Behind the Breakthroughs

38 épisodes

Mike Curtis: Pig Organs as a Bridge to Human Transplants
25/03/2026 | 52 min
Xenotransplantation has long been a scientifically promising but ethically complex field, overshadowed by its limited practicality despite the growing shortage of transplantable organs and the urgent needs of patients. Recent breakthroughs, including genetically modified pig heart transplants in 2022 and 2023, have demonstrated its feasibility, marking a turning point even though long-term survival has not yet been achieved. In this episode of Behind the Breakthroughs, Mike Curtis, PhD, President and CEO of eGenesis, explains how the company is building on this success to advance xenotransplantation as a scalable clinical strategy, emphasizing that even temporary extensions of life—such as a recent nine-month kidney transplant case—can provide meaningful outcomes and bridge patients to future treatments.

Produced and hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD
Audio mixed and mastered by Erick Ziegler
Brought to you by Inside Precision Medicine (SAGE Publishing)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Markus Warmuth: Eliminating Pathogenic Proteins with Molecular Glue Degraders
11/03/2026 | 48 min
Traditional drugs usually inhibit specific protein sites, but many disease-causing proteins lack accessible or unique motifs, leaving them “undruggable.” Targeted Small-molecule drugs have long been the quiet workhorses of modern medicine, slipping inside cells to target disease-driving proteins, even as biologics, immunotherapies, and genetic medicines have taken center stage in recent years. Yet thousands of disease-related proteins remain “undruggable” because they lack the structural pockets needed for traditional inhibitors to bind. In this episode, Markus Warmuth, MD, CEO of Monte Rosa Therapeutics, explains how molecular glue degraders harness the cell’s protein-disposal machinery to eliminate harmful proteins entirely, and how the company’s QUEEN discovery platform is advancing new therapies in cancer and autoimmune disease.

Produced and hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD
Audio mixed and mastered by Erick Ziegler
Brought to you by Inside Precision Medicine (SAGE Publishing)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alicia Zhou: The Dark Matter for Cancer Immunotherapy Translation
25/02/2026 | 57 min
Cancer Research Institute CEO Alicia Zhou, PhD, traces her path from teenage lab technician to leader in cancer immunotherapy. Trained at MIT and Dana-Farber, she worked on The Cancer Genome Atlas before moving to industry at Color Genomics, expanding access to clinical sequencing. Zhou champions applying advanced genomics to immunotherapy through CRI’s Discovery Engine, an open dataset mapping tumor–immune interactions. She argues nonprofits uniquely fund shared infrastructure and standardization efforts. By supporting collaboration, young scientists, and patient resources, Zhou aims to accelerate breakthroughs and ultimately make cancer solvable.

Produced and hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD
Audio mixed and mastered by Erick Ziegler
Brought to you by Inside Precision Medicine (SAGE Publishing)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Brad Ringeisen: CRISPR for Disease Elimination and Humanitarian Solutions
11/02/2026 | 57 min
CRISPR has crossed a turning point, evolving from an experimental tool into a platform delivering FDA-approved therapies and on-demand patient treatments that correct disease at its source. Brad Ringeisen, a former DARPA office director and leader at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), has been at the center of that transition, helping guide CRISPR from early promise toward scalable clinical impact. Ringeisen discusses in this episode how he is collaborating with CRISPR pioneer and Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, PhD, at the IGI to address rare, complex, and underserved diseases, going beyond isolated successes. Accessibility, durability, and worldwide benefit, Ringeisen believes, will be the real indicators of CRISPR's success.

Produced and hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD
Audio mixed and mastered by Erick Ziegler
Brought to you by Inside Precision Medicine (SAGE Publishing)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Zachary Roberts: Building a Viable Off-the-Shelf CAR T
28/01/2026 | 56 min
Cancer immunotherapy evolved through decades of research, with watershed moments like checkpoint inhibitor approvals and the first CAR T trial results reshaping expectations. For Zachary Roberts, MD, PhD, witnessing CAR T-induced remissions as a Mass General resident convinced him of the field’s future and drew him from academia into drug development. Now as CMO and EVP of R&D at Allogene Therapeutics, he’s focused on the next inflection point: transforming CAR T into scalable, off-the-shelf therapies that could broaden access and extend impact beyond cancer to autoimmune disease.

Produced and hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD
Audio mixed and mastered by Erick Ziegler
Brought to you by Inside Precision Medicine (SAGE Publishing)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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À propos de Behind the Breakthroughs

Join host Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD, North American Editor for Inside Precision Medicine, as he uncovers the stories behind the pioneers driving the precision medicine revolution. Behind the Breakthroughs features candid interviews with seasoned veterans and rising stars, exploring their origin stories and groundbreaking contributions advancing the frontiers of patient diagnosis, treatment, and care.In every episode, Jonathan goes beyond the science, diving deep into the personal and professional journeys of those striving to make these incredible new therapies more equitable and accessible globally. You'll discover how emerging technologies in molecular diagnostics, next-generation sequencing, genetic medicines (e.g., cell and gene therapies), and AI/ML are transforming treatment and bringing precision medicine closer to the forefront of healthcare. Whether you’re a researcher at a large pharma company or small biotech startup, a clinician at a major health system or community setting, a laboratory technician in the clinic or academia, an investor at a premier or venture capital firm, or just interested in the latest in medicine and healthcare, these interviews will inspire and inform you about personalized medicine's future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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