ambassador Dr. Røttingen also chaired the Executive Group and the International Steering Committee of the WHO Solidarity trial to compare four untested treatments for hospitalized people with severe COVID-19 illness. In early 2021, he was appointed by the G20 to the High Level Independent Panel (HLIP) on financing the global commons for pandemic preparedness and response. That same year, he was also appointed to the Pandemic Preparedness Partnership (PPP), an expert group chaired to advise the G7 presidency. From mid-2021, he was part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator's Vaccine Manufacturing Working Group. Ambassador Dr. Røttingen received his MD and Ph.D. from the University of Oslo, an MSc from Oxford University and an MPA from Harvard University.
Dr. Andrea (Annie) Kritcher, Ph.D. is a nuclear engineer and physicist who works at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ( https://www.llnl.gov/ ). She is the design lead of the HYBRID-E capsule technology within Lawrence Livermore’s Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program, and is a member of the ICF leadership team and lead designer for shot N210808, at their National Ignition Facility, a recent experiment that heralded a significant step towards a fusion break-even target. She was elected Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2022. Dr. Kritcher was first employed at Lawrence Livermore as a summer intern in 2004, as an LLNL Lawrence Scholar during her time at UC Berkeley, where she earned a master's degree and doctorate in nuclear engineering, and as a Lawrence postdoctoral fellow in 2009 following completion of her Ph.D. During her postdoctoral appointment she explored using X-rays to measure the properties of warm and hot dense matter (plasma), and measuring how nuclei interact with dense plasma. In 2012, Dr. Kritcher became a member of scientific staff and now serves as team lead for integrated implosion modeling and is a group leader within the design physics division at LLNL. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a federally funded research and development center in Livermore, California, United States. Originally established in 1952, the laboratory now is sponsored by the United States Department of Energy. Its principal responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons through the application of advanced science, engineering, and technology. The laboratory also applies its special expertise and multidisciplinary capabilities towards preventing the proliferation and use of weapons of mass destruction, bolstering homeland security, and solving other nationally important problems, including energy and environmental needs, scientific research and outreach, and economic competitiveness.
Dr. Michael Nestor, Ph.D., is Board Director, of the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable ( GUIRR - https://www.nationalacademies.org/guirr/about ), within the Policy and Global Affairs Division, at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The GUIRR is charged with improving the research enterprise of the United States by successfully resolving the cross-sectoral issues that prevent the U.S. research enterprise from reaching its full potential. This mission is achieved by convening senior-most representatives from government, universities, and industry to frame the critical issues, followed – when appropriate – by the execution of activities designed to address specific cross-sectoral impediments to achieving a healthy, vibrant research enterprise. GUIRR provides a unique forum for dialogue among top government, university and industry leaders of the national science and technology enterprise. Prior to this role at NAS, Dr. Nestor was a Scientific Engagement Lead at Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS in Washington, D.C. where he was responsible for external scientific engagement with regional academic research institutions, start-ups, investment partners, and portfolio management, sourcing and evaluating innovative companies with the aim to foster a productive life science ecosystem and bring value to the pipeline of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Dr. Nestor received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from The University of Maryland, School of Medicine, and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the National Institutes of Health and The New York Stem Cell Foundation, where he was also a Staff Scientist. He was also an NIH Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (IRACDA) Fellow at Rutgers University, focused on teaching in minority-serving institutions and helping increase the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in science. Dr. Nestor was also Director of Neural Stem Cell Research at The Hussman Institute for Autism where he led his own lab studying autism by creating brain organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells. His lab developed a multiplexed high-throughput CRISPR and drug-screening platform. Dr. Nestor also served as Co-Chair of the Neural Stem Cell Working Group at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine and as a venture advisor to the UM Momentum Fund and the Abell Foundation. Further, he was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Science at The Department of Energy (DOE). At the DOE, he was focused on synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, and biosecurity initiatives. He also launched his own human stem cell consulting company, Synapstem. Dr. Nestor's book, "Anticipatory Ethics and The Use of CRISPR in Humans" was published in 2022.
Dr Emily Osborne, Ph.D. ( https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/people/emily-osborne/ ) is a Research Scientist, in the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. The Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), a federal research laboratory, is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), located in Miami in the United States. AOML's research spans tropical cyclone and hurricanes, coastal ecosystems, oceans and human health, climate studies, global carbon systems, and ocean observations. It is one of ten NOAA Research Laboratories. With a B.S. in Geology from the College of Charleston and a Ph.D. in Marine Science from University of South Carolina, Dr. Osborne is currently involved in investigating regional and global biogeochemical issues related to ocean health and climate through the use of a combination of paleoceanographic approaches, new autonomous sensors, and conventional measurements on large multi-disciplinary oceanographic cruises. Paleoceanography is the study of the history of the oceans in the geologic past with regard to circulation, chemistry, biology, geology and patterns of sedimentation and biological productivity. Paleoceanographic studies using environment models and different proxies enable the scientific community to assess the role of the oceanic processes in the global climate by the re-construction of past climate at various intervals.
Dr. Namandjé Bumpus, Ph.D. is U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Chief Scientist ( https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/namandje-bumpus ). The Office of the Chief Scientist supports the research foundation, science, and innovation that underpins the FDA’s regulatory mission. It does this through a broad framework that encompasses scientific collaborations, laboratory safety, the transfer of FDA inventions to the private sector, scientific integrity in FDA policy- and decision-making, the professional development of regulatory scientists, and its core research component—the FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research—which generates the vital data that the FDA requires for its regulatory decision-making and development of sound regulatory policy. Before joining the FDA, Dr. Bumpus was the E.K. Marshall and Thomas H. Maren Professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She served previously as associate dean for basic research in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Bumpus’ research has focused on drug metabolism, pharmacogenetics, bioanalytical chemistry, and infectious disease pharmacology. Dr. Bumpus joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins in 2010 as an assistant professor. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Occidental College in 2003, a doctorate in pharmacology at the University of Michigan in 2007 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular and experimental medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA in 2010. Dr. Bumpus currently serves as president-elect of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. She previously served as chair of the NIH Xenobiotic and Nutrient Disposition and Action study section. Her many honors include the Leon I. Goldberg Award from the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, the James Gillette Award from the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics, the John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on early career scientists and engineers. Dr. Bumpus is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She became a Member of the National Academy of Medicine, Class of 2022, one of the highest honors in the fields of health, science and medicine.
The Honorable Dr. Aminata Touré, Ph.D., is a 2024 Presidential Candidate, of the Republic of Senegal, and Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal; the second female to hold that position. Dr. Touré also served as Justice Minister of Senegal where she was heavily focused on anti-corruption campaigns, and was a special envoy of President Macky Sall for Internal and External Affairs. She has led several Presidential election observation missions including in Mauritius, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Kenya, where she co-led the first round of the election observation mission on behalf of the Carter Center with then-US Secretary of State, John Kerry. She has also held the position of Harvard Kennedy School Fisher Family Fellow with the Future of Diplomacy Project. Additionally Dr. Touré was Director of the Gender and Human Rights World Department of the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) in New York, Senior Adviser at UNFPA Headquarters in New York, UNFPA Senior Adviser in Côte d’Ivoire, and UNFPA Senior Adviser in Burkina Faso. Dr. Touré is passionate about areas including Economic Development, Good Governance, and Gender. Dr. Touré is fluent in English, French and Wolof, has led more than 30 UNFPA worldwide publications, and holds a PhD in International Business Administration and Finance from the International School of Management ISM in New York and Paris. She also studied in France, where she obtained a MBA from University of Dijon Business School, France and a Master Degree in Economics from Aix Marseille II University.
Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Earthna (https://www.earthna.qa/about-us), a sustainability center established by the Qatar Foundation ( https://www.qf.org.qa/ ), and is an ecologist recognized as a global leader in the promotion of sustainability, with emphasis on innovative free market solutions to environmental issues. Prior to joining Earthna / Qatar Foundation, Dr. Castro de la Mata was the managing director for External Affairs with Pluspetrol, the largest private gas and oil company in Latin America. From 2014 to 2018, he was the chairman of the World Bank's Inspection Panel in Washington, where he ensured compliance with the Bank’s environmental and social standards. He was also the founder of Ecosystem Services LLC and the managing director of Sustainable Forestry Management (SFM) for the Americas. Prior to that, Dr. Castro de la Mata was the head of Biodiversity at the Global Environment Facility in Washington, the largest source of funds to address global environmental challenges, and a Lead Environmental Specialist at the World Bank in Washington. Dr. Castro de la Mata has been involved in the founding of leading international conservation organizations, including Wetlands for the Americas (today Wetlands International) and American Bird Conservancy. He has served as a member of the Accreditation Panel at the Green Climate Fund, as chair of the US Ex-Im Bank’s Independent Advisory Panel on Development Issues in South-Central Peru, and as a high-level international expert engaged by the United Nations to assess the social end ecological impacts of the Barro Blanco Dam in Panama. In 2021, he was appointed as a Counselor of Honor for the Supervisory Council of Wetlands International, and as a member of the Independent Oversight Advisory Committee of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for the period 2022 to 2024. Dr. Castro de la Mata has appeared in numerous publications in topics related to ecology, environment, mining, oil and gas, and sustainable development, and is a regular editorial contributor to El Comercio in Lima, Peru, and Diario Altavoz. He has published over 250 articles in scientific journals, magazines, and book chapters. He is the author of two books. Dr. Castro de la Mata received a Ph.D. in ecology and population biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988, and M.Sc. in Biophysics (1985) and B.Sc. in Biology (1983) degrees from Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru.
Dr. Keith Sumption, Ph.D. is Chief Veterinary Officer and Leader of the Animal Health Program at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO - https://www.fao.org/home/en ) as well as their Director of the Joint Centre for Zoonoses and Anti-Microbial Resistance (CJWZ). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is an international organization that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. The FAO comprises 195 members and helps governments and development agencies coordinate their activities to improve and develop agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources. It also conducts research, provides technical assistance to projects, operates educational and training programs, and collects agricultural output, production, and development data. Dr. Sumption has worked on disease ecology at the interaction of wildlife, domestic and the environment for more than 30 years. Dr. Sumption holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Reading, gained following 3 years of field and molecular epidemiology research upon African Swine Fever in southern Africa, and veterinary medicine (Vet.MB) and Natural Sciences degrees from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Dr. Sumption has served as Executive Secretary of European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), where he has been responsible for developing strategy, negotiating funding and managing implementation of the Commission's work programs, which now involve over 80 countries, and reports to the member states of the Commission and FAO Regional Conference and Department (AGD) for progress. Prior to FAO, Dr. Sumption was a research group leader and Master’s program Coordinator at the Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine (CTVM), University of Edinburgh, managing projects on African high impact tick borne and contagious diseases including heartwater , theilerioses, mycoplasmoses (CBPP and CCPP), and viral Transboundary Animal Diseases TADS (rinderpest , PPR and sheep and goat pox) and as a seconded technical officer to the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), leading work to define demand and impact of research at the primary animal health care level in Kenya, for almost 2 years.
Joel Greshock is VP, Oncology, Data Science & Digital Health, Janssen Research & Development ( https://www.janssen.com/oncology/leadership-team ). In this position, he is responsible for creating unique and actionable medical insights using large and increasingly available datasets. The focus of this research includes discovering novel therapeutic targets, identifying areas of unmet medical need, and enhancing clinical trial recruitment and execution. Prior to joining Janssen R&D, Joel served as Vice President of Bioinformatics at Neon Therapeutics, Inc., where he built and managed the Data Sciences organization. At Neon, he was responsible for the design and deployment of personalized cancer therapies now under clinical evaluation. Prior to joining Neon, Joel served as Head of Oncology Translational Informatics for Novartis, where he was responsible for the correlation of patient outcomes with molecular biomarkers, identification of mechanisms of clinical resistance and computational research for assets approaching or being evaluated in early phases of development. Before joining Novartis, Joel assumed numerous roles for GlaxoSmithKline Oncology, which included Head of Bioinformatics. Earlier in his career, Joel was a Data Analyst at Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, where he built early generation microarray platforms and developed widely used predictive models for cancer predisposition mutations. Joel holds a Bachelor of Science in Comprehensive Science and a Master of Science in Biology/Biostatistics, both from Villanova University. He also completed studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University in Statistics and Computer Science.
Dr. Sadid Hasan, Ph.D. ( http://sadidhasan.com/ ), is AI Lead at Microsoft, and member of the leadership team in Microsoft's AI Development Acceleration Program (MAIDAP) at the Microsoft New England Research & Development (NERD AI) center ( https://www.microsoftnewengland.com/maidap/ ). Dr. Hasan leads teams to drive the state-of-the-art in AI by developing advanced AI capabilities, products, and solutions applicable across the enterprise, as well as growing the next generation of AI leaders who can make a transformational impact to the world. Previously, Dr. Hasan was an Executive Director of AI at CVS Health, where he led the team responsible for AI-based clinical care planning initiatives. Prior to that, he was a Senior Scientist and Technical Lead of the AI Group at Philips Research North America, where he focused on solving various Natural Language Processing (NLP) problems such as Clinical Information Extraction, Clinical Question Answering, Natural Language Inference, Paraphrase Generation, and Medical Image Caption Generation using Deep Learning. Before joining Philips, Dr. Hasan was an NSERC-Engage Post Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Lethbridge, Canada, from where he obtained his PhD. in Computer Science with a specialization in NLP and Machine Learning. Dr. Hasan has over 12 granted patents along with 35+ patents pending, and 80+ peer-reviewed publications in top-tier NLP/Machine Learning venues, where he also regularly serves in the program committees, including ACL, EMNLP, COLING, NeurIPS, ICML, IJCAI, AAAI, ICLR, NAACL, EACL, JAIR, AI Journal, Nature etc.
Dr. Joseph Dituri, Ph.D., DMT, CDR - US Navy (ret) is a retired Navy Diving Saturation Officer, who after 28 years of service to the U.S., went back to school to earn a PhD in Biomedical Engineering ( https://drdeepsea.com/ ) from the University of South Florida, with the goal of performing research in the field of hyperbaric medicine ( https://underseaoxygenclinic.com/ ), to address not just diving related maladies, but also for the development of breakthrough treatments in the areas of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), as well as the related symptoms of PTSD, depression, and long-term mental and physical impairments. Dr. Dituri is the author of numerous diver-training manuals, a co-author of the book “Tao of Survival Underwater”, a contributing author to Hyperbaric Medical Practice (4th edition) and the Navy Diving Manual. Dr. Dituri has been published in several journals including those by the American Society of Naval Engineers and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. As a Director of the International Board of Undersea Medicine, and in partnership with the Marine Resources Development Foundation Marine Lab, Dr. Dituri has just embarked on a fascinating 100-day adventure in the Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, FL. Called the Neptune 100 Day Undersea Mission, the work Dr. Dituri is undertaking will further medical research, ocean conservation, and technical development. Dr. Dituri also has a recently released novel entitled "Secrets in Depth".
Michelle Catts is the Senior Vice President of Nuclear Programs at GE-Hitachi ( GEH - https://nuclear.gepower.com/ ) located in Wilmington, NC. Ms. Catts has over 18 years of demonstrated managerial and technical expertise in nuclear Regulatory Affairs and currently is responsible for ensuring world-class Quality, Continuous Improvement, Regulatory Affairs, and oversight of Environment, Health & Safety programs. She manages a multimillion-dollar budget and over a 30-member organization. She provides licensing and quality leadership and guidance to support nuclear fuel facility licensing, current nuclear fleet fuel reload/outage licensing activities, new reactor and new fuel opportunities, Technical Regulations and Standards, and GE-Hitachis’s Vallecitos and Morris sites. Prior to joining GE-Hitachi, Ms. Catts worked for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) where she held positions of increasing responsibility including as a nuclear reactor inspector stationed onsite at nuclear power plants up to the Policy Advisor to the Presidential Appointed NRC Chairman. Ms. Catts holds a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University and is currently working on her MBA at UNCW. Ms. Catts is also on the board of Smart Start of New Hanover County, an organization that seeks to build bridges to develop, sustain and enhance health, family support and early education services for all children, ages birth to five.
Commander Dr. Jean-Paul Chretien, MD, Ph.D. ( https://www.darpa.mil/staff/cdr-jean-paul-chretien ) is a Program Manager in the Biological Technology Office at DARPA, where his research interests include disease and injury prevention, operational medicine, and biothreat countermeasures. He is also responsible for running the DARPA Triage Challenge ( https://triagechallenge.darpa.mil/ ). Prior to coming to DARPA, CDR Dr. Chretien led the Pandemic Warning Team at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s National Center for Medical Intelligence, and as a naval medical officer, his previous assignments include senior policy advisor for biodefense in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; team lead for Innovation & Evaluation at the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch; and director of force health protection for U.S. and NATO forces in southwestern Afghanistan. A proud mentor to nine graduate students and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) fellows, CDR Dr. Chretien received the Rising Star Award from the American College of Preventive Medicine, Best Publication of the Year Award from the International Society for Disease Surveillance, and Skelton Award for Public Service from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and 10 book chapters. CDR Dr. Chretien earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the United States Naval Academy, Master of Health Science in biostatistics and Doctor of Philosophy in genetic epidemiology degrees from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in general preventive medicine at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and fellowship in health sciences informatics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Ph.D. is the Chief Scientist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations ( https://www.fao.org/about/leadership/elouafi ). The FAO is an organization that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Dr. Elouafi leads the scientific mission of the organization, advocating for diversifying into neglected and underutilized crops, promoting use of non-fresh water in agriculture, rethinking food systems as a whole, and empowerment of women in science ( https://www.fao.org/science-technology-and-innovation/en ). From 2012 until her appointment at FAO, Dr. Elouafi was Director General at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture based in the United Arab Emirates. In this role, she spearheaded the development and implementation of the center’s long-term strategy and expanded its mandate to marginal environments, an agroecosystem concept which she helped to mainstream in the global research and development discourse. Dr. Elouafi had previously held senior scientific and leadership positions, including Senior Adviser to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Branch in Ottawa, Canada (2006-2007); the National Manager of Plant Research Section (2007-2010); and Director of Research Management and Partnerships Division at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (2010-2012). Dr. Elouafi had also worked as a scientist with several international research organizations, including the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. Dr. Elouafi has been a member of various strategy expert panels and advisory groups, including with the Global Commission on Adaptation and HarvestPlus. Dr. Elouafi sits on the boards of the International Food Policy Research Institute, the USA; the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, the UK; and the Professional Development Institute, Canada. Dr. Elouafi is also a member of the Scientific Group for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) System Management Board. Dr. Elouafi's contributions to science and policy have been recognized with a number of prestigious awards and accolades, including the National Reward Medal by His Majesty Mohamed VI, the King of Morocco (2014), and the Excellence in Science Award from the Global Thinkers Forum (2014). Dr. Elouafi holds a B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences (1993) and an M.Sc. in Genetics and Plant Breeding (1995) from the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Morocco, and a Ph.D. in Genetics (2001) from the University of Cordoba, Spain.
Dr. Moupali Das, MD, MPH, is Executive Director, HIV Clinical Research, in the Virology Therapeutic Area, at Gilead Sciences ( https://www.gilead.com/ ) , where she leads the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) clinical drug development program, including evaluating the safety and efficacy of a long-acting, twice yearly, subcutaneous injection being studied for HIV prevention. Her responsibilities also include expanding the populations who may benefit from PrEP. Dr. Das has led high-performing teams in academic medicine, public health, implementation science, and cross-functionally in drug development. She has successfully helped develop, implement, and evaluate how to better test, link to care, increase virologic suppression, and improve quality of life for people with HIV, and to prevent HIV in those who may benefit from PrEP. During the COVID19 pandemic, Dr. Das assisted her colleagues in the COVID-19 treatment program, leading the evaluation of a COVID-19 treatment for use in pregnant women and children from the compassionate use program. After completing her undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard College, medical school and internal medicine residency training at Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Das came to University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) for fellowship training in Infectious Diseases and to University of California, Berkeley for her MPH in Epidemiology. She cared for HIV patients at San Francisco General’s storied Ward 86 clinic and attended on the inpatient ID Consult Service. She is recognized internally and externally for her expertise in epidemiology, public health, advocacy, and community engagement. Prior to joining Gilead, Dr. Das developed a novel population-based indicator, community viral load (CVL), to evaluate the impact of treatment as prevention. Her CVL research was the basis for using viral suppression to evaluate the effectiveness of President Barack Obama’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy. She also served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on Data Systems for Monitoring HIV/AIDS care. Dr. Das has authored over 60 manuscripts, presented at scientific conferences, policy forums, and for community and advocacy organizations. Her publications have been highly cited and garnered significant press coverage including in The New York Times and Nature. Dr. Das appears in her personal capacity and any views expressed are her own.
Dr. Felicia Goodrum, Ph.D. ( https://profiles.arizona.edu/person/fgoodrum ) is Interim Associate Department Head and Professor of Immunobiology, as well as Professor, BIO5 Institute, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cancer Biology And Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, at the University of Arizona. Dr. Goodrum earned her Ph.D. from Wake Forest University School of Medicine studying cell cycle restrictions to adenovirus replication and then trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University in the laboratory of Dr. Thomas Shenk studying human cytomegalovirus latency. Dr. Goodrum joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in 2006, and her long-standing research focus is to understand the molecular virus-host interactions important to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) latency and persistence in the host. She has focused on identifying viral and host determinants mediating the switch between latent and replicative states. The goal of her research program is to define the mechanistic underpinnings of HCMV latency and reactivation to lay the foundation for clinical interventions to control CMV disease in all settings. Dr. Goodrum is the recipient of the Howard Temin Award from the National Cancer Institute, the Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences Award, and the Presidential Award for Early Career Scientists and Engineers.
Dr. Doug Ethell, Ph.D. is Founder and CEO at Leucadia Therapeutics ( https://www.leucadiatx.com/ ), a pre-clinical-stage company focused on diagnosing, treating and curing Alzheimer's disease. Leucadia's proprietary Arethusta® medical device is designed to restore the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the cribriform plate to flush toxins away from the part of the brain where Alzheimer's disease first appears. The company also recently launched eight Apps that help exercise memory and cognition, including a personalized memory tracker called ProCogny ( www.procogny.com ). ProCogny allows users to play memory-intensive puzzles and games, daily Brain Boost collections of mini-puzzles, and a non-clinical version of the Leucadia Memory Test. Dr. Ethell received a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, was a Human Frontiers of Science Long Term Fellow at The Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry in Munich, a Staff Scientist at The Scripps Research Institute and La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, and a faculty member at the University of California Riverside. In 2017, Dr. Ethell was Professor of Neuroscience, Chair of Graduate Faculty, and Head of Molecular Neurobiology at The Western Univ of Health Sciences before joining Leucadia Therapeutics full-time. He has published more than 85 peer-reviewed articles and presentation abstracts. In 2020 Dr. Ethell published a novel: "Remembering Apples: A race to cure Alzheimer's disease" ( https://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Apples-race-Alzheimers-disease/dp/1735106607 ).
Diogo Rau is Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer of Eli Lilly and Company ( https://www.lilly.com/leadership/executive-committee/diogo-rau ) where he leads Lilly’s information technology, cybersecurity, digital health, and advanced analytics and data science functions. Mr. Rau also serves as Chair of PrescriberPoint ( https://prescriberpoint.com/ ), a digital marketplace, which Lilly was a seed investor in, where healthcare providers can find all of the resources and support they need in one place to get their patients on therapy, for any medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or approved for over-the-counter use. Mr. Rau joined Lilly in May 2021. Prior to joining Lilly, he led information technology for retail and online stores at Apple, Inc. During his 10 years at Apple, he led the development and implementation of the technology supporting the Apple Online Store and Apple retail stores, including the e-commerce platform, mobile point of sale, the Apple Store App and systems used by store team members. Prior to joining Apple, Mr. Rau was a partner with McKinsey & Company, where he led the North America IT organization and governance practice. Mr. Rau began his career as a consultant at A.T. Kearney and later founded GiftGateway, a software company that brought rewards and recognition online. Mr. Rau graduated from Stanford University with a bachelors degree in computer science and a masters degree in industrial engineering and engineering management.
Dr. Jiangying Zhou, Ph.D. currently serves as Associate Director, Raytheon BBN ( https://www.raytheonintelligenceandspace.com/what-we-do/bbn ), an advanced technology research and development organization, part of the Raytheon Intelligence and Space division of Raytheon Technologies Corporation, an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate. Raytheon BBN has been on the forefront of innovation for more than 70 years, involved in the early days of ARPANET, the first email, and the first metro network protected by quantum cryptography, and have been active in solving critical problems from undersea to deep space. Prior to her current role, Dr. Zhou was a DARPA program manager in the Defense Sciences Office where her areas of research included machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) exploitation technologies. Prior to joining DARPA, Dr. Zhou was a senior engineering manager in the Information Sciences Division at Teledyne Scientific and Imaging, LLC. During her more than ten-year tenure at Teledyne, Dr. Zhou worked on many contract R&D programs from U.S. government funding agencies as well as commercial customers in the areas of sensor exploitation, signal and image processing, and pattern recognition. Dr. Zhou also served as director of R&D of Summus Inc., a small start-up company specializing in contract engineering projects for U.S. Department of Defense and commercial customers in the areas of video and image compression, pattern recognition, and computer vision. Dr. Zhou began her career as a scientist at Panasonic Technologies, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, where she conducted research in the areas of document analysis, handwriting recognition, image analysis, and information retrieval. Dr. Zhou received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science, both in computer science, from Fudan University. She received a doctorate in electrical engineering from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr. Zhou is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Society and also a member of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon international honor society for the computing and information disciplines.
Michael D. Poisel, MS, MBA is Executive Director of PCI Ventures ( https://pci.upenn.edu/entrepreneurs/pci-ventures/ ), a division of the Penn Center for Innovation, specifically focused on creating early-stage businesses founded on University of Pennsylvania technologies. He is responsible for managing PCI Ventures, including transitioning technologies into start-up companies, assisting the principal investigators with funding strategies including grant applications, as well as mentoring the developing companies. Prior to UPenn, Mr. Poisel made investments in enterprise software and business services for NewSpring Capital, Apax Partners and GE Capital spanning more than ten years in private equity. He began his career in manufacturing operations for General Electric/Lockheed Martin and participated in the successful completion of several commercial and government satellite programs. Mr. Poisel graduated with honors in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, holds an M.S. in Systems Engineering from The Moore School of Engineering of the University of Pennsylvania, and has an M.B.A. in finance and entrepreneurial management from The Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Poisel also serves as the CEO of PCI Ventures spin-out PhylloPharma ( https://www.phyllopharmallc.com/ ), a company developing a novel plant-based technology platform for cost-effective and shelf-stable therapeutic protein delivery. Dr. Andreea-Madalina Serban, MD, Ph.D. ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X8ruFBsAAAAJ&hl=en ) is the Chief Operating Officer of PhylloPharma. Dr. Serban is Medical Doctor specialized in Paediatric Surgery, with a medical degree and Ph.D. from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest Romania. Dr. Serban also has a Master's degree in Business Administration - Behavioral Economics from University of Bucharest, a Master of Science - MS, Genetics, from Université Paris Cité, and did Masters Research, Surgical Sciences- Regeneration, Replacement and Tissue Repair, from Paris-Sud University (Paris XI).
Dr. Abdelali Haoudi, Ph.D. ( https://kaimrc-biotech.org.sa/dr-abdelali-haoudi/ ) currently leads Strategy and Business Development functions, and is also Managing Director of the Biotechnology Park, at King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. He is also Distinguished Scholar at Harvard University-Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Haoudi is an international Research & Development and Innovation Executive with over 25 years experience, having held several senior positions in Research and Development and Innovation. He has vast experience in science and technology policy development, strategy and business development, corporate development and international partnerships development. Dr. Haoudi has held several senior and prestigious positions in the academia, government and private sectors globally, including North America, North Africa, Europe and Middle East. Some of the key positions include Founding Vice President for Research, Executive Director for Biomedical Research Institute, and Chairman, at the National Research Fund at Qatar Foundation. Dr. Haoudi was also Research Professor of cancer and infectious diseases at the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School and a fellow of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). He has held several other positions in elite research and education institutions including Visiting Professor at Harvard Medical School (USA) and a fellow at Institute Pasteur (France). Dr. Haoudi is an elected member of Hassan II Academy for Science and Technology since 2006. He graduated from University Paris XI and Paris VI, France in 1996 with a doctoral degree in cellular and molecular genetics. Dr. Haoudi received executive education from Harvard Business School in Corporate Management and Strategy and received multiple awards including Fogarty International Award. He has published numerous peer-reviewed international research publications and served as Founding Editor-In-Chief for the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology.
Ms. Loyce Pace, MPH, is Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs (OGA), at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ( https://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/loyce-pace.html ). In her current role, Ms. Pace is responsible for advancing the U.S. international health agenda through multilateral and bilateral forums. Reporting directly to the Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS), she is the Office of Global Affairs’ lead on setting priorities and policies that promote American public health agencies and interests worldwide. Ms. Pace oversees HHS’ engagement with foreign governments and international institutions, as well policymaking bodies such as the G7, G20, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and World Health Assembly. Previously, she served as President & Executive Director of Global Health Council (GHC) and was also a member of the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. At GHC, she advocated for increased federal investments in global health, in the face of budget cuts to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, United States Agency for International Development, and World Health Organization (WHO). Prior to her role at GHC, Ms. Pace spent over a decade working with community-based organizations and grassroots leaders in countries across Africa and Asia on campaigns calling for person-centered access to health, including American Cancer Society, Catholic Relief Services, and the LiveStrong Foundation. Additionally, she has held positions on various global and regional advisory committees and boards that focus on equity and inclusion. Ms. Pace holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in human biology from Stanford University and a Master’s degree in international health & human rights with the distinction of Delta Omega from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Sandeep Patel, Ph.D. is Director of the Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures ( DRIVe - https://drive.hhs.gov/ ) at the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ( https://aspr.hhs.gov/AboutASPR/ProgramOffices/BARDA/Pages/default.aspx ), a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) office responsible for the procurement and development of medical countermeasures, principally against bioterrorism, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats, as well as pandemic influenza and emerging diseases. Dr. Patel is committed to advancing high-impact science, building new products, and launching collaborative programs and initiatives with public and private organizations to advance human health and wellness. As the DRIVe Director, Dr. Patel leads a dynamic team built to tackle complex national health security threats by rapidly developing and deploying innovative technologies and approaches that draw from a broad range of disciplines. Dr. Patel brings extensive experience in public-private partnerships to DRIVe. Prior to joining the DRIVe team, he served as the HHS Open Innovation Manager. In that role, he focused on advancing innovative policy and funding solutions to complex, long-standing problems in healthcare. During his tenure, he successfully built KidneyX, a public-private partnership to spur development of an artificial kidney, helped design and execute the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative, designed to catalyze innovation, double the number of organs available for transplant, and shift the paradigm of kidney care to be patient-centric and preventative, and included a Presidential Executive Order signed in July 2019. He also created the largest public-facing open innovation program in the U.S. government with more than 190 competitions and $45 million in awards since 2011. Prior to his tenure at HHS, Dr. Patel co-founded Omusono Labs, a 3-D printing and prototyping services company based in Kampala, Uganda; served as a scientific analyst with Discovery Logic, (a Thomson Reuters company) a provider of systems, data, and analytics for real-time portfolio management; and was a Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. He also served as a scientist at a nanotechnology startup, Kava Technology. Dr. Patel holds a US patent issued in 2005 and has authored over a dozen peer-reviewed articles in areas such as nanotechnology, chemistry, innovation policy, and kidney health. Dr. Patel earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Tim Wittig, Ph.D. ( https://www.timothywittig.com/ ) is a conservationist, professor, and former defense intelligence analyst. He is a research fellow at Oxford University (Oxford Martin School), an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, and has served as Head of Intelligence for both the Royal Foundation's United for Wildlife Transport and Financial Taskforces ( https://unitedforwildlife.org/ ), and the wildlife investigations charity Focused Conservation. Dr. Wittig has lived in 8 countries on 3 continents and worked in nearly 50 different countries. His professional background is in research & development and applied sciences, intelligence-led targeting of illicit financial networks, and African and global security. Dr. Wittig began his career in national security, and was one of the first people in the US Intelligence Community (IC) to treat biodiversity and ecosystem collapse as a threat to global security. Since their inception in 2016, Dr. Wittig has played a central role in the United for Wildlife Transport and Financial Taskforces, a groundbreaking program of the Royal Foundation of the Prince & Princess of Wales ( https://royalfoundation.com/ ), to use data and intelligence, alongside high-level formal commitments, to mobilize 200+ of the worlds’ largest banks, maritime shipping companies, and airlines to take meaningful action against global wildlife trafficking. Dr. Wittig conceived of and currently runs the central intelligence sharing system of the both Taskforces. A former tenured professor of International Relations and Humanitarian Action, and a life-long environmentalist and outdoorsman, Dr. Wittig, like many people today, believes reversing the current catastrophic extermination of nature is the single most important issue of our time - a literal life-and-death struggle for the future of our common planet and ultimately humanity itself. Dr. Wittig came to work professionally in conservation a decade ago after observing how the major threats to the environment today - species loss, climate change, pollution, et al - are all underpinned and driven often to a large extent by crime and corruption, illicit networks, and social injustices. And that rigorous, hard-hitting intelligence and data-led analysis of these dynamics, especially when done at scale, will be a game changer in how we confront threats to the world’s wildlife and ecosystems. Dr. Wittig has a BA (High Honors) in History from William & Mary, a M.Litt. in International Security Studies, and PhD in International Relations, both from University of St Andrews.
Dr. Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D. is the inaugural director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health ( ARPA-H - https://arpa-h.gov/ ), an agency that supports the development of high-impact research to drive biomedical and health breakthroughs to deliver transformative, sustainable, and equitable health solutions for everyone. ARPA-H’s mission focuses on leveraging research advances for real world impact. Previously, Dr. Wegrzyn served as a vice president of business development at Ginkgo Bioworks and head of Innovation at Concentric by Ginkgo, where she focused on applying synthetic biology to outpace infectious diseases—including Covid-19—through biomanufacturing, vaccine innovation and biosurveillance of pathogens at scale. Prior to Ginkgo, Dr. Wegrzyn was program manager in the Biological Technologies Office at DARPA, where she leveraged the tools of synthetic biology and gene editing to enhance biosecurity, promote public health and support the domestic bioeconomy. Her DARPA portfolio included the Living Foundries: 1000 Molecules, Safe Genes, Preemptive Expression of Protective Alleles and Response Elements and the Detect it with Gene Editing Technologies programs. Dr. Wegrzyn received the Superior Public Service Medal for her work and contributions at DARPA. Prior to joining DARPA, she led technical teams in private industry in the areas of biosecurity, gene therapies, emerging infectious disease, neuromodulation, synthetic biology, as well as research and development teams commercializing multiplex immunoassays and peptide-based disease diagnostics. Dr. Wegrzyn holds doctorate and bachelor’s degrees in applied biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She was a fellow in the Center for Health Security Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative and completed postdoctoral training as an Alexander von Humboldt fellow in Heidelberg, Germany.
Dr. Nir Barzilai, MD ( https://www.einsteinmed.edu/faculty/484/nir-barzilai/ ) is the Director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Human Aging Research and of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging. He is the Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research, professor in the Departments of Medicine and Genetics, and member of the Diabetes Research Center and of the Divisions of Endocrinology & Diabetes and Geriatrics. Dr. Barzilai’s research interests are in the biology and genetics of aging, with one focus of his team on the genetics of exceptional longevity, where they hypothesize and demonstrate that centenarians (those aged 100 and above) may have novel protective genes, which allow the delay of aging or for the protection against age-related diseases. The second focus of his work, for which Dr. Barzilai holds an NIH Merit award, is on the metabolic decline that occurs during aging, and his team hypothesizes that the brain leads this decline with some very interesting neuro-endocrine connections. Dr. Barzilai is currently leading an international effort to approve drugs that can target aging (Gerotherapeutics). Targeting Aging with METformin (TAME) is a specific study designed to prove the concept that a basket of diseases (multi-morbidities) of aging can be delayed simultaneously, in this protocol by the drug metformin, working with the FDA to approve this approach which will serve as a template for future efforts to delay aging and its diseases in humans. Dr. Barzilai has received numerous grants, among them ones from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), American Federation for Aging Research, the Ellison Medical Foundation and The Glenn Medical foundation. He has published over 280 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and textbook chapters. He is an advisor to the NIH on several projects and serves on several editorial boards and is a reviewer for numerous other journals. Dr. Barzilai is on the board of the American Federation for Aging Research, is it's co-scientific director, and has served on several NIA study sections. He is also a founder of CohBar Inc., a biotech company that develops mitochondrial derived peptides as therapy for aging and it's diseases, and of Life Biosciences. Dr. Barzilai has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Beeson Fellow for Aging Research, the Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Aging Award, the Paul F. Glenn Foundation Award, the NIA Nathan Shock Award, the 2010 Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction in Aging Research and the IPSEN Longevity Prize (2016). Born in Israel, Dr. Barzilai served as chief medic and physician in the Israel Defense Forces. He graduated from The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and completed his residency in internal medicine at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. He served in a refugee camp during the war in Cambodia (1979-1980) and built a nutritional village in the homeland of the Zulu (1983 – Kwazulu). He has completed 2 fellowships at Yale (Metabolism) and Cornell (Endocrinoology and Molecular Medicine). He has also taken part in Global initiatives and spoke at The Milken Global Institute, Asian Megatrends and is an advisor for the Prime Minister of Singapore on Aging. Dr. Barzilai has been on the ‘Forward 50, top 50 influence Jews" in the US (2011). His work has been profiled by major outlets, including the New York Times, the BBC and PBS' NOVA science now, TEDMED and several TEDx talks, and is the leading feature on the Ron Howard/Jonathan Silberberg/National Geographic film about the Age of Aging. He also authored the book Age Later (2019).
Monica P. Medina ( https://www.state.gov/biographies/monica-p-medina/ ) is Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. She was also recently appointed as United States Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources. Previously, Secretary Medina was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She was also a Senior Associate on the Stephenson Ocean Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Co-Founder and Publisher of Our Daily Planet, an e-newsletter on conservation and the environment. A former Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Secretary Medina served as General Counsel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. Earlier in her career, Secretary Medina served as the Senior Counsel to former Senator Max Baucus on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, as the Senior Director for Ocean Policy at the National Geographic Society, as the ocean lead at the Walton Family Foundation, and in senior roles in other environmental organizations. Secretary Medina attended college on an Army R.O.T.C. scholarship and began her career on active duty in the Army General Counsel’s Office. She received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service and the Army Meritorious Service Medal. She has a Bachelor’s degree in history from Georgetown University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Savva Kerdemelidis is Founder & CEO of Crowd Funded Cures ( https://crowdfundedcures.org/ ), an organization with a mission to incentivize clinical trials for off-patent therapies that are otherwise ignored because a monopoly price cannot be enforced with patents. Savva is a Commercial/IP Consultant Legal Counsel and Patent Attorney with 18+ years experience advising in relation to IP, commercial law and crypto. Savva graduated with a LLM (1:1, Hons) and BSc (2:1, Hons) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and lawyer in the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia. He also is a New Zealand and Australian Patent and Trade Mark Attorney. Savva conducted his LLM thesis in 2014 on alternatives to the patent system for developing medicines in a thesis entitled: Deadly gaps in the patent system : an analysis of current and alternative mechanisms for incentivizing development of medical therapies ( https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/9826 ). Savva founded Crowd Funded Cures as a NZ charity in 2013 to implement the idea of using pay-for-success contracts as an incentive to find new uses for off-patent drugs and other un-monopolizable therapies.
Dr. Angela Naef, Ph.D. is Chief Research & Development Officer at Reckitt ( https://www.reckitt.com/about-us/our-leadership/executive-team/angela-naef/ ) where she is responsible for elevating the company's science capability and platforms, as well as for driving external partnerships, including amplifying the mission of the Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute ( https://www.rghi.org/ ). With 43,000 employees and over $13 billion in revenue, Reckitt is an Anglo-Dutch multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Slough, England. It is a producer of health, hygiene and nutrition products. Reckitt's brands include the indigestion remedy Gaviscon, the baby food brand Mead Johnson, the air freshener Air Wick, and other brands and products like: Calgon, Clearasil, Durex, Lysol, Enfamil and Nutramigen. Dr. Naef came to Reckitt with over 20 years of diverse senior leadership experience in product and business development roles. Most recently, Dr. Naef spent 10 years at DuPont, in various technical and commercial leadership roles, where she led the Nutrition & Biosciences Global Technology and Innovation organization. She has very a strong track record of accelerating innovation in the areas of food, nutrition science and biotechnology. Dr. Naef is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and is a Six Sigma Black Belt. Dr. Naef is also an accomplished author and you can find her book "The Fabulous and Fun World of Chemistry!: A science book for girls by girls!!" on various on-line outlets ( https://www.amazon.com/Fabulous-Fun-World-Chemistry-science/dp/1493670409 ).
Dr. Robert M. Toguchi ( http://www.roberttoguchi.com/ ) is currently serving as the Chief, Concepts Division, Force Modernization Directorate, in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina ( https://www.soc.mil/ ). Dr. Toguchi has spent over 30 years on active military duty while serving as a Functional Area 59 strategist for the U.S. Army. Dr. Toguchi’s past assignments included a tour as the Director, Strategic Plans and Chief, ARCIC (Army Capabilities Integration Center) Initiatives Group, TRADOC (U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command). In the Pacific region, he spent a tour with the U.S. Pacific Command while serving as the Deputy Director, J8; and the Chief, Strategic Plans, J5 Directorate, USPACOM (United States Indo-Pacific Command). Dr. Toguchi was also assigned to Africa in 2005 while serving as the senior U.S. military observer to the U.N. Mission in Liberia. Previously, Dr. Toguchi served on the faculty and taught military strategy at the U.S. National War College, National Defense University. Additionally, in the Washington D.C. area, Dr. Toguchi gained valuable experiences within the halls of the Pentagon while serving as a strategist in the DAMO-SSP (Strategy, Doctrine and Concepts Division), Strategy and Policy Division, Army; and as a war planner in DAMO-SSW, War Plans Division, Army. Dr. Toguchi received a B.S. degree concentrating in Engineering, from the U.S. Military Academy, and received a Ph.D. in History from Duke University in 1994. Dr. Toguchi has published several books including: The Competitive Advantage Special Operations Forces in Large-Scale Combat Operations, Land Warfare In The Information Age, The Enduring Relevance Of Landpower: Flexibility And Adaptability For Joint Campaigns, and The Winning Habits of Steve Jobs.
Dr. Stanley Plotkin, MD ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Plotkin ), is an American physician, scientist, and scholar, who in the 1960s, while working at Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, played a pivotal role in discovery of a vaccine against rubella virus (which is now used worldwide as a key component of the MMR vaccine), and has worked extensively on the development and application of a wide range of other vaccines including those for polio, rabies, varicella, rotavirus and cytomegalovirus ( https://www.epiv.eu/ ). Dr. Plotkin graduated from New York University in 1952 and obtained a medical degree at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. He was a resident in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and at the Hospital for Sick Children in London. In 1957, Dr. Plotkin served in the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the U.S. Public Health Service for three years and then served as a member of Wistar’s active research faculty from 1960 to 1991. Today, in addition to his emeritus appointment at Wistar, Dr. Plotkin is emeritus professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p1554 ), and works as a consultant advising vaccine manufacturers, biotechnology firms, non-profits and governments. Dr. Plotkin's book, Vaccines, remains the standard reference on the subject. He is also an editor with Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, which is published by the American Society for Microbiology in Washington, D.C.
Bonnie Brennan is President of Christie's Americas, part of the Christie's global art and luxury business and auction house network ( https://www.christies.com/ ). Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business, renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as it's bespoke private sales. Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai). Ms. Brennan previously served as the Chairman of business development, as well as Senior Vice President and Senior Director, head of trusts, estates and wealth management services, in the Chairman’s office. Before joining Christie’s in 2012, Ms. Brennan had over 15 years in the auction business in a variety of marketing and leadership roles. A graduate of Northwestern University, Ms. Brennan holds a B.A. in art history and communications. In addition to her leadership role at Christie’s, Ms. Brennan also sits on a number of boards including the board of trustees for the Cristo Rey New York High School, as well as the Advisory Council for Calvary Hospital and the Planned Giving Advisory Council for the New York Historical Society.
Dr. Eric Bapteste, Ph.D. ( http://www.evol-net.fr/index.php?option=com_tlpteam&view=team&id=2&Itemid=559 ) is a Research Director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the French state research organization and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe. Dr. Bapteste has both a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from Pierre and Marie Curie University and a Ph.D. in the philosophy of biology from Pantheon-Sorbonne University. Dr. Bapteste is the Co-Director of the Adaptation, Intégration, Réticulation, Evolution (AIRE) team, which develops new methods and new concepts, in particular related to biological networks, in order to study evolution and aging. Specifically, the AIRE team works to enhance the evolutionary theory i) by expanding its scope by targeting additional objects of studies (such as novel units of selection and novel still unknown taxonomical groups from the microbial dark matter, and mobile elements) and ii) by expanding evolutionary studies towards more general models, able to in particular account for chimerism and interactions between biological elements, from molecules to ecosystems. Dr. Bapteste is the author of 95 scientific articles and 4 books of popular sciences: "Les gènes voyageurs: l'odyssée de l'évolution", "Conflits intérieurs: fable scientifique", "Tous entrelacés! Des gènes aux super-organismes, les réseaux de l'évolution", and "Tout se transforme! Comment marche l'évolution".
Dr. Nadine Lamberski, D.V.M., Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ECZM (ZHM), is Chief Conservation and Wildlife Health Officer, at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance ( https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/about-us/key-leaders/nadine-lamberski ). Dr. Lamberski leads a unified team of conservation scientists, researchers, wildlife nutritionists, and wildlife veterinarians, cultivating a strategic approach to conservation efforts. She is aligning San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance with other global conservation organizations and developing strategies that safeguard biodiversity so all life can thrive. Dr. Lamberski joined the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 2001 as senior veterinarian, following seven years as the senior veterinarian at Riverbanks Zoological Park and Botanical Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. She completed an internship at the University of Tennessee and Zoo Knoxville, followed by a zoological medicine residency at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Lamberski has focused her career on the health and welfare of zoological species, as well as on the conservation impacts of disease on small or fragmented wildlife populations. She has participated in several field projects, most notably studying black-footed cats in southern Africa, thick-billed parrots in northern Mexico, desert tortoises in the Southwestern United States, and working with partners at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya. She is inspired by the next generation of wildlife veterinarians and conservationists and has a special interest in organizational leadership. Dr. Lamberski is a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) and European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) in zoo health management (ZHM). She received her undergraduate degree in zoology and DVM from the University of Georgia. Dr. Lamberski is a member and past president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American College of Zoological Medicine, American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians, European College of Zoological Medicine, Wildlife Disease Association, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She is San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's key contact for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is a member of IUCN Wildlife Health Specialist Group. Dr. Lamberski is an adjunct professor at the University of California Davis One Health Institute and the Wildlife Health Center. She has received numerous awards and research grants, has contributed over 100 scientific publications and presentations, and is currently a co-editor for Fowler’s Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine textbook.
Dr. Jeffrey B. Bacon, Ph.D., LTC (USA), is Co-Program Manager for B24IC, a Biointelligence and Biosecurity program for the U.S. Intelligence Community, at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity ( IARPA - https://www.iarpa.gov/ ), which seeks to develop new capabilities, matching the wider synthetic biology and biotechnology fields, ensuring the Intelligence Community’s (IC’s) capability to meet the biointelligence and biosecurity threats of the 21st century. Dr. Bacon has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology / Environmental Science, from Norwich University; a Masters of Science in Engineering Management, from Missouri University of Science and Technology; a Master of Science (MS) in Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction – Biodefense, from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology; and a Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, in International Relations and National Security Studies, from The Fletcher School at Tufts. Previously Dr. Bacon also spent over 25 years at United States Department of the Army as a Nuclear Strategy and Counterproliferation Officer, US Army Corps of Engineers Regiment, as well as serving time as Branch Chief, US Army Nuclear CWMD Agency. Dr. Bacon also served as Department Chair, Counterproliferation & Information and Influence Intelligence, at National Intelligence University; as Interagency Chair/Army Senior Service Advisor, National Intelligence University while at the Defense Intelligence Agency; as Team Lead, Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling, on the DoD Coronavirus-2019 Task Force; and as Executive Officer/Program Manager, Research and Development Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Relevant Information Links - https://www.iarpa.gov/who-we-are/about-us https://ni-u.edu/wp/ https://app.brazenconnect.com/events/dbrZJ?utm_medium=website&utm_source=orisecalendar&utm_campaign=vcf012523
Joelle Elbez-Uzan, is the Head, Nuclear Safety Office, overseeing the development of the DEMO Fusion Reactor ( https://euro-fusion.org/programme/demo/ ), at EUROfusion. DEMO (DEMOnstration Power Plant) refers to a proposed class of nuclear fusion experimental reactors that are intended to demonstrate the net production of electric power from nuclear fusion. EUROfusion is a consortium of national fusion research institutes located in the European Union, the UK, Switzerland and Ukraine. It was established in 2014 to succeed the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) as the umbrella organization of Europe's fusion research laboratories. Prior to this role, Ms. Elbez-Uzan spent over a decade at the ITER Organization as Head of the Division of Nuclear Safety. ITER (the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is being built in southern France where upon completion of construction of the main reactor and first plasma, planned for late 2028, it will be the world's largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment and the largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. Prior to this role, Ms. Elbez-Uzan spent several years as Deputy Head of the Nuclear Safety Department, at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas: defense and security, low carbon energies (nuclear and renewable energies), technological research for industry, and fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences. Ms. Elbez-Uzan studied engineering in Lille where she specialized in instrumentation and measurement, doing comparative studies between all forms of energy, resulted in her career path into nuclear energy.
Tom & Jen Satterly, are the Co-Founder’s, and CEO and COO, of the All Secure Foundation ( https://allsecurefoundation.org/ ), an organization that assists special operations active duty and combat veterans, and their families, in recovery of post-traumatic stress through education, awareness, and resources for healing, workshop retreats, and PTS resilience training. Their organization has been recognized as a top rated non profit by Great Nonprofit s and has grown to serve thousands of combat families. Tom is a highly decorated combat veteran ( https://www.tomsatterly.com/ ), having served in the U.S. Army 25 years, the last 20 in the U.S. Military’s most elite Tier One unit, Delta Force. He has been involved in, and led, some of our nation’s most important military campaigns. Tom fought in and was portrayed in the Oscar Winning 2001 film: Black Hawk Down (Operation Gothic Serpent) which was the longest sustained firefight since Vietnam. As a member of Delta Force, he has been deployed countless times and led hundreds of missions including the capture of Saddam Hussein. He is the recipient of numerous medals including 5 Bronze Stars, 2 for Valorous acts, and he was the first American to attend German Ranger School after competing against hundreds of soldiers to win the singular honor. Tom’s best-selling book, “All Secure: A Special Operations Soldier’s Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront”, was released on 2019 is available at all major booksellers ( https://www.amazon.com/All-Secure-Operators-Battlefield-Homefront/dp/1546076573/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=all+secure&qid=1573674379&sr=8-4 ). Jen spent 15 years as an award-winning filmmaker and photographer, spending the last three years as Director of Film and Photography of an elite Special Operations training company fully embedded with Navy SEALS, Green Berets, and Army Rangers in large-scale realistic training missions. During her time embedding with Special Operations warriors, Jen began to see a pattern with the soldiers, sailors, and airmen she worked alongside, some of the very same issues Tom began facing related to complex Post-Traumatic Stress. She began searching for answers to help them find a way to constructively deal with PTS and its symptoms which included isolation, anxiety, severe depression, anger issues and a long list of medical challenges. Jen made it her mission to not only help the service member but also the families who often suffer from secondary PTS and are innocent causalities of the longest war. Additionally, Jen is the founder of Virago, a platform for educating and empowering women who are facing the challenges of PTS on the home front. Jen’s book, "Arsenal of Hope: Tactics for Taking on PTSD, Together" was released in 2021 and is available at all major booksellers ( https://www.amazon.com/Arsenal-Hope-Tactics-Taking-Together/dp/1642936790/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TWPRY17781OK&keywords=jennifer+satterly&qid=1674497626&sprefix=jeniffe+satterly%2Caps%2C293&sr=8-1 ).
Michael (Mike) D. Lahiff serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ZeroEyes ( https://zeroeyes.com/ ), an intelligent video analytics company that uses artificial intelligence with existing security cameras to detect weapons and send alerts to local staff and first responders. ZeroEyes delivers a proactive, human-verified A.I. gun detection solution that integrates into existing security cameras to stop mass shootings and gun-related violence; by reducing response times, providing actionable intelligence, and delivering clarity – ultimately saving lives. The company is the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform with US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation. Prior to founding ZeroEyes, Mr. Lahiff served as Director of Digital Programs at Comcast NBC Universal where he oversaw the coordination between project management teams and software development teams in order to deliver multiple digital products. Prior to joining Comcast, Mr. Lahiff was the managing member of Horsemen Partners, a private fund focused on acquisitions of small and medium sized businesses. Mr. Lahiff also spent ten years in the United States Navy, six of which were as a Navy SEAL. During service, he received 18 medals including the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Mr. Lahiff holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance from Columbia College and a Master of Business Administration in Private Equity & Venture Capital from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Haileyesus Getahun, MD, MPH, Ph.D. is Director of AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) Global Coordination at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Quadripartite (FAO/UNEP/WHO/WOAH) Joint Secretariat on Antimicrobial Resistance. ( https://www.who.int/about/people/biography/dr-haileyesus-getahun ) Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others. Over 1.27 million deaths worldwide were attributed to AMR infections in 2019. Antimicrobials - including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics - are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants. Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”. Dr. Getahun coordinates the global One Health multi-sectoral response to AMR across the human, animal, plant, food, feed and environment sectors; directs the Secretariat of the Global Leaders Group on AMR ( https://www.amrleaders.org ) currently co-chaired by Their Excellencies Prime Minister of Barbados and Bangladesh; facilitates the research and development agenda through priority setting and gap analysis, and provides policy and programmatic guidance to nurture and scale up evidence-based interventions to enhance antimicrobial stewardship activities, awareness and behavioral change across all sectors.
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Simon Waslander is the Director of Collaboration, at the CureDAO Alliance for the Acceleration of Clinical Research ( https://www.curedao.org/ ), a community-owned platform for the precision health of the future. CureDAO is creating an open-source platform to discover how millions of factors, like foods, drugs, and supplements affect human health, within a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), making suffering optional through the creation of a "WordPress of health data". Simon is a native of the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba, having been born on the island and initially chose to study medicine at the University of Groningen, but then transitioned over to healthcare innovation studies at the University of Maastricht where he wrote his master thesis on the topic of Predictive Healthcare Algorithms. (For information on the discussion segment on AGI, please contact - www.Norn.AI )
Dr. Richard K. Burt MD ( https://astemcelljourney.com/about/drrichardburt/ ) is a Fulbright Scholar, Professor of Medicine at Scripps Health Care, tenured retired Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University where he served as Chief of Immunotherapy and Autoimmune Diseases, and CEO of Genani Biotechnology. Dr. Burt endeavored for thirty-five years, first with animal models and then with some of the world’s first clinical trials, to bring the field of stem cell and cellular therapy to the patient’s bedside. Dr. Burt has published more than 145 mostly first author articles and is the Editor of four medical textbooks. He was the first Autoimmune Committee Chairperson for the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR) and was the principal investigator of a National Institute of Health (NIH) $10,000,000 multi-center contract to develop stem cell clinical trials for autoimmune diseases. Dr. Burt performed America’s first hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for multiple sclerosis (MS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Crohn’s disease (CD), stiff person syndrome (SPS), and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and published the world’s first randomized clinical stem cell transplantation trials for systemic sclerosis and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Burt has been awarded Leukemia Scholar of America, the Lupus Foundation of America Fidelitas Award, the Van Bekkum Award by the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, the Distinguished Clinical Achievement Award by the Clinical Research Forum, and the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Clinical Achievement Award. Dr. Burt was presented in Vatican City, Rome with the “Keys to the Vatican”, was speaker at the Festival of Thinkers in Leadership in Healthcare in the United Arab Emirates, and chaired the biotechnology session at the Baku Azerbaijan International Humanitarian Forum. Dr. Burt was recognized by Science Illustrated for accomplishing one of the Top 10 medical breakthroughs for the next ten years, and by Scientific American as one of the Top 50 individuals, teams, or organizations for improving humanity and outstanding leadership. His newest book is entitled "Everyday Miracles - Curing Multiple Sclerosis, Scleroderma, and Autoimmune Diseases by Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant".
Rear Admiral Lorin C. Selby, is the 26th Chief of Naval Research, for the United States Navy ( https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Flag-Officer-Biographies/Search/Article/2236263/rear-admiral-lorin-selby/ ), a position he assumed command of in May of 2020. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is an organization within the United States Department of the Navy responsible for the science and technology programs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Established by Congress in 1946, its mission is to plan, foster, and encourage scientific research to maintain future naval power and preserve national security. Rear Adm. Selby graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering and earned his commission through the Navy’s Reserve Officers Training Corps program. He also holds a Master of Science in nuclear engineering and a Nuclear Engineer degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Rear Adm. Selby’s shipboard tours include USS Puffer (SSN 652), USS Pogy (SSN 647) and USS Connecticut (SSN 22). From July 2004 to May 2007, he commanded USS Greeneville (SSN 772) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During these assignments, Rear Adm. Selby conducted several deployments to the western and northern Pacific, northern Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Ashore, Rear Adm. Selby’s staff assignments include duty as a company officer and instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy; service as the deputy director of the Navy’s liaison office to the U.S. House of Representatives; and duty as the Submarine Platforms and Strategic Programs branch head in the Submarine Warfare Directorate on the Navy Staff. Following selection as an acquisition professional, he served as the program manager for both the Submarine Imaging and Electronic Warfare Systems Program Office (PMS 435) and the Advanced Undersea Systems Program Office (PMS 394). As a flag officer, Rear Adm. Selby served as commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) from October 2014 to August 2016. In this position, he led more than 17,000 scientists, engineers, technicians and support personnel, both civilian and active duty, within eight NSWC divisions located across the country. From June 2016 until May 2020, Rear Adm. Selby served as the Navy’s chief engineer and the Naval Sea Systems Command deputy commander for Ship Design, Integration and Naval Engineering, where he led the engineering and scientific expertise, knowledge and technical authority necessary to design, build, maintain, repair, modernize, certify and dispose of the Navy’s ships, aircraft carriers, submarines and associated combat and weapons systems. Rear Adm. Selby is authorized to wear the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (six awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards) and various unit awards.
Dr. Victoria Coleman, Ph.D. is the Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force ( https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2556343/dr-victoria-coleman/ ), where she serves as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Chief of Space Operations, providing assessments on a wide range of scientific and technical issues affecting the department’s mission. In this role, Dr. Coleman identifies and analyzes technical issues, bringing them to the attention of department leaders and interacts with other principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition, and science and technology communities to address cross-organizational issues and provide solutions. Dr. Coleman also interacts with other services and the Office of the Secretary of Defense on issues affecting the Department of the Air Force’s technical enterprise. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and is the Principal Science and Technology Representative of the Air Force to the civilian scientific and engineering community and to the public at large. Dr. Coleman is on leave from University of California, Berkeley where since 2016, she has held an academic research appointment at the Berkeley Center for Information Technology in the Interest of Society where she leads science and technology policy on microelectronics and efforts to develop tools for countering digital authoritarianism. Dr. Coleman has more than 35 years of experience in computer science and technology, including as both an academic leader and industry executive. Prior to accepting the role of Chief Scientist of the Air Force, Dr. Coleman served as the 22nd Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) where she oversaw a large suite of disruptive and innovative programs as well as leadership of the Microsystems Exploratory Council. Before DARPA, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of Atlas AI P.B.C, a Silicon Valley start-up that brings world-class artificial intelligence solutions to sustainable development. By combining satellite data with other data sets, Atlas AI’s proprietary deep-learning models create actionable insights for governments, non-governmental organizations and commercial companies. Dr. Coleman began her academic career in 1988 as a lecturer in computer science at Royal Holloway College, University of London, United Kingdom. She subsequently joined Queen Mary College, University of London, as a reader in computer science. There, she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in computer science, created a Master of Science program in Dependable Computer Systems and supervised Doctor of Philosophy students. In 1998, Dr. Coleman became the founding director of the System Design Laboratory at SRI International. The lab conducted research in trustworthy systems and cyber security. The programs she directed won support from DARPA. She also participated in the creation of the technologies leading to the spinout of Siri prior to its acquisition by Apple. She worked alongside the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security, creating the department’s cyber security agenda and becoming the founding Director of the DHS Cyber Security Research and Development Center. In 2004, Dr. Coleman became the Director of the Trust and Manageability Lab in the Corporate Technology Group of Intel and began serving as a member of Santa Clara University’s Computer Science and Engineering Department’s Advisory Board. In 2006, she became the Vice President of the Computer Science Laboratory at Samsung. In 2010, she took the position of Vice President of Software Engineering at Hewlett-Packard. In 2011, she became Nokia’s Vice President of Emerging Platforms. Dr. Coleman served as the Vice President of Engineering for Multi-Device UX Platforms for Yahoo in 2013.
