Bio Eats World

What if we stopped trying to cure disease and started preventing it instead? In this episode, Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and a cardiologist, scientist, and author, joins a16z general partner Vijay Pande to unpack the future of aging, prevention, and precision health—as explored in Eric's new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity.Together, they discuss AI-driven risk prediction and next-gen immunotherapies — a roadmap for how we could eliminate age-related diseases before they begin. From the transformative potential of GLP-1 drugs to organ-specific aging clocks, this episode is about the innovations with the potential to expand healthspan, not just lifespan.Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Arif Nathoo, cofounder and CEO of Komodo Health, joins Jorge Conde and Jay Rughani to explore the transformative potential of healthcare data in reshaping biotech and healthcare innovation. Arif reflects on a decade-long journey of unlocking the power of fragmented healthcare data, delving into Komodo Health's “full-stack thesis” — a strategy that combines rich datasets, advanced analytics, and AI to enable life sciences companies, payors, and providers to make better decisions at scale.Together, the three also discuss leveraging predictive AI to identify undiagnosed patients and optimize care delivery. Arif also shares actionable advice for founders, from picking the right partner to staying steadfast in the vision. Plus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Join a16z general partners Marc Andreessen, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande for an incisive exploration of what's driving—and stalling—transformation in healthcare. With the industry now consuming nearly 20% of U.S. GDP yet delivering poor outcomes relative to other developed countries, is technology the remedy or a red herring?This episode, cross-posted with the a16z podcast, dissects the inertia holding healthcare back, from regulatory bottlenecks to misaligned incentives, while offering actionable insights for entrepreneurs navigating this complex space. Plus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Seth Hain, SVP of R&D at Epic, joins a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo to explore technology in healthcare. Reflecting on over two decades of industry shifts, Seth shares how Epic has transitioned from enabling integrated systems within health systems to driving cross-ecosystem collaboration and rapid innovations like generative AI.They also discuss orchestration of patient care across diverse settings, the transformative impact of AI on clinical workflows, and whether "electronic health record" is really the best term for clinical record-keeping software. Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Elliot Cohen, cofounder of PillPack, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner. Together, they discuss Elliot's experience designing and building a consumer-first pharmacy alongside TJ Parker.Elliot's journey with PillPack began when he noticed his father struggling with a mail-order pharmacy that couldn't get the simplest thing right: the correct version of a pill.Elliot shares the nitty-gritty of building a consumer-centric business in healthcare, including how they had to adapt CSV files and cake boxes to get their initial product off the ground, and how they balanced the needs of a healthcare system with the desires of their customers. Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

In this episode, Slingshot AI cofounders Daniel Cahn and Neil Parikh join a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo to explore how their mission to transform mental health care with AI took shape. Drawing from their unique journeys—Daniel as the son of a psychologist and Neil as a former medical student-turned-entrepreneur—they discuss the challenges and opportunities of building AI models to model psychological processes and how this could expand access for subclinical mental health support. Listen for candid reflections on Slingshot's innovations, visions for AI's role in preventative care, and a future where technology empowers therapists and patients alike. More in "The Opportunity for Healthcare in a Post-LLM World":An Ironman Suit for Doctors with Muthu AlagappanVoice AI: Solving Healthcare's Workforce Challenges with Ankit JainSuper Staffing in Healthcare with Munjal ShahPlus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Muthu Alagappan, founder and CEO of Counsel Health, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to dive deep into the company's vision for revolutionizing healthcare through AI-powered asynchronous care. Together, they unpack how Counsel enables on-demand access to real doctors for instant medical guidance, lessening patient reliance on Google and alleviating system inefficiencies and physician burn-out. Muthu also explores the duo of efficiency and scale that large language models bring to clinical workflows, making its “clinician cockpit” a superhuman support system for physicians. More in "The Opportunity for Healthcare in a Post-LLM World":Voice AI: Solving Healthcare's Workforce Challenges with Ankit JainSuper Staffing in Healthcare with Munjal ShahTransforming Clinical Trials with Alexander Saint-AmandPlus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Ankit Jain, CEO and cofounder of Infinitus Systems, Inc, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to discuss Infinitus's work in solving one of healthcare's most pressing challenges: workforce shortages. Leveraging LLMs and AI voice agents, Infinitus automates repetitive tasks, such as benefits verification and prior authorization, freeing up human talent for higher-value roles. Ankit reflects on the company's journey—from early proof-of-concept calls to scaling over five million patient-centric interactions—and shares their approach to mitigating the risks of AI errors through layered guardrails. More in "The Opportunity for Healthcare in a Post-LLM World":Super Staffing in Healthcare with Munjal ShahTransforming Clinical Trials with Alexander Saint-AmandPlus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Alexander Saint-Amand, cofounder and CEO of Topography, reflects on his journey from leading Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG), a pioneer in expert networks, to tackling systemic barriers in clinical trials at his current company, Topography. Inspired by personal experiences, Alexander's mission centers on democratizing access to clinical research by transforming community-based practices into thriving hubs for trials. Alongside a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo, he discusses the pervasive challenges in enrollment, physician participation, and the inefficiencies plaguing the current model.Alexander also talks through Topography's hybrid approach—combining technology, services, and AI—and its potential to lower the barrier to entry for providers, improving patient access. 

