Learning With Lowell

Next Generation Feed, Food, and Fuel using next generation insect crop creation to make specific Black soldier fly evolutions to meet the needs of a variety of agriculture sectors.

Discussion about Black Soldier Fly evolution to create next-generation crops that will drive a sustainable bioeconomy that produces feed, food, and fuel. We also get into his startup journey, how he had to transfer out a member of the founding team, and what he learned from that situation on founding greater teams, his fears, and some of his accomplishments.

Thomas's Linkedin link.

About Beta Bugs

"Beta Bugs is a cutting edge biotechnology company that produces enhanced insect strains for the growing insect farming industry. The domesticated, optimized strains we produce provide benefits at all levels of the production chain ensuring the industry is both more profitable and sustainable. We accelerate the evolution of the organisms to create traits that ensure greatly superior final products " Source 

Additionally:

"At Beta Bugs we know the insect industry has huge potential, both environmentally and economically. Insects, such as the Black Soldier Fly, are excellent sources of protein for feed as well as a broad range of other resources from bio-materials to fuel.

However, having only recently been domesticated, insects, unlike other agricultural species, are far from optimized for industry. There are huge improvements to be made in efficiency, quality of produce and ease of farming. At Beta Bugs we are changing this through the application of state of the art breeding programmes and tried and tested bio-techniques." source

Beta Bugs and Thomas were also a part of Deep Science Ventures. Check out the episode we did on them with their Founder Dom. 

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes:

[ 01:30 ] Who is on their team, and what they do. Additionally, how he used to have a co-founder, and how they parted ways.

[ 03:50 ] What inspired him to want to create Beta Bugs and a bit of his backstory (i.e. PhD).

[ 07:30 ] What he thought about in creating his breeding techniques and the many places he pulled from.

[ 09:36 ] How he is using traditional breeding over GMO type practices and the benefits of doing so.

[ 10:50 ] How long until they have a viable product and the first market they are targeting.

[ 11:44 ] His thoughts on a customer-driven approach, and the types of things his potential customers are looking for.

[ 13:00 ] His first product development in regards to salmon, and why he choose it.

[ 13:58 ] His thoughts on adding compounds/processes to bugs which then makes it possible for the bugs to give salmon their pink coloring.

[ 15:30 ] How he plans things out.

[ 16:12 ] We discuss his team of advisers, and how they have helped in his development.

[ 16:50 ] Grey hair fallacy, and how he finds advisers.

[ 18:14 ] How he gets them on the team and keeps them excited.

[ 18:43 ] How DSV helped him out, and the first ways they challenged him.

[ 20:50 ] His thoughts on different levels of feed stock and trait costs similar to Telsa's car tiers.

[ 23:20 ] Why build out a catalog as a breeding company.

[ 24:30 ] His thoughts on vertical vs horizontal integration.

[ 26:30 ] His thoughts on competition, roadblocks, and his value proposition.

[ 27:30 ] What the benefits of going horizontal vs vertical are.

[ 28:46 ] Books and other recommendations, and his thoughts on them.

[ 32:00 ] He describes the different types of fun and the benefits of targeting different types of fun.

[ 33:01 ] His cycling hobby.

[ 35:02 ] What he is currently looking to overcome and add to his company.

[ 36:10 ] Great ways to follow along on his journey( i.e. Website and email: [email protected]).

[ 37:11 ] Who he is looking to partner with and connect with.

[ 39:41 ] What he fears most.

[ 40:40 ] The most impressive/unimpressive things about his startup journey (i.e.

Personalized medicine development technology to improve all of our lives, their startup journey, what they've learned, and what they still have yet to do.

About CSO Dr. Katia Nazmutdinova:

She has a "PhD in Genetics, experience in kidney disease modelling and the use of patent-specific cells for personalized medicine" Source.

Additionally, she  specialized in rare genetic diseases. is skilled in disease modeling, 3D cell culturing, personalized medicine assays, drug testing and DNA sequencing (NGS, Fluidigm, Sanger). Source. 

