Cell Your Idea

Heart Innovations: Dr Hofbauer on the Science of Cardioids

In this episode, we’re joined by Pablo Hofbauer, co-founder of HeartBeat.bio and a leading innovator in self-organizing cardiac organoids, known as cardioids. Pablo shares his journey into biotechnology and explores how cardioids are transforming cardiac drug discovery. We discuss their applications in studying genetic mutations, the significant advantages they offer over traditional 2D models, and their potential to inform future therapies. Pablo also provides insights into the complex process of commercializing scientific research, covering topics from patent strategies to funding challenges. Additionally, he highlights the impact of AI and robotics in enhancing research at HeartBeat.bio. This episode offers an exciting insight into heart health and the evolving landscape of biotech innovation. Timestamps 00:00:49 Introduction to Pablo  00:02:45 What are cardioids?  00:03:59 The Role of Personalised Medicine 00:05:14 Mutations Studies using CRISPR Genetic Engineering  00:08:03 Traditional 2D models vs 3D models of the Heart Chamber  00:13:04 Cell therapy: Pig Heart Transplanted  00:15:06 Future Potential Therapies 00:17:52 Challenges in Commercialisation of Research 00:19:10 Intellectual Property - Patents 00:20:20 Securing funding - Scientific Pitching  00:21:55 Company Partnerships - Robotics 00:23:32 Hitting Milestones  00:26:03 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 00:27:35 Advice for Aspiring Scientists  00:28:38 Fun Fact

Human Metabolism in Bitesize

This episode explores the topic of metabolism! We discuss biochemical processes, common myths surrounding metabolism and recent scientific findings. The conversation also touches on the rise of drugs like “Ozempic”, initially developed for diabetes but now used for weight loss. We also explain the science behind fasting and its impact on cellular health and longevity. This should be of interest to those curious about novel approaches and technology in the field of metabolism. Timestamp 00:00:15 Introduction to Metabolism 00:02:45 Debunking Common Myths 00:08:53 Weight Loss Drugs 00:12:37 Fasting and Cellular Biology 00:20:46 Conclusion of Discussion 00:21:38 Fun Fact References - Review with a summary table of all rapamycin clinical trials up to date (Konopka et al., 2023). - Caloric Restriction and Aging: Studies in Mice and Monkeys (Anderson et al., 2009). - Cellular mechanisms of Fasting (Mihaylova et al., 2018). - Fasting enhances stem cell function (Imada et al., 2024) - Periodic diet mimics fasting and promotes multi-system regeneration (Brandhorst et al., 2015)

Sleep Science with Prof Jason Rihel

Our first guest is Prof Jason Rihel, joins us as we discuss sleep. We start off with circadian rhythms, highlighting seasonal affective disorder (winter depression), then continue into understanding the science of sleep, touching on modulation by substances like alcohol, caffeine and cannabis, and then we focus on sleep disorders and diseases related to sleep such as insomnia and Alzheimer’s disease, respectively!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to Prof Jason Rihel’s Academic Background  00:04:15 Circadian rhythms in zebrafish vs humans  00:05:28 Blind Cavefish, do they have circadian clocks? 00:10:15 Seasonal affective disorder - how light affects humans 00:13:20 Breaking down the sleep stages 00:17:20 What happens to you when you lose sleep? 00:18:58 Alcohol and Caffeine on Sleep 00:22:00 CBD and THC on Sleep  00:26:54 Insomnia  00:29:43 Melatonin 00:34:24 Sleep and Neurodegenerative Diseases 00:40:20 Influence of genetics on Sleep   00:43:35 Genetic Enigma - Superhumans? 00:45:13 Naps 00:46:56 Sleep Hygiene  00:52:06 Fun fact  Elephant seal diving research paper: Jessica M. Kendall-Bar et al. , Brain activity of diving seals reveals short sleep cycles at depth. Science 380,260-265(2023). DOI:10.1126/science.adf0566 [https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf0566]

Meet the Minds Behind Cell Your Idea

In our debut episode, we kick off our podcast journey with a chat about our academic escapades and how they led us to create Cell Your Idea. We discuss our journey into science and research on neurodegenerative disorders. We reveal what it's like to build a startup that tackles Parkinson's diagnostics as a student in London, including all the challenges and the importance of translating scientific findings into real-world applications. We draw on our student experiences to set the stage for exciting biotech tales to come! Timestamps: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:00:59) UCL and neuroscience (00:03:34) Alzheimer's Disease research (00:16:00) Entrepreneurship experience (00:28:38) Career paths from biosciences (00:40:17) Reflections on academia