pharmaphorum Podcast

JPM2026: AI diagnostics and translational research, with Andrew Beck

On-site on the sidelines of JP Morgan Healthcare conference in San Francisco this year, pharmaphorum editor-in-chief Jonah Comstock sat down with Andrew Beck, co-founder and CEO at PathAI.
The conversation covers what PathAI has been up to lately in AI within diagnostics in pathology, explores what’s been discussed on the ground at the conference, and also touches upon equality and access to precision diagnostics. Additionally, Beck notes the company’s work in prospective clinical trials in life sciences, as well as co-partnering with pharma.
Having seen an over 10 x growth of adoption of their technology in 2025, Beck also discusses advances in the MASH field.
Listen to this and other conversations from JPM2026 here.
You can listen to episode 240 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Shaping the future of immunodeficiency care, with Dr Jörg Schüttrumpf

An increasing prevalence of immunodeficiency and autoimmune disorders has led to increasing demand for plasma-derived immunoglobulin therapies and a need for scalable and sustainable treatment solutions.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Dr Jörg Schüttrumpf, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Innovation Officer of Grifols and Chief Executive Officer at Biotest, a Grifols company. The conversation explores advancing immunoglobulin (or IG) treatment for immune disorders, looking broadly at the field and current innovation that is working towards redefining how these therapies are delivered, accessed, and optimised for a growing and diverse patient population.
Dr Schüttrumpf also discusses emerging platforms such as recombinant polyclonal therapeutics, as well as the integration of Real World Evidence (RWE) and artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of immunodeficiency care.
You can listen to episode 239 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Aligning with national efforts to modernise cancer diagnostics, with Andrew Newland

A liquid biopsy is a blood test that detects signs of cancerous tumors, including tumour cells and cancer cell DNA.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Andrew Newland, CEO of ANGLE, about why live cell liquid biopsies should become standard in oncology.
Newland explains how current US FDA-approved tests can detect some types of advanced cancers, predict prognosis, and help healthcare providers make treatment decisions. And importantly, Newland describes how live cell liquid biopsies are a UK-developed technology that aligns with national efforts to modernise cancer diagnostics, as well as potentially reduce healthcare costs by minimising ineffective treatments.
You can listen to episode 238 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Rethinking prescription drug affordability, with Vinay Patel

It goes without saying that drug pricing and accessibility in the United States are complex indeed.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Vinay Patel, an innovative pharmacist who's set out to transform the healthcare industry, about these intricacies.
Patel discusses some intriguing stories about crafting innovative solutions for employers, revitalising struggling independent pharmacies, and implementing hybrid care models that can make healthcare more attainable for everyone. The conversation touches upon how biosimilars driving pharmaceutical innovation and reducing health costs, the role of telemedicine, also.
You can listen to episode 237 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

An AI supercomputer and discovering next-gen brain disorder treatments, with Tarek Samad

Gefion is Denmark’s first AI supercomputer, named after a goddess in Danish mythology. It is operated by the Danish Centre for AI Innovation (DCAI), a company established with funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the world’s wealthiest charitable foundation, as well as the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Tarek Samad, Lundbeck’s senior vice president and head of research, for a conversation on AI – specifically, Lundbeck’s agreement with the DCAI to run and operate Gefion – and accelerating drug discovery and development within the neurological and psychiatric field.
You can listen to episode 236 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

On genomics, NGS, and doing much more good than bad, with Markus Vossman

Illumina innovative sequencing and array technologies are fuelling groundbreaking advancements in life sciences research, translational and consumer genomics, and molecular diagnostics.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Markus Vossman, Germany general manager at Illumina, about innovative genomic applications and projects in the region.
Vossman discusses the genomics landscape, as well as next-generation sequencing (or NGS), and the Model Project, a large-scale national pilot project aiming to evaluate the utility of genomic sequencing for patients with advanced cancer and rare diseases.
You can listen to episode 235 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Delivering the right behavioural ingredients for the moment, with Amy Bucher

The FDA recently announced that it will begin offering faster drug reviews to certain medicines, reducing the drug review process from approximately ten months to one or two months. This news follows a series of rapid changes from the FDA since the Trump administration took office.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Dr Amy Bucher, chief behavioural officer at Lirio, a healthcare personalization platform helping insurers, health systems, and pharmacies deliver precision nudges to move patients into action.
Bucher discusses the risks of the declining trust in healthcare institutions from a behavioural science perspective, as well as how regulatory changes, such as fast-tracking drug approvals as seen with the FDA lately, can impact patient perception.
You can listen to episode 234 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

AI for the planet, AI for life sciences – with Patrick Leung

In a new pharmaphorum podcast, guest Patrick Leung – chief technology officer at Faro Health – discusses how AI can transform clinical trials.
The conversation touches upon how large language models (or LLMs) can be gotten into production in regulated spaces – and why generic models won’t cut it in this domain – as well as the role of real-world data in quantifying and reducing patient burden.
You can listen to episode 233 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

On the future of AI in life sciences, with women at the helm

The Women in AI Healthcare event series - hosted by Real Chemistry in collaboration with Pharma Brands – brings together dynamic female leaders to discuss the transformative role of artificial intelligence in life sciences. It is also a call to action: to ensure women are not only present, but pivotal in shaping the future of AI in healthcare.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast focused on the important and timely subject of women in AI, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with: Kate Eversole, event director at Pharma Brands; Celine Parmentier, EVP, head of global med comms at Real Chemistry; and Emma Slade, head of applied AI at Tangram Therapeutics.
The guests discuss their own work with AI, the risk of training AI models predominantly on male data, and how, within life sciences, women are already shaping, challenging, and advocating for AI. The conversation also touches upon the possible next greatest impacts of AI in the sector, and the need to keep the ‘human in the loop’, as well as the possible negative impacts if AI is relied upon too much.
You can listen to episode 232 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.
 
Resources mentioned within the conversation are as below:
Kotek, H., Dockum, R., & Sun, C. (2023). Gender Bias and Stereotypes in Large Language Models. arXiv:2304.02485.
UN Women & UNESCO (2020). I'd Blush If I Could: Closing Gender Divides in Digital Skills Through Education.
Tatman, R. (2017). Gender and dialect bias in YouTube’s automatic captions.
Criado-Perez, C. (2019). Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men.
King, M. (2020). The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work.
 
You can register to be a part of the women in AI community here: https://www.pharmabrands.ca/womeninai
 
Information on the survey being run by Dr Michelle Penelope King, on AI and workplace motivation, can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eCg87_7w

On AI and computational support of biochemistry, with Alan Roth

AI’s growing influence in pharma is transforming traditional drug discovery timelines.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Dr Alan Roth, CEO of Oxford Drug Design, about the use of AI to accelerate discovery of new treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, and cystic fibrosis.
Roth discusses combining deep enzyme biology expertise with GenAI and targeting leucyl-tRNA synthetase.
You can listen to episode 231 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.