Flash Forward is a show about possible (and not so possible) future scenarios. What would the warranty on a sex robot look like? How would diplomacy work if we couldn’t lie? Could there ever be a fecal transplant black market? (Complicated, it wouldn’t, and yes, respectively, in case you’re curious.) Hosted and produced by award winning science journalist Rose Eveleth, each episode combines audio drama and journalism to go deep on potential tomorrows, and uncovers what those futures might re ...
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🧬 Michael Paliotti: Navigating a Winding Path to Biotech Success (Part 1/4)
Manage episode 471829053 series 3461709
Content provided by Jon Chee. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jon Chee or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Growing up in a science-driven environment influenced my trajectory, from my father's chemistry background at Kodak to my own experiences in academia and research."
In part one of our conversation with Michael Paliotti, Regional Sales Director at Millipore Sigma, we explore his journey from a science-driven upbringing to his early career in research and forensics. Michael shares how his father's work as an organic chemist at Kodak influenced his path into science, his academic experiences at the University of Notre Dame and Duquesne University, and his unexpected detour into optometry school before finding his true calling in research.
Michael holds a degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree from Duquesne University. Before joining Millipore Sigma, he honed his skills in academic research at the University of Pittsburgh, forensic science with the Pennsylvania State Police, and biotech startups.
Key topics covered:
- Growing up in a science-driven environment: The influence of Kodak and Rochester's tech industry
- Navigating academic uncertainty: From pre-med aspirations to finding passion in biology research
- Hands-on lab experience: Learning the "old-fashioned way" during graduate studies
- Unexpected career detours: A brief stint in optometry school and forensic science
- Building professional networks: The importance of mentorship and connections in career progression
If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the podcast:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Find our guest, Michael Paliotti, at these links:
Website: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Website: https://www.excedr.com
Resources & Mentions:
University of Notre Dame Biology Program: https://biology.nd.edu/undergraduate/programs-of-study/biology-major/
Duquesne University Master's Program in Biology: https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/science-and-engineering/academics/departments-and-programs/biological-sciences/index.php
University of Pittsburgh HIV Research Lab: https://dom.pitt.edu/id/research/clinicalresearch/hivclinicalresearch/
Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Science Program: https://www.upb.pitt.edu/academics/forensic-science-bs
Kodak's Research and Development Division: https://www.kodak.com/en/company/page/innovation/
Companies & people mentioned:
Kodak: https://www.kodak.com/en/
University of Pittsburgh: https://www.pitt.edu/
Pennsylvania State Police: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp.html
Xerox Business Services: https://www.xerox.com/en-us/business-solutions
MilliporeSigma (formerly EMD Millipore): https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/
Luminex Multiplexing Equipment: https://www.rndsystems.com/products/luminex-instrumentation
Ronald Montelaro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-montelaro-49558b23/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
03:23 Michael's background and upbringing in Rochester, NY
07:46 Early exposure to science and the Kodak influence
11:09 University years and initial career aspirations
14:46 Unexpected detour to optometry school
17:35 Post-graduation job at Xerox Business Services
22:00 Decision to pursue a master's degree at Duquesne University
26:35 Graduate school experiences and hands-on lab work
29:03 First job as a research associate at University of Pittsburgh
31:29 Brief stint as a forensic scientist with Pennsylvania State Police
37:35 Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.
174 episodes
Share
Manage episode 471829053 series 3461709
Content provided by Jon Chee. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jon Chee or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Growing up in a science-driven environment influenced my trajectory, from my father's chemistry background at Kodak to my own experiences in academia and research."
In part one of our conversation with Michael Paliotti, Regional Sales Director at Millipore Sigma, we explore his journey from a science-driven upbringing to his early career in research and forensics. Michael shares how his father's work as an organic chemist at Kodak influenced his path into science, his academic experiences at the University of Notre Dame and Duquesne University, and his unexpected detour into optometry school before finding his true calling in research.
Michael holds a degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree from Duquesne University. Before joining Millipore Sigma, he honed his skills in academic research at the University of Pittsburgh, forensic science with the Pennsylvania State Police, and biotech startups.
Key topics covered:
- Growing up in a science-driven environment: The influence of Kodak and Rochester's tech industry
- Navigating academic uncertainty: From pre-med aspirations to finding passion in biology research
- Hands-on lab experience: Learning the "old-fashioned way" during graduate studies
- Unexpected career detours: A brief stint in optometry school and forensic science
- Building professional networks: The importance of mentorship and connections in career progression
If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the podcast:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Find our guest, Michael Paliotti, at these links:
Website: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Website: https://www.excedr.com
Resources & Mentions:
University of Notre Dame Biology Program: https://biology.nd.edu/undergraduate/programs-of-study/biology-major/
Duquesne University Master's Program in Biology: https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/science-and-engineering/academics/departments-and-programs/biological-sciences/index.php
University of Pittsburgh HIV Research Lab: https://dom.pitt.edu/id/research/clinicalresearch/hivclinicalresearch/
Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Science Program: https://www.upb.pitt.edu/academics/forensic-science-bs
Kodak's Research and Development Division: https://www.kodak.com/en/company/page/innovation/
Companies & people mentioned:
Kodak: https://www.kodak.com/en/
University of Pittsburgh: https://www.pitt.edu/
Pennsylvania State Police: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp.html
Xerox Business Services: https://www.xerox.com/en-us/business-solutions
MilliporeSigma (formerly EMD Millipore): https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/
Luminex Multiplexing Equipment: https://www.rndsystems.com/products/luminex-instrumentation
Ronald Montelaro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-montelaro-49558b23/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
03:23 Michael's background and upbringing in Rochester, NY
07:46 Early exposure to science and the Kodak influence
11:09 University years and initial career aspirations
14:46 Unexpected detour to optometry school
17:35 Post-graduation job at Xerox Business Services
22:00 Decision to pursue a master's degree at Duquesne University
26:35 Graduate school experiences and hands-on lab work
29:03 First job as a research associate at University of Pittsburgh
31:29 Brief stint as a forensic scientist with Pennsylvania State Police
37:35 Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.
174 episodes
All episodes
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 How I Turned Economic Chaos Into My Biggest Advantage | Andrey Doronichev (Part 2/4) 36:09
36:09 
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you're genuinely passionate and curious about things, people will feed that curiosity. Do not underestimate that." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Andrey Doronichev takes us from his formative years hustling in post-Soviet Russia to launching a mobile startup amid economic chaos, emigrating as political tides shifted, and boldly landing a role at Google—all powered by grit, curiosity, and risk-taking. Andrey reveals how bootstrapping in Russia’s early Internet boom, betting on mobile YouTube before smartphones were mainstream, and championing innovation at Google transformed both his life and the way billions interact with online video. Grit and Adaptation: Turning setbacks into fuel for ambition Early Internet Entrepreneurship: Bootstrapping and thriving in Russia’s nascent digital market The Power of Curiosity: Letting eagerness and adaptability spark growth and opportunity Betting on Mobile: Doubling down on YouTube’s mobile potential before it was obvious Emigration and Perspective: Escaping Russia’s constraints to embrace global possibilities If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Andrey Doronichev, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doronichev/ Website: https://bioptic.io/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: The Art of Computer Programming: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Computer_Programming JAVA Programming for Mobile Devices: https://www.java.com/en/download/help/java_mobile.html Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Google: https://www.google.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ Picasa (archived): https://picasa.google.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Redfin: https://www.redfin.com/ Nokia: https://www.nokia.com/ BlackBerry: https://www.blackberry.com/ Hugo Barra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hbarra/ Eric Schmidt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-e-schmidt/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:42 Early Career Hustle and Academic Setbacks 05:34 Entering Russia’s Early Internet Industry 08:15 Breaking Into Tech Through Curiosity 12:40 Balancing Work and Study 14:28 The Shift Toward Entrepreneurship 16:40 Betting Big on Mobile Apps 20:47 Bootstrapping a Startup and Finding Success 23:43 Emigrating from Russia for a Better Future 26:25 Getting Hired by Google with a Cold Email 29:48 Taking the Risk on YouTube Mobile 33:55 The Transformation to Mobile-First Platforms 34:57 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 How to Build a Startup When Everything is Against You | Andrey Doronichev (Part 1/4) 31:25
31:25 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked31:25
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked"If you leave the queue, you lose your place, and you wait for, like, four hours outside in winter in Moscow to buy some butter, literally. So those kinds of things, it's a massive change." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee speaks with Andrey Doronichev, Founder and CEO of OPTIC, about his journey from surviving the chaos and scarcity of the collapsing Soviet Union to leading a cutting-edge AI-powered drug discovery platform. Andrey reveals how his upbringing amid upheaval and restricted information, paired with a strong science-driven family, forged his resilience and bold approach to leadership—traits that now drive his ambitious efforts at the intersection of technology and biotech entrepreneurship. Key topics covered: Formative Experiences: Growing up amid chaos, building resilience Information Control: Living under censorship and its impact Entrepreneurship Mindset: Thriving through uncertainty Tech Roots: Turning coding passion into opportunity Transition to Biotech: Navigating the jump from software to drug discovery If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Andrey Doronichev, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doronichev/ Website: https://bioptic.io/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/130440.Doctor_Zhivago Rambo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_(franchise) ZX Spectrum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum Enterprise 128: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_(computer) BASIC Programming Language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASIC The Challenges of Crystallizing Proteins: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2992350/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Google: https://www.google.com/ Silicon Valley Bank: https://www.svb.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:31 Growing Up in the Soviet Union: A Different Story 05:30 Country Disappearing: USSR to Russia Transition 07:21 Bread Lines and Economic Collapse: Building Resilience 08:51 Information Control and Censorship: The Rambo Incident 11:49 Entrepreneurship as a Path of Uncertainty 12:59 Silicon Valley Bank Crisis: Childhood Trauma Revisited 15:29 Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital: Different Paths 18:53 Post-Soviet Academia: From Elite to Struggling 21:24 Early Computing: Enterprise 128 and BASIC Programming 25:13 Finding Your Tribe: The Lyceum Experience 26:45 Math vs. Biology: Choosing Certainty Over Chaos 30:05 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 The Hidden Advantages of Starting Up in a Downturn | Eswar Iyer (Part 4/4) 34:26
34:26 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked34:26
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you lose that passion, why would somebody else do this? And it comes down to how hungry you are. How bad do you want it?" In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee talks with Eswar Iyer, co-founder of Aikium, about launching a biotech platform during a market downturn and building a resourceful, mission-driven team focused on data-rich therapeutic design. Eswar shares hard-won lessons on blending computational and experimental innovation, maintaining intentional focus, forging the right partnerships, and fostering a culture of resilience and critical thinking. They also explore fundraising strategies, the rapidly evolving biotech landscape, and the personal leadership philosophies that shape success in early-stage company building. Key topics covered: Founding Aikium: Overcoming early hurdles and launching in tough times Data-Driven Therapeutics: Harnessing AI and experiments to create smarter molecules Team & Culture: Building a focused, resilient, and mission-driven team Strategic Partnerships: Tackling hard problems with top industry and clinical partners Fundraising & Personal Philosophy: Staying passionate and disciplined to fuel growth If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Links: Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Eswar Iyer, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eswar-iyer/ Website: https://www.aikium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: OpenAI Scaling Laws Research: https://openai.com/index/scaling-laws-for-neural-language-models/ Common Mistakes Biotech Startups Make & How to Avoid Them https://www.excedr.com/blog/common-business-mistakes How to Outfit a New Lab on a Startup Budget https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-outfit-a-new-lab-on-a-startup-budget Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Aikium: https://aikium.com/ D. E. Shaw Research: https://www.deshawresearch.com/ Bakar Labs: https://bakarlabs.berkeley.edu/ Shankar Shastry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shankarshastry/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:52 The Scientific Challenge: Modeling Protein Interactions 04:00 Founding Aikium: Launching in a Market Crash 06:44 Building the Platform & The Power of a Critical Team 10:19 Aikium's Unique Approach: Solving the Hardest Problems 12:54 Partnering with Top Hospitals & Pharma to Go-to-Market 14:40 Fundraising Philosophy: The Non-Negotiable Role of Passion 18:02 The Founder's Journey: High Stakes and High Responsibility 20:00 The Future of Aikium: Scaling with Agentic AI & Taking on New Targets 23:09 Shout-Outs to Family, Co-Founders, and Investors 25:19 Advice to a 21-Year-Old Self: Doubt Less, Move Faster 32:19 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Innovation & IP Strategy: The Blueprint for Success in Biotech | Eswar Iyer (Part 3/4) 31:03
31:03 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked31:03
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you gain so much knowledge in each of your respective fields, you should be pushing something deeper. Yes, it's harder, but isn't that what you really want to do?" In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Eswar Iyer shares his journey from George Church’s groundbreaking lab to launching spatial biology at 10x Genomics and founding Aikium, candidly revealing how mentorship, bold decision-making, and cross-functional teamwork drive innovation and company creation. He explores navigating tough challenges, learning the business side of biotech, and embracing risk to tackle unsolved problems in drug discovery using AI and high-throughput data, delivering an insider’s perspective on both technology evolution and startup disruption in the life sciences sector. Key topics covered: The Role of Mentorship: George Church’s advice fueled Eswar’s bold career moves Building Spatial Biology at 10x Genomics: Turning concepts into breakthrough products Startup Culture & Team Building: Forming agile expert teams to solve tough problems Commercializing Innovation: Rapidly bringing ideas to market and securing IP Rethinking Drug Discovery: Using AI to unlock new therapeutic targets If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Eswar Iyer, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eswar-iyer/ Website: https://www.aikium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: 10x Genomics Platform Development and Visium HD: https://www.10xgenomics.com/platforms/visium High-Throughput Data Generation in Protein Engineering: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4632782/ Do You Need a Co-Founder https://www.excedr.com/resources/do-you-need-a-co-founder-for-your-startup How Do VCs Evaluate Founders & Co-Founders https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-do-vcs-evaluate-founders-co-founders Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: 10x Genomics: https://www.10xgenomics.com/ Cartana (Part of 10x genomics): https://cartana.se/ Broad Institute: https://www.broadinstitute.org/ D. E. Shaw Research: https://www.deshawresearch.com/ Atomwise: https://www.atomwise.com/ Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com/ Tarjei Mikkelsen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarjei-mikkelsen-b448265b/ Shankar Shastry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shankarshastry/ Venkatesh Mysore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/venkatesh-mysore-27ab08160/ Ben Hindson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-hindson-09739813/ Josephine Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephineylee/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:40 Reflections on Opportunity and Mentorship 03:23 Transition from George Church’s Lab to Industry 08:04 Discovering 10x Genomics and Career Decision-Making 09:33 Moving to California and Settling In 11:29 Early Days and Company Culture at 10x Genomics 13:11 Building Spatial Biology Platforms and Prototyping 16:30 Learning the Business Side of Biotech 18:28 Key Takeaways from 10x Genomics—Innovation and Teamwork 22:43 Deciding to Leave 10x Genomics and Pursue Startups 25:31 Assembling the Aikium Co-Founder Team and Mission 27:57 Rethinking Drug Discovery with AI and Data 29:46 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Breaking Moore's Law: The Multiplexing Revolution | Eswar Iyer (Part 2/4) 35:55
35:55 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked35:55
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you're not fearful, what is something that you could do? If you're not worried about just publications or things, you could really spend a few years. What could you do?" In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee explores Eswar Iyer’s dynamic journey from an inquisitive graduate student in India to a trailblazing builder at Harvard’s Wyss Institute. Eswar reveals how hands-on problem-solving and a commitment to non-transactional relationships fueled his scientific evolution, leading to transformative roles where serendipity, mentorship, and neurodiversity powered groundbreaking innovation and fostered a vibrant, high-performing lab culture in biotech’s most exciting environments. Key topics covered: From Manual to Automated: Turbocharging lab research with homegrown automation Philosophy of Opportunity: Humility, gratitude, and giving back drive impact The Power of Connection: Serendipity and mentorship unlock pivotal moments Inside Harvard’s Wyss & Church Labs: Neurodiverse, startup-inspired innovation culture Breaking Moore’s Law: Multiplexing tech slashes genomics costs and speeds progress If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Eswar Iyer, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eswar-iyer/ Website: https://www.aikium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Moore’s Law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law Multiplexing in DNA Sequencing: https://arep.med.harvard.edu/pdf/Church88.pdf ImageJ: https://imagej.net/ij/ Laser Capture Microdissection: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17406286/ Next-Generation Sequencing 101 https://www.excedr.com/blog/next-generation-sequencing-101 Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: The Wyss Institute at Harvard: https://wyss.harvard.edu/ George Church Lab, Harvard Medical School: https://arep.med.harvard.edu/gmc/ Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ Don Ingber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-ingber-m-d-ph-d-4a47a5318/ Lance Liotta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-liotta-5788559b/ Virginia Espina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginia-ginny-espina-187baa7a/ Kevin Kit Parker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-parker-a18a1b162/ George Church: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-church-2b86301/ Joe Davis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedavis5/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:45 Breakthrough Moments: From Manual to Automated Lab Research 06:33 Transitioning from Biology to Tool Building 08:49 Learning Machining Skills and the Art of Prototyping 11:57 The Wyss Institute: How Connections Open Doors 14:26 Philosophy of Opportunity: Putting Good into the Universe 15:45 The Power of Gratitude and Flexibility in Science 20:02 Meeting George Church: A Serendipitous Encounter in Kendall Square 22:51 Joining George Church's Lab: Supportive Leadership Culture 27:41 Inside the Legendary Church Lab: Neurodiversity and Innovation 30:47 Breaking Moore's Law: The Power of Multiplexing in Genomics 34:44 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 Cultural Adaptation: A Secret Weapon for Biotech Success | Eswar Iyer (Part 1/4) 38:02
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "I was just very naive, and I just wanted to get down and do things. I was not thinking of how to finish my PhD fast; I just wanted to do something that was meaningful." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Eswar Iyer takes us from his curious childhood in India through academic ups and downs at BITS Pilani and George Mason University to co-founding Aikium, a leader in AI-driven synthetic biology. Eswar shares how creative problem-solving, building custom scientific tools, and resourceful learning environments fueled his growth, while supportive mentors and cultural adaptation guided his path. His story reveals how adversity and persistence, combined with a resourceful “startup” mindset, inspire innovation and resilience for biotech founders at every stage. Key topics covered: Pivotal Childhood Experiences: Curiosity and hands-on tinkering ignited Eswar’s scientific drive. Overcoming Academic Setbacks: Failing ninth grade fueled resilience and deeper learning. Mentorship and Inspiration: Support from family and professors guided Eswar’s growth. Resourcefulness in Research: Creativity flourished amid constraints and tool-building. Navigating Cultural Transitions: Adapting to new environments powered personal and professional evolution. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Eswar Iyer, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eswar-iyer/ Website: https://www.aikium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Laser Capture Microdissection Technique: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_capture_microdissection Microarray Technology: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3467903/ CRISPR Screening Fundamentals: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7036479/ What is CRISPR https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-crispr-cas9-definition-and-overview Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: BITS Pilani: https://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/ George Mason University: https://www.gmu.edu/ Lance Liotta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-liotta-5788559b/ Emmanuel Petricoin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emanuel-petricoin-8b4aa04/ Virginia Espina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginia-ginny-espina-187baa7a/ Ashish Das: https://www.linkedin.com/in/das-ashis/?originalSubdomain=in Ancha Baranova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ancha-baranova-4227b21b/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 04:01 Eswar's Upbringing in India: A Childhood of Tinkering and Curiosity 06:12 The Pivotal Moment: Failing Ninth Grade and Finding Resilience 08:58 Embracing Curiosity and the Entrepreneurial Mindset 10:36 Early Lab Experience: Challenges and Self-Introspection 13:36 Influential Mentors: Family and the Power of Great Teaching 17:10 Choosing Graduate Studies: Following Passion Over Options 19:56 Getting into George Mason University: Stars Aligning 21:41 Cultural Transition: Moving from India to Virginia 23:49 Finding the Right Lab: From Proteomics to Developmental Biology 29:18 The Startup Lab Experience: Resourcefulness and Innovation 33:13 PhD Challenges and Triumphs: Patents and Problem-Solving 36:44 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Reinventing Leather: How SynBio Is Transforming a $100B Industry | Michael Newton (Part 4/4) 42:19
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "We're not making a more sustainable leather. Yes, we do that. What we're making is a better leather. It's real leather, but it comes completely uniform in rectangular sheets that you can then work with super efficiently." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Qorium CEO Michael Newton reveals how his mission-driven team is reinventing leather through synthetic biology and tissue engineering, producing uniform, high-quality material. He draws on his Nike experience to discuss the realities of scaling deeptech, overcoming fundraising and market-entry challenges, forging key partnerships, and stresses the value of mentorship and bold early-career risks. Key topics covered: Disrupting the Leather Industry: Using synthetic biology for scalable, high-quality, sustainable leather Scaling Deeptech Innovation: Overcoming engineering and manufacturing hurdles from lab to factory Navigating Fundraising Challenges: Securing Series A for bold biotech in a tough market Team Building & Culture: Building resilient teams through values and clear mission Advice & Reflections: Lessons in mentorship, growth, and the power of risk-taking If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Newton, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelanewton/ Website: http://www.qorium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Make Trouble by Cecile Richards: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35721620-make-trouble The “Acquired” Podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/google Insights and leadership from Jensen Huang: https://www.mba.ust.hk/mba-programs/mba-pulse/leadership-lessons-jensen-huang-insights-next-generation-leaders CRISPR Screening and Tissue Engineering at Harvard and the Wyss Institute: https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/crisprs-impact-today/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Planned Parenthood Federation of America: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us Qorium: https://qorium.com/ Nike: https://www.nike.com/ Mosa Meat: https://www.mosameat.com/ Dr. Mark Post: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markpost1/?originalSubdomain=nl Ramanan Raghavendran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramananraghavendran/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:43 Qorium’s Mission: Reinventing Leather with Real, Sustainable Material 03:03 The Leather Industry: State, Problems, and Qorium’s Disruption 07:41 Product First: Making Better Leather, Not Just Sustainable Leather 08:09 The Technology Behind Qorium: Cultivation and Tissue Engineering 11:24 Go-to-Market Strategy: Partnerships, Scaling, and Industry Adoption 16:57 Industry Resistance and the Need for Progress 20:47 Fundraising for Deeptech: Challenges and Realities in the Current Climate 24:46 Reflecting on Macro Trends and the Importance of Persistence 32:24 Shoutouts: Mentors, Family, and Influential Figures 36:50 Advice to Younger Self: Taking Risks and Riding Trends 39:23 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude 40:09 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 How We Scaled Nike Innovation from the Shoelace Room | Michael Newton (Part 3/4) 37:57
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Hard things are hard. But we gotta go do them, or we gotta go try." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Michael Newton shares his journey from private equity and finance to launching a pay-per-mile auto insurance startup, leading groundbreaking innovation at Nike, and taking on the CEO role at Qorium, a biotech venture in the Netherlands. He reflects on building Nike Innovation, driving sustainable initiatives like Flyknit, and navigating the leap from corporate life to startup challenges—offering sharp insights into scaling big ideas, evolving as a leader, and staying true to mission-driven work across every stage of his career. Key topics covered: Taking Career Risks: From Wall Street to startup to biotech CEO. Launching Nike Innovation: Transforming a small team into a global innovation force. Scaling Major Initiatives: Turning breakthrough ideas into reality, like Flyknit. Leadership & Company Culture: Real lessons in leadership, values, and transitions. Biology as the Future of Manufacturing: Building the future in synthetic biology. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Newton, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelanewton/ Website: http://www.qorium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Dog The Acquired Podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/hermes Air (Movie): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_(2023_American_film) HBS New Venture Competition: https://www.hbs.edu/newventurecompetition Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Nike: https://www.nike.com/ Cloudflare: https://www.cloudflare.com/ Qorium: https://qorium.com/ On: https://www.on.com/ Starbucks: https://www.starbucks.com/ American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/ Hermès: https://www.hermes.com/ Matt Prince: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mprince/ Michelle Zatlyn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellezatlyn Steve Wright: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-p-wright/ Hannah Jones: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/joneshannah Eric Sprunk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-sprunk-9519511a3 Tom Clarke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-clarke-b77b043 John Donahoe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-donahoe-8b591452 Howard Schultz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardschultz Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:27 From Finance to Entrepreneurship: Michael’s Journey Starts at Stanford 02:37 Early Startup Experience: Pay-Per-Mile Auto Insurance 05:20 The Oregon Gamble: Moving for the Insurance Venture 07:01 Unexpected Shift: Nike, Portland, and a New Career Path 08:53 Launching Nike Innovation: Building from the Shoelace Room 13:20 Inside Nike’s Innovation Culture: Global Scale and Flyknit 18:26 Leadership Lessons from Nike: Consumer Focus and Culture 20:51 Founder-Led to Professional Management: Nike’s Transition 23:51 Leadership Succession in Iconic Companies 28:16 When to Stay, When to Leave: Michael’s Exit from Nike 32:53 Biotech Leap: Becoming CEO of Qorium 36:19 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Fails - How Context Creates Success | Michael Newton (Part 2/4) 36:43
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "A true superpower is being able to ask for help. Always... It amazes me how responsive people will be to that." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Michael Newton recounts his unconventional journey from Dartmouth to Wall Street, revealing how lessons learned in private equity—and the challenges of being a generalist—ultimately led him to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School. He reflects on bold career decisions, the power of mentorship, and the importance of continuous learning, offering listeners an inside perspective on early ambition in New York City and how authentic, context-driven leadership shapes successful teams in biotech and beyond. Key topics covered: Choosing the Road Less Traveled: Breaking into private equity without the usual path Mentorship & “Baptism by Fire”: Surviving and thriving under high-pressure guidance Breadth vs. Depth: Navigating careers as a generalist or specialist Contextual Leadership: Adapting your leadership style for each person The Power of Community: Building networks that fuel personal and professional growth If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Newton, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelanewton/ Website: http://www.qorium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charlie Munger: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_Charlie%27s_Almanack (HBS) case on SodaStream: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=64768 HBS case on Cranberry Manufacturing: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54704 Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Thomas H. Lee Partners: https://thl.com/ JPMorgan: https://www.jpmorganchase.com/ American Express: https://www.americanexpress.com/ Mike Foote: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdfoote/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:40 Bypassing Traditional Recruiting for Private Equity 03:12 Decision Point: Nonprofit vs. Finance Career 03:55 Moving Back to NYC and Starting Finance Career 05:42 First Private Equity Role: Challenges and Learning 08:04 Working with Harvey Golub at TH Lee 10:25 Joining Kubera Partners: Fund Spin-out and Industry Lessons 13:28 The Power of Asking for Help in Early Career 15:52 Generalist vs. Specialist: Leadership and Team Management 21:57 Deciding to Pursue an MBA at HBS 25:06 HBS Highlights: Classes, Professors, and Case Method 31:29 Mentorship, Environment, and Capitalizing on Unique Opportunities 35:06 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬The Diamond of Success: 4 Traits Every Leader Needs | Michael Newton (Part 1/4) 41:13
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Attitude is by far number one… because you just aren’t gonna achieve anything in life if you don’t bring the right energy." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Jon Chee sits down with Michael Newton, CEO of Qorium, to explore the early influences that shaped his perspective on leadership, resilience, and innovation. From growing up in a gritty yet vibrant Chelsea in the 1980s, to helping in his father’s tech-focused publishing business, to finding his academic spark at Saint Ann’s and Dartmouth, Michael reflects on how his upbringing and mentors shaped his belief in the power of attitude as the foundation of success. Key topics covered: Chelsea Roots: Childhood in 1980s Manhattan and lessons in grit and diversity Entrepreneurial Influence: Hands-on exposure to publishing, tech, and business from his parents Benign Neglect Parenting: Building independence, resilience, and accountability from a young age Educational Turning Point: Discovering curiosity and self-expression at Saint Ann’s in Brooklyn The Diamond of Success: How Dartmouth mentors instilled a lifelong framework for achievement If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Newton, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelanewton/ Website: http://www.qorium.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Benign Neglect Parenting https://www.parents.com/benign-neglect-8758970 Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Qorium: http://www.qorium.com/ Saint Ann’s School https://saintannsny.org/ Dartmouth College https://home.dartmouth.edu/ Allan Stam https://www.linkedin.com/in/allanstam/ Gene Garthwaite https://history.dartmouth.edu/people/gene-r-garthwaite Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 04:32 Growing Up in 1980s Manhattan – Chelsea Roots 06:31 Neighborhood Diversity & Childhood Community 08:06 Parental Influence: Entrepreneurship & Early Tech Exposure 10:38 “Benign Neglect” Parenting and Building Independence 12:59 The Australian Community in New York 15:11 Learning Grit from a “School of Hard Knocks” Childhood 19:02 Applying Childhood Lessons to Leadership & Team Building 21:41 Educational Turning Point: Grace Church to Saint Ann’s 26:25 College Choices & Why Dartmouth Stood Out 28:07 Life at Dartmouth and Impactful Mentors 29:09 Professor Allan Stam & The Triangle (Diamond) of Success 34:38 Influence of Professor Gene Garthwaite 40:03 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Surviving the Biotech Funding Crunch: Insider Strategies | Samir Khleif (Part 4/4) 28:33
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "The whole environment of the company is about discovery and innovation, so it's really buzzing with energy." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Samir Khleif reveals how he took Georgiamune from vision to reality—building a top-tier team, advancing a pipeline of novel drugs, and keeping innovation at the company’s core. Host Jon Chee explores what sets Georgiamune apart, as Samir opens up about navigating the pitfalls of fundraising, the shift from academia to entrepreneurship, and why transparency and self-awareness are crucial for success in biotech leadership. Key topics covered: Building a Discovery-Driven Team: Assembling top talent to fuel innovation Going Beyond the Surface: Focusing on breakthrough science, not recycled ideas Market Realities & Fundraising: Navigating tough markets and finding the right investors Internal vs External Development: Doubling down on in-house strengths Leadership in Biotech: Leading with self-awareness, curiosity, and collaboration If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Samir Khleif, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-khleif-4280b29/ Website: http://www.georgiamune.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Autoimmune Disease and Immune System Modulation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27312159/ What Corporate Investors Look for in Life Sciences Startups https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-corporate-investors-look-for-in-life-sciences-startups How to Prepare for Pre-Seed & Seed Funding https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-prepare-for-pre-seed-seed-funding Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Georgiamune: https://www.georgiamune.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:42 Building the Early Team & IP Portfolio 04:16 Why 85% of Cancer Patients Still Don’t Respond to Immunotherapy 06:01 Internal VS External Drug Development: Key Considerations 07:24 Surprising Lessons Moving from Academia & FDA to Startup CEO 09:29 “Phone-a-Friend” Mentorship Strategy for Tough Decisions 10:11 Fundraising Philosophy in a Volatile Market 12:56 Aligning Investors Through Openness and Transparency 15:41 Georgiamune’s Culture of Discovery and Innovation 19:08 Advancing 11 Drugs in 5 Years—3 Already in the Clinic 26:12 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬How One Leader United 120 Experts to Transform Cancer Care | Samir Khleif (Part 3/4) 24:38
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "I always kept my lab at NCI, so I was always doing my research. But I was asked by him to lead the oncology critical path at the FDA, and I did that. I was doing that while also helping the King of Jordan develop the biotechnology strategy of Jordan and what it would take to move it forward." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Samir Khleif shares pivotal moments from his career at the crossroads of government, research, and entrepreneurship—reflecting on being chosen by FDA commissioner Andy von Eschenbach to lead oncology reform at the FDA, while simultaneously running his NCI research lab and advising Jordan’s national biotech strategy. He highlights the power of academic freedom, assembling a task force of over 120 top experts to advance regulatory change, and the leadership lessons gained building world-class teams—all culminating in a breakthrough that sparked the founding of Georgiamune. Key topics covered: Leading National Reform: Spearheading FDA oncology reform with 120+ experts. Balancing Multiple Roles: Navigating government, research, and global biotech. The Value of Academic Freedom: Leveraging flexibility to drive innovation. Building Top-Performing Teams: Attracting and motivating elite talent. From Breakthrough to Startup: Turning discovery into Georgiamune. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Samir Khleif, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-khleif-4280b29/ Website: http://www.georgiamune.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Oncology Critical Path Initiative at the FDA: https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/critical-path-initiative Building a World-Class Cancer Center: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK584196/ 2025 Trends in Biotech Venture Capital Funding https://www.excedr.com/blog/trends-in-biotech-venture-capital-funding Impact of Regulatory Environment on Life Sciences VC https://www.excedr.com/blog/impact-of-regulatory-environment-on-life-sciences-vc Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: NCI: https://www.cancer.gov/ FDA: https://www.fda.gov/ Andy von Eschenbach, MD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-von-eschenbach-m-d-9439ab10/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:43 Transition: From Building a Cancer Center to the Next Phase 01:56 Leading National Reform at the FDA 03:01 Balancing Research, Government, and Global Biotech Advisory 03:36 Innovating Drug Development: The FDA’s Critical Path Initiative 05:31 Identifying Challenges and Building Solutions 07:11 Engaging the Community and Assembling Expert Teams 09:11 Recruiting Talent: Bringing Experts Back to Jordan 11:01 From Scientific Discovery to Entrepreneurial Action 12:31 Launching Georgiamune: Taking Control of Innovation 22:43 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Breaking the Wall Between Science & Patient Care: Translational Medicine | Samir Khleif (Part 2/4) 28:25
