Best Gene Synthesis Podcasts (2025)

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No nucleus, no problem – platelet biology and scientific communication 30:12

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4d ago30:12

30:12

In this episode of Speaking of Mol Bio, Dr. Beth Webb takes us deep into the world of platelets, often misunderstood components of blood that punch far above their weight in both physiological and pathological processes. As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Leeds, Dr. Webb explores how endothelial signals influence platelet activity, a…

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Renee Aguiar-Lucander, Hansa Biopharma 🇸🇪 | Immunology, Gene therapy | E36 53:46

13d ago53:46

53:46

Fresh after leading Calliditas Therapeutics through a $1.1B acquisition, Renee Aguiar-Lucander takes us through her new CEO role at Hansa Biopharma 🇸🇪.We learn how Hansa is commercialising Idefirix, its lead product for improving outcomes in kidney transplantation. We also cover the hot area of immunology, the behind-the-scenes story behind Callidi…

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Boosting PCR accuracy – tips for maximizing amplification fidelity 18:41

18d ago18:41

18:41

In this Mol Bio Minutes episode, Laurynas Alijošius shares a personal story that every molecular biologist can relate to—running PCR, cloning, and sequencing, only to discover frustrating errors in the DNA. This episode dives deep into PCR accuracy and why it matters for everything from sequencing to cloning and long-read library prep. Laurynas bre…

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Stephane Bancel, Moderna | mRNA Therapeutics, Boston Biotech Mafia, AI Biotech | E35 58:51

20d ago58:51

58:51

We’re with Stephane Bancel, CEO of the US mRNA giant Moderna. The company’s 15-year trajectory has taken it from the startup seed stage to a commercial heavyweight with three mRNA-based products in the market 🧬 We go in-depth into Stephane’s leadership style and background before delving into Moderna’s research and the evolution of the mRNA space. …

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Multiomics, systems biology, and the future of genomic research 33:16

1M ago33:16

33:16

In this episode of Speaking of Mol Bio, Dr. Cath Moore of the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF) discusses how molecular biology technologies are helping to shape Australia’s scientific landscape—from clinical genomics and conservation to bioremediation and agriculture. With over 20 years of experience in both academia and industry, Dr. Moo…

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Fast PCR fundamentals – from instruments to enzymes 16:40

2M ago16:40

16:40

In this Mol Bio Minutes episode, Laurynas Alijošius breaks down how to run fast PCR to save time and increase lab efficiency. He explains how to choose the right thermal cycler with fast ramp speeds, select low-volume and thin-walled PCR plastics, and use engineered DNA polymerases that offer rapid elongation and hot-start capability. Laurynas also…

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Chris Martin, Verona Pharma 🇬🇧 | Ohtuvayre, COPD, Execution | E34 55:24

2M ago55:24

55:24

We’re online with Chris Martin, COO of the 6th most valuable biotech in Europe, Verona Pharma. Their amazing story sees them bring a fully-owned respiratory drug to market and multiply its valuation by 120x within the last 5 years (from $50M to $6B today) 💸We talk about the commercial rollout of Ohtuvayre, Verona’s drug. We also discuss the British…

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The hidden language of RNA – how epigenetics is shaping medicine 31:51

2M ago31:51

31:51

This episode teaches that innovation is born at the intersection of curiosity and persistence. Dr. Gudrun Stengel, co-founder and CEO of Alida Biosciences, reveals how her startup is transforming the landscape of RNA research through a novel technology called proximity barcoding. Dr. Stengel’s story exemplifies the power of entrepreneurial spirit i…

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Daniela Marino, CUTISS 🇨🇭 | Skin Tissue Therapeutics, TechBio | E33 [Sponsored] 1:06:13

2M ago1:06:13

1:06:13

We’re online with Daniela Marino, CEO and co-founder of one of the best companies in Europe for tissue therapeutics, CUTISS.We discussed the story behind CUTISS and its current series C fundraising. We also discussed cell therapy in general and why kids are good at preventing burnout.---This episode is sponsored by CUTISS, the only TechBio company …

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Joris Pezzini, Alira Health | Hottest Biotech Insights | E32 [Sponsored] 1:10:41

3M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

We’re in Barcelona 🇪🇸 with Joris Pezzini from Alira Health to discuss the hottest biotech insights right now, including obesity, I&I, radiopharmaceuticals and ADCs. --- This episode is sponsored by Alira Health, an advisor and clinical development partner for life sciences companies. Learn more at https://bit.ly/alirahealth-flotbio-1 --- ⭐️ ABOUT T…

