Business Trip: Recent Episodes
Greg Kubin & Matias Serebrinsky
Business Trip tells the story of the emerging industry of psychedelics. Each episode features founders from biotech startups developing novel compounds, to clinics and retreats for healing, to software companies building tools to power the ecosystem.
Mariëlle van Kooten (CEO and co-founder of Powerhouse Biology) joins to make the case that mitochondria are the best place to start engineering the human body. Her team builds virtual mitochondria models to predict how a fix will behave before it ever touches a patient. Marielle is passionate about treating disease and human enhancement.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why mitochondria might be the most tractable place to start engineering human biology
- The difference between building a virtual mitochondria model and the industry-wide race to build a virtual cell
- Why a protein fix for one disease (say, Parkinson's-linked muscle weakness) could work across totally unrelated tissues
- The difference between Science vs. Engineering: why she left academia
- The case for human enhancement: longevity, resilience, and why the ethics conversation is stalled
Credits:Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias and Greg
Produced by Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
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Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Professor Alysson R. Muotri (geneticist and developmental biologist at UC San Diego) joins for a far out conversation about sending brain organoids to the International Space Station and what they're teaching us about aging, neurological disease, and a new kind of AI. One month in orbit ages an organoid the equivalent of 10 years on Earth, and Alysson's lab has already used that compressed timeline to unlock an FDA-approved clinical trial for a drug developed in space.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why space accelerates brain aging
- The surprising role of "junk DNA" and endogenous retroviruses in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration
- Why HIV antiretroviral drugs may be the key to treating neurological conditions
- What the decommissioning of the ISS and the rise of commercial space stations mean for biomedical research
- How brain organoids learn, remember, and inspire a new generation of AI algorithms beyond transformers
- The bioethics frontier: when do organoids become conscious and how would we even know?
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias and Greg
Produced by Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Jonathan Sporn (CEO + Founder of Gilgamesh Pharma) joins for a deep dive into next-gen psychedelic medicines, why duration matters for real-world clinical use, and what it takes to build these therapies the way large pharma would—culminating in a partnership with AbbVie worth up to $1.2B.
In this episode, we discuss: • Why Gilgamesh is building psychedelic medicines the way large pharma would
• The thesis behind short-acting psychedelics and why long-duration trips are impractical for real-world psychiatry
• How Gilgamesh designs molecules backwards from clinical needs
• Effective approaches to the challenges of trial designs for psychedelics
• What AbbVie’s deal and Spravato’s trajectory mean for psychedelics
• How psychedelic medicines could reshape mental health
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias and Greg
Produced by Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg speaks with three leaders in mental health philanthropy: Alyson Nieman from Mindful Philanthropy, Sabrina Gracias from Ortus Foundation, and Christena Huntsman Durham from Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, each offering a distinct perspective on how funding decisions get made and where the biggest gaps remain.
In this episode we discuss:
- Trends in mental health philanthropy, and the 10-year challenge: how the field moves from roughly $2B to $35B in annual funding.
- Funding the clinic of the future: a $150M philanthropic gift behind the Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s crisis care center
- Youth mental health: how the Ortus Foundation is addressing regional gaps in the US Intermountain West
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg interviews Rick Perry, the former Governor of Texas and former U.S. Secretary of Energy and leading advocate for ibogaine, live at the Real Summit.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How a former Texas governor moved from strict opposition to drugs to becoming a leading advocate for ibogaine after firsthand experience and veteran outcomes.
- Ibogaine’s impact on PTSD, opioid addiction, and traumatic brain injury, including Stanford-linked brain imaging data showing functional and structural improvement.
- How veterans are the proving ground that enabled Texas to commit $50M in public funding for ibogaine clinical trials.
- Why ibogaine requires intensive medical supervision and why rigorous trials are essential for legitimacy and scale.
- A vision where ibogaine reshapes addiction treatment, veteran care, and eventually criminal justice and homelessness policy.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias interviews James (Jim) Gorman MD PhD from the Wyss Institute. Jim is Principal Investigator on the Wyss Institute Brain Targeting Program (BTP). Jim leads a team developing new approaches to transport drugs through the blood brain barrier (BBB) into the CNS.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why the BBB blocks most modern drugs from entering the brain, creating the biggest bottleneck in neuro
- How brain shuttles hijack natural transport pathways like the transferrin receptor to move drugs across the BBB
- How new modalities that reach the brain can potentially treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and lysosomal disorders
- Why delivery route of shuttles enable IV or subcutaneous dosing instead of invasive intrathecal injections
- How early data shows that shuttle-enabled antibodies clear amyloid faster, at lower doses, and with fewer side effects
- How the field is accelerating through a pre-competitive consortium model that lets multiple companies share shuttle platforms
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Luis Voloch, CEO and Co-Founder of Jimini Health, an AI behavioral health company. He previously co-founded and served as CTO of Immunai, where he applied machine learning to immunology and drug discovery.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How LLMs expand the scope of machine learning from rule-based tasks to open-ended reasoning and dialogue
- Why healthcare adoption is tiered, beginning with clinician-facing AI scribes and moving toward patient-facing companies with human-in-the-loop to enhance quality of care
- Why human oversight is essential and how AI can augment complex clinical work instead of replacing it
- The competitive advantage from workflows, data, and trust via purpose built AI systems
- The path toward precision psychiatry, where continuous, language-based interactions can generate rich behavioral data to inform diagnostics, treatment, and drug discovery
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias interviews Rob Malenka.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why progress in psychiatry is slow because the brain is the most complex organ and many disorders are highly heterogeneous
- The bottlenecks including weak replicability in research, academic politics, perverse incentives, and pharma’s avoidance of neuropsychiatry
- How breakthroughs require early detection, rigorous science, and bridging academia with biotech through venture philanthropy
- How success depends on mission-driven, ethical people who align science, capital, and patient impact.
