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Dr. Aliza Apple, Ph.D. is a Vice President of Catalyze360 AI ( https://www.lilly.com/science/partners/catalyze-360 ) and Global Head of Lilly TuneLab ( https://tunelab.lilly.com/ ) at Eli Lilly where she leads the strategy, build and launch of Lilly’s external-facing AI/ML efforts for drug discovery.

Lilly Catalyze360 represents a comprehensive approach to enabling the early-stage biotech ecosystem, agnostic of the therapeutic area, designed to accelerate emerging and promising science, strategically removing barriers to support biotech innovation.

In her previous role at Lilly, Dr. Apple served as the COO and head of Lilly Gateway Labs West Coast, where she supported the local biotech ecosystem through early engagement and providing tailored offerings to meet their needs. 

Prior to Lilly,  Dr. Apple served as a co-founder at Santa Ana Bio, a venture-backed precision biologics company focused on autoimmune disease, and as an advisor to the founders of Firefly Biologics. 

Prior to biotech, Dr. Apple was a partner in McKinsey & Co’s life sciences practice. During her nine years at McKinsey in New York and San Francisco, she collaborated with leaders from over 20 biopharma companies to develop their corporate and portfolio strategies, evaluate business development opportunities and improve their organizational effectiveness. 

Dr. Apple completed her Ph.D. in bioengineering at UC Berkeley and UCSF, and holds a Bachelor of Science in physics from Georgetown University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell Medical College supported by the NIH Kirschtein National Research Service Award.

#AlizaApple #Catalyze360 #TuneLab #EliLilly #LillyGatewayLabs #DrugDiscoveryModels #SmallMolecules #AntibodyTherapeutics #InSilicoPropertyPredictions #AI #ML #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #LillyVentures #InnovationHubs #Preclinical #DiscoveryChemistry #StructuralBiology #Toxicology #Immunogenicity #DrugMetabolism #Pharmacokinetics #Pharmacodynamics #ClinicalOperations #SmallMoleculeDrugDevelopment #LargeMoleculeDiscoveryProcess #CorporateVentureCapital #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast

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Dr. Leonard Petrucelli, PhD ( https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/petrucelli-leonard-ph-d/bio-00027816 ), is a leading translational neuroscientist and Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic — Jacksonville, where he leads the Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory ( https://www.mayo.edu/research/labs/neurodegenerative-diseases/overview ). 

Dr. Petrucelli’s lab seeks to understand and prevent neuronal degeneration and death in diseases characterized by abnormal protein aggregation and defects in RNA metabolism. His team uses a combination of cell biology, induced pluripotent stem cell technology, transcriptomics and mouse modeling to gain insight into disease mechanisms. They then leverage their findings to develop new therapeutic strategies and clinical tools tailored for these complicated disorders. Their current work focuses on a range of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Dr. Petrucelli trained in molecular and cellular biochemistry (Ph.D., Loyola University & Stritch School of Medicine) after earning a B.S. in Biology from Barry University, and he joined Mayo Clinic as a research fellow before rising to professor and department chair. His group combines human neuropathology, cell and molecular biology, and animal models to connect disease-linked genes and protein misprocessing to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration. 

Scientifically, Dr. Petrucelli is best known for mechanistic work on aggregation-prone proteins and pathways that underlie neurodegeneration — including seminal contributions on TDP-43 biology, progranulin (GRN) dysfunction, and pathogenic mechanisms associated with C9orf72 repeat expansions — and for translating those findings toward biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. His lab’s work appears in high-impact journals and has helped define key pathogenic cascades now pursued by academic and industry drug-development programs. 

Beyond his laboratory, Dr. Petrucelli serves in prominent advisory and leadership roles across the field: he is a voice on state and national Alzheimer’s advisory efforts, has advised disease-focused nonprofits and consortia (including Target ALS and others), and participates on scientific advisory boards for translational ventures. He is also an R35 (Research Program Award) recipient and an investigator with an extensive record of NIH-supported projects investigating mechanisms and potential interventions for FTD/ALS and related dementias.
 