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Sustainability made simple – greener choices in molecular biology 10:21

3M ago10:21

10:21

Sustainability in the lab isn't just a trend—it's a responsibility. In this quick but powerful Mol Bio Minutes episode, sustainability expert Sune Lund Sporring shares actionable tips to reduce energy use, manage lab waste, and transition to greener materials like Thermo Fisher’s Sustain Series bio-based plastics. Discover the difference between bi…

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Christophe Bourdon, LEO Pharma 🇩🇰 | Biopharma Turnaround | E31 50:47

3M ago50:47

50:47

We’re in Copenhagen 🇩🇰 with Christophe Bourdon, the CEO who turned a 116-year-old biopharma company from the brink of failure to success.We discuss the lessons behind the turnaround, innovation in dermatology, especially biologicals and I&I, and living in eight different countries. ⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKER Christophe Bourdon came to be CEO of LEO Pharm…

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SIPs with Standards 21:00

3M ago21:00

21:00

Stable Isotope Probing (SIP) is a powerful technique for studying microbial communities. These experiments can show which microbes are handling specific nutrients, or what they're doing with those nutrients, and even how quickly. But there's a catch: SIP labwork and analysis can be very demanding. The JGI offers SIP analysis to make these experimen…

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From bats to cancer – the power of gene regulation 33:53

3M ago33:53

33:53

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Nadav Ahituv, a leader in human genetics and gene regulation at UCSF. He shares his personal journey from scoliosis patient to genetic researcher, exploring the mysteries of non-coding DNA, massively parallel reporter assays, and CRISPR-based therapeutic innovations. We dive into his lab’s diverse pro…

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Christoph Broja, EQT 🇩🇪🇳🇱 | #1 European Biotech VC, LSP Marriage, ADCs | E30 1:02:10

3M ago1:02:10

1:02:10

We’re in Munich 🇩🇪 with Cristoph Broja, Partner at EQT Life Sciences, the top venture capital firm in Europe.We talk about his lessons up until becoming a partner at the firm. We also talk about how to invest in hot areas such as obesity or ADCs, and the importance of being curious. ⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKER Cristoph Broja has been a Partner at EQT Life…

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No more smears – expert tips for electrophoresis success 9:05

4M ago9:05

9:05

With prior Mol Bio Minutes episodes covering DNA form migration and staining considerations for nucleic acid gel electrophoresis, we tie it all together with this great set of overall tips, tricks and resources for the topic. Anyone that’s ever run a gel has undoubtedly produced gels with smeared, faint or poorly separated bands. What causes these …

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Philipp Baaske, NanoTemper 🇩🇪 | Bootstrapping in Biotech | E29 [Sponsored] 1:11:11

4M ago1:11:11

1:11:11

We’re in Munich with Philipp Baaske, one of the best life science tool founders in Europe. We talked about the lessons of building this life science tools business, specialized in protein interactions. We also talked about the difficulties and rewards of entrepreneurship and the impact of life science tools. ___ This episode is sponsored by NanoTem…

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Biologically removing the forever from “forever chemicals” 32:00

4M ago32:00

32:00

It could be argued that biology has always boiled down to chemistry, and that chemistry has always boiled down to physics. However, not many would deny that the fields of biology and chemistry are overlapping more than ever, with both leveraging computing methods, also more than ever. This conversation with Dr. Ramesh Jha, Technical Staff Member at…

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A clear picture – staining tips for gel electrophoresis 10:17

5M ago10:17

10:17

You can run the perfect agarose gel to separate your nucleic acid fragments but if you don’t stain and image the gel properly, it’s all for not. In this second installment of Mol Bio Minutes we take a look at the staining considerations for nucleic acid gel electrophoresis with Paulius Palaima, Product Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. He covers…

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Mathias Uhlen 🇸🇪 | Entrepreneurial Scientist, 26 times | E28 49:25

5M ago49:25

49:25

We’re online 🇸🇪 with Mathias Uhlen, one of the best entrepreneurial scientists in Europe. We talked about the entrepreneurial mindset in academia. We also talked about AI for biology and why he doesn’t believe in the current anti-ageing drugs. ⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKER Looking at the career of Mathias Uhlen can only leave you feeling impressed. He has c…

