Biomedical Frontiers: Stories with Innovators in Healthcare

Podcast episodes

• Season 2

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  Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler on Alzheimer's and Diabetes, How Disease Impacts the Smallest Blood Vessels

  Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler on Alzheimer's and Diabetes, How Disease Impacts the Smallest Blood Vessels

  S02 E08

  51:18

  Microvessels are a crucial part of our body’s circulatory system. They're responsible for delivering the oxygen and nutrients to every cell in your body and are often devastated by diseases like Diabetes and Alzheimer's. Dr. Peirce-Cottler develops computational models and combines them with wet lab experiments to study how tissues heal after injury and to develop therapies for inducing tissue regeneration. Love this podcast? Write to us with ideas, feedback, and guest recommendations at biomedicalfrontiers@virginia.edu Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler the is Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering, with secondary appointments in the Department of Ophthalmology and Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of Virginia (UVA). In this episode of Biomedical Frontiers, we dive into the history and future of microvascular research, the observed connection between Alzheimer's and diabetes, and the future healthcare applications of computational modeling. Dr. Peirce-Cottler received Bachelor’s of Science degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Engineering Mechanics from The Johns Hopkins University and her Ph.D. in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia. She has published over 125 peer reviewed papers and book chapters, is a fellow in both the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows (AIMBE) and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). She was awarded the UVA School of Medicine’s Robert H. Kadner Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentoring. Her courses in cell and molecular physiology and computational systems bioengineering are foundational to the BME undergraduate and graduate studies at UVA. Follow Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayn-peirce-cottler-a70993/ Check out Dr. Peirce-Cottler’s work: https://www.peircecottlerlab.com/ Recent publications from Shayn’s lab: https://www.peircecottlerlab.com/publications Check out Dr. Shannon Barker's page: https://engineering.virginia.edu/faculty/shannon-barker Read about combining synthetic biology, computational modeling, and machine learning to design and build tissues: https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010701 Director & Host: Dasha Tyshlek, StratCraft, Inc. www.strat-craft.com Executive Producer: David Chen, Managing Director & Instructor of Engineering Design, UVA Senior Producer: Hannah Moore, Associate Director, UVA Coulter Design Director: Carolyn Wagner, Inc. & Link: carolynwagnerinc.com Produced on behalf of Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at University of Virginia https://engineering.virginia.edu/centers-institutes/coulter-center-translational-research

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  Dr. Tom Skalak on the Value of Research, Emerging Fields of Cognition and Human Performance, and the Art-Science Collaborations

  Dr. Tom Skalak on the Value of Research, Emerging Fields of Cognition and Human Performance, and the Art-Science Collaborations

  S02 E07

  01:13:27

  Investment is critical for advancing promising biomedical research out of the lab and into the hospital. Dr. Tom Skalak has worked widely on innovation ecosystems with the White House, U.S. Congress, and Fortune 500 CEOs and C-suites seeking cultures to advance creative ideation and implementation of innovations. He urges VCs to invest locally with research universities and shares his perspective of some of the most exciting, emerging fields of research. Love this podcast? Write to us with ideas, feedback, and guest recommendations at biomedicalfrontiers@virginia.edu Tom Skalak joined the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation in 2018 as Senior Advisor to Clara Wu Tsai and was previously the founding Executive Director of The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group in Seattle, and Vice President for Research Emeritus at the University of Virginia. In these roles, Tom led creative synthesis of research and innovation programs spanning biosciences, environmental sustainability, physical sciences, engineering and technology, arts, design, entrepreneurship, and humanities. In this episode of Biomedical Frontiers, we dive into how small start-ups can grow and thrive in the competitive biomedical technology industry, innovative research in the discipline of protein design and the future applications, and the challenges in studying the emerging fields, human cognition and performance. As Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering at UVAs, Tom’s original research included: cardiovascular biomechanics, computational modeling, wound repair, and regenerative medicine, conducted with continuous NIH funding over 28 years. He is a past president of both the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). He was the founder of the UVA-Coulter Foundation Translational Research Partnership and early-stage investment funds with corporate partners such as Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. Follow Dr. Tom Skalak on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-skalak-81000611b/ Learn more about the Human Performance Alliance: https://humanperformancealliance.org/ Faculty profile: https://engineering.virginia.edu/faculty/thomas-c-skalak The Wu Tsai Institute at Yale: https://wti.yale.edu/ Director & Host: Dasha Tyshlek, StratCraft, Inc. www.strat-craft.com Executive Producer: David Chen, Managing Director & Instructor of Engineering Design, UVA Senior Producer: Hannah Moore, Associate Director, UVA Coulter Design Director: Carolyn Wagner, Inc. & Link: carolynwagnerinc.com Produced on behalf of Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at University of Virginia https://engineering.virginia.edu/centers-institutes/coulter-center-translational-research

