Xtalks Life Science Podcast

Google’s AI Dermatology App + WHO’s Investigations into the Coronavirus Lab Leak Theory

In this episode, Ayesha talks about Google’s new AI-based dermatology tool designed to help people identify and research conditions of the skin, hair and nails. The tool involves downloading an app on your phone and using its camera to take images of the affected area(s). These images, along with information about things like symptoms and skin type, are used to offer a list of possible matching conditions by linking to a database of 288 conditions that includes verified, peer-reviewed information. The tool is set to be piloted this year. While not a diagnostic tool, the team discussed how it could help users get more reliable and targeted information about skin conditions compared to a random internet search, which could help relieve some anxiety until they see a doctor.The group also discussed the WHO’s calls for renewed investigations into the origins of the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus. The calls come after a recent US Intelligence report identified three researchers at a virology institute studying bat coronaviruses in Wuhan, China who became sick and were hospitalized in November 2019. This has led to speculation that the novel coronavirus may have been accidentally released through a lab leak. Details of the intelligence report has prompted the WHO and other world leaders to call for an investigation into the lab leak origin theory, which is causing divides politically and within the scientific community. The team talked about how the meddling of politics in science continues to be harmful during the pandemic.Read the full articles here:Google Launches AI-Based Dermatology Assist ToolWHO Calls for Probe into SARS-CoV-2 Origins as Lab Leak Theories IntensifyFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Clinical Trials Day 2021 + AbbVie’s Humira Monopoly

In this episode, Ayesha talks about Clinical Trials Day 2021 and how the COVID-19 pandemic spurred changes in trial procedures and perceptions of clinical research. At the onset of the pandemic, many clinical trial sites had to be shut down, prompting trial sponsors and practitioners to move to remote, decentralized clinical trial models. Researchers had to adapt quickly to minimize trial disruptions. Xtalks spoke to experts in the field who say decentralized and hybrid trials are here to stay even after the pandemic, as they can improve the patient experience and incorporate modern digital technologies for enhanced data collection and data sharing. The group also discussed AbbVie’s latest legal troubles over Humira, the world’s best-selling drug, with claims of patent abuses and price hikes by the company that were confirmed in a recent congressional probe. Through these strategies, AbbVie has created a monopoly over Humira to block biosimilars of the drug from entering the market. These unethical practices may deprive patients access to cheaper Humira alternatives that are just as effective. The team discussed how loopholes in US patent laws allow for such problematic exploitation and manipulation.Read the full articles here:AbbVie in Hot Water Over Patent Abuses and Price Hikes to Block Humira Biosimilar CompetitionClinical Trials Day 2021: Reflecting on a Challenging Year That’s Made the Industry StrongerFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Pharma TV Ad Spending Trends + AI Algorithm for Heart Disease

In this episode, Ayesha discusses the latest trends in pharma tv ad spending, including the top spenders last week. The pandemic has led to a rise in both TV watching and health awareness, which pharma companies took advantage of by increasing spending on TV commercials by about 17 percent overall. Last week, three of the top ten TV ads by expenditure were from pharma, which included GLP-1 diabetes drugs Rybelsus and Trulicty and the anti-inflammatory Dupixent for treating eczema. The group also talked about a new AI algorithm developed by researchers at the Mayo Clinic that can help increase the identification and diagnosis of cases of low ejection fraction. Low ejection fraction is often asymptomatic in early stages and hence goes underdiagnosed in many instances. The new AI algorithm is integrated into routine electrocardiograms (ECG), which are fast and readily accessible but cannot diagnose the condition on their own. The team discussed the promise of integrating AI approaches into existing medical tools and technologies to facilitate enhanced diagnoses and treatments.Read the full articles here:Pharma TV Ad Spending Trends: Companies in the Top Ten this WeekHow a New AI Algorithm Could Help in the Early Detection of Heart DiseaseFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Epigenetic Editing with CRISPR + ADHD in Preschoolers

In this episode, Ayesha discusses a new tool that uses CRISPR to modulate gene expression without editing DNA sequences. Dubbed “CRISPRoff,” the technology targets the epigenome to silence genes involved in diseases, with applications in cancer, AML and other conditions with a heritable component. The team debates the ethical considerations around epigenetic therapies and genome editing, and how scientific communications should be improved to help educate the public on complex medical breakthrough.Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the team also talks about the prevalence of ADHD in preschool-aged children, with Ayesha presenting the results of a study that investigated the effects of medication in this patient population. They explore the difficulties in diagnosing hyperactivity in an age group when kids are known for their changeable behaviour, and how casual use of the label “ADHD” may be damaging to families who are actually dealing with the condition.Read the full articles here:Epigenetic Editing with CRISPR Might Be Easier Than We ThoughtNew Study Looks at Effects of ADHD Drugs in PreschoolersFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

At-Home Sleep Apnea Test + Neurological Rehabilitation Device for Stroke Patients

Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can have serious health consequences such as increased risk of heart disease, stroke and obesity. Conventional sleep apnea testing involves invasive, cumbersome equipment and an overnight stay at a hospital or sleep clinic. However, a new sleep apnea test device developed by Belgian start-up Sunrise may soon change that. Listen to this episode to find out about a new lightweight, wireless, AI-powered device sleep apnea testing device that can be administered in the comfort of your own home.In this episode, Ayesha also looks at another new innovative medical device designed to facilitate rehabilitation in stroke patients with upper limb motor deficits. Neurolutions’ IpsiHand System is a brain-computer interface (BCI) system that consists of a robotic hand brace, a headset with EEG electrodes and a tablet computer that translates brain activity into physical movement. The team discusses the promise and power of BCI applications for the treatment of neurological conditions, including the hype around Elon Musk’s latest brainchild (no pun intended!) Neuralink and its new brain chip technology.  Read the full articles here:How Sunrise’s Sleep Apnea Test Could Be A Game Changer For At-Home Testing How IpsiHand Can Help Stroke Patients Regain Movement through Neurological RehabilitationFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Malaria Vaccine + Sugar’s Effect on Brain Development in Children

Stories about the development of COVID-19 vaccines have dominated the news for months, but a huge breakthrough in the prevention of another infectious disease has just been announced. Listen to this episode to learn about a new malaria vaccine developed by researchers at the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford that is 77 percent effective at blocking the parasite.In this episode, Ayesha also shares the results of a study that gives parents another reason to limit their kids’ sugar intake. Research involving rats has identified a mechanistic link between high sugar consumption and impaired learning and memory later in life that involves a specific genus of gut bacteria. The team discusses the challenges of regulating added sugar in processed foods, and the applicability of animal models in understanding human development. Read the full articles here:Malaria Vaccine a Breakthrough Success with 77 Percent Efficacy How Sugar May Impair Brain Development in ChildrenFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

J&J COVID-19 Vaccine and Thrombosis + Medtronic’s Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Approval

More cases of blood clots in those vaccinated against COVID-19 — this time in six women who took the J&J shot — has US regulators recommending that vaccination efforts be paused. In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science podcast, Ayesha discusses the type of thrombotic events reported in these patients, and the team explores whether the benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the risks of getting COVID-19, and suffering infection-associated thrombosis. Also in this episode, Ayesha talks about the approval of the first non-surgical option for patients with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation, a system developed by medical technology veteran Medtronic, called the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve. The team debates the ethical and religious considerations of using pig tissue in heart valves.Read the full articles here:First Non-Surgical Heart Valve Wins FDA Approval for Severe Pulmonary Valve RegurgitationUS Regulators Recommend Pause on J&J’s COVID-19 Vaccine, But Just as a PrecautionFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Parkinson’s Disease: Link With Melanoma + Drug Development

FDA-mandated clinical holds, strategic partnership breakups and $800 million biotech acquisitions. In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Sarah revisits two Parkinson’s biotech companies — Prevail Therapeutics and Voyager Therapeutics — to see what progress they’ve made in their gene therapy clinical development programs since April 2019. She shares how well the firms have weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and the team discusses the outlook for the drug development industry in general.Also in this episode, Ayesha explores the link between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma, and how gene therapies could target both. The team discusses the disconnect between basic, academic research and applied research in industry, and how funding is at the heart of the problem.Read the full articles here:6 Parkinson’s Biotech Companies: Where Are They in 2021?Parkinson’s and Melanoma Share an Amyloid Link, Says New ResearchFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Social Media’s Disinformation Dozen + Pfizer’s Latest COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Results

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha discusses a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and Anti-Vax Watch that shows there are just 12 people behind 65 percent of all online anti-vaccine disinformation. While social media operators such as Facebook and Twitter had vowed to remove vaccine disinformation from their platforms, the disinformation dozen are still active and well on the sites. How can online misinformation be better combatted and are stricter actions on the part of social media networks needed? Ayesha also talks about the latest clinical trial results for Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine. New data shows that the vaccine is safe and effective in children, performs extremely well against some of the new variants and vaccine-generated immune responses last for up to six months. While the new data is exciting and can help build greater confidence in the vaccine, can there be such a thing as too much information, and too fast, especially since data around the vaccines is evolving so quickly?Read the full articles here:Disinformation Dozen: The Anti-Vaxxers Behind Most Social Media MisinformationPfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Results: Stellar, Long-Ranging Efficacies in Children and Against VariantsFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks, @XtalksMedDevice Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Caffeine Consumption in Pregnancy + Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator for MS

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha discusses the results of a new NIH study that suggest a link between moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy and lower birth weight and reduced body size. Should pregnant women avoid caffeine altogether, or is this yet another restriction placed on expectant mothers that might not be necessary? Ayesha also talks about a new medical device that could help improve gait and balance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The portable neuromodulation stimulator developed by Helius Medical Technologies helped those with MS achieve a significant improvement in balance in a small trial conducted by the FDA, but will the device’s unique mouthpiece design limit its use?Read the full articles here:New Study Suggests Pregnant Women Should Avoid Caffeine Altogether. Here’s WhyPortable Neuromodulation Stimulator Gets FDA Authorization for MS TreatmentFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks, @XtalksMedDeviceInstagram: @XtalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferencesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured