Impulse - Meeting Healthcare Pioneers Mathieu Chaffard

Because of ethical and medical challenges, early human embryo development remains “a black box” to us, as Prof. Jacob Hanna himself puts it.
Despite all the progress made in medicine over the past decades, there is still a whole lot to learn about the causes of miscarriages, infertility, or early developmental defects.
In 2023, Jacob’s group from the Weizmann Institute of Science published a pivotal paper in Nature that redefines how we study developmental biology, with the potential to accelerate our understanding of early human life.
Their achievement?
The creation of the first synthetic embryo model closely resembling a day-14 fetus, obtained “ex utero” without gametes and outside a womb.
A human embryo model derived from “naive” stem cells in the lab, which can be obtained from “adult” cells that make up our body (like skin cells for instance). A technology that could generate embryo models of ourselves based on a simple cell sample.
This work had an unprecedented impact on the scientific community and the general public, being named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 best inventions of 2023.
A breakthrough that raises important ethical, technical, and legal questions.
I had the honor of meeting Jacob for this episode of Impulse, with whom we discuss the functioning of this fascinating technology, its potential medical applications in the future, and the key societal questions it raises.
A conversation where we dive into the magic of human development, with a stellar scientist and advocate for responsible scientific research!

Timeline:

(00:02:58) - Jacob’s journey from his medical practice to studying developmental biology

(00:06:09) - Why we know so little about early human development

(00:08:45) - Jacob’s lab breakthrough in modeling human embryos

(00:16:20) - Reprogramming cells to their “naïve” state

(00:18:09) - Dealing with your research being put under the spotlight

(00:20:02) - The “recipe” to create human embryo models without gametes and outside a womb

(00:27:22) - Ethical considerations and how far we can go with this technology

(00:35:15) - Potential medical applications for the future

(00:38:05) - Jacob’s role as an adviser to the startup Renewal Bio


What we also talked about with Jacob:


Prof. Shinya Yamanaka (2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Prof. John Gurdon)

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)

Embryonic stem cells

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)

Taledomide


We cited with Jacob some of the past episodes of the series::
#23 - Disrupting the smart wearables industry - Leo Grünstein - Spiden

As mentioned by Jacob during the episode, we recommend the book “The Master Builder” by Prof. Alfonso Martinez Arias, challenging the traditional thinking where cells (and not DNA) may hold the key to understanding life’s past and present.
Feel free to follow the Weizmann Institute of Science on LinkedIn.
You can contact Jacob via email and follow his activities on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook!
If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email!
And if you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏
There’s now a bi-monthly newsletter around the podcast where you will be informed of the latest episodes and kept posted on the latest medical tech progress, subscribe here!
Lastly, don’t forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!

To discover the whole episode type "#28 - Modeling embryos to understand early life - Jacob Hanna - Weizmann Institute of Science" on your streaming platform.

We are at a turning point for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and neurotechnology.
We have all witnessed phenomenal progress in this field recently via images shared by Neuralink, showing paralyzed patients who can communicate with a computer through their own thoughts. Other fascinating applications, such as those being worked on by Gregoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch, enable paraplegics to regain an unprecedented degree of walking mobility.
These advancements are mind-blowing and illustrate the potential of these technologies to address conditions that have a major impact on quality of life.
What if we were to enhance the physical properties of these implants while making them more accessible in terms of costs to health systems? Where could this paradigm shift take us, and what prospects could it open up for treating complex neurological disorders?
This is what we explore in this episode with Carolina Aguilar, CEO of Inbrain Neuroelectronics, a company developing a cutting-edge neural platform based on graphene, promising to change the way we decode, modulate, and stimulate neuronal activity.
We talk with Carolina about:

How Inbrain Neuroelectronics' technology enhances the resolution of BCIs and their therapeutic potential

The stakes around BCIs and their promise in treating serious neurological disorders

The importance of focusing their development around therapeutic indications vs. aiming for human augmentation

The commercialization of these solutions through a value-based care approach and key success factors

Empowering women in science and business


An outlook on the future of brain therapies that bridges the gap between reality and science fiction!