• Season 1

• 

  Dr. Mark Hanson on the Evolution of Healthcare Delivery, AI in Heart Health and Wireless Medical Devices

  Dr. Mark Hanson on the Evolution of Healthcare Delivery, AI in Heart Health and Wireless Medical Devices

  S01 E06

  01:14:29

  Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Mark Hanson co-founded Heartbeat Health to make heart care more consistent and to ensure the patient gets the care when they need it, wherever they are. By transforming how heart care is delivered through technology, the Heartbeat Health team is accelerating access to quality cardiovascular care and improving patient outcomes. In this episode of Biomedical Frontiers, we explore how telemedicine can be a solution to improving quality of care while also reducing cost and dive into how the healthcare industry is changing as more and more providers and insurers are adopting a value based care approach. Mark Hanson is a co-founder, advisor, and former Chief Product and AI Officer at Heartbeat Health, a venture-backed healthcare technology startup focused on delivering tech-enabled cardiovascular care at scale, nationwide. Before starting Heartbeat Health, Mark also founded BeClose, a digital health company that utilized IoT devices and AI-powered services to promote healthy independent living at home, which was merged into Alarm.com, where he served as the head of platforms and health innovations during their IPO. He is a long-time board member of the University of Virginia's School of Engineering and Applied Science Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, an Adjunct Associate Professor at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and an angel investor and advisor to numerous health tech startups. Follow Dr. Mark Hanson on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhanson/ X: https://x.com/mark_hanson Learn more about Heartbeat Health: https://www.heartbeathealth.com/ Read the summary of “Impact of a Virtual Cardiology Program for Post-Discharge Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial:” https://www.heartbeathealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ACC23-3-pager.pdf Director & Host: Dasha Tyshlek, StratCraft, Inc. www.strat-craft.com Executive Producer: David Chen, Managing Director & Instructor of Engineering Design, UVA Senior Producer: Hannah Moore, Associate Director, UVA Coulter Design Director: Carolyn Wagner, Inc. & Link: carolynwagnerinc.com Produced on behalf of Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at University of Virginia https://engineering.virginia.edu/centers-institutes/coulter-center-translational-research

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  Dr. Jennifer West on the Future of Tissue Engineering and Novel Cancer Treatments

  Dr. Jennifer West on the Future of Tissue Engineering and Novel Cancer Treatments