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . Episode Description: “The way I have grown up in the field is not only to discover basic science findings, but also to have in mind always… how can we translate this discovery into a potential drug or an approach that could be given to patients.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Samir Khleif shares his inspiring journey from a formative fellowship at the National Cancer Institute—where he mastered bridging basic science and clinical care—to being handpicked to build the pioneering King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan. Dr. Khleif’s story reveals how NCI’s culture of translating research into real-world impact shaped his vision for translational medicine and propelled him to bring world-class cancer care to new frontiers, overcoming formidable challenges along the way. Key topics covered: Bridging Basic and Clinical Research: Uniting lab discoveries with real-world care The Call to Translational Medicine: Turning science into patient impact Early Leadership: Rising from fellow to faculty and learning to lead Innovation in Cancer Vaccines: Pioneering a new era in immunotherapy Building a Cancer Center Abroad: Launching Jordan’s King Hussein Cancer Center If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Samir Khleif, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-khleif-4280b29/ Website: http://www.georgiamune.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Strategies for Cancer Vaccine Development: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2914453/ Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38086815/ Recent Advances in the Development and Efficacy of Anti-Cancer Vaccines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40266115/ Cancer Vaccines: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11717780/ Unlocking Cancer Vaccine Potential: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38564321/ Translational Research Program: https://dctd.cancer.gov/programs/trp King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Hussein_Cancer_Foundation_and_Center Case Study: Jordan’s King Hussein Cancer Center: https://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1744-8603-3-11 NCATS: http://ncats.nih.gov/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Georgiamune: https://www.georgiamune.com/ NCI: https://www.cancer.gov/ King Hussein Cancer Center: https://www.khcc.jo/en Dr. Asem Mansour: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asem-mansour-md-5b0a1155/?originalSubdomain=jo Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:38 Journey to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) 01:46 Early Days at NCI: Breaking Down Research Silos 05:44 Bridging Basic and Clinical Research at NIH 06:02 Forming a Translational Medicine Mindset 08:35 Transition from Fellowship to Faculty at NCI 09:11 The Origins of the King Hussein Cancer Center 10:41 The Invitation to Build a Cancer Center in Jordan 13:31 Challenges and Vision for Translational Cancer Care Abroad 19:01 Reflecting on Mentorship and Collaborative Leadership 22:46 Lessons in Innovation and Cancer Vaccine Development 27:12 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Boy Scout Values & Refugee Resilience: Building Biotech Leadership | Samir Khleif (Part 1/4) 34:49
34:49 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked34:49
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Education was the highest value in our family. It was not even a question—it was the core." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Samir Khleif—Founder and CEO of Georgiamune—shares how his upbringing as a Middle Eastern refugee, in a family where education was everything, laid the foundation for his pioneering work in oncology and immunotherapy. Khleif recounts how formative experiences with his physicist father and the Boy Scouts instilled discipline, fairness, and a sense of adventure, shaping his leadership approach and fueling his journey from humble beginnings and early entry into medical school to spearheading innovative treatments that reprogram immune responses against cancer and autoimmune disease. Key topics covered: Education as Liberation: Early inspiration from family values and education fueling lifelong ambition From Refuge to Purpose: Refugee experiences and a love for science transformed adversity into impact Leadership Through Action: Building leadership muscles for biotech by starting organizations from scratch Character Under Pressure: Childhood adversity and scouting forged core values of logic, discipline, and fairness The Healer's Evolution: A journey from clinical oncology to biotech pioneer and global health leadership If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Samir Khleif, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-khleif-4280b29/ Website: http://www.georgiamune.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Skeel's Handbook of Cancer Therapy: https://books.google.com/books/about/Skeel_s_Handbook_of_Cancer_Therapy.html?id=3ZjlsgEACAAJ (WHO) Global Cancer Statistics Report 2024: https://www.who.int/news/item/01-02-2024-global-cancer-burden-growing--amidst-mounting-need-for-services Entrepreneur Middle East article: https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-ae/leadership/healing-horizons-georgiamune-founder-dr-samir-khleif-aims/485491 Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Boy Scouts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of_America Georgiamune: https://www.georgiamune.com/ National Cancer Institute: https://www.cancer.gov/ Georgia Cancer Center: https://www.augusta.edu/cancer/ Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy: https://www.parkerici.org/ Arab Global Scholars Program: https://www.qf.org.qa/arab-global-scholars Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 04:18 Welcome and Introduction of Guest 04:25 Early Family Life & Formative Influences 07:43 Parental and Boy Scouts’ Impact on Character 08:23 Lessons in Work Ethic and Fairness 10:56 Growing Up as a Refugee: Perspective & Values 13:45 Early Entry into Medical School 16:09 Founding Student Organizations 18:51 Transition from Clinical Practice to Leadership Roles 25:21 Exploring Immunology and Cancer Research 29:46 Founding Georgiamune: Motivation and Vision 33:40 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Multi-Edit CAR T-Cells: The Crazy Science That Might Cure Brain Cancer | Aaron Edwards (Part 4/4) 1:03:56
1:03:56 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked1:03:56
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “This isn't just one gene edit—this is multiple edits, working in concert. It’s a fundamentally different chassis.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Aaron Edwards, co-founder of KiraGen Bio, shares how a Harvard Business School class project ignited the launch of a pioneering biotech taking on solid tumors with a bold, unconventional CAR T-cell therapy. He unpacks the real-world challenges of building KiraGen—navigating fundraising, assembling a strong team, and leveraging mentorship, partnerships, and machine learning—while highlighting how focus, discipline, and authentic leadership can set a startup apart, even when it means breaking from industry norms. Key topics covered: The Origin of KiraGen: Born from an HBS pitch deck, KiraGen set out to tackle immune suppression in solid tumors. Contrarian CAR T-Cell Design: Bold multi-edit strategy to outsmart tumor microenvironments and hit glioblastoma. Focus and Discipline: Lean operations, every dollar counts, eyes on clinical milestones. Creative Fundraising and Partnerships: Unconventional funding, academic alliances, and patient-driven capital. Authenticity and Team Building: Realness, inclusivity, and mentorship at the core—paying it forward in biotech. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/ Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Base Editing & CRISPR 2.0: https://beamtx.com/science/base-editing/ CAR T-Cell Therapy: https://investor.bluebirdbio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/bluebird-bio-announces-amended-bcma-car-t-collaboration Activator Program: https://nucleate.org/activator/ Biotech Studio Program: https://www.2048.vc/blog/bio-studio The Founder Mindset: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1676.html TFS Programs: https://www.thermofisher.com/jp/ja/home/products-and-services/services/crdmo.html Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Bluebird Bio: https://www.bluebirdbio.com/ Beam Therapeutics: https://www.beamtx.com/ 2048 Ventures: https://www.2048.vc/ Nucleate: https://nucleate.xyz/ Thermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.com/ George Church: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-church-2b86301/ David R. Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-liu-465394185/ Reza Satchu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reza-satchu/ Terry-Ann Burrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-ann-burrell-10477424/ Jen Nwankwo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenasherphd/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:39 The Origin Story of KiraGen 07:15 From Bluebird to Beam: Learning Cell Therapy 15:51 Finding Product-Market Fit in Glioblastoma 20:59 The Importance of Focus and Discipline 24:20 Early Company Building and Lab Setup 28:16 Building the Team and Hiring Strategy 38:27 Creative Fundraising and Partnership Strategies 45:06 Two-Year Vision: IND Filing and Clinical Data 51:22 Shoutouts to Mentors and Supporters 55:50 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self: Authenticity as a Superpower 01:00:09 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Non-Traditional Leadership & Knowledge Sharing: The New Edge in Biotech | Aaron Edwards (Part 3/4) 39:56
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “This isn't just one gene edit—this is multiple edits, working in concert. It’s a fundamentally different chassis.” In part three of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee and Aaron Edwards dive into the realities of biotech entrepreneurship, spotlighting the power of non-traditional career paths, self-awareness, and creative knowledge sharing. They unpack how embracing new tools, fostering open debate, and democratizing information through platforms like Notion, ELNs, and social media can drive both personal growth and startup success. The conversation highlights the importance of capital efficiency, authentic community engagement, and building a culture where diverse perspectives fuel innovation in today’s fast-evolving life sciences landscape. Key topics covered: Non-Traditional Paths to Leadership: Diverse backgrounds spark fresh biotech innovation. Institutionalizing Knowledge: Notion, ELNs, and Loom keep team wisdom accessible. Capital Efficiency & Execution: Build lean, use what works, skip reinvention. Democratization of Information: Open platforms put insights within everyone’s reach. Authenticity & Community: Self-awareness and real talk drive growth and connection. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/ Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Notion: https://www.notion.com/ ELN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_lab_notebook Loom: https://www.loom.com/ Pillar VC Startup Guide: https://www.pillar.vc/playlist/topics/getting-started/ PLOS One: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/journal-information Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Kiragen Bio: https://www.kiragenbio.com/ Benchling: https://www.benchling.com/ Nucleate: https://nucleate.org/ Ryan Murray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-murray-phd-7b488142/ Sajith Wickramasekara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajithw/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:19 Non-Traditional Paths to Leadership: Aaron’s Journey 02:31 The Value of Diverse Experiences in Biotech 03:48 Creativity and First Principles Thinking 05:53 Leadership, Self-Awareness, and Therapy 08:09 Building a Safe Space for Debate and Growth 12:37 Institutionalizing Knowledge: Tools and Practices 14:05 Notion, ELNs, and Modern Documentation 16:04 Democratization of Information and Community 23:15 Capital Efficiency and Execution in Startups 26:27 Authenticity, Community, and Digital Engagement 38:07 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Why Most Biotech Startups Fail (And How to Survive Market Crashes) | Aaron Edwards (Part 2/4) 46:06
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "You might not have developed it. You might not know where that is. But you're finding what that North Star is." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Aaron Edwards shares how a bold cold email launched him from Kentucky to a cutting-edge mRNA vaccine lab in Boston, setting the stage for a dynamic biotech career. He explores the culture shock of city life, how curiosity fueled his leadership, and the key lessons learned navigating academia, big pharma, and nimble startups—ultimately revealing how market cycles, organizational models, and operational discipline drive innovation and resilience in biotech. Key topics covered: The Power of Curiosity: Asking bold questions and staying curious drives growth and leadership. Academia vs. Industry: Adapting to the culture shock and pace of labs, pharma, and startups. Organizational Models: Big company structure vs. startup agility—what works, what doesn’t. Market Cycles & Resilience: Surviving booms and busts by staying lean and creative. Finding Your North Star: Embracing uncertainty to carve your own path in biotech. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/ Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: DARPA and mRNA Vaccine Research: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4495566 HBS Case Studies: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/cases/ Novartis Vaccines and GSK Acquisition: https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-completes-major-three-part-transaction-with-novartis/ Moderna and mRNA Platform Companies: https://www.modernatx.com/power-of-mrna/modernas-mrna-platform Eli Lilly’s Subsidiary Model: https://www.lilly.com/subsidiaries Beyond the Square Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2qUtBY69I5JkcePLLE7ZhS?si=763530aa44b74be2&nd=1&dlsi=8f4794eea21940a9 Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Bluebird Bio https://www.bluebirdbio.com/ Beam Therapeutics https://beamtx.com/ Verve Therapeutics: https://www.vervetx.com/ Novartis: https://www.novartis.com GSK: https://www.gsk.com Moderna: https://www.modernatx.com Eli Lilly: https://www.lilly.com Galit Alter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galit-alter-398184252/ Todd Suscovich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-suscovich-65ba213/ Neela Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ Jacob Glanville: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobglanville/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:36 Culture Shock: Moving from Kentucky to Boston 05:40 Landing in an mRNA Vaccine Lab via Cold Email 07:36 The Power of Passion and Finding Your “North Star” 10:57 Lessons from Academia: Knowing What Doesn’t Fit 14:44 Curiosity and the Disconnect Between Science and Business 19:30 First Industry Role at Novartis Vaccines 23:52 Big Pharma vs. Startups: Pros, Cons, and Organizational Models 24:33 Subsidiaries, Integration, and the Eli Lilly Example 27:43 Bluebird Bio and Beam Therapeutics: Platform vs. Focus 29:32 Surviving Market Cycles and Building Resilience The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Embracing Identity & Curiosity: Being Different Fuels Innovation | Aaron Edwards (Part 1/4) 49:19
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "There was something else there that I needed to keep searching for... and that's a theme in my life." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we explore the formative journey of Aaron Edwards, Co-founder and CEO of KiraGen Bio, as he shares how curiosity, conviction, and challenging convention led him from a small town in Kentucky to the forefront of biotech innovation in Boston. Aaron reflects on his upbringing with pharmacist parents, the impact of early mentors, and the pivotal experiences that shaped his leadership style and scientific vision. Listeners will hear how Aaron’s path was shaped by balancing competitive athletics with academic pursuits, navigating personal identity in a close-knit community, and seizing opportunities that broadened his perspective beyond traditional career paths. From his first wet lab experience with butterfly genetics to transformative internships in cancer research, Aaron’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and a relentless drive to make a difference in oncology. Key topics covered: Early Curiosity & Upbringing: Sparked a passion for science in rural Kentucky with pharmacist parents and inspiring teachers. Visibility & Identity: Navigated being a gay student in a small town, seeking authentic environments. Academic & Athletic Balance: Learned discipline and leadership by balancing competitive swimming with rigorous academics. Formative Research Experiences: Gained direction from hands-on internships in cancer research and translational science. Leadership & Company Building: Drew lessons from biotech roles and business school to shape a people-first, adaptable leadership style. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/ Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: The Velvet Rage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Velvet_Rage Psychological Safety https://amycedmondson.com/psychological-safety/ Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity https://www.phikappatau.org/ Governor’s Scholars Program https://gsp.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx Emerging Technologies Attracting VC Investment in Life Sciences https://www.excedr.com/blog/emerging-technologies-attracting-vc-investment-in-life-sciences Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Bluebird Bio https://www.bluebirdbio.com/ Beam Therapeutics https://beamtx.com/ Moffitt Cancer Center https://www.moffitt.org/ Matthew Klooster https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-klooster-87498510/ Amy Edmondson https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycedmondson/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:50 Aaron's Background and Early Curiosity in Science 07:15 Growing Up with Pharmacist Parents and Asking Questions 11:55 Kentucky Science and Math Academy Experience 15:11 Visibility, Identity, and College Choices 19:01 Balancing Athletics and Academics 21:21 Summer Research Internships at Moffitt Cancer Center 25:15 First Wet Lab Experience and Western Blots 28:36 Connecting Research to Patient Impact 33:20 Early Biotech Experience at Bluebird Bio 43:43 Harvard Business School and Case Method Learning 48:04 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Growth Without Venture Capital: The Bootstrapped Bioscience Playbook | Ivan Liachko (Part 4/4) 36:35
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . Episode Description: "It's not a brute force approach. It's a cleverness-based approach. It's a new kind of information that lets us do new things." Host Jon Chee sits down with Ivan Liachko, founder and CEO of Phase Genomics, to unpack how clever, constraint-driven science turned a scrappy, bootstrapped lab into a genomics powerhouse. Ivan explains how their breakthrough technology—capturing the physical proximity of DNA—opened new frontiers in genome assembly, microbiome discovery, and cancer diagnostics, all propelled by a lean, scientist-led team and organic growth. The episode dives into Phase’s evolution into a data-driven research leader, its focus on non-dilutive funding over venture capital, and its vision for clinical impact and therapeutic spinouts—all fueled by a passion for unlocking powerful new biological information. Key topics covered: Constraint-Driven Innovation: Creative solutions born from limited resources. Breakthrough Genomic Applications: Proximity ligation transforms genome assembly, microbiome, and cancer research. Bootstrapping & Organic Growth: Science-driven sales and grants fuel growth—minimal outside investment. Strategic Vision & Spinouts: Building a research powerhouse and launching new ventures from unique data. Advice for Scientists & Founders: Prioritize complementary teams, embrace uncertainty, and stay passionate. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Ivan Liachko, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-liachko-%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%A6-a333055a/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phase-genomics-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: ARK Invest Podcast: https://www.ark-invest.com/podcast/phase-genomics Hi-C Technology: https://phasegenomics.com/category/hi-c/ CytoTerra Platform: https://phasegenomics.com/products/cytoterra/ Next-Generation Cytogenomics Platform: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005750/en/Phase-Genomics-Announces-Next-Generation-Cytogenomics-Platform-to-Advance-Precision-Diagnosis-and-Treatment-in-Reproductive-Genetics-and-Oncology The Genetics Podcast: https://sanogenetics.com/resources/genetics-podcast Clinical Chemistry Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-a-decade-of-rapid-genomic-sequencing/id499883130?i=1000651557537 Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Phase Genomics: https://phasegenomics.com University of Washington: https://www.washington.edu/ Gates Foundation: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ Grantham Foundation: https://www.granthamfoundation.org/ Stephen Eacker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-eacker-a657177b/ Jonathan Eisen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathaneisen/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:08 Phase Genomics’ Three Core Applications 08:27 Meeting Co-founder and Early Team Formation 11:28 Bootstrapping with eBay Lab Gear 12:55 Scrappy, MVP-Driven Product Development 17:02 Core Customers and Clinical Use Cases 22:34 Evolving into a Research Institute with Spinouts 25:29 Non-dilutive Funding and Fundraising Approach 29:59 Clinical Vision and Anti-infective Focus 31:33 Shout-outs and Advice for Young Scientists 32:59 Staying Passionate Through Uncertainty 33:54 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 How 3D Genome Mapping is Changing Everything We Know About DNA | Ivan Liachko (Part 3/4) 35:30
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you get a new kind of information, suddenly you can do something with it that you couldn't do before at all." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Ivan Liachko shares how scientific curiosity and unexpected collaborations took him from DNA replication research in yeast at Cornell to a breakthrough in 3D genome mapping and the founding of Phase Genomics. Embracing Hi-C technology at the University of Washington, Ivan and his team unlocked a new kind of biological information, enabling scientists to assemble genomes and map complex microbial communities and their viruses—transforming what was once impossible into a new standard for genomics. His journey highlights how creativity, collaboration, and seizing serendipitous moments can drive the most impactful scientific innovations. Key topics covered: Scientific Serendipity: Collaborations and chance encounters that propelled Ivan’s career Comparative Biology: Probing DNA replication by comparing diverse yeast “machines” The Move to Genomics: Shifting from classic genetics to high-throughput genomics at UW 3D Genome Mapping: Hi-C technology unlocking the secrets of genome structure Microbiome and Phage Discovery: Sequencing breakthroughs revealing hidden microbial worlds If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Ivan Liachko, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-liachko-%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%A6-a333055a/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phase-genomics-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: MCM Proteins and DNA Replication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955067406000251 Hi-C Technology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-C_(genomic_analysis_technique) Kitty Biome Project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/catbiome/kittybiome-kitty-microbiomes-for-cat-health-and-bi Genome Startup Day: https://genomestartupday.com/ ARK Invest Podcast: https://www.ark-invest.com/podcast/phase-genomics Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Phase Genomics: https://phasegenomics.com University of Washington: https://www.washington.edu/ Animal Biome: https://www.animalbiome.com/pages/our-company?srsltid=AfmBOope9rX1mixuGLFD44P81n_UJsHdYSHTlHJ7qUYmd3FRAscR2DxQ Maitreya Dunham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maitreya-dunham-b23a9148/ Josh Burton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-burton-6292a25/ Jay Shendure: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-shendure-32b2a96/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:12 Ivan’s early research at Cornell on DNA replication and yeast biology 05:52 Move to University of Washington and postdoc opportunity 09:49 Life and culture in the Pacific Northwest 13:04 Experimental evolution and comparative biology in yeast 17:16 Discovering Hi-C technology and 3D genome mapping 24:40 Using Hi-C for genome assembly and the jigsaw puzzle analogy 30:23 Applications of Hi-C in microbiome research and phage discovery 33:04 Mapping phages and plasmids to their microbial hosts 34:23 Founding of Phase Genomics and commercialization of technology 34:29 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Startup Survival Skills: Resilience, Frugality & Real Talk in Biotech | Ivan Liachko (Part 2/4) 31:29
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “Every time you think you’re right and somebody puts you in your place and you learn from it, eventually you’re like, that guy gave me the greatest gift… You learn to love it.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Ivan Liachko, CEO and co-founder of Phase Genomics, delivers an unfiltered look at the realities of building a biotech company, revealing how the mental toll of leadership, managing egos, and embracing frugality shaped his journey from academia to entrepreneurship. Through candid stories of scrappy problem-solving and bootstrapping Phase Genomics, Ivan and host Jon Chee highlight the surprising overlap between science and business, the importance of knowing which game you’re playing, and why resilience, adaptability, and learning from failure are crucial for startup success. Key topics covered: The Emotional Toll of Leadership: Handling conflict, building resilience, and staying mentally tough. From Academia to Entrepreneurship: Turning scientific know-how into business savvy. Frugality & Resourcefulness: Scrappy solutions over spending sprees. Knowing Your Game: Avoiding hype and matching strategy to your company’s reality. Embracing Discomfort and Failure: Growing by learning from mistakes and challenging expert advice. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Ivan Liachko, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-liachko-%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%A6-a333055a/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phase-genomics-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Ultra-Long-Range Genomic Information: https://www.ark-invest.com/podcast/phase-genomics Genome Startup Day: https://innovatebio.org/blog/podcast-genome-startup-day-bacteria-breakthroughs Life Science and Biotech CEO Stories: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-science-and-biotech-ceo-stories/id1725353867 Accelerating Biochemical R&D (TEKsystems): https://www.teksystems.com/en/insights/success-stories/machine-learning-aws-phase-genomics The Future of Phage Therapy: https://www.scispot.com/blog/the-future-of-phage-therapy-can-bacteriophages-replace-antibiotics GeekWire Awards: https://www.geekwire.com/2023/how-this-ukrainian-born-ceo-created-a-biotech-startup-where-curious-scientists-thrive/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Phase Genomics: https://phasegenomics.com Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/ Cornell University: https://www.cornell.edu/ Brandeis University: https://www.brandeis.edu/ Gates Foundation: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ Shawn Sullivan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-sullivan-mit/ Maitreya Dunham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maitreya-dunham-b23a9148/ Josh Burton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-burton-6292a25/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:06 Mental Toll of Startup Leadership 07:03 Learning from Conflict and Managing People 13:00 Immigrant Experience and Grad School Survival 15:18 Starting Phase Genomics and Budgeting 18:52 Frugality: Instant Pot as Autoclave 22:49 Knowing Your Game: Startup Growth Strategies 25:57 Saying No to Expert Advice 28:02 Grad School Selection and Cornell Experience 30:04 Moving to Seattle and Postdoc Life 30:32 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Passion Is Chaos: Grit, Curiosity, & the Biotech Breakthrough Mindset | Ivan Liachko (Part 1/4) 35:43
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Passion is chaos. You're doing unreasonable things sometimes for reasons you can't explain to anyone why. That's just what I want.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee sits down with Ivan Liachko, CEO and co-founder of Phase Genomics, to reveal how a childhood passion for genetics, relentless family support, and Ivan’s trademark persistence—“better to be annoying than forgotten”—helped him break into science as an immigrant and rise to biotech leadership. Ivan shares candid lessons on embracing unpredictability, turning setbacks into opportunities, and the parallels between research and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the power of authentic curiosity, running toward problems, and leading with bold optimism. Key topics covered: Ivan’s childhood in Kyiv and early passion for genetics Moving and adapting to a new country and system Breaking into science with grit and curiosity His transition from the lab to launching Phase Genomics Navigating setbacks and uncertainty in a leadership role If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Ivan Liachko, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-liachko-%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%A6-a333055a/ Website: https://phasegenomics.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Play Nice But Win: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57005158-play-nice-but-win Ultra-Long-Range Genomic Information: https://www.ark-invest.com/podcast/phase-genomics Bioinformatics & Genomics: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-bioinformatics-and-computational-biology A New Tool in the Genomics Kit: https://share.snipd.com/episode/9ee3bc63-9d1a-43f2-b749-2c7a339a2b63 What is CRISPR: https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-crispr-cas9-definition-and-overview The CRISPR Revolution and the New Era of Genome Editing: https://www.biochemjournal.com/archives/2024/vol8issue1S/PartG/S-8-1-92-790.pdf Cytogenomics with Phase Genomics: https://dnapodcast.com/episodes/2022/1/28/169-cytogenomics-with-phase-genomics Connect My Variant: https://connectmyvariant.org/ The Phage Atlas Project: https://phage.directory/atlas Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Phase Genomics: https://phasegenomics.com Quest Diagnostics: http://www.questdiagnostics.com University of Pennsylvania: https://www.upenn.edu/ Brandeis University: https://www.brandeis.edu/ Michael Dell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdell/ David Younger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-younger/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:40 Early Interest in Science and Upbringing in Kyiv 05:27 First Lab Experiences and Persistence in Science 07:37 The Power of Passion in Scientific Careers 09:47 Family Support and Academic Encouragement 10:37 The Value of Persistence and Grit 13:10 Navigating College Applications as an Immigrant 15:59 Choosing Brandeis University and Embracing New Opportunities 17:36 Maximizing Luck and Serendipity in Career Choices 19:13 Breaking Out of Academic Silos and Embracing Opportunity 34:47 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 AI, Mentors & the Future of Biotech: Teambuilding, Investing, & Innovation | Johnny Hu (Part 4/4) 39:27
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “It's the partnership all the way down, and everyone needs to be around the table to enable the ecosystem.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Johnny Hu reflects on his path to becoming a Principle at Menlo Ventures, what it's been like returning to gene editing after years away, and how he's thinking about unlocking true platform potential in life sciences. He also shares his outlook on early-stage biotech, the importance of mentorship, intellectual range and curiosity, and what's ahead as he continues building at the intersection of biology, computation, and company creation Key topics covered: Firm building: Building a venture firm from the ground up AI & Bio: Looking at the intersection of AI and Biology Gene Editing: The clinical success of gene editing Mentorship: The importance of mentors and advisors Career Advice: Tips and common pitfalls to avoid when starting a career in venture investing If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Institute for Protein Design: https://www.bakerlab.org/ Merck’s PCSK9 Program: https://www.merck.com/news/merck-initiates-phase-3-clinical-program-for-oral-pcsk9-inhibitor-candidate-mk-0616/ RF Diffusion Paper: https://www.bakerlab.org/2023/07/11/diffusion-model-for-protein-design/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/ Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ Vilya: http://vilyatx.com/ Synthego: https://www.synthego.com/ Recursion Pharmaceuticals: https://www.recursion.com/ Beam Therapeutics: https://beamtx.com/ Protein Data Bank: https://www.rcsb.org/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:14 Building Boston Office at Omega Funds 03:34 Move to West Coast and Joining Menlo Ventures 13:34 Current State of Life Sciences Venture Landscape 15:00 Focus on AI and Life Sciences Intersection 18:26 Most Fun and Least Fun Aspects of Venture Investing 20:04 Advice for Aspiring Venture Investors 23:19 Future Plans and Return to Gene Editing 25:01 Clinical Success and Market Challenges in Gene Editing 30:01 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self: Intellectual Curiosity 35:58 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Biotech Investing Unlocked: Mindset Shift, Risk, and Founder-First Lessons | Johnny Hu (Part 3/4) 37:06
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. And frankly, this is a journey that's long, and you'll learn a lot of things along the way. A lot of things, it's the first time you'll be doing that thing. Your job as an entrepreneur is to ultimately listen, then decide, and own that decision.” In this episode, Johnny Hu, Principle at Menlo Ventures, takes us inside his journey from scientist to venture capitalist, revealing how adapting to new mindsets, operational discipline, and calculated risk-taking are crucial in biotech. He breaks down the differences between the lab and the investment world, shares lessons from mentors at Omega Funds, and explains how founder-first investing and clear communication drive his approach at Menlo Ventures. Johnny also explores the challenges of fundraising, the realities of board dynamics, and how AI is reshaping biotech, all while emphasizing the value of curiosity and adaptability in a field defined by complexity and constant change. Key topics covered: Navigating the transition from scientist to venture capitalist: Adapting to new mindsets The importance of operational discipline, capital efficiency, and decision-making in biotech startups: Stretching every dollar Lessons learned from mentors and experiences at Omega Funds: Start with the end in mind The value of founder-first investing and building intentional, transparent relationships with entrepreneurs: Build trust and clarity The impact of AI and technological innovation on biotech, and the unique challenges of risk assessment in life sciences: Managing risk in complex systems If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/ Website: https://menlovc.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: The Odd Lots Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/odd-lots/id1056200096 Protein Data Bank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Data_Bank AlphaFold: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/ Human Genome Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_Project Janelia Research Campus: https://www.janelia.org/ CRISPR and Genome Engineering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR_gene_editing Behavioral Economics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_economics Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/ Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ Gilead Sciences: https://www.gilead.com/ Bio-Rad: https://www.bio-rad.com/ Omega Funds: https://omegafunds.com/ Richard Lim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-j-lim/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:16 Credit vs VC Mindset: Finding Opportunity in Complexity 07:07 Operational Discipline and Capital Efficiency in Biotech Startups 16:26 Board Dynamics and Decision-Making in Startups 19:23 Challenges of Risk and Complexity in Life Sciences 22:45 AI's Role in Biotech and Investment 25:42 Johnny Hu's Career Path and Mentorship at Omega Funds 28:12 Working Backwards: Strategy and Product-Market Fit 31:25 Risk Management and Personal Tolerance in Venture Investing 35:23 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 The Shelf Life of Innovation: CRISPR, Biotech Culture & Winning Teams | Johnny Hu (Part 2/4) 38:05
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Every technology has a shelf life. It’s just true, right? And, so, is that shelf life years? Is it months? Is it weeks? Is it days? You know, has it actually already been surpassed? That’s just progress, right? That’s great” In this episode, Johnny Hu, Principal at Menlo Ventures, unpacks his journey through neuroscience research at Genentech and Cambridge, the electrifying early days of CRISPR, and the fast-moving Boston biotech scene, revealing how academic culture, tool-building, and intentional company culture fuel breakthrough innovation. He offers a candid look at bridging academia and industry, the realities of risk and execution in biotech startups, and the collaborative and competitive dynamics of venture investing—showing what it really takes to thrive where science, startups, and investment meet. Key topics covered: The Value of Academic Culture : Cambridge’s traditions and cross-disciplinary thinking fueled Johnny’s passion for building tools and deep scientific exploration. The Rise of CRISPR: Inside the early, high-energy days of gene editing’s rapid ascent. Boston Biotech Ecosystem: How a dense, connected community unlocked opportunities in startups and venture capital. Company Culture & Team Dynamics: Why setting culture early shapes how teams execute and succeed. Investing in Biotech: The real work of weighing risk, building strong boards, and making tough calls in venture. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: DNA Origami: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_origami George Church Lab: https://churchlab.hms.harvard.edu/ David Liu Lab: https://www.liugroup.us/ Editas Medicine: https://www.editasmedicine.com/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/ Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ Vida Ventures: https://vidaventures.com/ RA Capital: https://www.racap.com/ Beam Therapeutics: https://beamtx.com/ University of Cambridge: https://www.cam.ac.uk/ Harvard University: https://www.harvard.edu/ Harvard Medical School: https://hms.harvard.edu/ MIT: https://www.mit.edu/ George Church: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-church-2b86301/ David R. Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-liu-465394185/ Peter Kolchinsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkolchinsky Rajeev Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeevmshah/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:23 UK Academic Ecosystem and Cambridge Experience 04:10 Focus on Tool Building in Neuroscience 08:00 DNA Origami and Early CRISPR Exposure 10:57 Technology Shelf Life and Progress 16:05 Boston Biotech Ecosystem and Company Incubation 20:00 Importance of Company Culture in Startups 24:00 Team Dynamics and Organizational Structure 29:15 Venture Capital Culture and Collaboration 32:22 Investment Decision-Making and Risk 35:50 Board Role and Execution in Biotech Startups 36:14 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 NASA, Harvard & Biotech: A Journey to Investing at Menlo Ventures | Johnny Hu (Part 1/4) 43:54
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “Every startup starts the journey at zero, and you’re just building from scratch. Day by day, you do a little bit better, and eventually, you look back and realize how far you’ve come.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we dive into the formative journey of Johnny Hu, Principal at Menlo Ventures, tracing his path from a childhood spent on a UK university campus to the heart of biotech investing. Johnny shares how early exposure to academia, a move to Alabama near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and a deep curiosity for science and business shaped his worldview. He reflects on pivotal moments—from hands-on research in structural biology at Harvard and a summer at Genentech, to witnessing the evolution of biotech tools and infrastructure. Throughout, Johnny offers candid insights on the power of mentorship, the non-linear nature of discovery, and the incremental progress that fuels both scientific breakthroughs and startup success. Key topics covered: Academic Roots: Early immersion in campus life sparked a passion for science and discovery. Transatlantic Perspective: Moving from the UK to Alabama, NASA’s influence broadened his horizons. Interdisciplinary Curiosity: Juggled chemical biology, economics, and programming at Harvard. Research Evolution: Experienced the grind of structural biology and witnessed AI revolutionizing the field. Startup Realities: Saw firsthand how mentorship and modern infrastructure now supercharge biotech innovation. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: The Odd Lots Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/odd-lots/id1056200096 Protein Data Bank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Data_Bank AlphaFold: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/ Human Genome Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_Project Janelia Research Campus: https://www.janelia.org/ CRISPR and Genome Engineering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR_gene_editing Behavioral Economics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_economics Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ Gilead Sciences: https://www.gilead.com/ Bio-Rad: https://www.bio-rad.com/ David Jeruzalmi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjeruzalmi/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:48 Early Life and Academic Roots 08:30 Move to Alabama and NASA Influence 11:11 Harvard Admission and Interdisciplinary Interests 18:38 Undergraduate Lab Experience in Structural Biology 31:07 Summer at Genentech 33:57 Comparing Academic and Industry Labs 36:17 Startup Realities and Biotech Infrastructure 39:08 Incremental Progress in Biotech Startups 42:08 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Simulating Life & Accelerating Discovery: Deep Origin’s Biotech Vision | Michael Antonov (Part 4/4) 44:58
