In this episode of the Personalized Medicine Podcast we talk about precision oncology with a scientist and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Gang Song. Gang completed his PhD degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University and then moved to Harvard where he did a PostDoc at the lab of Tim Springer where he was studying structure and function of cell adhesion molecules. Gang has extensive experience in the life science industry working at various positions at IQuum, which was acquired by Roche, Genzyme Genetics and LabCorp. In 2014, Gang founded Pillar Biosciences, a precision medicine company developing genomics tests for various types of cancer. Gang also co-founded another venture, AffyImmune Therapeutics which is focusing on developing novel cell therapies for cancer based on CAR-T technologies.Together with Gang we discussed:◦ His career from PhD in China to founding multiple successful biotech companies in the US◦ Mentorship lessons from Professor Tim Springer◦ Founding story of Pillar Biosciences◦ Novel NGS approaches for early cancer detection◦ Differences in business models pursued by diagnostics companies in oncology◦ Next generation of CAR-T cell therapeutics◦ Future of precision oncology◦ Gang’s advice to aspiring biotech entrepreneursGet in touch with Gang: ◦ LinkedIn: Gang Song, Pillar Biosciences, Affyimmune ◦ Twitter: @pillar_bio, @affyimmune ◦ Web: https://affyimmune.com/, https://pillar-biosciences.com/ Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Personalized Medicine Podcast

Ep#031: Advancing Precision Oncology with Dr. Gang Song

On this episode we take a look at the role induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) are playing in drug discovery and development for neurodegenerative diseases. Our host Oleksandr sat down with Professor Evangelos Kiskinis, who is leading his own research group at the Northwestern University in Chicago. Evangelos and his team are leading the way on the development of novel cell-based models for ALS, epilepsy and other types of neurological conditions.Check out this episode to learn more about:◦ Evangelos’s career story and what got him excited in stem cell research◦ Challenges in modeling neurodegenerative diseases in a dish◦ iPSC based models for inherited vs sporadic diseases◦ Transitioning promising in vitro discoveries into clinical trials◦ iPSC based cell replacement therapies for Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease◦ The future of iPSC based models in drug discovery◦ Evangelos’s advice to young scientists pursuing academic career◦ Get in touch with Evangelos:◦ LinkedIn: Evangelos Kiskinis ◦ Web: http://evangeloskiskinislab.org/index.htmlMake sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#030: Using iPSCs to Discover New Therapies for Neurodegenerative Disorders with Professor Evangelos Kiskinis

In this episode, we are diving deep into the world of the non-coding genome and, more specifically, an exciting new class of biomolecules - the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA). Welcome, Dr. Samir Ounzain, the co-founder and CEO of HAYA Therapeutics. Samir and his startup HAYA are developing first-in-class therapies to target lncRNA responsible for the manifestation of various diseases. Samir and HAYA are aiming at fibrosis first, but have in mind a plethora of other conditions that can be treated by their approach. Join us for an insightful conversation on the non-coding genome, the journey from basic science to entrepreneurship, and the future of precision therapeutics.Together with Samir, we discussed:◦ The founding story of HAYA Therapeutics◦ The role of non-coding genome in human health◦ Ability to tweak non-coding genome to treat diseases◦ Postponing aging using lncRNAs◦ Impact on the future of precision medicine◦ Prerequisites for founding a successful biotech companyGet in touch with Samir:◦ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirounzain/◦ Twitter: @ispiyou◦ Website: https://www.hayatx.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#029: Unleashing the Power of a Non-Coding Genome with Dr. Samir Ounzain

