Greg and Matias interview Luis Voloch, CEO and Co-Founder of Jimini Health, an AI behavioral health company. He previously co-founded and served as CTO of Immunai, where he applied machine learning to immunology and drug discovery. In this episode, we discuss: How LLMs expand the scope of machine learning from rule-based tasks to open-ended reasoning and dialogueWhy healthcare adoption is tiered, beginning with clinician-facing AI scribes and moving toward patient-facing companies...

Matias interviews Rob Malenka, Chief Scientific Officer of Bayshore, the family office of Google co-founder Sergey Brin.  Bayshore has played a major role in advancing treatments for Parkinson's, bipolar, and autism. In this episode, we discuss: Why progress in psychiatry is slow because the brain is the most complex organ and many disorders are highly heterogeneousThe bottlenecks including weak replicability in research, academic politics, perverse incentives, and pharma’s avoidance of...

Greg and Matias interview Brendon Boot of Skin2Neuron. Brendon is a neurologist at Harvard and Mayo Clinic with prior experience as Medical Director at Biogen overseeing their Phase 1b Alzheimer’s trials. In this episode, we discuss: How skin-derived cells can be turned into neurons to repair the brain.Why replacing lost neurons may succeed where drugs have failed in Alzheimer’s.What makes autologous (self-derived) cell therapy safer and more effective.How testing in dogs brought stronger pro...

Greg and Matias interview Natalie Yivgi-Ohana of Minovia. Natalie is a life science entrepreneur with twenty years’ experience in mitochondrial research and received her PhD in Biochemistry at The Hebrew University in 2007, after which she performed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Weizmann Institute of Science until 2010. In this episode, we discuss: How mitochondria impacts health by not just regulating energy, but also hormones, cell survival, and overall cellular functionWhy mitoc...

Matias and Greg interview Ying-Hui Fu, PhD, is a Professor of Neurology at UCSF and a world leader in the genetics of sleep. Her lab has discovered the first-known genes behind “natural short sleepers”. Her work bridges human genetics and neuroscience to uncover how to modulate sleep for brain health, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this episode, we discuss: How some people thrive on 4–6 hours of sleep with rare genetic mutationsWhy sleep efficiency is more important than total hour...

Greg and Matias interview Justin Mares, co-founder of TrueMed and Kettle & Fire on current US healthcare and how startups have the opportunity to change the system. In this episode, we discuss: How the US system profits from chronic illnessFixing the food system, environmental toxins, pharma incentives & moreOpportunities for founders building in brain and body health.Contrarian ideas Justin is investing in todayCredits: Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky Host: Matias Sere...

Greg and Matias sit down with Brooks Leitner, the newest partner at PsyMed Ventures, to explore the future of brain and mental health investing. Brooks, an MD/PhD with deep experience from Yale and the NIH, shares his insights on how a human-first approach is reshaping neuroscience innovation and venture investing. In this episode, we discuss: Broadening the Thesis: Evolving from a psychedelics-only focus to a comprehensive neuro investment strategy.Human-First Research: Shifting from a...

Greg and Matias interview Dr. Nir Grossman, one of the world’s leading researchers in neurotechnology. Nir is a lecturer in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London and a founding fellow of the UK Dementia Research Institute. In this episode, we discuss: What is temporal interference (TI), a non-invasive stimulation methodA comparison of TI with deep brain stimulation (DBS)How physics plays a crucial role in neuroscience innovationTranslating TI academic research to c...

Greg and Matias interview Dr. James Adams, professor and autism researcher at Arizona State University and President of Gut-Brain-Axis Therapeutics, on groundbreaking research in autism. In this episode, we discuss: The latest advancements in microbiome therapy for autismHow the gut-brain axis is shaping new therapeutic approachesThe role of nutritional interventions in supporting individuals with autismEnvironmental factors and toxins influencing autism developmentCredits: Created by Greg K...

Matias interviews Elizabeth Horn, founder of the 2m Foundation, on the current state of autism and what can we do about it. In this episode, we discuss: The rising prevalence of autism and its impact on societyHow 2m Foundation is funding research and solutionsEnvironmental and biological factors contributing to autismPhilanthropy and venture capital through the Autism Impact FundCredits: Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin Produced by Jonat...