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you really want to understand biology, you need to be able to represent it in the computer. If you can’t model it, you can’t really predict its behavior” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, returns for the fourth installment of his series to share how his vision for holistic biological simulation evolved from Formic Labs into Deep Origin. Michael discusses the challenges of building a unified R&D platform for biotech, the current suite of Deep Origin’s products, and how the company is making advanced drug discovery tools accessible to organizations of every size. He also dives into the company’s philosophy, the lessons learned from previous ventures, and what’s next as Deep Origin continues to scale its impact on the life sciences sector. Key topics covered: The Evolution from Formic Labs to Deep Origin: Transforming a bold simulation vision into a focused biotech platform. Building a Unified R&D Platform: Tackling integration hurdles to streamline biological modeling. Deep Origin’s Product Suite: Delivering cutting-edge, accessible tools for drug discovery and research. Company Philosophy & Culture: Fostering innovation, impact, and research-driven teamwork. What’s Next for Deep Origin: Productizing novel tools, deepening partnerships, and expanding access. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: AlphaFold: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/ Balto AI Assistant: https://www.deeporigin.com/balto-ai-assistant-for-drug-discovery Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/ Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFx Benchling: https://www.benchling.com/ BioSim: https://biosim.pt/ eMolecules: https://emolecules.com/ Enamine: https://enamine.net/ Garegin Papoian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garegin-papoian-9472a85/ Matt Shlosberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshlos/ Ashot Papoyan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashot-papoyan-066b403/ Henk Campher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henkcampher/ Jonathan Karr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonrkarr/ Benjamin Siranosian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsiranosian/ Natalie Ma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliejingma/ Tiago Luchini: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiagoluchini/ Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:14 Formic Labs and Deep Origin Origins 08:33 Early Team and Status Quo Disruption 17:56 Challenges in Biotech Tool Ecosystem 19:06 Deep Origin's Product Suite Overview 24:31 Target Customers and Accessibility 28:24 Company Philosophy and Fundraising 34:53 Future Plans and Productization 38:45 Shout Outs and Supporters 39:25 Advice to Younger Self 41:08 Closing Remarks and Thanks 41:40 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Debugging Aging: How a VR Pioneer is Revolutionizing Longevity | Michael Antonov (Part 3/4) 28:11
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "My mind is analytical – so I wondered ‘what is the most exciting, impactful thing I could do?’ I felt we’re all growing older, so where is the technology of aging? How well do we understand the biochemistry of us as humans?" In this episode, Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, shares his bold leap from pioneering virtual reality to tackling the complexities of human aging and biotech innovation. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about biology and the mysteries of longevity, Michael reveals how his software background inspired him to "debug" biology, build better research tools, and launch Formic Ventures to back high-risk, high-reward startups. He discusses his vision for integrating computational and biological approaches, the promise of cellular reprogramming, and his mission to create a new ecosystem that empowers researchers and accelerates breakthroughs in extending human healthspan. Key topics covered: From Oculus to Biotech: Michael Antonov’s leap from VR pioneer to longevity-focused founder Debugging Biology: Using software logic to unravel aging’s complexity Investment Philosophy: Formic Ventures’ bold bets on transformative biotech Cellular Reprogramming: Rejuvenating cells to fight aging at its core Building Deep Origin: Unifying platforms to supercharge drug discovery and research If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Cellular Reprogramming: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167779922000257 Longevity.Technology: https://www.longevity.technology/ PyTorch: https://pytorch.org/ Carmel Browser and React VR: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/carmel-developer-preview-launches-today/?locale=pt_PT The Michael Antonov Foundation: https://antonovfoundation.org/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/ Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/ Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFx Formic Ventures: https://formic.vc/ TileDB: https://tiledb.com/ HKUST: https://hkust.edu.hk/ Garegin Papoian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garegin-papoian-9472a85/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:22 Joining Facebook and Acquisition Experience 05:01 Resource Abundance and Internal Politics 06:41 Working at Facebook and Priorities 09:41 Early Fascination with Biology of Aging 15:17 Studying Biology at Berkeley Extension 17:39 Starting Biotech Investing 21:57 Learning the Ins and Outs of Investing 25:19 Challenges in Biotech Investing 26:24 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Building Oculus: Innovation, Grit & the $2 Billion VR Revolution | Michael Antonov (Part 2/4) 36:14
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "We were a small team, just a handful of people, trying to solve problems that had stumped the industry for decades. Every day felt like we were building the future from scratch." In this episode, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, Michael Antonov, shares the inside story of how he and a small, driven team transformed virtual reality from a niche dream into a billion-dollar industry. From his early days at Scaleform to the rapid growth of Oculus, Michael recounts overcoming daunting technical and business challenges, the thrill of their record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, and the relentless innovation that led to Oculus’s $2 billion acquisition by Facebook. Listeners get a rare look at the mindset and decision-making behind one of tech’s most remarkable startup journeys, packed with lessons for entrepreneurs everywhere. Key topics covered: The early days at Scaleform and the transition to founding Oculus: Game tools to VR visionaries Overcoming technical hurdles in VR hardware and software development: Solving tough VR challenges Launching and scaling through the Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign: Crowdfunding breakthrough Navigating rapid company growth and organizational challenges: Fast growth, big changes The acquisition process with Facebook and the future of virtual reality: $2B deal, new horizons If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: The History of the Future by Blake Harris: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34017056-the-history-of-the-future Console Wars by Blake Harris: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18505802-console-wars Acquired Podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/episode-35-oculus Voices of VR Podcast: https://voicesofvr.com/745-the-history-of-the-future-book-on-oculus-role-in-the-modern-resurgence-of-vr/ Oculus Rift Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1523379957/oculus-rift-step-into-the-game Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/ Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/ Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFx Valve: https://www.valvesoftware.com/ Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/ John Carmack: https://x.com/id_aa_carmack?lang=en Palmer Luckey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palmer-luckey-21a16959/ Nate Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemitchell/ Gabe Newell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-newell-0721752bb/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:08 Moving to Orange County & Joining Autodesk 04:23 The Oculus Origin Story: Meeting Palmer Luckey 11:46 Early Prototypes and the Power of Kickstarter 16:31 Fulfilling Orders and Building the Team 20:06 Funding Realities and Internal Seed Round 23:08 Technical Breakthroughs: Tracking and Blurriness 28:33 Collaboration and Competition with Valve 29:43 Deciding to Build vs. Buy VR Tech 32:10 Raising Capital & Facebook’s Interest 34:01 First Acquisition Offer from Facebook 35:15 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 The Borrowed Computer That Built Oculus - An Unlikely Biotech Journey | Michael Antonov (Part 1/4) 42:16
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “There was this moment when I was 13 where a family friend brought a computer and I really liked games. It was just so fascinating. And then I could learn and write simple statements and logic. So that was like a little precursor, anything electronics, anything computers excited me. And biology was something I would hear about, but not really pay a lot of attention to.” In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we dive into the remarkable journey of Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, as he shares how growing up in post-Soviet Russia, surrounded by scarcity and a family of biologists, shaped his resourcefulness and ambition. A chance encounter with a borrowed computer sparked his lifelong passion for programming, steering him away from biology and into the world of software innovation. Michael recounts building foundational technologies in gaming and VR, co-founding Scaleform and Oculus, and navigating the challenges of scaling startups, forging pivotal partnerships, and eventually being acquired by Autodesk. His story is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and the power of seizing unexpected opportunities on the path from immigrant to influential entrepreneur in biotech and beyond. Key topics covered: Growing up in post-Soviet Russia: Scarcity, grit, and a family of biologists Discovering computers and programming: A creative escape and new direction Building and pivoting Scaleform: Dorm-room startup to game industry staple Securing major clients and networking: Landing deals through conferences and connections Navigating acquisition by Autodesk: Startup freedom meets corporate reality If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Civilization IV: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_IV Adobe Flash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Flash Game Developers Conference: https://gdconf.com/ Crysis: https://www.crytek.com/games/crysis Maya: https://www.autodesk.com/asean/products/maya/overview Scaleform GFX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFx Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/ Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/ BioWare: https://www.bioware.com/ Autodesk: https://www.autodesk.com/ Nintendo: https://www.nintendo.com/ Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:47 Growing Up in Post-Soviet Russia 04:33 Family’s Background in Biology 06:56 First Encounter with Computers and Programming 09:45 High School in Maryland and Early Programming Projects 11:49 Choosing Computer Science and College Experience 15:32 Meeting Cofounder and Starting Scaleform 20:54 Building and Pivoting the Scaleform Product 23:31 Landing First Customers and Early Growth 28:16 Securing Big Clients and Gaining Industry Momentum 32:23 Deciding to Sell and the Autodesk Acquisition 36:35 Navigating Corporate Culture Post-Acquisition 40:29 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 The Secret to Biotech Success: Time, Tools & Teamwork | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 4/4) 43:48
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "It's not about avoiding failure. It's about avoiding every scenario where you look back and say, ‘I could have done this differently and we wouldn't be here.’" In this episode, host Jon Chee talks with Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, about how smart R&D infrastructure decisions can make or break biotech startups. Bogdan shares his journey from scientist to founder and explains how Kaleidoscope empowers teams to harness their data, streamline collaboration, and extend their runway. The conversation spotlights real-world examples of how operational efficiency and the right tools create compounding advantages, why time is the true currency in biotech, and how accelerating drug development can have a profound impact for patients. Bogdan also reflects on the importance of learning by doing and paying it forward in the entrepreneurial journey. Key topics covered: Building the “nerve center” for biotech R&D: Centralizing and streamlining operations. Why early infrastructure decisions are critical for biotech startups: Early choices shape growth. The compounding value of operational efficiency and smart tooling: Small gains drive big advantages. How saving time and capital can mean the difference between success and failure: Time and cash are everything. Personal lessons on mentorship, paying it forward, and learning by doing: Give back and take action . If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/ Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Cash Runway 101 https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-cash-runway Tips for Managing Cash Runway After Seed or Series A Financing https://www.excedr.com/blog/managing-cash-runway-after-seed-or-series-a-financing Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/ Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/ Notion: https://www.notion.com/ AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/ Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Creative Destruction Lab: https://creativedestructionlab.com/ Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:02 Kaleidoscope’s mission and focus 05:15 Real-world platform use and data management 10:24 Early infrastructure decisions and tool adoption 15:25 Incremental improvements and operational efficiency 18:51 Time and capital as critical resources in biotech 22:21 Extending runway with equipment leasing and software 26:26 Kaleidoscope’s future and enterprise readiness 32:21 Impact on patient outcomes and urgency 38:15 Paying it forward and mentorship 39:38 Advice to aspiring founders 41:25 Closing remarks and outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Purpose-Driven Innovation: Building Teams to Solve Biotech Problems | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 3/4) 35:50
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Until you experience a thing, you don’t know a thing. That’s something that bothers me a lot with the investor world-unless you’ve done it, you don’t really know what the grind feels like." In this episode , Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, unpacks how hands-on experience-from the grind at Frequency Therapeutics to launching the Rhodes Incubator-shaped his passion for biotech startups and team building. He shares the pivotal role of serendipity and authentic networking at Creative Destruction Lab and Entrepreneur First, which ultimately set the stage for founding Kaleidoscope. Bogdan dives into the challenges of innovating biotech R&D infrastructure, the importance of collaboration, and why tackling meaningful problems drives his mission in a rapidly evolving industry. Key topics covered: Experiential Learning: Nothing beats firsthand experience in understanding biotech’s real challenges. Building Teams: Founding the Rhodes Incubator showed what truly makes teams thrive. Serendipity and Networking: Authentic outreach and chance meetings unlock major opportunities. From Academia to Entrepreneurship: The leap means tackling real-world problems that matter. Innovating Biotech Infrastructure: Kaleidoscope is digitizing R&D to speed up breakthroughs. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/ Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Biotech Fundraising Milestones Resource: https://blog.kaleidoscope.bio/biotech-milestones-for-effective-fundraising/ Exhalation: Stories: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41160292-exhalation Stories of Your Life and Other: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223380.Stories_of_Your_Life_and_Others Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Creative Destruction Lab: https://creativedestructionlab.com/ Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/ Ahmed Elnaiem: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aelnaiem/ David Yen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-y-e-n/ Matt Clifford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcliffordef/?originalSubdomain=uk Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:00 Discovering a love for startups at Frequency Therapeutics 06:13 Launching the Rhodes Incubator and learning what makes teams work 08:01 Gaining startup know-how through student-run organizations 10:51 Building strong co-founder bonds and the value of team chemistry 13:38 Leading the AI stream at Creative Destruction Lab 17:31 Embracing serendipity and authentic networking 20:00 Helping launch Entrepreneur First’s Toronto program 22:35 Committing to start Kaleidoscope with longtime friends 25:41 Defining Kaleidoscope’s purpose and picking meaningful problems 29:34 Tackling biotech’s digital transformation and leaving paper behind 31:13 Shaping the future of biotech with next-gen product vision 34:55 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Letting Go to Level Up: Oxford, Identity, & Tenacity in Biotech | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 2/4) 34:16
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you think you're above whatever-taking out the proverbial trash or doing the proverbial dishes or the laundry, whatever-that's when a company is cooked." In this episode , Bogdan Knezevic shares his journey from undergrad in Calgary to winning a Rhodes Scholarship and pursuing a PhD at Oxford, reflecting on the personal motivations, cultural shifts, and tough choices that shaped his path-including stepping away from elite swimming and ultimately realizing academia wasn’t for him. He opens up about the isolating yet magical environment of Oxford, the challenge of redefining his identity, and the gritty realities of working in early-stage biotech, emphasizing the importance of humility and hands-on work for startup founders. The conversation offers a candid look at how self-discovery, setbacks, and a willingness to “do the dishes” can shape a leader’s growth in biotech. Key topics covered: The Rhodes Scholarship decision : Chasing big dreams, family inspiration, and Oxford’s legendary pull Life at Oxford : A magical, isolating, and truly global grad experience Transitioning from elite athletics : Letting go of swimming to discover a new sense of self Academia vs. industry : Swapping academic uncertainty for the fast pace of biotech startups The value of humility and grit : Rolling up your sleeves and doing the unglamorous work that makes startups thrive If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/ Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Biotech Fundraising Milestones Resource: https://blog.kaleidoscope.bio/biotech-milestones-for-effective-fundraising/ Exhalation (book): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41160292-exhalation Stories of Your Life and Other (book): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223380.Stories_of_Your_Life_and_Others Andrew Ng’s Machine Learning Courses: https://www.coursera.org/collections/machine-learning Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Frequency Therapeutics (Korro Bio): https://www.korrobio.com/ Andrew Ng: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewyng/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:00 Early ambitions, family roots, and the Rhodes Scholarship spark 04:12 Chasing Oxford: Inspired by books and family legacy 07:01 Arriving at Oxford: Awe, isolation, and timelessness 10:42 Oxford life: Constant change, global mix, and “town vs. gown” 13:37 Adjusting to the UK: New ways to communicate and grow 16:24 Leaving swimming: Letting go and finding a new identity 19:43 Starting over at Oxford: Redefining success and self 23:07 Grad school grind: Uncertainty and academic culture shock 27:11 First taste of biotech: Startup life over academia 29:09 Startup reality: Humility, grit, and doing the dirty work 32:19 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Immigrant Grit & Athletic Discipline: Building a Biotech Legacy | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 1/4) 44:29
44:29 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked44:29
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "You have to do what you have to do to get to where you want to be, and work under the constraints you have. That means swallowing your ego and just realizing that's just the reality of it. You have to grind away if you're going to hit that success." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast , Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, shares how his family’s escape from war-torn Serbia to Canada forged his relentless work ethic and sense of purpose. He recounts adapting to a new culture, the foundational support of family and mentors, and how his passion for science and math flourished in Canada’s diverse schools. As an elite swimmer and academic standout, Bogdan learned discipline and balance, skills that now drive his mission to make scientific research more collaborative and impactful. The conversation highlights his commitment to paying it forward by building supportive ecosystems in science and business for future generations Key topics covered: The Immigrant Experience: Family’s move from Serbia to Canada fueled drive and determination Building Resilience & Grit: Learned perseverance from parents’ sacrifices and adapting to change Early Academic Influences: Sparked love for science and math in a diverse setting Discipline Through Athletics: Juggled elite swimming and studies, forging lasting discipline The Power of Mentorship & Paying It Forward: Mentors shaped his path; now he empowers others If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/ Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology by Bryan Kolb: https://students.aiu.edu/submissions/profiles/resources/onlineBook/d7t3G4_0716795868_Fundamentals.pdf The University of Calgary Neuroscience Program: https://www.ucalgary.ca/future-students/undergraduate/explore-programs/neuroscience Rhodes Scholarship: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Ken Lukowiak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-lukowiak-2b9a689/?originalSubdomain=ca Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:38 Bogdan's Upbringing in Serbia and Family's Immigration to Canada 05:40 Parents' Sacrifices and Building Resilience 10:30 Adapting to Canada: Culture Shock and Language Barriers 16:19 Early Schooling in Canada and Discovering Science/Math 21:24 Choosing Neuroscience and University Path 24:20 Balancing Elite Swimming with Academics 28:23 The Demanding Discipline of Competitive Swimming 34:23 Undergraduate Lab Experiences and Foundational Research Skills 38:31 The Power of Mentorship: Working with Ken Lukowiak 40:10 Paying It Forward in Science and Entrepreneurship 43:31 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Redefining Biotech: Building Enduring Value Beyond Acquisition | Rabia Khan (Part 4/4) 47:56
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you are that person, if you feel like you can't find your box and you're off doing these random things that no one else seems to find interesting, it's okay. Embrace it. It's who you are and it's going to be your superpower someday." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast , host Jon Chee sits down with Rabia Khan, founder and CEO of Serna Bio, to discuss her journey from Sensyne Health to building a data-driven biotech company pioneering RNA-targeted drug discovery. Rabia shares how she overcame scientific and operational hurdles, navigated contract research limitations, and boldly moved Serna Bio from the UK to San Francisco. She also reveals her intentional approach to company culture, frugality, and long-term impact—emphasizing her vision to create a biotech business built for enduring innovation, not just acquisition. Key topics covered: Breaking Industry Molds: Serna Bio puts RNA at the center, challenging protein-focused norms. Data-First Biotech: Massive RNA datasets drive unique insights. Lean Operations & Frugality: Every dollar fuels innovation. Company Building for Endurance: Built for long-term value, not quick exits. Authentic Leadership: Bold, authentic leadership for lasting impact. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Principles by Ray Dalio: https://www.principles.com/ Amazon’s Six-Page Memo & Culture of Frugality: https://www.larksuite.com/en_us/blog/amazon-6-pager The Druggable Genome: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd892 Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13530973-antifragile Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Serna Bio: https://www.serna.bio/ Sensyne Health: https://www.sensynehealth.com/ BenevolentAI: https://www.benevolent.com/ Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/ Bridgewater Associates: https://www.bridgewater.com/ Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ BioMarin: https://www.biomarin.com/ Regeneron: https://www.regeneron.com/ Jackie Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjackiehunter/ Barry Ticho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryticho Ray Dalio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raydalio/ Howard Marks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardmarksbook/ Nick Scott-Ram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-scott-ram-637491b/?originalSubdomain=uk Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:01 Leaving Sensyne & Founding Serna Bio 03:52 The Vision: Drugging RNA with Small Molecules 09:46 Challenging the Status Quo of Protein-Centric Drug Discovery 12:30 Building the Serna Toolkit: Data, Models, and Assays 15:14 Operational Hurdles: Working with CROs & Building In-House Labs 22:03 Leadership Philosophy: Frugality, Creativity & Building Culture 28:35 Building Labs: UK vs. SF & Strategic Evolution 36:56 Vision for Serna: Building an Enduring Biotech Company 43:19 Advice to Founders: Embrace Discomfort & Authenticity 45:53 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Sales Skills & Resilience: Hidden Drivers of Biotech Success | Rabia Khan (Part 3/4) 37:40
37:40 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked37:40
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "You have to be curious. You have to enjoy the problems as opposed to view them as problems. You can view them as puzzle pieces that you get to put together, which is a lot of fun." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Rabia Khan shares the pivotal experiences that shaped her approach to biotech innovation, from her time at BenevolentAI and Sensyne Health to building and leading high-performance teams at the intersection of biology, machine learning, and clinical data. Rabia discusses the challenges of aligning scientists and engineers around a shared language, the importance of integrating platform and program development, and the cultural shifts needed to drive real innovation in drug discovery. She also reflects on the value of curiosity, risk-taking, and the lessons learned from managing major pharma partnerships and scaling teams under intense pressure. Key topics covered: Bridging Biology & Machine Learning: Breaking barriers to spark drug discovery innovation. Platform vs. Program Development: Integrate or stagnate—unite teams to win in biotech. Building & Leading Teams: Scaling fast and thriving in high-stakes pharma. The Power of Curiosity & Risk-Taking: Question, risk, and grow—breakthroughs follow. Sales & Resilience in Biotech: Master selling and stay tough to succeed in science. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: ICD-10 Codes and the Classification of Disease: https://icd.who.int/browse10/2019/en HubSpot CEO on 20VC: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/20vc-hubspot-ceo-on-where-value-accrues-in-saas-ai/id958230465?i=1000699464274 The Economist’s Approach to Business Clarity and Value Creation: https://businesslibrary.uflib.ufl.edu/economicsbooks Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: BenevolentAI: https://www.benevolent.com/ Sensyne Health: https://www.sensynehealth.com/ Serna Bio: https://www.serna.bio/ Steven Hamblin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenrhamblin/?originalSubdomain=uk Kate Yen, Ph.D.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-yen-448b22108/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:04 The Importance of Shared Language Across Disciplines 03:02 Platform vs. Program Development in Biotech 06:02 The Platform-Program Dichotomy and Capital Market Perspectives 07:29 Aligning Machine Learning Engineers and Biologists 09:30 Changing the Culture of Biology to Embrace Engineering Practices 11:07 The Role of Curiosity and Naivety in Innovation 12:18 Starting a Company: Risk-Taking and Support Systems 17:11 Transition from BenevolentAI to Sensyne Health 22:16 Challenges of Working with Clinical Data and ICD-10 Codes 25:17 Building and Scaling a Machine Learning Team at Sensyne Health 31:03 Leadership, Mentorship, and Hiring for Growth 33:14 The Underrated Power of Sales Skills in Biotech 36:57 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Rabia Khan - Serna Bio: Bridging Science & Tech—PhDs, MBAs, & Biotech Innovation (Part 2/4) 44:43
44:43 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked44:43
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “I wish someone had told me when I was starting my PhD to sit down and say, ‘what do I want out of this?’ and [then] write it down. Because, unlike the UK, where PhDs are three years and time bound, in Canada, they are neither time bound nor three years. And so you can meander." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Rabia Khan, founder and CEO of Serna Bio , joins host Jon Chee to reflect on her unconventional journey through academia, business, and biotech innovation. Rabia shares how her curiosity, resilience, and embracing uncertainty shaped her journey through a PhD in genetics and an MBA. She discusses the emotional challenges of working with animal models, the benefits and limits of business school for scientists, and personal struggles, including her father’s illness. She recounts early setbacks, like rejected consulting jobs, and how a cold email landed her at Meta (now part of Chan Zuckerberg Biohub). Rabia emphasizes “manufacturing serendipity,” differences between founder and employee mindsets, and lessons from her work at BenevolentAI, highlighting the importance of cross-disciplinary communication and challenging industry norms. Key topics covered: PhD Realities: Tackling emotional and practical research challenges Dual-Degree Insights: Balancing PhD and MBA, knowing business limits Personal Adversity: Turning family illness into resilience Career Breakthroughs: Creating and seizing biotech startup chances Bridging Disciplines: Fusing biology and ML to expand drug targets If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Case in Point (book): https://caseinterview.com/case-in-point SWOT Analysis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis CRISPR Technology: https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/CRISPR iPSC (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_pluripotent_stem_cell GWAS (Genome-Wide Association Studies): https://www.nature.com/articles/s43586-021-00056-9 Ensembl: https://www.ensembl.org/index.html The concept of the “druggable genome”: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioinformatics/articles/10.3389/fbinf.2022.958378/full Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Francis Crick Institute: https://www.crick.ac.uk/ BenevolentAI: https://www.benevolent.com/ Meta (Acquired by Chan Zuckerberg Biohub): https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/23/chan-zuckerberg-initiative-meta/ GSK (GlaxoSmithKline): https://www.gsk.com/ Thermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.com/ Sensyne Health: https://www.sensyne.com/ Sam Molyneux: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammolyneux Amy Molyneux: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amymolyneux/ Jackie Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjackiehunter/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Rabia’s PhD Experience and Challenges 06:07 Comparing PhD Systems in Canada vs. UK 08:21 MBA Insights and Frameworks 14:28 Personal Adversity and Career Impact 17:05 Coping with Family Illness and Career Decisions 21:26 First Job at Meta and Serendipity 30:00 Postdoc at Francis Crick Institute 35:10 Joining BenevolentAI and Early Experiences 39:24 Challenges in Drug Discovery and Druggable Genome 43:41 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Rabia Khan - Serna Bio: Unraveling the Genetics of AI-Driven Drug Discovery (Part 1/4) 47:44
47:44 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked47:44
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "I was born and raised in a developing country. I was born and raised in Pakistan. And it's very interesting when you're born in a developing country. That's your world. Right? That's all you know." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we delve into Rabia Khan's remarkable journey from her childhood in Pakistan to founding Serna Bio, an AI-enabled drug discovery company. Rabia shares how her early experiences in a developing country, her aunt's battle with schizophrenia, and the sequencing of the human genome in 2000 sparked her passion for genetics and healthcare. She recounts how her career options were either medicine or engineering, setting her on a path that would eventually lead to pioneering work at the intersection of AI and biotechnology. Rabia describes her transition to McGill University in Montreal, facing the shock of -40°C weather with only a leather jacket while navigating life as an international student with no support system. Despite these challenges, she pursued dual interests in biology and economics, finding her first research opportunity in a schizophrenia lab where she started by pipetting water and washing dishes. Key topics covered: Formative Influences: Shaped by Pakistan upbringing, aunt's schizophrenia, and genome sequencing Educational Journey: Balancing biology and economics at McGill First Research Experiences: From lab basics to discovering a disease-causing gene Decision-Making Frameworks: Applying economics principles to business decisions Family Influence: Mother's practicality and father's entrepreneurial drive guided her path If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: The Human Genome Project https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project Schizophrenia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia Opportunity Cost https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/opportunitycost.asp Marginal Utility https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marginalutility.asp The Prisoner's Dilemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma Ray Dalio's Decision Making Frameworks https://www.principles.com/principles/7df5502f-46e5-47d5-8fd7-8fc70843b726/ Nassim Taleb's Antifragility https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifragile_(book) Black Swan by Nassim Taleb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Swan:_The_Impact_of_the_Highly_Improbable McGill University's Human Genetics Program https://www.mcgill.ca/humangenetics/our-programs/program-information Hydatidiform Moles Research https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459155/ Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Benevolent AI: https://www.benevolent.com/ Meta: https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/23/chan-zuckerberg-initiative-meta/ Bayer: https://www.bayer.com/ BMS (Bristol Myers Squibb): https://www.bms.com/ Roche: https://www.roche.com/ Alexion: https://www.alexion.com/ Gustavo Turecki https://douglas.research.mcgill.ca/gustavo-turecki/ Rima Slim https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=UwK8NS8AAAAJ&hl=en Danielle Malo https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-malo-a204a174/ Ray Dalio https://www.linkedin.com/in/raydalio/ Nassim Taleb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassim_Nicholas_Taleb Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:18 Upbringing in Pakistan and Early Influences 07:27 Formative Experiences: Human Genome Sequencing and Aunt's Schizophrenia 13:49 Educational Experience: British System and Academic Rigor 17:21 Economics and Biology: Dual Interests and Decision Making Frameworks 23:31 Decision Making: Opportunity Cost and Probabilistic Thinking 28:51 International Education: Choosing McGill University 34:09 First Lab Experience: Working in a Schizophrenia Research Lab 40:43 Undergraduate Research: Discovering the Gene for Hydatidiform Moles 45:43 Father's Influence on PhD Decision 48:31 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Alfredo Andere - LatchBio: Revolutionizing Biopharma Data & Mastering Enterprise Sales (Part 4/4) 48:45
48:45 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked48:45
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Focus and commitment to niche ideas have huge payoffs." In part four of our conversation with Alfredo Andere, co-founder of LatchBio, we explore how the company evolved from a simple workflow orchestrator into a comprehensive platform serving biopharma companies and solution providers. Alfredo shares his approach to enterprise sales, emphasizing the importance of speed, focus, and building strong relationships with customers. He also delves into his philosophy on fundraising and the pivotal role of iterative development in creating impactful biotech solutions. Alfredo reflects on the challenges and rewards of working in niche markets, explaining why deep commitment and loyalty to specific problems are essential for long-term success. Whether you’re a first-time founder or an experienced entrepreneur, this episode is packed with actionable insights on building, selling, and scaling in the biotech space. Key topics covered: Iterative product development: Expanding LatchBio’s platform from workflows to data storage and analysis Biopharma vs. solution providers: How LatchBio serves these distinct customer groups Enterprise sales best practices: Qualifying leads and acting as a consultant to customer problems Fundraising strategies: Why early-stage rounds focus on vision and team, while later rounds prioritize traction The power of focus: Avoiding the trap of optionality and scaling only when ready If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Alfredo Andere, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredoandere/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latchbio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr: Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles: Viktor Frankl's "Man’s Search for Meaning": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning Lux Capital’s Article: Why High-Throughput Bio Research Needs Better Tools: Immediately: https://www.luxcapital.com/content/why-high-throughput-bio-research-needs-better-tools-immediately AlphaFold 2: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/ Bulk RNA-seq Analysis Tools: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_RNA-Seq_bioinformatics_tools Paul Graham’s "How to Raise Money": https://www.paulgraham.com/fr.html Companies, Universities, & People mentioned: Latch Bio: https://latch.bio Illumina: https://illumina.com Oxford Nanopore Technologies: https://nanoporetech.com 10x Genomics: https://10xgenomics.com Fluent BioSciences: https://www.fluentbio.com/ Scale 10x: https://startupmission.kerala.gov.in/pages/scale10x Complete Genomics: https://www.completegenomics.com Kenny Workman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennyworkman Kyle Giffin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylegiffin Aidan Abdulali: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidanabdulali Nathan Manske: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-manske-0232a192/ Michael Paliotti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-paliotti Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:56 LatchBio’s Evolution and Iterative Development 08:20 Biopharma vs. Solution Providers 14:01 Enterprise Sales Philosophy 23:38 Fundraising Strategies and Team Building 34:59 Future Vision for LatchBio 39:36 Closing Thoughts and Shoutouts 43:46 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self 46:21 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Alfredo Andere - LatchBio: Building Biotech Data Tools to Revolutionize Life Sciences (Part 3/4) 31:29
31:29 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked31:29
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Reduce upfront equipment costs. Accelerate R&D. Reach commercial milestones faster. 🎁TBSP listeners get exclusive offers through Excedr’s partner network—including special discounts, promos, and more: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "A lot of decisions when you're doing a startup come down to being naive enough to not know how hard it's going to be—and taking that leap of faith." In part three of our conversation with Alfredo Andere, co-founder of LatchBio, we dive into the early days of building a biotech startup from scratch. Alfredo shares how his team’s chemistry and blind faith led them to drop out of college and fully commit to solving biotech’s data infrastructure challenges. He details their rigorous market research process, which involved conducting hundreds of user interviews, and how this groundwork helped them raise an oversubscribed $5 million seed round led by Lux Capital. Alfredo also reflects on the stark contrast between cutting-edge data tools at tech giants like Google and the outdated methods still used in biotech, emphasizing the massive opportunity to revolutionize life sciences. Key topics covered: Building trust and chemistry as a founding team: The decision to drop out and go all-in on LatchBio Biotech’s data problem: Why outdated tools are holding back life sciences innovation Market research done right: 200+ pages of notes and six paying customers before launching a product Raising $5M in seed funding: How preparation and customer validation gave LatchBio a competitive edge Lessons on naivete in entrepreneurship: Why bold risks are essential for tackling big problems If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Alfredo Andere, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredoandere/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latchbio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources and articles: Viktor Frankl's "Man’s Search for Meaning": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning Lux Capital Insights: https://www.luxcapital.com/riskgaming#content The Acquired Podcast featuring Jensen Huang: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/jensen-huang Taiwan Incubator Program: https://startup.sme.gov.tw/en/ia Next Generation Sequencing (NGS): https://www.excedr.com/blog/next-generation-sequencing-101 Google and Facebook Data Infrastructure: https://medium.com/illumination/facebook-google-and-digital-public-infrastructure-ee854e1896eb Bulk RNA-seq Analysis Tools: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_RNA-Seq_bioinformatics_tools Machine Learning Applications in Biotech: https://cdn.fortunejournals.com/articles/ai-and-machine-learning-in-biotechnology-a-paradigm.pdf Companies, universities, & people mentioned: LatchBio: https://latch.bio/ Lux Capital: https://www.luxcapital.com Google: https://www.google.com Facebook (Meta): https://www.facebook.com Excedr: https://www.excedr.com Vivos Therapeutics: https://www.vivos.com Kenny Workman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennyworkman Kyle Giffin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylegiffin Brandon Reeves: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonreeves1 Jensen Huang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenhsunhuang/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:56 Team Chemistry and Founding Relationships 04:30 Exploring Different Project Ideas 06:34 The Decision to Drop Out of College 09:00 The Role of Naivete in Entrepreneurship 11:38 Biotech vs. Computer Science: Understanding Complex Systems 13:14 Taiwan Incubator Experience 17:22 Market Research: 200+ Pages of User Interviews 21:05 Biotech's Data Infrastructure Problem 25:21 Raising an Oversubscribed $5M Seed Round 29:38 The Future of Biotech Data Analysis 30:30 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Alfredo Andere - LatchBio: College Friends, Biotech Beginnings & Thoughtful Persistence (Part 2/4) 34:11
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked"You will be surprised what you can achieve with thoughtful persistence." In part two of our conversation with Alfredo Andere, co-founder of LatchBio, we dive into his transformative journey at UC Berkeley, where he developed a passion for machine learning and neuroscience. Alfredo shares how his persistence and curiosity helped him join the highly competitive Machine Learning at Berkeley club, which became a pivotal moment in shaping his entrepreneurial mindset. He reflects on the lessons learned from internships at Facebook, UCSF, and Google Brain, and how these experiences clarified his desire to pursue startup life over a traditional tech career. Alfredo also recounts the early days of working with his co-founders on ambitious projects, including their first failed startup attempt, and how those challenges led them to explore opportunities in biotech. This episode offers valuable insights into navigating uncertainty, embracing trial and error, and building meaningful collaborations. Key topics covered: The power of thoughtful persistence: How Alfredo's determination led to joining a top-tier student organization at UC Berkeley. Lessons from internships: Insights gained from working at Facebook, UCSF, and Google Brain—and why he ultimately chose startups. The importance of community: How Machine Learning at Berkeley shaped Alfredo's leadership skills and introduced him to like-minded peers. Early startup lessons: The challenges of building a product without understanding the market and the value of user research. Transitioning to biotech: How Alfredo’s passion for neuroscience evolved into tackling critical problems in life sciences with his co-founders. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Alfredo Andere, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredoandere/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latchbio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources and articles: Machine Learning at Berkeley (ML@B): https://ml.berkeley.edu/ Viktor Frankl's "Man’s Search for Meaning": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning Neuralink Research Paper: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6914248/ Berkeley NeuroDust Project: https://engineering.berkeley.edu/news/2016/11/neural-dust/ TensorFlow by Google Brain: https://www.tensorflow.org/ Bulk RNA-seq: https://www.scdiscoveries.com/support/what-is-bulk-rna-sequencing/ AlphaFold 2: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/ Companies, universities, & people mentioned: Dyno Therapeutics: https://www.dynotx.com/ LatchBio: https://latch.bio/ Facebook (Meta): https://www.facebook.com Google Brain (now part of Google DeepMind): https://research.google/brain Neuralink: https://neuralink.com University of California, San Francisco (UCSF): https://www.ucsf.edu Kenny Workman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennyworkman Kyle Giffin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylegiffin Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:28 College Friendships and Early Seeds of LatchBio 03:46 Joining Machine Learning at Berkeley: Challenges and Growth 07:01 Transformational Impact of Student Organizations 12:08 Running the Machine Learning Club at Berkeley: Leadership Lessons 18:14 Introduction to Neuroscience and Life Sciences 21:38 Internships at Facebook, UCSF, and Google Brain 26:36 Lessons from Early Startup Attempts 29:12 Dropping Out of Berkeley to Pursue Entrepreneurship Full-Time 32:05 Balancing Academic and Entrepreneurial Pursuits 33:11 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Alfredo Andere - LatchBio: Conquering Berkeley's EECS & Building a Global Vision (Part 1) 37:31
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "I had to make a decision because I knew that if nothing changed, I was just gonna fail out of EECS. I remember EECS actually sent me a letter where they were like, 'Hey, if your GPA continues this low, you will be kicked out next semester.'" In part one of our conversation with Alfredo Andere, we delve into his journey from Mexico to the prestigious EECS program at UC Berkeley. Alfredo shares his early fascination with technology, the challenges of adapting to a new educational system, and the pivotal moments that shaped his academic and personal growth. Raised in various cities across Mexico, Alfredo's passion for technology was sparked by reading biographies of tech leaders like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. His entrepreneurial spirit emerged early when he organized a forum that attracted high-profile speakers, including former Mexican presidents, to his all-boys Catholic high school. Despite initial struggles with calculus at Berkeley, Alfredo's determination and commitment to his studies ultimately led to his success in the competitive EECS program. Key topics covered: Upbringing in Mexico: Moving between cities and experiencing different cultures Early tech inspiration: Impact of reading biographies and following Apple keynotes High school innovation: Creating a forum with 4,000 attendees and notable speakers Transition to US education: Challenges of applying to and choosing Berkeley Academic resilience: Overcoming initial struggles in EECS through intense dedication If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Alfredo Andere, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredoandere/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latchbio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources and articles: AWS (Amazon Web Services): https://aws.amazon.com/ AstraZeneca: https://www.astrazeneca.com/ GCP (Google Cloud Platform): https://cloud.google.com/ EVO https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6589126/ AlphaFold 2: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/ Dyno Therapeutics: https://www.dynotx.com/ Bulk RNA-seq: https://www.scdiscoveries.com/support/what-is-bulk-rna-sequencing/ Companies, universities, & people mentioned: Apple: https://www.apple.com/ LatchBio: https://latch.bio/ UC Berkeley: https://www.berkeley.edu/ Uri Levine: https://il.linkedin.com/in/uri-levine Felipe Calderon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-calderon-9b104a23/?originalSubdomain=mx Vicente Fox: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincente-fox-president/?originalSubdomain=mx Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:50 Alfredo's upbringing in Mexico and early influences 05:24 Reading biographies of tech leaders and early inspirations 08:09 Developing interest in technology and Apple 11:51 High school experience in Mexico 15:40 The importance of relationships in Mexican business culture 20:10 Creating a forum that attracted high-profile speakers 23:13 The power of persistence and networking 27:10 Application process to US universities and choosing Berkeley 31:22 First experiences at Berkeley and academic challenges 35:14 Struggling with calculus and the pivotal decision to commit 35:39 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Michael Paliotti - MilliporeSigma: Master Biotech Sales & Build High-Performance Teams (Part 4/4) 30:19
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "I see myself as a player coach. I really try to do what I can to be in the trenches as much as I can. I'm out on the field." In the final part of our conversation with Michael Paliotti, we delve into his extensive experience in biotech sales and leadership. Michael shares insights on the nuances of working with different types of clients, from academia to large pharma and emerging biotech companies. He discusses his transition into management during the COVID-19 pandemic and his approach to leading and developing his team. Michael's leadership philosophy emphasizes building strong relationships, both with clients and team members. He stresses the importance of empathy, trust, and removing barriers for his team to succeed. His approach to management is rooted in his own experiences as a sales representative, allowing him to relate to his team's challenges and provide meaningful support. Key topics covered: Tailoring sales approaches for different client types: academia, large pharma, and emerging biotech Transitioning from individual contributor to team manager during the pandemic Leadership philosophy focused on relationship-building and empathy Developing and retaining talent in a competitive industry Long-term career aspirations and the importance of mentorship in biotech If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Paliotti, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-paliotti/ Website: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: Resources and articles: University of Notre Dame Biology Program: https://biology.nd.edu/undergraduate/programs-of-study/biology-major/ Duquesne University Master's Program in Biology: https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/science-and-engineering/academics/departments-and-programs/biological-sciences/index.php University of Pittsburgh HIV Research Lab: https://dom.pitt.edu/id/research/clinicalresearch/hivclinicalresearch/ Kodak's Research and Development Division: https://www.kodak.com/en/company/page/innovation/ Luminex Multiplexing Equipment: https://www.rndsystems.com/products/luminex-instrumentation Companies, universities, & people mentioned: MilliporeSigma: https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en University of Pittsburgh: https://www.pitt.edu/ Xerox Business Services: https://www.xerox.com/en-us/business-solutions Johnson & Johnson (J&J): https://www.jnj.com/ Novartis: https://www.novartis.com/ Pfizer: https://www.pfizer.com/ University of California, San Diego (UCSD): https://ucsd.edu/ Genoptix: https://www.genoptix.com/ Cellomics: https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cellular-imaging/high-content-screening.html Nucleate: https://nucleate.xyz/ Ronald Montelaro https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-montelaro-49558b23/ Jane Berry https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-berry-40038012/ Kelly Yamagata https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-yamagata/ Arunima Kumar https://www.linkedin.com/in/arunmaara/ Tiffany Nguyen https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguyentiffany/ Samantha Odo https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-odo-9a39252/ Amela Tsai https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelatsai/ Je'Anna Barrett https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectwithjeanna/ Joe Stachewicz https://www.linkedin.com/in/destinationdigital/ Frédéric Sattler https://www.linkedin.com/in/fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric-sattler-58a9a345/ Bernardo Jaramillo https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardo-jaramillo-06579698/ Darae Jun https://www.linkedin.com/in/darae-jun/ Sumreet Banka https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumreet-banka-73372317/ Candice Sanscartier https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-sanscartier/ Suzie Shrestha https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzieshrestha/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:11 Differences in working with academia, large pharma, and small biotechs 06:52 Impact of white glove service on emerging companies 09:25 The interconnected nature of the biotech ecosystem 12:26 Transitioning from individual contributor to team manager 18:09 Leadership philosophy and approach to managing a team 23:23 Long-term mindset and developing institutional knowledge 25:17 Shoutouts to supporters along the way 27:10 Advice to 21-year-old self 28:27 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Michael Paliotti: Blending Science, Sales, and Side Hustles in Biotech (Part 3/4) 41:18
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “Trust takes time—but it lasts longer than any sale.” In part three of our conversation with Michael Paliotti, we dive into his transition from field application scientist to full-time sales at MilliporeSigma. He opens up about his initial hesitation, how he overcame it, and why relationship-building—not quotas—became the foundation of his sales approach. Michael reflects on the experiences that shaped his mindset, from going the extra mile for colleagues to finding interests to genuinely connect over. For him, great sales isn’t about pushing products—it’s about solving problems, building trust, and being present. He also talks about how this philosophy led to unexpected opportunities, like launching a winery with close friends during the pandemic. What started as a casual wine-tasting class turned into a business rooted in the same values that guide his sales career. An experienced team leader, Michael emphasizes coaching through effort and empathy—encouraging his reps to focus on relationships as much as results. His story is a reminder that in biotech sales, success often comes from being helpful, human, and in it for the long haul. Key topics covered : Shifting from scientist to sales and making it work Turning casual conversations into lasting trust Helping customers by going the extra mile Meeting goals without losing the human touch Coaching teams to lead with effort and empathy If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Paliotti, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-paliotti/ Website: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources and articles: Luminex instrumentation: https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/antibodies/immunoassays/procartaplex-assays-luminex/luminex-instruments.html Unreasonable Hospitality (by Will Guidara): https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573 Excedr equipment leasing: https://www.excedr.com/leasing Capital Lease vs. Operating Lease: https://www.excedr.com/blog/capital-lease-vs-operating-lease Maximizing Equipment ROI: https://www.excedr.com/blog/maximizing-equipment-roi Marketing & Sales Strategies for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs Companies, universities, & people mentioned: MilliporeSigma: https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science: https://www.cdrewu.edu/ UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Program: https://www.ucdavis.edu/majors/viticulture-and-enology 501st Legion: https://www.501st.com/ Paso Robles AVA: https://pasowine.com/paso-robles/ava/ Pacific Wine Services: https://www.pacificwineservices.com/ Volatus Wines: https://www.volatuswine.com/ Midnight Cellars: https://www.midnightcellars.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:50 Getting into biotech sales and and getting interested in winemaking 04:35 Starting a winery during COVID and the story behind it 10:19 Networking in the wine industry and the power of showing up 14:14 Working at MilliporeSigma, embracing relationship-driven strategies 20:45 Building trust through informal conversations 27:47 Going the extra mile for customers and building trust through service 32:46 Transitioning from field scientist to full-time sales at MilliporeSigma 37:12 Coaching sales teams and focusing on long-term value over short-term wins 40:15 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Michael Paliotti: Navigating Biotech Careers & Building Lasting Relationships (Part 2/4) 42:51
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked"Success in this industry isn’t just about what you know—it’s about how you connect with people, bring value, and build lasting relationships." In part two of our conversation with Michael Paliotti, we delve into his journey from academic research to industry, and his eventual transition into sales within the biotech sector. Michael shares his experiences working at startups like Cellomics and larger organizations like Novartis, highlighting the pivotal moments that shaped his career path. He discusses the challenges and opportunities that came with each role, emphasizing the importance of relationships and personal branding in his success. Michael's background in both science and business, coupled with his MBA, uniquely positioned him to understand the needs of researchers and effectively communicate the value of products. His transition to a field application scientist role at Millipore, and later to a full-time sales position, showcases his ability to adapt and find his niche in the biotech industry. Michael's approach to sales, focusing on building genuine connections and becoming a trusted resource, led to his recognition as rep of the year and his reputation as an "institution" in the San Diego biotech ecosystem. Key topics covered: Transitioning from academia to roles at Cellomics and Novartis Balancing business education with a biotech career Moving from field application scientist to a full-time sales role Learning to communicate value beyond product features and build trust with customers Making bold moves, from cross-country relocation to industry shifts If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Paliotti, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-paliotti/ Website: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency): https://www.darpa.mil/ Novartis GPR 119 diabetes research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5859088/ Cal State San Marcos MBA program: https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited/c/california-state-university-san-marcos Luminex Assays: https://www.rndsystems.com/products/luminex-assays-and-high-performance-assays/discovery-assays Stanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine: https://www.sanfordconsortium.org/ Genoptix Optophoresis Technology: https://www.bioworld.com/articles/373517-genoptix-series-b-raises-17m-to-push-laser-cell-technology?v=preview Companies & people mentioned: Cellomics: https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/brands/thermo-scientific/cellomics.html Novartis: https://www.novartis.com/ Genoptix: https://genoptix.com/ EMD MilliporeSigma: https://www.emdmillipore.com/ Luminex: https://www.luminexcorp.com/ Thermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.com/ Pete Schultz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-schultz-3254a35 Tina Nova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-nova-phd-7054502 Sean Carnes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-carnes-8b30b51 Cathy Schnabel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-schnabel-b657b16 Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:06 Michael's interest in industry and joining Cellomics 04:59 Working on DARPA grant and biosensors 07:10 Experience during 9/11 and FBI visit 10:26 Importance of product communication and marketing 14:23 Transition to Novartis and larger organization experience 18:52 Pursuing MBA while working at Novartis 22:16 Moving to field application scientist role at Millipore 25:39 Transition to full-time sales position 30:17 Building relationships and personal brand in sales 35:23 Success as a sales representative and becoming an "institution" 41:39 Reflections on career journey and finding the right niche 41:58 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Michael Paliotti: Navigating a Winding Path to Biotech Success (Part 1/4) 40:26
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Growing up in a science-driven environment influenced my trajectory, from my father's chemistry background at Kodak to my own experiences in academia and research." In part one of our conversation with Michael Paliotti , Regional Sales Director at Millipore Sigma, we explore his journey from a science-driven upbringing to his early career in research and forensics. Michael shares how his father's work as an organic chemist at Kodak influenced his path into science, his academic experiences at the University of Notre Dame and Duquesne University, and his unexpected detour into optometry school before finding his true calling in research. Michael holds a degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree from Duquesne University. Before joining Millipore Sigma, he honed his skills in academic research at the University of Pittsburgh, forensic science with the Pennsylvania State Police, and biotech startups. Key topics covered: Growing up in a science-driven environment: The influence of Kodak and Rochester's tech industry Navigating academic uncertainty: From pre-med aspirations to finding passion in biology research Hands-on lab experience: Learning the "old-fashioned way" during graduate studies Unexpected career detours: A brief stint in optometry school and forensic science Building professional networks: The importance of mentorship and connections in career progression If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Paliotti, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-paliotti/ Website: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: University of Notre Dame Biology Program: https://biology.nd.edu/undergraduate/programs-of-study/biology-major/ Duquesne University Master's Program in Biology: https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/science-and-engineering/academics/departments-and-programs/biological-sciences/index.php University of Pittsburgh HIV Research Lab: https://dom.pitt.edu/id/research/clinicalresearch/hivclinicalresearch/ Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Science Program: https://www.upb.pitt.edu/academics/forensic-science-bs Kodak's Research and Development Division: https://www.kodak.com/en/company/page/innovation/ Companies & people mentioned: Kodak: https://www.kodak.com/en/ University of Pittsburgh: https://www.pitt.edu/ Pennsylvania State Police: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp.html Xerox Business Services: https://www.xerox.com/en-us/business-solutions MilliporeSigma (formerly EMD Millipore): https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ Luminex Multiplexing Equipment: https://www.rndsystems.com/products/luminex-instrumentation Ronald Montelaro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-montelaro-49558b23/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:23 Michael's background and upbringing in Rochester, NY 07:46 Early exposure to science and the Kodak influence 11:09 University years and initial career aspirations 14:46 Unexpected detour to optometry school 17:35 Post-graduation job at Xerox Business Services 22:00 Decision to pursue a master's degree at Duquesne University 26:35 Graduate school experiences and hands-on lab work 29:03 First job as a research associate at University of Pittsburgh 31:29 Brief stint as a forensic scientist with Pennsylvania State Police 37:35 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Stavros Papadopoulos: Transforming Data Management (Part 4/4) 33:27
33:27 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked33:27
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "In life sciences, time is more important for all stakeholders. Because if you're working in life sciences, you have an obligation. You have a moral obligation to be very efficient, if not optimal." In this final part of our conversation with Stavros , founder and CEO of TileDB, we explore the challenges and opportunities in transforming data management within the life sciences sector. Stavros discusses how smaller organizations often lag behind in adopting innovative solutions due to lack of awareness and reliance on existing tools, while larger companies like big pharma are more proactive in seeking advanced technologies. Stavros highlights the importance of behavioral change in technology adoption, emphasizing that companies should focus on their core competencies rather than building infrastructure. He draws parallels with AWS, which revolutionized server management by allowing companies to focus on their products rather than infrastructure. The conversation also touches on the moral obligation of life sciences companies to optimize efficiency, given the impact on human lives. Key topics covered: Challenges for Smaller Organizations: Overcoming barriers to adopting new technologies due to limited awareness and resources. Adoption Contrast: Big pharma vs. smaller organizations in embracing innovative solutions. Behavioral Change in Technology Adoption: The need for mindset shifts in leveraging external solutions. Efficiency in Life Sciences: The moral obligation to optimize time and resources in the sector. Parallels with AWS: How outsourcing infrastructure can accelerate innovation and focus on core competencies. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Stavros Papadopoulos, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stavrospap/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiledb-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore: http://soloway.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/46715502/Crossing-The-Chasm.pdf Azure (Microsoft's cloud computing service): https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/ Companies & people mentioned: MIT: https://www.mit.edu/ TileDB: https://tiledb.com/ AWS (Amazon Web Services): https://aws.amazon.com/ Millipore Sigma: https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/ PlayStation: https://www.playstation.com/ Jake Glanville: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobglanville Jeff Bezos: https://x.com/jeffbezos?lang=en Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:10 Discussion on working with smaller companies and scalable products 02:16 Stavros explains how TileDB can replace solution architects 05:07 Discussion on freeing up resources for high ROI initiatives 06:22 Stavros highlights the difficulty of behavioral changes in adopting new technologies 10:16 Jon reflects on the importance of valuing time in life sciences 12:57 Introduction of TileDB's new product, Carrara 18:16 Discussion on meeting users where they are with Carrara 20:06 Stavros shares his vision for TileDB's future adoption 23:30 Jon expresses enthusiasm for TileDB's impact on health outcomes 26:15 Shoutouts to supporters and team members 29:32 Advice to his 21-year-old self 30:30 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Stavros Papadopoulos: Scaling TileDB & Revolutionizing Data Infrastructure (Part 3/4) 35:18
35:18 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked35:18
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "We're wasting money. You're wasting money as an organization, like, hundreds of millions of dollars that can save you that money easily. But you have to start reasoning a little bit differently." In this third part of our conversation with Stavros Papadopoulos , founder and CEO of TileDB, we delve into the company's ambitious vision to revolutionize data management in the life sciences sector. Stavros shares the journey of TileDB from its inception as a highly technical solution to its current position as a potential game-changer in how organizations handle diverse data types. He discusses the challenges of selling innovative solutions to large pharmaceutical companies and the stark contrast in adoption between big pharma and smaller organizations. Stavros, with his background as a technologist from MIT, details the early days of TileDB, emphasizing the intense focus on technological innovation and performance optimization. He describes the company's evolution from a small team of highly skilled engineers to securing significant funding and attracting major customers in the life sciences sector. Throughout the conversation, Stavros highlights the philosophical aspect of TileDB's mission, stressing its potential impact on accelerating scientific discovery and ultimately saving lives. Key topics covered: TileDB's Vision for a Multimodal Database: Replacing fragmented data management systems Challenges in Selling Innovative Solutions: Large pharmaceutical companies as a target market The Contrast Between Big Pharma & Smaller Organizations: Adopting new technologies The Philosophical Drive Behind TileDB's Mission: Accelerating scientific discovery Organizational Inertia & Decision-Making Complexities: Enterprise software adoption If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Stavros Papadopoulos, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stavrospap/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiledb-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore: http://soloway.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/46715502/Crossing-The-Chasm.pdf Intel's Parallel Computing Lab: https://faculty.cc.gatech.edu/~echow/ipcc/ Intel Science and Technology Center for Big Data at MIT CSAIL: http://hammer.csail.mit.edu/ Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: https://hkust.edu.hk/ AWS (Amazon Web Services): https://aws.amazon.com/ Azure (Microsoft's cloud computing service): https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/ Companies & people mentioned: Intel: https://www.intel.com/ MIT: https://www.mit.edu/ TileDB: https://tiledb.com/ Broad Institute: https://www.broadinstitute.org/ Silicon Valley Bank: https://www.svb.com/ Browne Consulting: https://browneconsulting.com/ Snowflake: https://www.snowflake.com/ Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/ Seth Shelnutt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-shelnutt/ Dimitris Papadias: https://cse.hkust.edu.hk/admin/people/faculty/profile/dimitris Yufei Tao: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yufei-tao-328b0b251/?originalSubdomain=hk Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:18 Early days of TileDB and its mission 06:36 Building a high-performance team and securing early customers 09:22 Discussing the vision behind TileDB 12:11 The problem of data infrastructure complexity 16:26 TileDB as a multimodal database for discovery 19:27 The inefficiency of in-house database solutions in pharmaceuticals 23:09 Overcoming organizational inertia in adopting new technologies 28:20 The necessity of TileDB for drug discovery 29:48 Differences in working with smaller vs. larger organizations 33:21 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Stavros Papadopoulos: How Serendipity Sparked TileDB's Startup Journey (Part 2/4) 41:40
41:40 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked41:40
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "Serendipity plays a big role, but you need to chase it, man. You need to [chase it] and you need to perform. You need to deliver [on] your end of the deal." In part two of our conversation with Stavros Papadopoulos , founder of TileDB, we delve into his journey from academia to entrepreneurship. Stavros shares his experiences at MIT and Intel, and the serendipitous events that led to the founding of his company. He details the transition from working on cutting-edge database systems to identifying a market need in the life sciences sector, particularly in handling complex genomic data. Stavros's background in computer science and his work at the intersection of Intel and MIT uniquely positioned him to tackle the challenges of building a new type of database system. His journey highlights the importance of proactivity, networking, and being prepared for unexpected opportunities. He also shares valuable insights on the realities of starting a database company, including the significant funding requirements and the necessity of continuous learning. Key topics covered: Transition from academia to entrepreneurship: Seizing opportunities at MIT and Intel Developing TileDB: C reating a novel database system for complex data types Fundraising journey: From angel investors to venture capital Challenges of starting a database company: High costs and talent requirements Importance of mentorship and building win-win relationships in tech entrepreneurship: Key strategies for success If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Stavros Papadopoulos, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stavrospap/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiledb-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Mentions: Resources & Articles: Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup by Bill Aulet: https://www.d-eship.com/ Zero to IPO by Frederic Kerrest: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/book-day-zero-ipo-frederic-kerrest-summary-mircea-ioan-soit-kvspe/ TileDB database technology: https://cloud.tiledb.com/academy/what-is-tiledb/ Genomics DB (precursor to TileDB): https://www.tiledb.com/blog/population-genomics-data-with-tiledb MIT Technology Licensing Office: https://tlo.mit.edu/ Broad Institute's VCF (Variant Call Format): https://www.broadinstitute.org/publications/broad12186 Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine (RCIGM): https://radygenomics.org/begin-ngs-newborn-sequencing/ UK Biobank: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/ Companies & People: Intel: https://www.intel.com/ MIT: https://www.mit.edu/ TileDB: https://tiledb.com/ Broad Institute: https://www.broadinstitute.org/ Nexus Venture Partners: https://nexusvp.com/ Sam Madden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-madden-8ba0835/ Frederic Kerrest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fkerrest/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:24 Transitioning from Hong Kong to MIT/Intel 11:30 The importance of proactivity and hustle in seizing opportunities 20:59 Working on database systems at MIT/Intel 29:08 The serendipitous encounter that led to starting TileDB 32:16 Developing TileDB: A database for non-tabular data and machine learning 35:30 Solving scalability issues for the Broad Institute 36:55 Raising initial funding and spinning out TileDB from MIT/Intel 37:26 Challenges of starting a database business 38:15 Structuring TileDB's launch as a win-win for all stakeholders 39:47 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Stavros Papadopoulos: A Journey in Computer Science & Data Management (Part 1/4) 53:43
53:43 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked53:43
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Likedaccelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If you are capable of acquiring knowledge, of applying the knowledge, and you like it, you can succeed. It doesn't matter what it is." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we delve into Stavros Papadopoulos ' transformative journey from Greece to Hong Kong, exploring his experiences as a PhD student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Stavros shares how a chance encounter on a bus and his professor's last-minute recommendation led him to pursue his doctorate in Hong Kong, a decision that would shape his career and personal life. Stavros describes Hong Kong as the "best city in the world," highlighting the perfect balance between intense academic rigor and vibrant city life. He explains how the university's unique environment, with students working late into the night and a campus integrated into the natural landscape, fostered both hard work and adventure. Stavros also touches on his research focus, which evolved from spatiotemporal databases to data security and cryptography, and how he learned valuable skills that continue to shape his career to this day. Key topics covered: The Power of Mentorship: How guidance from family, professors, and peers influenced Stavros' academic journey Choosing Hong Kong: Balancing academic excellence with quality of life in selecting a PhD program HKUST Experience: Rigorous academics, supportive professors, and a vibrant student community Research Evolution: Transitioning from spatiotemporal databases to data security and cryptography Work-Life Balance: Maintaining high academic performance while enjoying Hong Kong's unique offerings If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Stavros Papadopoulos, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stavrospap/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiledb-inc/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: Spatiotemporal Databases: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatiotemporal_database Data Security and Cryptography in Database Management: https://datastackshow.com/podcast/what-is-a-universal-database-featuring-stavros-papadopoulos-of-tiledb-inc/ MIT CSAIL: https://www.csail.mit.edu/ TileDB Universal Database: https://docs.tiledb.com/cloud/concepts/universal-data-management Genomics Data Management: https://tiledb.com/blog/population-genomics-is-a-data-management-problem LiDAR Data Processing: https://tiledb.com/blog/analyzing-lidar-and-sar-data-with-capella-space-and-tiledb Big Data in Telecommunications: https://startups.epam.com/blog/big-data-analytics-for-telecommunications Venture Capital Funding for Tech Startups: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/venturecapital.asp Companies & people mentioned: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: https://hkust.edu.hk/ TileDB: https://tiledb.com/ HKUST: https://iau-hesd.net/university/hong-kong-university-science-and-technology MIT: https://www.mit.edu/ Intel: https://www.intel.com/ Dimitris Papadias: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimitris-papadias-8429b423a Yanis Manolopoulos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannis-manolopoulos-47989514/?originalSubdomain=gr Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:47 Early Inclination Towards Learning and Competitiveness 03:52 Grandmother's Gift of First Computer 07:23 Cousin's Advice: A Plan for Computer Science and Silicon Valley 12:23 Mentorship and Guidance 17:18 University Experience and Disappointment 21:34 Tips for Getting into Top US Schools 27:36 Serendipitous Encounter on a Bus: Hong Kong Beckons 36:10 Balancing Hard Work and Enjoyment 42:24 Hong Kong's Unique Appeal and University Life 48:20 Research Focus: Spatiotemporal Databases and Data Security 53:06 Data Security and Cryptographic Techniques 53:36 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Becky Beattie: Scaling LaunchBio & Democratizing Biotech Entrepreneurship (Part 2/2) 1:05:36
1:05:36 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked1:05:36
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . "If I'm not building something, then I'm probably not going to be doing it for long. That's the fun part." In part two of our conversation with Becky Beattie , CEO of LaunchBio, we explore her journey scaling a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting early-stage life science founders. Becky shares how she transitioned from BioLabs to LaunchBio, initially joining what she jokingly calls "a lunch club," and eventually stepping into leadership during the pandemic. She details LaunchBio's evolution from local programming to a national organization connecting biotech entrepreneurs with critical resources and capital. Becky's background in both science and real estate uniquely positioned her to understand the challenges of biotech startups, particularly around shared lab spaces and ecosystem development. Her leadership at LaunchBio has focused on creating targeted connections between founders and investors while expanding into new markets and launching initiatives for underrepresented entrepreneurs. Key topics covered: Building LaunchBio: From "lunch club" to national nonprofit supporting early-stage life science founders Navigating leadership challenges: Taking the CEO role during a pandemic and pivoting to virtual programming Creating Investor Connect: Developing curated matchmaking between startups and appropriate VCs Expanding biotech ecosystems: Building thriving life science hubs in emerging markets like Dallas Launching HiveBio: A new accelerator program for underrepresented founders in the life sciences If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Becky Beattie, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-beattie-68927a9/ Website: https://launchbio.org/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: Resources & articles mentioned: Investor Connect https://launchbio.org/programs/investor-connect/ NextGen VC Podcast https://launchbio.org/nextgen-vc-podcast/ Invest in Cures Forum https://launchbio.org/programs/invest-in-cures/ EDA Build to Scale Grant https://www.eda.gov/funding/programs/build-to-scale UCSD Gene Therapy Initiative https://genetherapy.ucsd.edu/ Companies & people mentioned: LaunchBio: https://launchbio.org/ HiveBio: https://www.hivebio.io/ BioLabs: https://www.biolabs.io/ Pegasus Park https://pegasuspark.com/ Phase Three: https://phasethreere.com/ Biocom: https://www.biocom.org/ Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com/ Connect: https://connect.org/ Susie Harborth https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharborth/ Johannes Fruehauf https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannesfruehauf/ Joan Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/joansrose/ Kelly Huang https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellychuang/ Caroline Okun https://www.linkedin.com/in/brainsarepretty/ Meredith Martindale https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmartindale/ Melissa Schmidt https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissakschmidt/ Sasha Farina https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-farina/ Nirav Shah https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahnirav321/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:09 Returning to life sciences and meeting Susie Harborth 04:47 Joining BioLabs and the shared lab space movement 07:33 The origins of LaunchBio as a "lunch club" 12:47 Challenges of shared lab spaces and building biotech ecosystems 20:01 Joining LaunchBio and focusing on early-stage life science founders 25:11 Transitioning LaunchBio during COVID and scaling nationally 31:22 Taking on the CEO role at LaunchBio during the pandemic 37:51 Launching Investor Connect to strategically match startups with VCs 40:17 Building biotech ecosystems in Dallas and other emerging markets 45:17 Launching HiveBio, an accelerator for underrepresented founders 51:20 The Invest in Cures Forum and rare disease funding initiatives 55:54 Closing reflections and shoutouts 01:03:24 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Becky Beattie: From Rural Beginnings to Building a National Biotech Network (Part 1) 1:02:42
1:02:42 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked1:02:42