In this Podcast episode we return to the topic of stem cells. We discussed that autologous stem cells can be a powerful therapeutic tool for Parkinson’s disease in our interview with Professor Jeanne Loring. The challenge however is to manufacture those therapies at scale. Our guest on this episode is taking a major step in alleviating this hurdle. Meet Nabiha Saklayen, the co-founder and CEO of Cellino, a company that merges stem cell biology, laser physics and machine learning to make autologous stem cell therapies possible. Together with Nabiha, we discussed:◦ Her personal career story from physics to biotech◦ Role of finding product/market fit early in a deep tech startup journey◦ Importance of founding team for any startup◦ Challenges in manufacturing of autologous cell therapeutics◦ Cellino’s approach for automated selection and expansion of iPSCs◦ Applications of stem cells in drug discovery◦ The future of personalized stem cell therapiesGet in touch with Nabiha:◦ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nabihasaklayen/◦ Twitter: @nabsicle ◦ Website (Cellino): https://www.cellinobio.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#028: Applying Laser Physics to Enable Personalized Stem Cell Therapies with Dr. Nabiha Saklayen

This Podcast episode cannot get any closer to what personalized medicine is really about. Welcome Dr. Dan Rhodes, the founder and CEO of Strata Oncology, a leading precision oncology company leveraging state-of-the art genomics tools for more efficient cancer diagnostics and treatment. Dan is a bioinformatician by training and spent his entire career applying genomics to solving complex problems in oncology. Dan founded two very successful startups in this field and also has gathered vast experience working as a VP of Oncology Strategy at large corporations (Life Technologies and Thermo Fisher). This interview is full of deep insights on the state of genomic testing in cancer treatment and reflections on the future of precision oncology.◦ Tune into this episode to learn more about:◦ Dan’s journey from a PhD student to a serial biotech entrepreneur◦ Differences between working in a small start-up vs large organizations◦ Strata’s mission to determine best possible treatment for each cancer patient◦ Role of RNAseq in precision oncology◦ Approaches for highly-sensitive NGS of solid tumors◦ Paradigm shift in clinical trials for personalized therapeutics◦ Reimbursement landscape for cancer genomics◦ Potential of asymptomatic NGS screening in oncology◦ Dan’s vision for the future of precision oncologyMake sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#27: Finding the Best Possible Treatment for Each Cancer Patient with Dr. Dan Rhodes

In this episode, we return to our beloved field of proteomics. This time we focus on answering a question on how automation and AI can improve biomarker discovery and ultimately benefit patients. Our guest is Dr. Sophia Doll, co-founder of OmicEra Diagnostics, one of the most exciting startups in the field of proteomics today.Sophia did her Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Munich where she studied translational protein biomarkers of cancer in the lab of Mathias Mann. She conducted part of her graduate research at the University of California in San Francisco and worked for Genentech where she analyzed epigenetic and proteomic alterations in lymphoma. In 2019 Sophia started OmicEra Diagnostics and together with her co-founders they aim at maximizing insights that we can obtain from analyzing various biological samples.Together with Sophia, we discussed:◦ Sophia’s motivation behind starting OmicEra Diagnostics◦ Rise of open-source tools for analysis of omic data◦ Role of protein biomarkers in diagnostics of the future◦ Technological advancement in mass spec based proteomics◦ Struggles in biomarker discovery◦ How proteomics can help us understand the severity of COVID◦ The upcoming developments in the field of mass spec-based proteomics◦ Sophia’s advice to young biotech foundersMake sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#026: Bringing Protein Biomarkers Closer to Clinics with Dr. Sophia Doll

In this episode we talk about multiple sclerosis (MS) and the role personalized medicine and real world data (RWD) are playing in treating this disease effectively. To discuss this topic, we sat down with one of the leading experts in this field - Dr. Rick Rudick. Rick is a neurologist by training and has more than 25 years of experience at Cleveland Clinic where he developed and directed the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis. Rick was also a Vice President of pharmaceutical company Biogen, where he developed the Multiple Sclerosis Innovation Hub and was involved in establishing international Multiple Sclerosis Partners Advancing Technology and Health Solutions (MS PATHS) program. With about 250 peer-reviewed publications, Rick is one of the most cited researchers in the field.Together with Rick we discussed:◦ Disease-modifying therapeutics for MS◦ Role of RWD & RWE in determining most efficient treatment for MS◦ Establishment of world’s largest learning health system for MS (MS PATHS)◦ Role of international cooperation in standardizing patient care◦ Challenges in collection and processing of diverse patient data◦ Role of MRI in MS diagnostics◦ Translation of novel diagnostic approaches from research to clinics◦ The future of therapeutics for neurological diseasesGet in touch with Rick:◦ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-rudick-966501a5/◦ Web (MS-PATHS program): https://www.mspaths.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#025: Leveraging Real World Data for Effective Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Dr. Richard Rudick