  S01 E05

  36:38

  Tissue engineering is an exciting field that promises to solve many health conditions, but there are several fundamental challenges that remain unsolved. Dr. Jennifer West is leading the field with research on novel techniques that promote vascularization (tissue blood supply) and mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) for tissue engineering applications. Dr. West’s lab focuses on biomaterials, nanotechnology, and tissue engineering, applying engineering approaches to study biological problems and address unmet medical needs. Most recently, she is also a co-founder of Nanospectra Biosciences, a company commercializing a cancer therapy using gold nanoparticles for photothermal therapy. This unique, non-invasive technique is currently in human clinical trials. She is a uniquely prolific inventor, a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and has over 19 patents that have been licensed to eight different companies and across multiple engineering disciplines. As the Dean of the Engineering School at University of Virginia Dr. West is guiding the trajectory of instruction, research and entrepreneurship at the University. She has promoted collaboration between engineering and medicine, expanded the biomedical engineering faculty and fostered numerous cross-school research collaborations with over $23 million in external funding. In this episode of Biomedical Frontiers: Stories with Innovators in Healthcare, she shares her vision for engineering at UVA. Follow Dr. West on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-west-a6107532/ Twitter: https://x.com/UVADeanJWest Learn about Nanospectra Biosciences: https://nanospectra.com/ Learn about University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science: https://engineering.virginia.edu/ Director & Host: Dasha Tyshlek, StratCraft, Inc. www.strat-craft.com Executive Producer: David Chen, Managing Director & Instructor of Engineering Design, UVA Senior Producer: Hannah Moore, Associate Director, UVA Coulter Design Director: Carolyn Wagner, Inc. & Link: carolynwagnerinc.com Produced on behalf of Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at University of Virginia https://engineering.virginia.edu/research/centers-institutes/coulter

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  Dr. Daniero and Dr. Griffin on Regenerating Vocal Cords and Airways with Novel Biomaterials

  Dr. Daniero and Dr. Griffin on Regenerating Vocal Cords and Airways with Novel Biomaterials

  S01 E04

  46:52

  The human voice box is a delicate, complex and highly specialized structure that enables the fine control and wondrous beauty of speech and song. When vocal cords are damaged, recovery and healing are difficult and lengthy. At UVA, Dr. James Daniero established the Interdisciplinary Voice and Swallowing Clinic, specializing in surgeries of the airways and the vocal cords. He met Dr. Donald Griffin, professor of Biomedical Engineering, and together they developed a plan to design new materials to rebuild tissue and accelerate wound healing in the airway and vocal cords. Together, they are laying down the groundwork for a first, in-human clinical trial for vocal cord reconstruction. In this episode we learn about how biomaterials are engineered for tissue scaffolding in unique environments within our bodies and how these entrepreneurial professors are solving challenges inside and outside the research lab. Dr. Griffin and Dr. Daniero are exploring applications of biomaterial scaffolds for applications in cleft palate and intubation injuries, providing scaffolds for the patient’s own tissue to regrow naturally and permanently. Dr. Daniero is the Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at UVA School of Medicine and a practicing head and neck surgeon at UVA Health. He also co-founded RefluxRaft, providing a supplement-based treatment for Acid Reflux. Dr. Daniero relentlessly pursues solving patient problems and materializing treatments through deep research and force of will. Dr. Griffin is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the Director of the BME Graduate Program. He is the co-founder of a growing biomaterials company, Tempo Therapeutics, which creates minimally invasive and precision engineered tissue scaffolds using proprietary designs of Microporous Annealed Particle Gels (MAPs). Follow Dr. Jim Daniero's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-daniero-45696b1b5/ UVA Health Profile: https://uvahealth.com/findadoctor/James-Daniero-1386817484 Learn more about RefluxRaft: https://refluxraft.com/ Follow Dr. Don Griffin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-griffin-b737a3155/ UVA BME profile: https://engineering.virginia.edu/faculty/donald-richieri-griffin Learn more about Tempo Therapeutics: https://www.tempothera.com/technology/ Director & Host: Dasha Tyshlek, StratCraft, Inc. www.strat-craft.com Executive Producer: David Chen, Managing Director & Instructor of Engineering Design, UVA Senior Producer: Hannah Moore, Associate Director, UVA Coulter Design Director: Carolyn Wagner, Inc. & Link: carolynwagnerinc.com Produced on behalf of Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at University of Virginia https://engineering.virginia.edu/centers-institutes/coulter-center-translational-research