- The opportunities in neuromodulation, data-driven precision medicine, and combination therapies.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Brendon Boot of Skin2Neuron. Brendon is a neurologist at Harvard and Mayo Clinic with prior experience as Medical Director at Biogen overseeing their Phase 1b Alzheimer’s trials.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How skin-derived cells can be turned into neurons to repair the brain.
- Why replacing lost neurons may succeed where drugs have failed in Alzheimer’s.
- What makes autologous (self-derived) cell therapy safer and more effective.
- How testing in dogs brought stronger proof than traditional mouse models.
- Why this approach could shift Alzheimer’s treatment from slowing decline to restoring memory.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Natalie Yivgi-Ohana of Minovia. Natalie is a life science entrepreneur with twenty years’ experience in mitochondrial research and received her PhD in Biochemistry at The Hebrew University in 2007, after which she performed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Weizmann Institute of Science until 2010.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How mitochondria impacts health by not just regulating energy, but also hormones, cell survival, and overall cellular function
- Why mitochondrial dysfunction is a root cause of many conditions, from rare genetic disorders to aging and mental health issues.
- What mitochondrial therapy does by restoring function and improving cellular health
- What makes mitochondrial therapies distinct from gene therapies
- How to scale mitochondrial therapies for clinical adoption
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias and Greg interview Ying-Hui Fu, PhD, is a Professor of Neurology at UCSF and a world leader in the genetics of sleep. Her lab has discovered the first-known genes behind “natural short sleepers”. Her work bridges human genetics and neuroscience to uncover how to modulate sleep for brain health, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How some people thrive on 4–6 hours of sleep with rare genetic mutations
- Why sleep efficiency is more important than total hours slept
- What short sleeper genes reveal about preventing Alzheimer’s and autism
- Why current sleep research tools miss deeper brain activity patterns
- What’s next in sleep science with potential therapies
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias and Greg interview Justin Mares, co-founder of TrueMed and Kettle & Fire on current US healthcare and how startups have the opportunity to change the system.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How the US system profits from chronic illness
- Fixing the food system, environmental toxins, pharma incentives & more
- Opportunities for founders building in brain and body health.
- Contrarian ideas Justin is investing in today
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias and Greg sit down with Brooks Leitner, the newest venture partner at PsyMed Ventures, to explore the future of brain and mental health investing. Brooks, an MD/PhD with deep experience from Yale and the NIH, shares his insights on how a human-first approach is reshaping neuroscience innovation and venture investing.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Broadening the Thesis: Evolving from a psychedelics-only focus to a comprehensive neuro investment strategy.
- Human-First Research: Shifting from animal models to clinical insights for better brain therapies.
- Key Investment Areas: Therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, consumer health, and AI-enabled care platforms.
- Early-Stage Conviction: Leveraging a prepared mind to spot breakthrough opportunities.
- Personal & Future Insights: Leadership challenges and the vision for the future of neuro investing.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias and Greg interview Dr. Nir Grossman, one of the world’s leading researchers in neurotechnology. Nir is a lecturer in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London and a founding fellow of the UK Dementia Research Institute.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What is temporal interference (TI), a non-invasive stimulation method
- A comparison of TI with deep brain stimulation (DBS)
- How physics plays a crucial role in neuroscience innovation
- Translating TI academic research to clinical use
- TI’s role in treating Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, depression, and traumatic brain injury
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Dr. James Adams, professor and autism researcher at Arizona State University and President of Gut-Brain-Axis Therapeutics, on groundbreaking research in autism.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The latest advancements in microbiome therapy for autism
- How the gut-brain axis is shaping new therapeutic approaches
- The role of nutritional interventions in supporting individuals with autism
- Environmental factors and toxins influencing autism development
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias interviews Elizabeth Horn, founder of the 2m Foundation, on the current state of autism and what can we do about it.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The rising prevalence of autism and its impact on society
- How 2m Foundation is funding research and solutions
- Environmental and biological factors contributing to autism
- Philanthropy and venture capital through the Autism Impact Fund
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias and Greg interview Dana Watt, a Partner at Breakout Ventures, about genetic medicine for brain and mental health.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How genetic therapies work: addressing underlying causes, not just symptoms
- The opportunities and challenges for genetic therapies for brain health
- Exploring effective delivery of genetic payloads
- Commercial viability and insurance considerations
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Jay Sanguinetti, founder of Sanmai Technologies, a startup using transcranial focused ultrasound for the treatment of mental health conditions.
Jay has a background in academia, having worked at the University of Arizona and started the SEMA Lab (Science Enhanced Mindful Awareness).
In this episode, we discuss:
- The science behind transcranial focused ultrasound and its therapeutic potential for mental health
- The risks and considerations involved in using focused ultrasound technology for mental health treatments
- Jay's experience transitioning from academia to founding a mental health technology startup
- The regulatory landscape that Sanmai Technologies will navigate as they bring this novel neurotechnology to market
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Tim Marjenin, a regulatory consultant at MCRA with 16 years of experience at the FDA, to discuss the regulatory landscape for neurotechnology devices.
Tim provides insights into the FDA approval process for neurotech devices, drawing from his extensive experience on the FDA's Neurostimulation-Neurology Devices Team. The episode explores the evolving field of neurotechnology and its regulatory challenges.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Different regulatory pathways for neurological devices (510(k), De Novo, PMA)
- FDA's approach to novel neurotechnologies like brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)
- Considerations for invasive vs. non-invasive neurotech devices
- The importance of cybersecurity in neurotechnology
- Common mistakes companies make in the regulatory process and how to avoid them
- The potential future of neurotechnology, including human augmentation and telepathy
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank and Krotoa by Makropulos
Greg and Matias interview Gurdane Bhutani, an investor at MBX Ventures, to discuss the impact of environmental toxins on health and the field of exposomics.
