TechNation Radio Podcast
By Dr Moira Gunn
TechNation Radio PodcastJun 24, 2020
Episode 23-38 Making Effective Therapies, Even More Effective
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with
Tom Ireland, Science Journalist and Author, “The Good Virus: The Amazing Story and Forgotten Promise of the Phage”. Then Dr. Robert Ladner, CEO & Founder of CV6 Therapeutics, tells us about their work to improve a cornerstone cancer chemotherapy.
Episode 23-37 The Right Antidepressant the First Time?
On this week’s Tech Nation, developing antidepressants along with a test so when you take them, you know they will work. Dr. Amit Etkin, the founder and CEO Alto Neuroscience, explains how looking at each patient’s underlying biology is essential. Then Sir Rory Collins, the Principal Investigator of the UK BioBank. With data from half a million people, it has served 30,000 scientists around the world, giving special support to young researchers and scientists in emergent countries.
Episode 23-36 Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Distraction
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with CEO Dr. Ben Thomas and Chief Commercial Officer Dermot Tierney from Amply Discovery talks about how their novel approach to AI in drug discovery. Then, Dr. Daniel Kraft, the founder and chair of NextMed Health tells us about ChatGPT and Healthcare. And Dr. Alex Pang’s still relevant 2013 interview on smartphones and social media – it’s "The Distraction Addiction."
Episode 23-35 How the NSF sprung into action during Covid
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Sethuraman "Panch" Panchanathan, the Director of the National Science Foundation talks about how they had to pivot during Covid to act fast. Then, in Biotech, with today’s cannabis concentrations, acute cannabis intoxication is on the rise. Dr. Ken Cundy, CSO at Anebulo Pharma is working to create an antidote.
Episode 23-34 Are you healthy? Your tech can tell
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks on the ability to monitor both our health … and our illnesses. Even the ability to see if our medical condition is changing or that last update in prescription really worked. And what about when you travel? Dr. Kal Patel is the Co-Founder and CEO of BrightInsight. He tells us about the challenges and BrightInsight’s solutions. Then speaking of all this new tech, where are we going with all this? David Ewing Duncan’s insights from his 2019 book, “Talking to Robots: Tales from Our Human Robot Future”, are more relevant than ever.
Episode 23-33 Amazon or Walmart -- who's got the tech?
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with journalist Jason Del Rey about Amazon and Walmart - how they are different and their designs on your attention. His book is “Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart, and the Battle for Our Wallets”.
Then in biotech, breakthrough science which changes the name of the game on how to make a medicine. Dr. Sanjay Shukla, the President and CEO of ATyr Pharma, takes this unprecedented approach and ATyr’s first drug candidate which treats pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Episode 23-32 From Big Bang to You – The Atoms that Connect Us All…
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dan Levitt, Award-winning documentary producer and Author, “What’s Gotten Into You … The Story of Your Body’s Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night’s Dinner.” Then, in Biotech, we look at progress in Gliobastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Dr. Fahar Merchant, the President & CEO of Medicenna Therapeutics, joins me to talk about their unprecedented approach to clinical trials.
Episode 23-31 A 1-2-3 Punch for Alzheimer’s
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Gene Kinney, the President and CEO of Prothena Biosciences, about a 1-2-3 punch for Alzheimer’s - fighting amyloids, fighting tau, and their work on a vaccine that just might prevent Alzheimer’s altogether. Then Daniel Pink talks about Regret. Research shows you can begin to ease the pain by writing 15 minutes a day for 3 days. His book is “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward”.
Episode 23-30 YouTube – 500 hrs of Video per Minute
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Bloomberg and BusinessWeek journalist Mark Bergen about the challenge of keeping up with the 100’s of hours of video uploaded every minute. His book is “Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination”. Then an excerpt from Wired Science Editor Kara Platoni’s original interview about her 2015 book: “We Have the Technology: How Biohackers, Foodies, and Physicians are Transforming Human Perception.” It’s even more relevant today.
Episode 23-29 Yes, you can outrun a Tyrannosaurus
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Cody Cassidy, Wired contributor, “How to Survive History … How to Outrun a Tyrannosaurus, Escape Pompeii, Get Off the Titanic, and Survive the Rest of History’s Deadliest Catastrophes”. Then, Wharton Professor, Dr. Jonah Berger, follow his earlier books, “Contagious” and “Invisible Influence”. His latest is “The Catalyst – How to Change Anyone’s Mind”.
