Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show

Send us a textDr. Eliah Overbey, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Bioastronautics at The University of Austin ( UATX - https://www.uaustin.org/people/eliah-overbey ) where she is involved in pioneering research in the field of astronaut health, specializing in spaceflight-induced genomic changes. Her work focuses on mapping changes in the human body during spaceflight and developing Earth-independent laboratories to make humans a multi-planetary species ( https://www.eliahoverbey.com/ ). Dr. Overbey comes to UATX from her previous position as a Research Associate at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Overbey's most recent projects have analyzed genomic changes in astronauts from the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, and she is currently working on data analysis and sample collection for the Axiom-2 and Polaris Dawn missions. Dr. Overbey’s work launched the Space Omics and Medical Atlas ( SOMA - https://soma.weill.cornell.edu/#main ), an online portal with the largest compendium of molecular measurements from astronauts. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Cornell Aerospace Medicine Biobank ( CAMbank - https://cambank.weill.cornell.edu/#main ), which is the first biorepository of samples from commercial astronauts. Dr. Overbey is also Chief Scientific Officer at BioAstra ( https://www.bioastra.org/ ), a non-profit developing healthcare systems for astronauts. Dr. Overbey received a B.S. in Computer Science from UC San Diego, a Ph.D. in Genome Sciences from the University of Washington, and was a Postdoctoral Associate in Computational Biomedicine in the laboratory of Dr. Christopher Mason. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Xiaorong He, Ph.D., MBA is Senior Vice President, Head of Global Development Sciences and U.S. Site Head of Non-Clinical Development at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us ), where with over two decades of experience, her leadership focus lies in advancing transformative medicinal product development and fostering a culture of scientific excellence and engagement across her teams.Prior to this role, Dr. He was VP and Head of the Material & Analytical Sciences Department at Boehringer Ingelheim, leading a large team of multidisciplinary scientists to develop and apply scientific methods and tools to support new drug development of chemical and biological entities. Dr. He has previously worked for several large pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, GSK, Pharmacia & Upjohn before joining Boehringer Ingelheim. She received her Pharmacy B.S. degree from Beijing Medical University, M.S. degree in Pharmaceutics from University of Minnesota, Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutics from Purdue University and M.B.A. degree from Western Michigan University.Dr. He has also taught several short courses, given numerous podium presentations at national and international conferences, published many peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and held several patents. She has been a member of scientific and editorial advisory boards for the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2013.Dr. He has also been volunteering with organizations such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) since 2005, first with the Excipient Monograph Expert Committee (2005-2010), then with the General Chapter-Physical Analysis Expert Committee (2010-2015). She has served as the Chair of the General Chapters–Physical Analysis Expert Committee during the 2015–2020 cycle.Boehringer Ingelheim Open Innovation Portal - https://www.opnme.com/Support the show

Send us a textMaj. Gen. Dr. Paul Friedrichs, MD is the Inaugural Director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, at the White House ( OPPR - https://www.whitehouse.gov/oppr/ ), a permanent executive office aimed at leading, coordinating, and implementing actions to prepare for and respond to pathogens that could lead to a pandemic or significant public health-related disruptions in the U.S., and principal advisor on pandemic preparedness and response, appointed by President Biden. Dr. Friedrichs was previously the Joint Staff Surgeon at the Pentagon where he provided medical advice to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff and the Combatant Commanders, coordinating all issues related to health services, including operational medicine, force health protection and readiness among the combatant commands, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the services. He also led the development and publication of the initial Joint Medical Estimate and served as medical advisor to the Department of Defense COVID-19 Task Force. Dr. Friedrichs received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps and his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the Uniformed Services University. He has commanded at the squadron and group level, served as an Assistant Professor of Surgery and led joint and interagency teams which earned numerous awards, including “Best Air Force Hospital.” As Chair of the Military Health System’s Joint Task Force on High Reliability Organizations, he oversaw developing a roadmap to continuously improve military health care. As the Command Surgeon for Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Combat Command, the general and his teams identified gaps, developed mitigation plans and enhanced readiness for future conflicts and contingencies. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Priya Basu ( https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/people/p/priya-basu ) is the Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund ( https://www.thepandemicfund.org/ ) at the World Bank ( https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/financial-intermediary-fund-for-pandemic-prevention-preparedness-and-response-ppr-fif ), which has a focus of financing critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. During the pandemic, Dr. Basu she led the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 to address key bottlenecks in vaccine access and delivery, as well as the Bank’s engagement on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response with the G20 and G7 - coordinating across finance and health. She also led the development of the Pandemic Fund, working with a large group of donors and development partners, the WHO, and other stakeholders, including international agencies, philanthropies, private sector, and civil society, mobilizing political and financial support to establish the fund in record time with initial seed capital of $2 billion. In previous roles at the World Bank, Dr. Basu led the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, a multi-donor partnership focused on women's economic empowerment. Prior to that, she managed the World Bank’s $21 billion portfolio