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing or having fun, why are you doing it? Combine that with hard work and you can achieve cool things.” In part one of our conversation with Becky Beattie , CEO of LaunchBio, we trace her unconventional path from rural San Jose pig farmer to biotech ecosystem builder. Becky shares how her early entrepreneurial grit, scientific curiosity, and business acumen converged to shape her career – including surviving a life-altering spinal injury and pioneering shared lab spaces. Becky holds dual degrees in molecular biology and business from the University of Colorado Boulder. Before leading LaunchBio, she honed her skills in life science sales (SeraCare, Eppendorf), strategic marketing (Comprendia), and real estate innovation (ROC Shared Workspace). Key topics covered: Growing up in 4-H raising pigs: Early lessons in economics and grit Mixing science & business: Blending molecular biology training with business strategy at CU Boulder Cold-calling challenges: Cutting teeth in biotech sales at SeraCare Life Sciences Pivoting through crisis: How a spinal cord injury reshaped career priorities Building the shared lab space movement: Pre-WeWork innovation for life sciences If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Becky Beattie, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-beattie-68927a9/ Website: https://launchbio.org/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & Mentions: Resources & articles mentioned: LaunchBio’s Larger Than Life Program: https://www.launchbio.org/programs/larger-than-life Founder Circle Peer Advisory Forums: https://launchbio.org/programs/founders-circle/ SBIR Grants: https://www.excedr.com/blog/sbir-grants-guide STTR Grants: https://www.excedr.com/blog/sttr-grants-guide Build to Scale Grant Program: https://www.eda.gov/funding-opportunies UCSD Gene Therapy Initiative: https://healthsciences.ucsd.edu/innovation Companies & people mentioned: LaunchBio: https://launchbio.org/ Eppendorf: https://www.eppendorf.com/ BioLabs: https://www.biolabs.io/ Heinrich Netheler: https://corporate.eppendorf.com/en/company/history/founders/ Hans Hinz: https://corporate.eppendorf.com/en/company/history/founders/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:15 Becky's early life and entrepreneurial experiences 05:55 College years and combining science with business 11:45 First job in biotech sales at SeraCare Life Sciences 16:44 Transition to Eppendorf and capital equipment sales 24:50 Balancing career and family after having children 31:03 Spinal cord injury and two-year recovery period 36:22 Return to work in real estate with ROC shared workspace 42:26 Lessons learned from sales and relationship-building 46:52 The importance of marketing and business strategy 51:23 Reflections on career pivots and personal growth 55:05 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Dr. Kate Yen: Scaling a Biotech, Running Lean, & Utilizing Translational Biology (Part 2) 51:30
51:30 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked51:30
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr —helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science. As a TBSP listener, you get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners . “I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur, but when I couldn’t find a company doing what I believed in, I built my own.” In part two of our conversation with Kate Yen , Founder and CEO of Auron Therapeutics, we explore her journey from leading a novel cancer therapy program at Agios to founding her own biotech company. Kate shares insights into drug development, clinical trials, and the business of biotech, highlighting the importance of translational biology, strategic partnerships, and lean operations in building a successful biotech startup. Kate earned her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from UCLA, where she also completed her postdoc. Before Auron, she held roles at Merck and as a UCLA professor before joining Agios Pharmaceuticals, where she led the IDH translational research team behind two FDA-approved IDH mutant inhibitors and co-led the discovery of vorasidenib, a promising glioma therapy now in clinical development. Key topics covered: Navigating clinical trials from discovery to FDA approval with a biomarker-driven approach The importance of translational biology and how Auron integrates it from day one Building a lean biotech startup , from early fundraising to assembling a high-impact team Securing big pharma partnerships in a challenging biotech market Leveraging AI and machine learning to map cancer biology and identify new drug targets If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Kate Yen, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-yen-448b22108/ Website: https://www.aurontx.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee Learn more about Excedr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com Resources & articles mentioned: The Role of Translational Biology in Drug Development: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359644612004060 Navigating Clinical Trials: https://www.fda.gov/patients/learn-about-drug-and-device-approvals/drug-development-process Building & Running a Lean Biotech Startup: https://www.lablaunch.org/post/building-a-lean-biotech-startup Biotech Startup Fundraising Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Biotech Partnerships - How Partnerships Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research How to Bootstrap Your Biotech Startup & Scale: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup How to Choose the Right CRO for Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/contract-research-organizations How Much Does Lab Space Cost? https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-much-does-lab-space-cost Top VC Firms for Biotech in 2024 - Supporting Innovation & Growth: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech 50 Biotech Seed & Angel Investors to Check Out in 2025: https://www.excedr.com/blog/biotech-seed-and-angel-investors Companies & people mentioned: Auron Therapeutics: https://www.aurontx.com/ Merck: https://www.merck.com/ Agios Pharmaceuticals: https://www.agios.com/ UCLA: https://www.ucla.edu/ Princeton University: https://www.princeton.edu/ Charles Sawyers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sawyers Lew Cantley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_C._Cantley David Schenkein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-schenkein-md-45342476/ Mike Carey: https://www.uclahealth.org/cancer/members/michael-carey Ruben Shaw: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reuben-shaw-1b8611109/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:10 Kate Yen’s transition into leadership at Agios 05:39 Navigating clinical trials and biomarker-driven decision-making 10:29 The importance of translational biology in drug development 14:19 Taking the leap to start Auron Therapeutics 18:36 Raising early funding and building a lean biotech startup 26:41 Leveraging AI and machine learning in cancer drug discovery 30:58 Running a biotech startup with a sustainable and transparent culture 41:07 Fundraising strategies to expanding Auron’s platform beyond oncology 47:08 Closing questions for Kate 49:35 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Kate Yen - Part 1 | From Academia to Biotech Leader | Translating Research into Cancer Therapies | Early Days at Merck & Agios 51:33
51:33 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked51:33
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 2 : Our guest today is Kate Yen, Founder and CEO of Auron Therapeutics. Auron Therapeutics leverages cutting-edge science and AI-powered analysis to develop next-generation cancer therapies by mapping key drivers of tumorigenesis. Kate earned her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from UCLA, where she also completed her postdoc. She held roles at Merck and as a UCLA professor before joining Agios Pharmaceuticals, where she led the IDH translational research team behind two FDA-approved IDH mutant inhibitors and co-led the discovery of vorasidenib, a promising glioma therapy now in clinical development. With deep expertise in preclinical and clinical research, a proven track record in advancing breakthrough therapies, and a passion for oncology, Kate’s journey and insights are invaluable. In this episode, you'll hear about: Kate Yen’s journey from aspiring physician to PhD researcher at UCLA How her postdoc in Charles Sawyers’ lab sparked her passion for translational research Transitioning from academia to industry and learning drug discovery at Merck Taking the leap to join Agios Pharmaceuticals and leading the IDH program The role of collaboration in biotech, from academia to CRO partnerships If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Find Our Guest, Kate Yen, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-yen-448b22108/ https://www.aurontx.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Auron Therapeutics: https://www.aurontx.com/ Merck: https://www.merck.com/ Agios Pharmaceuticals: https://www.agios.com/ UCLA: https://www.ucla.edu/ Princeton University: https://www.princeton.edu/ Biotech Startup Fundraising: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Biotech Accelerators: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-accelerators Biotech Incubators: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-incubators Top VC Firms for Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech 50 Biotech Seed & Angel Investors: https://www.excedr.com/blog/biotech-seed-and-angel-investors Guide to Choosing a CRO: https://www.excedr.com/blog/contract-research-organizations Guide to Choosing a CMO: https://www.excedr.com/blog/contract-manufacturing-organizations People Mentioned: Charles Sawyers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sawyers Lew Cantley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_C._Cantley David Schenkein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-schenkein-md-45342476/ Mike Carey: https://www.uclahealth.org/cancer/members/michael-carey Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:01 Kate Yen’s background and Auron Therapeutics’ mission 04:40 Early influences and passion for research 06:27 Choosing academia over medicine, attending UCLA grad school 13:11 Postdoc with Charles Sawyers and translational research 16:58 Transitioning to industry and joining Merck 24:44 Learning drug discovery and pharma culture at Merck 32:32 Taking the leap to Agios Pharmaceuticals 37:42 Leading the IDH program and cancer research 44:43 Collaborating with academic labs and CROs 50:28 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Oguzhan Atay - Part 2 | From Immigrant to Biotech Innovator | Battling Deportation with Nobel Laureate Support | Building a $140M Prenatal Testing Empire 1:04:56
1:04:56 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked1:04:56
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 2 : Our guest today is Oguzhan Atay, Co-founder & CEO of BillionToOne. BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company that quantifies biology to create powerful molecular diagnostics. They work to improve disease detection by counting molecules with their proprietary molecular counting platform. They place patients at the forefront of everything they do and are currently applying their proprietary technology to non-invasive prenatal screening and liquid biopsy. Oguzhan holds a Ph.D. from Stanford in Systems Biology, where he implemented machine learning algorithms and mathematical models to solve specific problems in cellular biology and developed a data-driven mathematical framework to simplify the analysis of complex biological networks. He also has a degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton, as well as minors in Computer Science, Physics, and Applied Mathematics. Oguzhan not only combines deep technical expertise with visionary leadership, but he also has an incredibly inspirational immigrant journey, which makes this series a must-listen for first-time founders, scientists, and industry leaders alike. In this episode, you'll hear about: Oguzhan's journey from Turkey to Stanford BillionToOne's origin, including Y Combinator's role and initial funding challenges The company's innovative prenatal testing approach Expansion into oncology with blood tests for therapy selection and monitoring Oguzhan's personal struggles with immigration issues while starting the company and the support of his mentors If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Find Our Guest, Oguzhan Atay, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oatay/ https://billiontoone.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: BillionToOne https://billiontoone.com/ Y Combinator https://www.ycombinator.com/ Common Mistakes Biotechs Make & How to Avoid Them https://www.excedr.com/blog/common-business-mistakes How to Fund an R&D Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps Guide to the Venture Capitalist Decision https://www.excedr.com/resources/guide-to-the-venture-capitalist-decision-making-process People Mentioned: David Tsao https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtsao/ Jim Collins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C._Collins Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:28 - The origin of BillionToOne and early challenges 06:48 - Y Combinator's role and initial funding struggles 12:24 - Meeting co-founders and pivoting based on market needs 17:17 - Realizing the importance of the problem in the United States 24:11 - Building physical infrastructure and scaling operations 32:04 - Company culture, hiring philosophy, and growth strategy 38:55 - Expanding into oncology and future product lines 46:40 - Plans for going public and becoming a generational company 53:42 - Shoutouts to supporters and overcoming immigration challenges 59:34 - Advice to his 21-year-old self: keeping an open mind 01:02:51 - Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Oguzhan Atay - Part 1 | From Small-Town Turkey to Stanford PhD | Solving Cell Cycle Mysteries | Building a Biotech During a Global Pandemic 1:00:46
1:00:46 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked1:00:46
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 2 : Our guest today is Oguzhan Atay, Co-founder & CEO of BillionToOne. BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company that quantifies biology to create powerful molecular diagnostics. They work to improve disease detection by counting molecules with their proprietary molecular counting platform. They place patients at the forefront of everything they do and are currently applying their proprietary technology to non-invasive prenatal screening and liquid biopsy. Oguzhan holds a Ph.D. from Stanford in Systems Biology, where he implemented machine learning algorithms and mathematical models to solve specific problems in cellular biology and developed a data-driven mathematical framework to simplify the analysis of complex biological networks. He also has a degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton, as well as minors in Computer Science, Physics, and Applied Mathematics. Oguzhan not only combines deep technical expertise with visionary leadership, but he also has an incredibly inspirational immigrant journey, which makes this series a must-listen for first-time founders, scientists, and industry leaders alike. In this episode, you'll hear about: Oguzhan's upbringing in a small Turkish town His early passion for science, deciding to become a scientist at just 10 years old Oguzhan's experience in Turkey's rigorous education system His transition to studying at Princeton Oguzhan's PhD journey at Stanford If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Find Our Guest, Oguzhan Atay, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oatay/ https://billiontoone.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Princeton https://www.princeton.edu/ Stanford https://www.stanford.edu/ BillionToOne https://billiontoone.com/ Common Mistakes Biotechs Make & How to Avoid Them https://www.excedr.com/blog/common-business-mistakes How to Fund an R&D Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps Guide to the Venture Capitalist Decision https://www.excedr.com/resources/guide-to-the-venture-capitalist-decision-making-process People Mentioned: Jan Skotheim https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-skotheim-5157a426a/ Daniel Fisher https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-fisher-5466812a/ Jacques Fresco https://www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/people/082222/in-memoriam-jacques-fresco Max Delbruck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Delbr%C3%BCck Linus Pauling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Pauling J. Robert Oppenheimer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Robert_Oppenheimer Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 05:41 - Oguzhan's upbringing in Turkey and his parents' emphasis on education 10:22 - Competitive nature of the Turkish education system 15:18 - Oguzhan's decision to attend Princeton for undergraduate studies 21:28 - Integrated science program at Princeton and interdisciplinary approach 26:57 - Oguzhan's experience at the University of Oxford 32:20 - Choosing Stanford for PhD studies 38:21 - Oguzhan's PhD research at Stanford in cell cycle control 43:24 - The importance of resilience in scientific research and entrepreneurship 48:54 - BillionToOne's challenges and creative solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic 55:47 - How overcoming challenges led to unprecedented growth for BillionToOne 59:41 - Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Parag Shah - Part 2 | Scaling a Multi-Billion Dollar Life Sciences Fund | Culture, Capital & Entrepreneurship | The K2 HealthVentures Story 1:04:27
1:04:27 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked1:04:27
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 2 : Our guest today is Parag Shah, CEO and Founding Managing Director of K2 HealthVentures. K2 HealthVentures is an alternative investment firm that provides flexible, long-term financing solutions to innovative private and public companies in the life sciences and healthcare industries. Committed to making a broader impact, K2 also donates a percentage of its profits to support underserved areas in healthcare. Before founding K2, Parag was Senior Managing Director & Group Head of the Life Sciences practice at Hercules Capital, where he led the fund’s public offering and managed over $2 billion in investments. His deep expertise in life science and healthcare financing was further shaped through key leadership roles at Comerica, Imperial Bank, and BankBoston.Parag’s academic background includes a Masters in Environmental Policy & Planning and a Bachelors in Molecular Biology from MIT, where he conducted research at the Whitehead Institute. With 25+ years of experience at the intersection of science and finance, Parag brings invaluable insights for first-time founders, investors, scientists, and industry leaders navigating the complexities of biotech funding. In this episode, you'll hear about: How Parag scaled Hercules Capital into a multi-billion-dollar life sciences fund The challenges of building a strong company culture in investment firms Why evergreen capital structures can be a game-changer for biotech startups The founding story of K2 HealthVentures and its mission-driven approach How balancing work, family, and entrepreneurship leads to long-term success If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Find Our Guest, Parag Shah, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paragshah333/ https://k2hv.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: K2 HealthVentures: https://www.k2healthventures.com/ Hercules Capital: https://www.htgc.com/ Cooley LLP: https://www.cooley.com/ Life Science Cares: https://lifesciencecares.org/ Debt vs. Equity Financing for Biotech Startups: https://www.excedr.com/resources/debt-equity-options-funding-startup Biotech Startup Fundraising: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Roy Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roy-liu-36a35/ Anup Arora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anup-arora-368ba81/ Meghan FitzGerald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanmfitzgerald/ John Hale: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hale-770158b/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:54 Early days at Hercules and the challenge of biotech debt 06:14 Scaling Hercules, taking it public, and leadership lessons 11:34 Public vs. private investment funds: Key trade-offs and pressures 19:18 Leaving Hercules, taking a break, and redefining priorities 25:35 Avoiding burnout: Balancing work, family, and entrepreneurship 29:04 How time and capital constraints drive better decision-making 33:52 Founding K2 HealthVentures and reshaping biotech venture debt 39:01 Evergreen investment structure and why it benefits startups 46:59 The importance of co-founders, team culture, and shared vision 53:32 Scaling K2, launching a foundation, and investing with purpose 01:02:24 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Parag Shah - Part 1 | Rethinking Biotech Startup Funding | Building Smarter Capital Strategies | Risk, Reward & Leadership in Investing 47:10
47:10 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked47:10
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 2 : Our guest today is Parag Shah, CEO and Founding Managing Director of K2 HealthVentures. K2 HealthVentures is an alternative investment firm that provides flexible, long-term financing solutions to innovative private and public companies in the life sciences and healthcare industries. Committed to making a broader impact, K2 also donates a percentage of its profits to support underserved areas in healthcare. Before founding K2, Parag was Senior Managing Director & Group Head of the Life Sciences practice at Hercules Capital, where he led the fund’s public offering and managed over $2 billion in investments. His deep expertise in life science and healthcare financing was further shaped through key leadership roles at Comerica, Imperial Bank, and BankBoston.Parag’s academic background includes a Masters in Environmental Policy & Planning and a Bachelors in Molecular Biology from MIT, where he conducted research at the Whitehead Institute. With 25+ years of experience at the intersection of science and finance, Parag brings invaluable insights for first-time founders, investors, scientists, and industry leaders navigating the complexities of biotech funding. In this episode, you'll hear about: How Parag’s NYC upbringing shaped his leadership and risk-taking mindset His transition from molecular biology to finance and investing Key lessons from his early career in credit and venture lending How he helped shape biotech venture credit and redefine startup financing When to use debt vs. equity in life sciences fundraising If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4 Find Our Guest, Parag Shah, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paragshah333/ https://k2hv.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: K2 HealthVentures: https://www.k2healthventures.com/ Hercules Capital: https://www.htgc.com/ BankBoston (now part of Bank of America): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BankBoston Imperial Bank (acquired by Comerica): https://www.comerica.com/ Venture Debt in Biotech: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/rise-venture-debt-and-when-biotechs-should-and-shouldnt-use-it Equity vs. Debt Financing: https://www.excedr.com/resources/debt-equity-options-funding-startup Biotech Startup Fundraising: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Risk-Taking & Leadership in Startups: Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Scaling Biotech Companies: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/scaling-up-overcoming-multifaceted-challenges-growing-rami-levin-njoqe/ People Mentioned: Larry Suskind: https://dusp.mit.edu/people/lawrence-susskind John Ehrenfeld: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnehrenfeld/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:59 Parag’s background and early career in finance 06:24 Growing up in NYC and how his parents influenced his mindset 09:42 The impact of education and key mentors in shaping his path 15:11 Transitioning from science to finance, why he left the lab 19:56 Lessons from Bank Boston and entering the world of credit investing 24:32 Moving to Argentina and unexpected entry into banking 29:56 Joining Imperial Bank and the challenges of building biotech venture credit 36:37 Understanding risk-taking and decision-making in biotech financing 42:52 When startups should use debt vs. equity and how venture debt fits into biotech funding 46:02 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Jason C. Foster - Part 2 | Manufacturing Brighter Futures | From Richmond to London: Building a Biotech Empire | Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast 1:04:58
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 2 : My guest today is Jason C. Foster, CEO and Executive Director of Ori Biotech. Ori is revolutionizing Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing through the development of its proprietary platform, IRO®. By automating and standardizing Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing, Ori and IRO® offer scientists the tools they need to streamline development and support widespread patient access to life-saving treatments. Jason's experience prior to Ori includes more than 20 years of life science leadership in operations, sales, marketing, technology, and investing, during which he developed deep expertise in commercial strategy and a thorough understanding of healthcare markets across the UK, US, and EU. In this episode, you'll hear about: Jason Foster's journey from Virginia to London The critical role of culture in company success Ori Biotech's mission to increase accessibility of cell therapies by developing scalable manufacturing solutions Challenges in commercializing cell therapies and the need to consider commercial viability alongside safety and efficacy Jason's leadership insights, including the concept of being a "trusted advisor" and the importance of transparency in team building If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Jason C. Foster, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncfoster/ https://oribiotech.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Ori Biotech https://oribiotech.com/ How to Spin Out of Academia https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup How VC-Backed Startups Win When They Lease https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-vc-backed-startups-win-when-they-lease Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs People Mentioned: Farlan Veraitch https://www.linkedin.com/in/farlan-singh-veraitch-a677112/ Reed Hastings https://www.linkedin.com/in/reedhastings/ Dan Pink https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpink/ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 05:21 - Early days of expanding the business in Europe 10:37 - Reflections on entrepreneurship within a large organization 15:44 - The importance of culture in building a successful company 20:35 - Jason's journey to founding Ori Biotech 27:22 - Building Ori Biotech from the ground up 33:35 - The challenges and potential of cell therapy 39:51 - Ori Biotech's approach to go-to-market strategy 46:09 - The importance of being a trusted advisor to clients 51:10 - Hiring for cultural fit and building a strong team 55:17 - Future plans for Ori Biotech 57:59 - Shoutouts to mentors and supporters 1:00:05 - Advice to his 21-year-old self 1:02:48 - Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Jason C. Foster - Part 1 | From Paper Routes to Pharma | Navigating the Dot-Com Bubble | Building a $1B Addiction Medicine Business in 4 Years 55:44
55:44 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked55:44
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 2 : My guest today is Jason C. Foster, CEO and Executive Director of Ori Biotech. Ori is revolutionizing Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing through the development of its proprietary platform, IRO®. By automating and standardizing Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing, Ori and IRO® offer scientists the tools they need to streamline development and support widespread patient access to life-saving treatments. Jason's experience prior to Ori includes more than 20 years of life science leadership in operations, sales, marketing, technology, and investing, during which he developed deep expertise in commercial strategy and a thorough understanding of healthcare markets across the UK, US, and EU. In this episode, you'll hear about: Jason Foster's early entrepreneurship, from paper routes to creative ventures His transformative time at Columbia Business School, learning valuable lessons about decision-making and international perspectives Jason's entry into healthcare through Merck-Medco His experience growing a small pharmaceutical company from 5 to 400 employees, focusing on addiction medicine The decision to move his family to London to start the European branch of the business If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Jason Foster, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncfoster/ https://oribiotech.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: University of Virginia https://www.virginia.edu/ Columbia University https://www.columbia.edu/ Merck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck_%26_Co . Medco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medco_Health_Solutions How to Spin Out of Academia https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup How VC-Backed Startups Win When They Lease https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-vc-backed-startups-win-when-they-lease Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs People Mentioned: Larry Sabato https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Sabato Emma Walmsley https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmawalmsleygsk/?originalSubdomain=uk Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 04:51 Early years and entrepreneurial experiences 10:10 College decision process and time at the University of Virginia 18:05 Jason's experience in Washington D.C. and introduction to healthcare policy 20:57 Jason's decision to pursue an MBA at Columbia University 25:04 Memorable lessons from Columbia MBA program 30:47 Jason's transition to the private sector and joining Merck Medco 36:41 Insights on effective sales techniques in the pharmaceutical industry 43:19 Jason's career progression after Columbia and joining Medco Health Solutions 51:02 Jason's move to a small pharmaceutical company in Richmond, Virginia 54:59 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Rafael Rosengarten - Part 4 | Lessons in Scaling a Biotech Startup | Using AI to Transform Cancer Diagnostics | The Genialis Supermodel & krasID 40:52
40:52 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked40:52
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 4 of 4 : My guest today is Rafael Rosengarten, CEO and Co-Founder of Genialis, the RNA biomarker company. Genialis is reimagining biomarkers for every target, drug, and patient using a combination of precision oncology, RNA, and AI. Rafael, a biomedical research veteran, combines academic excellence with industry innovation. A Dartmouth graduate with a Yale doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he co-invented the j5 DNA assembly tool. As co-founder of the Alliance for AI in Healthcare, he advocates for responsible AI integration in medicine, drawing from his extensive background in evolution, immunology, bioengineering, and genetics. In this episode, you'll hear about: Scaling Genialis during COVID-19 and refining the company’s mission The importance of company culture and building a motivated, cohesive team Developing krasID and the Genialis supermodel to advance cancer diagnostics Raising Series A funding amid biotech market challenges The role of leadership and innovation in driving biotech success and shaping the future of precision oncology. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Rafael Rosengarten, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rrosengarten/ https://www.genialis.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Genialis: https://www.genialis.com/ Taiwania Capital: https://www.taiwaniacapital.com/ Debiopharm Innovation Fund: https://www.debiopharm.com/innovation-fund/ Genialis krasID: https://www.genialis.com/krasid/ Genialis Supermodel: https://www.genialis.com/supermodel/ How to Bootstrap a Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup Biotech Funding Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Top VCs in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech AI in Cancer Diagnostics: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2020.588221/full Predictive Biomarkers in Oncology: https://oncologypro.esmo.org/education-library/esmo-books/esmo-handbooks/translational-research/predictive-biomarkers How Biotech Partnerships Support Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research People Mentioned: Cheng Wu (Founding Partner, Taiwania Capital): https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheng-wu-4614a8a/ Tiasha Stanković (COO, Head of People at Genialis): https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjasakk/?originalSubdomain=si Luka Ausec (Chief Discovery Officer at Genialis): https://www.linkedin.com/in/luka-ausec-378009150/ Miha Štajdohar (Co-founder, CTO at Genialis): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mstajdohar/ Marinka Zitnik (AI Researcher, Associate Professor of Bioinformatics): https://dbmi.hms.harvard.edu/people/marinka-zitnik Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:04 Scaling Genialis during COVID-19 and adapting as CEO 04:27 How pivotal clients influence a startup’s growth path 07:15 Addressing critical mistakes in clinical data pipelines 09:43 Redefining Genialis’ mission and fostering strong culture 12:19 Adapting to remote work while reinforcing team values 14:57 Raising Series A funding amid challenging market conditions 20:50 The importance of team culture and resilience 25:37 The Genialis supermodel and its impact on oncology AI 29:12 Two-year vision for Genialis and its three pillars 32:59 Closing questions and advice for entrepreneurs 38:59 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Rafael Rosengarten - Part 3 | Leveraging AI in Precision Medicine | How Predictive Biomarkers Transform Oncology | Lessons from Scaling a Startup 32:16
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 3 of 4 : My guest today is Rafael Rosengarten, CEO and Co-Founder of Genialis, the RNA biomarker company. Genialis is reimagining biomarkers for every target, drug, and patient using a combination of precision oncology, RNA, and AI. Rafael, a biomedical research veteran, combines academic excellence with industry innovation. A Dartmouth graduate with a Yale doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he co-invented the j5 DNA assembly tool. As co-founder of the Alliance for AI in Healthcare, he advocates for responsible AI integration in medicine, drawing from his extensive background in evolution, immunology, bioengineering, and genetics. In this episode, you'll hear about: Rafael’s move to Baylor College of Medicine and Houston’s vibrant medical community Innovations in molecular cloning and synthetic biology tools at Baylor Bridging biology and AI through collaborations with University of Ljubljana researchers Founding Genialis and shifting its focus to predictive biomarker development Lessons from biotech pivots that shaped Genialis as a leader in precision oncology If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Rafael Rosengarten, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rrosengarten/ https://www.genialis.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Baylor College of Medicine: https://www.bcm.edu/ University of Ljubljana: https://www.uni-lj.si/en/university Genialis: https://www.genialis.com/ Lab Equipment List, Synthetic Biology Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/lab-equipment-list-for-synthetic-biology-research How to Bootstrap Your Biotech Startup & Scale: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup When & How to Pivot a Biotech Startup: https://www.excedr.com/blog/when-how-to-pivot-a-biotech-startup Biotech Startup Support Resources: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support The Role of Machine Learning in Biotech: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/machine-learning-biotech-fundamentals-divya-ramamoorthy-blhte/ Predictive Biomarkers in Oncology: https://oncologypro.esmo.org/education-library/esmo-books/esmo-handbooks/translational-research/predictive-biomarkers AI and Omics Analysis in Cancer Research: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2020.588221/full Collaborative Biotech Partnerships: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research People Mentioned: Gad Shaulsky: https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/gad-shaulsky-30425 Adam Kuspa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-kuspa-23bab836/ Blaž Zupan: https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/blaz-zupan-33768 Marinka Zitnik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinkaz/ Miha Štajdohar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mstajdohar/?originalSubdomain=si Laura Benjamin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-e-benjamin-04299b34/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:11 Rafael’s move to Houston and postdoc at Baylor College of Medicine 04:09 Collaborating with mentors and early breakthroughs in molecular cloning 07:01 Joining the Gulf Coast Consortium and blending bench science with computational tools 09:44 Transformative partnership with AI pioneers from the University of Ljubljana 13:30 How early machine learning tools shaped Rafael’s career and perspective 17:04 Founding Genialis and the early challenges of pivoting its focus 19:59 Learning from failures and how they shaped Genialis’ mission 23:21 The role of predictive biomarkers in oncology and their real-world impact 27:59 Lessons learned from biotech pivots and navigating the startup world 31:16 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Rafael Rosengarten - Part 2 | From Marine Biology to Synthetic Biology | Building Biofuel Tools at JBEI | When Academic Labs Embrace Entrepreneurship 34:48
34:48 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked34:48
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : My guest today is Rafael Rosengarten, CEO and Co-Founder of Genialis, the RNA biomarker company. Genialis is reimagining biomarkers for every target, drug, and patient using a combination of precision oncology, RNA, and AI. Rafael, a biomedical research veteran, combines academic excellence with industry innovation. A Dartmouth graduate with a Yale doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he co-invented the j5 DNA assembly tool. As co-founder of the Alliance for AI in Healthcare, he advocates for responsible AI integration in medicine, drawing from his extensive background in evolution, immunology, bioengineering, and genetics. In this episode, you'll hear about: Rafael's graduate studies at Yale, where mentors fostered his independent research approach His diverse marine biology and genomics projects, preparing him for synthetic biology Rafael's transition to the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) for synthetic biology and biofuels research The collaborative environment at JBEI, including access to cutting-edge technology and bioinformatics tool development Rafael's insights on choosing the right lab environment and the growing acceptance of entrepreneurship in academia If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Rafael Rosengarten, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rrosengarten/ https://www.genialis.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Yale https://www.yale.edu/ Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) https://www.jbei.org/ Next-Generation Sequencing https://www.excedr.com/blog/next-generation-sequencing-101 How to Spin Out of Academia & Into a Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup What Should Investors & Founders Expect From Each Other https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations How to Fund an R&D Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps People Mentioned: Stephen Dellaporta https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-dellaporta-442aa611/ Leo Buss https://eeb.yale.edu/people/faculty/leo-buss Barbara McClintock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_McClintock Christopher Mason https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-mason-4972a119/ Jonathan Rothberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanrothberg/ Jay Keasling https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-keasling-6783754/ Nathan Hillson https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-hillson-73702915/ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:56 - Rafael's experience with his graduate advisors and diverse research projects 07:45 - Comparison of grad school experience to company building and board members 08:59 - Discussion about Jonathan Rothberg and sequencing developments at Yale 10:06 - Rafael's transition from Yale to the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) 12:46 - The importance of showing up and making connections in person 16:39 - The value of face-to-face interactions in business and collaboration 20:19 - Challenges in the biotech market and the need for in-person networking 23:11 - Rafael's work at JBEI in synthetic biology and tool development 28:22 - Key takeaways from Rafael's experience at JBEI 30:25 - The importance of entrepreneurship in academia and industry 33:55 - Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Rafael Rosengarten - Part 1 | From Salt Marsh to Biotech CEO | Snorkeling into Science | Choosing Marine Biology Over Cooking on a Mediterranean Yacht 30:36
