Dose of Discovery

Søren Hough
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  • Life Sciences

Dose of Discovery is BioXconomy's monthly science podcast about the ideas, research, and people shaping modern biomedicine. Hosts AJ and Søren bring their scientific training to make sense of biomedical discovery for listeners. The show brings thoughtful, accessible conversations to subjects that often feel closed off or over-complicated. Each month, they sit down with leading scientists to explore research shaping oligo therapeutics, mRNA technology, and advanced therapies, and more, tracing how those ideas move from research toward real-world impact. For biotech professionals, researchers, and curious listeners, Dose of Discovery offers smart, grounded science conversation with a warm over-coffee feel.  Be sure to check out BioXconomy for more deep-dive conversations about the latest in biomedical research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    ‘Nobody Called’: Katalin Karikó on the mRNA breakthrough that changed medicine

    Decades of curiosity and determination helped Katalin Karikó turn overlooked research into a technology that changed the course of a pandemic. The mRNA pioneer and Nobel laureate joins Søren and AJ to discuss how she navigated demotion and threats of deportation to find peace and joy in the lab. Kati grew up in Hungary before leaving with her family to start a new life in the US – smuggling money hidden in her daughter’s teddy bear as she left. She faced a language barrier and intense career headwinds upon arrival in the States. Then, one day, a serendipitous encounter with Drew Weissman at a photocopier triggered a collaboration that would lead to one of medicine’s biggest breakthroughs and the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Kati talks about rejected grants, losing academic positions, and finding a new home for her research at BioNTech. She reflects on what it was like receiving the phone call confirming the COVID-19 vaccine worked. Søren and AJ reflect on the myriad uses for mRNA tech beyond vaccines and Kati explains why scientists need to get better at talking about what they do to prevent misinformation from filling the gaps. In this episode 04:18 – Explainer: What is mRNA and why does it matter?09:04 – Nourishing a thirst for science in Hungary15:20 – How Kati found her way into RNA research16:53 – Leaving Hungary and starting again in the US24:08 – Facing unemployment and the threat of deportation29:01 – Meeting Drew Weissman at the photocopier36:34 – “Nobody was interested”: when a breakthrough goes unnoticed38:54 – Losing her position at Penn and finding a way forward44:16 – Founding RNARx and the trouble with university patents48:49 – Finding a new home for mRNA research at BioNTech51:03 – The call that confirmed the COVID vaccine worked52:49 – What could mRNA do beyond vaccines? 55:24 – Why scientists need to explain their work60:01 – Being an immigrant and a woman in science63:38 – Learning to handle setbacks and keep going65:46 – Wrap-up and key takeaways71:11 – Season one reflections About the guest Katalin Karikó is a biochemist whose pioneering work with Drew Weissman helped make mRNA vaccines and therapeutics possible. After decades working on the technology in academic labs and later at BioNTech, Kati was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Weissman. She is currently a professor at the University of Szeged and an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper. Read more From not likely to Nobel Prize: mRNA’s rise to fame by Millie Nelson (BioProcess Insider) ‘Absolutely horrified’: Experts reject HHS officials’ disparagement of mRNA technology by Søren Hough Improving parenthood chances with endometrium-targeted mRNA by Millie Hoe AI-designed, bespoke mRNA therapy reduces melanoma recurrence, metastasis, and death by Søren Hough Transcript in the machine: How AI paved the way for customized mRNA cancer treatments by Søren Hough mRNA HIV vaccine clears hurdles in proof-of-concept clinical trials by Søren Hough You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    ‘Nobody Called’: Katalin Karikó on the mRNA breakthrough that changed medicine

  2. Aug 26

    Snail Chemistry: Anne Conibear on how small changes reshape peptide and protein biology