Rajaie Batniji, MD, PhD, Afia Asamoah, JD, and Sanjay Basu, MD, PhD, cofounders of Waymark, join Vineeta Agarwala, MD, PhD, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to discuss their transformative approach to Medicaid care delivery. This episode dives into their rising risk signal prediction framework, where cutting-edge machine learning predicts patient needs and enables community-based care teams to reduce preventable ER visits and improve health outcomes at scale. The team recently published their real-world results—including a 23% reduction in unnecessary acute care—in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst.Additional resources:Supporting Rising-Risk Medicaid Patients Through Early Intervention, NEJM CatalystThe Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, by David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu

Hippocratic AI cofounder and CEO Munjal Shah joins a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo to explore the incredible potential of generative AI in transforming healthcare delivery. Together, they discuss the emerging "voice renaissance" in healthcare, the nuances of designing safe and empathetic AI interactions, and how Hippocratic AI is addressing safety concerns with innovations like multi-LLM architecture and rigorous training with thousands of nurses. This episode also discusses a shift toward viewing AI tools as an opportunity for healthcare "super staffing," and strategies for integrating AI into complex healthcare systems.

Jeff Margolis, founder of TriZetto, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to share the journey of building an iconic company in healthcare infrastructure. From the early days of managed care to creating a three-pronged platform uniting computing power, software, and data analytics, Jeff reflects on TriZetto's groundbreaking model that reshaped payer-provider transactions and set industry standards. Together, they also delve into the strategic importance of scaling through acquisitions, aligning with industry standards, and crafting innovative pricing models.

In this episode, Matt Wilsey joins Jorge Conde to share the profound personal story of his daughter Grace's diagnosis with NGLY1 deficiency and how it catalyzed his journey to founding a biotech startup, Grace Science, aimed at developing a cure for his daughter's condition.Matt emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships, like his collaboration with Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi, and sheds light on the search for gene therapies for rare diseases. Check out our previous episode with Carolyn Bertozzi here.

Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi joins Jorge Conde to unravel the concept of bioorthogonal chemistry. Carolyn traces her pioneering path from early studies in carbohydrate chemistry to how her lab developed the revolutionary ability to manipulate chemical reactions inside the human body. Together, they highlight the intersection of cutting-edge academic research and the challenges of translating discoveries into market-ready solutions. They also discuss navigating the science-to-startup journey, balancing academic and commercial ambitions, and leveraging precision therapies to address unmet medical needs in cancer and beyond. It's a compelling case study for founders looking to push the frontiers of biotech.

In this episode, a16z partners Jorge Conde and Jay Rughani sit down with Sajith Wickramasekara, CEO and cofounder of Benchling, to unpack the evolution of Benchling from idea to transformative software platform. Saji discusses his journey from software engineer to building Benchling and digitizing biotech workflows for industry giants like Sanofi. Together, they also talk about the increasing complexity of biology, the expanding role of AI in drug discovery, and the power of well-structured data. The 21st century isn't just the century of advanced biology—it's also the era of creating tools that supercharge scientific discovery.

