bio/acc Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Aubrey de Grey, one of the leading voices in longevity science, and Benji Leibowitz, founder of Pump Science, to explore two visions of the future: longevity escape velocity and scientific escape velocity. We dive into the biology of aging, the systemic bottlenecks slowing progress, and bold new ideas for accelerating discovery. Visit the LEV Foundation to learn more about what Aubrey de Grey is building: https://www.levf.org/Follow Pump Science for updates on their work accelerating longevity research: https://pump.science/ Check out Molecule to see how decentralized science is reshaping funding and collaboration: https://molecule.xyz/

In this episode, I talk to Charles Brenner, a leading biochemist and outspoken critic of hype in the longevity field. We discuss why many aging studies in model organisms don’t always translate to humans, the limitations of current NAD-related therapies, and how publication bias harms scientific progress. He also shares what excites him most right now—his lab’s work on citrin deficiency and its potential for treating fatty liver disease and metabolic disorders.Visit the Brenner Lab to learn more about their exciting work: https://www.cityofhope.org/research/riggs-institute/diabetes-and-cancer-metabolism/charles-brenner-lab https://brennerlab.netGoogle Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=XgEjtucAAAAJ&X: https://x.com/CharlesMBrenner

In this episode, I talk to James Sinka, a YC 3-time founder who believes that biotech on-chain will be the next revolution in funding for academic projects. We discuss the challenges of being a deep-tech founder, the intersection of AI & medicine, and some of the key lessons founders need to learn along the way.

In this episode, I talk to Ethan Perlstein, a YC biotech founder who wants to make better drugs and financial incentives for curing rare diseases. We discuss the post-academic collapse in science careers, the financial abandonment of most rare diseases, and how crypto and AI could revolutionize drug development.

In this episode, I speak with Professor Francoise Baylis, a renowned Canadian bioethicist whose work lies at the intersection of applied ethics, health policy, and practice. We talk about the ethics of research on human embryos -- at what date the line should be drawn -- and whether it practically and morally makes sense to allow for human germline editing.

George Church, a pioneer of human genome sequencing and co-inventor of CRISPR, dives into the future of synthetic biology. He discusses groundbreaking innovations like multiplex gene editing and virus-proof cells. The conversation shifts to AI’s role in drug discovery and the lessons learned from 23andMe’s challenges. Church also reflects on strategies for improving human longevity and the rapid advancements in genome sequencing technologies, offering a glimpse into the ethical and economic implications of these revolutionary scientific developments.

In this episode, I speak with award-winning NYT science writer Carl Zimmer (“Life’s Edge”, “She Has Her Mother’s Laugh”) on the verbs of biology—homeostasis, life being organized rebellion against entropy, and whether brain organoids might wake up while we’re not looking.

In this episode, I talk with Jamie Metzl — geopolitical futurist, former WHO advisor, and author of Superconvergence — about the future of gene editing, AGI, and the existential risks no one is talking about. We cover CRISPR will rewrite evolution and society, and why AGI is a myth (and what we're really building).

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Aubrey de Grey, a leading researcher in the longevity space and co-founder of the SENS Research Foundation, known for his groundbreaking work in developing therapies that reverse DNA damage at the cellular level. We talk about the latest breakthroughs in aging science, what aging research looks like in a post-AGI world, and the challenges facing the longevity movement.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Robert Langer, co-founder of Moderna and PI of the world’s largest biomedical engineering lab at MIT. We talk about his background, how to raise money for biotech ventures, and whether innovation can be born from the lab.