What happens when a seasoned tech founder applies venture discipline to one of the toughest medical challenges: turning spinal cord injury research into real treatments?

In this episode of the Russo Edge, Adrien Cohen, founder of SCI Ventures, joins host Solomon Wilcots for a conversation about building a global venture philanthropy fund designed to accelerate therapies for spinal cord injury. Adrien shares how his personal journey brought him into the SCI community, and why the most promising science too often stalls in the gap between academic discovery and clinical adoption.

Adrien explains how SCI Ventures is designed to solve that problem with an evergreen model that funds and de-risks breakthrough programs, then reinvests returns back into the mission to keep the cycle going. He also talks about how SCI Ventures was co-created with leading partners in the field, including the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, and the Shepherd Center, and why collaboration across foundations, clinicians, researchers, and industry is essential to speed progress.

From due diligence and portfolio strategy to what success could look like over the next 5–10 years, this conversation is a practical look at how venture philanthropy can help move spinal cord injury science from the lab to patients faster.

What happens when a scientist, engineer, and VC see the same future — one where data and biology converge to change medicine?

In this episode of The Russo Edge, Sahir Ali, Founder and General Partner of Modi Ventures, joins Solomon Wilcots to discuss how artificial intelligence and data are reshaping the business of biotech. Drawing on his background across programming, Wall Street, and cancer research, Sahir explains how his firm uses a portfolio theory approach to manage risk, identify value, and back the next generation of healthcare breakthroughs.

From AI-enabled discovery to Houston’s fast-growing life sciences hub, Sahir offers a window into how venture capital is evolving — and how data-driven strategies can create smarter, more sustainable innovation in biotech.

In this episode of The Russo Edge, two leading journalists pull back the curtain on how science becomes a headline. Heather McKenzie, Senior Editor at BioSpace and Ben Glickman, Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, join host Solomon Wilcots to share what earns their attention, what builds trust, and what turns them off before a single question is asked.

Together, they break down how biotech companies can communicate complex data with clarity, why timing is everything when engaging in the press, and how credibility can be strengthened long before a major announcement. From background conversations to clear trial summaries and investor context, this conversation offers practical, real-world advice for biotech leaders.

What if the earliest chapters of lifelong health are written in the gut — before a child even reaches preschool? Modern babies are often born without key microbes that train the immune system, leaving them more vulnerable to chronic conditions like allergies, asthma, and eczema.

This episode of The Russo Edge, Dr. Stephanie Culler, Co-founder and CEO of Persephone Biosciences, explains what makes the infant gut unique, why nine out of ten U.S. babies are born with microbiome deficiencies, and how her team is developing a synbiotic designed to replenish what’s lost.

From cancer research to dirty diapers, this is an entrepreneur's story of resilience, humor, and groundbreaking science — and why the smallest organisms in our gut may hold the biggest key to lifelong wellness.

What happens when a chart-topping songwriter is brought to her knees by a mysterious illness, and a healthcare system that refuses to believe her nearly costs her everything?

In this episode of The Russo Edge Podcast, Dana Parish joins host Solomon Wilcots to share how her fight to survive became a mission to help others. Alongside Dr. Steven Phillips, she co-authored the bestselling book Chronic: The Hidden Cause of the Autoimmune Pandemic and How to Get Healthy Again and has become one of the most influential voices for patients with Lyme disease, long COVID, and other complex chronic conditions.

Whether you’re a caregiver, a chronically ill patient, or someone searching for answers, this episode offers validation, clarity, and hope.

What happens when an engineer from professional motorsports applies that same precision and drive to regenerative medicine? On this episode of the Russo Edge Podcast, Jason Matuszewski, CEO and Co-founder of BioStem Technologies, a company providing placental tissue products to heal chronic wounds that often defy standard treatment.

Jason shares how BioStem’s proprietary BioREtain® technology is helping patients avoid amputations and get back to living. With a scalable manufacturing operation and a mission rooted in compassion and science, BioStem is tackling one of healthcare’s most persistent challenges. If you're interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, or the future of wound care, this conversation is not to be missed.

What if hydration could be tracked as easily—and accurately—as your heart rate? On this episode of the Russo Edge Podcast, host Solomon Wilcots sits down with Professor Mark Kendall, CEO and founder of WearOptimo, to explore how hydration could become the sixth vital sign.

Mark explains the science behind microwearables—tiny sensors designed to measure hydration in real time—and why elite athletes, healthcare providers, and even elder care facilities are rethinking how hydration affects performance, cognition, and long-term health. Whether you’re a sports fan, healthcare innovator, or just looking to improve daily well-being, this episode offers a powerful look into the future of personalized health monitoring.

When memory fades and caregiving becomes a daily reality, how do we hold onto hope? In this episode of the Russo Edge Podcast, novelist and mental health advocate Muffy Walker shares how her experiences helped inspire her debut work of fiction, Memory Weavers.

Set in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the novel follows two women navigating friendship, trauma, and early-onset memory loss. Drawing from her background as a psychiatric nurse and advocate, Muffy talks about why she chose fiction to explore these emotional realities, how stigma impacts families, and why telling these stories matters. This heartfelt conversation offers resilience, compassion, and inspiration for anyone touched by memory loss, trauma, or mental health struggles.

Sara Jane Demy, CEO and Founder of Demy-Colton, has spent more than two decades helping biotech CEOs get into the right rooms—and build the relationships that move their companies forward.

In this episode of The Russo Edge Podcast, Sara joins host Solomon Wilcots for a candid conversation about what it takes to lead in today’s capital-constrained biotech environment. She shares why preparation—not just presence—is the key to investor meetings, and what biotech CEOs often get wrong about outreach. Whether you’re a first-time founder or a veteran CEO, this episode offers practical guidance, honest insights, and a look at how the playbook for biotech leadership is being written in real time.

Shaun O’Hara, Ed McCaffrey, and Alex Smith join host Solomon Wilcots from Radio Row for an in-depth conversation on the evolving role of sports medicine in professional football. These NFL veterans share their personal experiences with injuries, recovery, and the medical advancements that helped extend their careers.

Alex Smith shares his journey back from a career-threatening leg injury, Ed McCaffrey reflects on the long-term impact of the game and post-retirement health, and Shaun O’Hara discusses how today’s athletes are better equipped for injury prevention and recovery. As former pros—Smith, a 16-season quarterback, McCaffrey, a championship-winning wide receiver, and O’Hara, a New York Giants offensive lineman—they explore advancements in sports medicine, from orthopedic treatments to the role of nutrition, sleep, and cutting-edge rehab techniques.