Dr. Stuart Minchin, Ph.D. is the Director General of the Pacific Community ( SPC - https://www.spc.int/about-us/director-general ) which is the largest intergovernmental organization in the Pacific and serves as a science and technology for development organization owned by the 26 Member countries and territories in the Pacific region. SPC’s 650 member staff deliver services and scientific advice to the Pacific across the domains of Oceans, Islands and People, and has deep expertise in food security, water resources, fisheries, disasters, energy, maritime, health, statistics, education, human rights, social development and natural resources. Dr. Minchin previously served as the Chief of the Environmental Geoscience Division of Geoscience Australia, and has an extensive background in the management and modelling of environmental data and the online delivery of data, modelling and reporting tools for improved natural resource management. He has a long track record of conceiving, developing and delivering transformational and innovative projects in the Environmental and Natural Resource Management domains. Dr. Minchin has represented Australia in key international forums and was Australia’s Principal Delegate to both the UN Global Geospatial Information Management Group of Experts (UNGGIM) and the Intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO). Dr. Minchin has previously been responsible for the Environmental Observation and Landscape Science (EOLS) research program in CSIRO and prior to that was a Principal Scientist with the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment. Dr. Minchin has a PhD in Aquatic/Environmental Chemistry, from Monash University, where he also did his undergraduate work in Chemistry achieving a BSc (Hons). He also holds a BSc (Aquatic Science), Aquatic Chemistry and Aquatic Biology from Deakin University.
Judge Karen Friedman is the Director of Criminal Justice Innovation, Development and Engagement, at the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, at the U.S. Department of Justice ( https://bja.ojp.gov/bio/karen-friedman ), a position she was appointed to by President Biden on January 3rd of 2022. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities, and reform the U.S. criminal justice system, and helps America’s state, local, and tribal jurisdictions reduce and prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and promote a fair and safe criminal justice system. BJA focuses its programmatic and policy efforts on providing a wide range of resources, including training and technical assistance, to law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, reentry, justice information sharing, and community-based partners, to address chronic and emerging criminal justice challenges nationwide. Judge Friedman comes to this important role after serving over 20 years as a member of the Maryland Judiciary sitting in Baltimore. In that capacity she served on every level of trial court and completed her service on the Baltimore City Circuit Court, the highest trial court in the state. She headed Baltimore’s drug treatment court and sat on the judiciary’s Equal Justice Commission’s sentencing subcommittee. Judge Friedman is known in Baltimore for her expertise on the intersection of criminal justice with behavioral health, as well as for her innovative approach to sentencing and probation. She is looking forward to using the wealth of knowledge gained on the bench in Baltimore to help improve the lives of those affected by the criminal justice system. Judge Friedman earned her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. She is also the host of the Justice Today Podcast, the official podcast of the Office of Justice Programs
Dr. David A. Tarantino, Jr., MD, MPH; CAPT MC (FS/FMF) Ret., is the Chief Medical Officer, at the United States Customs and Border Protection ( CBP - https://www.cbp.gov/ ), the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security ( DHS - https://www.dhs.gov/ ), and the country's primary border control organization. It is charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs, and immigration. Dr. Tarantino has previously served as Adjunct Assistant Professor, Global Health Division, Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), as Director for Civil-Military Medical Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs in the U.S. Department of Defense, and as a family practice physician/flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy. Dr. Tarantino served as Medical Advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority/Ministry of Health and then Senior Consultant for the U.S. Mission Baghdad to the Interim Iraqi Government Ministry of Health. He had a significant leadership role in reestablishing the Iraqi Ministry of Health and health care for all Iraqis and served as the principal US Government advisor to the new Iraqi Minister of Health. Dr. Tarantino's military career has been distinguished by multiple challenging overseas and operational assignments, including medical and humanitarian missions in Iraq, Alaska, Haiti, Guyana, Tanzania, Cambodia, Estonia and several Pacific Rim nations. He served as medical director and team physician for a challenging deployment to Turkey in the aftermath of their massive 1999 earthquake, providing emergent medical/surgical care in an austere and chaotic setting. Dr. Tarantino has a B. A. in Human Biology from Stanford University, an M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine, a Residency in Family Medicine at Bremerton Naval Hospital, an M.P.H. and Preventive Medicine Residency at the USUHS, and an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance, from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA).
Dr. Tobias Reichmuth, Ph.D. is Founding Partner at Maximon ( https://www.maximon.com/ ), The Longevity Company Builder, which empowers entrepreneurs to build impactful, science-based and scalable companies providing healthy aging and rejuvenation solutions. Maximon recently announced the launch of their 100 million CHF Longevity Co-Investment Fund, which will be looking to invest up to CHF 10 million per company, which allows them to finance up to 10-12 start-ups in this fast growing industry over the next four years. In 2020, Dr. Reichmuth launched the Longevity Investors Conference together with Marc P. Bernegger, another Maximon Founding Partner. Dr. Reichmuth previously founded the climate-change infrastructure fund / asset management company SUSI Partners AG , where he spent over a decade specializing in infrastructure investments in the context of energy transition (renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage solutions) and invested more than one billion Swiss francs. Dr. Reichmuth is also co-founder of Crypto AG Finance (a financial technology holding company based in Zug), The Singularity Group (an asset manager in Zug) and the Crypto Finance Conference, which he initiated. He is also well known for his participation as one of the “lions” in the TV program, The Lion's Cave Switzerland on TV24 . Earlier on in his career Dr. Reichmuth worked as a director for an international foundation and consulted Fortune-500 companies. He worked as a strategy consultant with The Boston Consulting Group, co-authored a standard reference for investors on sustainable investments, and is a member of the German Economic Council. Dr. Reichmuth has a Ph.D. in Business Administration from European Business School Oestrich-Winkel.
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Professor Dr. Edward (Eddie) Holmes, Ph.D. ( https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/about/our-people/academic-staff/edward-holmes.html ) is an evolutionary biologist distinguished for his work on the emergence and evolution of viruses and over the years of his career he has used genomic and phylogenetic approaches to reveal the major mechanisms of virus evolution and determined the genetic and epidemiological processes that explain how viruses jump species boundaries and spread in new hosts. Dr. Holmes work has revealed the origin, evolution and molecular epidemiology of important human pathogens including influenza, HIV and dengue, and enabled more accurate assessments of what types of virus are most likely to emerge in human populations and whether they will evolve human-to-human transmission. His recent research has provided fundamental insights into the breadth and biodiversity of the viral world and has additionally studied the emergence and spread of such pathogens as SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis C virus, myxoma virus, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus and Yersinia pestis, among many others. Dr. Holmes is currently a Professor in the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney. In 2003 he was awarded the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London and in 2015 was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Dr. Holmes previous appointments include the Verne M. Willaman Chair in the Life Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University, USA, and Affiliate Member of the Fogarty International Centre (2005-2012), National Institutes of Health, USA. From 1999-2004 he was Fellow of New College, Oxford. He is also an Honorary Visiting Professor at Fudan University, Shanghai. In 2021 he received the (Australian) Prime Minister's Prize for Science. Dr. Holmes is the author of 691 peer-reviewed papers and two books including The Evolution and Emergence of RNA Viruses (Oxford University Press, 2009).
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Dr. Loren Matheson, Ph.D. is a Portfolio Manager at the Center For Security Science, at Defence Research and Development Canada ( DRDC - https://www.canada.ca/en/defence-research-development.html ), which is a special operating agency of the Department of National Defence, whose purpose is to provide the Canadian Armed Forces, other government departments, and public safety and national security communities with knowledge and technology. With a focus on the chemical and biological sciences at DRDC, Dr. Matheson develops and leads safety and security R&D projects with government partners, industry and academia. In addition, she spearheaded an effort to establish a virtual symposium series, developed communications products to explain their program to national and international partners, and helped established a science communication position. Dr. Matheson previously served as both a senior science advisor within the Office of the Chief Science Operating Officer, and National Manager, Plant Health Research and Strategies, at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. After 10 years consulting as a grants facilitator in clinical research, Dr. Matheson moved to the public service to pursue interests in science policy and security science. Dr. Matheson holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa and spent her post-doctoral time at the University of Saskatchewan, working on cell and molecular biology, as well as at the Royal University Hospital Canadian Arthritis Network focusing on pediatric rheumatology. Dr. Matheson is a 2022 Women in Defence and Security (WiDS) Emerging Leader ( https://www.wids.ca/cms/Emerging-Leaders ) for her exceptional work improving communications within DRDC’s Center for Security Science in her first year as a Defence Scientist. PLEASE NOTE - the views and opinions expressed are those of the individual and should not be interpreted as representing official policies of the organizations or countries. CLARIFICATION: During recording Dr. Matheson alluded to the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) targeting proposals from Canadian government scientists. Please note that while CSSP does fund government science, the CSSP also funds research and development through academia and industry. The goal of the program is to allow Canadian government departments to meet their safety and security requirement with
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Prof. Dr. Tony Donne, Ph.D. is Program Manager (CEO) of the EUROfusion ( https://www.euro-fusion.org/ ) research consortium, a European consortium of 30 national fusion research institutes, in 26 EU countries, plus Switzerland and Ukraine, where he coordinates the work of over 4,000 scientists and engineers. Dr. Donne trained as a physicist, obtaining his Masters in Experimental Physics at Utrecht University, his Ph.D. degree at the Free University of Amsterdam for work in the field of nuclear physics, and moved into fusion research right afterwards and has devoted a substantial part of his scientific career to the design and use of plasma diagnostics in a large range of fusion devices. Prior to EUROfusion, Dr. Donne was head of the Fusion Physics Division at the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER) and responsible for the coordination of the nuclear fusion research in the Netherlands, where he coordinated Dutch fusion research as Director of fusion science and Acting Director. Dr. Donne has also served as Professor in Diagnostics and Heating of Fusion Plasmas at Eindhoven University of Technology, Director of the Dutch-Russian Centre of Excellence on Fusion Physics and Technology, as well as Program Director of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) -Netherlands consortium, and chair of the Coordination Committee of the International Tokamak Physics Activity under the auspices of the ITER project. Dr. Donne has published about 185 papers in peer-reviewed journals and more than 350 conference proceedings.
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Dr. Seemay Chou, Ph.D. is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Board Member of Arcadia Science ( https://www.arcadia.science/ ), a research and development company focusing on under researched areas in biology, with a specific focus on novel model organisms that haven't been traditionally studied in the lab. The goals of Arcadia Science are to unlock the knowledge and ingenuity contained within a wide range of diverse species, uncover how evolution has solved limitless problems, and through revealing this untapped biological innovation, generate new technologies and products. Dr. Chou is also the co-founder of Trove Biolabs ( https://www.trovebiolabs.com/ ), a startup focused on harnessing novel molecules found in tick saliva for skin therapies. Dr. Chou joined Arcadia from UCSF where she was an Assistant Professor in Biochemistry and Biophysics. Dr. Chou received a Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from UC Berkeley, and her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology from University of Texas at Austin.
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H. E. President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. is the 10th President of the Republic of Palau ( https://www.palaugov.pw/executive-branch/president/ ). President Whipps was formerly a two-term Senator having served in the 8th and 9th Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK, Palau National Congress) from 2009 through 2016. His Senate report card maintains his reputable record in policy making to promote and protect the best interests of Palauans, including: conducting more than 100 oversight hearings to promote transparency and accountability in delivery of government services, spearheading the first bill introduced in the 9th OEK that became law to increase the minimum wage since its enactment in 1997, and most recently, balancing Palau’s focus on developing and promoting human resources and fostering their economy, while striking a balance in the protection of the environment, putting the Palauan people first. Prior to his career in politics, President Whipps had over 30 years of private sector experience managing one of the largest growing companies in Palau. As CEO and president of the Surangel and Sons Company, he led the expansion from a one floor store with 50 employees, to a diversified company employing over six-hundred people. President Whipps grew up in a family business that started with his parents improvising to sustain their living by opening a restaurant, fishing and selling their catch, taking tourists out to the rock islands and diving, and selling goods out of their house. President Whipps' experience is combined with his formal background earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in economics from Andrews University in Michigan and an MBA from Anderson Graduate School of Management at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). President Whippsʻ slogan - “A Kot a Rechand er Belau” (Palauan People First) actually originated from his father, who was active in the Save Palau movement to protect Palauʻs marine resources, and who ran for congress many times before being elected. In response to unfair treatment in the workplace, lack of career opportunities for Palauans, challenges hindering young Palauan entrepreneurs, and the unchecked exploitation of Palauʻs national resources, the slogan represented conviction that Palauans must reap the opportunities Palau has to offer, and the commitment to push for the improved welfare of Palauans to be foremost in their country by their government.
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Dr. Jennifer A. Fogarty, Ph.D. ( https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/jennifer-fogarty-100936 ) is the Chief Scientific Officer for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health ( TRISH - https://www.bcm.edu/academic-centers/space-medicine/translational-research-institute ) at Baylor College of Medicine, and the Director of the Applied Health and Performance at Sophic Synergistics LLC. As Chief Scientist of TRISH, Dr. Fogarty leads an innovative and high-risk research and technology development portfolio to address the most challenging human health and performance risks of space exploration. At Sophic Synergistics, which is a women-owned and women-led Human Centered Design firm specializing in integrating human factors engineering and human health and performance into a business model, Dr. Fogarty’s Division focuses on developing and expanding the application of medical technologies for use in remote medicine, telemedicine, and home healthcare. In both roles, Dr. Fogarty’s goal is to increase access to high quality healthcare and empower patients and medical providers by incorporating precision medicine and cutting-edge science and technology with actionable data both in space and on Earth. Dr. Fogarty has over twenty years of experience in medical physiology and extreme environments and was the NASA Human Research Program Chief Scientist. Her approach prioritizes communication and collaboration with industry academia, government and commercial spaceflight programs, and international partners. She values and seeks collaborations with external institutions and government agencies to assess fundamental and mechanistic discoveries as well as innovative prevention and treatment strategies for application to preserve health and performance. Dr. Fogarty has a Ph.D. in Medical Physiology from Texas A&M University School of Medicine and a B.S. in Biology from Stockton University . She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, an editor of the Fundamentals of Aerospace Medicine 4th and 5th edition, and associate editor for the journal npj Microgravity.
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Dr. Svitlana Volkova, Ph.D. (https://www.pnnl.gov/people/svitlana-volkova) is Chief Scientist, Decision Intelligence and Analytics, National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), which is one of the United States Department of Energy national laboratories, managed by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science. Dr. Volkova is a recognized leader in the field of computational social science and computational linguistics and her scientific contributions and publication profile cover a range of topics on applied machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and social media analytics. Dr. Volkova’s research focuses on understanding, predicting, and explaining human behavior, interactions, and real-world events from open-source social data and her approaches help advance effective decision making and reasoning about extreme volumes of dynamic, multilingual, multimodal, and diverse real-world unstructured data. Dr. Volkova has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University, Center for Language and Speech Processing, and an M.S. in Computer Science, from Kansas State University.
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Dr. Egbert Edelbroek, Ph.D. is the CEO & Founder of SpaceBorn United ( https://spacebornunited.com/ ), a research and mission design company focused on researching optimal conditions for human reproduction in space, with a focus on novel assisted reproductive technologies. Dr. Edelbroek is passionate about accelerating space life science research, helping humanity to become a multi-planetary species. His interest in space exploration accelerated shortly after he became a sperm donor in 2010 and when learned all about assisted reproductive technologies. This inspired him to explore options to re-engineer existing IVF technology for application in space. Dr. Edelbroek earned his Ph.D. studying courage development in organizations from Radboud University, a Master's degreein neuro-linguistic programming & coaching from IEP Nijmegen, and a Master's degree in organizational sciences from Tilburg University. Dr. Edelbroek enjoys innovating and exploring boundaries by connecting domains and experts that usually remain separated in order to expand the human comfort zone.
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Dr. Renée Deehan, Ph.D. is the VP of Science & Artificial Intelligence at InsideTracker ( https://www.insidetracker.com/ ), and leads a science team that builds and mines the world's largest data set of blood, DNA, fitness tracking and phenotypic data from healthy people, creating evidence-based solutions that are simple, clear, and actionable. Dr. Deehan has spent her career working in the precision medicine and personalized nutrition domains, previously serving as the VP of Computational Biology & Translational Informatics at QuartzBio and as the VP of Biology and Bioinformatics at PatientsLikeMe, the world’s largest integrated community, health management, and real-world data platform. At PatientsLikeMe, Dr. Deehan was responsible for data and knowledge engineering, AI/machine-learning, and translational biology functions that drove infrastructure and consumer & business product development. She was also the Principal Investigator for the DigitalMe Ignite program, which collected longitudinal blood and patient-generated health data from over 5,000 at-home site visits from over 2,000 participants and was able to generate over 2 Million data points from the DigitalMe program. Dr. Deehan also designed and cross-functionally implemented the first generation of an “advanced research platform”, capable of integrating survey and omics data for biomarker analysis, including ensemble-based machine-learning pipelines. Additionally, they developed an outsourced pipeline to support their wet-lab omics needs (DNA/RNAseq, proteomics, immune sequencing/antibody repertoire analysis, metabolomics, methylomics). Dr. Deehan has a Ph.D in Molecular and Cell Biology from University of California, Berkeley and a BSE in Bioengineering from University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Hamburg, MD is an internationally recognized leader in public health and medicine, who currently serves as chair of the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s (NTI) bio Advisory Group ( https://www.nti.org/about/people/margaret-hamburg-md/ ), where she has also served as founding vice president and senior scientist. She also currently holds a role as Commissioner on the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense ( https://biodefensecommission.org/teams/margaret-a-hamburg/ ). Dr. Hamburg previously served as foreign secretary of the National Academy of Medicine and is a former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), having served for almost six years where she was well known for advancing regulatory science, modernizing regulatory pathways, and globalizing the agency. Previous government positions include Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Commissioner for New York City, and Assistant Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. In her role, as Foreign Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Dr. Hamburg served as senior advisor on international matters and was the liaison with other Academies of Medicine around the world. She is an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Hamburg currently sits on the boards of the Commonwealth Fund, the Simons Foundation, the Urban Institute, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the American Museum of Natural History. She is chair of the Joint Coordinating Group for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation, and a member of the Harvard University Global Advisory Council, the Global Health Scientific Advisory Committee for the Gates Foundation, the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows, and the World Dementia Council. Dr. Hamburg earned her B.A. from Harvard College, her M.D. from Harvard Medical School and completed her medical residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is the recipient of multiple honorary degrees and numerous awards.
Dr. David A. Markowitz, Ph.D. ( https://www.markowitz.bio/ ) is a Program Manager at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity ( IARPA - https://www.iarpa.gov/ ) which is an organization that invests in high-risk, high-payoff research programs to tackle some of the most difficult challenges of the agencies and disciplines in the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). IARPA’s mission is to push the boundaries of science to develop solutions that empower the U.S. IC to do its work better and more efficiently for national security. IARPA does not have an operational mission and does not deploy technologies directly to the field, but instead, they facilitate the transition of research results to IC customers for operational application. Currently, Dr. Markowitz leads three research programs at the intersection between biology, engineering, and computing. These programs are: FELIX, which is revolutionizing the field of bio-surveillance with new experimental and computational tools for detecting genetic engineering in complex biological samples; MIST, which is developing compact and inexpensive DNA data storage devices to address rapidly growing enterprise storage needs; and MICrONS, which is guiding the development of next-generation machine learning algorithms by reverse-engineering the computations performed by mammalian neocortex. Previously, as a researcher in neuroscience, Dr. Markowitz published first-author papers on neural computation, the neural circuit basis of cognition in primates, and neural decoding strategies for brain-machine interfaces. Dr. Markowitz received his Ph.D. in molecular biology and neuroscience from Princeton University and his Bachelor’s degree in management science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was a DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellow and a Swartz Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Computational Neuroscience. Dr. Markowitz is a recipient of the 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
Dr. Sharon K. Inouye is the Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston, Massachusetts ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/scientists/team-profiles-and-bios/sharon-k-inouye-md-mph ). Dr. Inouye has an M.D., from University of California San Francisco and M.P.H. from Yale and currently holds the Milton and Shirley F. Levy Family Chair and is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center). Her research focuses on delirium and functional decline in hospitalized older patients, resulting in more than 300 peer-reviewed original articles to date. Dr. Inouye is the principal investigator of the Successful Aging after Elective Surgery (SAGES) study, an $11 million Program Project on delirium funded by the National Institute on Aging whose purpose is to examine the interface of delirium and dementia, whether delirium alters the course of dementia, and whether delirium leads to longstanding cognitive impairment and pathologic changes in the brain. Dr. Inouye developed and validated the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), the most widely-used instrument for the identification of delirium. She conceptualized the multi-factorial model for delirium, which focuses on identification of predisposing and precipitating factors for delirium and her work involves translating theories of clinical investigation into practical applications that directly improve the quality of life for older adults. Dr. Inouye has also developed the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), a multi-component intervention strategy designed to prevent delirium by targeting six delirium risk factors. HELP was successful in reducing delirium by 40 percent and was published in a landmark study in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study was the first to show that a substantial proportion of delirium is preventable. Additionally, HELP has been shown to reduce falls, functional decline, and hospital costs, and to improve patient, family, and nursing satisfaction. The HELP program has been adopted by hundreds of hospitals worldwide. Dr. Inouye has been awarded many of the highest accolades in her field, including being elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
Dr. Michael Hufford, Ph.D. is the Co-Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of LyGenesis ( https://www.lygenesis.com/ ), a clinical-stage cell therapy company that transforms patient’s lymph nodes into bioreactors capable of growing functioning ectopic organs. He also serves as the Interim CEO of Morphoceuticals ( https://www.morphoceuticals.com/ ) a company focused on modifying electric potentials in cells and tissues for a variety of applications in regenerative medicine, from improving amputation stump health and limb regeneration, to organogenesis, to creating a bioelectric atlas where numerous disease indications may be corrected. Dr. Hufford also serves as a scientific advisor to Juvenescence ( https://juvlabs.com/ ) a biotech holding company that develops therapies and products to modify aging and help people live longer. An entrepreneur and drug developer, Dr. Hufford has over 20 years of experience in the development and FDA regulatory approval of small molecules (Cypress Bioscience), biologics (Amylin Pharmaceuticals), as well as drug delivery technologies (e-Nicotine Technology). He has designed and executed clinical trials and drug development programs across a wide variety of therapeutic areas, from orphan metabolic diseases to psychiatric and oncology indications. His experience in- and out-licensing pre-clinical and clinical stage assets, executing corporate partnering deals, and in investor relations, has helped him to raise public, private, and angel-back financing for his companies. His philanthropic work includes co-founding and serving as the CEO of Harm Reduction Therapeutics, Inc. ( https://www.harmreductiontherapeutics.org/ ), a nonprofit pharmaceutical company developing low-cost over-the-counter intra-nasal naloxone in the US to help prevent opioid overdose deaths. Dr. Hufford earned his undergraduate degree with distinction from Purdue University, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, before completing a Research and Clinical Fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is an award-winning lecturer, and the author of more than 100 scientific publications, presentations, and OpEds, with multiple issued and pending patents.
Dr. Brett Kagan, Ph.D. is the Chief Scientific Officer at Cortical Labs ( https://corticallabs.com/ ), a biological computing startup putting live neurons into chips to revolutionize computing and help usher in the post-silicon age. Potential applications for the unique organic-digital convergence tools that Cortical Labs is working on are quite broad including: novel ex-vivo models for drug screening in CNS conditions such as epilepsy and dementia; a deeper understanding about how our brains organize activity and learn; inspiration for new machine learning methods; and ultimately tapping the inherent intelligence of living neurons, for their superior computing power and low energy consumption, for the creation of true neuromorphic computing. Dr. Kagan obtained a Bachelors of Psychology from Bond University, a Masters of Neuroscience from the The University of Queensland, and a Ph.D., focused on Cell Therapy for Neonatal Brain, from the University of Melbourne.
Dee Siren ( https://mrssiren.com/ ) is a veteran adult entertainment professional who wears many titles within the industry including as a director, producer, sex educator, performer, content creator, and CEO of SirenXXXStudios ( https://sirenxxxstudios.com/ ) . Dee attended the University of Texas in San Antonio, earning a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a certification in Education and began a career in teaching before segueing into the adult entertainment industry. Dee is also a certified sex educator by the American College of Sexologists and currently offers life coaching and career consultation through Intimate Purpose LLC ( MyKarmaSutra.com ), where she uses her knowledge to assist others in finding their new path to happier, healthier, and productive relationships. Dee is also a brand ambassador for the ePlay streaming service and as a core team member / production partner at Vicewrld DAO ( https://vicewrld.com/ ) which will focus on producing video and image-based content and, in the future, full immersion Metaverse AR / VR-based content.
John Sherman is the Chief Information Officer (DoD CIO) at the U.S. Department of Defense ( https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/2881098/john-sherman/ ), a role he was sworn in on December 17, 2021. In this role he is the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense for Information Management / Information Technology (IT) and Information Assurance, as well as non-intelligence space systems; critical satellite communications, navigation, and timing programs; spectrum; and telecommunications matters. ( https://dodcio.defense.gov/about-dod-cio/ ) Prior to assuming his duties, Mr. Sherman served as the Acting DoD CIO and Principal Deputy, DoD CIO from June 2020 to September 2021. Before joining the Department, Mr. Sherman served as the Intelligence Community (IC) CIO from 2017-2020. In this position he was involved in driving and coordinating IT modernization among 17 agencies, leading major advancements to the IC’s cloud computing, cybersecurity, and interoperability capabilities. He built long-term commitment to these priorities among stakeholders, both in government and industry, and ensured that the IC would remain a leader in each of these areas. Prior to his tour as the IC CIO, Mr. Sherman served from 2014-2017 as the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s) Open Source Enterprise (OSE), where he helped transform Open Source Intelligence, leveraging new technologies and interagency partnerships to enhance the growing OSE mission. He previously served for seven years in several senior executive positions at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), where he led organizations involved in analysis, collection, homeland security, organizational strategy, and international affairs. Earlier, he served as the Principal Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Military Issues on the National Intelligence Council, and as a White House Situation Room duty officer. Mr. Sherman began his IC career in 1997 as an imagery analyst. Mr. Sherman is a 1992 Distinguished Military Graduate of Texas A&M University where he commanded the Corps of Cadets and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. He also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Houston. Following graduation from Texas A&M, he served as an Air Defense Officer in the 24th Infantry Division. He is a graduate of the DoD CAPSTONE course, the “Leading the IC” course, and the CIA Director’s Seminar. Mr. Sherman's awards include the Distinguished and Meritorious Presidential Rank, the DIA Director’s Award, the CIA Intelligence Medal of Merit, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, the NGA Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, and the Canadian Chief of Defense Intelligence Medallion.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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The Fren Zone
The Fren Zone brings you the brightest technical minds in crypto and Web3. Join our...
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Beth Bell ( https://bethbell.me/ ) is an author, advisor and an entrepreneur who has been on a fascinating journey of spiritual awakening. Beth started out as a rising sales star turned marketing executive, spending more than 16 years at Bayer Pharmaceuticals leading strategic brand planning and other functions in the female health and contraception space. However, somewhere between C-level meetings and marketplace assessments, Beth began listening more closely to the world around — and within — her. What she heard led her eventually to ditch her corporate life to pursue her life’s purpose of “pollinating the planet with love”. As her inward journey deepened, Beth became known as the “Flower Whisperer” and forged new paths — first as an entrepreneur designing silver jewelry in Bali, then as a radio/TV show host and author. Additionally, Beth serves as a "multi-dimensional advisor" for CEOs and psychedelic pharmaceutical companies through her organization Psychedelic Sages. Beth is an accomplished author with her book titles including: "The Awakening and Healing Handbook", "Five Pearls of Wisdom Workbook", "Savvy Insiders Guide to Ubud", "Flower Power 4 Pure Love: Pollinating the Planet with Love" and "Angels, Herpes and Psychedelics Unraveling the Mind to Unveil Illusions".
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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The Fren Zone
The Fren Zone brings you the brightest technical minds in crypto and Web3. Join our...
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Dr. James Revill, Ph.D. ( https://unidir.org/staff/james-revill ) is the Head of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and Space Security Program, at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). Dr. Revill’s research interests focus on the evolution of the chemical and biological weapons and he has published widely in these areas. He was previously a Research Fellow with the Harvard Sussex Program at the Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex and completed research fellowships with the Landau Network Volta Center in Italy and the Bradford Disarmament Research Centre in the UK. Dr. Revill holds a Ph.D. focused on the evolution of the Biological Weapons Convention from the University of Bradford, UK. Dr. Revill’s areas of expertise include biological weapons, biosecurity, bioterrorism, chemical weapons, chemical terrorism, chemical weapons convention, compliance, verification, and improvised explosive devices.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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The Fren Zone
The Fren Zone brings you the brightest technical minds in crypto and Web3. Join our...
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Dr. Ahmed Ogwell ( https://africacdc.org/people/ahmed-ogwell-ouma/ ) is the Acting Director at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) – a specialized agency of the African Union (AU). In this capacity, he works with AU Member States and other partners, leading a team of experts in securing Africa’s health through effective preparedness, early detection and rapid response to disease outbreaks and public health emergencies on the continent of Africa. Dr. Ogwell has over 25 years of experience in public health as a social and developmental agenda at national, regional, and global levels. He has ably held senior positions in national government, the United Nations (UN) system, non-governmental organizations, and the AU. Dr. Ogwell previously worked as an advisor to the World Health Organization Director General and worked at the World Health Organization Regional office for Africa. Originally from Kenya, Dr. Ogwell walked the first steps of his international leader’s journey back home, founding both the Office for International Health Relations and the department for NCDs at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kenya. With a decade of civil service, he is well versed in supporting governments to achieve desirable public health outcomes, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Internationally, Dr. Ogwell is recognized for leading the negotiations for the Tobacco Control Treaty, contributing to the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) particularly in the African continent. He was also one of the pioneers of the intergovernmental working group on Public Health, Innovation, and Intellectual Property in Africa. Dr. Ogwell is thus a pan Africanist at heart and a firm believer in the power of leveraging international experience to find local solutions tailored to local challenges. Dr. Ogwell is an alumnus of the University Of Nairobi School Of Public Health and the Center for International Health at the University of Bergen in Norway.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Brett Anderson, MSG, MSW - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Anderson_(American_musician) is a Gerontologist and Clinical Social Worker on a mission to rethink aging, longevity & mental health. Ms. Anderson was also the former lead singer of the American Rock group, The Donnas ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Donnas ), where she was the lead vocalist for 20 years, performing throughout the U.S., as well as internationally, and had performances / appearances on major network shows including Saturday Night Live, David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Ms. Anderson received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Stanford University, her MSG, Gerontology from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, and her Master of Social Work - MSW, from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Now pursuing a career as a licensed geriatric social worker, Ms. Anderson hopes to integrate her creative and business experience, with her gerontological knowledge, to better meet the needs of our rapidly aging population.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya Acosta
Are you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...
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Dr. Jacob Hanna, MD, Ph.D. ( https://hannalabweb.weizmann.ac.il/ ) is a Senior Scientist and Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where his lab, and the interdisciplinary group of scientists within it, are focused on understanding the complexity of early embryonic stem cell biology and early developmental dynamics, as well as advancing human disease modeling. More specifically, Dr. Hanna's lab investigates the detailed process of cellular reprogramming, in which induced pluripotent stem cells are generated from somatic cells, and they investigate how pluripotency is maintained throughout development in mouse and human. In their studies they employ a diverse arsenal of biological experimentation methods, high throughput screening, advanced microscopy and genomic analyses seeking to combine biological experimentation with computational biology, theory and modeling, to elucidate various biological questions. Dr. Hanna completed both his MD and PhD at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where his work was focused in the domain of immunology with his thesis focus on novel molecular and functional properties of human NK Subsets. He then went on to do postdoctoral studies at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at MIT under the tutelage of Prof. Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch with a field of study of pluripotency and epigenetic reprogramming. Dr. Hanna is also Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor, of Renewal Bio ( https://www.renewal.bio/ ), a biotech company looking to leverage the power of these new stem cell technologies, potentially applying them to a wide variety of human ailments including infertility, genetic diseases, and longevity.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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The Resilience Development Podcast
Live, work & feel better with the multi-award winning team at Resilience Development Co.
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Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya Acosta
Are you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...
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Professor Dr. Mark G. Shrime, MD, MPH, PhD, FACS ( https://www.markshrime.com/ ) is the International Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Ships ( https://www.mercyships.org/ ) and a Lecturer in Global Health and Social Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Shrime previously served as the O’Brien Chair of Global Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, as the founder and Director of the Center for Global Surgery Evaluation at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and as Research Director for the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change at Harvard. Dr. Shrime is the author of seminal papers on the global burden of surgical disease, the financial burden facing surgical patients, and the number of people who cannot access safe surgery worldwide. He served as a co-author on the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery. Dr. Shrime graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1996 with a BA in molecular biology. He received his MD from the University of Texas in 2001, after taking a year to teach organic chemistry in Singapore. Medical school was followed by a residency in otolaryngology at the joint Columbia/Cornell program in Manhattan, followed, in turn, by a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology at the University of Toronto in 2007. He completed a second fellowship in microvascular reconstructive surgery, also at the University of Toronto, in 2008. He was the first to identify a novel independent prognostic indicator in head and neck cancer. To date, Dr. Shrime has worked and taught in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Benin, Togo, Congo, Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, and Madagascar. In May, 2011, he graduated with an MPH in global health from the Harvard School of Public Health, where he was a finalist for both the Albert Schweitzer award and the HSPH Student Recognition award, and in May, 2015, he received his PhD in health policy from Harvard University, with a concentration in decision science. Dr. Shrime’s research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Iris O’Brien Foundation, the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation, an anonymous donation to the Center for Global Surgery Evaluation, the GE Foundation’s Safe Surgery 2020 project and the Steven C. and Carmella Kletjian Foundation. Dr. Shrime’s academic pursuits focus on patient decision-making and surgical delivery in low- and middle-income countries, where he has a specific interest in the intersection of health, impoverishment, inequity, and global development. His work aims to determine optimal policies and platforms for surgical delivery that maximize health benefits while simultaneously minimizing the risk of financial catastrophe fac
Dev Interrupted
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ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic
Breaks down the byproduct of alcohol responsible for rough mornings after drinking.
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Lydie Evrard (https://www.iaea.org/about/organizational-structure/department-of-nuclear-safety-and-security/deputy-director-general-of-department-of-nuclear-safety-and-security) is Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ms. Evrard's department focuses on the protection of people, society and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation, whether the cause is an unsafe act or a security breach, and her team aims to provide a strong, sustainable and visible global nuclear safety and security framework. Her department was created in 1996 as a response to the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Prior to joining the IAEA, Ms. Evrard held the role of Commissioner at the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN). Ms. Evrard started her career in the field of engineering, joining the French Ministry of Energy as an engineer and she has worked extensively in the regulatory field over the last 25 years in positions including as Unit Head at the Industry, Research and the Environment Direction of France’s Ministry of the Environment (Paris Region); Deputy Head of the Paris Region Division of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and subsequently Head of the Authority’s waste, decommissioning, fuel cycle facilities, research facilities and contaminated soils remediation Department. At the ASN, Ms. Evrard handled both radiation protection and nuclear safety issues. In particular, she led, together with counterparts at the Ministry of Energy, the 2013-2015 national plan for the management of radioactive materials and waste and coordinated the stress tests performed on research and fuel cycle facilities, following the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Before taking up the position of Commissioner at the Nuclear Safety Authority in 2017, Ms. Evrard was the Inter-ministerial Delegate for standardization and Head of Department for standardization, product regulation and metrology in the French Ministry of Economy and Finance. Within this role she coordinated and regulated the French standardization system and coordinated the network of regional metrology offices. Ms. Evrard holds an engineering degree, a Master’s degree in Oil and Gas Operations and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She was recently knighted when joining the French Legion of Honor, the highest French order of merit.
Dev Interrupted
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Dr. Peter Fedichev, Ph.D. is the CEO of Gero ( https://gero.ai/ ), a biotech company focused on hacking complex diseases, including aging, with AI for novel drug discovery, as well as digital biomarkers. Gero’s models originate from the physics of complex dynamic systems, combining the potential of deep neural networks with the physical models to study dynamical processes and understand what drives diseases. Dr. Fedichev has a background in biophysics, bioinformatics and condensed matter physics, earning his Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam, and he conducted research at FOM Institute AMOLF (part of the institutes organization of the Dutch Research Council of Netherlands) and the University of Innsbruck. To date, Dr Fedichev has published over 70 papers covering his research on physics, biophysics and aging biology.
Prof. Dr. Gordan Lauc, Ph.D. ( http://www.pharma.unizg.hr/en/about-us/staff/gordan--lauc,450.html ) is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, and Founder and CEO of Genos Ltd. ( https://genos-glyco.com/ ), a research-intensive SME located in Zagreb, Croatia with core of expertise in molecular genetics and glycomics (The comprehensive study the entire complement of sugars, whether free or present in more complex molecules of an organism) and they perform contract research, contract analysis and service for numerous universities, hospitals and private individuals in Europe and overseas. Prof. Dr. Lauc also is CSO of GlycanAge LTD ( https://glycanage.com/ ), a company that has developed a ground-breaking test that analyses your personal glycobiome for insights in improving your health and monitoring your biological age, and Co-Director of the Human Glycome Project ( https://human-glycome.org/ ). Prof. Dr. Lauc graduated with a degree in molecular biology at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Science in 1992, and obtained Ph.D. in Biochemistry and the University of Zagreb in 1995. He got his postdoctoral training at the Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics in Münster and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Since 1993 he has been employed at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry in Zagreb. Between 1998 and 2010 he was also part-time employed at the University of Osijek School of Medicine where he founded a DNA laboratory for the identification of war victims and also served as Vice-Dean for Science between 2001 and 2005. Prof. Dr. Lauc is author of over 100 research papers published in international journals and six international patents. He was invited to lecture at numerous international conferences, elected for visiting professor at the Johns Hopkins University and in 2011 also inducted in the prestigious Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars. If 2012 he was appointed Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Adjunct Professor at the Edith Cowan University in Perth. Prof. Dr. Lauc chaired a number of conferences, including the “European Science Foundation Exploratory Workshop on Glycoscience” which resulted in the creation of the “European Glycoscience Forum”. Prof. Dr. Lauc was a chairman of the committee that prepared Croatian National Action plan for the increased investment in research in development (2007), and was a member of the National Science Council between 2009 and 2013 a
The Brave Marketer
Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers
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Dr. Ezinne Uzo-Okoro, Ph.D. is Assistant Director for Space Policy, Office of Science and Technology Policy, at the White House (https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/) where she focuses on determining civil and commercial space priorities for the President’s science advisor, and her portfolio includes a wide range of disciplines including Orbital Debris, On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM), Earth Observations, Space Weather, and Planetary Protection. Previously, Dr. Uzo-Okoro built and managed over 60 spacecraft missions and programs in 17 years at NASA, in roles as an engineer, technical expert, manager and executive, in earth observations, planetary science, heliophysics, astrophysics, human exploration, and space communications, which represented $9.2B in total program value. Her last role was as a NASA Heliophysics program executive. Dr. Uzo-Okoro has an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and three masters degrees in Space Systems, Space Robotics, and Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University (APL), MIT (the Media Lab), and Harvard University, and a PhD in Space Systems from MIT, on the robotic assembly of satellites. During her career, Dr. Uzo-Okoro also founded Terraformers.com to help grow affordable food through productive and networked backyard gardens, as a precursor to growing food in space. Her immigration story is profiled in President George W. Bush’s book, 'Out of Many, One'.
The Brave Marketer
Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers
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Dr. Anna Laura Ross, Ph.D. is the Unit Head for Emerging Technologies, Research Prioritization and Support, in the World Health Organization (WHO) Science Division ( https://www.who.int/our-work/science-division ), located in Geneva, as well as the Head of the WHO Science Council Secretariat. Previously at WHO, Dr Ross served as Strategy Technical Manager at Unitaid, their global health initiative that works with partners to bring about innovations to prevent, diagnose and treat major diseases in low- and middle-income countries, with an emphasis on tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS and its deadly co-infections, providing strategic and technical support for Unitaid’s strategy, and working to identify the priorities areas for intervention to accelerate innovation for global health. Dr. Ross has over fifteen years of experience in global health. Her areas of interest are in the field of HIV biomedical research, scientific program coordination, implementation research, and global health policy. Prior to joining WHO, Dr. Ross served as Head of International Affairs and Scientific Relations at the National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (ANRS) in Paris, France. Previously, Dr Ross carried out biomedical research at the UK Medical Research Council, London, England and at the Institute Pasteur network. In the latter role she worked in France, Cameroon, and Cambodia on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Dr. Ross is particularly interested in facilitating and accelerating the translation of evidence-based science into policies for the benefit of global health. She holds a Ph.D. in biomedical research from the University of Cambridge and a post-graduate qualification in Global Health Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The Brave Marketer
Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers
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Bob Beitcher is the President and CEO, Motion Picture and Television Fund ( MPTF - https://mptf.com ) a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as temporary financial assistance, case management, and residential living. Mr. Beitcher has been the chief executive officer and president at MPTF since July 2011 and serves on the organization’s Board of Directors. Previously, Mr. Beitcher was president and chief executive officer of Panavision and vice-chairman of the MacAndrews and Forbes Media Group. He joined Consolidated Film Industries in 1997 as president and chief executive and served in that position until 2000 when the company was acquired by Technicolor. At Technicolor, he created the Creative Services group, which remains an industry leader in visual effects. Earlier in this career, Mr. Beitcher worked closely with George Lucas, Jim Henson, and Francis Coppola and their respective production companies. He has been a director of MPTF since 2007. He is on the board of directors of Vino Vault and Exokinetics, and serves on the advisory board of the Institute for Human Caring, the ARRI Rental Group, ProdPro, and the Jewish Graduate Student Initiative. In 2021, he accepted an Oscar statuette from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on behalf of MPTF.
The Brave Marketer
Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers
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Julie Lenzer is the Chief Innovation Officer of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute ( ARMI - https://www.armiusa.org ) and BioFabUSA ( https://www.armiusa.org/biofabusa ). Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), is one of 14 institutes of the Manufacturing USA network and is a member-driven, non-profit organization, whose mission is to make practical the large-scale manufacturing of engineered tissues and tissue-related technologies. BioFabUSA, created by ARMI, was established to lead the charge in large-scale manufacturing of engineered tissues and regenerative medicine research, turning foundational breakthroughs in the manufacture of engineered tissues and tissue-related technologies into life-changing possibilities for everyone. Prior to this role, Julie served as Commissioner of the Maryland Economic Development Commission, as well as Chief Innovation Officer at University of Maryland (UMD) fostering and supporting UMD’s innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization enterprise, including the development of the UMD’s Research Park, the Discovery District, and the Greater College Park initiative. She was also involved in promoting and facilitating university-wide collaboration to launch startup ventures based upon University intellectual property, as well as providing support for entrepreneurs and small business across the state through Mixed/Augmented/Virtual Reality Innovation Center (MAVRIC), the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the TechPort incubator in St. Mary’s County. Prior to that role, Julie lead the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) where she drove programs and policies that support innovative economic development such as innovation-based entrepreneurship and regional innovation clusters. Prior to that appointment, Julie was the Executive Director of the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship (MCE), the co-chair of Startup, as well as co-founder and former CEO of the Path Forward Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a non-profit that helped women expand economic opportunity by starting and building growth-oriented businesses using technology transfer. Julie has an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M and a Masters in Machine Learning from University of Maryland.
The Brave Marketer
Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers
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Dr. Jarah Meador, Ph.D. is Director, Open Innovation Programs, (Challenge.Gov - https://www.challenge.gov & CitizenScience.Gov - https://www.citizenscience.gov), at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA - https://www.gsa.gov ). The GSA is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of various federal agencies, supplying products and communications for U.S. government offices, providing transportation and office space to federal employees, and developing government-wide cost-minimizing policies and other management tasks. The GSA employs about 12,000 federal workers. It has an annual operating budget of roughly $33 billion and oversees $66 billion of procurement annually. It contributes to the management of about $500 billion in U.S. federal property, divided chiefly among 8,700 owned and leased buildings and a 215,000 vehicle motor pool. Among the real estate assets it manages are the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., which is the largest U.S. federal building after the Pentagon. Dr. Meador leads the crowdsourcing, citizen science and prize competition open innovation portfolio at GSA that includes Challenge.Gov and CitizenScience.gov. Previously, she led the innovation sourcing program at the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Innovation and this portfolio included prize competitions, broad agency announcements, and pay for success/social impact financing. The AAAS Science and Policy Technology Fellowship brought her to the federal government at the U.S. Agency for International Development ten years ago where she led a large-scale desalination technology development prize competition. Dr. Meador earned a Master's degree in Biology from Texas State University, a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology at the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and is an Air Force Veteran.
The Brave Marketer
Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers
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Aram Kradjian is Director, Research & Innovation, at Jaguar Land Rover ( https://www.jaguarlandrover.com/innovation ), where he is focused on heading the global research department, spearheading cutting edge research (collaborating with the tech industry, government, regulators and academia), as well as product design, innovation, and strategy, helping to drive the latest technologies and innovations into their products and services. Aram also serves as a Visiting Professor in Technology Innovation at King's College London. Aram has a B.Eng, Mechanical Engineering, American University of Beirut; an M.Sc., Production Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, and an MBA, General Management, INSEAD.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Addictive Eaters Anonymous
Addictive Eaters Anonymous (AEA) is a 12 Step fellowship based on Alcoholics Anonymous
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Dr. Amy Proal, Ph.D. serves as President & CEO of the PolyBio Research Foundation (https://polybio.org/), and Chief Scientific Officer of the Long Covid Research Initiative (LCRI - https://lc19.org/). In her work with PolyBio Research Foundation and the LCRI, Dr. Proal conceptualizes and coordinates large-scale collaborative research projects among research teams studying infection-associated chronic conditions such as Long Covid, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long Lyme. Dr. Proal has written multiple review articles that delineate core biological drivers of both the Long Covid and ME/CFS disease processes. She is a regular speaker at infection-associated chronic disease conferences including IACFS/ME, Lyme Mind and The International Congress on Autoimmunity. Dr. Proal holds a Bachelors of Science in biology from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in microbiology from Murdoch University in Australia. Her work examines the molecular mechanisms by which viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens dysregulate human gene expression, immunity, and metabolism, and how dysbiosis of the human microbiome, and/or the human virome, can contribute to chronic inflammatory disease processes. As a member of the research team at Autoimmunity Research Foundation, Dr. Proal has authored papers and written book chapters for organizations like the J. Craig Venter Institute and The Autoimmunity Network, and lectured at the NIH and numerous USA/international conferences.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya Acosta
Are you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...
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Graced Health
For women who want simple and grace-filled ways to take care of herself and enjoy a...
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Dr. Sarita A. Mohanty, MD, MPH, MBA (https://www.thescanfoundation.org/about/board-of-directors/sarita-a-mohanty/), serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The SCAN Foundation, one of the largest foundations in the United States focused on improving the quality of health and life for older adults. Its mission is to advance a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence. The SCAN Foundation was created as an independent charitable organization in April 2008 through a $205 Million one-time contribution from the not-for-profit SCAN Health Plan, a not-for-profit, Medicare Advantage based in Long Beach, California. Previously, Dr. Mohanty served as the Vice President of Care Coordination for Medicaid and Vulnerable Populations at Kaiser Permanente; Assistant Professor of Medicine at USC; Chief Medical Officer of COPE Health Solutions, a health care management consulting company; and Senior Medical Director at L.A. Care, the largest U.S. public health plan. Dr. Mohanty completed her Internal Medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and research fellowship at Harvard Medical School. She earned her MD from Boston University, MPH from Harvard University, and MBA from UCLA. She completed undergraduate work at UC Berkeley. She currently is an Associate Professor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine and is a practicing internal medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya Acosta
Are you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...
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Graced Health
For women who want simple and grace-filled ways to take care of herself and enjoy a...
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Dr. Ava Cadell, Ph.D., Ed.D (https://www.avacadell.com/) is an actress, an accomplished author of ten books, a producer, a therapist and a global speaker on wide range of issues of human sexuality, as well as founder of Loveology University (https://www.loveuniv.com/) and the personal brand "Sexual Empowerment". Dr. Cadell earned a doctorate in human behavior from Newport University (CA) and a doctorate of education in human sexuality from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco. She is also a certified hypnotherapist, certified American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) sex counselor, on the advisory board of the American College of Sexologists International, hosts a popular sex news blog at www.Sexpert.com and is a continuing education provider for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and California Board of Nursing. Through her private practice in L.A., Dr. Cadell counsels some of Hollywood's elite on personal issues that range from anger management, fear of intimacy, communication problems, performance anxiety, infidelity, love and sex addiction, lack of desire, power struggles to parental concerns. A highly sought after speaker, Dr. Cadell has traveled to four continents, motivating Fortune 500 business people, religious organizations, medical institutes, women's groups and college students to embrace the power of love and create magical relationships. Dr. Cadell's filmography is extensive with appearances in movies like Commando, History of the World, Part 1, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, as well as having appeared on hundreds of TV shows including The Doctors, LA Shrinks, Kendra on Top, Cathouse: The Series, as well as a variety of programs for MTV, VH1, Discovery, Lifetime, TLC, "E" and A&E. Dr. Cadell recently opened a 45-Acre Loveology Retreat ( https://www.loveologyretreat.com/ ); a visually stunning and awe-inspiring “Magical Property” in Maricopa, CA, about a two hour drive north of Los Angeles, whose activities include Yoga & Meditation, Hiking, Holistic Services, Sta
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya Acosta
Are you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...
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Professor Dr. Andrea B. Maier, MD, Ph.D., is the Oon Chiew Seng Professor in Medicine, Healthy Ageing and Dementia Research, and Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Longevity, at the National University Of Singapore, Professor Maier also holds professorship appointments at VU University Medical Centre , Amsterdam, Netherlands, and University of Melbourne, Australia, as well as is Director of Medicine and Community Care at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia. Professor Maier is also the President of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research, as well as Founding President of the Healthy Longevity Medicine Society - https://hlms.co/ . A Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), Professor Maier graduated in Medicine (MD) 2003 from the University of Lübeck (Germany), was registered 2009 in The Netherlands as Specialist in Internal Medicine-Geriatrics and was appointed Full Professor of Gerontology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The Netherlands) in 2013 where she was the head of Geriatrics at the Vrije Universiteit Medical Center from 2012 to 2016. From 2016 to early 2021, Professor Maier served as Divisional Director of Medicine and Community Care at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia, and as Professor of Medicine and Aged Care at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Professor Maier’s research focuses on unraveling the mechanisms of ageing and age-related diseases and during the last 10 years she has conducted multiple international observational cohort studies and intervention trials and has published more than 350 peer-reviewed articles. She is a frequent guest on radio and television programs to disseminate aging research and an invited member of several international academic and health policy committees, including the WHO. She also serves as selected Member of The Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities.
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Healthcare for Humans
This show is dedicated to exploring the history and culture of Washington's diverse...
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Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya Acosta
Are you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...
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Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker (https://nancybrinker.com/) is Founder of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (https://www.komen.org/) and Co-Founder of the Promise Fund of Florida (https://www.promisefundofflorida.org/). Amb. Brinker is a three-time Ambassador and New York Times best-selling author who is regarded as the leader of the global breast cancer movement. Her journey began with a promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything possible to end the shame, pain, fear, and hopelessness caused by this disease. In one generation, the organization that bears Susan’s name has changed the world. In 2009, President Barack Obama honored Amb. Brinker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for this work. The same year, she was named Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the United Nations’ World Health Organization, where she continued her mission to put cancer control at the top of the world health agenda. In 2010, Amb. Brinker released her New York Times best-selling memoir “Promise Me - How a Sister's Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer”, an inspirational story of her transformation from bereaved sister to the undisputed leader of the ongoing international movement to end breast cancer. From 2001-2003, Amb. Brinker served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and served as U.S. Chief of Protocol from 2007-2009. Amb. Brinker is also the host of a weekly show on Newsmax TV which features news makers, corporate leaders, and high-profile cultural thought leaders. In 2018, Amb. Brinker spearheaded the creation of the Promise Fund of Florida, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the outcomes and reduce deaths from breast and cervical cancers in Palm Beach County, where 80,000 women reside with no insurance and no medical home. The Promise Fu
Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Healthcare for Humans
This show is dedicated to exploring the history and culture of Washington's diverse...
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Buzzsprout — Easiest Way to Start a Podcast
Start podcasting today. It's the easiest way to start, grow, and monetize your podcast.
Dr. Doris A. Taylor, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer of Organamet Bio Inc. (https://organametbio.com/) an early phase start-up committed to saving lives and reducing the cost of healthcare for those with heart disease. Organamet has a goal is to make personalized bio-engineered human hearts, available to all who need them, within 5 years, increasing availability and access to hearts, decreasing or eliminating need for immunosuppression, reducing total lifetime transplant costs, and improving quality of life. Dr. Taylor was previously the Director, Regenerative Medicine Research and Director, Center for Cell and Organ Biotechnology, at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas, where she worked on the integration of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Dr. Taylor has a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. She did her post-doctoral studies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, where she first worked with tissue engineering, growing heart muscle cells in the laboratory. Dr. Taylor was on the faculty of Duke University from 1991 to 2007, and then moved to University of Minnesota, where in 2008 her team published a landmark paper in Nature Medicine where they created new beating rat hearts using a combination of tissue engineering processes, first stripping the dead dying cells away from an existing heart (in a process called "de-cellularization") leaving behind the hearts extracellular matrix and then re-seeding the matrix by injecting new young rat stem cells. Dr. Taylor is also Co-Founder and original Board member of Miromatrix Medical Inc. Dr. Taylor's work has been published in Nature Medicine, Circulation Research, The Journal of Molecular Biology, The Journal of Biochemistry, Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and other top-tier scientific journals. She holds a number of invention disclosures, patent applications and patents and is the founder of multiple companies dedicated to cardiovascular repair technologies. She is a member of the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) Cardiovascular Working Group and the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD). Other professional affiliations include the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), among others. She recently served on the Executive Committee for the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM). Dr. Taylor has been recognized by the AHA for Top 10 Research Advances. Her work has been recognized and featured by 60 Minutes, NPR, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC Horizon, BBC News Health, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, Associated Press, National Public Radio, Good Morning America, Forbes, the Oprah Winfrey Show, NOVA Science Now, Discovery Channel’s Through the Worm Hole with Morgan Freeman, Science Channel’s Stem Cell Universe with Stephen Hawking, and numerous other worldwide media outlets.
Dan Harary (https://www.danhararyauthor.com/) is an author, entertainment industry publicist, drummer and former stand-up comic. While best known for his 50 years of work in Hollywood as an entertainment industry publicist and owner of the boutique Asbury PR Agency (https://asburypr.com/) in Beverly Hills, Dan is also the author of four books: Flirting With Fame - A Hollywood Publicist Recalls 50 Years of Celebrity Close Encounters, After They Came, Inside The Cutting Room: A Backstage Look at New York's Last Rock 'n' Roll Mecca and Carrots: True Confessions of a Hollywood Sex Addict (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1629339652/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2) A native of Ocean Township, NJ, Dan worked as Stage Manager at the legendary Sunshine Inn concert hall in Asbury Park in the early 1970’s, with such now iconic musicians as Bruce Springsteen, KISS and Fleetwood Mac. Dan graduated Boston University, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications, having studied TV production, advertising, marketing and journalism – ironically, every type of communications EXCEPT public relations, worked at Columbia Pictures/New York and relocated to Los Angeles in 1980. Dan's first post in Hollywood was as an Assistant at the American Film Institute; he then landed in-house PR positions with: the Playboy Channel (where he handled all PR and Program Information for the TV programs, movies and specials including events which were held at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion), Columbia Pictures Television, working closely with Brooke Shields on the Blue Lagoon, as well as being in charge of PR for the syndicated TV series “The New Gidget,” “What’s Happening Now!” and “The Real Ghostbusters”, and two top Hollywood entertainment PR agencies (Solters/Roskin/Friedman and The Lippin Group), before launching his own PR Agency in 1996 where he specializes in the
ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic
Breaks down the byproduct of alcohol responsible for rough mornings after drinking.
Brand Dev Interrupted
What the smartest minds in engineering are thinking about, working on and investing in.
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Holistic Life Navigation
This podcast explores how to heal stress & trauma holistically. I am your host, Luis...
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Wellness Talk
Wellness Talk is a weekly podcast that takes the mystery out of nutrition and supplements
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Dr. Andrew Hebbeler, Ph.D., is Principal Assistant Director for Health and Life Sciences, Office of Science and Technology Policy at The White House (https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ostps-teams/health-and-life-sciences/), and has extensive foreign affairs, national security, global health, and science and technology (S&T) policy experience. Most recently, Dr. Hebbeler was Senior Director and Lead Scientist for Global Biological Policy and Programs at the non-profit Nuclear Threat Initiative and previous to that served in leadership positions at the State Department's offices of Science and Technology Cooperation (OES/STC), the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (E/STAS), and Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR). From 2013-2015, Dr. Hebbeler was Assistant Director for Biological and Chemical Threats at the Obama White House Office of Science and Technology Policy where he oversaw American S&T efforts to combat infectious disease and chemical weapon threats. Prior to his White House position, Dr. Hebbeler led the State Department's Biosecurity Engagement Program, a $40M program that prevents terrorist access to potentially dangerous biological materials and dual-use infrastructure and expertise, while supporting efforts to combat infectious disease and enhance public and animal health worldwide. Dr. Hebbeler received his Bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy from Thomas More College, and completed his doctoral work in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology in the laboratory of C. David Pauza at the University of Maryland, Baltimore where he focused on understanding an unconventional lymphocyte population that is important during immune responses to infectious disease and cancer. Before joining the State Department, Dr. Hebbeler was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Warner C. Greene at The J. David Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco, California.
The Fren Zone
The Fren Zone brings you the brightest technical minds in crypto and Web3. Join our...
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Discovery Matters
A collection of stories and insights on matters of discovery that advance life...
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Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...
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Bill Taranto is President of the Global Health Innovation Fund at Merck (https://www.merckghifund.com/taranto.html) and founding partner since inception in 2010. Merck Global Health Innovation Fund (Merck GHI) is a corporate venture capital group utilizing a healthcare ecosystem strategy, investing globally in platform companies with proven technologies or business models where Merck's expertise can accelerate revenue growth and enhance value creation to ultimately develop integrated healthcare solutions. Merck GHI has $500M under management per an evergreen model and invests broadly in the domain of digital health, and other segments, and has made over 60 investments in portfolio companies, and has over 20 exits. They invest across the segments of Therapy Planning, Care Management, Health Analytics & AI, eClinical Trials and enabling technologies. Bill has more than 30 years of health care experience including over 20 years of healthcare investing. In addition to his experience in venture investing, Bill has more than a decade of management operations experience. Bill is also the chairman of the Merck Innovative Ventures Board, a group that manages the identification and funding of portfolio businesses; and is also Chairman of the GHI Fund LLC Management Board. Prior to joining Merck, Bill spent 18 years at Johnson & Johnson in various venture capital, marketing, sales and business development roles. Before J&J, Bill spent eight years in investment banking. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University.
Lisa R. Sanders is the Director of Science and Technology for Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (SOF AT&L), U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM - https://www.socom.mil/), located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where she is responsible for all research and development funded activities (https://www.socom.mil/SOF-ATL/Pages/eSOF_cap_of_interest.aspx) Ms. Sanders has over 30 years of civilian Federal service. She entered Federal Service as an Electronics Engineer at Naval Avionics Center in Indianapolis, Indiana where she served in quality engineering, production engineering and program management. In 1996, she transferred to Naval Air Warfare Center and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Maryland, serving as an Electronics Engineer and Program Manager for the E-2C Hawkeye aircraft. In 2003, she assumed responsibility for the production and modification of the CV-22 (a Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft). During her time at NAVAIR, she managed one of the first Multi-Year Procurements, and executed the modification and delivery of CV-22 production and developmental test aircraft. Ms. Sanders transferred to USSOCOM in 2005, where she retained responsibility for CV-22 production and worked as the Systems Acquisition Manager for the C-130 program in Program Executive Office Fixed Wing managing all C-130 projects across the Special Operations Forces inventory. In 2010, Ms. Sanders was promoted to position of Deputy Director for the Science and Technology Directorate; and in 2011, was assigned to the position of Director, Science & Technology. In 2014, Ms. Sanders left USSOCOM to attend the Defense Acquisition University Senior Service College Fellowship in Aberdeen, Maryland. She graduated in 2015, and was assigned to Headquarters, Air Force serving as the chair of the Air Force Capability Development Working Group. In 2016, she was selected as a Defense Intelligence Senior Leader. Ms. Sanders has her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, from GMI Engineering & Management Institute (Kettering University), Flint, MI, her Master’s in Business Administration, from St. Leo University, St. Leo, FL, and did a Senior Service College Fellowship, Aberdeen MD in Senior Professional Military Education.
Dr. Greg Lieberman, Ph.D. (https://www.arl.army.mil/arl25/meet-arl.php?gregory_lieberman) is a Neuroscientist, and Lead, Optimizing Human-System Performance, at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL). DEVCOM ARL, as an integral part of the Army Futures Command, is the Army’s foundational research laboratory focused on operationalizing science to ensure overmatch in any future conflict. DEVCOM ARL shapes future concepts with scientific research and knowledge and delivers technology for modernization solutions to win in the future operating environment. With a Ph.D. from the University of Vermont in Neuroscience, a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cognitive Neuroscience from University of New Mexico, and a BA from University of Massachusetts Amherst in Psychology, Dr. Lieberman’s research and research leadership experience ranges from genetics to learning theory, animal behavior to artificial intelligence, and human variability to team dynamics; with additional expertise in S&T strategy and the opportunities afforded by the Future of Work. Specific areas of Dr. Lieberman’s technical expertise include maximizing human potential, human-autonomy teaming; neuroanatomical organization and connectivity; brain structure-function coupling; learning-driven neuroplasticity; non-invasive neurostimulation and cognitive enhancement; neuroimaging; mind-body medicine and mindfulness meditation; and the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease, neuropathology, and brain injury.