#LeonardPetrucelli #Neuroscience #Neurodegenerative #MayoClinic #Proteinopathies #Tauopathies #AlzheimersDisease #ParkinsonsDisease #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #HuntingtonsDisease #PrionDiseases #CreutzfeldtJakobDisease #ProgressiveSupranuclearPalsy #CorticobasalDegeneration #FrontotemporalDementia #ChronicTraumaticEncephalopathy #RichardRainwater #BruceWillis #TauopathyChallenge #RainwaterFoundation #AgingMindFoundation #AlzheimersAssociation #CurePSP #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research

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Dr. Robert Allen, PhD is Chief Scientific Officer of Invivyd ( https://www.invivyd.com/ ), a biopharmaceutical company devoted to delivering protection from serious viral infectious diseases, beginning with SARS-CoV-2, by deploying a proprietary integrated technology platform, to create best in class monoclonal antibodies.

Dr. Allen brings over 30 years of experience across the infectious disease space, most recently as the Chief Scientific Officer of SmartPharm Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Sorrento Therapeutics. During that time, he led efforts to develop gene-encoded monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 that could be quickly adapted to respond to emerging variants of concern. He also served concurrently as Senior Vice President, Antiviral and Oncolytic Immunotherapy Development, at Sorrento Therapeutics. 

Prior to his time at SmartPharm Therapeutics, Dr. Allen held multiple senior scientific roles across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries including at Sorrento Therapeutics, SIGA Technologies, and the Oregon Translational Research and Development Institute. 

Dr. Allen holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Columbia University, an M.S. in Applied Biology from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Biology from Rhodes College. He has published extensively in the field of virology and completed his postdoctoral training in virology at Washington University in St. Louis and Emory University.

#RobertAllen #Invivyd #Biopharmaceuticals #InfectiousDiseases #SARSCoV2 #MonoclonalAntibodies #Immunocompromised #RareViralEpitopes #Pemivibart #PreExposureProphylaxis #Covid19 #EmergencyUseAuthorization #EUA #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research

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Dr. Mark Lloyd Davies, Ph.D. is the Global Head for the Strategic Partnerships and Resource Group at Johnson & Johnson ( https://www.jnj.com/ ) where he leads a global team that forges novel strategic public-private partnerships to secure collaborations that accelerate groundbreaking R&D, advances strategies that widen access to care for patients and health systems worldwide, and ultimately unlocks possibilities that transform lives.

Dr. Davies has built a distinguished career at the intersection of science, policy, and global health strategy.

Before taking on his current global role, Dr. Davies held a number of senior leadership positions within Johnson & Johnson, where he was instrumental in shaping external engagement strategies and guiding policy development in areas ranging from pharmaceutical innovation to public health preparedness, leading strategic initiatives such as the Johnson & Johnson Lung Cancer Initiative.

Dr. Davies was previously Chair of the Med Tech Europe Research & Innovation Committee, where he worked on the evolution of the EU funded Innovative Medicines Initiative, as well as at Sanofi, involved in various External Affairs initiatives.

Dr. Davies holds a Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in Climate Change, Physical Geography and Geology, and a BSc, Biology and Geography, Earth Sciences, Climate Change, from the University of London, UK.

#MarkLloydDavies #StrategicPartnershipsAndResourceGroup #JohnsonAndJohnson #PublicPrivatePartnerships #MedTechEurope #InnovativeMedicinesInitiative #InnovativeHealthInitiative #OperationWarpSpeed #LungCancerInitiative #GlobalNeurodegenerationProteomicsConsortium #Antarctica #ClimateChange #PhysicalGeography #Geology #CARBX #DrugsForNeglectedDiseasesInitiative #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast

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Wade Demmer is Vice President of Research & Development at Medtronic where he is responsible for the development of new generations of pacemakers ( https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/l/patients/treatments-therapies/pacemakers.html ). With extensive expertise in medical technology and innovation, he leads the company's R&D efforts to develop cutting-edge healthcare solutions and is dedicated to advancing medical advancements that improve patient outcomes and transform healthcare delivery.

Wade began his career at Intel, where he gained valuable experience in technology development and engineering. Building on his technical expertise, he transitioned into the medical device industry, bringing a strong innovation-driven mindset to healthcare solutions.

Wade is best known for his pioneering work on pacemakers, where he contributed to the design and development of advanced cardiac pacing technologies. His innovative approaches have helped improve the reliability, longevity, and patient comfort of pacemaker devices, significantly impacting the field of cardiac care.

Wade received his Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), with a focus on Computer Engineering, from Iowa State University, and his MBA from University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.