Gurdane is an expert in environmental health, with a background in Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences. He provided insights into the pervasive nature of environmental toxins and their implications for public health. This episode also has a guest appearance from Bruce Blumberg, a Professor of Developmental and Cell Biology at UC Davis.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The widespread presence of environmental toxins and their link to diseases like Parkinson's and autism
- The field of exposomics and lifetime environmental exposures
- Obesogens (chemicals whose exposure makes you fat)
- Startups building solutions for better diagnostics, green chemistry, and water treatment
- Practical lifestyle changes to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals and improve health
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank and Temperance by Eltham House
Greg and Matias interview Josh Hardman, founder and editor of Psychedelic Alpha, to discuss the recent FDA advisory committee meeting on Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.
Josh is a leading writer covering the intersection of psychedelics and business. He provided live reporting and analysis of the AdComm meeting.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The FDA advisory committee process and its implications for drug approvals
- Functional unblinding and expectancy effects in psychedelic clinical trials
- Potential impacts on the broader psychedelic medicine industry
- The future of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy protocols
- Neuroplastogen development and non-hallucinogenic approaches
- Challenges around therapy, safety, and regulatory pathways for psychedelic medicines
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Software, hardware, and biotechnology are playing an increasingly transformative role in our mental health and wellness. Join us as we discuss what investors look for in these new companies and how they separate what’s real — and what’s near-term — from what’s hype. We’ll explore AI-powered tools for mental health, the new area of “enerceuticals” (energy replacing the “pharma”), psychedelics, and why what’s in your gut is so important to your mental state. Hear from investors who have a wide view of this growing startup landscape and better understand which new ventures are likely to succeed.
This is a live panel from South by South West 2024 with panelists Matias Serebrinsky of PsyMed Ventures and Business Trip and Amy Kruse of Satori Capital, moderated by Christie Nicholson of Studio For Communicating Complexity and Dan Blumberg of Modern Product Minds and the CRAFTED podcast.
More information on CRAFTED, a podcast about the craft of building great products and features interviews with founders and leaders of top tech companies: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crafted/id1649355311
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias hosted a panel at The Battery SF with renowned psychedelics experts, Nolan Williams, Allison Feduccia, Matt Baggott.
Nolan is a Stanford professor currently researching ibogaine among other areas in psychiatry and radiology, and he's a founder of TMS company Magnus Medical. Allison is the founder of Psychedelic Support, a platform providing psychedelic education, community and a provider directory. And Matt is founder and CEO of Tactogen, a biotech company developing compounds similar to MDMA.
In this episode, we discuss…
- The effects and mechanisms of different psychedelics (MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine)
- The role of therapy/support during psychedelic experiences
- Scalability, accessibility, and optimal therapeutic use
- Digital solutions, new care models, and policy changes
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Matias interviews Lili Brillstein about how to work collaboratively with healthcare payers (the ones that reimburse for medical expenses).
Lili is a pioneer in the field, having previously led one of the largest bundled payment initiatives at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. She currently is the founder of her own advisory firm, BCollaborative, where she helps startups and providers develop value propositions that resonate with payers and create models that can be successfully administered.
In this episode, they discuss:
- What payers want and their key priorities
- Strategies to communicate startup value propositions to payers
- The role of interim successes for chronic conditions
- How to align payers, providers, and startups
- Fee-for-service vs. value-based care models
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Ed Boyden about neuroscience frontiers and its applications to mental health.
Ed is a pioneer in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of the brain. He runs a lab at MIT for Synthetic Neurobiology and is a professor across the departments of neurotechnology, biological engineering, and cognitive science at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. His inventions include optogenetic tools and expansion microscopy. He is co-founder of Cognito Therapeutics, Elemind, TI Solutions, and Synlife, and scientific advisor to several other companies.
In this episode, we discuss…
- Academia vs. startups for neuroscience advancement
- Evaluating data vs intuition to assess new technologies
- Breakthroughs like optogenetics and expansion microscopy
- How to translate neurotech into companies/commercialization
- Approaches for clearly communicating and "storytelling" complex science.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Greg and Matias interview Steve Rio about 5-MeO-DMT and its potential role in mental healthcare.
Steve is a social impact cofounder, transformational coach, and practitioner at the Enfold Institute, one of the most reputable aboveground retreat centers working with 5-MeO-DMT. He shared many insights from his hands-on experience guiding hundreds of people through the medicine.
In this episode, we discuss…
- 5-MeO-DMT’s distinct psychedelic experience
- Enfold’s protocol of screening, preparation and integration
- Why high doses may not fit into the mainstream medical model
- 5-MeO's intense somatic release and non-dual experience
- The future of 5-MeO research and drug development
More information on Enfold Institute here: enfold.org
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Tom Insel is an entrepreneur and former director of the US National Institute of Mental Health, the lead US agency supporting mental health research with a $2 billion budget. Since his time at the NIMH, Tom has built mental health technology, first at Verily and Mindstrong Health, and more recently founded Vanna Health, an online healthcare provider for serious mental illness.
In his book "Healing", he talks about the importance of the 3 P's for solving the US mental health crisis: People, Place, and Purpose. Greg & Matias interview Tom on Business Trip to discuss the 4th "P": Payment. "We have to figure out how to pay for this", he says.
In this episode, we discuss…
- Psychedelics in the healthcare system
- Are antidepressants overprescribed?
- AI in mental health
- Tom’s learnings from almost starting a VC fund
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
What if your next antidepressant was a clam or spinach?
