Episoder
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In this episode of The Big Experiment, we are live, recording from the Synthetic Biology UK 2024 conference hosted by the Biochemical Society, at Hinxton Hall near Cambridge, home of the famous Genome Campus.
Synthetic biology is the practice of manipulating biology to achieve outcomes that don’t occur naturally or in some cases are not naturally possible.
Common examples include producing new proteins for therapeutic use, but there are many other applications of lab-derived augmentation of living things.
These include making meat without killing animals, altering plant photosynthesis to improve crop production, using bacteria to clean up contaminated soils, making new vaccines and antibiotics before we need them, and many more.
See here for the Biochemical Society’s useful resource page on this subject, which has lots of articles and info: Synthetic Biology.
There were too many fantastic applications to cover in one show, but I hope this episode gives you an idea of the potential. I take my roving microphone on a tour of the event, talking to researchers showcasing their work. We hear about a wide range of studies including creating affordable CRISPR diagnostics, engineering synthetic microbial communities for enhanced bio-production, and much more.
This episode showcases the future of synthetic biology and some of the great advances we can expect. In some cases, as you’ll hear, I hope we don’t ever need to use them.
It also highlights some amazingly talented young scientists at the coalface of scientific discovery. The professors of tomorrow.
“It’s amazing we can do things in the lab that evolution hasn’t thought of.” – MarkYou’ll hear about:
01:10 - What is synthetic biology?
04:06 - Therapeutics from engineering biology: how and why
08:11 - Ana Pascual Cambridge Uni - CRISPR diagnostics for all?
12:36 - Casey Chen UCL - Making new microbial communities
15:58 - Mark's poster tour interlude
19:48 - Gabrielle Admans Cambridge Uni - Predicting vaccines before pandemics
22:08 - Giuliano Bonfa, Italian Inst Tech - T-rEx fights solid tumours?
25:42 - Max Armitage Nottingham Uni - Finding new antibioticsConnect with the Biochemical Society:
Website - https://www.biochemistry.org/
X - https://x.com/BiochemSoc
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/If you need any lab equipment:
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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Weight loss drugs are in the spotlight. Obesity is a huge and potentially profitable problem, attracting lots of scientific and medical resources.
But there are circumstances where avoiding weight loss is crucial and where it is beneficial to put weight on. Cachexia is a serious condition affecting cancer patients, which is characterised by significant weight loss and muscle wasting. Appetite is often suppressed, but just eating more doesn’t work anyway.
The resulting frailty and weakening of the body has debilitating effects on the daily lives of cancer patients. Cachexia can even affect the outcome of the cancer itself, both by weakening immune systems and by making it harder for patients to tolerate harsh cancer treatments.
Long thought to be just an inevitable side effect of cancer, the condition is now being studied separately with a view to fidnbing new treatments as adjuncts to cancer therapy.
One company at the clinical trial stage for treating cachexia is Actimed Therapeutics, and I am thrilled to be joined by their CEO, Robin Bhattacherjee.
We discuss the challenges of developing treatments to halt and reverse weight-loss when the mainstream drug industry is going the other way, the innovative approach of Actimed Therapeutics in working with the molecule S-pindolol, and the huge impacts this work can have for the survival rate of cancer patients.
Robin also shares insights from his extensive career in the biopharma industry, and gives excellent advice to people starting their career in this field.“This could be transformational for cancer patients.” – Robin
You’ll hear about:
00:25 - An introduction to Robin
01:59 - Robin on his journey into science
06:41 - Advice for starting a career in pharmaceuticals
11:15 - What is cachexia?
17:01 - Treating cachexia to fight cancer
18:40 - S-pindolol the lead molecule explained
22:50 - Balancing catabolic and anabolic actions
25:31 - Other mechanisms that need targeting
26:32 - The progress of clinical trials
33:16 - The challenges raising money for anti-weight loss products
Connect with Robin:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-bhattacherjee-4b436613/
Actimed Therapeutics - https://actimedtherapeutics.com/home/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
If you need any lab equipment:
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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Heart valve surgery is one of the most complex procedures in medicine.