About CEO Dr. Natalie Grefenstette:

She has a "PhD in Organic Chemistry Specialised in systems chemistry and aqueous organic chemistry" Source.

Interests: "Astrobiology, Origin of Life, Artificial Life, Synthetic Biology, Cancer Biology, Genetics" Source. 

Their mission and the logic of Encelo labs:

"We are all unique

As we all know, every person is different. This uniqueness is currently being explored thanks to the boom in sequencing that lead to multiple businesses sprouting around the field of personalised genetics.

However, it might surprise more than one to hear that most of research into human biology and disease is stuck in the past, relying on immortalized cell lines or animal models; both containing very little genetic diversity. This is due to the fact that the gold standard of research, human primary cell lines (ie: unadulterated cells from actual patients or healthy people), are rare and expensive; as they are sourced through invasive and opportunistic surgical procedures.

This bottleneck of material particularly affects research into rare diseases and paediatric diseases. Most importantly, this bottleneck is limiting our access to the long awaited advent of personalized medicine.

We are all cells

Access to individuals’ genetic material is greatly helping understand variation in human genetics. Yet, DNA on its own will not reveal all the necessary information. A human body is composed of trillions of cells, each with a specific role. The differences between your skin cells and cardiac cells are obvious both visually and in behaviour. This is due to differences in the expression of the DNA. Expression levels change in response to external stimuli. Cells react. Cells change. Cells are alive.

This is why research needs cells to study biology. We need to understand the relationship between cells and the outside world, as well as the relationship between cellular response and the DNA it holds inside. For this, we need more human primary cells.

Bridging the gap

We have identified a novel method of sourcing human cells, that will allow for unlimited and unprecendented access to stem cell-like cells. Once we develop the necessary tools for this collection, we can source cells from anyone. This will allow for unrestricted access to rare disease patients, children and other patients. This will allow for an abundance of precious material, that will accelerate research into our own biology. And finally, it will allow for personalised medicine to finally be within reach." source

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes:

[ 01:50 ] The main purpose of Encelo labs.

[ 02:12 ] Why go away from Henrietta lacks cells and facts about those cells, and the benefits of working out a process of attaining personalized cells.

[ 03:39 ] The current methods for harvesting cells and the downsides of those methods.

[ 04:20 ] How their method stacks up against the current methods, and the challenges they are overcoming.

[ 05:00 ] What made them choose to build Encelo over doing anything else.

[ 06:10 ] How they met, and what drew them together to start a biotech company.

[ 06:50 ] How long the startup has existed, and how much more time before the technology will work out how they want it to. Also, what the specific challenges they will overcome in that time to make the product are.

[ 07:50 ] Some of the big hurdles they overcame.

Tissue engineering, applications, a biotech startup, their startup journey, and why they moved to the UK from Brazil are the big talking points of this episode.

About Biomimetic Solutions:

"Biomimetic Solutions is an innovative tissue engineering company based in United Kingdom that produces a new generation of biomaterials for tissue engineering applications." Source "Our products are a result of high level professionals working in a rigorous property quality control and constant investment in research and development." Source

Major Awards:

"Biomimetic Solutions was the winner of Startup Games 2017- Belo Horizonte Edition and broke the Mondial record of virtual funds raised of all editions.Startup games is a global business competition promoted by the British Consulate and this year the competition was attended by 73 startups from all over the world. The competition already passed by Sidney, London, Singapore and Santiago." Source

About CEO Alana Santos Benz:

"Materials Engineer by CEFET-MG (Federal Centre of Technology of Minas Gerais- Brazil).

Founder and CEO of Biomimetic Solutions, a tissue engineering company based in UK that develops high quality materials for tissue engineering field. Integrating biomaterials science, natural extracts and patented methods, Biomimetic generates affordable and optimised materials for 3D cell culture." Source

About CTO Ana Elisa Antunes dos Santos:

"Founder and biotechnology entrepreneur. Graduate in Materials Engineering by CEFET-MG (Federal Centre of Technology of Minas Gerais).

