Best Harvard Center For International Development Podcasts (2024)

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EP 147: From research to delivering precision medicine in the clinic with Scott Weiss, Professor of Medicine at Harvard University 37:19

27m ago37:19

37:19

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Scott 01:55 Scott’s career highlights to date, ranging from epidemiology to the genetics of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 04:56 How and why Scott decided to transition into genetics 06:30 The advances in our understanding of the genetics of asthma and COPD over the past 2…

1
EP 146: The biology of aging with Austin Argentieri, Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School, Affiliate Member of the Broad Institute, and Research Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital 43:05

5d ago43:05

43:05

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Austin 01:42 What is aging and how should we think about it? 03:50 Discussion of Austin’s recent breakthrough paper on aging, including the questions he set out to answer, and the outcomes of the research 06:32 How Austin’s work focuses on using large-scale population proteomics data to create acc…

1
EP 145: Navigating rare disease drug development regulations with Daniel O’Connor 39:12

12d ago39:12

39:12

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Daniel 02:04 Defining rare disease in the age of personalized medicine 04:57 Key touchpoints with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) when developing a new medicine 09:27 Improvements over the course of Daniel’s career when it comes to incentivizing and making the path t…

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EP 144: Research Roundup with Dr. Veera: breakthroughs in developmental disorders, Parkinson's, SLE, and Alzheimer's 56:48

26d ago56:48

56:48

0:00 Introduction 1:40 A recurrent de novo mutation in a noncoding region of a small nucleolar RNA gene that has been identified as one of the most common causes of neurodevelopmental disorders This pathogenic variant escaped notice for years because it was not located in a protein coding region of the genome It now shows potential as a target for …

1
EP 143: Harnessing human data in drug development with Jakob Steinfeldt, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Pheiron 36:17

26d ago36:17

36:17

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Jakob and background on Pheiron 02:14 What made Jakob decide to start Pheiron, what the company does, and how his scientific background inspired him to found a start-up 5:24 Jakob’s excitement and inspiration around the power and potential of machine learning 07:07 Cardiology and heart failure as …

1
EP 142: From genome to bedside: How genetics is transforming modern medical practice with Dr. Andrea Gropman 42:45

1M ago42:45

42:45

0:00 Introduction 1:40 Andrea’s background and how she got into the field of genetics, neuroimaging, and metabolic disorders 4:00 Insights into Andrea’s clinical practice, including the diverse families and patients she serves and her approach to clinical decision-making 6:30 How genetics and genomics have changed the diagnostic journey in the last…

1
EP 141: Bringing genomics to the clinic with Lori Orlando, Associate Prof at Duke University 43:24

1M ago43:24

43:24

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 01:00 Welcome to Lori Orlando 03:00 Lori’s career: From mathematical modelling to genetics and family history 05:11 The study that revealed 20% of the general population is at a higher risk of disease than average and needs preventative care 07:36 The first five diseases that Lori started analysing through informa…

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EP 140: The future of Electronic Health Records and data analysis with Ben Goldacre 52:51

2M ago52:51

52:51

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast 1:00 Welcome to Ben Goldacre 02:22 Ben’s open data projects at the Bennett Institute and the challenges they aim to tackle 04:03 Using Electronic Health Records (EHR) to help the National Health Service improve care 06:18 The importance of software development within healthcare data and how to manage salary scales…

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EP 139: Rare disease breakthroughs using tRNA with Michelle Werner, CEO of Alltrna and CEO-Partner of Flagship Pioneering 44:42

2M ago44:42

44:42

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast. 01:00 Welcome to Michelle. 02:00 Sstop codon diseases and how are they characterised 03:45 Diseases caused by premature stop codons in haploinsufficient genes. 04:35 The role of transfer RNA technology in finding solutions for premature stop codon diseases. 06:16 How Alltrna is engineering tRNAs which can bind to…

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EP 138: Personalised medicine using microbiome models with Dr. Almut Heinken 40:22

2M ago40:22

40:22

0:00 Introduction 1:45 Almut’s research experience, including two recent publications on genome-scale metabolic reconstruction human microorganisms Genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of 7,302 human microorganisms for personalized medicine APOLLO: A genome-scale metabolic reconstruction resource of 247,092 diverse human microbes spanning multiple…

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EP 137: Mavis Machirori on promoting equity, diversity, and social justice in genomics research 41:40