#WadeDemmer #Medtronic #Pacemaker #MedicalDevice #Defibrillator #Bradycardia #CardiacResynchronization #RateAdaptivePacing #Micra #HeartRhythm #HeartFailure #Arrhythmias #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research #Podcast #Podcaster

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Professor Eyal Zimlichman, MD is an internal medicine physician, a health care executive and a researcher focused on assessing and improving health care quality and value, patient engagement and patient safety.

Professor Zimlichman is currently Chief Transformation, Innovation and AI Officer at Sheba Medical Center ( https://www.shebaonline.org/ ), the largest hospital system in Israel and one that is routinely listed among the top 10 on Newsweek’s list of best hospitals worldwide. 

Professor Zimlichman is also the Founder and Director of Sheba’s ARC ( Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate - https://arcinnovation.org/ ) innovation program: an open global innovation ecosystem which aims to redesign healthcare through digital health solutions by 2030, focused on connecting entrepreneurs and clinicians, identifying needs, and advancing the development and deployment of new technologies from within hospital settings. 

Prior to these roles Professor Zimlichman has held the position of Lead Researcher at Partners Health Care Clinical Affairs Department in Boston where he was involved in the efforts to bring about a strategic care redesign initiative. 

Professor Zimlichman has served on several advisory committees commissioned by the Office of the National Coordinator for health information technology at the US Department of Health and Human Services and is chairing and sitting on several committees at the Israeli Health Ministry.  

Professor Zimlichman is also founding member of the International Academy of Quality and Safety in Health Care ( https://isqua.org/networks/isqua-academy.html ).

Professor Zimlichman is a graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health Executive Health Care Management Master of Science program and earned his MD, specializing in internal medicine, at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.

#EyalZimlichman #InternalMedicine #HealthcareExecutive #ShebaMedicalCenter #Israel #OpenInnovation #DigitalHealth #MedicalQualityManagement #Telemedicine #DisruptiveInnovation #TelAviv #ShebaLongevityCenter #ArtificialIntelligence #VirtualReality #Telepsychiatry #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research

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Dr. Brigitte Robertson, MD ( https://www.adial.com/team/brigette-roberston-md/ ) is Chief Medical Officer of Adial Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing therapies for the treatment of addiction and related diseases, specifically Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In the U.S. alone, an estimated 35 million people suffer from AUD, resulting in significant health, social and financial costs. Current treatment options present significant barriers to patient adoption including abstinence and side effects which can lead to social stigmatization.

Dr. Robertson has nearly 20 years of academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical industry experience. She has managed global development portfolios across multiple CNS indications, mechanisms, and in biotech, small, and large pharma. Her experience spans all phases of development, from the bench to bedside, and she has actively engaged throughout her career in advancing biomarkers to improve translation and trial outcomes (leveraging precision approaches, omics, wearables and AI). She is a scientific advisor to biotech companies, has served on industry and academic consortia and authored numerous articles published in leading peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Robertson’s industry career started at GlaxoSmithKline as a physician scientist in translational medicine for the Center for Excellence in Drug Discovery. She subsequently held senior roles in clinical development at Sepracor/Sunovion, Neurovance, Euthymics, and Shire/Takeda, where she served as VP and the Therapeutic Area Head of Neuroscience. In this last role, she led global clinical development and helped drive the disease area strategy for a large portfolio of early and late-stage assets in neurological, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders, resulting in successful approvals across several indications.

Dr. Robertson then served as the Chief Medical Officer of Yumanity Therapeutics, and led development of novel small molecule treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. She comes to Adial from Delix Therapeutics, where she most recently served as CMO, setting the strategy and leading clinical development for their portfolio of psychedelic-related analogs targeting the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, and psychiatric illness including Depression, Anxiety/PTSD, and Substance use.

Dr. Robertson completed residency training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, followed by a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry and a second post-doctoral research fellowship, sponsored by the NIH in neuroimaging and psychopharmacology at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). In addition, she has held faculty positions at CCP Children’s hospital in San Diego, USCD, and Duke University.

#BrigitteRobertson #AdialPharmaceuticals #Addiction #AlcoholUseDisorder #Ondansetron #DrugRepurposing #5HT3Receptor #SingleNucleotidePolymorphisms  #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research #Podcast #Podcaster

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Bilu Huang ( https://biluhuang.com/ ) is a visionary scientist dedicated to finding solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. His interdisciplinary work spans multiple fields, including biological aging, dinosaur extinction theories, geoengineering for carbon removal, and controlled nuclear fusion technology.

