Progress, Potential, and Possibilities

Send us a textDr. Samir Khleif, MD is CEO of Georgiamune ( https://www.georgiamune.com/team ), a private, science and discovery clinical stage immunotherapeutic biotechnology company focused on reprogramming immune signaling pathways to redirect the immune system to fight diseases.  Dr. Khleif is a pioneer in the field of immunotherapy. He is a medical oncologist, immunologist, innovator, and entrepreneur, as well as a transformational executive in health care and biomedical research.Prior to becoming CEO of Georgiamune, Dr. Khleif served in different academic and leadership positions. He was a National Cancer Institute (NCI)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientist and Chief of the NCI Cancer Vaccine Section, where he led the development of pioneering immune-oncology and cancer vaccines into clinical trials. As a national and international academic leader, and detailed by the US government, he served as the founding director and CEO of the King Hussein Cancer Center ( https://www.khcc.jo/en ) in Amman, Jordan, where he led the development of the largest cancer center in the MENA region. He also served as the director of the Georgia Cancer Center, the state cancer center, at Augusta University. He is currently a biomedical scholar and holds a professorship at Georgetown University Medical School.Dr. Khleif also served as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the FDA, leading the FDA's Critical Path Initiative for Oncology. He is a member of the board of directors of Ayala Pharmaceuticals and Emerald Biopharmaceutics, and served as a member of the scientific advisory board of more than 20 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.Dr. Khleif is an international KOL in immunology and immunotherapy. He has served on many national committees, including the Scientific Advisory Board of the Biden Cancer Initiative, as chair of the Immunotherapy Committee for NRG, and as a member of the NCI Cooperative Group. He currently serves as an advisor for the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Khleif is an editor of three books, the author of hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific research articles, and a prolific inventor with more than 150 patents issued or pending in the field of immunology and immunotherapy.Dr. Khleif received his medical degree at the University of Jordan, Amman Jordan. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Ohio and his fellowship in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland.#SamirKhleif #Georgiamune #Immunotherapy #KingHusseinCancerCenter #CriticalPathInitiative #FDA #Tregs #RegulatoryTCells #Cancer #Oncology #CheckpointInhibitors #ImmuneEscapeMechanisms #DualFunctioningAntibody #Autoimmune #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Sui Huang, MD, PhD is a Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology ( ISB - https://isbscience.org/people/sui-huang-md-phd/?tab=biography ) where his lab is focused on studying how gene regulatory networks control gene activity to create stable cellular states, such as different cell types, and how these states transition into different lineages in both healthy and diseased conditions.Dr. Huang is a molecular and cell biologist with a strong background in theoretical biology and has devoted much of his research to understanding the very phenomenon of cancer from a complex systems perspective. Before joining the ISB in fall 2011, Dr. Huang held faculty positions at the University of Calgary (Institute of Biocomplexity and Informatics), where he helped establish biocomplexity as a discipline in research and teaching, and at Harvard Medical School (Children's Hospital) where he obtained first experimental evidence for the existence of high-dimensional attractors in mammalian gene regulatory networks.Dr. Huang grew up in Geneva and Zurich. He received his MD degree from the University of Zurich and obtained thereafter, as the first recipient of the PhD-Program-for-Physicians Award of the Swiss National Science Foundation, his PhD in molecular biology and physical chemistry for work on interferons. As a postdoctoral fellow at Children's Hospital Boston he investigated tumor angiogenesis and cell growth control. In that period he also studied dynamical systems through his affiliation with the New England Complex Systems Institute.Important Episode Link - "The end of the genetic paradigm of cancer" - PLOS Biologyhttps://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003052#SuiHuang #InstituteForSystemsBiology #Interferon #Angiogenesis #AttractorStates #Epigenetics #Cancer #Oncology #TumorMicroenvironment #DonaldIngber #ConradWaddington #Organogenesis #Morphogenesis #LeeHood #BeatriceMintz #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textMark McDonough is the CEO of Cyrex Labs ( https://www.cyrexlabs.com/ ), a clinical immunology laboratory specializing in functional immunology and autoimmunity testing. Cyrex offers multi-tissue antibody testing for the early detection and monitoring of today's complex autoimmune conditions and develops innovative arrays through continuous collaboration with leading experts in medical research and clinical practice.Mark is a global technology business executive with 30 years of experience, and his personal mission is to impact change in the field of healthcare in a compassionate yet resolute manner, leading by example.Prior to Cyrex, Mark served in several private and public company CEO roles including PierianDx and CombiMatrix, a publicly held molecular diagnostics company performing DNA-based testing services for reproductive health, oncology, and developmental disorders.Earlier in his career, Mark served in various sales leadership roles at high growth diagnostic companies to include Ventana Medical Systems (acquired by Roche) and US LABS (acquired by LabCorp). Mark is married with three children and is a proud former Naval Officer having served as a Navigator and Communications Officer on the USS FLETCHER (DD 992).#MarkMcDonough #CyrexLabs #ClinicalImmunology #FunctionalImmunology #Autoimmunity #AristoVojdani #FoodAssociatedAutoimmunities #Neuroimmunity #BrainGutConnection #LifestyleMedicine #Antigenic #Inflammation #MolecularMimicry #ImmuneReactivity #PathogenAssociatedImmuneReactivity #MultipleChemicalSensitivities #MicrobialTransglutaminase #CeliacDisease #NonCeliacGlutenSensitivity #CrohnsDisease #Neuroautoimmunity #Neurodegeneration #BloodBrainBarrier #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH ( https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/michael-t-osterholm-phd-mph ) is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Osterholm is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Council of Foreign Relations. In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center's Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.Dr. Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology and is the author of more than 300 papers and abstracts, including 20 book chapters, and New York Times best-selling 2017 book, Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs ( https://www.amazon.com/Deadliest-Enemy-Against-Killer-Germs/dp/0316343692 ).Dr. Osterholm's new book will be coming out in September, 2025, entitled The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics ( https://www.amazon.com/Big-One-Prepare-World-Altering-Pandemics-ebook/dp/B0C1G5BHG3 ).Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary doctorate from Luther College; the Pump Handle Award, CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA; the Squibb Award, IDSA; Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UMN; and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership Award, American Public Health Association. He also has been the recipient of six major research awards from the NIH and the CDC.Dr. Osterholm received his PhD and MS in Environmental Health, and MPH in Epidemiology, from the University of Minnesota. #MichaelOsterholm #InfectiousDisease #CenterForInfectiousDiseaseResearchAndPolicy #CIDRAP #PublicHealth #AntimicrobialStewardship #VaccineIntegrityProject #AntimicrobialResistance #MinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth #Epidemiologist #ToxicShockSyndrome #FoodborneIllness #Hepatitis #Biodefense #Countermeasures #ChronicWastingDisease #Preparedness #Policy #Surveillance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Manfred Stapff, MD, PhD is a physician and pharmaceutical industry leader with over 30 years of experience in internal medicine, clinical research, and drug development, who has worked across a range of therapeutic areas including NASH, CV, CNS, respiratory, oncology, GI, anti-infective, and orphan diseases.Dr. Stapff has held senior roles at Merck & Co., Forest Laboratories (now Allergan), and LG Chem (CMO / COO), specializing in clinical development, regulatory affairs, and global medical operations. As Chief Medical Officer at TriNetX, he helped build the worldʼs largest real-world data (RWD) research network. Dr. Stapff's expertise spans clinical trials, drug development, regulatory affairs, quality management, and real-world studies.As the founder of Candid Advisory (https://candid-advisory.com/), Dr. Stapff helps organizations leverage real-world data and AI to improve healthcare decision-making and regulatory strategies. Dr. Stapff's new book, Real-World Evidence Unveiled: Navigating the Maze of Modern Misinformation ( https://www.amazon.com/Real-World-Evidence-Unveiled-Navigating-Misinformation-ebook/dp/B0F6DWR6MY?ref_=ast_author_mpb ), explores how misinformation shapes science, media, and public health and how we can separate fact from fiction.#RealWorldEvidence #ManfredStapff #ClinicalTrials #RegulatoryAffairs #RealWorldData #DrugRepurposing #RWE #ArtificialIntelligence #FakeNews #MediaBias #Misinformation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textMuffy Walker ( https://www.muffywalker.com/ ) is a psychiatric nurse with 45 years of experience, the founder of the International Bipolar Foundation, ( https://ibpf.org/ - an organization focused on raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health ), a dedicated Alzheimer's caregiver, and an author with a passion for crafting compelling fiction that educates, inspires and sheds light on important topics, sparking meaningful conversations and fostering greater understanding. Muffy's debut novel, Memory Weavers ( https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Weavers-Muffy-Walker/dp/B0DT7V6K3L ), a poignant and timely work of women's fiction exploring memory, trauma, and the realities of caregiving, was just released April 8, 2025, with her other titles including a children's book, The Great Jungle Talent Show, as well as Healthy Living with Bipolar Disorder, written for both people living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers.Muffy holds a Master of Science in Psychiatric Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from University of California, Irvine, and has written extensively on mental health topics, contributing many chapters, guides, and newspaper articles to the field.Muffy has also has served on a plethora of boards including Children's Hospital, Kids Korps USA, NeighborHelp, and ChildHelp USA.#MuffyWalker #MemoryWeavers #AlzheimersCaregiving #InternationalBipolarFoundation #PsychiatricNursing #Dementia #PTSD #Empathy #Fiction #PatientAdvocacy #HusseiniManji #ScottSmall #CraigVenter #JohnCReed #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Michelle I. Cardel, PhD, MS, RD is Chief Nutrition Officer of WeightWatchers ( https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/science-center/team/michelle-cardel?srsltid=AfmBOooheyN06Ngdf86tF274AuTsCjebrDKN1ccjFWOsyMk8hZPs_IRw ), where she oversees the company's academic research partnerships and clinical trials, nutrition portfolio, and science communication. In collaboration with fellow scientists and teams across the organization, she plans and executes research studies, then implements and disseminates the findings for WeightWatchers members, the scientific community, and the greater community at large. She also leads the company's nutrition point of view using the latest in nutritional science, and works across the organization to translate the evidence in member content, programs, and beyond.Dr. Cardel is an obesity and nutrition scientist and registered dietitian with a focus on the development and implementation of evidence-based healthy lifestyle strategies for adults and children, particularly those from medically-underserved backgrounds.Before joining the WeightWatchers Science team in 2021, Dr. Cardel was an assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine. She was also the founder and director of the University of Florida Obesity Research Alliance, and an associate director for the Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. Dr. Cardel holds a PhD in nutrition sciences and a master's degree in clinical nutrition from University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Florida State University. She also holds specialized training in motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment therapy, implementation science, and is a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.Throughout her career, Dr. Cardel has authored over 120 scientific publications and received numerous honors including the Excellence in Emerging Outcomes Research award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Superior Accomplishment Award for Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of Florida Health Sciences Center, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Outstanding Woman Award and Outstanding Young Alumni Award. She was also awarded Fellow Status for The Obesity Society, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of obesity. Dr. Cardel is a skilled proponent of science communication and has conducted dozens of media interviews, including a recurring segment on nutrition for Channel 9 News in Denver. She's also highly active on social media in efforts to translate scientific findings to the public.