Angel Eduardo (http://angeleduardo.com/) is a writer, musician, photographer, and designer based in New York City, who serves an Advisory Board member, FAIR in the Arts Fellow, and Director of Messaging & Editorial for the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR - https://www.fairforall.org/), where he helps shape the organization's pro-human approach to our often contentious and divided discourse. He is also a contributor to the Center for Inquiry’s blog, where he writes on science, communication, skepticism, and morality for a column entitled Searching for Better Angels, and is best-known for coining and promoting the rhetorical concept of star-manning. Angel holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from CUNY Hunter College, and has had writing featured in Newsweek, Areo Magazine, Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood, and The Caribbean Writer, among other print and online publications. Angel's photographs have been featured in various exhibitions and used as cover art for books—most notably in Personal Effects: Essays on Memoir, Teaching and Culture in the Work of Louise DeSalvo for Fordham University Press, which makes use of his photograph, “Early Bird.” Angel has been writing, performing, and recording music since the age of 15, and has been intimately involved in every creative facet of his projects, from songwriting, producing, mixing, and mastering, to designing and overseeing the creation of album artwork, concert posters, and merchandise. Be it with music, writing, photography, or design, Angel is an artist inspired to inspire. His hope is to pay it forward—providing others with the same solace, inspiration, perspective, and opportunity for personal and intellectual growth that the work of others has done for him. In the social realm, Angel advocates for a compassionate, honest, and civil approach to discourse, even when we’re incentivized to bare our teeth and dig in our heels. Through his work he hopes to foster more productive conversations on the topics of the day, all bolstered by his own six words of advice: Be kind; we’re all first drafts.
Dr. Brad Stanfield, MD (https://drstanfield.com/) is a general medical practitioner from Auckland, New Zealand, as well as the host of the rapidly growing Extend Healthspan channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpcvPcHJVOkO9Qp79BOagTg) on YouTube. Dr. Stanfield graduated in 2015 from the University of Auckland, New Zealand with his MD, worked in hospital medicine for several years, including a role as an orthopedic registrar, before moving into general community practice focusing on healthspan-centric medicine.
Dr. Uwe Schoenbeck, Ph.D., (https://www.pfizer.com/research/science_and_technology/meet_our_scientists/uwe_schoenbeck) is Chief Scientific Officer, Emerging Science & Innovation (ES&I) and Senior Vice President, Worldwide Research and Development & Medical (WRDM) at Pfizer. Part of Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, ES&I is charged with enhancing Pfizer’s pipeline through translation of external emerging science into breakthrough therapies for patients and through dedicated outreach to academia, consortia and biotech. Through its Emerging Science Liaisons located around the globe, they work across Pfizer’s Therapeutic Areas to harness external cutting edge pre-clinical assets and breakthrough technologies applying a broad range of partnering vehicles, including research collaborations, consortia, licensing, and acquisitions. ES&I also engages in equity investments as well as seed investments and formation of new companies. It has a Target Sciences team which is focused on novel target and biology discovery research to introduce differentiated First-in-Class programs with enhanced confidence in rationale into the WRDM portfolio. And through its new Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI - https://www.pfizercti.com/), ES&I prosecutes cutting edge science sourced from leading academic and medical centers globally, working in close partnership with external PIs and building an exciting pipeline across the range of Pfizer’s core areas. Dr. Schoenbeck brings fifteen years of pharmaceutical drug development experience to Pfizer’s R&D executive leadership team. Prior to joining the company, he served as Vice President, Emerging R&D Innovation for Wyeth and Vice President, Cardiovascular Research for Boehringer Ingelheim. Before joining industry, he held an Assistant Professor of Medicine position at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has served as a reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed journals and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, review articles, book chapters and abstracts with particular contributions in molecular and cell biology, cardiovascular research, immunology and metabolism. Dr. Schoenbeck earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kiel, Germany, and completed postdoctoral training in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, before joining as a faculty member.
Dr. Jana Dickter, MD (https://www.cityofhope.org/jana-dickter) is associate clinical professor in the department of medicine, division of infectious diseases, at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is board-certified in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and the American Academy of HIV Medicine. Dr. Dickter earned her undergraduate degree in cognitive sciences from the University of California, San Diego. She went on to receive her medical doctorate from Rush Medical College in Chicago. After an internal medicine residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Dr. Dickter began her fellowship at UCLA’s Affiliated Program in Infectious Diseases. In her clinical work, she has focused on the management of infections in the immunosuppressed. At City of Hope, she is an on-site HIV specialist and has an interest treating people who are living with HIV and cancer. She was the principal investigator involved in presenting the case of The City of Hope patient: prolonged HIV-1 remission without antiretrovirals after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation of CCR5-delta-32 mutation donor cells for acute myelogenous leukemia. She also serves as the HIV physician for the first-in-human trial to evaluate the feasibility, safety and engraftment of zinc finger nuclease genome edited CCR5 modified CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in HIV-1 infected patients. Additionally, Dr. Dickter has been involved in clinical trials for evaluating certain medications for difficult-to treat infections in immunosuppressed patients. She is also involved in antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, and has published papers on aspects of patient management with antimicrobial agents. These papers have dealt with nosocomial infections, cost assessment of antimicrobial use, and unusual case reports, all intended to teach practitioners who manage these difficult to treat patients.
General Stan McChrystal, is Founder and CEO of the McChrystal Group (https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/people/stan-mcchrystal/) an advisory firm focused on delivering innovative leadership solutions to businesses globally in order to help them transform and succeed in challenging, dynamic environments. A retired four-star general, Stan is the former commander of US and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) Afghanistan and the former commander of the nation’s premier military counter-terrorism force, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He is best known for developing and implementing a comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, and for creating a cohesive counter-terrorism organization that revolutionized the interagency operating culture. Throughout his military career, Stan commanded a number of elite organizations, including the 75th Ranger Regiment. After 9/11 until his retirement in 2010, he spent more than 6 years deployed to combat in a variety of leadership positions. In June 2009, the President of the United States and the Secretary General of NATO appointed him to be the Commander of US Forces Afghanistan and NATO ISAF. His command included more than 150,000 troops from 45 allied countries. On August 1, 2010 he retired from the US Army. Stan is a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, where he teaches a course on Leadership. He also sits on the boards of Navistar International Corporation, Siemens Government Technology, and JetBlue Airways. He is a sought-after speaker, giving speeches on leadership to organizations around the country. In 2013, Stan published his memoir, My Share of the Task, which was a New York Times bestseller; and is an author of Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, which was a New York Times bestseller in 2015. Stan also co-authored Leaders: Myth and Reality, a Wall Street Journal Bestseller based on the epochal Parallel Lives by Plutarch, and his most current book is Risk: A Users Guide. A passionate advocate for national service and veterans’ issues, Stan is the Chair of the Board of Service Year Alliance (https://www.serviceyearalliance.org/). In this capacity, he advocates for a future in which a year of full-time service—a service year—is a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. Stan is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Naval War College. He also completed year-long fellowships at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Dr. Cecilia A. Conrad, Ph.D. (https://www.macfound.org/about/people/cecilia-a-conrad) is CEO of Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (where she also serves as a Senior Advisor) which leverages investments in solutions to the world’s biggest problems — from racial and gender equity to climate change. Dr. Conrad was formerly a Managing Director at the Foundation, where she led the MacArthur Fellows program and steered the cross-Foundation team that created MacArthur’s 100&Change—an athematic, open call competition that periodically makes a single $100 million grant to help solve a critical problem of our time. She continues to manage the 100&Change competition. Before joining the Foundation in January 2013, Dr. Conrad had a distinguished career as both a professor and an administrator at Pomona College in Claremont, CA. She held the Stedman Sumner Chair in Economics and is currently a Professor of Economics, Emerita. She served as Associate Dean of the College (2004-2007), as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College (2009-2012), and as Acting President (Fall 2012). From 2007-2009, she was interim Vice President and Dean of the Faculty at Scripps College. As Associate Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Pomona, Dr. Conrad championed the College's summer undergraduate research program and expanded it to the arts and humanities, led conversations regarding the value and assessment of a liberal arts college education, nurtured collaborations between the arts and the sciences, and worked with academic departments to improve the campus climate for diversity. As a member of the faculty, Dr. Conrad contributed to the curriculum of several interdisciplinary programs and, in 2002, was recognized as California's Carnegie Professor of the Year, a prestigious national award that recognizes faculty members for their achievement as undergraduate professors. Dr. Conrad's academic research focuses on the effects of race and gender on economic status. Her work has appeared in both academic journals and nonacademic publications including The American Prospect and Black Enterprise. Before joining the faculty at Pomona College, Dr. Conrad served on the faculties of Barnard College and Duke University. She was also an economist at the Federal Trade Commission and a visiting scholar at The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Dr. Conrad is a member of the board of trustees of Bryn Mawr College, The Poetry Foundation, the National Academy of Social Insurance, IES Study Abroad, and the African Center for Economic Transformation. She is a member of the TIAA Board of Governors and of the 2021-2023 Generosity Commission. Dr. Conrad received the National Urban League’s Women of Power Award in 2008 and the National Economic Association’s Samuel Z. Westerfield award in 2018. She has honorary doctorates from Claremont Graduate University and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Dr. Conrad received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College and her Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.
Dr. Asha M. George, DrPH (https://biodefensecommission.org/teams/asha-m-george-drph/) is Executive Director, Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, which was established in 2014 to assess gaps in and provide recommendations to improve U.S. biodefense. The Panel determines where the United States is falling short of addressing biological attacks and emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. Dr. George is a public health security professional whose research and programmatic emphasis has been practical, academic, and political. She served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a senior professional staffer and subcommittee staff director at the House Committee on Homeland Security in the 110th and 111th Congress. She has worked for a variety of organizations, including government contractors, foundations, and non-profits. As a contractor, she supported and worked with all Federal Departments, especially the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. George also served on active duty in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence officer and as a paratrooper and she is a decorated Desert Storm Veteran. Dr. George holds a Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (in Parasitology and Laboratory Practice), and a Doctorate in Public Health (with a focus on Public Health Policy and Security Preparedness) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is also a graduate of the Harvard University National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.
Mr. Tomas Diagne is the Director of the African Chelonian Institute (https://africanchelonian.org/), an organization with a mission to promote the long-term conservation of turtle, tortoise and terrapin populations, across the African continent, through research, education, and grassroots collaboration. Mr. Diagne is an African freshwater turtle and tortoise expert who has been working to save threatened and endangered turtle species in Senegal for the past 20 years. He began rescuing endangered African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata) as a teenager and in 1992 he created S.O.S. (Save Our Sulcata), a non-profit conservation organization. He also co-founded and built the Village des Tortues in Noflaye, Senegal - a sanctuary and captive breeding facility for sulcata tortoises that now houses over 300 individuals and has re-introduced numerous others back to the wild. Mr. Diagne has also been actively involved in freshwater and marine turtle research throughout Africa. He is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. In 2009 he decided to create the African Chelonian Institute (ACI) in order to expand turtle research, captive breeding, and re-introduction to all African turtle species. Mr. Diagne is a 2019 winner of Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa.
Dr. Robert A. Montgomery, MD, DPhil, FACS, (https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1467404137/robert-montgomery) is the Director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, and Chair and a Professor in their Department of Surgery, where he oversees a diverse team of medical and surgical specialists who provide a wide variety of surgery and transplantation services including bone marrow, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and facial transplantation. Dr. Montgomery received his Doctor of Medicine with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, his Doctor of Philosophy from Balliol College, The University of Oxford, England in Molecular Immunology, and completed his general surgical training, multi-organ transplantation fellowship, and postdoctoral fellowship in Human Molecular Genetics at Johns Hopkins. For over a decade Dr. Montgomery served as the Chief of Transplant Surgery and the Director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Montgomery was part of the team that developed the laparoscopic procedure for live kidney donation, a procedure that has become the standard throughout the world. He and the Hopkins team conceived the idea of the Domino Paired Donation (kidney swaps), the Hopkins protocol for desensitization of incompatible kidney transplant patients, and performed the first chain of transplants started by an altruistic donor. He led the team that performed the first 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, 5-way, 6-way, and 8-way domino paired donations, and in the first 10-way open chain donation. Dr. Montgomery's current research focuses on stem cell therapies and gene- and cell-based therapies in transplantation. He was co-lead of a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health involving simultaneous donor bone marrow and live donor kidney transplantation. He also runs multiple clinical trials for novel desensitization therapies. Dr. Montgomery is credited in the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records with the most kidney transplants performed in 1 day, is a world expert on kidney transplantation for highly sensitized and ABO incompatible patients, and is referred the most complex patients from around the globe. Dr. Montgomery has received several awards recognizing his experience in patient care and research, including the American Society of Human Genetics’ Postdoctoral Basic Science Award, the Johns Hopkins Clinician Scientist Award, the Fujisawa Faculty Development Award from the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the Champion of Hope Award from the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland, and the Terasaki Medical Innovation Award from the National Kidney Registry. Dr. Montgomery is also a transplant recipient himself so he has unique perspectives as both patient and clinician.
Ambassador John E. Lange (https://unfoundation.org/who-we-are/our-people/john-e-lange/) is Senior Fellow, Global Health Diplomacy, at the United Nations Foundation, a charitable organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that supports the United Nations and its activities. Ambassador Lange has extensive leadership experience in global health issues and longstanding involvement in United Nations affairs, focusing on issues related to global health security and the work of the World Health Organization. He also serves as the Chair of the Leadership Team of the Measles & Rubella Initiative. Ambassador Lange worked from 2009-2013 at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he engaged in high-level advocacy with governments and international organizations to advance the Gates Foundation’s global health and development goals in Africa. In 2012, he was the founding Co-Chair of the Polio Partners Group, the broad group of stakeholders in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and served in that role for a four-year term. Ambassador Lange had a distinguished 28-year career in the Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State, where he was a pioneer in the field of global health diplomacy and a leader in pandemic preparedness and response. He served as the Special Representative on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (2006-2009); Deputy Inspector General; Deputy U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator at the inception of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief; and Associate Dean for Leadership and Management at the Foreign Service Institute, where he directed the Senior Seminar, the federal government’s highest-level civilian/military joint training program. He was the U.S. Ambassador to Botswana and Special Representative to the Southern African Development Community (1999-2002), where he oversaw operations of seven U.S. Government agencies and made HIV/AIDS his signature issue. Ambassador Lange headed the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as Charge d'Affaires during the August 7, 1998, Al-Qaeda bombing, for which he received the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award for "skilled leadership" and "extraordinary courage." From 1991 to 1995, while at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Ambassador Lange managed U.S. humanitarian and refugee assistance channeled through international organizations. He also had tours of duty in the State Department Bureaus of African Affairs, Western Hemisphere Affairs and Management in Washington and at U.S. Embassies in Lomé, Togo; Paris, France; and Mexico City, Mexico. Prior to joining the diplomatic service in 1981, he worked for five years at the United Nations Association of the USA in New York. Ambassador Lange is the author of a case study in the book, Negotiating and Navigating Global Health: Case Studies in Global Health Diplomacy (2012), that describes the international negotiations on sharing of pandemic influenza viruses and access to vaccines when he led the U.S. delegation. He has delivered lectures on pandemics and other global health issues at Chatham House, London; the Council on Foreign Relations, New York; and numerous other venues. He has written numerous journal and magazine articles and blogs on the Dar es Salaam Embassy bombing, leadership in a crisis, humanitarian assistance, pandemic preparedness and response, and other global health issues.
Dr. Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D. (https://www.einsteinmed.edu/faculty/8784/ana-maria-cuervo/) is Co-Director of the Einstein Institute for Aging Research, and a member of the Einstein Liver Research Center and Cancer Center. She serves as a Professor in the Department of Developmental & Molecular Biology, and the Department of Medicine (Hepatology), and has the Robert and Renée Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Dr. Cuervo studied medicine and pursued a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Valencia, as well as post-doctoral work at Tufts, and in 2001 she started her laboratory at Einstein, where she studies the role of protein-degradation in aging and age-related disorders, with emphasis in neurodegeneration and metabolic disorders. Dr. Cuervo’s group is interested in understanding how altered proteins can be eliminated from cells and their components recycled. Her group has linked alterations in lysosomal protein degradation (autophagy) with different neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. They have also proven that restoration of normal lysosomal function prevents accumulation of damaged proteins with age, demonstrating this way that removal of these toxic products is possible. Her lab has also pioneered studies demonstrating a tight link between autophagy and cellular metabolism. They described how autophagy coordinates glucose and lipid metabolism and how failure of different autophagic pathways with age contribute to important metabolic disorders such as diabetes or obesity. Dr. Cuervo is considered a leader in the field of protein degradation in relation to biology of aging and has been invited to present her work in numerous national and international institutions, including name lectures as the Robert R. Konh Memorial Lecture, the NIH Director’s, the Roy Walford, the Feodor Lynen, the Margaret Pittman, the IUBMB Award, the David H. Murdock, the Gerry Aurbach, the SEBBM L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science, the C. Ronald Kahn Distinguished Lecture and the Harvey Society Lecture. She has organized and chaired international conferences on protein degradation and on aging, belongs to the editorial board of scientific journals in this topic, and is currently co-editor-in-chief of Aging Cell. Dr. Cuervo has served in NIH advisory panels, special emphasis panels, and study sections, the NIA Scientific Council and the NIH Council of Councils and has been recently elected member of the NIA Board of Scientific Counselors and member of the of the Advisory Committee to the NIH Deputy Director. She has received numerous awards for the pioneering work of her team such as the 2005 P. Benson Award in Cell Biology, the 2005/8 Keith Porter Fellow in Cell Biology, the 2006 Nathan Shock Memorial Lecture Award, the 2008 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Start in Aging Award, the 2010 Bennett J. Cohen Award in Aging Biology, the 2012 Marshall S. Horwitz, MD Faculty Prize for Research Excellence and the 2015 Saul Korey Prize in Translational Medicine Science. She has also received twice the LaDonne Schulman Teaching Award. In 2015 she was elected International Academic of the Royal Academy of Medicine of the Valencia Community and in 2017, she was elected member of the Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. She was elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018 and member of the National Academy of Science in 2019.
Dr. Katherine High, MD, is President, Therapeutics, at Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio - https://www.askbio.com/), where she is also member of the AskBio Board of Directors, and has responsibility for driving the strategic direction and execution of pre-clinical and clinical programs of the company. AskBio is a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, set up as a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines that cure genetic diseases. Most recently, Dr. High was a Visiting Professor at Rockefeller University and previous to that, she served as President, Head of Research and Development, and a member of the Board of Directors at Spark Therapeutics (a subsidiary of Hoffmann-La Roche), where she directed the development and regulatory approval of Luxturna® (a gene therapy medication for the treatment of the ophthalmic condition Leber congenital amaurosis), and represents the first gene therapy for genetic disease to obtain regulatory approval in both the United States and Europe. Dr. High was a longtime member of the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and medical staff at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was also an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She served a five-year term on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committee on Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapies and is a past president of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy. Dr. High received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Harvard University, an MD from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, a hematology fellowship at Yale University, a business certification from the University of North Carolina Business School’s Management Institute for Hospital Administrators and a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians (London).
Keith Camhi is Managing Director, Techstars Future of Longevity Accelerator (https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/longevity), a program, run in partnership with Pivotal Ventures (https://www.pivotalventures.org/), an investment and incubation company created by Melinda French Gates, focusing on innovative solutions to address the unmet needs of older adults and their caregivers. The longevity accelerator core program themes include: Caregiver Support, Care Coordination, Aging in Place, Financial Wellness and Resilience, Preventive Health (both Physical and Cognitive), and Social Engagement. Keith was previously the SVP of Accelerators for Techstars globally and was inspired to move to the MD role for the longevity program based on having built a venture-backed startup serving older adults himself, having experienced the gaps in America’s care giving infrastructure firsthand, and wanting to support entrepreneurs who are building solutions to address this substantial market opportunity. Techstars is a global investment business that provides access to capital, one-on-one mentorship, a worldwide network and customized programming for early-stage entrepreneurs. It was founded in 2006 in Boulder, Colorado. As of May 2022, the company had accepted over 2,900 companies into its accelerator programs with a combined market capitalization of US$71 billion. Prior to Techstars, Keith founded and led the rapid growth of two tech companies in the health and fitness industry – one that reached #20 on the Deloitte Fast 500, and another that made Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 three times. He has raised over $50 million in venture funding, holds several patents for sensor and machine vision technology, has been an angel investor and LP in several venture funds, and enjoys mentoring promising startups. Keith received a BS in Computer Science from Cornell, and was an Leaders for Global Operations Fellow at MIT, where he received an MBA and an MS in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science.
Dr. Bruce Levine, Ph.D. (https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g5455356/p3504) is the Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy, and the Founding Director of the Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility (CVPF) in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Levine received a B.A. (Biology) from University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Johns Hopkins, and is responsible for a range of important therapeutic “Firsts” including First-in-human adoptive immunotherapy trials that included the first use of a lentiviral vector, the first infusions of gene edited cells, and the first use of lentivirally-modified cells to treat cancer. Dr. Levine is co-inventor of the first FDA approved gene therapy (Kymriah), chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) for leukemia and lymphoma, licensed to Novartis. Dr. Levine is co-inventor on 30 issued U.S. patents and co-author of over 200 manuscripts and book chapters with a Google Scholar citation h-index of 99. He is a Co-Founder of Tmunity Therapeutics (https://www.tmunity.com/), and of Capstan Therapeutics, both spin outs of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Levine is a recipient of the William Osler Patient Oriented Research Award, the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation, the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match ONE Forum 2020 Dennis Confer Innovate Award, serves as Immediate Past-President of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine. He has written for Scientific American and Wired and has been interviewed by the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NPR, Time Magazine, National Geographic, Bloomberg, Forbes, BBC, and other international media outlets. The Tribeca Film Festival is currently debuting a documentary, Of Medicine And Miracles, tracing the transformative work in personalized cancer therapy, of Dr. Levine and his team - https://tribecafilm.com/films/of-medicine-and-miracles-2022
The Honorable Secretary Dr. Donna Shalala, Ph.D. (https://people.miami.edu/profile/dshalala@miami.edu), currently serves as Professor Emerita, Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Miami, where she previously served as President from 2001 to 2015, where during her tenure as President, she advanced the university into the top tier of U.S. research universities. With more than 40 years as an accomplished scholar, teacher, and administrator, Secretary Shalala personifies outstanding leadership and dedication to public service. Secretary Shalala received her A.B. degree from Western College for Women and Ph.D. degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. In addition to her leadership of University of Miami, Secretary Shalala served as President of Hunter College from 1980 to 1987 and as Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1987 to 1993. Secretary Shalala was assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Carter administration. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed her U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she served for all eight years of the Clinton administration, becoming the nation's longest serving HHS secretary. During this time she fought to create, implement and oversee the Children’s Healthcare Insurance Program, currently covering over 7.6 million children throughout the country, as well as doubling the budget of the National Institute of Health (NIH) and securing the highest immunization rates in American history. Secretary Shalala was appointed by President George W. Bush to co-chair with Senator Bob Dole the Commission on Care for Returning Wounded Warriors, and in 2008 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. In 2009, she was appointed chair of the Committee on the Future of Nursing at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Most recently, in addition to serving in the U.S. Congress for Florida's 27th congressional district, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Secretary Shalala served as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations Independent Task Force on The Emerging Global Health Crisis, as well as a Commissioner of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. One of the most honored academics of her generation, Secretary Shalala has been elected to seven national academies including: National Academy of Education; the National Academy of Public Administration; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; the American Philosophical Society; the National Academy of Social Insurance; the American Academy of Political and Social Science; and the National Academy of Medicine.
Dr. Steve Iley, MD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-steve-iley/?originalSubdomain=uk) is the Chief Medical Officer and Global Head of Occupational Health and Safety, at Jaguar Land Rover (https://www.jaguarlandrover.com/). With his medical degree from the University of Bristol, and training in emergency medicine in Australia, Dr. Iley is an experienced Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer having worked at senior and board level both in the UK and internationally, having practiced around the globe in locations like Bermuda, Singapore and Russia. Dr. Iley's background includes responsibility for the health and wellbeing of workforces and customers in both automotive and aviation industries, as well insurance and healthcare. Prior to Jaguar Land Rover, Dr. Iley served as Medical Director for Bupa’s UK Insurance business. He also has worked in both the NHS and private medicine, as well as for corporate companies including at British Airways, AXA, and International SOS, the world's leading health and security risk services company.
Dr. Srinivas Rao, MD, Ph.D. is the Chief Scientific Officer at atai Life Sciences (https://www.atai.life/), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders. With offices in New York, London and Berlin, atai's business model combines funding, technology, scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on psychedelic therapeutic moieties, and other drugs, with differentiated safety profiles and therapeutic potential. Dr. Rao also serves as CEO of atai portfolio company, EntheogeniX (https://www.entheogenixbio.com/), a computational biophysics and artificial intelligence biotech working to design the next generation of psychedelics-inspired mental health drugs. Dr. Rao has over 19 years of professional experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Prior to atai, Dr. Rao has held the titles of Chief Scientific, Medical, or Executive Officer at companies ranging from venture-backed startups to vertically-integrated, publicly-traded pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Rao completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He received his Ph.D. in neurobiology from Yale Graduate School and his M.D. from Yale School of Medicine. He holds both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Yale College and Yale Graduate School, respectively.
Dr. Amber Salzman, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Director of Epic Bio (https://epic-bio.com/), a fascinating therapeutic epigenome editing startup, developing therapies to modulate gene expression at the level of the epigenome, which just recently emerged from stealth mode with a $55 million funding round. Dr. Salzman has more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. Before joining Epic Bio, Dr. Salzman served as the president and CEO of Ohana Biosciences, pioneering the industry’s first sperm biology platform. Before Ohana, she served as the president and CEO of Adverum Biotechnologies and was a co-founder of Annapurna, SAS, where she served as President and CEO before its merger with Avalanche Biotechnologies to become Adverum. In that role, she saw the company’s stock price double. Dr. Salzman began her career as a member of the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) research and development executive team, where she was responsible for operations in drug development across multiple therapeutic areas, overseeing global clinical trials with over 30,000 enrolled patients, managing 1,600 employees and a $1.25B budget. Following her time at GSK, Dr. Salzman served as the CEO of Cardiokine, a pharmaceutical company that developed treatments for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and saw the successful sale of the company to Cornerstone Therapeutics. Dr. Salzman currently serves on the Osler Diagnostics (UK) and AviadoBio (UK) Boards. Dr. Salzman received her bachelor’s degree from Temple University in computer science and holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Bryn Mawr College. In addition to advocating for patients living with rare diseases, Dr. Salzman leads the Stop ALD Foundation, a non-profit medical research foundation focused on developing novel gene therapies for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).
Dr. Nicole Ehrhart, VMD, MS (http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/DirectorySearch/Search/MemberProfile/cvmbs/1013/Ehrhart/Nicole) is the director of the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging at Colorado State University (https://www.research.colostate.edu/healthyagingcenter/about/), where she leads an interdisciplinary research effort to identify basic and translational mechanisms that promote healthy aging. Dr. Ehrhart holds the Ross M. Wilkins M.D. Limb Preservation Foundation University Chair in Musculoskeletal Oncology and Biology. She is a board-certified veterinary surgeon (Diplomate ACVS; ACVS Founding Fellow in Surgical Oncology), a professor of surgical oncology in the Dept. of Clinical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and a research faculty member at CSU’s Flint Animal Cancer Center. In Dr. Ehrhart’s research lab, the Laboratory of Comparative Musculoskeletal Oncology and Traumatology, she conducts translational aging, limb preservation, tissue engineering, and sarcoma research, as well as bone and muscle regenerative medicine, to benefit both human and canine patients. Dr. Ehrhart holds joint faculty positions in the School of Biomedical Engineering, the Cell and Molecular Biology program, the Gates Regenerative Medicine Center at the University of Colorado, and The University of Colorado Cancer Center. In addition to her research, Dr. Ehrhart has held several leadership positions in national and international organizations, such as the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Veterinary Society for Surgical Oncology (President), Veterinary Orthopedic Society (President) and Chair of the 2014 World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress Committee.
Dr. John LaMattina, Ph.D. (https://www.johnlamattina.com), is an independent non-executive director at PureTech, a biotechnology company with a mission to discover, develop and commercialize new therapies for devastating diseases, where limited or no treatment options currently exist for patients, and has served as a member of their board of directors since 2009. Dr. LaMattina was previously President of Pfizer Global Research and Development and held positions of increasing responsibility during his 30-year career at Pfizer, including vice president of US Discovery Operations in 1993, senior vice president of Worldwide Discovery Operations in 1998 and senior vice president of Worldwide Development in 1999. During Dr. LaMattina’s leadership tenure, Pfizer discovered and/or developed a number of important new medicines including Tarceva, Chantix, Zoloft, Selzentry and Lyrica, along with a number of other medicines currently in late stage development for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and pain. Dr. LaMattina serves on the board of directors of Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Zafgen, Inc., Immunome Inc. and Vedanta Biosciences, Inc. He also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Frequency Therapeutics and is a trustee associate of Boston College. Dr. LaMattina is the author of numerous scientific publications and US patents. In addition, Dr. LaMattina is the author of the recently released Pharma and Profits: Balancing Innovation, Medicine, and Drug Prices (https://www.amazon.com/Pharma-Profits-Balancing-Innovation-Medicine-ebook/dp/B0B33V6B7Y), as well as Devalued and Distrusted: Can the Pharmaceutical Industry Restore Its Broken Image, Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths About Pharma R&D, and an author of the Drug Truths blog at Forbes.com (https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnlamattina/?sh=4ea8dc042b0d). Dr. LaMattina was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire in 2007 and in 2010 was the recipient of the American Chemical Society’s Earle B. Barnes Award for Leadership in Chemical Research Management. Dr. LaMattina received a BS in chemistry from Boston College in 1971 and received a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire in 1975. He then moved on to Princeton University as a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Professor E. C. Taylor.
Tom Lawry is the National Director for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Health & Life Sciences, at Microsoft (https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/industry-blog/microsoft-in-business/author/tom-lawry/). In this role he serves as a strategic advisor to provider, payer and life science organizations across the Americas, creating enterprise-wide AI initiatives designed to transform healthcare at scale. He focuses on technological, process and cultural redesign leading to the creation of Intelligent Health Systems that better empower patients, consumers and clinicians. Tom has also served as Director of Worldwide Health for Microsoft where he worked with a similar portfolio of organizations in planning and implementing innovative analytical solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of health services delivered around the globe. Tom focuses on strategies for digital transformation applied to performance optimization including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). He previously served as Director of Organizational Performance for Microsoft’s health incubator (Health Solutions Group). Prior to Microsoft, Tom served as a Senior Director at GE Healthcare with global responsibilities for revenue cycle management analytics and operational performance solutions. An accomplished entrepreneur, Tom was founder and CEO of Verus, a U.S.-based healthcare software company named as one of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Washington Companies for three consecutive years and to the Deloitte Fast 500 Technologies list. For fourteen years, Tom served in various executive management roles in hospitals and integrated delivery networks in the United States and has published over 30 articles on topics relating to use technology and software to innovate healthcare. Tom is also an accomplished author of the books Hacking Healthcare: How AI and the Intelligence Revolution Will Reboot an Ailing System (https://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Healthcare-Intelligence-Revolution-Reboot/dp/1032260157), as well as AI in Health: A Leader’s Guide to Winning in the New Age of Intelligent Health Systems (https://www.amazon.com/Health-HIMSS-Book-Tom-Lawry/dp/0367333716/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=0367333716&psc=1).
Dr. Arye Elfenbein, MD, PhD, is the Co-Founder of Wildtype (https://www.wildtypefoods.com/), a biotechnology company which produces cultured seafood (with a focus on cultivated Pacific salmon) from fish cells, sustainably and cost effectively, with the nutritional benefits, but without common contaminants such as mercury, microplastics, antibiotics, or pesticides, and without relying on commercial fishing or fish farming. Born in Israel and raised in Australia, Dr. Elfenbein combines his deep passion for medicine and unique childhood connection to the ocean to fuel Wildtype’s health and environmental mission. After studying at Dartmouth and Kyoto University, attaining a PhD and MD, Dr. Elfenbein began his residency at Yale where he first trained in Internal Medicine before completing training in Cardiology. After residency, he moved to San Francisco to work with Professor Dr. Deepak Srivastava at the revered Gladstone Institutes / UCSF, also known for being the scientific homes of Nobel laureates Dr. Shinya Yamanaka (iPs cells) and Dr. Jennifer Doudna (CRISPR). During his time at the Gladstone Institutes, Dr. Elfenbein’s research focused on cardiac regeneration following heart attacks. This research inspired him to apply the principles of stem cell biology beyond medicine, and to address the growing problems in our food system. When away from Wildtype, Dr. Elfenbein continues to work as a cardiologist with a focus on critical care, lending his expertise and passion for patient care to the ICU.
Nikita Michelsen, is Founder & CEO of Pearlita Foods (https://www.pearlitafoods.com/), the world's first cell-based mollusk company, which is developing sustainably & ethically grown products, like oysters and abalone, that are contaminant free without compromising flavor or nutrition. Most recently Nikita served as both Director of Community and Director of Marketing of SynBioBeta and their Built With Biology premier innovation network for biological engineers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors who share a passion for using biology to build a better, more sustainable planet. Nikita has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from UC Santa Barbara, and a Master of Science in Information Science from Aalborg University.
Dr. Stephen Moran, Ph.D., is Global Program Head, Neuroendocrine Tumors & Other Radiosensitive Cancers, for Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA - https://www.adacap.com/), a Novartis company and also a member of the Oncology Development Unit Leadership Team at Novartis. Prior to joining AAA, Dr. Moran was Global Head of Novartis Strategy, where he played a key role in defining the company’s strategy, prioritizing critical actions needed to deliver on the mission to discover new ways to extend and improve peoples’ lives. He also led numerous strategic initiatives, including gene therapy (AveXis, now Novartis Gene Therapies), RNA therapeutics (The Medicines Company), precision medicine and digital strategies. Dr. Moran joined Novartis as Strategic Assistant to the CEO, a position he held for two years and prior to this, he was an associate principal at McKinsey & Company serving as a leader in the healthcare practice, where he focused on health system sustainability, research and development strategy, and the economic analysis of clinical interventions across disease pathways. Dr. Moran holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, including an undergraduate exchange program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He also received a Doctorate from the University of Oxford in Biophysics where he lectured on thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and electromagnetism as applied to biology. Dr. Moran has also been a guest lecturer in strategy at the University of St. Gallen International Executives MBA, masters and bachelor courses, and received the Young Investigator of the Year award in 2006 from Biochemical Journal.
Dr. Rosamund Lewis, MD, CM is Head, WHO Smallpox Secretariat, Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, World Health Emergencies Programme, at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, leading on emergency preparedness and advising on health security for the agency in this very critical domain, including as technical lead for Monkeypox. She also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa. Previous to this role, Dr. Lewis joined the WHO COVID-19 response team as the health sciences lead for management of infodemics. A public health physician with an early career in family and emergency medicine, Dr. Lewis has served the WHO, the Government of Canada, Ottawa Public Health and other agencies at global, national and municipal levels in emergency preparedness, health security, disease surveillance and response, offering country support for a range of immunization and disease control programs. Dr. Lewis has served other roles focused on field epidemiology in emergency settings with organizations like Doctors Without Borders, and new vaccines and health systems development with the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI). Along with a Bachelor of Science and medical degree from McGill University, Dr. Lewis holds a Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, a Master of Management in Health Leadership, and fellowships in Family Medicine and Public Health and Preventive Medicine and has published extensively in her areas of work.
Dr. Dana K. Merriman Ph.D. (http://www.uwosh.edu/facstaff/merriman/VaughanHome), is Distinguished Professor Emerita of Biology, and Director of the Squirrel Colony, at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin. With her BA in Biological Science and her PhD in Physiology and Cell Biology, both from University of California-Santa Barbara, as well as having spent time as a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Utah Health Sciences Center, a core focus of Dr. Merriman’s laboratory research over the years has been the development of a captive breeding colony of the 13-lined ground squirrels. This unique, one-of-a-kind captive breeding program, due to this species very unique cone-dominant, diurnal visual system, as well as their impressive physiological ability to survive in hibernation for over six months without food or water, has served investigators with animals and custom-dissected tissues from the US, Asia, and Europe for decades, as well as been core to Dr Merriman’s own work on vision, including cone cell biology and retinal function during the metabolic state transitions associated with hibernation. Over the years, Dr. Merriman expanded her research horizon well outside of vision, into neuroscience, and in recent years she has collaborated on studies of muscle physiology, viral genomics, molecular biology of transposable elements, and comparative genetics of the control of coat patterning. Dr. Merriman’s lab research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the University of Wisconsin System Comprehensive Campuses tech transfer organization, WiSys.
Mr. Eric Fournier is the Director General Innovation for the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/reports-publications/ideas-2019-2020-annual-report/introduction.html), which over the past year, has been able to invest more than $100M in organizations across Canada (now over 270 and counting) that are using their innovative thinking and solutions in support of the women and men that are part of Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). IDEaS aims to be Canada’s science, technology, and innovation leader, trusted advisor, collaborative partner, and knowledge integrator for defence and security. Mr. Fournier began his career with Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC) as a Defence Scientist in the Flight Mechanics Group of the Precision Weapons Section at the Valcartier laboratory in August 1992. He spent most of his scientific career in that establishment, where he held a number of positions in the Weapons field of study. He also spent one year at the United Kingdom DERA Fort Halstead laboratory as an exchange scientist in the late ninety’s. In May 2006, Mr. Fournier was appointed Director, Science & Technology Air, in Ottawa, where he managed the Air Force S&T Program portfolio. As part of his duties, he also served as National Representative on the Aerospace Systems group (AER) in The Technical Cooperation Program. From September 2008 to July 2009, he moved to the Canadian Forces College in Toronto where he completed the National Security Program 1 (NSP-1). Upon his return to Ottawa, Mr. Fournier was appointed Director of Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Operational Research and Analysis (CORA), and was responsible for the delivery of a Science and Technology program in the areas of operational research, strategic analysis, and scientific and technical intelligence. In 2014, Mr. Fournier took up the position of Defence R&D Counsellor at CDLS (London) where he was responsible for liaison in defence Science and Technology between Canada and the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Upon returning to Canada in July 2017, he was appointed DG for Strategic Decision Support, and also selected to develop and lead the implementation of the IDEaS initiative.
Senator Joe Lieberman, is senior counsel at the law firm of Kasowitz Benson Torres (https://www.kasowitz.com/people/joseph-i-lieberman) where he currently advises clients on a wide range of issues, including homeland and national security, defense, health, energy, environmental policy, intellectual property matters, as well as international expansion initiatives and business plans. Prior to joining Kasowitz, Senator Lieberman, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee in 2000, served 24 years in the United States Senate where he helped shape legislation in virtually every major area of public policy, including national and homeland security, foreign policy, fiscal policy, environmental protection, human rights, health care, trade, energy, cyber security and taxes, as well as serving in many leadership roles including as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. Prior to being elected to the Senate, Senator Lieberman served as the Attorney General of the State of Connecticut for six years. He also served 10 years in the Connecticut State Senate, including three terms as majority leader. In addition to practicing law, Senator Lieberman is honorary national founding chair of No Labels (https://www.nolabels.org/), an American political organization composed of Republicans, Democrats and Independents whose mission is to “usher in a new era of focused problem solving in American politics.” Since 2014, Senator Lieberman, and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, have Co-Chaired the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (https://biodefensecommission.org/), which has provided recommendations to improve the United States' efforts in the biodefense arena, particularly as it relates to biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. Senator Lieberman is also on the Board of Trustees for The McCain Institute for International Leadership, the Board of Trustees for the Institute for the Study of War, and the Board of Directors of the Center for a New American Security. Senator Lieberman is also an accomplished author with his most recent book, The Centrist Solution: How We Made Government Work and Can Make It Work Again (https://www.amazon.com/Centrist-Solution-Made-Government-Again/dp/1635769043), recently released in Oct 2021.
Dr. Chris Zaino (https://www.drzaino.com/) is a world-renowned speaker, author, entrepreneur, Former Mr America, Mr. Universe and IFBB Pro bodybuilder. After defying a deadly terminal disease in his late 20's, and studying Exercise Physiology & Wellness at University of Central Florida, Dr. Zaino leveraged his experience to get his doctorate and developing one of the largest wellness clinics in the world (Abundant Life Chiropractic - http://www.abundantlifechiro.com/drzaino), seeing thousands of patients weekly. He has also served as an official doctor of the World USA Olympic Judo, Wrestling, and Weightlifting Teams, as well as other sports teams. Dr. Zaino created the “I Am Hero Project”, to resurrect Heroes from the complacency of their secret identities, so they may live heroic lives once again, by expressing and experiencing true love, now, and in every area of their lives, through his 4 Step methodology “Hero Rises”. Recently, Dr. Zaino has become a top thought leader internationally in the area of applications of Regenerative Medicine, with a focus on enhancing Male Vitality (https://www.regeneragemedical.com/).
Dr. Tristin Brisbois, Ph.D., (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristin-brisbois-6b352b56/) is Director, Advanced Personalization Ideation Center, Life Sciences, Global R&D, at PepsiCo (https://www.gssiweb.org/en/about/pepsico-life-sciences), where she is involved in delivering actionable personalized nutrition solutions to promote the health and wellness of their consumers (https://pepsicohealthandnutritionsciences.com/). She also recently held the role of Director, Platform & Academic Partnerships, where she was involved in translating strategic intent and science-based analyses into actionable work plans and optimal project portfolio to meet PepsiCo’s short and long-term needs. This included developing internal capabilities, such as personalized nutrition, as well as identifying and forming key partnerships with leading academic institutions and external vendors. Dr. Brisbois previously served as a Senior Principal Scientist for Global R&D Nutrition Sciences, where she was involved in advancing the translation of nutrition science in key areas, directing and guiding regional product innovation and brand communications for PepsiCo North American beverages. She also provided expert input and support on external stakeholder issues and oversaw PepsiCo North American nutrition communication outreach program and strategy. Prior to working for PepsiCo, Dr. Brisbois was the Manager of Nutrition and Scientific Affairs at the Canadian Sugar Institute, where she led the Institute's nutrition communications program. Dr. Brisbois completed her PhD and BSc (in Nutrition and Food Science) at the University Alberta. Her PhD investigated food intake behavior in cancer with a focus on appetite stimulation and improvement of taste and smell perception using marijuana therapy. She studied appetite and reward related pathways in healthy and disease populations, and explored mechanisms which may cause a surfeit (obesity) or deficit (cancer) of calories. Dr. Brisbois also has a Masters of Business and Science (MBS), in Global Food Technology and Innovation, from Rutgers University.
Dr. Thomas V. Johnson III, M.D., Ph.D. (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/thomas-johnson) is a glaucoma specialist and the Allan and Shelley Holt Rising Professor in Ophthalmology at Wilmer Eye Institute, at Johns Hopkins University. He is also a member of the Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) Repopulation, Stem cell Transplantation, and Optic nerve Regeneration (RReSTORe) consortium (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer/research/storm/rrestore/index.html), an initiative focused on advancing translational development of vision restoration therapies for glaucoma and other primary optic neuropathies by assembling an international group of more than 100 leading and emerging investigators from related fields. Dr. Johnson received his BA (summa cum laude) in Biological Sciences from Northwestern University in 2005. As a Gates-Cambridge Scholar and an NIH-OxCam Scholar, he earned his PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge (UK) in 2010. He completed his medical training (AOA) at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2014 and served as an intern on the Johns Hopkins Osler Medical Service prior to completing his ophthalmology residency and glaucoma fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute. Dr. Johnson’s research interests are focused on understanding the pathophysiology of retinal and optic nerve neurodegenerative disorders, and on the development of neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies for these conditions. His doctoral thesis work evaluated intraocular stem and progenitor cell transplantation as a possible neuroprotective therapy for glaucoma. His research contributions have been recognized with a World Glaucoma Association Award nomination, the National Eye Institute’s Scientific Director’s Award, and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology’s Merck Innovative Ophthalmology Research Award. He also founded and served as director of the Student Sight Savers Program, a program that provides vision screening services to low-income residents of Baltimore, and helps them obtain access to clinical ophthalmological care. Presently, Dr. Johnson is interested in the neurobiological processes that lead to retinal ganglion cell death and dysfunction in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies. In particular, he seeks to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying axonal degeneration, dendrite retraction and afferent synapse loss, and cell body death in glaucoma. His goal is to utilize knowledge of these processes to develop targeted neuroprotective strategies to slow or halt RGC death and preserve vision for patients with glaucoma. He is also leading new investigations into the use of stem cell transplantation to achieve retinal ganglion cell placement, as a potential regenerative treatment for optic nerve disease, with a focus on anatomic incorporation of cell grafts, neurite growth and synapse formation, and electrophysiological retinal circuit integration.
Prof. Dr. Christine Stabell Benn, MD, PhD, DMSc, (https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/en/persons/cbenn), is a physician, a professor of global health at the University of Southern Denmark, and a vaccine researcher with almost thirty years of experience in the field, where the focus of her research is "non-specific vaccine effects", defined as all those other effects, both positive and negative, that vaccines have on our immune systems and overall health, beyond their very specific ability to protect against a specific infectious disease. Prof. Dr. Stabell Benn has her medical degree, PhD, and Doctor of Medical Science from University of Copenhagen and has been responsible for planning, executing and publishing epidemiological and immunological studies of health interventions internationally, as well as supervising a number of pre- and postgraduate/PhD students. Prof. Dr. Stabell Benn started working as a medical student in 1993 at the Bandim Health Project (https://www.bandim.org/), a population based health research project in one of the world's poorest countries, Guinea-Bissau, developing a health and demographic surveillance system of over 100,000 people. She spent postdoc time at the Danish National Hospital, Department for Infectious Diseases and at Stanford University. In 2012, Dr. Benn was selected by the Danish National Research Foundation to establish and lead a Center of Excellence, the “Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines” (CVIVA - www.cviva.dk).
Dr. Jessica Whited, Ph.D. (https://hscrb.harvard.edu/labs/whited-lab/) is an Assistant Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University where her lab focuses on limb regeneration in axolotl salamanders and where they develop tools to manipulate gene expression during limb regeneration, and explore signaling events following wound healing that initiate the regenerative process. Dr. Whited earned a B.A. in Philosophy and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri, and obtained her Ph.D. in Biology from MIT, where she studied in Dr. Paul Garrity’s laboratory. Dr. Whited's thesis focused on molecular mechanisms controlling the development and maintenance of cellular architectures in the Drosophila nervous system. During this work, Dr. Whited became interested in processes that may be required long after initial developmental events to ensure cells do not revert to immature behaviors, as well as processes that provoke such events in response to injury. She worked in the laboratory of Dr. Cliff Tabin (Harvard Medical School Department of Genetics) as a postdoc studying total limb regeneration in axolotl salamanders. During this time, Whited developed several molecular tools that can be used to interrogate regenerating axolotl limbs, which is one of the core focuses of her lab today. Dr. Whited is also Co-Founder of Matice Biosciences, a company leveraging regenerative biology for the next generation of skincare and consumer scar products.
Andrea De Souza, is Associate Vice President, Research Data Sciences and Engineering, at Eli Lilly & Company (https://www.lilly.com/) where over the past three years her work has focused around empowering the Lilly Research Laboratories (LRL) organization with greater computational, analytics-intense experimentation to raise the innovation of their scientists. A former neuroscience researcher, Andrea’s portfolio career has included leadership assignments at the intersection of science, technology and business development. She has built and led informatics and scientific teams across the entire pharmaceutical value chain. Most recently, Andrea focused on building the Pharma Artificial Intelligence market at NVIDIA. Through this experience she has traveled the world advising bio-pharmaceutical clients, academics, research institutes, and startups in the potential of machine learning and artificial intelligence across every discipline of the industry. Prior to her role at NVIDIA, Andrea held leadership positions at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Amgen, and Roche. In her current role as Associate Vice President at Lilly, Andrea leads four organizations: the High-Performance Computing Team, the Data Engineering team, the AI/ML team and the Translational Informatics team for LRL. Additionally, Andrea serves as a strategic advisor for the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) for The Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HubMap) Advisory Team. Andrea has a B.S. in Animal Physiology from UC Davis, a Master’s in Health Administration from University of San Francisco, and an MBA from MIT Sloan. Through her broad research efforts, Andrea has publications in journals as diverse as the Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, Bio-organic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, and Neuropharmacology. Her leadership has gained her international recognition as a leader in Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Data Sciences.
Ambassador Dr. Román Macaya Hayes, Ph.D. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rom%C3%A1n_Macaya) is a Costa Rican scientist, entrepreneur, diplomat, and public servant, who most recently served as the Chairman of the Board of the Costa Rican Social Security, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), the institution that finances and provides universal coverage of public health care services in Costa Rica and manages the largest pension fund of the country. In this role he led the health care delivery response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as spearheaded key priority programs, such as deploying the largest investment in physical and technological infrastructure in the history of the CCSS, promoting innovation throughout the institution, implementing the most ambitious digital transformation agenda, and revamping both the health care delivery and pension system to respond to a rapidly aging population. Prior to leading the CCSS, Ambassador Dr. Macaya Hayes served as Costa Rica's Ambassador to the United States, a post he held from 2014 through 2018. As ambassador, Dr. Macaya Hayes promoted science diplomacy between both countries in biomedical research, space, water, biodiversity, and technology. He also strengthened cooperation in security, migratory matters, environmental conservation, and the arts, in addition to supporting the attraction of foreign direct investment. He also worked with the White House, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and Congress to strengthen Costa Rica´s capabilities in drug interdiction, resulting in the largest multi-year appropriations for Costa Rica in over 30 years. Ambassador Dr. Macaya Hayes has held leadership positions in the fields of health care and agriculture. In the healthcare field, in addition to leading Costa Rica´s single payer/single provider of public health care services, he has served as a biomedical scientist in the biotechnology industry, and as a businessman/entrepreneur in clinical research, private equity, and health care consulting. In the field of agriculture he led the growth and development of a major crop protection company, served on the Board of Directors of Costa Rica's National Chamber of Agriculture and Agro-Industry, and founded and presided over the National (Costa Rican), Latin American, and Global industry associations that engaged with governments and multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization (Geneva), World Health Organization (Geneva), and Food and Agriculture Organization (Rome) on regulatory matters. Ambassador Dr. Macaya Hayes holds an MBA in Health Care Management from the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UCLA and a B.A. in Chemistry from Middlebury College.
Gina Tokar is the Vice President of Business Operations at Panasonic Connect North America (https://na.panasonic.com/us/panasonic-connect), where she is focused on growth and change leadership, business transformation and cost control in the supply chain. She leads a multi-year, company-wide transformation project with the goal of shifting Panasonic’s product focus into a strategic, consultative solutions focus. She prides herself in launching new business units from concept to commercialization, breaking down barriers to innovation and value creation, and reliably driving growth and expansion regardless of the internal or market challenge. Panasonic Connect North America, is a business unit of the Panasonic Corporation, the Japanese multinational conglomerate which is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, Panasonic has expanded globally and now operates 495 subsidiaries and 91 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of $61 billion and employing over 250,000. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. In addition to her work at Panasonic for the past seventeen years, Gina has served as the Chairman of the Newark, NJ Downtown District Board of Trustees, and President of the RISE women’s ESG group within Panasonic’s Business Impact Group. Prior to Panasonic, Gina served in multiple roles in logistics at GAF, a leader in the building materials industry. Gina has her MBA in Management from Fairleigh Dickinson, and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Minor in Biology, from Bucknell University.
Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder (https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/who-we-are/#hodder) serves as the National Commander for The Salvation Army in the United States, where he leads what is the largest social services organization in the country, with more than 7,600 centers of operations across the country, serving 23 million people annually to overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of their social services, including, but not limited to, providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need. A sixth-generation Salvationist, Commissioner Hodder is a graduate of Harvard College (A.B. magna cum laude, 1980) and Harvard Law School (J.D., 1983). In 1986, after several years in the practice of corporate and real estate law, Commissioner Hodder and his wife, Commissioner Jolene K. Hodder, responded to God’s call to service as Salvation Army officers. Commissioned in 1988, they served in corps appointments in Glendale and Torrance, as instructors at the School for Officers Training, and later as staff officers at USA Western Territorial Headquarters. They also served in divisional leadership roles in both Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon. Commissioner Hodder was appointed in March, 2006 to serve as Chief Secretary in the Kenya Territory, where he had primary operational responsibility for the creation of two Salvation Army territories. Three years later, the Hodders were appointed to International Headquarters in London, where Commissioner Kenneth Hodder served in dual roles as International Secretary for Personnel and as Legal and Constitutional Adviser to the General. They were subsequently appointed in 2013 to lead the Kenya West Territory, from which they returned in January of 2017 to lead the USA Western Territory. Commissioner Hodder was appointed by the General to take up his current role as National Commander on July 1, 2020. Commissioner Jolene Hodder will run The Salvation Army’s Women’s Ministries, whose goal is to empower and equip women in all facets of life.
Angela Sheffield is a graduate student and Space Industry fellow at the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School. She is on detail from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), where she serves as the Senior Program Manager for AI for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development. The National Nuclear Security Administration (https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/national-nuclear-security-administration), a United States federal agency, part of the U.S. Dept of Energy and it’s Office of Defense Nuclear Non-Proliferation, responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; works to reduce the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the United States Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad. In this position, Ms. Sheffield directs efforts leveraging artificial intelligence, advanced mathematics and statistics, and research computing technologies to develop capabilities to detect nuclear weapons development and characterize foreign nuclear programs around the world. Before joining NNSA, Ms. Sheffield led project teams at DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to develop modeling and simulation methodologies to model risk of WMD threats to inform national policy and decision making. Additionally, Ms. Sheffield led multidisciplinary efforts in the development of technical capabilities to detect the development of nuclear weapons with a special focus on AI and ML technologies. Ms. Sheffield joined PNNL after a distinguished career as an operations research analyst in the U.S. Air Force, where she specialized in the research and development and technical intelligence of U.S. and adversary weapon systems. Ms. Sheffield has a BS in Economics from the United States Air Force Academy and Duke University, an MS in Operations Research from Kansas State University, and will graduate from the Eisenhower School in June 2022 with an MS in National Security and Resource Strategy. The views expressed here are those of the guest and do not reflect the position of the U.S. government, DOE, NNSA, or DoD.
Captain Benjamin Van Buskirk is the Director of NavalX (https://www.secnav.navy.mil/agility/Pages/default.aspx), a fascinating organization that serves the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as an innovation and agility cell, supporting and connecting initiatives across the Department of Defense, connecting different teams with tools, training, and resources, enabling people to think differently and deliver more effective solutions to the warfighter. Captain Van Buskirk joined NavalX after helping establish the Strategic Warfighting Innovation Cell within the Navy’s Warfighting Development Directorate where as a founding member, he designed and executed SWIC’s strategic priorities and engagement plan. Captain Van Buskirk was also a former secretary of defense executive fellow at cloud computing company VMware, where he was one of four Navy officers selected for the fellowship and was tasked with helping the company’s senior executives in areas such as business strategy and technology innovation with areas of focus including AI, ML, IoT, Mobile, and Cloud Computing. Captain Van Buskirk also has many years of active duty experience including, but not limited to, serving as a squadron commanding and executive officer for the U.S. Navy , and serving as a U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Strike Advisor, trusted to provide accurate and timely advice to the President of the United States for employment of strategic nuclear weapons and ensuring nuclear command and control execution messages are property sent to forces. Captain Van Buskirk has a BS in Finance from University of Arizona, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on Defense, from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Dr. Aletta Schnitzler, PhD. is the Chief Scientific Officer at TurtleTree Labs (https://turtletree.com/) where she leads the R&D teams and spearheads an innovation roadmap to bring nutritious cell-based dairy and meat alternatives to market. TurtleTree is a biotech company dedicated to producing a new generation of nutrition—one that’s better for the planet, better for the animals, and better for people everywhere. Utilizing its proprietary, cell-based technology, the company is creating "better-for-you" milk ingredients sustainably and affordably, with benefits that extend beyond the dining table and into the heart of humanity. Previous to joining TurtleTree, Dr. Schnitzler co-founded Merck KGaA’s Cultured Meat Innovation program and directed technology development to advance platforms enabling rapid development, validation and manufacture of cell-based meat products. Focus areas included formulating cost-effective cell culture media, understanding cell line requirements, and envisioning new process templates for biomass generation and structured products. Additionally, Dr. Schnitzler was Head of Cell Therapy Bioprocess R&D at MilliporeSigma, honing expertise in media optimization and single-use bioreactor systems for use in a complex regulatory environment. She also held technical and marketing roles supporting small-scale chromatography devices and cell culture products for monoclonal antibody production. Dr. Schnitzler has her B.S. in Biology from University of Massachusetts Amherst, received her Ph.D. from Boston University School of Medicine in the fields of immunology and neuroscience, and is an editorial board member of Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
Dr. Dumazedier Kabasele, MD, is the Founder of the Dumazedier Kabasele Foundation, a non-profit organization with a goal to raise awareness, and prevent, treat and beat stroke in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dr. Kabasele earned his medical degree from the International Christian University in DRC, completed a special training fellowship in Neurology / Electro-Neurophysiology from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience in India, studied and trained in specialty stroke care at Hopistal Du Cinquantenaire (http://www.padiyathmedicitykinshasa.com/) in Kinshasa, DRC, where he currently practices care, and is completing a degree in Applied Health and Public Health at Brigham Young University (Idaho). Dr. Kabasele is highly passionate about vascular neurology and paralytic stroke care. He has appeared in various TV shows and talks to raise awareness about various neurological disorders in the DRC and believes strongly in transforming the world by giving hope to people and help them to have a better health and life.
Colonel Nathan P. Diller (https://www.afrl.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2856964/nathan-p-diller/) is the Director of AFWERX (https://www.afwerx.af.mil/), a United States Air Force program with the goal of fostering a culture of innovation within the service, and developing effective solutions to the challenges facing the service through partnerships with private sector business entities, with particular emphasis being placed on collaboration with technology startups. Colonel Diller received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2000. After simultaneous Masters’ at Harvard (in International Security Policy) and MIT (in Aerospace Engineering), he attended Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and flew F-16s for two Combat Air Force assignments, becoming an instructor pilot. He was selected for the French Test Pilot school and then completed his first test tour at Edwards AFB, supporting B-1, B-2, F-16, F-22 and F-35 flight test and instructing at the Test Pilot School. He served as an Executive Officer to the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and as a Defense Advanced Research Project Agency Service Chiefs Fellow. Upon completing a program management tour at the Space and Missile Center, Colonel Diller took command of the 586th Flight Test Squadron, supervising classified flight test for joint, interagency and international clients. After graduating from the National Defense University, Eisenhower School Senior Acquisition Course, Colonel Diller served as the Chief of the Air and Space Branch, Force Application Division, then Chief of the Joint Force Integration Cell, Joint Staff J8. Following that assignment, he was the Air Force Advisor to Office of the Secretary of Defense Strategic Capabilities and Rapid Capabilities Office. Additionally, he was detailed as the Assistant Director of Aeronautics at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Colonel Diller is a member of the Acquisition Corps and is certified as a Level III Program Manager and Test professional. He is a senior pilot with over 2,700 hours in more than 60 aircraft.
Dr. Cesar de la Fuente, Ph.D. (https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p9151622) is a Presidential Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he leads the Machine Biology Group (https://delafuentelab.seas.upenn.edu/) whose goal is to combine the power of machines and biology to help prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases. Specifically, he pioneered the development of the first antibiotic designed by a computer with efficacy in animals, designed algorithms for antibiotic discovery, has reprogrammed venoms into antimicrobials, created novel resistance-proof antimicrobial materials, and invented rapid low-cost diagnostics for COVID-19 and other infections. He has a M.Sc. (Biotechnology) University of Leon, and Ph.D. (Microbiology & Immunology) University of British Columbia. Dr. de la Fuente is an NIH Maximizing Investigators' Research Award investigator and has received recognition and research funding from numerous other groups. Dr. de la Fuente has received over 50 awards including being recognized by MIT Technology Review as one of the world's top innovators for "digitizing evolution to make better antibiotics". He was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Langer Prize, an ACS Kavli Emerging Leader in Chemistry, and received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers 's 35 Under 35 Award and the ACS Infectious Diseases Young Investigator Award. In 2021, he received the Thermo Fisher Award, and the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Academic Early Career Achievement Award "For the pioneering development of novel antibiotics designed using principles from computation, engineering and biology". Most recently, Dr. de la Fuente was awarded the prestigious Princess of Girona Prize for Scientific Research and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Award for Early Career Applied and Biotechnological Research. Dr. de la Fuente has given over 150 invited lectures and his scientific discoveries have yielded around 100 publications, including papers in Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Communications, PNAS, ACS Nano, Cell, Nature Chemical Biology, Advanced Materials, and multiple patents.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Ph.D., (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/m.vankerkhove) is an infectious disease epidemiologist who serves as the technical lead for the COVID-19 response at the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/en/), where she develops guidance, training programs, and information products for the continuously evolving state of the pandemic, as well serving as the Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit Head. Dr. Van Kerkhove began her journey in global health given her interest in viruses and how they infect and impact both humans and animals. She received her undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Cornell University, her master’s degree in epidemiology from Stanford University, and a PhD in infectious disease epidemiology from the London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine where she authored her PhD on pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in Cambodia. Following her PhD, Dr. Van Kerkhove was a postdoctoral researcher with the WHO and acted as a liaison for the Imperial College London’s Medical Research Council Centre for Outbreak Analysis. Dr. Van Kerkhove continued working with the WHO and prior to COVID-19, was serving as the MERS-CoV Technical Lead in addition to being the Unit Head for the Emerging Disease and Zoonoses Unit. Her focus in these areas includes developing prevention and control programs around high threat respiratory pathogens.