Join healthcare expert Dan Rosenthal and a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo in a deep dive into the evolution of provider networks and their strategic importance in the health insurance ecosystem. Dan discusses how networks are built, managed, and optimized for both cost and quality—including the complexities of payor-provider contracts, the future impact of transparency laws, and opportunities for digital health startups to break into the network space. Dan also explores the possibility of AI-driven, personalized networks, challenging traditional models and paving the way for innovation. Whether you're building a health tech startup or seeking to modernize provider networks, this conversation offers a roadmap for navigating and disrupting healthcare's foundational structures.This episode was originally released in August 2023.

Chris Ellis, CEO and Adam Stevenson, president, both cofounders of Thatch, join Julie Yoo and Jay Rughani of a16z Bio + Health.In early 2020, a new policy called ICHRA altered the insurance market, which had remained largely unchanged for decades. As you'll hear in the episode, it's been slow to catch on — but the cofounders of Thatch think it's a game changer. Together, they discuss these key takeaways:Consumers as a growing class of payor:Traditionally employers shouldered healthcare costs, but now consumers are paying more out of pocket and making purchasing decisions directly for their health coverage.ICHRA represents a major shift, allowing companies to give employees tax-free dollars to shop for personalized health plans.Distributed teams and geographic diversity are creating friction in providing effective healthcare via traditional group plans. Employees may find that certain doctors aren't covered and plans aren't tailored to their needs, making ICHRA an increasingly attractive option for employers.The fintech intersectionHow do you make spending healthcare dollars easy, secure, and efficient? By leveraging fintech solutions that ensure employees use healthcare dollars on what matters  most for them.This alignment between fintech and healthcare could enable more flexible, localized plans, with individuals choosing the add-ons that work best for them at that moment in their lives.

Jonathan Lim is the CEO of Erasca, but his career path took him on a fascinating journey from practicing as a surgeon to leading life science companies. In a recent conversation, Lim shared valuable insights about his transition to the biotech world, his leadership experiences, and the lessons he's learned while founding and guiding organizations through high-stakes decision making. Reflecting on a personal trip to the Galapagos Islands, Lim also drew parallels between Darwinian evolution and business. In today's challenging biotech environment, entrepreneurs need to adapt or die, consistently evolving by reprioritizing, raising funds smartly, and staying agile to survive and thrive. 

In this episode, Vijay Pande and Daisy Wolf of a16z Bio + Health join a16z Podcast host Steph Smith to make a provocative case for why technologists—not just medical professionals—are key to reinventing healthcare. They argue that to transform a sector representing 20% of U.S. GDP, innovation must move beyond curing diseases toward tackling healthcare's broken systems. By likening the healthcare industry to a logistics challenge, Vijay and Daisy outline how technologists can leverage their expertise in consumer engagement, operational efficiency, and AI to drive the next frontier of health innovation. They also explore high-impact opportunities like improving patient experiences and deploying AI for behavioral change at scale. If you're ready to explore new paths in healthcare, this episode is essential listening for understanding the powerful role technologists can play in shaping its future.

Marta Bralic Kerns, founder and CEO of Pomelo Care, joins Will Shrank, MD, a16z Bio + Health venture partner.Together, they talk about the innovator's dilemma with building in the Medicaid space, how Pomelo partners with managed care plans, and the opportunity to potentially lower costs through providing additional support to pregnant women.This is the third episode in our Medicaid Matters series. Listen to previous guests Mark Smith, MD, and Nikita Singareddy in the Raising Health feed.

Nikita Singareddy, cofounder and CEO of Fortuna Health, joins Will Shrank, MD, a16z Bio + Health venture partner.Together, they discuss building a useful and convenient platform for Medicaid enrollees, listening to patient feedback to improve, and the complexities of different states' Medicaid processes. This is the second episode in our Medicaid Matters series. Listen to previous guest Mark Smith, MD, to hear about Medicaid from a provider's perspective.

Over the next three episodes, we're going to talk about why Medicaid matters, and the potential for technology to make it easier for enrollees to access and utilize the program. Our first guest is Mark Smith, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF. He was the founding President and former CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation from 1996-2013, which is where he began his work to improve Medicaid. He experienced Medicaid from a provider perspective when he began his residency during the early days of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco in the 1980s. In this interview, he is joined by a16z Bio + Health venture partner Will Shrank, MD. Together, they discuss Mark's time at CHCF, how Medicaid works, and how founders can potentially partner with the Medicaid program. In future episodes, we'll also hear from Marta Bralic Kerns, founder and CEO of Pomelo Care, and Nikita Singareddy, cofounder and CEO of Fortuna Health. Both companies are directly working with Medicaid patients to make their lives easier.