#MichelleCardel #ChiefNutritionOfficer #WeightWatchers #Obesity #Diabetes #MetabolicDiseases #Cardiovascular #Nutrition #Dietetics #Health #Wellness #WomensHealth #Aging #GLP1 #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textNeil Steinberg and Mark Jonathan Harris are both acclaimed filmmakers and through a partnership with Generation Entertainment, The John A. Hartford Foundation ( https://www.johnahartford.org/resources/view/new-pbs-documentary-film-release-and-screenings-aging-in-america---survive-or-thrive ) and PBS SoCal ( https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/aging-in-america-survive-or-thrive ), on May 1st will be debuting Aging in America: Survive or Thrive ( https://aginginamericasurviveorthrive.com/ ), a one-hour documentary that explores the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly aging population.  The documentary identifies critical issues associated with our rapidly aging population, including ageism, healthcare, economic insecurity, and Alzheimer's disease, but also highlights innovative approaches to address these concerns, and featuring a range of renowned experts, personal stories, and narration from Martin Sheen, the film celebrates the promise of increased longevity while addressing crucial and unprecedented public policy challenges. Neil is President at Generation Entertainment and has worked extensively as producer/ director in nearly all forms of media ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0825796/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm ). His documentary work includes directing Kisses for the TNT Network and writing and producing a one-hour documentary on the life of Bishop TD Jakes for Lionsgate Television. Neil was the producer and director for the highly acclaimed PBS documentary, Boomer Century 1946-2046. Other aging related projects he has produced and directed for PBS include Life's Third Age and Sages of Aging.Mark ( https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0365057/ ) is a 3-time Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and Emeritus Distinguished Professor in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California ( https://cinema.usc.edu/faculty/profile.cfm?id=6530&first=&last=harris&title=&did=50&referer=%2Ffaculty%2Ffacultydirectory.cfm&startpage=1&startrow=1 ), where he ran the documentary program for many years. In 2021, Asian Americans, a 5-part series for PBS for which he was Consulting Producer, received a Peabody Award. Among the many documentaries Mark has written, produced and/or directed are The Redwoods, which won an Oscar for Best Short Documentary (1968); The Long Way Home, Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary (1997); and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport, which won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary in 2000 and was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry. Foster, which he wrote and directed, aired on HBO in 2019 and was nominated for Best Documentary Screenplay by the Writers Guild of America.#NeilSteinberg #MarkJonathanHarris #GenerationEntertainment #TheJohnAHartfordFoundation #PBSSoCal #AgingInAmerica #SurviveOrThrive #Documentary #RobertButler #NationalInstituteOnAging #Ageism #EconomicInsecurity #AlzheimersDisease #MartinSheen #Geriatrics #Gerontology #Longevity #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textMarc Elia is the Founder of M28 Capital ( https://www.m28capital.com/ ), a healthcare sector investment fund, as well as Chairman of the Board of Invivyd ( https://www.invivyd.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company devoted to delivering protection from serious viral infectious diseases, beginning with SARS-CoV-2, by deploying a proprietary integrated technology platform, to create best in class monoclonal antibodies. In March 2024, Invivyd received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. FDA for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) in its pipeline of innovative antibody candidates. Marc has a passion for investing in and developing innovative healthcare solutions, and dedicated much of his career to make a meaningful difference in human health, and advocate for the development of therapies that address unmet medical needs.Prior to M28, from January 2012 to September 2019, Marc served as a partner at Bridger Capital, an investment fund and has served on the Board of Directors of numerous companies.Prior to his time in the healthcare investment space, Marc served in Strategy and Corporate Development roles at Chiron Corporation, in Business Development at Protein Sciences Corporation, as well as in consulting at L.E.K. Consulting.Marc holds a B.A. in economics from Carleton College.#MarcElia #M28Capital #Invivyd #Biopharmaceuticals #InfectiousDiseases #SARSCoV2 #MonoclonalAntibodies #Immunocompromised #RareViralEpitopes #Pemivibart #PreExposureProphylaxis #Covid19 #EmergencyUseAuthorization #EUA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Bobby Reddy, MD is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Pi Health ( https://www.pihealth.ai/ ), a health technology and clinical research company committed to empowering life sciences companies to develop medicines faster and reach diverse patient populations. Dr. Reddy leads global operations, business development, and commercial activities with the mission of driving equal access to innovative medicines and clinical trials for patients around the world. Previously, Dr. Reddy served in leadership positions at BeiGene and AstraZeneca. At BeiGene, Dr. Reddy was Executive Director of Applied Innovation, a technology incubator in the Office of the CEO, which developed novel technologies to improve R&D and commercial capabilities. In this role, Dr. Reddy was the co-inventor of multiple patented technology applications which have successfully undergone enterprise adoption. He also built and managed multidisciplinary, global teams who led strategy, business development, global operations, and legal activities to drive development, implementation and growth of incubated technologies and companies. At AstraZeneca, Dr. Reddy was Head of Oncology Regulatory Science and Innovation, where he was a member of the global Oncology Regulatory Science and Strategy leadership team. Previous to Dr. Reddy's roles in pharma and biotech, Dr. Reddy was faculty of Harvard Medical School and a physician scientist and clinical dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focused on investigating the role of genetic and immunologic factors in melanoma development and progression, along with the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Dr. Reddy is also an alumnus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute – National Institutes of Health Research Scholars Program, through which he conducted research at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Reddy completed an Internal Medicine internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, during which he was given the Dunne Award for Humanism in Medicine by Harvard Medical School. He subsequently completed a Dermatology residency at Columbia University Medical Center, where he served as a Chief Resident during his final year of training. After residency, he completed a Melanoma Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Reddy obtained his M.D. with Alpha Omega Alpha honors from Rutgers–New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Reddy is a board-certified dermatologist and maintains an active clinical practice caring for patients at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he also teaches and mentors medical students and trainees.Important Episode Link - Pi Health Cancer Hospital - https://www.pihealthcancerhospital.com/#BobbyReddy #PiHealth #Dermatology #Oncology #Melanoma #Cancer #ElectronicHealthRecords #GenerativeAI #CDSCO #ClinicalTrials #India #CentralDrugsStandardControlOrganisation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Mirza Rahman, MD, MPH serves as the President of the American College of Preventive Medicine ( ACPM - https://www.acpm.org/about-acpm/governance/executive-officers/mirza-rahman/ ), a professional community, founded in 1954 as a professional community for board-certified physicians to network, share their expertise and advocate for the advancement of prevention. Today, ACPM represents over 2,000 physicians, medical students, non-physicians, and other partners. All believe in the importance of preventive medicine in our society. Dr. Rahman also serves as the Senior Vice President, Patient Safety & Pharmacovigilance at Cybin ( https://cybin.com/our-team/ ), a pharmaceutical company seeking to bring novel, second-generation psychedelics to market. He also and is a Co-Founder and President of the Guyanese Diaspora Charity ( https://www.guyanesediasporacharity.org/ ), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on helping to improve the lives of Guyanese. In addition, Dr. Rahman is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University ( https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/profile/mirza-i-rahman-md ) and as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Guyana.Most recently, Dr. Rahman was the Vice President & Chief Safety Officer at Organon, a global healthcare company. There, he was responsible for leading and setting the broad strategic direction for pharmacovigilance for this multinational company.Prior to that, Dr. Rahman was the Senior Vice President, Chief Global Pharmacovigilance Officer & European Research & Development Lead at Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, a global Japanese based pharmaceutical company. In 2013, he created the ACPM - Otsuka Pharmacovigilance Physician Program in Global Medical Safety. Dr. Rahman joined Otsuka from Merck Research Laboratories, where he was an Executive Director in the Clinical Risk Management/Global Safety department. Before this, he worked at Johnson & Johnson in a variety of positions, serving as a Worldwide Vice President, Health Economics & Reimbursement at Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics in his last role there.During his 25+ years in the pharmaceutical industry, while Dr. Rahman has worked primarily in Pharmacovigilance, he has also worked in Medical Affairs, Medical Information, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Quality Management, Clinical Development, Manufacturing, and Regulatory Affairs.Dr. Rahman completed his Public Health & General Preventive Medicine Residency along with his Family Medicine Residency at Stony Brook University. He completed the Advanced Management Program at the Columbia Business School and earned his Master of Public Health degree from the Columbia University School of Public Health. Dr. Rahman earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and his Bachelor of Science degree from the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education at the City College of the City University of New York. #MirzaRahman #AmericanCollegeOfPreventiveMedicine #PatientSafety #Pharmacovigilance #GuyaneseDiasporaCharity #Epidemiology #ColumbiaUniversity #UniversityOfGuyana #MedicalAffairs #HealthEconomics #OutcomesResearch #QualityManagement #ClinicalDevelopment #RegulatoryAffairs #PublicHealth #BrainHealth #DiabetesPrevention #ReducingHypertension #LifestyleMedicine #PopulationHealth #ViolencePrevention #Psychedelics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Anastasia Liapis, Ph.D. is Global Head of Innovation & New Business Creation, HP Health Solutions ( https://www.izb-online.de/en/companies/hp-health-solutions-germany-gmbh/ ), a division of HP ( https://www.hp.com/us-en/home.html ) , that develops technology specifically for the healthcare industry and reimagines healthcare tech for diagnostics and precision medicine of the future.Dr. Liapis' team leads innovation in diagnostics and health-tech, driving the development and commercialization of ultrafast PCR and microfluidic-based diagnostic platforms, as well as focuses on early-stage technology development, partnerships, and business strategy, ensuring breakthrough innovations translate into real-world impact.Previously, Dr. Liapis served as Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Partnerships at GNA Biosolutions GmbH, a molecular diagnostics start up that was acquired by HP, and she played a pivotal role in enhancing the organization's strategic vision, focusing on innovative solutions in the bioscience sector.Before taking her role at GNA Biosolutions, Dr. Liapis made significant contributions to various notable organizations such as TBWA, the healthcare agency creative collective, where she served as a Group Account Supervisor, and as of Vice President of Medical Affairs at Medical Dynamics, developing medical education programs and fostering key opinion leader (KOL) relationships.Dr. Liapis completed her doctoral training in Genetics at the Mount Sinai School of Biomedical Sciences and her post-doctoral fellowship in Immunology at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at NYU Langone. She earned both her Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis.#AnastasiaLiapis #HPHealthSolutions #HP #HewlettPackard #Healthtech #Biosecurity #LifeSciences #FoodSafety #NucleicAcidAmplification #MolecularAssays #Biotechnology #Nanotechnology #GNABiosolutions #MolecularDiagnostics #Microfluidics #PolymeraseChainReaction #PCR #Bioscience #CarT #LysosomalStorageDisorders #BrandStrategy #ScientificWriting #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Arthur C. Evans Jr. is Chief Executive Officer of the American Psychological Association ( https://www.apa.org/about/apa/senior-staff/evans-bio ), the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. With more than 146,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as members, APA promotes and disseminates psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives – a mission consistent with Dr. Evans' life work.Before joining APA in March 2017, Dr. Evans spent 12 years as commissioner of Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. In that post, he led the transformation of that agency's approach to serving a wide range of individuals with complex needs. The transformation of the $1.5 billion Philadelphia system has relied heavily on public health strategies that contribute to better community health. Dr. Evans has emphasized a data-driven, population health approach to improve outcomes for people and increased system efficiency. Over his tenure, the agency saved more than $110 million that the city reinvested in improving and expanding services and employing innovative strategies to reach more people. The work in Philadelphia has become a national and international model, with over 25 states and more than a dozen countries having either visited the city or invited Evans to speak about the Philadelphia model.An unconventional leader, Dr. Evans has employed science, research, community activism, spirituality, traditional clinical care, policy, and cross-system collaborations to change the status quo. Dr. Evans approach gave voice to and empowered individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized. He ensured those with lived experiences were involved with every policy decision. He enlisted political and community leaders, grassroots organizations, academic institutions and advocates in a citywide commitment to think differently about behavioral health and intellectual disabilities.Dr. Evans has been honored nationally and internationally for his work. In 2015, he was recognized as an “Advocate for Action” by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2013, he received the American Medical Association's top government service award in health care, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. In 2017, he received the Visionary Leadership Award from the National Council of Behavioral Health and was inducted into the Florida Atlantic University Alumni Hall of Fame. His work as a strong advocate for social justice has led to his receiving three different awards named for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Dr. Evans has held faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Drexel School of Public Health. He also held a faculty appointment at the Yale University School of Medicine.Dr. Evans holds a doctorate in clinical/community psychology from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in experimental psychology from Florida Atlantic University, where he also completed his undergraduate work.#ArthurEvans #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation #Psychology #MentalHealth #AddictionServices #RecoveryOrientedSystemOfCare #BehavioralHealth #PhiladelphiaModel #PennCollaborative #BeckCommunityInitiative #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #EvidenceBasedPractices #ImplementationScientists #CommunityPsychology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Peter Ordentlich, Ph.D. is Chief Scientific Officer and Founder, Syndax Pharmaceuticals ( https://syndax.com/team/peter-ordentlich-ph-d/ ), a company with a mission to obtain regulatory approval and commercialize drugs that extend and improve the lives of cancer patients, by drawing on the newest scientific research and advances, collaborating with determined problem solvers, and identifying value in overlooked aspects of science.Dr. Ordentlich co-founded the Company in October 2005 and has served as Chief Scientific Officer since September 2016.Dr. Ordentlich previously served as Syndax's Chief Technical Officer, Vice President, Translational Medicine, Executive Director, Translational Science, and Director, Scientific Affairs and Strategic Alliances.Prior to founding the company, Dr. Ordentlich was a scientist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a biological research non-profit organization. He also spent five years as a research scientist at X-Ceptor Therapeutics, Inc., a drug discovery company, which was acquired by Exelixis, Inc.Dr. Ordentlich received a B.A. in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania.#PeterOrdentlich #SyndaxPharmaceuticals #Oncology #Cancer #Menin #KMT2Ar #AcuteLeukemias #NPM1m #AcuteMyeloidLeukemia #Revuforj #Niktimvo #Axatilimab #Revumenib #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textProf. Dr. Islam Abou El-Magd, Ph.D. is the President of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, Egypt ( https://www.narss.sci.eg/professor/47 ), which focuses on applied research using earth observation and geo-informatics in environmental-related issuesProf. Abou El-Magd is also Counsellor for the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Space Technology and African Affairs ( https://mohesr.gov.eg/en-us/Pages/home.aspx ), which is responsible for all related education, science and technology in Egypt with Africa either on bi-lateral, multi-lateral and AUC agreements. Prof. Abou El-Magd has been involved in developing many international, regional and national Geographic Information System (GIS) projects in different disciplines. He was a GIS consultant for the Centre of Environment and Development for Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), Arab League. Prof. Abou El-Magd spent five years of his career in the UK as a GIS Program Coordinator for the University of Southampton and Gifford Excellence. He has been selected as an international consultant for a short-term consultancy to some of the UN Programs, including the Food and Agriculture Organization in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organization in Sudan, and the United Nations Development Program in Kuwait.Prof. Abou El-Magd is also general secretary of the space council of Egypt, which is responsible for setting up the policy and strategy of space and earth observation applications in Egypt. He represents Egypt as a focal point in some European-African space initiatives and partnerships such as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES). He was also a co-chair of the Implementation Plan Working Group – Group on Earth Observation that developed the ten-year implementation plan for GEO (2016-2025). Moreover, He is also an acting member of the African Space policy and Strategy by the Space Working Group that developed the African Space policy and strategy. Finally, he is the Vice-President of the African Association of Remote Sensing and the Environment, the largest remote sensing and geo-informatics association and network in Africa.Prof. Abou El-Magd chaired the high-level national committee to strategize and develop the National Space Program, which the Egyptian Space Agency ( https://www.egsa.gov.eg/ ) currently implements. He was also appointed for a short period as the Vice Executive President of the Egyptian Space Agency before being appointed president of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, which was the cradle of the Egyptian Space Program.Prof. Abou El-Magd has an MSc, University of El-Mansoura, Egypt and Ph.D., School of Civil Engineering and The Environment, University of Southampton, UK. #ProfDrIslamAbouElMagd  #RemoteSensing #SpaceSciences #Egypt #GeographicInformationSystems #SatelliteImagery #DisasterMitigation #SandDuneMovements #AeolianProcess #Dengue #MedicalEntomology #AquaticBiology #Fisheries #AedesAegypti #GreenhouseGases #GeothermalEnergy #FishingZoneDetection #Sardinella #Geosciences #GoldExploration #ArchaeologicalSites #SandStorms #Sinai #RedSea #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textProfessor Dr. Mark Kendall (BE PhD FRSA FTSE FNAI) is CEO & Founder of WearOptimo ( https://wearoptimo.com/prof-mark-kendall/ ), a private Australian health-tech company developing the next generation of wearable technology, redefining how we approach hydration and biomarker monitoring.Professor Kendall is also Vice-Chancellor's Entrepreneurial Professor at the Australian National University ( https://research.anu.edu.au/research-initiatives/wearoptimo ).Professor Kendall is a biomedical engineer, inventor, scientist, entrepreneur and business-builder with more than 25 years' experience in creating medical technologies to tackle key global health challenges, and companies licensing/advancing his patents/technologies have created a combined economic value of more than $2 billion for investors.​While at the University of Oxford, Professor Kendall was an inventor of the biolistics technology, commercialized with PowderJect (sold to Chiron Vaccines for US$1 billion in 2003), and then PowderMed, purchased by Pfizer for US$400 million in 2006. Professor Kendall was then Founder, CTO and a Director of Vaxxas (2011-2015), which was the commercialization vehicle for his Nanopatch vaccine delivery invention, featured in his TEDGlobal talk, which has more than 1 million views.In recognition of his innovation and translation of commercial technologies focused on the delivery of drugs to skin, and skin-based disease diagnostics, Professor Kendall has received more than 40 awards and accolades. These include the 2016 CSL Young Florey Medal, a 2012 Rolex Laureate Award for Enterprise and the Eureka Prize for Interdisciplinary Research (2011). He was also named a 2015 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, winner of The Australian Innovation Challenge in 2011 and 2004 Younger Engineer of Britain. Professor Kendall's work has featured in diverse media outlets, including TEDGlobal, WIRED, ABC, BBC, NBC, National Geographic, New Scientist, Popular Science and Vanity Fair.Professor Kendall's international recognition extends to his election as a Fellow: of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI, USA); the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, (RSA, UK); and Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE).With a strong global network, and a significant international profile, Professor Kendall serves on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Biotechnology and is co-chair of the Australian Stem Cell Therapies Mission.Professor Kendall has a BE (Hons I) and a PhD, Mechanical Engineering from The University of Queensland.#WearOptimo #MarkKendall #WearableBiometrics #HydrationMonitoring #Dehydration #PeakPerformance #EliteAthletes #AgedCare #MarkWebber #CompanionDiagnostics #Theranostics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Kilian Kelly, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Cynata Therapeutics ( https://cynata.com/ ), a stem cell and regenerative medicine company that is known for its proprietary Cymerus platform, for the scalable and consistent production of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies.Unlike traditional MSC therapies that rely on multiple donors, the Cymerus manufacturing process ensures that cells for therapeutic use can be produced in virtually limitless quantities from a single donor – making the opportunities endless and attractive from a manufacturing standpoint. The company has completed Phase I studies for Graft vs Host disease & Diabetic Foot Ulcers and have a number of Phase II, and even have a Phase III clinical trial, in progress.Dr. Kelly has over 20 years' experience in biopharmaceutical research and development, including almost 15 years focused on the development of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) based therapies. He joined Cynata in March 2014, initially as Vice President, Product Development, then Chief Operating Officer from May 2019, and since July 2023 has been CEO & MD. At Cynata, he has overseen all stages of the development of the Cymerus induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived MSC technology, including the first completed clinical trial of any iPSC-derived product worldwide.Dr. Kelly previously held positions at Biota Pharmaceuticals, Mesoblast Limited, Kendle International, Amgen and AstraZeneca. Dr. Kelly holds a Masters in Pharmacy degree from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Strathclyde University, Glasgow, and he is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Melbourne. He is a member of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT), the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the AICD.Dr. Kelly also serves on the ISCT Asia-Pacific Industry Committee, the ISSCR Best Practices Working Group for the Development of PSC-Derived Therapies and the Industry Interface Committee of the Center for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) Australia.#KilianKelly #CynataTherapeutics #InducedPluripotentStemCells #MesenchymalStemCells #Immunomodulation #Immunoregulation #Mesenchymoangioblasts #GraftVersusHostDisease #GVHD #MSC #iPSC #IschaemicHeartDisease #Osteoarthritis #AcuteRespiratoryDistressSyndrome #ARDS #Inflammation #Secretome #Paracrine #RegenerativeMedicine #DiabeticWounds #KidneyTransplantation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Blythe Adamson, PhD, MPH ( https://www.blytheadamson.com/ ) is Head of Outcomes Research and Evidence Generation at Flatiron Health ( https://flatiron.com/ ), where her work has been focused on developing deep learning language models for extraction of clinical details from EHR documents, ultimately learning from the experience of millions of patients with cancer, and generating evidence of treatment effectiveness and value used by governments around the world. Dr. Adamson is a scientist, epidemiologist and economist ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jAflVcUAAAAJ&hl=en ), who co-invented a patented clinical decision-support tool, enabled by machine learning, that is used by cancer clinics to benefit patients.Formerly a lead data scientist in the West Wing of The White House, Dr. Adamson has been involved in advising public and private institutions including professional sports leagues, the entertainment industry, retailers, manufacturers, and more.Dr. Adamson founded the company Infectious Economics ( https://www.infectiouseconomics.com/ ), with a focus to provide thought leadership to policy makers and industry leaders on cost-effective strategies to prevent the transmission of viruses.Dr. Adamson holds degrees in microbiology, epidemiology, and pharmaceutical economics with a focus on infectious disease prevention, doing her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy, at the University of Washington, where she still lectures as an Affiliate Assistant Professor ( https://sop.washington.edu/people/blythe-adamson/ ).Dr. Adamson has also held roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Institute for Disease Modeling and the NIAID HIV Vaccine Trials Network and is a Board Member of NBA-funded SalivaDirect lab at Yale.