Scientists today still spend an enormous amount of time on physical labor: pipetting, feeding cells, taking microscope images and performing all kinds of other experiments manually. That leaves researchers with a very limited time to do their core activities such as reading, talking to their colleagues and coming up with new hypotheses. Our guest on this episode is coming from an organization that is aiming to change that. Welcome on the show Toby Blackburn, the Head of Business Development and Strategy at Emerald Cloud Lab (ECL). ECL has built a lab that can be accessed virtually by any scientist from any corner of the world to perform specific experiments by simply designing and programming them via an online interface. In this episode Toby explains how the ECL lab works and how cloud based lab solutions are going to shape the future of R&D in pharma and life science industries.Together with Toby we discussed:◦ Need for automation and reproducibility in biomedical research◦ The advent of cloud labs in the biotech industry◦ Advantages that cloud labs can offer scientists around the globe◦ Using AI and ML to optimize experimental workflows◦ Facilitation of research collaborations with cloud technology◦ Pharma R&D in the age of COVID◦ The role of cloud labs in drug manufacturing◦ Industrial applications of cloud labs beyond biotech◦ Outlook on the future of experimentation in life sciencesGet in touch with Toby:◦ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasblackburn/◦ Web (ECL): https://www.emeraldcloudlab.com/

Ep#024: Moving the Lab to a Cloud with Toby Blackburn

In this episode of the Personalized Medicine Podcast, we sat down with the guru of bioinformatics, Dr. John Castle. John is a physicist by training who found a passion for answering complex questions in drug development using a data-driven approach. He led bioinformatics teams at multiple successful companies including Rosetta Inpharmatics, Merck and Agenus. John was also employee number 5 at BioNTech, a company best known for its development of the first approved COVID vaccine. While at BioNTech John established and led the Computational Medicine team that was focusing on anti-cancer mRNA-based vaccines. Currently, John is a Chief Data Scientist Officer at Monte Rosa Therapeutics, where he helps the company develop their novel therapeutic approach based on targeted protein degradation.This episode is full of inspirational moments and funny anecdotes. Make sure to check it out. Together with John we discussed: ° Targeted protein degradation as a new approach in the pharma industry ° Combining genomics and protein structure data in drug development ° AlphaFold and progress in deciphering 3D protein structure ° Using bioinformatics to develop more efficient monoclonal antibodies ° Advantages of bispecific antibodies in oncology ° Early days of BioNTech ° mRNA vaccines for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases ° Differences between doing science in Europe and the US ° Advice to aspiring bioinformaticiansGet in touch with John: ° Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-castle-b1a1458/ ° Twitter: @joccastle ° Web (Monte Rosa): https://www.monterosatx.com Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#023: Applying Bioinformatics to Design Therapeutics of the Future with Dr. John Castle

