SKRAPS Studio

•

Channel • 2 Shows

Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated 03/12/2025
Documentary

Documentary

Updated 12/21/2021

03/12/2025

And then came the microelectrode...!

How do we even know what constitutes the heart beat? What was the reason for all those abnormal rhythms of the heart? Why does it happen? The answer lies in the small, cylindrical glass tube called the micropipetter, which was used to create a microelectrode. Here it is, on how the microelectrode changed the face of cardiology. SKRAPS is your podcast, where we on your behalf explores unsaid, underappreciated and sometimes, untold stories of sparks of brilliance in science, technology and innovation. Show Credits Created & Produced by: Arun Sridhar Social Media: Twitter: @skrappyscienceWhatsapp Channel for announcementsInstagram Profile: FibrillatorySkraps If you like to help us with our production costs, you can visit HERE

03/12/2025

•

18 min
09/29/2021

Episode 2: Mescaline: The OG of Psychedelics

Peyote crosses the border and causes a riot. Drug companies want their taste, and psychedelics reach the social elite. What could possibly go wrong? In episode two of PsychedeRx, Peyote comes north to the good old US of A. And it’s not just for religious ceremonies anymore, either. Spanish conquistadors and European explorers, seeking to dominate the indigenous tribes, used Peyote to show force by banning its use and denying the tribes their spiritual practices. And we all know what happens when prohibitions are imposed - the use doesn’t stop, it just gets moved underground. James Mooney, an ethnographer dispatched by the Smithsonian Institute, is one of our best resources for this era. He committed to his diary first-hand accounts of the use of and backlash against peyote in tribal rituals. As Peyote moved north, albeit underground, it became the catalyst for a series of events that were bloodier than an episode of Dexter. Wovoka and the Ghost Dance were the turning point. The execution of Sitting Bull led to the massacre at Wounded Knee - and it was all over peyote and freedom of religion - ain’t that an ironic twist? Episode two also sheds light on the earliest interventions of the drug companies like Merck and Parke-Davis and their part in our little psychedelic drama. Arthur Heffter separates the resins from the alkaloids and isolates the first real information on dosing. We get a close-up look at how the psychiatrists and psychologists got involved - where they got it right, and where they got it all wrong. Psychedelics also make their way into the world of the social elites through folks like Aldous Huxley and Ken Kesey. We’ll close out this week with our first peek at LSD. So remember to “Turn on, tune in, and drop out.” This documentary series is made possible by our kind donors. Kindly help us by donating to our cause of disseminating factual stories of science, scientists and innovations at https://skrapspodcast.com/donate/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

09/29/2021

•

1h 1m
10/22/2022

Why did Merck KGaA venture into Bioelectronics? - Candid Question in Bioelectronic Medicines (Part 1)

At SKRAPS, we are always looking to get behind the veil of the happenings in the field. We want to go beyond the facade of the news headlines. In recognition of this, we are now reading the slug for part 1 of candid conversations or plainly put - “Cutting through the crap in Bioelectronics”. So, we are joining Dr. Robert Spoelgen, Head of Bioelectronics at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, 🇩🇪 (They are very particular about this as Merck and Merck KGaA are two separate entities) about their entry, reason, strategy, tactics and thoughts. All references in this episode is to Merck KGaA. SKRAPS is your podcast, where we on your behalf explores unsaid, underappreciated and sometimes, untold stories of sparks of brilliance in science, technology and innovation. Show Credits Created & Produced by: Arun Sridhar & JoJo PlattEditing: Arun SridharSound design: Arun Sridhar & Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandamSound mixing and mastering: Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandam Social Media: Twitter: @PodcastSkrapsLinkedIn: SKRAPSArun's Twitter FeedJoJo's Twitter Feed You can help us fund the production costs by donating as little as $5 or £5 or in any currency of your choice as a one time or a recurring payment HERE

