

AI and Healthcare
xCures
AI and Healthcare—with Mika Newton and Dr. Sanjay Juneja is an engaging interview series featuring world-renowned leaders shaping the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine. Discover how AI is transforming healthcare today, addressing real-world challenges and improving patient outcomes.
This series caters to anyone’s listening style with bite-sized, commute-friendly insights and full-length interviews. Join co-hosts Mika Newton, CEO of xCures, and Dr. Sanjay Juneja, a globally recognized oncologist and VP of Clinical AI at Tempus AI, as they explore cutting-edge innovations with industry pioneers.
Originally launched as the TARGET: Cancer Podcast in 2021, the series evolved after 75 episodes into a comprehensive platform for AI and healthcare conversations.
This series caters to anyone’s listening style with bite-sized, commute-friendly insights and full-length interviews. Join co-hosts Mika Newton, CEO of xCures, and Dr. Sanjay Juneja, a globally recognized oncologist and VP of Clinical AI at Tempus AI, as they explore cutting-edge innovations with industry pioneers.
Originally launched as the TARGET: Cancer Podcast in 2021, the series evolved after 75 episodes into a comprehensive platform for AI and healthcare conversations.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 28, 2025 • 13min
The #1 Mistake Health Startups Make
Why do so many digital health startups collapse? Dr. Bernardo Perez-Villa explains how a lack of real market validation derails innovation before it starts. Learn how to perform meaningful primary and secondary market research—from asking the right questions to clinicians to scanning Reddit and PubMed for real-world proof of need.

Jul 18, 2025 • 47min
Why Most AI Startups in Healthcare Fail
Dr. Bernardo Perez-Villa, Senior Innovations Engagement Partner at Cleveland Clinic, sheds light on why many AI startups in healthcare struggle. He emphasizes the need to validate AI ideas against real clinical needs and stresses the importance of product-market fit. The conversation delves into the challenges of regulatory hurdles and income generation in the fee-for-service model. Bernardo shares insights on responsible AI use, data interoperability, and a blockchain-inspired solution for patient data ownership, alongside key principles for successful healthcare innovation.

Jul 8, 2025 • 6min
Cancer Detection MRI Imaging vs Blood Tests
Why rely on one method when three are better? Ezra CEO Emi Gal explains how combining imaging, liquid biopsy, and biomarkers creates a superior cancer screening protocol. He also shares how AI enables longitudinal tracking of lesions, reducing false positives and patient anxiety. Learn what makes Ezra’s approach uniquely effective in the fight against cancer.

Jul 2, 2025 • 12min
How AI Makes Full-Body MRI Faster and Cheaper
Discover how Ezra uses FDA-cleared AI to transform MRI imaging. CEO Emi Gal explains how Ezra Flash speeds up scan times while improving quality, and how Ezra Assist aids radiologists with accurate annotations. Their AI-powered process makes full-body cancer screening possible in just 22 minutes—for under $500. Learn how this innovation is redefining medical imaging from acquisition to interpretation.

Jun 30, 2025 • 6min
Should Patients Be Paid for Sharing Health Data?
Can patients and clinicians be fairly rewarded for sharing healthcare data? Rajeev Ronanki, CEO of Lyric, discusses a future where AI-enabled tools empower community oncology practices with personalized digital agents. He outlines how reimbursement models can support physicians scaling their care using AI, and why rewarding patient data sharing is both ethical and economically sound.

Jun 26, 2025 • 38min
AI Makes Full Body MRI Screening Affordable - with Emi Gal
Ezra CEO Emi Gal breaks down how AI is revolutionizing full-body MRI cancer screening. Learn how FDA-cleared tools accelerate scan time, assist radiologists, and empower patients with easy-to-understand reports—all for just $499. Discover why early detection matters, especially for younger adults, and how Ezra is scaling access to lifesaving diagnostics.

Jun 25, 2025 • 6min
Inside the FDA’s Bold Elsa AI Move: Rajeev Ronanki Explains
Rajeev Ronanki, CEO of Lyric and former Elevance Health executive, unpacks what the FDA’s AI initiative—Elsa—really means for drug innovation and regulation. Rajeev outlines how the agency can use data it already has to drive smarter, faster decisions. He draws powerful parallels to autonomous vehicles and urges the FDA to embrace AI while maintaining scientific rigor.

Jun 20, 2025 • 6min
Trust, ethics, and data bias in AI
Trust in AI cannot exist without ethics - and ethics cannot exist without confronting data bias. Discover how artificial intelligence can become a force for safety, fairness, and innovation in healthcare when designed with integrity from the ground up.
In this compelling exchange, Dr. Sanjay Juneja (sjunejamd.com) interviews Rajeev Ronanki (LinkedIn), CEO of Lyric, to uncover how AI can be engineered to identify bias, self-evaluate decisions, and evolve into a trusted collaborator in clinical care. They reveal practical strategies for bias detection, the vision of an "AI Hippocratic Oath," and why ethics must precede deployment - especially in medicine.
Healthcare leaders, CIOs, CMOs, engineers, and innovators will gain critical insight into governance frameworks that future-proof AI adoption.

Jun 19, 2025 • 48min
Rajeev Ronanki: Real-Time Payer-Provider Collaboration
Rajeev Ronanki, CEO of Lyric and author of You and AI, joins Dr. Sanjay Juneja to discuss a radical rethinking of payment in healthcare. Instead of upgrading legacy systems, Rajeev proposes bypassing them using trusted AI agents that mediate between EMRs and payers. They explore real-time adjudication, the importance of trust and transparency, and how scalable AI tools can serve even community clinics. Learn how AI is reshaping healthcare finance from the ground up.

Jun 18, 2025 • 8min
Where does the AI liability lie?
The conversation dives into the pressing legal and ethical challenges of AI in healthcare. Who holds responsibility when AI-assisted diagnoses go wrong? Insights reveal that trust and transparency are vital as healthcare institutions integrate these technologies. The need for ethical standards and thorough training for staff is emphasized, highlighting the crucial role of leadership in navigating these changes. As AI becomes a fixture in medical settings, proactive dialogue is essential for ensuring both innovation and accountability.