Episode 23-28 The Science of Botany is Not for the Timid
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Melissa Sevigny (Sev-inn-nee), Science Journalist and Author, “Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon”. Then, Emory University Professor Dr. Cassandra Quave is in search of plants for medical botany. Her book is, “The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines”
Episode 23-27 High Seas Conspiracy
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Bloomberg BusinessWeek investigative journalist Kit Chellel (“Shell-lel”) talks about “Dead in the Water … A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy.” It makes the movie “Captain Philips” look pretty tame. Then if you thought that all the new vaccines would be mRNA vaccines – you’d be wrong. Dr. Robert Coleman, the Co-Founder and CEO of Codagenix, shows us how to precisely engineer viruses to be effective vaccines. Even better, these can be delivered nasally – there’s no need for a needle.
Episode 23-26 Mapping Biology??
On this week’s Tech Nation, conjure up images of test tubes, and replace it with tiny wells on index-card-size trays, and robots moving them to and fro. Dr. Chris Gibson, the CEO of Recursion Pharmaceuticals, tells us about their effort to analyze all of human biology, and the drugs in their very own pipeline. Then, who knew Sociology and Criminology were linked? University of Denver professor Jared Del Rosso talks about his book “Denial … How We Hide, Ignore, and Explain Away Problems””, and answers the question – will the election deniers *always* believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen?
Episode 23-25 Your distant cousins and their DNA ...
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Ed Humes. His latest is “The Forever Witness … How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder.” We get an object lesson in the Three Ages of DNA, and while it reads like a fast-paced Cold Case on steroids – it provides details no fiction writer would dare to make up, like the unexpected involvement of the famous true crimes writer, Ann Rule, and a person whose DNA skills are familiar to fans of the PBS documentary series, “Finding your roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.”
Episode 23-24 Digital Technology, Freedom & Democracy
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Jamie Susskind about his book, “The Digital Republic … On Freedom and Democracy in the 21st Century”. Then, in Biotech, a potential successor to stem cells - fibroblasts? Yes, fibroblasts. Dr. Hamid Khoja, Chief Scientific Officer of FibroBiologics in Houston, describes their fibroblast programs in such diverse conditions as Degenerative Disk Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
Episode 23-23 What’s Up with Netflix?
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Journalists Dade Hayes & Dawn Chmielewski about “Binge Times: Inside Hollywood’s Furious Billion-Dollar Battle to Take Down Netflix”. From the stock plunge of Netflix to the rise of Bridgerton, it’s a streaming war for our attention. Then in Biotech, could “sticky proteins” lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and more? Dr. Maria Maccecchini, Founder, President and CEO of Annovis Bio, tells us about their approach.
Episode 23-22 How Data is Revolutionizing Professional Sports
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Bruce Schoenfeld, journalist and author of “Game of Edges …The Analytics Revolution and the Future of Professional Sports.”, about the data revolution in professional sports.
Episode 23-21 New Ways to Treat What Ails Us
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Francois Vigneault, Co-Founder and CEO of Shape Therapeutics, talks about how they’re engineering mRNA to address Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Then, Dr. Pail Peter Tak, CEO of Candel Therapeutics is using immuno-oncology treatments to go after solid tumors as well as cancers which have metastasized.
Episode 23-20 Wisdom for the Ages
Founding Executive Editor at Wired magazine Kevin Kelly is here with “Excellent Advice for Living … Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier.” Then two different efforts from the front lines of fighting cancer. Dr. Paul Lammers from Triumvira Immunologics tells us about their approach, both as a complement to such existing treatments as Keytruda, and as a standalone cancer drug in its own. Then Dr. Philip Kantoff from Convergent Therapeutics tells about their efforts in the most advanced, intractable prostate cancer.
Episode 23-19 Is The Internet Untrustworthy???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Pomona College Professor Gary Smith about his book, “Distrust … Big Data, Data-Torturing, and the Assault on Science”.” Then, technology to keep your genes working at their best. Moira speaks with Dr. Noah Davidsohn, the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Rejuvenate Bio.