CTO of Biomimetic Solutions, a biotechnology stratup that operates in the segment of Tissue Engineering developing technologys for in vitro tests of Cellular Agriculture field, Cosmetic Industry and Regenerative Medicine."  Source

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes:

[ 01:15 ] What their greatest strengths are and what helps them be successful in their biotech startup journey.

[ 02:45 ] What their backgrounds are in and what they are specializing in.

[ 03:27 ] What things made them gravitate towards hard sciences over anything else.

[ 04:51 ] The biggest struggles they have gone through (i.e. merging University and startup worlds).

[ 08:29 ] How they describe their technology and why it's important for the clean meat (cellular agriculture) fields.

[ 09:45 ] How they would explain their technology of growing clean meat to a laymen.

[ 11:47 ] What they think is unique about clean meat and their technology.

[ 13:42 ] How their technology could be used to form a heart and other tissues.

[ 14:36 ] What seeing the first results were like, and how long it took to get great results.

[ 16:25 ] How they celebrate by planning next moves, and what it was like to move to the UK.

[ 19:01 ] Who their mentors are, and how their mentors have helped them.

[ 22:08 ] Some of the things that they think early stage biotech startups need to focus on.

[ 23:55 ] How they formed the team and found each other (i.e. a special Brazil program).

[ 25:48 ] Why the team reached out to Alana to become the CEO and founder.

[ 27:05 ] How they level up their skills.

[ 28:30 ] The person that inspires Ana.

[ 29:10 ] Book recommendations and clean meat resources.

[ 30:20 ] Their advice for people who are starting out.

[ 33:10 ] The best ways to follow along and contact them!

Extinction, Vaquita conservation, life as a Director of Education, SAFE food labels, and more!

About David:

"He has a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a master’s degree in biology with an emphasis in educational media design from the University of California, Irvine. As the Aquarium’s director of education, Bader develops and manages school and public programs, education department long-term planning and staffing, exhibit development, interpretation training, and grant development. In 2015 Bader became the public engagement project coordinator for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Vaquita SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program. Key areas of his expertise include marine biology, oceanography, interpretation of current ocean science for the public, vaquita conservation, and the biology and ecology of various marine animals, from sharks to sea jellies." Source

Vaquita SAFE

"The vaquita is the most critically endangered cetacean in the world and can only be found in the northwestern corner of the Gulf of California, Mexico. This porpoise population is in rapid decline as a direct result of the animals being caught in fishing gillnets.  The latest data estimates the population to have less than 30 individuals and the vaquita is in severe risk of going extinct.

The Need for SAFE

Between 2010 and 2014 alone, three AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums reported taking part in a variety of field conservation projects benefiting vaquitas. Over those five years, the AZA community invested over $50,000 in vaquita conservation. See AZA's Conservation and Research Database for more information.

Most projects were associated with obtaining visual (photo and video) records, assessing wild populations, and conducting conservation education programs.

A primary threat to vaquitas is entanglement in gillnets, used for capturing fish and shrimp. Collaborative projects between AZA-accredited institutions that raise awareness about this issue and engage the public in marine mammal conservation help ensure a future for this highly endangered porpoise.

Despite the tremendous efforts AZA members and partners have committed toward saving the vaquita, the species is still declining at an alarming rate and there is a clear need to approach conservation differently.  AZA SAFE provides a new approach for collaborative conservation.  Using a One Plan approach,  conservationists working to save a species work together to identify and prioritize the conservation needs of a species and then develops a 3-year Conservation Action Plan (CAP).  Each AZA SAFE Conservation Action Plan includes specific projects, goals, and actions that will address the needs of each species." Source

Update new links and great resources!

https://www.aza.org/SAFE-vaquita

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/science/vaquitas-endangered-porpoise.html

http://theoceanproject.org/category/blog/

https://www.aza.org/from-the-desk-of-dan-ashe/posts/the-immeasurable-distance-between-late-and-too-late

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes:

[ 02:10 ] His work saving a specific type of dolphin from extinction. In this section, you learn about the Vaquita and the problems they are having.

