Penn Undergraduate Biotech Society (PUBS) Podcast

Today, Adya Srinivasan sits with Dr. Prathap Jayaram, a clinician-scientist and Director of Clinical Regenerative Medicine at Emory University. His work sits at the intersection of biotechnology, regenerative medicine, and clinical care, focusing on translating emerging regenerative therapies into real-world patient treatments. Tune it to learn more about where this field is headed and how it is leading the breakthrough in all disease systems.

In this episode, undergraduate Lola Mallela sits down with Jonathan D. Moreno PhD. Dr. Moreno, as of recording, was the Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, of History and Sociology of Science, and of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. He has written many books including Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die: Bioethics and the Transformation of Healthcare in America and The Brain in Context: A Pragmatic Guide to Neuroscience. Their discussion discusses the ethics of healthcare, his experience within the field, and so much more. Tune in to learn more about a part of healthcare that is not discussed enough!

Today, undergraduate Eshal Momin sits down with Hyun (Michel) Koo, DDS, MS, PhD. Dr. Koo is a dentist-scientist who is also a professor at the School of Dental Medicine and in School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. He also is the co-founder of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD). In this podcast, Dr. Koo discusses how diseases of the mouth can also have an impact on people’s full bodies and overall wellness. In particular, Dr. Koo discusses how oral biofilm interacts with our immune system and how those interactions can directly impact other parts of our body. He ends the podcast with a reflection on getting involved in research and healthcare at large.

In this podcast, Claire Tian, undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, sits down with Josh Schwartz MD, MBA who sits as the Vice President of Medical Affairs in North America at BeOne Medicines. Dr. Schwartz dives into his career but also the pipeline of developing drugs, specifically highlighting the oncology therapeutics that have made it to market from BeOne. Dr. Schwartz pulls on his knowledge of both the scientific understanding of cancer as well as strategies on bringing a drug to market. Listen in to get one of the best insights about this intersection in healthcare.

Today, Kevin Lee, an undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania, talks with Dr. Theodore Drivas MD, PhD, assistant professor in Translational Medicine and Human Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine. In this episode, Dr. Drivas talks about his path to clinical and research work, his passion in disease of the primary cilium, and current challenges in genetic analysis of rare and common disease. 

In this episode, Suchi Patel sits down with Zarina S. Ali, MD, Chief of Neurosurgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Ali shares insights from her pioneering career in neurosurgery, discussing the clinical complexities in nerve surgery, and her research into optimizing patient outcomes through data-driven approaches like ERAS and GREEN OR. The conversation explores the intersection of academic medicine and healthcare innovation with Dr. Ali’s inspiration of going into neurosurgery. Edited by Suchi Patel and Divyash Shah

In this episode, Arnav Gupta sits down with Dr. Mark Pauly, a health economist at the Wharton School, to discuss the economics of healthcare delivery, insurance market design, and the trade-offs between cost, access, and quality in the U.S. healthcare system. Dr. Mark Pauly is best know for writing one of the most influential pieces in health economics: "The Economics of Moral Hazard: Comment" in 1968. Drawing on decades of research, Dr. Pauly shares insights on moral hazard, value-based care, and the policy levers that most effectively improve health outcomes without unsustainable spending. Edited by Arnav Gupta and Divyash Shah

In this episode, Adarsh Ramamurthy talks with Bruce Levine PhD, Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In this unique sit down, Dr. Levine discusses his path into research, emerging trends and what the future holds for immunotherapy as a treatment modality and closes with his guidance and advice for younger scientists entering any field.

In this episode, Abby Joseph sits down with Dr. Terry Bray. Dr Brady serves as Executive Director of Licensing for Physical Sciences & Engineering at the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI). With over 30 years spanning academia and industry, Dr. Bray brings a rare view of technology deals from both the inventor and the licensing side.In this episode, we dig into the mechanics of technology licensing—structuring and negotiating agreements, building diligence and performance milestones that move projects forward, and more. Together, we’ll learn about Dr. Bray’s path into tech transfer and practical advice for how students can prepare for industry now.Edited by Abby Joseph and Divyash Shah

In this episode, Mary Zawalick sits down with Dr. Jonathan Steckbeck to discuss how he entered the biotechnology industry and created his company, Peptilogics. Peptilogics has gained popularity recently for their development of a peptide therapy for Periprosthetic Joint Infections (PJI). Steckbeck talks about the current projects his team is working on, the challenges of running a biotech company, and the future of the biotech industry as a whole. The episode concludes with advice for listeners who are interested in biotech and are looking to create their own startup.