In this episode, host Dr. Bryan Hartley takes us on a deep dive into the origin story and mission of Pulmera, a medtech company dedicated to transforming the field of bronchoscopic lung cancer diagnosis by retrofitting existing fluoroscopy machines into cone beam CT-like scanners. Dr. Hartley is a vascular and interventional radiologist and co-founded Pulmera, alongside interventional pulmonologist Dr. Harmeet Bedi at Stanford.

Pulmera is developing a novel approach to enhance physicians’ ability to diagnose lung nodules accurately through innovative technology. Dr. Hartley shares insights into the challenges of existing diagnostic methods, the inspiration behind Pulmera, and the technology’s potential to combine the best of 3D imaging and endoscopy techniques. Dr. Hartley discusses the benefits for both patients and physicians, such as improved diagnostic yields and patient outcomes, and introduces an investment opportunity for the BackTable community to be part of this revolutionary project. The episode also explores the broader implications of this technology across various medical specialties beyond pulmonology.

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SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction

02:18 - Personal Journey: From Vanderbilt to Stanford Biodesign

06:11 - Pulmera’s Mission: Enhancing Diagnostic Accuracy in Lung Biopsies

15:02 - Introducing a Game-Changing Technology for Bronchoscopic Procedures

22:09 - Challenges and Breakthroughs in Portable CT Imaging

27:44 - Economic Impact of Enhanced Diagnostic Procedures

29:48 - Building a Team and Securing Funding for Innovation

31:30 - Understanding Investment Opportunities and Equity Financing

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RESOURCES

Dr. Bryan Hartley’s email:

bryan.hartley@pulmera.com

Dr. Bryan Hartley’s cell:

423-432-0612

Pulmera:

http://www.pulmera.com/

Stanford Biodesign Fellowship:

https://biodesign.stanford.edu/programs/fellowships/innovation-fellowships.html

BackTable Innovation Episode #1 - Needs Driven Innovation with Dr. Todd Brinton (Stanford BioDesign):

https://www.backtable.com/shows/innovation/podcasts/1/needs-driven-innovation

BackTable Innovation Episode #30 - Host Stories with Dr. Bryan Hartley and Dr. Eric Gantwerker (Stanford BioDesign):

https://www.backtable.com/shows/innovation/podcasts/30/host-stories

BackTable VI Episode #422 - Pathology 101: Solid Advice for Percutaneous Biopsies with Dr. Andrew Sholl:

https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/422/pathology-101-solid-advice-for-percutaneous-biopsies