Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show

Send us a textProfessor Eyal Zimlichman, MD is an internal medicine physician, a health care executive and a researcher focused on assessing and improving health care quality and value, patient engagement and patient safety.Professor Zimlichman is currently Chief Transformation, Innovation and AI Officer at Sheba Medical Center ( https://www.shebaonline.org/ ), the largest hospital system in Israel and one that is routinely listed among the top 10 on Newsweek’s list of best hospitals worldwide. Professor Zimlichman is also the Founder and Director of Sheba’s ARC ( Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate - https://arcinnovation.org/ ) innovation program: an open global innovation ecosystem which aims to redesign healthcare through digital health solutions by 2030, focused on connecting entrepreneurs and clinicians, identifying needs, and advancing the development and deployment of new technologies from within hospital settings. Prior to these roles Professor Zimlichman has held the position of Lead Researcher at Partners Health Care Clinical Affairs Department in Boston where he was involved in the efforts to bring about a strategic care redesign initiative. Professor Zimlichman has served on several advisory committees commissioned by the Office of the National Coordinator for health information technology at the US Department of Health and Human Services and is chairing and sitting on several committees at the Israeli Health Ministry.  Professor Zimlichman is also founding member of the International Academy of Quality and Safety in Health Care ( https://isqua.org/networks/isqua-academy.html ).Professor Zimlichman is a graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health Executive Health Care Management Master of Science program and earned his MD, specializing in internal medicine, at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.#EyalZimlichman #InternalMedicine #HealthcareExecutive #ShebaMedicalCenter #Israel #OpenInnovation #DigitalHealth #MedicalQualityManagement #Telemedicine #DisruptiveInnovation #TelAviv #ShebaLongevityCenter #ArtificialIntelligence #VirtualReality #Telepsychiatry #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textBilu Huang ( https://biluhuang.com/ ) is a visionary scientist dedicated to finding solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. His interdisciplinary work spans multiple fields, including biological aging, dinosaur extinction theories, geoengineering for carbon removal, and controlled nuclear fusion technology.Born in Sanming City, Fujian Province, Huang is an independent researcher whose knowledge is entirely self-taught. Driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of scientific exploration, he has achieved numerous research results through his dedication and passion for science.As a talented theoretical gerontologist,  he proposed the Telomere DNA and ribosomal DNA co-regulation model for cell senescence (TRCS) and he is now using this latest theory to develop biotechnology to rejuvenate cells which will be used to completely cure various age-related degenerative diseases and greatly extend human life at Fuzhuang Therapeutics ( https://lab.fuzhuangtx.com/en/ ).#Aging #Longevity #BiluHuang #FuzhuangTherapeutics #TelomereDNAAndRibosomalDNACoRegulationModelForCell #Senescence #TRCS #DinosaurExtinctionResearch #CarbonRemovalTechnology #ControlledNuclearFusion #TelomereDNA #RibosomalDNA #CellularAging #GeneticProgram #Telomere #P53#ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Brigitte Robertson, MD ( https://www.adial.com/team/brigette-roberston-md/ ) is Chief Medical Officer of Adial Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing therapies for the treatment of addiction and related diseases, specifically Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In the U.S. alone, an estimated 35 million people suffer from AUD, resulting in significant health, social and financial costs. Current treatment options present significant barriers to patient adoption including abstinence and side effects which can lead to social stigmatization.Dr. Robertson has nearly 20 years of academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical industry experience. She has managed global development portfolios across multiple CNS indications, mechanisms, and in biotech, small, and large pharma. Her experience spans all phases of development, from the bench to bedside, and she has actively engaged throughout her career in advancing biomarkers to improve translation and trial outcomes (leveraging precision approaches, omics, wearables and AI). She is a scientific advisor to biotech companies, has served on industry and academic consortia and authored numerous articles published in leading peer-reviewed journals.Dr. Robertson’s industry career started at GlaxoSmithKline as a physician scientist in translational medicine for the Center for Excellence in