

Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show
Ira Pastor
Interviews and Discussions With Fascinating People Who are Creating A Better Tomorrow For All Of Us - Host - Ira S. Pastor
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 26, 2025 • 53min
Dr. Sunita Satyapal, Ph.D. - Advancing The Global Hydrogen Economy
Send us Fan MailDr. Sunita Satyapal, Ph.D. is an internationally known subject matter expert and leader in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells with three decades of experience in government, industry, and academia. Dr. Satyapal has had diverse roles including as a researcher, a visiting assistant professor, as Chief Engineer and Director for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office ( https://www.energy.gov/eere/person/sunita-satyapal ), and as a manager in industry at United Technologies, overseeing research and development (R&D) as well as business development and stakeholder collaboration. She has been responsible for R&D in industry as well as developing national hydrogen strategies, coordinating over $10 billion in hydrogen funding over the years, and collaborating across more than 25 countries through global hydrogen partnerships.Dr. Satyapal received her Ph.D. from Columbia University and completed postdoctoral work in Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. She has also served in business development, management, and deployment related roles in industry. She has numerous publications, including in Scientific American, 10 patents, and various recognitions including a Meritorious and a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award.#Hydrogen #FuelCell #SunitaSatyapal #DepartmentOfEnergy #PhysicalChemistry #Photodissociation #Electrolysis #EnergySecurity #GreenhouseGasEmissions #RenewableEnergy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 12min
Aarti Holla-Maini - Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) - International Cooperation For Peaceful Use And Exploration Of Space
Send us Fan MailAarti Holla-Maini is Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs ( UNOOSA - https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/de/aboutus/director.html ) in Vienna, part of the UN organization ( https://www.un.org/ ) that works to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space, and in the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development.Ms. Holla-Maini brings to this position over 25 years of professional experience in the space sector including in managerial and advocacy functions. Most recently, she has held the role of Executive Vice-President Sustainability, Policy & Impact at NorthStar Earth & Space; prior to which she spent over 18 years as Secretary-General of the Global Satellite Operators Association.Ms. Holla-Maini’s experience includes service as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Space; member of the Advisory Group of the Space Sustainability Rating managed by eSpace at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Space Center; member of the Advisory Board of the Satellite Industry Association of India; Senior Space Policy Adviser to Forum Europe and as Expert Adviser on Space Traffic Management for European Union studies 2021-2023. She was also one of the chief architects of the Crisis Connectivity Charter established in 2015 for emergency telecommunications via satellite with the UN World Food Program’s Emergency Telecommunications Cluster.Ms. Holla-Maini holds a bachelor’s degree in law with German law from Kings College London, UK, a master’s degree in business administration from HEC Paris, France, and she is also an alumna of the International Space University. #AartiHollaMaini #UnitedNationsOfficeForOuterSpaceAffairs #UN #Airbus #GlobalSatelliteOperatorsAssociation #UNOOSA #SpaceObjectRegister #SpaceLaw #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #SDG #CommitteeOnThePeacefulUsesOfOuterSpace #COPUOS #PlanetaryDefense #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #Research #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcastSupport the show

