Nucleate Podcast

In this engaging conversation, Joe Horsman, an investor at Madrona Ventures, shares his fascinating journey from academia to venture capital. Growing up in Seattle ignited his scientific passion, leading to a PhD in biochemistry. Joe discusses key lessons from his roles at NanoString and Stratos Genomics, including the significant cultural shifts post-Roche acquisition. He delves into how AI is transforming drug development and what it takes to succeed in biotech today, emphasizing the importance of differentiation and building relationships.

In this episode of the Nucleate Podcast, Armon Sharei shares his journey from early life experiences in California, Iran, and Dubai to pursuing higher education at Stanford and MIT, ultimately leading to a career at the intersection of science and entrepreneurship. The conversation explores his motivations to make a positive impact on the world, the transition from academia to founding his first company Squeeze: a company based on innovative cell engineering technology and the challenges of navigating the biotech industry. Armon discusses the evolution of Squeeze from a platform to a therapeutics company, the difficulties of convincing investors and industry veterans, and the high-stakes decisions that shaped the company’s fate, including a major strategic pivot and the eventual fallout with the board. The episode also delves into personal and professional lessons learned, including the impact of a cancer diagnosis, the importance of safety and quality of life in drug development, and the value of mentorship and betting on talent. After Squeeze's liquidation, Armon founded Portal Biotechnologies, applying hard-earned lessons to focus on enabling broad innovation in cell therapy through platform technology. The discussion highlights the realities of biotech entrepreneurship, the significance of resilience, and the ongoing mission to empower others in the field, all while balancing personal passions and family life. Episode Notes: 00:00- Kicking off the episode and setting the stage 02:25- Armon shares a quick overview of his journey 03:24- He reflects on growing up in California, Iran, Dubai, and the US and how it shaped his worldview 05:13- Armon talks about his early love for science and how he chose his career path 06:26- Diving into Armon’s first big ideas and research interests 08:14- Armon discusses the shift from scientist to entrepreneur 10:47- How Squeeze was born. Armon shares the story behind the tech and his PhD research 13:58- Mapping the journey: PhD, founding Squeeze, and postdoc life 18:45- Armon opens up about the challenges of being a young biotech founder and raising early funding 22:53- He explains the strategic pivot from platform tech to therapeutics 26:40- Highlighting key wins: investor interest and the Roche partnership 20:01- Armon shares the tough moments — going public, market shifts, and internal debates 34:34- Navigating board decisions, layoffs, and the fallout with Roche 36:34- Armon reflects on leaving Squeeze and the emotional toll it took 40:27- Starting Portal: Armon shares what motivated him to begin again 44:27- Armon opens up about his cancer diagnosis and how it changed his perspective 49:03- Lessons from being a patient, Armon talks about safety and quality of life in drug development 51:11- He shares broader insights on industry incentives, pricing, and systemic challenges 54:10- What makes Portal’s tech unique? Armon breaks down its competitive edge 56:57- Real-world use cases and early adopters of Portal’s platform 1:00:21- Armon discusses the long-term vision: platform-first vs. therapeutics 1:03:49- Armon highlights the importance of mentorship and betting on talent 1:09:33- He talks about balancing work, life, and personal passions

Join Prof. Dr. Dominik Ruettinger, an oncological surgeon and Global Head of Research & Early Development Oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, as he shares insights from his journey in cancer treatment innovation. He discusses the challenging 10% success rate in drug development and the importance of questioning traditional norms in biotech. Dominik explores the impact of AI in drug discovery and the delicate balance between quality of life and longevity for patients. His vision for future cancer prevention emphasizes early detection and personalized medicine.

Armand Cognetta, CEO and founder of General Proximity, shares his transformative journey from a struggling student to a pioneering figure in biotech. He discusses the resilience required to navigate startup life and the unique challenges of fundraising, including imposter syndrome. Armand highlights the innovative concept of proximity in drug discovery and explores its potential to tackle previously undruggable diseases. His insights emphasize the importance of working on ambitious ideas and staying focused in the complex biotech landscape.

Hilary Schulz, Co-founder and CEO of Persephoni BioPartners, and Dr. William Heath, Chief Scientific Officer, share their journeys from healthcare to biotech entrepreneurship. They discuss how co-founder dynamics can overshadow technology in startup success. The duo reveals critical insights on IP strategies, patient-centered approaches, and the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship. With real-world advice for navigating the biotech landscape, they emphasize the value of collaboration and a strong team to overcome challenges and drive lasting innovation.