    What can cone snail venom teach us about peptides and new medicines?  Anne Conibear joins Søren and AJ to explain how small chemical changes can affect protein and peptide behavior in the cell. A lockdown project investigating cone snail venom gave Anne the opportunity to explore how these slow-moving predators use potent peptide toxins to paralyze their prey and how small modifications can make those toxins even more effective.  She also discusses how scientists build and study proteins in the lab and how understanding post-translational changes could eventually help develop more targeted medicines. Anne reflects on a career that has taken her from South Africa to Australia and Europe and what she’s learned from working in different research cultures. The discussion moves into the different priorities of academia and industry, how teaching has helped shape Anne’s career, and what the future might hold for peptide medicines. In this episode 02:40 – Explainer: What are peptides and GLP-1s?07:25 – How Anne got into peptide research08:00 – What is NMR?12:57 – The chemical changes that alter how proteins behave16:23 – In the lab: peptides as a tool and subject of study18:43 – Anne’s journey from South Africa to Australia and Europe25:38 – Moving between academia and industry32:06 – Impacting science through teaching33:51 – Wherein lockdown leads to a cone snail venom project36:47 – How chemical changes make snail toxins more potent40:31 – What does HMGN1 do and why study it?44:09 – The effect of post-translational modification on HMGN149:08 – Wrap-up and key takeaways About the guest  Anne Conibear is an assistant professor at the Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien). Her research combines peptide chemistry and structural biology to understand how proteins are modified after they’re made and how those changes affect their behavior. Her work has touched on everything from improving our understanding of cone snail venom to proteins involved in DNA packing in the cell. Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper. Read more Making peptides a ‘staple’ of cancer treatment by Søren Hough (Interview with Peter ‘t Hart, Part 1) AI-designed peptides 'blew minds' of researchers, says professor by Søren Hough (Interview with Peter ‘t Hart, Part 2) The pharma industry finally believes in peptides, says leading professor by Nnenna Ohaka (Interview with David Craik) An academic’s journey into peptide therapeutics by Søren Hough (Interview with Nathalie Grob)  GLP-1s forced industry’s hand on sustainable peptide synthesis, says expert by Søren Hough (Interview with Fernando Albericio about green synthesis) You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Snail Chemistry: Anne Conibear on how small changes reshape peptide and protein biology

  3. Jul 29

    CRISPR’s 'Wild West': Erik Sontheimer on the evolution of genome editing

    CRISPR pioneer Erik Sontheimer joins hosts Søren and AJ to discuss how curiosity-driven research revealed a powerful genome editing technology. Their conversation looks at the landmark research that revealed how CRISPR could target DNA and the scientific discoveries that have turned it into a revolutionary research tool. Erik looks back at the “Wild West” years of early CRISPR research, the unexpected discoveries that pushed the field forward, and his decision to co-found Intellia Therapeutics.  He also explains how genome editing is progressing from so-called “genome vandalism” towards increasingly precise technologies, including base editing, prime editing, and prime assembly, allowing it to move into the clinic. Erik also considers the ethical boundaries of genome editing and the importance of scientists taking part in wider conversations about how these technologies should be used. In this episode 03:38 – Explainer: What is CRISPR?06:36 – The 2008 paper that hinted at CRISPR’s potential10:55 – How Erik started working on CRISPR18:50 – The “Wild West” of early CRISPR research26:57 – Career moves and finding two academic posts32:51 – Co-founding Intellia Therapeutics41:36 – Has CRISPR lived up to the hype?44:38 – From gene cutting to precision editing46:24 – Base editing, prime editing and prime assembly51:05 – The ethics of genome editing56:04 – Wrap-up and key takeaways About the guest Erik Sontheimer is the Pillar Chair in Biomedical Research and Professor at UMass Chan Medical School and Vice Chair of the RNA Therapeutics Institute. His early research helped show CRISPR could target DNA, an important step towards its use as a genome editing tool. He later co-founded Intellia Therapeutics and, alongside his academic work, advises other companies working on new approaches to genome editing. Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper. Read more CRISPR Timeline by the Broad Institute Rewriting the genome with DNA polymerase editing by Søren Hough (Coverage of Erik Sontheimer's work) ‘Jumping genes’ may hold secret to new forms of genome editing by Søren Hough Polymerase editing ‘clicks’ together in trailblazing study by Søren Hough Infant treated with first in vivo CRISPR therapy by Nnenna Ohaka ‘Baby KJ’ CRISPR treatment was just the beginning by Søren Hough Fixing what isn’t broken: CRISPR’s potential to erase biocultural diversity by Søren Hough (CRISPR ethics) The Future of CRISPR Applications in the Lab, the Clinic and Society by Søren Hough & Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (CRISPR ethics) A CRISPR Moratorium Isn't Enough: We Need a Boycott by Søren Hough & Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (CRISPR ethics) Read more at Bioxconomy, sign up to our newsletter, and don’t forget to check out our upcoming events. You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    CRISPR’s 'Wild West': Erik Sontheimer on the evolution of genome editing

