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David Stamler, M.D., Chief Executive Officer AlterityTherapeuticsAlterity Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ATHE & ASX: ATH)www.alteritytx.com David Stamler, M.D., Chief Executive OfficerDavid Stamler, M.D. is Chief Executive Officer and a Managing Director, and previously served as Alterity's Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Clinical Development. Dr Stamler has extensive drug development expertise spanning early-stage research through late-stage clinical trials, with three FDA drug approvals in neurology.Prior to joining Alterity, Dr. Stamler served as the Vice President, Clinical Development and Therapeutic Head for Movement Disorders at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries after Teva acquired Auspex Pharmaceuticals where he was Chief Medical Officer.Prior to Auspex, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at XenoPort, Inc., and Head of Drug Development at Prestwick Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Before Prestwick, Dr. Stamler worked at Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. and its subsidiaries in various leadership roles, including Vice President, Research and Development, Medical Sciences at Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc., and as Vice President, Clinical Research Center at Fujisawa Research Institute of America. Dr. Stamler began his career at Abbott Laboratories where he served in various positions including Director of Clinical Research, Pharmaceutical Products for the International Division.Dr. Stamler received an M.D. from the University of Chicago—The Pritzker School of Medicine and a B.A. in Biology from the University of Chicago.
"Do nothing for us without us." According to today's guest Robyn Bussey, that operating principle is the basis for effective community health work. "You don't go into a community and dictate. You go and listen and trust and be a partner," she adds. As you'll learn in this enlightening conversation, Bussey is following that approach in her current work as Just Health Director at the Partnership for Southern Equity, an Atlanta-based nonprofit advancing racial equity and shared prosperity across the South. On this episode of Raise the Line from Elsevier, Bussey provides illuminating examples of community-rooted work in South Fulton County and rural Georgia, and explains why community health workers may be the most underutilized asset in addressing health disparities. This wide-ranging interview with host Michael Carrese also explores: Bussey's candid perspective on what happened to the surge of interest in health equity that occurred during COVID; Why life expectancy gains in many Southern states have lagged behind the rest of the country; Her advice to students and early-career clinicians about where they're needed most. Mentioned in this episode: Partnership for Southern Equity If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
Oncology drug development is becoming more complex, and bioanalysis can no longer be treated as simple drug measurement.Sponsored by Leucentra, https://leucentra.com/Inspired by science, empowered by IT. Leucentra helps life science and healthcare organizations evaluate, implement, and get more value from technology that supports innovation.In this episode of BioTalk Unzipped, Gregory Austin and Dr. Chad Briscoe speak with Dr. Lakshmi Amaravadi, Head of Oncology Bioanalysis at AstraZeneca, live from AAPS PharmSci 360 in San Antonio.Dr. Amaravadi unpacks why biomarker validation is not one-size-fits-all, how context of use should guide scientific decision making, and why fit-for-purpose validation matters in modern oncology drug development.The conversation explores:00:00 Why oncology bioanalysis is becoming more complex02:12 FDA biomarker validation guidance and industry response04:27 What “fit for purpose” means in practice06:38 PK assay validation vs biomarker assay validation07:52 What drives Dr. Amaravadi's work in translational science10:48 Why validation is not a checkbox exercise12:19 Advice for young scientists entering bioanalysis15:12 Why oncology drug development is uniquely complex18:17 ADCs, bispecifics, T-cell engagers, and conditional T-cell engagers19:38 Why bioanalysis now requires understanding biology20:46 Dr. Amaravadi's path from molecular biology to bioanalysis24:34 Critical reagent management in complex oncology assays26:42 Validation, qualification, and context of use29:03 Final thoughts from AAPS PharmSci 360This episode is especially relevant for scientists, bioanalytical leaders, translational researchers, clinical pharmacologists, oncology development teams, biomarker scientists, and anyone working at the intersection of drug development, assay validation, and precision medicine.Dr. Amaravadi discusses how oncology programs now involve ADCs, bispecifics, T-cell engagers, conditional T-cell engagers, complex linkers, multiple measurable species, immunogenicity considerations, and biomarker strategies that require deeper biological understanding. As she explains in the episode, the future of oncology bioanalysis is not simply measuring what is present. It is understanding what the measurement means in the context of the biology and the development decision.Follow BioTalk Unzipped for conversations with leaders in biotech, pharma, bioanalysis, clinical development, translational science, regulatory strategy, and the future of medicine.GuestDr. Lakshmi Amaravadihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lakshmi-amaravadi/HostsGregory Austinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryaustin1/Dr. Chad Briscoehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chadbriscoe/Sponsor: LeucentraRelated LinksCelerionhttps://www.celerion.com/
In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, experts from Myriad Genetics join host Stephanie Butler to examine how tumor-informed molecular residual disease, or MRD, testing is beginning to redefine what early insight can mean in oncology drug development. As biomarker-driven therapies become more precise, the ability to understand response earlier and more clearly is increasingly being viewed as foundational to smarter development strategy. The discussion looks at how ultrasensitive, tumor-informed MRD assays can help track response over time, potentially surface deeper signals earlier and inform decisions that shape trial design, patient selection and regulatory direction. It also considers why these capabilities may become more important as oncology programs face growing pressure to balance speed, flexibility and evidence generation. Listeners will hear why early diagnostic strategy is increasingly seen as a competitive differentiator, how MRD can help teams make better decisions sooner and why its role in oncology development is expected to continue to evolve and expand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How can artificial intelligence help get the right drugs to the right patients faster, but without losing sight of the human side of healthcare?In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Rafael Rosengarten, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Genialis, for a thoughtful conversation about the evolution of AI in biotech and its growing role in precision oncology. Drawing on more than a decade of experience at the intersection of machine learning and life sciences, Rafael shares how Genialis is building AI-powered foundation models of cancer biology to help pharmaceutical companies improve clinical trial success and accelerate drug development. The discussion also explores the promises and challenges of AI, from data quality and bias to the broader societal implications of increasingly intelligent technologies. In this episode, you'll discover:How AI foundation models are being used to reduce clinical trial failure in oncology.How new approaches to AI can unlock valuable insights from limited clinical datasets.The opportunities and risks of AI in healthcare, education, and society – and why human judgment remains essential.Tune in to hear what it takes to build trustworthy AI healthcare technologies and why the future of biotech still depends on human creativity and critical thinking.Links:Connect with Rafael Rosengarten, PhD, and learn about Genialis and The Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine.Register for the Fat Tuesday Reception at BIO 2026 and check out Elaine's panel on Tuesday 6/23.Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer.Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast.Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.