Greg & Matias invite Dr. Drew Ramsey to explore nutritional psychiatry - a field exploring how the food we eat can be as powerful as medication in treating mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.
Dr. Drew Ramsey is a psychiatrist, entrepreneur and author focusing on nutritional interventions for mental wellbeing. Drew shares scientific research to make a business case for nutritional psychiatry - how customized food interventions could reduce healthcare costs for conditions like depression and anxiety.
We debunk common myths around nutrition and mental health and envision a future where psychedelics and fermented foods may be first-line treatments. Ramsey offers simple diet tweaks you can make today for improved mental fitness.
In this episode, we discuss…
- How nutritional psychiatry can be a cost-effective mental health treatment
- Why doctors need more nutritional education to prescribe food as medicine
- What startups and opportunities there are in this space
- What foods and nutrients are best for your mental health
Tune into the episode to learn more!
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Can diet treat mental illness? Greg and Matias interview Jan Baszucki of the Baszucki Group whose son Matt overcame bipolar through the ketogenic diet.
Jan has supported studies on ketogenic diets and fasting protocols for conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
In this episode we discuss:
- The powerful personal story behind Jan's passion for this field
- The science and mechanistic details behind metabolic psychiatry
- Misconceptions about mental health and diets
- Challenges to mainstream adoption
- Business opportunities in metabolic interventions
This is a must-listen for anyone interested in emerging non-pharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders. Jan’s perspective as an advocate, family member, philanthropist and impact investor provides a unique vantage point in this frontier space.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Advancements in neuroscience, AI, and bioengineering are unlocking new possibilities for neurotechnologies. Investors are paying attention.
Alex Morgan of Khosla Ventures is an MD, PhD, physicist, and one of the most active investors in neurotech startups. He's backed companies harnessing neuromodulation for varied applications - from sleep (Somnee) to depression (Flow) to motor recovery (Syncron).
In this episode, Alex shares an insider's overview of the neurotech landscape. We discuss when neurotech solutions make more sense than traditional pharma. Alex reveals which brain technologies excite him most, and why.
We also unpack key business strategy questions. When should startups pursue the consumer route versus FDA approval? What does Alex look for in neurotech founders on the cutting edge?
This episode is for founders, investors, clinicians, and researchers interested in understanding the cutting edge of neurotech and how it will become an integral part to the future of our mental health.
Neuromodulation flies in the face of modern psychiatry. It can significantly improve mental health without drugs. It allows us to stimulate or inhibit activity in precise regions of the brain using electricity, magnetism or ultrasound.
Motif Neurotech is pioneering minimally invasive implants to precisely deliver neuromodulation for mental health. In this special episode, Matias joins Empath Ventures’ Brom Rector to interview Jacob Robinson, an entrepreneurial scientist who leveraged his academic research to start Motif Neurotech.
PsyMed Ventures and Empath Ventures invested in Motif’s latest seed round. Motif's implantable device stimulates a region of the brain associated with depression. Other applications being explored include Alzheimer's disease, PTSD and ADHD.
Neuromodulation is still early but holds great promise as a paradigm shift in psychiatry and even human augmentation–unlocking the full potential of the brain.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank and Temperance by Eltham House
In part 2 of a 2-part series, Greg and Matias explore microbial therapeutics for mental health with Dr. Christopher Reyes, biophysist, serial enterepreneur, and founder of Bloom Science. Dr. Reyes' research on leveraging microbes to treat neurological conditions began at UC San Francisco.
He is now translating his microbiome research into startups targeting epilepsy, ALS, and even anxiety and depression. We discuss the science behind how gut microbes may influence neurotransmitters and mood. Dr. Reyes gives an insider perspective on the challenges of standardizing microbial therapies when each person has a unique microbiome fingerprint.
We explore the regulatory landscape and future of microbial therapies for mental health. Dr. Reyes shares his experience navigating intellectual property, licensing deals, raising capital, and designing clinical trials to bring microbiome innovations to market.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Business Trip launched in 2020 as a podcast focused on psychedelics. As Matias and Greg started to dive deeper into the complexities of mental health, they met more and more entrepreneurs and scientists creating novel treatments across many areas of mental health, including the gut microbiome.
Dr. Phil Strandwitz pulls back the curtain on the gut-brain connection and the future of mental health. As founder of Holobiome, Phil is pioneering microbial therapies for conditions like depression and epilepsy.
In part 1 of a 2-part series, we dive deep on how trillions of gut bacteria influence neurotransmitters, mood, cognition, and more. An imbalance in your microbiome could underlie mental health issues. Can fecal (poop) transplants treat depression?
Phil shares how startups like Holobiome aim to develop microbiome-based treatments. We'll also explore lifestyle changes like diet, prebiotics, and probiotics to support gut health.
Part frontier medicine, part taboo, this conversation will change how you think about the gut-brain connection.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Stanford University is one of the leading universities in psychedelic science, focusing on understanding how psychedelics work in the body.
This is part 3 of a 3-part series, where we will explore groundbreaking discoveries via leading Stanford researchers who are revealing the significance of psychedelic science in modern research. We conclude the series with Carolyn Rodriguez.
Carolyn Rodriguez is Associate Dean at Stanford University School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at the Palo Alto VA. As Director of the Rodriguez Translational Therapeutics Lab, she leads studies on severe mental illness. Her clinical trials pioneer rapid-acting treatments for OCD and related disorders demonstrating ketamine's efficacy in reducing OCD symptoms. She now plans placebo-controlled studies of MDMA and other psychedelics, unlocking their therapeutic potential for OCD.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Stanford University is one of the leading universities in psychedelic science, focusing on understanding how psychedelics work in the body.
