In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Jennifer Gudeman, Pharm D, Senior Vice President, Medical and Clinical Affairs, Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc, a biopharmaceutical company working on innovative solutions to the development of medications that disrupt treatment paradigms and address unmet needs. The company is currently focused on developing treatmen…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Steffen-Sebastian Bolz, MD, PhD, a scientist, physician and entrepreneur. He is a Co-Founder of Aphaia Pharma AG and Founder and Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at Qanatpharma AG. Dr. Bolz holds a full professorship at the University of Toronto, is a Principal Investigator at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart R…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Alessio Travaglia, PhD, neuroscientist and Director Neuroscience at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and Suzanne Schindler, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Washington University. Results from a head-to-head study led by the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium, with data analysis led …

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Matthew Martinez, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and nationally recognized expert in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). He serves as director of Atlantic Health System Sports Cardiology and the director of the Chanin T. Mast Center for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Dr. Martinez is the Chair of ACC online “LEARN…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Lawreen Asuncion, a patient advocate who works to raise awareness for the rare disease Usher syndrome. Lawreen has worked professionally in the biotech and life science markets for over 25 years. She provides input and perspectives for rare genetic disease programs and clinical trials sponsored by biotech and phar…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Moreno Perugini, President of Active & Medical Nutrition, US & President of Global Pharmaceutical Therapies at Nestlé Health Science US. As President of Global Pharmaceutical Therapies, Moreno and his team actively shape the healthcare system through innovative approaches and a strong commitment to delivering phar…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Jerry McLaughlin, chief executive officer and board member of Life Biosciences, a company advancing innovative cellular rejuvenation platforms to reverse diseases of aging. Life Biosciences is developing a gene therapy for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAI…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Karen S. Ho, PhD, Vice President, Translational Medicine at Clene Nanomedicine, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases to restore and protect neuronal health and function. Clene Nanomedicine is developing nanotherapeutics that target cellular energy impairments …

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Marci English, Vice President and Head of BioPharma Development at Astellas Pharma about a groundbreaking new treatment that addresses the underlying mechanisms of menopause symptoms. In May 2023, Astellas received FDA approval for fezolinetant (commercial name Veozah) for the treatment of moderate to severe vasom…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Lawrence Blatt, PhD, MBA, Chairman and CEO of Aligos Therapeutics, a company developing targeted therapies for liver diseases like MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) and viral diseases to address important unmet medical needs. Prior to co-founding Aligos Therapeutics, Dr. Blatt served as the G…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Alessio Travaglia, PhD, Director Neuroscience at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) who also manages FNIH’s new Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AMP ALS) program, and Nadia Sethi, DDS, an ALS patient advocate who formerly served as Director of Community …

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Joshua Cohen and Justin Klee, co-CEOs and co-founders of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, a company developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Josh and Justin co-founded Amylyx Pharmaceuticals in 2013. Josh co-invented the oral, fixed-dose combination AMX0035 (known com…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Howard McLeod, PharmD, Director of the Center for Precision Medicine and Functional Genomics, Professor of Pharmacy and Medicine at Utah Tech University and Precision Medicine Advisor at the Geriatric Oncology Consortium; and Sharmeen Roy, PharmD, Chief Strategy and Science Officer at DoseMe, which is the world’s …

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Brian Atwood, Chairman and CEO of CERo Therapeutics, a company pioneering a new generation of autologous T-cell-based therapies for both hematologic and solid tumor cancers. Prior to joining CERo, Brian Atwood served as Chairman of the board of directors of Phoenix Biotech Acquisition Corp., which merged with CERo…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Sam Lee, PhD, Co-Chief Executive Officer and President of Cocrystal Pharma, a company developing novel antiviral therapeutics against COVID-19 and other coronaviruses, influenza viruses and noroviruses. Cocrystal Pharma leverages a unique structure-based drug discovery platform, complemented by Nobel Prize-winning…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with John Finn, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Tome Biosciences, a company developing programmable gene insertion (PGI) technology. PGI is a cutting-edge gene editing technology that allows for the insertion of large sequences of DNA with site-specific precision. PGI is a revolutionary approach for the development of…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Jeremy Levin, D. Phil, MB BChir, CEO and Chairman of Ovid Therapeutics Inc., and Meg Alexander, Chief Strategy Officer at Ovid. Ovid Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of medicines for epilepsies and seizure-related neurological disorders. Prior to founding Ovid, Dr. Levin was p…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine Health Policy and Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University; and Kelly Moore, MD, MPH, President and CEO at Immunize.org and Associate Professor of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Schaffner and Dr. Moore discussed t…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Robert Barrow, CEO and Board Director at MindMed, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel product candidates to treat brain health disorders. The company is developing innovative psychedelic-based product candidates, with and without acute perceptual effects, targeting neurotransmitter pathways…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with John K. Celebi, MBA, President & Chief Executive Officer, Sensei Bio, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focused on the discovery and development of next-generation therapeutics for cancer patients. Sensei Biotherapeutics specializes in creating conditionally active antibodies. These are engineered to operat…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Howard Berman, PhD, Founder and CEO of Coya Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies targeting neurodegenerative, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Dr. Berman founded Coya Therapeutics in 2021. Dr. Berman has over 18 years of entrepreneurial and industry experie…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Margaret Froh, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). Margaret is also a lawyer by training. The Métis are a distinct Indigenous people recognized in s.35 of Canada’s Constitution. Métis communities have their own shared customs, traditions and collective identities that are rooted in kinship, their speci…