[ 04:33 ] Good rules of thumb, and organizations to find properly sourced seafood (i.e. Buying US or NOAA sustainability).

[ 06:49 ] Recommendations on how to get informed (i.e. Storied Seafood).

[ 09:10 ] What are we doing to help promote the species and inbreeding concerns.

[ 13:30 ] Large Water National Parks (i.e. Hawaiian Island section).

[ 17:16 ] Stories of people helping out animals and making differences.

[ 19:48 ] His thoughts on Cephalopod life spans and how we interact with nature.

[ 21:27 ] Why he choose to be an educational director and be a marine biologist, and how his goals have changed over the years.

[ 24:32 ] His thoughts on mentors.

Cellular Agriculture, building a new industry, what Kate works on, how she got started, new research, and how to get involved.

About Kate

"Kate began working in cellular agriculture as an intern at Perfect Day Foods (formerly Muufri) developing strategies to make milk proteins. She has a background in protein biochemistry and cell biology, and completed her PhD in May 2017.

While in graduate school, she created and instructed at Clones to Crystals, an 8-week undergraduate laboratory course covering the basics of cloning, protein purification, and crystallization trials. She also co-founded and ran Learn to Code, a data science bootcamp for women, teaching 50+ students the basics of data science and software development in Python. Her research focused on how insects use their immune systems to fight disease, particularly the biochemistry of thioester containing proteins (TEPs), a family of insect immune proteins. She has extensive research experience in biochemistry, structural biology, and cell biology.

She holds a PhD in Cell Biology from Yale University and an AB in Biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College, and is a proud native of Federal Way, Washington. She is can often be found hiking or brewing hard cider." Source

About New Harvest 

"By applying advances in tissue engineering and synthetic biology to growing food, we can revolutionize the supply chain of animal products to continue to provide affordable and sustainable food to a growing population. We call this "cellular agriculture." Thanks to cellular agriculture, we can produce eggs, milk, meat, and more without intensive crop and animal farming. Unfortunately, this nascent field is not well supported by existing research funding mechanisms. This is where New Harvest comes in." Source

Social media links( Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)

Time stamp Show notes

[ 02:20 ] Why she choose Cellular Agriculture and New Harvest, and how she found her way into New Harvest (i.e. Starting at Perfect Day). Also, she gets into what she is doing now.

[ 05:55 ] How she describes New Harvest, and the benefits of having a non-profit organization pushing and developing Cellular Agriculture. How the process of innovation happens with drugs, which is a good analogy to what they are trying to do.

[ 07:00 ] How cellular agriculture and lab meat is similar to Solar.

[ 07:45 ] Their funding, other funding in the space, and the benefits of having New Harvest working on creating open-sourced patents and technologies.

[ 08:50 ] Some of the specific things that New Harvest does to promote the industry (i.e. training, etc).

[ 10:10 ] What we can do to be helpful in creating this new industry.

[ 10:55 ] An online course that they are developing.

[ 11:40 ] Her thoughts on people making weird meat or stuff with this technology, like Gringotts jelly beans.

[ 12:25 ] The types of meat she has heard people are interested in culturing.

[ 13:10 ] How tissue engineering will benefit from the research they are doing.

[ 13:45 ] What her daily life is like (i.e. NASA talk about food systems, etc).

[ 15:30 ] How the research is going, expanding their research team, and the latest research that is coming out of the lab (i.e. decellularizing apples to grow cells on that, what likes to grow on that type of matrix, or Bioreactors and how they work).

[ 18:05 ] How Bioreactors make meat from noodle structures.

[ 18:30 ] If today is like Star Trek's building of things (i.e. skin graphs with skin guns).

[ 19:25 ] Anything in the media that really captures what lab meat and cellular agriculture could be. (Shojin meat project).

[ 20:20 ] Art helping tell a story of cellular agriculture.

