Finding Genius Podcast

Douglas W. Losordo, MD, FACC, FAHA, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Research and Development, and Chief Medical Officer of Caladrius Biosciences, delivers a thorough overview of biopharmaceutical research and product development. Dr. Losordo has spent decades digging deep into the many and various biological science issues that are relevant to advanced medical research. His work has made a significant impact in the areas of angiogenesis/vasculogenesis, progenitor/adult stem cells, tissue repair/regeneration, as well as vascular biology in general. Dr. Losordo's company, Caladrius Biosciences, Inc., is a noted clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company featuring multiple technology platforms that are specifically targeted to certain cardiovascular indications as well as autoimmune diseases. In this informative podcast Dr. Losordo gives an overview of his company's work and their research. He states their primary objective is not to manage disease but to actually restore health. He outlines many of their late stage programs in the area of cardiovascular disease, clinical trials, and progress they have made. In prior studies they have found that just a single dose of their therapies makes people better long term. Trials are promising and he expects continued approvals as they bring more products to the market. Caladrius is committed to the development of innovative products for cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases that carry great potential to restore health to people with chronic, often severe, illnesses, to address many unmet medical needs. The biopharmaceutical expert discusses blood vessel regeneration, and the research they are doing in this area of angiogenesis. He talks about their work with patients and how their process works, in detail, explaining how the cells are injected and how angiogenesis begins. Dr. Losordo discusses their experimentation with cells and the dramatic successes they see in the repair of ischemic tissue. Dr. Losordo talks about some of the many regulatory issues that impact the medical and biological science development industries. He outlines how their refractory angina program has been designated with a high designation for accelerated approval. Dr. Losordo's successful career in regenerative medicine therapeutics has received significant backing. He has obtained over $35 million in National Institutes of Health funding for discovering and developing new therapeutic concepts in the laboratory that provide the basis for clinical studies that may lead the way to medical breakthroughs.

Kelly Glazer Baron, PhD, MPH, DBSM, Associate Professor in the Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah, delivers a fascinating overview of sleep and its importance. As an experienced clinical psychologist with specialty training in behavioral sleep medicine, Dr. Baron has been a leader in the area of sleep research for many years. In her clinic, Dr. Baron provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia, as well as myriad other sleep disorders such as circadian disorders, sleep apnea, nightmares, sleep walking, and narcolepsy. She received her bachelor's degree from Ohio State University then went on to complete a master's degree and PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Utah. The sleep doctor discusses her background and what motivated her to pursue this specific area of research and treatment. She talks about her two main areas of interest: how the disruption of sleep and the circadian rhythm can lead to the development of obesity and diabetes, and the advancement of wearables in regard to sleep technology. She talks about the benefits of wearables and how learning about your sleep can help you to improve the sleep you get. She answers questions that relate to circadian rhythms and what essentially makes one a 'night owl.' She explains that those who identify as night owls, the people who stay up later and then wake up later the next day, are certainly better off if they are allowed to exist as night owls as opposed to those who are night owls and are forced into a more 9 to 5 existence. However, she states that timing really isn't the issue, but it is the alignment of melatonin and sleep schedule that impacts dietary behaviors. For example, people who force themselves to sleep earlier in their melatonin timing have greater meal frequency and tend to eat more calories, and if they are overweight… have signs of insulin resistance. Thus, ultimately, being a night owl isn't a factor, but it's really more about whether that night owl is forced to function in the morning. Dr. Baron states that if people find their ideal sleep schedule, and are allowed to maintain their natural rhythm, then they are probably better off than someone who is forcing themselves to adhere to a schedule based on what society says. Dr. Baron discusses sleep loss and its affect on metabolism. But as she states, there are multiple factors that determine weight, and sleep is merely one. She does mention however, that many times late sleepers find that fitting exercise into their day is challenging, and thus needed movement may be squeezed out of their daily schedules. Additionally, she details sleep devices and the benefits of sleep monitoring data. And she adds that many times the data simply confirms what a user may have suspected, such as sleep is intermittent, or they are not sleeping deep enough, etc. In Dr. Baron's research they are interested in helping people get rid of bedtime procrastination and other issues that interfere with good sleep. She explains the many issues and activities that may interrupt sleep or impact one's ability to get to bed and also relax before sleeping. Dr. Baron's research has been generously supported by the NIH, and she has been regularly featured in top tier media such as the New York Times, US News and World Report, Men's Health, Webmd.com, and others.