This episode features an interview with Bruce Culleton, MD, CEO, ProKidney, a late clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development of a pioneering cell therapy candidate that aims to transform the treatment landscape for chronic kidney disease. Prior to joining ProKidney in 2023, Dr. Culleton served as Vice President and General Manager a…

In marking National Kidney Month, this episode features an interview with Robert Perkins, MD, Vice President, US Medical Affairs (Renal) at Bayer who spoke about kidney health and diabetes-inflicted chronic kidney disease. National Kidney Month is observed every March in the US to raise awareness about kidney health and promote preventive action. I…

In this featured episode of Xtalks People in Life Sciences, Ayesha spoke with Ashish Jain, Senior Director of Clinical Safety and Pharmacovigilance (PV) at Curis, a pioneering biotech company specializing in cutting-edge cancer therapies. Jain shared his journey into clinical safety and PV, highlighting key milestones along the way. Delving into hi…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Jordyn Playne, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario Youth Council, a group of youth representatives from across Ontario who advocate on behalf of the concerns and interests of Métis youth at the provincial level. Jordyn is also a Clinical Consultant and Trainer at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, as wel…

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, Vice President, Global Head of Marketing, Sight Sciences, about the evolving field of eye care. Sight Sciences is focused on developing and commercializing innovative solutions for eye diseases like glaucoma and dry eye disease to transform care and improve patients’ lives. Among some …

In this episode, Ayesha talked about Rare Disease Day 2024, a global movement held on the last day of February each year that focuses on raising awareness about rare diseases including their impact on patients’ lives. This year, Rare Disease Day falls on February 29, the rarest day in a leap year, making it even more special. Ayesha spoke about how…

This episode features an interview with Amir Reichman, CEO of Scinai Immunotherapeutics, a biopharma company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing cutting-edge biological treatments within the inflammation and immunology (I&I) sector, with a primary focus on addressing autoimmune and infectious diseases. Scinai Immunotherapeutics…

This episode features an interview with Yang Liu, PhD, founder, chairman, CEO and chief scientific officer; and Abid Ansari, MBA, chief financial officer at OncoC4, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for cancer. This includes first-in-class immunotherapy products such as novel antibodies and CAR T-cell…

My guest today is Dr. Leigh Patel who is a transdisciplinary scholar whose research focuses on both the ways schooling delivers inequities and how education can be a tool for liberation. She is the author of Decolonizing Educational Research. We’ll be discussing an essay she published last fall on decolonizing.net. In the second part of the episode…

This episode features an interview with Carlos Doti, MD, Vice President, US Medical Affairs Oncology, AstraZeneca, about new breast cancer treatments. Dr. Doti is a hematologist by training and is passionate about developing treatments that have a real impact for people living with cancer across every aspect of their disease. Dr. Doti has worked in…

Today’s guest is the brilliant Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. We’ll talk about the science behind her recommended “six core design principles” that she calls “culturally responsive brain rules”. Later, I’m joined by my colleague Jerry Maraia for a continued conversation about practical takeaways. *** To lea…

This episode features an interview with Punit Dhillon, Chairman & CEO of Skye Bioscience, a pharmaceutical company developing proprietary molecules to treat diseases involving inflammatory, fibrotic and metabolic conditions. Skye Bioscience is at the forefront of exploring the endocannabinoid system for drug development. Punit brings two decades of…