[ 21:28 ] Continuing with new research discussions and advances.

[ 21:45 ] Her thoughts on Fetal Bovine Serum and why she/New Harvest want to develop a serum to replace it.

[ 25:30 ] Decellularizing apples,

Implants, the concerns, the benefits, and why he has dedicated his life to building great implants. We also get into how to build a team, find mentors, get involved, and how to learn more about implants. Check the hyperlinked timestamped show notes on the website to see more about the topics we cover!

Linkedin Profile, VivoKey website, and his Ted talk.

About VivoKey:

"We believe the power of cryptography should be in everyone's hands, literally. Using traditional security tokens means managing them, remembering to bring them everywhere you go, and worrying you might lose them or that they may be stolen. Mobile phones and SMS messages do work for cryptography and two-factor authentication, but cryptographic keys are often stored virtually unguarded on the phone and two-factor SMS messages can be intercepted or even re-routed by malicious attackers or hostile governments." VivoKey website

About Amal:

"Amal Graafstra, founder of biohacking company Dangerous Things, recognized that identity and the issues surrounding establishing, managing, validating, and protecting identity are currently a huge mess. Your biological self and the collection of accounts, services, messages, transactions, and records which make up your digital identity exist as two identities, which are only loosely coupled by vulnerable account passwords and impractical or interceptable technologies. So, he launched Project UKI (/yoo key/) to change that, which eventually became VivoKey. You can be you (and nobody else can), anywhere, all the time. You + VivoKey means your biological and digital identities can be cryptographically merged, ensuring the one true you is the only you using your devices, sending your messages, reading your email, accessing your accounts, opening your doors, driving your vehicles, and spending your money." VivoKey website

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes (only clickable on this website):

[ 02:10 ] Why he chose implants as the thing he was going to work on and innovate, and how he started implanting for the first time.

[ 05:44 ] How much time and energy he is saving with implants, and how he thinks about implants as reducing the phone, keys, wallet juggle we do in our daily lives.

[ 07:00 ] How people's concerns about implants stack up against reality.

[ 10:20 ] Medical information being stored on the chips, and his thoughts on establishing the right protocol and procedures.

[ 12:10 ] How expensive the tech is, and his thoughts on a paywall.

[ 15:30 ] His thoughts on finding compelling reasons and applications to get people to get excited about implants.

[ 18:00 ] How current token technology and security is similar to releasing cats to control rat populations, and then releasing dogs to control the cat population, and how Amal's technology simplifies all of that.

[ 22:23 ] How your body reacts to having an implant, and how they have built their implants to be really safe.

[ 23:50 ] The talk about whether someone can steal, cut off your hand, and how safe the implants are. This is a great spot to listen to if you want to hear a back and forth on violent crime, implant safety, and ease of access.

[ 29:20 ] How I would consider it to be similar to pick-pocketing and we continue to discuss security concerns.

[ 33:54 ] If it's possible to clone a chip and how secure his system is. Also, a fun story of how unsecured other systems are.

[ 36:30 ] We use Elon Musk and his rockets/dreams as an analogy to what he is working on in terms of safety and concern.

[ 39:55 ] His thoughts on him using any open source or other developers to build out the platform.

[ 42:25 ] The mutual benefit of developers working with VivoKey, and an example of a person trying to do so and how that would work.

[ 43:20 ] Who all is a part of his team and what they do.

[ 43:54 ] How he picked the team and how mentors helped out in the process, and how Rebelbio and SOSV helped him in the startu...

Keira Havens, CEO, Founder, TedTalk speaker, Bioengineer - discusses her thoughts on systems and how to integrate innovation into society, how people tend to think of nature incorrectly, and her life as a CEO and Founder of a biotech startup.

Ted Talk

Linkedin

Reddit first and second AMA she has done.

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes (only clickable on this website):

[ 02:10 ] How Agriculture is the current system that she is trying to change.

[ 03:50 ] How Most of what we think as natural is actually human controlled. Especially in USA.