3M ago41:40

41:40

0:00 Intro 1:30 Mavis’ career arc, from starting as a midwife to researching medical innovation and technology with an emphasis on advocacy and equity 7:00 Systemic issues that are easily overlooked in medical research and advancements Webinar: Participant Diversity: Increasing the Impact of Biomedical Research Webinar 10:00 Addressing Eurocentrici…

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EP 136: Developments in ring chromosome 20 research and advocacy with Allison Watson 40:57

3M ago40:57

40:57

0:00 Introduction 2:00 Allison’s personal journey to researching epilepsy and ring chromosome 20 syndrome 4:00 Biggest challenges families face with ring chromosome 20 syndrome 11:00 Incidence and prevalence of r(20) syndrome, and how we can improve data reliability 21:00 Applying next generation sequencing to r(20) syndrome gene research 29:00 Eng…

1
EP 135: Integration of newborn sequencing programs into healthcare systems with Dr. Ingrid Holm 41:16

3M ago41:16

41:16

0:00 Introduction 1:30 Ingrid’s initial interests in genetics, paediatrics, and newborn screening 2:45 How the original BabySeq project, a pioneering newborn sequencing program got started, how it’s going, and the launch of BabySeq2 8:45 Lessons from BabySeq1 and goals for BabySeq2 10:30 Potential societal and long-term considerations for those inv…

1
Navigating Education Policy and Human Development 30:28

3M ago30:28

30:28

In this episode, we explore the dynamic relationship between education policy and human development in the Global South. Dr. Emiliana Vegas, a professor at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. She shares her wealth of experience and insights. From advocating for micro-inputs to promoting comprehensive support systems, Dr. Vegas o…

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EP 134: Prenatal genetic testing and the future of AI in genetic counselling with Kira Dineen, host of DNA Today 40:44

3M ago40:44

40:44

0:00 Introduction 1:00 The backstory of how Kira first started DNA Today in 2012, when she was still in high school! 3:30 Some of Kira’s favourite topics she has discussed on DNA Today, including the legacy of Henrietta Lacks, and the story of a Glee actress with down syndrome 10:00 Kira’s best practices for podcasting, from over 10 years of experi…

1
EP 133: Insights into pharmacogenomics and increasing diversity in genomics research with Dr. Emma Magavern 39:17

3M ago39:17

39:17

0:00 Introduction 2:00 The value of an English Literature degree in designing and analysing research studies in medicine 3:45 Emma’s entrance to pharmacogenomics and her transition from practising physician to genetics research 6:00 How the East London Genes and Health program is increasing representation of diverse populations, namely South Asians…

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Progress, Gaps, and Strategies for Women’s Economic Empowerment 46:05

4M ago46:05

46:05

In this episode, we explore women's economic empowerment with Diva Dhar from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Varina Winder from the US State Department, and Wendy Teleki from the World Bank. Together, they share their unique approaches to addressing economic opportunities for women, discussing pivotal moments for women in low and medium-inco…

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EP 132: From mammoths to genome editing, trailblazing genetics with Dr. George Church 47:41

4M ago47:41

47:41

0:00 Introduction 1:00 George’s upcoming big projects, including developing full recycling, renewing energy, creating bioweather maps, and harnessing citizen science 6:45 Progress in engineering viral resistance in humans, including thoughts from pre- and post- pandemic 11:00 A swapped genetic code that prevents viral infections and gene transfer b…

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EP 131: The potential of somatic genomics in drug discovery and development with Jake Rubens 44:57

4M ago44:57

44:57

0:00 Intro 0:40 Jake’s experiences as a serial entrepreneur starting five companies with a basis in genomic science 5:30 Opportunities for research and drug development in the realm of somatic science 9:20 Somatic evolution and how it provides valuable insights into disease mechanisms 12:30 Advantages and disadvantages of studying germline genome-w…

1
Education Policy and Practice in the Global South: Insights from Pakistan 39:53

4M ago39:53

39:53

In this episode of our Road to GEM24 podcast series, Javed Malik, Program Director of the Malala Fund in Pakistan, dives into the realms of education, governance, and development. Tune in to listen to discussions on the role of evidence-based policymaking, challenges in education delivery, and the imperative of gender-focused interventions. Hosted …