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With knowledge comes great responsibility 35:37

5M ago35:37

35:37

Topics and terms such as biosafety, biosecurity, containment, and contamination are things most of us have heard of and think about at some level, but with the pace of molecular biology moving faster than ever, these are topics with implications that are reaching farther than ever. We’re joined by Dr. Ryan Burnette and Dr. Lauren Richardson from Me…

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Thomas Ybert, DNA Script 🇫🇷 | DNA Printing & Synthesis | E27 58:36

5M ago58:36

58:36

We’re online 🇫🇷 with Thomas Ybert, the co-founder of DNA Script, the leading biotech for DNA printing of oligos. We talked about the commercialization of the first DNA printer. We also talked about company building at large and how to expand to the US successfully. ⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKER At just 30 years old, Thomas Ybert co-founded DNA Script in 201…

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DNA on the move – the influence of form on gel migration 9:19

5M ago9:19

9:19

Agarose gel electrophoresis is a staple method in almost all biology and biochemistry lab where separation and analysis of nucleic acids is needed. In this Mol Bio Minutes mini episode Augustė Užuotaitė, Scientist III at Thermo Fisher Scientific, covers the basics of electrophoresis with a spotlight on how different forms of DNA migrate differently…

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The genetics and neuroendocrinology of obesity 31:37

6M ago31:37

31:37

Obesity is one of the most pressing health challenges of our time, with genetic and molecular factors playing a crucial role in how our bodies regulate weight. In this season opener, we explore the science behind obesity, focusing on how hormones, genetics, and brain circuits influence feeding behavior and body weight. Join us for a fascinating dis…

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Season 3 spoilers – innovation, inspiration, and insight 4:36

7M ago4:36

4:36

The start of Season 3 is just around the corner, slated to start in January 2025. What’s the new season hold in store you might ask? Steve assures us he’ll be back hosting Season 3 and teases at topics that are coming. These include biosecurity, bioengineering, polymer degradation, genetics of obesity, CROs and how they utilize mol bio, platelet bi…

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Gunilla Osswald, BioArctic 🇸🇪 | Leqembi, Alzheimer’s disease | E26 54:25

7M ago54:25

54:25

We’re at BIO-Europe in Stockholm 🇸🇪 with Gunilla Osswalld, the CEO of BioArctic, the inventor of one of the only drugs that have worked for Alzheimer's. We talked about the science and business behind Leqembi. We also talked about the Alzheimer’s field at large and transitioning from big pharma to biotech. — — — Thank you to today’s sponsor, Turbin…

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Sean Marett 🇩🇪 | BioNTech, Art of Dealmaking | E25 1:14:55

7M ago1:14:55

1:14:55

We’re in Hamburg with Sean Marett, who has been instrumental to the success of BioNTech for 12 years. We talked about the secrets behind BioNTech’s success. We also talked about the art of dealmaking and working with China. ⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKER Sean joined BioNTech in 2012 as part of the Management Board. He was instrumental in the growth of the co…

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Lovisa Afzelius, Flagship Pioneering 🇸🇪 | Company building, AI | E24 59:16

8M ago59:16

59:16

In our first episode recorded live in front of an audience, we’re with Lovisa Afzelius, the General Partner of the European branch of Flagship Pioneering 🇸🇪We talk about Flagship, including its EU activities. We also talk about company-building and Lovisa’s personal journey to be one of the leading Swedish leaders in biotech.⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKERLov…

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It’s all in your approach – biosynthesis of natural products 33:18

8M ago33:18

33:18

We’re joined in this episode by Dr. Sarah Barry, Reader in Chemical Biology at King’s College London. Sarah started with an interest in biochemistry, went into organic chemistry because it was more concrete, and now applies her chemist’s approach to understanding and manipulating biosynthesis of natural products for important areas of research, inc…

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Szabolcs Nagy, Turbine 🇭🇺 | AI in Biotech, Simulation | E23 [Sponsored] 1:04:44

8M ago1:04:44

1:04:44

We’re in Budapest with Szabolcs Nagy, the founder of Turbine, one of the leading companies for AI in biotech in the world.We talked about AI in biotech at large. We also cover the differences between opening a platform versus doing proprietary drug development and building the company from central Europe. __This episode is sponsored by Turbine, whi…

