Explore every episode of the podcast The Algorithm of Life

What does it take to see the next wave before it arrives?

Michelle Chen, Form Bio's CEO, sits down with systems biology pioneer Dr. Lee Hood at SynBioBeta to discuss the bold scientific bets that shaped modern biotechnology, from automated DNA sequencing to the Human Genome Project and personalized health. The conversation dives into Dr. Hood’s “4P Medicine” framework—predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory—and how emerging technologies could shift healthcare from sick care to true wellness.

Michelle Chen, CEO at Form Bio, sits down with Richard Horgan, Founder and CEO of the Cure Rare Disease Foundation, to share a deeply personal story that became a mission, accelerating cell and gene therapy development for ultra-rare diseases.

Join us for a conversation with veteran biotech leader Dr. Len Post as he reflects on a remarkable career spanning infectious disease, oncology, rare disease, gene therapy, and biotech innovation. Dr. Post shares his journey from molecular biologist to R&D executive, offering lessons learned from developing breakthrough therapies, navigating industry cycles, and leading teams through both successes and setbacks.

The discussion explores the realities of drug discovery, the importance of perseverance, and why great science, strong execution, and a little luck are all essential ingredients for success. Dr. Post also shares his perspective on the evolution of gene therapy, the growing role of AI in drug development, and how emerging technologies can accelerate innovation while complementing, rather than replacing, human expertise.

Michelle Chen, CEO of Form Bio, sits down with George Church — Harvard geneticist, serial entrepreneur, and one of the founding minds behind personal genomics, synthetic biology, and de-extinction — for a wide-ranging conversation on where biology is headed next. Church reflects on picking research problems that only look hard from the outside (multiplex editing, nanopore sequencing, virus-resistant recoded organisms), and explains why he measures success less by publications and more by whether an idea actually gets used.

The conversation turns to AI's growing role in biology. Church explains how protein design became one of AI's most surprising wins, and why synthetic biology is becoming more predictable even as natural biology resists it. He also discusses what it will take for AI to help manage the complexity of multiplex genetic interventions, from humanized pig organs for transplant to gene therapies targeting polygenic conditions. Underlying it all is Church's view that aging, not any single disease, is the biggest lever for extending healthy human life.