Episode 23-18 Bigotry, justice and environmental pollution
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Kirk Wallace Johnson talking about fishermen, immigrants, bigotry, justice and environmental pollution. It’s all in “The Fishermen and the Dragon … Fear, Greed, and a Fight for Justice on the Gulf Coast”. Then on BioTech Nation, Dr. Hernan Bazan, the Co-Founder & CEO of South Rampart Pharma in New Orleans. They’re working on the next generation of pain relief – non-opioid pain relief. The goal is to be equally powerful without the addiction.
Episode 23-17 How Healthy Are You???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Leroy Hood and Dr. Nathan Price about focusing on wellness with the help of science and their book, “The Age of Scientific Wellness … Why the Future of Medicine is Personalized, Predictive, Data-Rich, and in Your Hands”.
Episode 23-16 Tech Visionary but No Tech?
On this week's Tech Nation, Moira speaks with
John Markoff, the former New York Times journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, to talk about someone we would call today an influencer only he has been influencing now for decades. Markoff's book is Whole Earth: The Many Lives of Stewart Brand.
Then in biotech, Dr. James Mackey, the President & CEO, Aristea Therapeutics, tells about a painful disease which affects the palms of hand and soles of feet in post-menopausal women - Palmoplantar pustulosis or PPP - and how it may relate to other diseases.
Episode 23-15 What’s Really Happening to Your Liver ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Robert Foster, CEO of Hepion Pharmaceuticals, about some surprising information about your liver – like the one you have right now, is pretty much not the one you had just a few years ago. Then combining science and the humanities, MIT Professor Dr. Alan Lightman, talks about his book, “The Transcendent Brain: Spirituality in the Age of Science”.
Episode 23-14 Neurotech and the battle for your brain???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Duke University Professor Nita Farahany about her book, “The Battle for Your Brain … Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.” Then recovering from the devastation of war, Conservation X Lab’s Dr. Alex Dehgan talks about his book, “The Snow Leopard Project … and other Adventures in Warzone Conservation”.
Episode 23-13 How Data Happened ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Columbia professors Chris Wiggins and Matthew Jones about their book, “How Data Happened … A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms.” Then it’s all about glucose at Rezolute – too much and too little. Nevan Charles Elam tells us about their work to treat the “diabetic eye condition”, DME, and a pediatric condition called Congenital hyperinsulinism.
Episode 23-12 Neuroscience and Dreaming
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Sidarta Ribeiro, Deputy Director of the Brain Institute at the Unversidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil. His book is “The Oracle of Night … The History and Science of Dreams”. Then, a potential new treatment for a side effect of chemotherapy: Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Hand-Foot Syndrome. Dr. Michael McCullar, the CEO of OnQuality Pharmaceuticals talks about their new drug candidate which has just finished Phase II clinical trials.
Episode 23-11 The EU Plays Tough with Silicon Valley
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Margrethe Vestager, the Executive Vice President of the European Commission for “A Europe Fit for the Digital Age”. Commissioner Vestager describes why the EU imposed fines on such digital giants as Google and Amazon, and the impact on the EU’s digital space since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Then, University of the South Professor David George Haskell talks about sound – from the beginning of time on planet earth to the sounds in our teeming cities. His book is “Sounds Wild and Broken … Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction”.
Episode 23-10 Experiential Intelligence?
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Soren Kaplan talks about taking a look at your life experience to gain insight and action into your personal and business life. His book is “Experiential Intelligence: Harness the Power of Experience for Personal and Business Breakthroughs.” Then to a place in Alaska where no human has gone, much less conquered. Climber and rescuer, Michael Wejchert talks about “Hidden Mountains … Survival and Reckoning After a Climb Gone Wrong.”
Episode 23-09 Oh, Yeah – We’re Talkin’ Phosphorus
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dan Egan takes us on a world tour of phosphates – or would that be phosphorus? It’s best to pay attention. His book is “The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance.” Then, Dr. Darren Kelly, the Founder and CEO of Certa Therapeutics in Melbourne, Australia, tells us about his many-decade scientific research which has led to a treatment for Schleroderma, now in advanced clinical trials. The results are worth noting.
Episode 23-08 FOLLOW-ON INTW - The Science of Ageing
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Andrew Steele in a FOLLOW-ON science-focused interview on the latest science behind ageing. His book is “Ageless … The New Science of Getting Older without Getting Old.” And then, an excerpt from Dr. Thomas Rando’s 2020 interview. A co-founder of Fountain Therapeutics, he tells us about their science and their efforts to potentially reverse the ageing process.