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Adrian Rawcliffe, Adaptimmune 🇬🇧 | Tecelra, TCR Cell Therapy, Solid Tumors | E22 54:29

9M ago54:29

54:29

We’re online with Adrian Rawcliffe, the CEO of Adaptimmune, the TCR cell therapy company behind the first engineered cell therapy for solid tumors that was approved for a rare form of sarcoma. We talked about Tecelra's commercial rollout. We also talked about what's next in cell therapy, and Philly Cheesesteak vs Fish and Chips. — — —Thank you to t…

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The value of community – your microbiome 31:58

9M ago31:58

31:58

The history of fermented foods like beer, bread, and other foods can be traced back thousands of years to ancient civilizations in China and Egypt. This ancient technology was originally used to preserve foods when refrigeration was not an option. While less common in modern industrialized civilizations, we’re now realizing that fermented foods pla…

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Adopt-A-Genome 26:45

9M ago26:45

26:45

In this episode, undergraduates adopt genomes that the JGI sequenced, but never published in the literature. These students analyze the genomes, write reports, and publish first-author papers, making the data available for future research. Hear from Rekha Seshadri (JGI) and Matt Escobar (California State San Marcos) about how the Adopt-A-Genome pro…

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Marina Udier, Nouscom 🇨🇭 | Cancer Vaccines, Neoantigens | E21 1:19:52

9M ago1:19:52

1:19:52

We’re in Basel 🇨🇭 with the CEO of Nouscom, one of the top EU immuno-oncology biotechs in the cancer vaccine space, Marina Udier.We talked about cancer vaccines and Nouscom’s platform. We also discussed the importance of focus for success and her career.⭐️ ABOUT THE SPEAKERMarina was recommended to me by one of her investors. She has an inspiring st…

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Therapeutic nucleic acids – a CDMO’s view on mRNA 32:04

10M ago32:04

32:04

While some of us knew a good bit about mRNA prior to 2020, we all got a crash course on mRNA technology and its prophylactic and therapeutic potential as a result of the COVID pandemic and subsequent SARS CoV-2 vaccine development. In fact, most of us have now received at least one mRNA vaccine at this point. Our guest for this episode, Dr. Christi…

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Harpreet Singh, Immatics 🇩🇪 | PRAME, TCR Based Therapeutics | E20 1:04:02

10M ago1:04:02

1:04:02

We’re in Munich 🇩🇪 with the founder of one of the 15 most valuable European biotechs, Harpreet Singh.We talked about the field of PRAME receptors, TCR therapeutics and cell therapy at large. We also talked about the combination with mRNA therapeutics and his upbringing in a Sikh family in Germany. 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED Labiotech.eu | “Interview Harpree…

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A molecular thermometer for the future 35:29

11M ago35:29

35:29

There are all sorts of molecular tests to tell if you’re infected with something specific, but what do you use when you’re not sure what you might have? You might use a thermometer as a first step, but wouldn’t it be nice if that thermometer was a bit more high tech? In this episode we meet Dr. Nick Meyerson, CEO and co-founder of Darwin Bioscience…

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Gotta Catch 'Em Gall 24:31

12M ago24:31

24:31

Kasey Markel and Patrick Shih (UC Berkeley and the Joint BioEnergy Institute) are looking for new ways to engineer plants. So they’ve looked into wasps that program oak trees to grow structures called galls. In this episode, hear from Kasey and Patrick about how this project unfolded, and how they worked with the JGI's metabolomics program to find …

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Dominik Schumacher, Tubulis 🇩🇪 | Founder-led ADC Biotech ⭐️ | E19 1:08:38

12M ago1:08:38

1:08:38

We’re in Munich 🇩🇪 with a “true” biotech founder, Dominik Schumacher of Tubulis. Not many biotechs in Europe are led by a founder PhD under 40 and have scaled to raising over 100M. I know only two, one is Thomas at Owkin and the other one is Dominik at Tubulis.We talked about building a champion ADC biotech, the super hot ADC sphere, and the differ…

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Directed evolution – A PETase project 32:58

12M ago32:58

32:58

Plastics are a modern miracle of science that have helped deliver both convenience and life-saving solutions. However, we must now grapple with the challenge of immense amounts of plastics in our waste streams and environment. How do we best deconstruct plastics to reusable or more bio-friendly molecules? This is the exact challenge being addressed…