In this week's episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, host Vera Kovacevic, Editor-in-Chief at Xtalks, spoke with Diego Ardigò, Executive Vice President, Global R&D at Chiesi, a biopharma company focused on respiratory health, rare diseases and specialty care. Respiratory medicine presents unique drug development challenges because successful therapies depend not only on the drug itself, but also on the formulation and delivery device. As innovation continues across asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), developers must balance performance, usability, sustainability and continuity of care. In this episode, Diego discusses how Chiesi approaches innovation in respiratory disease drug development and why developing inhaled therapies requires careful integration of drug formulation, device design and patient experience. The conversation also explores the growing focus on sustainability in respiratory care. Diego discusses how the industry can transition toward more environmentally sustainable inhaler options while maintaining treatment continuity for patients who are stable on their current therapies. In addition, Diego discusses the role of inhaler technique, patient behavior and long-term treatment adherence in shaping R&D decisions. Diego also explains why respiratory medicine offers valuable lessons for the broader pharmaceutical industry in balancing innovation, sustainability and patient-centered care. Tune in to learn more about the future of asthma and COPD drug development and how respiratory medicine is evolving to meet both patient and sustainability goals. For more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage. https://xtalks.com/vitals/ Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: https://twitter.com/Xtalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xtalks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured
External control arms are becoming increasingly important in drug development, but creating valid comparisons requires more than matching patient populations. In this episode, I speak with Ben Ackerman, Director of Real-World Biostatistics at GSK, about one of the most overlooked challenges in external control arm studies: endpoint bias. We discuss why differences in how outcomes are measured can influence study results, what researchers should consider when designing studies, and how the field is evolving to address these challenges. If you work with real-world evidence, causal inference, or innovative clinical trial designs, this episode offers valuable insights into improving the credibility and transparency of external control arm analyses.
What does it take to run successful clinical trials across borders? Tune in as Chris Boone (Group VP, Research, Health & Life Sciences at Oracle) and Alicia Baker McDowell (VP & Head of Global Regulatory Strategy at Fortrea) explore the shift from transactional outsourcing to truly co-created partnerships.They discuss how sponsors, CROs, and tech partners are redefining collaboration, tackling data fragmentation, and striking the right balance between global consistency and local execution to deliver more effective clinical trials worldwide.
#thismorning | #Molecule to #Medicine: How Daraxonrasib is #Rewriting Pancreatic #Cancer #Drug #Development | Andrew R. Snyder, PhD., Monash University | #Tunein: broadcastretirementnetwork.com #Aging, #Finance, #Lifestyle, #Privacy, #Retirement, #wellness
Welcome back to the communal Schauer, make sure to don your tin foil hat because this week we're wading into the murky waters of interventionism and bungled progress. A word of warning to those of childbearing age: I swear a lot in this and it has been scientifically proven that profanity makes your ovaries grieve. Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to https://LiquidIV.com and get 20% off your first purchase with code SCHAUER at checkout Download Hily Dating App from the App Store or Google Play, or visit https://hily.go.link/jRMKW And yes, I do apologize for the late upload, I'm trying to get the hang of recording at home. I appreciate everyone's patience, you all are incredible and should be celebrated. I hope you all enjoy this week's episode! The Allen Institute's Collab w/ KEXP https://alleninstitute.org/kexp I helped with this! General Resources: Alzheimer's Disease https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1134817-overview#a2 Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Celiac Ganglia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538129/#article-19097.s6 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585046/ Toxic Effects of Mercury on the Cardiovascular and Central Nervous System https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3395437/ Tampons as a source of exposure to metal(loid)s https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355 Patents on Psychedelics: The Next Legal Battlefront of Drug Development https://harvardlawreview.org/forum/no-volume/patents-on-psychedelics-the-next-legal-battlefront-of-drug-development/ Caffeine-Induced Psychosis: A Case Report and Review of Literature https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11376648/ The effect of caffeine and stress on auditory hallucinations in a non-clinical sample https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019188691000591X Scientists Stop Pancreatic Cancer Before It Starts in Landmark Preclinical Study https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-stop-pancreatic-cancer-before-it-starts-in-landmark-preclinical-study/ The Brain Waste System Disrupted by Alzheimer's Mapped https://neurosciencenews.com/glymphatic-brain-waste-clearance-30785/ The Resurgence of Hallucinogen Drugs in Clinical Research https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034837625001457 Residential psychedelic (LSD) therapy for the narcotic addict. A controlled study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4575166/ This study is from 1973 - if you would do me the favor of scrolling down to the “similar articles” section I'd like you to note the dates of publication for related research. If you're seeing what I'm seeing, psychedelics could've really helped a lot of people. Books Clean: The New Science of Skin and the Beauty of Doing Less - James Hamblin Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution - Paul Hawken Undermining Science: Suppression and Distortion in the Bush Administration - Seth Shulman Sweet and Deadly: How Coca-Cola Spreads Disinformation and Makes Us Sick - Murray Carpenter How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence - Michael Pollan Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World - Elinor Cleghorn A History of Transgender Medicine in the United States: From Margins to Mainstream - Carolyn Wolf-Gould, Dallas Denny, Jamison Green, Kyan Lynch, Editors Food & Lobbying Resources: Nutrition Websites & Databases https://libguides.regiscollege.edu/nutrition/intro EWG's Food Scores https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/ Open Secrets https://www.opensecrets.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As concerns escalate about the deadly Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, we bring you the unique insights of Dr. Peter Piot, a renowned microbiologist who co-discovered the virus 50 years ago during the first recorded outbreak of the disease. His on-the-ground account of that crisis was provided to us in April before the current outbreak was declared, but it contains valuable historical perspective and shares lessons learned that he carried forward in his consequential career. “What I saw from the beginning is the most important thing is to listen to people and that you need to act fast to save lives, before you have the evidence you would like to have.” He followed his contributions on Ebola by diving into the fight against HIV/AIDS, eventually reshaping global response in leadership roles at the World Health Organization and United Nations. As he shares with host Lindsey Smith, the learnings in that case were more pragmatic than scientific. “We had to redefine HIV/AIDS not as a medical problem but as an economic and security problem in order to get it on the political agenda.” Tune in for a fascinating episode that takes you from the gritty frontlines of public health crises to the battles for funding and attention in the halls of power as Dr. Piot shares what it actually takes to move the world to respond effectively to health threats. Mentioned in this episode: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
In this week's episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, host Vera Kovacevic, Editor-in-Chief at Xtalks, spoke with Hyung Heon Kim, CEO of MetaVia, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments for cardiometabolic diseases. Mr. Kim discusses the evolving cardiometabolic disease landscape, including the connections between obesity, diabetes, liver disease and cardiovascular risk. He shares his perspective on how obesity care has changed in recent years, where unmet needs remain and how priorities such as muscle preservation, metabolic health and long-term durability are shaping the next stage of drug development. The conversation also explores MASH, a complex liver disease closely linked to metabolic dysfunction. Mr. Kim discusses why MASH remains difficult to diagnose, study and treat, and why broader treatment strategies may need to address underlying drivers such as insulin resistance, inflammation and lipid metabolism. Mr. Kim also explores the challenges of designing and conducting clinical trials in obesity and MASH. He shares his perspective on where the cardiometabolic field is headed and what biotech leaders should consider when working in fast-moving, highly competitive therapeutic areas. Tune in to learn more about the future of obesity, MASH and cardiometabolic disease treatment. For more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage. https://xtalks.com/vitals/ Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: https://twitter.com/Xtalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xtalks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured
What happens when a founder nearly loses everything?In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and Clinilabs founder Dr. Gary Zammit to discuss the emotional reality of entrepreneurship, surviving the Great Recession, building elite teams, and the future of AI in medicine.Gary shares brutally honest stories about nearly losing his company, struggling to make payroll, and even telling his wife she should divorce him to protect their family financially. He also explains why the future of life sciences depends on more than innovation alone.This conversation explores resilience, leadership, culture, clinical trials, pharmaceutical misconceptions, and the people behind breakthrough medicine.Topics Covered:• The emotional cost of entrepreneurship• Surviving financial collapse during the recession• Why pharmaceutical companies get misunderstood• The difference between A players and superstars• How elite teams are built• Why company culture matters during chaos• The future of AI in healthcare and drug development• Clinical trials explained simply• Leadership lessons from failure• Persistence and resilience in business Chapters00:00 Intro00:01 Why Pharma Gets Such Bad Press02:47 Revealing the Hidden Struggles Behind the Business05:03 Nearly Losing the Company During the Recession07:12 The Moment He Asked His Wife for a Divorce09:08 Managing Morale During Financial Collapse11:21 Explaining Neuropsychiatric Drug Development12:39 Why CNS Research Became So Risky15:23 How the Company Turned Around17:07 Building and Retaining A Players19:25 Can You Create an A Player?21:00 A Players vs Superstars22:19 Building World-Class Processes23:14 How Technology Changed Clinical Trials25:27 AI and the Future of Medicine28:29 The Current State of Clinical Research30:00 Persistence Through Adversity31:02 Outro
Many of the forces driving species to extinction—habitat destruction, pollution, climate change—also fuel the spread of disease. Plants and animals around the globe are facing their own little pandemics, from cancer to fungal diseases. But what if we could treat them with cutting-edge medicines? Is there something drug developers could do to help? Chemist Tim Cernak thinks so. He has been developing drugs for people for 20 years, but his patient roster has started to include sea turtles, frogs, and giant reptiles. He talks with Flora about why he's making drugs for wildlife and why more chemists should join in. Guest: Dr. Tim Cernak is an associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Michigan. Other episodes you may enjoy: Raising A New Generation Of Bat Conservationists In West Africa How Conservation Efforts Brought Rare Birds Back From The Brink Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that's keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This episode features three leading statistical methodology experts discussing the role, impact, and future of methodology groups in the pharmaceutical industry. They explore organizational structures, skill sets, AI integration, and strategies to accelerate adoption of innovative methods.