My guest today is Dr. Leala Holcomb, a researcher of deaf education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who accepted my invitation to teach us all about what true equity and inclusion looks like when supporting deaf children’s language and literacy development. At Dr. Holcomb’s request, I interviewed them in writing via a collaborative onlin…

In this episode, Ayesha talked about some of the trends in the life sciences to watch out for in 2024. From the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools in drug development to medically accurate health wearables, hear about the trends and innovations that will be shaping the life sciences this year. Aye…

This episode features an interview with Ben Sexson, CFA, Co-Founder, CEO, Monogram Orthopedics at Monogram Orthopedics, a company dedicated to revolutionizing orthopedic joint replacement through surgical robotics. Monogram is focused on developing patient-optimized orthopedic implants at scale by linking 3D printing and robotics with advanced pre-…

This episode features an interview with Adam Kaplin, MD, PhD, Cofounder, President and Chief Scientific Officer at MIRA Pharmaceuticals, a preclinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of new molecular synthetic cannabinoid analogs for the treatment of anxiety and cognitive decline typically associated wi…

Hello everyone! So sorry to be away for so long. This mini-episode will give you a quick update on Rite of String, and also points you towards Kevin's side project called SluderMusic. We love you and thank you for all your support. The music in the background of this episode is "No Place Like Home" (Kevin Sluder), available at www.canerivermusic.co…

This episode features an interview with vaccine scientists and executives from Vaccines Global Clinical Development at Merck, Dr. Heather Platt, MD, Distinguished Scientist and Pneumococcal Vaccine Lead; and Dr. Ulrike Buchwald, MD, Scientific Associate Vice President, Global Clinical Research and Pneumococcal Vaccine Section Head. Over the past te…

My guest today is Chris Wenz, researcher and teacher, whose dissertation focused on profiles of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. We begin our conversation with an understanding of the diverse profiles of autistic individuals, and move into a conversation about considerations for literacy assessment and teaching. In the second part of the…

This episode features an interview with Fady Boctor, MBA, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Petros Pharmaceuticals, a Men’s Health pharmaceutical company that aims to develop complementary therapeutics designed for a man’s journey. The company focuses on therapeutics that promote medication adherence, tolerability and preservation of male o…

Karen Harris My guest today is Dr. Karen Harris who joins us to talk about the role of strategy instruction for qualities of good writing such as focus, organization, and detail, as well as strategies for self-regulation. We’ll also discuss a recently-published meta-analysis she coauthored focused on effective professional development for teachers.…

This episode features an interview with Wa'el Hashad, CEO of Longeveron. Hashad discussed Longeveron’s mission and the therapeutic areas the company is investigating. He discussed the mechanism of action of the company’s lead program, Lomecel-B. Lomecel-B is an “allogeneic” (donor-derived) cell therapy product. Lomecel-B is a cellular therapy curre…

My guest today is Dr. Steve Graham, who has, for over 40 years, studied how writing develops, how to teach it effectively, and how writing can be used to support reading and learning. We'll discuss some of his research around reading and writing reciprocity, and we'll learn about writing instructional practices that have the strongest evidence, as …

This episode features an interview with Attorney Temitope (Tope) Leyimu, a toxic exposure attorney at Motley Rice who is leading a lawsuit over hair relaxing products that contain harmful chemicals. Hair relaxing products are used for straightening/smoothening hair and many contain harmful formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasing and other toxic chemic…

Today's guest is none other than THE Dr. P David Pearson. Usually I approach guests with a topic in mind, but because Dr. Pearson had just written on just about every topic there is to write about in the field of literacy education, I asked him what he wanted to discuss. He said: "how to design an ideal literacy block aligned to research." I love t…

This episode features an interview with Dr. Lahar Mehta, Head of Global Clinical Development at Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, who spoke to Xtalks about Amylyx’s clinical trial design of ORION, a Phase III Global Study of AMX0035 (Relyvrio) in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). The company presented details about the trial at the Neuro2023 PSP and CBD …

My guest today is Dr. H. Richard Milner, author of the recent Reading Research Quarterly article titled “Disrupting Racism and Whiteness in Researching a Science of Reading” and the new book The Race Card. We talk about the importance of drawing from a wide range of types of research in designing our literacy classrooms, the multiple literacies we …

In this episode, Ayesha talked about the FDA’s acceptance of AstraZeneca’s supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for a self-administered option of its nasal influenza vaccine FluMist Quadrivalent. While FluMist has been in the market since 2003, AstraZeneca is now seeking FDA authorization for a self-administered option of the vaccine. …