Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show

Send us Fan MailDr. Michael Platt, Ph.D. ( https://www.drmichaelplatt.com/ ) is the James S. Riepe University Professor, University of Pennsylvania, where he has appointments as Professor of Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine ( https://plattlabs.rocks/our-team/michael-platt ), as Professor of Psychology at the School of Arts and Sciences ( https://psychology.sas.upenn.edu/people/michael-l-platt ), and as Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School ( https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/mplatt/ ), where he works at the fascinating intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. Dr. Platt has a B.A., Biological Anthropology, Yale University, a Ph.D., Biological Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, and did a Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Neuroscience, New York University and is known for asking some of the most challenging questions in 21st century neuroscience—and conceiving innovative ways to find the answers. Dr. Platt’s principal questions focus on the biological mechanisms that underlie decision-making in social environments, the grasp of which has broad-scale implications for improving health and welfare in societies worldwide. A former president of the Society for Neuroeconomics, Dr. Platt publishes regularly in top-tier scientific journals and has been featured in prominent TV, radio, print, and online media. With the support of such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, Sloan Foundation, Klingenstein Foundation, McDonnell Foundation, and Department of Defense, he has produced seminal articles that have been collectively cited over 4,000 times. His expertise is sought after outside the realm of academia, as well, leading him to serve in science advisory roles for three major motion pictures and is featured in an upcoming episode of HBO Vice. Dr. Platt also directs the new Wharton Neuroscience Initiative ( WiN - https://neuro.wharton.upenn.edu/ ), a community of faculty, undergraduates, graduate and professional students, and staff interested in connecting brain science and business. Dr. Platt is the former Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke, and the founding Co-Director of the Duke Center for Neuroeconomic Studies. He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of multiple companies, as well as the Yang-Tan Autism Centers at MIT and Harvard and the National Primate Research Centers at Emory and UC Davis, served on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Brain Science, served as President of the Society for Neuroeconomics, consulted on The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky, and co-founded the neurotechnology company Cogwear Technologies Inc. ( https://cogweartech.com/ ) His most recent book The Leader's Brain: Enhance Your Leadership, Build Stronger Teams, Make Better Decisions, and Inspire Greater Innovation with Neuroscience is available at all major booksellers. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Masayuki Goto, MD, PhD is Director and President of the Space Medical Accelerator ( https://space-healthcare.jp/ ), an organization founded in 2022 in Japan with a mission to keep people healthy in space and to develop terrestrial medicine by utilizing space technology and research. Dr. Goto is a Medical Doctor, a Neurosurgeon, and a Space Medicine researcher with degrees from University of Tsukuba and Yamagata University. Dr. Goto has been certified by the Japanese Society of Aerospace Medicine and Environmental Medicine. Support the show

Send us Fan MailJoseph Ferra is CEO of Elevation Oncology ( https://elevationoncology.com/ ), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of precision oncology products, specifically antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs), for patients with genomically defined cancers, where he brings over 20 years of financial, strategic and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. Prior to becoming CEO, he served Elevation as Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO. Before joining Elevation, Joseph was Chief Financial Officer of Syros Pharmaceuticals where he led the development and implementation of key financial and capital strategies and contributed to corporate initiatives. Previously, he spent over a decade as an investment banker in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, where he established a strong track record of advising on equity and M&A transactions. This included serving as Managing Director and Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at JMP Securities and being a member of the investment banking groups at JP Morgan and UBS. Earlier in his career, Joe served in sales and engineering roles in the life science tools industry. He earned his MBA from The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He obtained a B.S. in Chemistry with Distinction from Purdue University, where he contributed to published papers and conducted research at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. David Dornan is Chief Scientific Officer of Elevation Oncology where he brings over two decades of industry and academic oncology drug discovery and development experience. His research spans across multiple therapeutic modalities targeting cancer susceptibilities and modulating the immune system to translate into meaningful therapeutic interventions for patients. He joins Elevation Oncology from Bolt Biotherapeutics. As Chief Scientific Officer, he was responsible for the scientific strategy and building of the company’s portfolio in targeted immunotherapies. Prior to this, Dr. Dornan was the head of Oncology Research at Gilead, identifying, validating, and translating oncogenic targets into actionable entities with biologic and small molecule therapeutics and oversaw the integrated oncology strategy team. He began his career at Genentech, where he spent 10 years serving in positions of increasing responsibility and played key roles in target discovery and validation, as well as translational research programs. Dr. Dornan received his Ph.D. from the University of Dundee in Molecular Oncology and Biochemistry and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Genentech. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Kevin Bugin, Ph.D. is Deputy Director of Operations in the Office of New Drugs ( OND - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/office-new-drugs ) in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research ( CDER - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder ), where among his many responsibilities he serves as lead for the Center for Clinical Trial Innovation ( C3TI - https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti ), a central hub within CDER to support the implementation of innovative approaches to clinical trial design and conduct. Prior to his current role, from May 2020 through May 2021, Dr. Bugin served as the Chief of Staff for the Therapeutics Response Efforts as part of the US Government’s HHS and DOD operation formerly known as Operation Warp Speed. Dr. Bugin is adjunct faculty at the George Washington University in the Clinical Leadership Program, focusing on areas of clinical research and medicines development. Dr. Bugin joined the FDA in 2008 in the Office of Business Process Support, then joined the Division of Gastroenterology and Inborn Errors Products within OND as a Regulatory Health Project Manager in 2010, and as the Chief of Project Management from 2015 to 2017. From 2017 until 2020, he served as the Director of Special Programs and the lead of CDER’s New Drugs Regulatory Program Modernization. Prior to joining the FDA, Dr. Bugin held roles in multiple areas and phases of drug development, including discovery (molecular biology) at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, translational research and technology transfer at the National Institute of Health’s Office of Technology Transfer, safety and pharmacovigilance with NIH’s National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, and regulatory affairs and quality assurance at Amarex Clinical Research. Dr. Bugin received a BS in Biology and Chemistry from Virginia Tech in 2005, an MS in Biotechnology from American University in 2006, and a PhD in translational health science from George Washington University in 2020, with a focus on the Science of Team Science in drug development and regulatory science teams. He is certified in US regulatory affairs (RAC) and participates in numerous policy and regulatory science program working groups across the FDA.Support the show