#BlytheAdamson #FlatironHealth #EHR #Oncology #Cancer #HIV #InfectiousEconomics #RWE #RealWorldEvidence #ElectronicHealthRecords #RealWorldData #ClinicalDecisions #HealthPolicies #LargeLanguageModels #LLM #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #ML #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Martin Brenner, DVM, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of iBio ( https://ibioinc.com/team/martin-brenner-dvm-ph-d/ ), a biotech company developing the next generation of cardiometabolic and obesity medicines to promote higher quality weight loss and enhance overall metabolic health and function, as well as a pipeline of therapeutic candidates in immuno-oncology for some of the most-difficult-to-treat cancers, including solid tumors in lung, colorectal, and breast cancer, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain tumor. Dr. Brenner has a strong history of success heading drug discovery and development teams at several of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., and Merck Research Laboratories. Most recently, Dr. Brenner served as the CSO at Pfenex Inc., which, using its patented Pfēnex Expression Technology® platform, created an advanced pipeline of therapeutic equivalents, vaccines, biologics and biosimilars. Pfenex was acquired by Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated for approximately $516 million in October 2020. Previously, Dr. Brenner served as the CSO at Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company focused on accelerating drug discovery for rare diseases and diseases with high unmet medical need. Prior to his time at Recursion, Dr. Brenner was Vice President and Head of Research & Early Development at Stoke Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company using antisense oligonucleotides to increase gene expression for the treatment of rare diseases. Prior to Stoke, Dr. Brenner was Executive Director at Merck, where he built a biotech unit from scratch, focusing his team's research on diabetes and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Earlier in his career, Dr. Brenner was the Senior Director and Head of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism (CVRM) biosciences at AstraZeneca. In addition, Dr. Brenner was an Associate Research Fellow at Pfizer where he led the islet biology and in vivo pharmacology in the CVMED Target Exploration Unit before assuming the role of Head of the Insulin Resistance Group.Dr. Brenner has a DVM, Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and a Ph.D., Pharmacology  Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover.#MartinBrenner #iBio #Cardiometabolic #Obesity #Medicines #WeightLoss #MetabolicHealth #ImmunoOncology #GLP1 #BispecificAntibodies #ArtificialIntelligence #TransformingGrowthFactorBeta #Myostatin #ActivinA #ActivinE #MuscleMass #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Ilke Demir, Ph.D ( https://ilkedemir.weebly.com/ ) works at the intersection of computer vision and machine learning and her research focuses on generative models for digitizing the real world, deep fake detection and generation techniques, analysis and synthesis approaches in geospatial machine learning, and computational geometry for synthesis and fabrication ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6837MdMAAAAJ&hl=en ).Most recently Dr. Demir served as a Senior Staff Research Scientist at Intel Corporation, leading Intel's Trusted Media team.  She established the research foundations of the world's largest volumetric capture studio at Intel, bridging the gap between the creative process and AI approaches.Prior to joining Intel, Dr. Demir had startup experience at DeepScale, working on perception for autonomous vehicles (with a successful acquisition by Tesla), and she was also a visiting scholar at UCLA.Dr. Demir earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science from Purdue University advised by Prof. Daniel Aliaga, and her B.S. in Computer Engineering from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Türkiye with a minor in Electrical Engineering. Afterwards, Dr. Demir joined Facebook as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist working with Prof. Ramesh Raskar from MIT, where their team developed the breakthrough innovation on generative street addresses. Her research further included deep learning approaches for human behavior understanding in next generation virtual reality headsets, geospatial machine learning for map creation, and 3D reconstruction at scale.At the intersection of art and science, Dr. Demir also contributed to several animated feature and VR/AR short films in Pixar Animation Studios and Intel Studios, respectively.In addition to her publications in top-tier venues, Dr. Demir has organized workshops, competitions, and courses in deep learning, computer vision, and graphics such as DeepGlobe, SkelNetOn, WiCV, SUMO, DLGC, EarthVision, and OpenEDS, to name a few. Dr. Demir received numerous awards and honors such as Jack Dangermond Award, Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship, and IEEE Industry Distinguished Lecturer, in addition to her best paper/poster/reviewer awards. Her scientific articles received significant attention from researchers and media outlets around the world, such as The Independent, VentureBeat, MIT Tech Review, and Liberation. She has been invited to present over 120 talks and panels worldwide, on the wide range of topics that her work spans. Dr. Demir has been actively involved in women in science organisms, always being an advocate for women and underrepresented minorities. #IlkeDemir #ComputerVision #MachineLearning #DeepFakes #ComputerScience #ComputerEngineering #Intel #Meta #Facebook #3DVision #ComputationalGeometry #GenerativeModels #RemoteSensing #DeepLearning #PixarAnimationStudios #Purdue #MiddleEastTechnicalUniversity #Türkiye #GazeTracking #SyntheticFaceDetection #PatternRecognition #MyBodyMyChoice #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Jessica Sacher, Ph.D. is Co-Founder of Phage Directory ( https://phage.directory/ ), a global network of phage researchers from more than 80 countries, where she directs its phage-sourcing and community-building efforts, including coordinating over 50 phage-finding efforts, where a network of more than 1,300 members of the global phage community volunteer their time and lab space to identify active phages for patients.Dr. Sacher is also a Staff Scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine ( https://profiles.stanford.edu/jessica-sacher ) in Dr. Paul Bollyky's lab where she leads strategy & lays groundwork for a new phage-based therapeutic development and delivery center at Stanford, developing manufacturing processes and quality control pipelines for clinical-grade phage biologics, as well as evaluating phages as gene and peptide delivery vectors for eukaryotic and microbial cells.Dr. Sacher was previously a member of Prof. Jon Iredell's group in Sydney, Australia as a postdoctoral research scientist for the Phage Australia project where she developed and streamlined Phage Australia's phage selection, biobanking, and manufacturing process, to make phage therapy available for patients Australia-wide and eventually beyond.Dr. Sacher received her PhD in Microbiology and Biotechnology in 2018 from the University of Alberta, Canada.Dr. Sacher is also Founder, Editor, Writer of Capsid & Tail: the phage community newsletter, a weekly report on bacteriophage news and researchImportant Episode Links -  Bacteriophage therapy for multidrug-resistant infections: current technologies and therapeutic approaches - Published March 3, 2025  - The Journal of Clinical Investigation -https://www.jci.org/articles/view/187996The Citizen Phage Library (https://citizenphage.com) #JessicaSacher #PhageDirectory #Bacteriophage #StanfordUniversity #Campylobacter #SteffanieStrathdee #Microbiology #PhageBiobank #Biofilms #AMR #AntimicrobialResistance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Sean Tucker, Ph.D. is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Vaxart Inc. ( https://vaxart.com/ ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a range of oral recombinant pill vaccines based on their innovative Vector-Adjuvant-Antigen Standardized Technology (VAAST) platform.Dr. Tucker previously served as Vice President of Research and Director of Immunology for Vaxart and has held numerous scientific and engineering roles at various biotechnology companies including The Dow Chemical Co., Systemix, Inc. and Genteric, Inc. Dr. Tucker has published several papers in immunology and served as a grant reviewer for several vaccine related study sections at the NIH.  Dr. Tucker has a BSc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, an MSc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Washington.#SeanTucker #ChiefScientificOfficer #Vaxart #Immunology #OralVaccines #Norovirus #Flu #Coronavirus #HPV #BARDA #ProjectNextGen #Adenovirus #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, is the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics ( https://www.aap.org/en/about-the-aap/aap-leadership/susan-kressly-md-faap/ ), an organization of 67,000 pediatricians committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.​Dr. Kressly is board certified in Pediatrics and Clinical Informatics, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Kressly has also been at the forefront of innovation, advocating for pediatric functionality in Health IT. Her expertise includes Quality Improvement, Healthcare Financing and Payment, Practice Management and Optimization of Clinical Workflows.Dr. Kressly received a Bachelor of Science (BS), in Biology, from Moravian University, her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and served her residency at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Dr. Kressly began practicing in the Doylestown area in 1990 and has been an involved member of the medical community since then. Her independent pediatric practice has been a recognized medical home since 2011, a model that Dr. Kressly strongly believes all children deserve access to, and that all pediatricians, including medical and surgical specialists, deserve sufficient resources, payment, and support to meet the needs of the patients and families they serve.#SusanKressly #Pediatrics #Pediatrician #ClinicalInformatics #AmericanAcademyOfPediatrics #MedicalHome #Advocacy #Telehealth #Vaccination #Vaccines #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textTaylor Justice is the Co-Founder & President of Unite Us ( https://uniteus.com/team/taylor-justice/ ), a technology company with a mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities by integrating all the social determinants of health. The Unite Us goal is to unlock the potential of every community by strategically partnering with government agencies, health systems, insurers, and community organizations, through their best-in-class technology, expansive network of resources and care options, and qualified team of experts.With Unite Us, providers across sectors can send and receive secure referrals, track every person's total health journey, and report on tangible outcomes across a full range of services in a centralized, cohesive, and collaborative ecosystem. Taylor is a social entrepreneur, who previously co-founded HigherEchelon, Inc., a government consulting company. Taylor is passionate about solving significant problems in the health and human service sectors, and with an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.S. from West Point leads a team of innovators at Unite Us who create accountable coordinated care networks that interconnect clinical and non-clinical social service providers and track the outcomes across the full range of services. #TaylorJustice #UniteUs #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #SocialCare #SDOH #ClosedLoopReferralPlatform #Veterans #Eldercare #HomeHealth #Medicaid #CostSavings #CommunityOrganizations #PredictiveAnalytics #ReEntry #JusticeInvolvedPopulations #Recidivism #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Marianne Holm, MD, Ph.D. is Vice President of the Infectious Diseases Program area, at the Novo Nordisk Foundation ( https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/ ) where she is responsible for supporting the development and implementation of new strategic initiatives and research programs, and developing partnerships that contribute to the global visibility and impact of the foundation's activities within Infectious Diseases, and this responsibility includes supporting multiple cross disciplinary initiatives in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).Dr. Holm is a medical doctor and epidemiologist, who previously led the department of epidemiology and public health research at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, where she was responsible for the coordination and implementation of several large development programs funded by the Fleming Fund, working with local governments and healthcare institutions to build capacity in AMR surveillance in low- and middle- income countries in the Asian region. Prior to joining IVI in 2018, Dr. Holm worked for 4 years at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong working in the health services research unit coordinating the School's evidence based practice education program.Dr. Holm has been a member of the coordination group of the WHO Technical Advisory Group and Coordination Group on Vaccines and AMR. She is also a member of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Collaborator Network as well as the Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) network.Dr. Holm received her MD and Ph.D. from University of Copenhagen and Master of Science (MSc), Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London.IMPORTANT EPISODE LINK - Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI) - https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/innovations-gram-negative-antibiotic-discovery The Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI) is tripartite initiative of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust, that will focus on discovery of direct-acting small-molecule antibiotics with broad-spectrum activity against Enterobacteriaceae (a large family of Gram-negative bacteria that includes Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Shigella and Klebsiella), with Klebsiella spp. selected as an initial targeted pathogen. Klebsiella organisms can lead to a wide range of disease states, notably pneumonia, urinary tract infections, sepsis, meningitis, diarrhea, peritonitis and soft tissue infections. The program aims to address the lack of novel antibiotics for gram-negative bacteria and the public health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR).#NovoNordiskFoundation #GramNegativeAntibioticDiscoveryInnovator #BillAndMelindaGatesFoundation #WellcomeTrust #AMR #AntimicrobialResistance #Enterobacteriaceae #Klebsiella #Salmonella #EscherichiaColi #Shigella #InfectiousDiseases #MarianneHolm #Vaccines #MultidrugEffluxPumps #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Laura Aguilar, MD, Ph.D. is Chief Medical Officer at Diakonos Oncology ( https://www.diakonosoncology.com/ ), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company dedicated to revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy and focusing on difficult-to-treat indications, including glioblastoma. Dr. Aguilar, a physician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur, has over 20 years of experience in clinical and regulatory development of complex biologics for cancer with a focus on solid tumors including glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer.Dr. Aguilar was co-founder of Advantagene (now Candel Therapeutics) where she served as chief medical officer. She was a leader in the company's strategic development from inception to successful IPO, and she oversaw the company's clinical development portfolio of viral immuno-oncology products in four disease indications.Dr. Aguilar also was an attending physician at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital and associate director of the Harvard Gene Therapy Initiative at Harvard Medical School. She currently serves on several boards including the Board of the American Brain Tumor Association.Dr. Aguilar earned her MD and Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her clinical residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at Texas Children's Hospital.#LauraAguilar #DiakonosOncology #ChiefMedicalOfficer #Glioblastoma #PancreaticAdenocarcinoma #Immunooncology #Immunotherapy #DendriticCells #MajorHistocompatibilityComplex #CrossPresentation #DoubleLoading #Interferon #Melanoma #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textAgree to Agree (https://agreetoagree.org/) is an Ad Council ( https://www.adcouncil.org/ ) initiative focused on finding common ground to reduce the impact of gun violence on children and teens across all communities in the U.S. This new campaign launched in early 2025 and is focused on reaching distinct audiences, including parents and those with children in their lives who have a vested interest in protecting our youth and health care professionals who witness the impact of gun violence firsthand. Dr. Chethan Sathya, MD, MSc, is a pediatric trauma surgeon and National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded firearm injury prevention researcher (https://www.northwell.edu/chethan-sathya-md). He serves as director of Northwell Health's Center for Gun Violence Prevention and oversees the health system's expansive approach to firearm injury prevention.The largest health system in New York, Northwell has taken a public health approach to gun violence prevention, focusing on key areas such as research, medical education, clinical screening, advocacy and community engagement. Under Dr. Sathya's leadership, the center has leveraged the health system's diverse patient population and wide reach to implement ground breaking preventative strategies and perform high-level research.Furthermore, Dr. Sathya spearheaded the formation of the National Gun Violence Prevention Learning Collaborative for Hospitals and Health Systems. Dr. Sathya is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Action Collaborative for preventing firearm-related violence. He's also a consultant to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. Ms. Rowena Patrick is a Senior Vice President and group campaign director at the Ad Council ( https://www.adcouncil.org/rowena-patrick ), a non-profit organization, that brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media and tech to address the most worthy causes. Since 1942, Ad Council icons and slogans have woven into the very fabric of American culture. From their earliest efforts including “Loose Lips Sink Ships,” Smokey Bear's “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” and “Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk” to the recent groundbreaking Love Has No Labels, #EndFamilyFire and #SheCanSTEM, the Ad Council's social good campaigns shift mindsets and spur movements. The Ad Council settles for nothing less than a lasting impact on American life.For the past two decades Ms. Patrick has collaborated with some of the best creative and marketing minds in the country to tackle critical issues like gun violence, the overdose crisis and empowering girls in STEM. Her current roster of clients includes AARP, Brady, and a consortium of leading tech companies: Google, Verizon, IBM, and Bloomberg.Prior to that, Ms. Patrick worked at various companies with roles such as Account Supervisor / Account Executive at FCB, Business Development Manager at Initiative, and Account Executive / Assistant Account Executive at Ogilvy & Mather. She also worked as a Marketing Consultant at The Nova Collective and as a Teaching Assistant at Columbia University. Ms. Patrick holds a MS in Strategic Communications from Columbia University and a BS in Marketing & Information Systems from New York University.#ChethanSathya #RowenaPatrick #AdCouncil #NorthwellHealth #AgreeToAgree #ViolencePrevention #FirearmInjuries #GunViolence #FirearmSafety #PublicServiceAdvertisement #PublicHealth #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Alycia Halladay, Ph.D. is Chief Science Officer of the Autism Science Foundation ( https://autismsciencefoundation.org/teams/dr-alycia-halladay/ ), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people with autism and their families by funding scientific research to understand the causes of autism and to develop better treatments, to enable individuals with autism to lead fulfilling lives with dignity.Dr. Halladay oversees the scientific activities, grants, and initiatives of ASF. She also produces a weekly podcast aimed specifically at explaining scientific information to the public. Prior to joining ASF in 2014, Dr. Halladay served as the Senior Director of Clinical and Environmental Sciences at Autism Speaks. Dr. Halladay has authored over two dozen peer reviewed papers in science journals. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Phelan McDermid Syndrome Foundation and on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.  Dr. Halladay received a Ph.D. in biopsychology from Rutgers in 2001 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ in 2004 and is on the editorial board of Neurotoxicology and Frontiers in Pediatrics.  She still holds a faculty appointment at Rutgers. Important Episode Link - Autism BrainNet - https://www.autismbrainnet.org/ #AutismScienceFoundation #AlyciaHalladay #ChiefScienceOfficer #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Genetics #Epigenetics #Exposome #Neurotoxicology #Biopsychology #Pharmacology #Toxicology #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Catharine Young, Ph.D. recently served as Assistant Director of Cancer Moonshot Policy and International Engagement at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy ( https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ ) where she served at OSTP to advance the Cancer Moonshot ( https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-cancer-initiative ), with a mission to decrease the number of cancer deaths by 50% over the next 25 years. Dr. Young's varied career has spanned a variety of sectors including academia, non-profit, biotech, and foreign government, all with a focus on advancing science. Dr. Young previously served as Executive Director of the SHEPHERD Foundation, where she championed rare cancer research and drove critical policy changes. Her work has also included fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and advancing the use of AI, data sharing, and clinical trial reform to accelerate cancer breakthroughs.Dr. Young's leadership in diplomacy and innovation includes roles such as Senior Director of Science Policy at the Biden Cancer Initiative and Senior Science and Innovation Policy Advisor at the British Embassy, where she facilitated international agreements to enhance research collaborations. A Presidential Leadership Scholar and TED Fellow, Dr. Young holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences and completed her post-doctorate work in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University and is recognized for her ability to bridge science, policy, and advocacy to build sustainable, impactful health ecosystems.#CatharineYoung #OSTP #WhiteHouseOfficeOfScienceAndTechnologyPolicy #CancerMoonshot #SHEPHERDFoundation #BidenCancerInitiative #DepartmentOfDefense #BritishEmbassy #Neurogenetics #AntimicrobialResistance #GlobalHealthSecurityAgenda #OneHealth #RareCancers #ChildhoodCancer #RareDisease #ForeignAndCommonwealthOffice #BiologicalThreats #MitigationStrategies #RiskMitigation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Courtney Millar, Ph.D. ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/who-we-are/profiles/courtney-millar-phd ) is an Assistant Scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, and Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.Dr. Millar is a research scientist devoted to improving health and well-being of older adults through dietary interventions and her current research aims to test the ability of anti-inflammatory dietary strategies that promote both physical and emotional well-being in older adults.Dr. Millar received her PhD in molecular nutrition at the University of Connecticut, where she developed a deep understanding of the relationship between dietary bioactive components and metabolic disease. Dr. Millar's post-doctoral fellowship focused on training related to conducting both nutritional epidemiological analyses and clinical interventions. The Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/ ) is focused on finding solutions to the most pressing challenges of aging, including Alzheimer's disease, dementia, osteoporosis, falls, frailty, and more.Important Episode Link - Tart Cherry Research Study - https://studies.buildclinical.com/bcfs001399-hsl-millar-79#CourtneyMillar #MarcusInstitute #AgingResearch #HebrewSeniorLife #HarvardMedicalSchool #BethIsraelDeaconess #MolecularNutrition #BioactiveCompounds #Atherosclerosis #Frailty #Inflammation #Senolytics #Dasatinib #Quercetin #Microbiome #TartCherryJuice #Alzheimers #Dementia #Lipid654 #Healthspan #Geroscience #Longevity #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Rose Loughlin, Ph.D. is Executive Vice President, Research at Moderna ( https://www.modernatx.com/en-US ), a biotech company harnessing the power of mRNA technology to develop a new class of medicine for a range of unmet medical needs.Dr. Loughlin leads the company's platform science and therapeutics research organization, focusing on pioneering scientific advancements and further strengthening the Moderna's innovative pipeline.Dr. Loughlin previously served as Senior Vice President of Research and Early Development at Moderna, where she played a crucial role in advancing the Company's portfolio and platform strategy since joining in 2016. Before joining Moderna, Dr. Loughlin held roles at Biogen in business development and at L.E.K. Consulting, where she contributed to defining corporate and portfolio growth strategies for biopharmaceutical companies.Dr. Loughlin holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts in physics from Harvard University, and did post-doc work in Germany at European Molecular Biology Laboratory.