Francis White and his company Heart Biotech Ltd are trying to change all of that, by making heart valves in a totally new way. This will make surgery simpler and more accessible globally.
Building on the pioneering work of Professor Magdi Yacoub and colleagues, Heart Biotech are innovating the field by creating living tissue heart valves on a dissolving scaffold using the body's healing mechanisms. We explore the methods being used to produce these and the ways in which they will revolutionise both the procedure and patient’s lives.
Francis discusses the challenges and breakthroughs in tissue engineering, and how they create a biocompatible polymer scaffold that is absorbed by the body.
Heart Biotech’s work is in early stages, with animal studies showing promising results, and aims to secure FDA approval for human trials within three years.
The technology could revolutionise cardiac surgery, reducing risks and improving patient quality of life.
“We’re mimicking the biology that’s there already.” – Francis White
You’ll hear about:
00:52 - An introduction to David and his company
01:44 - How David got into science
05:37 - The scourge of valve disease
08:20 - The risk of repeat heart valve surgery
09:08 - Heart Biotech's body led approach
13:16 - The technology used to make the scaffold
16:04 - The next steps to prove product safety
19:12 - The dissolution of the cellular matrix
25:03 - What's left to do in the lab?
27:28 - What's the end point for Heart Biotech?Connect with Francis:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciswhite/
Heart Biotech Ltd - https://heartbiotech.co.uk/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
If you need any lab equipment:
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/ -
This episode went live on World Menopause Day.
Menopause is an inevitable aspect of life for half of the global population, but one that requires far more study. New genomic insights could empower women with better reproductive choices and insights into likely future health.
In this episode, I talk with Dr Stasa Stankovic. She has a PhD in Genomic Medicine from Cambridge University, and is on a mission to reshape the future of women's health by developing, and eventually commercialising, prediction tools and next generation therapeutics for female reproductive disorders.
We discuss the complexities of female reproductive health, particularly focusing on ovarian ageing and menopause. We also explore the genetic factors influencing menopause timing, and the importance of understanding reproductive health beyond fertility.
Stasa shares her collaborative work on large-scale genomics, using samples from the UK Biobank to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS). These have highlighted many genes associated with menopause and thus pave the way for potential new diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions to give women greater control of their reproductive health.
Menopause affects every woman, but also indirectly impacts husbands, partners, colleagues and friends. The work Stasa and her colleagues are doing will have implications not just for women but for all of us.
“We need to empower women with knowledge.” – Stasa StankovicYou’ll hear about:
01:37 - Stasa's area of research
04:14 - Why the science behind menopause is so important
07:36 - The ovarian reserve and what that means
12:26 - Contributing factors to menopause
17:24 - The key findings of the genome-wide association (GWAS) study
21:21 - Getting the right targets for intervention
27:05 - The challenge of finding animal models for menopause
28:22 - Turning lab science into commercial science
31:40 - Stasa on the choices that women have
38:38 - Is gene intervention possible?Connect with Stasa:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stasa-stankovic-93723a137/
OvartiX - https://ovartix.com/
Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
If you need any lab equipment:
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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What role does 3D genomics have in drug discovery?
In this episode I am joined by Hazel Jones, CEO of Enhanc3d Genomics, to find out more about this cutting-edge technology.
Hazel is a dynamic and flexible senior leader with experience of oncology research, both in pharma/biotech and an academic/charity setting. Making her insights into the workings of not for profit and big pharma invaluable.
We discuss her work at Enhanc3d Genomics and the role of 3D genomics in uncovering the regulatory elements of the genome. As well as its potential in identifying new drug targets and biomarkers. Hazel also shares insights into the challenges and opportunities in the biotech industry and the importance of networking and collaboration to help projects succeed.
Hazel has a wealth of knowledge not just in her specialism but how the whole industry works, so sit tight and get ready to learn!
“We've made huge discoveries both in drugs and diagnosis through genomics.” – Hazel Jones
You’ll hear about:01:13 - What do Enhanc3d Genomics do?