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, Jeff Jonas, M.D., CEO of Tortugas Neuroscience, talks about the company's April 2026 launch and how in-licensed development assets were chosen. Jeff explains his strategy of chasing fast proof of safety and efficacy in humans, not animals, and talks about what product differentiation looks like in brain disorders, from adjusting indication targets to conducting head-to-head trials. He also reflects on the opportunity with psychedelics, RFK Jr.'s quest to curb SSRI prescriptions, the payer landscape in CNS disorders, and more. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/
This episode with Gopa Iyer from MSKCC explores the latest advances in antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) in urothelial cancer, including data from EV302, novel ADCs targeting Nectin-4, and sequencing strategies. Experts discuss efficacy, safety, biomarkers, and future directions in bladder cancer treatment.
Welcome to IDEA Collider. In this episode, host Alex Gray is joined by IDEA Pharma colleagues David Radwaner and Tom Brockbank to dissect the history, strategy, and future of immuno-oncology (IO). The trio explores how PD-1 and PD-L1 therapies revolutionized cancer treatment, acting as a brake on the immune system to offer unprecedented durability and long-term survival for patients. They take a deep dive into the fascinating commercial and clinical race between Merck's Keytruda and BMS's Opdivo. Learn how Merck's strategic decisions—including smart statistical trial designs, targeted biomarker approaches in first-line non-small cell lung cancer, and tumor-agnostic labels like MSI-high—allowed Keytruda to secure market dominance. Finally, Alex, David, and Tom look ahead to the next ten years, discussing whether emerging players like AstraZeneca and China's Akeso / Summit will displace Keytruda, or if the future lies in combination therapies. Episode Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Meet David Radwaner, Tom Brockbank, and host Alex Gray. 00:01:45 - The Origins of IO: The Nobel Prize-winning discovery of PD-1 and CTLA-4 checkpoints. 00:03:55 - Why PD-1 / PD-L1 Won: The unique breadth of utility and unparalleled durability of long-term survival. 00:06:21 - Keytruda vs. Opdivo: How Merck's strategic trial design and smart statistical work outpaced BMS's early lead. 00:11:48 - The NSCLC Inflection Point: Why narrowing the patient population (PD-L1 - 50%) cemented Keytruda's foundation in first-line lung cancer. 00:14:20 - Tumor-Agnostic Success: Merck's bold move into MSI-high and broad biomarker-led strategies. 00:16:09 - Science or Luck? Analyzing Merck's aggressive and risky clinical development strategy. 00:18:00 - The Next 10 Years: Will anyone displace Keytruda? Assessing the future strategies of Merck, BMS, AstraZeneca, and Akeso/Summit Don't forget to Like, Share, Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Keep up with Alex Gray; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-gray-934a653/ Keep up with David Radwaner; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-radwaner-1b496343/ Keep up with Tom Brockbank; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-brockbank-159bb4116/ Follow IDEA Pharma On; Website: https://www.ideapharma.com/ Listen to more fantastic podcast episodes: https://ideacollider.simplecast.com/
What does it take to move a scientific idea from the bench to patients, especially in some of biotech's most challenging therapeutic areas? In this episode, Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Gareth Willis, PhD, COO of Otologic Pharmaceutics and CEO of Exosla Therapeutics, for a candid conversation about translational science, biotech leadership, and the realities of drug development. Drawing from his experience across academia, Big Pharma, and startups, Gareth shares lessons from working in the biotech ecosystem, leading complex biologics programs, and developing therapies for hearing loss and tinnitus. In this episode, you'll learn: Why translational science and patient impact became the driving force behind Gareth's move from academia into biotech. How emerging technologies like AI are reshaping drug discovery and development timelines. What separates successful preclinical programs from the ones that fail, and why patient-centered thinking matters from day one. Tune in to learn how biotech leaders are navigating the highs and lows of drug development while working to bring meaningful therapies to patients with unmet medical needs. Links: Connect with Gareth Willis, PhD, and learn about Otologic Pharmaceutics and Exosla Therapeutics. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Life Science Courses from Gareth: Pharmaceutical Portfolio Strategies: Governance and Portfolio Management Advanced Due Diligence in Pharmaceuticals Pharmacology Essentials Training: Understanding Pharmacology in Drug Development Mastering Development and Regulatory Strategies in Cell Therapy Learn more about Elaine's wine pub, The Study. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.
