A Biotech Innovation to Treat a Chronic Health Problem Impacting 2 Billion People

Hunter Grad, CEO and founder of Ameliogenix [https://ameliogenix.ca/], joins the show to talk about developing mRNA immunotherapies for cardiovascular disease. George K and George A sit down with Hunter to discuss:

* How a procrastinated university project turned into a biotech startup tackling the leading cause of death worldwide * The novel application of mRNA technology to permanently reduce cholesterol levels through targeting proteins within the body rather than viral diseases * What it takes to bootstrap a biotech company in Ottawa, not Silicon Valley * The brutal realities of fundraising in biotech versus software startups, and why pivoting isn't always an option when lives are on the line * Clearing up the myths and misinformation around mRNA technology, from how it actually works to addressing fertility concerns * The role of machine learning in accelerating biotech research and drug discovery, and why quality data matters more than flashy AI hype

Hunter breaks down complex immunology concepts into digestible explanations while sharing the raw challenges of being a young founder in a traditionally academic-led industry. This episode explores innovation at the intersection of technology and medicine, the importance of rigorous science over buzzwords, and what it means to swing for the fences on a problem that affects 2 billion people worldwide.

Mentioned:

Using AI, MIT researchers identify a new class of antibiotic candidates [https://news.mit.edu/2023/using-ai-mit-researchers-identify-antibiotic-candidates-1220]