05:16 - Hazel's experience in not for profit
10:11 - Behind the scenes in big pharma
15:53 - How promoters and enhancers work
24:36 - Regulators and the potential for side effects
31:59 - Hazel on raising money
36:40 - Prevention rather than the cure
37:51 - Hazel on Conexen
Connect with Hazel:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joneshazel/
Enhanc3d Genomics - https://enhanc3d-genomics.com/Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/ -
What does it take to get a new drug to market?
I have been involved in the drug industry for 35 years. I’ve worked for big pharma like GlaxoSmithkline, contract research organisations (CROs) like Charles River and IQVIA, and for several biotech and “virtual” drug companies. I’ve consulted for many more. I now run a laboratory instruments company that supplies crucial equipment used by thousands of labs in the biomedical research industry.
In my career, there have been many changes due to advances in technology, testing practices and more. But the key principles remain the same - proving that the drug is safe, and that it works as intended.
In this episode I give an overview of how we get from the idea in the laboratory to the medicine in the bathroom cabinet. From the methods used to find new molecules, to testing them and bringing them to market.
I explain the importance of patenting new molecules and the challenges of testing and developing drugs. The episode preclinical testing, including why some animal testing is still necessary. I talk about clinical trials, the regulatory approval process, the post-approval surveillance process, and more.
Overall, this short introduction provides a glimpse into the complex and costly journey of turning an idea into a medicine. A great primer for anyone who needs to interact with this industry professionally, or is just curious about science or medicine. As always, the content is broken down into digestible chunks.
“1 in 10 new drugs that enter clinical development will make it into a medicine” – Mark Davison
You’ll hear about:
01:11 - When will it be a medicine?
01:50 - A quick tour of how it works
04:46 - Computer predictions and theoretical models
08:02 - Figuring out if a molecule is unique
11:42 - Reaching the point of testing the molecule
13:19 - How am I going to give this medicine to patients?
17:39 - The bar for success is high
22:26 - Phase 3 studies
26:43 - The patent clock
28:49 - The post approval process
Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/ -
1 in 2 of us will be affected by dementia in our lives.
Something so prevalent without a cure requires novel approaches for diagnosis.
In this episode I am joined by Professor Zoe Kourtzi, from the University of Cambridge. Zoe is an expert in Cognitive Computational Neuroscience and a pioneer in translating Artificial intelligence to brain and mental health.
We discuss new approaches to diagnosing people at an earlier stage of dementia. She explains how her research combines brain sciences and computational sciences to understand how the brain works and what goes wrong in the case of disease.
Zoe gives insights into how AI can be used to predict dementia and what this early diagnosis can mean for patients and medical practitioners alike. Her work has the potential to improve the efficiency and efficacy of trials and lead to earlier interventions and treatments.
Something we will all benefit from.
“These models are three times more precise than the current standard of care” – Zoe Kourtzi
You’ll hear about:
01:04 - What does Zoe's research cover?
02:12 - Zoe's journey into science
09:15 - The flexibility of post-graduate study
10:17 - What an MRI can see in the brain
12:33 - The different types of dementia
14:49 - Life-style factors to help during warning signs
15:29 - How AI is helping patients
20:54 - The role ethnicity plays in dementia
26:55 - The accuracy of the model
31:08 - Handling the new population of diagnosed patients
33:54 - Taking this forward as a business
Follow Zoe:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-kourtzi-45b59b19a/
Zoe’s work at Cambridge University - https://www.psychol.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-zoe-kourtziConnect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/ -
Men’s fertility is falling and fast.
In the last 50 years sperm counts are down by 60%. Yet this is still a topic that no one is really talking about.
My guest in this episode, Lily Elsner, is the co-founder and CEO of Jack Fertility. They are trying to break the taboo with thier product, the world’s first postable sperm test kit.
Lily discusses the importance of addressing male fertility and the lack of research in this area. We cover the gender imbalance in fertility support and the misconception that infertility is solely a woman's problem.
We also discuss the reasons for the decline in sperm count over the years from environmental to lifestyle factors. Lily shares the origin story of Jack Fertility and the extensive research they conducted to understand the market and consumer needs. As well as problems they have had to overcome to keep sperm alive during transit.