Greg and Matias interview Dana Watt, a Partner at Breakout Ventures, about genetic medicine for brain and mental health. In this episode, we discuss: How genetic therapies work: addressing underlying causes, not just symptomsThe opportunities and challenges for genetic therapies for brain healthExploring effective delivery of genetic payloadsCommercial viability and insurance considerationsCredits: Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin Produc...

Greg and Matias interview Jay Sanguinetti, founder of Sanmai Technologies, a startup using transcranial focused ultrasound for the treatment of mental health conditions. Jay has a background in academia, having worked at the University of Arizona and started the SEMA Lab (Science Enhanced Mindful Awareness). In this episode, we discuss: The science behind transcranial focused ultrasound and its therapeutic potential for mental healthThe risks and considerations involved in using focused...

Greg and Matias interview Tim Marjenin, a regulatory consultant at MCRA with 16 years of experience at the FDA, to discuss the regulatory landscape for neurotechnology devices. Tim provides insights into the FDA approval process for neurotech devices, drawing from his extensive experience on the FDA's Neurostimulation-Neurology Devices Team. The episode explores the evolving field of neurotechnology and its regulatory challenges. In this episode, we discuss: Different regulatory pathways for ...

Greg and Matias interview Gurdane Bhutani, an investor at MBX Ventures, to discuss the impact of environmental toxins on health and the field of exposomics. Gurdane is an expert in environmental health, with a background in Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences. He provided insights into the pervasive nature of environmental toxins and their implications for public health. This episode also has a guest appearance from Bruce Blumberg, a Professor of Developmental and Cell Biology at U...

Greg and Matias interview Josh Hardman, founder and editor of Psychedelic Alpha, to discuss the recent FDA advisory committee meeting on Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Josh is a leading writer covering the intersection of psychedelics and business. He provided live reporting and analysis of the AdComm meeting. In this episode, we discuss: The FDA advisory committee process and its implications for drug approvalsFunctional unblinding and expectancy effects in psychedelic c...

Software, hardware, and biotechnology are playing an increasingly transformative role in our mental health and wellness. Join us as we discuss what investors look for in these new companies and how they separate what’s real — and what’s near-term — from what’s hype. We’ll explore AI-powered tools for mental health, the new area of “enerceuticals” (energy replacing the “pharma”), psychedelics, and why what’s in your gut is so important to your mental state. Hear from investors who have a wide ...

Matias hosted a panel at The Battery SF with renowned psychedelics experts, Nolan Williams, Allison Feduccia, Matt Baggott. Nolan is a Stanford professor currently researching ibogaine among other areas in psychiatry and radiology, and he's a founder of TMS company Magnus Medical. Allison is the founder of Psychedelic Support, a platform providing psychedelic education, community and a provider directory. And Matt is founder and CEO of Tactogen, a biotech company developing compounds similar...

Matias interviews Lili Brillstein about how to work collaboratively with healthcare payers (the ones that reimburse for medical expenses). Lili is a pioneer in the field, having previously led one of the largest bundled payment initiatives at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. She currently is the founder of her own advisory firm, BCollaborative, where she helps startups and providers develop value propositions that resonate with payers and create models that can be successfully administered.&n...

Greg and Matias interview Ed Boyden about neuroscience frontiers and its applications to mental health. Ed is a pioneer in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of the brain. He runs a lab at MIT for Synthetic Neurobiology and is a professor across the departments of neurotechnology, biological engineering, and cognitive science at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. His inventions include optogenetic tools and expansion microscopy. He is co-founder of Cognito Therapeutics, Elemi...

Greg and Matias interview Steve Rio about 5-MeO-DMT and its potential role in mental healthcare. Steve is a social impact cofounder, transformational coach, and practitioner at the Enfold Institute, one of the most reputable aboveground retreat centers working with 5-MeO-DMT. He shared many insights from his hands-on experience guiding hundreds of people through the medicine. In this episode, we discuss… 5-MeO-DMT’s distinct psychedelic experienceEnfold’s protocol of screening, prepar...