Vijay Pande, PhD, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health, joins Derrick Harris, host of the AI + a16z podcast. Together, they discuss how computer science has subsumed biotech.

Casey Means, MD, a Stanford-trained physician, cofounder of Levels, and author of the new book Good Energy, joins Vijay Pande,  PhD, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health.Together, they discuss the downsides of physician specialization, the rising tide of chronic illness in the U.S., and how tracking biomarkers might allow people to determine the best nutrition options for their unique physiology. Casey's book is available here.

Greg Meyers, EVP and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Bristol Myers Squibb, or BMS, joins Jorge Conde, general partner at a16z.This is a follow-up to their 2023 episode, where they discussed how biopharma can adapt to AI. Now, they revisit the conversation to see what's changed and what hasn't.Together, they chat through tech as a competitive differentiator for large companies, generative AI for drug development, and what Greg and BMS look for in potential partners. They also highlight the importance of being agile and adaptable while navigating the changing landscape of biotech, providing valuable insights for founders.

Michael Crackower, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Ventus Therapeutics, and Jason Burch, PhD, join Vineeta Agarwala, MD, PhD, general partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they talk about how Ventus approaches drug discovery and why they believe we're in the early stages of small molecule innovation. Specifically, we'll hear about the ReSOLVE platform, which enables the drug hunting team to more accurately design and iterate on small molecular compounds for therapeutic applications. They also talk about the current candidates in the pipeline and how they're able to go from idea to IND in record time. 

Bowen Liu, PhD, investing partner, and Surya Ganguli, PhD, venture partner, join Vijay Pande, PhD, general partner of a16z Bio + Health.Together, they detail different methods through which AI could assist drug development, the opportunity for AI to flag new targets and compounds for scientists to investigate, and the science fiction-sounding notion of developing a foundation model that untangles biology.This is an in-depth conversation from three AI experts and biologists, so we'll also publish the transcript alongside the episode on our website if you want to follow along. 

Bruce Levine, PhD, the Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Jorge Conde, general partner, and Ginger Liau, partner at a16z Bio + Health.Bruce talks about how his time working in a lab at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia inspired him to work on translational therapies. Together, they also discuss barriers to access for cancer therapeutics and how the fight against cancer is progressing.Additional disclosures for Bruce include:Scientific Advisory Boards: Avectas, Capstan (Chair), Immuneel, Immusoft, In8bio, Ori Biotech, Oxford Biomedica, ThermoFisher Pharma Services, UTC Therapeutics. Scientific Advisor: Kite. Past: Akron, VycellixCo-Founder and equity holder: Tmunity Therapeutics (acquired by Kite), Capstan TherapeuticsBoard of Directors: Alliance for Cancer Gene TherapyConflict of interest is managed in accordance with University of Pennsylvania policy and oversight.

In this episode, a follow-up to our episode Grand Challenges in Healthcare AI, Julie Yoo and Vijay Pande, a16z general partners, answer audience questions about AI applications in healthcare.Together, they dive into cost and implementation challenges, the data landscape, and what the patient experience might look like.If you liked this episode, listen to Grand Challenges in Healthcare AI here or wherever you get your podcasts.

John Crowley, President and CEO of Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), joined Jorge Conde, general partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they talk about John's entry into biotech and his time as a founder, all motivated by his determination to discover and develop a treatment for his children, who have Pompe disease.They also talk about John's priorities as head of BIO and how that could translate into policy.

Lawrence Ingrassia, author and journalist, joins Vineeta Agarwala, general partner, and Kris Tatiossian, editorial lead at a16z Bio + Health. Together, they discuss Larry's recently published book, A Fatal Inheritance: How A Family Misfortune Revealed A Deadly Medical Mystery. In the book, Larry recounts the story of the p53 cancer suppressor gene, also known as the “guardian of the genome.” Mutations in this gene, which can be inherited, remove a natural tumor defense, making it more likely for an individual to get cancer during their lifetime.He tells the story of the search for this gene and the scientists who unlocked the mystery of high familial incidences of cancer, Drs. Li and Fraumeni. He also shares a more personal aspect of the story: many members of his family inherited Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and suffered from multiple cancers themselves.