[ 05:20 ] Great power and responsibilities, and her thoughts on looking at externalities in systems that people tend to miss, and donuts economics.

[ 07:00 ] The repercussions of not being responsible with our environment and a fun anecdote about Admiral Nelson and trees, and how successful companies tend to emulate nature and it's characteristics.

[ 09:40 ] Changes in our brain over our evolution and how thinking bigger can be very beneficial.

[ 11:05 ] What life was like as a female founder for her and how she interacted with people.

[ 13:00 ] Channeling Steve Jobs, but giving credit where it's due.

[ 13:50 ] Her experiences being compromising in vision vs being focused on what she wanted to do.

[ 14:45 ] What are GMOs actually like,  how they are not like stapling an apple to a pear, and how she got into geoengineering.

[ 17:45 ] Theseus Ship and her thoughts on the ships relationship to the observer.

[ 19:00 ] Editing the Germ line and how it's analogous to a generational ship (Aurora by Kim).

[ 22:45 ] How often things swap DNA and horizontal transfer.

[ 23:30 ] Where she got started and how she developed over the years,

[ 27:00 ] Societies needing to accept innovation and how to help encourage adoption with a fun example of how people fought hand washing in ancient (modern ?) times.

[ 28:00 ] How not to get society to accept your innovation and findings, and Keira's thoughts on data and setting up strong narratives.

[ 30:20 ] How we can be supportive of her missions and other missions, get informed, and then get involved, and the analogy of seeing problems with a hammer instead of a toolbox.

[ 33:30 ] Her thoughts on tools and toolboxes in societies, and an example of developing plants to detect landmines vs more effective methods.

A.I. , Synthetic Biology, Discovering Protein compounds, LabGenius, and Developing EVA an AI Evolution Engine for Discovering Protein Components.

James and I talked about his inspiration, the key points that changed his life, how he developed the company, how to best make use of your team, how to notice and find the right type of investors, and much, much more. James is the CEO and founder of LabGenius where he combines A.I. with synthetic biology in a unique and interesting way. We get into all of this in the podcast.

What LabGenius has built

"LabGenius has developed EVA - an autonomous AI-driven evolution engine for the discovery of high-value protein components. The company uses its platform technology to develop new products in partnership with world-leading multinationals. LabGenius is based in Central London and run by a passionate team of synthetic biologists, data scientists and engineers. " Source

About James

"James completed his EPSRC-funded PhD at Imperial College London where he developed a platform for targeted drug delivery using re-engineered protein nanocages. Prior to his PhD, James completed a BS in Biology with Microbiology (1st Class) and an MRes in Systems and Synthetic Biology (Distinction), at Imperial College London.

James is an active member of the synthetic biology community having participated in the iGEM competition both as an undergraduate (2009), advisor (2011) and judge (2016).

In 2017, James was awarded the BBSRC Innovator of the Year award for early career impact. In 2018, James was featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for Science & Healthcare. James is also a fellow of the prestigious Synthetic Biology Leadership Excellence Accelerator Program (LEAP).

Outside of work, James enjoys time with his daughter, reading science fiction, and drinking loose leaf Earl Grey tea." Source

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes (only clickable on this website):

[ 02:00 ] How he handles being told no, and how he thinks about achieving his objective.

[ 03:00 ] What made him interested in Synthetic and Protein engineering (i.e. Beauty of the world and complex solutions).

[ 04:00 ] His thoughts on crisper and crisper-like technology, and its limited use.

[ 04:35 ] How IGEM was really critical in his career, and a little bit of his background.

[ 05:30 ] How IGEM changed his trajectory, and where he was going before IGEM.

[ 08:15 ] What about himself was critical to his success.

[ 10:30 ] Describing his startup and the way he thinks about LabGenius, A.I., and Protein engineering.

[ 12:00 ] How people and his team come into the equation with EVA.

[ 12:40 ] The first problem he tried solving with this technology.

[ 14:15 ] Where he gets all of the data to feed his A.I. tech.