Episode 23-07 Psychological Safety at Work??
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Gabriella Kellerman joins me to talk about “TomorrowMind – Thriving at Work with Resilience, Creativity and Connection – Now and in an Uncertain Future”. The cover everything from Rapid Rapport to Psychological Safety in our work environment. Then … what is AI doing in biotech? Dr Vimal Mehta tells us how his company, BioXcel, used AT in drug discovery. One drug has already been approved, and there are more in the pipeline.
Episode 23-06 In the Mouth of the Wolf
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Katherine Corcoran, the former Associate Press Bureau Chief for Mexico, talks about “In the Mouth of the Wolf: A Murder, a Coverup, and the True Cost of Silencing the Press”. She talks about the danger of being a journalist in Mexico, and one woman who paid the ultimate price. And following news of one biotech firm trying to bring back the dodo bird, we hear from Joe Hernandez from Blue Water Vaccines. His quest to develop a universal flu vaccine led him face-to-face – so to speak - with the Oxford dodo.
Episode 23-05 We’re all aging – in *every* cell in our bodies
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Andrew Steele about “Ageless … The New Science of Getting Older without Getting Old.” Then, Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft brings us uptodate on treating kidney disease and with heart transplants from genetically modified pigs in the news, kidneys are also being examined. Finally, with the West Coast of the United States under tsunami warning, former USGS scientist, Dr. Lucy Jones talks about “The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us”, and how we need to approach the aftermath.
Episode 23-04 How To Calm Your Mind? (And Why)
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Chris Bailey about “How to Calm Your Mind … Finding Presence and Productivity in Anxious Times”. Science tells us that humans love dopamine, caffeine is essentially liquid stress, and burnout is more than being exhausted. Then, teaching our immune systems to recognize tumors in our own bodies and then eliminating them. Bolt Biotherapeutics’ CEO, Dr. Randy Schatzman, talks about the role of myeloid cells, and Bolt is studying nearly two dozen forms of HER2-related cancers.
Episode 23-03 The Right Antidepressant the First Time?
On this week’s Tech Nation, developing antidepressants along with a test so when you take them, you know they will work. Dr. Amit Etkin, the founder and CEO Alto Neuroscience, explains how looking at each patient’s underlying biology is essential. Then Sir Rory Collins, the Principal Investigator of the UK BioBank. With data from half a million people, it has served 30,000 scientists around the world, giving special support to young researchers and scientists in emergent countries.
Episode 23-02 Can’t Stop Measuring, If We Tried
On this week’s Tech Nation, James Vincent about his book, “Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants”, and our age-old propensity as humans … to measure things. Then Dr. Rob Ross from Surface Oncology tells us why the first generation of immuno-oncology drugs only worked on 15% of cancer patients, and how Surface Oncology is tackling the other 85%. Their Phase 2 trials in lung cancer and liver cancer are recruiting now.
Episode 23-01 Neuroscience and Greek Tragedies ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Ohio State University professor Angus Fletcher connects neuroscience and literature, and why stories can be so compelling – from Greek tragedy to modern times. His book is “Wonderworks … the 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature”. Then a ten-minute primer with David Peterson, best known for creating alien languages for HBO’s Game of Thrones, Netflix's The Witcher, and Marvel's Doctor Strange.
Episode 23-01 The Decisions We Make
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Columbia University professor Eric Johnson about “The Elements of Choice: Why the Way We Decide Matters”. Then insight into rare genetic diseases with Dr. Dietrich Stephan, CEO of NeuBase Therapeutics. He talks us through rare genetic diseases, as well as NeuBase’s approach. And Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about the challenges of Telehealth.
Episode 22-52 Social Media and Weaponized Shame ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Cathy O’Neil about “The Shame Machine … Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation”. They talk about how encouraging shame figures into the algorithms of social media. Then Dr. Daniel Bloomfield, the Chief Medical Officer of Anthos Therapeutics, describes the current challenge of preventing bleeding while avoiding the specter of clotting. Anthos may have a solution.
Episode 22-51 The Chinese Language – Digitized?
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Yale Professor Jing Tsu about “Kingdom of Characters … the language revolution that made China modern.” Communicating Chinese using digital technology is not so easy, from the telegraph, the typewriter, computers and smartphones. All were built with alphabetic letters in mind. Then, diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases – like early Alzheimers, Parkinsons and more – with a simple-to-use but scientifically advanced retinal scan.
