Molecular Moments Podcast

In this episode of Molecular Moment, host Jim McNally welcomes Davide Molho, the new CEO of BioAgilytix, to discuss his background, interests, and the future of the company. Davide shares his journey from veterinary medicine to entering the pharmaceutical industry and eventually finding his passion for the business side of science. He highlights the importance of the CRO industry in supporting the development of new therapies and improving patient health.

Davide also discusses his first 100 days at BioAgilytix, the current state of the biotech and pharma industry, and the need for innovation and prioritization in drug development. Throughout the conversation, Davide emphasizes the importance of passion, purpose, and adaptability in both personal and professional growth.

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Dr. Amanda Hays chats with BioAgilytix scientists Dr. Shashank Gorityala, Associate Director of LC/MS Operations from our Durham lab, and Dr. Ben Nie, Scientist III from our San Diego lab. They delve into LC/MS evolution, tech strides, and its role in large molecule bioanalysis. Discover the benefits of LC/MS for protein and biomarker quantification, different workflows, and the challenges of transitioning from small to large molecules. The experts also spill
insights on internal standards, acceptance criteria, and clever sample pretreatment techniques to conquer signal suppression.

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Jim McNally, Ph.D., speaks with Adam Stasio, president of SciMed, whose mission is to craft software that frees their clients to do what they do best: advance cutting-edge technology, improve lives, and effect social change. They discuss their shared passion for problem-solving and how the right mindset helps find solutions to new issues that arise.

They talk about the role of data privacy and security with big data and what steps you can take to reconcile and harmonize data. Adam lays out several common problems encountered with large datasets, including inconsistencies, and how to go about solving them. He discusses the value his company provides by breaking down big problems into smaller independent issues and how by moving fast and asking for feedback, his team can deliver a variety of solutions to clients with many different needs in all different stages of the process. 

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Chad Briscoe speaks with Dr. David Berkowitz, Director of the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and a Willa Cather Professor of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and co-lead of the Nebraska Drug Discovery & Development Pipeline. David shares how he got his early beginnings in science as an undergrad studying endocrinology at the University of Chicago, going to Switzerland with his Ph.D. advisor to work at a chemistry biology interface, and later attending Yale to understand how to make molecules better.

Chad and David also discuss the National Strategic Institute in Nebraska and David’s involvement with the program to research medical countermeasures for Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), the difficulty of testing drugs for prophylaxis treatments, and the importance of getting the most out of the NSF. They reminisce about when David was supportive of Chad’s pursuit of his Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska. David talks about some exciting work he’s doing with enzymes that came about as a result of talking to someone while waiting for a slow elevator, how higher learning has changed over the years, and running the Lincoln Marathon. 

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Chad Briscoe talks with his brother, Rick Briscoe, Senior VP of Safety Assessment and Research Operations at Cerevel Therapeutics. 

Rick talks with Chad about how he found his love of the sciences through a scuba diving class in high school, which sparked his interest in biology and led him to take a neuroscience class during his freshman year of college. Rick goes on to share how working at a transitional facility for those struggling with chronic mental illnesses and observing how medication impacted patients’ lives inspired him to go into neuroscience drug development. They also discuss safety pharmacology at Merck, challenges in the neuroscience space, and improvements to the way they modulate at Cerevel for treatments with better results and fewer side effects. They also talk about how drugs get their names, working with CROs, mentoring future scientists through scientific societies, and their dirtiest jobs.

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, BioAgilytix Scientific Officers Amanda Hays, Ph.D., and Lynn Kamen, Ph.D. speak with Stephanie Pasas-Farmer, Ph.D., President of both Ariadne Software and BioData Solutions.

They discuss how Stephanie went from a career as a bioanalytical chemist to being an entrepreneur in big data and machine learning. They discuss how she became a founder of a company, building a robust team with various specialties and expertise. They also talk about what human-augmented intelligence can do for the industry at large, Stephanie’s favorite things to cook, and how she stays cool under pressure.

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Lynn Kamen, Ph.D., and Michelle Miller, Ph.D. DABT discuss their very different journeys to BioAgilytix as Scientific Officers. Despite different initial career paths, they both ended up working in bioanalysis, supporting the development of novel therapeutics. The pair discuss their favorite aspects of their day-to-day tasks at BioAgilytix, Scientific Office Hours, mentors (unofficial or otherwise), and the art of writing scientific papers. Additionally, they discuss the importance of bioanalysis, why transparency to the public is essential, and future challenges for the industry.

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Dr. Jim McNally chats with DMPK Senior Director Dr. David Johnson, Ph.D., from BioAgilytix San Diego. They discuss how his childhood breakfast cereal formed an interest in science which eventually led to his pursuit of biochemistry and a career in small molecule therapeutics. 

David, known as Dr. J to his friends and colleagues, shares his goal of helping people get a better quality of life through his work in the pharmaceutical industry and what it's like working with small molecule drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen. They also talk about pharmacokinetics, how the industry has shifted over the years, antibody-drug conjugates in cancer treatments, LC/MS usage, and the increase in resources, tools, and knowledge to solve problems thanks to the growth of BioAgilytix.

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In this episode of Molecular Moments, Dr. Jim McNally chats with Tricia Sterling, Vice President of Patient Affairs at Aeglea. Tricia shares some of her experiences working with patients in the biotech industry for over a decade.

Jim and Tricia’s discussion focuses on the patient side of pharmaceutical research, particularly in relation to rare diseases, as they affect 1 out of 15 people worldwide. They discuss the patient journey, creating better clinical trial experiences, and the importance of giving families hope. Tricia shares how patient advocacy starts with transparency and trust between patients, caregivers, and pharmaceutical companies. 

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On this episode of Molecular Moments, Scientific Officer Amanda Hayes speaks with BioAgilytix colleague Dr. Dave Williams, Vice President of Operations. Dave has spent the last decade of his career supporting and leading bioanalytical programs at contract research organizations (CROs) in his pursuit of solutions for scientific problems. They discuss what inspired him to study science, his career path to BioAgilytix, working with flow cytometers, and how he stays current with industry advancements.

Dave shares why mentorship is only a part of the equation when deciding how to move forward in your career as a scientist. They also talk about how BioAgilytix has kept up with the complexity of cell and gene therapy research and how harmonization across CROs can help determine best practices to drive the science forward.

Originally from Kansas City, Dave also shares his thoughts on what kind of BBQ reigns supreme, his favorite sports team, and recent adventures in his Jeep! 

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