Dr. Nag Vaidyanathan, Ph.D. is Chief Technology Officer and EVP at Duck Creek Technologies (https://www.duckcreek.com/), a leading provider of core system solutions to the Property and Casualty and general insurance industries, where via the company’s enterprise software-as-a-service solution, pioneering digital transformation, insurance carriers are able to navigate uncertainty and capture market opportunities faster than their competitors. Dr. Vaidyanathan is responsible for the execution of Duck Creek’s current and emerging product roadmaps while ensuring the adoption of proven software development patterns, architecture standards and frameworks. He is a senior IT leader who loves to work in the intersection of diversity of people and what they bring to work, ways of working, infrastructure, and different technology landscapes. Previously, Dr. Vaidyanathan was accountable for all application delivery and operations, digital transformation, infrastructure, IT security, and data at OneMain Financial as part of their Executive team. He also served roles at both Allstate and Dansk Bank. Dr. Vaidyanathan serves as a Board advisor for the Indo-American Community services organization to run programs serving the Indo-American community across the country, and as a member of the Board of Pratham, Chicago chapter, serving underprivileged kids in India. Dr. Vaidyanathan also serves as a mentor via the Menttium Corporation and engages in different mentoring events as a way of giving back. Dr. Vaidyanathan has his PhD from Copenhagen Business School, Department of Digitalization, an MTech in Engineering Management form Manipal Institute of Technology, and an MBA, in Finance and Strategy, from DePaul University.
Dr. Elizabeth Fowler, Ph.D., J.D., (https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/leadership/center-medicare-medicaid-innovation) is the Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and health insurance portability standards. Dr. Fowler has over 25 years of experience in both health policy and health services research. She previously served as Executive Vice President of programs at The Commonwealth Fund and Vice President for Global Health Policy at Johnson & Johnson, where she focused on health care delivery system and payment reform in the U.S. and health care systems and reform in emerging markets. She was also special assistant to President Obama on health care and economic policy at the National Economic Council. In 2008-2010, Dr. Fowler was Chief Health Counsel to Senate Finance Committee Chair, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), where she played a critical role developing the Senate version of the Affordable Care Act. She also played a key role drafting the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA). She also served as Vice President of Public Policy and External Affairs for WellPoint, Inc. (now Anthem), as an attorney with the Washington law firm Hogan & Hartson, and five years as a health services researcher with Park Nicollet Foundation in Minnesota. Dr. Fowler earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her research focused on risk adjustment, and a law degree (J.D.) from the University of Minnesota. She is admitted to the bar in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Dr. Fowler is a Fellow of the inaugural class of the Aspen Health Innovators Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Dr. Holly Ganz, Ph.D. is Chief Science Officer And Co-Founder of AnimalBiome (https://animalbiome.com/home), a company with a goal of helping cats and dogs lead longer, happier lives by using science to unlock the mysteries of the pet gut microbiome, providing access to genetic data on the health of the gut microbiome, better ways to log health and diet records, and offering remedies to treat chronic digestive disorders. Dr. Ganz received her PhD from UC Davis Entomology and Evolutionary Ecology, an MS from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Marine Biology, UC San Diego and a BS in Biology from George Washington University and has studied the interaction between microbes and their hosts for over 20 years. After receiving her doctorate, she was awarded an international postdoctoral fellowship from the National Science Foundation to study how genetics affects the spread of fungal infections in animal populations in Switzerland. Subsequently she was a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley studying how bacterial pathogens survive in soil to infect African wildlife. Dr. Ganz has published more than 20 papers in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.
Kathryn Coulter Mitchell (https://www.dhs.gov/person/kathryn-coulter-mitchell), is Acting Under Secretary for Science and Technology (S&T), at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where as the science advisor to the Homeland Security Secretary, she heads the research, development, innovation and testing and evaluation activities in support of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) operational Components and first responders across the nation. The Science and Technology Directorate is responsible for identifying operational gaps, conceptualizing art-of-the-possible solutions, and delivering operational results that improve the security and resilience of the nation. In her former role as the Chief of Staff, Ms. Coulter Mitchell oversaw the operational and organizational needs of the $1 billion, 500-career-employee Directorate. A member of the Senior Executive Service, she was responsible for strategy, policy, organizational development, communications, and planning and she guided the creation of a DHS strategic vision and roadmap for research and development (R&D), the reestablishment of Integrated Product Teams to prioritize and manage DHS R&D investments, and the crafting of strategies for organizational effectiveness. Ms. Mitchell previously served S&T as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Communications Advisor for the Under Secretary and Deputy Under Secretary. Ms. Coulter Mitchell came to DHS after a 15-year career in the private sector and on Capitol Hill. In industry, she provided organizational strategy and communications support to the S&T directorate and the Federal Emergency Management Agency where she authored the communications strategy for the multi-million dollar, multi-agency rollout of Presidential Policy Directive 8 (This directive is aimed at strengthening the security and resilience of the United States through systematic preparation for the threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the Nation, including acts of terrorism, cyber attacks, pandemics, and catastrophic natural disasters.) Prior to supporting the government, Ms. Coulter Mitchell was a senior-level public affairs specialist at a top Washington, D.C. public relations firm. She also served as the Director of Policy for an association of over 350 federal contracting companies. Before joining industry, Ms. Coulter Mitchell spent five years on Capitol Hill leading legislative efforts in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Ms. Coulter Mitchell holds a Master of Arts in Communications from Johns Hopkins University, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland at College Park, and a professional certification in Executive Coaching from the University of Cambridge, U.K.
Dr. Jerome H. Kim, M.D., is the Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI - https://www.ivi.int/), a nonprofit International Organization established in 1997 as an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), dedicated to the discovery, development and delivery of safe, effective and affordable vaccines for global public health. IVI is headquartered in Seoul and hosted by the Republic of Korea with 36 member countries and the WHO on its treaty. Dr. Kim served as the Principal Deputy and Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Pathogenesis at Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), in addition to being the Project Manager for the HIV Vaccines and Advanced Concepts Evaluation Project Management Offices, U.S. Army Medical Material Development Activity. Dr. Kim was also a Professor within the Division of Infectious Diseases of the Department of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. From 2004 – 2009 he led the Army’s Phase III HIV vaccine trial (RV144), the first demonstration that an HIV vaccine could protect against infection, as well as subsequent studies that identified laboratory correlates of protection and sequence changes in breakthrough HIV infections after vaccination. Dr. Kim graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine in 1984 and completed his training in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Duke University Medical Center. In 2013 he received the John Maher Award for Research Excellence from the Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and throughout his career to date, Dr. Kim has authored over 200 publications.
Raza Khan is an Engineer and Senior Market Manager for Wireless Products in Semtech’s Signal Integrity Products Group (https://www.semtech.com/products/signal-integrity), and has over 15 years of experience in the semiconductor industry. In his current role, he oversees the strategy, product line development and market development for integrated circuit (IC) solutions for optical transport needs within the wireless market. This includes the Tri-Edge™ 50G PAM4 product portfolio and ClearEdge® 25G product portfolio for the emerging 5G wireless market, as well as the FiberEdge™ 10G product portfolio for the 4G wireless market. Mr. Khan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Western University and a double major Masters of Business Administration in Strategic Marketing and Management of Innovation and Technology (MINT) from McMaster University. Semtech Corporation (https://www.semtech.com/) is a leading global supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms for infrastructure, high-end consumer and industrial equipment. Products are designed to benefit the engineering community as well as the global community. The Company is dedicated to reducing the impact it, and its products, have on the environment. Internal green programs seek to reduce waste through material and manufacturing control, use of green technology and designing for resource reduction.
Dr. Stephen Johnston, Ph.D. (https://biodesign.asu.edu/stephen-johnston) is the Director for the Center for Innovations in Medicine, a Professor in the School of Life Sciences, and Director of the Biological Design Graduate Program at The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. Dr Johnston is also Founding CEO and Chairman of the Board Of Directors of Calviri (https://calviri.com/). The Center for Innovations in Medicine and Dr. Johnston's current work focuses on innovative solutions to fundamental problems in bio-medicine, and their organization brings together a unique group of interdisciplinary scientists to identify, analyze, and come up with inventive solutions for significant un-met medical needs. Current major translational sciences and technology development projects of Dr. Johnston include 1) Cancer Eradication: with a focus on developing a universal, preventative cancer vaccine, and 2) Health Futures: with an aim of producing a diagnostic system that allows continuous monitoring of the health status of healthy people - helping in the revolution to pre-symptomatic medicine. Dr. Johnston has broad experience in basic science, including cloning the Gal4 gene, showing that proteins have separable functional domains, and discovering the ATPases Associated proteins and their role in transcription. He was also co-inventor/innovator of pathogen derived resistance, organelle transformation, the gene gun, genetic immunization, Tobacco Etch Virus protease system, expression library immunization, linear expression elements, synbodies and immunosignaturing. Dr. Johnston is author of over 150 journal articles, has over 20 patents, and has garnered approximately $85M in grant support including large programs from DARPA, NIAID and NHLBI. Dr. Johnston has a B.S. in Molecular Biology and Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Genetics/Plant Breeding, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and did Postdoctoral work in Biochemistry at Penn State University Medical Center.
Sonia Arrison (https://soniaarrison.com/) is a best-selling author, analyst, entrepreneur, and investor. Sonia is founder of 100 Plus Capital (https://100pluscap.com/ - Investing in companies positively impacting human longevity), Chair of the Alliance for Longevity Initiatives (https://a4li.org/ - The first and only 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization founded with the goal of creating social and political action around the issues of combating age-related chronic conditions and increasing our number of healthy, disease-free years), co-founder of Unsugarcoat Media (acquired by Medium), and was an associate founder of Singularity University. Sonia’s research focuses on exponentially growing technologies and their impact on society. Her book, 100 Plus: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything, From Careers and Relationships to Family and Faith, addresses the social, economic, and cultural impacts of radical human longevity, and gained national best-seller status. In addition to the Alliance for Longevity Initiatives, Sonia is a Board Member at the Thiel Foundation, Foresight Institute, and Woodland School. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, British Columbia, and author of two previous books (Western Visions and Digital Dialog). Sonia was previously a Director and Senior Fellow in Tech Studies at the Pacific Research Institute, a columnist at TechNewsWorld, and hosted a radio show called “digital dialogue” on the Voice America network.
Olivia Zetter is Head of Government Affairs and AI Strategy at National Resilience, Inc. (https://resilience.com/) a first-of-its-kind manufacturing and technology company dedicated to broadening access to complex medicines and protecting bio-pharmaceutical supply chains against disruption. Founded in 2020, National Resilience, Inc. is building a sustainable network of high-tech, end-to-end manufacturing solutions to ensure the medicines of today, and tomorrow, can be made quickly, safely, and at scale. Olivia brings extensive experience in national security spanning diplomacy, defense, and development, along with emerging technology issues. Olivia has held multiple positions in government, most recently as a Director of Research and Analysis at the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, an independent federal commission established by Congress to examine the impact of artificial intelligence on national security and defense. Olivia previously served at the Department of State as a Foreign Affairs Officer in the Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues, where her work spanned a diverse range of cyber policy areas. She also served as the Special Advisor on Trans-Regional Issues to the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, where she coordinated efforts to counter the terrorist organization’s financing, foreign terrorist fighter flows, and external operations. At the Pentagon, Olivia served as a Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as part of the Chairman’s Action Group. Prior to her time in government, she worked in Washington and on-site abroad to manage stabilization and conflict management programs in the Middle East and South Asia with a U.S. government implementing partner. Olivia entered government as a Presidential Management Fellow and is the recipient of the Department of State’s Superior Honor Award. She is a Truman National Security Project Fellow. Olivia holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she was a Belfer Student Fellow, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from American University.
Dr. Patricia Verduin, PhD, (https://www.colgatepalmolive.com/en-us/snippet/2021/circle-cards/our-leadership/patricia-verduin) is Chief Technology Officer for the Colgate-Palmolive Company where she provides leadership for product innovation, clinical science and long-term research and development across their Global Technology Centers’ Research & Development pipeline. Dr. Verduin joined Colgate Palmolive in 2007 as Vice President, Global R&D. Previously she served as Vice President, Scientific Affairs, for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and from 2000 to 2006, she held the position of Vice President, Research & Development, at ConAgra Foods. Dr. Verduin started her career with 17 years at Nabisco, serving in multiple roles, including plant manager and scientist. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware, holds an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a PhD in Food Science from Rutgers University. Colgate-Palmolive Company (https://www.colgatepalmolive.com/) is an American multinational consumer products company specializing in the production, distribution and provision of household, health care, personal care and veterinary products, with a mission of re-imagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet.
Colonel Victor Suarez, currently serves as Commander (Chief Executive) of the 6th Medical Logistics Management Center (https://6mlmc.amedd.army.mil/), in Fort Detrick, Maryland (the U.S. Defense Department's only Medical Logistics Management Center ready to deploy in support of global and domestic operations) responsible for leading, organizing, equipping, training, maintaining, and sustaining unit subject matter expertise in medical materiel, medical maintenance and satellite communications support to the operational forces. Prior to this role, Colonel Suarez played an instrumental role as the Program Manager for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at Operation Warp Speed (OWS) - a whole of government public/private partnership to rapidly deliver a safe and effective SARS-COV2 vaccine for the USA. Colonel Suarez has also served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics for the US Army Regional Health Command-Atlantic managing the healthcare, PPE, lab diagnostics and medical maintenance supply chain for 14 direct reporting medical treatment facilities (medical centers, hospitals, clinics), was the Chief of Staff of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), U.S. DOD’s largest biomedical research laboratory, and was the Joint Product Manager of the Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program (JVAP), a biodefense advanced development vaccine program. Colonel Suarez graduated from UCLA with a BS in Anthropology, holds a Master of Science in Health Services Administration from Central Michigan University, Senior Service College Fellow Graduation Certificate from The George Washington University - Milken Institute School of Public Health, and is Defense Acquisition Level III certified in Science and Technology Management, Program Management and Life Cycle Logistics Defense Acquisition University. He’s also a graduate of the Tufts CSDD (Center for the Study of Drug Development) Postgraduate Course in Clinical Pharmacology, Drug Development and Regulation and the Cornell University Pharmaceutical Management Program. Colonel Suarez has served the U.S. in active military service, including a broad span of assignments from Airborne Infantry, Special Operations, Mechanized Infantry and Headquarters Department of the Army, including two combat tours as a Forward Support Medical Company Commander and Battalion Level Commander.
Teresa Bonner is the Executive Director of the E.A. Michelson Philanthropy (https://eamichelsonphilanthropy.org/), an organization with a mission of championing programs that break barriers, build community and spark creativity, through funding and advocacy. E.A. Michelson Philanthropy has made grants totaling more than US$47 Million since 2006, actively supporting nonprofit organizations across the United States through direct financial support, advocacy, partnerships, informal alliances, convenings, trainings and more. A cornerstone of the E.A. Michelson Philanthropy initiatives is their Vitality Arts programs, which through partnerships with arts and cultural institutions, offer older adults the chance to learn new art forms while developing new friendships, exploring creativity and new accomplishments, connecting with others, building community, and demonstrating relevance, all while addressing equity, diversity, inclusion and access. Teresa has her BA in Journalism from University of North Dakota and a JD from University of Minnesota Law School and has been involved in the foundation, family foundation and charitable giving space for the last couple of decades.
The Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X - https://carb-x.org/) is a global non-profit partnership accelerating antibacterial products to address drug-resistant bacteria, a leading cause of death around the world. 1.27 million deaths worldwide were attributed to resistant bacterial infections in 2019. The CARB-X portfolio is the world’s most scientifically diverse, early development pipeline of new antibiotics, vaccines, rapid diagnostics and other products and represents the only global partnership that integrates solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening bacterial infections, translating innovation from basic research to first-in-human clinical trials. Dr. Erin Duffy, PhD., is Chief of Research & Development at CARB-X and she has two decades of drug-discovery and problem-solving experience in the antibiotic arena. She was previously with Rib-X Pharmaceuticals (now Melinta Therapeutics) where in increasing roles she helped to build and sustain a team of researchers that translated the company’s scientific platform into next-generation and novel antibiotics that target the ribosome. Her team’s most recent achievements include the de novo design and optimization of a completely new class of antibiotics, the pyrrolocytosines, which were supported in part by CARB-X. Prior to Rib-X, Erin was the Associate Director of Innovative Discovery Technologies at Achillion Pharmaceuticals, responsible for building the structure and computational teams and platform for their antiviral efforts. She began her industrial career at Pfizer Central Research, in Groton, Connecticut, where she joined a team of computational and structural drug designers in multiple therapeutic areas. Erin was trained formally at Yale University, where she became a physical-organic chemist focused on defining computationally how small molecules interact and react in the group of Professor William L. Jorgensen. She expanded her experience to large molecules under the mentorship of Professor Axel Brunger, whose group at Yale was transitioning to a mix of computational and laboratory structural biology. Kevin Outterson, ESQ., is Executive Director of CARB-X and is a global thought leader on business models for antibiotic development and use. He is Professor of Law and N. Neil Pike Scholar of Health and Disability Law at Boston University School of Law, where he leads multi-disciplinary teams to solve global health issues. Professor Outterson is the Executive Director and Principal Investigator of CARB-X and a partner in DRIVE-AB (aka Driving Reinvestment In Research And Development And Responsible Antibiotic Use) a project composed of 15 public and 7 private partners from 12 countries that is funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) joint undertaking between the European Union and the European Pharmaceutical Industry Association (EFPIA). He also leads the Social Innovation on Drug Resistance program at Boston University.
Dr. Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. (https://peterhotez.org/), is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also Chief of the Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine and the Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics . Dr. Hotez is also Rice University’s Baker Institute fellow in disease and poverty and Co-Director of Parasites Without Borders (https://parasiteswithoutborders.com/), a global nonprofit organization with a focus on those suffering from parasitic diseases in subtropical environments. Dr. Hotez is an internationally recognized physician-scientist with expertise in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development. He leads the only product development partnership for developing new vaccines for hookworm, schistosomiasis and Chagas disease, and is just coming off a major win for emergency use approval of his team’s Corbevax protein sub-unit COVID-19 vaccine, of which he, and previous guest to the show, Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, were recently nominated for a Nobel Prize. Dr. Hotez is the author of more than 400 original papers, as well as the books Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases - The Neglected Tropical Diseases and Their Impact on Global Health and Development, Blue Marble Health - An Innovative Plan to Fight Diseases of the Poor amid Wealth, Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism: My Journey as a Vaccine Scientist, Pediatrician, and Autism Dad, and Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-science. Dr. Hotez previously served as president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and as founding editor-in-chief of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences. In 2011, he was awarded the Abraham Horwitz Award for Excellence in Leadership in Inter-American Health by the Pan American Health Organization of the World Health Organization. In 2015, the White House and U.S. State Department selected Dr. Hotez as a United States science envoy. Dr. Hotez obtained his undergraduate degree in molecular biophysics from Yale University (Phi Beta Kappa), followed by a Ph.D. in biochemical parasitology from Rockefeller University, and an M.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College.
Dr. David Su, Ph.D. (https://atmosic.com/company/leadership/) is CEO and Co-Founder of Atmosic, a fascinating company that is “re-architecting” wireless connectivity solutions from the ground up to radically reduce Internet of Things (IoT) device dependence on batteries, aiming to make batteries last forever and the Internet of Things battery free – thus breaking the power barrier to widespread IoT adoption. Dr. Su brings to Atmosic over 30 years of engineering expertise with an extensive wireless background, as his past teams’ radio designs have brought billions of successful devices to market. He was on the early engineering team at Atheros, as VP Analog/RF Engineering, and VP Engineering with Qualcomm following the 2011 acquisition of Atheros. He was also at HP for several years. Dr. Su earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Master of Engineering (MEng) in Electrical Engineering, from University of Tennessee, a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and has been a Consulting Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford. He is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Fellow.
Dr. Andrew Adams, Ph.D. is Vice President of Neurodegeneration Research at Eli Lilly (https://www.lilly.com/) and Co-Director of their new Lilly Institute for Genetic Medicine, a $700 million initiative to establish an institute for researching and developing genetic medicines, specifically acting at the nucleic acid level, to advance an entirely new drug class that target the root cause of diseases, an approach that is fundamentally different than medicines available today. In this role, Dr. Adams will be responsible for leading the discovery of various new types of therapies, via both internal research, and robust collaborations with external partners. These novel approaches will also allow Lilly access to previously "undruggable" targets across the breath of therapeutic areas at Lilly, as well as potentially opening up novel avenues of clinical investigation. In addition to these major roles, Dr. Adams over the recent years also took on scientific leadership of Lilly’s COVID-19 neutralizing antibody projects, as well as serving as Vice President for Lilly Genetic Medicine, and during his time at Lilly has served in roles across early discovery, external innovation, and as a leader of Lilly’s early trailblazer teams, championing new ways to bring Lilly science to patients with speed. Dr Adams holds a degree in biology and a doctorate in zoology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Prior to joining Lilly in 2011, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School studying the neurobiology of anorexia nervosa.
Ms. Victoria Laskina-Ustimenko (https://www.instagram.com/laskinavika_2/?hl=en) is a multi-industry entrepreneur with specialization in biotechnology, cryptocurrency, fashion and capital markets, where she collaborates with a wide variety of companies across the world, providing public relations & business development services. As a distinguished young thinker from Ukraine, she graduated from Donetsk State University in Marketing, where she studied public relations. In addition to her own PR business (https://www.instagram.com/pretobusiness/?hl=en) Victoria currently serves as Chief Business Development Officer at the think tank Transdisciplinary Agora for Future Discussions (https://gen4ir.org/). She has also served as Chief Public Relations Officer and Managing Partner at USP Capital Ltd., at the Waves Platform and AdHive.TV as a PR specialist, at CryptoMatic ATM as the Global Business Development Manager, and also currently operates a fashion agency in Moscow, Russia. Victoria's futurist and multidisciplinary vision of a better world has led to her focus as a progressive-thinker for exponential organizations in Russia & Ukraine, representing a technologically diverse clientele, ranging from autonomous VTOL vehicles, to novel IT, to bio-remediation firms, several who have joined us previously on the show over the past years. Victoria is passionate about generating close relationship with some of the most impressive scientists, philosophers, artists, and entrepreneurs worldwide.
Longer term correctional facilities, of which we have around 2,000 in the U.S., are not geared to accommodate the needs of a growing aging population. Within this aging population, we see the natural slowdown of physical mobility and cognitive processes, aging prisoners are prone to predation and humiliation, and major CNS degenerative disorders, such as early onset dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease, is difficult to detect in this population, which is often accompanied with other mental illnesses and maladaptive social behaviors. The Gold Coat program (https://thegoldcoats.com/), based at the California Men’s Colony State Prison in San Luis Obispo, consists of healthy inmates specially trained to care for those with dementia and other cognitive impairments, and the experiences of these Gold Coat workers (designated for the gold smocks they wear) reveal not just a fascinating model of care and working rehabilitative program, but also a true model of reform that can provide skills for meaningful employment while caring for those who cannot help themselves. Aileen Hongo is a geriatric social worker and received her masters degrees in Gerontology and Social Work from the University of Southern California. She came across the Gold Coats program through her studies. Aileen continues to research the plight of the escalating aging prison population in correctional facilities unsuitable to accommodate the natural decline of physical mobility and cognitive processes of older adults. She currently works as a life skills instructor in the county jails. Barry Hughes is originally from Los Angeles, CA. Barry served as a Gold Coat for 5 years and hospice caregiver from 2004 to until released from prison in 2012. He is currently working as a Peer Specialist in Grief Support for the Department of Mental Health at the Veterans Administration. Aileen and Barry are both authors of a book: The Gold Coats - An Exceptional Standard of Care: A Collaborative Guide to Caring for the Cognitively Impaired Behind Bars (https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Coats-Exceptional-Collaborative-Cognitively/dp/1530609011).
Dr. Kara Spiller, PhD (https://drexel.edu/biomed/faculty/core/SpillerKara/) is Associate Professor in the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory at Drexel University, in Philadelphia. Dr. Spiller received her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering from Drexel University where she conducted her doctoral research in the design of semi-degradable hydrogels for the repair of articular cartilage in the Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Laboratory at Drexel, and in the Shanghai Key Tissue Engineering Laboratory of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. After completing her PhD, when she received the award for Most Outstanding Doctoral Graduate: Most Promise to Enhance Drexel's Reputation, she conducted research in the design of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering as a Fulbright Fellow, in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables, and Biomimetics (the 3Bs) Research Group at the University of Minho in Guimaraes, Portugal. She also worked as a Postdoctoral Scientist at Columbia University Dr. Spiller is currently conducting research in the design of immuno-modulatory biomaterials, particularly for bone tissue engineering. Her research interests include cell-biomaterial interactions, biomaterial design, and international engineering education.
Dr. Philip Nitschke, MD, Ph.D. is a medical doctor, humanist and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International (https://www.exitinternational.net/), a leading end-of-life rights advocacy and information non-profit. Dr. Nitschke has written extensively in the area of voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide, including three books, including: Killing Me Softly: Voluntary Euthanasia and the Road to the Peaceful Pill, The Peaceful Pill eHandbook, and Damned if I Do. Dr. Nitschke holds a Ph.D. in applied physics from Flinders University and is a graduate of Sydney Medical School. He is a seven-time nominee for Australian of the Year and is the recipient of many awards including the Rainer Humanitarian Award and Australian Humanist of the Year. Dr. Nitschke successfully campaigned to have a legal euthanasia law passed in Australia's Northern Territory and assisted four people in ending their lives before the law (Rights of the Terminally Ill Act) was overturned by the federal government. He was the first doctor in the world to administer a legal, voluntary, lethal injection. Dr. Nitschke remains a strong advocate of dying with dignity, spending time lecturing on the topic, and developing innovative technology concepts, including several end-of-life machines, including the Deliverance Machine, CoGen and Destiny devices, and his most recent, the SARCO capsule (https://www.exitinternational.net/sarco/).
Søren Smed Østergaard is Vice President of Digital Health globally for Novo Nordisk (https://www.novonordisk.com/), where he leads the company’s initiatives in Digital Health as well as leading the Digital Health solutions in development. Furthermore, Søren is responsible the commercial development all digital health injection & other devices in development, as well as Novo’s partner strategy, data integration and commercial development strategies with their partners. Søren is a thought leader within the field. During his more than 16 years in Novo Nordisk, Søren has been able to unite and excite people towards how Digital Health can add value to pharma, the health care system and people's lives, and is passionate about the interplay between pharmaceuticals and technology and how this can be used to improve people's lives. Before this current role, Søren was the Executive Advisor to the EVP of Commercial Strategy & Corporate Affairs and ran the EVP Office for more than 2½ years. Prior to that he worked in various positions, mostly within Global Marketing centered around product management of medical devices and needles, as well as portfolio management. Søren also managed and developed two iterations of the Novo Nordisk launch framework, has led global launch preparations for 20+ launches, has done portfolio analysis and valuation for development assets, and has sat on global project teams leading the commercial development work for drug and device assets. Søren has a Master of Science, in Management of Innovation and Business Development, and a Bachelor of Science, in Computer Science and Business Administration, from Copenhagen Business School.
Dr. Douglas E. Willard, PhD, (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/game_changing_development/about/program-leadership/doug-willard/) is Program Element Manager, Game Changing Development Program, Space Technology Mission Directorate, at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Game Changing Development (GCD) Program advances space technologies that may lead to entirely new approaches for the Agency’s future space missions and provide solutions to significant national needs. GCD collaborates with research and development teams to progress the most promising ideas through analytical modeling, ground-based testing and spaceflight demonstration of payloads and experiments and their efforts are focused on the mid Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range , generally taking technologies from initial lab concepts to a complete engineering development prototype. The Program employs a balanced approach of guided technology development efforts and competitively selected efforts from across academia, industry, NASA, and other government agencies. GCD strives to develop the best ideas and capabilities irrespective of their source. The Program’s investment in innovative space technologies directly supports NASA’s mission to “Drive advances in science, technology, and exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of Earth”. GCD’s focus on transformative space and science technologies will enable science missions and NASA’s Artemis Program. Additionally, GCD’s technology developments serve as a stimulus to the U.S. economy while providing inspiration and opportunity to our nation’s youth. Previously, Dr. Willard was the Deputy Division Chief of the Laboratories, Development and Testing Division at the NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. He served in many leadership roles at Kennedy, including Chief Engineer for Research & Technology Development and Branch Chief of the Engineering Analysis Branch within the Engineering Directorate. He also served for many years as a research physicist in Kennedy’s Applied Physics Lab.
Katie Baca-Motes, MBA, (https://www.scripps.edu/science-and-medicine/translational-institute/about/people/katie-baca-motes/) is Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, and Co-Founder of the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center (https://digitaltrials.scripps.edu/). Katie leads various initiatives, including launching their new Digital Trials Center, focusing on expanding the institute's portfolio of decentralized clinical trial initiatives including: DETECT, a COVID-19 research initiative, PowerMom, a maternal health research program and PROGRESS, an upcoming T2 Diabetes/Precision Nutrition program, as well as overseeing the institute’s role in the NIH "All of Us" Research Program as a Participant Center. The Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI), was founded in 2007 with the aim of individualizing healthcare by leveraging the remarkable progress being made in human genomics and combining it with the power of wireless digital technologies. The Scripps Research Digital Trials Center, a part of SRTI, leads groundbreaking studies that address the world’s most pressing health concerns, by pioneering “site-less” clinical trials, leveraging rapidly evolving digital health technologies to re-engineer the clinical trial experience around the participant, rather than the research site. Katie’s past experience includes managing behavioral research projects with SRTI, Walt Disney Company, Aetna, Janssen, and others, and her research projects over the years have leveraged insights from behavioral economics and other social sciences in areas like improving clinical trial enrollment, increasing the return on incentive schemes, understanding the psychology behind consumer decisions, identifying effective donor communication, increasing the effectiveness of corporate wellness programs and improving patient outcomes. Katie has a BS in Biology and Chemistry from The University of New Mexico, and an MBA from University of California, San Diego - Rady School of Management.
Colonel (ret) Dr. Samantha "Combo" Weeks, Ph.D. is the Science & Research Director, of the Polaris Dawn Program (https://polarisprogram.com/dawn/), a planned private human spaceflight mission, operated by SpaceX on behalf of Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman, planned to launch using the Crew Dragon capsule. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in the Polaris Program (https://polarisprogram.com/), which endeavors to rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities by demonstrating new technologies and conducting extensive scientific research to expand our knowledge of humans adapting, living and working in space. Much of this research also has purpose and applicability to improve life here on Earth. Colonel Dr. Weeks, is a retired United States Air Force Colonel, with over 2,200 hours flying the F-15C, F-16, and T-38, including 105 combat hours. She commanded at the squadron, group, and wing level in the Air Force, and today also serves a corporate Vice President at the Shift4 Payments company, focusing on transformation and change management. Her position as Science & Research Director with Polaris comes after two and a half decades of focus on human performance in aviation. Colonel Dr. Weeks has a BS in Biology from the United States Air Force Academy, a Masters in Human Relations from University of Oklahoma, and a Ph.D. in Military Strategy / Leadership from the United States Air Force, Air University.
Dr. Emilio A. Emini, Ph.D. is the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (https://www.gatesmri.org/), a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and effective use of novel biomedical interventions addressing substantial global health concerns, for which investment incentives are limited, and he leads the Institute’s research and development of novel products and interventions for diseases disproportionately impacting the world’s most vulnerable populations. Before joining the Gates MRI, Dr. Emini served as director of the HIV and Tuberculosis program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led the foundation’s efforts focused on accelerating the reduction in the incidence of HIV and TB in high-burden geographies, with the goal of achieving sustained epidemic control. Over the course of his previous 30-year career in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Emini led teams involved in the research and development of novel anti-infectives and vaccines. From 1983 to 2004, he led research at the Merck Research Laboratories involved in the development of one of the first highly active anti-retroviral therapies for HIV and, as senior vice president of vaccine research, the successful development of a number of vaccines including vaccines for human papillomavirus and rotavirus. Dr. Emini later served as senior vice president of vaccine development at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. From 2005 to 2015, he was senior vice president of vaccine R&D at Pfizer Inc., leading the development of Prevnar 13® for prevention of pneumococcal disease. Dr. Emini was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Weill Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in 2006. He is a former trustee of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a former member of the National Preparedness & Response Science Board, an advisory committee to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. He is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, International Society for Vaccines, and The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He received his Ph.D. in Microbiology, Genetics, and Biochemistry from the Weill Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
Akshay Talati, RPh, is Vice President Of Product Development, Research & Innovation, Regulatory, at the Beauty and Wellness Division of Goop (https://goop.com/), a wellness and lifestyle brand and company, founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, where he leads new product development and innovation for the company’s wellness and lifestyle brands. Initially trained as a Pharmacist, and then achieving a M.S. in Industrial Pharmacy at Long Island University, Akshay is a thought leader with an established track record of over two decades in cosmetics, dermatological and pharmaceutical product development, for 20+ distinct brands, for three of the largest multinationals including Estée Lauder (as Executive Director of Research & Development, Clinique), Unilever (as Vice President – Research and Development / Product Development - Murad / Unilever Prestige), and L’Oréal (as Vice President Research and Innovation, Head of Skincare). Over his career, Akshay has championed innovation for hundreds of products cumulatively valued in billions of dollars. He also serves and advises in several cosmetic societies and strives to positively influence those who seek guidance through mentoring. Akshay serves as a founding member of Skindie (https://skindie.co), a consulting firm generating authentic beauty intelligence and trends.
Dr. Gaurav Bansal, Ph.D. is Senior Manager, Computer Vision and Machine Learning at Blue River Technology (https://bluerivertechnology.com/), a company of innovators focused on driving radical change in agriculture by creating intelligent machinery, to empower their customers – farmers – to implement more sustainable solutions, optimize chemical usage, re-imagine routine processes, and improve farming yields. In 2017, Blue River was acquired, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of, John Deere (https://www.deere.com/en/index.html), a leading American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drive trains used in heavy equipment, and lawn care equipment. Dr. Bansal has a PhD in Statistical Signal Processing, Optimization and Machine Learning, from The University of British Columbia, and a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering, from the Indian Institute of Technology. He has been with the Blue River organization for about 2 1/2 years. Prior to Blue River, Dr. Bansal has spent time as a researcher at various organizations including Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America Inc., Toyota InfoTechnology USA, and Acubed; the Silicon Valley innovation center of Airbus.
Dr. Adam Wolfberg, MD, MPH, is the Chief Medical Officer at Current Health (https://currenthealth.com/), a Best Buy Health company (https://healthcare.bestbuy.com/) and part of the American multinational consumer electronics retailer. Current Health is an organization that enables the delivery of healthcare services in the home to enable healthcare organizations to deliver high-quality, patient-centric care at a lower cost. The company integrates patient-reported data with data from biosensors – including their own continuous monitoring wearable devices – to provide healthcare organizations with actionable, real-time insights into the patient’s condition. Leveraging clinical algorithms that can be tailored to the individual patient, Current Health identifies when a patient needs clinical attention, allowing organizations to manage patient care remotely or coordinate in-home care via integrated service partners. The Current Health platform brings together tele-health capabilities, patient engagement tools, and in-home connectivity to provide a single solution to manage all care in the home. Dr. Wolfberg also leads implementation and account management at the organization. Previously, Dr Wolfberg worked in medical affairs at Ovia Health, a leading maternity and family benefits solution for employers and health plans (which was acquired by LabCorp), athenahealth (network-enabled services, mobile apps, and data-driven insights to hospitals and medical organizations) and Ariosa Diagnostics. Dr. Wolfberg trained in OB/GYN and maternal-fetal medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and has an MPH from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. Before going to medical school, Dr. Wolfberg was a print journalist. He blogs at www.adamwolfberg.com, and has written for magazines and websites including the Boston Globe Magazine, Slate.com, Huffington Post, and WSJ.com. His first book, Fragile Beginnings : Discoveries and Triumphs in the Newborn ICU, was published by Beacon Press in 2012.
Dr. Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian, Ph.D. is Director of the Department of Social Inclusion at the Organization of American States (https://www.oas.org/en/). For more than 15 years, she has led missions, programs, and projects and conducted research on issues of democracy and elections, and equity and social inclusion, among others. At the Department of Social Inclusion, Dr. Muñoz-Pogossian leads work on the inclusion of populations in vulnerable situations and on the promotion of the full exercise of their human rights. Among her responsibilities, she directs work on migration and refugees in support of the OAS Secretary General and the Member States. Born in Venezuela, Dr. Muñoz-Pogossian holds a PhD in political science from Florida International University, Miami, and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of South Florida, Tampa. She is the author of various academic publications and opinion columns on issues of democracy, human rights, migration and refugees, gender equity and social inclusion, among other topics. The Organization of American States is an international organization that was founded on April 30th, 1948 for the purposes of solidarity and co-operation among its member states within the Americas. Headquartered in the US capital, Washington, D.C., the OAS has 34 members, which are independent states in the Americas.
Dr. Lamya Abdulaziz AlOmair, Ph.D. is the Head of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and Bioinformatics, at King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (https://kaimrc.ksau-hs.edu.sa/), and an affiliated faculty member in the systems biology group at George Mason University. Dr. AlOmair is one of the first Saudi women to obtain a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science, from King Saud University, following which she joined the Saudi National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) initially as a Programmer and Database Specialist, and was later promoted to Database Administrator and Manager of Human Resource Management System, working on trending topics such as Big Data, and related initiatives and projects. She then decided to further her career in the newly emerging field of Health Informatics when she obtained a Master degree in Health Informatics from King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences in 2007. Dr. AlOmair then applied her skills to many I.T. projects at the NGHA and even participated in a few national initiatives in the field of Health Informatics. Her initiatives lead her towards more advanced field of computational Bioinformatics. At this point she decided to focus more on this promising new field. In 2017, Dr. AlOmair earned her PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology from George Mason University, USA. In recent years, Dr. AlOmair has been examining the rapidly evolving field of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), exploring its current and potential applications in healthcare sectors. She organized, with passion, a successful A.I. & Bioinformatics symposium in April 2021 to increase awareness and improve skill in AI among young professionals. Dr. AlOmair is an active supporter and enabler in the fields of both A.I. and Big Data, and regularly utilizes her exposure to healthcare officials and healthcare projects, both locally and internationally, to promote their advancements and implementations.
Dr. David K. C. Cooper, MA, PhD, MD, MS, DSc (Med), FRCS, FACS, FACC, FAST, (https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/27073950/David-Cooper) is a pioneering heart transplant surgeon and researcher in the field of xenotransplantation, which is defined as any procedure that involves the transplantation, implantation or infusion into a human recipient of live cells, tissues, or organs from a nonhuman animal source. Dr. Cooper studied medicine in the UK at Guy’s Hospital Medical School (now part of King’s College London), and trained in general and cardiothoracic surgery in Cambridge and London. Between 1972 and 1980, Dr. Cooper was a Fellow and Director of Studies in Medical Sciences at Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1980 he took up an appointment in cardiac surgery at the University of Cape Town where, under Professor Christiaan Barnard, he had responsibility for patients undergoing heart transplantation. In 1987, Dr. Cooper relocated to the Oklahoma Transplantation Institute in the USA where he continued to work in both the clinical and research fields. After 17 years as a surgeon-scientist, he decided to concentrate on research, initially at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston, subsequently at the University of Pittsburgh, and then at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where his major interest was in developing cross-species transplantation with the aim of using pigs as sources of organs, cells, and corneas for transplantation in humans. He currently continues his research programs at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cooper has published almost 1,000 medical and scientific papers and chapters, has authored or edited 18 books, has given more than 350 invited presentations worldwide, and has received several awards for his work.
Dr. Sanjoy Dutta, PhD, is the Chief Scientific Officer at JDRF International (https://www.jdrf.org/) a nonprofit organization that funds Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) research, provides a broad array of community and activist services to the T1D population, and actively advocates for regulation favorable to medical research and approval of new and improved treatment modalities. Dr. Dutta oversees all of JDRF’s efforts to cure Type 1 Diabetes and improve the lives of those living with it, which includes beta cell therapies, immunotherapies, glucose control and related disease complications. He is also responsible for international partnerships with world-leading government, non-government, foundation and commercial organizations. Dr. Dutta joined JDRF in 2009. Prior to coming to JDRF, Dr. Dutta was the Associate Director of Translational Medicine and Clinical Biomarkers at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Principal Scientist of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases at Hoffmann-La Roche. Dr. Dutta obtained his doctorate from the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Southern California and was a JDRF Postdoctoral Fellow in the department of cell biology and the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Wilhelmina Hoffman, MD, is a geriatric physician, who serves Headmaster and CEO of Silviahemmet (https://www.silviahemmet.se/), a non-profit foundation devoted to improving the quality of life for persons affected by dementia and their families. The foundation was inaugurated by H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden on Valentines Day in 1996. Silviahemmet’s philosophy of care includes person-centered care, family support, teamwork and communication – all aiming at the highest possible quality of life for both the person with dementia and the family. Silviahemmet also offers training in various professional categories within the healthcare and social care sectors and arranges courses for families and other informal caregivers. Dr. Hoffman is also President of the Swedish Dementia Center (https://www.demenscentrum.se/), the national center for excellence in the field of dementia which collects, structures and disseminates knowledge about dementia. One of Swedish Dementia Center's principal tasks is to strengthen the links between research and practice and to communicate evidence based knowledge in a practical setting to health and social care givers. In collaboration with authorities and organizations, they work to inspire and promote the development of a more dementia-friendly society.
Donato Tramuto is a healthcare executive, global health activist, and author who is widely recognized for his commitment to social change and transformational leadership in healthcare innovation. Mr. Tramuto is the Founder and Chair of The TramutoPorter Foundation (https://tramutofoundation.com/) which advances young people’s rights to education and healthcare access and combats human right violations. Mr. Tramuto's three-decade commitment to social change and innovation has earned numerous awards, including both the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope and the RFK Embracing His Legacy Awards, and he currently serves as a member of the board of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and is Chairman of its Leadership Council where his foundation has committed to funding a three-year, $1 million grant to address workplace bullying, leading a national initiative to address workplace dignity and inclusion in the U.S. and Europe. Mr. Tramuto is a passionate champion of cutting-edge approaches to healthcare access, drug safety, and addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH), defined by the World Health Organization as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Mr. Tramuto has a long record of bringing together social commitment with healthcare innovation, including roles as CEO of Tivity Health, a provider of health improvement, fitness and social engagement solutions, and founder of Physicians Interactive Holdings (Aptus Health sold to WebMD in 2019), a global provider of insight-driven digital engagement solutions for healthcare professionals and consumers. Reflecting a conviction that universal healthcare is a basic human right for all people, he launched Health eVillages in 2011, a non-profit organization providing state-of-the-art mobile health technology in the most challenging clinical environments and working to broaden healthcare access. Mr. Tramuto is a member of the Brown University Healthcare Leadership Board, as well as a member of the Advisory Board of Boston University School of Public Health. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Livongo Health Foundation, Sharecare, Inc., Cherish Health Inc., Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Europe, Health eVillages, and the Gryphon Investment Executive Advisory Board. He is the mastermind behind a groundbreaking 360° public service campaign and annual summit addressing challenges unique to older adults, including the too-often overlooked issues of isolation and loneliness. A proponent of lifelong learning, Mr. Tramuto holds honorary doctorates from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Thomas Jefferson University, Lasell College and Saint Joseph’s College, and is the author of Life’s Bulldozer Moments: How Adversity Leads to Success in Life and Business. Mr. Tramuto’s second book, The Double Bottom Line, How Compassionate Leaders Captivate Hearts and Deliver Results, will be released in April of 2022.
Susan Bratton (https://susanbratton.com/), is an Intimacy Wellness Expert, Sexual Bio-Hacker, and self-proclaimed "Orgasmanaut", who is a champion and advocate for all those who desire life long intimacy and passion. Susan is co-founder and CEO of two corporations: Personal Life Media, Inc., a publisher of heart-connected lovemaking techniques and bedroom communication skills, and The20, LLC., a manufacturer of organic and botanical supplements that enhance sexual vitality. Susan is a best-selling author and publisher of 34 books and programs including Sexual Soulmates, Relationship Magic, Revive Her Drive, Ravish Him, Steamy Sex Ed™, The Passion Patch, Hormone Balancing, and Hot To Trot. Susan is currently an official company spokesperson for both The Anti-Aging Group, LLC's GAINSWave®️ protocol, and The Dr. Joel Kaplan Inc. brand of vacuum erection devices. Her book, Pump Guide, has helped over 30,000 men regain their sexual performance in midlife and beyond. Susan has been featured in the New York Times and on CNBC and the TODAY show as well as frequent appearances on ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC. You can find The Susan Bratton Show® at BetterLover.com, her personal shares on Instagram @susanbratton, her lust-for-life supplements, FLOW and DESIRE at The20store.com, and her Expanded Orgasm Couples Practice guides at https://expandherorgasmtonight.com/
Dr. Marilyn Roossinck Ph.D. (https://plantpath.psu.edu/directory/mjr25) is Professor Emeritus of plant pathology, environmental microbiology and biology at Penn State University. Dr. Roossinck is an expert on viruses, from their evolutionary pressures and mechanisms, to the ecology of viral diseases. She performed some of the first experimental evolution studies on plant viruses and pioneered the first virus discovery work in a terrestrial system, by deep sequencing wild plant samples. A specialty of hers is the symbiotic relationships between plants and so-called “beneficial viruses.” Dr. Roossinck completed her undergraduate work at the University of Colorado, Boulder, receiving a biology degree in 1982. Four years later, she earned her doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Roossinck joined Penn State as professor of plant pathology and environmental microbiology and of biology in 2011, holding appointments in the College of Agricultural Sciences and the Eberly College of Science. She taught courses in virus ecology for several years at Penn State, and also has published both a popular press book about viruses entitled "Virus: An Illustrated Guide to 101 Incredible Microbes" as well as the academic text "Plant Virus Evolution".
Dr. Kevin Perrott, Ph.D. is Founder and CEO, OpenCures (https://opencures.org/), Adjunct Professor, University of Alberta, Co-Founder and Advisor, Oisin Biotechnologies, President, of Global Healthspan Policy Institute, and Co-Founder and Treasurer, SENS Research Foundation. Kevin is a successful entrepreneur and owner of the largest motorcycle and snowmobile dealership in Canada, Riverside Honda and Skidoo Sales in Edmonton, Alberta. He became a cancer survivor, an experience which clearly highlighted the deficiencies of the current health technology development paradigm where the customer has almost no input in the development of their own health solutions. Armed with the realization that nothing is more valuable than health and the time to enjoy it with those you love, Kevin resolved to put his energies towards addressing these deficiencies. In 2003, Kevin joined Aubrey de Grey and David Gobel to form the Methuselah Foundation which offered competitive prizes for advances in longevity science. A few years later he became a co-founder with Aubrey de Grey and others of SENS Research Foundation to develop interventions able to repair or make harmless the damage that accumulates and underlies multiple age-related disorders. Mostly recently, Kevin formed OpenCures as a for-benefit corporation helping individuals perform self-directed research, generate data, and focus the value of data on the health solutions they are interested in. Kevin has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles all focused on accelerating the science underlying the development of therapies for degenerative diseases. He is a co-founder of multiple non-profit and for-profit entities whose missions are aligned with that purpose. Kevin has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from University of Alberta, with work performed at the Campisi Lab of the Buck Institute studying the effects of natural compounds on senescence, as well as a BSc, Double Major, in Biology and Chemistry.
Dr. Joseph D. Mocanu, Ph.D. (https://www.vergehc.com/team) is the Managing Partner of the Verge HealthTech Fund, focusing on early stage healthcare technology companies relevant to emerging markets. Dr. Mocanu started his career as a scientist, developing new cancer therapies during his Ph.D. at the University of Toronto. He co-founded a medical device startup during his studies which brought him into the world of business and his first interactions with VCs. Dr. Mocanu first learned about active investing during his time at DM Capital in Shenzhen, helping launch their first fund, Harmony. He then joined Oliver Wyman’s health and life sciences practice to understand and develop strategies towards addressing key business and market needs for his global healthcare clients, and did so for over 75 projects, and across 20+ markets. During this time he also assisted several funds and conglomerates with their healthcare investment strategies. Seeing the need for more early stage investment for healthcare founders, and the opportunity for technology to make a real difference, Dr. Mocanu began angel investing in health tech companies in 2014, eventually reaching a personal portfolio of 9 companies by 2018. It was at that point that he realized that he needed to do this full time and that there weren't any funds that were focused on seed stage, health tech, and massive solving global problems, which is when he decided to launch Verge HealthTech later that year. Dr. Mocanu has a Ph.D. in medical biophysics from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, Western University, specializing in the Health Sector and Entrepreneurship.
Anna Farberov is General Manager at PepsiCo Labs (https://labs.pepsico.com/), where she focuses on investments and partnerships in the areas of Tech Venturing, Value Chain, Data & Analytics, Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence (ML/AI) and Sustainability, and via their investments in the start-up community, works with entrepreneurs to co-develop products and services for PepsiCo, Inc. the American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation. Prior to PepsiCo Labs, Anna spent 7 years at P&G in finance and business development roles, as well as 2 years as Head of Strategy and Planning at Discount Investment Corp Ltd., Israel's leading holding company operating in the fields of Real Estate, Telecommunications, Technology, Agriculture, and Asset Management. As the leader of PepsiCo Labs engagements with cutting edge technology and investments in startups globally, Anna is at the forefront of PepsiCo’s planning for the future. Given her extensive experience in finance, business strategy, innovation and Consumer Packaged Goods, she brings invaluable perspective and insights to the startups in PepsiCo Labs. Fluent in three languages, and an avid relationship builder, Anna partners with PepsiCo’s senior leaders to create value for both PepsiCo and startups. Anna has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), with a focus in Finance from Reichman University (IDC Herzliya).
Alistair Fulton (https://www.semtech.com/company/executive-leadership/alistair-fulton) is the Vice President and General Manager of Semtech's Wireless and Sensing Products Group. Semtech Corporation is a supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms for consumer, enterprise computing, communications and industrial end-markets. It has 32 locations in 15 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. Semtech is the developer of LoRa, a long-range networking initiative for the Internet of Things. As of March 2021, over 178 million devices use LoRa worldwide. LoRa has been used in satellites, tracking of animals, and natural disaster prediction. Mr. Fulton joined Semtech in 2018 with over 25 years of experience in the Internet of Things (IoT), connected devices, machine to machine (M2M)/embedded, and analytics spaces. Before joining Semtech, Mr. Fulton led the development of Hitachi's Lumada Industrial IoT Platform, the leading "visionary" IIoT platform in Gartner's 2018 magic quadrant. Prior to Hitachi, he led Microsoft's early IoT initiatives, including the development and incubation of Microsoft's v1.0 IoT platform (the precursor to the v3.0 Azure IoT platform). Mr. Fulton also served as a Leader within Deloitte Consulting's Strategy & Operations / Telecommunications Media and Technology practice, focused on new product development, innovation and strategic transformation engagements in the wireless & Internet of Things (IoT) sectors. He started his career at Telefónica UK.
Keren Haruvi is President of Sandoz US and Head of their North America business (https://www.novartis.us/about-us/our-leadership/us-country-leadership/keren-haruvi). Sandoz is a division of the Novartis Group and a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars and was established in 2003, when Novartis united all of its generics businesses under the name Sandoz – a single global brand with a long history. Since then, Sandoz has grown into a leading global generics business with annual sales of approximately US$10 billion. In her current role, Keren leads Sandoz’ largest commercial and country organization – the United States – which is responsible for over 35% of Sandoz global revenue. She also oversees Sandoz commercial operations in Canada. In addition to serving on the Novartis Country Leadership Team, Keren is a member of the Global Sandoz Executive Committee. Prior to joining Sandoz, Keren served as Global Head of M&A at Novartis International AG. Her early career began at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries where she steadily advanced in leadership roles to Senior VP, Global Business Development and Alliance Management. Keren is a value creator in the biopharmaceutical space, and brings close to 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, marked by success leading major M&A deals, enterprise innovations, and complex market strategies for large-scale, sustainable growth. Keren holds an MBA in Finance from Bar Ilan University and a Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Chemistry from Tel Aviv University. Nominated for Top 40 Under 40 in The Marker magazine, she exemplifies the insight and wisdom needed to move global organizations forward. Outside of work, Keren enjoys spending time with her 5 children. She is an avid runner with one marathon and 3 half-marathons under her belt.
Dr. Joel Mozer is the Director of Science, Technology, and Research, United States Space Force (https://www.spaceforce.mil/). With a PhD in Physics, and MS in Atmospheric Science, from University of Arizona, Dr. Mozer serves as the principal scientific advisor to the Commander and is the senior authority for all science and technology matters for an organization of approximately 11,000 space professionals worldwide, and manages a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities. In this role, he interacts with other principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition, and international communities to address cross-organizational science and technical issues and solutions. Dr. Mozer represents USSF science and technology on decisions, high-level planning, and policy, building coalitions and alliances throughout the U.S. government, industry, academia, the international community, and other scientific and technology organizations. Dr. Mozer entered government service in 1992 with the U.S. Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, he was Chief Space Experimentalist of the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicle Directorate. In that role, he was responsible for managing AFRL's $40 million-per-year investment in research and development related to the development of experimental satellites and payloads and conducted a team of 100 engineers and scientists at Kirtland and Holloman Air Force Bases, New Mexico — all working to develop cost-effective ways to assemble, integrate, test and fly novel spacecraft and systems and demonstrating new concepts for Department of Defense systems and missions. His area of specialization relates to space control and remote sensing — understanding the natural and man-made space environment and developing forecast tools for warfighters, theater battle commanders and other decision-makers to mitigate risks. Dr. Mozer has more than 30 years of space science, engineering, management, and financial experience working space and ground systems for the DoD. In addition to the Integrated Experiments Division, he served as Chief of the Battlespace Environment Division and led the laboratory’s Space Weather Center of Excellence and was a scientist at the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak. Before arriving at AFRL, Dr. Mozer worked at the Air Force’s Radar Attenuation and Scattering facility at Holloman AFB developing measurement and analysis techniques to study the radar cross-section of low-observable aircraft and technology. Prior to that, he worked for the Army’s Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory developing techniques to quantify the effects of natural and man-made battlefield obscurants on electro-optical sensors.
Dr. Ashani Weeraratna, Ph.D., (https://publichealth.jhu.edu/faculty/3918/ashani-t-weeraratna) is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, Chair, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Weeraratna is also a recently appointed member (by President Joe Biden), of the National Cancer Advisory Board (https://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/ncab/ncab.htm), which advises and assists the director of the National Cancer Institute on the activities of the national cancer program. Dr. Weeraratna is a groundbreaking researcher exploring crucial questions about the role aging plays in cancer and her findings on age-related differences in responses to both targeted therapy and immuno-therapy for cancer are leading to a change in clinical practice. Dr. Weeraratna studies the molecular mechanisms involved in metastasis and how tumor micro-environments affect melanoma progression and therapy resistance. She is interested in how the aging micro-environment guides changes leading to increased metastasis and therapy resistance, as well as cell-autonomous aspects of therapy resistance. Dr. Weeraratna’s research also encompasses biophysical changes that affect the ability of both tumor and immune cells to migrate. She has demonstrated that normal age-related changes in the micro-environment can contribute to multiple aspects of melanoma formation and development as well as therapy resistance. Dr. Weeraratna’s work in melanoma prevention includes a public health approach. She recently helped lead a campaign to introduce sunblock dispensers throughout Philadelphia and talk to children about the dangers of tanning. Dr. Weeraratna is also the author of Is Cancer Inevitable? which clearly describes cancer’s mechanisms and how teams like hers are finding ways to reduce its deadly impacts. The book is part of the Johns Hopkins Wavelengths series. Dr. Weeraratna joined Johns Hopkins University as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in 2019 from the Wistar Institute where she established her lab back in 2011, and prior to that was at the National Institute on Aging, since 2003. Dr. Weeraratna earned a doctorate in Molecular and Cellular Oncology from George Washington University Medical Center and completed post-graduate training and was a postdoctoral fellow in experimental therapeutics and pharmacology at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, then known as the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center.
Dr. Stephani Otte, Ph.D is Science Program Officer, Imaging, at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (https://chanzuckerberg.com/), who leads the organization’s Imaging program and is focused on the creation, dissemination, optimization, and standardization of transformative imaging technologies. Prior to CZI, Dr. Otte was Director of Science at a neuro-technology / microscopy company, Inscopix, involved in accelerating brain science and innovating mini-scope microscope solutions for real-time mapping of the human brain and it’s circuits. Dr. Otte received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego, and did postdoctoral fellowships in systems neuroscience at the Salk Institute and University of California, Berkeley. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is an organization established and owned by Dr. Priscilla Chan and her husband, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, with a focus on science, education, immigration reform, housing, criminal justice, and other local issues, with a mission to "build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone" and to "advance human potential and promote equality in areas such as health, education, scientific research and energy".
Xenobots are living micro-robots, built from cells, designed and programmed by a computer (an evolutionary algorithm) and have been demonstrated to date in the laboratory to move towards a target, pick up a payload, heal themselves after being cut, and reproduce via a process called kinematic self-replication. In addition to all of their future potential that has been mentioned in the press, including Xenobot applications for cleaning up radioactive wastes, collecting micro-plastics in the oceans, and even helping terraform planets, Xenobot research offers a completely new tool kit to help increase our understanding of how complex tissues/organs/body segments are cooperatively formed during the process of morphogenesis, how minds develop, and even offers glimpses of possibilities of what novel life forms we may encounter one day in the cosmos. This cutting edge Xenobot research has been conducted by an interdisciplinary team composed of scientists from University of Vermont, Tufts University, and Harvard, and our show is honored to be joined by two members of this team today. Dr. Josh Bongard, Ph.D. (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/cs/profiles/josh_bongard), is Professor, Morphology, Evolution & Cognition Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont. Dr. Bongard's lab focuses on the unique domain of evolutionary robotics with a goal of directing the evolution of increasingly complex, capable, and autonomous machines to perform a widening array of difficult tasks. Dr. Bongard completed his bachelor's degree in Computer Science from McMaster University, Canada, his M.S. in Evolutionary & Adaptive Systems, University of Sussex, UK, his Ph.D. in Informatics, University of Zurich, Switzerland, and a post-doc in the Computational Synthesis Laboratory at Cornell University. He is the co-author of the popular science book entitled "How the Body Shapes the Way We Think: A New View of Intelligence” and co-author of "Designing Intelligence: Why Brains Aren't Enough". Dr. Michael Levin, Ph.D. (https://allencenter.tufts.edu/our-team/michael-levin/), is Tufts University Professor who holds the Vannevar Bush endowed Chair in the Biology department, and who serves as both the director of the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, and Director, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts. Dr. Levin’s group's focus is on understanding the biophysical mechanisms that implement decision-making during complex pattern regulation, and harnessing endogenous bio-electric dynamics toward rational control of growth and form. Dr. Levin has dual B.S. degrees, in Computer Science and Biology, and received a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He did post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School.
Dr Charlotte Yeh, MD Chief Medical Officer, AARP Services, Inc. (https://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/aarp-services/), where she works with the independent carriers that make health-related products and services available to AARP members, to identify programs and initiatives that will lead to enhanced care for older adults. AARP (formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons) is a United States–based interest group focusing on issues affecting those over the age of fifty. According to the organization, it had more than 38 million members as of 2018. Dr. Yeh has more than 30 years of healthcare experience – as a practitioner and Chief of Emergency Medicine at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Tufts Medical Center, as the Medical Director for the National Heritage Insurance Company, a Medicare Part B claims contractor, and as the Regional Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Boston. Dr. Yeh is widely recognized for her commitment to and passion for the healthcare consumer and has received numerous honors for her efforts on behalf of patients. As a health care leader, she has served on numerous boards and committees throughout her career, and currently sits on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation Board, the Optum Labs Scientific Advisory Board, and the HX360 Executive Leadership Advisory Board. Dr. Yeh received a BA from Northwestern University and her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School. She completed her internship in General Surgery at the University of Washington and her residency in Emergency Medicine at UCLA.
Dr. Amy Throckmorton, Ph.D. (https://drexel.edu/biomed/faculty/core/ThrockmortonAmy/) is Associate Professor and Director of the BioCirc Research Laboratory, in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, at Drexel University. The BioCirc Research Laboratory seeks to improve the treatment strategies and therapeutic options for pediatric and adult patients suffering from acquired or congenital heart disease by developing unique features for inclusion in the design of blood pumps and to develop entirely new designs of blood pumps for patients with single ventricle or biventricular circulations as a bridge-to-transplant, bridge-to-recovery, or destination therapy. Prior to this position, in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Throckmorton served as Associate Professor and previously held the chaired Qimonda Assistant Professorship. Dr. Throckmorton received her PhD and MS in Biomedical Engineering, as well as a BS in Chemical Engineering, from the University of Virginia. After working in the chemical industry, Dr. Throckmorton served as a research assistant from 2000 to 2006 in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. After receiving her PhD, she worked, as a postdoctoral fellow, on the development of blood-contacting medical devices in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Throckmorton currently conducts research in experimental and computational fluid mechanics as related to the development of innovative treatment strategies for pediatric and adult patients suffering from heart failure secondary to acquired and congenital heart disease. Therapeutic modalities under development will augment flow and pressure in the: 1) cavopulmonary circulation (pulmonary circulatory support) in patients with single ventricle physiology, and 2) systemic circulation in patients with single ventricle or biventricular circulations as a bridge-to-recovery or transplant. Dr. Throckmorton's research addresses complex and unresolved hurdles in the field of congenital heart disease and mechanical circulatory support. Core areas of her research include the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) under steady and transient rotational flow conditions, hydraulic performance testing of prototypes for validation of CFD predictions, blood bag experimentation, and animal testing. This research combines broad expertise in engineering, pediatric cardiology, adult cardiology, congenital heart surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, and medical device design and manufacturing.