Jun 24, 2025 • 53min
Colonel Dr. Tanja Roy - Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense - Medical Research And Clinical Training For The Warfighter
Send us Fan MailColonel Dr. Tanja Roy is Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense ( https://usamricd.health.mil/ ), a subsidiary of United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) and is the leading science and technology laboratory of the Department of Defense for the development, testing, and evaluation of medical chemical warfare countermeasures, including therapies and materials to treat casualties of chemical warfare agents, as well as biochemical and other emerging non-kinetic acute battlefield injuries.Colonel Dr. Roy received her commission from the University of Notre Dame Reserve Officer Training Corps as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 2000 into the Army Medical Specialist Corps. Colonel Dr. Roy holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh (Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology), Doctor and Master of Physical Therapy from Baylor University, Master of Science from the University of Pittsburgh (Epidemiology), and Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.Colonel Dr. Roy recently served as the Director of Occupational Health Sciences at the Defense Centers for Public Health. Previously, Colonel Dr. Roy created and served as Director of the Soldier Performance, Health, and Readiness Database at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). Previous assignments include executive officer for the Clinical Public Health and Epidemiology Directorate, Army Public Health Center; Physical Therapy Researcher, University of Pittsburgh; Physical Therapy Researcher at USARIEM; Chief, Physical Therapy Troop Medical Clinic, Fort Drum; Chief, Physical Therapy, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Fort Drum and Afghanistan; Assistant Chief, Baumholder Physical Therapy Clinic; Chief, Physical Therapy, 701st Main Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Iraq; Physical Therapist, 31st Combat Support Hospital, Iraq; Chief, Baumholder Physical Therapy Clinic; and Physical Therapist, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. She has 29 medical research publications. Colonel Dr. Roy is a graduate of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer Basic Course, the AMEDD Captains Career Course, Intermediate Level Education, the Defense Strategy Course, and U.S. Army War College. She is Airborne Qualified (5P); a Strategic Studies Graduate (6Z); an Army Medical Department Acquisitions Officer (8X); a certified Medical Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation Officer (8Z); and holds the Medical Proficiency Designator (9A). Colonel Dr. Roy’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (4 oakleaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (2 oakleaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Soldier Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Overseas Service Medal (1 oakleaf cluster), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award (3 oakleaf clusters), Meritorious Unit Award (1 oakleaf cluster), Parachutist Badge, German Sports Badge (Gold), and Combat Medic Badge. She is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit. #TanjaRoy #USArmyMedicalResearchInstituteOfChemicalDefense #BattlefieldInjuries #ClinicalTraining #MedicalResearch #Warfighter #MedicalCountermeasures #NerveAgents #Vesicants #SulfurMustard #MetabolicPoisons #Cyanide #PulmonaryToxicants #Phosgene #MRICD #DepartmentOfDefense #AberdeenProvingGround #Toxin #Toxicant #PharmaceuticalSciences #ChemicalWarfare #CBRN #Epidemiology #PhysicalTherapy #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Jun 6, 2025 • 1h 25min
Paurvi Bhatt, MPH - Interim CEO - Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers - Improving Strength, Health And Resilience Of Family Caregivers
Send us Fan MailPaurvi Bhatt is the Interim CEO of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers ( https://rosalynncarter.org/ ), an organization that drives transformative systems change to improve the strength, health, and resilience of family caregivers.Paurvi is also the Founder and CEO of ThirdEyeFocus, a consultancy for private companies & nonprofits focused on the care economy.Paurvi is a global healthcare executive known for creating strategies that optimize public, private, and philanthropic capital to expand more equitable decisions, resources, and care outcomes in communities around the world. She’s known for creating unique solutions that bring together nonprofits, government and companies to pilot, pivot, and scale health care and social services. As a second generation, Indian immigrant, and family caregiver, Paurvi focuses on culturally responsive solutions in the care economy by integrating community-led voices, solutions, and organizations to shape the referral pathway that brings care into the home. As a board director, leader and advisor on several private company, foundation, institution and nonprofit boards, Paurvi combines her lived experience with her seasoned focus on outcomes and deep knowledge of financing. Paurvi has focused much of her career on HIV/AIDS; women’s health and health equity worldwide and is trained in health systems and economics with a B.A. in Neuroscience from Northwestern University, an M.P.H from Yale University (Health Management and Population Economics), and a PhD (ABD - Global Health Systems and Economics) from Johns Hopkins University. Paurvi is an active spokesperson, author, podcast guest and presenter on issues ranging from women’s leadership, Asian American and immigrant issues, health systems and economics, philanthropy, HIV and women’s health, and the role of women as working daughters and family caregivers.#PaurviBhatt #TheRosalynnCarterInstituteForCaregivers #Caregivers #CareEconomy #Caregiving #Dementia #Cancer #CorporateSocialResponsibility #Philanthropy #WomensHealth #HIV #AIDS #MedtronicFoundation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

Jun 5, 2025 • 1h
Dr. Mark Jacobs - Director, Pacific Technical Support; World Health Organization Representative, South Pacific, WHO - Improving Health And Resilience Across The South Pacific
Send us Fan MailDr. Mark Jacobs is the Director of Pacific Technical Support and WHO Representative to the South Pacific. He was appointed in this position in August 2021. Prior to this, he has held a series of senior public health leadership roles.Dr. Jacobs was previously the WHO Representative to Lao People’s Democratic Republic from November 2018 to August 2021. From May to October 2018, Dr Jacobs was Acting Director of Programme Management for WHO in the Western Pacific Region. He was also previously the Director of Communicable Diseases in the Region for 5 years.Before joining WHO, Dr. Jacobs was New Zealand’s Director of Public Health for 9 years and managed the Public Health Programme at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for 3 years. He also spent several years in Director of Public Health roles for state health authorities in Australia.Dr. Jacobs’ interests include developing healthy public policy, strengthening disease surveillance, strengthening all hazards emergency preparedness, and working across sectors to improve health. Dr. Jacobs holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, a Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management and a Master of Public Health.#MarkJacobs #WHO #WorldHealthOrganization #SouthPacific #CommunicableDiseases #PublicHealth #DiseaseSurveillance #AllHazardsEmergencyPreparedness #InfectiousDisease #Fiji #NoncommunicableDiseases #WesternPacificRegion #HealthSecurity #AntimicrobialResistance #OneHealth #Aging #Ageing #Healthspan #Anxiety #Loneliness #Depression #ClimateChange #AirPollution #EnvironmentalHazards #PacificIslands #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