Solutions like Lily’s need to be found to this problem, otherwise what’s the alternative?
“Sperm count is down 60% over the last 50 years” – Lily Elsner
You’ll hear about:
01:08 - What does Jack Fertility do?
02:03 - The current state of infertility
06:16 - Lily's co-founder story
11:11 - Prevention vs the cure
13:49 - Lily's biology background
17:23 - Lily on male infertility
23:05 - Cultural variations around the world
26:41 - Overcoming problems of sending sperm
33:45 - Integrating with the NHS
38:34 - When will this be available?
41:42 - How is funding going?
Follow Lily:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lelsner/
Jack Fertility on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jack-fertility/
Jack Fertility - https://www.jackfertility.co.uk/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jackfertility/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jackfertility?lang=en
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/ -
This edition of The Big Experiment is a little bit different to the usual format.
I'm on the road visiting the famous University of Cambridge Judge Business School to talk to people at the Ignite program.
It’s an intensive weeklong boot camp for early-stage founders, generally in tech and sometimes in biotech, but can be all sorts of different tech themes.
Ignite is about business and risk, which are the core themes of the podcast. But it's a slightly different flavour to usual. Science is all about predicting the future. As a scientist, you already know something, but usually not everything about your area of study. And from that fuzzy picture, you try to predict what else might be true. Well, this hunch or hypothesis drives your next experiments. If you fail, you adjust your prediction and you test again. Entrepreneurs take the same leap.
In this episode I interview volunteers, delegates and course leaders to find out more about how the Ignite program supports early-stage founders in science and in business.
“Ignite gives entrepreneurs a safe but challenging space to develop their ideas.” – Anne Davidson
You’ll hear about:
01:33 Science, business, and risk03:00 Early-stage founders and their ideas at Ignite
06:10 Intrapreneurship: Supporting entrepreneurial initiatives
09:46 Delegates' impressions and takeaways from the Ignite program
15:24 Pitching competition and the value of Ignite
19:42 Approaching innovation and sustainability
23:27 The role of mentors and volunteers in supporting delegates
23:56 Creating a safe and challenging space for entrepreneurs
27:37 Attracting a diverse range of delegates
30:36 Effective communication and customer perspective
33:18 Discovering roles within a startup
37:38 Networking and knowledge exchange
40:54 Anyone can learn and start a business
Find out more about Ignite:
https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/entrepreneurship/programmes/ignite/who-is-ignite-for/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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My son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 13.
Which is why this episode is very close to my heart. There are big life-altering challenges for the patient and their family in managing type 1 diabetes. With limitations to the current insulin therapies that make the work of my guest in the episode, Mike Teiler, all the more important.
Mike is the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer at LeviCure, a startup focused on new approaches to type 1 diabetes. In this episode we discuss the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. And explore the development of LeviCure's triple therapy, which combines three existing drugs to improve glycaemic control and potentially achieve remission in type 1 diabetes patients.
A therapy that has shown promising results in both recent onset and established patients. We discuss the potential of repurposing existing drugs for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. As well as the funding required and the clinical trial process that will be undertaken to be able to launch the therapy.
“Many of them completely stopped insulin injections.” – Mike Teiler
You’ll hear about:
01:10 - The difference between type & type 2 diabetes04:03 - The lifechanging nature of type 1 diabetes
06:40 - The LeviCure story
11:16 - The effect of weening people off of insulin
15:08 - Oral drugs that could replace insulin
18:48 - Disentangling the honeymoon effect
20:15 - The effects on established patients
25:02 - The pharmaceutical benefits of this therapy
27:58 - The intellectual property perspective
30:43 - The democratic nature of these new therapies
34:15 - What are the clinical phases?
41:08 - Making sure the therapies hit the target
43:44 - The fundraising needed
Follow Mike:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/miketeiler/
LeviCure on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/levicure-ltd/
LeviCure - https://www.levicure.com/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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The challenges of scientific entrepreneurship don’t end when you get funding.
In fact, a whole new set of challenges arise, from finding labs, to building your team and more.