Dr. Clarice D. Aiello (https://samueli.ucla.edu/people/clarice-aiello/), is Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, at the UCLA Samueli School Of Engineering. Dr. Aiello is also leader of the new Quantum Biology Tech (QuBiT) Lab, a new center dedicated to interdisciplinary research on the possible quantum underpinnings of biological processes, within the UCLA California NanoSystems Institute (https://cnsi.ucla.edu/). With her Ph.D. from MIT in electrical engineering, and postdoctoral appointments in bio-engineering at Stanford, and in chemistry at Berkeley, Dr. Aiello's research group, the Quantum Biology Tech (QuBiT) Lab, is focused on performing quantum measurements on “living sensors,” such as proteins, cells and microorganisms, to understand how they interact with their environment. This knowledge can lead to a broad range of discoveries, for example, how animals navigate, advanced therapeutics for metabolic-related diseases, and quantum information strategies for computing.
Mr. Kim Nazel (also known by his stage names "Arabian Prince" or "Professor X") is a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ, founding member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rap group N.W.A., as well as burgeoning, technologist, venture capitalist, startup mentor, and business advisor. Mr. Nazel has wide ranging interests in Animation, 3D FX, Music and Computer Digital Technologies. He is CEO of Mik Lezan Music, Owner of Hypnotic FX and One Fader, President of LA First Tech Challenge Southern California Robotics Competition, and Founder / Chief Innovator at Inov8 Next (https://www.inov8next.com/), a Silicon Beach, CA based product innovation incubator and technology center designed to empower the brightest inventors by leveraging the power of industry experience, strategic resources and advanced mentoring. Additionally, Mr. Nazel is also President of Gametime Brownies and Founder/CEO of the Streaming PC Manufacturer - Fear The GGGOAT! Some of the other publically disclosed investments in Mr. Nazel's portfolio include Streoapp, a live streaming app from nightclubs, bars & festivals, Advrtas, an AI (artificial intelligence) driven VR/AR/360 video ad platform, and Covitech, a cloud-based suite of apps helping small-to-medium size businesses access to COVID-19 screening, testing resources and often hard-to-procure protective equipment. His passion for technology led to him create a 3D animation and special effects studio in the 90’s working with companies like Saban Entertainment and Fox; including 100+ video game titles for Fox interactive and Vivendi Universal. Mr. Nazel also produced the hit single and album for J.J. Fad, "Supersonic" - The single was certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America, and also got nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989, making them the first all-female rap group to be nominated for a Grammy award. Silicon Beach is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, which is home to 00’s of technology startup companies, becoming known as one of the most prominent technology hubs in the world, as well as home to many major technology companies in the region including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Snapchat and Tinder.
Ms. Fanny Sie is the One Roche Head of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health, at F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (https://www.roche.com/), a multinational healthcare company that operates in both the Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics segments, and in 2021 was the world’s largest pharma company by revenue. With her BS and MS from the University of Toronto, Ms. Sie is very focused on applications of Digital Health, and innovative techniques such as Artificial Intelligence, to generate actionable insights that may breed exponential improvements in both patient outcomes and economic development (https://www.roche.com/strongertogether/data-science-coalition.htm). Ms. Sie has over 15 years of experience bringing new products and services to the healthcare market, including extensive experience as a clinician, researcher and business development professional in the area of medical devices, AI and analytics, and digital health assets. Ms. Sie specializes in building meaningful and impactful health system transformations that leverage innovation and achieve fast and sustained growth for entrepreneurs and multinationals in the public and private sector.
Dr. Dean Radin, MS, PhD (https://noetic.org/profile/dean-radin/), is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Science (IONS) and Associated Distinguished Professor of Integral and Transpersonal Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). He is also Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board for the neurogenetics biotech startup, Cognigenics (https://www.cognigenics.io/). Dr. Radin's original career track as a concert violinist shifted into science after earning a BSEE degree in electrical engineering, magna cum laude and with honors in physics, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and then an MS in electrical engineering and a PhD in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. For a decade Dr. Radin worked on advanced R&D at AT&T Bell Laboratories and GTE Laboratories. For over three decades he has been engaged in research on the frontiers of consciousness. Before joining the research staff at IONS in 2001, he held appointments at Princeton University, SRI International, and other academic and industrial facilities. Dr. Radin is author or co-author of hundreds of scientific, technical, and popular articles, four dozen book chapters, and four best-selling books including The Conscious Universe (recipient of the Scientific and Medical Network’s 1997 book award), Entangled Minds, Supernormal (recipient of the 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award), and Real Magic. Dr. Radin’s books have been translated into over a dozen languages. Dr. Radin’s 100+ academic articles appear in peer-reviewed journals ranging from Foundations of Physics and Physics Essays to Psychological Bulletin, Psychology of Consciousness, and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. He was featured in a New York Times Magazine article and he has been interviewed by dozens of television programs worldwide. He is a sought-after speaker, and has given over 600 talks for prestigious schools, government, military, business, scientific, and other groups around the world. Dr. Radin’s invited talks for industries have included Merck, Google, Johnson & Johnson, and Rabobank. His government talks have included the US Navy, US Army, the Naval Postgraduate School, DARPA, the Indian Council of Philosophical Research (India), the International Center for Leadership and Governance (Malaysia), and the Australian Leadership Retreat (Australia). In 2017 he was named one of the 100 most inspiring people in the world by the German magazine, OOOM, and as of 2021 his filmography on IMDB lists 26 documentaries he’s appeared in.
Dr. Tohru Minamino is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine (https://juntendo-cvbm.com/en/about.html). He also serves as Director of the Cardiovascular Medicine, Juntendo University Hospital. He received his MD from the Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine in 1989 and his PhD from Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo in 1997. Dr. Minamino is a medical cardiologist and research scientist focusing on molecular mechanisms of aging. He started his major research focusing on cardiovascular aging at Harvard Medical School (1997–2000), and his research interests have currently been growing in the biology of aging including metabolic pathways of longevity and senolysis. He has published more than 100 papers including in Nature, Nature Medicine, Cell, Cell Metabolism, and Lancet. Dr. Minamino has won several awards including Satoh Memorial Award in Japanese Circulation Society, and Erwin von Bälz Award (1st prize).
Dr. Ken Paller, Ph.D. (hhttps://psychology.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/core/profiles/ken-paller.html) is Professor of Psychology and James Padilla Chair in Arts & Sciences, Director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Program and the Training Program in the Neuroscience of Human Cognition, Fellow of the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Fellow of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology, at Northwestern University, Department of Psychology. Dr. Paller’s collaborative research with his students and colleagues focuses on human memory, consciousness, and related issues, and recent research publications have examined various themes including sleep’s role in memory and memory dysfunction, sensory processing during sleep to reinforce prior learning, the neural substrates of conscious memory experiences, and the juxtaposition of those memory experiences with various ways in which memory can influence our behavior in the absence of awareness of memory retrieval, such as in the case of intuition. His investigations make use of various behavioral measures of memory, analyses of brain electrical activity from the EEG, patterns of cognitive deficits in neurological patients, and MRI methods. Dr. Paller received a PhD in Neurosciences from UC San Diego following undergraduate training at UCLA. He held postdoctoral positions at Yale, Manchester, and Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, journal editor at Neuropsychologia, and program committee chair for the Cognitive Neuroscience Society. He received the Senator Mark Hatfield Award from the Alzheimer’s Association, and research funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and other federal agencies and private foundations.
Ms. Nashira Layade is Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Business Services, at Realogy Holdings Corp. (https://www.realogy.com/), and she leads Realogy’s technology infrastructure, security, operations, and support strategies. Realogy Holdings Corp. is an American publicly owned real estate and relocation services company which owns and franchises several real estate brands and brokerages (including Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, Cartus, Century 21 Real Estate, Citi-Habitats, Coldwell Banker, Corcoran Group, ERA Real Estate, Sotheby's International Realty and ZipRealty), which supported approximately 1.4 million home transactions in 2020, and offers relocation, lead generation, title, and settlement services. Most recently, Ms. Layade served as senior vice president, chief information security officer for Realogy, responsible for establishing and maintaining the enterprise vision, strategy, and programs necessary to ensure the adequate protection of Realogy’s digital information assets and technologies. Ms. Layade’s background includes nearly 20 years experience as an executive and thought leader in information security, data privacy, and risk management for multinational Fortune 500 firms in the financial services, media & entertainment, and real estate industries. Prior to joining Realogy in July 2016, Ms. Layade served as an executive director for information security at Time Warner Inc. for nearly five years, and before that served as a director of information security for Prudential Financial. From 2005 to 2009, Ms. Layade held key senior leadership positions at Citibank, including vice president and senior risk control officer, and prior to Citi, spent three years working as a global head of information security for Bloomberg LP. Ms. Layade holds an M.S. in Telecommunication Networks from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University. She obtained a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania and is also an alumna of the prestigous Phillips Academy Andover.
Dr. Hamed Faridi, Ph.D. is the founder of Faridi Strategy Group LLC and serves as the Executive Director of the McCormick Science Institute (https://www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com/). Hamed is renowned as an innovative food industry leader, business executive, strategist, and board director. He is a visionary leader who conceives and implements innovative approaches - often using technology - to create and sustain business growth in the highly competitive food manufacturing industry. Hamed is known as someone who creates “momentum” and superior customer intimacy. Hamed is a sought-after consultant and frequent industry speaker with valuable perspectives on the food industry and the “future of food”. He has a reputation for developing strong and trusting relationships with CEOs, executive leaders, industry peers, and board directors. He is considered an effective communicator, a good listener, and a team-mate whose insights are valued. He has significant experience in the technology, health care, and food / flavor industries. Hamed has served on boards of directors of several organizations including Maryland University of Integrative Health, St. Joseph Medical Center, and the International Association of Cereal Chemists. He has been a director and president of both the Flavor & Extract Manufacturers Association and the American Association of Cereal Chemists. He has served on the partnership committee of a McCormick joint venture and on the advisory boards of the food science departments of four different universities. Hamed retired in 2020 as the Chief Science Officer at McCormick & Company (https://www.mccormick.com/) - a $5.5B global manufacturer and marketer of flavors, spices, seasoning and condiments to the entire food industry – since 2011. Reporting to the CEO, Hamed led a global team of over 500 scientists and flavorists with responsibility for thought leadership, scientific research, product development, sustainability as well as the company’s health and wellness initiative. Since joining McCormick in 1997, Hamed has built, transformed, and led a research and development program that is regarded by investors as well as by customers as one of the most innovative in the food industry. Hamed led the creation of the McCormick Science Institute - an independent organization that advances scientific understanding of the role of culinary spices and herbs on healthy eating and public health. A truly transformative initiative aligning with USDA, FDA, HHS, and the White House. In partnership with IBM, Hamed has also created the first artificial intelligence (AI) platform for food and flavor product development. By using AI, he reduced product development time and significantly increased product success rates. This cutting-edge technology has set McCormick apart from its competitors, ushered in a new era of flavor innovation, and has the potential to change the course of the industry. He has been featured in Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Baltimore Sun and on BBC radio.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC - https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/hrc/pages/aboutcouncil.aspx) is a United Nations (https://www.un.org/en/) body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in United Nations member states, and addresses thematic human rights issues such as freedom of association and assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of belief and religion, women's rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of racial and ethnic minorities. In recent years, there have been significant advocacy efforts calling for enhanced international thinking and action on the human rights of older persons, and the four main challenges older persons are facing, in terms of human rights as discrimination, poverty, violence and abuse, as well as the lack of specific measures and services to remedy these issues. Dr. Claudia Mahler (https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/olderpersons/ie/pages/ieolderpersons.aspx) currently serves as an Independent Expert on the human rights of older persons at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Dr. Mahler has been working for the German Institute for Human Rights as a senior researcher in the field of economic, social and cultural rights since 2010. She is also a visiting professor at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin. From 2001 to 2009, Dr. Mahler conducted research at the Human Rights Centre of the University of Potsdam where her main fields were in human rights education, minority rights and the law of asylum. In 2000, she was appointed as Vice President of the Human Rights Commission for Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Dr. Mahler has also worked as a lecturer in the field of human rights law and as a consultant to Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR - https://www.ohchr.org/EN/pages/home.aspx) in Geneva. From 1997-2001, Dr. Mahler held the position of an assistant at the Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Austria in the field of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedures. Dr. Mahler received her doctoral degree in 2000.
Kerry Kennedy is President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (https://rfkhumanrights.org/), a human rights advocacy organization, founded by her mother Ethel Kennedy and named after her father United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and which is dedicated to creating a more just and peaceful world, working alongside local human rights activists to ensure lasting positive change in governments and corporations. Kerry has devoted more than 40 years to the pursuit of equal justice, the promotion and protection of basic rights, and the preservation of the rule of law, working on a range of issues, including child labor, women’s rights, disappearances, indigenous land rights, judicial independence, freedom of expression, ethnic violence, criminal justice reform, immigration, impunity, and environmental justice. She has led hundreds of human rights delegations in support of these causes. Kerry is the author of multiple books, including Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World, Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope, and the New York Times Bestseller Being Catholic Now. She appears regularly as a commentator on national and worldwide television networks, and is a frequent contributor to newspapers and magazines. Kerry served as Chair of the Amnesty International USA Leadership Council for over a decade, serves on the board of directors of the United States Institute of Peace, Human Rights First, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, Laureate and Leaders, Nizami Ganjavi International Center, HealthEVillages, as well as RFK Human Rights’ numerous international chapters. She is on the Advisory Committee for the Association of American Indian Affairs, the Albert Schweitzer Institute, Sankofa, San Patrignano, and the Center for Victims of Torture. Kerry has received high honors from President Lech Walesa of Poland for aiding the Solidarity movement, The Humanitarian award from the Congress of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, and many other honors. A member of the Massachusetts and District of Columbia bars, Kerry is a graduate of Brown University and Boston College Law School. She holds honorary doctorates of law from Le Moyne College, University of San Francisco Law School, and University of New Caledonia, and honorary doctorates of Humane Letters from Bay Path College and the Albany College of Pharmacy.
Anita Hazenberg is Director of the Innovation Centre Directorate at INTERPOL (https://www.interpol.int/en), also known as the International Criminal Police Organization, an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control. Headquartered in Lyon, France, INTERPOL is the world's largest international police organization, with six regional bureaus worldwide and a National Central Bureau in all 195 member countries. From their location in Singapore, Ms. Hazenberg leads various innovation initiatives at INTERPOL’s Innovation Centre Directorate Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI). With three masters degrees, in public administration (from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), social work (from Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen), and in change management (SIOO), Ms. Hazenberg started her career with a decade in the State Police of the Netherlands, in various policing functions (patrol, vice & detective work), taught for over a decade at the Police Academy of The Netherlands (Director School for Police Leadership), as well as in the role of Program Manager, Police and Human Rights, at the Council of Europe, before assuming her current role in 2017. Ms. Hazenberg also served as Chief Superintendent and Coordinator, International Strategic Alliances and Deployment, National Police of the Netherlands, Former Director of the European Network of Policewomen, and Former Conference Director of the global law enforcement think-tank “Pearls in Policing”.
Dr. Anthony Atala, MD, (https://school.wakehealth.edu/Faculty/A/Anthony-Atala) is the G. Link Professor and Director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and the W. Boyce Professor and Chair of Urology. A practicing surgeon and a researcher in the area of regenerative medicine, fifteen applications of technologies developed Dr. Atala’s laboratory have been used clinically. He is Editor of 25 books and 3 journals, has published over 800 journal articles, and has received over 250 national and international patents. Dr. Atala was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, to the National Academy of Inventors as a Charter Fellow, and to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Dr. Atala is a recipient of the US Congress funded Christopher Columbus Foundation Award, bestowed on a living American who is currently working on a discovery that will significantly affect society; the World Technology Award in Health and Medicine, for achieving significant and lasting progress; the Edison Science/Medical Award for innovation, the R&D Innovator of the Year Award, and the Smithsonian Ingenuity Award for Bioprinting Tissue and Organs. Dr. Atala’s work was listed twice as Time Magazine’s Top 10 medical breakthroughs of the year, and once as one of 5 discoveries that will change the future of organ transplants. He was named by Scientific American as one of the world’s most influential people in biotechnology, by U.S. News & World Report as one of 14 Pioneers of Medical Progress in the 21st Century, by Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review as one of the top key influencers in the life sciences intellectual property arena, and by Nature Biotechnology as one of the top 10 translational researchers in the world. Dr. Atala has led or served several national professional and government committees, including the National Institutes of Health working group on Cells and Developmental Biology, the National Institutes of Health Bioengineering Consortium, and the National Cancer Institute’s Advisory Board. He is a founding member of the Tissue Engineering Society, Regenerative Medicine Foundation, Regenerative Medicine Manufacturing Innovation Consortium, Regenerative Medicine Development Organization, and Regenerative Medicine Manufacturing Society.
Dr. Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, DVM, DSc., Ph.D., is the CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation (https://novonordiskfonden.dk/), an international foundation with a dual objective: to provide a stable basis for the commercial and research activities conducted by the companies within the Novo Group (of which Novo Nordisk A/S is the largest holdings) and to support scientific, humanitarian and social purposes. In 2020, the Novo Nordisk Foundation had a net worth of US$73.1 billion, making it the largest financial endowment in the world. Novo Nordisk Foundation owns Novo Holdings A/S, a holding company and majority shareholder of Novo Nordisk, as well as Novozymes, a global biotechnology company focused on the research, development and production of industrial enzymes, microorganisms, and biopharmaceutical ingredients. The foundation is also a major shareholder in more than 75 other companies. Originally, trained as a veterinarian / DVM at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (now part of the University of Copenhagen), where he also holds a DSc. in this domain, Dr. Thomsen started his career as a PhD pharmacology student at the University of Copenhagen, after which he worked three years as a researcher at LEO Pharma. Thirty years ago, he joined Novo Nordisk, initially as Head of Growth Hormone Research and subsequently as Senior Vice President of Diabetes R&D. In 1995, he was appointed Senior Vice President of Discovery and in 2000, he became Executive Vice President of Research & Development/Chief Scientific Officer. Over the years, he has headed the development of 20 medical drugs, especially within diabetes treatment and the groundbreaking development of GLP-1 technologies. Dr. Thomsen has served as President of the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences and Chairman of the Board of the University of Copenhagen, where he is also an adjunct professor of Pharmacology.
Atalaya Sergi (https://americorps.gov/leadership/director-americorps-seniors) is Director, AmeriCorps Seniors, AmeriCorps (officially the U.S. Corporation for National and Community Service or CNCS) which is an independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in service through it's various programs including AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps Seniors, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other national service initiatives. The agency's mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering." While a government agency, AmeriCorps acts much like a foundation and is the nation's largest annual grant maker supporting service and volunteering. It was created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. Ms. Sergi brings 20 years of experience in service, community engagement, and education to this role. She has worked in public school districts and the nonprofit sector, bringing private and public organizations together to ensure citizens of all ages, and those in under-served communities, thrive. Ms. Sergi most recently served as the vice president of strategic partnerships & programming at Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. There she managed AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps Seniors programs from the grantee level, launching her former organization’s only Foster Grandparent program. Ms. Sergi has been a member of several advisory committees, councils, and coalitions, including as a founder of Los Angeles Generation to Generation, which focused on engaging older adults to support young children across Los Angeles County. She was also selected as an Encore Fellow, using her time to write about the positive impact seniors can have in educational settings. Ms. Sergi earned a master’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Virginia.
Dr. Nikos Loutas, Ph.D. is Head of Data & ArtificiaI Intelligence (AI) Policy at NATO Headquarters in Belgium (https://www.nato.int/), where he has responsibility for policy development, coordination and implementation of NATO's data exploitation policy and AI strategy. Dr. Loutas has his B.S. in Computer Science and his M.S. in Information Systems from Athens University of Economics and Business, and his Ph.D. from University of Macedonia. Prior to this role at NATO, Dr. Loutas served as a Policy Officer - Corporate Data Governance, at the European Commission, as a Data and Analytics Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers / PwC Belgium (helping organizations respond to data management and analytics challenges in order to improve their products and services, and use emerging technology mega-trends to transform), as well as a Researcher at both the Digital Enterprise Research Institute and Centre for Research and Technology Hellas in the Semantic Web / Web 3.0 field.
Dr. Maximina Yun, Ph.D. (https://tu-dresden.de/cmcb/crtd/forschungsgruppen/crtd-forschungsgruppen/yun/group-leader) is Research Group Leader at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technical University Dresden, jointly affiliated with Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG). Dr. Yun and her group (https://tu-dresden.de/cmcb/crtd/forschungsgruppen/crtd-forschungsgruppen/yun) study the cellular and molecular basis of regeneration of complex structures with the help of salamanders (like newts and axolotls) and these vertebrates exceptional regenerative abilities, which in contrast to humans, are capable of regenerating complex tissues, and even entire organs, to a remarkable extent. Therefore, they offer unique insights into what molecular mechanisms must be in place for achieving quasi-perfect regeneration. Research in the Yun group focuses on three main areas: describing cellular and molecular mechanisms driving regeneration (Mechanisms underlying the plasticity of the differentiated state), their connection with cellular aging (Role and regulation of senescence in regeneration), and the role that the immune system plays in regenerative context. The research in the Yun group combines advanced molecular biology methods with state-of-the-art microscopy. Most recently the group has established Salamander-Eci, a novel method that enables the three-dimensional visualization of salamander tissues for a more comprehensive understanding of regenerative processes. Dr. Yun received her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from MRC-Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Cambridge / Cambridge University, UK, and did her Postdoctoral Research at the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, UK; Dr. Yun also has a BSc in Biological Sciences from University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, is the Founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH - https://ctph.org/), a 16-year old non-profit organization, based in Uganda, that promotes conservation by improving the quality of life of people and wildlife to enable them to coexist in and around protected areas in Africa, and she has become one of the leading conservationists and scientists working to save the critically endangered mountain gorillas of East Africa. Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka is also on the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) of the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/groups/scientific-advisory-group-on-the-origins-of-novel-pathogens-(sago)/about) Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka trained as a veterinarian at the University of London’s Royal Veterinary College. Between 1996 and 2000, she set up the first Veterinary Unit at the Uganda Wildlife Authority. From 2000 to 2003, she completed a zoological medicine residency and masters in specialized veterinary medicine at North Carolina State University and North Carolina Zoological Park. Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka became an Ashoka Fellow in 2007 for merging Uganda’s wildlife management and rural public health programs to create common resources for both people and animals. Prior to setting up CTPH, Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka also did a certificate in Non-profit management from Duke University. Most recently in 2016, she completed an MBA in Global Business and Sustainability – Social Entrepreneurship Track. Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka's most recent awards include the 2017 World Wildlife Day Award from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) for outstanding contribution to conservation in Uganda and 2017 Golden Jubilee Award from the President of Uganda for distinguished service to the nation as a veterinarian and conservationist on International Women’s Day. Other awards include San Diego Zoo’s 2008 “Conservation in Action Award,” the 2009 Whitley Gold Award for outstanding leadership in grassroots nature conservation; 2011 Wings World Quest Women of Discovery Humanitarian Award, and 2014 CEO Communications Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government Award in Medicine and Veterinary category. Under Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka's leadership, Conservation Through Public Health won the Global Development Network 2012 Japanese Most Innovative Development Project Award for scaling social service delivery. Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka recently became a National Geographic Explorer and winner of the Sierra Club’s 2018 EarthCare Award, 2019 Finalist for the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa, the 2020 Uganda Veterinary Association World Veterinary Day Award and the 2020 Aldo Leopold award. She is also on the leadership council of Women for the Environment in Africa.
Saeed Al-Mubarak, is Chairman, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE - https://www.spe.org/en/), Digital Energy Technical Section (DETS), a member in the advisory Committee of SPE Data Science and Engineering Analytics (DSEA), and served as an industry advisor for Texas A&M University SPE student chapter. He has also served in numerous international technical steering, advisory board, program committees, and in the SPE International Management & Information awards advisory committee. Saeed has twenty-eight years of Petroleum Industry experience, and has served the industry in various capacities that span across local and international levels, involving technical, administrative, and leadership roles. Saeed is currently an intelligent fields and petroleum engineering consultant at Saudi Aramco (https://www.aramco.com/), based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He began his career in 1992 with Saudi Aramco where he worked as Reservoir, Production, Drilling & Completion, Facilities, Knowledge Management, and Intelligent Fields engineer and specialist. He has led several important teams including the strategic team managing the world’s largest intelligent fields in Saudi Aramco. Saeed is also CEO & Co-Founder of Monuments (https://www.monuments.io/) 3D printing company. Saeed's contributions to industry have been recognized by renowned technical, governmental and social authorities. He is recipient of several recognitions including the 2009 SPE Regional Management and Information award, 2012 World Oil Innovative Thinker award, 2013 Saudi King’s award for innovation, and the 2014 SPE international award for management and information. He also earned the 2011/2012 SPE Saudi Section "Community Service Award" for his contribution to Social programs. He was a finalist in the 2016 World Oil Lifetime Achievement award, the recipient of the international 2019 SPE Distinguished Service Award, and the 2019 SPE Distinguished member award. Saeed has been an SPE international distinguished lecturer, a panelist, keynote or invited speaker and discussion leader of in numerous events held in 20 counties including conferences, workshops, forums, symposia and social events. He has developed several technical courses and workshops, mostly about digital oil fields and challenging paradigms. He is also recognized as a thought provoking author who has published dozens of articles to promote innovation and challenge conventional wisdom, within & beyond the digital energy and intelligent fields domain, including a book entitled: “Any Version of History is just a Story”. Saeed holds a bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering and a master degree in Petroleum Engineering, both from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), and he has graduated from the Saudi Aramco Technologist Development Program as Realtime Reservoir Management and Intelligent Fields specialist.
Dr. Bryon Bhagwandin, PhD is Co-Founder and CEO at Recalibrate Solutions (https://www.recalibratesolutions.com/), a company that is focused on empowering physicians to eliminate toxic stress from the lives of children, by monitoring stress system development, with a novel 5-minute, disposable, saliva cortisol test. Dr. Bhagwandin has served as an executive for multiple start-up companies, has spent more than 20 years in medical product development, and possesses a unique combination of technical expertise, leadership, and business acumen. Dr. Bhagwandin has as BS in Physics from Indiana University Bloomington, an MS in physics from Purdue University, and a PhD in biomedical engineering from University of Washington, and has led multiple product development teams, successfully creating diagnostic, therapeutic, and drug-device combination products. Dr. Bhagwandin has a complex understanding of the unique business challenges that must be navigated by medical device companies including experience in design-controls, quality-system compliance, internal review boards, clinical testing, regulatory submissions, insurance codes, reimbursement models, hospital purchasing-cycles, and marketing through scientific research and peer review publications – a truly unique skill set.
Dr. Satchidananda ("Satchin") Panda, is Professor, Regulatory Biology Laboratory, and Rita and Richard Atkinson Chair, at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California (https://www.salk.edu/scientist/satchidananda-panda/), where his research focuses on the circadian regulation of behavior, physiology and metabolism in model organisms and in humans. Dr. Panda is also a founding executive member of the Center for Circadian Biology at the University of California, San Diego (https://ccb.ucsd.edu/). With a PhD from The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, and his postdoctoral research at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, Dr. Panda’s laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of this biological clock (or circadian oscillator), which in most organisms coordinates behavior and physiology with the natural light-dark cycle. Among Dr. Panda's discoveries include a blue-light sensing cell type in the retina which entrains our master circadian clock, affects mood, and regulates the production of sleep hormone melatonin, as well as his discovery that maintaining a daily feeding-fasting cycle – popularly known as Time-restricted feeding (TRF) – can prevent and reverse metabolic diseases. Based on a feasibility study in humans, his lab is currently carrying out a smartphone based study (www.mycircadianclock.org) to assess the extent of circadian disruption among adults. Dr. Panda's laboratory uses genetic, genomics and biochemical approaches to identify genes under circadian regulation in different organs and to understand the mechanisms of such regulation. Dr. Panda is also a Pew Biomedical Scholar, a recipient of the Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research, is extensively published in the scientific literature, and is also the author of the books: The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight and The Circadian Diabetes Code: Discover the Right Time to Eat, Sleep, and Exercise to Prevent and Reverse Prediabetes and Diabetes.
Dr. Steven Austad (https://www.stevenaustad.com/) is Distinguished Professor and Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research, Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Scientific Director of the American Federation for Aging Research (https://www.uab.edu/cas/biology/people/faculty/steven-n-austad). In addition, Dr. Austad directs the NIH-supported UAB Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, one of only six such Centers in the United States, is the Co-Director of the Nathan Shock Centers Coordinating Center, and serves on the Executive Committee of the National Institute on Aging’s Research Centers Collaborative Network. Dr. Austad is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Gerontological Society of America and has received multiple prestigious awards for his research work. Dr. Austad’s current research seeks to understand the underlying causes of aging with a long-term goal of developing medical interventions that slow the age-related decay in human health. Dr. Austad is the author of more than 200 scientific peer-reviewed publications covering nearly every aspect of aging from cells to societies, is the author of the book "Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body's Journey Through Life", and his new book on the natural history of exceptional longevity, "Methuselah's Zoo - What Nature Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Healthier Lives", will be coming out in April of 2022. Dr. Austad has a B.A. from UCLA in English Literature, a B.S. from California State University, Northridge in Biology, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University, in Biological Sciences.
Iris Van der Veken is Executive Director and Board Member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (https://www.responsiblejewellery.com), the world’s leading standard setting organization for the jewellery industry, promoting standards that underpin people’s trust in the worldwide jewellery. Responsible Jewellery Council was founded in 2005 by 14 member organizations including: ABN AMRO, BHP Billiton Diamonds, Cartier, World Jewellery Confederation, Diamond Trading Company (part of De Beers), Diarough, Jewelers of America, National Association of Goldsmiths (UK), Newmont Mining, Rio Tinto, Rosy Blue, Signet Group, Tiffany & Co., and Zale Corporation. With a University of Antwerp Bachelor of Law, Iris is a coalition-builder with over 20 years global experience of working in technology, diamonds and jewelry, fashion and government. Iris was actively involved in the development of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Code of Practices, and managed the first global RJC pilot audit in partnership with SGS - the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. Iris is also a board member of Diamonds Do Good (https://www.diamondsdogood.com), a global nonprofit organization whose mission is supporting programs that develop and empower people in natural diamond communities and sharing these stories of positive impact. Iris established and chaired the Network of the United Nations Global Compact Belgium in partnership with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, chaired the consultative and advisory body to the Office of the Children’s Rights Commissioner in Flanders, and was honored by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs of Belgium for initiating the Global Compact and for her work on promoting corporate social responsibility with a focus on human rights including children’s rights and the role of business.
Jiren Parikh is the President & CEO of Ghost Robotics (https://www.ghostrobotics.io/), a Philadelphia-based company developing agile, all-weather, unstoppable, autonomous 4-leg robots (also known as Quadrupedal Unmanned Ground Vehicles, or Q-UGVs) which offer superior operability over wheeled and tracked devices on unstructured terrain in rough and demanding environments. Q-UGVs now have a place in a broad range of government and enterprise applications where mobile robots with four legs have inherent advantages over wheels, tracks and even bipedal systems. Q-UGVs can not only manage unstructured terrain well but are built for demanding customers in demanding environments including military, homeland, industrial, energy & mining markets, and as such have the ability to keep humans and K9s out of harm’s way. Jiren is an entrepreneurial leader with 25-years experience building, leading, and turning around technology businesses, and growth functions. Jiren has served a variety of roles during his career including as CEO, COO, CFO, Business Unit Head, and functional leader of business and corporate development, sales, marketing and product management, as well as in board, advisory, interim executive and consulting roles, primarily at early and growth companies, involved in marketing software, SaaS and platforms, mobile and IoT applications, subscription services, digital content, and now robotics.
Dr. Harold 'Sonny' White, is Director, Advanced Research & Development, at the Limitless Space Institute (LSI - https://www.limitlessspace.org/), in Houston, Texas. Dr. White has over 25+ years of experience working in the aerospace industry with Boeing, Lockheed Martin, as well as at NASA, and in his current role at the Limitless Space Institute he leads all R&D work and establishes priorities for investigations and expenditures. Dr. White obtains grants and other resources in support of R&D efforts; markets LSI to major benefactors to increase resources and related R&D efforts; and arranges/schedules/conducts events ensuring appropriately related well-known individuals are involved. Dr. White holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Rice University, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of South Alabama. Dr. White has been recognized many times over the span of his career for his excellent work ethic, exceptional technical skills, abilities as a project manager, and dedication to the pursuit of human space flight. He was awarded the NASA Medal for Excellence in Achievement by the Administrator for his role in getting the Thermal Protection System robotic inspection tools built, delivered and certified to support the STS-114 Space Shuttle mission. He was awarded the Silver Snoopy Award by the crew office for his actions in the discovery and disposition of critical damage to the robotic arm prior to the STS-121 mission. He received the NASA Spaceflight Awareness Honoree award for the STS-122 mission, one of the highest, most prestigious awards available to employees of NASA. He was awarded the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal for his role in exploring and incorporating advanced power and propulsion concepts into human spaceflight architectures.
Dr. Jennifer Ogeer, DVM, MSC, MBA is Vice President of Medical Science & Innovation at Antech Diagnostics (https://www.antechdiagnostics.com/), one of the world's largest reference laboratory networks, and a unit of Mars Veterinary Health (https://www.marsveterinary.com/). Dr. Ogeer is also Chair of the Board Of Directors of Veterinarians Without Borders (https://www.vetswithoutborders.ca/), an organization that works with governments, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, local communities, farmers’ groups, and international agencies, to tackle root-cause issues affecting public health, animal health and ecosystem health in developing communities around the world. Dr. Ogeer is also Vice-Chair of the Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition (https://diversifyvetmed.org/) which is working to bring greater diversity to the veterinary profession. Dr. Ogeer is a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), University of Guelph, Canada. She completed an emergency medicine/critical care residency at Tufts University/Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston and a Master of Science degree in Critical Care at the Ontario Veterinary College. She also has completed an Executive MBA at Western University (Canada). Dr. Ogeer is a highly experienced residency-trained emergency and critical care veterinarian with a rich and diverse background in clinical practice, academic teaching/education, research and business management consulting. As a former associate professor she has worked in specialty referral hospitals and several university teaching hospitals, including University of Guelph, University of Saskatchewan and Texas A&M University. Dr. Ogeer is an active member of the veterinary community, and has published various articles in peer-reviewed journals and conducted research on hospital-acquired infections and developed protocols for infectious disease outbreak management and prevention.
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, CNS (https://drmadelynfernstrom.com/) is a neuroscientist, clinician, health strategist, and NBC broadcast journalist, who serves as Professor of Psychiatry, Epidemiology and Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Founding Director of the UPMC Weight Management Center, Director of the Community Pediatric Weight Management Program for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and Senior Advisor, Health Management, UPMC Health Plan. Dr. Fernstrom earned her B.A. in Biology from Boston University, her PhD. in nutritional biochemistry, metabolism and neuropharmacology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and did her Post-Doctoral Fellowship, in endocrinology, metabolism, and behavior at Harvard Medical School, and also is a board-certified nutrition specialist from the American College of Nutrition. Dr. Fernstrom is nationally known for the creation and implementation of scalable health initiatives supporting patients, providers, payors, and employers and her work has focused on developing impactful platforms supporting the physical and emotional needs of the healthy, acutely or chronically ill, and aging populations, as well as the needs of those who care for them. Dr. Fernstrom has published more than 100 original research articles, as well as three books, including The Real You Diet: Your Personal Program for Lasting Weight Loss, Don't Eat This If You're Taking That: The Hidden Risks of Mixing Food and Medicine, and Runner's World The Runner's Diet: The Ultimate Eating Plan That Will Make Every Runner (and Walker) Leaner, Faster, and Fitter. In addition, Dr. Fernstrom is the on-air NBC News Health Editor, a contributor to several NBC News digital platforms, and serves as the Chief Clinical and Science Advisor for Philadelphia headquartered Quil (https://quilhealth.com/), the joint venture of Independence Health Group and Comcast, creating digital health platforms that offers personalized and interactive health journeys to consumers and their caregivers.
Dr. Mona Flores M.D., is the Global Head of Medical AI, at NVIDIA (https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/author/monaflores/), the American multinational technology company, where she oversees the company’s AI initiatives in medicine and healthcare to bridge the chasm between technology and medicine. Dr. Flores first joined NVIDIA in 2018 with a focus on developing their healthcare ecosystem. Before joining NVIDIA, she served as the chief medical officer of digital health company Human- Resolution Technologies after a 25+ year career in medicine and cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Flores received her medical degree from Oregon Health and Science University, followed by a general surgery residency at the University of California at San Diego, a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford, and a cardiothoracic surgery residency and fellowship at Columbia University in New York. Dr. Flores also has a Masters of Biology from San Jose State and an MBA from the University at Albany School of Business. She initially worked in investment banking for a few years before pursuing her passion for medicine and technology.
Dr. Eric Verdin, MD (https://www.buckinstitute.org/lab/verdin-lab/) is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, as well as Professor of Medicine at University of California, San Francisco (https://bms.ucsf.edu/people/eric-verdin-md). Dr. Verdin's lab currently studies the relationship between aging and the immune system per associated defects in the adaptive immune system, and over chronic activation of the innate immune system, as well as programs on how metabolism, diet, and small molecules regulate the activity of histone deacetylases and sirtuins, and thereby the aging process and its associated diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Dr. Verdin has published more than 200 scientific papers and holds more than 15 patents. He is a highly cited scientist (top 1 percent) and has been recognized for his research with a Glenn Award for Research in Biological Mechanisms of Aging and a senior scholarship from the Ellison Medical Foundation. Dr. Verdin is an elected member of several scientific organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians. He also serves on the advisory council of National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Verdin has extensive experience working with biotech companies. He is a founder of Acylin (purchased by Abbvie). He served on the scientific advisory boards of Elixir, Sirtris (purchased by GSK), Calico (Google), and Nokia, and he also served as advisor to Sofinnova Ventures. Dr. Verdin has also worked for several years as a consultant to Novartis, GSK, J&J, Altana, Roche, Pfizer, and other biotech companies. Dr. Verdin received his Doctorate of Medicine (MD) from the University of Liege, completed additional clinical and research training at Harvard Medical School, and has held faculty positions at the University of Brussels, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Picower Institute for Medical Research.
John Wright is the Senior Vice President And Global Head of Food, at Sodexo (https://www.sodexo.com/home.html), the French food services and facilities management company, headquartered outside of Paris. Sodexo employs over 400,000 employees across 80 countries, and serves many sectors, including private corporations, government agencies, schools from preschool through university (including seminaries and trade schools), hospitals and clinics, assisted-living facilities, military bases, and prisons. Every day, Sodexo is responsible for serving meals to 100 million consumers. John has served in various roles of increasing responsibility over the past 25 years, including responsibility for management of both Sodexo signature brands and national brand portfolio, consumer insight, new offering development, and management of internal design teams, and culinary and retail / food management systems.
Dr. Corinne Leach, PhD, MPH, MS, is a gerontologist, digital health strategist, and behavioral scientist, who serves as the Senior Principal Scientist, Behavioral Research, at the American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/). Dr. Leach, leads survivorship research on behalf of the Population Sciences group, serving as the Principal Investigator of the American Cancer Society (ACS) survivorship cohorts, and as the ACS-lead for the ACS-National Cancer Institute online self-management platform, Springboard Beyond Cancer, a novel eHealth tool that empowers cancer survivors to better manage their cancer-related symptoms, live healthier, and improve their communication skills about cancer (as well as other health conditions), during and after treatment. Dr. Leach’s cancer survivorship research focuses in the areas of aging, cancer-related symptom assessment, and chronic disease self-management, and her research aims to improve the understanding of: behavioral factors that contribute to healthy aging and the best way to promote them, the unique experiences of older cancer survivors, such as physical late effects and psychosocial issues, and ways to improve survivors’ self-management of cancer-related issues. Dr. Leach also studies accelerated aging after a cancer diagnosis, including the accumulation of multiple chronic conditions after a cancer diagnosis, and she evaluates the benefits of health behavior interventions, such as chronic disease self-management. Dr. Leach is also a Gerontological Society of America Fellow, member of the Cancer and Aging Research Group (CARG), Scientific Advisory Committee member for Pack Health and Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, Adjunct Professor at Emory, Rollins School of Public Health, Susan B Anthony Aetna Award Winner for Excellence in Research on Older Women, American Public Health Association (APHA), and has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Leach has an MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a PhD in Gerontology from University of Kentucky, and an MS in Experimental Psychology from Villanova University.
Dr. Najat Mokhtar Ph.D. is Deputy Director General, and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA - https://www.iaea.org/), an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Mokhtar was Director of the Division for Asia and the Pacific in the Department of Technical Cooperation of IAEA, and from 2012 to 2014, Dr. Mokhtar was the Section Head of Nutrition and Health related Environmental Studies, Human Health Division, at IAEA. From 2010 to 2012, Dr. Mokhtar was the Director of Science and Technology at the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology in Morocco, where she coordinated the national strategy on Education and Research. She worked as University Professor and Research Director at the University Ibn Tufail in Morocco for more than 20 years. Dr. Mokhtar was also a Technical Officer at the IAEA from 2001 to 2007. Throughout her professional career, Dr. Mokhtar has contributed to the publication of several books (including the forward to the recent “Ionising Radiation and Mankind”), numerous peer reviewed publications, and she worked as a consultant for various organizations and national and international institutions (including Morocco's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, the World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, USAID, WHO, and UNICEF). She was mandated by the Moroccan government as national coordinator to develop a "National Nutrition Strategy in Morocco 2011-2019", including training, education and research. In March 2011, she was elected President of the Moroccan Society of Nutrition. Dr. Mokhtar holds a PhD in Nutrition and Endocrinology from Laval University in Canada and has a doctorate in food sciences from the University of Dijon in France. She has done her postdoctoral training as a Fulbright fellow at Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America.
Dr. Christof Koch, Ph.D. (https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/about/team/staff-profiles/christof-koch/) is Chief Scientist of the MindScope Program at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, originally funded by a donation of more than $500 million from Microsoft founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen. With his B.S. and M.S. in physics from the University of Tübingen in Germany and his Ph.D. from the Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Dr. Koch spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at MIT, and from 1987 until 2013, was a professor at Caltech, from his initial appointment as Assistant Professor, Division of Biology and Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, to his final position as Lois and Victor Troendle Professor of Cognitive & Behavioral Biology. Dr. Koch joined the Allen Institute for Brain Science as Chief Scientific Officer in 2011 and became it’s President in 2015. Dr. Koch’s passion are neurons, or what he refers to as the atoms of perception, memory, behavior and consciousness, including their diverse shapes, electrical behaviors, and their computational function within the mammalian brain, in particular in neocortex, and he leads the Allen Institute for Brain Science effort to identify all the different types of neurons in the brains of mice and humans – known as their cell census effort. Dr. Koch's writings and interests integrate theoretical, computational and experimental neuroscience with philosophy and contemporary trends, in particular artificial intelligence, and he has authored more than 300 scientific papers and multiple books including, The Feeling of Life Itself – Why Consciousness is Everywhere But Can’t be Computed, Consciousness: Confessions of a Romantic Reductionist, The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach, Biophysics of Computation: Information Processing in Single Neurons, and Methods in Neuronal Modeling: From Ions to Networks. He has also served as editor for several books on neural modeling and information processing.
Dr. Mindy Howard is a Future Astronaut, and Founding Director and Lead Trainer of Inner Space Training (https://www.innerspacetraining.com/), an organization focused on psychologically preparing commercial astronauts for their space flights, including psychological acclimation to the different flight phases, as well as optimizing conditions for creating peak performance and a peak experience in space. She also serves as Director of Inner Space Training at Blue Abyss Diving, a unique human physiology and space sector research, training and development facility with one of the world’s deepest diving pools. Dr. Howard obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Industrial Engineering at SUNY Buffalo and University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the Technical University Eindhoven in The Netherlands, and after obtaining her Ph.D., applied to NASA and was placed on NASA's "Highly Qualified" astronaut candidate list. Dr. Howard began her career at the Royal Dutch Shell Group of companies, and held several technical and leadership roles in the company, including responsibility for creating strategy and leading implementation globally across four main specialist areas: Sustainable Development, Social Performance, Environment, and C02 management, within the Gas and Power Division. She also served as Corporate Responsibility Manager, Aramco Overseas Company, of the Saudi Aramco oil company, as well as Sustainable Strategy Manager, Aegon N.V., the Dutch multinational life insurance, pensions and asset management company. Dr. Howard has also written publications on a variety of subjects, including human factors design of cabins of spaceships, expert systems to help pilots with fault diagnosis, and quality of group decision making as groups undergo several tasks. Dr. Howard has successfully completed her certification at the National AeroSpace Training and Research (NASTAR) Center's Suborbital Scientist Training Program, which provides space flight physiology training for prospective "Suborbital Scientist-Astronauts" wishing to fly experiments on upcoming suborbital space missions. Dr. Howard has appeared on the Discovery and Travel Channels, and on the radio, both in the United States and in Europe, as a space correspondent and commentator. Dr. Howard is also a TEDx speaker (“Train your fear away, like an astronaut”) and is a Guest Lecturer at the International Space University. She is the author of her book entitled, “Blast off! Train like an astronaut for success on earth.” Blast Off! is the first book to use the techniques of commercial astronaut training to help people on earth maintain the anxiety-free emotional equilibrium and sustained mental focus needed to successfully overcome the day-to-day challenges and obstacles in their personal and professional lives.
Mansoor Hanif is the Executive Director of Emerging Technologies at NEOM (https://www.neom.com/en-us), a fascinating $500 billion planned “cognitive city" & tourist destination, located in north west Saudi Arabia, where he is responsible for all R&D activities for the Technology & Digital sector, including space technologies, advanced robotics, human-machine interfaces, sustainable infrastructure, digital master plans, digital experience platforms and mixed reality. He also leads NEOM's collaborative research activities with local and global universities and research institutions, as well as manages the team developing world-leading Regulations for Communications and Connectivity. Prior to this role, Mr Hanif served as Executive Director, Technology & Digital Infrastructure, where he oversaw the design and implementation of NEOM's fixed, mobile, satellite and sub-sea networks. An industry leader, Mr Hanif has over 25 years of experience in planning, building, optimizing and operating mobile networks around the world. He is patron of the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals (ITP), a member of the Steering Board of the UK5G Innovation Network, and on the Advisory Boards of the Satellite Applications Catapult and University College London (UCL) Electrical and Electronic Engineering Dept. Prior to joining NEOM, Mr Hanif was Chief Technology Officer of Ofcom, the UK telecoms and media regulator, where he oversaw the security and resilience of the nation’s networks. As Director of the Converged Networks Research Lab at BT, he led research into fixed and mobile networks to drive convergence across research initiatives. Mr Hanif has held several other roles at EE (formerly Everything Everywhere), a UK-based telecommunications company, and was responsible for the technical launch of 4G and integration of the Orange and T-Mobile networks as Director of Radio Networks and board member of Mobile Broadband Network Limited. In addition, he held positions at both Orange Moldova and Vodafone Italy, overseeing network optimization, capacity expansion and the planning and implementation of new technologies. Mr. Hanif holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from University College London (UCL) and a Diplôme D’ingénieur from the École Nationale Superieure de Télécom de Bretagne.
Gwen Darien is Executive Vice President for Patient Advocacy and Engagement, at the National Patient Advocate Foundation (https://www.npaf.org/), an organization with a mission of bringing patient voices to health system delivery reform, developing and driving initiatives promoting equitable access to affordable quality health care, and prioritizing the patient voice in health system delivery reform to achieve person-centered care. She is also Executive Vice President at their sister organization, Patient Advocate Foundation (https://www.patientadvocate.org/), a national non-profit organization which provides case management services and financial aid to Americans with chronic, life threatening and debilitating illnesses. Gwen is a longtime patient advocate who has played leadership roles in some of the country’s preeminent nonprofit organizations. As a three-time cancer survivor herself, Gwen came into cancer advocacy expressly to change the experiences and outcomes for the patients who came after her and to change the public dialogue about cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. In 2005, Gwen started the first stand-alone advocacy entity in a professional cancer research organization, at the American Association for Cancer Research, launching CR magazine – a magazine for people with cancer and those who care for them. Later, she served as the executive director of the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation; director of The Pathways Project; and executive vice president of programs and services at the Cancer Support Community, where in each role, Gwen championed placing patients at the center of health system change, whether it was for research, public policy or direct services. While serving as the chair or on the board of a wide range of program committees and workshop faculties, including the Community Engagement in Genomics Working Group of the National Human Genome Research Institute; a member of the US Pharmacopeia Board of Trustees; and as the past chair of PCORI’s Patient Engagement Advisory Panel, Gwen also continues to write about her experiences. Her most recent piece, Transformation: My Experience as a Patient and an Advocate in Three Chapters appeared in the National Academy of Medicine Perspectives (https://nam.edu/transformation-my-experience-as-a-patient-and-an-advocate-in-three-chapters/)
Mr. Temitayo (Tayo) Erogbogbo, is Global Advocacy Director of MSD for Mothers (https://www.msdformothers.com/), at Merck Sharp & Dohme. Tayo has two decades of combined private sector and international development experience, 13 years of which was spent in the pharmaceutical industry in multiple roles across community relations, government affairs, marketing and sales. As the Global Advocacy Director of MSD for Mothers, Tayo is responsible for global and national strategic partnerships and programs to bring about policies and practice changes to improve maternal health care, and strengthen health systems, particularly where private sector approaches can be leveraged for greater impact. Prior to MSD for Mothers, Tayo led the establishment of an adolescents and youth constituency at The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), a multi-constituency partnership hosted by the World Health Organization, to advocate for better sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health policies and services at global, regional, and national levels. Additionally, he contributed to the development of the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health 2016-2030. Previously, in collaboration with multi-sectoral partners in Nigeria, he contributed to the passage of the National Health Bill, the development of the National Gender Policy Guidelines and the passage of Violence Against Person's Prohibition in support of gender equality. Tayo also spearheaded Abbott's HIV patient relations function within Europe, developing services to support people living with HIV by partnering with community organizations. He advocated for anti-retroviral drug access across Africa and developed a health care professional (HCP) train-the-trainer program that has educated over 3,000 HCPs. Tayo earned a BSc in Management Sciences from Loughborough University, and a MSc in Information Technology for Management from Coventry University. Tayo is also an elite athlete in the Triple Jump with a Bronze medal at the European U23 Championships.
Dr. Björn Lárus Örvar, Ph.D. is Chief Scientific Officer, Executive VP of Business Development, and a Co-Founder of ORF Genetics (https://www.orfgenetics.com/), an innovative plant biotechnology company and a pioneer in developing and manufacturing high-quality recombinant proteins, such as growth factors, derived from barley plants. ORF Genetics was established in 2001 to develop innovative, economically viable and enabling solutions to produce recombinant proteins, using barley grain as a vehicle for their production, providing a more efficient and safer method than other protein expression systems provide. Dr. Örvar served as the CEO of the company from 2006 to 2013, and the Executive V.P. and Chief Scientific Officer of ORF Genetics since 2013, and was the Member of the Board of ORF Genetics from 2001 to 2006. Dr. Örvar received his Ph.D. in plant molecular genetics in 1997 from the University of British Columbia, Canada, and was a post-doctoral fellow at McGill University, Montréal for three years, focusing on plant cell stress signalling. Dr. Örvar is responsible for research and innovation within the company as well as being the international spokesperson for ORFs skincare brand, BIOEFFECT.
Dr. Judith Campisi, PhD (https://www.buckinstitute.org/lab/campisi-lab/) is a biochemist, cell biologist, and Professor of Biogerontology at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Dr. Campisi received a PhD in biochemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and completed her postdoctoral training in cell cycle regulation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. As an assistant and associate professor at the Boston University Medical School, she studied the role of cellular senescence in suppressing cancer and soon became convinced that senescent cells also contributed to aging. She joined the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a senior scientist in 1991 working with Dr. Mina Bissell. In 2002, she started a second laboratory at the Buck Institute. At both institutions, Dr. Campisi established a broad program to understand the relationship between aging and age-related disease, with an emphasis on the interface between cancer and aging. Dr. Campisi is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Campisi has received numerous awards for her research, including two MERIT awards from the National Institute on Aging and awards from the AlliedSignal Corporation, Gerontological Society of America, and American Federation for Aging Research. She is a recipient of the Longevity prize from the IPSEN Foundation, the Bennett Cohen award from the University of Michigan, and the Schober award from Halle University, and she is the first recipient of the international Olav Thon Foundation prize in Natural Sciences and Medicine. Dr. Campisi currently serves on advisory committees for the Alliance for Aging Research, Progeria Research Foundation, and NIA’s Intervention Testing Program. She is also an editorial board member for more than a dozen peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Campisi is a scientific founder of Unity Biotechnology, a California-based company focused on developing senolytic therapies for age-related pathologies. She has served on the scientific advisory boards of the Geron Corporation, Sierra BioScience, and Sangamo Biosciences.
Currently the global beauty industry represents a US$500 billion market, and makeup represents about US$100 billion of that total. Millions of women rely on beauty tutorials for makeup ideas and beauty tips, but find it challenging to recreate professional makeup looks, as they are following makeup application instructions for faces that do not look like their own. As a result, they are not getting their best makeup look, and they are being forced to compare themselves to other women, impacting their confidence. Jennifer Christenson, is the Founder & CEO of FaceTrace Inc. (https://www.facetracebeauty.com/), an innovative company with a novel mobile app that uses proprietary technologies, including augmented reality, to guide women and beauty lovers in properly applying cosmetics without having to visit an in-store beauty counter, hire a professional makeup artist, or attempt to follow online makeup tutorials. Jennifer is also Co-Founder and CEO of JMP Global, which works in the areas of digital media, social networking, and event creation and management. Jennifer has her undergraduate degree from University of Michigan in Psychology / PreMed, has been a producer / host of several Chicago area television shows, was a Miss Illinois USA 2012 First Runner Up & Humanitarian Award Recipient, and is an accomplished author of the book Real by Jennifer Christenson.
Dr. Patrick van der Smagt is Director of ArtificiaI Intelligence Research, Volkswagen AG, and Head of Argmax.AI (https://argmax.ai/), the Volkswagen Group Machine Learning Research Lab, in Munich, focusing on a range of research domains, including probabilistic deep learning for time series modelling, optimal control, reinforcement learning robotics, and quantum machine learning. Dr. van der Smagt is also a research professor in the Computer Science faculty at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. Dr. van der Smagt previously directed a lab as professor for machine learning and biomimetic robotics at the Technical University of Munich while leading the machine learning group at the research institute fortiss, and before that, founded and headed the Assistive Robotics and Bionics Lab at DLR, the German Aerospace Center. Besides publishing numerous papers and patents on machine learning, robotics, and motor control, Dr. van der Smagt has won a number of awards, including the 2013 Helmholtz-Association Erwin Schrödinger Award, the 2014 King-Sun Fu Memorial Award, the 2013 Harvard Medical School/MGH Martin Research Prize, the 2018 Webit Best Implementation of AI Award, and best-paper awards at various machine learning and robotics conferences and journals. Dr. van der Smagt also serves as a scientific reviewer for governmental funding organizations and served on various conference and journal boards. Dr. van der Smagt is founding chairman of a non-for-profit organization for Assistive Robotics for tetraplegics, and co-founder of various tech companies. In 2018, he started a for-good initiative called 10-to-GO (https://10togo.eu/), by supporting teams using machine learning for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Also then, he initiated etami (https://www.etami.eu/en.html), an initiative on Ethical and Trustworthy Artificial and Machine Intelligence, creating an organization with almost 20 multinationals and universities. Dr. van der Smagt has his Master of Science (M.Sc.), Computer Science from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Computer and Information Sciences, from University of Amsterdam.
Ben Novak is Lead Scientist, at Revive & Restore (https://reviverestore.org/), a California-based non-profit that works to bring biotechnology to conservation biology with the mission to enhance biodiversity through the genetic rescue of endangered and extinct animals . Ben collaboratively pioneers new tools for genetic rescue and de-extinction, helps shape the genetic rescue efforts of Revive & Restore, and leads its flagship project, The Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback, working with collaborators and partners to restore the ecology of the Passenger Pigeon to the eastern North American forests. Ben uses his training in ecology and ancient-DNA lab work to contribute, hands-on, to the sequencing of the extinct Passenger Pigeon genome and to study important aspects of its natural history . Ben’s mission in leading the Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback is to set the standard for de-extinction protocols and considerations in the lab and field. His 2018 review article, “De-extinction,” in the journal Genes, helped to define this new term. More recently, his treatment, "Building Ethical De-Extinction Programs—Considerations of Animal Welfare in Genetic Rescue" was published in December 2019 in The Routledge Handbook of Animal Ethics: 1st Edition. Ben’s work at Revive & Restore also includes extensive education and outreach, the co-convening of seminal workshops, and helping to develop the Avian and Black-footed Ferret Genetic Rescue programs included in the Revive & Restore Catalyst Science Fund. Ben graduated from Montana State University studying Ecology and Evolution. He later trained in Paleogenomics at the McMaster University Ancient DNA Centre in Ontario. This is where he began his study of passenger pigeon DNA, which then contributed to his Master’s thesis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz. This work also formed the foundational science for de-extinction. Ben also worked at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory–CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) to advance genetic engineering protocols for the pigeon.
H.E. Dr. Sara Al Madani (https://www.sara-almadani.com/), is a well-known entrepreneur, advocate for women, fashion designer, brand ambassador, social media personality, and has served as a board member of the UAE Ministry of Economy's SME Projects and Enterprise Council, Board Member of the Sharjah Economic Excellence Network, and board member of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (selected by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, sovereign ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE) making her the youngest member of their board. Sara’s parents inspired her to start her own business at a young age. She set up her own fashion brand at 15 with the aim of changing how Arab women dress, and her unique, modern take on the abaya has attracted fans across the Middle East and Africa. Following her success as a young entrepreneur and business woman, Sara was selected to participate on the aforementioned government boards, to inspire more women in the UAE to become entrepreneurs, and has become a sought after and honored speaker in many universities, colleges and institutes. Sara's business portfolio has included, but is not limited to: Founder & Owner of Rouge Couture (now known as Sara Al Madani Fashion Design); Owner / Partner in Shabarbush restaurant; Owner of Social Fish innovative idea consultancy; Co-Founder and CEO, HalaHi, the region's first celebrity shout-out platform; and Co-Founder, Proposal Cupids. Sara is also Middle East Brand Ambassador for many companies, including Nivea, Natura Bisse, and Mercedes.
Ms. Bayan Abusalameh is a 2020/2021 Chevening Scholar in Advanced Mechanical Engineering, at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), who just finished off her Master’s Dissertation entitled “An Innovative Structural Design For a 1U CubeSat” (The Palestine-1) Ms. Abusalameh is also a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) team of QMUL. Ms. Abusalameh has her Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Birzeit University and her MSC in Advanced Mechanical Engineering from Queen Mary University of London.
Mati Gill is the Chief Executive Officer, of AION Labs (https://aionlabs.com/), a company recently launched and backed by a coalition of pharma and tech leaders, including AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the Israel Biotech Fund (IBF) and Israel Innovation Authority, to improve the whole drug discovery & drug development process with AI and computational biology. Mati has an MBA (Healthcare & Innovation) and BS degree in law from Reichman University / IDC Herzliya, and has over a decade of experience in leadership roles in the biopharma industry, including most recently as Head of Government Affairs, Corporate & International Markets, at Teva Pharmaceuticals. Mati also spent 4 years as Member Of The Board Of Advisors and Directors, at Sanara Ventures, a healthcare investment platform backed by Philips & Teva, providing Pre-seed, Seed and A round financing to young companies. Prior to Teva, Mati was Chief of Staff to Israel's Minister of Public Security.
Dr. Ann Marie Kimball is a physician, epidemiologist and currently holds the roles of Associate Fellow at the international affairs think tank Chatham House, and Vice Chair, COVID 19 task force, at The Rotary Foundation / Rotary International. Previously, Dr. Kimball served as a strategic advisor to the Rockefeller Foundation, supporting the strengthening and development of strategies for Ebola, post-Ebola, and health crisis response, including planning and guiding the formation of a regional disease surveillance network in collaboration with Connecting Organizations for Regional Disease Surveillance (CORDS). Before joining the Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Kimball served as technical and strategic lead for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation surveillance strategy formation. Prior to Gates, Dr. Kimball served as Professor of Epidemiology for the University of Washington (UW), School of Public Health, with adjunct appointments in Medicine (Bioinformatics and Infectious Diseases) and the Jackson School of Foreign Affairs. During her tenure at UW, Dr. Kimball founded and directed the APEC Emerging Infections Network, and led research and training programs in Surveillance and Informatics in Peru and Thailand. Dr. Kimball’s research focus on global trade and emerging infections earned her a Fulbright New Century Scholars award and a Guggenheim Scholars award. Dr. Kimball is also the author of Risky Trade: Infectious Diseases in an Era of Global Trade, which was highly reviewed by NEJM, Emerging Infections and Lancet. She has authored numerous scientific publications, and served on numerous Institute of Medicine panels. She is also a fellow in the American College of Preventive Medicine and member of the National Biosurveillance Advisory group (NBAS) from the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Kimball is a former Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, and has worked and lived in the Yemen Arab Republic, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. She served as Director of National Program Support for Pan American Health Organization, directing the elaboration and implementation of medium term AIDS plans in member countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. She also served as Director of HIV/AIDS for Washington State, and the founding Chair of the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) in the United States. She attended on staff at Harborview Medical Center first on HIV/AIDS (10 years), then the International Clinic (7 years) and finally UW/Seattle King County at Harborview Medical Center as an attending at the STD clinic.
Dr. Morgan Levine, PhD (https://www.morganlevinelab.com/) is Assistant Professor of Pathology and Epidemiology, at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Levine is also a member of both the Yale Combined Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, and the Yale Center for Research on Aging. Her work relies on an interdisciplinary approach, integrating theories and methods from statistical genetics, computational biology, and mathematical demography to develop biomarkers of aging for humans and animal models using high-dimensional -omics data. As PI or co-Investigator on multiple NIH-, Foundation-, and University-funded projects, she has extensive experience using systems-level and machine learning approaches to track epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic changes with aging and incorporate this information to develop measures of risk stratification for major chronic diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Levine's work also involves development of systems-level outcome measures of aging, aimed at facilitating evaluation for gero-protective interventions. A number of the existing biological aging measures she has developed are being applied in both basic and observational research.