Timeline:
(00:03:22) - Explaining Inbrain Neuroelectronics’ neural platform
(00:07:32) - The medical need for BCIs and the first indications targeted by Inbrain Neuroelectronics
(00:18:46) - Risks around BCIs and ethical considerations for the field to head in the right direction
(00:26:17) - Toward value-based commercial models for BCIs
(00:29:40) - Transitioning from Medtronic to an early-stage Medtech startup
(00:33:29) - Empowering women in science and business

What we also talked about with Carolina:

Neuralink

Elon Musk

Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation

Medtronic

ONWARD Medical

Precision Neuroscience

Paradromics

Synchron

Neurosoft Bioelectronics


We cited with Carolina some of the past episodes from the series:
#6 - Bringing back walking to paraplegics - Jocelyne Bloch - .NeuroRestore

As mentioned by Carolina during the episode, you can access Inbrain Neuroelectronics’ publications here and learn more about their ongoing research and therapy development efforts. You can listen to the Neurotech Pub podcast hosted by Matt Angle here.
Feel free to follow Inbrain Neuroelectronics activities on LinkedIn.
If you want to contact Carolina, you can reach out to her over LinkedIn.
If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email at mathieu@impulsepodcast.com!
If you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏
There’s now a monthly newsletter around the podcast where you will be informed of the latest episodes and updated on the latest medical tech progress, subscribe here!
Lastly, don’t forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!

To discover the whole episode type "#27 - Reinventing neuroelectronic therapies - Carolina Aguilar - Inbrain Neuroelectronics" on your streaming platform.

Many of us struggle with allergies, usually something we’ve been dealing with our whole life, either continuously or episodically.
Be it related to food, pollen, dust, pets, or many others, it’s quite a pain and it can take us away from many things we appreciate in life. And I deliberately include myself in this group.
Somehow it was engraved in my brain as a condition one needs to cope with, without much opportunity for improvement.
It turns out companies like Nectar Life Sciences are redefining the way we detect and treat allergies from the comfort of our homes.
Based on the latest science in this field, and backed by his extensive experience in consumer healthcare, Kenneth Chahine and his team are transforming the experience of allergy care for patients, offering a convenient and personalized approach to it.
In this revealing episode, we talk with Kenneth about:

The inconvenience of past approaches to allergy detection and treatment

How allergy immunotherapy works and can be delivered through a few drops delivered to the tongue

How Nectar Life Sciences enables personalized allergy immunotherapy for patients

The transformative power of preventing acute allergic shocks

Lessons learned from a serial healthcare entrepreneur at the interface of genetics, biochemistry, and intellectual property


A conversation with a tireless figure in healthcare entrepreneurship, shedding light on one of the largest chronic conditions globally and how it can be tackled in a modern way!

Timeline:

02:28 - Kenneth’s background at the interface of genetics, biochemistry and intellectual property

04:14 - The global burden of allergies as a chronic condition

05:53 - Origins of allergies

07:49 - Immunotherapy or how to train your immune system to be desensitized to allergens

09:43 - Detecting which allergens you are sensitive to

11:17 - How Nectar Life Sciences approaches allergy treatment

22:11 - Kenneth’s mindset toward solving complex healthcare challenges in new ways

26:01 - Opportunities beyond allergy care

32:16 - Kenneth’s advice to fellow healthcare entrepreneurs


What we also talked about with Kenneth:

Avigen

Ancestry

Anaphylaxis

Neurimmune

University of Utah


We cited with Kenneth some of the past episodes from the series:
15 - Propelling diagnostics through miniaturization - Nicolas Durand - Abionic

As mentioned by Kenneth during the episode, you can access Nectar Life Sciences’ Learning Hub here and learn more about Prof. Edwin H. Kim’s research there.
Feel free to follow Nectar Life Sciences activities on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!
If you want to contact Kenneth, you can reach out to him over LinkedIn.
If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email at mathieu@impulsepodcast.com!
If you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏
There’s now a monthly newsletter around the podcast where you will be informed of the latest episodes and updated on the latest medical tech progress, subscribe here!
Lastly, don’t forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!

To discover the whole episode type "#26 - Redefining allergy care - Kenneth Chahine - Nectar Life Sciences" on your streaming platform.