of multilateral financing mechanisms and trust funds to address global challenges, such as epidemics and pandemics, climate change, and refugee crises. She also previously served as the Bank's lead financial economist for India, where she led the Bank’s engagement to promote resilient and inclusive financial systems and enabling reforms for private sector-led growth. Dr. Basu grew the Bank’s India finance and private sector lending/advisory portfolio from $500 million to over $5.5 billion and oversaw the portfolio. Prior to the World Bank, she worked as an economist at the IMF in Washington DC, the Asian Development Bank in Manila and UNCTAD and ILO in Geneva. Before that, she worked in investment banking in London. In a career spanning three decades, Dr. Basu has successfully managed complex engagements across regions to solve country-level development challenges as well as developed and managed high-level strategic international partnerships with donors, client governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to address global development challenges, particularly at the intersection of global health and international finance and mobilized resources to back these initiatives. Dr. Basu brings thought leadership on a variety of international development issues and a deep understanding of development cooperation. She is the author of three books, including Creating Resilient Financial Regimes in Asia: Challenges and Policy Options (Oxford University Press), India’s Financial Sector: Recent Reforms, Future Challenges (Macmillan), and Improving Access to Finance for India's Rural Poor (World Bank). She holds a first class B.A (Hons.) degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, a B.A (Hons.)/M.A in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and postgraduate degrees in development economics from Merton College, Oxford University, U.K. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Jack Hoppin, Ph.D. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ratio Therapeutics ( https://ratiotx.com/ ), a discovery through early clinical phase pharmaceutical company, employing a suite of innovative technologies to develop best-in-class targeted radiotherapeutics for the treatment of cancers. Dr. Hoppin holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Arizona and worked as an Alexander von Humboldt post-doctoral fellow at the Research Center Jülich, Germany. Previously, Dr. Hoppin was the President of Konica Minolta Precision Medicine, Co-Founder and CEO of Invicro, VP of Imaging Systems at Bioscan, Inc. and has a couple decades of experience in imaging research. As an active member of the imaging community, Dr. Hoppin is a member of the World Molecular Imaging Society Board of Trustees. Dr. John Babich, Ph.D. is Director, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of Ratio Therapeutics and has been an active researcher in the field of molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy for the past three decades. He previously worked at Weill Cornell Medical College for several years as a Chief of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences in Radiology, was President & Chief Scientific Officer, Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative radiopharmaceuticals in the emerging field of molecular medicine, and Assistant Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School, and Principal Nuclear Pharmacist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Babich has a Ph.D. with a focus in Biophysics, Medical Physics and Radiation Biology from University of London, an M.Sc., Radiopharmacy, University of Southern California and a B.Sc., Pharmaceutical Sciences from St. John's University. Support the show

Send us a textTiara Green is President of Accessia Health ( https://accessiahealth.org/ ), a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) patient assistance organization that supports individuals living with rare or chronic health conditions. Ms. Green leads the organization through strategic organizational growth that expands the nonprofit’s programs and services to meet the healthcare needs of underserved communities. Ms. Green has been with Accessia Health for over a decade and has 20 years of expertise in the public health and nonprofit sectors to her position. Throughout her tenure with the organization, she has served in various capacities, most recently as SVP of programs and policy leading strategic development and health equity initiatives and streamlining operational processes. Currently, Ms. Green is leading an initiative to refocus and strengthen the nonprofit’s impact model, disease funds, and programs. This work will more holistically address the unique needs of the communities it serves. Ms. Green also the co-founder of Liberated Arts Foundation ( https://www.liberatedfoundation.org/ ), a nonprofit initiative that uses art to give back to the local community. Ms. Green earned her B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University, in Exercise Science with a concentration in Community Health Education, and her MS.Ed. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with a focus on community health and health promotion. She has also recently been named a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Michael Platt, Ph.D. ( https://www.drmichaelplatt.com/ ) is the James S. Riepe University Professor, University of Pennsylvania, where he has appointments as Professor of Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine ( https://plattlabs.rocks/our-team/michael-platt ), as Professor of Psychology at the School of Arts and Sciences ( https://psychology.sas.upenn.edu/people/michael-l-platt ), and as Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School ( https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/mplatt/ ), where he works at the fascinating intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. Dr. Platt has a B.A., Biological Anthropology, Yale University, a Ph.D., Biological Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, and did a Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Neuroscience, New York University and is known for asking some of the most challenging questions in 21st century neuroscience—and conceiving innovative ways to find the answers. Dr. Platt’s principal questions focus on the biological mechanisms that underlie decision-making in social environments, the grasp of which has broad-scale implications for improving health and welfare in societies worldwide. A former president of the Society for Neuroeconomics, Dr. Platt publishes regularly in top-tier scientific journals and has been featured in prominent TV, radio, print, and online media. With the support of such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, Sloan Foundation, Klingenstein Foundation, McDonnell Foundation, and Department of Defense, he has produced seminal articles that have been collectively cited over 