1
EP 130: Quarterly insights into noncoding variants and GWAS with Dr. Veera Rajagopal 51:56

4M ago51:56

51:56

Show Notes: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 How polydactyl mutations can inform research on non-coding variant mechanisms The importance of low-affinity binding between transcription factors and targets How these lessons can help us improve our understanding of drug and target discovery See Veera’s January round-up for more information: https://www.gwasstor…

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EP 129: Patient advocacy for genetic ALS and FTD with Jean Swidler, Executive Director of End the Legacy 38:44

4M ago38:44

38:44

0:00 Introduction 0:45 Jean’s personal experiences with family members with genetic ALS 10:00 Jean’s thoughts on the barriers and facilitators to providing treatment for those with genetic ALS 13:20 Insights into C9orf72, a common genetic determinant of ALS, and how it can also be associated with FTD 16:10 Jean’s experiences as an active advocate f…

1
Female Founders: Strategies for Investment in MENA and Beyond 30:48

5M ago30:48

30:48

Join us as we dive into strategies to foster investment in female founders, with a special focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our guests, Katherine Coffman from Harvard Business School and Hela Cheikhrouhou from the International Finance Corporation, shed light on the barriers and disparities faced by female founders and advoc…

1
EP 128: Parkinson’s disease and precision medicine with Drs. James Beck and Ignacio Mata 50:18

5M ago50:18

50:18

0:00 Introduction 1:05 Insights into the PD GENEration’s (a programme from the Parkinson's Foundation) milestones and progress points for the upcoming year 3:30 The shifting attitudes and perspectives of neurologists and healthcare workers at the PD GENEration 5:50 Insights into Nacho’s work with the genetics of Parkinson’s disease 10:20 Barriers a…

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Zooming Into the LGBTQ+ Movement: Lebanon and Mexico 43:22

5M ago43:22

43:22

Dive into the vibrant LGBTQ+ movements of Lebanon and Mexico in our latest episode of "Zooming Into the LGBTQ+ Movement." Join us as we speak with two remarkable activists and entrepreneurs, Tarek Zeidan and Enrique Torre Molina. Tarek is the founder of Helem, the pioneering LGBTQ+ organization in the Arab world, while Enrique co-founded Colmena 41…

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EP 127: Insights into precision medicine, fatty liver disease, and minimally invasive diagnostic tools with Dr. Mazen Noureddin 39:10

5M ago39:10

39:10

0:00 Intro 0:25 Mazen’s lifelong commitment to furthering the field of precision medicine in liver disease research, fueled by a personal connection of his grandmother developing MASH cirrhosis 2:30 Breakthroughs in the field of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) since the beginning of Mazen’s career 5:30 The potential…

1
Zooming Into the LGBTQ+ Movement: Brazil and Kenya 29:47

5M ago29:47

29:47

Join us as we zoom into the LGBTQ+ movement in Brazil and Kenya with Antonia Moreira (Atelier TRANSmoras Association) and Enosa Adera (Trans* Alliance). Antonia brings the power of fashion to the forefront, using it as a catalyst for advocacy and community building in Brazil. Meanwhile, in Kenya, Enosa confronts a legal landscape of criminalization…

1
EP 126: Patient-led research for ultra-rare disease drug development with Julia Taravella, Executive Director of Rare Trait Hope Fund 39:41

5M ago39:41

39:41

0:00 Introduction 0:25 Julia’s personal experience with ultra-rare diseases within her family 10:25 The importance of increasing accessibility to genetic testing across populations to learn more about ultra-rare diseases 14:00 The origin story of Rare Trait Hope Fund 23:50 Current research and next steps in developing potential gene therapies for a…

1
Zooming Out on the LGBTQ+ Movement Worldwide 46:49

5M ago46:49

46:49

Join Diego Garcia Blum, Director of the Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor Tim McCarthy, a Lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School and at the Harvard School of Education. Together, they navigate the complex terrain of the LGBTQ+ movement worldwide, delving into misinfor…

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EP 125: The future of UK Clinical Trial Policy: Innovation, integration, and game-changing legislation with Lord James O’Shaughnessy 45:23

5M ago45:23

45:23

0:00 Introduction 1:25 How Lord O’Shaughnessy became involved in scientific policy making and his path to writing the UK Commercial Clinical Trials Review. 04:05 How Lord O’Shaughnessy pivoted from education to a focus on life sciences 06:38 The biggest challenges Lord O’Shaughnessy faced during his time as Parliamentary Under Secretary for Health …

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Centering Gender in International Development 42:53

