TEDMED Speaker Daniel Streicker provided some great insights about bats and pandemics in his 2018 Talk “What vaccinating vampire bats can teach us about pandemics” and TEDMED blog post. Learn about this Animal-Borne Disease Detective’s perspective on COVID-19 in our Q & A below. TEDMED: What do we know about the origin of COVID-19? Which theories stand strong in your mind? Daniel Streicker: We know that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) most likely originated from a non-human animal, but exactly which animal and how it managed to make the jump to people largely remains a mystery ..read more

2020 TEDMED Speaker Anupam B. Jena shares the power of creative observations in his Talk “The profound difference between seeing and looking.” In response to his Talk and his segment on TED Radio Hour, TEDMED spoke with Anupam about observing the changing world during COVID-19. TEDMED: Given the rise of COVID-19, what questions that are “hidden in plain sight” have you been most intrigued by? Anupam B. Jena: I’ve been intrigued by a few questions. In some respects, the COVID-19 pandemic is The Great Natural Experiment. Medical procedures, including screening tests for cancer, have been deferre ..read more

By Neal Batra, principal and Kulleni Gebreyes, M.D., principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP Last month, we led a discussion about the future of health at TEDMED 2020 in Boston (turns out this was the last in-person meeting any of us will attend for a while). We explained that we believe over the next 20 years, consumers—rather than clinicians or hospitals—will be at the heart of the US health system. These health consumers will likely be armed with data, tools, and guidance that allows them to make informed decisions about their health.  We were just a few minutes into our talk when a physici ..read more

At TEDMED’s gathering in Boston, we had the opportunity to interview on stage the world’s top virologist, Peter Piot. In plain English, Peter provided solid scientific knowledge about COVID-19 and how to cope with it. Short answers, clear explanations. Based on that live interview here is a written Q & A supporting the responses to 100 questions on COVID-19 with Peter Piot. We hope that you will find this additional content helpful and that you will share the video Q & A and this blog post with your friends and family. 1. TEDMED: Let’s start with the basics. What is a virus? A virus i ..read more

TEDMED Meetups, uniquely designed conversations, engage the entire TEDMED community to share their individual perspectives and voices to help improve humanity’s health. Read on to view some of the details of these captivating conversations taking place at TEDMED 2020. Meetup 1 Tuesday, March 3rd, 8:00 am- 8:45 am Climate and Culture, A Health Equity Conversation Hosted by RWJF and facilitated by Malik Yakini, an RWJF Health Equity Expert Speakers: Cheryl Holder, Jyoti Sharma, and Thijs Biersteker Description: When we consider human health, we must consider climate health. Whether it is the im ..read more

There are plenty of ways to engage with our TEDMED 2020 class of Hive Innovators. Whether in a Hive Innovator Meetup, the Community Lunch, where we will have the opportunity to explore the Innovator’s “What If” questions, or through TEDMED Scout: Your AR Guide to Innovation. This year, the Hive Innovator experience is powered by our partner TBWA\WorldHealth. Innovator Meetups At TEDMED 2020, the Hive Innovators will participate in curated meetup discussions around a topic that aligns to their work. Innovator Meetups are open to everyone in the TEDMED Community onsite and are an ..read more

As TEDMED 2020 nears we are excited to announce our 2020 Session Hosts. Playing an integral role at TEDMED, our Session Hosts guide us through our amazing Stage Program, helping to connect the themes and ideas shared by our Speakers throughout the program. In addition to their work on Stage at TEDMED, all of our Session Hosts generously give their time and expertise as members of our Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) working to shape the program itself. In the coming weeks we will be sharing some details about the ways in which our Speakers, Innovators, Partners and Delegates come together beyo ..read more

Inspiring a healthier humanity requires us to push ourselves forward to drive progress while reflecting on the astonishing accomplishments we have achieved. At TEDMED 2020, we will connect with an invisible force that has been propelling humanity forward for millennia—wonder. To experience wonder is to experience the power and possibilities that lay beneath the surface waiting to be discovered. As our 2020 Stage Program and community conversations evolved, we began to see the power of wonder at work. From the great wisdom that can be found in wonder to the duality of wonders of the human mind ..read more

We are happy to announce the TEDMED 2020 Hive Program, which will feature inspiring entrepreneurs and their organizations. As always, this year’s Hive class is made of Innovators representing early- to mid-stage organizations across 6 categories: 1) Life Sciences & Therapeutics 2) Med-Tech & Med-Device 3) Mobile & Digital Health 4) Health Systems, Care Delivery, and Reimbursement Models 5) Advancing Science 6) Public Health New this year, the Innovators will be a part of an interactive onsite experience powered by TBWA\WorldHealth. Through this awe-inspiring experience that i ..read more

TEDMED Speaker Daniel Streicker provided some great insights about bats and pandemics in his 2018 Talk “What vaccinating vampire bats can teach us about pandemics” and TEDMED blog post. Learn about this Animal-Borne Disease Detective’s perspective on COVID-19 in our Q & A below. TEDMED: What do we know about the origin of COVID-19? Which theories stand strong in your mind? Daniel Streicker: We know that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) most likely originated from a non-human animal, but exactly which animal and how it managed to make the jump to people largely remains a mystery ..read more