This is part 2 of a 3-part series, where we will explore groundbreaking discoveries via leading Stanford researchers who are revealing the significance of psychedelic science in modern research. We continue with Boris Heifets.
Boris Heifets, an assistant professor at Stanford's School of Medicine. Boris leads the Heifets Lab, which is dedicated to understanding and improving on powerful, rapid-acting therapies for psychiatric disease, such as ketamine, MDMA and psilocybin. Boris is an anesthesiologist and neurologist, a combination that uniquely positions him to design a research study evaluating the effect of ketamine on patients under anesthesia with depression.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Psychedelics have long been known to induce altered states of consciousness. But there are many other techniques that can also expand our awareness - from meditation and breathwork to exploring dreams, prayer, light and sound. In this episode, Greg speaks with Scott Britton about the emerging startup landscape around tools for expanding consciousness.
Scott is an entrepreneur who now writes a newsletter called Consciousness ∞ The Doorway to Human Evolution He also hosts a podcast called EvolutionFM.
This special episode is a deeper dive into Greg & Scott’s recent article about the consciousness startup ecosystem.
In this episode, we discuss:
- VC-backable business models in psychedelic medicine
- Hardware devices that induce deeper meditation and lucid dream states
- Breathwork: app vs. in-person experiences
- Prayer apps attracting huge investment
- Startups using sound, light, and visuals to catalyze altered states
- Integrating ancient wisdom into modern consciousness-expanding tech
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Stanford University is one of the leading universities in psychedelic science, focusing on understanding how psychedelics work in the body.
In this 3-part series, we will explore groundbreaking discoveries via leading Stanford researchers who are revealing the significance of psychedelic science in modern research. We start the series with Robert Malenka.
Robert Malenka is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University with over three decades of experience in preclinical neuroscience research. His primary focus is on the study of psychoactive drugs, including psychedelics, and their potential therapeutic applications. In addition to his academic role, Malenka is a founder and deputy director of the Wsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Psychedelic science 2023, learning man, maps burn...whatever you want to call it...was a magical conference organized by MAPS.
12k people made the pilgrimage to Denver to discuss psychedelic science, culture, business, art, spirituality, and more.
Rick Doblin called this the "psychedelic 20's" and this event felt like a watershed moment.
Luckily, Greg brought his microphone and recorded his experience for a special episode of Business Trip. Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
What does it take for a traditional VC to fund a psychedelic company? In our latest episode, Matias takes us behind the scenes of a panel discussion at the Psychedelic Therapeutics & Drug Development Conference in San Francisco, CA. Matias talks with VCs at firms with $100M+ fund sizes: Anne Dwane, a partner at Village Global, Amanda Way, principal at Jazz Venture Partners and Dana Watt PhD, principal at Breakout Ventures.
In this episode, we discuss: (1) How VCs identify and evaluate a strong founding team, (2) Evaluating scientific, technical, and market risk, (3) The pros and cons of platforms vs. asset companies, (4) How to position a psychedelic company in the broader biotech ecosystem.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In our latest episode, Greg and Matias engage in an insightful discussion with Dr. Bryan Roth, the Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine, and the founder of the Roth Lab.
Dr. Roth’s lab is on the cutting edge of researching the interaction between brain cell receptors and compounds like LSD and psilocybin. Their findings have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of psychiatric disorders, potentially creating new forms of psychedelics that offer the therapeutic benefits without hallucinations or other side effects.
In this episode, we discuss (1) the therapeutic effects of psychedelic and non-hallucinatory compounds, (2) the transition from animal model studies to human trials and (3) the journey of turning deep academic research into viable commercial entities.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this week's episode, Greg and Matias take a moment to reflect on the opportunities and challenges they have faced while building the PsyMed Ventures syndicate and venture capital fund since starting the Business Trip podcast in 2020. Their ultimate goal is to support founders who are building ethical businesses in frontier mental health technologies with the aim of ending the suffering caused by mental illnesses. This conversation offers an honest insight into raising and deploying a venture capital fund as an emerging manager.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this week’s episode, Greg and Matias chat with Josh Hardman, the founder of Psychedelic Alpha.
Josh is a leading writer and founder at Psychedelic Alpha, an online resource, newsletter, and community covering the intersection of psychedelics and business. He regularly collaborates and writes with experts in the psychedelic field including entrepreneurs, academic researchers, non-profits, and more to provide a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in the industry. Psychedelic Alpha recently released Psychedelics 2022: A Year in Review to comment on and analyze the industry across research, funding, and policy.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Zack Frank, & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this week’s special episode, Matias chats with Dr. Rachel Yehuda and Zach Haigney at Soho House in New York City. This is part 2 of a moderated panel recorded in front of a live audience, with part 1 released in June 2022.
Dr. Yehuda has spent the last 30 years doing research on PTSD and trauma and is leading the MDMA-assisted therapy research at the US Veterans Affairs Medical Center and serves as Director at the Mental Health at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center. She is also the Director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. Zach Haigney writes the Trip Report by Beckley Waves, a newsletter about the science, policy, and business of psychedelics.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Zack Frank, & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
This episode shares the story of Tactogen, a drug development company making new chemical entities inspired by MDMA. Co-founder Matt Baggott has been fascinated by MDMA and has studied it for 30 years. And while he believes that MDMA can be effective as a therapeutic, his company is developing an MDMA analogue that is designed to be gentler and safer, with the potential to be administered in an at-home setting.
Links:Tactogen WeFunder: https://wefunder.com/tactogen
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music:
Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this new episode of Business Trip, we interview one of the first clinics to offer a protocol that includes TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and ketamine infusion.
