When Science Speaks

Vinit Nijhawan is Managing Director of MassVentures, the first public venture capital fund in the U.S., funding early stage, high growth Massachusetts companies for more than 40 years.

In this episode, Mark and Vinit discuss a range of topics related to innovation and entrepreneurship, including:

The skills that have been central contributors to Vinit's success

Capabilities startup founders often need to further develop to advance their companies and their own professional careers

The flagship conference - MALSI+ 2020 - to be held virtually on August 20, 2020 by the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC), connecting scientific innovators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators

The success stories that have come out of the MALSI conference in the past

The lessons Vinit has you learned that could help someone just starting out as an entrepreneur or thinking about starting a company

Dr. Brad Spellberg is a polymath. He's simultaneously a Chief Medical Officer, of a major medical center, Professor of Medicine, medical researcher, practicing clinician, founder-entrepreneur, and author of multiple books. He brings a uniquely holistic perspective to his public policy recommendations on the future of the US healthcare system

Chief Medical Officer at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center. He is also Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. He received his BA in Molecular Cell Biology-Immunology from UC Berkeley, and MD at UCLA, where he served as the UCLA AOA Chapter Co-President and won the prestigious Stafford Warren award for the topic academic performance in his graduating class. Dr. Spellberg completed his Residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Harbor-UCLA Med Center. As CMO, Dr. Spellberg has transformed the quality and efficiency of care delivered at LAC+USC Medical Center, the largest public hospital in the US west of the Mississippi. As CMO, he has 18 non-clinical direct reports and another 18 Chiefs of Clinical Services reporting to him. He has improved many aspects of hospital operations, from HR, to patient flow, to personnel, to UR, Social Services, medical documentation and billing, clinical care, etc. He has markedly increased inpatient billing, helped increase primary care empanelment and managed care revenue, successfully recruited multiple physician leaders, and has established new clinical programs (e.g., LGBTQ clinic, bariatrics surgery). Dr. Spellberg may be the only CMO in the US who not only continues to be actively clinically, staffing both Internal Medicine ward teams and Infectious Diseases consulting service, but also maintains an active NIH-funded basic science laboratory. Dr. Spellberg has also co-founded 3 biotechnology start up companies, which have resulted in 3 molecules that are in active clinical development (phase I-III clinical trials). He is also a national policy expert with respect to antibiotic resistance, having testified before Congress, been interviewed on multiple television programs, in the documentary movie Resistance, and written an award winning book, Rising Plague.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating insights and key recommendations in Dr. Spellberg's latest book," Broken, Bankrupt and Dying" where he discusses the precarious state of the US Health care system, the underlying reasons that have led to this dysfunction and key recommendations to improve the system to deliver a level of healthcare that American citizens deserve.

How speaking 7 languages may help Ester when she's communicating about her research and helping other scientists improve their own communication skills

Similarities and differences between mentoring scientists in Spain and the U.S.

Ester's professional experience in many different environments - such as big pharma, startups, hedge funds, and consulting - and key skills for being successful in each of them

Today's guest is Bill Shute, a highly experienced government relations executive, strategic advisor, podcast creator/host, graphic designer, and author.

During his 30 years of leadership, Bill has demonstrated how to be effective across a range of key activities, including strategic planning, contract capture, employee management, public speaking, and advocacy.

Bill is currently Executive Director of the Washington Center for the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where he both manages a graduate student fellowship program in the District of Columbia and creates a beachhead policy hub for LBJ School faculty to engage with federal policy makers.

At the LBJ's Washington Center, Bill also serves as Inaugural Professor in the Center's Master's program, teaching institutions, processes, and negotiations in the federal arena to the Center's Master's degree students.

For almost 18 years, Bill served as Vice Chancellor for Federal Relations for the entire University of Texas System, a wide-ranging executive-level leadership role. Bill previously had worked in senior government relations roles at several companies, including for 11 and a half years as Executive Director of Federal Relations for Southwestern Bell.

Bill earned his B.A. with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from the University of Houston Bates College of Law.

On this episode of the show, Mark and Bill discuss a range of policy and communications topics, including:

Bill's podcast, 80-proof Politics, on which Mark was a guest. What led Bill to launch 80-Proof Politics and what's the focus of the show

The essence of politics and how it differs from partisan politics. As Executive Director of the prestigious LBJ School of Policy Policy's Washington, DC Center, Bill talks about the Center, its mission, and its goalst

The effective qualities, techniques, or strategies federal policymakers used when Bill was accompanying them during visits with policymakers and helping them shape their messaging

Bill's favorite stories about his many years of advocacy leadership for the UT System with - of course - names withheld to protect the innocent, as needed.

The qualities that made President Lyndon Johnson one of the most persuasive communicators we've ever had in the White House

The one thing listener can do today to improve their skills in communicating their work to non-experts, whether that's U.S. Representatives and Senators, their grandma, or 8-year-old cousin

Frank and Emilia Metzel lead a company called Life Science Animation in Krakow, Poland that explains science with animated videos, helping get the message across, spark interest of potential investors or educate the general public.

As many life science companies struggle to explain their science to non-scientists, Life Science Animation aims to help by producing custom-made, easy to understand and engaging 2-minute animated videos for websites, conference presentations and social media.

Before serving as CEO, Frank was founder and CEO of Alpen Animation among other roles in sales and marketing.

Emilia Metzel has more than 10-year's of experience in motion design and a life-long love for science. Emelia is Creative Director of Life Science Animation. She's been a motion graphic designer and multimedia specialist, combining her two passions - science and animation - at Life Science Animation and in related roles at previous firms.