Dr. Evelyne Bischof, MD is an expert in internal medicine and oncology, with a focus on preventative and precision medicine, bio-gerontology, and geronto-oncology. Dr. Bischof is deeply passionate about next-generation medical technology, and the applications of artificial intelligence for biomedical research and practice. Dr. Bischof spent a decade practicing medicine and performing translational research in Switzerland, US, and China. Dr. Bischof is a medical doctor with an MD from Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, and interned at Columbia University, Harvard MGH, and Beth Israel Medical Deaconess. Dr. Bischof is the author of over 40 peer-reviewed papers and is a frequent speaker at scientific and medical conferences. Dr. Bischof serves as Assistant Professor - Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Associate Faculty Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Researcher at University Hospital of Basel. In addition to those roles, Dr. Bischof is Longevity Physician at Human Longevity, Inc., Clinical Advisor, Insilico Medicine, and Scientific Advisor, Holmusk. Dr. Bischof is also Chair of the Visionary Board of The Longevity Science Foundation (https://longevity.foundation/), a new Swiss foundation committed to distributing more than $1 billion over the next ten years to research, institutions and projects advancing healthy human longevity and extending the healthy human lifespan to more than 120 years.
Mr. Larry Curley is Executive Director of The National Indian Council on Aging (https://www.nicoa.org/), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 by members of the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association who called for a national organization focused on the needs of aging American Indian and Alaska Native elders. The mission of NICOA is to advocate for improved comprehensive health, social services and economic well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native elders. Mr. Curley is a member of the Navajo Nation with over 40 years of experience working in the aging and healthcare fields. He has worked with Congress, other branches of the federal government, and national organizations on aging to develop support for programs affecting elder American Indians. After receiving his master’s degree in public administration at the University of Arizona, along with a certificate in gerontology, Mr. Curley worked as a gerontological planner at an Area Agency on Aging in Pima County, Arizona, where he was instrumental in establishing a county public fiduciary program. As a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., he successfully advocated for the passage of Title VI of the Older Americans Act, an amendment which he wrote. Mr. Curley directed the Navajo Nation’s Head Start program, one of the five largest Head Start programs in the country, and has served as a nursing home administrator of a tribal, long-term care facility, a hospital administrator in northern Nevada, and as a college instructor at the University of Nevada-Reno and Eastern Washington University. Mr. Curley was named as the assistant dean of the Four Corners region for the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. He’s also served as the public representative on the American College of Physicians Clinical Guidelines Committee, and as the director of program development for the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services in northwest New Mexico.
Dr. Volkmar Weissig, Sc.D., Ph.D. is a Tenured Full Professor of Pharmacology, Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Co-Director of the Nanomedicine Center of Excellence in Translational Cancer Research, at Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA. Dr. Weissig received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry, and his postdoctoral Sc.D. degree in Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the Martin-Luther University in Halle (Germany). Dr. Weissig completed several years of postdoctoral fellowships at the Cardiology Research Center in Moscow (Russia), at the Academic Department of Medicine at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in London (UK), at the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the Czechoslovakian Academy of Science in Prague (CSFR), at the College of Pharmacy and the College of Medicine at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, and at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. Before joining the faculty at Midwestern University, Dr. Weissig was an Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Dr. Weissig holds 16 patents and he has published over 100 research papers, review articles and book chapters, mostly in the area of nano drug delivery systems. He also edited and published 8 books. He serves as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Liposome Research and he is member of several other Editorial Boards. In July 2009 he was inducted into the World Technology Network as a Fellow. In October 2014 Dr. Weissig was elected Inaugural President of the World Mitochondria Society.
Eric G. Meyer is the Founder and Director of Generation Atomic (https://generationatomic.org/), a nuclear advocacy non-profit which he founded after hearing about the promise of advanced nuclear reactors, and he decided to devote his life to saving and expanding the use of atomic energy. Eric worked as an organizer on several political, union, and issue campaigns while in graduate school for applied public policy, taking time off to attend the climate talks in Paris and sing opera about atomic energy. Eric began his full time nuclear work in May of 2016 with Environmental Progress by organizing marches, rallies, and trainings in California, New York, and Illinois, before leaving to found Generation Atomic in late 2016. In only a short period of time, Generation Atomic has made significant progress in the world of nuclear advocacy. Over the last year they've held several advocacy trainings at conferences, Marched for Science, talked to over tens of thousands voters, and carried the banner for nuclear energy at the climate talks in Morocco, Germany, and Poland. Eric attended University of Minnesota-Duluth where he obtained a Master's Degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership, with Concentrations in Public Sector and Non-profits, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance.
Mr. Viren Shah is Vice President & Chief Digital Officer, at GE Appliances (GEA - https://www.geappliances.com/), the American home appliance manufacturer, now a majority owned subsidiary of the Chinese multinational home appliances company, Haier (https://www.haierappliances.com/). Mr. Shah has been with GEA since October 2018, in which time he was appointed to lead the business through a digital transformation with a focus on data/intelligence at the center of gravity. Prior to becoming part of the Haier company, Mr. Shah was the CIO at Masco Cabinetry, and CIO Council Leader for their parent company, Masco Corporation, the international conglomerate manufacturer of products for the home improvement and new home construction markets. Mr. Shah has more than 20 years of global experience in creating business value using technology with a strong focus on customers for Fortune 10 organizations, such as his decade at the Walmart organization. He has contributed as a senior leader towards the success of startups, turnarounds and global mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Shah implemented “Think Global and Act Local” methodologies, utilizing operational and cultural experience in areas of IT strategy, omnichannel, business development and governance in more than 20 countries across the Americas, Australia, Europe, Asia and Africa. Mr. Shah holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Bombay University, a master of business administration degree in international marketing/short-term finance from the New York Institute of Technology, and an executive education certificate in digital marketing strategies for digital economy from the Wharton School.
Dr. Sana Farid, MD (https://www.drsanafarid.com/) is a Surgeon, Entrepreneur, and Futurist, who strives to utilize Emerging Technologies to make the world a better place, and has been key to pushing this vision and the boundaries of innovation through her extensive research and development of impactful programs using immersive technologies like Extended Reality (XR). A driving force in the progression of these Immersive Technologies, Dr. Farid has been hailed as one of the top 100 women in XR globally due to her outstanding achievements in creating industry standards, designing implementation strategies and best practices to help organizations take advantage of what immersive technologies have to offer and develop initiatives to make the use of XR safe. Dr. Farid’s major work involves helping organizations implement XR with a successful and scalable strategy and she is an avid researcher determined to use future tech solutions for societal well-being. A qualified surgeon and a distinguished ambassador of women empowerment programs in the region, she supports government and non-governmental initiatives leading them to envision, strategize and streamline AI/AR/VR based programs in various sectors, including healthcare, aviation, education and public services. Dr. Farid obtained her MBBS in Medicine & Surgery from Dow University of Health Sciences, and did a General Surgery Residency at King Hamad University Hospital in Bahrain.
Mike Graglia is the Managing Director & Co-Founder of the SynGAP Research Fund (SRF - https://www.syngapresearchfund.org/), an organization that he set up in 2018 with his wife Ashley, after their son was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease caused by an insufficiency in SynGAP protein, which causes the life-changing diagnoses of Epilepsy, Autism, sleep disorder and intellectual disability. The mission of SRF is to improve the quality of life of SynGAP1 patients through the research and development of treatments, therapies and support systems. Previously, Mike worked at the Emerson Collective, New America Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BCG, the World Bank/IFC and the US Peace Corps/Namibia. During his time in Africa he created a small charity to fund girls' education. Mike graduated from Gonzaga University with a BS in mathematics. He then attended the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and Columbia Business School.
Dr. Antonio Giordano, MD, Ph.D., (https://www.drantoniogiordano.com/) is President and Founder of the Sbarro Health Research Organization (https://www.shro.org/), which conducts research to diagnose, treat and cure cancer, but also has diversified into research beyond oncology, into the areas of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Dr. Giordano is also a Professor of Molecular Biology at Temple University in Philadelphia, a 'Chiara fama' Professor in the Department of Pathology & Oncology at the University of Siena, Italy, and Director of the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, and the Center for Biotechnology, at Temple's College of Science & Technology. In his research throughout the years, Dr. Giordano has identified numerous tumor suppressor genes, including Rb2/p130, which has been found to be active in lung, endometrial, brain, breast, liver and ovarian cancers, as well as interesting synergistic effects of gamma radiation in combination with this gene, accelerating the death of tumor cells. Dr. Giordano went on to discover Cyclin A, Cdk9 (which is known to play critical roles in HIV transcriptions, inception of tumors, and cell differentiation), and Cdk10. Dr. Giordano also developed patented technologies for diagnosing cancer. Dr. Giordano has published over 400 papers on gene therapy, cell cycle, genetics of cancer, and epidemiology. In 2011, Dr. Giordano and his team uncovered anti-tumor agents that might be effective in the treatment of mesothelioma, a cancer caused by prolonged asbestos exposure, by inducing cell death without harming healthy cells. Dr. Giordano has been involved with many other fascinating programs, including digital health work to see if watching a computer animated avatar could assist women to lose weight, as well as analyzing the environmental relationship among toxic dumping and cancer growth, birth defects, and CNS disorders, due to the Camorra (the Neapolitan Mafia) illegally disposing of toxic waste.
Joanna Bensz is Founder and CEO of Longevity Center (https://longevity-center.eu/), a boutique preventive health and longevity medical center, that focuses on scientifically and medically advanced technologies and protocols for healthy longevity and sustainable health. Joanna is also Founder and CEO of the International Institute of Longevity (IIOL - https://l-institute.com/), an international organization with offices in Liechtenstein and Poland, co-founded in partnership with H.S.H. Prince Michael of Liechtenstein, focusing on developing a healthy longevity agenda in Europe, identifying, highlighting and promoting solutions, technologies and lifestyle choices that prevent chronic and age related diseases leading to increasing vitality and healthy life spans. Over her career, Joanna has spent time in a range of regional, general and business development director positions, with a number of Fortune 500 companies across Central and Eastern Europe, including at the international project management, architectural and engineering PM Group, Lockheed Martin, and at Geopolitical Intelligence Services, an organization providing independent political intelligence, strategic analysis and future scenarios to companies, governments, organizations and individual leaders, also founded by H.S.H. Prince Michael of Liechtenstein. Joanna has also served as the Vice Chairman and Board Member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland, and was responsible for development and leadership of AmCham regional offices in Wroclaw and Kraków. Joanna holds a Master of Arts degree in German Studies from University in Wroclaw, as well as a Diploma in Strategic and International Marketing at the Dublin Business School. She also completed the Advanced Management Program at IESE, University of Navarra in Barcelona.
Dr. Paul A. Offit, MD, (https://www.paul-offit.com/) is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of virology and immunology, Co-Inventor of a landmark vaccine for the prevention of Rotavirus gastroenteritis, and holds multiple titles including - Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia (CHOP), Maurice R. Hilleman Chair of Vaccinology and Professor of Pediatrics, Perelmann School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Adjunct Associate Professor, The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology. Dr. Offit was a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a founding advisory board member of the Autism Science Foundation and the Foundation for Vaccine Research, a member of the Institute of Medicine, and co-editor of the foremost vaccine text, Vaccines. Dr. Offit is a recipient of many awards including the J. Edmund Bradley Prize for Excellence in Pediatrics from the University of Maryland Medical School, the Young Investigator Award in Vaccine Development from the Infectious Disease Society of America, a Research Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health, and the Sabin Vaccine Institute Gold Medal. Dr. Offit has published more than 150 papers in medical and scientific journals in the areas of rotavirus-specific immune responses and vaccine safety. He is also the co-inventor of a landmark rotavirus vaccine recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC. For this achievement, Dr. Offit received the Luigi Mastroianni and William Osler Awards from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Charles Mérieux Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, and was honored by Bill and Melinda Gates during the launch of their Foundation’s Living Proof Project for global health. In addition, he has received numerous other awards and honors for his groundbreaking work. Dr. Offit is also an author of many books including, but not limited to: Vaccinated: One Man's Quest to Defeat the World's Deadliest Diseases, Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far, The Cutter Incident: How America's First Polio Vaccine Led to the Growing Vaccine Crisis, Breaking the Antibiotic Habit, Do You Believe in Magic, and his most recent, You Bet Your Life: From Blood Transfusions to Mass Vaccination, the Long and Risky History of Medical Innovation.
Mr. Lameen Abdul-Malik is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Coffeepreneur, Intellectual Philanthropist, and Executive Director of Honest Management LLC, UAE. (https://www.honestmanagement.org/) Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2005, for which he worked for over 14 years, Mr. Abdul-Malik has over twenty years’ experience in international development, primarily in Africa, where he was responsible for developing the IAEA regional strategy to help over 41 African countries use nuclear science and technology to address their primary development challenges in health, agriculture and radiation safety. Mr. Abdul-Malik started his career, working at the UK Department for International Development, where he worked on the international trade, debt relief and economic and social research. Mr. Abdul-Malik is also very passionate about coffee and has been writing about coffee for over 13 years on his blog (https://fromcoffeewithlove.com/), for which he was featured on CNN, and recently launched his own espresso brand coffee in collaboration with Sippy Beans of Dubai, UAE. In June 2019, Mr. Abdul-Malik was invited to participate at the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) and European Union (EU) Coffee Symposium on the UN Sustainable development goals (SDGS), where he interacted with global players such as Starbucks, Nestle, and Illy, as they discussed ways in which to improve the coffee value chain. Following his departure from the IAEA, Mr. Abdul-Malik worked as a director for The Future Investment Initiative Institute (FII Institute), a Riyadh, KSA based global foundation focusing on the world's brightest ideas in sustainability, healthcare, education, AI, and robotics, and helping them find their way to materialize, scale and create a positive sustainable impact on humanity. Now as Executive Director of Honest Management LLC, UAE, Mr. Abdul-Malik has set himself a goal of having a positive impact on at least one million people lives within the next 5 years, using his various skill sets in development, education and of course, in coffee. Mr. Abdul-Malik has a Master of Business Administration in International Management from University of Exeter Business School.
Dr. Marina Ezcurra (https://marinaezcurralab.com/) is a Lecturer in the Biology of Aging, and NeuroBiology, at the School of BioSciences, at the University of Kent, UK (https://www.kent.ac.uk/biosciences/pe...). Dr. Ezcurra received her PhD from the Karolinska Institute in 2011. Her PhD research was a collaborative project between Karolinska and the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge, where she studied neural circuits and behavior using C. elegans in the lab of Dr. Bill Schafer. During her PhD, Dr. Ezcurra identified extra-synaptic mechanisms by which nutritional status modulates nociception, involving neuro-peptidergic and dopaminergic signaling. She went on to do a postdoc working on aging with Dr. David Gems at University College London. During her postdoc, Dr. Ezcurra developed methods to monitor the development of multiple age-related diseases in-vivo in C. elegans, leading to the discovery of a previously unknown process, Intestinal Biomass Conversion. This mechanism enables the C. elegans intestine to be broken down to produce vast amounts of yolk, resulting in poly-morbidity and mortality in aging nematodes. This work illustrates how aging and age-related diseases can be the result of run-on of wild-type gene function, rather than stochastic molecular damage. Current research in Dr. Ezcurra’s group focuses on how host-microbiome interactions affect host aging, and is funded by The Wellcome Trust and Royal Society. Dr. Ezcurra is a trustee board member of The British Society of Research on Aging.
Kimberly A. Reed just finished up a 2-year term as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Export- Import Bank of the United States (EXIM - https://www.exim.gov). She was the first woman to lead EXIM in the agency’s 87-year history, was the first recipient of EXIM’s highest honor, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Award, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2019 on a strong bi-partisan basis. EXIM provides loans, guarantees, and export credit insurance for the export of U.S. goods and services from enterprises ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses in a multitude of sectors including infrastructure, power, agriculture, transportation/aviation, health care, commodities, industrial, and technology. Ms. Reed was recognized for successfully navigating Congress to re-open EXIM after four years of dormancy and transforming the mission and impact of the 515-person independent federal agency. Ms. Reed also spearheaded EXIM’s historic, longest-ever Congressional re-authorization of seven years and a significant new mandate, the Program on China and Transformational Exports, which focuses on industries including biomedical sciences, biotechnology, wireless communication (5G), renewable energy, financial technologies, artificial intelligence, and the space industry. Prior to EXIM, Ms. Reed spent her career working at senior levels in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Reed served as President of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation where she worked with multi-national food, agriculture, and nutrition companies to understand consumer insights, communicate the science, and increase U.S. sales and exports. At the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Ms. Reed headed the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, where she oversaw the award of $4 billion in tax credits, loans, and grants to financial institutions and economic development groups investing in distressed communities across the nation. Ms. Reed also served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Treasury Secretaries John Snow and Henry Paulson, as well as counsel to three committees in the U.S. House of Representatives—Ways and Means, Government Reform and Oversight, and Education and the Workforce Committees, where she focused on Congressional investigations, oversight, and reform of federal agencies. She was also Vice President for Financial Markets Policy at Lehman Brothers in New York. Recognized as one of the “100 Women Leaders in STEM,” Washingtonian’s “Most Powerful Women in Washington,” and West Virginia Executive’s “Lawyers and Leaders,“ Ms. Reed previously served on the Boards of the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, American Swiss Foundation, National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research, Tax Coalition, and West Virginia Wesleyan College. She was the first woman elected as Chair of the Republican National Lawyers Association and is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Ms. Reed earned her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law and B.S. in biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), earned a Professional Certificate in Finance from the New York Institute of Finance, and, with a passion for travel, she has visited more than one hundred countries.
Dr. Jennifer Garrison, PhD (http://garrisonlab.com/) is Assistant Professor, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Founder & Faculty Director, Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity & Equality (https://www.buckinstitute.org/gcrle/), Assistant Professor in Residence, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Gerontology, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Dr. Garrison’s lab is interested in understanding how neuropeptides (a large class of signaling molecules which are secreted from neurons and transmit messages within the brain and across the nervous system) regulate changes in normal and aging animals as well in understanding how they control behavior at both the cell biological and neural circuit level. Dr. Garrison received her PhD from the University of California San Francisco in Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the laboratory of Dr. Jack Taunton, where she discovered the molecular target of a natural product and elucidated a novel mechanism by which small molecules can regulate protein biogenesis. As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Cori Bargmann’s lab at the Rockefeller University, she showed that the nematode C. elegans produces a neuropeptide that is an evolutionary precursor of the mammalian peptides vasopressin and oxytocin, and mapped a neural circuit by which this molecule, nematocin, modulates mating behavior. Dr. Garrison was named an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow and received a Glenn Foundation Award for Research in Biological Mechanisms of Aging in 2014, and a Next Generation Leader at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2015. Her work is funded by the NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation.
Around 2 billion people worldwide still lack access to the basic tools of improved sanitation (toilets and latrines). One billion people still have to defecate in the open, and at least 10% of the world’s population is thought to consume food irrigated by raw wastewater. An estimated 800,000 children, younger than 5 years of age, perish from diarrhea each year, including conditions related to cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. Mr. Jack Sim is the Founder of the World Toilet Organization (https://www.worldtoilet.org/), an organization established with the aim to break the taboo around toilets and this global sanitation crisis. Mr. Sim is also the founder of the Restroom Association of Singapore, the World Toilet Day initiative, and Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) Hub. In 2001, for "creating good will and bringing the subject into the open" and "mobilizing national support in providing on-the-ground expertise", Mr. Sim received the Schwab Foundation award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2004, he was awarded the Singapore Green Plan Award 2012 by Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) for his contribution to Environment. In 2006, he was invited to launch The German Toilet Organization in Berlin. He is also a founding member of American Restroom Association. In 2007, Mr. Sim became one of the key members to convene the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) comprised of over 130 organizations active in the sanitation sector. He is also an Ashoka Global Fellow and in 2008 was named Hero of the Environment by Time Magazine. Mr. Sim also sits in the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils (GAC) for Water Security and also the GAC for Social Entrepreneurship. Mr. Sim graduated with a Masters in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2013. He was shortlisted for the Sarphati Sanitation Award in November 2013. Mr. Sim also founded the BOP HUB and a series of social businesses and startups. He is now constructing a 65,000 sq ft World Trade Center for the Poor in Singapore to coordinate an effort to transform the 4 billion poor into a massively efficient marketplace to end global poverty.
Dr. Arathi Sethumadhavan, Ph.D. is Head of User Research for AI, Ethics & Society, at Microsoft's Cloud+AI organization, where she works at the intersection of user research, ethics, and product experience. In her current role, Dr. Sethumadhavan is focused on the Microsoft AI ethical principles (privacy and consent, fairness, inclusion, accountability, and transparency) as it relates to various Microsoft AI experiences. Dr. Sethumadhavan is a seasoned research leader, with two decades of experience studying human-technology interaction, and during the course of her career, she has led user research for several novel and complex applications (e.g., Microsoft's custom neural voice, facial recognition), as well as at Medtronic, where she provided human factors leadership to multiple products in the Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure portfolio, including the world’s smallest pacemaker. She has also spent several years investigating the implications of automation on air traffic controller performance and situation awareness. Dr. Sethumadhavan is also a Fellow at the World Economic Forum, where she is working on unlocking opportunities for positive impact with AI to address the needs of the aging population. Dr. Sethumadhavan has published ~60 articles on a range of topics from patient safety, affective computing, and human-robot interaction, has delivered ~80 lectures, has been cited by the American Psychological Association and the Economist, and has worn many hats along the way, including research leader, strategist, author, mentor, editor, keynote speaker, and sometimes adjunct professor. Dr. Sethumadhavan's book, "Design for Health: Applications of Human Factors", was published in 2020. Dr. Sethumadhavan has a PhD in Experimental Psychology (specialization in human factors and ergonomics) from Texas Tech University and an undergraduate degree in Computer Science University of Calicut.
The Chernobyl disaster / nuclear accident, occurred on April 26th, 1986, at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of Ukraine. The initial emergency response, together with later decontamination of the environment, ultimately involved more than 500,000 personnel and cost an estimated US$68 billion, adjusted for inflation. The current Chernobyl Exclusion Zone covers an area of approximately 2,600 km2 (1,000 sq mi) in Ukraine, immediately surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, where radioactive contamination is highest and public access and inhabitation are restricted. The Exclusion Zone's purpose is to restrict access to hazardous areas, reduce the further spread of radiological contamination, and conduct radiological and ecological monitoring activities. Today, the Exclusion Zone is still one of the most radioactively contaminated areas in the world and draws significant scientific interest for the high levels of radiation exposure in the environment, as well as increasing interest from tourists. Despite the extremely high radioactivity of the region, the zone has become a thriving sanctuary with natural flora and fauna with some of the highest biodiversity and thickest forests in all of Ukraine. On this episode of our show, we are joined by Mykola Tolmachov, of the Chernobyl-51 Industrial Cluster, discussing their novel public-private partnership for both ecosystem restoration and the production of both energy and chemical byproducts, in the exclusion zone. English translation during the episode is performed by Ms. Victoria Laskina-Ustimenko.
Giovanni (Gio) Battistini, is Managing Director at the innovation venture company, Better Gambit LLC (https://www.bettergambit.com/). Gio is passionate about strategic and entrepreneurial innovation-driven business opportunities and has expertise in business development, strategic alliances, strategic investments, product development and commercialization, in both early stage startups and global corporations. Most recently, Gio served as Senior Vice President of the Ferrero company’s Open Innovation Science, a global organization with the mission of driving the discovery, evaluation and integration of external science, technology and entrepreneurial innovations relevant to Ferrero (the Italian manufacturer of branded chocolate and confectionery products, and the second biggest chocolate producer and confectionery company in the world.) Prior to joining Ferrero, Gio was Global Vice President of Flavor Innovation Discovery at Firmenich, where he led the strategic discovery and commercialization of scientific innovations in the areas of taste modulation, health & nutrition, natural & sustainable, and breakthrough cost innovation. Prior to joining Firmenich, Gio was the co-founder and CEO of Zonebee, a spin-off from the University of Arizona, where he led a multi-disciplinary R&D team to create visionary technology to support informal learning and knowledge management. Gio has more than 25 years of experience in managing and taking to market innovative technology in several industries, both in Global 500 companies and early stage startups. Gio serves also as Strategic Advisor, Enzymit; Venture Advisor, Sofinnova Partners; and Alliance Partner, Green Swan Partners. Gio started his career at ABB Ltd, the Swedish–Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, operating mainly in robotics, power, heavy electrical equipment, and automation technology areas. Gio has a MS in Electronic Engineering from Università di Pavia.
Mr. Craig Fugate is the former Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA - an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, whose primary purpose is to coordinate the response to disasters that have occurred in the United States and that overwhelm the resources of local and state authorities.) Mr. Fugate is currently the Chief Emergency Management Officer of One Concern, (a Resilience-as-a-Service solutions company that brings disaster science together with machine learning for better decision making). Mr. Fugate is also senior advisor at BlueDot Strategies, where he assists a range of clients with emergency management implementation strategies and crisis communications. Mr. Fugate serves on the Board of Directors of PG&E Corp., one of the largest electric and natural gas utilities in the U.S., and on the staff at Indian River State College, serving as a strategic consultant in emergency management. Mr. Fugate has decades of experience at the local, state, and federal levels in disaster preparedness and management. He has also overseen preparation and response efforts for disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes, health crises, and national security threats. As Florida Director for the Emergency Management Division, Mr. Fugate oversaw the "Big 4 of '2004" (Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) and as the Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he organized recovery efforts for a record of eighty-seven disasters in 2011.
Dr. Ola Engkvist is Head of Molecular AI in Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca R&D (https://www.astrazeneca.com/) . Dr. Engkvist did his PhD in computational chemistry at Lund University followed by a postdoc at Cambridge University. After working for two biotech companies Dr. Engkvist joined AstraZeneca in 2004. He currently leads the Molecular AI department, where the focus is to develop novel methods for ML/AI in drug design , productionalize the methods and apply the methods to AstraZeneca’s small molecules drug discovery portfolio. Dr. Engkvist's main research interests are deep learning based molecular de novo design, synthetic route prediction and large scale molecular property predictions, and he has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Dr. Engkvist is also adjunct professor in machine learning and AI for drug design at Chalmers University of Technology and a trustee of Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center.
Khaliya (https://www.khaliya.net/) is a Columbia University-trained public health specialist and Harvard University-trained specialist in Global Mental Health and Refugee Trauma. She is also a Venture Partner for Gender Equity Diversity Investments (www.gedi.vc), a new female-led VC firm targeting high growth investments that deliver top-quartile returns and measurable impact towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals with a preliminary focus on health. Formerly an aid worker in over 32 countries and a former Peace Corps Volunteer for the US State Department, she has won numerous awards for her international service. Khaliya was the youngest member of the WEF's Futures Council on the Future of Health and Healthcare and her opinion pieces have run in the New York Times (International and Domestic Editions) as well as WiredUK. Currently at work on a book on the future of mental health, Khaliya continues to be a sought after public speaker, having spoken at the Obama White House organized United States of Women Summit, the World Economic Forum's Family Business Summit, the Vatican, Clinton Global Initiative, WiredHealth, WebSummit and at the United Nations General Assembly, among others. Khaliya is next scheduled to speak at the G20 Women’s Summit in Milan, Italy, and the Ethical Assembly Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, both taking place in October, 2021.
NTT (http://www.global.ntt/) is a Japanese telecommunications company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. NTT DATA Services (https://www.nttdata.com/global/en), is a global digital business and IT services leader focused on a range of business services, including cloud, data and applications, and which has recently embarked on an ambitious new initiative, as part of their goal "To Change The Future For Good", towards Re-Imagining Health and Well-Being, towards what NTT defines as a more human-empowered, knowledge-driven and technology-enabled approach. Lisa Esch is Senior Vice President-Healthcare Provider, Digital Health, Innovation, & Industry Offerings, at NTT DATA Services, where she oversees solutions and offering development, as well as their Go-To-Market strategy within the vertical and serves as the subject matter expert in the client engagements. Lisa has an extensive background in disruptive technologies, healthcare innovation, strategic planning, and business process improvement. Before joining NTT Data Services, Lisa was a Senior Healthcare Executive with DXC Technology, and Computer Science Corporation, where she served as the Chief Innovation Officer- Providr Healthcare. Along with her executive career, Lisa has served on the boards for Empower Education International, Children's Heart Alliance, Head Start Health, and Student for Student. She began her healthcare career as a Registered Dietitian. Lisa graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and completed Graduate Studies in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Lisa is Yellow Belt Certified in Spartans Sales Training and holds a Certificate in Medical Nutrition & Dietetic Internship from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Michael Petersen, M.D., is Chief Clinical Innovation Officer at NTT DATA Services. Dr. Petersen is dedicated to helping clients solve complex challenges around health equity and social care, in which data, analytics and technology can be applied to make a meaningful shift towards positive human-centric healthcare experiences. Michael joins NTT DATA from Accenture, where he helped shape the firm’s health equity point of view, capabilities and ecosystem. Before working in healthcare IT, he was an emergency medicine pediatrician at several large health systems, including five years as Chief of Pediatrics at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. Prior to that, Michael served several years in the United States Army developing his leadership skills. Michael earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and did his Pediatric / Emergency Pediatric residency / fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Jean C. Accius, PhD, is Senior Vice President, AARP Global Thought Leadership (https://www.aarp.org/). Dr. Accius leads a team in positioning AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) as a global thought leader, identifying emerging trends around the world, cultivating and elevating new ideas, forging global strategic alliances that become the foundation for collaboration and sparking bold solutions to change systems and improve the lives of the global population as it ages. Dr. Accius is a passionate champion and catalyst for changing how the world sees and values aging. He is an internationally recognized thought leader on aging, longevity, equity, health systems transformation and modernizing the delivery and financing of long-term care. With tri-sector experience and deep knowledge, he has a strong track record of building high-performing teams, managing cross-functional operations and processes, and developing innovative and actionable solutions, policies, and programs to close the opportunity gap so that everyone can live longer, healthier and more productive lives. A highly sought after author and speaker, Dr. Accius has been quoted by or appeared in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, TIME Magazine, USA Today, Reuters, Politico, Next Avenue, ESPN’s Undefeated, Rolling Out, NationSwell, Congressional Quarterly, and Huffington Post. In 2020, he facilitated several sessions at the 50th annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and also engaged nearly 300 leaders across industries and sectors, including 20 ambassadors and many delegates, at the United Nations. Dr. Accius is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and has held a variety of board and advisory positions including Justice in Aging, the American Society on Aging, Leadership Maryland and the American University School of Public Affairs Board of Advisors. Dr. Accius is an Executive Leadership Council Fellow, member of G100’s Transformational Leadership Network, and holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration and a master’s degree in aging studies from the Claude Pepper Institute at Florida State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in public administration from American University. Dr. Accius is a graduate of Leadership Maryland’s Class of 2014, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health program on health reform, and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Corporate Innovation program.
Dr. Sonia Grego, Ph.D. is Associate Research Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at Duke University (https://ece.duke.edu/faculty/sonia-grego). Dr. Grego is also the Founding Director of the Duke Smart Toilet Lab (https://smarttoilet.pratt.duke.edu/), dedicated to the opportunities that data-rich human excreta offer to improve individual and public health. The objective of the organization is to empower individuals and groups in communal living with health information for early warning of disease, health and wellness, and management of chronic diseases through wastewater analysis, without any changes of daily habits. Dr. Grego is passionate about the opportunities that advanced sanitation technologies offer to improve global health and to provide a paradigm shift in health screening both for individuals and for communities. A major project of Dr. Grego’s research portfolio over the past 5 years, she has led the field testing of 10+ onsite sanitation technology prototypes from multiple organizations in international settings. She has managed year long deployments of sophisticated chemo-mechanical systems with electronic monitoring connected to wastewater pipes of buildings, ensuring no disruption of service to users while evaluating the treatment process performance. Dr. Grego has an M.S. from Università di Pisa (Italy) and a Ph.D. from University of Copenhagen (Denmark). Dr. Grego has also founded Coprata Inc. (https://coprata.com/) to commercialize technologies developed at Duke University, to detect or manage acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases, provide early warning of infectious disease and monitor personalized wellness.
Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi is Distinguished Professor of Biology, Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, and Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, and Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Bottazzi is also Co-Director, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Adjunct Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, and Editor-in-Chief, Current Tropical Medicine Reports. Dr. Botazzi has a degree in microbiology from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, a PhD from University Of Florida, did a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at University Of Pennsylvania and at University Of Miami Hospital And Clinics, and a Fellowship at American Association for the Advancement of Science Leshner Leadership Institute. Dr. Botazzi is involved in a range of activities related to the development of novel vaccines and adjuvants for neglected tropical diseases (Chagas Disease, Leishmaniasis, Human Hookworm Vaccine, Schistosomiasis Vaccine), as well as extensive work on Covid vaccines.
Dr. Dina Radenkovic, MD, is an academic doctor and medical technology entrepreneur, working in the field of the computational biology of aging. Dr. Radenkovic is also a Partner at the SALT Bio-Fund, and a co-founder of Hooke, an elite longevity research clinic in London. Dr. Radenkovic has a dual degree in medicine and physiology from University College London Medical School, and did her residency at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. She later worked as Research Fellow at King's College London and at Harvard University. Dr. Radenkovic has led a variety of projects, including a digital therapeutics company for women and an algorithm for cardiac MRI based on fractal geometry, to major industry acquisitions. Dr. Radenkovic has over 30 academic papers, 7 grants, and over 40 scientific conference presentations. She is fluent in 5 languages and 3 programming languages.
Professor Johnjoe McFadden (https://johnjoemcfadden.co.uk/) is Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. With a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Professor McFadden has spent many years doing in-depth research in the area of microbial genetics, including the study of the agents tuberculosis and meningitis and invented important diagnostic tests for such agents. Professor McFadden has published more than 100 scientific articles on a wide range of subjects including bacterial genetics, tuberculosis, idiopathic diseases and computer modelling of evolution, while along the way editing a book on the genetics of mycobacteria, "Systems Biology of Tuberculosis". Professor McFadden has been instrumental in creating new models of human consciousness, such as his Conscious Electromagnetic Information Field (or CEMI Theory), as well as pioneering in such cutting edge fields as Quantum Biology. Professor McFadden has lectured extensively in the UK, Europe, the USA and Japan and his work has been featured in numerous radio, television and national newspaper articles. Professor McFadden has also become a prolific author of books, including "Quantum Evolution, Life in the Multiverse" and "Life on the Edge: The Coming Age of Quantum Biology". Hi new book in entitled "Life Is Simple: How Occam's Razor Set Science Free and Shapes the Universe".
Dr. Brian Keating, Ph.D. (https://briankeating.com/) is Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics, at the Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences (CASS), in the Department of Physics, at the University of California, San Diego . Dr. Keating is a public speaker, inventor, and an expert in the study of the universe’s oldest light, the cosmic microwave background (CMB), using it to learn not just about the origins and evolution of the universe, but to gain potential insights into an even bigger picture, that of the "multiverse", a hypothetical group of multiple universes that comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. Dr. Keating is also a writer, the best-selling author of one of Amazon Editors’ Best Non-fiction Books of All Time, "Losing the Nobel Prize", and his new book is entitled "Into The Impossible: Think Like A Nobel Prize Winner". Dr. Keating is also a prolific podcaster on the Into The Impossible podcast (https://briankeating.com/podcast.php). Dr. Keating has his B.S. in Physics from Case Western Reserve University, his M.S and Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University, was a Physics Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University, and was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow from California Institute of Technology. Please buy a a copy of Brian’s new book, Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner, only $0.99 through 10/5/2021 - https://urlgeni.us/amzn/TLANPW
Serge Da Deppo is Founder of the NATO Innovation Hub, and Human Sciences Project Officer, at NATO Transformation Command (https://www.act.nato.int/). The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 28 European countries and 2 North American countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949. NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The NATO headquarters are located in Haren, Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium. The Innovation Hub is the community where experts and innovators from everywhere collaborate to tackle NATO challenges and design solutions, and is the engine of the NATO Innovation Network, federating national entities leveraging open innovation and agile development. From 1990-2007, Mr. Da Deppo spent time in a variety of roles in the Belgian military, including platoon leader, training officer, Senior Officer Course Instructor, and International Defense Planning Officer. Mr. Da Deppo has a Master of Arts (M.A.) Military Applied Sciences from Belgium's Royal Military Academy and a degree in Advanced Military and Operational Studies from The Royal Higher Institute for Defense.
On today’s episode we are going to continue our virtual global road trip over to the country of South Africa, to the Soweto township of the city of Johannesburg, and meet up with Ms. Sibongile Mongadi, Founder of Uku’hamba Pty Ltd, a start-up company that focuses on biotechnology and healthcare manufacturing with a goal of improving lives of amputees across Africa. Uku’hamba is a 100% black youth women owned company and Uku’hamba means "To Walk" in Zulu. Utilizing 3D printer and 3D scanning technologies, she has dedicated her career to developing prosthetic limbs that can be widely and cheaply manufactured. Her mission is to ensure prostheses are made available to anyone in need, greatly increasing the independence of amputees who may not currently be able to afford them. Ms. Mongadi has been designated as one of the top emerging innovators across Africa in 2018, named in the Inspiring Fifty’s class of 50 South African Women of 2019, and as a Top 100 South Africa Shining Stars for Science & Technology in 2019. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck South Africa, she redirected her company’s efforts to manufacturing safety equipment for front line workers. She has also worked with 3 other young innovators to build a contact-less thermometer sensor and hands-free, hand sanitizer system used in schools and corporate locations in the fight against COVID-19. Ms. Mongadi is also the founder of the Soweto Young Women Empowerment initiative that seeks to shape young women to be leaders in different spheres of society. Outside of this, she is also the chief marketing officer at Club Readership, a publishing company which seeks to celebrate African stories, who's work ignited a drive to open a library in rural Eastern Cape which saw her collect hundreds of books for needy pupils in the province. Ms. Mongadi has been educated at Cape Peninsula University of Technology and University of Johannesburg.
Dr. Harold Katcher is the Chief Scientific Officer at Yuvan Research Inc., a biotech company exploring the development of novel, young plasma fraction rejuvenation treatments in mammals. Most recently Dr. Katcher was the Academic Director for Natural Sciences for the Asian Division of the University of Maryland Global Campus and throughout his career, Dr. Katcher has been a pioneer in the field of cancer research, and in the development of modern aspects of gene hunting and sequencing (including as one of the discoverers of the breast cancer gene BRCA1) as part of Myriad Genetics, and carries expertise in bioinformatics, chronobiology, and biotechnology. Dr. Katcher has thousands of citations in the scientific literature, with publications ranging from protein structure to bacteriology, biotechnology, bioinformatics and biochemistry. Dr. Katcher is launching his new book “The Illusion of Knowledge” on September 4th, 2021.
The term "Esoteric" means "intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest". The concept of the "esoteric" originated in the 2nd century with the coining of the Ancient Greek adjective esôterikós ("belonging to an inner circle") and the term "Esotericism" thus came into use in the wake of the Age of Enlightenment and of its critique of institutionalized religion. In the West, Esotericism has pervaded various forms of philosophy, religion, art, literature, and music, continuing to affect intellectual ideas and popular culture. Esotericism studies can include Gnosticism, Yoga, Alchemy, Magic, Spiritualism, Hypnosis, Astrology, Meditation, Mysticism, and Occultism. Christine Morgan, is the Chair / President of the Lucis Trust, an organization that promotes the education of the human mind towards recognition and practice of the spiritual principles and values upon which a stable and interdependent world society may be based.
On this episode of Progress, Potential, and Possibilities, we are joined by Moisés Fuentes Rubio, Mexican pro boxer, WBO minimum weight title (2011 to 2013), WBO interim junior flyweight title (2013 to 2014), and who is currently making his professional comeback.
We are also joined by Dr. Joel Osorio, the Founder of RegenerAge, a growing regenerative medical practice with locations in Mexico, specializing in a range of translational regenerative medical interventions including biologics, bio-electric devices, nutritional programs, functional foods, and one of his specialties is the burgeoning segment of regenerative sports medicine for elite athletes like Mr. Fuentes.
English Translation of Mr. Fuentes Rubio responses can be found in the episode YouTube bio - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eDfcdfrxTc
Ms. Suma Khazmo is the CEO, Senior Partner, and Co-Founder of Regal Optics and Medical Devices, which is located in Ramallah / Palestine, which focuses on importing and exporting medical devices into the Middle East and North Africa markets, and owns the Regal-Medic Ophthalmology Clinic. Ms. Khazmo is also a senior partner in Al Hajal Optics Group, a company that has a series of optometry centers in Palestine. She is also the Chairman of the Board of Al Bayader Media and Publishing Corporation. Ms. Khazmo has a Masters Degree in International Relations and a Bachelor's Degree in Media, Journalism, and Political Science, from Birzeit University located in Birzeit, West Bank, near Ramallah. Ms. Khazmo recently became the first International Partner of the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) to represent Palestine, and became the General Secretary and Health Tech / Healthcare Governor of the Global Startup Ratings Authority (GSRA). Furthermore, Ms. Khazmo has made major contributions in developing Palestinian laws, regulations and legislation; especially in the fields of human rights, environmental laws and animal welfare laws. She has contributed largely to the first Palestinian Animal Welfare Law and is on the advisory board of the Bethlehem Animal and Environment Association. Ms. Khazmo is also a business development / financial consultant for Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies (AEBI) and spokesperson for MuTaTo, its new comprehensive, multiple target, safe cancer therapy. Dr. Ilan Morad, is the CEO and Founder of the start-up Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies Ltd. (AEBI), an Israeli company which has developed a novel, combinatorial biology platform focused on developing therapeutics for multiple targets simultaneously, including their lead candidate, called MuTaTo, which stands for "Multi-Target Toxin", being developed as a personalized and comprehensive cancer therapy protocol. Dr. Morad has his MS and PhD from Tel-Aviv University in Biochemistry. Dr. Morad has background in various aspects of the drug discovery / drug development process including gene cloning, protein engineering, purification and characterization.
Dr. Hanadie Yousef, Ph.D. is a Scientist, Co-Founder and CEO of Juvena Therapeutics, a regenerative medicine company developing protein therapeutics to promote tissue regeneration and increase healthspan, to prevent, reverse, and cure degenerative diseases. For over 17 years, Dr. Yousef elucidated mechanisms of aging and developed methods for tissue regeneration supported by multiple awards, fellowships and grants. Her discoveries were published in top publications that include Nature Medicine and led to several issued patents which laid the foundation of Juvena Therapeutics’ venture-backed, drug discovery and pre-clinical development platform. Dr. Yousef earned a BS in Chemistry, summa cum laude, from Carnegie Mellon University, a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley as an NSF graduate research fellow, pursued a 5-year postdoctoral fellowship in Neurology at Stanford School of Medicine, and conducted R&D at Regeneron and Genentech.
Dr. Carolina Reis Oliveria, is the CEO and Co-Founder of OneSkin Technologies, a biotechnology platform dedicated to exploring longevity science. Carolina holds her Ph.D. in Immunology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in collaboration with the Rutgers University, where she conducted research with pluripotent stem cells as a source of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells, as well as the potential of RPE-stem cells derived as toxicological models for screening of new drugs with intra-ocular applications. She founded a company called CELLSEQ solutions in Brazil which develops tools to revolutionize the safety and toxicology assays performed by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agro-chemical and food industries, with technology based on stem cells and big data analysis. She is an alumnus of IndieBio, the world's leading biotechnology accelerator. In 2016, Carolina relocated to Silicon Valley from Latin America to co-found OneSkin, and to lead the development of the company’s technologies.
Muhammad Rehman Shirzad is the Director of the Forensic DNA Laboratory, at the Directorate of Legal Medicine, and a Forensic Laboratories Consultant, at the Forensic Medicine Directorate, of the Ministry of Public Health, in Kabul, Afghanistan. His responsibilities include supervision of the Forensic DNA Lab, Forensic Analytical and Post-Mortem Toxicology Lab, Forensic Serology Lab, Forensic Microbiology Lab, and Forensic Histopathology Lab. Muhammad has his Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Forensic Science & Toxicology, from the Center for Research in Molecular Medicine (CriMM), at the University Of Lahore, Pakistan, and his B.Sci. in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, from the Center of Biotechnology and Microbiology, at the University of Peshawar. Muhammad is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) and the Canadian Academy of Forensic Science. He is fluent in Pashto, English, Hindi/Urdu, Arabic, and French. Muhammad is also the Forensic Advisor to the Global Youth Academic Advancement Forum (GYAAF).
Dr. Tia Rains, Ph.D., is Vice President of Customer Engagement & Strategic Development at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc., a division of Japanese food and biotechnology Ajinomoto Corporation, which produces seasonings, cooking oils, frozen foods, beverage, sweeteners, amino acids, and pharmaceuticals. Dr. Rains has over 20 years of experience working on health and wellness initiatives within the food and beverage sector, and enjoys working at the intersection of nutrition research and communications, with the goal of advancing credible research in nutrition and developing truthful messaging on new research results in the context of the body of nutrition evidence. Dr. Rains most recently headed up the Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) as it’s Executive Director. Prior to joining ENC, Dr. Rains was the Senior Director of Metabolic Sciences at Biofortis Clinical Research, a global contract research organization specializing in the design and conduct of clinical research for leading food, beverage, and supplement companies around the world. Prior to that, Dr. Rains held several positions within the Research & Development department of Kraft Foods, including roles in nutrition research and product development. Dr. Rains holds a BS in Food Science & Human Nutrition from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from University of Illinois. She has authored more than 40 scientific articles and book chapters and is a frequent public speaker at universities, health professional meetings, and industry events.
Ms. Maya Abi Chahine, is Program Manager, University for Seniors, American University of Beirut - AUB. The University for Seniors is a new life-long learning initiative at AUB, the first of its kind in Lebanon and the Middle East. It gives older adults (who are 50 and above) the opportunity to share their wisdom and passion, to learn things they have always wanted to learn in a friendly academic environment and to interact socially with other seniors, AUB faculty and students. Ms. Abi Chahine holds an MA in Public Policy & Ageing from King’s College London and is a passionate advocate and researcher in health, well being issues and third age learning. Her portfolio includes collaborations with UN agencies, including WHO, United Nations Population Fund, and International Labour Organization, as well as INGOs such as HelpAge International and universities in the UK. Ms. Abi Chahine has 21 years of experience in setting-up and managing programs in the fields of public health, gerontology and education, notably universities. Throughout her multifaceted career, she developed skills in establishing and restructuring programs, by spearheading strategies, setting institutionalization mechanisms and driving daily operations that ensured customers and collaborators’ satisfaction and expansion. Ms. Abi Chahine has been leading AUB’s University for Seniors for the past 10 years along with her team, and she recently co-led, with Dr. Abla Mehio Sibai (Co-founder and the current President of the newly established ‘Center for Studies on Ageing’ in Lebanon) the drafting of the first ever National Strategy on Ageing in Lebanon. The latest recognition of Ms. Abi Chahine's work came with WHO’s Centre for Health Development selecting the lifelong learning program she’s been leading and transforming at AUB, as one of the 10 most innovative community-based social innovations in low and middle-income countries. When not working, Ms. Abi Chahine would be savoring nature, discovering new countries, cultures and people. She also revels in exploring new paths to evolve and grow!
Aaron Schacht is Executive Vice President: Innovation, Regulatory + Business Development at Elanco, an American pharmaceutical company which produces medicines and vaccinations for pets and livestock, and which until 2019, was a subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company. Prior to this, Mr. Schacht held a role of Global Brand Development Leader – Pain in Lilly Biomedicines. He was the global leader for product development and commercialization activities for Lilly’s novel CGRP neutralizing antibody – a new potential treatment for prevention of Migraine and Cluster Headache. In 2012, Mr. Schacht joined Lilly Biomedicines as Senior Advisor – Strategy & Business Development for Lilly BioMedicines. His responsibilities included oversight of Therapeutic Strategy development, R&D Portfolio Management, and Business Development for Lilly BioMedicines – Lilly’s largest business unit. Past roles included serving as Executive Director, Global External R&D, at Eli Lilly and Company, where he was responsible for implementation of strategies which aim to leverage novel approaches to external partnerships to augment Lilly’s access to pharmaceutical innovation as well as Executive Director of LRL (Lilly Research Labs) Strategy, Portfolio Management and Project Management where he was responsible for strategic planning, R&D portfolio and project management. Prior to these roles, he was Director, Innovation Center in the eLilly organization where he focused on the exploration, incubation and implementation of new business models and capabilities relevant to the strategic evolution of the pharmaceutical industry. In 2002, during a short leave from Lilly, Mr. Schacht was co-founder, President and CEO of Artesian Therapeutics, a Gaithersburg, MD cardiovascular drug discovery start-up. Previously, Mr. Schacht held roles as Managing Director of Lilly University, Director of Knowledge Management, and Manager of Strategy and Productivity for Discovery Research. Mr. Schacht began his career at Lilly in 1990 as a medicinal chemist, and spent 5 years in the laboratory working to discover pharmaceuticals to treat cardiovascular disorders. Mr. Schacht studied Organic Chemistry at the University of Illinois, receiving his Bachelors of Science degree in 1990.
Ashley Llorens is Vice President, Distinguished Scientist & Managing Director, at Microsoft Research Outreach, where he leads a global team to amplify the impact of research at Microsoft and to advance the cause of science and technology research around the world. His team is responsible for driving strategy and execution for Microsoft Research engagement with the rest of Microsoft and with the broader science and technology community, and they invest in high-impact collaborative research projects on behalf of the company, create pipelines for diverse, world-class talent, and generate awareness of the current and envisioned future impact of science and technology research. Prior to joining Microsoft, Mr. Llorens served as the founding chief of the Intelligent Systems Center at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), where he directed research and development in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and neuroscience and created APL’s first enterprise-wide AI strategy and technology roadmap. During his two decades at APL, Mr. Llorens led interdisciplinary teams in developing novel AI technologies from concept to real-world application with a focus on autonomous systems. His background is in machine learning and signal processing and current research interests include reinforcement learning for real-world systems, machine decision-making under uncertainty, human-machine teaming, and practical AI safety. As a subject matter expert in AI and autonomous systems, Mr Llorens has served on advisory boards and strategic studies for the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Academy of Sciences. He was recently nominated by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to serve as an AI expert on the Global Partnership on AI and was elected to serve as the Science Representative on its inaugural steering committee. Alongside Mr. Llorens career in engineering, while earning his B.S. and M.S. at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he pursued a parallel career as a hip-hop artist, also known as SoulStice, founding Wandering Soul Records and serves as a voting member of the Recording Academy, the institution that organizes the Grammys.
Dr. Neta Lavon is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Vice President of R&D at Aleph Farms, a cultivated meat company that is shaping the future of food by growing high-quality, slaughter-free beef steaks directly from cow cells, preserving natural resources, and avoiding the use of antibiotics. Dr. Lavon is an expert in stem cell applications in biotechnology. In her previous position as the COO of Kadimastem (KDST), she developed cell therapy products from stem cells for ALS and Diabetes. As a researcher in Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, USA, Dr. Lavon established and banked 25 novel pluripotent stem cell lines. Dr. Lavon holds a PhD, an M.Sc. in Biotechnology and B.Sc. in Food Sciences from the Hebrew University, Israel.
Mr. Bakary Tandia is a well-respected and dynamic human rights advocate with an extensive background in promoting human rights and social justice causes and Co-Founder of The Abolition Institute, a group working to promote awareness of, and dedicated to ending, the practice of slavery in the west African country of Mauritania. Mr. Tandia is a graduate of the Global Masters Program in International Affairs, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University and holds bachelor degrees in International Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice City University of New York and Criminology from the University of Abidjan (Ivory Coast). In addition to that, Mr. Tandia is a graduate of the Human Rights Advocates Program, Columbia University where he served as an Advocacy Workshop facilitator helping to educate and empower human rights activists around the world. Mr. Sean Tenner, the other co-founder of the Abolition Institute, is President, KNI Communications, and as a graduate of Georgetown University, has spent his career working for organizations and officials dedicated to social justice and the public interest. Mr. Tenner served on President Obama’s campaign staff during both his U.S. Senate and Presidential campaigns and has held leadership roles in a wide variety of innovative non-profit organizations addressing both local and global issues. Mr. Tenner helps lead Illinois public policy for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, one of the world’s leading anti-hate groups; was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn in 2012 – and reappointed in 2015 – to the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission; was an early leader in the Save Darfur movement in Illinois and works closely with refugees from the violence in Darfur and South Sudan who have built new lives in Chicago. Mr. Tenner also works with Chicagoans who fled Apartheid in South Africa, serving on the Board of Color Me Africa Fine Arts which brings Apartheid-era protest artists to Chicagoland to share their stories and their lessons in perseverance. Mr. Tenner has done work related to post-conflict reconciliation in both Rwanda and Northern Ireland, and has also been profiled by CNN for his work co-founding the Abolition Institute. Mr. Tenner is also former President of Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Chicagoland Affiliate and has also worked to address the epidemic of youth suicides through his work on the Board of Directors of Hope for the Day / Sip of Hope -- one of the nation’s most innovative mental health organizations.
Dr. Daniel Ives, Ph.D. is Founder and CEO of Shift Bioscience Ltd. (https://shiftbioscience.com), a biotech company making drugs for cellular rejuvenation in humans through the application of machine-learning 'driver' clocks to cellular reprogramming, and is the scientific founder who first discovered the gene shifting targets upon which the Shift drug discovery platform is based. Dr. Ives graduated from Imperial College with a degree in biochemistry and gained his PhD in 2013 working at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit in Cambridge. He carried out his post-doctoral studies under Ian Holt at the National Institute of Medical Research in Mill Hill, now part of the Crick Institute, pursuing damage-removal strategies for mitochondrial DNA mutations. In 2016 Dr. Ives left the Crick Institute and founded Shift Bioscience to commercialize mitochondrial targeted drugs for age linked diseases, incorporating novel ageing biomarkers technologies, CRISPR screens, and other tools to dissect true functional 'drivers' of ageing phenotypes.
Bjørn Haugland is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of SKIFT Business Climate Leaders (https://www.skiftnorge.no/english), a Norwegian business-led climate initiative with a mission to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and support the government in delivering on its national climate commitments by 2030. The coalition hopes to demonstrate, to businesses and the government, the business potential that exists in the low-carbon economy and help drive the transition. Mr. Haugland is the former Executive Vice President and the Chief Sustainability Officer in DNV GL Group where he oversaw the groups sustainability performance and drove company-wide sustainability initiatives. Mr. Haugland has extensive experience assisting multinational companies in areas such as corporate sustainability, innovation and business development. He was responsible for the Global Opportunity Report, a joint initiative together with UN Global Compact and Sustainia, a fact-based sustainability consulting and communication firm. Mr. Haugland is today a board member at the University of Bergen, WWF, The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Sporveien and Kezzler. He is also member of the advisory Board for Centre for Responsible Leadership. He is co-founder of Zeabuz, a new service for urban, emission free, autonomous ferries and Terravera, a tech foundation to make sustainability a reality by giving anyone insights to support their everyday decisions. He is member of the The Norwegian Board of Technology (NBT) that advises the Norwegian Parliament and Government on new technology as well as a member of Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences. Mr. Haugland has a M.Sc. in Naval Architecture – Marine Structures and Hydrodynamics, from The Norwegian Institute of Technology and attended the “Strategic International Leadership” program at International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and "Leading Digital Transformation" (INSEAD). Mr. Haugland is widely recognized in the global debate on sustainability and technology and he has his own blog on the Huffington Post and he is regularly writing articles for Recharge, Teknisk Ukeblad and Sysla Maritime.
Stephan Gans is Senior Vice President, Chief Consumer Insights and Analytics Officer at PepsiCo, where he leads the company’s focus on better understanding emotional motivations, anticipating consumer behaviors, strengthening customer connections and driving overall business growth. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Stephan was the chief strategy officer for Interbrand North America, overseeing North American and Global practices. Before joining Interbrand, Stephan was co-owner and CEO of the global marketing consultancy EffectiveBrands, which focused exclusively on building effective marketing organizations for global brand leaders, until it was acquired by WPP in 2014. Stephan began his career at Unilever, where he held both brand management and leadership roles in Europe and the U.S. Stephan has a Masters in Econometrics from University of Amsterdam.
Dr. Dennis McKenna is an American ethnopharmacologist, research pharmacognosist, lecturer, author, and Founder of the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy (www.mckenna.academy). Dr. McKenna is a founding board member and the director of ethnopharmacology at the Heffter Research Institute, a non-profit organization concerned with the investigation of the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic medicines. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the American Botanical Council; as Founder and Executive Director for the Institute for Natural Products Research; as an Independent Research Consultant to the Phytomedicine and Nutraceutical Industry; was formerly on the Editorial Board of Phytomedicine, International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology; and is an adjunct professor in the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota. Dr. McKenna received his Master’s Degree in Botany from the University of Hawaii in 1979, his Ph.D. in Botanical Sciences from the University of British Columbia in 1984, and continued into post-doctoral research fellowships in the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and in the Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. McKenna’s research led to the development of natural products for the Aveda Corporation, as well as greater awareness of natural products and medicines. He has authored or co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed scientific papers and written multiple books, including “The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss: My Life with Terence McKenna”, co-author of “The Invisible Landscape” with his brother Terence, and co-author of a widely recognized reference work on herbal medicines, titled “Botanical Medicines: the Desk Reference for Major Herbal Supplements”. Dr. McKenna's publications have appeared in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, European Journal of Pharmacology, Brain Research, Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neurochemistry, Economic Botany, Alternative and Complementary Therapies, and elsewhere.
Dr. James Allen is a primary care internal medicine specialist who developed a fascinating career in international health management and leadership. Dr. Allen served in the U.S. public health service before moving to Indonesian Borneo in 1994. For the next 22 years he worked in community and occupational health across Asia, managing health teams in 14 countries. As Chevron’s Asia Pacific medical director, he led projects for TB control in Myanmar, primary care in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh; and emergency medicine in Azerbaijan and rural China. After moving to California headquarters in late 2015, Dr. Allen created a global strategy on corporate responsibility for health, establishing a data-based approach in alignment with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation of Seattle. As Chevron’s senior consulting health scientist, he advised social investment teams in Australasia, Central Europe, Latin America, North America, and West Africa. Dr. Allen completed his career at Chevron in 2021 by leading the implementation of Covid-19 management practices for a consortium of oil and gas companies in Angola. In 2012, Dr. Allen became an adjunct faculty member for the Levinson Institute’s Strategic Leadership for Healthcare Executives, previously affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and now with Pariveda Solutions and Rice University. His education includes a BA from Antioch College, MS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his medical degree from Kirksville, MO. He is certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and has completed graduate studies in public health, occupational medicine, tropical medicine, toxicology, and healthcare finance and systems management from various institutions – Cornell, the Medical College of Wisconsin, NY Medical College and Singapore Management Institute. Dr. Allen serves on the Global Advisory Board for the Texas Children’s Hospital HOPE project (Hematology and Oncology Pediatric Excellence), to improve cancer care for children across sub-Saharan Africa. His most recent endeavor is a start-up organization to help corporations and private donors effectively invest in community health in low-resource settings, called Health Systems Thinkers, LLC.
Dr. Ingo Rauth, is the Founder and Career Purpose Coach, of The School of Becoming, a learning platform focused on purpose-led professional development, supporting individuals and organizations on the path from paycheck to purpose. Dr. Rauth is also an Adjunct Professor in Design and Innovation Management at IE business School in Madrid, Spain. Dr. Rauth's current research is focused on facilitating innovation capabilities in large organizations to improve their innovation efforts. Dr. Rauth's background includes several years of working as a design consultant concerned with innovation projects of major companies such as Nokia, Philips and Steelcase. This experience led to his current interest in supporting large organizations in utilizing design as a driver for innovation. In 2003, Dr. Rauth launched his first nonprofit organization to help teenagers, interested in design, get started with their education, and until today, this self-financed organization, has helped more than 14.000 of them to find their way. Dr. Rauth has his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Innovation Management & Design from Chalmers University of Technology and did Post Doctoral work at the University Of Cincinnati and the University Of Toronto. Dr. Rauth is also a Fellow of The Modern Elder Academy (MEA), the world's first "midlife wisdom school" dedicated to career and life transitions, and recently published a white paper with MEA founder Chip Connelly, hospitality entrepreneur of Joie de Vivre Hospitality and Airbnb fame, entitled "The Emergence of Long Life Learning".
Christina Hunger is a speech pathologist and the creator of Hunger for Words, which is working at the fascinating intersection of animal psychology, speech pathology, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Christina is known for her groundbreaking work in being the first person to teach her dog Stella to talk using a customized communication device and speech therapy techniques. Christina has a B.A. in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University and a graduate degree in speech language pathology from Northern Illinois University, and has professional expertise in augmentative and alternative communication working with young children with significant delays in language development as an early intervention speech therapist. She is also an author of a new book - How Stella Learned to Talk: The Groundbreaking Story of the World's First Talking Dog
Dr. Bonnie Offit, MD is the Chief Digital Health Officer at the technology company Self Care Decisions which has an innovative online medical symptom tracker and triage system which helps healthcare organizations provide self care decision content to their patients, plan members and communities. Dr. Offit also recently served as Clinical Advisor in Digital Health, at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Dr Offit has been a general pediatrician in both primary and urgent care settings for more than 30 years at CHOP, and now she combines her clinical experience with her passion for using technology to solve healthcare problems. After gaining personal experience as a Tele-health provider, she learned the value of video visits first hand. Highlights of Dr. Offit's past work at CHOP include implementing a free School Tele-health program in an under-served school district, running tele-health pilots, and participating on several digital health projects including store and forward dermatology e-visits and symptom checkers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Dr. Offit helped scale tele-health in every department at CHOP including primary care, urgent care, specialty care and surgery. Outside of her medical practice, Bonnie has experience in starting small businesses including several frozen yogurt shops, a café, a food truck, a local magazine and most recently, Murphy Cares (https://murphycares.com/), which offers a novel type of digital pet therapy. Dr. Offit received her medical degree from The University of Virginia then completed her pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She received a certificate in health informatics from Drexel University.
