Xtalks Life Science Podcast

The Next Generation of Cell Therapy with Cartherics’ COO Dr. Ian Nisbet

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, we dive into the cutting edge of cell therapy innovation with Ian Nisbet, PhD, chief operating officer (COO) and co-founder of Cartherics, an Australian biotech company developing next-generation cell therapies for difficult-to-treat diseases like cancer and endometriosis.
Dr. Nisbet also acts as a director or advisor to several Australian and US biotechnology companies. With more than 35 years of leadership in biotech and experience in bringing two FDA-approved oncology drugs to market, Dr. Nisbet offers valuable insights into how the next generation of cell therapies could transform patient care.
Tune in to learn about Cartherics’ proprietary platform for generating an effectively unlimited supply of CAR-NK cells, the challenges and opportunities in developing treatments for underserved diseases and what’s next for the cell therapy industry worldwide.
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Why MASH Matters: The Next Steps in Liver Disease Innovation with 89bio’s Rohan Palekar

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Vera Kovacevic speaks with Rohan Palekar, CEO of 89bio, about one of the fastest-growing public health challenges: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), also known as fatty liver disease.
MASH is projected to affect more than 27 million Americans by 2030, yet it remains a largely “silent” epidemic.
Palekar discusses what sets MASH apart from other liver diseases, the urgent need for therapies that can rapidly reverse fibrosis in advanced patients and the unique challenges drug developers face in addressing this condition.
The conversation explores the drivers behind the sharp rise in MASH prevalence and what may define the future therapeutic landscape.
Palekar also reflects on his leadership journey at 89bio and shares what’s next for the company as it advances new therapies for MASH and beyond.
Tune in to learn how 89bio is working to transform care for patients living with MASH and why this disease represents one of the most important — yet underrecognized — health challenges of the decade.
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Bridging Aesthetics and Therapeutics in Dermatology with Galderma’s Dr. Bill Andriopoulos

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Senior Life Science Journalist Ayesha Rashid connects with Bill Andriopoulos, PhD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Galderma US, to discuss the future of patient-centered dermatology across both medical and aesthetic care. Galderma is focused on advancing science-based innovations in the dermatology space.
Together, they discuss Galderma’s approach to responsible innovation, improving access and representation in research, and what it takes to advance care for every skin story.
Dr. Andriopoulos explains how medical affairs drives scientific evidence and cross-functional education within dermatology, and how the integration of therapeutic and aesthetic dermatology is evolving at Galderma.
Dr. Andriopoulos joined Galderma nearly a decade ago in Canada and later served in Sweden as Global Head of Medical Affairs, Aesthetics. Since 2021, he has been leading medical affairs in the US, overseeing teams that generate evidence and educational resources aligned with Galderma’s motto of “advancing dermatology for every skin story.”
Tune in to learn about the role of medical affairs in driving evidence and education, the use of real-world data in shaping dermatology practice and the integration of therapeutic and aesthetic approaches in dermatology.
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The Neuroscience of Weight Regulation with Courage Therapeutics’ Dr. Roger Cone

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Senior Life Science Journalist Ayesha Rashid speaks with Dr. Roger Cone, PhD, founder of Courage Therapeutics, professor at the University of Michigan, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a leading authority on the neuroscience of weight regulation.
Dr. Cone shares insights from over 30 years of groundbreaking research on the brain’s melanocortin system, discoveries that have revolutionized our understanding of obesity and restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and cachexia.
Dr. Cone’s discoveries of the melanocortin-3 and -4 receptors (MC3R and MC4R) have helped shape our understanding of obesity and eating disorders.
Backed by a $7.8 million seed investment, Courage Therapeutics is developing innovative therapies targeting the brain’s appetite-regulating circuits that aim to complement GLP-1 treatments.
Tune in to learn how Dr. Cone’s work is shaping the next generation of brain-targeted therapeutics for obesity and restrictive eating disorders.
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Exploring Immunomodulation Without Immunosuppression with Artax Biopharma’s Dr. Rob Armstrong

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, host Ayesha Rashid speaks with Rob Armstrong, PhD, CEO of Artax Biopharma, a company pioneering a novel class of oral small molecule drugs known as Nck modulators to treat autoimmune diseases. Unlike traditional therapies that suppress the immune system, Artax’s approach aims to restore immune balance by modulating T cell receptor signaling.
Dr. Armstrong shares insights into the company’s recent clinical progress, including positive Phase IIa results in psoriasis and promising preclinical data in atopic dermatitis, and what these milestones mean for the broader autoimmune treatment landscape.
With more than 20 years of leadership in biopharmaceutical R&D, Dr. Armstrong previously served as CEO, board member and co-founder of Boston Pharmaceuticals, led small molecule R&D at Amgen and held senior executive roles at Eli Lilly, including Vice President of Global Medicinal Chemistry. Dr. Armstrong was Chairman of the Board of Artax Biopharma until January 2024, when he was appointed as the company’s CEO.
Prior to working in industry, Dr. Armstrong was a tenured Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
Dr. Armstrong received his Bachelor of Science (BS) in chemistry at University of California San Diego (UCSD), PhD in chemistry at California State University (CSU) and was an NIH postdoctoral fellow at Harvard. Rob is an advisor to Gelesis and serves on the board of directors of early-stage biotechnology companies Curza Therapeutics, Cloud Pharmaceuticals and Entrega Bio.
Tune into the episode to hear Dr. Armstrong discuss the promise of Nck modulators and breakthroughs in autoimmune therapies.
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Advancing Neurotherapeutics for Fragile X and Beyond with Spinogenix CMO Dr. Craig Erickson