ValiRX CEO Dr Mark Eccleston joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss the company's progress across its expanding oncology and animal health pipeline as the company advances multiple therapeutic assets through its special purpose vehicle (SPV) strategy. Eccleston said the AIM-listed biotechnology company continued to focus on identifying, evaluating and de-risking promising therapeutic assets before advancing them within dedicated commercial entities. Eccleston said the structure allowed each programme to operate with a specialised management focus while leveraging shared expertise across the wider ValiRx group. He added that the model also enabled individual assets to become independently investable, helping reduce dilution pressure on existing shareholders. A key development discussed during the interview was ValiRx's evaluation of a new oncology asset licensed under evaluation from McGill University. Eccleston described the programme as “probably the best asset that we've ever had in house to evaluate.” The asset is initially being assessed for osteosarcoma, a bone cancer affecting both humans and dogs. Eccleston noted that osteosarcoma in canines closely mirrors the disease in humans, creating an opportunity to utilise comparative oncology approaches that could accelerate clinical data generation. He explained that canine osteosarcoma prevalence is substantially higher than in humans, allowing broader access to real-world clinical data while simultaneously supporting therapeutic development for companion animals and human patients. ValiRx also continues advancing several oncology-focused programmes targeting areas of significant unmet medical need. Its Cytolytix oncolytic peptide programme is focused on triple negative breast cancer, while the VAL201 programme, now housed within Blue Ribbon Bio, is being developed primarily for prostate cancer alongside additional applications in breast cancer and endometriosis. Eccleston stated that many of the company's therapeutic assets possess “multi cancer potential,” allowing multiple indications to be pursued using shared mechanisms and development pathways. Looking ahead, the company expects several potential catalysts over the coming months. These include decisions regarding new in-licensing opportunities, patent developments linked to Cytolytix assets, and outcomes from multiple grant funding applications. Eccleston said ValiRx was awaiting results from several major funding applications between July and year-end, including six-figure and seven-figure grant opportunities. He suggested that successful outcomes from these programmes, including European funding initiatives, could prove transformational for the company's future development plans. #proactiveinvestors #valirxplc #aim #val #CancerResearch #TripleNegativeBreastCancer #OncologyInnovation #Cytolytix #PharmaPipeline #WomensHealth #PrecisionMedicine #Biotech #ArtificialIntelligence #DrugDevelopment #Oncology #MedicalResearch #CompanionAnimalHealth #CancerResearch #HealthcareInnovation
The ongoing outbreak of hantavirus infections that originated with passengers on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius in April has generated concerns across the globe. This very rare occurrence has led to a number of deaths, required quarantining of passengers and prompted emergency responses from public health authorities in multiple countries. On this episode of Raise the Line from Elsevier, we're tapping the expertise of a leading authority on the subject, Dr. Jamie Childs of Yale University, to provide you with a scientific understanding of hantaviruses and what level of threat is posed by this situation. In short, Dr. Childs believes this is not the start of a pandemic. “The Andes variant involved here is one of the most dangerous hantaviruses, but it is totally controllable with contact tracing.” This timely conversation with host Lindsey Smith is informed by Dr. Childs' decades of hantavirus research as well as learnings from his role leading the CDC's environmental investigation during the landmark 1993 hantavirus outbreak in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. And be sure to stay tuned to hear his concerns about the factors complicating containment of the current Ebola outbreak in East Africa. Note: this conversation was recorded on May 19th, 2026. Mentioned in this episode: Yale School of Public Health Yale Institute for Global Health If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
Site feasibility remains a critical yet complex component of clinical trial startup. In this episode, listen as Andrea Bastek (VP, Market Strategy at Florence Healthcare), Christine Senn (SVP, Site-Sponsor Innovation at Advarra), and Ashley Davidson (SVP, Head of Product at Advarra) unpack the persistent challenges in feasibility -- from manual, time-intensive processes and data trust gaps to misaligned timelines and limited transparency between stakeholders.The conversation explores how collaboration, smarter process design, and emerging technologies like AI and real-time data integration can reduce burden on sites and improve study startup timelines. Guests also share practical recommendations, including simplifying CDA processes, improving communication between sponsors and sites, and leveraging data more effectively to move forward toward a more efficient and connected feasibility model.Resources:- Advarra CDA Template - Advarra Site ID Feasibility Solution- Paper from Florence Healthcare's Site Enablement League
We mark National Mental Health Awareness Month on this episode by tapping the expertise of Dr. Steve Strakowski, an internationally recognized expert in bipolar disorder, who has spent decades studying the neurobiology and treatment of mood conditions while pushing just as hard on the structural barriers that keep effective treatments out of reach for more than half the people who need them. In this conversation with Raise the Line from Elsevier host Michael Carrese, Dr. Strakowski explains why access, not science, is now the biggest obstacle to improving mental health outcomes. He also addresses the heavy toll society pays for underfunding mental health prevention and treatment programs. “The money is spent eventually, but in the most expensive places like emergency rooms and prisons, and there is the human cost of suffering and suicides." This important discussion also covers: The persistent problem of Black patients presenting with mania being misdiagnosed with schizophrenia; Why he describes bipolar disorder as a reward-processing illness; The emerging therapies he finds encouraging. Mentioned in this episode:Indiana University School of Medicine If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
The cannabis industry convinced the world it had a medicine before the science caught up. Now the science is here, and almost no one is paying attention. CBD is not a panacea. When Charlotte's Web opened hearts and minds, the messaging of what it could do ran years ahead of what the data could actually support. That gap created a backlash the legitimate medical thesis didn't deserve. What's left on the other side of the green rush is a near-complete forgetting of the reason this industry started in the first place. The medicine. Now the infrastructure to prove it is finally in place. Standardized genetics. Reproducible extraction. Full compound characterization. An FDA botanical drug pathway that has existed since 2016 that most investors have never heard of. Organic medicine versus synthetic single-molecule will be a real choice at the pharmacy counter sooner than most people expect. The foundational work is already here. This week we sit down with Joel Stanley and Dr. Marcel Bonn-Miller: Botanical drugs vs. supplements 6,000 compounds, one drug Novel compounds nobody has named yet Chapters 00:00 Why Medical Validation Remains a Challenge for Cannabis 00:12 The FDA Approval Process for Plant-Based Medicines 01:03 Historical Market Dynamics and Their Impact on Cannabis Perception 02:48 Removing the Veil: How Science Can Validate Cannabinoid Therapies 03:15 The Complexity of Plant Molecules and Real-World Evidence 06:20 Focus in Drug Development: The Case of Autism Spectrum Disorder 07:10 The Impact of Charlotte's Web and Media Hype 08:52 Balancing Hype and Reality in Cannabinoid Medicine 10:01 Legitimization of Cannabis Research in Academia 12:10 The Evolution of Cannabis Research and Acceptance 13:54 The Future of Botanical Medicine and Academic Research 16:15 The Long Road of Drug Development for Cannabis-Based Medicines 20:50 Introducing AJA-001: A Botanical Drug for Autism 22:44 Standardization and Characterization of Botanical Drugs 24:01 Partnerships and Funding in Botanical Drug Development 24:40 Challenges of Multi-Compound Botanical Drugs 27:28 Reproducibility and Quality Control in Botanical Manufacturing 29:06 FDA Pathways for Botanical Drugs and New Chemical Entities 34:29 Identifying and Characterizing Thousands of Plant Compounds 39:48 The Role of AI and Supercomputing in Drug Discovery 41:11 Balancing Exploration and Focus in Botanical Research 44:38 What the World Will Understand About Cannabinoids in 10 Years 47:24 The Promise of Botanical Medicine Over Single Molecule Drugs Guest Links: AJNA Biosciences Websitehttps://ajnabiosciences.com/ AJNA Biosciences LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ajna-biosciences/posts/?feedView=all AJNA Biosciences Instagram @ajnabiosciences Charlotte's Web Websitehttps://www.charlottesweb.com/ Charlotte's Web LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/charlottesweb/posts/?feedView=all Charlotte's Web Instagram @charlotteswebcbd Joel Stanley LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-stanley-2885116b/ Joel Stanley Instagram @joel.stanley Dr. Marcel Bonn-Miller LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-bonn-miller-897a581/ Our Links: Bryan Fields on Twitter Kellan Finney on Twitter The Dime on Twitter Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights. At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry. The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.
