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Lab Rats to Unicorns

John Flavin
Food and Drug Administration
Atlanta, United States
Agetech
Cancer
Immune Tolerance
CRISPR
Longevity
Storytelling
Navy Seals
Life Sciences
Regulatory T Cells
Johns Hopkins University
LB Pharmaceuticals
Arthroba
Multiple Myeloma
Tokyo
Cell Therapy
Jpmorgan
Biotech
Kidney Transplant

Lab Rats to Unicorns is a podcast that aims to demystify the process of creating a great company in life sciences. Under the guidance of our host, John Flavin, you will hear personal stories of creation, be able to understand how great companies are created, and get insights into the many ways that you as an individual can engage in the creation of tomorrow’s life science companies. From the lab r... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes91Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipScienceBusinessLife Sciences

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Artwork for Lab Rats to Unicorns

Latest Episodes

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Luke Timmerman, founder of the Timmerman Report and one of biotechnology’s most respected journalists and storytellers. For more than 25 years, Luke has chronicled the scientists, en... more

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Richard Pazdur, one of the most influential figures in modern oncology and cancer drug development. As the founding director of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence and former... more

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Tejal Desai, Sorensen Family Dean of Engineering at Brown University and a nationally recognized leader in biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, and translational medicine.... more

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Heather Turner, CEO of LB Pharmaceuticals, a late-stage clinical biotechnology company developing differentiated therapies for patients with serious psychiatric and neurological diso... more

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Recent Guests

Tejal Desai
Sorensen Family Dean of Engineering at Brown University; leader in biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and translational medicine
Brown University
Episode: Where Engineering Meets Medicine with Tejal Desai_e.086
Heather Turner
CEO of LB Pharmaceuticals
LB Pharmaceuticals
Episode: The CEO Playbook for Biotech Growth with Heather Turner_e.085
David Gunnarsson
Chief Business Development Officer at Bluefors
Bluefors
Episode: Powering the Quantum Revolution with David Gunnarsson_e.084
Trevor Martin
Co-founder and CEO of Mammoth Biosciences
Mammoth Biosciences
Episode: CRISPR Discovery & Curative Medicine with Trevor Martin_e.083
Gene Robinson
Professor of entomology and CEO of Discovery Partners Institute
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Discovery Partners Institute
Episode: From Honeybees to Human Behavior with Gene Robinson_e.082
Robert Califf
Physician, scientist, former FDA Commissioner
U.S. FDA (former)
Episode: Science, Policy & the FDA with Robert Califf_e.081
Kate Adamala
Synthetic biologist, professor at University of Minnesota, co-founder of Synlife
University of Minnesota; Synlife
Episode: Building Life From Scratch with Kate Adamala_e.080
Andrew Pelling
Biophysicist known for apple-derived scaffolds and augmented biology
Spiderwort Biotechnologies, Inc.
Episode: Growing Human Tissue on Plants with Andrew Pelling_e.079
Christy Wyskiel
Senior Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: The Backbone of Breakthrough Science with Christy Wyskiel_e.078

Host

John Flavin
Host of Lab Rats to Unicorns

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 28 ratings
  • Excellent interviews of leaders in bioscience

    Really enjoyed this new podcast. John makes it easy to understand the science and startup process. Those interviewed are dynamic and share interesting lessons learned.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    joconnor2009
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Deep dives with biotech leaders and investors offer practical startup lessons.
Guests are dynamic and bring diverse perspectives on commercialization.
High-quality storytelling around biotech entrepreneurship.
Host makes complex science accessible and actionable.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Building Life From Scratch with Kate Adamala_e.080
Q: What challenges do you foresee in translating synthetic cell research into therapies?
Two major hurdles are scalability, since synthetic cells don't yet self-replicate on their own, and regulatory pathways, because current frameworks aren't clearly designed for this new category of therapy, requiring new safety data and regulatory thinking.
Building Life From Scratch with Kate Adamala_e.080
Q: What are the main near-term applications of synthetic cells?
The leading near-term opportunities lie in biomedical applications and bio-manufacturing, where synthetic cells could perform tasks natural cells struggle with, such as producing pharmaceuticals or enabling new manufacturing processes in a more programmable way.
Building Life From Scratch with Kate Adamala_e.080
Q: How do synthetic minimal cells differ from genetically engineered organisms?
Genetically engineered organisms start from a natural chassis and are modified, while synthetic cells are built from scratch using molecular components. They aim to expand biology beyond natural chemistry, with full control over inputs and potentially broader capabilities, though not all components can be created from nothing yet.
Building Life From Scratch with Kate Adamala_e.080
Q: What drew you to question what life is and whether we can design it?
I was drawn by the idea that there are many chemical possibilities for life beyond what we currently know, and the big questions are about what we can make and what functions we can realize that nature doesn't. This curiosity, coupled with a desire to do something useful, led me from origin-of-life studies to synthetic cell engineering and eventual entrepreneurship.
Where Engineering Meets Medicine with Tejal Desai_e.086
Q: What first drew you toward biomedical engineering and the interface of engineering, biology, and medicine?
A spark from a summer program for girls sponsored by NSF, where a biomedical engineer demonstrated how materials interface with tissue, revealing how engineering and medicine can combine to help people.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Lab Rats to Unicorns

What is Lab Rats to Unicorns about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on the practicalities of building life sciences companies, with in-depth conversations that blend science, entrepreneurship, and real-world startup dynamics. Episodes frequently explore how researchers transition from bench to business, how fundraising and investor dynamics shape company strategy, and how regulatory and clinical pathways influence product development. Notable threads include long-horizon biotech platforms, the challenges of translating cutting-edge science into scalable ventures, and leadership lessons drawn from founders, investors, and policy experts. A standout aspect is the host's ability to surface actionable insights from diverse experts—ranging from CRISPR pioneers to university tech-transfer leader... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Lab Rats to Unicorns?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Lab Rats to Unicorns:

1. The Long Run with Luke Timmerman
2. The Readout Loud
3. BioCentury This Week
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. WSJ What’s News

How many episodes of Lab Rats to Unicorns are there?

Lab Rats to Unicorns launched 5 years ago and published 91 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Lab Rats to Unicorns?

Recent guests on Lab Rats to Unicorns include:

1. Tejal Desai
2. Heather Turner
3. David Gunnarsson
4. Trevor Martin
5. Gene Robinson
6. Robert Califf
7. Kate Adamala
8. Andrew Pelling

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