TMS is a non-invasive procedure that sends electric currents to specific regions in the brain, including areas linked to depression. It's FDA approved and has been gaining adoption as clinical studies demonstrate safety and efficacy in treating mood disorders.
So why the combination? TMS takes a local approach while ketamine stimulates global brain communication, according to Scenic City Neurotherapy founder Charles Miller. There's little data about the combination of TMS with ketamine, making this conversation quite interesting as Miller shares the protocol, science, costs, and treatment outcomes.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
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Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music:
Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this week's episode, we chat with Christian Angermayer. Christian co-founded atai life sciences and was an early investor in Compass Pathways -- two of the first companies commercializing psychedelic medicine. Christian also launched a fund dedicated to mental and neurological health called re:Mind, is an investor through his family office Apeiron, and co-founded two longevity biotech companies.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music:
Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this week’s episode, we chat with Melissa Stangl, co-founder of Soltara Healing Center. Soltara is an ayahuasca retreat center whose ceremonies are lead by Shipibo healers, with locations in Peru and Costa Rica. The Shipibo people are from the Peruvian Amazon and are part of a tradition that has been drinking Ayahuasca for healing and spiritual purposes for thousands of years. In their ceremonies, the Shipibo serve ayahuasca and sing songs, called Icaros, which guide the healing process and journey.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music:
Distant Daze by Zack Frank
This is final episode in our 3-part series on microdosing that explores the science, history, and clinical applications.
In this episode, we discuss the path to FDA approval for microdosing. We chat with the chief medical officers from Diamond Therapeutics and MindMed about their microdosing clinical programs. Diamond's program uses synthetic psilocybin and is focused on anxiety disorders. Meanwhile, MindMed is focused using low doses of LSD to treat adult ADHD.
In case you missed it: In part 1, we interviewed psychedelic researcher James Fadiman about the fundamentals of microdosing. In part 2, we discuss placebo effect and the results of a self-blinded placebo-controlled study with Balázs Szigeti from the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music:
Distant Daze by Zack Frank
This is part 2 or our 3 part series on microdosing that explore the science, history, and clinical applications. In part 1, we interviewed psychedelic researcher James Fadiman about the fundamentals of microdosing.
In part 2, we wanted to understand the placebo effect. In particular, is it the microdose that makes people feel better or it is a placebo effect? We interviewed Balázs Szigeti PhD, who is a researcher associate at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London. His team conducted the largest placebo-controlled microdosing study in 2020. Balázs unpacks the study and their findings in the episode.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music:
Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Zone Out by Daniel Fridell
Links to topics discussed in this episode:Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing (Szigeti et al., 2021)
Centre for Psychedelic Research - Imperial College LondonStatistical and clinical significance
In this 3-part series on microdosing, we explore the science, history, and its clinical potential.
The anecdotal benefits of microdosing include better mood, creativity, and increased focus. But there are still many unanswered questions that remain. What is an effective dosing protocol? Is it safe in long term use? Does it even work or is it a placebo effect?
In part 1, we chat with James Fadiman, Ph.D who has been researching psychedelics since the 1960’s. He's the author of several books, including the Psychedelic Explorer's Guide. He has collected thousands of microdosing reports and even has his own microdosing protocol - called the Fadiman protocol. When we talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, James Fadiman is one of them.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Links to topics discussed in this episode:Jim's microdosing website
Sofia University
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide
Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity (Ly et al, 2018)
In this week’s episode, we chat with Matt Zorn, an attorney at Yetter Coleman with expertise in DEA law, especially regarding psychedelics. Matt is currently challenging the DEA’s decision to schedule 5 new tryptamines, he recently argued Kathryn Tucker’s psilocybin “Right To Try” case against the DEA, and previously co-led Sue Sisley’s DEA case related to cannabis scheduling. Matt also writes the drug policy newsletter On Drugs.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In this week’s special episode, Matias chats with Dr. Rachel Yehuda and Zach Haigney at Soho House in New York City. The episode was recorded in front of a live audience. Dr. Yehuda has spent the last 30 years doing research on PTSD and trauma and is leading the MDMA-assisted therapy research at the US Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She is the Director at the Mental Health Patient Care Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at Mount Sinai Hospital, as well as Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. Zach Haigney writes the Trip Report by Beckley Waves, a newsletter about the science, policy, and business of psychedelics.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In Episode 18, we chat with Jonathan Sabbagh and Myriam Barthes, the co-founders of Journey Clinical, a platform that enables licensed therapists to offer ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical provides licensed therapists with an on-demand KAP-trained medical team, customized treatments for each client, and a portal to connect with other therapists and educational resources.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The journey from idea to 100+ therapist members
- How ketamine-assisted therapy works and the Journey Clinical's vision for the future
- Balancing growth with protecting the relationship between patient and therapist
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In today’s episode, we chat with Lucia Huang, the CEO and co-founder of Osmind, an electronic health record software system for treatment resistant mental health practices that is already in over 300 clinics.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Osmind makes data-driven decisions
- Osmind’s quick growth in only 2 years
- What it will take for insurance to cover ketamine therapy, as well as other psychedelic therapies
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
In today’s episode, we chat with Tim Schlidt, a partner at Palo Santo. Palo Santo is a fund investing in psychedelic therapeutics. Palo Santo’s portfolio includes companies like Eleusis, Tactogen, and Journey Clinical.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Tim’s background in healthcare finance
- Investing in classic psychedelic compounds vs. 2nd generation compounds
- Hallmarks of a good first meeting with a prospective investment
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional Music: Distant Daze by Zack Frank
Today’s episode features Dillan Dinardo and Tom Ray, the co-founders of Mindstate Design Labs. Mindstate has a unique framework to design psychedelic compounds using what they call the “primer probe method.” This method involves combining a known psychedelic with a non-psychedelic compound. Mindstate just raised an $11.5M seed round.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Tom and Dillan’s experience in YCombinator and raising an $11.5M seed round
- Tom’s friendship with the late psychedelic chemist Alexander Shulgin
- Mindstate’s lead programs
- The role of mystical states in the healing process
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Today’s episode announces the launch of PsyMed Ventures, a $25M fund we started with Dina Burkitbayeva to invest in psychedelic medicine companies and mental health technologies. PsyMed Ventures is a community-focused fund and syndicate providing capital and support to companies revolutionizing how mental health is treated.