Send us Fan MailMs. Rita El Zaghloul is Director of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People Secretariat ( HAC - https://www.hacfornatureandpeople.org/ ), an intergovernmental group of more than 100 countries, co-chaired by Costa Rica and France, and by the United Kingdom as Ocean co-chair, championing a global deal for nature and people with the central goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of land and 30% of the ocean, globally, by 2030. The 30x30 target is a global target that aims to halt the accelerating loss of species and protect vital ecosystems that are the source of our economic security. Prior to this role, Ms. Zaghloul served as Coordinator of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature on behalf of Costa Rica as part of the Costa Rican Ministry of Environment and Energy, as well as Minister Counsellor and International Relations Advisor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations. Ms. Zaghloul studied International Relations and Affairs at the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica and Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica and then received a Master of Arts - MA, Conflict, Security and Development King's College London Support the show

Send us Fan MailEpisode Disclaimer - The views presented in this episode are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) or its components. Dr. Diane DiEuliis, Ph.D. is a Distinguished Research Fellow at National Defense University ( NDU - https://www.ndu.edu/ ), an institution of higher education, funded by the United States Department of Defense, aimed at facilitating high-level education, training, and professional development of national security leaders. Her research areas focus on emerging biological technologies, biodefense, and preparedness for biothreats. Specific topic areas under this broad research portfolio include dual-use life sciences research, synthetic biology, the U.S. bioeconomy, disaster recovery, and behavioral, cognitive, and social science as it relates to important aspects of deterrence. Dr. DiEuliis currently has several research grants in progress, and teaches in foundational professional military education. Prior to joining NDU, Dr. DiEuliis was Deputy Director for Policy, and served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Department of Health and Human Services. She coordinated policy and research in support of domestic and international health emergencies, such as Hurricane Sandy, and Ebola outbreaks. She was responsible for implementation of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act, the National Health Security Strategy, and supported the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE). From to 2007 to 2011, Dr. DiEuliis was the Assistant Director for Life Sciences and Behavioral and Social Sciences in the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President. During her tenure at the White House, she was responsible for developing policy in areas such as biosecurity and biodefense, synthetic biology, social and behavioral science, scientific collections, and biotechnology. Dr. DiEuliis also worked to help coordinate agency response to public health issues such as the H1N1 flu. Prior to working at OSTP, Dr. DiEuliis was a program director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she managed a diverse portfolio of neuroscience research in neurodegenerative diseases. She completed a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research and completed her postdoctoral research in the NIH Intramural research program, where she focused on cellular and molecular neuroscience. Dr. DiEuliis is a National Merit Scholar, and has a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. She is the author of over 70 publications. Important Episode Link - The Unique Role of Federal Scientific Collections: Infrastructure Generating Benefits, Serving Diverse Agency, published by Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press on behalf of the Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections - https://doi.org/10.5479/si.24559996 Support the show