May 13, 2025 • 51min
Dr. Samir Khleif, MD - CEO, Georgiamune Inc. - Reprogramming Immune Responses
Send us Fan MailDr. Samir Khleif, MD is CEO of Georgiamune ( https://www.georgiamune.com/team ), a private, science and discovery clinical stage immunotherapeutic biotechnology company focused on reprogramming immune signaling pathways to redirect the immune system to fight diseases. Dr. Khleif is a pioneer in the field of immunotherapy. He is a medical oncologist, immunologist, innovator, and entrepreneur, as well as a transformational executive in health care and biomedical research.Prior to becoming CEO of Georgiamune, Dr. Khleif served in different academic and leadership positions. He was a National Cancer Institute (NCI)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientist and Chief of the NCI Cancer Vaccine Section, where he led the development of pioneering immune-oncology and cancer vaccines into clinical trials. As a national and international academic leader, and detailed by the US government, he served as the founding director and CEO of the King Hussein Cancer Center ( https://www.khcc.jo/en ) in Amman, Jordan, where he led the development of the largest cancer center in the MENA region. He also served as the director of the Georgia Cancer Center, the state cancer center, at Augusta University. He is currently a biomedical scholar and holds a professorship at Georgetown University Medical School.Dr. Khleif also served as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the FDA, leading the FDA's Critical Path Initiative for Oncology. He is a member of the board of directors of Ayala Pharmaceuticals and Emerald Biopharmaceutics, and served as a member of the scientific advisory board of more than 20 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.Dr. Khleif is an international KOL in immunology and immunotherapy. He has served on many national committees, including the Scientific Advisory Board of the Biden Cancer Initiative, as chair of the Immunotherapy Committee for NRG, and as a member of the NCI Cooperative Group. He currently serves as an advisor for the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Khleif is an editor of three books, the author of hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific research articles, and a prolific inventor with more than 150 patents issued or pending in the field of immunology and immunotherapy.Dr. Khleif received his medical degree at the University of Jordan, Amman Jordan. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Ohio and his fellowship in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland.#SamirKhleif #Georgiamune #Immunotherapy #KingHusseinCancerCenter #CriticalPathInitiative #FDA #Tregs #RegulatoryTCells #Cancer #Oncology #CheckpointInhibitors #ImmuneEscapeMechanisms #DualFunctioningAntibody #Autoimmune #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

May 13, 2025 • 1h 6min
Dr. Sui Huang, MD, PhD - Professor, Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) - Complex Systems Approaches For Biomedical Research
Send us Fan MailDr. Sui Huang, MD, PhD is a Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology ( ISB - https://isbscience.org/people/sui-huang-md-phd/?tab=biography ) where his lab is focused on studying how gene regulatory networks control gene activity to create stable cellular states, such as different cell types, and how these states transition into different lineages in both healthy and diseased conditions.Dr. Huang is a molecular and cell biologist with a strong background in theoretical biology and has devoted much of his research to understanding the very phenomenon of cancer from a complex systems perspective. Before joining the ISB in fall 2011, Dr. Huang held faculty positions at the University of Calgary (Institute of Biocomplexity and Informatics), where he helped establish biocomplexity as a discipline in research and teaching, and at Harvard Medical School (Children’s Hospital) where he obtained first experimental evidence for the existence of high-dimensional attractors in mammalian gene regulatory networks.Dr. Huang grew up in Geneva and Zurich. He received his MD degree from the University of Zurich and obtained thereafter, as the first recipient of the PhD-Program-for-Physicians Award of the Swiss National Science Foundation, his PhD in molecular biology and physical chemistry for work on interferons. As a postdoctoral fellow at Children’s Hospital Boston he investigated tumor angiogenesis and cell growth control. In that period he also studied dynamical systems through his affiliation with the New England Complex Systems Institute.Important Episode Link - "The end of the genetic paradigm of cancer" - PLOS Biologyhttps://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003052#SuiHuang #InstituteForSystemsBiology #Interferon #Angiogenesis #AttractorStates #Epigenetics #Cancer #Oncology #TumorMicroenvironment #DonaldIngber #ConradWaddington #Organogenesis #Morphogenesis #LeeHood #BeatriceMintz #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