#RoseLoughlin #Moderna #mRNA #MessengerRNA #CancerVaccines #NeoantigenTherapy #Melanoma #RareDisease #IntercellularTherapeutics #PropionicAcidemia #MethylmalonicAcidemia #CMV #Cytomegalovirus  #EpsteinBarrVirus #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Noel Gahamanyi, Ph.D. ( https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HWW6M_wAAAAJ&hl=en ) is Division Manager, National Reference Laboratory at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).Rwanda Biomedical Centre ( RBC - https://rbc.gov.rw/ ) is the nation's central health implementation agency which strives to improve the health of the Rwandan population by providing high quality, affordable and sustainable health care services, accomplished through the implementation of preventative, rehabilitative, and curative health interventions. RBC conducts scientific research, provides diagnostics services, and implements innovative health interventions to protect the nation against diseases and other health threats.Dr. Gahamanyi is a Microbiologist with interest in Bacterial pathogens and their drug-resistance potentials and has served as a Lecturer of Microbiology in the School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda.Dr. Gahamanyi received his Ph.D. from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania. Dr. Gahamanyi also holds a MSc in Microbiology from Jain University (India) and BSc in Biotechnology from the former National University of Rwanda. Before embarking on Ph.D. journey, Dr. Gahamanyi served as a Lecturer of Microbiology-related courses at Catholic University of Rwanda where he also served as Head of Biology Department and then as the Vice-dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology. In Research, Dr. Gahamanyi has nine published papers and one book chapter all related to Microbiology. Five of these are indexed in PubMed. He also served as a reviewer for six international journals. Dr. Gahamanyi is a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Young East African Health Research Scientists (YEARS) forum affiliated to the East African Health Research Commission. Dr. Gahamanyi received a number of awards including the Best Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) Postgraduate student Research Award for the academic year 2020-21 and the First-class with gold medal after completing MSc in Microbiology at top of the class (2013).Important Episode Link - Students Against Superbugs (SAS) Africa - https://www.studentsagainstsuperbugs.org/ #NoelGahamanyi #Microbiology #RwandaBiomedicalCentre #NationalReferenceLaboratory #AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #AntimicrobialStewardship #Campylobacter #Marburg #ZoonoticSpillover #Ethnobotany #Ethnopharmacology #Phytochemistry #NaturalProducts   #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textOn April 11, 2025, Gravitas Ventures ( https://gravitasventures.com/ ) will be releasing the movie Relative Control ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBq2dOcgUKA ), a family drama that follows the life a middle-age corporate attorney (played by Teri Polo of the Meet the Parents) whose life literally spirals out of control as she juggles the demands of her career, her family, and most importantly the care of her aging parents, which includes a very headstrong and accident-prone father. Relative Control is a wonderful film that gets into a range of themes, including the complex world of unpaid caregiving, the principal of the “sandwich generation” (a term for adults who care for both their aging parents and their children, as well as provide financial support for them and embark on a career), as well as themes of intergenerationality, dementia care, and end-of-life/palliative care, among others. On this episode of Progress, Potential and Possibilities, we have the honor of being joined by both the Writer, Charlene Davis, and Director, Dafna Yachin, of Relative Control to talk about all these topics.#RelativeControl #CharleneDavis #DafnaYachin #TeriPolo #PatrickMcDade #GravitasVentures #UnpaidCaregiving #SandwichGeneration #Aging #Intergenerationality #DementiaCare #EndOfLifeCare #PalliativeCare #AARP #MelindaGates  #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #PodcastSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Mahmoud Alyamany, MD is Health And Wellbeing Sector Head, at NEOM ( https://www.neom.com/en-us/our-business/sectors/health-wellbeing-and-biotech ), where he is responsible for overseeing a revolution in healthcare delivery at Saudi Arabia's accelerator of human progress and hub for innovation.Dr. Alyamany brings a vast understanding of health and wellbeing issues facing the wider population being on many of the Boards driving the healthcare transformation in the Kingdom including:  Co-Chairman of the Founding Board of Directors, Western Healthcare Clusters Board, Member of the Founding Board of Directors Northern Healthcare Clusters Board, Member of the Board of Advisors King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital, and Healthcare Transformation Advisor to the Minister of Health. Previous roles for Dr. Alyamany have also included chairing the Board for Madinah Health Cluster and CEO of Riyadh 2nd Health Cluster and King Fahad Medical City.  This vast experience, combined with his medical background in practice, gives him a unique understanding of the population health management and impacts of operational and clinical practice to drive sustainable solutions delivering improvements in patient outcomes.Dr. Alyamany gained master's degrees in health administration, and health management from Washington University, bachelor's degrees in medicine, and surgery from King Saud University's college of medicine in Riyadh.Dr. Alyamany also did Fellowships in Cerebrovascular Surgery and Neuro-Oncology & Skull-Base Surgery, University of Toronto, and a Fellowship, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Western University.Dr. Alyamany has also served as director of the National Neuroscience Institute, chairman of the board of directors of the Scientific Committee for Neurosurgery, medical director of neurology and head of the department of neurosurgery, both at King Fahd Medical City, and as a consultant of neurosurgery at the Riyadh Medical Complex. #Neom #SaudiArabia #DigitalTwins #AI #DigitalHealth #SmartCities #Genetics #Epigenetics #Neuroscience #HealthyAging  #CerebrovascularSurgery #NeuroOncology #PediatricNeurosurgery #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textBrig. Gen. Tanya S. McGonegal ( https://www.jtfcs.northcom.mil/About/Leadership/Bio-Article-View/Article/1199880/brigadier-general-tanya-s-mcgonegal/ ) currently serves as the Commander of Joint Task Force Civil Support, the Nation's only standing, no-notice Joint Task Force that conducts Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response and All-Hazards Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations.Brig. Gen. McGonegal most recently served as the Division Chief for Strategy and Policy in the Joint Manpower and Personnel directorate for the National Guard Bureau. The Strategy and Policy division provides personnel accountability of National Guard Service members during Domestic Operations. The division develops and coordinates Congressional, OSD, CNGB, JS-J1 and NGB-J1 products on National Guard manpower and personnel readiness concerns.Brig. Gen. McGonegal enlisted in the Virginia Army National Guard in September 1997. Upon completion of Basic Training, she attended the Virginia State Officer Candidate school in Ft Pickett, VA. She was one of 15 to graduate out of 54 candidates and was the only female to graduate with her class in June 1999. She was branched Military Police and assigned to the 229th Military Police Company, which she later commanded from September 2004 to August 2006. While serving with the 229th Military Police Company, she deployed in support of Operation Noble Eagle in 2001, Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and put on State Activation in support of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. During this time, she spent four years working as a county police officer but was deployed two years of that time. Her time as a police officer enhanced her career in the military but due to the deployments, she transitioned to serve in military full time. In April 2005, she was hired by the Army National Guard Bureau's Comptroller directorate as a Budget Officer.In 2012, Brig. Gen. McGonegal transitioned from the Virginia Army National Guard to the West Virginia Army National Guard to command the 151st Military Police Battalion. After battalion command, she served in a joint assignment with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Policy, Homeland Defense and Global Security from 2014 to 2018. From August 2019 to July 2021, she served as Brigade Commander to the 77th Brigade Troop Command in the West Virginia Army National Guard. In recognition of her strengths in relationship building, communication, multi-tasking, and organizational leadership, Brig. Gen. McGonegal was selected by senior leaders six times to serve as their Executive Officer.Brig. Gen. McGonegal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, a Master's of Science Degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Masters from the The United States Army War College in Military Strategic Studies, American Government and Politics (United States). She is also a graduate of the Military Police Officer Basic Course, Military Police Advanced Officer Course, Combined Arms Exercise Course, Intermediate Level Education/Advanced Operations Officer Course resident Command General Staff College, and Joint and Combined Warfighting School – JPME II.#TanyaMcGonegal #JointTaskForceCivilSupport #NationalGuardBureau #CBRN #NorthernCommand #Northcom #DepartmentOfDefense #JointBaseLangleyEustis #VibrantResponse #Chemical #Biological #Radiological #Nuclear #Response #AllHazards #Hurricane #Wildfire #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Craig Katz, MD ( https://profiles.mountsinai.org/craig-l-katz ) is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Medical Education, and System Design and Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the founder and director of Mount Sinai's Program in Global Mental Health ( https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/medical/global-health-education/global-mental-health ), an interest that grew out of his experience in organizing and providing psychiatric services to disaster-affected communities since 1998 through an organization he co-founded and led: Disaster Psychiatry Outreach.As part of Disaster Psychiatry Outreach, Dr. Katz has organized the psychiatric response to 9/11 in New York City, including founding and directing the World Trade Center Mental Health Screening and Treatment Program for 9/11 responders for a number of years. Dr. Katz is also currently the special advisor to the Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth ( https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/center-stress-resilience-personal-growth ), Mount Sinai's system-wide program for addressing healthcare workers' mental health issues arising from COVID-19. Dr. Katz's honors include the Medical Society of the State of New York's 2022 David B. L. Meza, III, M.D. Award for Excellence in Emergency Preparedness and Disaster/Terrorism Response. Dr. Katz has written and co-edited a number of books and papers in the fields of disaster psychiatry, human rights, medical education, and global psychiatry, including A Guide to Global Mental Health Practice: Seeing the Unseen (Routledge) and his most recent, Unseen: Field Notes of a Global Psychiatrist ( https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Field-Notes-Global-Psychiatrist/dp/9815129422 ).After attending Harvard College, Dr. Katz received his medical degree at Columbia University, where he completed his psychiatric residency training and served as chief resident in psychiatry. He subsequently completed a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at NYU. Dr. Katz also has a private practice in general and forensic psychiatry in Manhattan and is a former President of the New York County District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association as well as a Distinguished Fellow of the APA. He is currently the Vice Chair of the Medical Society of New York's Committee on Emergency Preparedness and also serves as the National Trauma Consultant to Advanced Recovery Systems and the International Association of Firefighters Center of Behavioral Excellence.#CraigKatz #Psychiatry #GlobalHealth #IcahnSchoolOfMedicine #MountSinai #MentalHealth #Stress #Resilience #Trauma #Disasters #Psychodynamics #Telepsychiatry #TeleMentalHealth #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Alessandra Maleddu, MD ( https://www.uchealth.org/provider/alessandra-maleddu-md/ ) is a Medical Oncologist specializing in the care of patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.Dr. Maleddu treats patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas, and she has a special interest in desmoid tumors (aka desmoid fibromatosis), as well as leiomyosarcoma and treatment delivery in the elderly population.Dr. Maleddu completed her training in Italy and the UK. She did her Sarcoma Fellowship at the University College London Hospital in 2020, her general oncology training at the University of Bologna and her MD from the University of Cagliari in Italy.Important Episode Link - https://www.desmoidtumors.com/#AlessandraMaleddu #MedicalOncologist #UniversityOfColorado #Sarcoma #DesmoidTumors #Oncology #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH ( https://blumberginstitute.org/faculty/chari-a-cohen/ ) is the President of the Hepatitis B Foundation ( https://www.hepb.org/ ), a global nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for people affected by hepatitis B worldwide.Dr. Cohen conducts research and implements programs to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes associated with hepatitis B, as well as hepatitis D, and liver cancer. Dr. Cohen is also co-chair of the Hep B United Coalition, co-founder and chair of Hep B United Philadelphia, co-founder and chair of CHIPO: Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin; and immediate past co-chair of the Hep Free PA Coalition. Dr. Cohen is also a member of the International Coalition to Eliminate of HBV (ICE-HBV) steering committee, HepVu advisory committee (an online platform that visualizes data and disseminates insights on the viral hepatitis epidemic across the U.S), and HBV Forum for Collaborative Research. Dr. Cohen serves as both a Professor at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, and adjunct faculty for Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Dr. Cohen received her DrPH in Community Health and Prevention from Drexel University and her MPH from Temple University.The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute ( https://blumberginstitute.org/ ) is a nonprofit translational research organization focused on understanding the pathobiology of hepatitis B virus and related diseases, developing diagnostics for early detection of liver cancer, and discovering therapeutics, antivirals and immune modulators for the cure of chronic HBV and other RNA viruses that cause hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever.#ChariCohen #HepatitisBFoundation #HepBVaccine #BaruchSBlumberg #LiverCancer #Cirrhosis #AntiVirals #HarmReduction  #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Gregg Sylvester, MD is Chief Health Officer and Vice President, Medical Affairs, at CSL Seqirus ( https://www.cslseqirus.us/our-company/leadership/gregg-sylvester ), one of the world's largest influenza vaccine companies.Dr. Sylvester has led CSL Seqirus Medical Affairs since 2016, overseeing the global team that scientifically differentiates company's vaccines by generating Real World Evidence and presenting CSL Seqirus research to national vaccine recommending organizations.  