10/22/2022

•

44 min
06/15/2021

#PsychedeRx Episode 5: Basic Pharmacology of Psychedelics

We’ve spent some time already on the definition of psychedelic - and we’ll spend more time before this series is over. But, Skraps is a podcast whose roots are run deep in the sciences, we couldn’t ignore the topic of the basic pharmacology of psychedelics. This episode is a primer for citizen scientists and holds some intriguing information for the bonafide scientists among us. As always, we don’t just deliver science, we are going to start with core science and intertwine the stories of the people who made the discoveries - ultimately ending with an understanding of how psychedelics work. We’ll feature the work of Dr. Joanna Neill, a pharmacologist and Chair of the Psychedelics Working Group for Drug Science UK. Dr. Bryan Roth also joins us; Bryan is a professor of pharmacology at the University of North Carolina studying psychedelics with a pretty serious DARPA grant. For a special treat, you’ll get to hear JoJo absolutely butcher some basic biology and pharmacology terms. Please DM Arun and let him know that you’d like to get the bonus out-takes of PsychedeRx.

06/15/2021

•

1h 29m
02/09/2021

S2 E4: The Room Where It Happens with Juan-Pablo Mas

"Two Virginians and an immigrant walk into a room "Diametrically opposed Foes "They emerge with a compromise Having open doors that were previously closed Bros "The immigrant emerges with unprecedented financial power A system he can shape however he wants The Virginians emerge with the nation's capital And here's the pièce de résistance "No one else was in the room where it happened..." Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton" may be dark on Broadway for now, but his light is shining brightly in people like Juan-Pablo Mas, a founding partner of Action Potential Venture Capital and founding board member of LatinxVC. Arun and JoJo speak with Juan-Pablo about each of the portfolio companies funded by APVC (Axon Therapies, Cala Health, CVRx, EXO, Neuspera, Presidio Medical, Saluda Medical, and SetPoint Medical) and then dive head-long into what it's like to be a Puerto Rican American influencing the future of medicine, exploring what it took to get there, and what he'll do now that he as arrived. Answer: He's not just talking about it - "Hire someone, mentor someone, spotlight someone." Check. Check. Check.

02/09/2021

•

1h 5m
10/03/2022

It's time for DANC - “Dynamic ANC (Active "Nerve” Cancellation)”

Julia Child was a master. She was not a classically trained chef, but pursued cooking as a hobby. Her super power? Passion. A passion for making gastronomy accessible, to deliver an honest and attainable presentation, and she possessed a pure, unadulterated joy for her craft. While Michael Ackermann isn’t a neurotechnolgy hobbyist, he does share other qualities with the inimitable Child. He brings a passion for neurotechnology, mixes it with technical expertise picked up at Case Western Reserve University, panache earned through his time at Stanford BioDesign, and pairs it with an excellent vintage of management style. Hungry yet? We thought you might be. Ackermann was actually one of our early targets for an interview on Skraps. Perhaps it was his humility and desire to keep the focus on the science instead of the personalities that caused him to decline our first plea invitation to record with us, but maybe as we grew in our professionalism and track record, Michael became just a tiny bit more comfortable with the idea. But he did it. We did it. We finally got him on the podcast. I promise, it’s worth the wait. Listen on for the behind the science peek at Ackermann’s time in the BioDesign Program, check in as he deftly maneuvers Oculeve to success, and check out what’s happening now at Presidio Medical and beyond. Who knows what’s next? Perhaps a chocolate soufflé for his wife’s recent birthday (I know this because he was unable to join the Cleveland NeuroDesign faculty in person.) Bon appétit! Papers of interest: Presidio's published research Michael Ackermann's Patents on Nerve Block SKRAPS is your podcast, where we on your behalf explores unsaid, underappreciated and sometimes, untold stories of sparks of brilliance in science, technology and innovation. Show Credits Created & Produced by: Arun Sridhar & JoJo PlattEditing: Arun SridharSound design: Arun Sridhar & Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandamSound mixing and mastering: Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandam Social Media: Twitter: @PodcastSkrapsLinkedIn: SKRAPSArun's Twitter FeedJoJo's Twitter Feed You can help us fund the production costs by donating as little as $5 or £5 or in any currency of your choice as a one time or a recurring payment HERE

10/03/2022

•

1h 11m
02/16/2021

S2 E5: The Fit and the Furious - TK Kozai from lab life to "Oh, no he didn't..."

