The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.

Part 2 of 2: Jon Chee hosts Michael Chen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Nuclera, a biotech company that focuses on bringing rapid protein access to other labs. 
Michael is a seasoned scientist and entrepreneur who brings a rich background and valuable insights to our podcast. Before co-founding Nuclera, Michael did extensive research as an undergrad student at both Georgia tech and Emory and eventually got his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. He has also published nine scientific papers and worked with several leading scientists in their field.
Michael’s experiences at the lab bench and as a CEO make this conversation one you don’t want to miss.
Join us this week to hear about:

• Michael’s journey from graduate studies to co-founding Nuclera
• The unique challenges scientists encounter in the business world
• The importance of adaptability and key lessons in developing/marketing a breakthrough product
• Michael’s insights into navigating big pharma’s lengthy sales cycles and building successful partnerships
• Creating a Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy for a biotech and identifying early adopters

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Michael Chen.

Links:Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Michael Chen, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenmc/?originalSubdomain=ukhttps://www.nuclera.com/company/board/michael-chen/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 

Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:Nuclera: https://www.nuclera.com/Academic Research vs. Industrial Research: https://www.colabra.ai/blog/difference-in-scientific-research-in-academia-vs-industry/Nuclear’s Protein Platform: https://www.nuclera.com/technology/Protein Engineering: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4931902/Gene Synthesis: https://www.biomatik.com/blog/the-basics-of-gene-synthesis-a-comprehensive-guide/eProtein Discovery Instrument: https://www.nuclera.com/system/instrument/Go-Market Strategy (GTM): https://www.coursera.org/articles/go-to-market-strategyMarketing & Sales Tools for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechsBiotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-researchHow to Bootstrap a Biotech Tools Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup
People Mentioned:Timestamps:00:49 Intro02:44 Key differences between graduate studies and entrepreneurship06:21 Succeeding as a startup: idea vs. ability to execute07:43 Nuclera's mission and the importance of de novo DNA synthesis11:09 Where the DNA synthesis market is headed and Nuclera's evolution14:19 Do you want to compete with or empower the protein maker?16:35 Conceptualizing Nuclera's Go-to-Market strategy21:20 Figuring out how to explain and market Nuclera's technology31:52 Building successful partnerships with Big Pharma39:21 Excedr's leading indicators of commercial success45:40 Nuclera's sales enablement and focus on in-person events55:29 Michael's goals for Nuclera and improving operations, sales, marketing, etc.58:31 Shout-outs and advice to younger self01:03:00 Outro

The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.
Part 1 of 2: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Michael Chen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Nuclera, a biotech company that focuses on bringing rapid protein access to other labs. Michael is a seasoned scientist and entrepreneur who brings his rich background and insights to our podcast.
Before becoming the Co-Founder of Nuclera, Michael did extensive research as an undergrad student at both Georgia tech and Emory and eventually got his Ph,D in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. Having worked under some of the leading scientists in their field Michael also has 9 scientific publications to his name. His past experiences both at the lab bench and as a CEO make these episodes ones you don’t want to miss.
Join us this week to hear about:

• The influence of growing up in a data-driven family
• Learning to do the damn dishes in the lab
• Getting into the NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholarship Program
• Learning that what got us here won’t get us to where we need to be
• Differences between lab work in the UK versus the US

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Michael Chen!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Michael Chen, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenmc/?originalSubdomain=ukhttps://www.nuclera.com/company/board/michael-chen/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/