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha speaks with Craig Erickson, MD, chief medical officer at Spinogenix and a leading expert in translational neurodevelopmental research.
Dr. Erickson shares insights into Spinogenix’s work on restoring synapses to reverse cognitive and motor decline in conditions like Fragile X Syndrome, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.
Dr. Erickson is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine-Affiliated and the Director of the Cincinnati Fragile X Research and Treatment Center. His work focuses on enhancing the ability to detect brain target engagement with treatment to identify meaningful functional changes in patients as early as the initial stages of human drug trials, while also determining which individuals are most likely to benefit from treatment.
Dr. Erickson holds several investigator-initiated INDs and is the inventor of several patents describing new treatment approaches. His work has been extensively supported by the NIH, CDC, US Department of Defense, stakeholder foundations and biotechnology companies from around the world.
Tune into the episode to hear Dr. Erickson discuss the evolving landscape of neurotherapeutics, early-stage drug trials and how precision biomarkers are shaping individualized treatment approaches.
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Driving Neuro Innovation with Neurizon Therapeutics CEO Dr. Michael Thurn

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha speaks with Michael Thurn, PhD, Managing Director & CEO, Neurizon Therapeutics, a company focused on advancing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, with expansion efforts in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and others.
With over 25 years of experience in biotech innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership and broad experience in drug discovery, development, regulation and commercialization, Dr. Thurn shares his vision for advancing next-generation therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Thurn has led a variety of FDA lnvestigational New Drug (IND) applications across a range of therapeutic areas, and the evaluation of drugs and vaccines for registration in Australia as a part of the Drug Safety Evaluation Branch (DSEB) of the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA).
Dr. Thurn co-founded MARP Therapeutics and held roles at companies including Botanix, Mimetica, Spinifex, Cytopia, Xenome and Novogen.
Tune in to hear Dr. Thurn discuss Neurizon’s strategic pipeline, clinical development efforts, as well as his global experience spanning drug discovery, regulatory affairs and capital markets.
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Restoring Synapses to Fight ALS, Alzheimer’s and More with Spinogenix CEO Dr. Stella Sarraf

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha speaks with Stella Sarraf, PhD, founder, CEO and director of Spinogenix, a company pioneering neurodegenerative therapeutics designed to restore synapses with the potential to reverse cognitive and motor decline in conditions such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders.
Dr. Sarraf shares the scientific inspiration behind Spinogenix’s novel approach and how the company is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in neuroscience.
With a career spanning big pharma (Merck), venture capital (Foresite Capital, Prospect Ventures) and multiple biotech startups, Dr. Sarraf brings a unique and visionary perspective to the translational challenges of drug development.
In 2013, Dr. Sarraf founded Amydis, a company developing ocular tracers for digital detection of neurodegenerative diseases. She then founded Spinogenix in 2016 to focus on developing novel neurodegenerative therapeutics.
Dr. Sarraf has a PhD in organic chemistry from Columbia University and a BA in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Tune in to hear Dr. Sarraf discuss the urgent unmet needs in neurodegeneration, what makes Spinogenix’s approach different from traditional neuroprotective therapies and how restoring synaptic function could change the trajectory of these diseases. Dr. Sarraf also reflects on her journey as a scientist-turned-entrepreneur and the importance of resilience, adaptability and patient-driven innovation in biotech.
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Championing the Patient Voice with Ardelyx’s Chief Patient Officer Dr. Laura Williams

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha Rashid speaks with Laura Williams, MD, MPH, chief patient officer at Ardelyx, a company developing and commercializing first-in-class medicines for diseases like chronic kidney disease (CKD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Dr. Williams brings nearly 30 years of experience in clinical development, drug strategy and patient advocacy. With leadership roles across big pharma and biotech — including Abbott, Myovant and AMAG Pharmaceuticals — her impact is marked by eight FDA drug approvals and a relentless focus on improving patient outcomes.
Before joining Ardelyx, Dr. Williams was SVP and head of clinical development and biostatistics at AMAG Pharmaceuticals, overseeing four investigational assets and two marketed products. She previously served as VP of clinical development at Myovant Sciences and spent 18 years at Abbott/AbbVie, where she led global clinical programs and managed the general medicine therapeutic area.
Dr. Williams received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University, a Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Iowa and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from University of Washington, where she also completed a clinical fellowship in infectious diseases. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at University of Michigan, where she also served as Chief Resident and Junior Faculty.
Tune in as Dr. Williams shares how her unique blend of scientific expertise and deep commitment to the patient voice drives innovation at Ardelyx. She discusses the evolving, up-and-coming role of chief patient officer, key lessons learned, the challenges of patient-centric drug development and what’s ahead in addressing critical unmet medical needs.
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Inside AI-Powered Drug Discovery with Gain Therapeutics’ CEO Gene Mack

In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Vera Kovacevic speaks with Gene Mack, CEO and President of Gain Therapeutics, a company focused on AI-driven small molecule discovery for diseases with high unmet medical needs.
With over 25 years of leadership across biopharma, capital markets and corporate strategy, Gene shares his unique perspective on the intersection of artificial intelligence and drug development — and how Gain Therapeutics is using it to tackle diseases with high unmet medical need.
Prior to joining Gain, Gene was CFO at Imcyse SA between 2021 and 2023, and at OncoC4, which spun out of Merck’s acquisition of OncoImmune in 2020 where he had also been CFO.
Gene discusses his career journey from Wall Street to the C-suite, his experience raising over $350 million in biotech funding and the exciting science behind Gain’s drug discovery platform.
Gene received both his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and MBA in finance from Fordham University.
Whether you're a biotech investor, drug developer or simply curious about how AI is reshaping the future of medicine, tune into the conversation.
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