BioTech Nation ... with Dr. Moira Gunn

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Neal Kassell, founder of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, introduces us to a powerful, non-invasive technology that’s already changing lives, and it doesn’t involve surgery, injections, or pills.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Raza Bokhari, CEO of Medicus Pharma, shares a new non-surgical treatment approach for basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. Their novel microneedle patch delivers a powerful cancer drug directly into the skin, avoiding the scarring, cost, and discomfort of Mohs surgery. With promising phase 2 trials underway in the US and Europe, this could change the way we treat millions of skin cancer cases every year.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Eric Topol returns to continue his conversation on, "Super Agers … An Evidenced-Based Approach to Longevity", his evidence-based approach to living longer, healthier lives. He shares why longevity must be accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy, and how new tools like AI, personalized diagnostics, and even gut hormones are reshaping the future of health.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Eric Topol, professor and Executive Vice President at Scripps Research and author of "Super Agers … An Evidenced-Based Approach to Longevity", breaks down what science really says about aging well and what is just marketing. From immune-boosting cell therapy to the myth of magic longevity pills, Dr. Topol explains how evidence-based prevention, personalized health data, and AI are changing the future of aging.

This week on Biotech Nation, Dr. Neil Kumar, founder and CEO of BridgeBio Pharma. Dr. Kumar emphasizes that genetic diseases, particularly Mendelian diseases caused by single gene mutations, are solvable due to advancements in genetic measurement and understanding. He discusses BridgeBio Pharma's innovative corporate structure, which consists of multiple specialized companies under a centralized infrastructure to efficiently tackle various genetic diseases. This model allows for focused expertise on individual conditions while sharing common resources. Dr. Kumar highlights the company's commitment to using diverse therapeutic modalities, such as small molecules and gene therapies, to develop treatments that address the underlying causes of these diseases.

Dr. John Scarlett, President and CEO of Geron Corporation talks about their drug Imetelstat for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). MDS patients often require frequent blood transfusions, impacting their quality of life. Imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor, aims to reduce transfusion dependence by targeting cancer cells in the bone marrow. Phase three trials showed promising results, with 40% of patients experiencing at least an 8-week transfusion-free interval.

This week on BioTech Nation, Robert Blum, CEO of CytoKinetics, joins me to talk about the company’s decades-long mission to keep hearts beating stronger and longer. With one heart drug under FDA review and more in the pipeline, CytoKinetics is working to address the full spectrum of heart failure, from weak hearts to overactive ones, and even exploring muscle health beyond the heart to support healthy aging.

This week on BioTech Nation, BioSTEM Technologies CEO Jason Matuszewski explains how donated placental tissue is being used to treat chronic wounds that just won’t heal, from diabetic ulcers to pressure sores. With millions affected and traditional care often falling short, BioSTEM’s approach offers a new way to support healing and reduce scarring.

This week on BioTech Nation, Biotech Entrepreneur, Dr. Jake Glanville, Founder, Chair and CEO of Centivax, gives us the insider’s view of this Biotech Breakthrough – from the first telephone call through each significant step, all leading to the first breakthrough generalized antivenom vaccine in 125 years.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Daniel Kraft, Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent, returns with highlights from the 2025 NextMed Health conference. From AI-powered health agents to voice-based disease detection, hear what’s emerging at the intersection of medicine, technology, and global health equity.

Dr. Peter DeMuth, Chief Scientific Officer of Elicio Therapeutics, discusses the revolutionary approach of detecting cancer at its earliest stages through circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) tests. Highlighting their innovative treatment method, which aims to train the body's immune cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells, the episode explores the potential transition from treatment to vaccine, offering hope for more effective and durable solutions.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Cory Nicholas, CEO of Neurona Therapeutics, returns for part two. With early results now in from Neurona’s first clinical trial, patients with severe epilepsy are seeing dramatic improvements, including seizure reductions of over 90 percent, and even full remission in some cases. This one-time treatment delivers new brain cells that help calm seizure activity without the side effects of traditional medications or the risks of surgery.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Cory Nicholas, Co-Founder and CEO of Neurona Therapeutics, discusses their groundbreaking success in treating drug-resistant epilepsy. With a single, targeted delivery of lab-grown brain cells, Neurona is offering not just symptom control but the possibility of long-term seizure relief. This is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring the future of regenerative medicine in neurology.

This week on BioTech Nation, we explore a new approach to cancer treatment that could help patients manage pain without compromising their care. Dr. Lorin Johnson, CSO of Glycyx Therapeutics explains how a new once-daily pill could help patients manage pain without blocking their treatment.

This week on BioTech Nation, Sameer Sabir, CEO of Brixton Biosciences, shares how their breakthrough injectable cold therapy, Neural Ice, could offer lasting relief for osteoarthritis pain. With a drug-free, nerve-targeting approach currently in clinical trials, this innovation may change how we treat joint pain without pills or repeated steroid injections.

