I AM BIO – Details, episodes & analysis

The gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, plays a crucial role in our health. However, there is still much to learn about this complex ecosystem. On this episode we talk with experts who tell us where the science is—how much we know, and how much we don’t. Two companies, Bloom Science and Seres Therapeutics, are leveraging the microbiome to develop new therapeutics. The potential of the microbiome is vast, and further research and technological advancements will continue to unlock its benefits.

2023 ended with an exciting biotech breakthrough for sickle cell patients. A gene-editing therapy using the revolutionary CRISPR technology provides new hope and options for the nearly 100,000 Americans with sickle cell disease. In this episode, we talk with the company behind one of the life-changing therapies, CASGEVY, and speak with two advocates for sickle cell patients. 

For biotech companies, the valley of death describes the difficult path from initial discovery to FDA approval and commercialization. It's a treacherous journey—one that even promising innovations often don't complete. Adequate funding, regulatory hurdles and the immense complexity of the biotech landscape are among the never-ending challenges faced by early stage biotechs. In this episode we talk with two biotech executives about what it’s like to struggle and survive in this rough-and-tumble industry.  

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The physician-wife of Roivant Sciences CEO Vivek Ramaswamy rushed back to the front lines at the pandemic’s peak — less than a month after giving birth to the couple’s first son. Meanwhile, dad cared for their newborn while testing a promising therapeutic that seeks to overcome deadly cytokine storms caused by the novel coronavirus. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.

By studying our earliest evolutionary ancestors in the ocean, marine biotech researchers are gaining fresh insights about everything from anti-virals to coronavirus nasal swab testing to the inner workings of our adaptive immune systems. Learn what sea sponges, lugworms and sharks can teach us about improving human health during this crisis. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.

How can global nonprofits like the Center for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) deliver a safe and effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus in just 12 to 18 months when the world record for vaccine approval is four years? CEPI CEO Richard Hatchett, a 9/11 hero, says it’s all about smart planning. By the time governments give the green light on the safety and efficacy of a covid vaccine, manufacturer capacity will be pre-scaled up and able to quickly churn out doses by the tens or hundreds of millions. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.

The people of Iceland — a country of 360,000 — eagerly volunteered for genetic research on how the coronavirus affects a homogeneous population. Amgen’s work in the Land of Fire and here at home could deliver answers and antibodies to help mitigate the pandemic threat. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.

Modernity is plowing new frontiers, bringing us closer to exotic wildlife rich in viruses that our immune systems have not evolved to fight. Preventing future pandemics will require global cooperation, local action and a comprehensive strategy to monitor infectious disease hotspots to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.

The diversity of our adaptive immune system is why people are reacting so differently to the novel coronavirus. No two people present the virus the exact same way to their immune systems. We’ve evolved in this way as humans to ensure no virus can eradicate our species. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.

Overcrowded hospitals during the pandemic can pose treatment challenges for patients with other serious illnesses. As Kite Pharma CEO Christi Shaw says, “Cancer doesn’t stop in a crisis.” Neither do her company’s employees, who go to extraordinary lengths to get personalized CAR-T treatments to patients around the world. Hosted by Jim Greenwood.