TechNation Radio Podcast

On this week’s Tech Nation, what Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Richard Branson all have in common: They all started spaceflight companies. Moira speaks with New Yorker writer NICHOLAS SCHMIDLE (“schmidd-uhl”) , the author of “Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut”. Then 40% of Americans report that they have gained weight since the COVID pandemic began. Excerpts from a past interview with DR SANDRA AAMODT (“ehh-mutt”), the former editor-in-chief of Nature Neuroscience. Her TED Talk “Why Dieting Doesn’t Usually Work” has received over 4 Million views. She’s the author of the 2014 book, “Why Diets Make Us Fat … The Unintended Consequences of Our Obsession with Weight Loss.”

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Emory University Primatologist Dr. Frans de Waal talks about his book: “Different … Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist. Then Dr. Steve Worland from eFFECTOR Therapeutics tells us about their approach to cancer. Among their efforts - Non-small cell lung cancer and ER positive breast cancer. And Kevin Ali the CEO of Organon explains how this women-focused company went global with its 64 products in one year. That’s a story in itself.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Alexandria Forbes (whom you may known as Zandy Forbes), President and CEO of MeiraGTx, tells us about their efforts in treating retinitis pigmentosa and Parkinson’s, among other medical conditions. MeiraGTx is also working on a new technology to replace defective DNA with new working DNA, and the ability to stop the new DNA should you choose. Then Matthew Ball, the former global head of strategy for Amazon Studios, talks his book: “The Metaverse … and How It Will Revolutionize Everything.”

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with the biotech companies at the BIO International Convention in San Diego. They meet in person for the first time in 3 years, where Dr. Gunn was able to speak with Paul Hastings, the Chair of BIO and the President & CEO of Nkarta, about the state of BIO and Nkarta’s work on delivering Natural Killer cells for cancer. Joe Panetta, President & CEO of Biocom California, brings insights into California as a whole and its relation globally, as well as the price of drugs. Dr. Richard Austin, founder and CEO of Reglagene talks about choosing their first-in-human drug for the brain cancer, Glioblastoma, and Dr. Chris Nave from Brandon Capital describes Polyactiva’s work in the treatment of glaucoma.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with John Markoff, the former New York Times journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, to talk about someone we would call today an “influencer” – only he has been influencing now for decades. Markoff’s book is “Whole Earth: The Many Lives of Stewart Brand”. Then in biotech, Dr. James Mackey, the President & CEO, Aristea Therapeutics, tells about a painful disease which affects the palms of hand and soles of feet in post-menopausal women - Palmoplantar pustulosis or PPP - and how it may relate to other diseases.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Professor Antonio Damasio, the Director of the University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute. He talks about his book is “Feeling & Knowing: Making Minds Conscious”. Then a developing treatment for ALS – often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Rob Etherington and Robert Glanzman from Clene Nanomedicine talk about using trillions of gold nanocrystals now being tested in advanced clinical trials.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Sandy Fershee, the Lab Director for D-Ford Detroit at Ford Motor Company. They talk about the latest features for the best-selling vehicle on the road - the F-150 pick-up truck from Ford. They talk about the latest design updates, and how Ford went about it. Then Brian Culley, the CEO of Lineage Cell Therapeutics in San Diego, explains cell therapy in plain words. They’re working on dry age-related macular degeneration and spinal cord injury, and they also have a new idea to create life-time immunity against COVID-19.

On this week’s Tech Nation, from the bumpy history of the chariot to how smartphones are essential equipment for transportation in the future. Economist deputy editor Tom Standage talks about “A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel, to the Car, to What Comes Next”. Then Dr. Jim Brown, the CEO of DURECT, describes their first Phase 2 clinical trials for Alcoholic Hepatitis, known as AH. And a look at what comes next for their approach to regenerative medicine.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Jer Thorp. The former Data Artist in Residence at the New York Times, he talks about his book: “Living in Data – A Citizen’s Guide to a Better Information Future”. Then Joe Hernandez, the Founder and CEO of Blue Water Vaccines tells us about their quest for a universal flu vaccine. Even more unusual? Along the way, they also found a Dodo bird.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Robert Ang, the President & CEO of Vor Biopharma about its approach to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, also known as AML. Then Dr. Nik Sopko, the Chief Scientific Officer of PolarityTE talks about their design for wound healing. Their first treatment candidate is diabetic foot ulcers. And Dr. Eric Vivier from Innate Pharma in Marseilles tells us about the next wave of immunotherapy treatments – harnessing Natural Killer cells.