Dr. Vicki Fishlock Ph.D. is a Resident Scientist, at The Amboseli Trust for Elephants (https://www.elephanttrust.org/), an organization that aims to ensure the long-term conservation and welfare of Africa’s elephants in the context of human needs and pressures, through scientific research, training, community outreach, public awareness and advocacy, and which is involved in the longest-running study of wild elephants in the world. Dr. Fishlock joined The Amboseli Trust for Elephants (ATE) in January 2011 to study social disruption and recovery in elephant families after the terrible 2009 drought. Her work focuses on leadership and negotiation in the face of risk, as well as the very long-term social dynamics. Prior to working at ATE in Kenya, Dr. Fishlock studied Western gorillas and forest elephants in the Republic of Congo, where she earned her Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Phyllis Lee, examining the use of forest clearings as social arenas for elephants. Dr. Fishlock previously graduated with first class honors in Zoology from the University of Edinburgh. After graduation, she worked as a research assistant at Chester Zoo on behavioral and hormonal indicators of welfare in captive orangutans. Dr. Fishlock is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter.
Barry Dean is an award-winning songwriter turned smart wheelchair technology company founder. As CEO of LUCI (https://luci.com/), a company re-imagining mobility for power wheelchairs, Barry sets the strategic vision and leads the company towards its goal of providing security, stability and connectivity for power wheelchairs. He founded the company with his brother, Jered, in 2017 with hopes of building a smarter solution for his daughter Katherine and all power wheelchair riders. Barry has written multiple No. 1 singles including “Pontoon” (Little Big Town), “Day Drinking” (Little Big Town), " Somebody's Daughter" (Tenille Townes), and "Think a Little Less" (Michael Ray), along with a Top 40 hit with “Girls Chase Boys” (Ingrid Michaelson). He has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Song on Tim McGraw's "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools." Barry is a founding writer at Creative Nation Music, Recording Academy (GRAMMY) Nashville Chapter Governor, and has previously served two terms as a board member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Prior to becoming a songwriter, he led market strategy and product development for a leading education technology company. Barry currently lives in Nashville, Tenn.
Stephanie Smith is a Director, in the Humanitarian & Development group, at Mastercard (https://www.mastercard.us), the American multinational financial services corporation. Stephanie is responsible for operations of the Humanitarian & Development group at Mastercard, and ensuring the team’s efficient, consistent, and effective delivery against their vision to provide digital tools and access for education, health, commerce, and other critical services for marginalized individuals and communities. The Humanitarian & Development group is focused on driving commercially sustainable social impact in collaboration with governments, NGOs, and other private sector companies. After graduating from Oxford University, Stephanie began her professional career at a rapidly growing technology company, Applied Predictive Technologies / APT (acquired by Mastercard) delivering analytics software and consulting engagements to Fortune 500s. Stephanie is particularly passionate about diversity & inclusion and solving social problems, and has experience delivering projects and technologies that drive a lasting social impact. Stephanie led a pro bono project in partnership with the city government of New Orleans and a non-profit, that pioneered how APT applied data assets and technology to facilitate and measure inclusive growth. Stephanie also proactively took on new projects in social-impact oriented industries (for example, applying Test & Learn analytics to education), and co-led APT’s global Women’s Leadership Network (a business resource group to connect female leaders and build a more inclusive workplace). Stephanie is also on the Working Group of the Partnership for Central America (https://www.centampartnership.org/) working to support private sector efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration from Central America through coordinated, sustained, and transparent impact across the region. Stephanie is a passionate mentor of junior staff, and outside of work, volunteers time as a mentor with the Girls Network in London, and fundraising with Girls on the Run in Washington D.C.
Dr. Bahareh (Spring) Behrouz, PhD, is the CEO of Vincere Biosciences Inc (https://vincerebio.com/), a biotech company focused on developing novel, small molecule therapeutics targeting mitochondrial pathways and the improvement of mitochondrial quality. Dr. Behrouz is also the CEO of NeuroInitiative, LLC (https://www.neuroinitiative.com/), a computational biology company she co-founded in 2014, which develops simulations of disease using their patented software platform. A core focus of her research at NeuroInitiative is on the elucidation of complex, converging pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), a neuro-degenerative brain disorder which dramatically effects movement, which nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with, and 10 million patients worldwide. Dr. Behrouz received her graduate training at Michigan State University in the laboratory of Dr. John Goudreau and studied differential susceptibility of dopaminergic neuron sub-types in models of PD. She completed her post-doctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Matthew Farrer at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, where she primarily focused on in-vivo and primary culture models of LRRK2-mediated pathogenesis and was part of the team that discovered a new pathogenic mutation in VPS35
Sergey Young (https://sergeyyoung.com/) is a longevity investor, visionary, and author, with a mission to help one billion people extend their healthy lifespans by making longevity affordable and accessible for everyone. As part of this mission, he is the Founder of the Longevity Vision Fund (LVF - https://lvf.vc/), a $100 Million venture capital fund that invests in technologies with the potential to disrupt life sciences and healthcare to help people live longer and healthier lives. Sergey’s investment experience, spanning over 20 years, includes managing a $2 Billion private equity fund and co-founding Peak State Ventures, a New York-based private equity fund focusing on new technologies in Real Estate, Digital Healthcare, and the Future of Work. Sergey is also Longevity Venture Partner at BOLD Capital Partners, a $250 Million fund focusing on exponential technologies co-founded by Peter Diamandis. Sergey’s longevity-related activities also include the following: - Innovation Board Member at XPRIZE Foundation, dedicated to solving the world’s biggest problems; - Development Sponsor of Age Reversal XPRIZE, a global initiative designed to incentivize the development of technological breakthroughs to cure aging; - Board of Directors of American Federation of Aging Research (AFAR); - Financial Advisory Board Member at All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Longevity, helping to shape national longevity strategy in the UK. Sergey is also the author of an upcoming book, "The Science and Technology of Growing Young". (https://www.amazon.com/Science-Techno...)
Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, is an innovative conservation biologist, who is Founder and President of the non-profit Amazon Biodiversity Center, the renowned Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, and the person who coined the term “biological diversity”. Dr. Lovejoy currently serves as Professor in the department of Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University, and as a senior fellow at the United Nations Foundation based in Washington, DC. Dr. Lovejoy has also served as the World Bank's chief biodiversity advisor and the lead specialist for environment for Latin America and the Caribbean, the first Biodiversity Chair of the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, President of the Heinz Center, and chair of the Scientific Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) for the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the multibillion-dollar funding mechanism for developing countries in support of their obligations under international environmental conventions. Spanning the political spectrum, Dr. Lovejoy has served on science and environmental councils under the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations. At the core of these many influential positions are seminal ideas, which have formed and strengthened the field of conservation biology. In the 1980s, Dr. Lovejoy brought international attention to the world’s tropical rainforests, and in particular, the Brazilian Amazon, where he has worked since 1965. With multiple co-edited books (including Biodiversity and Climate Change: Transforming the Biosphere; Drones for Conservation - Field Guide for Photographers, Researchers, Conservationists and Archaeologists; Costa Rican Ecosystems; Climate Change and Biodiversity; On the Edge: The State and Fate of the World's Tropical Rainforests), Dr. Lovejoy is credited as a founder of the field of climate change biology. He also founded the series Nature, the popular long-term series on public television. In 2001, Dr. Lovejoy was awarded the prestigious Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. In 2009 he was the winner of BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Ecology and Conservation Biology Category. In 2009 he was appointed conservation fellow by the National Geographic and explorer at large. In 2012 he was recognized by the Blue Planet Prize. Dr. Lovejoy holds BS and PhD (biology) degrees from Yale University.
Dr. Jean M. Hebert, Ph.D. (https://einsteinmed.org/faculty/9069/...) is Professor in the Department of Genetics and in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He’s also the author of the book Replacing Aging, which describes how regenerative medicine will beat aging. With a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Hebert's current lab’s projects fall into two groups. First, they focus on using the mouse neocortex as a platform for testing the ability of multi-cell type grafts (increasingly resembling normal neocortex) to integrate with host tissue. Secondly, they are testing the ability of genetically engineered microglia that disperse throughout the adult neocortex to bolster neocortical function. These highly collaborative projects require a range of multidisciplinary methods, including molecular genetics, human embryonic stem cell biology, transcriptomics, surgery, electrophysiology, live brain imaging, and behavioral tests, among others.
Mr. Kazuhiro Gomi, is President and CEO of NTT Research (https://ntt-research.com/), a division of The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, commonly known as NTT (https://www.global.ntt/), a Japanese telecommunications company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Gomi has been at NTT for more than 30 years and was involved in product management/product development activities at the beginning of his tenure. In September of 2009, Mr. Gomi was first named to the Global Telecoms Business Power100 — a list of the 100 most powerful and influential people in the telecoms industry. He was the CEO of NTT America Inc. from 2010 to 2019 and also served on the Board of Directors at NTT Communications from 2012 to 2019. Mr. Gomi received a Masters of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Keio University, Tokyo. Mr. Gomi is a member of the board at US Japan Council, a non-profit organization aimed at fostering a better relationship between the US and Japan. Dr. Joe Alexander, is Director of the Medical and Health Informatics (MEI) Lab at NTT Research, where he oversees the MEI Lab research in multi-scale Precision Cardiology platforms such as the cardiovascular bio-digital twin, as well as heart-on-a-chip technology, specifically aimed at developing the infrastructure for a digital replica of an individual’s heart. In addition, the MEI Lab is working on nano- and micro-scale sensors and electrodes, other organ-on-a-chip micro-fluidics technologies, as well as wearable and remote sensing to support future bio-digital twin applications. Before coming to NTT Research, Dr. Alexander spent 18 years at Pfizer, Inc., where he had most recently served as Senior Medical Director, Global Medical Affairs, working in cardiovascular medicine, worldwide clinical imaging and measurement technologies, medical devices and pulmonary hypertension, and regularly conducting modeling and simulation research in many of these areas. He previously worked for two years at Merck, Inc. and spent eight years at Vanderbilt University, where he completed a two-year residency in internal medicine and served as a professor of medicine and biomedical engineering. Dr. Alexander obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. (in biomedical engineering) degrees at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Lisa Gable is the Chief Executive Officer, of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE - https://www.foodallergy.org), an organization with a mission to improve the quality of life and the health of 85 million Americans with food allergies and food intolerances, including 32 million of those are at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. To date FARE has turned over $100 million in donor gifts into ground-breaking research and has provided a voice for the community, advocating on its behalf and offering hope for a better tomorrow. Ms. Gable has served four U.S. presidents and two governors, counseled Fortune 500 CEOs, and represented global public-private partnerships and non-profits with an end goal of moving organizations to higher levels of performance. As the former President of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, Ms. Gable created and led a coalition of food and beverage industry corporations and public health and government agencies, resulting in the reduction of 6.4 trillion calories from the American diet. Ms Gable was appointed the first female U.S. Commissioner General to the 2005 Aichi World EXPO, holding the personal rank of Ambassador, served as a U.S. Delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and served both in the Reagan White House and Defense Department, serving as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chief of Staff. Ms. Gable's corporate experience included serving as senior vice president of Global Public Policy at PepsiCo, and 15 years in Silicon Valley, including Global Brand Identity Manager for Intel Corporation, as Intel was on the cusp of launching what would become one of the most dominant tech brands, Intel Inside. Among her varied volunteer activities, Ms. Gable has served on several boards including as a National Trustee for the Boys and Girls Club of America, a board member for Girl Scouts of the USA and as a member of the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Obesity Solutions. A published writer, her new book Turnaround: How to Change Course When Things Are Going South (https://turnaroundbook.com/) will be coming out October 5, 2021. Ms. Gable also has had recurring media appearances including four years as a regularly scheduled guest with Lifetime’s national morning program The Balancing Act. Ms. Gable is a graduate of University of Virginia and holds an MA from Georgetown University. FARE Social Media Handles: https://www.instagram.com/foodallergy/ https://www.facebook.com/FoodAllergyFARE
Dr. Veronica Rodriguez-Bravo, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia, PA, USA. (https://sidneykimmelcancercenter.jeff...) Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo obtained her PhD in Pathology and Cell Biology (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Barcelona in 2007, where she also received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award for her studies on the distinct DNA replication checkpoint mechanisms of tumor cells. During her postdoctoral training at the Experimental Oncology Department of the University Medical Center of Utrecht (UMC, The Netherlands) and at the Molecular and Cell Biology Programs of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC, New York), she specialized in the study of chromosome segregation during mitosis and the role of nuclear pores in genome integrity maintenance. Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo's post-doctoral work allowed her to apply genome-editing techniques crucial to dissect the function of mitotic and nuclear pore proteins in chromosomal stability and resulted in the recognition with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Postdoctoral Research Award. Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo’s research focuses on the study of genome integrity maintenance mechanisms and the relationship of defects in cell division to cancer pathogenesis with special emphasis in the pathways contributing to cancer cells’ more aggressive phenotypes.
Mandy Sellars is the Chairperson of GoPI3Ks charity, which is focused on people with PIK3CA related overgrowth spectrum (PROS), an umbrella term for a group of very rare syndromes characterized by malformations and tissue overgrowth, caused by somatic mutations in PIK3CA gene. PIK3CA stands for phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase, catalytic sub-unit alpha, a gene that encodes a lipid kinase involved in multiple signaling pathways, influencing cellular functions such as growth, death, and proliferation. Ms. Sellars herself also possesses a very rare form of this genetic mutation that has resulted in extraordinary growth in both of her legs, but in PROS diseases individual malformations are seen in several different tissues such as skin, vasculature, bone, fat and brain tissue, depending on the specific disease. Ms. Sellars obtained a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Central Lancashire and has become a patient advocate, fundraiser for care and research, as well as a reality star along the way.
Dr. Sean Guillory, Ph.D. is Senior Robotics Process Automation Developer, at Booz Allen Hamilton, the U.S. management and information technology consulting firm. Dr. Guillory went to Dartmouth College where he received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cognitive Neuroscience, followed by Postdoctoral Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center where he worked on mapping behavior and cognitive functions in brain tumor patients in order to protect the basic functions of the brain during neurosurgery. He then moved into the data and robots domain with organizations including Consumer Affairs and Clear Channel Communications, leveraging his knowledge in these consumer facing sectors. At Booz Allen Hamilton he is involved in the convergent domain of Robotic Process Automation and utilizing his extensive knowledge from cognitive neuroscience in Defense and National Security.
Mr. Siva Balu is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of YMCA of the U.S. (Y-USA), where he is working to rethink and reorganize the work of the organization’s information technology strategy to meet the changing needs of Y-USA and Ys throughout the country. The YMCA is a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community by connecting all people to their potential, purpose and each other, with a focus on empowering young people, improving health and well-being and inspiring action in and across communities, and with presence in 10,000 neighborhoods across the nation, they have real ability to deliver positive change. Mr. Balu has 20 years of healthcare technology experience in leadership roles for Blue Cross Blue Shield, the nation's largest health insurer, which provides healthcare to over 107 million members—1 in 3 Americans. He most recently led the Enterprise Information Technology team at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. Mr. Balu was responsible for leading all aspects of IT, including architecture, application and product development, big data, business intelligence and data analytics, information security, project management, digital, infrastructure and operations. He has created several highly scalable innovative solutions that cater to the needs of members and patients throughout the country in all communities. He provided leadership in creating innovative solutions and adopting new technologies for national and international users. Mr. Balu earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Bharathiar University in India, a master’s in business administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and executive master’s degree from MIT-Sloan School of Management in Innovation, Strategy and Artificial Intelligence as well as additional certifications in Disruptive Strategy and Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School Online. In his free time, Mr. Balu volunteers and contributes to several charities, including The Soondra Foundation (delivering healthcare to the working poor in India), Special Olympics, Chicago Food Depository, Sarah’s Inn, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Beyond Hunger, The Pack Shack, Cradles to Crayons and Gardeneers. Mr. Balu has also developed a passion for long-distance running a few years ago starting with a 5k, and then to marathons and to running multiple ultra-marathons. He has run multiple 100-mile races. He recently ran what is referred to as 'the worlds toughest foot race,' Badwater 135-miler in Death Valley, and one of the coldest races, Tuscobia 160-miler.
Carole Fisher is President for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), where utilizing her experience and deep familiarity with not-for-profit community-based hospice and palliative healthcare, she is charged with leading a wide range of activities for the membership organization, including developing strategic partnerships, meaningful collaborations and transformational innovations, amongst the nations’ most notable and distinguished end of life healthcare organizations. As a seasoned C-suite advisor, innovator and public policy advocate, for the past 35 years, Ms. Fisher has successfully led and transformed for-profit and mission driven healthcare operations, developing significant experience in growing and transforming companies, developing people, and preparing organizations for navigating the unforeseen and unanticipated. She has significant experience in growing market share, contracting with payers, building specialty provider networks, developing and integrating cutting edge technology, facilitating M&A and is well respected for her ability to merge cultures and teams. Ms. Fisher is the former President and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice, where she positioned the organization as a nationally known industry leader respected for their clinical advancements and innovations, and which was recognized for eight years by Modern Healthcare Magazine as a 100 Best Places to Work in the country. Ms. Fisher has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and attained a Masters Certification in Organizational Leadership from the Thayer Institute in Asheville, North Carolina. She serves as an adjunct faculty member for Teleios University and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Thayer Institute. Previously she served on the Board of Directors for MountainView Hospital – a subsidiary of HCA, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation, Health Insight, UNLV Health Law Program Advisory Board and the Nevada Hospital Association.
Dr. Maria Millan, MD, is the President and CEO of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM - https://www.cirm.ca.gov/), an organization that was created in 2004 when voters initially approved a state Proposition which allocated US$3 billion to fund this fascinating area of medicine, and which recently received an additional US$5.5 billion in renewed funding. Dr. Millan is a physician-scientist who has devoted her career to treating and developing innovative solutions for children and adults with debilitating and life-threatening conditions. After receiving her undergraduate degree from Duke University where she started her focus on immunology research, Dr. Millan obtained her MD degree and then went on to complete her surgical training and post-doctoral research at Harvard Medical School – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. After a transplant surgery fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Millan began her academic career with a pediatric and adult transplant surgery practice. In parallel, she continued her bench research at Stanford and became associate professor and director of the Pediatric Organ Transplant Program. Dr. Millan served on multiple leadership teams including the Faculty Senate and the Dean’s faculty committee at Stanford University School of Medicine and served on the Children’s Hospital operations committee. She has published in the areas of cell biology, immunology and clinical organ transplantation. Dr. Millan also ventured into the private sector in 2006 to join StemCells, Inc., one of the earliest stem cell organizations and the first to enter into an FDA-regulated clinical trial with a stem cell treatment for children with a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Millan then joined CIRM in December 2012 where she led the formation of the Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Network, a network of California medical centers that specialize in rigorous and high-quality clinical trials and top-tier medical care for patients participating in these trials. This clinical network is successfully supporting over 45 clinical trials and was recently expanded to include 5 programs composed of 7 medical centers and their affiliated hospitals.
Dr. Sakhrat Khizroev is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the College of Engineering of the University of Miami, with a secondary appointment at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Miller School of Medicine. Dr Khizroev's laboratory conducts research on nano-magnetics and spintronics applications ranging from energy-efficient information processing to precision medicine. From 2011 to 2018, he was a Professor (tenured) of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Florida International University, with a joint appointment at the College of Medicine, where he co-founded and spearheaded the university-wide initiative on personalized nanomedicine. From 2006 to 2011, Dr Khizroev was a Professor (tenured) of Electrical Engineering at the University of California, Riverside (UC-Riverside). Prior to joining academia, Dr Khizroev spent four years as a Research Staff Member with Seagate Research and one year as a Doctoral Intern with IBM Almaden Research Center. His team, in collaboration with Professor Ping Liang of UC-Riverside, has for the first time proposed and developed magnetoelectric nano-particles for medical applications including targeted drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), high-specificity cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS, neuro-imaging, wireless neural network stimulation, and others. This team has also proposed and developed multilevel 3D magnetic memory devices and nanolasers for future information processing. In industry, he is most known for conducting groundbreaking experiments which resulted in the multi-billion-dollar data storage industry’s shift towards perpendicular magnetic recording. In 2012, Dr. Khizroev was elected a Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in the inaugural year of the Academy. He has graduated over 22 PhD Graduate Students. Dr. Khizroev holds over 39 granted US patents. He has authored over 150 refereed papers, 6 books and book chapters in the field. He has presented over 100 talks including many invited seminars and colloquia at international conferences, and has acted as a guest science and technology commentator on television and radio programs across the globe. Dr. Khizroev received a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1999, a M.S. in Physics from the University of Miami in 1994, and B.S./M.S. degrees in Physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Phystech) in 1992/1994.
Dr. Carolini Kaid, Ph.D. is the Co-Founder & CSO at Vyro Biotherapeutics (https://en.vyrobio.com/), a Brazilian biotechnology company focused on developing cancer-killing, or ‘oncolytic’ viruses (OVs) designed to target pediatric and adult brain cancer. Dr. Kaid is also a Postdoctoral Fellow at Center for Human Genome and Stem Cell Studies, at The University of São Paulo (USP), a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, which is the largest Brazilian public university and the country's most prestigious educational institution (https://bv.fapesp.br/en/pesquisador/6...). Dr. Kaid has her Ph.D. in Cancer Genetics, a Master's degree in Cancer Biology, and an undergraduate degree in Genetics, all from USP. Dr. Kaid completed 10 years of experience in cancer biology research, including CNS tumor research, tumor stem cells, and advanced therapies. During her MsC, Dr. Kaid worked with miR-367 as a biomarker for aggressive pediatric cancer and potential therapeutic target, which led to the 2015 Award of Scientist and Entrepreneur of the Year, by Nanocell Institute. As a PhD student, under the mentorship of Dr. Oswaldo Keith Okamoto, she acquired a broad background in pre-clinical models, with specific training and expertise in cell culture, brain histology, molecular genetics, stereotaxic surgery, and stereology. Her PhD Thesis, was awarded with Brazil's Best PhD Thesis 2020, resulting in two patent applications and pre-clinical findings that opened opportunities for future translational studies to evaluate new putative biomarkers of aggressive stem-like tumor cells in refining diagnosis, patient stratification, and early detection of relapsed disease. Her work also revealed novel therapeutic approaches, using an miR-367 inhibitor and the oncolytic Zika virus, both targeting the stem-like tumor cells that could benefit patients affected by CNS tumors lacking effective treatment. Recently, as postdoctoral fellow at Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center, under Dr. Mayana Zatz supervision, she continues to investigate alternative immunotherapies with a focus on oncolytic viruses and is coordinating a veterinary clinical trial using the oncolytic Zika virus in dogs with advanced brain tumors.
Dr. Christopher Cifelli Ph.D. is Vice President of Nutrition Research at National Dairy Council where he oversees the Dairy and Public Health research platform, the goal of which is to provide scientific evidence that can be used to protect and promote dairy in public policy. Dr. Cifelli is responsible for the strategic planning, development, and management of dairy-centric research on chronic disease risk, childhood nutrition, CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey related research, and nutrition and sustainability. Dr. Cifelli obtained both his B.S. degree in Biology and his Ph.D. degree in Nutritional Sciences from Penn State University, where his graduate work focused on understanding how vitamin A status and inflammation affected retinoic acid metabolism, including mathematical modeling to study the effects of retinoic acid supplementation on whole-body vitamin A kinetics. During his post-doctorate work at Penn State, he examined vitamin A kinetics, storage and disposal rates in adults from different ethnic backgrounds. In his current role at the Dairy Research Institute, Dr. Cifelli is involved in the development, design, initiation, management and communication of research projects on the health benefits associated with adequate dairy consumption, including those studies examining the effects of vitamins and minerals found in dairy on bone density, weight maintenance, and metabolic health. Dr. Cifelli is active in several professional organizations. He currently serves as the chair of the Science and Translation Committee for the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics and is on the Board of Directors for the Yogurt in Nutrition Initiative. In addition he has authored or co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed research manuscripts, reviews and abstracts.
Howard Leonhardt is the Founder of Leonhardt Ventures, the world’s first Innovation Accelerator focused on the convergence of bioelectrics & biologics for organ regeneration and tissue healing. Howard is an accomplished inventor and serial entrepreneur, with 21 U.S. patents, over 100 patent claims for products for treating cardiovascular disease, and has over 40 new patent claims pending. His TALENT (Taheri-Leonhardt) stent graft, developed in the early 1990′s, holds a leading world market share for repairing aortic aneurysms without surgery. Howard's inventions to date have been involved in treated over 500,000 patients in 60 countries Howard is co-leader of Startup California and Founder and Chairman of The California Stock Exchange TM (Cal-X) preparing to be the first social good impact stock exchange currently operating the Cal-X 30 Social Good Impact fund. He founded Cal-X Crowdfund Connect, a crowdfunding campaign management company, and Cal-X Stars Business Accelerator, Inc., a business incubator and accelerator focused on cardiovascular life sciences and social good impact innovations. There are 30 regenerative med-tech and regenerative economy startups in his current portfolio. His Leonhardt Ventures angels network has raised and put to work over US$145 million in 32 companies to date, including those developing the first implantable programmable and re-fillable stem cell pump, brain, eye, and aorta regeneration technologies, and number of other organ regeneration spin offs from his patented core technologies. Howard Leonhardt serves as state spokesperson in California for the JOBS ACT and Crowdfunding for Startup California and has given over 40 speeches on the subject. He has operated Leonhardt’s Launchpads NorCal at the University of Northern California Science & Technology Innovation Center in Rohnert Park, CA since 2008 and recently opened Leonhardt’s Launchpads Utah in Salt Lake City just off the campus of the University of Utah. He has served on the Board of Directors of the University of Northern California, a private biomedical engineering school, since 1999.
Dr. Matt Kaeberlein is Professor of Pathology, Adjunct Professor of Genome Sciences, and Adjunct Professor of Oral Health Sciences, at the University of Washington. Dr. Kaeberlein received his PhD from MIT in Biology, did his post-doc in the Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, and his research interests are focused on basic mechanisms of aging in order to facilitate translational interventions that promote healthspan and improve quality of life. Dr. Kaeberlein has published nearly 200 papers in top scientific journals and has been recognized by several prestigious awards, including a Breakthroughs in Gerontology Award, an Alzheimer’s Association Young Investigator Award, an Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar in Aging Award, a Murdock Trust Award, a Pioneer in Aging Award, and the Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star in Aging Research. Dr. Kaeberlein's contributions have also been recognized with Fellow status in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Aging Association, and the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Kaeberlein is a past President of the American Aging Association and has served on their Executive Committee and Board of Directors since 2012. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and is currently the Chair of the Biological Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Kaeberlein serves on the editorial boards for several journals, including Science and eLife. Dr. Kaeberlein’s scientific discoveries have generated substantial public interest, with featured stories in major media outlets including appearing on the front page of the New York Times, the Today Show, CNN, the UK Telegraph, Popular Science, Time Magazine, Scientific American, NPR, USA Today, National Geographic, and many others. In addition to his primary appointments, Dr. Kaeberlein is the co-Director of the University of Washington Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, the Founding Director of the Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute at the University of Washington, and Founder and Co-Director of the Dog Aging Project.
Dr. Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH, is President and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust (CCT), one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations, and under her leadership, CCT has adopted a new strategic focus on closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap in the Chicago region. An expert on global development, humanitarian, and health issues, for almost a decade, Dr. Gayle was president and CEO of CARE, a leading international humanitarian organization, and prior to that spent 20 years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, working primarily on HIV/AIDS. She also worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, directing programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues. Dr. Gayle serves on public company and nonprofit boards, including The Coca-Cola Company, Organon, Palo Alto Networks, Brookings Institution, Center for Strategic and International Studies, New America, ONE Campaign, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Council on Foreign Relations, American Public Health Association, National Academy of Medicine, National Medical Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Gayle was awarded the Chicago Mayor’s Medal of Honor for her work on COVID relief and recovery for the city. Named one of Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women” and one of Non Profit Times’ “Power and Influence Top 50,” she has authored numerous articles on global and domestic public health issues, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and social justice. Dr. Gayle was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. She earned a BA in psychology at Barnard College, an MD at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MPH at Johns Hopkins University. She has received 18 honorary degrees and holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Emory University.
Dr Andrei Gudkov, PhD, DSci, is a preeminent cancer researcher who serves as Senior Vice President, Research Technology and Innovation, Chair of the Department of Cell Stress Biology, and a member of the senior leadership team for National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center Support Grant at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (https://www.roswellpark.org/andrei-gu...). Dr. Gudkov is responsible for building on the basic and translational research strengths of the Cell Stress Biology program in DNA damage and repair, photodynamic therapy, thermal and hypoxic stress and immune modulation. Dr. Gudkov assists the President & CEO in developing and implementing strategic plans for new scientific programs and enhancing collaborations in research programs with regional and national academic centers as well as with industry. Before joining Roswell Park, Dr. Gudkov served as chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics at Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and Professor of Biochemistry at Case Western University. He earned his doctoral degree in Experimental Oncology at the Cancer Research Center, USSR and a Doctorate of Science (D.Sci) in Molecular Biology at the Moscow State University, USSR. He has authored or co-authored over 135 scientific articles and holds 27 patents. Dr. Gudkov is also an accomplished entrepreneur who founded Cleveland BioLabs, Inc., OncoTartis LLC and Everon Biosciences, Inc. He holds the position of Director & Chief Scientific Advisor at Panacela Labs, Inc., Chief Scientific Officer of OncoTartis LLC, Chief Scientific Officer for Everon Biosciences, Inc., Chief Science Officer at Genome Protection, Inc. and Chief Scientific Officer of Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. Andrei V. Gudkov is also on the board of Incuron LLC. Dr. Gudkov also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board and is author of the founding concept for the Vaika (https://www.vaika.org/) program, a not-for-profit charitable medical research organization with a mission to extend the health-span and life-span of domestic animals, with a focus on aged sled dogs.
Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, MD, MPH is the Director of Health Programs at UNICEF (UN Headquarters) where he provides strategic leadership, management support and overall direction to UNICEF’s global health program. UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. The agency is among the most widespread and recognizable social welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories. UNICEF's activities include providing immunizations and disease prevention, administering treatment for children and mothers with HIV, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, improving sanitation, promoting education, and providing emergency relief in response to disasters. With over 20 years of experience in development aid and humanitarian assistance, Dr. Kampo has worked as a physician/surgeon in hospitals and clinics in rural and urban areas in Africa and Asia and has over 14 years’ experience in senior management position as Country Director, Senior Global Health Advisor, and Chief of Health and Nutrition with International NGOs and United Nations’ Agencies. Dr. Kampo is a Medical Doctor and Public Health Specialist, passionate about using innovations to address real life community challenges and bridge the gap between communities and stakeholders. Dr. Kampo had his Medical degree from University of Mali, an MPH (Epidemilogy and Complex Emergency) at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and is certified in Health Economics from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London.
Dr. Charles Brenner Ph.D. is the Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism, at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center (https://www.cityofhope.org/faculty/ch...). With his Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Stanford University, Dr. Brenner’s laboratory focuses on disturbances in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), the central catalyst of metabolism, in diseases and conditions of metabolic stress (https://www.cityofhope.org/charles-br...). Among his most significant discoveries, Dr. Brenner identified nicotinamide riboside (NR) as a vitamin precursor of NAD, as well as a quantitative metabolomic technology that allowed him to discover that the NAD system is disturbed by many diseases and conditions of metabolic stress, including diabetes and cancer. Specifically, Dr. Brenner and colleagues have found that in animal models of fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, diabetic and chemotherapeutic neuropathy, central brain injury, heart failure, postpartum and coronavirus infection, the NAD system is disturbed and that in these models, provision of nicotinamide riboside is highly protective. Dr. Brenner also led the team that conducted the first clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside establishing safe oral availability and has participated in trials establishing safety and potential activities of nicotinamide riboside in clearance of liver fat and depression of common markers of inflammation. Dr. Brenner continues to research how the NAD system is disregulated as a function of postpartum, coronavirus infection, inflammatory conditions, diabesity and specific malignancies, with the dual goals of defining mechanisms of biological regulation and developing safe preventative and therapeutic interventions for people. Dr. Brenner's work over the years been funded by numerous agencies including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the March of Dimes, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Beckman Foundation, the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Brenner is author of more than 140 publications and was the senior editor of the 2004 book, Oncogenomics: Molecular Approaches to Cancer. Dr. Brenner also serves as a Member of the scientific advisory board and Chief Scientific Advisor to ChromaDex, a global bioscience company dedicated to healthy aging.
Scelta Mushrooms BV is an innovative food company, located in Venlo, Netherlands, which processes mushrooms to make a portfolio of mushroom, and mushroom derived products, that are fresh, frozen, or preserved, for distribution to the food industry, food suppliers, and food retailers around the world. Scelta has grown to a group of six production facilities, with products exported to over 80 countries worldwide, and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most innovative mushroom companies. Jan Klerken is the Founder of Scelta, whose family has been in the mushroom business for three generations, combining over 50 years worth of experience within the mushroom industry, and who has been focusing and pioneering the intersection of taste, health and sustainability for the last few decades. Mr. Klerken is also an Ambassador at Kokkerelli / The Kids University for Cooking, a non-profit initiative which intends to familiarize Dutch children with the wonderful world of food and food innovation. In 2008, Scelta opened up the Scelta Institute, a research and development laboratory for novel, value added opportunities, and a kitchen for chefs to test products and come up with new recipes.
Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos is a Science and Emerging Technology advisor at the U.S. Joint Special Operations University, and previously served as Innovation Advisor for the USSOCOM J5 Donovan Group, where she analyzed strategic trends relevant to Special Operations in the context of emerging technologies. The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Armed Forces. The Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) is the designated agency within USSOCOM to conduct joint Special Operations Force (SOF) education. Dr. Kostopoulos’ work lies in the intersection of national security, strategy, and technology. She forecasts emerging threats around disruptive technologies, participates in the NATO Science for Peace Program, is on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers -USA AI Policy Committee, and has been awarded the U.S. Presidential Service Award for her service to the cybersecurity community. Separate from her work at SOCOM, Dr. Kostopoulos is passionate about social tech awareness, has an art series about AI (#ArtAboutAI ) and released an open source game on technologies that affect humanity called Sapien 2.0. Dr. Kostopoulos is also the Founder of a fashion label called Empowering Workwear by Lydia, which has an agenda to promote awareness for change around women's issues and UN's sustainable development goals. Dr. Kostopoulos is also very focused on wellness and currently exploring epistemic wellness and human performance. Dr. Kostopoulos has a PhD in Political Science & Security Studies from University of Siena, Italy, an M.A. in Security & International Conflict from University of Innsbruck, Austria, and a B.A. in International Relations from American University Sharjah, UAE. Dr. Kostopoulos fluently speaks English, Spanish, Russian, Italian, and Greek.
Dr. Anil Achyuta is an Investment Director and a Founding Member at TDK Ventures, which is a deep-tech corporate venture fund of TDK Corporation, the Japanese multinational electronics company that manufactures electronic materials, electronic components, and recording and data-storage media. Anil is passionate about energy and healthcare sectors as he believes these are the most impactful areas to building a sustainable future – a mission directly in line with TDK Ventures’ goal. At TDK Ventures, Anil has reviewed over 1,050 start-ups and invested in: 1) Autoflight - an electric vertical take-off and landing company, 2) Genetesis - a magnetic imaging-based cardiac diagnostics company, 3) Origin - 3D printing mass manufacturing company, 4) Exo - hand-held 3D ultrasound imaging company, 5) GenCell - ammonia-to-energy hydrogen fuel cell company, 6) Mojo Vision – augmented reality contact lens company, and 7) Battery Resourcers – a direct to cathode lithium ion battery recycling company. From his seven investments, Anil has secured two exits. GenCell IPO’d on Tel Aviv’s Stock Exchange, and Origin was acquired by the #1 3D Printing company in the world, Stratasys, for $100M. Anil was voted as one of the Rising Stars in 2021 by Venture Capital Journal and recently, Anil was ranked #2 Rising Star in 2021 out 20,000 corporate venturing managers globally. Prior to TDK Ventures, Anil held leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies including L'Oréal, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Draper. Anil has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University and has authored over 15 peer-reviewed journal publications and 5 US patents.
Dr. Natasha Bajema, is a subject matter expert in nuclear nonproliferation, cooperative threat reduction and WMD terrorism, and currently serves as Director of the Converging Risks Lab, at The Council on Strategic Risks, a nonprofit, non-partisan security policy institute devoted to anticipating, analyzing and addressing core systemic risks to security in the 21st century, with special examination of the ways in which these risks intersect and exacerbate one another. The Converging Risks Lab (CRL) is a research and policy development-oriented program designed to study converging, cross-sectoral risks in a rapidly-changing world, which brings together experts from multiple sectors of the security community, to ask forward-thinking questions about these converging risks, and to develop anticipatory solutions. Dr. Bajema is also Founder and CEO of Nuclear Spin Cycle, a publishing and production company specializing in national security, entertainment, and publishing. Prior to this, Dr. Bajema was at the Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction at the National Defense University, serving as Director of the Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL), as well as serving long-term detail assignments serving in various capacities in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics, Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs and in Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Bajema was a Research Associate at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University, where she supported research staff of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change established by the UN Secretary-General. She has also served as a Junior Political Officer in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch of the Department for Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations. Dr. Bajema's publications include two co-edited volumes entitled Terrorism and Counterterrorism, and Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, both of which were published by McGraw Hill. She has also published the novels Bionic Bug, Rescind Order, Genomic Data, and Project Gecko. Dr. Bajema holds an M.A. in international policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a PhD in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Dr. Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD, is Senior Vice President, Deputy Director, and Chief Scientific Officer, at Fox Chase Cancer Center (https://www.foxchase.org/) where he coordinates and charts the future course of research for the organization. The Hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center and its affiliates (collectively “Fox Chase Cancer Center”), a member of the Temple University Health System, is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Dr. Chernoff joined the staff in 1991 as an associate member and was promoted to member with tenure in 1996. In 2002 he was promoted to be a senior member in Fox Chase Cancer Center's Basic Science division, the equivalent of a full professor in a university. A molecular oncologist as well as a board-certified medical oncologist, Dr. Chernoff has a special interest in factors that control cell growth and movement, including oncogenes and anticancer or tumor-suppressor genes, and has made fundamental contributions in this research. Dr. Chernoff earned his MD and his PhD in biochemistry in 1984 at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University Health Center of Pittsburgh and a clinical fellowship in medical oncology at Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. He then held a postdoctoral fellowship in cellular and developmental biology at Harvard University before coming to Fox Chase. In recognition of his national reputation in molecular oncology and biochemistry, Dr. Chernoff also holds the Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology.
Colonel (Ret) Rosendo “Ross” Guieb, is the Executive Director of the new $200-million George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC) on the Rellis Campus at Texas A&M University. The BCDC was developed to support the Army’s desire for a faster procurement process, hoping to take advantage of technology advances at the rates enjoyed by the commercial and private sectors. The BCDC will include the largest enclosed-tube test facility in the U.S. for hypersonic and laser technologies and expansive laboratories and outdoor test grounds for evaluating experimental ground and air vehicles. Colonel Guieb recently retired from the U.S. Army after serving 29 years and most recently had served as a senior member and executive officer to General John M. Murray, the first commanding general of the Army Futures Command (AFC) which leads transformation of Army modernization in order to provide future war fighters with the concepts, capabilities and organizational structures they need to dominate a future battlefield. Colonel Guieb served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan in addition to a brigade command at Fort Hood, TX and multiple deployments in Honduras and Panama. He also worked at the Pentagon, where he was executive officer to then-under-secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, who also served as the 24th secretary of the Army. Colonel Guieb has a bachelors in international relations and affairs, and multiple master degrees including in education, national security policy, and business administration.
Dr. Morten Scheibye-Knudsen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and at the Center for Healthy Aging (CEHA), at the University of Copenhagen. Dr. Scheibye-Knudsen did his MD at the University of Copenhagen and worked briefly as a physician in Denmark and Greenland before turning to science. He did his post-doctoral fellowship at Vilhelm Bohr’s lab at the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, USA, where he utilized state-of-the art approaches to understand how DNA damage contributes to aging, discovering that neurodegeneration in several premature aging diseases is partly caused by hyperactivation of a DNA damage responsive enzyme called polyADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). This activation leads to loss of vital metabolites such as Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and acetyl-CoA. Importantly, this discovery facilitated the realization that we can intervene in the aging process by inhibiting PARP1, augmenting NAD+ levels and increasing acetyl-CoA. In his own lab Dr. Scheibye-Knudsen continues to focus on understanding aging by combining machine learning based approaches with wet-lab analyses with the goal of developing interventions for age-associated diseases and perhaps aging itself. Dr. Scheibye-Knudsen is Chief Editor, Frontiers in Aging, and an Advisory Board Member of the Longevity Vision Fund and Molecule Protocol.
Dr. Jonna Mazet, DVM, MPVM, PhD, is a Professor of Epidemiology and Disease Ecology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Founding Executive Director of the UC Davis One Health Institute, and Vice Provost For Grand Challenges At UC Davis. Additionally, Dr. Mazet in on the Steering Committee of the Global Virome Project, Principal Investigator of the PREDICT project, Chair, National Academies’ One Health Action Collaborative, and Co-Vice Chair, UC Global Health Institute Board of Directors. Dr. Mazet's work focuses on global health problem solving for emerging infectious diseases and conservation challenges. She is active in international One Health education, service, and research programs, most notably in relation to pathogen emergence; disease transmission among wildlife, domestic animals, and people; and the ecological drivers of novel disease dynamics. Currently, Dr. Mazet is the Co-Director of the US Agency for International Development’s One Health Workforce – Next Generation, an $85 million educational strengthening project to empower professionals in Central/East Africa and Southeast Asia to address complex and emerging health threats, including antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic diseases. Dr. Mazet is the Principal Investigator of, and served as the Global Director of, the PREDICT Project for 10 years, a greater than $200 million viral emergence early warning project under USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats Division, which served as an early-warning system-strengthening effort aimed at finding emerging viruses before they spread to humans. Dr. Mazet was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in 2013 in recognition of her successful and innovative approach to emerging environmental and global health threats, and serves on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Forum on Microbial Threats and chairs the Academies’ One Health Action Collaborative. She was appointed to the National Academies Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats, which was created to assist the federal government with critical science and policy issues related to the COVID-19 crisis and other emerging health threats.
Jacob Walthour, Jr. is the CEO and Co-Founder of the investment firm Blueprint Capital Advisors, which offers investment advisory and portfolio management services, managing $1.2 billion of clients wealth. Mr. Walthour has over 30 years of experience in capital markets, traditional and alternative asset management. Prior to founding Blueprint, Mr. Walthour served as Vice Chairman of Product and Business Development at the investment management division of Cowen & Company, also serving on the firm’s Management Committee. Previously, Mr. Walthour served as Managing Director of Cliffwater LLC, a leading provider of alternatives consulting, serving on the firm’s Investment Committee and responsible for client consulting. Prior to joining Cliffwater, Mr. Walthour was a Partner and Managing Director at Citadel Investment Group where he managed the firm’s North American distribution effort. Mr. Walthour received his BA cum laude from the Nelson Rockefeller School at the State University of New York at Albany. Mr. Walthour serves on several corporate boards including Parkview Capital Credit, Inc., Transportation Demand Management LLC. and chaired Ebony Media Holdings through its recent sale. He has also served, or is currently serving, on the boards of several non-profit and philanthropic organizations including the Investment Committee for $7 billion Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropy, the Investment Subcommittee of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, as a Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights, Trustee for the New York Foundation for the Arts, Director of New York Cares and Trustee of the ECLC School for children and adults with learning disabilities. Mr. Walthour has been a frequent speaker at pension, hedge fund, and alternative investment conferences, and has been featured on CNBC and contributed to a variety of articles in Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, Institutional Investor Alpha, and Bloomberg.
Dr. Julie Fratantoni is a cognitive neuroscientist at the Center for BrainHealth (https://brainhealth.utdallas.edu/), part of the University of Texas at Dallas. At the center, Dr. Fratantoni is the Head of Operations for a landmark research study called The BrainHealth Project, which is all about teaching people strategies for how to maximize their brain performance, and it’s her focus to educate and train individuals to operate at their highest capacity, reduce stress, achieve their goals, and be the best version of themselves. Dr. Fratantoni also leads the center’s Kindness Enterprise, a research and translational program seeking to uncover and harness the brain’s capacity for kindness, empathy, and compassion as critical components of overall brain health and well-being. Dr. Fratantoni is also a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, board certified in biofeedback, and trained in mindfulness and breathing techniques. Dr. Fratantoni has a PhD Communication Sciences and Disorders, and an MS in Communication Disorders from The University of Texas at Dallas and a BS Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from University of Arizona.
Nora Super is the Senior Director of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging (CFA) (https://milkeninstitute.org/centers/c...) and the Executive Director of the Milken Institute Alliance to Improve Dementia Care (https://milkeninstitute.org/centers/c...). Mr. Super provides strategic direction for the two primary focus areas of CFA: Financial Wellness and Healthy Longevity, and oversees data-driven research, meaningful policy initiatives, and impactful convenings around the world. Launched in 2020, the Alliance to Improve Dementia Care seeks to transform and improve the complex health and long-term care systems that people at risk for and living with dementia must navigate. Ms. Super studied political science at Tulane University and completed her master’s degree in public administration, with a concentration in health policy, at George Washington University, and is a respected thought leader, frequent speaker, and prolific writer on healthy longevity and the economic and social impact of global population aging. In 2019, she authored two major reports: “Reducing the Cost and Risk of Dementia: Recommendations to Improve Brain Health and Decrease Disparities” and “Age-Forward Cities for 2030.” Before joining the Milken Institute, Ms. Super held several key leadership roles in the public and private sectors. In 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Super Executive Director of the White House Conference on Aging, where she received wide recognition for her nationwide efforts to improve the lives of older Americans. In 2015, Ms. Super was recognized as one of America’s top 50 “Influencers in Aging” by PBS Next Avenue and was the Honoree for Outstanding Service to Medicare Beneficiaries by the Medicare Rights Center. Ms. Super has also held leadership roles at the US Department of Health and Human Services, AARP, Kaiser Permanente, and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Ms. Super serves on several boards, including the Long-Term Quality Alliance, the Brain Health Partnership Advisory Board, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Advisory Committee on Improving Care Delivery for Individuals with Serious Illness, the Better Medicare Alliance Beneficiary Education Technical Advisory Council, the Brookings Institution and Kellogg School of Management Retirement Security Advisory Board, Columbia University Medical Center’s Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program Steering Committee, Retirement Income Institute’s Scholars Advisory Group, and Gerontological Society of America’s Policy and Aging Report Editorial Board and Reframing Aging Initiative Advisory Board.
Dr. Jamie L. Wells, MD, FAAP, is an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, where she has been involved in helping to spearhead the nation's first-degree program focused on pediatric engineering, innovation, and medical advancement. She just co-authored an article in the journal Artificial Organs on this newly emerging applied science. Dr. Wells is an award-winning Board-certified pediatrician with many years of experience caring for patients. With her BA with Honors from Yale, and her MD from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, where she was President of the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society, she has served as a Clinical Instructor/Attending at NYU Langone, Mt. Sinai-Beth Israel and St. Vincent's Medical Centers in Manhattan. Dr. Wells also serves as Director of the Research Science Institute (RSI), at the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE), a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, collaboratively sponsored with MIT which brings together top U.S. and international high school students for an intensive, six-week summer program that provides students with the opportunity to conduct original, cutting-edge research. Dr. Wells is on the leadership council of the Wistar Institute (the USA's first independent biomedical research facility and certified cancer center), an Ambassador in Healthcare for the Global Blockchain Business Council, was a grant reviewer for the Susan G. Komen Community Grants Program, judged both the local, district and world robotics championships for Dean Kamen’s F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology) nonprofit and is the President and Founder of the Yale Alumni Health Network (YAHN). Dr. Wells has a proven track record of success in communications on various platforms (e.g. BBC, Reuters TV, Fox News Channel, Discovery Health), routinely appearing as a medical expert and has published over 400 articles as director of medicine for an educational advocacy nonprofit. Dr. Wells has broad ranging interests in patient safety and optimizing care delivery, bioethics, public health and policy, science communications, med-tech innovation, diagnosis and management of disease, identifying healthcare trends, bridging interdisciplinary knowledge gaps to prevent medical error and expedite discovery, thought integration of clinical practice and biomedical engineering approaches with an emphasis on patient-centered design, debunking medical myths and pediatrics.
Dr. Mary "Missy" Cummings, is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at the Pratt School of Engineering, at Duke University, the Duke Institute of Brain Sciences, and is the Director of the Humans and Autonomy Laboratory and Duke Robotics. Dr. Cummings received her B.S. in Mathematics from the US Naval Academy in 1988, her M.S. in Space Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1994, and her Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2004. Dr.. Cummings was one of the Navy's first female fighter pilots earning the rank of lieutenant and serving as naval officer and military pilot from 1988-1999. Dr. Cummings research interests include human-unmanned vehicle interaction, human-autonomous system collaboration, human-systems engineering, public policy implications of unmanned vehicles, and the ethical and social impact of technology. Dr. Cummings is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow, a member of their Board of Trustees, the Defense Innovation Advisory Board, and Veoneer, Inc. Board of Directors. Dr. Cummings previously served as an instructor for the U.S. Navy at Pennsylvania State University, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech in their Engineering Fundamentals Division, and an associate professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Cummings is also an accomplished author with her book Hornet's Nest: The Experiences of One of the Navy's First Female Fighter Pilots.
Dr. Patrick D. Bangert, is Vice President of AI, and heads the AI Engineering and AI Sciences teams, at Samsung SDS. Samsung SDS is a subsidiary of the Samsung Group, which provides information technology (IT) services, and are active in research and development of emerging IT technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, Internet of things (IoT) and Engineering Outsourcing. Dr. Bangert is responsible for the Brightics AI Accelerator, a distributed ML training and automated ML product, and for X.insights, a data center intelligence platform. Among his other responsibilities, Dr. Bangert acts as a visionary for the future of AI at Samsung. Before joining Samsung, Dr. Bangert spent 15 years as CEO at Algorithmica Technologies, a machine learning software company serving the chemicals and oil and gas industries. Prior to that, he was assistant professor of applied mathematics at Jacobs University in Germany, as well as a researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. Bangert obtained his machine learning PhD in mathematics and his Masters in theoretical physics from University College London. A German native, Dr. Bangert grew up in Malaysia and the Philippines, and later lived in the UK, Austria, Nepal and USA. He has done business in many countries and believes that AI must serve humanity beyond mere automation of routine tasks. Dr. Bangert is also an accomplished author, having written two books including - Machine Learning and Data Science in the Oil and Gas Industry: Best Practices, Tools, and Case Studies and Optimization for Industrial Problems Dr. Bangert also attended the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies where he achieved a Master of Tibetan Psychology and Philosophy.
Donna Butts is the Executive Director of Generations United, an organization with a mission to improve the lives of children, youth, and older people through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs for the enduring benefit of all, a position she has held since 1997. For more than 30 years, Ms. Butts has worked tirelessly to promote the well-being of children, youth and older adults through nonprofit organizations across the country and around the world. She began her career in her home state of Oregon as a youth worker with the YWCA, where she worked one-on-one with teens and saw the positive effects of intergenerational programs firsthand. Ms. Butts has held leadership positions with Covenant House, a New York-based international youth serving organization, and the National 4-H Council. She served as the Executive Director for the National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention before taking the helm of Generations United. An internationally sought-after speaker, author and advocate, Ms. Butts frequently speaks on intergenerational connections, grandparents raising grandchildren and policies effective across the lifespan. Her commentary has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal. She has been interviewed on the TODAY Show, National Public Radio and ABC News, and was invited by the United Nations to sit on four expert panels most recently on intergenerational solidarity and social cohesion in preparation for the 2014 20th anniversary of the International Year or the Family. In 2004, Ms. Butts was honored with the National Council on Aging’s Jack Ossofsky for Leadership, Creativity, and Innovation in Programs and Services for Older Persons. She served as a 2005 delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. A respected author, she has written countless articles, chapters and publications regarding the welfare of children, youth and older adults. Ms. Butts received her undergraduate degree from Marylhurst College and is a graduate of Stanford University’s Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders. She is a former chair of the board of the International Consortium of Intergenerational Programmes (ICIP) and serves on the board of the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships. She was recognized three years in a row (2012, 2013 and 2014) by The Nonprofit Times as one of the Top 50 most powerful and influential nonprofit executives in the nation. In 2015, Ms. Butts was named one of the Top 50 Influencers in Aging by Next Avenue. Under her leadership, Generations United received the 2015 Eisner Prize for Excellence in Intergenerational Advocacy. Recently she was honored with one of the 2017 International Federation for Family Development Awards.
Captain (Ret) Dr. Roger Herbert, Ph.D. is the Robert T. Herres Distinguished Military Professor of Ethics at the United States Naval Academy. A 1983 graduate of Davidson College, Captain Herbert holds a Master of Arts in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School (1992), a Master of Science in National Security Studies from the National War College (2005), and a Ph.D. in International Relations and Political Theory from the University of Virginia (2016). Captain Herbert received his commission through Officer Candidate School in 1984. He graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Class 131 in 1985 and reported to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO (a SEAL team that specializes in undersea operations) for his first operational assignment in Naval Special Warfare. His operational tours include SEAL Platoon Commander assignments at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO, SEAL Team EIGHT, and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He served as Operations Officer of SEAL Team EIGHT, Executive Officer of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO, and Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Commander at SEAL Team TWO. Captain Herbert was privileged to serve as Commanding Officer of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO, Naval Special Warfare Unit THREE (Naval Special Warfare’s forward command in the Middle East), and the Naval Special Warfare Center (Naval Special Warfare’s training command). Shore Assignments include Executive Assistant to Deputy Commander, United States Naval Forces Europe, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Information Operations, the Joint Staff, and United States Special Operations Command’s liaison to the United States Coast Guard. Captain Herbert is also a backpacking instructor for National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and, prior to joining the Naval Academy faculty, served as Head of School for The Outdoor Academy, a semester school for high-achieving teens that focuses on character education, experiential learning, and leadership development.
Dr. Lee Chae, Ph.D., is a Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Brightseed, a novel life sciences company, merging the tools of plant biology and artificial intelligence, with a goal of enabling a healthier future by re-illuminating and re-activating the connections between people and plants. Dr. Chae is a seasoned R&D technology developer and has designed advanced discovery methodologies for food technology, agricultural biotech, bio-medicine, and synthetic biology. He has been a principal scientist of multiple discoveries, including machine-learning driven discovery of novel nutritional bio-actives in plants and computationally guided identification of plant-based proteins for food. With as Ph.D in Plant Biology, Computational and Genomic Biology, from University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Chae was also a founding member of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute, and did Post-Doctoral Research at the Carnegie Institution at Stanford. Prior to Brightseed, Dr. Chae served as the VP of R&D at Hampton Creek, a company developing and marketing plant-based alternatives to conventionally-produced food products.
Every year, 800,000 babies are born extremely preterm (defined as less than 28 weeks of age) worldwide. These infants are usually transferred to an air-based neonatal intensive care unit to support their heart and lung development. Exposure to air, however, leads to many complications, because the lungs are not fully developed yet. An artificial uterus, or artificial womb, is a device that would allow for extra-corporeal pregnancy, by supporting the growth of a fetus outside the body of an organism that would normally carry the fetus to term. Juno Perinatal Healthcare (https://www.junoperinatalhealthcare.com/) is a fascinating Dutch neonatal healthcare start-up which has a mission of developing a novel, alternative environment, similar to the mother’s womb, where extremely premature babies could be transferred, where the lungs remain filled with fluid and the umbilical cord will be attached to an artificial placenta to improve their organ development and ease the transition to newborn life. Juno Perinatal Healthcare is a companion project to a interdisciplinary consortium known as the Perinatal Life Support (PLS) Project (https://perinatallifesupport.eu/), a consortium of three European universities, Aachen, Milan and Eindhoven, to establish the first ex-vivo fetal maturation system for clinical use. The PLS project, coordinated by the Eindhoven University of Technology brings together world-leading experts in obstetrics, neonatology, industrial design, mathematical modelling, ex-vivo organ support, and non-invasive fetal monitoring. The PLS consortium is led by professor Frans van de Vosse and Professor Dr Guid Oei. In 2020, the spin off Juno Perinatal Healthcare was set up by engineers Jasmijn Kok and Lyla Kok. Ms. Jasmijn Kok, our guest on today's show, is the founder of Nanny Nina International, an online nanny service in 24 cities operating in the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium. She has a degree in architectural engineering from TU Delft.
Dr. Brian Kennedy is Distinguished Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Director of National University Health System (NUHS) Centre for Healthy Ageing, Singapore, Professor, Buck Institute for Research on Ageing, Adjunct Professor, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, USC, and Affiliate Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington. With a Ph.D. in Biology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), research in the Kennedy lab is directed at understanding the biology of ageing and translating research discoveries into new ways of delaying, detecting, preventing and treating human ageing and associated diseases. Current research projects in Dr. Kennedy's lab include systems biology strategies to understand ageing and murine longevity studies and disease models. Dr. Kennedy has published over 80 manuscripts in prestigious journals including Cell, Nature, Science, Genes & Development, and PNAS and serves as a Co-Editor-In-Chief at Aging Cell.
Disclaimer - COL Dr. Barnes’ remarks are personal views and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Defense, the United States Army, the United States Military Academy, or any other department or agency of the United States Government. COL Dr. David Barnes is Professor, United States Military Academy (USMA) and Deputy Head of the Department of English and Philosophy, West Point, NY. COL Dr. Barnes concurrently serves as the Chief AI Ethics Officer for the US Army’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force, advising the Army on incorporating ethics, law, and policy into Army AI design, development, testing, and employment, and in this capacity has provided assistance to the Joint AI Center (JAIC), Defense Innovation Board (DIB), National Security Commission on AI, OSD Autonomy Community of Interest, and others. COL Dr. Barnes' research interests include normative and applied ethics, especially the ethics of war and the ethics of emerging technology. He is a DARPA Senior AI Ethics Advisor, a Senior Advisor for the JAIC Responsible AI Subcommittee, and a Research Fellow at the Stockholm Centre for the Ethics of War and Peace. COL Dr. Barnes is a member of the Editorial Boards for AI and Ethics and the Journal of Military Ethics, and he serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Military Ethics (ISME). COL Dr. Barnes is the author of The Ethics of Military Privatization: The US Armed Contractor Phenomenon.
According to the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 20 million American adults battled a full-fledged substance use disorder in 2017. Drug abuse and addiction cost American society more than $740 billion annually in lost workplace productivity, healthcare expenses, and crime-related costs. Mr. Dan Addario spent 3 decades with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), rising to the role of Special Agent in Charge, the highest-ranking field agent for the DEA under five presidents, heading up anti-drug operations in 13 countries throughout South American, South East Asia, as well as in the U.S. Dan started his career in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first narcotics undercover agents in 1954 and was involved in the capture of some of the world’s most notorious drug lords, and was even on scene when Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega was captured by US forces. Dan's list of accomplishments consists of, but is not limited to: - A cultivation of the U.S. strategic relationship with the Panamanian leader, Manuel Noriega, who at the time, was head of police in Panama and fighting the war on drugs with the U.S. , - The chase and capture Auguste Joseph Ricord, the French-Corsican heroin trafficker and one of the founding members of the French Connection, immortalized in the 1970s Gene Hackman movie, - Infiltrating the center of the “Golden Triangle” opium empire of Burmese opium king Khun Sa, - The major drug bust, round up and arrest of dozens of Hell’s Angels, including their head Sonny Barger - The destruction of a dozen of drug guru Timothy Leary’s LSD labs - The drug arrest Ray Charles - Working with special counsel Robert Mueller, Frank Sinatra, and Watergate figures including John Dean and Gordon Liddy Sadly, in 1993 the very scourge he was battling came home and was responsible for taking the life of his son Daniel due to opiate addiction. After he retired from the DEA, Mr. Addario spent some time in the news business working for a San Francisco news station. He has recently published a book entitled "Chasing the Dragon: How to Win the War on Drugs" where is recounts his long history and experience as well as puts forth a range of new ideas as the drug war continues in this millennium.
Dr. Shawna Pandya MD, is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, physician, aquanaut, speaker, martial artist, advanced diver, skydiver, and pilot-in-training. Dr. Pandya is also the VP of Immersive Medicine with the virtual reality healthcare company, Luxsonic Technologies, Director of the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS)/PoSSUM Space Medicine Group, Chief Instructor of the IIAS/PoSSUM Operational Space Medicine course, Director of Medical Research at Orbital Assembly Construction (a company building the world's first rotating space station providing the first artificial gravity habitat), clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta, podcast host with the World Extreme Medicine’s WEMCast series, Primary Investigator (PI) for the Shad Canada-Blue Origin student micro-gravity competition, member of the ASCEND 2021 Guiding Coalition, Life Sciences Team Lead for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals, sesional lecturer for the “Technology and the Future of Medicine,” course at the University of Alberta, and Fellow of the Explorers’ Club. Dr. Pandya also serves as medical advisor to several space, medical and technology companies, including Mission: Space Food, Gennesys and Aquanauta, as well as the Jasper Dark Sky Festival Advisory Committee. Dr. Pandya holds a Bsc degree in neuroscience from University of Alberta, a MSc in Space Studies from International Space University, an MD from University of Alberta, and a certification in entrepreneurship from the Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University. Dr. Pandya is currently completing a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine (Academy of Wilderness Medicine), was granted an Honorary Fellowship in Extreme and Wilderness Medicine by the World Extreme Medicine organization in 2021, and was one of 50 physicians selected to attend the 2021 European Space Agency Space Medicine Physician Training Course. Dr. Pandya was named one of the Women’s Executive Network’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada in 2021, and a Canadian Space Agency Space Ambassador in 2021. Dr. Pandya was part of the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in zero-gravity in 2015. Dr. Pandya earned her aquanaut designation during the 2019 NEPTUNE (Nautical Experiments in Physiology, Technology and Underwater Exploration) mission. She previously served as Commander during a 2020 tour at the Mars Desert Research Station. Her expeditions were captured in the Land Rover short, released with the Apollo 11: First Steps film. She previously interned at ESA’s European Astronaut Center and NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Dr. Pandya's publications include book chapters on space spin-offs for medical benefit, psychological resilience in long-duration spaceflight, and reproduction and sexuality in long-duration spaceflight. In 2019, Dr. Pandya’s career and trajectory were captured at the Ontario Science Center’s “Canadian Women in Space,” exhibit, where Dr. Pandya is permanently exhibited alongside Dr. Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space (and Dr. Pandya’s idol growing up).