In this episode, our host Aradhana Chopra sat down with Leo Martinez, one of the co-founders of Colorimetrix, the mobile health tech company behind the Pearl Fertility app. It is the first App to be approved as a medical device to monitor and chart all-important hormones of the menstrual cycle at home and help women with their fertility decisions. Dr. Martinez shares his experiences of founding Colorimetrix, developing the algorithms, using the technology in the pearl fertility app, and finally getting permissions and approvals for its release in the markets.Together with Leo, we discussed: ° Smartphones as portable spectrophotometers ° Pearl Fertility app and its motivation ° Difference between Pearl Fertility and other similar apps ° Pearl Fertility – compatibility with different strips ° Pearl Fertility app and privacy of users ° Pearl Fertility app – informative or diagnostic ° Timeline for results from the Pearl Fertility app and kit ° Updates to the Pearl Fertility app - test for progesterone ° Demographic coverage of the Pearl Fertility app ° Challenges in developing the app ° Role of science in becoming a successful entrepreneur ° Getting funding for a startup ° Pearl Fertility in the next 10 yearsGet in touch with Leo: ° Email: leo@colorimetrix.com, leo@pearl-fertility.com ° Dr. Leo Martinez’s social handles: ° Twitter: @expecttoexpect ° Instagram: @dr.leomartinez ° Twitter: @pearlfertility, @Colorimetrix ° LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/colorimetrix/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanleonardo/ ° Web (Colorimetrix): https://www.colorimetrix.com/, https://www.pearl-fertility.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#022: Using Smartphones to Monitor Women's Health with Dr. Leo Martinez

Welcome to the first episode of the Personalized Medicine Podcast in 2021. And what a guest do we have to kick-off this year!In this episode, we dive deep into the world of stem cells with one of the most influential scientists in the field, Professor Jeanne Loring. Jeanne is a Professor Emeritus and a Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Scripps Research. She made pivotal contributions to the field of stem cell research publishing 120+ papers on the topic. Jeanne is also a true veteran of the biotech industry working for some of the most important companies in the domain of stem cell therapeutics. Jeanne’s most recent venture is Aspen Neuroscience, a pharmaceutical company that develops cell replacement therapies for Parkinson’s disease based on a patient’s own induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).This episode is full of inspirational moments from Jeanne as she shares her experiences differentiating her own cells into beating cardiomyocytes and witnessing the delivery of organoids prepared in her lab to the International Space Station.Together with Jeanne we discussed: ° Application of iPSCs in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease ° The founding story of Aspen Neuroscience ° Unexpected cost advantage of autologous vs allogeneic iPSCs ° Delivery systems for stem cell therapies ° Use of next-generation sequencing in quality control of stem cell therapies ° Logistics challenges in making iPSC-based therapies available ° Growing organoids at the International Space Station ° Future applications of iPSCs in drug screening and cell-replacement therapiesMake sure to listen until the very end of the episode, when Jeanne shares some very practical advice for aspiring young scientists.Get in touch with Jeanne: ° LinkedIn: Jeanne Loring ° Twitter: @jeannefrances, @AspenNeuro ° Web: https://www.aspenneuroscience.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#021: Treating Parkinson’s Disease Using Patient’s Own Stem Cells with Professor Jeanne Loring

In Episode 3 of Season 2 of the Personalized Medicine Podcast, our new host, Aradhana Chopra, sat down with Dr. Cosimo Ducani. Cosimo is the founder and CEO of Moligo Technologies, a Biotech start-up from Sweden that aims at providing alternative and improved enzymatic nucleic acid synthesis methods at the industrial scale. Cosimo talks about the increasing demand and need for long and ultra-pure DNA strands in diagnostics and therapeutics and explains oportunities and challenges young biotech start-ups are facing on their journey to success.Together with Cosimo we talk about: ◦ What inspired Cosimo to start his own company ◦ Key focus areas of Moligo Technologies ◦ How can Moligo Technologies contribute towards personalized medicine and the development of nucleic acid-based vaccines ◦ Professor privilege and role of start-up incubators in early stage biotech ventures ◦ Positives of a lab & of a start-up setup ◦ Advice that Cosimo the CEO would give to Cosimo the scientist and vice-versa ◦ Cosimo’s tips to budding entrepreneurs ◦ Future of DNA-based therapeuticsGet in touch with Cosimo: ◦ Linkedin: Cosimo Ducani, Moligo Technologies ◦ Twitter: @CosimoDucani, @moligotech ◦ Web: https://www.moligotechnologies.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#020: Ultrapure DNA as a Novel Therapeutic Class with Dr. Cosimo Ducani

