

TechNation Radio Podcast
Tech Nation
TechNation Radio hosted by Dr Moira Gunn
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 11, 2021 • 59min
Episode 429: Episode 21-32 Medical Diagnostics tells a Story about Us
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with DR. HARVEY KAUFMAN, the Senior Medical Director of Quest Diagnostics, about how the use or delay of medical tests reveals about the health status of the US. Then MIKE CLAYMAN, the CEO of Flexion Therapeutics, talks about the treatments they have in clinical trials for osteoarthritis, knee replacement surgery, and more.

Aug 4, 2021 • 59min
Episode 428: Episode 21-31 SMA, NMOSD and Aging – From Few to Everyone
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Levi Garraway, the Chief Medical Officer of Genentech about FDA approvals for treatments in two very rare diseases - SMA - Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and NMOSD - Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. Then Dr. Thomas Rando, Co-Founder of Fountain Therapeutics, a Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Director of Glen Laboratories on the Biology of Aging talks about a rampant medical condition – aging.

Jul 30, 2021 • 59min
Episode 427: Episode 21-30 The CRISPR Babies
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with anthropologist EBEN KIRKSEY, a professor of anthropology at Deakin University in Melbourne. He’s look at the societal and ethical implications of CRISPR – and not just hypothetically. He traveled to China, with an eye to understanding the circumstance of the three CRISPR babies known to exist. His book is “The Mutant Project: Inside the Global Race to Genetically Modify Humans”. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft gives us a quick primer on antibodies and how we use them as therapy.

Jul 22, 2021 • 59min
Episode 426: Episode 21-29 Reverse engineering success ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with psychologist Dr. Ron Friedman about “Decoding Greatness … How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success”. Then Dr. Tom Hallam from Palisade Bio in San Diego talks about their efforts to solve a major problem post-surgery – how to get your GI track back on track. And Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft reviews tests to detect Alzheimer’s early.

Jul 6, 2021 • 59min
Episode 425: Episode 21-28 Tech can make Workplaces COVID-safe ???
On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Tanuj (“Ta-nooj”) Mohan, the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Enlighted, a Siemens Company based in Silicon Valley. Smart technology may bring us back to safe workplaces - from social distancing, to automatic contact tracing, overly crowded points of contact, and more. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about our “Sociome” – where and how we live is more important than our DNA.

Jun 29, 2021 • 59min
Episode 424: Episode 21-27 Why We Drive – And Why We are Going to Miss It
On this week’s Tech Nation, what we lose if we go to driverless cars. Moira speaks with Matthew Crawford about his book: “Why We Drive … Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road”. Then Yochi Slonim, CEO of Anima Biotech, talks about the path from your DNA to producing proteins, and the potential for new drugs.

Jun 23, 2021 • 59min
Episode 423: Episode 21-26 Pirates Then, Pirates Now – Not Much Has Changed ??
On this week’s Tech Nation, Steven Johnson with “Enemy of All Mankind … A True Story of Piracy, Power and History’s First Global Manhunt.” It’s a 17th century story that’s rife with insights for today. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about food as medicine – it might be steamed vegetables … or could that be chocolate and wine?

Jun 15, 2021 • 59min
Episode 422: Episode 21-25 Every Color in the Rainbow
On this week’s Tech Nation, WIRED journalist ADAM ROGERS talks about his book: “Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern.”Then making headway in treating nerve damage. AxoGen’s KAREN ZADEREJ tells that transplanting the nerves of others is now possible.

Jun 8, 2021 • 59min
Episode 421: Episode 21-24 The New Astronauts
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.”

Jun 2, 2021 • 59min
Episode 420: Episode 21-23 Geometry – even babies can do it
On this week’s Tech Nation, University of Wisconsin math professor JORDAN ELLENBERG, whom you might know from his earlier book, “How Not To Be Wrong”. He talks about “Shape … The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else.” Then MARCIO SOUZA, the President and CEO of Praxis Precision Medicines, describes their research drug modulating GABA, a key neurotransmitter in the brain, and its potential to treat depression, essential tremor, and other conditions.


