S9 Ep10: Neurologist and Author Pria Anand on What Storytelling Reveals About the Human Brain

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes neurologist and author Pria Anand, MD, for a conversation about the power of narrative in neurology. They explore how symptoms such as sleep paralysis and confabulation — the brain’s tendency to fill gaps in memory — can illuminate how the brain works, and how culture shapes the way people experience, interpret, and describe illness. They also discuss what the brain’s storytelling tendencies may reveal about AI, why human connection matters for healthy aging, and how emerging imaging technologies could transform our understanding of the nervous system.

In this episode of the Big Ideas series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Joseph DeSimone, PhD, professor of translational medicine and of chemical engineering at Stanford University, for a conversation about how advances in materials science and precision manufacturing are opening new frontiers in medicine. They explore DeSimone's pioneering innovations in polymer-based drug delivery, biodegradable stents, digitally fabricated dentures, high-speed 3D printing, and microneedle patches that could improve vaccine delivery and enable new forms of liquid biopsy. They also discuss the promise of AI to integrate molecular diagnostics and other health data, helping to make precision health more actionable and widely accessible.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes William Brody, MD, PhD, president emeritus of Johns Hopkins University, for a conversation about leadership, critical thinking, and lessons from his career spanning academia, medicine, and entrepreneurship. They discuss insights from Brody's 2026 book "Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways," including the roles of preparation and opportunity in success, the importance of authenticity in leadership and the value of building meaningful relationships over collecting accolades. They also explore Brody’s philosophy as president of Johns Hopkins, as well as the benefits of questioning conventional wisdom. 

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Freddy Abnousi, MD, vice president of health technology at Meta and an interventional cardiologist, for a conversation about how artificial intelligence and augmented reality have the potential to transform preventative health care. They discuss how ambient AI, wearables, and smart glasses can capture valuable health information from “lived experience” that is often missed in medical records, helping to avert or manage chronic conditions. They also explore the critical challenges ahead for AI in health, from privacy concerns to workflow integration, as well as what these rapid advances mean for the future of medical education. 

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Eric Horvitz, MD, PhD, chief scientific officer at Microsoft, for a conversation about the rapid evolution of AI and its implications for how we think, work, and make decisions. They discuss the accelerating pace of AI advances, the need to safeguard human judgment and agency, and the growing role of these technologies in health care — from easing administrative burden to supporting complex clinical decisions. They also explore how AI is reshaping scientific discovery and what it will take to guide its development responsibly.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Dhruv Khullar, MD, contributing writer to The New Yorker and associate professor at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine, for a conversation about AI’s evolving role in health care. They discuss its potential to enhance diagnosis, reduce administrative burden, improve the patient experience, and accelerate drug discovery, while also examining the risks of overreliance and clinician de-skilling. They also explore how AI will reshape medical education, and why communication, trust, and the enduring practice of healing will remain central to the future of medicine.

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Lucy Shapiro, PhD, for a conversation about how her unconventional thinking unlocked new insights about how bacterial cells behave, fundamentally changing how scientists understand cells and laying the groundwork for systems biology. They explore how her research informed new approaches to treating infections and other diseases, and how these advances opened new paths for developing antibacterial and antifungal drugs to fight superbugs. They also discuss the biological threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and ways that the global community can prepare for the next pandemic.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Sarah Soule, Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, for a conversation about how leaders, organizations, and the GSB itself are evolving in a rapidly changing world. During the GSB’s centennial year, they explore the school’s leadership model — emphasizing self-awareness, perspective taking, communication, and deep listening — and how its entrepreneurial culture has inspired alumni whose bold ideas became transformative companies. They also discuss the future or organizational behavior and her vision for the school’s next chapter, including new initiatives in investing, leadership development, and the future of work and AI.

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Eric Topol, MD, author of Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity, for a conversation about why immune health may be more important than genetics in promoting healthy aging. They explore how lifestyle factors like sleep, diet, and exercise strengthen the body’s defenses, shaping longevity beyond our genes. They also discuss how emerging technologies, from wearable sensors to genetic risk tools, could make personalized prevention a reality for all. 

In an episode of his Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Stanford neuroscientist Karl Deisseroth, MD, PhD, for a conversation about how his groundbreaking research is reshaping our understanding of the brain and the experiences that define us as human. They delve into the origins of optogenetics — a revolutionary technology Deisseroth pioneered using light to map how the brain drives emotion and behavior — and they explore his vision for Stanford Medicine’s Human Neural Circuitry research program. Deisseroth also reflects on the beauty of scientific discovery, the role of humility in research, and how advances in brain science are opening new avenues for understanding and treating mental illness.