Drug Discovery. She subsequently held senior roles in clinical development at Sepracor/Sunovion, Neurovance, Euthymics, and Shire/Takeda, where she served as VP and the Therapeutic Area Head of Neuroscience. In this last role, she led global clinical development and helped drive the disease area strategy for a large portfolio of early and late-stage assets in neurological, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders, resulting in successful approvals across several indications.Dr. Robertson then served as the Chief Medical Officer of Yumanity Therapeutics, and led development of novel small molecule treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. She comes to Adial from Delix Therapeutics, where she most recently served as CMO, setting the strategy and leading clinical development for their portfolio of psychedelic-related analogs targeting the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, and psychiatric illness including Depression, Anxiety/PTSD, and Substance use.Dr. Robertson completed residency training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, followed by a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry and a second post-doctoral research fellowship, sponsored by the NIH in neuroimaging and psychopharmacology at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). In addition, she has held faculty positions at CCP Children’s hospital in San Diego, USCD, and Duke University.#BrigitteRobertson #AdialPharmaceuticals #Addiction #AlcoholUseDisorder #Ondansetron #DrugRepurposing #5HT3Receptor #SingleNucleotidePolymorphisms  #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #Research #Podcast #PodcasterSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy ( PICI - https://www.parkerici.org/ ), a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases.Dr. Knudsen most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), where she led both organizations through a period of transformative growth, significantly expanding research investments, advocacy reach, and direct patient support initiatives. Under her leadership, ACS evolved into a unified, high-performing enterprise, increasing revenue by more than 30 percent and broadening its impact to serve over 55 million lives annually. Moreover, Dr. Knudsen developed and scaled innovative programs that included joint ventures and an impact innovation arm to accelerate progress against cancer.Prior to ACS, Dr. Knudsen served as Executive Vice President of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health and Enterprise Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, growing a multi-state oncology network and spearheading advancements in translational cancer research that increased early access to the most advanced cancer care. A globally recognized expert in prostate cancer, Dr. Knudsen has authored over 200 scientific publications and generated practice-changing discoveries. Dr. Knudsen held leadership roles with organizations including the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She currently serves on the boards of Exai Bio, Paradigm Health, and Research!America, and advises multiple biotech ventures including ArteraAI and Transcarent.Dr. Knudsen holds numerous awards for her scientific and healthcare accomplishments, and this year will be honored with the Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), recognizing her lifetime achievement of outstanding contributions to the field of oncology.Dr. Knudsen holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business. She has been recognized as one of Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Women of Impact”, a CNBC Changemaker, and is a CEO Council Member for both the Wall Street Journal and CNBC.#Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #KarenKnudsen #ParkerInstituteForCancerImmunotherapy #AmericanCancerSociety #JeffersonHealth #UniversityOfCalifornia #LudwigInstituteForCancerResearch #UniversityOfCincinnati #ProstateCancer #CART #CellTherapy #CheckpointInhibitors #TumorAntigenDiscovery #TumorMicroenvironment #OncolyticViruses #Pluvicto #Philadelphia #CarlJune #JamesAllison #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textAyah Hamdan is the Head of Health, at Plug and Play Tech Center ( https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/ ), where she spearheads strategies that bring together startups, corporations, and investors to solve some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare. Plug and Play Tech Center is one of the world’s largest innovation platforms and startup accelerators, headquartered in Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, California), with innovation hubs across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and are best known for their model bringing together Startup Accelerator Programs, Corporate Innovation Partnerships and Venture Capital Investments under one roof.Ayah’s role is pivotal in accelerating the development and scaling of health technologies with real-world impact. Before stepping into this leadership position, Ayah founded Fatima Connect, a digital health venture focused on serving refugee populations—a project that has been recognized in prestigious publications like the Harvard Medical Review. Ayah also has deep experience in research and public health, including roles in epidemiology, clinical studies, and community health initiatives. Ayah holds a Master of Science in Epidemiology from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.