Advertise on podcast: Penn Undergraduate Biotech Society (PUBS) Podcast

In this episode, Adarsh Ramamurthy talks with Bruce Levine PhD, Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In this unique sit down, Dr. Levine discusses his path into research, emerging trends and what the future holds for immunotherapy as a treatment modality and closes with his guidance and advice for younger scientists entering any field.

In this episode, Abby Joseph sits down with Dr. Terry Bray. Dr Brady serves as Executive Director of Licensing for Physical Sciences & Engineering at the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI). With over 30 years spanning academia and industry, Dr. Bray brings a rare view of technology deals from both the inventor and the licensing side. In this episode, we dig into the mechanics of technology licensing—structuring and negotiating agreements, building diligence and performance milestones that move projects forward, and more. Together, we’ll learn about Dr. Bray’s path into tech transfer and practical advice for how students can prepare for industry now. Edited by Abby Joseph and Divyash Shah

In this episode, Mary Zawalick sits down with Dr. Jonathan Steckbeck to discuss how he entered the biotechnology industry and created his company, Peptilogics. Peptilogics has gained popularity recently for their development of a peptide therapy for Periprosthetic Joint Infections (PJI). Steckbeck talks about the current projects his team is working on, the challenges of running a biotech company, and the future of the biotech industry as a whole. The episode concludes with advice for listeners who are interested in biotech and are looking to create their own startup.

Today, undergradute Abby Joseph sit down with Dr. Tomas Isakowitz from the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) which helps researchers at Penn move their discoveries out of the lab and into the real world through startups, licensing, and entrepreneurship programs. Listen in to learn about what it really takes to turn research into real-world impact, lessons learned from working with over 150 startup teams, and advice for students who want to explore innovation and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, postdoctoral researcher Dr. Mallory Evanoff sits down with University of Pennsylvania student Mary Zawalick to discuss her current research with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology at the University of California, San Diego. She discusses her specific research focuses and how they can be applied clinically to cure genetic diseases. She will also provide insights into how she became a postdoctoral researcher, explain different careers in science, and give advice to young students who hope to research in the future.

In this episode, we invite Dr David Schlesinger to speak with Lara Mizne about his experience as co-founder and CEO of Mendelics, the largest genomics lab in Latin America, exploring how it functions on a day-to-day basis, its growth over the past decade, and the impact of AI: both on the lab itself as well as on medicine as a whole.

In this podcast, Columbia University graduate student Sophia Windemuth sits down with Mary Zawalick and explains her journey in biomedical engineering, as well as how she became interested in this field of research. After completing her undergraduate degrees in BME and computer science at Cornell, she is now researching how bacteria can be genetically modified to target and cure glioblastomas. We will discuss her current research, how she chose to embark on this project, and advice for young scientists looking to learn more about biomedical engineering.

In this episode, Neil Tangal and Dr. Christoph Thaiss, Assistant Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, sit and discuss the idea of the microbiome as a switchboard for the human body. Dr. Thaiss talks about his work exploring gut-brain signaling and interoception, as well as Spyridon Biotechnology, his new startup. Potential therapeutics are discussed, where this gut-brain axis could be used in widespread applications such as obesity and addiction. Thaiss then emphasizes the need for whole body research as opposed to more niche specializations.

In this episode, Jason Fang, an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, sits down with Dr. Nicholas Balderston, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine, to explore the science behind Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and its role in modern psychiatry. Dr. Balderston talks about his career path, from his early research interests to his ongoing work studying brain stimulation and anxiety disorders. They discuss how TMS compares to traditional treatments, the evolving landscape of psychiatric research, and what it could mean for the future of mental health care.

In an age of such rapid innovation, we are often so wrapped up in excitement for new science and flashy discoveries that we forget the implications of the technology itself and whom it affects: stakeholders, end users, and all those involved in its creation.    Dr. Brit Shields is a senior lecturer of Bioengineering and leader of the University of Pennsylvania’s Engineering Ethics Initiative. In this episode, Claire Kang and Dr. Shields discuss her engineering ethics curricula for the Bioengineering course sequence, as well as the importance of educating young scientists that they must think on a larger moral and societal scale when creating technology.  

In this episode, the CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Mr. Kevin Mahoney, sits down with undergraduate Divyash Shah to discuss his unique position in controlling one of the largest health systems nationally. While discussing the responsibilities he holds, he also discusses the effort required to create a health care system that promotes innovation and translational research while also ensuring healthcare equality. In the conversation, Mahoney describes his vision for his health system and hospitals nationally as he aims to make changes that will inspire others to follow his footsteps.

In this episode, Siddharth Adda and Dr. Sampath Rangasamy, Research Associate Professor at the Translational Genomics Research Institute sit down to discuss his journey researching therapeutics for diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Rangasamy, a lifelong Type-I diabetic, reveals how the disease motivated him to conduct research on angiopoietin-2, and contribute towards a potential therapeutic.

In this episode, Risa Garg speaks with distinguished virologist, lead scientist, and entrepreneur Dr. Rupsa Basu. Dr. Basu has a deep passion for exploring the intersections of science, business, and advocacy. In addition to her groundbreaking research at Humane Genomics, she is deeply committed to advancing women's leadership. She serves as the Director at Large and Regional Vice President for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) New York Chapter, where she focuses on expanding communications and building relationships among women leaders in the industry.

In this episode, Catherine Tang and Dr. Ravi Parikh, the Director of the Human-Algorithm Collaboration Lab at Perelman School of Medicine, discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI in medicine and offer potential policy solutions. 

In this episode, pediatric hematologist-oncologist Dr. Anjulika Chawla sits down with undergraduate Anisa Sharma to discuss her journey combatting sickle cell anemia through both clinical and biotech approaches. While practicing at Brown University, Chawla also leads sickle cell clinical research at bluebird bio, a Cambridge-based biotech developing gene therapies. The company’s therapy for sickle cell anemia received FDA approval this past year in December. Chawla addresses her experience shifting her focus from treating patients directly to overseeing medical research at bluebird. She also considers bluebird’s future in further improving their therapy’s impact.