In this informative podcast, Kevin Kastelnik and Guillaume Gautier, the founders of dreaminzZz (dreaminzzz.com), discuss sleep and hypnosis and the benefits of relaxation for reducing stress and increasing productivity. After many sleepless nights amidst an incredible amount of work, Kastelnik began to dig deeper into the process of sleep. He found that poly-phasic sleep (sleeping multiple times, and typically more than two) was successful, and allowed him to absorb heavy workloads more efficiently while still feeling well rested. Kastelnik discusses his company's vision and their primary product, HYPNOS. The objective of HYPNOS is to facilitate access and ease of use for modern hypnosis, applying it to any type of application from service, to health, fitness, or wellness. At dreaminzZz, Kastelnik and Gautier bring together technology, methods of hypnosis, and creative innovation to launch efficient alternatives to achieve their highest priorities. HYPNOS is the first connected hypnosis mask. It is a set of groundbreaking tools that enables users to utilize hypnosis in their professional activities, synchronized to visual and motion simulations in order to bring the benefits of hypnosis to customers. Kastelnik & Gautier talk about the mechanisms of HYPNOS. The HYPNOS sleep mask provides light and vibration that are connected to a mobile app, which works to allow people to focus on many areas that need attention, from stress reduction to pain reduction, to relaxation, fear, and much more. The app will deliver hypnotic suggestions that allow the users to fall asleep or achieve their objective. They talk about the various suggestions that users can utilize, which allow users to fall asleep 3 times faster than usual. Specifically, while listening to the story in the app, the hypnotic suggestions are introduced, which as stated above, enables sleep to come faster. And with quality, restorative sleep being achieved faster and more efficiently, everyone can improve their health. The sleep and hypnosis experts talk about the feedback they are getting from their users. As they state, sleep disorders and stress are the two main areas that their more than 10,000 users primarily tend to focus on. Finally, the hypnosis marketers discuss their product rollout globally, and the new, exciting products that they will be introducing in the coming years.

Roger Sholanki, CEO of Book4Time (book4time.com), provides an analysis of the many issues that individuals and businesses face in regard to booking and scheduling for every industry. Sholanki is an experienced and tested entrepreneur who has spent his career focused on disruptive companies and products that seek to improve the global health and wellness industry in general. Never accepting any given situation, Sholanki thrives on challenging the status quo, and he inspires his team at Book4Time as they set the bar higher for everything from product development to customer success. He is a pioneer in the spa and wellness industry and Book4Time is the world's most innovative cloud-based management software. Sholanki talks about Book4Time's objectives as a business management platform focused on the global wellness industry. He states that online booking is the preference today as call booking wanes more and more. Sholanki discusses the users' preferences, and how users research then book their reservations. He explains the details of their app and how users can benefit from its many features. From spas in hotel resorts, to the beauty industry, wellness, leisure, and more, there are many industries and services that can take advantage of Book4Time's platform. Sholanki provides specific examples of their wide customer base and how they each utilize the specific booking and reservation application features. Sholanki gives specific details about the app's features and their uses. With Appointment Booking users can maximize and grow their revenue with convenient, centrally managed guest bookings as well as optimized therapist schedules. With Marketing & Retention, the app enables users to drive revenue and retention with specialized memberships, loyalty points, and even referral incentives. Revenue Management allows every user to precisely manage and track revenues over the cloud with a sophisticated point-of-sale and payment processing system. Business Intelligence & Reporting provides for centrally managed and automated business processes and best practices. Their Staff Management feature allows users to save time on staff scheduling and bolster productivity with goal tracking, incentives and more. And their Inventory Management feature keeps everything centrally managed, so you know the inventory and can manage it for all your spa locations, and so much more. The organizational tech entrepreneur talks about feedback from consumers and the areas of their app in which he hopes to expand. He describes certain challenges that come up in the booking process and how Book4Time is solving various industries' problems.