Dr. William Pao, CEO and co-founder of Revelio Therapeutics, shares his compelling journey from losing his father to colon cancer at 13 to spearheading breakthroughs in lung cancer research. He discusses the discovery of EGFR mutations and the fierce competition in publishing this pivotal finding. Dr. Pao highlights the serendipitous origins of Tylenol and delves into drug development challenges in the biotech world. He offers valuable insights on resilience for aspiring entrepreneurs and the future of medical innovation.

Peter Campbell, CSO of Quotient Therapeutics, discusses his journey from a traditional medical background in New Zealand to becoming a pioneer in cancer genomics. He shares insights from his time at the Sanger Institute, highlighting groundbreaking cancer sequencing projects and the evolution of genomic research. Campbell emphasizes the importance of understanding genetic mutations for personalized medicine, collaborations with Pfizer for innovative therapies, and how adaptive mutations impact cell regeneration. His passion for translating genomic insights into real-world applications is truly inspiring.

Raj Devraj, CEO of Rectify Pharmaceuticals and a seasoned venture partner, shares his insights on the ever-evolving biotech landscape. He reflects on his journey from India to pharmaceutical success, emphasizing the need for determination and aggressive advancement. The conversation dives into the challenges of securing funding in a risk-averse market and the importance of strategic team-building. Raj also discusses the pivot to hepatobiliary diseases, advocating for innovative, broad applications of biotechnology while stressing mentorship and solid planning for aspiring entrepreneurs.

In this episode of the Nucleate Podcast, Aikium co-founder and CEO Eswar Iyer joins host Anastasia Janas to explore how drug discovery can move beyond structured targets to engage the disordered proteome. Aikium is developing SeqRs, programmable, sequence-specific binders that can selectively target intrinsically disordered regions of proteins, unlocking new therapeutic possibilities in cancer, neuroinflammation, and autoimmune diseases. Built using generative AI and screened with a proprietary trillion-scale mRNA display system, Aikium’s platform challenges the traditional assumptions of druggability and expands the therapeutic landscape into areas once considered inaccessible.Beyond the science, Eswar reflects on the emotional realities of building a company at the frontier of biology, sharing lessons on believing in an idea before the world is ready, navigating failure and doubt, and sustaining conviction when there is no established path forward. If you are interested in the future of therapeutics, the evolution of protein engineering, or the personal journey behind pioneering biotech startups, this conversation offers a rare and honest perspective.

In this episode, Anastasia Janas and Paula Lengerke Diaz sit down with Dr. Uli Stilz, Head of the Bio Innovation Hub (BIH) at Novo Nordisk, to explore how strategic partnerships and emerging technologies are redefining the future of drug discovery. Uli reflects on his journey from chemistry and molecular biology to biopharma leadership, and shares how the BIH is accelerating breakthroughs in cardiometabolic diseases using emerging modalities like RNA editing, AI-guided drug discovery, and partnership-first science.Whether you’re an aspiring innovator, translational researcher, or healthcare entrepreneur, this episode offers a candid masterclass in how bold ideas get translated into impact — especially in the space of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.Show Notes0:00 - 02:20: Uli’s early fascination with science (and a chemistry set mishap at home)02:20 - 05:15: Transitioning from chemistry to biology to biophysics — and why it mattered05:15 - 09:45: The value of speaking multiple “scientific languages”09:45 - 13:00: Why Uli left academia for pharma, and what drove that leap13:00 - 17:30: Founding the Bio Innovation Hub (BIH) at Novo Nordisk17:30 - 20:00: Three big questions BIH is trying to solve in cardiometabolic disease20:00 - 24:30: How programmable RNA editing is being applied to drug discovery24:30 - 28:00: Why BIH funds early science without contracts — the Greenhouse model28:00 - 33:00: How AI, human biology, and subtyping diabetes open new possibilities33:00 - 36:30: What makes small biotechs a “superpower” in R&D36:30 - 41:00: The role of trust, creativity, and iteration in building partnerships41:00 - 45:20: Advice for young scientists: embrace discomfort, follow curiosity45:20 - 49:30: What excites Uli most? The unknown. “I’m most excited about the things I don’t know today.”