In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Howard Berman, PhD, Founder and CEO of Coya Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies targeting neurodegenerative, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Dr. Berman founded Coya Therapeutics in 2021.  Dr. Berman has over 18 years of entrepreneurial and industry experience working at the interplay of science and business. His experience offers him a unique combination of business acumen and scientific credibility with the ability to assess, quantify and bridge both disciplines. Dr. Berman gained corporate exp ..read more

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Margaret Froh, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). Margaret is also a lawyer by training.    The Métis are a distinct Indigenous people recognized in s.35 of Canada’s Constitution. Métis communities have their own shared customs, traditions and collective identities that are rooted in kinship, their special aboriginal relationship to the land and a distinctive Indigenous culture and way of life that persists to the present day.    Cancer is a significant concern among Métis people in Ontario and across the Métis Nation Homeland ..read more

This episode features an interview with Bruce Culleton, MD, CEO, ProKidney, a late clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development of a pioneering cell therapy candidate that aims to transform the treatment landscape for chronic kidney disease. Prior to joining ProKidney in 2023, Dr. Culleton served as Vice President and General Manager at CVS Kidney Care and also worked in leadership roles at Becton Dickinson and Baxter healthcare. Before beginning his career in industry in 2007, Dr. Culleton was a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Calg ..read more

In marking National Kidney Month, this episode features an interview with Robert Perkins, MD, Vice President, US Medical Affairs (Renal) at Bayer who spoke about kidney health and diabetes-inflicted chronic kidney disease. National Kidney Month is observed every March in the US to raise awareness about kidney health and promote preventive action. It aims to educate the public about the importance of kidneys to overall health and the risk factors for kidney disease, a major one being diabetes. At Bayer, Dr. Perkins is the strategic lead for a team of 8 HQ-based medical directors and a 40-memb ..read more

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Jordyn Playne, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario Youth Council, a group of youth representatives from across Ontario who advocate on behalf of the concerns and interests of Métis youth at the provincial level. Jordyn is also a Clinical Consultant and Trainer at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, as well as an advocate for cancer prevention. Jordyn has a Master’s degree in social work and licenses/certifications in cognitive behavioral therapy. To mark Cancer Prevention Action Week, which took place during the third week of February, Jordyn also ..read more

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, Vice President, Global Head of Marketing, Sight Sciences, about the evolving field of eye care. Sight Sciences is focused on developing and commercializing innovative solutions for eye diseases like glaucoma and dry eye disease to transform care and improve patients’ lives. Among some of Sight Sciences devices and technologies include the OMNI® Surgical System, a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device indicated to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the world’s leading ..read more

In this episode, Ayesha talked about Rare Disease Day 2024, a global movement held on the last day of February each year that focuses on raising awareness about rare diseases including their impact on patients’ lives. This year, Rare Disease Day falls on February 29, the rarest day in a leap year, making it even more special. Ayesha spoke about how the Rare Disease Day campaign helps increase awareness about rare diseases, promotes research and development, supports advocacy for policies supporting patients and their families and brings together a global rare disease community. Advancements ..read more

This episode features an interview with Amir Reichman, CEO of Scinai Immunotherapeutics, a biopharma company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing cutting-edge biological treatments within the inflammation and immunology (I&I) sector, with a primary focus on addressing autoimmune and infectious diseases. Scinai Immunotherapeutics is working on developing nanosized antibodies from alpacas, known as VHH-antibodies or NanoAbs, which show promise as improved biological therapies for various illnesses. These NanoAbs are being tailored to treat conditions with significant unm ..read more

This episode features an interview with Yang Liu, PhD, founder, chairman, CEO and chief scientific officer; and Abid Ansari, MBA, Chief Financial Officer at OncoC4, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for cancer. This includes first-in-class immunotherapy products such as novel antibodies and CAR T-cell treatments targeting CTLA-4. OncoC4 is a spinout of OncoImmune, which was acquired by Merck in December 2020. OncoImmune was founded in 2000 based on the scientific discoveries of the company’s founders who moved their lead product from a basic con ..read more

This episode features an interview with Carlos Doti, MD, Vice President, US Medical Affairs Oncology, AstraZeneca, about new breast cancer treatments. Dr. Doti is a hematologist by training and is passionate about developing treatments that have a real impact for people living with cancer across every aspect of their disease. Dr. Doti has worked in industry for the last 14 years, including seven years at AstraZeneca in various roles, and in small markets like Argentina as well as larger global markets. Since 2022, Dr. Doti has been focusing on the US market in hematology and oncology, working ..read more