As drug development grows increasingly complex, CDMOs are exploring new ways to streamline the path from early-stage formulation through commercial manufacturing. Rather than operating in isolated segments of the development lifecycle, some outsourcing partners are beginning to form more integrated collaborations designed to reduce handoffs, improve coordination, and simplify the client experience across multiple stages of manufacturing. In this episode of Off Script, we spoke with David Leroux-Petersen, CEO of Corealis Pharma, and Jean-Baptiste (JB) Agnus, CCO of the CDMO division at Bora Pharmaceuticals, about the emerging role of CDMO-to-CDMO collaboration through the lens of a new partnership between their companies. The conversation explores how integrated outsourcing models can help reduce development risk and accelerate timelines, what operational alignment looks like across organizations with complementary capabilities, and why client-centricity, governance, and transparent communication are essential in complex manufacturing partnerships.
Dr. Stella Vnook, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Kaida Biopharma, highlights the advantages for an early-stage biotech company to take a patient-centric perspective in drug development. She defines patient-centricity as focusing on whether a drug meaningfully improves a patient's life, which should influence decisions about trial design, endpoints, and side effects from the earliest stages. Kaida's work on a new treatment for ovarian cancer is designed to target tumor survival mechanisms and overcome treatment resistance, and has from the beginning taken into consideration the tolerability of treatments and the patient's quality of life. Stella explains, "We're so used to thinking drug-centric, and it's true that in the early stages of development, it's all about the molecule and the mechanism of action, and it's exciting to see how it works. But we really need to be thinking patient-centric because we will make decisions differently from the start. So it's not just about whether this drug works and how, but whether it meaningfully changes a patient's life. I think that's what patient-centric is or should be, because that would impact trial design, endpoints, and how we view tolerability or combination therapy." "For ovarian cancer, women today may receive a variety of treatments. Now, let's talk about this for a second. It's the cancer that's usually diagnosed very late. That means the patient's tumor has already gone into the lymph nodes, and it's what we call a stage three PO4. The patients after surgery receive a variety of drugs such as platinum therapies or PARP, but they still may relapse, and they may become resistant to the therapy. Now, that initial therapy has probably had significant toxicity. Because they've become resistant to the therapy they received, now they have limited options. So fortunately, there are drugs that potentially could be eligible for FRA positive. There's been a lot of news about ELAHERE, which is great, but it's only 25% of the population, and many patients may never qualify for this treatment. So that's where Kaida comes in, because we're focusing on 80% of the population." "Actually, the name Kaida is a dragon that eats its own tail. So that talks about the mechanism of action we've discussed: resistance. What we do is when the treatment has been given, it supports cell survival and actually eliminates the tumor's ability to replicate, which is called proliferation, causing it to destroy itself, which is called apoptosis. So in essence, the tumor disrupts itself because we're cutting off its support system." #Kaida #OvarianCancer #PatientCentric #OncologyInnovation #ProlactinReceptor #DrugDevelopment #AIinHealthcare #RealWorldEvidence #TolerabilityMatters #KaidaBiopharma #CancerCare Kaida-biopharma.com Download the transcript here
Dr. Stella Vnook, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Kaida Biopharma, highlights the advantages for an early-stage biotech company to take a patient-centric perspective in drug development. She defines patient-centricity as focusing on whether a drug meaningfully improves a patient's life, which should influence decisions about trial design, endpoints, and side effects from the earliest stages. Kaida's work on a new treatment for ovarian cancer is designed to target tumor survival mechanisms and overcome treatment resistance, and has from the beginning taken into consideration the tolerability of treatments and the patient's quality of life. Stella explains, "We're so used to thinking drug-centric, and it's true that in the early stages of development, it's all about the molecule and the mechanism of action, and it's exciting to see how it works. But we really need to be thinking patient-centric because we will make decisions differently from the start. So it's not just about whether this drug works and how, but whether it meaningfully changes a patient's life. I think that's what patient-centric is or should be, because that would impact trial design, endpoints, and how we view tolerability or combination therapy." "For ovarian cancer, women today may receive a variety of treatments. Now, let's talk about this for a second. It's the cancer that's usually diagnosed very late. That means the patient's tumor has already gone into the lymph nodes, and it's what we call a stage three PO4. The patients after surgery receive a variety of drugs such as platinum therapies or PARP, but they still may relapse, and they may become resistant to the therapy. Now, that initial therapy has probably had significant toxicity. Because they've become resistant to the therapy they received, now they have limited options. So fortunately, there are drugs that potentially could be eligible for FRA positive. There's been a lot of news about ELAHERE, which is great, but it's only 25% of the population, and many patients may never qualify for this treatment. So that's where Kaida comes in, because we're focusing on 80% of the population." "Actually, the name Kaida is a dragon that eats its own tail. So that talks about the mechanism of action we've discussed: resistance. What we do is when the treatment has been given, it supports cell survival and actually eliminates the tumor's ability to replicate, which is called proliferation, causing it to destroy itself, which is called apoptosis. So in essence, the tumor disrupts itself because we're cutting off its support system." #Kaida #OvarianCancer #PatientCentric #OncologyInnovation #ProlactinReceptor #DrugDevelopment #AIinHealthcare #RealWorldEvidence #TolerabilityMatters #KaidaBiopharma #CancerCare Kaida-biopharma.com Listen to the podcast here
Digital Health Talks - Changemakers Focused on Fixing Healthcare
For the nearly one million Americans living with Parkinson's disease, the space between neurology appointments can feel like a void — symptoms shift, medications need adjusting, and urgent questions pile up with nowhere to turn. That gap in continuous care is exactly the problem Rune Labs set out to solve. With its StrivePD app, Rune Labs has built a platform powered by FDA-cleared movement analysis and one of the largest real-world Parkinson's datasets in existence. Now, the company is going further — launching an AI caregiver directly inside the app: a coordinated system of specialized AI agents, including a Medication Assistant, Symptom Expert, and PD Coach, that deliver personalized, evidence-based guidance based on each patient's own real-time data. In this episode of Digital Health Talks, host Megan Antonelli sits down with Amy Gordon Franzen, the new CEO of Rune Labs, to explore how the company is redefining what it means to support patients not just in the clinic, but every moment of every day. From the science behind the platform to the policy, trust, and ethical questions that come with deploying AI in a chronic disease setting, this is a conversation about what the future of neurological care can actually look like — and who gets to shape it. Amy Gordon Franzen, CEO, Rune Labs Megan Antonelli, Chief Executive Officer, HealthIMPACT
"When the workforce does not align with the population, your system is misaligned by design." That candid observation comes from Tina Loarte-Rodríguez, DP, RN who has spent much of her two decade career in patient safety, risk management, and systems leadership as the only Latina in the room, which she sees as a signal of a systemic failure that demands structural solutions. As we mark National Nurses Month, Dr. Loarte-Rodríguez joins Raise the Line from Elsevier host Lindsey Smith to explain why a culturally congruent workforce has important implications for access, trust and quality of care. This wide-ranging discussion also covers: What Dr. Loarte-Rodriguez means by "narrative infrastructure" and how a book series born during COVID is now shaping workforce conversations nationwide; The case for making mentorship a core institutional system; Why nursing burnout is not about a lack of resiliency. Mentioned in this episode: Latinas in NursingThe Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
What happens when clinical trial sites are given the resources and autonomy to determine precisely what their site needs to be successful? In this episode, participants from the ACRO Site Grants Program share how targeted funding helped them tackle real-world barriers to clinical trial access and diversity. From community-based outreach and patient education, to internal infrastructure and staffing, these sites implemented tailored solutions designed to meet the unique needs of their communities. Along the way, they encountered challenges, adapted their approaches, and uncovered valuable lessons about trust-building, flexibility, and long-term engagement.This conversation highlights how even small investments can drive meaningful change at the site level, and what the broader industry can learn from these experiences.
The doctor is in....the box. That's one way to describe how patients are now encountering their physicians in what's being described as the future of telehealth. Imagine that instead of a cancer patient in a rural area driving hours for an appointment to see their specialist at an academic health center, they can go to their local clinic and see a life-size, real-time, 3-D projection of them in a seven foot tall light box. The doctor can see the patient through two-way video, and is assisted by a clinician in the exam room. The technology behind this remarkable scene is provided by a Los Angeles based start-up called Proto Hologram, whose founder and chairman, David Nussbaum, joins us on this episode of Raise the Line from Elsevier. "Our holograms start where Zoom ends and where physically being there begins," says Nussbaum, a TIME Healthcare100 honoree who has spent the last decade developing commercial and educational applications for holograms. In addition to clinical settings, Proto units are being used at medical schools and senior living facilities and are playing a role in public health campaigns about breast cancer and vaccines. Join host Lindsey Smith for a fascinating conversation that covers: The role of holograms in extending access to specialty care; How the technology could be used to combat loneliness among seniors; Nussbaum's philosophy of "commercializing the impossible". Mentioned in this episode: Proto Hologram If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
Artificial intelligence is reshaping every stage of drug development, but unlocking its full potential requires more than technology alone. In this episode, Clay Alspach (Executive Director, ACRO) Raja Shankar (VP of Machine Learning at IQVIA), and Andrew Mackinnon (SVP & Executive General Manager at Medable) come together to examine how policy, regulation, and global collaboration will shape the future of AI in clinical trials.From breaking down data silos to addressing regulatory uncertainty and enabling a “try first” mindset, the discussion highlights both the opportunities and the complexities ahead. With insights on patient impact, site experience, and the next wave of innovation, this episode offers a roadmap for advancing AI in a way that is both responsible and transformative.
“One of the reasons The Pitt has been so successful is because it's showing real expertise in a time when everybody thinks they're an expert,” says Dr. Mel Herbert, who brings decades of experience as an emergency medicine specialist to his work as a writer and consultant on the hit HBO Max show. Dr. Herbert, who was also a consultant on the groundbreaking TV drama ER, is one of seven physicians on The Pitt's writing and production team, which explains the high degree of medical accuracy that is a hallmark of the show. But Dr. Herbert is also proud of the emotional accuracy captured on screen. “It's about the emotions. It's about the stress. It's about how it really affects the doctors and the nurses that I've found the most interesting to write about.” In this candid conversation with host Lindsey Smith, Dr. Herbert talks about his own struggles coping with the demands of life in the emergency room and the importance of letting clinicians know that help is available. “You don't have to suffer. We can help you now in ways we couldn't even do ten years ago. That's the story I want to tell.” In addition to his work using TV as an educational vehicle, Lindsey and Dr. Herbert discuss his real world efforts to provide emergency medicine education across the globe through his companies EM:RAP and EM:RAP GO. Stay tuned to this very special episode of Raise the Line with Elsevier in which you will also: Learn how writers tackle misinformation and hot button health topics; Get a behind the scenes look at how actors learn complex medical terminology; Discover who Dr. Herbert's favorite characters are. Mentioned in this episode: The PittMental Health Resources from American College of Emergency PhysiciansEM:RAPThe Extraordinary Power of Being Average If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
Theo Jaffee and Gabriel Dickinson speak with Cremieux about China's rapid rise to the top of global clinical trial output. They discuss the regulatory reforms that accelerated China's progress, the surge in novel drug development, and what the US would need to change to stay competitive in biomedical innovation. Resources: Follow Cremieux on X: https://x.com/cremieuxrecueil Follow Theo on X: https://x.com/theojaffee Follow Gabriel on X: https://x.com/gbrl_dick Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Shashi Shankar, CEO of Novellia, focuses on enabling patients with serious medical conditions to consolidate their medical history into a single record using a free app. The business model provides anonymized real-world data to pharmaceutical companies for research, clinical trial recruitment, and the acceleration of new therapy development. Artificial intelligence is used to help patients make sense of their fragmented medical records, identify clinical trials, and better understand drug safety profiles and therapeutic effectiveness. Shashi explains, "In a nutshell, what we do is we help folks living with serious and complex medical conditions find access to and then collect all of their medical records going back 20 plus years across different physicians, sites of care, labs, and insurance into one always continuously updated record that then helps them manage and navigate their course of care." "I actually spent months of my career working at Genentech and Roche, working on a number of different cancer therapeutics, and it was an amazing opportunity, and you get to meet so many different patient communities. But one of the most difficult parts, I think, for anybody who's working on developing new medications and new therapies, is that you need to really understand the communities that you hope to serve one day. And unfortunately, a lot of data that exists right now doesn't actually capture the true patient journey. And it's not very representative of the communities that are dealing with and trying to navigate all of these different conditions." "The benefit of being able to share this data with researchers in a way that's anonymous and de- identified, so patient data is always totally secure and always held private by Novellia. The benefit of this is that researchers are able to finally understand the full journey of patients and think through how their therapies can actually help those who are trying to navigate their care." #Novellia#HealthcareInnovation #PatientEmpowerment #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #MedicalRecords #AIinHealthcare #PatientCenteredCare #HealthcareData #ClinicalTrials #Oncology #PharmaceuticalResearch #HealthIT Novellia.com Download the transcript here
Shashi Shankar, CEO of Novellia, focuses on enabling patients with serious medical conditions to consolidate their medical history into a single record using a free app. The business model provides anonymized real-world data to pharmaceutical companies for research, clinical trial recruitment, and the acceleration of new therapy development. Artificial intelligence is used to help patients make sense of their fragmented medical records, identify clinical trials, and better understand drug safety profiles and therapeutic effectiveness. Shashi explains, "In a nutshell, what we do is we help folks living with serious and complex medical conditions find access to and then collect all of their medical records going back 20 plus years across different physicians, sites of care, labs, and insurance into one always continuously updated record that then helps them manage and navigate their course of care." "I actually spent months of my career working at Genentech and Roche, working on a number of different cancer therapeutics, and it was an amazing opportunity, and you get to meet so many different patient communities. But one of the most difficult parts, I think, for anybody who's working on developing new medications and new therapies, is that you need to really understand the communities that you hope to serve one day. And unfortunately, a lot of data that exists right now doesn't actually capture the true patient journey. And it's not very representative of the communities that are dealing with and trying to navigate all of these different conditions." "The benefit of being able to share this data with researchers in a way that's anonymous and de- identified, so patient data is always totally secure and always held private by Novellia. The benefit of this is that researchers are able to finally understand the full journey of patients and think through how their therapies can actually help those who are trying to navigate their care." #Novellia#HealthcareInnovation #PatientEmpowerment #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #MedicalRecords #AIinHealthcare #PatientCenteredCare #HealthcareData #ClinicalTrials #Oncology #PharmaceuticalResearch #HealthIT Novellia.com Listen to the podcast here
"Headache is just a teeny piece of the puzzle," says Dr. Regina Krel, an insight that's at the heart of why migraine syndrome, one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, remains so persistently misunderstood. In this informative conversation with Raise the Line from Elsevier host Michael Carrese, Dr. Krel, the director of Headache Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center, explains migraine as a storm that sensitizes the entire brain, not just the site of the headache, which explains the long list of symptoms people experience including sensitivity to light and sound, brain fog, fatigue and problems with balance. “The headaches can be severe, but it's the other symptoms that really kind of take over your whole body that make patients dysfunctional.” Dr. Krel also explains why migraine disproportionately impacts women in the prime of their working and caregiving years, and offers guidance for treating migraines in women, whose symptoms are commonly dismissed by non-specialists. Stay tuned to also learn about: The "migraine triangle"; Why stigma around migraine persists even in doctors' offices; New treatment options including neuromodulation devices. Mentioned in this episode: Headache Center at Hackensack University Medical Center If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Rachael Lawrance to dive into a topic that has become absolutely central to clinical research: patient-centered outcomes. When I first started as a statistician, I knew these measures existed—but I didn't really understand how they were developed, analyzed, or used in decision-making. That has changed dramatically over the years. Today, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and the broader framework of clinical outcome assessments (COAs) play a key role in regulatory approvals, payer decisions, and how we demonstrate treatment value. Rachael brings deep expertise from her work at Adelphi Values and shares how these endpoints are developed, validated, and applied in practice. We also discuss how statisticians can contribute more effectively by understanding the science behind these measures—not just treating them as “just another scale.”