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 1 of 4 : My guest today is Rafael Rosengarten, CEO and Co-Founder of Genialis, the RNA biomarker company. Genialis is reimagining biomarkers for every target, drug, and patient using a combination of precision oncology, RNA, and AI. Rafael, a biomedical research veteran, combines academic excellence with industry innovation. A Dartmouth graduate with a Yale doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he co-invented the j5 DNA assembly tool. As co-founder of the Alliance for AI in Healthcare, he advocates for responsible AI integration in medicine, drawing from his extensive background in evolution, immunology, bioengineering, and genetics. In this episode, you'll hear about: Rafael's upbringing in rural South Carolina, influenced by his parents' intellectual hippie activist background and nature How his French cell biologist uncle sparked his love for science through snorkeling Rafael's journey at Dartmouth, initially pursuing chemistry but ultimately finding his passion in evolutionary biology and ecology His post-college experiences alternating between scientific research and culinary pursuits The pivotal decision to attend a marine biology program at Friday Harbor instead of accepting an offer to cook on a private yacht If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Rafael Rosengarten, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rrosengarten/ https://www.genialis.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Dartmouth https://home.dartmouth.edu/ Bay Wolf https://www.berkeleyside.org/2015/07/01/oaklands-bay-wolf-restaurant-closing-after-40-years Yale https://www.yale.edu/ Chez Panisse https://www.chezpanisse.com/1/ Friday Harbor Laboratories https://fhl.uw.edu/ People Mentioned: Jay Keasling https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-keasling-6783754/ Mark McPeak https://biology.dartmouth.edu/people/mark-alan-mcpeek David Peart https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-peart-251787302/ Carol Folt https://biology.dartmouth.edu/people/carol-l-folt Leo Buss https://eeb.yale.edu/people/faculty/leo-buss Alice Waters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Waters Fanny Singer (Waters) https://thefoldmag.com/arts-culture/a-conversation-with-fanny-singer-about-her-mother-daughter-memoir-always-home Jeremiah Tower https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiah-tower/ Dan Barber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Barber Thomas Keller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Keller Timestamps: 00:49 Intro 02:48 Rafael's upbringing in rural South Carolina and early influences 05:50 Discussing the impact of Rafael's upbringing on his business philosophy 07:44 Rafael's decision to attend Dartmouth College 10:27 Family influence on Rafael's academic pursuits 12:04 Rafael's experiences at Dartmouth and choosing his major 14:30 Summer internship at Bay Wolf restaurant in Oakland 16:55 Influential professors and classmates at Dartmouth 18:22 Post-graduation experiences and working at Yale 23:20 Comparing cooking experiences on the West Coast and East Coast 26:38 Entering Yale's biomedical program and the Friday Harbor experience 29:48 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Cyriac Roeding - Part 4 | Revolutionizing Cancer Detection & Therapy | Harnessing Synthetic Biology to Reshape Diagnostics | Solving Biotech’s Toughest Problems 37:45
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 4 of 4 : My guest today is Cyriac Roeding, founder, investor, and CEO of Earli, a company on a mission to transform cancer into a manageable condition. Using innovative gene therapy approaches, Earli’s technology forces cancer cells to produce a synthetic, non-human biomarker—overcoming the limitations of relying on naturally occurring biomarkers that cancer may or may not provide. Cyriac is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has created ventures at the intersection of physical and digital worlds. He has invested in startups like OpenAI and served as CEO of Shopkick, which was acquired for $250 million. His current focus, Earli, has raised nearly $60 million from top investors. Cyriac's journey from launching his first startup at 15 to being named a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer showcases his valuable insights into building successful startups. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How a Thanksgiving article about Dr. Sam Gambhir inspired the founding of Earli Earli’s groundbreaking approach to revolutionizing cancer detection using synthetic biology The challenges of translating scientific discoveries into real-world clinical applications Overcoming obstacles and achieving breakthroughs in diagnostics and therapeutics Cyriac’s unwavering commitment to transforming cancer into a manageable condition If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Cyriac Roeding, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyriacroeding/ https://www.earli.com/ https://www.joinrewind.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Earli: https://www.earli.com/ Stanford University: https://www.stanford.edu/ Andreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.com/ Marc Benioff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Khosla Ventures: https://www.khoslaventures.com/ Lab Equipment List, Synthetic Biology Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/lab-equipment-list-for-synthetic-biology-research How to Bootstrap Your Biotech Startup & Scale: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup When & How to Pivot a Biotech Startup: https://www.excedr.com/blog/when-how-to-pivot-a-biotech-startup How to Craft a Pitch Deck for Biotech Investors: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-craft-a-pitch-deck-for-biotech-investors Top VC Firms for Biotech in 2024: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech Biotech Startup Support Resources: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Dr. Sam Gambhir: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjiv_Sam_Gambhir David Suhy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsuhy/ Jorge Conde: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-conde-4099225/ Jim Allison: https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/james_allison.html Pam Sharma: https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/padmanee_sharma.html Phil Greenberg: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/faculty-lab-directory/greenberg-philip.html Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:08 How a Thanksgiving article about Dr. Sam Gambhir inspired Earli’s founding 05:43 Meeting Dr. Gambhir and learning biology as a non-scientist entrepreneur 09:02 Discovering the “one idea” that led to Earli’s revolutionary synthetic biology approach 12:54 Earli’s mission to transform cancer detection and diagnostics 17:30 Overcoming major challenges and achieving breakthroughs in diagnostics accuracy 21:54 The emotional and scientific legacy of Dr. Gambhir and its impact on Earli’s vision 26:28 Earli’s innovative approach to bridging diagnostics and therapeutics 30:05 The business potential of Earli’s platform for cancer and other diseases 33:04 Cyriac’s advice on taking the road less traveled as an entrepreneur 35:41 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Cyriac Roeding - Part 3 | Founding Shopkick During the 2008 Financial Crisis | Transforming Retail with Mobile Tech | Exploring AI’s Use in Clinical Trials & Reshaping Drug Development 32:25
32:25 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked32:25
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 3 of 4 : My guest today is Cyriac Roeding, founder, investor, and CEO of Earli, a company on a mission to transform cancer into a manageable condition. Using innovative gene therapy approaches, Earli’s technology forces cancer cells to produce a synthetic, non-human biomarker—overcoming the limitations of relying on naturally occurring biomarkers that cancer may or may not provide. Cyriac is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has created ventures at the intersection of physical and digital worlds. He has invested in startups like OpenAI and served as CEO of Shopkick, which was acquired for $250 million. His current focus, Earli, has raised nearly $60 million from top investors. Cyriac's journey from launching his first startup at 15 to being named a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer showcases his valuable insights into building successful startups. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Launching Shopkick during the 2008 financial crisis and securing funding against the odds Partnering with Best Buy, Macy’s, and Target to pioneer in-store rewards using ultrasound technology Overcoming GPS limitations with innovative hardware solutions Switching from retail tech to life sciences, with a focus on AI and engineering Cyriac’s vision for digital clinical trials to accelerate drug development If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Cyriac Roeding, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyriacroeding/ https://www.earli.com/ https://www.joinrewind.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Earli: https://www.earli.com/ Kleiner Perkins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleiner_Perkins Shopkick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopkick AI in Drug Development & Clinical Trials: https://www.earli.com/post/how-ai-is-powering-earlis-mission Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: John Doerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-doerr-03248211/ Steve Jobs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs Reid Hoffman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidhoffman/ Aaron Emigh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronemigh/ Alexis Rask: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleinoff/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:58 Joining Kleiner Perkins as an entrepreneur-in-residence 05:43 Developing the idea for Shopkick 08:20 Securing Best Buy as a partner and navigating retailer challenges 11:11 Using ultrasound technology to solve GPS limitations for in-store tracking 13:25 Partnering with major brands and scaling Shopkick to profitability 16:25 Transitioning to life sciences and shifting focus to biology and AI 20:18 Exploring the potential of digital clinical trials 24:05 The intersection of biology, engineering, and software as the next frontier 27:57 Cyriac’s vision for the future of drug development 31:30 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Cyriac Roeding - Part 2 | From Digital Clocks to Global Mobile Marketing | Cracking Coca-Cola's 160 Million Bottle Code | Silicon Valley's Pine-Scented Entrepreneurship | Leapfrogging Technology… 30:50
30:50 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked30:50
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : My guest today is Cyriac Roeding, founder, investor, and CEO of Earli, a company on a mission to transform cancer into a manageable condition. Using innovative gene therapy approaches, Earli’s technology forces cancer cells to produce a synthetic, non-human biomarker—overcoming the limitations of relying on naturally occurring biomarkers that cancer may or may not provide. Cyriac is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has created ventures at the intersection of physical and digital worlds. He has invested in startups like OpenAI and served as CEO of Shopkick, which was acquired for $250 million. His current focus, Earli, has raised nearly $60 million from top investors. Cyriac's journey from launching his first startup at 15 to being named a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer showcases his valuable insights into building successful startups. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How Cyriac's early fascination with technology manifested through building a digital clock from scratch The transformative experience in Tokyo that served as a "reset button," exposing him to radical cultural differences His strategic career progression from Roland Berger to McKinsey The pivotal move from a failing mobile auction business to pioneering "mobile marketing" The challenging transition to CBS Mobile, where starting from zero employees allowed him to leapfrog competitors by implementing innovative features If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Links Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Cyriac Roeding, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyriacroeding/ https://www.earli.com/ https://www.joinrewind.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Earli Inc https://www.earli.com/ Roland Berger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Berger_(company) McKinsey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKinsey_%26_Company CBS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS People Mentioned: Chris Burggraeve https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburggraeve/ David Katz https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidakatz1/ Nancy Tellem https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-tellem-5a3b8311/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and recap of previous episode with Cyriac Roeding 02:06 Cyriac's experience moving to Japan and cultural observations 03:58 Early technology interests: building digital clocks and programming robots 07:44 Discussion on trial and error in business and innovation 09:21 First job experiences at Roland Berger consulting in Tokyo and Munich 12:14 Journey to McKinsey and writing "The Secrets of Software Success" 14:09 First visit to Silicon Valley and falling in love with the entrepreneurial spirit 16:20 Starting a mobile technology company during the dot-com era 20:26 Success with Coca-Cola mobile marketing campaign and company profitability 22:01 Moving to CBS and initial challenges in Los Angeles 25:06 Building CBS Mobile strategy and innovative mobile initiatives 27:06 World travels observing mobile phone usage across different cultures 29:52 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Cyriac Roeding - Part 1 | From Flea Market Entrepreneur to Silicon Valley CEO | Reinvention During an Exchange Year | Finding Perspective in Japanese Business Culture 37:24
37:24 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked37:24
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 4 : My guest today is Cyriac Roeding, founder, investor, and CEO of Earli, a company on a mission to transform cancer into a manageable condition. Using innovative gene therapy approaches, Earli’s technology forces cancer cells to produce a synthetic, non-human biomarker—overcoming the limitations of relying on naturally occurring biomarkers that cancer may or may not provide. Cyriac is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has created ventures at the intersection of physical and digital worlds. He has invested in startups like OpenAI and served as CEO of Shopkick, which was acquired for $250 million. His current focus, Earli, has raised nearly $60 million from top investors. Cyriac's journey from launching his first startup at 15 to being named a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer showcases his valuable insights into building successful startups. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How Cyriac's entrepreneurial journey began at age 8 selling at flea markets, leading to selling his first computer program at 15 to a newspaper company His transformative exchange year in Texas at age 16 and how it allowed Cyriac to reset his identity How his graduation event transformed his school into a beach with Coca-Cola sponsorship and TV coverage How he created and hosted a late-night radio show, balancing academic demands with creative pursuits How his experience studying in Japan revealed valuable lessons about cultural perspectives If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Cyriac Roeding, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyriacroeding/ https://www.earli.com/ https://www.joinrewind.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Earli Inc https://www.earli.com/ Karlsruhe Institute of Technology https://www.kit.edu/english/index.php People Mentioned: Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:06 Early life in Germany and first entrepreneurial experiences at local flea markets 05:03 First job experience at a newspaper company and selling software at age 15 08:59 Exchange student experience in Texas and transformation from German school life 10:52 Life with host families in Texas and personal growth 14:29 Return to Germany and fresh start at a new school 16:31 Early business ventures, teaching computer skills and running a company at 17 20:14 High school graduation and organizing a Coca-Cola sponsored beach event 21:37 University decisions and pursuing industrial engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 26:54 Journey to studying in Japan and securing a scholarship 30:44 Cultural lessons in Japan: experiencing different value systems and problem-solving approaches 36:30 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Kate Neville - Part 4 | Balancing IP Enforcement & Licensing | Leveraging Shelved Pharma Assets | Building Resilient IP Portfolios 31:48
31:48 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked31:48
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 4 of 4 : In this episode, Jon Chee hosts Kate Neville, PhD, Partner at Marshall Gerstein—a law firm with over 60 years of expertise in delivering sophisticated intellectual property advice and legal services to leading businesses, research institutions, universities, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Kate is an accomplished attorney with a doctoral background in microbiology and immunology who specializes in global patent prosecution and strategic management. She has over a decade of experience, and works with a wide range of clients, from biotech startups to big pharma to non-profits. Kate has been recognized as a "World's Leading Patent Practitioner" by IAM magazine since 2013, an Illinois Super Lawyer since 2018, and is included in The Best Lawyers in America© for Patent Law. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why securing a patent is only the first step in IP protection Weighing litigation versus licensing to safeguard your IP Leveraging technology transfer and academic collaborations for innovation Driving innovation through incremental advancements in your IP portfolio Kate’s journey from scientist to partner, with insightful advice for those navigating career transitions If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Kate Neville, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-neville-phd/ https://www.marshallip.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Marshall Gerstein: https://www.marshallip.com/ IP Enforcement Strategies: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/ip-enforcement/ IP Strategies for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-strategy-for-biotechs IP Rights to Understand: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs Intellectual Property 101: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide Tech Transfer 101: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transfer Patent Licensing 101: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works Guide to Life Sciences Licensing: https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guide Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:04 The challenges of enforcing IP protections 03:46 Balancing litigation and licensing as a business decision 07:13 Technology transfer breakdown and how to secure your next big idea 09:07 Exploring shelved pharma compounds as IP opportunities 11:29 Avoiding common IP pitfalls for biotech startups 14:10 The value of fresh perspectives in biotech entrepreneurship 16:35 Challenges of transitioning from the bench to law practice 20:52 Insights into life as a partner in an IP law firm 23:09 2-year vision at Marshall Gerstein 26:42 Closing questions and advice for biotech founders 29:47 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Kate Neville - Part 3 | Fundamentals of IP Strategy for Biotechs | Safeguarding Discoveries & Technology | Aligning Science with Patents | Navigating Global Patent Considerations 29:53
29:53 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked29:53
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 3 of 4 : In this episode, Jon Chee hosts Kate Neville, PhD, Partner at Marshall Gerstein—a law firm with over 60 years of expertise in delivering sophisticated intellectual property advice and legal services to leading businesses, research institutions, universities, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Kate is an accomplished attorney with a doctoral background in microbiology and immunology who specializes in global patent prosecution and strategic management. She has over a decade of experience, and works with a wide range of clients, from biotech startups to big pharma to non-profits. Kate has been recognized as a "World's Leading Patent Practitioner" by IAM magazine since 2013, an Illinois Super Lawyer since 2018, and is included in The Best Lawyers in America© for Patent Law. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Building a strong foundation for your IP and the importance of well-crafted provisional applications. Aligning scientific advancements with proactive patent strategies to maximize long-term value. The critical timing for startups to address IP concerns, from tech transfer to scaling operations. The nuances of international patenting and strategic decisions on global protections. Practical tips for founders on prioritizing IP investments to strengthen their company and attract investors. If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Kate Neville, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-neville-phd/ https://www.marshallip.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Marshall Gerstein: https://www.marshallip.com/ Intellectual Property 101: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide How to Protect Your IP in the Life Sciences: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-protect-your-intellectual-property IP Strategy for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-strategy-for-biotechs Understanding IP Rights for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs Patent Licensing 101: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works Resources for Biotech Startups: https://www.excedr.com/resources/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:09 How to approach intellectual property (IP) as a biotech startup 05:06 When to start thinking about your IP portfolio and strategy 08:52 How much time does it take to protect your IP, and what are the phases? 11:26 Some best practices for global IP protections 14:07 Importance of patents to investors, and the timing behind raising capital 15:54 How does IP strategy differ from company to company? 17:37 Patent offices’ outlook on broad platform protections 22:18 Thought process behind picking which IP to hold or sell 25:01 Fundamental aspects of a solid IP strategy 29:08 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Kate Neville - Part 2 | Navigating Law School as a Scientist | From Patent Agent to Lawyer | Thriving at the Intersection of Science & Law | Continuous Learning in Diverse Scientific Fields 20:50
20:50 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked20:50
Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked🧬The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. 🔬Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 🔗Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Kate Neville, Partner at Marshall Gerstein—a law firm with over 60 years of expertise in delivering sophisticated intellectual property advice and legal services to leading businesses, research institutions, universities, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Kate, an accomplished attorney with a doctoral background in microbiology and immunology, specializes in global patent prosecution and strategic management. With over a decade of experience, she works with biotech startups, big pharma, and non-profits. Kate has been recognized as a "World's Leading Patent Practitioner" by IAM magazine since 2013, an Illinois Super Lawyer since 2018, and is included in The Best Lawyers in America© for Patent Law. Join us this week to hear about: Kate's transition from patent agent to lawyer, highlighting challenges of pursuing a law degree while working full-time The culture shock scientists face in law school, adjusting to ambiguity and lack of definitive answers The extensive reading required in law school compared to scientific literature, requiring a different approach The collegial culture at Kate's law firm, fostering an environment where former scientists can thrive How patent law work provides exposure to diverse scientific fields, offering continuous learning opportunities Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Kate Neville. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Kate Neville, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-neville-phd/ https://www.marshallip.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Marshall, Gerstein & Borun https://www.marshallip.com/ Business Entities & Their Differences https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-are-the-differences-between-business-entities Intellectual Property 101: Types & Uses https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide How to Protect Your Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-protect-your-intellectual-property Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:24 Kate discusses taking the patent bar and transitioning from patent agent to pursuing law school 04:14 Experience of working full-time while attending law school at night 06:56 Challenges scientists face when transitioning to law school, particularly dealing with ambiguity 09:28 Discussion about the different types of reading required in law school versus scientific papers 12:20 Kate describes her law firm's culture and what made her stay throughout her career 16:02 Benefits of having broad scientific knowledge and crossdisciplinary experience 18:49 Working with scientist clients and keeping up with evolving technologies 20:05 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Kate Neville - Part 1 | From Youngest of Six to Patent Law Pioneer | When Chemistry Sets Spark Scientific Careers | Leading Through Autonomy | Serendipitous Path from Lab Bench to IP Law 28:01
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Kate Neville, Partner at Marshall Gerstein—a law firm with over 60 years of expertise in delivering sophisticated intellectual property advice and legal services to leading businesses, research institutions, universities, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Kate, an accomplished attorney with a doctoral background in microbiology and immunology, specializes in global patent prosecution and strategic management. With over a decade of experience, she works with biotech startups, big pharma, and non-profits. Kate has been recognized as a "World's Leading Patent Practitioner" by IAM magazine since 2013, an Illinois Super Lawyer since 2018, and is included in The Best Lawyers in America© for Patent Law. Join us this week to hear about: How growing up as youngest of six influenced Kate's leadership style of giving autonomy while providing guidance How early exposure to science through her father's engineering and a chemistry set ignited her scientific interests The research at Michigan's yeast lab and Northwestern's MS research that developed key multitasking abilities Kate’s unexpected shift from bench science to patent law through colleagues at Marshall Gerstein How career paths in science evolved from strictly academic to broader acceptance of industry and alternative paths Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Kate Neville. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Kate Neville, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-neville-phd/ https://www.marshallip.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Marshall, Gerstein & Borun https://www.marshallip.com/ Northwestern University https://www.northwestern.edu/ Business Entities & Their Differences https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-are-the-differences-between-business-entities Intellectual Property 101: Types & Uses https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide How to Protect Your Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-protect-your-intellectual-property People Mentioned: Sharon Sintich https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-sintich-2033462a/ Stephen Miller https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=14949 Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:26 Kate's background growing up as the youngest of six children 05:36 Kate's leadership style and approach to management 07:33 Early exposure to science and developing an interest in chemistry 09:27 Exploring different scientific fields in university 11:56 Considering career paths and deciding on graduate school 12:54 Undergraduate lab experiences and summer research program 15:29 Choosing Northwestern for PhD and focus on immunology 18:29 Challenges and triumphs during graduate studies 21:43 Serendipitous introduction to patent law as a career path 25:05 Changing perceptions of non-academic career paths in science 27:22 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Barry Ticho - Part 4 | Founding Verve Therapeutics Over Breakfast | Gene Editing for Cardiovascular Disease | Leadership Lessons From a First-Time Founder | Stoke’s Vision for RNA-Based Medicines 39:40
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 4 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Barry Ticho, Founder of Verve Therapeutics and Chief Medical Officer at Stoke Therapeutics, a biotech company addressing the underlying cause of severe diseases by upregulating protein expression with RNA-based medicines. With an MD PhD from the University of Chicago and extensive experience across academia and industry, Barry brings over two decades of expertise in clinical development. His journey includes roles as Head of Development at Moderna, Head of External R&D Innovation at Pfizer, and VP of Clinical Development at Biogen, where he's been instrumental in advancing numerous therapeutic programs across multiple disease areas. Barry's unique perspective spanning academic medicine and biotechnology innovation makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in the field. Join us this week to hear about: Founding Verve Therapeutics and pioneering gene editing for cardiovascular disease Tackling medicine adherence with one-and-done gene therapies Leadership lessons from starting and scaling biotech startups How patient stories inspire innovation in genetic medicine Stoke’s vision for genetic medicine and transformative treatments for diseases like Dravet syndrome Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barry Ticho. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barry Ticho, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryticho/ https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ https://www.vervetherapeutics.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Verve Therapeutics: https://www.vervetx.com/ Stoke Therapeutics: https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ Google Ventures: https://www.gv.com/ Mass General Hospital: https://www.massgeneral.org/ Brigham and Women’s Hospital: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/ Biogen: https://www.biogen.com/ University of Pennsylvania: https://www.upenn.edu/ Gene Editing and Its Impact on Cardiovascular Disease: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gene-therapy-for-cardiovascular-disease RNA-Based Medicines for Rare Disease Treatment: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41419-022-05075-2 Biotech Partnerships With Big Pharma: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research Business Development in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/business-development-in-the-life-sciences Biotech Funding Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Scaling Biotechs to Meet Key Milestones with Leasing: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-leasing-helps-biotechs-scale-efficiently People Mentioned: Sekar Kathiresan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sekar-sek-kathiresan-3501846/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:15 Founding Verve Therapeutics over breakfast 05:31 Gene editing for cardiovascular disease: The PCSK9 story 07:49 Barry’s experience as a first-time CEO 12:01 Joining Stoke Therapeutics and exploring RNA-based medicines 16:56 Building strong networks and the value of professional connections 22:09 Transitioning Stoke from private to public company 26:29 Hiring wisely and making difficult decisions quickly 30:09 Chief medical officer lessons: patient focus and team amplification 33:25 Stoke’s future: Dravet syndrome trials and pipeline expansion 35:12 Shouts and advice to younger self 37:23 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Barry Ticho - Part 3 | Lessons From Rigorous Drug Development | Industry vs. Academic Research Standards | A Patient-Centered Approach to Clinical Trials | How RNA is Shaping Modern Medicine 37:09
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 3 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Barry Ticho, Founder of Verve Therapeutics and Chief Medical Officer at Stoke Therapeutics, a biotech company addressing the underlying cause of severe diseases by upregulating protein expression with RNA-based medicines. With an MD PhD from the University of Chicago and extensive experience across academia and industry, Barry brings over two decades of expertise in clinical development. His journey includes roles as Head of Development at Moderna, Head of External R&D Innovation at Pfizer, and VP of Clinical Development at Biogen, where he's been instrumental in advancing numerous therapeutic programs across multiple disease areas. Barry's unique perspective spanning academic medicine and biotechnology innovation makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in the field. Join us this week to hear about: Barry’s switch from academia to industry, and the challenges of his role at Merck Navigating drug development and the rigorous standards of pharmaceutical research Leading patient-centered clinical development at Biogen to create impactful therapies Exploring the potential of RNA medicine at Pfizer and Moderna Working on Moderna’s lipid nanoparticle technology, the basis for the COVID-19 vaccine Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barry Ticho. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barry Ticho, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryticho/ https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ https://www.vervetherapeutics.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Topics Mentioned: Merck: https://www.merck.com/ Biogen: https://www.biogen.com/ Pfizer: https://www.pfizer.com/ Wave Biosciences: https://wavelifesciences.com/ Moderna: https://www.modernatx.com/en-US Verve Therapeutics: https://www.vervetx.com/ People Mentioned: Stéphane Bancel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/st%C3%A9phane-bancel-8185251 Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:06 Transitioning from academia to Merck 03:41 Rigorous drug development processes at Merck 06:00 Industry vs. academia: reproducibility and research quality in pharma 08:35 Patient-centered clinical trials at Biogen 09:45 Phases of clinical trials and ensuring patient access 14:06 Challenges in drug approval: biology, regulations, and precision medicine 18:24 Biogen’s focus on impactful therapies for severe diseases 23:14 Joining Pfizer for cardiovascular research and RNA exploration 27:04 Exploring RNA therapeutics at Pfizer and transitioning to Moderna 30:21 Driving lipid nanoparticle breakthroughs at Moderna 36:23 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Barry Ticho - Part 2 | Zebrafish Hearts & Pediatric Cardiology | Balancing Lab Work & Clinical Practice | Navigating Academic Medicine's Challenges | The Draw of Biopharma & Translational Medicine 28:04
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Barry Ticho, Founder of Verve Therapeutics and Chief Medical Officer at Stoke Therapeutics, a biotech company addressing the underlying cause of severe diseases by upregulating protein expression with RNA-based medicines. With an MD-PhD from the University of Chicago and extensive experience across academia and industry, Barry brings over two decades of expertise in clinical development. His journey includes roles as Head of Development at Moderna, Head of External R&D Innovation at Pfizer, and VP of Clinical Development at Biogen, where he's been instrumental in advancing numerous therapeutic programs across multiple disease areas. Barry's unique perspective spanning academic medicine and biotechnology innovation makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in the field. Join us this week to hear about: Pioneering research using transparent zebrafish embryos to study cardiac development Helping establish the myCHOICE program at University of Chicago Managing concurrent roles at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Gaining invaluable crisis management experience as a pediatric cardiologist leading emergency resuscitations Making the strategic career transition to biopharma to combine basic science with clinical work Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barry Ticho. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barry Ticho, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryticho/ https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ https://www.vervetherapeutics.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Stoke Therapeutics https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ Verve Therapeutics https://www.vervetherapeutics.com/ University of Chicago https://www.uchicago.edu/en Harvard Medical School https://hms.harvard.edu/ Boston Children's Hospital https://www.childrenshospital.org/ Massachusetts General Hospital https://www.massgeneral.org/ Northwestern University https://www.northwestern.edu/ How to Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup Breaking into BD as a PhD Student https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-break-into-biotech-bd-as-a-phd-student Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Medical Imaging: Modalities & Types of Equipment https://www.excedr.com/blog/medical-imaging-and-radiology-overview People Mentioned: Mark Fishman https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fishman-1b1368182/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:16 Transitioning from grad school to Harvard and Boston Children's Hospital 04:19 The importance of rotations and exploring different career paths 06:48 Fascination with cardiac development: From four cells to a complex organ 08:24 Advice on continuous learning and career exploration 10:49 The shift in academia: From textbooks to startups 12:09 Zebrafish research: Transparent insights into cardiac development 14:44 The rewards and challenges of practicing pediatric cardiology 16:57 Learning from brilliant colleagues: "Steel sharpens steel" 18:18 Avoiding comparison: "Comparison is the thief of joy" 20:59 Gaining perspective on emergencies: From cardiac arrests to business crises 23:46 The catalyst for transitioning to industry: Combining science and clinical interests 26:27 The changing landscape of medicine and the appeal of biopharma 27:18 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Barry Ticho - Stoke Therapeutics - Part 1 | From Family of Physicians to Vision-Driven Scientist | Barry’s MD-PhD Journey | Leadership Through Critical Thinking & Resilience | The Journey From… 37:04
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 Get your unique referral link here : refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Barry Ticho, Founder of Verve Therapeutics and Chief Medical Officer at Stoke Therapeutics, a biotech company addressing the underlying cause of severe diseases by upregulating protein expression with RNA-based medicines. With an MD-PhD from the University of Chicago and extensive experience across academia and industry, Barry brings over two decades of expertise in clinical development. His journey includes roles as Head of Development at Moderna, Head of External R&D Innovation at Pfizer, and VP of Clinical Development at Biogen, where he's been instrumental in advancing numerous therapeutic programs across multiple disease areas. Barry's unique perspective spanning academic medicine and biotechnology innovation makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in the field. Join us this week to hear about: Barry's upbringing as one of five boys in a family of physicians A transformative moment watching a child regain sight that crystallized his career path His foundational experiences at Haverford College where he discovered his passion for biology His journey through the MD-PhD program at the University of Chicago How education, critical thinking, and resilience shaped his leadership approach Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barry Ticho. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barry Ticho at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryticho/ https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ https://www.vervetherapeutics.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Stoke Therapeutics https://www.stoketherapeutics.com/ Verve Therapeutics https://www.vervetherapeutics.com/ Moderna https://www.modernatx.com/ Pfizer https://www.pfizer.com/ Biogen https://www.biogen.com/ Ophthalmology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophthalmology Haverford University https://www.haverford.edu/ University of Chicago https://www.uchicago.edu/en Harvard Medical School https://hms.harvard.edu/ Boston Children's Hospital https://www.childrenshospital.org/ How to Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup Patent Licensing for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Phil Sharp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Allen_Sharp Murray Rabinowitz https://www.nasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/rabinowitz-murray.pdf Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:04 Barry's background and introduction 03:37 Growing up in a family of Holocaust survivor physicians 05:29 Four out of five brothers choosing medicine 07:14 Early exposure to ophthalmology and patient care 09:27 The transformative moment: witnessing a child regain sight 12:45 Choosing Haverford and discovering biology 14:06 Early laboratory experiences and liberal arts education 19:05 The path to University of Chicago's MD-PhD program 22:13 First research experiences with RNA and transcription 23:55 Graduate school years: freedom and scientific method 30:15 Mentorship style and thesis advisor's influence 33:05 Leadership lessons from graduate training 36:28 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Chris Moxham - Transcripta Bio - Part 4 | Partnership Strategies with Big Pharma | Balancing Science & Business | Leveraging AI in Drug Discovery | The Vision for Transcripta Bio 26:31
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 4 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Chris Moxham, Co-Founder, CEO, and CSO of Transcripta Bio—a pioneering biotech company accelerating drug discovery to improve lives worldwide. With a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology from Stony Brook University and over 25 years in drug discovery, Chris brings a wealth of experience. During his two-decade tenure at Eli Lilly, he advanced over 10 molecules into clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas, spanning both small and large molecule modalities. Chris’s deep expertise and dedication to scientific innovation and team development offer invaluable insights for aspiring biotech leaders. Join us this week to hear about: The complexities of building partnerships with Big Pharma as a startup Insights on developing relationships with larger organizations and patient foundations The importance of mutual goals and the art of aligning incentives Transcripta’s progress with their groundbreaking Drug-Gene Atlas, combining genetics, AI, and high-throughput data to redefine the future of drug discovery Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Chris Moxham. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Chris Moxham, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-moxham-b8867011/ https://www.transcriptabio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Eli Lilly & Company: https://www.lilly.com/ Transcripta Bio: https://www.transcriptabio.com/ Fulcrum Therapeutics: https://www.fulcrumtx.com/ NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ Biotech Partnerships with Big Pharma: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research The Role of BD in the Life Sciences: https://www.excedr.com/resources/business-development-in-the-life-sciences How to Break into Biotech BD: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-break-into-biotech-bd-as-a-phd-student Drug-Gene Atlas: https://www.transcriptabio.com/what-we-do Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Efraim Racker: https://efraimracker.library.cornell.edu/ Craig Malbon: https://www.pharm.stonybrook.edu/faculty/m/malbon John Hadcock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadcock/ Alan Palkowitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-palkowitz-7387653/ Phil Hipskin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-hipskind-a3b11611/ Greg Plowman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-plowman-4177096/ Robert Gould: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjgouldfulcrum/ Jim Collins: https://be.mit.edu/faculty/james-j-collins/ Jim Geraghty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-geraghty-7481a262/ Alan Ezekowitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-ezekowitz-54030515/ Dave Port: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-david-port-ab9616b/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and recap 02:09 Partnering with Big Pharma and the urgency of startups 04:13 Learning business development and building successful partnerships 06:18 Understanding stakeholder involvement and approval layers in Big Pharma 09:42 Transcripta's collaborations with patient foundations and medical institutions 11:31 Ideal partnerships with academic institutions and aligning incentives 15:53 The importance of partnership alignment, building trust within the org 20:47 Transcripta Bio's vision for the future 21:52 Shoutouts and advice to younger self 24:45 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Chris Moxham - Transcripta Bio - Part 3 | Embracing the Startup Challenge | Mastering Science-to-Business Communication | Building a Scalable Discovery Engine | Leveraging AI & Genetics in Drug… 25:53