In this episode I talk to Dr. Kärt Tomberg, CEO and co-founder of ExpressionEdits. She is now at that exact moment, where she has just secured £10 million of funding. So, who better to talk us through the pitching process and how to be successful at it.Kärt discusses her journey into science from Estonia to Cambridge as well as her current work, where she is focusing on the importance of introns in gene expression to optimize protein production. She shares her experiences pitching to investors and why she actually enjoyed the process.
She also talks about how ExpressionEdits are leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize the placement of introns in artificial genes. As well as the next steps for the company now funding has been secured.
“The vast majority of investors are not there to tell you how you should make your company” – Kärt Tomberg
You’ll hear about:01:18 - Where does Kärt's love of science come from?
02:11- Growing up in Estonia
06:31 - What led Kärt to Cambridge?
09:51- Kärt on co-founding expression edits
17:45 - The mechanics behind Kärt's work
20:36 - How is AI used within Kärt's work?
25:16 - Therapeutics or tools
27:36 - Kärt's recent fundraising success
33:36 - How many pitches did Kärt have to make?
37:14 - Problems you face after investment
Follow Kärt:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombergk/
ExpressionEdits on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/expressionedits/
ExpressionEdits - https://www.expressionedits.com/
Connect with Me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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Would you have the guts to pitch directly to the customer to sell your idea?
You need to be prepared to hear no a lot, and learn from the experience to adapt for the next time, to get the yes you need.
This was the reality faced by my guest in this episode, Ruchi Sharma, CEO & Founder of Stemnovate Limited. She used that customer-first approach and eventually got the funding needed to start her company that focuses on stem cell research.
Ruchi’s work at Stemonovate creates a unique platform for targeted drug development. Through this work she has been able to reduce animal testing and improve experimental outcomes. Her latest focus is on developing treatments that can support children with the most challenging of medical conditions.
Ruchi shares her reasons for leaving academia to focus on entrepreneurship and the challenges she faced to get there. She also talks about her upbringing in India and what started her passion for science.“I started pitching to pharmaceutical companies on my own” – Ruchi Sharma
You’ll hear about:
01:01 - An introduction to Stemnovate
02:25 - Ruchi's life in India
05:24 - Why are stem cells important in medicine?
11:20 - Ruchi's experience at Cambridge
12:45 - Why and how Ruchi was called by entrepreneurship
20:08 - Why Ruchi had to bootstrap her work
29:23 - The evolution of our genome
30:48 - Picking commercial winners
37:28 - Ethics and the challenges of stem cells
40:03 - What's next for Stemnovate?
Follow Ruchi:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchi-sharma-b6aba018/
Stemnovate - https://stemnovate.co.uk/
Connect with Me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/ Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/ -
It is a guilty secret that the pharma and biotech industry has a big carbon footprint. Single-use plastics are a huge problem. Sensitive experiments need clean, sterile labware. This has often meant using virgin plastic with little or no recycling or reuse. Innovative approaches are needed to reduce plastic consumption in the lab.
How bad is bad? On average, cell biologists produce several kg of plastic waste, each, per day. These include pipettes, plastic trays for cell growth, various wrappers, membranes, packaging, etc. Formats and workflows have changed, as some tasks have been automated for robots, but the plastic products used in those processes haven't changed much in decades. The world can't keep making and incinerating single-use plastics, even for medical research.
In this episode I am joined by someone who is looking for a better way, Dr Joel Eichmann, CEO and co-founder of Green Elephant Biotech. How can cell growth yields be improved by better growth vessel design, so that you can grow more cells with less plastic? How can fossil fuel use be minimised by using plant-derived plastics for the labware? Can we combine those approaches for a double win?
How to turn these technical ideas into a growing, sustainable business that provides meaningful jobs and profits?We discuss all these challenges and more.