This week on BioTech Nation, Luminary Therapeutics CEO Jeff Liter shares how his team is working to make advanced cell therapy easier to access and more affordable. Instead of using each patient’s own cells, they use healthy donor cells that are ready to go. This approach could help more people get treated for cancer and autoimmune diseases like lupus, with just a single dose.

This week on BioTech Nation, Sean Ainsworth, CEO of ImmuSoft, explains how modifying the body’s own B cells to produce therapeutic proteins could revolutionize drug delivery. From improving treatment for rare diseases like Hurler syndrome to potentially replacing injections for autoimmune and metabolic conditions, this new approach opens the door to long-term, patient-specific solutions.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Thomas Chen, Director of Neuro-Oncology at USC and Founder of NeOnc Technologies, shares treating glioblastoma by delivering a drug directly to the brain through nasal inhalation changes the drug delivery game, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. This technique is achieving results in clinical trials.

This week on BioTech Nation, I speak with Dr. John Cumbers, founder and CEO of SynBioBeta, the annual synthetic biology conference. We discuss how biology, AI, and technology are transforming industries, covering tracks on human health, planetary health, and hyperscale biology. SynBioBeta 2025 will take place in San Jose, CA, from May 5 to 8.

This week on BioTech Nation, Ossium Health co-founder and CEO Kevin Caldwell shares how their breakthrough approach is changing bone marrow transplants. By cryobanking marrow from organ donors, Ossium is reducing wait times, improving access, and preparing for future emergencies. With support from BARDA and promising clinical trial results, this new system could help thousands more receive lifesaving transplants—right when they need them.

This week on BioTech Nation, we explore what happens when your immune system overreacts. Professor Niels Riedemann, CEO of InflaRx, explains how the body’s defense system can sometimes cause more harm than good, leading to serious conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, severe COVID-19, and lung failure. Learn how InflaRx is developing treatments to calm the immune system and why their breakthrough drug is getting attention from U.S. health agencies.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Daniel Kraft explores how smarter design can make healthcare easier, less stressful, and more effective. From hospitals built for patient comfort to medical apps that adapt to your needs, the way we experience healthcare is evolving. Learn how design thinking and empathy are shaping the future of medicine.

This week on BioTech Nation, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals CEO Rich Daly discusses the complexities of treating epilepsy and rare diseases. From the challenges of polypharmacy—where patients need multiple drugs to manage a single condition—to the hurdles of diagnosing and treating ultra-rare diseases.

This week on Biotech Nation, Dr. Ari Azhir, Founder and CEO of Neuvivo, shares the incredible journey of an ALS drug that was once abandoned, but is now making its way toward FDA approval. After two failed phase two trials, the drug was left behind until Dr. Azhir and her team discovered a crucial mistake in the trial data. Now with new insights and groundbreaking survival results, Neuvivo is giving hope to ALS patients and exploring its potential for other neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Daniel Kraft explores the discovery of "dark" proteins, thousands of previously unknown proteins in the human body. Scientists believe these hidden proteins could be the key to detecting diseases earlier and developing new treatments.

This week on Biotech Nation, Dr. Lincoln Nadauld shares how Culmination Bio is using 9 million preserved tissue samples and decades of patient data to improve how we understand and treat diseases. From discovering patterns in cancer treatments to exploring breakthroughs in heart and autoimmune diseases, this unique approach is changing medicine.

This week on Biotech Nation, Dr. Daniel Kraft discusses why mobility is emerging as a key indicator of health, just like heart rate or blood pressure. From wearable tech that tracks your gait to AI-powered exoskeletons and brain-computer interfaces, new innovations are transforming how we measure and maintain movement.

This week on Biotech Nation, Dr. Martin Borch Jensen and Dr. Francisco LePort from Gordian Biotechnology share a bold new approach to fighting diseases of aging before they take hold. Instead of testing one drug at a time, their technology allows scientists to test hundreds of potential treatments at once, making drug discovery faster and more precise. This could change how we treat conditions like arthritis, heart failure, and fatty liver disease.

Not just seeking treatment for every disease, but making sure the treatments we have already developed are being used in every possible way. I speak with Dr. David Fajgenbaum (Fay-gen-baum), a Professor of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and President of Every Cure.

This week on Biotech Nation, Priovant Therapeutics CEO Ben Zimmer shares how their once-a-day pill could transform the treatment of severe autoimmune diseases like dermatomyositis and non-infectious uveitis. With phase 3 trials in progress, Priovant is offering hope to patients with few modern treatment options.