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success. Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸 Get your unique referral link here: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 3 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Chris Moxham, Co-Founder, CEO, and CSO of Transcripta Bio—a pioneering biotech company accelerating drug discovery to improve lives worldwide. With a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology from Stony Brook University and over 25 years in drug discovery, Chris brings a wealth of experience. During his two-decade tenure at Eli Lilly, he advanced over 10 molecules into clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas, spanning both small and large molecule modalities. Chris’s deep expertise and dedication to scientific innovation and team development offer invaluable insights for aspiring biotech leaders. Join us this week to hear about: Chris’ transition from Eli Lilly to the startup world, embracing the excitement and uncertainty of a smaller company. Navigating investor relations and honing the skill of translating science into business language. Developing Transcripta Bio’s discovery engine, a scalable approach to drug discovery. Leveraging AI, genetics, and high-throughput data to reduce failure points in drug development. Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Chris Moxham. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Chris Moxham, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-moxham-b8867011/ https://www.transcriptabio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Wyeth Labs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyeth Eli Lilly & Company: https://www.lilly.com/ Fulcrum Therapeutics: https://www.fulcrumtx.com/ Transcripta Bio: https://www.transcriptabio.com/ Transcripta Bio’s Discovery Engine: https://www.transcriptabio.com/what-we-do How to Start a Lab: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-start-a-lab How Much Does Lab Space Cost? https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-much-does-lab-space-cost Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Investor & Founder Expectations: https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations Generative AI in Drug Discovery: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2024/06/19/how-generative-ai-is-accelerating-drug-discovery/ People Mentioned: Robert Gould: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjgouldfulcrum/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:12 Chris's Transition to Fulcrum: moving from Big Pharma to a smaller Biotech 03:42 Mastering investor relations and learning to translate science into business language 06:07 Lessons from an IPO and building rapport with investors 08:00 Life as CSO of a Public Company and the importance of media training 14:57 Building Transcripta Bio’s Discovery Engine and repurposing to accelerate value creation 20:08 Leveraging AI in drug discovery and creating new opportunities in CNS and oncology 23:52 Scaling drug discovery innovation and building the Drug-Gene Atlas 25:09 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Chris Moxham - Transcripta Bio - Part 2 | From Eli Lilly Recruit to NYC Lab Builder | Leading High-Stakes Drug Discovery | Pioneering Quantitative Biology | "Making the Trains Run on Time" 29:34
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Chris Moxham, the Co-Founder, CEO, and CSO of Transcripta Bio, a pioneering biotech company charting a faster path in drug discovery to create better lives for people around the world. Chris earned his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at Stony Brook University and is a seasoned veteran with over 25 years of drug discovery experience, having spent two decades at Eli Lilly where he was instrumental in advancing over 10 molecules into clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas and both small and large molecule modalities. Chris has a wealth of knowledge, and his commitment to both scientific advancement and team growth makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in biotech. Join us this week to hear about: How he got recruited to Eli Lilly through persistent outreach by VP Jose Caro, who recognized Chris's potential How Chris advanced rapidly from obesity research to heading lead generation biology at Lilly Indianapolis His experience successfully leading a complex $20M lab buildout in NYC after Lilly's ImClone acquisition Transitioning to biotech as CSO at Fulcrum Therapeutics, where he gained valuable experience in investor relations and helped raise $200M in public markets What it means to serve as CEO developing an innovative "drug machine" platform that combines machine learning with wet lab approaches Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Chris Moxham. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Chris Moxham, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-moxham-b8867011/ https://www.transcriptabio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Eli Lilly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Lilly_and_Company ImClone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImClone_Systems Merck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck_%26_Co . Fulcrum Therapeutics https://www.fulcrumtx.com/ Marketing & Sales Tools for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs Biotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research How to Bootstrap a Biotech Tools Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup People Mentioned: Jose Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefcaro/ Timestamps: 00:49 Intro 02:31 "The Power of Persistence in Recruiting" - How Jose Caro's personal outreach convinced Chris to join Eli Lilly 05:31 Early days at Lilly: Transitioning from obesity research to high-throughput screening platforms 08:18 Leadership evolution: Key lessons in scaling from small teams to managing 45+ scientists 12:16 Cultural contrasts: Navigating the different environments between Merck and Eli Lilly 14:48 "Making Your Own Opportunities" - How Chris engineered his move to Lilly's NYC labs 17:31 Building from the ground up: Creating Quantitative Biology for antibody discovery despite initial resistance 20:20 The biotech leap: Transitioning to Fulcrum and experiencing the startup world 23:07 Leading a $20M lab buildout: Unexpected challenges in construction and coordination 27:23 "Making the trains run on time" - Critical lessons in project management and execution 28:50 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Chris Moxham - Transcripta Bio - Part 1 | From Long Island to Biotech Pioneer | Cornell's Pivotal Role in Research Passion | Strategic Leap to Pharma Industry | Cultivating Effective Leadership in… 32:04
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts Chris Moxham, the Co-Founder, CEO, and CSO of Transcripta Bio, a pioneering biotech company charting a faster path in drug discovery to create better lives for people around the world. Chris earned his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at Stony Brook University and is a seasoned veteran with over 25 years of drug discovery experience, having spent two decades at Eli Lilly where he was instrumental in advancing over 10 molecules into clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas and both small and large molecule modalities. Chris has a wealth of knowledge, and his commitment to both scientific advancement and team growth makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in biotech. Join us this week to hear about: Chris’ childhood growing up on Long Island and his experience with early heart surgery at 12 years old How those early experiences shaped his passion for science and medicine His pivotal experiences at Cornell University, where a summer fellowship studying insulin signaling sparked his transition from pre-med to research His groundbreaking PhD research at SUNY Stony Brook developing transgenic mice, leading to publications in Science and Nature The strategic decision to pursue pharmaceutical research over academia, leveraging key connections to launch his industry career at Wyeth His leadership philosophy’s emphasis on respect, teamwork, and balancing immediate results with long-term vision Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Chris Moxham. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Chris Moxham, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-moxham-b8867011/ https://www.transcriptabio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Cornell https://www.cornell.edu/ SUNY Stony Brook https://www.stonybrook.edu/ Malbon Laboratory https://www.pharm.stonybrook.edu/faculty_research/directory/m/malbon-craig/laboratory Wyeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyeth Marketing & Sales Tools for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs Biotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research How to Bootstrap a Biotech Tools Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup Timestamps: 00:49 Intro 03:18 Chris's upbringing as the youngest of 7 children on Long Island 06:07 The influence of Chris's parents on his leadership style 08:20 Family dynamics and expectations growing up in a large household 11:06 Choosing Cornell University and the path to pre-med 14:30 Securing research opportunities and working with scientific luminaries as an undergraduate 16:28 PhD experience at SUNY Stony Brook in Craig Malbon's lab 18:36 The impact of mentorship and the drive for impactful research 20:55 Craig Malbon's lab structure and management style 22:49 Balancing immediate results with long-term planning in research 24:35 Transitioning from academia to industry: Chris's first opportunity at Wyeth The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Michael Chen - Nuclera - Part 2 | From Grad Student to Biotech CEO | Unique Challenges Combining Science & Business | Developing Breakthrough Products | Building Partnerships with Big Pharma |… 1:04:31
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 2 : Jon Chee hosts Michael Chen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Nuclera, a biotech company that focuses on bringing rapid protein access to other labs. Michael is a seasoned scientist and entrepreneur who brings a rich background and valuable insights to our podcast. Before co-founding Nuclera, Michael did extensive research as an undergrad student at both Georgia tech and Emory and eventually got his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. He has also published nine scientific papers and worked with several leading scientists in their field. Michael’s experiences at the lab bench and as a CEO make this conversation one you don’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Michael’s journey from graduate studies to co-founding Nuclera The unique challenges scientists encounter in the business world The importance of adaptability and key lessons in developing/marketing a breakthrough product Michael’s insights into navigating big pharma’s lengthy sales cycles and building successful partnerships Creating a Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy for a biotech and identifying early adopters Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Michael Chen. Links: Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Michael Chen, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenmc/?originalSubdomain=uk https://www.nuclera.com/company/board/michael-chen/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Nuclera: https://www.nuclera.com/ Academic Research vs. Industrial Research: https://www.colabra.ai/blog/difference-in-scientific-research-in-academia-vs-industry/ Nuclear’s Protein Platform: https://www.nuclera.com/technology/ Protein Engineering: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4931902/ Gene Synthesis: https://www.biomatik.com/blog/the-basics-of-gene-synthesis-a-comprehensive-guide/ eProtein Discovery Instrument: https://www.nuclera.com/system/instrument/ Go-Market Strategy (GTM): https://www.coursera.org/articles/go-to-market-strategy Marketing & Sales Tools for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs Biotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research How to Bootstrap a Biotech Tools Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup People Mentioned: Timestamps: 00:49 Intro 02:44 Key differences between graduate studies and entrepreneurship 06:21 Succeeding as a startup: idea vs. ability to execute 07:43 Nuclera's mission and the importance of de novo DNA synthesis 11:09 Where the DNA synthesis market is headed and Nuclera's evolution 14:19 Do you want to compete with or empower the protein maker? 16:35 Conceptualizing Nuclera's Go-to-Market strategy 21:20 Figuring out how to explain and market Nuclera's technology 31:52 Building successful partnerships with Big Pharma 39:21 Excedr's leading indicators of commercial success 45:40 Nuclera's sales enablement and focus on in-person events 55:29 Michael's goals for Nuclera and improving operations, sales, marketing, etc. 58:31 Shout-outs and advice to younger self 01:03:00 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Michael Chen - Nuclera - Part 1 | Influence of a Data-Driven Family | Do the Dishes in a Lab | NIH-Oxford Cambridge Scholarship Program | What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There 52:51
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 2 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Michael Chen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Nuclera, a biotech company that focuses on bringing rapid protein access to other labs. Michael is a seasoned scientist and entrepreneur who brings his rich background and insights to our podcast. Before becoming the Co-Founder of Nuclera, Michael did extensive research as an undergrad student at both Georgia tech and Emory and eventually got his Ph,D in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. Having worked under some of the leading scientists in their field Michael also has 9 scientific publications to his name. His past experiences both at the lab bench and as a CEO make these episodes ones you don’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: The influence of growing up in a data-driven family Learning to do the damn dishes in the lab Getting into the NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholarship Program Learning that what got us here won’t get us to where we need to be Differences between lab work in the UK versus the US Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Michael Chen! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Michael Chen, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenmc/?originalSubdomain=uk https://www.nuclera.com/company/board/michael-chen/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes Topics Mentioned: Emory University Nicholas Hud: Origins of Life Research: https://www.storycollider.org/stories/2016/1/4/nick-hud-the-origin-of-life Witchweed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striga Rhizosphere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhizosphere NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholars Program: https://oxcam.gpp.nih.gov/ International Institute of Tropical Agriculture: https://www.iita.org/ How Core Lab Support Science Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/core-labs What is Tech Transfer?: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transfer What Type of Equipment is Used in Chemistry Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-type-of-equipment-is-used-in-chemistry-research Top Biotech Cities: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-cities-for-biotech Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Nicholas Hud: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-hud-754a7517/ Timestamps: 00:49 Intro 02:44 Growing up in a technical, data-driven family and other early life influences 06:24 Choosing appearances over function in elementary school 09:52 Family background of Jon Chee and how the Bay Area influenced Excedr 11:34 How researching crop science sparked an interest in scientific research 16:27 The secret of getting access to Emory's labs via Georgia Tech 18:02 Learning to "Do the damn dishes" in the lab at Georgia Tech 23:00 Getting his PhD through the NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholarship Program 29:01 Challenges and culture shock of doing research in Nigeria 32:57 Lessons of resilience entrepreneurs can learn from having limited resources 36:31 Running a startup is like spinning lots of plates 40:15 "What got us here won't get us there" and knowing when it's time to spend 45:49 What it was like working in labs in the UK versus the US 48:08 Differences between the UK and US Ph.D tracks 52:11 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Neela Patel - Bonum Therapeutics - Part 4 | Transitioning to Seattle Genetics & Business Development | Insights from Roche’s Acquisition | Building a Transformative Oncology Pipeline with Bonum… 32:50
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 4 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development. Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Neela’s transition from AbbVie to Seattle Genetics and business development Her meeting with Good Therapeutics CEO and how it changed her career trajectory Her move to Good Therapeutics as Chief Business Development Officer Neela’s experience leading Good through its acquisition by Roche, and the importance of strategic deal structuring Her current role as CBO of Bonum Therapeutics and focus on developing cytokine therapies for oncology Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Bonum Therapeutics: https://bonumtx.com/ Roche: https://www.roche.com/ Seattle Genetics (Pfizer): https://www.seagen.com/who-we-are/history Vivo Capital: https://vivocapital.com/ Business Development Roles in the Life Sciences: https://www.excedr.com/resources/business-development-in-the-life-sciences Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Buy-side vs. Sell-Side: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career/ma-buy-side-sell-side/ Liquidity Events: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/liquidity_event.asp What Should Investors & Founders Expect From Each Other? https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations People Mentioned: Greg Hageman: https://medicine.utah.edu/faculty/gregory-s-hageman Diane Hollenbaugh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-hollenbaugh-b826723/ John Mulligan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mulligan-ph-d-5aa5a37/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:03 Neela’s motivation to join Good Therapeutics, meeting CEO John Mulligan 04:12 Evaluating startup teams and the importance of board alignment 07:01 Building trust with the board and John Mulligan’s approach 09:24 Structuring the Roche deal for streamlined transition 10:46 Good Therapeutics’ culture and team transition to Bonum 13:08 Understanding investor motivations and startup priorities 14:48 Reflections on shifting from buy-side to sell-side 21:46 Bonum’s focus on reducing toxicity in oncology and their clinical pipeline goals 27:37 Shout-outs to career mentors and advice for younger self 31:02 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Neela Patel - Bonum Therapeutics - Part 3 | Developing Pipeline Strategy at Poniard Pharmaceuticals | Business & Corporate Development in Oncology | Transitioning from Abbott to AbbVie to Seagen 40:06
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 3 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development. Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Neela’s transition from Genentech to Poniard Pharmaceuticals Her collaboration with Greg Hageman on age-related macular degeneration Raising $37 million in Series A financing Neela’s role at Poniard developing pipeline strategy with the head of chemistry Her experiences at Abbott and AbbVie as Director of Global External Research and Search & Evaluation, respectively. Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ Poniard Pharmaceuticals: https://www.linkedin.com/company/poniard-pharmaceuticals/ Abbott: https://www.abbott.com/ AbbVie: https://www.abbvie.com/ Seattle Genetics (Pfizer): https://www.seagen.com/who-we-are/history Patents Licensing in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works IP Strategy for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-strategy-for-biotechs Partnering with Big Pharma: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research Antibody Drug Conjugates (Prime Antibody): https://www.excedr.com/resources/primary-antibody Corporate Development: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/corporate-development-guide/ In Licensing and Out Licensing: https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guide Bootstrapping Your Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup People Mentioned: Greg Hageman: https://medicine.utah.edu/faculty/gregory-s-hageman Steve Dedinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-davidsen-0a65414/ Saul Rosenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saul-rosenberg-638a6910/ Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:50 Starting a company after Genentech experience 02:36 Greg Hageman’s key gene discovery and securing Series A funding 05:32 Developing pipeline strategy at Poniard 06:43 Transitioning to BD (Search and Evaluation) at Abbott 12:31 Spinning out AbbVie, Neela’s continued focus on Oncology 14:58 Fostering innovation and external ideas at AbbVie 16:51 Evaluating small companies & the biggest challenge of Search and Evaluation 20:13 Key factors for startups looking to partner with big pharma 26:32 Transitioning to Seattle Genetics (Seagen) and Corporate Development 29:28 Neela’s CorpDev experience, navigating unique challenges 34:03 Understanding how to diversify revenue streams and navigate cycles 39:01 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Neela Patel - Bonum Therapeutics - Part 2 | Leading an Academic Microbiology Lab | The Value of Personal Relationships in the Workplace | Leading a Team & Learning on the Job | The Volatility of… 38:27
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development. Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Choosing Roche to help make small molecule drugs Reflecting on first major management role The communication required to work as an advisor to biotech companies Working for SUGEN but getting a different job than the one she applied for Dealing with the volatility of an acquisition Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Roche: https://www.roche.com/ Osteoporosis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoporosis SUGEN-Pfizer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUGEN Kinase: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinase Pharmacia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacia Xylatan: https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-14256/latanoprost-ophthalmic-eye/details Pfizer and Pharmacia Merger https://www.pfizer.com/about/history/pfizer_pharmacia How to Get Funding for Lab Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-get-funding-for-lab-research Microbiology Lab Equipment & Instruments List: https://www.excedr.com/blog/microbiology-lab-equipment-list-to-open-your-new-lab Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:52 Choosing Roche because of its pedigree and ability to make small molecule drugs 03:34 Leading an academic microbiology lab and learning to work in that environment 06:46 Neela asking people for 45 minutes of their time to teach her.what she doesn’t know 10:22 Reflecting on her first major management role and some lessons she learned 12:53 Working as an adviser to cerebral biotech companies requires great communication 14:39 The value of getting to know your professional colleagues on a personal level 15:53 Transitioning to SUGEN (Pfizer) but getting a different job than the one she applied for 18:41 Being made team lead and having to quickly learn all about the product 22:02 The benefits of sales and why the negative stereotypes aren’t always right 24:01 What lead to changes in how companies view and treat their acquisitions 27:17 How pharma companies view the value of acquired companies technology 30:58 Dealing with the volatility of an acquisition and the value of past experiences 32:41 Looking back at her time at SUGEN and her accomplishments there 37:19 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Neela Patel - Bonum Therapeutics - Part 1 | Growing Up in an Intellectual Household | How One Biology Class Inspired Her | Working With Influential Scientists at DNAX | Pursuing the Intersection… 41:02
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 1 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development. Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting-edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: How a college biology class lead to a Genentech internship Getting inspired to pursue her PhD Working with influential scientists at DNAX Joining an investment club and pursuing the intersection of science and business Transitioning out of DNAX and cold calling people for her next opportunity Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Bell Labs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Labs Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ AMGEN: https://www.amgen.com/ C. Elegans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans Mutagenesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutagenesis DNAX Research Institute: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dnax-research-institute/ Leptin Receptor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin_receptor How to Get Funding for Lab Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-get-funding-for-lab-research Microbiology Lab Equipment & Instruments List: https://www.excedr.com/blog/microbiology-lab-equipment-list-to-open-your-new-lab Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Sherie Morrison https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherie-morrison-8736217/ Bob Coffman: https://investors.dynavax.com/management/robert-coffman Martin McMahonn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-mcmahon-8643796/ Lewis Lanier https://lanierlab.ucsf.edu/node/3033 Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:31 Growing up in an intellectual household with engaged, socially aware parents 07:08 How a college biology class lead to an internship at Genentech 10:06 Finding that lab work at Genentech was a perfect balance of togetherness and independence 13:05 Similarities between drug discovery and Neela’s cross disciplinary undergrad studies 16:18 Getting inspired by Genentech to pursue her PhD at UCLA 19:22 Choosing a lab focused on studying C. Elegans 20:48 Looking at the progress of technology and the overall business environment over her career 25:18 Dealing with the steep learning curve of a PhD program and learning to not give up 27:24 Contemplating her next steps into her professional life and finally settling on DNAX 30:14 Working with influential scientists at DNAX Research Institute 32:18 Joining an investment club while pursuing the intersection of science and business 35:41 Transitioning out of DNAX and manually going through a directory searching for her next opportunity 40:02 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬eMalick Njie, Ph.D - Ecotone - Part 4 | Building Ecotone AI to Cure Rare Diseases | Diffusion Transformers in Genomics | Synthetic Genomes for AI Training | Long-Term Vision for Genetic… 30:41
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 4 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Ecotone AI's mission: leveraging AI to decode the human genome and address rare genetic diseases. Ecotone's approach: using diffusion transformers to model genomes and generate synthetic genomic data. eMalick’s focus on intentional company building to ensure sustainable growth. Ecotone’s upcoming advancements in AI and genetics. Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie. Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/ OpenAI: https://openai.com/ St. Jude’s Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/ InstaDeep: https://www.instadeep.com/ Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ University of Florida: https://www.ufl.edu/ Eli Lilly Joins Forces with AI Startup Genetic Leap in $409M Deal https://www.geneonline.com/eli-lilly-joins-forces-with-ai-startup-genetic-leap-in-409m-deal-centered-around-rna-targeted-drug-discovery/ Diffusion Transformers: https://encord.com/blog/diffusion-models-with-transformers/ Language Models - Autoregressive vs. Diffusion-Based AI Models: https://sander.ai/2023/01/09/diffusion-language.html AI Applications in Genomics: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8566780/ Synthetic Genomes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32569517/ People Mentioned: Wilton Williams, Ph.D.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilton-williams-98332b225/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:49 Ecotone’s Mission and Goals 05:42 AI Models: Diffusion Transformers 10:41 AI’s Impact on Modern Biotech 12:09 Early Achievements and Company Momentum 14:56 Synthetic Genomes for Rare Genetic Diseases and the future of AI adoption 19:19 Future Plans: DNA Sora Development 24:12 Shoutouts and Personal Reflections 26:24 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self 28:42 Outro #biotech #startups #podcast #biotechstartupspodcast #lifesciences #sciencepodcast #neuroscience #AI #ArtificiaIntelligence #genomics #genomes The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 eMalick Njie, Ph.D - Ecotone - Part 3 | Founding an AI-Powered Biotech | Overcoming Challenges & Personal Sacrifices | Importance of Team Alignment | Combining AI, Genetics, & Population Studies 53:00
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 3 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Founding Genetic Intelligence and its mission to combine AI and genetics Challenges of founding a company, personal sacrifices, and breakthroughs leading to NSF recognition How company culture and leadership shifts led eMalick to leave Genetic Intelligence The importance of building teams aligned with the original vision Discovering population genetics through AI and the birth of Ecotone Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Genetic Intelligence (now Genetic Leap): https://www.genetic-leap.com/ Neurostorm: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neurostorm-inc/ Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/ OpenAI: https://openai.com/ National Science Foundation (NSF): https://www.nsf.gov/ McKinsey & Company: https://www.mckinsey.com/ Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/ Andreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.com/ Population Genetics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/population-genetics/ C. Elegans Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20086/ AI’s Impact in Genetic Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10856672/ Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Understanding Tech Transfer: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transfer IP & Patents in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs People Mentioned: Bertrand Adanve, PhD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertrandadanve/ Nathan Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-clark-4b850134/ Timestamps: 00:28 Introduction 01:58 Founding Genetic Intelligence 03:23 Early struggles, learning from challenges, and staying lean 08:32 The universal approximator and the role of AI at Genetic Intelligence 11:56 Early adoption of AI and growing momentum 16:30 AI and paradigm shifts 18:00 Scaling and growing a team, and the pitfalls of doing so 28:38 Building culture and hiring for vision 33:38 Launching think-tank Neurostorm and learning from failure 37:09 Transition to independent research 44:11 Discovering population genetics through AI 47:30 The birth of Ecotone and AI transformers 51:54 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬eMalick Njie, Ph.D - Ecotone - Part 2 | What is Memory? | Playing “Stump the Professor” | Lab Coat Labs vs Sandals Labs | Wanting to Help People at Scale 55:03
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Answering the question “What is memory?” How playing “Stump the Professor” led eMalick to Columbia Studying C Eligans in a sandals-wearing lab The wide applicable uses for AI and ML in research Wanting to help people at scale Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Alzheimer’s Disease: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers Neprilysin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2329843/ Amyloid Plaques: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyloid_plaques CAR T Therapy: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/immunotherapy/car-t-cell1.html C Elegans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans Amyloid Hypothesis for Alzheimer’s https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/alzheimers-new-study-supports-amyloid-hypothesis-suggests-alternate-treatment AlexNet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlexNet Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Dr. Wolfgang Streit: https://neuroscience.ufl.edu/profile/streit-wolfgang/ Dr. David Borchelt https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borchelt-42474623/ Martin Chalfie https://chalfielab.biology.columbia.edu/people/martin-chalfie Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:52 Moving to Florida and dealing with massive shifts in weather and culture 04:48 Experience working to answer the questions, “What is memory,” 06:21 Studying the other extreme edge of memory, Alzheimer’s disease 10:43 Investigating possible plaque busting proteins 13:43 Benefits of having more freedom and other differences between MIT and Borchelt's Lab 16:25 Playing “Stump The Professor” with Martin Chalfie 20:06 Getting both invited and challenged to write a proposal to study at Columbia 25:47 Learning to love the constant surprises and level of people in New York 29:46 Going from a lab coat lab to a sandals lab to study C Eligans at Columbia 34:25 Researching neurons responsible for touch sensitivity in C Eligans 38:30 Martin Chalfie’s mentorship brilliant mentorship style allowing his students to grow 43:43 How a data deluge stemming from one of his experiments started his AI/ML journey 49:53 Choosing the entrepreneurship path and wanting to help people at scale 54:27 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬eMalick Njie, Ph.D - Ecotone - Part 1 | Growing Up in the Gambia | The Unending Book of Neuroscience | Being a Professional Scientist | How to Lose Your MIT Recommendation Letter: 101 37:51
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 1 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a company that is looking to use AI to find cures for rare inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about: Growing up with hippie parents in the Gambia Being in the first neuroscience class in the country at Northeastern University Lessons learned in one on one conversations with a CEO Experience working with Dr. Alice Ting while at MIT Sticking to his principles and leaving MIT Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/ Genetic Leap: https://www.genetic-leap.com/ Northeastern University: https://cos.northeastern.edu/behavioral-neuroscience/ Millennium Pharmaceuticals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeda_Oncology Eli Lilly Joins Forces with AI Startup Genetic Leap in $409M Deal https://www.geneonline.com/eli-lilly-joins-forces-with-ai-startup-genetic-leap-in-409m-deal-centered-around-rna-targeted-drug-discovery/ Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Dr. Alice Y. Ting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-ting-a7689835/ Dr. Wendy Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-smith-80663714/ Mark Howort https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-howarth-763112b1/ Dr. Eric Kandel: https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/profile/eric-kandel-md Dr. David Bruchelt https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borchelt-42474623/ Dr. Wolfgang Streit: https://neuroscience.ufl.edu/profile/streit-wolfgang/ Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:12 Early upbringing in the Gambia, early childhood, and how his unusual hippie parents shaped him into the scientist and entrepreneur he is today 04:32 Following his curiosity to his undergrad program Northeastern University to study the “unending book” of neuroscience 06:51 Being part of the first neuroscience class in the country and starting the trend of working under Nobel Prize winners, and/or those trained by Nobel Laureates 11:17 First exposure to professional scientists while interning at Millennium Pharmaceuticals 14:03 Lessons learned during his humanizing one-on-one conversations with the CEO 17:52 Comparing and contrasting his industry experience with his academia experience 19:58 Getting to MIT after graduating from NEU and working with Dr. Alice Ting 23:24 Dealing with challenging periods in your life and learning to persevere 25:28 Memorable and humbling challenge while working in Dr. Ting’s lab 30:18 “How do you lose your recommendation letter to MIT: 101” 32:38 Choosing to moving on to University of Florida 36:51 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬Barbara Alcaraz Silva - J.P. Morgan - Part 4 | Barbara’s Pivot into Banking | The Power of Mentorship & Resilience | Seizing Unexpected Opportunities | The Challenges of Building a Career in… 38:51
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 4 of 4 : Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, the Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. Barbara brings a wealth of experience as a former researcher, entrepreneur, and industry veteran. She has worked extensively with startups and early-stage ventures. Her scientific background is in Telomeres and DNA Repair research. Prior to her role at J.P. Morgan, Barbara advised biotech and medtech companies at Manos Accelerator, served as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, and co-founded BioChron, an AI-driven biological aging tracking company. Her unique combination of scientific knowledge, business acumen, and investment/finance expertise makes her an invaluable resource for founders in the biotech space. Join us this week to hear about: Barbara’s unexpected pivot into banking Her transition from SVB to J.P. Morgan Her unique life sciences and entrepreneurial backgrounds The importance of mentorship, resilience, and seizing unexpected opportunities Navigating the challenges of building a career in both science and finance Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva! Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994 Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/ https://www.jpmorgan.com/global Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Excedr Socials & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: SVB: https://www.svb.com/ J.P. Morgan: https://www.jpmorgan.com/global Nucleate: https://www.nucleate.xyz/ Women in Bio: https://womeninbio.org/ How to Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup Patent Licensing for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:18 Pivoting from Life Sciences Angels to SVB 10:24 Joining the Life Sciences practice and establishing the Early-Stage division 13:22 Transitioning to Private Equity and J.P. Morgan 16:16 The power of mentorship and mentor networks 17:46 Barbara Reflects on her pivot from Life Sciences Angels to J.P. Morgan 19:17 Why J.P. Morgan stands out and the impact of Barbara's group 23:58 The importance of business partners who understand the Life Sciences 27:55 How J.P. Morgan supports Growth-Stage companies 30:57 Barbara’s 2-year vision 34:34 Barbara’s shoutouts and advice to younger self 37:00 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Barbara Alcaraz Silva - J.P. Morgan - Part 3 | From Academia to Entrepreneurship, Investing, & Advising | Co-Founding a Startup | Challenges of Early-Stage Company Building | Improve Your… 34:40
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Lease the equipment you need with Excedr. Extend your runway, hit your milestones. Know anyone who needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program. Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 3 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Barbara Alcaraz Silva, Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. Barbara is a former researcher and entrepreneur, and an accomplished industry veteran. Her career has revolved around startups and early-stage ventures. As a graduate student, she focused on Telomeres and DNA Repair. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Barbara was an advisor for biotech and medtech companies at the Manos Accelerator, where she provided mentorship in business development, fundraising, and other key areas. She also served as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, where she invested in emerging biotechs and managed investor relationships. Additionally, Barbara co-founded BioChron, a company that leveraged AI and machine learning to track biological aging. Barbara’s dedication to fostering a strong community in the biotech space, combined with her expertise in science, business, and investing, makes her conversation invaluable for founders. Join us this week to hear about: Barbara’s transition from academia to entrepreneurship and industry Her experience co-founding Biochron, which built technologies to track biological aging using AI/ML The challenges of early-stage company building Her time as a mentor at the Manos Accelerator, and investment experience in early-stage ventures as a Senior Fellow at Life Science Angels Advice for improving your investor pitch and connecting with the right people Please enjoy my conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva. Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/ https://www.jpmorgan.com/global Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Harvard: https://www.harvard.edu/ UCSF: https://www.ucsf.edu/ Kaiser Permanente, Division of Research: https://divisionofresearch.kaiserpermanente.org/ Manos Accelerator: https://manosaccelerator.com/ Life Science Angels: https://www.lifescienceangels.com/ The Column Group: https://www.thecolumngroup.com/ How To Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup How to Fund an R&D Lab: https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps Top Accelerators in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-accelerators Top Incubators in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-incubators Accelerator vs. Incubator: https://www.excedr.com/resources/accelerator-vs-incubator Top VCs in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech Biotech Funding Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Grant Funding in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/grants-public-funding-biotech-startups Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:54 The story behind Barbara’s decision to create a startup 07:33 Experience as a Program Manager at UCSF 10:43 Key lessons learned from running a startup and working as a PM 16:03 Landing investment and advisory roles at the Manos Accelerator, Life Sciences Angels 21:49 Crash course in investing and company assessment 26:21 Advice for improving your investor pitch, connecting with the right people 33:33 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Barbara Alcaraz Silva - J.P. Morgan - Part 2 | Mentorship & Research at the Beckman Laser Institute | An Entrepreneurial PhD Experience | Exploring Stem Cell Biology in London | Navigating… 27:43