“We can generate a carbon footprint reduction of about 90%” – Joel EichmannYou’ll hear about:
01:56 – How Joel got to where he is today03:59 – The core question Joel was asking
06:17 – Figuring out how to do things differently
10:28 – Getting from the idea to the company
16:06 – The benefits of using plant based materials
24:31 – The traction Joel is getting with scientists
28:09 – The life cycle of the products
30:43 – The next stage of the business
Follow Joel:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-eichmann/Green Elephant Biotech - https://www.greenelephantbiotech.com/
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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Imagine being able to internalise the pharmaceutical factory into the human.
You could avoid the contamination risks and need for purification in biologic production.
In this episode I am joined by Dr James Dooley who is doing just this with his work at Aila Biotech. James and his team developed technology to drive the production of immune-regulating biologics at the exact site of disease. Through precise spatial and temporal control over biologic expression, Aila Biotech can prevent neuroinflammatory damage in brain injury.
James discusses his journey into science and how this work began. As well as the challenges that come with having to focus on the business, not just the science. He also reflects on what he might do differently if he were to start again.
“We really think we can have a dramatic effect on people's quality of life long term” – James Dooley
You’ll hear about:
01:50 – James’ journey into science
06:52 – James on drug delivery by adeno associated viruses
13:26 - What's the specificity of infection?
19:38 - Is there an invisible downside?
23:32 – James on the challenges of focusing on the business
28:47 – Will James be taking the therapy into the clinic?
36:25 – Would James do anything differently next time?
Follow James:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-dooley-96b4a62a/
Aila Biotech - https://www.ailabiotech.com/
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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The global population is getting older and with that comes more disease.
What if we could delay ageing as a way of treating those diseases?
My guest in this episode is Janette Thomas, CEO of Five Alarm Bio Ltd., a drug discovery company focusing on novel approaches to anti-aging, with broad potential therapeutic applications.
She discusses the applications of this approach and where the idea came from. She also shares how they put together the information to secure investors and the art of patenting the right drugs.
Janette also gives insight into the challenges still facing the scientific industry in overcoming not just gender bias but inclusivity overall. She also suggests ways to encourage more women into STEM subjects.
“Make sure that you challenge people when they haven't included others” - Janette Thomas
You’ll hear about:1:10 – Janette’s inspiration to become a scientist
08:40 - Gender bias in science and academia
13:16 – Janette’s experiences in the Pharmaceutical industry
17:26 – Why you need effective communication
21:58 – Where the idea for Five Alarm Bio came from
26:23 – Janette’s work on chronic wounds
29:43 – Carving out your square of the universe
32:36 – Working with CROs
38:23 – Janette on managing her mental health
Follow Janette:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janette-thomas-50a3766/
Five Alarm Bio Ltd. on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-alarm-bio-limited/
Five Alarm Bio website - http://www.fivealarm.bio/
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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Imagine having to climb a mountain every day just to get to school. This was the childhood of my guest George Adjabeng.
George Adjabeng grew up in Ghana, the son of subsistence farmers. He excelled at chemistry in school and college, and emigrated to the USA to pursue a pharmaceutical career before turning entrepreneur. His successful company Ecodyst is now giving back to Ghana by donating equipment to universities there.
In this episode George shares his experiences from that life on the farm to building his own company. He discusses his lightbulb moment that created Ecodyst and how he bootstrapped and got to market quickly and the challenges he faced.
George has revolutionised the way people use chemistry labs but has done so in his own way that stands out and brings a sense of nature into the lab environment.
Listen in to find out how.
“I grew up with no electricity or water.” - George
You’ll hear about:01:03 - George’s early life in Ghana
03:42 - From Ghana to Canada to US pharma industry
08:59 – George’s career in the pharmaceutical industry
16:36 – George’s innovative idea for Ecodyst
20:12 - Overcoming funding and technical challenges
25:13 - Bootstrapping a business with limited resources
28:15 – How George has revolutionizing lab equipment
34:03 - Drug discovery technology and global growth
Follow George:
George’s The Inspiring Story - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-subsistence-farming-global-impact-inspiring/
George’s research - https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/George-M-Adjabeng-15755137
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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What is the future of DNA and gene synthesis?
Before the covid pandemic, nucleic acids were mostly research tools. Terms like mRNA vaccines (nucleic acids as clinical agents) were relatively unknown. But since then, RNA and DNA have been thrust into the limelight for both the public and investors alike. How will the field evolve?