TK Kozai is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. You can check out his prolific research publications here, but don't miss out on the story behind the investigator as we take on the peer-review process, lab culture and contracts (get that heart rate up!), being an outsider to both of your own cultures, sleep and exercise, and InequalityInSTEM (which his wife aptly points out should be STEAM!) an effort driven by Dawn Taylor that TK whole-heartedly endorses. Believe me when I tell you, you'll understand the "Oh, no he didn't" when you hear this episode of SKRAPS.

02/16/2021

•

44 min
02/15/2025

R.I.P ... CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service

This story was inspired by the post on X by Dr. Farsad Mostashari. Center for Disease Control has been at the forefront of many of the alerts (true and false) and now it's officially gone... This is a sombre take on what has happened. SKRAPS is your podcast, where we on your behalf explores unsaid, underappreciated and sometimes, untold stories of sparks of brilliance in science, technology and innovation. Show Credits Created & Produced by: Arun Sridhar & JoJo PlattEditing: Arun SridharSound design: Arun Sridhar & Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandamSound mixing and mastering: Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandam Social Media: Twitter: @PodcastSkrapsLinkedIn: SKRAPSArun's Twitter FeedJoJo's Twitter Feed You can help us fund the production costs by donating as little as $5 or £5 or in any currency of your choice as a one time or a recurring payment HERE

02/15/2025

•

14 min
02/24/2025

Sudor Anglicus: The English Sweating Sickness

What connects Tudor England, Ann Boleyn, Henry the VIII, autonomic nervous system and a flash mob like wave of a deadly disease? There is only way to find out. Inspired by this paper and Dr. Ali Christy's X thread. SKRAPS is your podcast, where we on your behalf explores unsaid, underappreciated and sometimes, untold stories of sparks of brilliance in science, technology and innovation. Created & Produced by: Arun Sridhar You can help us fund the production costs by donating as a one time or a recurring payment HERE

02/24/2025

•

23 min
05/04/2022

S4 E7: Investing (exclusively!!) in Bioelectronic Medicines

We are joined by Imran Eba of GlaxoSmithKline's Bioelectronic Medicine fund - Action Potential Venture Capital to talk about investing in Bioelectronic Medicines. APV is the only fund that invests exclusively in bioelectronic medicines - and they've been here since the beginning. This leads to the ongoing question: what is and what is not a bioelectronic medicine (hear all three answers.) After we get through the personal grooming habits of the hosts and our guest as well as the obligatory cricket references (it's hard to put JoJo on her heels in professional sports parlance - but Arun and Imran manage to keep her quiet for a record time) we launch into a casual conversation about what's happening in neurotech investing. We talk about the trials and tribulations of how the world perceives Bioelectronic Medicines, what it should be, and what the reality is. Generously, Imran also shares with us some insights that every investigator, inventor, and investor should consider when preparing to raise funds in the field of neurotechnology, wait, no - BCIs, no -neuromodulation, gah - I mean... bioelectronic medicine. And if you are looking for the framework for Bioelectronic Medicine that we discuss, you can get it here. Special thanks to our sound engineer, Mr. Swaminathan ThiruGnanaSambandam for his artsy work on audio mixing/mastering and sound design for this episode. Special thanks to our sponsors, CorTec Neuro & Cirtec Medical. Podchaser: 6xQc3dDQaIFab7JcLAab

05/04/2022

•

1h 19m

SKRAPS Studio explores the stories sparks of scientific brilliance in science and innovation through its interview based podcast (SKRAPS Podcast) and its scripted narrative audio documentary series.

Website

SKRAPS Studio

Top Shows

And then came the microelectrode...!

Episode 2: Mescaline: The OG of Psychedelics

Why did Merck KGaA venture into Bioelectronics? - Candid Question in Bioelectronic Medicines (Part 1)

#PsychedeRx Episode 5: Basic Pharmacology of Psychedelics

S2 E4: The Room Where It Happens with Juan-Pablo Mas

It's time for DANC - “Dynamic ANC (Active "Nerve” Cancellation)”

S2 E5: The Fit and the Furious - TK Kozai from lab life to "Oh, no he didn't..."

R.I.P ... CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service

Sudor Anglicus: The English Sweating Sickness

S4 E7: Investing (exclusively!!) in Bioelectronic Medicines

About

SKRAPS Studio

Top Shows

Top Episodes

About