A convoluted, confusing, and opaque system for pricing drugs has evolved that distorts the market and often limits patient access to the drugs they need to survive. In this episode, three experts explain how the system works—or doesn’t’—and the consequences of a dysfunctional pricing system.

Guests:

• Dan Durham, Senior Health Policy Advisor, Biotechnology Innovation Organization
• Anna Hyde, Vice President, Advocacy and Access, Arthritis Foundation
• Dr. Vinay Rathi, Resident Physician, Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Mass General Brigham

Alzheimer’s disease is a heartbreaking diagnosis and tragically there is no cure. But every day, researchers, scientists and the medical community are working to change that. In this episode, we speak with three guests who are fighting to bend the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease and, in doing so, offering hope for the millions suffering from this devastating illness.

Last December, a United Airlines’ flight from Chicago to Washington DC was the first ever passenger flight powered with 100% sustainable aviation fuel. The achievement demonstrated the potential for the aviation sector to reduce its carbon footprint. Our guests in this episode each played a key role in in helping the airline reach this exciting milestone.

2021 was the unofficial year of mRNA—and deservedly so. But the science behind the technology is not always easy to understand. In this episode, we will dive into the miracle technology that saved countless lives and talk about what it holds for the future. We also speak to a biotech company about its non-mRNA vaccine technology for COVID and why the healthcare ecosystem will always need multiple options.

More than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is water, and yet water that is safe enough for human consumption remains a finite resource. In this episode we speak to experts about the biggest threats to water—contamination, overuse, and plastic. We also learn how innovative new tools can ensure there is enough water to hydrate us, our plants, and our animals.  

Guests

• Ameen Razavi,  Microvi Biotech
• Joel Cuello, The University of Arizona
• Scott Tuten, Danimer Scientific

We are on the precipice of a looming crisis. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the evolution of deadly pathogens like bacteria and fungi to resist all current antimicrobial medicines. In this episode, we talk about how the dwindling supply of new antibiotics is fueling this silent pandemic, and why we need a continued pipeline of new antibiotics to avoid this crisis.

Guests:

Ankit Mahadevia, Spero Therapeutics

Henry  Skinner, AMR Action Fund

Mary Dwight, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 

Not only do we need STEM students, but we also need them from every corner of the population, because innovation thrives through diverse perspectives; through the people who bring both their talents and backgrounds to the work.  In this episode, we dig into the importance of kids learning about STEM early in their educations, the impact of the pandemic on students and teachers, and what the future of STEM education looks like. 

Guests:

Barak Balva, Sanofi

Kimberly Bryant, Black Girls Code

Jen Colvin, Learning Undefeated 

Jo Webber, STEMconnector

Today we have two powerful stories. Each one is as different as the disease that it’s about. Yet there is a common thread: patients want and need to be heard. You will hear from a mom who will do whatever it takes to save her son’s life.  And you will learn about a young woman who is fighting for herself and her underserved patient community.  

Guests:

Amber Freed, SLC6A1 Connect

Melodie Blackwell, COCCI

Every three minutes in the United States, an allergic reaction to foods sends someone to the emergency room. Today, we explore what life is like when you must avoid certain foods. But we also learn that there is hope for an escape from the food prison. Researchers like Clemson University's Sachin Rustgi are using cutting-edge genetic engineering tools to make foods safer for those living with allergies and food sensitivities.  

Guests:

Sachin Rustgi, Clemson University

Lisa Gable, FARE

Emily Brown, Food Equality Initiative 

They are not the household names, but the medications they are researching and developing could be the lifeline patients are waiting for. Today we explore how drug price controls—now making their way through Congress—could have unintended consequences for the small biotechs that are the engine of the drug development ecosystem. And even worse, for the patients who need them most.  

Guests:

Ahmed Mousa, Pieris Pharmaceuticals  

Daphne Zohar, PureTech Health

Peter Kolchinsky, RA Capital

Michele Oshman, BIO

Clare Thorpe, Library Services (AU)