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A Redesign for Yeast’s Genome, Chromosome by Chromosome - Jef Boeke, Weimin Zhang & Leslie Mitchell 20:53

1y ago20:53

20:53

To engineer yeast to do more, and understand genomes in general, Jef Boeke, Weimin Zhang (NYU Langone Health) and Leslie Mitchell (Neochromosome) have worked to replace yeast’s native chromosomes with synthetic versions. This project has turned out to be an international collaboration, with some artistic endeavors along the way. Eventually, the goa…

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Otello Stampacchia, Omega Funds 🇮🇹 | M&A, Boston & Pasta | E18 1:02:46

1y ago1:02:46

1:02:46

We’re in Boston 🇺🇸 with one of the top VCs, Otello Stampacchia of Omega Funds.We talked about the highest competitive tension in biopharma now that he has ever seen. We also talked about his career, especially the challenges and opportunities he had from moving to Boston over 15 years ago. 💎 ABOUT THE SPEAKER Otello is the founder and managing dire…

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Christina Takke, V-Bio Ventures 🇧🇪 | Wonder VC Woman | E17 43:45

1y ago43:45

43:45

We’re in San Sebastián 🇪🇸 with one of the top VCs in Europe, Christina Takke from V-Bio Ventures. We talk about her path to get to the top and the benefits of gender diversity for both investing and European biotech as a whole. We also talk about her investment in Argenx when it was only three employees and the venture creation had dropped since 20…

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Scientific marketing in the century of the biotech revolution 32:37

1y ago32:37

32:37

Most scientists start their education and careers with a vision of working in the lab to discover great things and drive innovation. However, we don’t all end up loving the actual lab work portion of science. What non-lab career options exist to utilize molecular biology knowledge and skills? Well, according to our guest, Jason Amsbaugh, Founder an…

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Forest Fungi, Seagrass, and a New View of Symbiosis 26:34

1y ago26:34

26:34

Three stories of JGI-supported research, connected to nutrient cycles. Francis Martin and Lucas Auer discuss their work on communities of forest floor fungi. Allison Joy looks into seagrass meadows' carbon sequestration with insights from Adam Healey and Xiao Ma. And Karen Serrano and Benjamin Cole explain their research on the symbiotic relationsh…

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What Happens To a Rainforest When You Dial Up Drought? - Linnea Honeker and Malak Tfaily 22:53

1y ago22:53

22:53

Rainforests store a big fraction of all the carbon on Earth, and soil microbes play a key role in pulling that carbon out of the atmosphere. This episode, researchers take a look at what happens to that storage when a rainforest hits a drought. Tag along with their experiments in a fully enclosed, human-made ecosystem: Biosphere 2. Links from this …

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Naveed Siddiqi, Novo Holdings 🇬🇧🇩🇰 | Sharp Macro View of EU Biotech | E16 46:16

1y ago46:16

46:16

We’re in San Sebastián 🇪🇸 with Naveed Siddiqi of one of Europe's largest biotech investors, Novo Holdings. We talked about how things really are in European biotech at the moment. We also talked about his upbringing as a second-generation immigrant in the UK and the importance of diversity. I’ve known him since he was a partner at Andera. He is a s…

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Cheers to molecular Biology 34:47

1y ago34:47

34:47

While the end product is quite different, brewing beer is not all that different than many other bioproduction processes used in the lab and industry. Both require skills, experience, and the right QC/QA methods to control and monitor the starting materials and the entire process, all the way to that bottle of suds you might be thirsty for. Steve a…

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Claudia Ulbrich, Cardior 🇩🇪 | Being the Founder of a Rare €1B Exit | E15 54:34

1y ago54:34

54:34

We’re in Hannover 🇩🇪 with the founder and CEO of Cardior, Claudia Ulbrich We talked about Cardior’s recent €1B exit to Novo Nordisk. We also talk about miRNA and Cardiovascular, and why she earned the funny nickname “Frau Biotech”. 💎 ABOUT THE SPEAKER Claudia has been founding biotechs since the ’90s. She founded her first biotech company, LipoNova…

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Unsung heroes of food health and safety 32:10

1y ago32:10

32:10

When you buy chicken or turkey from the grocery store, you might not give it much thought, but there is an entire network of people working to ensure the health of the animals in our food supply chain and your health. In this episode, we talk with an unsung hero, Beverly Wood, supervisor of the molecular diagnostics lab at the North Carolina Depart…