Dr. John Torday, MSc, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Ob/Gyn, Harbor-UCLA, Division of Neonatology, discusses biomedical research, genomics, and life. Dr. Torday's extensive career in medicine and education has afforded him some choice opportunities, working and researching as a faculty member at prestigious universities such as Harvard Medical School, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and the David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Torday discusses some of his early experiences in the field, as well as some of the incredible advances he has seen in science and medicine. He specifically talks about the landmark observation of his career: that the cortisol hormone could accelerate human development, which was the beginning of neonatology. The implications of this observation were immense and became the fodder for much research ongoing. The neonatology expert comments on the vast changes in biomedical research, from biochemistry to the transition to molecular biology, and the concept of genomics. He talks in depth about the importance of epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of heritable phenotype changes that do not require alterations in the existing DNA sequence. He muses on the concepts of epigenetics, regarding embryogenesis (embryonic development). As he states, epigenetic inheritance is passed in more than one generation, which is a particularly interesting and vital point in regard to research. He answers questions regarding genetic expression and the idea of epigenetic heritability. As he states, environment such as habitation in water or on land, play a role in organism development. And additionally, he states that diet can have an influence as well. Speaking about evolutionary development, the PhD discusses some of his thoughts on various species, considering land and water environments. He provides extensive details on the complex biological factors that are involved. He talks in detail about three genes he states are necessary: parathyroid hormone-related protein gene, glucocorticoid receptor, and the beta adrenergic receptor. Additionally, he expounds upon the importance of intercepting the loss of homeostatic control, which would provide for profound advances in the way we treat disease. He discusses the distinguishing traits between species, and then recounts some of the concepts and theories he has studied regarding the origin of life.

Dragos Axinte, Professor of Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Nottingham, gives us a glimpse into the complex world of advanced robotic technology. Axinte is an experienced professional specializing in manufacturing engineering. Throughout his impressive career he has held two NATO Research Fellowships in Italy and Denmark. He has been an active part of the groundbreaking research teams at the University of Birmingham as well as the University of Nottingham. Axinte was named Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineer (IMechE) and Fellow of the International Academy of Production Engineering (FCIRP), and continues to contribute to the dialogue internationally in his industry. As the prominent Director of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology, Axinte works with his team to develop a range of robotic technologies that can enable engines to be inspected and repaired at remote locations, all while remaining on-wing. Axinte discusses the form and design of the robots they are creating. He mentions that they are making snake-like robots, for this design is best for entering tiny spaces that are impossible for other forms to access. He provides detailed information on how the robots access these interior spaces and exactly the kinds of jobs that they perform, such as engine maintenance, and more. Axinte talks about the various technologies that they have developed at Rolls-Royce. He provides details on their current designs and his expectations for future redesigns and improvements. He speaks about their challenges in design and use, and the importance of making their robotic technology easy to use by untrained operators, so extensive training is not necessary. Speaking about future advances, he provides information on other operational challenges they will face in development. Axinte states that there are many opportunities to utilize their technology in the aerospace, oil and gas, and defense industries. Axinte hopes that the future will bring more integrated use of artificial intelligence in their robotic manufacturing, and he and his team are working toward this and other goals.