Enriched Notes

Topics Mentioned:Emory UniversityNicholas Hud: Origins of Life Research: https://www.storycollider.org/stories/2016/1/4/nick-hud-the-origin-of-life Witchweed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striga Rhizosphere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhizosphere NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholars Program: https://oxcam.gpp.nih.gov/ International Institute of Tropical Agriculture: https://www.iita.org/ 
How Core Lab Support Science Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/core-labs What is Tech Transfer?: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transfer What Type of Equipment is Used in Chemistry Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-type-of-equipment-is-used-in-chemistry-research Top Biotech Cities: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-cities-for-biotech Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support
People Mentioned:Nicholas Hud: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-hud-754a7517/ 
Timestamps:00:49 Intro02:44 Growing up in a technical, data-driven family and other early life influences06:24 Choosing appearances over function in elementary school09:52 Family background of Jon Chee and how the Bay Area influenced Excedr11:34 How researching crop science sparked an interest in scientific research16:27 The secret of getting access to Emory's labs via Georgia Tech18:02 Learning to "Do the damn dishes" in the lab at Georgia Tech23:00 Getting his PhD through the NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholarship Program29:01 Challenges and culture shock of doing research in Nigeria32:57 Lessons of resilience entrepreneurs can learn from having limited resources36:31 Running a startup is like spinning lots of plates40:15 "What got us here won't get us there" and knowing when it's time to spend45:49 What it was like working in labs in the UK versus the US48:08 Differences between the UK and US Ph.D tracks52:11 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

Part 4 of 4: 
Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development.
Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. 
Join us this week to hear about:

• Neela’s transition from AbbVie to Seattle Genetics and business development
• Her meeting with Good Therapeutics CEO and how it changed her career trajectory
• Her move to Good Therapeutics as Chief Business Development Officer
• Neela’s experience leading Good through its acquisition by Roche, and the importance of strategic deal structuring
• Her current role as CBO of Bonum Therapeutics and focus on developing cytokine therapies for oncology

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel!

Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes:

Topics Mentioned:Bonum Therapeutics: https://bonumtx.com/Roche: https://www.roche.com/Seattle Genetics (Pfizer): https://www.seagen.com/who-we-are/historyVivo Capital: https://vivocapital.com/Business Development Roles in the Life Sciences: https://www.excedr.com/resources/business-development-in-the-life-sciencesBiotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportBuy-side vs. Sell-Side: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career/ma-buy-side-sell-side/Liquidity Events: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/liquidity_event.aspWhat Should Investors & Founders Expect From Each Other? https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations
People Mentioned:Greg Hageman: https://medicine.utah.edu/faculty/gregory-s-hagemanDiane Hollenbaugh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-hollenbaugh-b826723/John Mulligan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mulligan-ph-d-5aa5a37/
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro02:03 Neela’s motivation to join Good Therapeutics, meeting CEO John Mulligan04:12 Evaluating startup teams and the importance of board alignment07:01 Building trust with the board and John Mulligan’s approach09:24 Structuring the Roche deal for streamlined transition10:46 Good Therapeutics’ culture and team transition to Bonum13:08 Understanding investor motivations and startup priorities14:48 Reflections on shifting from buy-side to sell-side21:46 Bonum’s focus on reducing toxicity in oncology and their clinical pipeline goals27:37 Shout-outs to career mentors and advice for younger self31:02 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

Part 3 of 4: 
Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development.
Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. 
Join us this week to hear about:

• Neela’s transition from Genentech to Poniard Pharmaceuticals
• Her collaboration with Greg Hageman on age-related macular degeneration
• Raising $37 million in Series A financing
• Neela’s role at Poniard developing pipeline strategy with the head of chemistry
• Her experiences at Abbott and AbbVie as Director of Global External Research and Search & Evaluation, respectively.

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes: 

Topics Mentioned:Genentech: https://www.gene.com/Poniard Pharmaceuticals: https://www.linkedin.com/company/poniard-pharmaceuticals/Abbott: https://www.abbott.com/AbbVie: https://www.abbvie.com/Seattle Genetics (Pfizer): https://www.seagen.com/who-we-are/historyPatents Licensing in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-worksIP Strategy for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-strategy-for-biotechsPartnering with Big Pharma: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-researchAntibody Drug Conjugates (Prime Antibody): https://www.excedr.com/resources/primary-antibodyCorporate Development: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/corporate-development-guide/In Licensing and Out Licensing: https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guideBootstrapping Your Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup
People Mentioned:Greg Hageman: https://medicine.utah.edu/faculty/gregory-s-hagemanSteve Dedinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-davidsen-0a65414/ Saul Rosenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saul-rosenberg-638a6910/
Timestamps:00:28 Intro01:50 Starting a company after Genentech experience02:36 Greg Hageman’s key gene discovery and securing Series A funding05:32 Developing pipeline strategy at Poniard06:43 Transitioning to BD (Search and Evaluation) at Abbott12:31 Spinning out AbbVie, Neela’s continued focus on Oncology14:58 Fostering innovation and external ideas at AbbVie16:51 Evaluating small companies & the biggest challenge of Search and Evaluation20:13 Key factors for startups looking to partner with big pharma26:32 Transitioning to Seattle Genetics (Seagen) and Corporate Development29:28 Neela’s CorpDev experience, navigating unique challenges34:03 Understanding how to diversify revenue streams and navigate cycles39:01 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.