In this week's episode of BioTech Nation, Dr. David Bearss, President and CEO of Halia Therapeutics, discusses inflammation and its reduction over a lifetime and in response to various incidents. He unveils the inflammasome, a recently discovered protein complex critical in regulating inflammatory responses and its potential in treating chronic diseases like myelodysplastic syndrome and Alzheimer's. Dr. Bearss shares insights into Halia's groundbreaking approach and his relentless pursuit of medical breakthroughs.

Dr. Jim Brown from DURECT talks about their clinical trials for Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis, a condition for which there is no approved treatment.

Sir Rory Collins is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Oxford and 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.

When is a medical technology company more than a medical technology company? We’ll hear all about it when I speak with Dave Pacitti, the President and Head of the Americas at Siemens Healthineers. They’re out to solve problems bigger than the products they are known for.

Major Depressive Disorder. Serious Depression. PTSD. Alto Neuroscience CEO, Dr. Amit Etkin talks about developing new and innovative drugs tied directly to each patient’s underlying biology. For every drug, there is a test...

Discover how their AI technology is revolutionizing drug discovery with Dr. Vimal Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO BioXcel and how this is leading to the approval of their first drug for agitation in bipolar I and II and schizophrenia, and paving the way for new treatments.

This week on Biotech Nation, Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent, Dr. Daniel Kraft, talks about “food as medicine" and how eating real, minimally processed food can prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, starting with kids and school lunches. Programs like Eat Real and the federal Food is Medicine initiative are working to improve diets and health nationwide.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Peter Vanderklish, Chief Scientific Officer at Spinogenix discusses their clinical trials focused on regenerating synapses to repair brain connections and offer hope for conditions like Alzheimer's, ALS, schizophrenia and depression. Phase 2 trials are underway. Check their website for patient recruitment information.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Rollie Carlson, CEO of Immunexpress, talks about Sepsis—a deadly condition responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide. Dr. Carlson talks about the FDA-cleared SeptiCyte test, a new tool that can quickly identify Sepsis within an hour, helping doctors treat it faster and avoid unnecessary antibiotics or even death.

This week on BioTech Nation, we talk with Dr. Eben Kirksey about the ethical issues behind CRISPR, the gene-editing tool that made headlines with the birth of the first “CRISPR babies” in China. Dr. Kirksey shares his experiences investigating this controversial experiment and highlights the deeper questions it raises. He stresses the importance of public dialogue, urging us to consider carefully who benefits from such powerful technologies as we shape the future of gene editing.

This week on BioTech Nation, Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about how AI can personalize health advice using data from devices like your smartwatch. He explains how this technology can help people make better choices to stay healthy and avoid major illnesses. Dr. Kraft envisions AI as a personal health coach, offering real-time tips and reminders tailored to each person's needs.

Dr. Avak Kahvejian, Founding CEO of Cellarity, explains their new approach to discovering drugs by using AI to look at how cells behave as a whole, rather than focusing on one part of the problem. This approach could lead to faster development of better treatments, such as a pill for sickle cell disease.

Brian Culley, CEO of Lineage Cell Therapeutics, talks about a new approach to treating diseases called whole cell replacement therapy - which replaces damaged cells with new ones. Lineage is focusing this new therapy on dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness, through their collaboration with Genentech..

Dr. Daniel Kraft, Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent introduces "multimodal medicine", combining data like proteomics, wearables, and imaging for early disease detection. He stresses the importance of both advanced diagnostics and listening to patients' stories for effective healthcare.

Dr. Antony Taubman, the former Director of the Intellectual Property Division at the World Trade Organization, discusses the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rapid development and distribution of 15 billion doses of Covid vaccines, and how international intellectual property rules influenced these efforts.

Part II - We continue our discussion with Dr. Leroy Hood and Dr. Nathan Price about the subject of their book "The Age of Scientific Wellness", delving into the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and the ability to mine deep data to deliver hyper-personalized recommendations at a scale never before possible.

Dr. Leroy Hood and Dr. Nathan Price delve into the subject of their book "The Age of Scientific Wellness", which highlights the advancements in science that enable the prediction and personalization of healthcare based on an individual's wellness level, and the potential advantages of early diagnosis and treatment of illnesses

Dr. Michael Weickert, CEO of Pacylex Pharmaceuticals, about their once-daily pill in trials now for cancer treatment - it’s already showing early indicators of success in stopping cancer growth in not just one, but a number of cancers.

Dr. Robert Coleman, CEO of Codagenix, discusses their innovative approach to virus engineering, which includes developing a nasally-delivered COVID-19 vaccine that targets multiple virus proteins for broader protection. Codagenix's "rational virus design" method creates genetically stable vaccines and therapeutics, reducing the risk of harmful mutations. Their work also extends to vaccines for other diseases and viral-based cancer treatments, with the potential to significantly advance global health.

Continuous monitoring ... when we want it, when we don’t, should we share it? Or not. Or perhaps just part of it. Dr. Kal Patel, the Co-Founder and CEO of BrightInsight talks about this brave new frontier.