  4. Jun 24

    Making the Medicine: Cheng Yi Chen on Scaling Drugs from Lab to Launch

    It may seem obvious, but not all drugs are manufacturable. Getting an exciting new treatment from the lab to patients is only possible if the molecule or substance itself is scalable.  In this episode of Dose of Discovery, hosts Søren and AJ speak to Cheng Yi Chen, chief technology officer at Asymchem, about the chemistry, scaling up, and decision making behind moving a drug from clinical trials to commercial supply. Cheng Yi shares the story of cancer drug adagrasib and the urgent supply challenge he faced at Mirati Therapeutics, when the original process couldn’t generate enough of the drug to support clinical trials. Their conversation then turns to the broader world of process chemistry: how process routes are designed, the regulatory pathways they must follow, and sustainability issues they face. They also discuss flow chemistry, continuous manufacturing, and why CDMOs play such an important role in helping new medicines reach patients – especially when it comes to dealing with regulators. In this episode: 03:48 – Explainer: What are CDMOs?06:50 – Introducing Cheng Yi Chen07:09 – The adagrasib supply challenge at Mirati11:19 – How process chemistry enables clinical progress16:57 – Moving between big pharma, biotech, and CDMOs work27:06 – Peptides, oligos, and the rise of TIDES manufacturing30:44 – Green chemistry, solvents, and cost-effective production36:56 – Flow chemistry and continuous manufacturing44:50 – Creating a manufacturing story for regulators39:48 – China’s growing role in biotech innovation47:57 – Wrap-up and key takeaways About the guest Cheng Yi Chen is the chief technology officer at Asymchem. He has held senior process chemistry and drug development roles across Merck, Janssen, Mirati Therapeutics, and Bristol Myers Squibb. His work focuses on developing and manufacturing drug substances and products at scale. Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper. LINKS: GLP-1s forced industry’s hand on sustainable peptide synthesis, says expert by Søren Hough (Interview with Fernando Albericio)  Enzymes open the door for simpler, more efficient oligo therapeutic synthesis by Søren Hough Adaptable manufacturing platforms enable in vivo mRNA-LNP delivery by Søren Hough Industry pioneers solve the ‘three-body problem’ of RNA synthesis by Søren Hough Eli Lilly’s Michael Kopach says retatrutide leads in obesity treatment and CMC innovation by Søren Hough Read more at Bioxconomy, sign up to our newsletter, and don’t forget to check out our upcoming events. You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Making the Medicine: Cheng Yi Chen on Scaling Drugs from Lab to Launch

  5. May 27

    Genetic Mechanic: Stanley Crooke on Fixing Nano-Rare Disease with Oligos

    In this episode of Dose of Discovery, hosts Søren and AJ speak to physician-scientist Stanley Crooke, CEO of the nonprofit n-Lorem Foundation, about how antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology has evolved into a revolutionary therapeutic modality. Their conversation explores Stan's expansive career journey, from his early days building cancer programs at Bristol Labs and SmithKline to his bold decision to launch Ionis in 1989 when the industry doubted ASO technology. Stan discusses the emotional rollercoaster of biotech drug development, the inefficiencies of traditional small molecule discovery, and what led him to establish the n-Lorem Foundation. He shares how the regulatory frontiers of treating nano-rare genetic conditions “for free, for life” are changing rapidly and why innovations like patient-derived stem cells are driving drug development forward, one patient at a time. In this episode: 03:41 – Explainer: What are ASOs?06:50 – Stanley Crooke’s journey and his journey into biomedicine10:31 – Frustrations with big pharma, founding Ionis15:05 – Trailblazing on ASO medicinal chemistry19:33 – Building company culture amid clinical failure22:56 – Spinraza (nusinersen) and the economics of drug pricing28:08 – Launching the n-Lorem Foundation for nano-rare diseases30:57 – “Free for life” ASO therapies36:55 – Impact on n-Lorem’s patients39:36 – “Everything we thought we knew about developmental delay is wrong.”34:58 – Redefining traditional diseases n-of-1 trial success26:12 – “Just tell me what the cause is. I'll fix it.”37:22 – 90% success rate for n-of-1 work45:08 – Moving beyond animal models with patient-derived iPSCs52:23 – Biology is shifting industry toward platforms55:55 – Wrap up and key takeaways About the guest Physician-scientist Stanley Crooke, founder of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, and founder, chairman, and CEO of the n-Lorem Foundation. Widely regarded as a pioneer of antisense medicine, he helped lead the development and commercialization of the first approved ASO therapies. Today, his work through nonprofit organization the n-Lorem Foundation focuses on creating and providing bespoke ASO treatments to patients suffering from nano-rare genetic conditions (affecting fewer than 30 people worldwide) for free, for life. Crooke studied pharmacy at Butler University and went on to earn his MD and PhD at Baylor College of Medicine. https://www.nlorem.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Stanley-T.-Crooke-M.D.-Ph.D.-Bio.pdf Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper. LINKS: Kinds of KANDness: Battling nano-rare disease with oligos by Søren Hough Therapeutic oligos for no profit: A discussion with n-Lorem by Søren Hough ‘For free, for life’: n-Lorem carves path for bespoke treatment by Søren Hough Deep brain penetration by oligos enables Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s treatment by Søren Hough (ASO treatment for neurodegeneration) Oligo-based therapies lead charge against prion disease by Nnenna Ohaka (Getting ASOs into the brain) Phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide induced innate immune activation is attenuated by tryptophan oxidation products (Making safe ASOs by Crooke and colleagues) Establishing a commercial solution for extremely rare genetic diseases (Commercializing ASOs for rare disease by Crooke & Lo) Read more at Bioxconomy, sign up to our newsletter, and don’t forget to check out our upcoming events. You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Genetic Mechanic: Stanley Crooke on Fixing Nano-Rare Disease with Oligos