Dr. Andreas Werner of the Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences at Newcastle University delivers a detailed overview of current research pertaining to the human genome. Dr. Werner is skilled in many areas; he is a biochemist, molecular biologist, journalist, and teacher, currently working as an associate professor at Newcastle University specializing in RNA biology. Dr. Werner is widely known for his innovative work in the field of non-protein coding RNAs, specifically natural antisense transcripts. Dr. Werner received a PhD in Physiology at the University of Zurich. Dr. Werner discusses his current work studying the human genome. Our genomes show small variations that make each person unique. With modern genome sequencing, the detection of mutations is now not only fast and efficient, but it is finally affordable. Dr. Werner talks about their specific work in this space. They are leading the way, investigating how mutations affect function, of various membrane proteins, in order to better grasp the underlying mechanisms of specific diseases. Dr. Werner explains transcription. Transcription is the initial step of gene expression, when a specific segment of DNA is copied into RNA by the enzyme RNA polymerase. DNA and RNA are both nucleic acids that use base pairs of nucleotides as a compatible, harmonious language. Dr. Werner and his team are particularly interested in the function of noncoding RNAs in the organization of the genome as well as the regulation of single genes. The genome expert discusses some of the hypotheses that they are currently working on, and why. He explains cell structure and viral structure, and talks about the balance within cells. As Dr. Werner explains, double stranded RNA could possibly be a sign of low-level stress that occurs with aging, or other issue, and his team is looking for answers to multiple questions regarding links to degenerative disease. He talks about the importance of finding these double stranded RNAs to distinguish whether they are confined within the mitochondria and the nucleus or if they perhaps are leaking out and are interfering with protective mechanisms. Going further, Dr. Werner talks about specific inflammatory responses and some of the known and unknown factors regarding double stranded RNA. Dr. Werner is a sought-after speaker at various world conferences on the subject of regulatory RNAs, epigentics and evolution. And he continues to work diligently toward the goal of deciphering a biological role for natural antisense transcripts.

Franklin M. Harold, noted author of The Way of the Cell: Molecules, Organisms and the Order of Life, discusses his research in complex biochemistry and thoughts on the origin of life. Harold's long career has impacted many areas of science. Harold received his PhD in Comparative Biochemistry from U.C. Berkeley in 1955, and has spent a lifetime as a physiologist, specializing as a cell physiologist. It is the machinery of life, not its molecular constituents, that continues to fascinate him. As a young man, Harold was heavily influenced by the work of esteemed microbiologist, Roger Stanier, by whom he was taught that bacteria are not only the smallest creatures but also the simplest, and to truly understand life, one should study bacteria, not lab rats. Harold talks about his long career in science and biology, starting with a passion for chemistry, which he developed at the age of fifteen. Over the years, he became more interested in cellular and evolutionary biology, and embarked on a prolific career in the scientific community. Harold discusses the tenets of Neo-Darwinism, and its need for tweaking, updating. He states that the early study was primarily focused on mutations in genes, but according to Harold, that doesn't tell the full story. He expounds on the properties of eukaryotic cells and their origin. Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus and organelles, and they are encompassed by a plasma membrane. Some of the many organisms that possess eukaryotic cells are as follows: protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals. The biochemistry expert states that organisms throw off new species because their environment changes. He states that in order to see the evolution of organisms we would have to change their environment in a novel way, and give it time, lots of time. Harold remarks that the major changes that resulted in new animal species have to do with the genes that affect the web of regulation, the regulatory elements that control how much, and to what extent, a particular gene is expressed. Harold goes on to say that he believes in the theory that life must have begun with very simple chemical systems, not necessarily involving a gene, but a system sufficiently complex and interactive to be able to reproduce itself. And while he states there is zero evidence for it, nor good models, it is however a speculation that Harold finds particularly interesting. Harold served on the research staff of the National Jewish Hospital and Research Center in Denver, and was a longtime member of the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Harold retired from Colorado State University in 2000 as Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Matthew J. Davis, MD, associate medical director and section chief of the neurology division at Sleep Dynamics, discusses the importance of sleep and the sleep-related disorders that many people face. Dr. Davis has devoted much study to sleep disorders in general, including insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, and parasomnias. He is board certified in neurology and sleep medicine, and his extensive education includes Vanderbilt University and then medical school at the University of Buffalo. In addition to his work at Sleep Dynamics, Dr. Davis is also a respected Clinical Assistant Professor in Neurology at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine. Dr. Davis talks about his background and the keen interest he has developed in the study of sleep. As he states, the study of sleep is multi-disciplinary; it involves neurology, pulmonology, psychiatry and psychology. Today, sleep is finally being recognized as the truly important, but once overlooked, area that it is. He discusses the technical aspects of sleep issues and the new technology utilized. And as more and more data on the subject is collected, Dr. Davis seeks to use the vast information to improve sleep quality for everyone. He talks about what a truly good night's sleep actually means. The goal, he says, is not necessarily some externally measured parameter, but is in fact simply healthy sleep that allows an individual to function well the next day. It's not about specific hours; it's about an individual's specific needs, though population data will provide guidelines that are procured from averages. The sleep expert talks about the impact of new devices and technologies that, surprisingly, aren't always productive for achieving improved sleep. He underscores that it is not about sleep time, but more about sleep quality. Specifically, he explains that many of the devices people use to measure aspects of sleep are really just accelerometers that measure movement and don't really provide important data on quality or depth of sleep. He cautions that these consumer devices do not measure all the parameters of sleep in a particularly useful way. From sleep staging to breathing, eye movement, heart rate, etc., there is so much that is not being measured that is critically relevant in regard to understanding whether quality, restorative sleep is being achieved. The sleep expert talks about home sleep testing versus sleep lab testing, and the various circumstances that unfortunately taint some of the data. And he elaborates on the future of his work and the big areas he wants to make strides in, such as insomnia improvement. Dr. Davis hopes that through further research and testing they can help provide better, non-pharmacological treatments to allow people to find their way back to quality sleep.