Dr. Sylvester has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, government and patient care. Prior to joining CSL Seqirus, Dr. Sylvester led Medical Affairs teams at Pfizer and Merck involved in the worldwide launches of vaccines including Gardasil (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine), Prevnar 13 (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) and Trumenba (Meningococcal Group B Vaccine).  Dr. Sylvester obtained specialty boards in Pediatrics and General Preventive Medicine.  Augmenting his clinical expertise, he served in the CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service and as a Public Policy Fellow in the U.S. Congress. During his distinguished career in state government, Dr. Sylvester was appointed to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services in Delaware, leading the state's largest agency. Dr. Sylvester has a MD from Albany Medical College and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.#GreggSylvester #CSLSeqirus #Influenza #Vaccine #FluShot   #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Sean Gibbons, Ph.D. is Associate Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology ( ISB - https://isbscience.org/people/sean-gibbons-phd/?tab=biography ) where his lab investigates how the structure and composition of evolving ecological networks of microorganisms change across environmental gradients, with a specific focus on how ecological communities in the gut change and adapt to individual people over their lifespans (i.e. host genotype, host development and host behavior) and how these changes impact human health ( https://gibbons.isbscience.org/ ). His lab develops computational and experimental tools for investigating host-associated microbial communities to explore the interactions between ecology, evolution and ecosystem function, applying these insights to develop personalized interventions for improving human health and well-being.Dr. Gibbons received his PhD in biophysical sciences from the University of Chicago in 2015, dual-advised by Jack Gilbert and Maureen Coleman. His graduate work focused on using microbial communities as empirical models for testing ecological theory. Dr. Gibbons completed his postdoctoral training in Eric Alm's laboratory in the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT from 2015-2018. His postdoctoral work focused on developing techniques to quantify individual-specific eco-evolutionary dynamics within the human gut microbiome.Dr. Gibbons was awarded a Fulbright Graduate Fellowship to study microbiology and synthetic biology at Uppsala University in Sweden, where he earned a master's degree in 2010. His PhD work was supported by an EPA STAR Graduate Fellowship. Upon joining the ISB faculty in 2018, his startup package was supported, in part, by a Washington Research Foundation Distinguished Investigator Award.Important Episode Link - Metagenomic estimation of dietary intake from human stool - Nature Metabolism - https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01220-1#SeanGibbons #InstituteForSystemsBiology #ISB #Microbiome #Microbes #Ecology #Medicine #Dysbioses #EcologicalTherapeutics #Virome #PrecisionNutrition #GutDigitalTwin #FecalMicrobiotaTransplantation #Longevity #Aging #Healthspan  #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textProf. Dr. Niels Riedemann, MD, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of InflaRx ( https://www.inflarx.de/Home/About-Inflarx/Team~Niels-C.-Riedemann~.html ), a biopharmaceutical company focused on applying its proprietary anti-C5a and C5aR inhibitors to the treatment of life-threatening or debilitating inflammatory diseases with high unmet medical need. Prof. Dr. Riedemann has over 15 years of experience in the biotech industry and drug development, as well as over 20 years of experience in complement immunology research. He founded InflaRx in 2007 and has served as Chief Executive Officer since inception of the company. He has been instrumental in and led numerous private and public financing rounds of the company and has been the responsible lead for its Nasdaq IPO in 2017. He is named inventor on several internationally granted core patents of InflaRx. As physician, Prof. Dr. Riedemann was appointed Vice Director (“Leitender Oberarzt”) of Intensive Care Medicine, and led a 50-bed University ICU unit for over 6 years at Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany until 2015. Before that, he received his board certification as General Surgeon upon completion of his surgical fellowship at MHH (Hannover Medical School, Germany) in 2007 where he also received his habilitation (equivalent to Ph.D.) and where he still holds an Adjunct Professorship (APL Professor). He spent three years as postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan, USA until 2003. He received his medical training at Albert Ludwig University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany, and Stanford University, USA and graduated as Dr. med. (equivalent to M.D.) from ALU in 1998. Prof. Dr. Riedemann's research has been awarded with several national and international awards. He has received extensive extra-mural funding and published over 60 peer reviewed scientific publications in highly ranked journals. He has served as a member on a Board of Directors and a Scientific Advisory Board of two large scientific governmental funded programs. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Health Politics working group of Bio-Deutschland and he serves as member of the board of trustees for the German Sepsis Foundation.#NielsRiedemann #InflaRx #Inflammation #ComplementComponent5a  #Sepsis #AcuteRespiratoryDistressSyndrome #Covid #ARDS #GOHIBIC #Vilobelimab #PyodermaGangrenosum #ChronicSpontaneousUrticaria #HidradenitisSuppurativa #Preparedness #BARDA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Billy W. Loo Jr., MD PhD ( https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/6839 ) is a Professor of Radiation Oncology, a member of the Stanford Cancer Institute, the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), and of Bio-X Interdisciplinary Biosciences Institute.  He is a physician-scientist Radiation Oncologist and Bioengineer who directs the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program and is Principal Investigator of the FLASH Sciences Lab at Stanford ( https://med.stanford.edu/loo-lab.html ).Dr. Loo's clinical specialty is precision targeted radiotherapy for lung/thoracic cancers, including stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Dr. Loo is a recognized expert in thoracic cancers serving on multiple national committees (including as writing member or vice-chair) that publish clinical guidelines on the treatment of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, particularly the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).Dr. Loo's clinical research is in clinical trials and implementation of new treatment techniques for lung cancer, and development of new medical imaging methods for measuring organ function and predicting response to cancer treatment. He also has developed novel applications of SABR including treatment of pulmonary emphysema and cardiac arrhythmias.The research focus of the FLASH Sciences Lab at Stanford, directed by Dr. Loo, is the development and study of extremely rapid FLASH therapy to optimize the biological therapeutic index of cancer radiotherapy, and the technological infrastructure for this basic research and its clinical translation. Dr. Loo is co-inventor of a fundamentally new approach to delivering ultra-rapid, ultra-precise cancer therapy, pluridirectional high-energy agile scanning electronic radiotherapy (PHASER), and co-leads a program to develop it into a transformative and clinically practical technology.Dr. Loo is also a co-founder of an early stage company, TibaRay ( https://www.tibaray.com/ ) developing next generation linear accelerator technology (derived from Stanford research) to bring these advances to patients.Dr. Loo received his MD from University of California, Davis and his PhD in Bioengineering from University of California, San Francisco and Berkeley. He completed his Radiation Oncology residency training at Stanford Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology in Radiation Oncology, and is a Fellow of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and a Fellow of the American College of Radiology (ACR).#BillyLoo #Oncology #Cancer #RadiationOncology #FlashRadiotherapy #Stanford #Tibaray #Phaser #Bioengineering  #LinearAccelerator #Klystron #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textFleur Hassan-Nahoum ( https://www.fleurhassann.com/ ) is Israel's Special Envoy for Trade & Innovation.  She was appointed to this position in 2023 by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, after coming off of six years of service as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem where she was in charge of foreign relations, international economic development, and tourism.Following the historic 2020 Abraham Accords, Fleur cofounded the UAE-Israel Business Council ( https://www.uaeisraelbusiness.com/ ), an association of Emirati and Israeli business and government leaders fostering bilateral trade, innovation, and cooperation, as well as the Gulf Israel Women's Forum, the first association bringing together female leaders from across the Middle East with a strong network extending from Bahrain and Morocco. Fleur is very well known in political, policy, and media circles and following her tenure as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem remains involved in the advancement of women's rights and marginalized populations in the city, through economic development and the fight for a pluralistic Jerusalem.Fleur studied law at Kings College, London and practiced in London, and before joining politics, Fleur worked in throughput the Jewish nonprofit world as well as led her own communications consulting business. Fleur is also the first woman to be appointed as Secretary General for Kol Israel ( https://kol-israel.org/ ), the ideological successor to the General Zionist Party in the World Zionist Congress. Fleur recently joined the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy ( https://www.misgavins.org/en/author/fleur_hassan_nahoum/ )  as a senior fellow and sits on the international advisory council of this think tank that advances pragmatic and realistic approaches in Israeli foreign and defense policy. Important Episode Link -  FemForward - Shaping a shared society where women lead the way in innovation, peacebuilding, and global connectivity - https://www.femforward.org/#Israel #FleurHassanNahoum #DeputyMayor #Jerusalem #StartupNation #EconomicDevelopment #AbrahamAccords #UAE #Bahrain #Morocco #CampusIsrael #FemForward #MisgavInstitute #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textKevin Caldwell is CEO, Co-Founder & President of Ossium Health ( https://ossiumhealth.com/ ), a commercial stage bioengineering company that leverages its proprietary organ donor bone marrow banking platform to develop stem cell therapies for patients with life-threatening hematologic conditions, organ transplant rejection, and musculoskeletal defects.  Mr. Caldwell built Ossium from a small startup into the clinical stage bioengineering company it is today, setting the company's mission to improve human health through bioengineering and designed its platform-based model for cellular therapeutics development. He has led the company's successful pursuit, negotiation, and execution of more than 50 business relationships, including 5 successful fundraisings and dozens of supply partnerships, clinical partnerships, and commercial contracts with biopharmaceutical companies. After seven years of strategic engagement and networking, Mr. Caldwell drove the team to successfully secure a transformative federal contract with BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) that validates Ossium's innovative approach. This milestone represents the culmination of persistent relationship-building, targeted proposals, and  unwavering commitment to addressing national biomedical challenges through cutting-edge technology and collaborative partnerships.Prior to founding Ossium, Mr. Caldwell served as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey's San Francisco office where he advised clients in the biotechnology and healthcare sectors. His projects ranged from due diligence of acquisition targets in the biotech startup ecosystem to restructuring distressed biopharma companies. Mr. Caldwell led more than 20 engagements with more than a dozen clients, leading teams that advised clients on revenue growth, go to market strategy, and organizational restructuring.Before McKinsey, Mr. Caldwell served as a Senior Investment Associate at Bridgewater Associates where he did quantitative research for the firm's global macro investments. Mr. Caldwell studied Physics and Economics at MIT before receiving his JD from Harvard Law School. In addition, he is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and a Fellow of the Leaders in Tech Program.