Reengineering the heart

On this episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, Dean Henri Ford talks with internationally recognized multiple myeloma expert Dr. C. Ola Landgren about accelerating promising discoveries and moving beyond one-size-fits-all care.Landgren discusses his work with the FDA, which contributed to a decision that will shorten the path to drug approval in multiple myeloma by years. He also examines the barriers that can slow innovation in academic medicine, the need to balance emerging evidence with established standards, and the philosophy behind his guiding principle: “No patient is average.”

For decades, spine surgeons have largely followed a familiarapproach: wait until a patient’s condition becomes severe enough to warrant an invasive operation. But what about patients, particularly younger patients, who are in pain and need relief, yet aren’t candidates for traditional surgery?On the latest episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, Dean Henri Ford welcomes neurosurgeon Michael Wang, M.D., back to the podcast to explore new approaches to spine care and the technologies that could change when and how patients are treated.Dr. Wang also answers questions submitted by listeners, fromwhether he still gets nervous to 3D printing in spine surgery and more!

For patients with aggressive, treatment-resistant Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the disease can keep progressing even as therapies improve outcomes for others. On this episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, MS expert Dr. Flavia Nelson takes us inside one of the field's most promising frontiers: regenerative stem cell therapy. She breaks down the science behind the groundbreaking BEAT MS clinical trial that explores whether stem cells can slow MS progression and repair damage to the central nervous system. It's a compelling look at how research is pushing the boundaries of what's possible for MS patients.

What if blocking a particular brain receptor could help combat treatment-resistant depression? Dean Henri Ford sits down with Kirill Martemyanov, Ph.D., to learn about a previously unrecognized brain receptor that may hold the key to treating major depressive disorder, including the treatment-resistant cases that leave so many patients without relief. The findings, recently published in Nature, point toward a bold new approach to treating these disorders, one that may lead to entirely new class of therapies called “nanobodies.”The results are striking.Tune in to hear Dr. Martemyanov share the science, the journey to the discovery, and what this could mean for the future of mental health treatment.

What does it take to lead and thrive in health care during one of the most transformative eras the field has ever experienced? In this episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, Dean Henri Ford sits down with Dr. Julie Freischlag, a pioneering vascular surgeon and one of the most influential leaders in medicine today.A trailblazer who led some of the nation’s preeminent academic institutions, Dr. Freischlag as broken countless barriers and helped redefine what leadership looks like in health care. In this candid conversation, she speaks about building trust, leading with humility, knowing when to course-correct, and how to emerge stronger from moments of adversity. And yes, you'll also learn a few surprising things about her life outside the operating room.

What if patients trapped inside their own bodies could be brought back? In this groundbreaking episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, world-renowned stroke expert Dr. Dileep Yavagal reveals a medical first: using stem cells to restore function in patients with locked-in syndrome after catastrophic brainstem strokes. Hear how his team became the first in the world to deploy a clinical trial that delivered stem cells directly to injured brain regions within days, and how four patients treated under FDA compassionate use are already showing remarkable signs of recovery. Dr. Yavagal also shares his global work leading the expansion of mechanical thrombectomy through Mission Thrombectomy, transforming stroke care in more than 90 countries. Discover how cutting-edge science is rewriting what’s possible for some of the most devastating strokes.

Medical misinformation is now one of the most powerful forces shaping patient decisions and outcomes. In the latest Inside U Miami Medicine episode, Dr. Geeta Nayyar – author, chief medical officer and technologist – joins Dean Henri Ford to explore how misinformation spreads, why it’s costing health systems trust and credibility, and what leaders can do to fight back.A must-listen for clinicians, executives, and anyone focused on the future of patient care.

What if a paralyzed person could send a text, play chess, or navigate a computer using only their thoughts?In this episode, we dive into the clinical trial of Neuralink’s breakthrough investigational brain-computer interface, a wireless system designed to create a direct digital connection between the human brain and external devices.Our guest is Dr. Allan Levi, one of the neurosurgeons and a principal investigator leading the Neuralink trial in South Florida. He shares insights from inside the study, the technology behind the implant, and what this could mean for the future of neurorehabilitation.

How does a young medical student from Bogotá, Colombia go on to co-invent a device that revolutionizes mitral valve repair, and then reshape an entire nation’s landscape of cardiac care? Dr. Juan Pablo Umaña shares the extraordinary journey that shaped his philosophy as a heart surgeon, innovator, and mentor.

For the first time in history, there will soon be more older adults than children in the U.S., and rates of dementia are climbing. Neuropsychologist Dr. Rosie Curiel Cid has developed a groundbreaking cognitive test capable of detecting the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease, long before symptoms appear. In this episode, she explains how early diagnosis can change everything, opening the door to new FDA-approved treatments that can slow the disease’s progression and transform how we approach brain health.