The next episode of the Personalized Medicine Podcast is out! In this episode we take a look at the role of genetic factors in the development of neurological disorders. Our host Oleksandr Yagensky sat down with one of the gurus of the field, Prof. Naomi Wray. Naomi holds joint appointments at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) within the University of Queensland. She has published around 300 papers on the intersection of neurobiology, genetics and bioinformatics and contributed greatly to our understanding of genetic causes of schizophrenia, depression and many other neurological disorders.Together with Naomi, we talk about: ◦ Naomi's motivation to get into the field of psychiatric diseases and genetics ◦ What are polygenic risk scores and how can they be determined? ◦ How can polygenic risk scores be used in the context of psychiatry? ◦ Increasing the utility of polygenic risk scores in clinical settings ◦ Identification of appropriate therapeutic strategy for specific psychiatric conditions based on patient's genetic background ◦ Ethical considerations around communicating genetic predisposition for diseases to patients ◦ Future of neurobiology research ◦ Importance of collaboration in research ◦ Naomi's advice to young scientists starting out their academic careerGet in touch with Naomi: ◦ Twitter: @WrayNaomi ◦ Web (UQ webpage): Naomi WrayMake sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#019: Uncovering Genetic Risk Factors of Neurological Disorders with Professor Naomi Wray

We are back! The first episode of Season 2 of the Personalized Medicine Podcast is out! In this episode, our host Oleksandr Yagensky sat down with Dr. Oliver Rinner, co-founder, and CEO of Biognosys, a proteomics technology company. We discussed the growing role of proteomics in healthcare, its impact on biomarker discovery, and the development of new therapeutics. Together with Oliver, we talk about: ◦ Startup story of Biognosys ◦ Transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship ◦ Impact of proteomics on pharma industry ◦ Role of proteomics in biomarker discovery ◦ Differences between targeted and discovery mass spectrometry ◦ Role of AI and ML in the analysis of OMICs data ◦ How can proteomics take up a mainstream role in clinical diagnostics? ◦ The outlook on the personalized medicine of the futureGet in touch with Oliver: ◦ Twitter: @oliverrinner, @biognosys ◦ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orinner/  ◦ Web: https://biognosys.com/Make sure to download the full show notes with our guest's bio, links to their most notable work, and our recommendations for further reads on the topic of the episode at pmedcast.com

Ep#018: Bringing Proteomic One Step Closer to Clinics with Dr. Oliver Rinner

Welcome to the final episode of Season 1 of the Personalized Medicine Podcast!In this episode we look back at the past 9 months, share our own story and remember the most exciting moments of season 1. Our entire team has joined for the recording to share and discuss what we have learned from our guests. We have covered a broad range of topics spanning from genomics to artificial intelligence to privacy-by-design. As we look back, we tie in the insights we have gained from each and every speaker we had a privilege to welcome on our show.Together with the team, the hosts Oleksander and Luisa discuss: ◦Start-up story of our Podcast ◦Our unforgettable podcast moments ◦Three Drivers of Precision Medicine ◦Technological advances in Precision Medicine ◦The need and importance of data integration ◦Our perspective on AI and ML ◦Ethics, privacy and policy in Personalized Medicine ◦Entrepreneurship within healthcare space ◦The importance of stakeholder engagementGet in touch with us: ◦ Twitter: @PMedCast ◦ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/30742354 ◦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PMedCast ◦ Email: team@pmedcast.comMake sure to vote in our call-to-action on social media and download the full show notes with the geolocation of our audience and all 16 speakers at our website pmedcast.com.

Ep#017: Lessons Learned from the 16 Innovators in Personalized Medicine

On this podcast leading scientist, clinicians and entrepreneurs share their thoughts on the progress of personalized medicine. With our guests, we discuss new technologies for targeted treatments and diagnostics, their benefits for patients and clinicians and related implementation challenges.

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Personalized Medicine Podcast

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