6M ago42:53

42:53

Join Harvard University's Center for International Development for the inaugural episode of 2024’s Road to GEM podcast series, setting the stage for CID's annual conference, which this year focuses on gender and development. In this episode, CID Executive Director Fatema Z. Sumar and Research Fellow Mara Bolis engage in a thought-provoking conversa…

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EP 124: How ReCode Therapeutics is pioneering tissue specific delivery of gene therapies for Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia with John Matthews 42:00

6M ago42:00

42:00

0:00 Introduction 01:10 How growing up in Malawi planted the seeds for John’s career in medicine and transition to therapeutic development 04:35 Why John focuses on rare diseases and conditions such as asthma 06:01 What has changed over the last decade in terms of treating and understanding asthma and the progress that genetics has enabled 07:31 Wh…

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EP 123: The ethics of newborn genome screening: Actionable insights and beyond with Holly Peay, Senior Research Scientist at the Research Triangle Institute 45:34

6M ago45:34

45:34

0:00 Introduction 0:50 Holly’s background and career so far 03:30 Complex decision-making and multiple risk factors: Family history, genetics, phenotypes and beyond 07:05 Changes within the last decade to help people make complex, sometimes subjective, healthcare decisions 09:20 Impact on people: The RTI’s mission and the Early Check Study 13:45 Ne…

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EP 122: Building genome-scale engineered cells for biotechnology with Leslie Mitchell, Co-founder and CEO of Neochromosome 35:55

6M ago35:55

35:55

Summary: 0:00 Introduction 01:01 How Leslie got into the field of synthetic biology and engineering, and her career journey so far 02:45 What Leslie accomplished during her postdoc and recent transformations in the field of genomics 05:57 The impacts of non-coding regions of the genome and the outcome of deletions 08:20 How long it takes to make ch…

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EP 121: Breakthroughs and insights in ALS research with Dr. Michael Benatar 44:10

6M ago44:10

44:10

Summary: 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Reflections from the 34th International Symposium on ALS/MND in Basel 1:50 Michael’s professional journey, initial challenges he encountered, and how the field of neurology has evolved over the years 3:10 An introduction to the ALS landscape, including its presentation, the genes involved, and potential treatment opt…

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EP 120: Exploring the frontiers of gene therapy and AAVs with Dr. Nicole Paulk, CEO and Founder of Siren Biotechnology 43:47

7M ago43:47

43:47

0:00 Introduction to Dr. Nicole Paulk, a pioneer in AAV research and the founder of Siren Biotechnology 0:50 The moments that shaped Nicole’s career path and her passion for gene therapy and AAV research 9:20 Nicole’s academic research career and her transition from academia to the biotech industry 23:00 The story behind the founding of Siren Biote…

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EP 119: Revolutionising drug discovery: how the Pharma Proteomics Project is combining genetic and proteomic data with Chris Whelan 38:25

7M ago38:25

38:25

0:00 Introduction 01:00 Chris’ background and career to date 02:10 What is the Enigma Project? 04:48 How is genetics being applied to drug discovery today and how does proteomics fit in? 09:23 When the UKBiobank Pharma Proteomics Project began and how long it took to set up 10:57 54k UK Biobank participants tested - discussion of findings 14:33 The…

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EP 118: The role of genetics in drug discovery and development with Dr. Matt Nelson 42:56

7M ago42:56

42:56

Summary: 0:00 Introduction 5:45 Lessons learned from 15 years at GSK: How has genetics and drug discovery evolved over time? 8:10 Matt’s seminal 2015 paper: Quantifying the impact of human genetic evidence on the probability of success in drug development 11:40 Which types of genetic evidence are the best drivers of success in clinical trials? 13:3…

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Fog Harvesting for Water Scarcity and other Climate Interventions 32:59

7M ago32:59

32:59

Welcome to the Harvard Center for International Development’s “Road to GEM23” Climate & Development podcast. CID's "Road to GEM23" series precedes and helps launch CID’s Global Empowerment Meeting (or GEM), Growing in a Green World on May 10th and 11th. At CID, we work across a global network of researchers and practitioners to build, convene, and …

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EP 117: Wendy Chung: whole genome newborn screening and other big opportunities in genomic medicine. 47:51

7M ago47:51

47:51

Summary: 0:00 Introduction 1:45 Wendy’s early career looking into the genetics of diabetes through mouse models 6:23 A high altitude view: Cutting through hype to spot the next wave of game-changing technology 8:03 The role of policy and communication: how Wendy’s work goes beyond the lab to create real-world impact 11:20 Wendy’s choice to do an MD…