Born in Sanming City, Fujian Province, Huang is an independent researcher whose knowledge is entirely self-taught. Driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of scientific exploration, he has achieved numerous research results through his dedication and passion for science.

As a talented theoretical gerontologist,  he proposed the Telomere DNA and ribosomal DNA co-regulation model for cell senescence (TRCS) and he is now using this latest theory to develop biotechnology to rejuvenate cells which will be used to completely cure various age-related degenerative diseases and greatly extend human life at Fuzhuang Therapeutics ( https://lab.fuzhuangtx.com/en/ ).

#Aging #Longevity #BiluHuang #FuzhuangTherapeutics #TelomereDNAAndRibosomalDNACoRegulationModelForCell #Senescence #TRCS #DinosaurExtinctionResearch #CarbonRemovalTechnology #ControlledNuclearFusion #TelomereDNA #RibosomalDNA #CellularAging #GeneticProgram #Telomere #P53
#ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research

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Dr. Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy ( PICI - https://www.parkerici.org/ ), a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases.

Dr. Knudsen most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), where she led both organizations through a period of transformative growth, significantly expanding research investments, advocacy reach, and direct patient support initiatives. Under her leadership, ACS evolved into a unified, high-performing enterprise, increasing revenue by more than 30 percent and broadening its impact to serve over 55 million lives annually. Moreover, Dr. Knudsen developed and scaled innovative programs that included joint ventures and an impact innovation arm to accelerate progress against cancer.

Prior to ACS, Dr. Knudsen served as Executive Vice President of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health and Enterprise Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, growing a multi-state oncology network and spearheading advancements in translational cancer research that increased early access to the most advanced cancer care. 

A globally recognized expert in prostate cancer, Dr. Knudsen has authored over 200 scientific publications and generated practice-changing discoveries. 

Dr. Knudsen held leadership roles with organizations including the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She currently serves on the boards of Exai Bio, Paradigm Health, and Research!America, and advises multiple biotech ventures including ArteraAI and Transcarent.

Dr. Knudsen holds numerous awards for her scientific and healthcare accomplishments, and this year will be honored with the Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), recognizing her lifetime achievement of outstanding contributions to the field of oncology.

Dr. Knudsen holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business. She has been recognized as one of Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Women of Impact”, a CNBC Changemaker, and is a CEO Council Member for both the Wall Street Journal and CNBC.

#Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #KarenKnudsen #ParkerInstituteForCancerImmunotherapy #AmericanCancerSociety #JeffersonHealth #UniversityOfCalifornia #LudwigInstituteForCancerResearch #UniversityOfCincinnati #ProstateCancer #CART #CellTherapy #CheckpointInhibitors #TumorAntigenDiscovery #TumorMicroenvironment #OncolyticViruses #Pluvicto #Philadelphia #CarlJune #JamesAllison #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research

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Ayah Hamdan is the Head of Health, at Plug and Play Tech Center ( https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/ ), where she spearheads strategies that bring together startups, corporations, and investors to solve some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare. 

Plug and Play Tech Center is one of the world’s largest innovation platforms and startup accelerators, headquartered in Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, California), with innovation hubs across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and are best known for their model bringing together Startup Accelerator Programs, Corporate Innovation Partnerships and Venture Capital Investments under one roof.

Ayah’s role is pivotal in accelerating the development and scaling of health technologies with real-world impact. 

Before stepping into this leadership position, Ayah founded Fatima Connect, a digital health venture focused on serving refugee populations—a project that has been recognized in prestigious publications like the Harvard Medical Review. 

Ayah also has deep experience in research and public health, including roles in epidemiology, clinical studies, and community health initiatives. 

Ayah holds a Master of Science in Epidemiology from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.

#AyahHamdan #PlugAndPlayTechCenter #StartupAccelerator #CorporateInnovation #VentureCapitalInvestments #DigitalHealth #BigDataAnalytics #Diagnostics #HospitalWorkflow #MedicationAdherence #Sensors #Wearables #Telemedicine #AI #VR #AR #ArtificialIntelligence #Longevity #HealthyAging #ChronicDiseaseManagement #RegenerativeCare #Prevention #SaeedAmidi #PejmanNozad #PeterThiel #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast

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