May 9, 2025 • 37min
Mark McDonough - CEO, Cyrex Labs - Early Detection & Monitoring Of Complex Immune Conditions
Send us Fan MailMark McDonough is the CEO of Cyrex Labs ( https://www.cyrexlabs.com/ ), a clinical immunology laboratory specializing in functional immunology and autoimmunity testing. Cyrex offers multi-tissue antibody testing for the early detection and monitoring of today’s complex autoimmune conditions and develops innovative arrays through continuous collaboration with leading experts in medical research and clinical practice.Mark is a global technology business executive with 30 years of experience, and his personal mission is to impact change in the field of healthcare in a compassionate yet resolute manner, leading by example.Prior to Cyrex, Mark served in several private and public company CEO roles including PierianDx and CombiMatrix, a publicly held molecular diagnostics company performing DNA-based testing services for reproductive health, oncology, and developmental disorders.Earlier in his career, Mark served in various sales leadership roles at high growth diagnostic companies to include Ventana Medical Systems (acquired by Roche) and US LABS (acquired by LabCorp). Mark is married with three children and is a proud former Naval Officer having served as a Navigator and Communications Officer on the USS FLETCHER (DD 992).#MarkMcDonough #CyrexLabs #ClinicalImmunology #FunctionalImmunology #Autoimmunity #AristoVojdani #FoodAssociatedAutoimmunities #Neuroimmunity #BrainGutConnection #LifestyleMedicine #Antigenic #Inflammation #MolecularMimicry #ImmuneReactivity #PathogenAssociatedImmuneReactivity #MultipleChemicalSensitivities #MicrobialTransglutaminase #CeliacDisease #NonCeliacGlutenSensitivity #CrohnsDisease #Neuroautoimmunity #Neurodegeneration #BloodBrainBarrier #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

May 8, 2025 • 59min
Dr. Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH - Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP) - University of Minnesota - Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness And Response
Send us Fan MailDr. Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH ( https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/michael-t-osterholm-phd-mph ) is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Osterholm is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Council of Foreign Relations. In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.Dr. Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology and is the author of more than 300 papers and abstracts, including 20 book chapters, and New York Times best-selling 2017 book, Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs ( https://www.amazon.com/Deadliest-Enemy-Against-Killer-Germs/dp/0316343692 ).Dr. Osterholm's new book will be coming out in September, 2025, entitled The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics ( https://www.amazon.com/Big-One-Prepare-World-Altering-Pandemics-ebook/dp/B0C1G5BHG3 ).Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary doctorate from Luther College; the Pump Handle Award, CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA; the Squibb Award, IDSA; Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UMN; and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership Award, American Public Health Association. He also has been the recipient of six major research awards from the NIH and the CDC.Dr. Osterholm received his PhD and MS in Environmental Health, and MPH in Epidemiology, from the University of Minnesota. #MichaelOsterholm #InfectiousDisease #CenterForInfectiousDiseaseResearchAndPolicy #CIDRAP #PublicHealth #AntimicrobialStewardship #VaccineIntegrityProject #AntimicrobialResistance #MinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth #Epidemiologist #ToxicShockSyndrome #FoodborneIllness #Hepatitis #Biodefense #Countermeasures #ChronicWastingDisease #Preparedness #Policy #Surveillance #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

May 6, 2025 • 1h 2min
Dr. Manfred Stapff, MD, PhD - Founder, Candid Advisory - Real-World Evidence Unveiled
Send us Fan MailDr. Manfred Stapff, MD, PhD is a physician and pharmaceutical industry leader with over 30 years of experience in internal medicine, clinical research, and drug development, who has worked across a range of therapeutic areas including NASH, CV, CNS, respiratory, oncology, GI, anti-infective, and orphan diseases.Dr. Stapff has held senior roles at Merck & Co., Forest Laboratories (now Allergan), and LG Chem (CMO / COO), specializing in clinical development, regulatory affairs, and global medical operations. As Chief Medical Officer at TriNetX, he helped build the worldʼs largest real-world data (RWD) research network. Dr. Stapff’s expertise spans clinical trials, drug development, regulatory affairs, quality management, and real-world studies.As the founder of Candid Advisory (https://candid-advisory.com/), Dr. Stapff helps organizations leverage real-world data and AI to improve healthcare decision-making and regulatory strategies. Dr. Stapff’s new book, Real-World Evidence Unveiled: Navigating the Maze of Modern Misinformation ( https://www.amazon.com/Real-World-Evidence-Unveiled-Navigating-Misinformation-ebook/dp/B0F6DWR6MY?ref_=ast_author_mpb ), explores how misinformation shapes science, media, and public health and how we can separate fact from fiction.#RealWorldEvidence #ManfredStapff #ClinicalTrials #RegulatoryAffairs #RealWorldData #DrugRepurposing #RWE #ArtificialIntelligence #FakeNews #MediaBias #Misinformation #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show


