The Pulse Podcast
The Pulse Podcast explores stories from the biotechnology world and features conversations with key figures in the field. Presented by the Harvard Biotech Club, it aims to inspire the next generation of biotech leaders. Each episode offers a deep dive into developments, careers, and ideas shaping biotech. More information is available at hbcpulse.substack.com.
Episodes
Carl Novina: From Academic Discovery to Company Creation
Dr. Carl Novina is a physician-scientist, biotech founder, and Science Partner at Flagship Pioneering. Before joining Flagship, he spent nearly two decades as a principal investigator at Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Broad Institute, where he studied RNA biology, cancer immunology, and therapeutic innovation. He received his MD from Columbia, his PhD from Tufts, and co
Tasuku Kitada: Building a Biotech Strand by Strand
Dr. Tasuku Kitada is the co-founder, President, Head of R&D, and a board director at Strand Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing programmable mRNA therapeutics for cancer, autoimmune disease, and in vivo cell engineering.Tasuku received his B.S. in Biophysics and Biochemistry from the University of Tokyo, earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from UCLA, and completed pos
Ryan Flynn: The Wonderful World of GlycoRNA
Ryan Flynn is pioneering a brand new field of biology. His seminal report of glycosylated RNA (glycoRNA) in 2021 reimagined the way we think about the cell surface and intercell communication. The discovery of glycoRNA revealed that cells intentionally express RNA on their surfaces and these RNAs interact powerfully with the immune system with potential implications in autoimmune disease and cance
Chuan He: Philosophies on the Wall Between Academia and Industry
Chuan He is a world-renowned epigeneticist, a Wolf Prize laureate, and a recent inductee of the National Academy of Sciences. Chuan’s lab at the University of Chicago has spun out numerous companies including Ellis Bio (DNA methylation detection technologies) and Aferna Bio (plant biology). His discovery of the first RNA demethylase introduced a new layer of transcriptional regulation, and his sub
Mark Namchuk: The Art of the Argument Between Science and Business at Every Level
Mark Namchuk is the Executive Director of Therapeutics Translation at Harvard Medical School. Before he joined Harvard, Mark had a 24-year research and development career in the biotech industry, working in a number of areas, including drug discovery, translational science and pharmaceutical development. Mark began his industry career at Cubist Pharmaceuticals as head of the enzymology group. Then
Vicki Sato: Building Modern Biotech Through the Pull and Push
Dr Vicki Sato is a pioneering biotech leader who helped shape the modern biotech industry. She currently serves on the board or in the advisory role for several biotech companies, including Vir Biotechnology, Denali Therapeutics, Allogene Therapeutics, and as a venture partner at ARCH Venture Partners. Vicki started her career as an academic scientist. She was a professor in the Department of Cell
James Collins: Doing Good Science with an Underdog Spirit
James Collins is the Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering & Science and Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT. Jim serves as a director at the MIT Jameel Clinic, a member of the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences & Technology Faculty, a core founding faculty member of the Wyss Institute, and a member of the Broad Institute. Jim is also an elected member of all three national academies. As one of
Tim Harris: a Journey through 50 years of Biotechnology
Tim Harris is a molecular biologist, biochemist and geneticist. He is also a science and business leader with over 40 years of experience in a range of molecular research areas. Tim is currently an Operating Partner at SV Health Investors. Outside of SV, he holds a seat on the Board of Directors of Phenome TX in Edinburgh and is a visiting professor at Columbia University.Before joining SV, Tim se
Stephanie Oestreich: Leadership across biotech and orchestras
Stephanie Oestreich is Managing Director of the Myeloma Investment Fund (MIF), a venture philanthropy fund focused on therapies and technologies for multiple myeloma. She is the chair of the McCloy Alumni Association. She is also a faculty member at MIT, and an advisor at multiple drug development companies and healthcare investment companies.Previously she worked as International Business Leader
Luke Timmerman: Daring to Traverse Biotech and Mountains
Luke Timmerman is a biotech journalist, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. As an award-winning journalist, Luke has been covering biotech since 2001. He is the founder and editor of Timmerman Report, a leading biotech industry newsletter. He hosts “The Long Run”, a biotech-focused podcast that has featured more than 200 biotech leaders. Luke was named one of the 100 most influential people
Bill Sellers: A Nonlinear Journey in Advancing Cancer Therapeutics Across Academia and Industry
Dr. Bill Sellers is a physician scientist and a leading cancer researcher who has held major roles across academia and industry, including Core member of the Broad Institute and Professor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. Bill helped pioneer cancer genomics, including the discovery of EGFR mutations in lung cancer and the creation of the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCL
Melissa McCracken: A Scientist’s Journey into Biotech VC
Melissa McCracken is a partner at Nextech Invest, a leading oncology-focused venture capital firm. She is a board member for multiple private and public biotech companies. Melissa is a scientist by training from UCLA with her research on engineered immunity for cancer. She also completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University where she expanded her research in the field of immuno-oncol
Soufiane Aboulhouda: A story of startups and serendipity
Soufiane (Souf) is a synthetic biologist by training from Harvard Medical School. During his PhD, he founded Nucleate, a non-profit biotech organization that represents the largest global community of bio-innovators and offers numerous free entrepreneurship programs for academic trainees.In this episode,* Souf shares his background and how he got into research during his undergraduate years before
John Maraganore: The Importance of Being Unreasonable
Dr. John Maraganore, founding CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and co-founder of City Therapeutics, discusses his journey from a Greek immigrant household to pioneering RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics. He highlights Alnylam’s growth from a startup to a major biotech company, leading to the first FDA-approved RNAi therapy. John shares insights on decision-making, mentorship, and the future of RN
George Church: Embracing Outliers in Science and in Life
Dr. George Church, is a genetics professor at Harvard Medical School and the Wyss Institute. George is a pioneer in synthetic biology and personalized genomics. In 2017, Time magazine named him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In addition to being a scientist, George is also a prolific serial entrepreneur. He has co-founded over 50 biotech startups through his lab at Harvard
Chris Bahl: From Protein Geek to Biotech CEO
Chris Bahl is the Co-founder and CEO of AI Proteins. He also established the Boston Protein Design and Modeling Club (BPDMC), where he serves as Co-organizer. After completing his PhD in biochemistry from Dartmouth, Chris joined David Baker Lab at the University of Washington, where he pioneered the ability to design mini-proteins as a postdoc with the future Nobel Laureate. Chris later joined Ins
Peter Kolchinsky: Create Your Own Luck by Doing Things Outside of Class
Peter Kolchinsky: Scientist, investor, author, founder of No Patient Left Behind, and co-founder of RA Capital Management.Peter is a virologist by training from Harvard University. After finishing his PhD, he went on to create RA Capital, a leading biotech venture capital firm. In this episode, Peter shares his journey to starting RA Capital and becoming a venture capital investor.* He shares his
Madalyn Won: Making the Jump from Academia into Consulting
Maddie is a parasitologist by training from Harvard University. After her PhD graduation, she joined McKinsey as an associate. In this episode, Maddie shared her journey from the lab to consulting. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hbcpulse.substack.com
Emily Gaudiano: From Lab Bench to Biotech Venture Capital
* Emily Gaudiano reflects on her PhD in Arlene Sharpe Lab at Harvard Medical School and shares the pivotal moments that influenced her career.* With experience in recruiting interns for VC, she offers valuable insights and actionable strategies for graduates aspiring to break into biotech VC.* She shares her experience as an intern and later as a full-time Associate in MPM BioImpact and SV Health
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