To mark the sixth anniversary of Raise the Line from Elsevier we're revisiting one of the most remarkable stories we've had the privilege of sharing over the last 575 episodes. To do that, we're delighted to welcome back Dr. David Fajgenbaum, a physician-scientist who repurposed an existing medication that saved his own life from Castleman disease, an ultra-rare condition that nearly killed him on five occasions. Because there was no treatment specifically for Castleman, Dr. Fajgenbaum set out to find a previously approved medication that might work. “I eventually found a drug that was made for another disease 50 years ago. It's been over 12 years that I've been doing great on this medicine.” When he first joined us in 2022, Dr. Fajgenbaum was just launching a non-profit organization called Every Cure with the hope of replicating the success he achieved in his own case, and as you'll learn in this inspiring interview with host Lindsey Smith, its work has already saved thousands of lives. “It's a tragedy if someone dies while there's already a drug in their local hospital that could help them.” In the latest installment of our Year of the Zebra series on rare conditions, you'll hear an inspiring example of a life saved by this approach and also learn about: The role of artificial intelligence in scanning thousands of medications and diseases to find possible matches; How Every Cure decides which drugs merit the costly research needed to confirm a match; Dr. Fajgenbaum's philosophy of “living in overtime.” Mentioned in this episode:Every Cure Osmosis Video on Castleman Disease Dr. Fajgenbaum's Bestselling Memoir, Chasing My Cure If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
How is BindCraft, the automated pipeline for de novo protein binder design, changing the protein design industry? Martin Pacesa, assistant professor of pharmacology at the University of Zurich, joins The Chain to discuss how BindCraft is helping non-protein designers learn how to design proteins—and how the role of the protein designer will evolve. With host Chris Bahl, their conversation explores how BindCraft may help with drug development, its role in the democratization of tools and resources, and how to work more collaboratively with AI models. Pacesa will also be speaking at May's PEGS Summit in Boston. Links from this episode: AI Proteins UZH - Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Zurich
How AI Could Strengthen the Doctor-Patient Relationship: Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Senior Fellow in Health Policy and Global Affairs at Yale School of Public Health and Affiliate Faculty at Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs “Ultimately, AI needs to be a tool that doesn't break down trust or empathy or clinical judgment, but rather helps enhance those things.” That aspirational perspective from Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Senior Fellow in Health Policy and Global Affairs at the Yale School of Public Health and Affiliate Faculty at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, frames a nuanced conversation about one of healthcare's most consequential changes. Drawing on his experience as New York City Health Commissioner during the COVID-19 crisis and decades in global and public health, Dr. Vasan argues that the future of AI in medicine should be shaped less by the technology itself than by the values guiding its implementation, and that physicians need to play an active role in this process. “I think it behooves us to engage with this technology and steer it in the directions that we want as a society.” This timely discussion also offers Dr. Vasan's thoughtful perspectives on: How AI could allow physicians to focus on the human side of care; The risks of AI reinforcing inequities and driving costs higher; Public health as the marriage of science, society and trust. Join host Lindsey Smith for a valuable Raise the Line episode on how AI can be harnessed to benefit patients and provides alike. Mentioned in this episode: Yale School of Public Health Yale Jackson School of Public Affairs If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
The latest episode of the DDW 'In Conversation With' series is available to listen to below. This week, Bruno Quinney speaks to Robert Albarano and Kristina Capiak from Arthur D Little, who have experience maximising commercial success of drug discovery portfolios and securing FDA designations. Bruno spoke to Robert and Kristina about the challenges of the regulatory landscape, the global implications of faster FDA approvals, and whether personalised medicines are set to become a key area for investment. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
Imagine you had a tutor who was with you every time you were studying and, because they knew your learning style, strengths and weaknesses, could hand you the right content at the moment you needed it to deepen your understanding of a topic. That's the pedagogically powerful experience students are having with AI-enhanced learning systems such as Osmosis AI, making possible what our guest, Elsevier's Chief AI Officer Paul Crockett, describes as a new era of precision learning. “We now have signal from how students actually engage with content – such as where they get stuck and how they learn – and that behavioral data can tell you more about what a learner needs than any sort of static assessment. That's a profound transformation,” he says. In this fascinating conversation with Raise the Line host Lindsey Smith, Crockett also highlights how AI enables tutoring-like interactions with students which supports deeper reasoning rather than rote memorization. That in turn, helps Elsevier achieve the goal of getting students ready to practice medicine, not just ready to take tests. In addition, limiting the AI's sources to the evidence-based material in the Osmosis and Elsevier content libraries provides both students and faculty with the level of trust and verifiability they desire. Tune in to learn how this meaningful shift from static content delivery to dynamic, data-informed learning experiences is changing healthcare education. Mentioned in this episode: Osmosis AI If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
Jeffrey Freedman, Executive Vice President at Evolution Health Group, joins Disruption/Interruption to reveal how AI and machine learning are revolutionizing pharmaceutical marketing. For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has been "data rich but insights poor," drowning in information while struggling to connect doctors, patients, and meaningful medical education. Freedman's personal healthcare experiences with his family drove him from Wall Street to pharma, where he now builds platforms that help pharmaceutical companies identify key opinion leaders, cut through the noise, and deliver life-saving information more efficiently. In this candid conversation, he demystifies the pharmaceutical industry, explains why the shift from direct-to-consumer to direct-to-physician marketing matters, and shares how his team is using technology to get treatments to patients faster while reducing costs. Four Key Takeaways: The Pharma Data Problem (9:04) - The pharmaceutical and medical industry is "data rich, but insights poor." Until recently, without AI and machine learning, massive amounts of data were simply growing without being properly analyzed. The ability to extract actionable insights has now shrunk dramatically, transforming how pharma companies can respond to patient needs. Creating a Single Source of Truth (14:50) - Pharmaceutical companies have historically operated on disconnected spreadsheets across different regions and employees, causing critical information loss. Evolution Health Group's SaaS platforms aggregate data into a single source of truth, ensuring insights aren't lost when employees leave and enabling global coordination. From Direct-to-Consumer to Direct-to-Physician (23:53) - Freedman advocates for lowering pharma's reliance on direct-to-consumer advertising and instead focusing budgets on educating physicians. Rather than patients self-prescribing based on commercials, doctors should be equipped with comprehensive education to prescribe the right treatments for the right patients, improving outcomes and reducing confusion. Accelerating the Bench-to-Bedside Pipeline (29:46) - Through AI-powered insights and streamlined communication, the goal is to move products from the research bench to patients faster and more cost-effectively. This technology is already enabling treatments for rare diseases that were previously too expensive to develop, demonstrating how innovation can expand access to care. Quote of the Show (23:48):"Pharma is not this big scary monster that's put out there in the media. It's a bunch of people that really care.” – Jeffrey Freedman Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Jeffrey Freedman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfreedman/Company Website: https://evolutionhealthgroup.