#AyahHamdan #PlugAndPlayTechCenter #StartupAccelerator #CorporateInnovation #VentureCapitalInvestments #DigitalHealth #BigDataAnalytics #Diagnostics #HospitalWorkflow #MedicationAdherence #Sensors #Wearables #Telemedicine #AI #VR #AR #ArtificialIntelligence #Longevity #HealthyAging #ChronicDiseaseManagement #RegenerativeCare #Prevention #SaeedAmidi #PejmanNozad #PeterThiel #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Stephanie Psaki, Ph.D. is a public health leader with expertise at the intersection of national security, global health, and equity who is currently both a Senior Advisor, Global Health Policy Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS - https://www.csis.org/people/stephanie-psaki ) and a distinguished senior fellow at Brown School of Public Health ( https://facultyaffairs.sph.brown.edu/people/stephanie-psaki ). Dr. Psaki has held leadership positions across government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and research institutions. She previously served as special assistant to the president and the inaugural U.S. coordinator for global health security at the White House, a role that included overseeing the federal government’s response to emerging global health threats such as mpox, Ebola, and Marburg. While on staff at the National Security Council, Dr. Psaki also coordinated U.S. government engagement on issues ranging from ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat, investing in health workers, expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, and protecting human rights. Dr. Psaki previously worked for twenty years at NGOs and research institutions, including Partners in Health, FHI 360, and the Population Council, where she led a research center focused on expanding opportunities for young people around the world. Dr. Psaki holds a PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an MS from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service.#StephaniePsaki #GlobalHealthSecurity #PandemicPreparedness #OutbreakResponse #HIV #AIDS #SexualAndReproductiveHealth #MaternalAndChildHealth #HumanRights #BrownUniversity #CenterForStrategicAndInternationalStudies #CSIS #USDevelopmentPolicy #HumanitarianAssistance #MultilateralHealthInstitutions #FamilyPlanning #Immunization #InfectiousDisease #PublicHealth #Biodefense #Countermeasures #Preparedness #Policy #Surveillance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textAlex Haro is the Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Chairman of Hubble Network Inc. ( https://hubble.com/ ), a startup building the first global satellite network capable of communicating directly with standard Bluetooth devices—enabling connectivity anywhere on Earth, even without cellular coverage, creating a satellite-enabled IoT platform.Alex is also the Co-Founder of Life360 ( https://www.life360.com/ ), the information technology company that provides location-based services, including sharing and notifications, to consumers globally. He has served on the company’s Board of Directors since 2010, and previously held several key leadership roles, including Chief Technology Officer and President, where he helped scale the platform from startup to global category leader. Prior to Life360, Alex worked at Orbited, an open-source project enabling real-time browser communication.Alex studied Computer Science at Pomona College and Harvey Mudd College.#AlexHaro #HubbleNetwork #BluetoothToSpace #Life360 #GlobalCoverage #BatteryLife #BluetoothLowEnergy #SmartLuggageTrackers #PetCollars #WildlifeTags #Wearables #Logistics #SupplyChain #InternetOfThings #InternetOfMedicalThings #SatelliteConstellation #RemotePatientMonitoring #Telemedicine #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Adam Rogers, MD is Chief Executive Officer of NervGen Pharma Corp. ( https://nervgen.com/ ) a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to developing innovative treatments to enable nervous system repair in the settings of traumatic injury and disease. NervGen’s lead drug candidate, NVG-291, is being evaluated in mid stage clinical trials in an initial target indication, spinal cord injury. NervGen has initiated preclinical evaluation of a new development candidate, NVG-300, in models of ischemic stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury.Dr. Rogers is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous, and previously co-founded and served as CEO of Hemera