
Business Trip
Frontier investable areas in brain health with PsyMed Ventures
Feb 25, 2025
Brooks Leitner, MD/PhD, newest partner at PsyMed Ventures and expert in neuroscience from Yale and the NIH, discusses the future of brain health investments. He emphasizes a human-first approach, shifting from animal models to clinical insights. The conversation covers emerging investment areas like therapeutics, diagnostics, and AI-enabled care. Brooks also shares his thoughts on leadership challenges, innovative strategies in personal health, and the evolving landscape of mental health innovations that can reshape therapies and enhance patient care.
49:38
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast emphasizes a human-first research approach, moving away from animal models to enhance the relevance of brain health therapies.
- Investment strategies are evolving to include areas such as consumer health and AI-enabled platforms, reflecting a broader understanding of brain health intersections.
Deep dives
Expansion of Focus Areas in Mental Health Investment
The investment team initially concentrated on psychedelics as a response to a burgeoning mental health crisis, but soon recognized the need to broaden their scope. They discovered that both mental and brain health are interconnected fields, leading to insights that encompass various conditions beyond just anxiety and depression, such as obesity and autoimmune diseases. As the team explored this vast landscape, they emphasized following their curiosity, ultimately embracing a wider array of solutions that include not only psychedelics but also neurotechnology and gut-brain interactions. This expansive view allows for innovative approaches and deeper explorations into how different biological systems influence mental health.
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