My guest in this episode, Steve Harvey, is working at the forefront of DNA synthesis, so who better to talk us through its evolution and future.
Steve is the CEO of Camena Bioscience, where they focus on improving DNA and gene synthesis. This enables biotechnologists to use more accurate and pure starting points, so their results aren’t held back by limited tools.
In this episode Steve discusses his career in laboratory research and the biotech space, from manual experiments in a classical wet lab environment through to the evolution of artificial intelligence. He also talks about the quality challenges faced within DNA and gene synthesis, and how Camena Bio addresses those.
Steve is just as committed to his people as to his science. He discusses the challenge of scaling a biotech company while keeping that all important dynamic and accountable culture.
You’ll hear about:
00:56 - Biotechnology and DNA-based therapies07:29 – How AI is changing drug discoveries
12:26 – Steve’s biotech experiences
15:09 - DNA sequencing advancements and challenges
20:50 – The problems with storing digital information in DNA
29:47 – The evolution of DNA synthesis technology
33:56 - Company culture and growth strategies
38:57 - Scaling a biotech company with a dynamic culture
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-harvey-camenabio/Twitter - https://twitter.com/camenabio
Camena Bioscience - https://www.camenabio.com/
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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What are the biggest challenges facing scientific innovation?
The path from science ideation to business execution is not an easy one. You will eventually need to translate great ideas into well-positioned products or services, and bring investment into the business from what can be a complex ecosystem of stakeholders.
Knowing how to overcome these challenges is key to any innovation’s success.
In this episode I am joined by Dr Darrin Disley OBE. Darrin is a seasoned veteran of UK life sciences. He is currently CEO and investor in Mogrify Ltd, a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of in vivo reprogramming therapies that address chronic diseases of ageing, using a systematic direct cell conversion and maintenance platform powered by big-data.
Before Mogrify, Darrin was CEO of Horizon Discovery, a discovery tools specialist, growing the company very quickly from start-up to UK AIM-listed PLC . We discuss his career journey, from school in London’s East End through life as a semi-professional footballer to how he became a successful, multi award-winning entrepreneur. He also discusses the challenges faced in commercialising scientific innovation and how to grow a business in the biotech industry.
This is a fascinating masterclass for any aspiring entrepreneur, or anyone with an unconventional start to their scientific career. Darrin proves that whatever your starting point, with application (and some good fortune along the way) you can achieve your dreams.
You’ll hear about:
01:30 – Darren’s nonlinear journey of self-discovery05:07 – Darren’s life as a semi-pro footballer
08:55 – Darren on being inspired by his teacher
14:59 – From a PhD to entrepreneurship
21:20 - Technology and drug discovery
24:59 - Challenges in commercialising scientific innovation
30:56 – Growth in the biotech industry
41:13 - Building a successful biotech company
48:42 – Challenges faced in public markets
Follow Darrin:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrinmdisley/Twitter - https://twitter.com/DarrinMDisley
Mogrify - https://mogrify.co.uk/
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
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Welcome to The Big Experiment, where we explore the scientific business world, and find out how great ideas turn into great companies.
I'm Mark Davison CEO of Grant Instruments, a scientific insurance (instruments) company based in Cambridge, UK. But I'm also a veteran of pharmaceutical and biotech roles from drug discovery, right through to medicine supply chains.
Amazing science impacts our lives every day, but lab breakthroughs are just the first stage in a very long journey, we're going to go behind the scenes to look at the real people who turn new discoveries into business.
Their personal stories are just as fascinating as a (the) science. And each week, I'll be inviting some great guests to share their career and their world, their triumphs and their failures.
If you're a scientific entrepreneur, we'll give you some tips and tools to help you grow your business and avoid the traps. If you just love science and want to know more about how scientists and entrepreneurs work, you'll get plenty of human stories too.
We'll be launching on Monday, the 18th of March. And If you enjoy the episodes remember to like, comment, review, share with your network and subscribe.
Connect with Me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/
Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/
Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/
