Columbia University BioWorks

Join us for a conversation with Simar Bajaj, a Stanford medical student, Knight-Hennessy Scholar, and award-winning journalist whose work bridges medicine, research, and storytelling. Simar shares how he built an unconventional career across these fields, why science communication plays a critical role in improving healthcare, and what reporting has taught him about the people and systems that shape medicine. We also explore persistent health disparities, the promise and limitations of AI, and how curiosity and persistence have guided his path. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on finding impact at the intersection of disciplines. Hosted by Ella Yee.

Join us for a deep dive with Ritish Patnaik, CEO of Curve Biosciences, on building “whole-body intelligence” for chronic disease. Ritish shares how Curve’s whole-body atlas, built from hundreds of thousands of curated tissue samples, powers blood tests that map DNA methylation signals back to their organ of origin. We explore how this approach overcomes the signal-to-noise challenge in blood-based diagnostics, enables longitudinal monitoring of diseases like liver cirrhosis and MASH, and rethinks how patients are guided through treatment. Ritish also reflects on the role of AI, data curation, and multidisciplinary thinking in shaping the future of healthcare. Hosted by Ella Yee.

In which Arvind Thiagarajan, Co-founder and CTO of Tessel Biosciences, shares how he is combining organoid models with active learning algorithms to generate clinically-relevant data with greater experimental efficiency to ultimately develop novel therapeutics. He also discusses how his prior experiences at MIT, D.E Shaw, BenevolentAI, and Verily each shaped his career and worldview into the engineer and founder he is today. Hosted by Kevin Xu.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(05:30) Takeaways from DESRES, BenevolentAI, and Verily(15:57) Speed, cost, and success rate trends in drug development(33:37) Core research workflow of Tessel Bio(44:09) Tesselogic and active learning(47:01) Coordinating wet-lab and dry-lab innovations(50:19) Advice for aspiring scientist-foundersLinks: Tessel Biosciences - https://tessel.bio/

In which Dr. Timothy Lu, co-founder and CEO of Senti Bio, shares how his team is engineering logic gates into immune cells to create smarter, more effective cancer treatments. He also reflects on leading the Synthetic Biology Group at MIT, co-founding multiple synthetic biology startups, and navigating the differences between biological and artificial systems. Hosted by Emma Chen.

Ever wondered how AI can transform the way we diagnose and predict underlying conditions? Join us for an insightful conversation with Mohamed Sadeq Ali, Co-Founder and COO of AccurKardia, a startup innovating in AI-driven ECG analytics. Sadeq shares his journey from tech consultant to healthcare innovator, the challenges of navigating complex regulatory hurdles, and why AI is essential for addressing healthcare's biggest problems. Tune in to discover how technology could shape the future of medicine! Hosted by Kavya Amrutham.

Join us for an insightful episode as we sit down with Mark Tomishima, Senior Vice President at BlueRock Therapeutics, to explore the latest advancements in regenerative medicine. Mark shares his experiences leading genome engineering and stem cell research, discusses key challenges in cell therapy development, and offers valuable career advice for aspiring scientists. Don’t miss this deep dive into the cutting-edge work being done at BlueRock Therapeutics to revolutionize the future of medicine! Hosted by Sophia Deng.

Dr. Andrea Califano, founder of Columbia University’s Systems Biology Department and President of the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub New York, talks about his research on identifying checkpoints within cancer cells. Through algorithms and experimental verification, the Califano Lab is able to find specific proteins that are crucial for tumor progression, revealing useful therapeutic targets. As the co-founder of DarwinHealth, Dr. Califano explains how his research is translated into New York City’s biotech scene. Be sure to tune into this episode’s discussion on cancer therapeutics, startups, collaboration, and more. Hosted by Alex Chen.

In which Dr. Jimmy Sastra, co-founder and CEO of Monomer Bio, discusses how automation can drive greater scalability, standardization, and data accessibility in complex cell culture workflows. We also chat about the importance of building killer apps and not just platforms, the fickleness of growing stem cells, the software layer behind Waymos, and Jimmy’s philosophy on building a mission-driven team. Hosted by Emma Chen. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:45) Monomer Bio (06:00) The challenge and opportunity of complex cell workflows (10:47) Timeline of collaborations (11:57) Onsite automation v.s. cloud labs (15:58) From initial interest in biology to PhD (24:08) Building killer apps and not just platforms (26:28) Partnership with Gingko Bioworks and Lilly Life Sciences Studio (28:25) When to keep humans in the loop (29:33) What makes automating biology different (31:19) Industry trends for the next decade (34:55) Most rewarding part of building Monomer (37:32) Advice for listeners Links: Monomer Bio: https://www.monomerbio.com/

In which Nicholas Larus-Stone, co-founder of Sphinx Bio, discusses the future of “software-defined biology” and how his startup is accelerating scientists’ research by streamlining the process of experimental design, data processing, and data analysis. He also shares his experience working as a software engineer at early- to mid-sized biotech companies as well as the story behind Bits in Bio, a community dedicated to researchers, developers, and those interested in the intersection of software and biology. Hosted by Kevin Xu. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:04) Working at BenevolentAI and Octant Bio (08:07) Problem-driven vs. solution-driven innovation (10:50) Sphinx Bio (12:27) What makes biological data different? (18:10) Adapting to new technologies as a data platform (22:37) Bits in Bio (25:24) Sharing knowledge in a competitive industry (27:12) Software-defined biology (31:57) Studying CS in the age of AI Links: Sphinx Bio: https://www.sphinxbio.com/ "Software-defined biology": https://www.sphinxbio.com/post/software-defined-biology Bits in Bio: ⁠https://www.bitsinbio.org/⁠

In which Dr. Peter Tollman, former Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), shares his journey from engineering to consulting and his pivotal role in BCG's growth. Drawing from his experience as the global leader of BCG's Biopharmaceutical Practice, he discusses the unique challenges of management in the life sciences sector. Peter also highlights the significance of humility, continuous learning, and strategic thinking for aspiring professionals. Hosted by James Bole Pan. Timestamps: (0:10) - Introduction (1:00) - Peter’s early career journey (4:00) - Transition from engineering to business (6:28) - Role in BCG's expansion (9:30) - BCG’s culture (12:05) - Founding MPM Capital (15:15) - Experience at Monitor Company (17:15) - BCG’s secrets in leadership transition (18:50) - Theory on Smart Simplicity (25:30) - Managerial challenges in the life sciences (30:05) - Qualities of top CEOs (32:35) - Advice for CEOs (35:07) - Advice for translational research scientists (37:20) - Developing interdisciplinary skills (41:15) - Advice for college students