Send us Fan MailElizabeth Reynolds is Managing Director, US of Starburst Aerospace ( https://starburst.aero/ ), a global Aerospace and Defense (A&D) startup accelerator and strategic advisory practice championing today’s aerospace renaissance, aligning early-stage technology innovators with government and commercial stakeholders and investors to modernize infrastructure in space, transportation, communications, and intelligence. Elizabeth's team works alongside hundreds of technology startups developing new aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, drones, sensors, autonomy, robotics, and much more. Elizabeth brings 15 years of experience in deep tech entrepreneurship, growth, business operations, and strategy to the team. Prior to joining Starburst, she served as an executive for biotech, medtech, mobility, and interactive media companies, from founding through IPO. She is also an advisor to a number of startups and nonprofits supporting STEM education. Starburst has offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Paris, Munich, Singapore, Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Madrid, has grown into a global team of 70 dedicated team members with a portfolio of 140+ startups, 20 accelerator programs, and 2 active venture funds which strive to provide enabling growth services for deep tech leaders disrupting the industry and working towards a safer, greener, and more connected world. SPACE-H Space Heath Accelerator - www.spacehealthaccelerator.com Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Roland Roesch, Ph.D. is Director, Innovation and Technology Centre (IITC), of the International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA - https://www.irena.org/ ) where he oversees the Agency’s work on advising member countries in the area of technology status and roadmaps, energy planning, cost and markets and innovation policy frameworks. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is a leading global intergovernmental agency for energy transformation that serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, supports countries in their energy transitions, and provides state of the art data and analyses on technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment. IRENA drives the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, and energy security, for economic and social resilience and prosperity and a climate-proof future. Dr. Roesch currently leads IRENA´s work on RE Innovation, Grids-Assessments and the Strategies Teams for the Power Sector Transformation and for the Gas Sector Transformation. He actively leads the development of IRENA´s work in the fields of ocean energy, blue economy and decarbonizing the shipping sector. Before becoming Director, Dr. Roesch served as IITC Deputy Director from 2018. With a MSc. in Industrial Engineering, and MBA / Ph.D. in Energy Economics, from Technische Universität Darmstadt, Dr. Roesch joined IRENA in 2012 and has worked in multiple work programs since. For two years prior to joining IRENA, Dr. Roesch had been Professor for Energy Economics at the University of Applied Science in Darmstadt. Previously, he worked for 15 years in the oil and gas and utilities industries for Shell and E.ON, latterly as General Manager Power with Shell and as Head of Division, Project Leader, Project Executive and Technical Project Developer with E.ON. Prior to that, he worked as an Energy Market Consultant for Lahmeyer International and as a researcher in renewable energy. Dr. Roesch has solid business experience in energy markets, energy economics and strategies, renewable integration management, energy project development and project financing. Support the show

Send us Fan MailProf. Isabel Oliver is the Director General of Science and Research & Chief Scientific Officer, at the UK Health Security Agency ( UKHSA - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency ). The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a government agency in the United Kingdom, responsible since April 2021 for England-wide public health protection and infectious disease capability and replacing Public Health England. It is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Prior to this role, Prof. Oliver was Director of National Infection Service at Public Health England (PHE) having held other roles previously in the organization. She is also professor and co-director of the National Institute for Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit on Behavioral Science and Evaluation, at the University of Bristol and an honorary professor at University College, London. Prof. Oliver has broad research interests ranging from infectious diseases epidemiology and the evaluation of public health interventions and services, to the surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases and environmental hazards, antibiotic resistance, emergency preparedness and response, sexual health and the mental health impact of major incidents. She leads the National Study of Flooding and Health, a longitudinal study aimed at understanding the impact of flooding on mental health and wellbeing. Prof. Oliver received an MSc, Public Health, from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London and a Medical Degree from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Arti Garg, Ph.D. is Head of Technology Strategy & Evaluation, Office of the CTO and HPE Sr. Distinguished Technologist, at Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( https://www.hpe.com/us/en/home.html ). Previously Dr. Garg served as Deputy, Global CTO for Data & AI and Lead Sustainability & Edge Innovation Architect, as Chief Strategist for the AI Strategy & Solutions organization, overseeing HPE’s advanced AI technology programs, and as Emerging Market and Technology Director, at Cray Inc. which was acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in September 2019. Over her career, Dr. Garg has held several data science leadership roles in the computing and industrial sectors, including at Datapipe, NRG, and GE. In the past, Dr. Garg has also worked in the U.S. government, at the White House Budget Office where she oversaw over $5 billion of R&D investments at the Department of Energy, and as a legislative adviser in the U.S. Congress, as a American Physical Society-sponsored AAAS S&T Congressional Fellow. with the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Her science policy journey also includes working for the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP). Dr. Garg holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University, an MS in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering from Stanford University, and she did post-doctoral work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics. Dr Garg is also founder and chair of Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally ( ESAL - www.esal.us ), a national organization dedicated to increasing city, county, and state level engagement by professionals with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Support the show