TechNation Radio Podcast

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira has a brand new session with the ever-interesting DANIEL LEVITIN to discuss his newly published neuroscience research on empathy and the most common questions he gets about his “THE ORGANIZED MIND: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload” such as what do about the short-attention spans of kids and how can we learn to keep track of our keys and glasses! And on BioTech Nation, on BioIssue Issue of the Week with DAVID EWING DUNCAN. We'll here about a potential new and different approach to treating Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with JERRY KAPLAN, whose early efforts include Lotus Agenda and the early embodiments of smart phones and tablets and founding co-founding GO corporation and OnSale. He’s here with his book "HUMANS NEED NOT APPLY:A Guide to Wealth and Work in the Age of Artificial Intelligence."Then on BioTech Nation, JAMES SABRY, Global Vice President & Head of Partnering at Genentech. Known for it's great biologic drugs, partnering is part of its DNA. We discuss how partnering delivers better drugs, faster to the patient community.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with New York Times journalist JOHN MARKOFF discusses his new book "MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE: The Quest for Common Ground Between Humans and Robots". Is technology taking jobs away or is the status quo merely changing? Then on BioTech Nation, STAN ERCK, the President & CEO of NovaVax joins us to talk about their RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) vaccine for the elderly and also for pregnant mothers in order to reach their newborns.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with journalist STEPHEN GREY talks about his book "THE NEW SPYMASTERS: Inside the Modern World of Espionage from the Cold War to Global Terror". From the KGB to Edward Snowden, Grey lays out a timeline for global spying.Then on BioTech Nation, we talk to KATRINE BOSLEY, CEO of Editas Medicine, about CRISPR, the gene tool which lets you edit DNA, potentially creating treatments to fix genetic mutations, and then we talk to JOHN CARROLL, editor-in-chief of FierceBiotech, about the challenge of daily coverage of the biotech industry.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with New York Times best selling author and National Magazine Award winning journalist SUSAN CASEY about her book “VOICES IN THE OCEAN: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins.” Their brains are mightily impressive when compared with a human’s.Than on BioTech Nation we talk about two human disease conditions that biotech is seeking to improve. First we talk to JOHN MCDONOUGH, CEO of T2 Biosystems about a quicker test to detect an overgrowth of candida. We can effectively treat this potentially fatal condition, but only if we know that's what's happening. Then we speak to Steve Mento, CEO of Conatus Pharmaceuticals, about an emergent treatment for cirrhosis of the liver, no matter what the cause. There is little treatment available for repairing the liver. We'll talk about how your liver changes with long-term damage, what Conatus is doing in this area, the challenge of proving scientifically that a treatment is working, and how a new test might result that will monitor your liver health.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks withJOHN PATRICK, former Vice President of Internet Technology at IBM, about his new book: “Health Attitude - Unraveling and Solving the Complexities of Healthcare”. He gives us some hints as to why healthcare costs so much and shares what's happening that makes our future bright. A lot of the solution lies in information systems and the internet. Then on BioTech Nation, SAM WHITEHOUSE, the COO of QuantuMDx, tells us about a simple device they are developing which can perform a 15 minute test for tuberculosis, HIV, influenza and more, all based on genetic markers. Better yet, it can tell if the condition is treatment resistant.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with PBS Nova columnist ANIL ANANTHASWAMY about new book The Man Who Wasn't There: Investigations into the Strange New Science of the Self a tour of the latest neuroscience of schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, ecstatic epilepsy, Cotard’s syndrome, out-of-body experiences, and other disorders—revealing the awesome power of the human sense of self.And on BioTech Nation we talk to STEVE HURST, President & CEO, Savant HWP – Health, Wellness and Prevention on an emergent treatment for cocaine addiction, work in the tropical disease Leishmaniasis, and the unexpected link between addiction to dopamine in Parkinson’s patients.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Stanford engineering professor BERNIE ROTH about his book “The Achievement Habit: Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of your Life”. We discuss using design thinking to achieve goals you never thought possible. Then on BioTech Nation, we speak to DR. JAMES CALLAWAY, CEO, ArmaGen, about how they have hijacked the pathway that insulin takes into the brain to deliver drugs. The first target testing it on such rare pediatric diseases such as Hunters syndrome, Hurlers syndrome, and Sanfilippo A. Then we speak with DR. LAURENT LEVY, Founder, Naonbiotix, about how they are using the physics of nanotech trying to make radiation therapy work a whole lot better. Their first candidates are soft tissue sarcoma, head and neck cancers, and liver cancers. Whether enabling lower dosages or more precision, an old technology could get a whole lot better.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with GUY KAWASAKI – for a second time this year! He’s back with the ten year-update on his classic book THE ART OF THE START 2.0. The time-tested battled-hardened guide for anyone starting anything. Then on BioTech Nation, it’s RACHEL KING and Glycomimetics – they’ve found success in Sickle Cell Disease, and now they’re working on AML –Acute Myeloid Leukemia, especially in patients over 60.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with DR CHARLOTTE JACOBS, professor emirata at Stanford University School of Medicine and the author of “Jonas Salk: A Life”. They re-visit 1950’s America under the threat of Polio. What did science know and what did it gotten wrong? Then on BioTech Nation, JAY LICHTER of Avalon Ventures tells us about his diagnosis of Meniere's disease, and how as a venture capitalist he decided to start a company to find better treatment options on the spot. The result is the company called Otonomy.