BioHealth at a Crossroads: Alex Philippidis on Policy Shifts, Investment Trends, and What's Ahead

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Maureen L. Mulvihill, Ph.D., Founder, President, and CEO of Actuated Medical, discusses the company's 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition win and its work advancing medical device innovation from central Pennsylvania. Maureen shares how Actuated Medical grew from a focus on improving patient outcomes through innovative motion into a company with more than $50 million in non-dilutive funding, 43 patents, 9 FDA 510(k) clearances, and FDA-registered, ISO 13485-certified manufacturing infrastructure. Rich and Maureen also discuss the TubeClear system, Actuated Medical's first FDA-cleared device, including the story of the first patient it helped at Walter Reed, and how that experience shaped the company's mission. The episode also explores NeuralGlider® Precision Brain Access and Deep Brain Therapy Delivery Platform, including how earlier work in tissue penetration led to brain implant technology, DARPA-supported commercialization, global research use, and the company's next steps toward clinical applications. Maureen also shares what comes next for Actuated Medical, including its focus on NeuroGlider, upcoming visibility at the MedTech Conference in Boston, and her advice to entrepreneurs building medical device companies: persistence matters. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant. Maureen L. Mulvihill, Ph.D., is Founder, President, and CEO of Actuated Medical, a medical device company advancing the NeuralGlider® Precision Brain Access and Deep Brain Therapy Delivery Platform for neurotechnology, brain therapeutics, and longevity-related medicine. Under her leadership, Actuated Medical has secured more than $50 million in non-dilutive funding, developed a portfolio of 43 patents, achieved 9 FDA 510(k) clearances, and earned two SBA Tibbetts Awards recognizing excellence in commercialization. Dr. Mulvihill serves on the Board of Directors of AdvaMed, the AdvaMed Accel Board, the Life Sciences Pennsylvania Board of Directors, chairs the Industrial Advisory Board for the Penn State Center for Biodevices, and serves on the Kish Bank Regional Advisory Board. She has received more than 35 entrepreneurship and leadership awards, including being named 2020 Life Sciences Pennsylvania CEO of the Year and leading Actuated Medical to First Place in the 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition. She earned her Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University.

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Ralf Huss, MD, PhD, Managing Director and CEO of BioM Biotech Cluster Development GmbH and spokesperson for the Bavarian Biotechnology Cluster, joins the conversation to discuss Bavaria's biotechnology ecosystem and BioM's role in moving science toward commercialization. Ralf introduces BioM, the organization supporting biotech development in Munich and Bavaria for nearly 30 years, and shares how the cluster helps founders move from research ideas to company formation. The conversation touches on mentoring, boot camps, investor connections, entrepreneur-in-residence support, startup training, and physical incubation. Rich and Ralf also discuss the MAxL incubator, the m4 Award, and BioM's work with more than 250 startups. Ralf shares his perspective on what early-stage teams need most, why strong science alone is not enough, and how business leadership, IP, financing, market need, and the right commercialization path all play a role. The episode also explores emerging opportunities in biotech and medicine, including AI, digital medicine, quantum computing, nanotechnology, regenerative medicine, tech bio, and the growing convergence of biology, engineering, and advanced technologies. Ralf also discusses why international collaboration matters for regional biotech clusters and how Bavarian companies are thinking about U.S. partnerships, investors, market access, and connections to ecosystems like the BioHealth Capital Region. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant. Ralf Huss, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist, surgical pathologist, biotechnology executive, entrepreneur, and innovation leader with more than three decades of experience across academia, pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, digital pathology, regenerative medicine, and artificial intelligence in healthcare. He currently serves as Managing Director and CEO of BioM, the organization responsible for the development of the Bavarian Biotechnology Cluster, one of Europe's leading life science ecosystems. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions in multinational pharmaceutical companies, venture-backed biotechnology firms, international academic research and medical centers, and innovation organizations, with a particular focus on translational medicine, cell and gene therapy, digital medicine, and AI-driven diagnostics. He has been awarded numerous honors and published more than 180 peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters.

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Subin Baral, Partner at Ernst & Young LLP and EY-Parthenon Global Life Sciences Deals Leader, joins the conversation to discuss the changing life sciences dealmaking environment and what it means for companies, investors, and regional innovation ecosystems.

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Tammi Thomas, President of TEDCO, joins the conversation to discuss how Maryland is helping entrepreneurs move ideas from research and concept to market.

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Matt Adams, Chief Executive Officer of BrainScope, joins the conversation to discuss how the Rockville-based company is working to bring objective brain function measurement into real-world clinical care.