  6. Apr 22

    Serendipity and siRNA: Julia Alterman on Expanding RNA Therapeutics

    Welcome to Dose of Discovery: a dose of breakthrough medical discoveries, delivered with your morning coffee. (Coffee not included.) In this first episode, hosts AJ and Søren speak to Julia Alterman, assistant professor at the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Chan Medical School, about how siRNA technology has evolved from a useful laboratory research tool into a promising therapeutic modality. Their conversation explores innovations in siRNA chemistry and how these changes have enabled researchers to craft potent siRNA drugs. Julia talks about her unlikely beginnings as a theater major before finding her way into biology – eventually leading her into the biotech industry and academia. Along the way, she discusses the challenges of delivering siRNAs beyond the liver into harder-to-reach tissues such as the brain and muscle, and the serendipitous discovery that helped launch Atalanta Therapeutics. In this episode: 04:23 – Explainer: What are siRNAs?08:42 – Meet Julia Alterman12:39 – Julia’s history in industry16:33 – UMass and a PhD pivot18:28 – siRNAs versus ASOs21:39 – siRNAs versus CRISPR28:33 – A serendipitous breakthrough38:02 – Baby steps and big leaps42:10 – Stability and the therapeutic window46:27 – The importance of strong science communication50:55 – Scientists and VC funding54:28 – Wrap up and reflections About the guest Julia Alterman is an assistant professor at the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Chan Medical School, where she develops new siRNA therapies for genetically defined diseases. Her work spans RNA chemistry, delivery, and pharmacology. Her earlier research into siRNA scaffold was licensed to Atalanta Therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. https://www.umassmed.edu/khvorovalab/People/faculty/Julia-Alterman/ Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper. LINKS: RNA Fact Sheet from the National Human Genome Research Institute BioXconomy’s coverage of the Alterman and Khvorova labs: "siRNA backbone modifications boost therapeutic potential, study finds" by Nnenna Ohaka (Exploration of exNA) "Cutting-edge siRNA therapy improves ALS symptoms, survival in mice" by Søren Hough (Exploration of divalent siRNAs) "Long-lasting siRNAs could help cancer patients and older people resist muscle loss" by Søren Hough (Including a photo of a Belgian blue cow) "Oligo-based therapies lead charge against prion disease" by Nnenna Ohaka Read more at Bioxconomy, sign up to our newsletter, and don’t forget to check out our upcoming events. You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Serendipity and siRNA: Julia Alterman on Expanding RNA Therapeutics

  7. Season 1 Trailer

    Dose of Discovery - Trailer

    Dose of Discovery is a monthly science podcast about the people, ideas, and challenges shaping modern biomedicine. Tune in as hosts Søren and AJ have thoughtful, accessible conversations with leading scientists about complex subjects, following emerging therapeutics as they move from research to real-world impact. Dose of Discovery — BioXconomy’s flagship podcast — is for biotech professionals, researchers, and curious listeners alike. Subscribe now for your regular dose of breakthrough medical discoveries delivered with your morning coffee. (Coffee not included). Read more at BioXconomy: https://bioxconomy.com/ Check out our upcoming events: https://www.bioxconomy.com/events 7898c6b0-4922-11f1-be3b-27c072cdfbe0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Dose of Discovery - Trailer
  • 1 Trailer
    6 Episodes

Trailer

About

Dose of Discovery is BioXconomy's monthly science podcast about the ideas, research, and people shaping modern biomedicine. Hosts AJ and Søren bring their scientific training to make sense of biomedical discovery for listeners. The show brings thoughtful, accessible conversations to subjects that often feel closed off or over-complicated. Each month, they sit down with leading scientists to explore research shaping oligo therapeutics, mRNA technology, and advanced therapies, and more, tracing how those ideas move from research toward real-world impact. For biotech professionals, researchers, and curious listeners, Dose of Discovery offers smart, grounded science conversation with a warm over-coffee feel.  Be sure to check out BioXconomy for more deep-dive conversations about the latest in biomedical research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Søren Hough
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Informa PLC
  • Show Website
    Dose of Discovery

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