4,000 times. His expertise is sought after outside the realm of academia, as well, leading him to serve in science advisory roles for three major motion pictures and is featured in an upcoming episode of HBO Vice. Dr. Platt also directs the new Wharton Neuroscience Initiative ( WiN - https://neuro.wharton.upenn.edu/ ), a community of faculty, undergraduates, graduate and professional students, and staff interested in connecting brain science and business. Dr. Platt is the former Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke, and the founding Co-Director of the Duke Center for Neuroeconomic Studies. He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of multiple companies, as well as the Yang-Tan Autism Centers at MIT and Harvard and the National Primate Research Centers at Emory and UC Davis, served on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Brain Science, served as President of the Society for Neuroeconomics, consulted on The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky, and co-founded the neurotechnology company Cogwear Technologies Inc. ( https://cogweartech.com/ ) His most recent book The Leader's Brain: Enhance Your Leadership, Build Stronger Teams, Make Better Decisions, and Inspire Greater Innovation with Neuroscience is available at all major booksellers. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Masayuki Goto, MD, PhD is Director and President of the Space Medical Accelerator ( https://space-healthcare.jp/ ), an organization founded in 2022 in Japan with a mission to keep people healthy in space and to develop terrestrial medicine by utilizing space technology and research. Dr. Goto is a Medical Doctor, a Neurosurgeon, and a Space Medicine researcher with degrees from University of Tsukuba and Yamagata University. Dr. Goto has been certified by the Japanese Society of Aerospace Medicine and Environmental Medicine. Support the show

Send us a textJoseph Ferra is CEO of Elevation Oncology ( https://elevationoncology.com/ ), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of precision oncology products, specifically antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs), for patients with genomically defined cancers, where he brings over 20 years of financial, strategic and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. Prior to becoming CEO, he served Elevation as Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO. Before joining Elevation, Joseph was Chief Financial Officer of Syros Pharmaceuticals where he led the development and implementation of key financial and capital strategies and contributed to corporate initiatives. Previously, he spent over a decade as an investment banker in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, where he established a strong track record of advising on equity and M&A transactions. This included serving as Managing Director and Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at JMP Securities and being a member of the investment banking groups at JP Morgan and UBS. Earlier in his career, Joe served in sales and engineering roles in the life science tools industry. He earned his MBA from The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He obtained a B.S. in Chemistry with Distinction from Purdue University, where he contributed to published papers and conducted research at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. David Dornan is Chief Scientific Officer of Elevation Oncology where he brings over two decades of industry and academic oncology drug discovery and development experience. His research spans across multiple therapeutic modalities targeting cancer susceptibilities and modulating the immune system to translate into meaningful therapeutic interventions for patients. He joins Elevation Oncology from Bolt Biotherapeutics. As Chief Scientific Officer, he was responsible for the scientific strategy and building of the company’s portfolio in targeted immunotherapies. Prior to this, Dr. Dornan was the head of Oncology Research at Gilead, identifying, validating, and translating oncogenic targets into actionable entities with biologic and small molecule therapeutics and oversaw the integrated oncology strategy team. He began his career at Genentech, where he spent 10 years serving in positions of increasing responsibility and played key roles in target discovery and validation, as well as translational research programs. Dr. Dornan received his Ph.D. from the University of Dundee in Molecular Oncology and Biochemistry and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Genentech. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Kevin Bugin, Ph.D. is Deputy Director of Operations in the Office of New Drugs ( OND - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/office-new-drugs ) in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research ( CDER - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder ), where among his many responsibilities he serves as lead for the Center for Clinical Trial Innovation ( C3TI - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti ), a central hub within CDER to support the implementation of innovative approaches to clinical trial design and conduct. Prior to his current role, from May 2020 through May 2021, Dr. Bugin served as the Chief of Staff for the Therapeutics Response Efforts as part of the US Government’s HHS and DOD operation formerly known as Operation Warp Speed. Dr. Bugin is adjunct faculty at the George Washington University in the Clinical Leadership Program, focusing on areas of clinical research and medicines development. Dr. Bugin joined the FDA in 2008 in the Office of Business Process Support, then joined the Division of Gastroenterology and Inborn Errors Products within OND as a Regulatory Health Project Manager in 2010, and as the Chief of Project Management from 2015 to 2017. From 2017 until 2020, he served as the Director of Special Programs and the lead of CDER’s New Drugs Regulatory Program Modernization. Prior to joining the FDA, Dr. Bugin held roles in multiple areas and phases of drug development, including discovery (molecular biology) at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, translational research and technology transfer at the National Institute of Health’s Office of Technology Transfer, safety and pharmacovigilance with NIH’s National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, and regulatory affairs and quality assurance at Amarex Clinical Research. Dr. Bugin received a BS in Biology and Chemistry from Virginia Tech in 2005, an MS in Biotechnology from American University in 2006, and a PhD in translational health science from George Washington University in 2020, with a focus on the Science of Team Science in drug development and regulatory science teams. He is certified in US regulatory affairs (RAC) and participates in numerous policy and regulatory science program working groups across the FDA.Support the show