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Lease the equipment you need with Excedr. Extend your runway, hit your milestones. Know anyone who needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s Referral Program. Give Your Friends $1,000 , and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸. Get your unique referral link by going to refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY . Part 2 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Barbara Alcaraz Silva, Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. She is also a former scientist-entrepreneur whose graduate studies focused on Telomeres and DNA Repair. Barbara has worked with many startups, including co-founding her own company, BioChron. While at the Manos Accelerator, she worked as an advisor for Biotech and Medtech companies, providing mentorship in business, fundraising, and capital, and offering guidance to startup companies. Additionally, Barbara worked as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, investing in up-and-coming biotechs and managing investor relationships. After her time at Life Science Angels, Barbara became the Director of Early-Stage West Coast Life Science and Healthcare banking at SVB and is currently the Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan, where she is leading the national life sciences and healthcare practice. Barbara’s dedication to building a strong community in the biotech space and her expertise in science, management, and investing make her conversation one that founders don’t want to miss. Join us this week and hear about: Barbara’s academic journey and graduate school lab experience at UC Irvine Her insights from her time at the Beckman Laser Institute and her groundbreaking research on DNA repair using lasers Her international fellowship at King's College London, where she explored stem cell biology How her transition to entrepreneurship was shaped by navigating different lab environments and overcoming funding challenges Please enjoy my conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva. Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/ https://www.jpmorgan.com/global Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes Topics Mentioned: UC Irvine: https://uci.edu/ Minority Science Program: https://msp.bio.uci.edu/ What Is Molecular Biology? https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-molecular-biology Lab Equipment List for Synthetic Biology: https://www.excedr.com/blog/lab-equipment-list-for-synthetic-biology-research Types of Equipment Used in Molecular Biology Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-type-of-equipment-is-used-in-molecular-biology-research National Autonomous University of Mexico: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Autonomous_University_of_Mexico Beckman Laser Institute https://www.bli.uci.edu/ King’s College London https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ Guy's Hospital https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/guys-hospital People Mentioned: Fiona Watts https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-watt-a45a44b5/?originalSubdomain=uk John Murnane https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-murnane-b57340179/ Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:59 Episode starts, applying to grad school 06:07 Starting at the Beckman Laser Institute 12:18 Barbara’s first time managing a team during her PhD 16:24 Fellowship at King’s College London, postdoc experience at UCSF 19:31 Barbara shares her outreach efforts for postdoc positions and responses she received 23:46 Barbara discusses her experience at UCSF and the differences in lab culture 26:36 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Barbara Alcaraz Silva - J.P. Morgan - Part 1 | Living the American Dream & Emigrating From Mexico | Soaking Up Experiences & Embracing Opportunities | Researching at the Harvard of Mexico |… 38:19
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 1 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Barbara Alcaraz Silva, Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. She is also a former scientist-entrepreneur whose graduate studies focused on Telomeres and DNA Repair. Barbara has worked with many startups, including co-founding her own company, BioChron. While at the Manos Accelerator, she worked as an advisor for Biotech and Medtech companies, providing mentorship in business, fundraising, and capital, and offering guidance to startup companies. Additionally, Barbara worked as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, investing in up-and-coming biotechs and managing investor relationships. After her time at Life Science Angels, Barbara became the Director of Early-Stage West Coast Life Science and Healthcare banking at SVB and is currently the Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan, where she is leading the national life sciences and healthcare practice. Barbara’s dedication to building a strong community in the biotech space and her expertise in science, management, and investing make her conversation one that founders don’t want to miss. Join us this week and hear about: Barbara’s immigrant journey and how her upbringing played an important role in her lead-up to becoming a scientist-entrepreneur. Her path from community college to UC Irvine, where she gained essential lab experience, secured a research position in Plant Biology. Her travels abroad to the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Please enjoy my conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva. Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/ https://www.jpmorgan.com/global Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes Topics Mentioned: UC Irvine: https://uci.edu/ Minority Science Program: https://msp.bio.uci.edu/ Sanitor Corporation: https://www.sanitorcorp.com/ What Is Molecular Biology? https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-molecular-biology Lab Equipment List for Synthetic Biology: https://www.excedr.com/blog/lab-equipment-list-for-synthetic-biology-research Types of Equipment Used in Molecular Biology Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-type-of-equipment-is-used-in-molecular-biology-research National Autonomous University of Mexico: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Autonomous_University_of_Mexico Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:24 Episode starts, Barbara's adolescence and immigrant upbringing, the start of community college in Orange County 10:08 Professors and classmates who built bonds and inspired the pursuit of science and chemistry, the struggle of learning English 15:31 Moving from the academic realm to industry and the cultural adjustments of becoming a project manager at Sanitor Corporation 19:58 The bumpy transfer from community college to UC Irvine and the unexpected love of biology 25:39 Lab experiences at UC Irvine, the opportunity of being a part of the Minority Science Program 31:03 Doing research abroad in Mexico at UNAM 35:46 Next steps after Mexico research and applying to grad school 37:18 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Derek Hennecke - Kincell Bio - Part 4 | Building & Scaling Xcelience | Buy-Side vs. Sell-Side of M&A | The Importance of Continuous Learning | Transition into Investing & Board Member Work 32:12
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 4 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Derek Hennecke, a veteran biotech entrepreneur and board member with over 30 years of experience in the CDMO industry, whose mission is to support the biotech revolution and create value for patients, customers, and investors. In addition to his Board work, Derek previously held leadership positions at DSM and was the Founder and CEO of Xcelience, a Florida-based CDMO specializing in preformulation, micronization, analytical services, formulation development, cGMP manufacturing, and more. Derek eventually sold Xcelience to Capsugel (now Lonza) in 2016. His extensive pharma and cell therapy expertise makes for an insightful conversation that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: The process of building and scaling Xcelience, from leveraging innovative technology to disrupt the market to navigating the impact of the 2008 Recession Derek’s experience with strategic buy-side and sell-side transactions His commitment to continuous learning His transition into investing and work as a board member Please enjoy my conversation with Derek Hennecke. Find Our Guest, Derek Hennecke, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennecke/ https://kincellbio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Xcelience: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xcelience-llc/ MicroSize: https://www.microsize.com/ Capsugel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsugel Lonza (Capsugel’s Parent Company): https://www.lonza.com/ Austin Px: https://www.austinpx.com/ Micronization: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronization Biotech Partnerships: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research M&A Strategies in Biotech: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/life-sciences-m-and-a-shows-new-signs-of-life Biotech Funding Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Marketing and Sales Strategies in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs How To Run an Efficient Board Meeting: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-run-an-effective-board-meeting Elephant Slides: https://rapport.bio/all-stories/elephant-in-boardroom Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:48 Disrupting the market with Xcelience 03:34 Derek’s M&A experience and acquisition strategy on the buy-side 04:36 Financing Xcelience’s acquisition of another micronization company 06:32 Derek’s sell-side experience with Capsugel 12:03 Challenges of work and life post-acquisition; Working with Lonza 14:32 Going back to school, starting as an investor, and transitioning to board work 17:35 Bringing confidence and decision-making skills to board member roles 20:21 Running effective board meetings and finding CEO mentorship 26:53 Final reflections and Derek’s advice for founders 30:11 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Derek Hennecke - Kincell Bio - Part 3 | Starting an Operations Role in Egypt | The Importance of Teamwork | Moving into Biologics & Overseeing GMP Operations | Buying a Business & Founding… 39:25
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 3 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Derek Hennecke, a veteran biotech entrepreneur and board member with over 30 years of experience in the CDMO industry, whose mission is to support the biotech revolution and create value for patients, customers, and investors. In addition to his Board work, Derek previously held leadership positions at DSM and was the Founder and CEO of Xcelience, which he eventually sold to Capsugel Lonza in 2016. Xcelience was a Florida-based CDMO specializing in preformulation, micronization, analytical services, formulation development, cGMP manufacturing, and more. His extensive pharma and cell therapy expertise makes for an insightful conversation that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Derek’s transition from commercial roles to Operations, managing a challenging site in Egypt, and the teamwork that turned it around His move to a Biologics site in Montreal and the hurdles he faced there overseeing GMP Operations The start of his entrepreneurial journey: buying a portion of a business and founding Xcelience. Please enjoy my conversation with Derek Hennecke. Find Our Guest, Derek Hennecke, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennecke/ https://kincellbio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: MDS Pharma Services: https://www.mdsps.com/ Xcelience: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xcelience-llc/ GMP Operations Roles: https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/how-do-you-identify-common-gmp-roles-responsibilities-skills-gmp GMP Practices: https://safetyculture.com/topics/gmp/ GMP vs. GLP: https://www.excedr.com/resources/gmp-vs-glp-whats-the-difference Matrix Organizations: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/matrix-organization-structure-reason-evolution-1837 Sales-Leasebacks (SLB): https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-a-sale-leaseback Equipment Leasing: https://www.excedr.com/leasing Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Starting a role in Operations 04:01 Derek’s move to Egypt; Improving safety, performance, and cost structure 08:03 Scaling the Egypt site and expanding into other markets; Improving product quality and employee safety 10:01 Moving back to Montreal, Canada; Dealing with a site failure, deciding to leave the company 13:50 Lessons learned from leaving, the importance of saying “no,” and communicating clearly 20:16 Becoming VP of GMP Operations of MDS Pharma; Overseeing multiple locations 25:08 Navigating the hurdles of a closing business; Buying one of the units in Tampa, Florida 27:45 Derek’s jump into entrepreneurship: Founding Xcelience 30:00 Early days of running the company, looking into a sales-leaseback, and securing capital 38:21 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Derek Hennecke - Kincell Bio - Part 2 | Taking Risks and Jumping for the Right Opportunity | The Willingness To Do, Opens Doors | Your Job is More than the Products It is Producing | Building… 32:23
32:23 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked32:23
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 2 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Derek Hennecke, a veteran biotech entrepreneur and board member with over 30 years of experience in the CDMO industry, whose mission is to support the biotech revolution and create value for patients, customers, and investors. In addition to his Board work, Derek previously held leadership positions at DSM and was the Founder and CEO of Xcelience, which he eventually sold to Capsugel Lonza in 2016. Xcelience was a Florida-based CDMO that specialized in preformulation, micronization, analytical services, formulation development, cGMP manufacturing, and more. His extensive expertise in pharma and cell therapy makes for an insightful conversation that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Derek’s early challenges and financial hurdles he faced after moving to Europe for his MBA His first role in business development His managing transition, learning the ropes of leadership, and his joint venture experience in Mexico Derek’s intricacies of managing a matrix organization and his experience as a product manager Please enjoy my conversation with Derek Hennecke. Find Our Guest, Derek Hennecke, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennecke/ https://kincellbio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:50 Episode starts, starting with business development with Gist-brocades and then quickly moving to area business development manager 03:00 Derek’s definition of business development and tips and tricks 06:27 The trials of traveling back and forth to North America and Derek’s first time managing a team 11:20 The challenges of moving and running a joint venture in Mexico, the willingness to do new things 16:47 The balancing act of leading a 50/50 venture, communication, and building trust 24:18 Strategy to expand almost worldwide, buying a penicillin factory in Mexico City 26:59 Becoming a product manager and the roles it entailed, defining a matrix organization 31:18 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Derek Hennecke - Kincell Bio - Part 1 | Sales Means Having Two Ears and One Mouth | The Support of a Partner Can Make or Break a Career | Skip the MBA 31:18
31:18 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked31:18
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 1 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Derek Hennecke, a veteran biotech entrepreneur and board member with over 30 years of experience in the CDMO industry, whose mission is to support the biotech revolution and create value for patients, customers, and investors. In addition to his Board work, Derek previously held leadership positions at DSM and was the Founder and CEO of Xcelience, which he eventually sold to Capsugel Lonza in 2016. Xcelience was a Florida-based CDMO that specialized in preformulation, micronization, analytical services, formulation development, cGMP manufacturing, and more. His extensive expertise in pharma and cell therapy makes for an insightful conversation that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Derek’s childhood and his early interest in history and science His academic journey in microbiology at the University of Alberta, where he shifted from chemistry to biology, and his eventual move into sales. His MBA experience in the Netherlands and his current outlook on the degree. Please enjoy my conversation with Derek Hennecke. Find Our Guest, Derek Hennecke, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennecke/ https://kincellbio.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Timestamps 00:28 Intro 02:13 Episode starts, Derek's early upbringing as a military kid and learning how to adapt to moving every 4 years 06:33 Having an interest in history but ultimately falling in love with science, Studying microbiology as an undergraduate at the University of Alberta 08:50 Undergraduate lab experience 14:04 Professors and mentors who were influential 15:40 Next steps after Undergraduate microbiology, going from academia to sales at Boehringer Mannheim 22:02 Introvert vs. Extrovert in Sales 24:28 Decision to move to the Netherlands to pursue a masters in business 28:20 The rarity of getting an MBA and using it to move into a new country to network 30:18 Outro The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Doug Drysdale - Cybin - Part 4 | The Challenges of Running a Public Company | Transforming Psychiatric Treatments Through Psychedelic Compounds | Developing Breakthrough Therapies in Depression… 28:16
28:16 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked28:16
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 4 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Doug Drysdale, CEO at Cybin. Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharma company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics. Doug is an experienced investor, Corporate Director and CEO, who has chaired the Board of a NASDAQ-listed company and, as a CEO for the past 12 years, has built and turned around 3 pharma companies. During his 30+ years of experience in the healthcare sector, he has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 16 corporate acquisitions across three continents and has raised and invested around $4 billion of both public and private capital. Before Cybin, Doug was Commercial Products Manager at DuPont Merck, Director of BD at Elan, VP of M&A at Actavis Group, CEO of Norwich Pharmaceuticals and Alvogen, CEO of Pernix Therapeutics, and CEO of Tedor Pharma. His extensive background as a seasoned executive, investor, and turn-around specialist gives him a wide range of experiences that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Doug’s first-time experience running a public company: the challenges of hitting quarterly numbers and juggling the pressure of share price volatility His move to Cybin, a startup transforming psychiatric treatments through psychedelic compounds Cybin’s recent progress, including some key acquisitions, taking the company public, and their breakthrough therapies in depression and anxiety. Please enjoy my conversation with Doug Drysdale. Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:50 Doug’s first experience running a public company, Pernix Therapeutics 06:51 Leaving Pernix for a private company and a break from public scrutiny 08:22 Joining Cybin, going public, and raising $300MM; quickly developing therapy and IP assets 11:34 Cybin’s mission and focus; the co-founders and the team behind the technology 15:08 The DEA’s outlook on psychedelics and the development of SSRI alternatives 17:26 Doug’s experience working with the FDA 19:39 Cybin’s IP and partnership strategies; building out a core team and retaining talent 24:00 Cybin’s 2-year vision 24:58 Shoutouts and advice to 21-year old self 26:37 Outro Find Our Guest, Doug Drysdale, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougdrysdale/ https://cybin.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Pernix Therapeutics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernix_Therapeutics_Holdings Cybin: https://cybin.com/ Intellectual Property 101: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide SSRIs: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825 Psychedelic Compounds for Therapies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4592297/ Pharmacokinetics: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557744/ Understanding Psilocybin and DMT Treatments for Depression: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2022/02/psilocybin-treatment-for-major-depression-effective-for-up-to-a-year-for-most-patients-study-shows Cybin’s Developmental Pipeline: https://cybin.com/development-pipeline/ DEA’s outlook on psychedelics: https://www.cato.org/regulation/spring-2023/psychedelics-dea-regulating-religion Guide to FDA Drug Approval Process: https://www.excedr.com/blog/fda-drug-approval-process-guide IP Strategy for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-strategy-for-biotechs Biotech Partnerships: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Doug Drysdale - Cybin - Part 3 | Jumping from BD to M&A | Leveraging Debt for Strategic Acquisitions | The Importance of Cultural Fit in Successful Deals | Making an Impact at Norwich, Alvogen,… 27:57
27:57 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked27:57
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 3 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Doug Drysdale, CEO at Cybin. Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharma company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics. Doug is an experienced investor, Corporate Director and CEO, who has chaired the Board of a NASDAQ-listed company and, as a CEO for the past 12 years, has built and turned around 3 pharma companies. During his 30+ years of experience in the healthcare sector, he has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 16 corporate acquisitions across three continents and has raised and invested around $4 billion of both public and private capital. Before Cybin, Doug was Commercial Products Manager at DuPont Merck, Director of BD at Elan, VP of M&A at Actavis Group, CEO of Norwich Pharmaceuticals and Alvogen, CEO of Pernix Therapeutics, and CEO of Tedor Pharma. His extensive background as a seasoned executive, investor, and turn-around specialist gives him a wide range of experiences that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Doug’s transition from BD to leading M&A at Actavis His insights on leveraging debt for acquisitions The importance of cultural fit in successful deals Doug’s strategic acquisitions at Actavis and the turnaround at Norwich Pharmaceuticals & Alvogen His challenges and successes at Pernix Therapeutics, the first public company Doug worked for Please enjoy my conversation with Doug Drysdale. Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:48 How to get into M&A as a scientist; what makes a successful M&A transaction? 05:19 Doug’s experience raising credit facilities to support M&A activity 07:46 Memorable challenges and triumphs at Actavis 12:24 How do you find good investment opportunities? Things to keep an eye out for 14:36 Doug’s move from Actavis to Norwich Pharmaceuticals and Alvogen 18:10 Growth strategies at Norwich/Alvogen: M&A and Licensing 19:14 Key lessons and takeaways from Doug’s time at Norwich/Alvogen; the importance of people and cultural fits 24:33 Turning things around with Pernix Therapeutics, a public company 26:50 Outro Find Our Guest, Doug Drysdale, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougdrysdale/ https://cybin.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Actavis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actavis Norwich Pharmaceuticals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Pharma_Services Alvogen: https://www.alvogen.com/ Debt Financing: https://www.excedr.com/blog/lease-financing-vs-debt-financing Credit Facility: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditfacility.asp Credit facilities for M&A activity: https://cpcp.ca/opinion/6-common-debt-financing-options-in-ma/ R&D Licensing: https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guide M&A Activity in Life Sciences: https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/answer/Understanding-the-Value-of-Mergers-and-Acquisitions-in-Life-Sciences IP Assets in Life Sciences: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs Sales and Marketing Strategies for Startups: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Doug Drysdale - Cybin - Part 2 | Deals Only Get Done in Person | Learning Financing Through a Company’s Hardship | Bureaucracy in the Workplace | How to Educate Yourself to Determine Good… 31:29
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 2 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Doug Drysdale, CEO at Cybin. Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharma company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics. Their goal is to address the large unmet need for new and innovative treatment options for people who suffer from mental health conditions. Doug is an experienced investor, Corporate Director, and CEO, who has chaired the Board of a NASDAQ-listed company and, as a CEO for the past 12 years, has built and turned around 3 pharma companies. During Doug’s 30+ years of experience in the healthcare sector, he has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 16 corporate acquisitions across three continents, and raised and invested around $4 billion of public and private capital. Before Cybin, Doug was Commercial Products Manager at DuPont Merck, Director of BD at Elan, VP of M&A at Actavis Group, CEO of Norwich Pharmaceuticals and Alvogen, CEO of Pernix Therapeutics, and CEO of Tedor Pharma. Doug’s extensive background as a seasoned executive, investor, and turn-around specialist gives him a wide range of experiences that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Doug’s experience in business development His move from crunching numbers to leading deals The challenges of global BD strategies Doug’s move from the UK to San Diego His intricacies of licensing and acquisitions in the pharma industry, and his experiences with Elan, Alpharma, and Actavis Please enjoy my conversation with Doug Drysdale. Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 01:48 Episode starts, Doug defines business development and how a scientist can break into BD 04:21 Global vs. Regional BD, Immersing in travels 3 months at a time, Moving to the US 08:09 Memorable deals at Elan, getting a crash course in financing while going through a layoff period 14:34 Determining when to move on from Elan and start Alkensa 18:33 Next journey after Alkensa to Forest Laboratories, Doug's first experience of bureaucracy in the workplace 22:31 Moving from big pharma to generics at Alpharma, becoming head of M&A 27:28 Doug's advice on identifying what you want to license and what makes for a good licensing deal, fundraising types at Alpharma 29:15 Sell side vs. acquisition side 30:23 Outro Find Our Guest, Doug Drysdale, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougdrysdale/ https://cybin.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: How to Fund an R&D Startup: First Steps a Founder Can Take https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps Biotech Funding for Startups: What Are Your Options? https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options Finance https://www.excedr.com/category/finance Equipment Leasing vs. Financing: What's the Difference? https://www.excedr.com/blog/equipment-leasing-vs-financing Top VC Firms for Biotech in 2024: Supporting Innovation & Growth https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech How VC-Backed Startups Win When They Lease https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-vc-backed-startups-win-when-they-lease VC Term Sheets: Definition, Key Components & More https://www.excedr.com/resources/venture-capital-term-sheets What Is Series A, B, & C Funding? Series Funding Explained https://www.excedr.com/resources/series-funding-explained The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Doug Drysdale - Cybin - Part 1 | One Teacher Can Change Your Whole Perspective | The Forefront of the Human Genome Project | How Loss Taught Him Not to Take Life For Granted | Learning How to Be… 31:10
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 1 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Doug Drysdale, CEO at Cybin. Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharma company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics. Their goal is to address the large unmet need for new and innovative treatment options for people who suffer from mental health conditions. Doug is an experienced investor, Corporate Director and CEO, who has chaired the Board of a NASDAQ-listed company and, as a CEO for the past 12 years, has built and turned around 3 pharma companies. During Doug’s 30+ years of experience in the healthcare sector, he has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 16 corporate acquisitions across three continents and has raised and invested around $4 billion of both public and private capital. Before Cybin, Doug was Commercial Products Manager at DuPont Merck, Director of BD at Elan, VP of M&A at Actavis Group, CEO of Norwich Pharmaceuticals and Alvogen, CEO of Pernix Therapeutics, and CEO of Tedor Pharma. Doug’s extensive background as a seasoned executive, investor, and turn-around specialist gives him a wide range of experiences that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Doug’s upbringing in a working-class setting His life-changing scholarship and his early passion for the life sciences Doug’s pivotal moments in the lab and his transition to sales at DuPont Merck His time at Elan, where he combined his scientific and commercial expertise to excel in BD Please enjoy my conversation with Doug Drysdale. Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:33 Episode starts, Doug’s early upbringing and how a teacher helped change his life and perspective at only 10 years old 06:40 Doug finding his spark for science, his gravitation toward biology, working a government job in a hospital pathology lab out of high school 11:53 Getting a degree in molecular biology and being able to work with the cutting-edge human genome project 13:13 Transitioning out of government wet lab and into full-time study at University of East Anglia 15:38 Mentors and professors who inspired Doug’s journey in STEM, a family loss swaying Doug to get out of academia and go into sales 20:36 How an opportunity at DuPont Merck came about and the joint venture experience at this startup 23:04 Memorable challenges and triumphs in pharmaceutical sales 26:44 First-time experience as a commercial marketing manager, being recruited into Elan in a marketing role 30:10 Outro Find Our Guest, Doug Drysdale, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougdrysdale/ https://cybin.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotech s How to Fund an R&D Startup: First Steps a Founder Can Take https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps Biotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research Guide to Life Sciences Licensing Agreements https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guide The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Noam Solomon - Immunai - Part 4 | How Searching for Investors is Like Finding a Life Partner | Luck In Fundraising | The Optimal Features of the Immune System | The Advice to Take More Risks 26:59
26:59 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked26:59
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 4 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Noam Solomon, CEO and co-founder at Immunai, a pioneering biotech company that is comprehensively mapping and reprogramming the immune system with single-cell biology and AI to power new therapeutic discoveries, accelerate drug development, and improve patient outcomes. Prior to co-founding Immunai, Noam had a career in both industry and academia. Noam has a double PhD in math and computer science and served as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT and Harvard. Noam also worked as an algorithms developer, consultant, and head of data science in several high-tech companies in Israel. Noam's extensive background in math, computer science, AI, and machine learning gives him a unique depth of experience that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: Noam's unique dynamics of working with academic institutions and the alignment of incentives that come with collaborating with top researchers The importance of strategic partnerships and the meticulous analysis involved in selecting the right collaborators Noam’s fundraising journey The technological advancements at Immunai The application of AI in optimizing drug development processes Please enjoy my conversation with Noam Solomon. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:35 Episode starts, screening for the right business partners and determining what projects to take on and which ones to pass 07:40 Noam’s philosophy and tips on fundraising 15:47 What to expect of Immunai in the next year or two 19:30 Shout outs for help along his journey 21:47 Advice to your 21-year old self 24:15 Outro Find Our Guest, Noam Solomon, at this link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noam-solomon-142393129/ https://www.immunai.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Biotech Startup Support https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support Biotech Funding for Startups: What Are Your Options? https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options How to Get Funding for Lab Research in 2024 https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-get-funding-for-lab-research How to Raise Money from Angel Investors https://www.excedr.com/resources/angel-funding-and-angel-investors What Is Series A, B, & C Funding? Series Funding Explained https://www.excedr.com/resources/series-funding-explained How to Fund an R&D Startup: First Steps a Founder Can Take https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps Biotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research What Should Investors & Founders Expect From Each Other? https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations People Mentioned Luis F. Voloch https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisvoloch/ Ansu Satpathy https://www.linkedin.com/in/ansu-satpathy-67a5a9193/ Danny Wells https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-wells-bb03453a/ Dan Littman https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/board-of-directors/dan_littman-md-phd The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Noam Solomon - Immunai - Part 3 | Deciphering the Book That is the Human Immune System | Building Immunai’s Team | The Importance of Single Cell Multi-Omics | Big Pharma & Dancing With Gorillas 34:13
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” on https://www.excedr.com/rewards . Part 3 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Noam Solomon, CEO and co-founder at Immunai, a pioneering biotech company that is comprehensively mapping and reprogramming the immune system with single-cell biology and AI to power new therapeutic discoveries, accelerate drug development, and improve patient outcomes. Prior to co-founding Immunai, Noam had a career in both industry and academia. Noam has a double PhD in math and computer science and served as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT and Harvard. Noam also worked as an algorithms developer, consultant, and head of data science in several high-tech companies in Israel. Noam's extensive background in math, computer science, AI, and machine learning gives him a unique depth of experience that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: How the human genome project gave us the alphabet to read the book that is the human immune system Immunai’s philosophy of doing what's right even if they don’t know what they’re doing Balancing a CEO’s naivete with being selective about who’s advise to take What single cell multi-omics, the technology behind Immunai, really means Why working with different pharma companies is like dancing with a gorilla Please enjoy my conversation with Noam Solomon. Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:04 Episode starts, the human genome project and the alphabet used to read the book of the human immune system 05:10 Bringing an outsider's perspective to Immunai and their unique approach 08:07 Building the the Immunai team with both immunology and computer science experts who are not afraid to ask the stupid questions 12:10 Observing the hospital, pharma, AI landscape and how that shaped their philosophy of doing what's right even if they don’t know what they’re doing 19:00 Balancing both your naivete as a CEO with judging who’s advice to take 20:03 What is single cell multi-omics, the technology behind Immunai and what they learned from Netflix 24:44 How to embrace failure without creating a failure culture and other lessons learned from setting up their first lab 28:22 “Do you know how you dance with a gorilla?” and how to work with different pharma companies 33:05: Outro Find Our Guest, Noam Solomon, at this link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noam-solomon-142393129/ https://www.immunai.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: Immunai https://www.immunai.com/ Human Genome Project https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project Single Cell Multi-Omics https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5303816/ Recommender Systems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recommender_system What Is Bioinformatics https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-bioinformatics-and-computational-biology New Drug Application https://www.excedr.com/blog/new-drug-application-process Guide to the FDA Drug Approval Process https://www.excedr.com/blog/fda-drug-approval-process-guide Equipment Leasing for Laboratories https://www.excedr.com/leasing Biotech Startup Support https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support People Mentioned: Louis Voloch https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisvoloch Ansuman Satpathy https://www.linkedin.com/in/ansuman-satpathy-3b386639/ Danny Wells https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-wells-bb03453a/ The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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The Biotech Startups Podcast
1 🧬 Noam Solomon - Immunai - Part 2 | The Value of Attending Prestigious Institutions | Immunai’s Genesis | AI, Machine Learning, & Their Applications in the Life Sciences | Mapping the Human Immune… 26:11
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPart 2 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Noam Solomon, CEO and co-founder at Immunai, a pioneering biotech company that is comprehensively mapping and reprogramming the immune system with single-cell biology and AI to power new therapeutic discoveries, accelerate drug development, and improve patient outcomes. Prior to co-founding Immunai, Noam had a career in both industry and academia. Noam has a double PhD in math and computer science and served as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT and Harvard. Noam also worked as an algorithms developer, consultant, and head of data science in several high-tech companies in Israel. Noam's extensive background in math, computer science, AI, and machine learning gives him a unique depth of experience that founders can learn from. Join us this week and hear about: The impact of attending prestigious institutions like Harvard and MIT on his career and networking opportunities The genesis of Immunai, inspired by personal experiences and focused on precision medicine in cancer treatment Explaining AI and Machine Learning, their distinctions, and the current state of AI in biology and drug development The complexity of the immune system and Immunai's ambitious goal to map it completely The convergence of technological advancements (single-cell technology, computing power, and AI models) that created the "perfect storm" for founding Immunai Please enjoy my conversation with Noam Solomon. Timestamps: 00:28 Intro 02:00 Episode starts, Noam’s decision to pursue postdoctoral studies at Harvard and MIT 03:31 The value of pedigree and superficial evaluations in business 04:33 Moving to Boston and the cultural experience at Harvard and MIT 06:47 Humility in mathematics and the inspiration from academic environments 08:19 Incubation of Immunai and the motivation behind its founding 11:41 The role of AI and ML in life sciences and common misconceptions 14:39 Progress in AI, ML, and their implications in drug development 18:46 Early days of Immunai and developing the technology platform 24:03 Mapping the human immune system and the complexity involved 25:05 Outro Find Our Guest, Noam Solomon, at this link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noam-solomon-142393129/ https://www.immunai.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee https://www.excedr.com Social & Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes: Topics Mentioned: MIT https://www.mit.edu/ Harvard University https://www.harvard.edu/ Immunai https://www.immunai.com/ What Is Bioinformatics https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-bioinformatics-and-computational-biology New Drug Application https://www.excedr.com/blog/new-drug-application-process Guide to the FDA Drug Approval Process https://www.excedr.com/blog/fda-drug-approval-process-guide Equipment Leasing for Laboratories https://www.excedr.com/leasing Biotech Startup Support https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.…
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