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 3-19-2026: Dr. Dawn warns that stacking multiple gummy supplements can cause GI distress from sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol, with symptoms persisting up to three days after stopping. She recommends limiting sugar alcohol intake to 6mg daily and switching to non-gummy formulations if experiencing bloating, cramping, or diarrhea. An emailer asks about finding treatment for abdominophrenic dyssynergia, a condition causing progressive abdominal distension after meals. Dr. Dawn recommends using AI search to locate physical therapy centers offering EMG-guided biofeedback, and suggests ruling out SIBO and low stomach acid. Researchers at the American Chemical Society have created modified psilocybin variants designed to release the active compound more slowly, potentially reducing hallucinogenic effects while maintaining therapeutic benefits. Dr. Dawn expresses concern that such patentable alternatives could prevent legalization of natural psilocybin for addiction treatment. Japanese researchers used PET imaging to discover that ketamine rapidly relieves treatment-resistant depression by altering the distribution of AMPAR glutamate receptors in the brain. Within two weeks, patients' receptor patterns normalized to resemble healthy controls, with enduring changes tracking symptom improvement. A study found CBD and CBG improved fatty liver disease markers in mice by increasing phosphocreatine energy reserves and reactivating cellular recycling centers. Dr. Dawn notes the compounds were injected directly into the abdominal cavity, making the results impossible to translate to oral consumption, an example of headlines exceeding reality. King's College London research found that root canal treatment for apical periodontitis improved blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation markers over two years. Dr. Dawn advises regular flossing and periodically tapping teeth with a metal instrument to detect painful teeth needing attention. An emailer asks about Crohn's disease and the gut-brain axis. Dr. Dawn explains that the vagus nerve serves as a bidirectional highway between brain and gut, with gut bacteria producing serotonin that affects mood, while stress increases intestinal permeability and worsens inflammation. In medical news of the weird, scientists discovered that malaria parasites contain tiny iron crystals powered by hydrogen peroxide—the same fuel used in rockets. This first-ever biological self-propelled nanoparticle could inspire new approaches to powering medical nanobots.
“Every person deserves kindness, dignity, and respect, regardless of what their medical situation is,” says Madison Donnelly, PA-C, who joins host Dr. Parsa Mohri on the latest installment of our NextGen Journeys series. As you'll hear in this thoughtful conversation, Madison is bringing that commitment to patient advocacy and equitable care to her patients at Community Care Physicians in Albany, New York. A graduate of Hofstra University's PA program, Madison describes how the profession's flexibility and team-based approach enables clinicians to expand access to care, particularly in high-demand specialties like women's health and primary care. Drawing on her work in obstetrics and gynecology, she highlights persistent gaps in women's health, including America's troubling maternal mortality rates and the long delays many patients face in receiving diagnoses for endometriosis and other conditions. “There's a difference between telling someone something and being heard,” she notes, emphasizing that women's symptoms are still too often dismissed in clinical settings. The episode also explores overlooked populations -- including NICU families and patients with eating disorders -- where stigma, mental health challenges, and fragmented follow-up care can leave people vulnerable long after the initial medical crisis. Don't miss this Raise the Line dialogue about the evolving role of physician associates and how early-career clinicians can help build a more humane and responsive system. Mentioned in this episode: Community Care Physicians Hofstra University Physician Assistant Program If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTR Small-Cap Spotlight, Dr. Raza Bokhari, Executive Chairman and CEO of Medicus Pharma (NASDAQ: MDCX), joins Tim Gerdeman and Robert Sassoon to walk through the company's strategy and market focus. Dr. Bokhari explains how Medicus Pharma acquires mid‑stage drug assets with existing data, reducing development risk and positioning the company for potential partnerships with larger pharmaceutical players.The conversation highlights Medicus Pharma's two lead programs aimed at major, established markets—including treatments for skin cancer and prostate‑related conditions, both representing large patient populations and significant commercial demand. Dr. Bokhari also discusses how the company is using generative AI to speed decision‑making, along with upcoming milestones and opportunities to secure non‑dilutive funding through out‑licensing.
We've spoken with many guests about clinical and technological trends impacting healthcare providers, but less so about the trends on the business side of practicing medicine. So on this episode, we're going to make up for that by spending our time with Dr. Alexander Vaccaro, an influential spine surgeon and president of one of the largest musculoskeletal practices in the U.S. -- Rothman Orthopaedic Institute -- which treats patients at over 40 locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Florida. While Dr. Vaccaro understands the desire for financial stability that's increasingly driving young physicians into the arms of hospital systems, he worries about what's being lost with the resulting decline in the number of independent practices. “If you didn't have private practice advocating for the doctor, the insurance companies would bully the healthcare profession.” Join Raise the Line host Michael Carrese for a candid and lively conversation that also covers: How physician autonomy and entrepreneurship can drive innovation; The economic and policy forces reshaping private practice medicine; The role of research partnerships between private practices and universities. Mentioned in this episode:Rothman Orthopaedics If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast
a16z general partner Jorge Conde talks with Vasant Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis International, about transforming a 250-year-old conglomerate into a pure play medicines company and unlocking $180 billion of value in the process. They cover Novartis's platform technologies: cell and gene therapies, RNA medicines, and radioligand therapies. They also discuss AI in drug discovery, the rise of China as a biotech competitor, and what Vasant looks for when evaluating startup partnerships, including his advice on the killer experiments and CMC work that can make or break a deal. Resources: Follow Vasant Narasimhan on X: https://twitter.com/VasNarasimhanFollow Jorge Conde on X: https://x.com/JorgeCondeBio Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.