[ 14:50 ] A simple analogy on how the system works.

[ 16:50 ] The many industries that he thinks it would be used in very successfully, and the challenges that stop widespread use.

[ 19:10 ] His thoughts on an upper limit of what we can understand, and what part he thinks A.I. will play. He spreads the germ.

[ 22:30 ] Narrow A.I. and general A.I.

[ 24:05 ] How LabGenius has changed and stayed the same as he developed it. The mistakes he made, the lessons he has learned in building a deep tech company and using PhD people correctly, and commercialization.

[ 26:00 ] How deep tech is different from other companies.

[ 27:15 ] His thoughts on the deep tech time range and how to think about revenue.

[ 29:25 ] How financing affected his company and how he thinks about finding the right people.

[ 30:15 ] The three different types of investors.

[ 32:45 ] How to find the right type of investor.

[ 35:35 ] How science doesn't know borders, and how deep tech investors share this view.

[ 36:15 ] Some of the things the investors have mentored him in.

[ 37:45 ] The value of looking at investors as people versus just money bags.

Neural Engineering, Brain Computer Interfaces, BCI, Neuroscience, and Artificial Eyes

Taking Neurons, combining them with 3D printed materials, and then hooking them into the brain. Dr. Ben Paul and I talk about how he built Neuroloom, how his technology is going to give people back their sight (among other applications), and who he is as a person. This is one of the all-time best conversations I've been lucky enough to have on the podcast. His passion and love for what he is doing is evident. This episode is for you: 1) If you want to learn about a new, cutting edge biotech Neuro engineering startup, 2) Want to hear what it takes to build a biotech startup, 3) Get great advice on breaking the mold/box you've built yourself into to start living your dream, and 4) If you want to learn about the science.

Linkedin Company Profile 

Neuroloom Website

Neuroloom

OPPORTUNITY

For conditions such as macular degeneration, which affects 14 million people, it is possible to restore sight by stimulating the retina with an image from a camera. However, not only is the resolution of stimulation very low, but the signal loses fidelity as the 2D stimulating arrays activate multiple cell types, including inhibitory circuits which cancel out parts of the signal.

This challenge is not restricted to macular degeneration, but whenever we would like to create an interface between an external sensor and part of the brain. Existing technologies suffer a seemingly inevitable trade-off between the lifetime of the solution (scarring, rejection) and the fidelity of the interface (proximity to nerves).

But, if we overcome these challenges, we open up the possibility of sending and receiving information directly to the brain.

SOLUTION

Neuroloom use living electrodes to interface with the brain. Their approach allows exceptionally high definition transmission of information to the brain with much lower likelihood of rejection and no loss of fidelity from scarring. The team use breakthroughs in photon-scale polymeric 3D printing techniques and insights from developmental neurobiology to create adaptors for the brain. Their first application is in restoring sight." from Deep Science Ventures website.

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes (only clickable on this website):

[ 02:10 ] *What made him choose Deep Science Ventures, what he got from partnering with them, and how they helped awaken his inner entrepreneur. Also, you will get a sense of his background in this section.

[ 03:30 ] How Deep Science Ventures helped him completely changed his perspective and gave him more lenses to view the world. Quick quote from this section: "Totally different way to view the world"- Ben Paul.

[ 05:10 ] If he has intellectual idols and the issue of meeting your heroes.

[ 06:05 ] Where Neuroloom's name came from, the goal he is trying to achieve, and how it ties into his ancestors' entrepreneurial spirit.

[ 07:55 ] Does he have an external versus internal locus of control, and how we view it as a spectrum.

[ 09:00 ] How sometimes we think or need something, and then we start seeing it everywhere.

[ 10:10 ] Why he choose to make Neuroloom over being an accountant and the winding road he took to get to starting it. Three big reasons.

[ 13:00 ] Why he is happy he deviated and went his own way.

[ 14:20 ] What all he needed to bring together and do to create Neuroloom (i.e. validation from people in the field and building a team of advisers.)