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EP 116: Genetics and Medicine: Clonal hematopoiesis, genomics in healthcare, and a new discovery in APOL1 kidney disease with Dr. Alex Bick 52:34

7M ago52:34

52:34

0:00 Introduction 4:23 Insights into clonal hematopoiesis from the pioneering Framingham Heart Study 8:30 Linking clonal hematopoiesis to cancer and cardiovascular health 11:22 Interplay of germline and somatic variants in clonal expansion 17:20 How the rate of clonal expansion can provide insights into cancer and cardiovascular risk 19:00 How clon…

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EP 115: The Biggest Stories of 2023 with Dr. Veera Rajagopal (Part 2) 1:35:11

8M ago1:35:11

1:35:11

In the second instalment of our annual round-up episode, we welcome back Dr. Veera Rajagopal to cover the biggest stories in genetics and precision medicine of the last 12 months. Don’t forget to give the first instalment of our 2023 round-up a listen. Veera is a scientist at Regeneron with an interest in human genetics and drug target discovery in…

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EP 114: The Biggest Stories of 2023 with Dr. Veera Rajagopal (Part 1) 1:10:35

8M ago1:10:35

1:10:35

0:00 Introduction 1:30 Veera’s personal highlights of 2023 Publication in Nature Genetics: Rare coding variants in CHRNB2 reduce the likelihood of smoking, an exome-wide association study identifying rare coding variants in CHRNB2 that may reduce the likelihood of smoking. Designing cover art Genetic links to neural circuits and their role in addic…

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Mobilizing Communities Through Art 39:08

9M ago39:08

39:08

In this interview, Charles Hua, senior at Harvard College and CID student ambassador, speaks with Xavier Cortada and Adam Roberti. Cortada, a Cuban-American artist, seamlessly works across disciplines to engage communities, urging them to draw upon local experiences and unlock their inherent creativity. Adam Roberti is the executive director of the…

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Navigating Cities and Climate Change 23:48

9M ago23:48

23:48

Navigating Cities and Climate Change by Harvard Center for International DevelopmentBy Harvard Center for International Development

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Bridging Communities and Tech in a Climate Crisis 29:01

9M ago29:01

29:01

Join Charles Hua, senior at Harvard College and CID student ambassador, as he engages in a thought-provoking interview with Shayan Chowdury, Founder of Reach4Help. This tech nonprofit is on a mission to connect people in need with trusted volunteer help across more than 38 countries, effectively coordinating logistics to understand needs and mobili…

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Democratizing Data for Sustainable Development 31:04

9M ago31:04

31:04

Unlock the power of data democratization in our latest episode featuring Wolfgang Fengler, CEO of World Data Lab. As the driving force behind an initiative that aims to democratize data globally, Fengler discusses the urgent need to shift from backward-looking data to to break down data into relevant and actionable pieces, with a focus on critical …

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EP 113: Harnessing human genetics to discover co-evolved small molecule medicines with Dr. Jason Park, CEO of Empress Therapeutics 44:31

8M ago44:31

44:31

In this episode of The Genetics Podcast, we welcome Dr. Jason, founder and CEO of Empress Therapeutics, a Flagship Pioneering company. Join us as we discuss how human genetics can identify small molecules with therapeutic potential that are already created by our bodies, paving the way for faster discovery of new medicines. Summary: 0:00 Intro 1:20…

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EP 112: Making the leap: the scientists collaborating to transform genetic targets into next generation treatments, with David Ochoa 41:36

9M ago41:36

41:36

This week on The Genetics Podcast Patrick is joined by David Ochoa, Platform Coordinator at Open Targets. They discuss how the Open Targets platform is enabling game-changing collaboration between academic research and big pharma. Working with partners including Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech and Pfizer, Open Targets power…

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EP 111: Combining human and machine intelligence in protein engineering with Dr. James Field, CEO of LabGenius 35:34

9M ago35:34

35:34

In this episode of The Genetics Podcast, we welcome Dr. James Field, founder and CEO of LabGenius. Join us as we delve into LabGenius' cutting-edge approach that utilises machine learning, artificial intelligence, and sophisticated robotics to advance antibody discovery and drug development. As a bonus, learn about James’ path from scientist to CEO…

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