In this episode, we discuss:
- $25M fund to invest in psychedelic medicine companies and mental health tech
- How we evaluate new companies
- Exciting trends in mental health research
- Our story from starting Business Trip to launching an investment syndicate and fund
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Today’s episode features Amy Emerson, the CEO of MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), which is a fully owned subsidiary of MAPS, and its purpose is to commercialize MDMA-assisted therapy. We discuss the MAPS PBC and it’s business model for MDMA-assisted therapy.
In this episode, we discuss:
- MAPS’ protocol and strategy behind FDA clinical trial for PTSD
- Amy’s views on the state of the industry, patents, and how to prioritize accessibility
- The unique business model between MAPS and MAPS PBC
- Psychedelics for kids
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music: Focus Does the Girl by Muted Circus
In today’s episode, we discuss what it’s like being a psychologist who owns a psychedelic clinic. Genesee Herzberg is the co-founder of Sage Integrative Health, an integrative clinic in Berkeley, CA that offers ketamine-assisted therapy (KAP), psychotherapy, somatic therapy, and acupuncture. Genesee discusses her holistic approach to healing, and shares her experience bootstrapping her clinic and setting up a non-profit to make KAP more affordable.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and the difference between high and low dose ketamine treatments
- What it takes to get a for-profit clinic off the ground while running a non-profit organization
- Sage Institute’s mission to make ketamine-assisted psychotherapy affordable for everyone
- Genesee’s long term goals for the future of psychedelic medicine
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Read the transcript here.
Find us at businesstrip.fm
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Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music: Flocean by Zack Frank
In today’s episode, we explore the therapeutic application of DMT across a range of diseases and conditions including Alzheimer’s, stroke, and organ transplants. While much of the attention in psychedelic medicine has been on their ability to address neuropsychiatric indications, research suggests that psychedelics like DMT have a far wider therapeutic potential. The episode features three biotech companies developing DMT therapies: Algernon, Psilera, and Pharmadrug.
In this episode, we discuss:
- DMT therapies for organ transplants, stroke patients and substance abuse disorders
- Research supporting NN-DMT’s antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects and the receptors it targets
- Being a private company vs. public company in psychedelics
NN-DMT
5-MeO-DMT
Bioavailability
DMT transdermal patch
Sigma-1
Donepezil
Dr. Rick Strassman
Angiogenesis
Orphan Drug Designation
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Read the transcript here.
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music: Copley Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, Simplify by Little Glass Men, Pedalrider by Blue Dot Sessions, Running Waters by Jason Shaw, and Neon Drip by Blue Dot Sessions
Episode 10 features Lars Wilde, co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Compass Pathways, a mental health company with an initial focus on psilocybin therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Lars’ experience overcoming Treatment-Resistant Depression with psilocybin
- The nuances of clinical trials and psilocybin dosing protocols
- Compass Pathways’ Intellectual Property strategy
- What additional indications and therapies Compass Pathways is interested in
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
Compass Pathways, Lars Wilde
COMP360
SSRI, SNRI
Christian Angermayer, Robin Carhart-Harris, Michael Pollan
Vivaneo
Quercis Pharma
TRD (Therapy-Resistant Depression)
Compass Phase 2B Trial
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Compass Pathways 2 US patents
Oregon Psilocybin Therapy Measure 109
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 10 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Hosts: Matias Serebrinsky and Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music: River Meditation by Jason Shaw and Thea by Muted Circus
Today's episode features three experts, Josh Hardman, Michael Haichin, and Graham Pechenik as they analyze atai’s S-1 in advance of their IPO.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How atai went from idea to IPO in 3 years
- An overview of atai’s drug development programs and enabling technologies
- The platform’s strategy and risks
Links to topics in this episode:
Atai life sciences
Etifoxine
Esketamine & arketamine
Atai’s S-1
Psychedelic Pharmacist Association
Calyx Law
Psilocybin Alpha, Noetic Fund
kratom, Salvinorin A, BNC210, mitragynine
Mike Novogratz, Christian Angermayer, George Goldsmith, Ekaterina Malievskaia, Peter Thiel
PureTech Health, Akili Interactive Labs
BT’s DemeRx Episode
Viridia Life Sciences, EmpathBio, Kures, Recognify Life Sciences
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 9 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music: The Innovation by Zack Frank (our very own sound engineer
Today's episode features Deborah Mash, founder and CEO of DemeRx, a clinical stage company developing ibogaine therapies to treat substance use disorders.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The science, experience and the safety behind Ibogaine’s “neurochemical reset”
- Navigating US drug regulatory system and securing Intellectual Property
- Deborah’s 30 journey through Amsterdam, Miami and the Caribbean aiming to get Ibogaine therapy approved
- Partnership with ATAI Life Sciences
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
Deborah Mash
DemeRx
Ibogaine
Noribogaine
Tabernanthe Iboga
Bwiti Religion
Howard Lotsof
Serotonergics
Lambarene - promoted as a mental and physical stimulant
Habenula
Addiction Expert Gabor Maté
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 8 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music by Medita by Crowander, Two Feet by Muted Circus, and Rain On Me by JBlanked.
