The Biotech Startups Podcast 🧬 Quin Wills - Ochre Bio - Part 1 | Childhood Moments in Johannesburg | A Passion for Science Grows with an Evolving Society | Academic Experience in Biology and Genetics | Exposure to Bioinformatics and Big Data
Jun 3, 2024
18:40
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Part 1 of 4.
My guest for this week’s episode is Quin Wills, CSO and Co-Founder of Ochre Bio, a pioneering biotechnology company developing RNA therapies for chronic liver diseases. Using a combination of genomic deep phenotyping, precision RNA medicine, and testing in live human donor livers, Ochre is developing therapies for liver health challenges ranging from increasing donor liver supply to reducing cirrhosis complications.
In addition to his work at Ochre, Quin is also a highly accomplished academic with a medical degree from Witwatersrand University and doctoral degrees from Cambridge and Oxford in computational biology, mathematics, and statistical genomics. Along with his academic accomplishments, Quin also co-founded SimuGen and has worked at the University College London, the Mayo Clinic, and Novo Nordisk before he went on to co-found Ochre Bio. Quin's diverse experiences offer a wealth of insights that everyone can draw inspiration from.
Join us this week and hear about:
- Quin's childhood, the importance of seizing opportunities when they arise, and challenging the status quo
- His time at the University College London (UCL)
- Transitioning from medical school to studying genetics while at Witwatersrand University
- Getting his MPhil in biology at Cambridge
- Early exposure and passion for bioinformatics and big data during the Human Genome Project era
- And much more!
Please enjoy my conversation with Quin Wills.
Find Our Guest, Quin Wills, at these links:
Find Our Guest, Quin Wills, at these links:
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
Timestamps:
00:28 Intro
2:22 Episode starts, childhood experiences in Johannesburg that influenced Quin’s leadership philosophy, being an action-prone scientist, and challenging the status quo
7:07 Developing a passion for science in connection to the evolution of society
9:33 Undergraduate academic experience with genetics, microbiology, and lab-based work
11:51 Decision to leave South Africa to attend University College London (UCL), passion for bioinformatics and big data during the Human Genome Project era
15:06 Learning that taking steps back is sometimes necessary to move forward
17:38 Outro
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Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
What is Bioinformatics?
Human Genome Project
Witwatersrand University
University College London
University of Cambridge
Lab Equipment for Genetic Engineering Research
What is Live-Cell Imaging & How Does It Work?
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.