Part 2 of 4: 
Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development.
Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. 
Join us this week to hear about:

• Choosing Roche to help make small molecule drugs
• Reflecting on first major management role
• The communication required to work as an advisor to biotech companies
• Working for SUGEN but getting a different job than the one she applied for
• Dealing with the volatility of an acquisition

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes: 

Topics Mentioned:Roche: https://www.roche.com/ Osteoporosis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoporosis SUGEN-Pfizer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUGEN Kinase: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinase Pharmacia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacia Xylatan: https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-14256/latanoprost-ophthalmic-eye/details Pfizer and Pharmacia Merger https://www.pfizer.com/about/history/pfizer_pharmacia 
How to Get Funding for Lab Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-get-funding-for-lab-research Microbiology Lab Equipment & Instruments List: https://www.excedr.com/blog/microbiology-lab-equipment-list-to-open-your-new-lab Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support
Timestamps:00:28 Intro01:52 Choosing Roche because of its pedigree and ability to make small molecule drugs03:34 Leading an academic microbiology lab and learning to work in that environment06:46 Neela asking people for 45 minutes of their time to teach her.what she doesn’t know10:22 Reflecting on her first major management role and some lessons she learned12:53 Working as an adviser to cerebral biotech companies requires great communication14:39 The value of getting to know your professional colleagues on a personal level15:53 Transitioning to SUGEN (Pfizer) but getting a different job than the one she applied for18:41 Being made team lead and having to quickly learn all about the product22:02 The benefits of sales and why the negative stereotypes aren’t always right24:01 What lead to changes in how companies view and treat their acquisitions27:17 How pharma companies view the value of acquired companies technology30:58 Dealing with the volatility of an acquisition and the value of past experiences32:41 Looking back at her time at SUGEN and her accomplishments there37:19 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

Part 1 of 4: 
Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development.
Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting-edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. 
Join us this week to hear about:

• How a college biology class lead to a Genentech internship
• Getting inspired to pursue her PhD 
• Working with influential scientists at DNAX
• Joining an investment club and pursuing the intersection of science and business
• Transitioning out of DNAX and cold calling people for her next opportunity

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/

Enriched Notes: 

Topics Mentioned:Bell Labs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Labs Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ AMGEN: https://www.amgen.com/ C. Elegans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans Mutagenesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutagenesis DNAX Research Institute: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dnax-research-institute/Leptin Receptor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin_receptor 
How to Get Funding for Lab Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-get-funding-for-lab-research Microbiology Lab Equipment & Instruments List: https://www.excedr.com/blog/microbiology-lab-equipment-list-to-open-your-new-lab Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support
People Mentioned:Sherie Morrison https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherie-morrison-8736217/ Bob Coffman: https://investors.dynavax.com/management/robert-coffman Martin McMahonn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-mcmahon-8643796/ Lewis Lanier https://lanierlab.ucsf.edu/node/3033
 Timestamps:

00:28 Intro02:31 Growing up in an intellectual household with engaged, socially aware parents07:08 How a college biology class lead to an internship at Genentech10:06 Finding that lab work at Genentech was a perfect balance of togetherness and independence13:05 Similarities between drug discovery and Neela’s cross disciplinary undergrad studies16:18 Getting inspired by Genentech to pursue her PhD at UCLA19:22 Choosing a lab focused on studying C. Elegans 20:48 Looking at the progress of technology and the overall business environment over her career25:18 Dealing with the steep learning curve of a PhD program and learning to not give up27:24 Contemplating her next steps into her professional life and finally settling on DNAX30:14 Working with influential scientists at DNAX Research Institute32:18 Joining an investment club while pursuing the intersection of science and business35:41 Transitioning out of DNAX and manually going through a directory searching for her next opportunity40:02 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.
Part 4 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. 
In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.
Join us this week to hear about:

• Ecotone AI's mission: leveraging AI to decode the human genome and address rare genetic diseases.
• Ecotone's approach: using diffusion transformers to model genomes and generate synthetic genomic data.
• eMalick’s focus on intentional company building to ensure sustainable growth.
• Ecotone’s upcoming advancements in AI and genetics.

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie.
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes:

Topics Mentioned:Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/OpenAI: https://openai.com/St. Jude’s Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/InstaDeep: https://www.instadeep.com/Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/University of Florida: https://www.ufl.edu/Eli Lilly Joins Forces with AI Startup Genetic Leap in $409M Deal https://www.geneonline.com/eli-lilly-joins-forces-with-ai-startup-genetic-leap-in-409m-deal-centered-around-rna-targeted-drug-discovery/ Diffusion Transformers: https://encord.com/blog/diffusion-models-with-transformers/Language Models - Autoregressive vs. Diffusion-Based AI Models: https://sander.ai/2023/01/09/diffusion-language.htmlAI Applications in Genomics: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8566780/Synthetic Genomes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32569517/
People Mentioned:Wilton Williams, Ph.D.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilton-williams-98332b225/

Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:49 Ecotone’s Mission and Goals05:42 AI Models: Diffusion Transformers10:41 AI’s Impact on Modern Biotech12:09 Early Achievements and Company Momentum14:56 Synthetic Genomes for Rare Genetic Diseases and the future of AI adoption19:19 Future Plans: DNA Sora Development24:12 Shoutouts and Personal Reflections26:24 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self28:42 Outro
#biotech #startups #podcast #biotechstartupspodcast #lifesciences #sciencepodcast #neuroscience #AI #ArtificiaIntelligence #genomics #genomesThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.
Part 3 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. 
In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.
Join us this week to hear about:

• Founding Genetic Intelligence and its mission to combine AI and genetics
• Challenges of founding a company, personal sacrifices, and breakthroughs leading to NSF recognition
• How company culture and leadership shifts led eMalick to leave Genetic Intelligence
• The importance of building teams aligned with the original vision
• Discovering population genetics through AI and the birth of Ecotone

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes:

Topics Mentioned:Genetic Intelligence (now Genetic Leap): https://www.genetic-leap.com/Neurostorm: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neurostorm-inc/Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/OpenAI: https://openai.com/National Science Foundation (NSF): https://www.nsf.gov/McKinsey & Company: https://www.mckinsey.com/Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/Andreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.com/Population Genetics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/population-genetics/C. Elegans Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20086/AI’s Impact in Genetic Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10856672/Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportUnderstanding Tech Transfer: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transferIP & Patents in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs
People Mentioned:Bertrand Adanve, PhD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertrandadanve/Nathan Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-clark-4b850134/
Timestamps:00:28 Introduction01:58 Founding Genetic Intelligence03:23 Early struggles, learning from challenges, and staying lean08:32 The universal approximator and the role of AI at Genetic Intelligence11:56 Early adoption of AI and growing momentum16:30 AI and paradigm shifts18:00 Scaling and growing a team, and the pitfalls of doing so28:38 Building culture and hiring for vision33:38 Launching think-tank Neurostorm and learning from failure37:09 Transition to independent research44:11 Discovering population genetics through AI47:30 The birth of Ecotone and AI transformers51:54 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.
Part 2 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. 
In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.
Join us this week to hear about:

• Answering the question “What is memory?”
• How playing “Stump the Professor” led eMalick to Columbia
• Studying C Eligans in a sandals-wearing lab
• The wide applicable uses for AI and ML in research
• Wanting to help people at scale

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes:

Topics Mentioned:Alzheimer’s Disease: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers Neprilysin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2329843/ Amyloid Plaques: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyloid_plaques CAR T Therapy: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/immunotherapy/car-t-cell1.html C Elegans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans Amyloid Hypothesis for Alzheimer’s https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/alzheimers-new-study-supports-amyloid-hypothesis-suggests-alternate-treatment AlexNet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlexNet Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support
People Mentioned:Dr. Wolfgang Streit: https://neuroscience.ufl.edu/profile/streit-wolfgang/ Dr. David Borchelt https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borchelt-42474623/ Martin Chalfie https://chalfielab.biology.columbia.edu/people/martin-chalfie
Timestamps:00:28 Intro01:52 Moving to Florida and dealing with massive shifts in weather and culture04:48 Experience working to answer the questions, “What is memory,” 06:21 Studying the other extreme edge of memory, Alzheimer’s disease10:43 Investigating possible plaque busting proteins13:43 Benefits of having more freedom and other differences between MIT and Borchelt's Lab16:25 Playing “Stump The Professor” with Martin Chalfie 20:06 Getting both invited and challenged to write a proposal to study at Columbia25:47 Learning to love the constant surprises and level of people in New York29:46 Going from a lab coat lab to a sandals lab to study C Eligans at Columbia 34:25 Researching neurons responsible for touch sensitivity in C Eligans38:30 Martin Chalfie’s mentorship brilliant mentorship style allowing his students to grow43:43 How a data deluge stemming from one of his experiments started his AI/ML journey 49:53 Choosing the entrepreneurship path and wanting to help people at scale54:27 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.
Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.
Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.

Part 1 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a company that is looking to use AI to find cures for rare inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. 
In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.
Join us this week to hear about:

• Growing up with hippie parents in the Gambia
• Being in the first neuroscience class in the country at Northeastern University
• Lessons learned in one on one conversations with a CEO
• Experience working with Dr. Alice Ting while at MIT
• Sticking to his principles and leaving MIT

Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie!
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ 
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Enriched Notes: 

Topics Mentioned:Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/ Genetic Leap: https://www.genetic-leap.com/ Northeastern University: https://cos.northeastern.edu/behavioral-neuroscience/ Millennium Pharmaceuticals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeda_Oncology Eli Lilly Joins Forces with AI Startup Genetic Leap in $409M Deal https://www.geneonline.com/eli-lilly-joins-forces-with-ai-startup-genetic-leap-in-409m-deal-centered-around-rna-targeted-drug-discovery/ Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support
People Mentioned:Dr. Alice Y. Ting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-ting-a7689835/ Dr. Wendy Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-smith-80663714/ Mark Howort https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-howarth-763112b1/Dr. Eric Kandel: https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/profile/eric-kandel-md Dr. David Bruchelt https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borchelt-42474623/ Dr. Wolfgang Streit: https://neuroscience.ufl.edu/profile/streit-wolfgang/ 
Timestamps:00:28 Intro02:12 Early upbringing in the Gambia, early childhood, and how his unusual hippie parents shaped him into the scientist and entrepreneur he is today04:32 Following his curiosity to his undergrad program Northeastern University to study the “unending book” of neuroscience06:51 Being part of the first neuroscience class in the country and starting the trend of working under Nobel Prize winners, and/or those trained by Nobel Laureates 11:17 First exposure to professional scientists while interning at Millennium Pharmaceuticals 14:03 Lessons learned during his humanizing one-on-one conversations with the CEO17:52 Comparing and contrasting his industry experience with his academia experience19:58 Getting to MIT after graduating from NEU and working with Dr. Alice Ting23:24 Dealing with challenging periods in your life and learning to persevere25:28 Memorable and humbling challenge while working in Dr. Ting’s lab30:18 “How do you lose your recommendation letter to MIT: 101” 32:38 Choosing to moving on to University of Florida36:51 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.