Today's episode features Zach Haigney, creator of The Trip Report, a newsletter about psychedelics, policy and business.
In 2019, Zach started writing The Trip Report and quickly grew his readership by analyzing psychedelic news headlines from every angle. He’s able to break through all the noise and report with a sense of fairness.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Origin story of The Trip Report
- The complexities of clinical trials
- Diversity, inclusion and reciprocity in psychedelic companies
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
The Trip Report
Zach Haigney
Oregon Measure 109 - 2020
MAPS
COMPASS Pathways
Usona
Psilocybin Alpha
Bob Jesse - Council for Spiritual Practices
5-HT2A
Serotonin Syndrome
Northstar Pledge
Nagoya Protocol
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 7 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music by Sun Inside by Ketsa and Better Days Ahead by Ketsa
Today's episode features Danny Motyka, founder of Psygen, a Canadian manufacturer of psychedelics, like MDMA, LSD, DMT, and synthetic psilocybin.
Psygen makes pharmaceutical grade psychedelic medicines for clinical research and therapeutic applications. They have a license to be one of the first manufacturing facilities dedicated to the synthesis of psychedelic medicine.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Behind the scenes of Psygen’s manufacturing process
- Natural vs Synthetic psychedelics
- Navigating regulations for manufacturing Schedule 1 substances
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
GMP
Dr. Peter van der Heyden
COMP360
Entourage Effect
Health Canada
Nick Sand - Orange Sunshine
MDMA, LSD, 5-MeO-DMT, Ibogaine, Psilocybin
Entheon Biomedical
MAPS
2C-B
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 6 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music by Crystals by Xylo-Ziko, Obscure Train by Revolution Void, Love Chances by Makaih Beats, and Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Today's episode features Flor Bollini, founder of NANA, an online platform that guides patients on using psychedelic medicine for holistic healing.
NANA provides personalized protocols based on an assessment of your mental, emotional and physical health. From there you are partnered with a Nana or guide who leads telemedicine therapy that incorporates ketamine, cannabis and CBD.
Flor hopes these protocols will become best practices for patients, clinics, and the psychedelic medicine ecosystem.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why Flor transitioned from serving medicine to company founder
- Developing protocols where the FDA doesn’t regulate
- The benefits of progressive dosing
- Her experiences with 5-MeO-DMT and Iboga. “The Everest of psychedelics” as she calls them.
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Ifa - Ancient Divination System
Ayurveda
Jungian
5-MeO-DMT
LMS - Learning Management System
REM Sleep - Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
SSRIs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Ayahuasca
Ibogaine
Bwiti religion
Serotonin Syndrome
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 5 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.
Today's episode features David Champion, CEO and co-founder of Maya, a software platform that helps practitioners and clinics manage psychedelic-assisted therapy practices. The data collected from treatments will help psychedelic stakeholders, from researchers to pharmaceutical companies, discover insights for safer and more effective treatments.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Removing the guesswork from developing psychedelic therapy protocols
- Fundraising tips for psychedelic company founders
- The role of data in surfacing safer and more effective treatments
- A big announcement from Matias and Greg!
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
Zendo Project - Subsidiary of MAPS
Johns Hopkins - Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
MAPS
CIIS
EMR & EHR - What's the difference?
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 4 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.
Today's episode features Ryan Zurrer, founder of Vine Ventures, one of the first venture capital funds investing in psychedelic medicine. Ryan has deep roots in psychedelics culture and understands the many cultures within the psychedelic space. His fund is aligned with those values.
If you’re a founder, investor, or early hire at a psychedelic company, this episode is a must-listen!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Which psychedelic business models are a good fit for venture capital?
- Why did Ryan start Vine Ventures?
- What traits of entrepreneurs does Ryan invest in?
- Which form of psychedelic medicine is better: natural or synthetic compounds?
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
Pharmauasca
Oregon Initiative Measure 109
ENTHEON
PsyGen
California Sober
Atai
Compass
Get in touch with Ryan Zurrer - TW: @rzurrer LI: Ryan Zurrer
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 3 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Chad Crouch
Today’s episode features Shelby Hartman and Madison Margolin from DoubleBlind, a psychedelic magazine and media company founded in 2019 covering timely, untold stories about the expansion of psychedelics around the globe. Focused on how the industry can engage in sacred reciprocity and ethical psychedelic therapies, DoubleBlind is a for-profit company working on becoming a fully licensed certified B corporation.
Links to topics discussed in this episode:What It’s Like to Have Sex on Different Kinds of Psychedelics
How Oregon is Leading the Country in Drug Policy Reform
Entheogen: Definition and History
How Psychedelics are Reigniting Judaism
Michael Pollan's book How to Change Your Mind
Ayelet Waldman's book: A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life
MDMA Testing Kits from DanceSafe
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 2 on YouTube.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Theme music by Dorian Love
Additional music: Plasticity by Blue Dot Sessions
IsEbOcbXwtgQS6Jzz1Eb
Today’s episode features Dylan Beynon from Mindbloom, a mental and wellbeing startup that is currently offering ketamine-assisted therapy to treat anxiety and depression. Mindbloom is opening clinics across the country and is using technology to lower the cost of treatment. Host Greg Kubin participates in a ketamine-assisted therapy session in the episode.
And that ethereal track you hear during the ketamine session is called Happiness Frequency by Conscious Sounds 432hz.
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan Davis & Zack Frank
Marketing by DaisyMae VanValkenburgh
Read the transcript here.
Watch episode 1 on YouTube.
Music: Sal by Xylo-Ziko, Ocean Waves by Siddhartha Corsus, Sun Heights by Muted Circus, Sita’s Song by Siddhartha Corsus, and Fair Detective by Muted Circus.
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter!
Find us at businesstrip.fm