#KevinCaldwell #OssiumHealth #BoneMarrow #HematopoieticStemCellTransplantation #HSCT #MesenchymalStemCells #Leukemia #Lymphoma #Myeloma #SickleCellDisease #OrganTransplantRejection #GraftVersusHostDisease #GVHD #BARDA #ASPR #CBRN #NuclearEmergencyPreparedness #Longevity #Aging #Frailty #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Amir Baniassadi, Ph.D. is an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Assistant Scientist in Marcus Institute for Aging Research ( https://www.marcusinstituteforaging.org/who-we-are/profiles/amir-baniassadi-phd ) where he works on environmental impacts on health and well-being of older populations. Dr. Baniassadi works on the impacts of ambient air temperature and air quality (both indoors and outdoors) on outcomes related to the health and well-being of physiologically and socioeconomically vulnerable populations. His research applies novel environmental modeling and measurement techniques along with remote and long-term physiological and functional monitoring of individuals to establish relationships between exposure and outcome variables of interest outside clinical lab settings. The ultimate goal of his research is to develop environmental interventions that optimize the environment for health and longevity of older adults.Dr. Baniassadi has a Ph.D. in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering from Arizona State University and a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran. His post-doctoral training includes a three-year T32 fellowship in Translational Research in Older adults, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. #AmirBaniassadi #HarvardMedicalSchool #MarcusInstituteForAgingResearch #EnvironmentalGerontology #VulnerabilityScience #Exposome #Health #WellBeing #Wearables #SmartHome #AgingInPlace #Thermoregulation #HeatIslands #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Erica Goldman, Ph.D. is Director of Policy Entrepreneurship ( https://fas.org/expert/erica-goldman/ ) and the Day One Program (https://fas.org/day-one-project/ ), at the Federation of American Scientists ( FAS - https://fas.org/ )FAS is an organization formed at the end of World War II, made up of scientists across diverse disciplines, who joined together to advance science policy and counter scientific misinformation, and which currently works to minimize the risks of significant global threats, arising from nuclear weapons, biological and chemical agents, and climate change. The organization also works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table.Dr. Goldman has served in various roles spanning the boundaries between science and policy throughout her career. She has a diverse background that includes science writing, science policy, and academic research and her passions lie in making connections between these domains. Most recently, Dr. Goldman served as the Deputy Director of the Global Council for Science and the Environment, where she worked across a network of institutions and diverse groups of scientists to improve the scientific basis of environmental decision-making. Previously, she served as the Director of Policy Engagement for COMPASS, a nonprofit organization that helps environmental scientists effectively share their knowledge in the public discourse and decision-making. She also served a six-month term in the White House Council on Environmental Quality on the Land & Water Ecosystems Team during the Obama Administration. Dr. Goldman has worked as a science writer for the Maryland Sea Grant College Program; served as a Knauss marine policy fellow in the Natural Resources Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives; and worked as a news intern at Science Magazine. Dr. Goldman received her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Washington and her Bachelor's of Science degree from Yale University.#EricaGoldman #PolicyEntrepreneurship #DayOne #FederationOfAmericanScientists #Policymaking #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textYael Elish is CEO and Founder of StuffThatWorks ( https://www.stuffthatworks.health/ ), a company that offers an online platform where people suffering from chronic diseases can share information to learn which treatments work best for their specific condition, based on the experience of their peers combined with a smart, AI-based crowdsourcing system.A passionate entrepreneur with expertise in crowdsourcing and consumer-facing products, Yael was on the Waze founding team, where she drove the overall product strategy that led the company from User One to one of the world's most notable crowdsourcing endeavours. She also co-founded eSnips and NetSnippet, and was part of the senior management team that took Commtouch to its successful NASDAQ IPO in 2000.Prior to Commtouch, Yael led the sales and marketing efforts for various start-ups in Israel. Yael holds a first degree in Foreign Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.#StuffThatWorks #YaelElish #Crowdsourcing #ChronicDiseases #RareDiseases #ArtificialIntelligence #Healthcare #Medicine #Repurposing #ClinicalTrials #RealWorldData #RealWorldEvidence #Waze #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Georges Benjamin, MD is Executive Director of the American Public Health Association ( APHA - https://apha.org/about-apha/executive-board-and-staff/apha-staff/georges-c-benjamin-md ), the professional membership and advocacy organization for public health professionals in the United States. APHA is the largest professional organization of public health professionals in the United States.Dr. Benjamin is known as one of the nation's most influential physician leaders because he speaks passionately and eloquently about the health issues having the most impact on our nation today. From his firsthand experience as a physician, he knows what happens when preventive care is not available and when the healthy choice is not the easy choice. As executive director of APHA since 2002, he is leading the Association's push to make America the healthiest nation.Dr. Benjamin came to APHA from his position as secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Dr. Benjamin became secretary of health in Maryland in April 1999, following four years as its deputy secretary for public health services. As secretary, Benjamin oversaw the expansion and improvement of the state's Medicaid program. Dr. Benjamin is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, is board-certified in internal medicine, a master of the American College of Physicians, a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a fellow emeritus of the American College of Emergency Physicians, an honorary fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.An established administrator, author and orator, Dr. Benjamin started his medical career as a military physician in 1978 when he trained in internal medicine at the Brooke Army Medical Center. In 1981, he was assigned to the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, where he managed a 72,000-patient visit ambulatory care service as chief of the Acute Illness Clinic and was faculty and an attending physician within the Department of Emergency Medicine. A few years later, Dr. Benjamin was reassigned to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he served as chief of emergency medicine. After leaving the Army, Dr. Benjamin chaired the Department of Community Health and Ambulatory Care at the District of Columbia General Hospital. He was promoted to acting commissioner for public health for the District of Columbia and later directed one of the busiest ambulance services in the nation as interim director of the Emergency Ambulance Bureau of the District of Columbia Fire Department.At APHA, Dr. Benjamin also serves as publisher of the nonprofit's monthly publication, The Nation's Health, the association's official newspaper, and the American Journal of Public Health, the profession's premier scientific publication. He is the author of more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters. His recent book Public Health Under Siege: Improving Policy in Turbulent Times explores the impact of policy on our nation's health and offers specific actions to improve health and extend life expectancy. He is also the author of The Quest for Health Reform: A Satirical History, an exposé of the 100-year quest to ensure quality affordable health coverage for all using political cartoons.#GeorgesBenjamin #PublicHealth #AmericanPublicHealthAssociation #APHA #DisasterMedicine #EnvironmentalHealth #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #Aging #Healthspan #Injury #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Thomas Chen, MD, Ph.D. is Founder, CEO & CSO, and Board Director, of NeOnc Technologies ( https://neonc.com/ ), a developer of a proprietary, patented platform technology that can potentially transport pharma-based therapeutics directly to the brain without the normal boundary restrictions imposed by the body's Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB), providing patients with potentially more effective treatments.NeOnc is developing a portfolio of treatments for brain cancer and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Dr. Chen is a board-certified neurosurgeon and the Director of Surgical Neuro-Oncology at USC where he is also a tenured Professor of Neurosurgery and Pathology ( https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/thomas-c-chen/ ). Dr. Chen graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also received Bronze Tablet honors and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa national academic honor society. He attended the University of California, San Francisco, where he obtained his MD, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. He underwent neurosurgery training at USC and obtained a Ph.D. degree in pathobiology where his thesis was on the role of immunotherapy in malignant brain tumors. Dr. Chen is also a fellowship-trained spine surgeon and one of a few surgical neuro-oncologists in the country specializing in spine cancer surgery. He maintains a busy clinical practice in both surgical neuro-oncology and spine surgery and heads a research laboratory focused on glioma biology. Dr. Chen has published extensively on glioma biology and neurosurgery. He is on the editorial board for The Spine Journal and on the review board for Neurosurgery and Journal of Neurosurgery. He also serves on numerous national neurosurgery committees.#NeOnc #ThomasChen #NeurologicalSurgery #Neurosurgery #BrainTumor #Glioblastoma #Glioma #BloodBrainBarrier #NeuroOncology #Temozolomide #PerillylAlcohol #Meningioma #Neurology #CNS #SpinalCordInjury #BrainMetastases #Alzheimers #ParkinsonsDisease #Neuropathology #MedicalOncology #Chemotherapy #RadiationOncology #USC #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textVasily Popov ( https://entities-meta.com/index_en.html ) is a contemporary artist, not afraid to go beyond the boundaries of traditional art, using new technologies and formats to express his ideas, combining the talents of a poet, artist, and innovator in the field of art and technology. Mr. Popov's many achievements include:- As a Poet: authoring five books of poetry, testifying to his deep creative potential and love for words;- As an Artist: creating more than 300 canvases, demonstrating a variety of techniques and styles in the visual arts;- As an Innovator: launching the world's first NFT (non-fungible token) into real space on the International Space Station (ISS), a very unique event at the intersection of art, technology and space, which highlights his desire for experimentation and innovation.Mr. Popov has won many of prestigious awards and his contribution to culture and art is recognized at a high level.  He is a laureate of the Bunin Prize in Literature, a laureate of the Lermontov Prize, and a winner of the Grand Prix of the literary forum "Golden Knight". Mr. Popov also serves as a Member of the Union of Writers of Russia, and serves as a secretary of the board of this organization.Mr. Popov attended the Siberian Institute of Law, Economics and Management, Irkutsk, Russian Federation and the Gorky Literary Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation.This episode is recorded in English And Russian with real-time episode translation by Ms. Victoria Ustimenko Laskina, Preto Business Corp - https://pretobusiness.com/#VasilyPopov #Art #Paintings #Poetry #Space #NFT #ISS #SpaceStation #ElonMusk #OlegArtemyev #Blockchain #NonFungibleToken #Cosmonaut #BaikonurCosmodrome #InternationalSpaceStation  #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Hernan A. Bazan MD, FACS, CEO & Co-Founder of South Rampart Pharma, Inc. ( https://southrampartpharma.com/about-us/hernan-bazan/ ), a clinical stage biopharma company developing safer, non-opioid therapies for acute and chronic pain, where he spearheads the company's scientific, clinical and technology development efforts, as well as it's fundraising. As an academic vascular surgeon, Dr. Bazan is the John Ochsner Endowed Professor of Surgery in Innovation ( https://www.ochsner.org/doctors/hernan-bazan ). His clinical interests include treating carotid artery disease and acute stroke, using minimally invasive approaches to aortic aneurysms and peripheral arterial disease, and managing acute post-operative pain. Over the years, Dr. Bazan has realized the significant clinical and societal need for safer and non-addictive pain relief in ambulatory and post-operative settings. From these critical unmet needs, South Rampart Pharma, Inc. was founded in 2016 to develop safer, non-opioid therapies for acute and chronic pain.Dr. Bazan authored the first manuscript describing the library of analgesic compounds' synthesis, lack of hepatoxicity analgesic characterization, and antipyretic properties, published in September 2020 in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and a current paper under advanced review (open access) in Nature Communications.Dr. Bazan is the PI or Co-I on two NIH/NINDS STTR (small business commercialization) grants to develop a novel non-narcotic and non-toxic analgesic to safely treat acute, chronic, and neuropathic pain. He is the co-inventor of 7 issued or pending patents and has authored over 50 publications. He and his team have completed Phase 1 clinical trials, paving the way for Phase 2 RCTs in acute and neuropathic pain. He was bestowed the 2024 NIH HEAL Director's Trailblazer Award for this work.Dr. Bazan received a B.S. in Molecular Biology (Vanderbilt University). He spent two years in medical school as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Research Scholar at the NIH. He earned an M.D. (Georgetown University), followed by a General Surgery Residency (Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York) and a Vascular Surgery Fellowship (Yale University).#Pain #Opioids #NSAIDS #Acetaminophen #Analgesia #Nociception #PostOperative #HernanBazan #NicolasBazan #SouthRampartPharma #Ochsner #Fentanyl #Aspirin #Ibuprofen   #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show