[ 17:00 ] **He describes what he has built in a simple, easy to understand way, and how his tech is all about specificity.

[ 21:20 ] How advanced his technology is and on the technology readiness scale.

[ 23:55 ] **What's making him confident it is going to work out and prove him correct.

[ 25:50 ] *How he has more applications in mind than just the retina and what they are.

[ 28:45 ] The things he thinks about in supporting this type of technology (i.e.

Penguin expert, TED speaker, and author of the award-winning book, The Great Penguin Rescue. She lectures internationally about penguins, and is a sought-out expert on radio and TV, including appearances on BBC and CNN. A participant on the inaugural Homeward Bound expedition, she returns to Antarctica next year as a lecturer for Lindblad/National Geographic. A four-times TEDx speaker, Dyan's inspiring TED talk about saving 40,000 penguins from an oil spill can be viewed on TED.com. She is on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as The Penguin Lady.

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes

[ 02:00 ] Why did she decide to give a care about animals, penguins, and nature.

[ 04: 48 ] *What made her decide to go back to school at 30 to live her dreams

[ 06:45 ] *How she managed fears of being behind schedule compared to her peers, and how she has grown to be a Ted talk, international speaker, and amazing author with the specific thing she told herself that made her take the leap.

[ 9:27 ] Henry Ford Quote on those who believe they can and cannot do something are both correct.

[ 9:45 ] She answers whether it was worth it going back to get her degree.

[ 10:48 ] Plastics pollution and it's affects on penguins and other aquatic animals, and other huge issues facing penguins today.

[ 13:40 ] *How she is inspired by younger generations drive to change the world, and how young people still feel they can make a difference.

[ 16:25 ] How there are some really good things from having social media and how it can help boost change.

[ 18:25 ] *How you can gain the knowledge and identify ways to get involved with conservation.

[ 21:00 ] *Specific places you should check out if you want to specifically help out penguins.

[ 22:10 ] *What she is currently doing that excites her,  a sample of her past work, the creation of her education company., and her first international talk with Nat Geo.

[ 24:15 ] International talks vs local talks and it's benefit in networking.

[ 25:40 ] *Other great organizations that help out penguins and conservation.

[ 27:30 ] *Where are the beautiful places that she loves and why she loves them.

[ 30:15 ] *The things she tells people at a hypothetical cocktail party. Basically, Penguin Facts!

[ 32:40 ] Hidden old journal of penguin sex/aggression and her thoughts on those topics.

[ 35:43 ] *Hopeful things that you will not hear in the news because it is not gloom and doom.

[ 36:57 ] Thoughts on donating to charities to help out penguins and how great they all are.

[ 38:50 ] Great books and resources to learn more about conversation  and penguins.

[ 40:35 ] How plastic adds up and people doing great work to reduce their plastic waste.

[ 42:15 ] *How to tell if conservation if is something you are passionate about it. Quick experiment she advises you try out.

[ 46:45 ]  What are the next big things she is working on.

[ 48:45 ] Listen to me pitching a special event where people have to dress up as penguins to listen to her speak and how that kind of happened one time.

[ 49:57 ] Great ways to follow along with her on her journey and final thoughts on things we can do to help.

Links from the Episode:

Penguin Conservation Groups:

SANCCOB (seabird rescue center in Cape Town that we worked with during the Treasure oil spill rescue): https://sanccob.co.za/

GPS (Global Penguin Society): http://www.globalpenguinsociety.org/about-us.html

YEPT ( Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust: https://www.yellow-eyedpenguin.org.nz/

(A full list of penguin rescue, research, and conservation groups is in Appendix II of my book.)

Book links:

The Penguins, by Tony D. Williams: https://www.amazon.com/Penguins-Spheniscidae-Bird-Families-World/dp/019854667X

Penguins: Natural History and Conservation, by Dee Boersma and Pablo Garcia Borboroglu: https://www.amazon.com/Penguins-Natural-History-Conservation-Samuel/dp/0295992840/ref=sr_1_1?