Jonathan Swerdlin, cofounder and CEO, and Mark Hyman, MD, cofounder and Chief Medical Officer of Function Health join Vijay Pande, general partner, and Daisy Wolf, investment partner of a16z Bio + Health.Together, they discuss their personal health journeys that led to founding Function, how they're planning to scale Function, and what the future could look like.

Jonathan Bush, founder and CEO of Zus Health, and Chris Severn, cofounder and CEO of Turquoise Health, join Julie Yoo, general partner, and Colin Rom, head of public policy for a16z Bio + Health.We've long believed that regulatory change can be a catalyst for company creation. In this episode, Jonathan and Chris detail how that was true for them. They also outline a few key takeaways for founders hoping to leverage regulatory change themselves.

In this episode, originally recorded for the a16z Podcast, host Steph Smith interviews Pushmeet Kohli, DeepMind's VP of Research focused on AI for science. They are joined by a16z Bio + Health founding partner Vijay Pande.Together, they discuss AI at scale, and its power to transform science.

Chronis Manolis, SVP and Chief Pharmacy Officer of UPMC Health Plan, joins Julie Yoo, general partner, Daisy Wolf, investment partner, and Will Shrank, venture partner, of a16z Bio + Health.Together, they discuss how payors and providers are thinking about anti-obesity medications, as well as pricing and prior authorization considerations. This is the third episode in our series on the science and supply of GLP-1s. Listen to last week's episode to hear from Brooke Boyarsky Pratt, founder and CEO of knownwell, about the importance of patient-centric medical homes. The week before, we spoke with Carolyn Jasik, Chief Medical Officer at Omada Health, on GLP-1s from a clinical perspective. 

Brooke Boyarsky Pratt, founder and CEO of knownwell, joins Vineeta Agarwala, general partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they talk about the value of obesity medicine practitioners, patient-centric medical homes, and how Brooke believes the metabolic health space will evolve over time.This is the second episode in our series on the science and supply of GLP-1s. Listen to last week's episode to hear from Carolyn Jasik, Chief Medical Officer at Omada Health, on GLP-1s from a clinical perspective.

Carolyn Jasik, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Omada Health, joins Vijay Pande, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health.As Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound capture the healthcare spotlight, we've developed a series of episodes that go beyond the headlines and take you into conversations with the specialists. Our first guest is Carolyn Jasik, Chief Medical Officer at Omada Health. She gives us an overview of the science of satiety, the perspective from obesity-focused physicians, and the sometimes surprising lifestyle implications for patients on these medicines.This series provides insight into what anti-obesity medicines are, where they're going, and the challenges that have to be overcome along the way.

Vineeta Agarwala, MD, PhD, joins Luke Timmerman's The Long Run podcast on stage at the Life Science Innovation Northwest Conference. They discuss everything from AI for drug discovery to Vineeta's ongoing clinical work as a physician and how that influences her perspective.

Kim Branson, PhD, SVP and Global Head of AI and Machine Learning for GSK, joins Vijay Pande, founding partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they talk about how AI has improved drug discovery and development, as Kim walks through all the ways AI can be deployed in the lab. They also get into detail about what an ideal partner looks like and what kind of solution is attractive to a big biopharma, making this a particularly relevant episode for builders in biotech AI.

In this episode, Carl June, MD, pioneering immunologist and oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Jorge Conde, general partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they discuss Carl's work on CAR T, a remarkable story of the first use of CAR T in a pediatric patient, and Carl's take on where oncology treatments are headed next.Though this episode was originally published in September 2023, back when we were called Bio Eats World, we're republishing it  during this year's ASGCT conference, where the latest advances in cell and gene therapy—like what Carl describes—are shared and discussed.

Tom Hale, CEO of ŌURA, joins Vijay Pande, founding partner, and Daisy Wolf, investment partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they talk about the potential of wearables to change behavior, and how that can affect health. They also discuss how AI could maximize the usefulness of wearables and power the insights provided to wearers.

Philip Tagari, Chief Scientific Officer of insitro, joins Vijay Pande, founding general partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they discuss the transformative power of drugs in changing human health—and history. They also reflect on the evolution of the drug discovery process as it shifts from serendipitous discovery to AI-enabled engineering. Finally, they chat about where the industry is headed, and how AI might change the competition landscape.