In this episode, we discuss a range of issues related to clearly communicating scientific topics using visuals, including:

The qualities of an effective animation and common mistakes to avoid in animation

How cultural beliefs can affect animations

Why it's such a challenge for some scientists to effectively communicate with general audiences, including investors, policymakers, and the public

What's Frank's and Emilia's process for translating complex scientific topics into anination

Advice for scientists who may be interested in a career in the science animation field

Their favorite scientists and artists

In this special livestream, Steph Guerra, PhD and Dan Pomeroy, PhD discuss "Science Policy for PhD-Trained Scientists", the Harvard Medical School Scientific Citizenship Initiative (SCI) study they produced with Jason Heustis, PhD.

Steph and Dan discuss a variety of science policy and career development issues, including:

The vision, mission, and goals of SCI - what led to its creation and what it hopes achieve

The main themes of the study that emerged in terms of the traits, knowledge and skills that are key for PhD-trained scientists to have in order to be successful in the policy world

How the research findings compared to the in-real-life experiences of both Steph and Dan, both former AAAS Fellows

How the pandemic has altered the attitudes or interests of PhD-trained scientists when it comes to getting involved in science policy

Some of the barriers they experienced or witnessed when it comes to scientists entering the policy world

How science-based evidence and credible data are viewed and used (or not) by policymakers when policies are being developed

Lessons they wished they had learned BEFORE starting their science policy journey that perhaps would have made the transition or early experiences easier

One thing listeners can do after the livestream to improve their science policy skills, even if it's just a small, incremental thing

In this week's episode, John Younger, MD, Vice President for Science and Technology at University City Science Center in Philadelphia, PA, shares his expert perspectives as a physician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur. Drawing upon his unique blend of skills and experience, John discusses:

The main ingredients of a winning pitch from startups to potential investors

Typical moments during pitch meetings that trigger "go or no-go" moments

Whether poor communication can kill an otherwise fundable project or, alternatively, can strong communication save an otherwise flawed project

Scientists are often told they need to be better storytellers - and entrepreneurs may be advised to do the same to humanize their pitch. Is this always good advice?

How scientists should convey information to investors - both before and after they get funding - to accurately provide realistic status updates without freaking out their often non-scientist funders

Are there certain qualities or practices that have helped him successfully make transitions in his career journey

Attributes that make him effective in his current role

What it was like to testify before Congress earlier this year on entrepreneurship

Professional advice he would give to his "younger Younger" self

Hugo Cabrera is a biotech entrepreneur with a passion for research and development and innovation in the field of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) including cell therapy and tissue engineering.

Hugo is currently Director of Business Development for Techlife, a clinical-stage biotech company, part of the São Lucas Cell Therapy Group. The São Lucas Cell Therapy Group is a 47-year-old privately held company with nationwide operations in the fields of hematology, hemotherapy, oncology, cell therapy, cancer research and cellular technology.

Hugo also serves as Founder of HMCell, which provides contract and consulting services to academic researchers, industry and investors with its focus being the commercialization of cell and gene therapies, and regenerative medicine technologies.

Before entering the biotech field, Hugo held various positions in strategy and marketing as well as supply chain management.

In this episode, Hugo and Mark discuss topics including:

Hugo's compelling personal story - starting in Peru and the U.S. (Maryland and Massachusetts in particular) and his current work in Brazil while also working closely with the biotech ecosystem in Massachusetts.

How Hugo decided to focus on biotech and also his specialty, cell therapy using patients' own cells to develop therapeutics with a focus on cartilage implantation.

Hugo's experience as a translator between scientists who are working on biotech and cell therapy and investors who are interested in these therapies. Such a translator role is not easy - Hugo discusses which skills are necessary to do that effectively and how he developed and continues to sharpen them.

Hugo's advice for others who may have a research background as a PhD or a Postdoc who are thinking about career opportunities in venture capital.

This dynamic time in Brazil for government regulation in biotech.

Hugo's activities in "deep tech" - research still being done in university labs that may hold commercialization potential but will need more nurturing as it's not as mature, or as far down the "translation curve" from lab to commercial application.

Hugo's advice for researchers interested in translating their science for the commercial market.

The situation in Brazil with many Brazilians suffering because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Hugo's goals coming out of the pandemic.

Whether it's finding the cure for leukemia or saving the riches of coral reefs, there is a person behind every new discovery. PassioInventa provides a space where scientists can discuss their research in an accessible way with non-scientists, dispel some of the myths surrounding what science is and is not, and humanize the people behind the lab coats.

As PhD students, Jay Baer, Daniel Chapman, and Blaide Woodburn founded PassioInventa to help scientists share their work through articles, videos, interviews, and more.

In this episode, Jay, Daniel, and Blaide discuss with Mark:

Why they are interested in science communication and science policy

• What those categories and terms mean to them
• Where the gaps are within current science communication and science policy training, and how their newly founded organization, PassionInventa, aims to address them
• Their feelings about scientists getting involved in politics
• What kind of reactions they have received from colleagues, mentors, PIs, about PassionInventa
• What kinds of science communication and science policy tools they would you like to see available and how they would you like to be able to use them - i.e., in-person role-playing workshops, presentations, online courses, conferences
• Where they see the greatest demand for learning science communication skills and where is there still resistance to learning these skills
• How they plan to apply the skills they developed as PhDs
• What advice they have for colleagues listening to this episode who want to get more involved in science policy