Eliav Shaked, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Toronto-based firm, Retispec, explains how their software does it.
Episode 22-50 A 1-2-3 Punch for Alzheimer’s
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Gene Kinney, the President and CEO of Prothena Biosciences, about a 1-2-3 punch for Alzheimer’s - fighting amyloids, fighting tau, and their work on a vaccine that just might prevent Alzheimer’s altogether. Then Daniel Pink talks about Regret. Research shows you can begin to ease the pain by writing 15 minutes a day for 3 days. His book is “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward”.
Episode 22-49 Your distant cousins and their DNA
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Ed Humes. His latest is “The Forever Witness … How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder.” We get an object lesson in the Three Ages of DNA, and while it reads like a fast-paced Cold Case on steroids – it provides details no fiction writer would dare to make up, like the unexpected involvement of the famous true crimes writer, Ann Rule, and a person whose DNA skills are familiar to fans of the PBS documentary series, “Finding your roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.”
Episode 22-48 Could Long Covid be Fibromyalgia???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Seth Lederman, the Co-Founder and CEO of Tonix Pharmaceuticals, about Long Covid – and it potential relation to another medical condition, Fibromyalgia. Tonix is now recruiting subjects for advanced Human Clinical Trials in both. Then neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett gives us a lesson or two from her book, “7½ Lessons about the Brain”.
Episode 22-47 Ideas, Ideas, Ideas
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Jeremy Utley, the Director of Executive Education at Stanford University’s school, joins Moira to talk about his book “IdeaFlow.” You have no idea how important ideas are in your life, and just how many you’ll need! Then in biotech, human clinical trials have begun to treat a particular type of Epilepsy called Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Dr. Cory Nicholas from Neurona Therapeutics, tells us about their big idea and how they have developed an unprecedented cell therapy.
Episode 22-46 High Seas Conspiracy
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Bloomberg BusinessWeek investigative journalist Kit Chellel (“Shell-lel”) talks about “Dead in the Water … A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy.” It makes the movie “Captain Philips” look pretty tame. Then if you thought that all the new vaccines would be mRNA vaccines – you’d be wrong. Dr. Robert Coleman, the Co-Founder and CEO of Codagenix, shows us how to precisely engineer viruses to be effective vaccines. Even better, these can be delivered nasally – there’s no need for a needle.
Episode 22-45 Turn Your DNA On and Off ??
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Alexandria Forbes (whom you may known as Zandy Forbes), President and CEO of MeiraGTx, tells us about their efforts in treating retinitis pigmentosa and Parkinson’s, among other medical conditions. MeiraGTx is also working on a new technology to replace defective DNA with new working DNA, and the ability to stop the new DNA should you choose. Then Matthew Ball, the former global head of strategy for Amazon Studios, talks his book: “The Metaverse … and How It Will Revolutionize Everything.”
Episode 22-44 Pirate Then, Pirates Now – Not Much Has Changed ??
On this week’s Tech Nation, Steven Johnson with “Enemy of All Mankind … A True Story of Piracy, Power and History’s First Global Manhunt.” It’s a 17th century story that’s rife with insights for today. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about food as medicine – it might be steamed vegetables … or could that be chocolate and wine?
Episode 22-43 Mapping Biology ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, conjure up images of test tubes, and replace it with tiny wells on index-card-size trays, and robots moving them to and fro. Dr. Chris Gibson, the CEO of Recursion Pharmaceuticals, tells us about their effort to analyze all of human biology, and the drugs in their very own pipeline. Then, who knew Sociology and Criminology were linked? University of Denver professor Jared Del Rosso talks about his book “Denial … How We Hide, Ignore, and Explain Away Problems””, and answers the question – will the election deniers *always* believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen?
Episode 22-42 Neanderthal to Nobel Prize
On this week’s Tech Nation, an archival interview of the winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Professor Svante Paabo talks about his book: “Neanderthal Man … in search of lost genomes.” Then biotech takes on Osteoarthritis – mostly in the knee, but it can affect any joint. Dr. Diem Nguyen, the CEO of Xalud Therapeutics, talks about Xalud’s work to reduce the inflammation that drives pain. It’s now in human clinical trials.