Vijay Pande, founding general partner of a16z Bio + Health, chats with the builders (and siblings) behind Devoted Health, Ed and Todd Park. The Park brothers, with decades of expertise in healthcare and policy, including as EVP and COO at athenahealth (Ed) and Chief Technology Officer of the United States (Todd),  started Devoted with the idea of building a healthcare model from scratch. Together, their discussion underscores the sector's urgent need for technological innovation and the game-changing role of AI.This episode was recorded live at a16z's LP Summit.

Vijay Pande, founding general partner, and Julie Yoo, general partner at a16z Bio + Health, come together to talk through the grand challenges facing healthcare AI today.The discussion covers the implications of AI integration in healthcare workflows, AI as a potential catalyst for value-based care, and the potential for innovation in clinical trials. They also talk about the AI startup they each wish would walk through the door. 

Greg Meyers, EVP and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Bristol Myers Squibb (or BMS), joins a16z Bio + Health general partner Jorge Conde.Together, they talk about how AI could transform drug discovery and development at a large biopharma company—and how a company might have to adapt to harness AI; modalities they're excited about; and Greg's do's and don'ts for startups looking to partner with a company like BMS.

As any healthcare founder knows, it can be difficult to get into a room with the executives making purchase decisions for payors and providers—so we're bringing the executives to you.This episode features interviews with payor and provider leaders about what they're seeing and how they're thinking about AI. Guided by Julie Yoo, general partner, and Jay Rughani, investment partner at a16z Bio + Health, you'll hear from the executives about how they're utilizing AI, the KPIs they use to gauge effectiveness, and what they consider a good partnership.Julie and Jay also authored an in-depth guide to commercializing AI in healthcare based on these interviews, available here. All of our go-to-market playbooks are available on our Digital Health Builders page. 

"There is a revolution unfolding in biotech. The confluence of new biological methods like CRISPR, virtually unlimited computational capacity, and machine learning has fundamentally transformed our ability to engineer biology for wide-ranging applications."Vijay Pande, founding general partner at a16z Bio + Health, joins the Software Engineering Daily podcast to talk about innovation in biotech and healthcare, the biotech startup landscape, the impact of AI, and much more.You can see a transcript of the episode and more information about Software Engineering Daily here.

Rosana Kapeller, CEO of Rome Therapeutics, and Marty Taylor, physician-scientist at Harvard Medical School, join Vineeta Agarwala, general partner, and Bryan Faust, investment partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they discuss Rosana and Marty's recent publication regarding a virus-like element in our genome known as LINE-1. LINE-1, part of our "dark genome," was ignored as junk DNA for years, but is increasingly recognized to contribute to the pathology of autoimmunity, cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging. Rosana and Marty discuss how the discovery was made as well as how Rome Therapeutics is developing a platform to target LINE-1 and other factors that are part of the "dark genome" for the treatment of disease.Additional reading:Structures, functions and adaptations of the human LINE-1 protein

Vijay Pande, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health, dives deep with a16z Podcast host Steph Smith into the potential of DNA as a data storage mechanism.This episode, a cross-post with the a16z Podcast, draws parallels between Moore's Law and the race for "Moore's Law for DNA." Vijay discusses the density, longevity, and ubiquity of DNA, and how this could be leveraged into a data storage solution. Vijay and Steph mix technical advancements with futuristic speculation as they talk about what the future of biotech might look like.

Julie Klapstein, founding CEO of Availity, long-time healthcare executive, and a16z Bio + Health's newest advisory partner, joins Julie Yoo, general partner at a16z Bio + Health.Together, they delve into Julie Klapstein's rich career journey, which has spanned several decades of progress in healthcare. They also discussed building Availity, her time at MultiPlan, and the network effects undergirding both businesses. Finally, they talk about how AI could impact healthcare—for payors, providers, and the network businesses in between.

Scribe Therapeutics cofounder and CEO Benjamin Oakes, PhD, joins a16z Bio + Health founding general partner Vijay Pande.In this episode, Benjamin traces his journey from PhD student to pioneering CEO in genome editing. Benjamin discusses his early exposure to CRISPR technologies, his hands-on experience of transforming these bacterial immune systems into "genome editing scalpels," and the founding of Scribe. The conversation sheds light on the challenges of engineering these molecules, as well as the potential for life-changing therapeutics.