Edward Franz Pace-Schott, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, delivers a fascinating auditory exploration of the many issues surrounding sleep, trauma, and anxiety. Pace-Schott has spent the better part of his notable career studying anxiety and sleep related disorders. Pace-Schott's extensive research centers on how sleep assists humans in the regulation of their emotions and how sleep is altered in psychopathology. He is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School as well as the Director of the Sleep and Anxiety Disorders Laboratory. Pace-Schott holds a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, earned at the prestigious Boston University. The PhD discusses how sleep disturbance increases the risk of developing anxiety disorders. Studying people across the entire spectrum of psychological trauma, Pace-Schott looks at participants' sleep, as well as behavioral responses to emotional memory experiments known as fear extinction and fear conditioning. By studying sleep after traumatic experiences Pace-Schott is learning more about the impact of sleep on the mental and physical. Persistent sleep disturbances can put someone at a heightened risk for developing post-traumatic stress symptoms. Pace-Schott details various shock-oriented experimentation that relates to fear response, called fear conditioning, citing examples such as how one might be afraid of a dark street if they had previously been attacked by a dog on a dark street. Additionally, his team utilizes experimentation techniques with fear extinction. He explains that when subjects are presented with a situation that has caused fear in the past, but now without the dreadful consequences, over time the reaction to that fear situation is decreased. Extinction, as Pace-Schott explains, creates a new inhibitory memory, that then reminds the person that this situation is not to be feared. The sleep expert talks about ways to utilize sleep to strengthen the extinction memory, to bolster this within traumatized or phobic individuals. He details various experimentation in this area and how these issues affect the individuals. As he explains, sleep helps to increase the participants' ability to feel less fear about previously feared subjects. Testing provides information on the brain, body, and emotions, and the expression of circadian rhythms. They found that participants seemed to do better in the morning after restorative sleep, and retention of extinction learning. Pace-Schott's research is highly focused on sleep's influences on evolutionary ancient learning and the myriad memory processes that contribute to human emotion regulation.