Biosciences, a clinical stage gene therapy biotech company targeting dry age-related macular degeneration where he oversaw all aspects of the company until the Hemera assets were acquired in December 2020 by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.From 2001 to 2020 Dr. Rogers served as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the New England Eye Center of Tufts Medical Center (Boston, MA). Dr. Rogers has published 29 articles in peer reviewed journals and co-authored two textbooks and numerous chapters in major ophthalmic textbooks. Since 2007 he has served on the board of One Family Inc., an organization whose mission is to end homelessness in Massachusetts. He is a member of the Emory University Board of Trustees. Dr. Rogers has a MD from Emory College and Emory School of Medicine.#SpinalCordInjury #SCI #IschemicStroke #AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis #ALS #NervGen #Rehabilitation #RegenerativeMedicine #RegenerativeBiology #ChondroitinSulfateProteoglycans #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcastSupport the show

Send us a textProfessor Dragan Primorac, MD., PhD ( https://www.draganprimorac.com/ ) is a globally recognized physician-scientist whose work spans personalized medicine, regenerative therapies, and forensic genetics. From 2003 to 2009 Prof. Primorac served as the Minister of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia.  The Ministry of Science and Education of Croatia is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is in charge of primary, secondary and tertiary education, research institutions and sports ( https://mzom.gov.hr/en ).Prof. Primorac is the Founder of St. Catherine Specialty Hospital in Zagreb Croatia ( https://www.stcatherine.com/ ), the official hospital of the Croatian Olympic Committee as well as the official hospital of the Croatian Football Federation. St. Catherine Hospital is affiliated with four medical schools and the Ministry of Science and Education recently announced that the St. Catherine Hospital became “Scientific Center of Excellence for the Personalized Medicine" in the Republic of Croatia. Prof. Primorac is also Co-Founder of the International Society for Applied Biological Sciences ( ISABS https://isabs.hr/ ), a global scientific platform organized with Mayo Clinic that brings together Nobel laureates and researchers from over 75 countries. A pioneer in applying DNA technology to identify war victims, he helped establish international standards in clinical and forensic genetics. Prof. Primorac has authored nearly 300 scientific papers, received over 20 international honors including Croatia’s highest state awards, and was recently named among the top 2% of global scientists by Elsevier for career impact. Prof. Primorac also serves as professor at Penn State, the University of New Haven, and several European medical schools.Prof. Primorac is an inductee of the Taekwondo Hall of Fame, based in the United States.Prof. Primorac received his medical degree and PhD at University of Zagreb School of Medicine, and did post-doctoral work in Molecular Medicine at The University of Connecticut Health Center.#DraganPrimorac #MinisterOfScienceEducationAndSports #Croatia #InternationalSocietyForAppliedBiologicalSciences #OsteogenesisImperfecta #AdministrationForDetainedAndMissingPersons #ForensicGenetics #RegenerativeMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #PersonalizedMedicine #Genomics #Glycome #CancersOfUnknownPrimary #StCatherineSpecialtyHospital #ClinicalDiagnostics #OncoOriginAI #LiquidBiopsy #MedicalTourism #Nutrigenomics #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Send us a textDr. Juho Jalkanen, M.D., Ph.D. is CEO and Founder of Faron Pharmaceuticals ( https://faron.com/ ), is a global, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on creating innovative cancer treatments that leverage the patient’s own immune system. The Company’s lead asset bexmarilimab is currently being investigated in clinical trials as a potential therapy for patients with hematological cancers, with an initial focus on higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR MDS), in combination with other standard treatments.Dr. Jalkanen an experienced biopharmaceutical industry executive with extensive leadership experience across key functional areas including operations, business development, clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs.   Dr. Jalkanen earned a Master´s degree in economics and business administration from the Turku School of Economics and both his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Turku. He is a fully licensed general practitioner and specialist in vascular surgery.#JuhoJalkanen #FaronPharmaceuticals #Bexmarilimab #MyelodysplasticSyndrome #HematologicalCancers #HematologicalMalignancies #BloodCancer #AcuteMyeloidLeukemia #Clever1 #Macrophages #Oncology #Immunooncology #Cancer #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show