Dr. Hassan A. Tetteh, MD, is the Health Mission Chief, at the Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, serving to advance the objectives of the DoD AI Strategy, and improve war fighter healthcare and readiness with artificial intelligence implementations. Dr. Tetteh is also an Associate Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, adjunct faculty at Howard University College of Medicine, a Thoracic Staff Surgeon for MedStar Health and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and leads a Specialized Thoracic Adapted Recovery (STAR) Team, in Washington, DC, where his research in thoracic transplantation aims to expand heart and lung recovery and save lives. In the past, Dr. Tetteh has served as Chief Medical Informatics Officer, United States Navy, and Division Lead for Futures and Innovation at Navy Medicine’s Headquarters, a Command Surgeon for the National Defense University, and as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow, assigned to the U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, (CBO). Dr. Tetteh served as Ship’s Surgeon and Director of Surgical Services for the USS Carl Vinson, deployed as a trauma surgeon to Afghanistan’s Helmand and Nimroz provinces, and has supported special joint forces missions to South America, the Middle East, the South Pacific, Australia, and Africa. He earned both the Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer and Fleet Marine Force Qualified Officer designations, and his military honors include two Meritorious Service Medals and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Dr. Tetteh is also an accomplished author, including the novel “Gifts of the Heart”, "Star Patrol" (co-authored with his son Edmund Tetteh), as well as “The Art of Human Care” and "The Art of Human Care for COVID-19" (illustrated by his daughter Ella Bleue), and has published numerous articles on surgical innovation, health information technology, ethics, wounded warriors, and process improvement. He also serves on the board of directors for the Brooklyn, New York based Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, Fayetteville, Arkansas based Champions for Kids, and Miriam’s Kitchen, a Washington, D.C. based nonprofit that works to end chronic homelessness. Dr. Tetteh received his B.S. from State University of New York (SUNY), his M.D. from SUNY Downstate Medical Center, his M.P.A. from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, and M.S. in National Security Strategy with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence from the National War College. He completed his thoracic surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota and advanced cardiac surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Tetteh is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management, board certified in thoracic surgery, general surgery, clinical informatics, and healthcare management, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Prof Dr. Raheel Qamar, is a Tenured Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Former Rector at the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS University - Islamabad), an international organization aiming to reduce the growing gap between the developed and developing world through useful applications of science and technology. Prof. Qamar is also the current Head of the Directorate of Science and Technology, of The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO - Rabat, Morocco), which is an international non-profit organization emanating from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, specializing in the fields of education, science and culture. The Directorate of Science and Technology focuses on overcoming the challenges of the Islamic world, by promoting the adoption of modern technologies, acquisition or improvement of competences in new technologies at all levels, use of new tools and methods for knowledge based development and growth, fostering technology based economy, bridging the gender gap in science and technology, promoting sustainable natural resource management and environmental governance, and strengthening the resilience and preparedness for the natural disasters and climate change impacts. The Directorate engages national and international partners from academic communities, scientific institutions, governments, international organizations, national policy making bodies and civil society to address these challenges, and strengthen the solidarity among stakeholders by developing strong networks for engagement, collaboration and interaction to share expertise, techniques and tools. Prof. Qamar's research specialization includes Enzymology, Population & Molecular Genetics and Molecular Pathology, and is particularly interested in searching for the molecular basis of all forms of inherited diseases in the Pakistani populations. After obtaining an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Peshawar, Prof. Qamar worked as a Scientific Officer at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan. He then proceeded to the USA to work on his Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of North Texas, as well as a Research Associate at the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Worth. Before joining COMSATS, Prof. Qamar served at Dr. A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories as a Senior and Principal Scientific Officer, worked for a while with Dr. Chris Tyler-Smith at the Department of Biochemistry, at Oxford, and as Research Director of Shifa College of Medicine.
Progress, Potential, And Possibilities has the honor of being joined today by Emmy Award winning Television Commentator, Radio Personality, and Newspaper Columnist, Mr. Juan Williams. Mr. Williams has been a Fox News Contributor since 1997 (including being a member of the nightly, current issue discussion show known as The Five), writes for several newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and has been published in magazines such as The Atlantic Monthly and Time. Mr. Williams was a senior news analyst for National Public Radio for 11 years and was at The Washington Post for 23 years, working as an editorial writer, op-ed columnist, White House correspondent and national correspondent. Mr. Williams is an accomplished author with multiple books including Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary, Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, and We the People: The Modern-Day Figures Who Have Reshaped and Affirmed the Founding Fathers' Vision of America. Mr. Williams has been active on his Alma matter’s (Haverford College) Board of Managers, in the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program, in the Washington Journalism Center, and sits on the Board of Directors of the New York Civil Rights Coalition. Mr. Williams also serves as a Strategic Advisor to Generations United, an organization with a mission to improve the lives of children, youth, and older people through inter-generational collaboration, public policies, and programs.
An estimated 40% of all global produce is wasted due to spoilage that occurs before it ever reaches consumers’ grocery bags. And this loss, not only represents loss due to quality or ripeness standards that consumers desire, but also a significant impact on global emissions and fresh water supplies that it took to produce and transport that produce, representing a combined figure of US$1 Trillion annually. Katherine Sizov is the Founder of Strella Biotechnology (https://www.strellabiotech.com/), a company that builds novel bio-sensing platforms that can predict the ripeness of fruit and ultimately use this information to optimize supply chains by reducing food waste and increasing produce margins. Strella won the 2019 President’s Innovation Prize (PIP) award from University of Pennsylvania, the grand prize at the Arizona State University Innovation Open, and the Venture Award at O3 World’s 1682 conference, and is recently is coming off of a US$3.3 million seed round with some very prominent institutional investors, including Marc Cuban Companies, Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley, and Catapult Ventures. Katherine studied Molecular Biology and Chemistry, as well as Engineering Entrepreneurship, at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bawa Jain is a visionary leader in the interfaith movement throughout the world. Mr. Jain is Founder and President of The Centre for Responsible Leadership (https://www.thecrl.org/), a non-profit organization dedicated to assembling global thought leaders to find concrete solutions to the major challenges plaguing our world today. Mr. Jain is also the Chairman of the World Youth Peace Summit, which brings together dynamic young leaders who share the dream of peace, organizing Youth Peace Conferences and facilitating a worldwide network that links active young people, and the Secretary General of the World Council of Religious Leaders, an independent body, working to bring religious resources to support the work of the United Nations in a common quest for peace. Mr. Jain Co-Founded the Religious Initiative of The World Economic Forum, Founded The Gandhi King Awards for Non-Violence, and launched World Council of Religious Leader's Religion One on One Initiative and is a strong proponent of Religious Diplomacy. In addition to these activities, Mr. Jain's visionary contribution to the betterment of humanity is found in other programs that he inaugurated or has worked with , including The World Movement for Nonviolence, which fosters the practices and principles of non-violence in daily life, the Season for Nonviolence, involved in non-violence youth programs, and the Interfaith Center of New York, where he served as Vice President. In response to the requests of UN Agencies and governments, Mr. Jain travels around the world to speak on religious diplomacy, spirituality, religion, and peace. He is published and has been the recipient of numerous awards.
Dr. Suzan Murray, D.V.M., D.A.C.Z.M. is a board-certified zoo veterinarian at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) and serves as both the Program Director of the Global Health Program and as SCBI’s chief wildlife veterinary medical officer. Dr. Murray leads an interdisciplinary team engaged in worldwide efforts to address health issues in endangered wildlife and combat emerging infectious diseases of global significance, including zoonotic diseases. Dr. Murray also acts as the Smithsonian liaison to the Foreign Animal Disease Threat and Pandemic Preparedness subcommittees of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology. Dr. Murray’s work focuses on providing clinical care to free-ranging wildlife, pathogen detection, advanced diagnostics, training of international veterinarians and other health professionals, capacity building, and collaboration in infectious disease research at the human-wildlife-domestic animal interface. She previously served as chief veterinarian for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and has a wealth of clinical knowledge and experience with wildlife and zoo animals both free-ranging and in human care. Dr. Murray earned a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, completed her veterinary degree from Tufts University, and after a surgical internship, she completed a residency in zoological medicine at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and became a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (DACZM) in 2000. Dr. Murray has been either the principle investigator or co-principle investigator on several research grants including Morris Animal Foundation, Smithsonian Endowment, Smithsonian Women’s Committee, and James Bond Funds.
Dr. Ellen de Brabander, is Senior Vice President, Research and Development, at PepsiCo, the American multinational food, snack, and beverage company. Dr. de Brabander has broad set of responsibilities at Pepsico and currently leads their global R&D functions including the Food Safety, Quality, Strategy & Portfolio Management, and their Sensory and Regulatory Affairs teams. She also leads their R&D Digital Transformation initiatives to transform the innovation process to bring new, innovative products to the market. Dr. de Brabander is also a member of the board of governors at the New York Academy of Sciences and has served as Treasurer and board member International Life Science Institute of North America, an organization that brings together scientists from government, academia and industry to uphold the scientific integrity and objectivity of nutrition and food safety science in order to ethically improve food systems for the betterment of public health. Additionally, Dr. de Brabander has also served as the interim and founding CEO of EIT Food (part of the EU’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology), which is a unique $1.5 Billion Euro innovation consortium with more than 50 partners from industry and academia, focused on transforming the food sector by designing and delivering unique and high impact research, innovation, business creation and education programs. Dr. de Brabander has worked in a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, health/nutrition, coatings and chemicals. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Dr. de Brabander was chief scientific officer and global head of research, development and regulatory affairs for Merial Limited, where she led a global team to discover and develop innovative animal health products for companion and production animals. Prior to her role at Merial, she held executive R&D, regulatory, business strategy and program management positions at Intervet, and specialty chemical company DSM. Dr. de Brabander earned her PhD cum laude in bio-organic chemistry from Leiden University in The Netherlands and completed post-doctoral work in molecular biology at MIT with Nobel Laureate H.G. Khorana. Her PhD was awarded as best PhD for natural sciences from Leiden University (1990; Kock award); she has also been awarded a Golden Medal from the Royal Dutch Chemical Society. In 2020 she was given the US Power 50 award.
Irakli Beridze is the Head of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). With a Master’s Degree in International Relations and National Security Studies, and a law degree, Mr. Beridze has more than 20 years of experience in leading multilateral negotiations, developing stakeholder engagement programs with governments, UN agencies, international organizations, private industry and corporations, think tanks, civil society, foundations, academia, and other partners on an international level. Mr. Beridze advises governments and international organizations on numerous issues related to international security, scientific and technological developments, emerging technologies, innovation and disruptive potential of new technologies, particularly on the issue on crime prevention, criminal justice and security, and is now actively focused on supporting government’s worldwide on the strategies, action plans, roadmaps and policy papers on Artificial Intelligence. Since 2014, Mr. Beridze has initiated and managed one of the first United Nations Programs on AI, initiating and organizing a number of high-level events at the United Nations General Assembly, and other international organizations, finding synergies with traditional threats and risks, as well as identifying solutions that AI can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Mr. Beridze is a member of various international task forces, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Artificial Intelligence Council, the UN High-level panel for digital cooperation, and the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence of the European Commission. He frequently lectures and speaks on subjects related to technological development, exponential technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics and international security, has numerous publications in international journals and magazines and is frequently quoted in the media on the issues related to AI. Mr. Beridze is an International Gender Champion supporting the IGC Panel Parity Pledge. Prior to joining UNICRI he served as a special projects officer at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) undertaking extensive missions in politically sensitive areas around the globe, and contributed to global anti-terrorism efforts to fight against chemical terrorism and was recipient of recognition on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Tessy Antony De Nassau is a Social Entrepreneur, Business Woman, Philanthropist, Advocate, Public Speaker, Activist, Mother, and Jazz Aficionado (https://www.instagram.com/tessy_from_luxembourg/?hl=en). Tessy is founder and partner of the Global consultancy Finding Butterflies Consulting LTD (http://findingbutterflies.com/), co-founder of the fashion brand Human Highness (https://www.human-highness.com/), host of the podcast series Tessy Antony de Nassau’s Zoom O’Clock, and an associate at LSEideas at the London School of Economics. Tessy actively promotes a number of issues, including global health and women’s rights and serves as a UNAIDS Global Advocate for Young Women and Adolescent Girls and is a patron to United Nations Association – UK. Her commitments to education can be seen in her Foundation, Professors Without Borders, which brings top level educators and global experts to the doorsteps of students worldwide, in order to develop talent. In the past, Tessy spent five years in the Luxembourg military, during which she was deployed in Kosovo as a peacekeeper and only woman of her draft. Tessy received the Woman of the Decade award from the Women Economic Forum, the Mrongovius Medal for humanitarian involvement, the Global Empowerment Award for her work in Africa, named “Leader of the Year 2019” by the Leadership Academy in Luxembourg, and received an Honorary Doctorate from the Paris College of Arts in 2019 to recognize her work in the domain of education. Tessy has been an active member of the Luxembourg “Groupe de Support Psychologique” (GSP) for the past five years, and was awarded in 2020 the Freedom of the City of London for her humanitarian work and her work in education worldwide. Tessy graduated from Richmond, The American International University in London with a B.A. in International Relations, where she wrote her thesis on the rise of nationalism in Europe. She earned her master’s degree from SOAS, University of London in Institutions and Diplomacy where she wrote her masters thesis on Biological Terrorism. Additionally Tessy has a trauma psychologist certification, and a Teaching Assistant certification. She holds certifications in sustainable business from Harvard Business School Online and a Pandemics and Epidemics from the University of California.
Ms. Stephanie Stuckey is an American businesswoman, environmental lawyer, former 14-year member of the Georgia House of Representatives, former Director of Sustainability and Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Atlanta, and the current CEO of the Stuckey's Corporation (https://stuckeys.com/), a roadside convenience store chain found on highways throughout the United States, concentrated in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest, although operations have existed as far east as Connecticut, and as far west as Oregon. Ms. Stuckey received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia. A cum laude graduate from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1992, she served as a public defender and then went into private practice before being elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 1999. Ms. Stuckey served as a State Representative from the Decatur area for 14 years, during which time she was a member of the Judiciary and Natural Resources Committees. She then went on to serve as Executive Director of GreenLaw, an Atlanta-based public interest law firm dedicated to giving Georgia’s environment its day in court. In May 2015, she was appointed by Mayor Kasim Reed to be Director of Sustainability for the City of Atlanta. In November 2016, Ms. Stuckey was named the Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Atlanta. She has also served as director of sustainability services for the Southface Institute, an Atlanta-based environmental nonprofit. In late 2019, Ms. Stuckey became the third-generation CEO of Stuckey's Corporation, where she has been focusing on store and brand growth, promoting the health benefits of pecans, and supporting the importance of the "great American road trip” in our society. Stuckey's Baseball Hat Giveaway for Progress, Potential, and Possibilities audience!: https://mailchi.mp/stuckeys/i0hbf6khq2 Stuckey's Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StuckeysCorp... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3013... Instagram: @Stuckeys_Pecans Twitter: @Stuckeys_Pecans Pinterest: pinterest.com/stuckeys_pecans YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQX4fpXgq3IbFxEkTLnttw%E2%80%8B
Dr. Derek Yach, has been a global health expert and anti-smoking advocate for more than 30 years, is the Founder, President, and Board Member of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW - https://www.smokefreeworld.org/), and is also a passionate advocate for health promotion and disease prevention. Dr. Yach is a former World Health Organization (WHO) cabinet director and executive director for noncommunicable diseases and mental health where he was deeply involved with the development of the world’s treaty on tobacco control, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). He is also the former chief health officer of the Vitality Group, executive director of the Vitality Institute, Senior Vice President, global health and agriculture policy at PepsiCo, director of global health at the Rockefeller Foundation, and a professor of global health at Yale University. Dr. Yach has authored or co-authored more than 250 peer-reviewed articles on global health and has served on several advisory boards, including the World Economic Forum, Cornerstone Capital, and the Wellcome Trust. From 2007 to 2016, he served on the program advisory committee of the Clinton Global Initiative. Dr. Yach is a dual citizen of the United States and South Africa. He has an honorary DSc from Georgetown University, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Cape Town, BSc (Epidemiology), University of Stellenbosch, and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) is an independent, nonprofit organization that funds research, promotes innovation, and supports collaborative initiatives committed to reducing deaths and diseases caused by smoking, and ending smoking in this generation. They strive to identify and address the unique needs of the developing world as they relate to tobacco cessation and harm reduction, and serves as a convener of global research supporting the reduction of tobacco use, while helping to address the impact of decreased smoking rates on agriculture and economies. The Foundation’s work focuses on three core areas: Health, Science, and Technology (HST); Agriculture and Livelihoods; and Industry Transformation. Disclaimer - How is the FSFW Funded? At its inception, the FSFW entered into a Pledge Agreement in which it agreed to accept charitable gifts from Philip Morris International (PMI) each year for the period 2018 through 2029 to fund their mission of solving the global health crisis and ending smoking in this generation. Recently, that agreement was revised, and PMI’s annual charitable gifts have been reduced. While FSFW is aware that there are challenges associated with accepting any funding from the tobacco industry, given the urgency of the problem – 1.1 billion smokers, more than 8 million dying each year, and a trajectory toward a billion deaths this century, the FSFW was compelled to help save lives, and took the bold step of accepting funding from PMI. The FSFW operates with integrity, as they abide all legal requirements, and holds itself to the highest ethical and scientific standards. Independence and transparency are core principles of the Foundation. To that end, FSFW adheres to the criteria laid forth by Cohen et al., particularly those relevant to transparency and independence, and has established an independent research agenda.
Dr. David Stoudt, is a Senior Executive Advisor and Engineering Fellow for Directed Energy at the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., where he is responsible for providing clients with leadership and guidance on the science and business of advancing directed energy capabilities for American warfighters. Dr. Stoudt is also President of the Directed Energy Professional Society. With a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Old Dominion University, in electrical engineering, Dr. Stoudt spent 32 years serving in the Department of Navy, 12 of them as the Navy’s first distinguished engineer for directed energy, an executive position where he was responsible for establishing and staffing world-class directed energy programs and facilities at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWCDD). From 2008 through 2012, Dr. Stoudt was the first Naval Sea Systems Command technical authority warrant for directed energy and electric weapon systems, including high-energy lasers (HEL), the electromagnetic rail gun, and high-power microwave (HPM) weapon systems. At the Naval Surface Warfare Center, he established and technically directed a number of high-power microwave and high-energy laser technology programs, including airborne electronic attack, counter-improvised explosive devices, and the beginning of the Navy’s laser weapon system, currently deployed on the Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship, the U.S.S. Ponce. Dr. Stoudt established several prototype weapon development initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of IEDs during Operation Iraqi Freedom and these resulting prototypes represented the first ever successful tactical employment of directed energy weapons. As the senior director for capabilities and concepts in the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy for Policy from 2011 to 2015, Dr. Stoudt initiated and served as the executive secretary for the directed energy steering group, which was chartered by the undersecretary of the Navy to develop the Department of Navy vision, strategy, and roadmap for directed energy weapons. Dr. Stoudt also established and served as the executive secretary for both the Navy non-acoustic anti-submarine warfare steering group and the naval space board, chartered by the undersecretary of the Navy and the secretary of the Navy, respectively. Among his many honors, Dr. Stoudt has received multiple Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, the Navy Distinguished and Superior Civilian Service Awards, and the Naval Sea Systems Command Scientist of the Year Award.
Professor Dr. Abraham (Avi) Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University. He joined Harvard University in 1993 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Astronomy, where he was tenured three years later. Prof. Dr. Loeb received his PhD in plasma physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel at age 24, led the first international project supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative / "Star Wars" program, and was subsequently a long-term member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. Prof. Dr. Loeb has written 8 books, including most recently, Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth, and about 800 papers on a wide range of topics, including black holes, the first stars, the search for extraterrestrial life and the future of the Universe. Prof. Dr. Loeb had been the longest serving Chair of Harvard's Department of Astronomy, Founding Director of Harvard's Black Hole Initiative, and Director of the Institute for Theory and Computation within the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Prof. Dr. Loeb serves as Chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies and is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the American Physical Society, and the International Academy of Astronautics. Prof. Dr. Loeb is a member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology at the White House and a member of the Advisory Board for "Einstein: Visualize the Impossible" of the Hebrew University. Prof. Dr. Loeb also chairs the Advisory Committee for the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative and serves as the Science Theory Director for all Initiatives of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. In 2012, TIME magazine selected Prof. Dr. Loeb as one of the 25 most influential people in space and in 2020 he was selected among the 14 most inspiring Israelis of the last decade.
Colonel (ret) Dr. Geoffrey Ling, MD, PhD is the Founder and CEO of On Demand Pharmaceuticals (ODP), an innovative pharmaceutical manufacturing company creating the world’s first distributed and reconfigurable medicine production systems to enable rapid response when conditions are uncertain and changing. On Demand Pharmaceuticals mission is to provide an adequate, safe, and reliable supply of medicines, to any community across the world, when needed. In addition to his role as CEO at On Demand Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Ling is an attending neuro-intensive care physician and Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins, Director of the Neurotrauma Laboratory, and founder of the Center for Military Clinical Neurosciences at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). Dr. Ling is also the former founding Director of the Biological Technologies Office at DARPA. Dr. Ling is Vice-Chair of Research in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Inova Fairfax Medical Center, Fairfax, VA, where he provides leadership for the research programs in neurosurgery, neurology and physical medicine rehabilitation. Dr. Ling earned his PhD in Pharmacology at Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and his MD at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr Jane Pinelis, Ph.D. is the Chief of Testing, Evaluation, and Assessment, of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC). Dr. Pinelis has a BS, MS, and Ph.D., from the University of Michigan, in the field of statistics, where she spent time as a research assistant in their Center for Russian and East European Studies and their Institute for Social Research. Prior to assuming her current role at JAIC, Dr. Pinelis spent 4 years at the The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where she served in a variety of roles including as Director, Test and Evaluation of Algorithmic Warfare, where she was an on-site representative to the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, where she oversaw developmental and operational testing of artificial intelligence algorithms, including computer vision, machine translation, facial recognition, natural language processing, and human-machine teaming. Dr. Pinelis has also served as Test Science Lead for the Institute for Defense Analyses, and in scientific and analytical roles for the CNA group, as a liaison to both the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy. The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) is an organization exploring the usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Network of Networks, and AI-enhanced communication for use in actual combat. It is a subdivision of the United States Armed Forces and was created in June 2018. The JAIC organization stated objective is to "transform the US Department of Defense by accelerating the delivery and adoption of AI to achieve mission impact at scale.
Dr. Hanadi Khamis Al Hamad is the Medical Director of Rumailah Hospital and the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute, Chairperson of Geriatrics and Long Term Care Department at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC - the principal public healthcare provider in the State of Qatar), National Lead for Healthy Ageing for the Qatar Ministry of Public Health, and the focal point for the elderly in the State of Qatar. Dr. Al Hamad is a Board Certified Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine specialized in Geriatrics. Dr. Al Hamad completed her M.Sc. degree in Healthcare Management from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and was awarded a diploma in Senior Clinical Leaders Program from Harvard University. As a senior Qatari physician, Dr. Al Hamad has proven steadfast commitment in providing quality care for patients, promoting research activities and educational programs. In her role as the Chairperson of the Geriatrics Department, she has established new and innovative services including a Memory Clinic, Falls Clinic and Acute Care Unit in HMC. She is also a key member in various HMC and Ministry of Public Health committees. Dr. Al Hamad is the representative for the State of Qatar for the World Health Organization (WHO) Elderly People Care, Global Dementia Observatory Focal Point, and an Executive member of European Association of Medicine of Ageing. Dr. Al Hamad has recently been appointed as the National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing for the implementation of National Health Strategy, which aims to deliver the ambitious 19 National Health Targets. She is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine in Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar.
Brett Vaughan is the U.S. Navy Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer and AI Portfolio Manager at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Mr. Vaughan has 30 years of Defense Intelligence and Technology expertise with strengths in military support, strategic communications, geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), Naval Intelligence and Navy R&D. He spent two decades in various roles at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), an additional 10 years in intelligence roles in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and was recently appointed to his current role in 2019. Mr. Vaughan has Master's Degrees in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University, and in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Geography and Cartography, from University of Mary Washington. The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) is an organization within the United States Department of the Navy responsible for the science and technology programs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Established by Congress in 1946, its mission is to plan, foster, and encourage scientific research to maintain future naval power and preserve national security. The Office of Naval Research carries out its mission through funding and collaboration with universities, other government laboratories, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and also oversees the Naval Research Laboratory, the corporate research laboratory for the Navy and Marine Corps, which conducts a broad program of scientific research, technology and advanced development, and has a prestigious history, including the development of the first U.S. radar system, synthetic lubricants, and surveillance satellites.
As we sit here in 2020, in the middle of a major viral pandemic, we can’t forget the fact that a century after the first antibiotics were created, drug resistant bacterial infections have become a major threat around the globe, exactly at the same time that the antibiotic pipelines of pharma companies have either dried up, or they have gotten out of the business. In the U.S. alone, Centers For Disease Control (CDC) estimates that antibiotic resistance causes more than 2 million infections, several million hospital stay days, and over 35,000 deaths per year. Worldwide, such infections cause 750,000 deaths every year. And a recent United Nations (UN) report concluded that by 2050, "super bugs" could kill 10 million people globally every year, if no action is taken to combat the problem. A solution to this emerging threat lies in the area of bacteriophage therapy (or "phage" for short), which is a type of virus that infects, replicates within, and are very good at killing bacteria. Interestingly, phages have been used for over 90 years as an alternative to antibiotics in the former Soviet Union and Central Europe as well as in France. They are seen as a possible therapy against multi-drug-resistant strains of many bacteria and have been shown to interfere not just with bacteria life cycles, but also with biofilm production and quorum sensing involved bacterial colonization processes. Dr. Robert Schooley, MD, is a Professor of Medicine, in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, at UC San Diego, the Co-Director of their Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (IPATH), as well as Interim Faculty Director, Global Education and Senior Director, International Initiatives. Dr. Schooley is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and infectious disease fellowships at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Massachusetts General Hospital. He joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School in 1981 and shifted his research focus from herpes group viruses as recognition of the AIDS epidemic developed. Dr. Schooley was then recruited to the University of Colorado in 1990 as Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases where he developed an integrated HIV program clinical care and research program. He was elected Chair of the NIH’s AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) in 1995 and led that group until 2002 during which time the ACTG performed many of the seminal studies that defined modern anti-retroviral chemotherapy. Dr. Schooley led the ACTG in its expansion from a domestic US research operation into one with a global reach with research units in Africa, India, Thailand, Haiti and Latin America. In 2005, he joined the faculty at the University of California San Diego where he served as Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases until 2017. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Infectious Diseases. His research interests are in the diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapy of viral infections and in global health.
As we approach the end of 2020, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), we have had approximately 1,806,590 new cases of cancer diagnosed in the United States, with 606,520 deaths. Cancer continues to be the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2018, there were 18.1 million new cases and 9.5 million cancer-related deaths worldwide. By 2040, the number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise to 29.5 million and the number of cancer-related deaths to 16.4 million. Dr. Azra Raza, MD, is the Chan Soon-Shiong Professor of Medicine, in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology / Oncology, and Director of the Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Center, at the Columbia University Medical Center. Previously, Dr. Raza was the Chief of Hematology-Oncology and the Gladys Smith Martin Professor of Oncology at the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Raza is an international authority on pre-leukemia / MDS, and acute leukemia, and is both a physician and scientist who divides her time equally between caring for patients and supervising a state-of-the-art basic research lab which is well-funded by multiple large grants. Dr. Raza started collecting blood and marrow samples on her patients in 1984 and now her Tissue Bank, the largest and oldest in the country with over 60,000 samples, is considered a unique national treasure. Dr. Raza has published her original clinical and basic research comprising over 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts in high profile journals like Nature, New England Journal of Medicine, Cell, Molecular Cell, Cancer Research, Blood, Leukemia. She has published over 1,000 abstracts, dozens of book chapters and edited a book devoted to MDS, entitled "Myelodysplastic Syndromes & Secondary Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Directions for the New Millennium". Dr. Raza is the recipient of numerous awards including The Hope Award in Cancer Research 2012 (shared with the Nobel Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn). She was named as one of the 100 Women Who Matter by Newsweek Pakistan. Dr. Raza is a member of the Founder Group designing Breakthrough Developments in Science and Technology with President Bill Clinton, and was involved with Vice President Joe Biden to discuss the Cancer Moonshot initiative. Dr. Raza is the author of the recently published book "The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last". In addition to her scientific accomplishments, Dr. Raza is a dedicated reader of Urdu literature, and co-authored a book on the poems of the 19th century Indian poet Ghalib, entitled "Ghalib: Epistemologies of Elegance".
Ryland Engelhart, is Executive Director & Co-Founder of Kiss The Ground (https://kisstheground.com/), a non-profit organization dedicated to planetary regeneration, and is the producer of Kiss The Ground, the Movie, recently released on Netflix. Mr. Engelhart has spent the last 15 years as an entrepreneur working in hospitality and building a family business of organic, plant-based restaurants called Cafe Gratitude and Gracias Madre, located in Southern California. He is also a co-creator of the award-winning, documentary film, “May I Be Frank” on the transformational aspects of a vegan lifestyle. Mr. Engelhardt is a public speaker and community organizer and works to inspire more love & gratitude in his organizational culture and culture at large. He speaks on the topics of sacred commerce, gratitude, love as an inside job, 10 tools for building community, and planetary regeneration, and is the host of Kiss the Ground's "We Can Do This Podcast". Mr. Engelhardt is also a husband and father and lives on a 17-acre regenerative farm in Fillmore, CA where he learns to practice what he preaches.
A "food desert" is an area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious food, and the designation considers both the type and quality of food available, as well as the accessibility of the food through the size and proximity of the food stores. In 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture reported that 23.5 million people in the U.S. lived in food deserts, meaning that they live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban or suburban areas and more than 10 miles from a supermarket in rural areas. Food deserts tend to be inhabited by lower-income residents with reduced mobility, making them a less attractive market for large supermarket chains and available foods are often of the highly processed type, high in sugars and fats, which are known contributors to the proliferation of obesity and other chronic diseases. It’s estimated that the contribution of food deserts to healthcare costs in the U.S. is over $70 billion annually. Top Box Foods is a non-profit, community-based, social business, with an innovative model of getting healthy and affordable grocery boxes to food-insecure neighborhoods, creating year round access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins, in communities in Chicago, and Lake County, IL, as well as in New Orleans, LA. Mr. Christopher Kennedy, along with his wife Sheila Kennedy, is a co-founder of Top Box Foods. In addition to Top Box Foods, Mr. Kennedy is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises, Inc., treasurer of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation, serves on the public boards of Interface, Inc., and Knoll Inc., and is a trustee for the Marine Biological Laboratory at University of Chicago. Mr. Kennedy earned his BA from Boston College and his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, where he serves on their Global Advisory Board. Mr. Kennedy has also served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois, and president of Merchandise Mart Properties, a commercial property management firm based in Chicago. Mr. Kennedy is one of the children of Ethel Kennedy and the late U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
When one mentions the topic of “head transplantation” (or a related topic – the “brain transplant”), for most people, it remains a topic purely in the context and sphere of science fiction. Yet most people are unaware of the following history: In 1908, Nobel Prize winner Alexis Carrel, a French surgeon who had developed surgical methods to connect blood vessels in the context of organ transplantation, collaborated with the American Charles Claude Guthrie perform the first head grafts between dogs. In 1954, Vladimir Demikhov, a Soviet surgeon who conducted important work to improve coronary bypass surgery, performed experiments in which he grafted a dog's head and upper body, onto another dog; the effort was focused on how to provide blood supply to the donor head and upper body. In 1965 American neurosurgeon Robert J. White did a series of experiments in which he attempted to graft the vascular system of isolated dog brains onto existing dogs monitoring brain activity with EEG and also monitored metabolism, and showed that he could maintain high levels of brain activity and metabolism by avoiding any break in the blood supply. In 1970 he did four experiments in which he cut the head off of a monkey and connected the blood vessels of another monkey head to it. From 1970-1994, Paul A. Pietsch was a Professor in the School of Optometry and an Adjunct Professor of Anatomy at Indiana University, and conducted and published on a long series of "brain shuffling" / transplantation experiments in regenerative organisms between salamanders and frogs. Related "brain switching" experiments have routinely taken place in the world of embryology to this current day, between species such as chickens and ducks, and quails and finches. Dr. Ren Xiaoping, is an orthopedic surgeon from China, and is most well known for being part of the team that achieved the first hand transplant in China. Dr. Ren attended the Harbin Medical University in Harbin, China, and received his M.D. in 1984. From 1996 to 2000, he continued his education, performing research relating to anatomy and hand surgery. During this period, specifically on January 25, 1999, the first hand transplant was performed on Matthew Scott, and Ren was an influential figure in this achievement. He is currently a partner with Italian neurosurgeon Dr. Sergio Canavero in a project (HEAVEN - Head Anastomosis Venture) to plan and attempt the first human head transplant, known as a Cephalosomatic Anastomosis, an operation that has never been done before.
Dr. Nicole Prause, PhD is an American neuroscientist researching human sexual behavior, addiction, and the physiology of sexual response. She is also the founder of Liberos LLC, an independent research institute and biotechnology company. Dr. Prause obtained her doctorate in 2007 at Indiana University Bloomington, with joint supervision by the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, with her areas of concentration being neuroscience and statistics. Her clinical internship, in neuro-psychological assessment and behavioral medicine, was with the VA Boston Healthcare System's Psychology Internship Training Program. Her research fellowship was in couples' treatment of alcoholism was at Harvard University. Dr. Prause became a tenure track faculty member at Idaho State University at the age of 29. After three years there, she accepted a position as a Research Scientist at the Mind Research Network, a neuro-imaging facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2012, Dr. Prause was elected a full member of the International Academy of Sex Research and accepted a position as a Research Scientist on faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles in the David Geffen School of Medicine. While there, she was promoted to Associate Research Scientist in 2014. Dr. Prause founded Liberos LLC in 2015 and she continues to practice as licensed psychologist in California.
Dr. Graham Ryan, is the Director at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), in Montserrat, WI. Dr. Ryan has 17 years’ experience in volcanology and geothermal geophysics, using his skills to better understand the nature and behavior of magmatic systems and fluid flow through geothermal systems. His current interests include ground deformation associated with the volcanic systems of the Eastern Caribbean and the use of joint interpretation and inversion to determine the architecture of geothermal and magmatic systems in the region. With a masters in Physics at The University of Manchester and a PhD in volcanology at Lancaster University (during which he performed controlled explosions in the laboratory to simulate repetitive volcanic explosions and magma flow in volcanic conduits), he has published over 20 articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed international publications. In addition to his work at Montserrat Volcano Observatory Dr. Ryan also spent six years at the University of Auckland in New Zealand studying fluid flow pathways in geothermal systems, particularly with an eye to targeting geothermal wells for energy production. Whilst based in New Zealand he worked on systems in several countries including Montserrat, New Zealand, Rwanda, Chile and the USA, developing novel methodologies for modelling subsurface geothermal systems using joint interpretation of data sets. Dr. Ryan also developed expertise in electromagnetic induction, particularly the magnetotelluric technique, a useful technique for imaging systems deep within the Earth’s crust. He also taught short courses in both general geothermal technology and magnetotellurics.
Neuromodulation is defined as "the alteration of nerve activity through targeted delivery of a stimulus, such as electrical stimulation or chemical agents, to specific neurological sites in the body". It is carried out to normalize – or modulate – nervous tissue function.
Neuromodulation is an evolving therapy that can involve a range of electromagnetic stimuli such as a magnetic field, an electric current, or a drug instilled directly in the sub-dural space (i.e. intra-thecal drug delivery). Emerging applications involve targeted introduction of genes or gene regulators and light (optogenetics), but most clinical experience has been with electrical stimulation. Existing and emerging neuromodulation treatments also include application in medication-resistant epilepsy, chronic head pain conditions, and functional therapy ranging from bladder and bowel or respiratory control, to improvement of sensory deficits, such as hearing and vision. Neuromodulation therapy has been investigated for other chronic conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, chronic pain, and as an adjunctive treatment in recovery from stroke.
Dr. Amílcar dos Santos, is a practicing Psychiatrist at the Psychiatry Service of Hospital Vila Franca de Xira, in Lisbon, Portugal, with expertise in Neuromodulation / Neurostimulation, Hospitalization of acute patients, Psychiatric Emergency Service, Outpatient Psychiatry, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and Psychoeducation for Bipolar Disease.
Dr. dos Santos has a Degree in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL) and Post-Graduate in Neuroscience at FMUL. He also interned at the Department of Neurobiology at Duke University, USA, in 2013/14, at the Nicolelis lab, with a focus on studies on brain-machine interfaces, acquiring surgical skills for implanting electrodes in the brain and spinal cord, and has performed a range behavioral research experiments on organisms studying real-time analysis of brain activity, doing respective data analysis techniques, as well as participating in spinal cord stimulation in the treatment / reduction of convulsive activity and in epilepsy. Dr. dos Santos is also a lecturer in Psychiatry at NOVA Medical School, Lisbon.
Today we are going to discuss the topic drug enforcement from a very interesting technological angle. Brian Drake, is the Director of Artificial Intelligence for the Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) Directorate of Science and Technology. Mr. Drake works with the DIA’s Future Capabilities and Innovation Office, and he also leads an initiative to test the effectiveness of different applications of artificial intelligence at solving various mission problems, including using AI to combat the opioid crisis with a DIA program known as SABLE SPEAR. Previous to this role Brian was a Senior Intelligence Analyst and Branch Chief in the DIA’s Americas and Transregional Threats Center (ATTC) and prior to joining ATTC, Mr. Drake was a Management Analyst with DIA's Chief of Staff. For DIA's intelligence analysis mission, he has worked worldwide targets in narcotics, emerging and disruptive technologies, and weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Drake was stationed in the Pentagon as an Intelligence Briefer in the Executive Support Office, served on the Information Review Task Force, and has led several interagency technical and counterterrorism intelligence teams. Prior to his time in DIA, Mr. Drake was a management consultant at Deloitte and Toffler Associates where he served commercial clients in various industries and government clients at the ODNI, FBI, CIA, NSA, and the US State Department. Apart from his government service, Brian is the President and CEO of the Defense Intelligence Memorial Foundation; a scholarship fund for the children of fallen defense intelligence officers. He is a graduate of Mercer University and earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from Georgetown University.
The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) program office, under the Defense Innovation Unit, that seeks to create new communities of innovators to solve national security problems. NSIN partners with national research universities and the venture community to reinvigorate civil-military technology collaboration. As opposed to making investments in specific technologies, government R&D programs, or startups, NSIN focuses on human capital innovation, specifically developing and enabling innovators and human-centered networks. NSIN provides tools, training, and access to DoD assets that enable entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs to develop and commercialize high potential products in the national interest. Morgan Plummer is the Managing Director of the National Security Innovation Network at the U.S. Department of Defense. Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, Morgan served as the Senior Advisor to the Director of the NSIN and was a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at National Defense University in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining NSIN, Morgan served as a senior defense official in the Obama Administration, departing in April 2016 as the Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. As the senior public policy advisor and principal deputy to the Department’s chief human resources officer, Morgan helped oversee a bold set of sweeping and progressive reforms, including the full integration of women into ground combat units, the repeal of the ban against open transgender service and Secretary of Defense Ash Carter’s signature set of civilian, and military personnel policy reforms, collectively referred to as the “Force of the Future” initiative. Before his role at Personnel and Readiness, Morgan served as the Special Assistant and Deputy Chief of the Staff to the Under Secretary of the US Army. While there, he focused on strategic planning, improving the organizational design of the Army’s headquarters and refining its business processes. Morgan joined the Obama Administration after almost 12 years on active duty in the United States Army, where he served in a variety of command and staff assignments and completed multiple combat tours. Morgan has received numerous meritorious service and achievement medals, been decorated for valor and received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. In addition to his military and civilian awards, Morgan holds a BS degrees from Michigan State University (Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration) and a masters Georgetown University (Policy Management). He also serves as the Executive Director of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (DEF), a non-profit dedicated to enabling a culture of innovation in the US national security community.
Spider silk is a protein fiber spun by spiders, which they use to make webs or other structures, which function as sticky nets to catch other animals, or as nests or cocoons to protect their offspring, or to wrap up prey. They can also use their silk to suspend themselves, to float through the air, or to glide away from predators. Each spider and each type of silk has a set of mechanical properties optimized for their biological function, but in particular, their dragline silks, have exceptional mechanical properties. They exhibit a unique combination of high tensile strength and extensibility which enables a silk fiber to absorb a large amount of energy before breaking with this estimated tensile strength several times that of steel. Alex Greenhalgh, is the CEO, Spintex, a spin-out from the University of Oxford, pushing the boundaries of bio-inspired spinning and silk materials to provide much needed solution in sustainable and technical textiles. Alex is a biologist and programmer with a working background in microbiology, clinical trials with a focus on GCP compliance, and silk and protein science where he has been a research assistant in the Oxford Silk Group for the last three-years. His research experience includes characterization of liquid silks and fibres with techniques such as rheology, fluorimetry, calorimetry, electrophoresis and tensile testing.
The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health was established in Philadelphia in 2017 by Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, and a multi-million $$$ grant from the Marcus Foundation (headed by it’s Chairman, Bernie Marcus, Co-Founder of The Home Depot) to expand the research, education and clinical care profile of Jefferson’s integrative medicine program, and to set the international standard of excellence in evidence-based, patient-centered integrative care. The institute features a novel curriculum focusing on the clinical applications of integrative medicine with an emphasis on functional biochemistry, nutrient-based therapies, mind-body neuroscience, novel mechanisms of healing and emerging therapies. Dr. Daniel Monti, MD, MBA is the Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health - Jefferson Health. He is also Professor and Founding Chair of the historic, first-ever Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Monti received his MD from The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. His Postdoctoral work was in the Research Scholars Program, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, at Jefferson Medical College. Dr. Monti works closely with his colleagues in the institute and department to continuously expand, refine, and define Integrative Medicine at Jefferson, including innovative clinical programs of excellence, cutting edge medical education, and world-class research. Dr. Monti has dozens of journal publications, international presentations, and media appearances. He's also an accomplished author with books including: "Integrative Psychiatry and Brain Health" (Weil Integrative Medicine Library) and "The Great Life Makeover: Weight, Mood, and Sex". His newest book, "Tapestry of Health: Weaving Wellness into Your Life Through the New Science of Integrative Medicine", which was co-written with Dr. Anthony J. Bazzan, was just released in August 2020.
Dr. Bruce Greyson is the Chester Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia (UVA), the Former Director of UVA's Division of Perceptual Studies, and has been widely acknowledged the father of research in the area of near-death experiences (NDE). He was previously on the medical faculty at the University of Michigan and the University of Connecticut, where he was Clinical Chief of Psychiatry. Dr. Greyson has consulted with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and has addressed symposia on NDE, and the broader theme of consciousness, at wide range of venues from the United Nations, to an audience with the Dalai Lama. He has earned awards for his medical research and was elected a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the highest honor bestowed by that organization. Dr. Greyson’s interest in near-death experiences began just a few months after graduating from medical school, with a fascinating case of an unconscious patient in the emergency room who stunned him the next morning with an account of leaving her body. That event challenged his beliefs about the mind and the brain, and ultimately led him on a journey to study near-death experiences scientifically, leading to more than a hundred publications in medical journals. Dr. Greyson co-founded the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS), an organization to support and promote research into these experiences, and for 27 years edited the Journal of Near-Death Studies, the only scholarly journal dedicated to near-death research. Through his research, he has discovered common and universal themes in near-death experiences that go beyond neurophysiological or cultural interpretations, as well as patterns of consistent aftereffects on individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, values, and personalities. Dr. Greyson is the author of "After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal About Life and Beyond", as well as co-author of "Irreducible Mind", and co-editor of "The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences".
Today we are joined by none other than the “Father of Biohacking” himself, bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and serial entrepreneur, Dave Asprey, Founder & Chairman, of the Bulletproof 360, a high performance coffee and food company, and creator of the widely popular Bulletproof Coffee. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author, host of the Webby award-winning podcast Bulletproof Radio, and has been featured on the Today show, Fox News, Nightline, CNN, and dozens more. Over the last two decades Dave, has worked with world-renowned doctors, researchers, scientists and global mavericks to uncover the latest, most innovative methods, techniques and products for enhancing mental and physical performance. Dave has personally spent over $2 million taking control of his own biology – pushing the bounds of human possibility all in the name of science, evolution and revolution. He’s also creator of the Bulletproof Diet, Collagen Protein supplements and many more advances in commercial wellness products. Dave’s mission is to empower the entire globe with information and knowledge that unlocks the Super Human in everyone at any age. Dave earned his undergraduate degree in computer information systems from California State University and later earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control (CDC), in 2018, over 36,000 people were killed, and over 2 million were injured, from motor vehicle crashes, costing the nation $44 billion in medical expenses and work loss. The American Automobile Association (pronounced "Triple A") is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America, and is a privately held, not-for-profit national member association and service organization, with over 60 million members in the United States and Canada, and provides a variety of services to its members, including roadside assistance and others. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit, publicly supported charitable research and education organization dedicated to saving lives by preventing traffic crashes and reducing injuries when crashes occur. Initially emphasizing projects related to safety patrols and driver education, today the Foundation has expanded its scope of work and has long been recognized as a leader in traffic safety, with a focus on four research priorities: Driver behavior and performance, Emerging technologies, Roadway systems and drivers, and Vulnerable road users. Dr. David Yang, is Executive Director at AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (and assumed this role in October 2016) Previously, Dr. Yang worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation and private consulting firms. Dr. Yang has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers and government reports on many transportation topics. He is an associate editor for the Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems: Technology, Planning, and Operations and serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology. Previously, he served as the chair of Transportation Research Board’s Users Performance Section. Dr. Yang attended Purdue University and received his Bachelors, Masters, and PhD degrees in the field of civil engineering.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (https://www.humandevelopment.va/it.html) was established at the Vatican, by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in 2016, and deals with a range of issues concerning migrants, refugees and victims of slave trade, human trafficking, justice and peace, the progress of peoples, the promotion and protection of dignity and human rights, disarmament and armed conflicts, as well as their tragic consequences on civilians and the natural environment. Since 1st of January 2017, the Dicastery has been created merging the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. The Dicastery includes the Commission for Charity, the Commission for Ecology and the Commission for Health Care Workers, each operating according to its norms. Cardinal Dr. Michael Czerny, S.J. serves as Under-Secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Cardinal Dr. Czerny entered the Society of Jesus in English Canada in 1963, and was ordained in 1973. He did graduate studies at the University of Chicago in an inter-disciplinary program in humanities, social thought and theology and earned the doctorate in 1978. Dr. Czerny was the founding director of the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice, Toronto (1979 – 1989). After the 1989 assassination of the Jesuits at the Central American University (UCA) in San Salvador, he became Director of its Human Rights Institute (1990 – 1991) and Vice-Rector of the UCA (1991). For 11 years Dr. Czerny served as Secretary for Social Justice at the Jesuit General Curia, Rome (1992 – 2002). In 2002, he founded the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN), which assists Jesuits to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic; he directed AJAN for 8 years. From 2010-2016, Fr. Czerny worked with Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, as his advisor or counselor. From 1 January 2017 he has served as Under-Secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. On October 4, 2019, Fr. Czerny was consecrated titular archbishop of Benevento by Pope Francis, who on October 5 created him cardinal deacon of St. Michael the Archangel.
The 711th Human Performance Wing, under the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory leads the development, integration, and delivery of Airman-centric research, education, and consultation enabling the U.S. Air Force to achieve responsive and effective global vigilance, global reach, and global power now and in the future. It’s comprised of the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and the Airman Systems Directorate, whose science and technology competencies include Training, Adaptive Warfighter Interfaces, Bioeffects, Bioengineering, and Aerospace and Operational Medicine. The Individualized Neural Learning System, or iNeuraLS, is a new augmented learning platform that will enable rapid learning by closed-loop modulation of cognitive states during skill acquisition. Essentially, the AFRL team seeks to develop a capability that will give Airmen the ability to rapidly acquire knowledge and skills on the fly through direct brain interfaces with the help of neurotechnologies. And we have not 1, but 2 fascinating guests on the show with us today: Dr. Nathaniel Bridges serves as the Neural Interfaces Team Lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Cognitive Neuroscience Section. In this role, he and his team seek to find and enable ways to link the human brain/nervous system with technology in a manner that will benefit the Air Force. This in part relies on testing and evaluating current and emerging Brain Machine/Computer Interface technologies for the Air Force and investigating the impact of various neuromodulation technologies on cognitive performance. Dr. Bridges has his PhD. in Biomedical Engineering, from Drexel University, in Philadelphia, PA USA. Dr. Gaurav Sharma, a member of the scientific and professional cadre of senior executives, is the Senior Scientist for Cognitive Neuroscience, 711th Human Performance Wing. He serves as the principal scientific authority and independent researcher in the field of cognitive neuroscience and is in charge of initiating, planning, coordinating, evaluating and conducting research and development that increases the Air Force capabilities relative to this critical technological area. Dr. Sharma has his PhD. in Mechanical Engineering, from Northeastern University, in Boston, MA, USA.
Dr Yu Shrike Zhang PhD is Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Associate Bioengineer at Brigham and Women's Hospital Dr. Zhang's research interests include symbiotic tissue engineering, 3D bio-printing, organ-on-a-chip technology, biomaterials, regenerative engineering, bioanalysis, nanomedicine, and biology. His scientific contributions have been recognized by over 40 regional, national and international awards. He has been invited to deliver more than 110 lectures worldwide, and has served as reviewer for more than 500 manuscripts for as many as 50 journals. Dr. Zhang is serving as Editor-in-Chief for Microphysiological Systems, and is Associate Editor for Bio-Design and Manufacturing, Nano Select, Aggregate, and Essays in Biochemistry. He is also on the Editorial Board of Biofabrication, Bioprinting, Advanced Healthcare Materials, Discover Materials, BMC Biomedical Engineering, Materials Today Bio, and Chinese Chemical Letters, the Editorial Advisory Board of Heliyon and Biomicrofluidics, the International Advisory Board of Advanced NanoBiomed Research and Advanced Materials Technologies, and the Advisory Panel of Nanotechnology. Dr. Zhang has his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology / Emory, his M.S. in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, and his B.Eng. in Biomedical Engineering Southeast University in China.
Today we’re joined by Melodie Yashar - Designer, Researcher, Technologist, co-founder of the firm Space Exploration Architecture (SEArch+), Senior Research Associate with San Jose State University Research Foundation at NASA Ames Research Center, and an Associate Researcher within the UC Davis Center for Human/Robotics/Vehicle Integration and Performance (HRVIP). She also teaches undergraduate and graduate design at Art Center College of Design and is a 2019-2020 Future Space Leaders Fellow. Melodie’s current work focuses on the relationship of advanced software & hardware systems for spaceflight and maintains ongoing research interests in the design of augmented environments, human-machine interaction, human performance studies, and space technology development. As an undergraduate Melodie studied at UC Berkeley and at Art Center, and she holds graduate degrees in architecture and human-computer interaction with an emphasis in robotics from Columbia University and Carnegie Mellon University, respectively. She also served as a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute, as a researcher within Carnegie Mellon’s Morphing Matter Lab and Design Director of Sonic Platforms. Having come from an interdisciplinary background, Melodie appreciates those who see research and design as a confluence of different fields—allowing problem solving to become a more thoroughly collaborative exercise.
Campbell Dwyer grew up in North Carolina before moving to Pennsylvania with Quincy, her four-legged sidekick. With Quincy by her side, Campbell enjoys exploring the outdoors and traveling as often as possible. Her knowledge and experience come from her personal journey and not through clinical training, which allows her to relate on a level most professionals cannot. Campbell’s life began with two colostomies, before transitioning to a permanent ileostomy. By the age of four, she had already gone through three major, open abdominal surgeries; the first of many throughout her life. After her tenth surgery, she felt compelled to inspire and encourage children through their personal ostomy journey. She has spent her life bravely battling an invisible disease and hopes to reassure others with a positive outlook. It takes guts for anyone to face life’s adventures, but with the support of an ostomy, we can conquer anything! Finding literary support when coping with an ileostomy can be challenging. As an adult, Campbell Dwyer discovered this firsthand and wanted to change that for children everywhere. Thus began the creation of her debut children's novel. My Silly Illy is a comical introduction to help children understand what is happening with their bodies and how to thrive with their new appendage. Every child is a superhero, and My Silly Illy makes sure they know it!
Dr. Michael Levin is a Tufts University professor who holds the Vannevar Bush endowed Chair in the Biology department, and who serves as both the Director of the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology and Director, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts. Dr. Levin’s group's focus is on understanding the bio-physical mechanisms that implement decision-making during complex pattern regulation, and harnessing endogenous bio-electric dynamics toward rational control of growth and form. The lab's current main directions are: • Understanding how somatic cells form bio-electrical networks for storing and recalling pattern memories that guide morphogenesis; • Creating next-generation AI tools for helping scientists understand top-down control of pattern regulation (a new bioinformatics of shape); and • Using these insights to enable new capabilities in regenerative medicine and engineering. Dr. Levin he got dual B.S. degrees, in Computer Science and in Biology and then received a PhD from Harvard University. He did post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where he began to uncover a new bio-electric language by which cells coordinate their activity during embryogenesis. His independent laboratory (2000-2007 at Forsyth Institute, Harvard; 2008-present at Tufts University) develops new molecular-genetic and conceptual tools to probe large-scale information processing in regeneration, embryogenesis, and cancer suppression. Recent honors include the Scientist of Vision award and the Distinguished Scholar Award.
Dr. Rachel Ramoni, is the Chief Research and Development Officer of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where she oversees their nationwide research enterprise, encompassing some 2,000 active projects, at more than 100 sites, with a total budget of $2 billion in both direct VA support, and research funding from outside entities such as the National Institutes of Health, other federal agencies, and nonprofit and private organizations. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a federal Cabinet-level agency that provides comprehensive healthcare services to military veterans at over 1,000 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the US – It also provides several non-healthcare benefits including disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education assistance, home loans, and life insurance; and provides burial and memorial benefits to eligible veterans and family members. The VA serves over 9 million enrolled Veterans each year, employs over 377,000 people with an annual budget of $200 billion. Dr. Ramoni earned a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, as well as a Master of Science and Doctor of Science in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Ramoni was previously on the faculty at New York University College of Dentistry in the department of epidemiology and health promotion, and at Harvard Medical School in the department of biomedical informatics. While at Harvard, Dr. Ramoni founded and led the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) Coordinating Center, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and brings together clinical and research experts from across the U.S. to solve challenging medical mysteries using advanced technologies. Among Dr. Ramoni's research interests are informatics, genomics, and precision medicine. Prior to her role with the UDN, she was executive director of the Substitutable Medical Applications, Reusable Technologies project, or SMART. Initially launched with federal funding, SMART aims to make it easier for providers across different health systems to securely share information from electronic health records. The overarching goal is to improve the quality and continuity of care for patients. Dr. Ramoni has also led research projects aimed at improving dental care nationwide. She worked on implementing standardized diagnostic terms for dentistry, and developing a patient safety system that would help dentists identify and prevent adverse events. Dr. Ramoni is extensively published and her publications have appeared in Birth Defects Research, Epidemiology, Circulation, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the American Journal of Human Genetics, and numerous other journals.
Dr. James Weinstein, is Senior Vice President, Microsoft Healthcare, where he is in charge of leading strategy, innovation and health equity functions.
Prior to Microsoft, Dr. Weinstein was president and CEO of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, a $2.0 billion academic medical center in Northern New England, where he led the organization to adopt a population health model, including the transition from fee-for-service toward global payments.
Prior to becoming CEO, Dr. Weinstein served as president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic and was director of The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI), home of the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, which for decades has documented the ongoing variations in health care delivery across the United States.
Dr. Weinstein is a founding member and the inaugural executive director of the National High Value Healthcare Collaborative, along with Mayo Clinic, Intermountain Healthcare, The Dartmouth Institute, and Denver Health. The Collaborative is a partnership of health systems that has taken on the challenge of improving the quality of care while lowering costs on a national scale.
Dr. Weinstein is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and held the Peggy Y. Thomson Chair in the Evaluative Clinical Sciences at the Geisel School of Medicine while at Dartmouth; he’s a Senior Fellow, for the Healthcare Center and Clinical Professor Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a Clinical Professor at the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University.
Dr. Weinstein is a member of Special Medical Advisory Group for the national Veteran’s Administration. He serves on the Boards of Trustees for the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, the Intermountain Health System, and IMAGINECARE, a company he started while CEO to use remote sensing to manage patients outside the traditional brick-and-mortar medical system and serves on several other boards.
Throughout his career as a researcher and renowned spine surgeon, Dr. Weinstein has received more than $70 million in federal funding and published more than 325 peer-reviewed articles and continues as Editor in Chief, Spine. He also serves on the Board of Advanced Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI/BioFAB), a Department of Defense (DoD) program to bio-print artificial organs.
He is also the author of "Unraveled: Prescriptions to Repair a Broken Health Care System".
On today’s show we are going to be weaving together a really interesting range of themes including psychedelics, pharmacognosy and medicinal botany, history, religion & spirituality, end of life care, dreaming, mental health and a whole lot more.
Brian Muraresku is the author of "The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name". Brian graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University with a degree in Latin, Greek and Sanskrit.
As an alumnus of Georgetown Law and a member of the New York Bar, he has been practicing law internationally for fifteen years.
He is also founding executive director of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation. Their work has been featured on CNN and ESPN, as well as The Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle. In arbitration with the NFL in 2018, Mr. Muraresku represented the first professional athlete in the United States to seek a therapeutic use exemption for cannabis.
The Immortality Key is his debut book.
Mr. Ken Shamrock is the very first athlete elected to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Fame, widely regarded as one of the biggest stars in the history of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), as well as an icon and pioneer of the sport.
He’s widely known for his participation in the Ultimate Fighting Championships, The World Wrestling Federation, Pride Fighting Championships, Pancrase, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and during his career earned the title of "The World's Most Dangerous Man." Over his career, Mr. Shamrock garnered no fewer than 14 World and other Major Championships.
He is the founder of the Lion's Den mixed martial arts training camp, a mixed martial arts team and training facility with its headquarters in Reno, Nevada, with now new training facilities, including Lion's Den Arizona and Connecticut.
In addition to his MMA career, Mr. Shamrock is one of very few trainers allowed to teach US Military troops self defense, and currently serves as a subject matter expert in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) and is regularly asked to train Army troops as well. When he’s not training them, Mr. Shamrock also tries to meet with wounded warriors whenever possible during his travels.
Mr. Shamrock is also the author of several books including: "Inside the Lion's Den" and "Beyond the Lion's Den", and his latest book “Life Story of Ken Shamrock” is due to be released in 2020.
Mr. Shamrock is actively involved in children's issues, which he considers of paramount importance, specifically troubled children, and he freely donates his time to meet with kids in schools, juvenile facilities, recovery centers, hospitals, and churches wherever he travels.
He currently heads a new project that will eventfully house and care for over 200 at- risk boys and girls, passing on the education, training, hope, and encouragement
Additionally, Mr. Shamrock is also currently a bare-knuckle boxing promoter, through promotion organization called Valor.
Dr. Leonard Hayflick, is Professor of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, where he has been part of the faculty since 1988 Dr. Hayflick received his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Texas under the tutelage of the renowned cell culturist Prof. Charles Pomerat, and then returned to Philadelphia, where he spent ten years as an Associate Member of the Wistar Institute, and two years as an Assistant Professor of Research Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hayflick is extremely well known for his research in a range of domains including cell biology, virus vaccine development, and mycoplasmology. In 1962 he discovered that, contrary to what was believed since the turn of the century, cultured normal human and animal cells have a limited capacity to replicate. This phenomenon became known as “The Hayflick Limit” which became a discovery that overturned a dogma that existed since early in the twentieth century and focused attention on the cell as the fundamental location of age changes. Dr. Hayflick is a member of numerous national and international scientific and public boards of directors and committees. He is now, or has been, on the Editorial Boards of more than ten professional journals including as Editor-in-Chief of the international journal “EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY” He is a member of twenty scientific and professional societies in which he has held high offices including President of the Gerontological Society of America, a founding member of the Council of the National Institute on Aging, NIH and Chairman of its' Executive Committee, consultant to the National Cancer Institute, the World Health Organization and member of several scientific advisory boards. He was also Chairman of the Scientific Review Board of the American Federation for Aging Research where he was also a Vice President and a Member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Hayflick is the author of the popular book, “How and Why We Age” and was also a consultant at Genentech from a year after its founding and for the next 25 years where he was instrumental in developing their technology for growing animal cells in fermentation tanks in which most of their billion $$ blockbuster biologics products were produced.