Vital Science

Jul 16 2024 51 ep. 30 mins 17

Vital Science Podcast artwork

Life science is complicated, but its mission is simple – to create a safer, healthier future. This podcast tells the stories behind the science from the perspective of patients, scientists, employees, and advocates that have felt its impact.

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FOXG1: A Mom’s Mission

Jul 16 2024 31 mins

Being the parent of a child with an ultra-rare disease can be a daunting challenge.Nasha Fitter is no different. Her daughter Amara is nonverbal and suffers from epileptic seizures, two of the common symptoms associated with her eventual diagnosis of an ultra-rare neurodevelopmental disorder known as FOXG1 Syndrome. Motivated by her desire to learn more about this condition, she co

Cure EB: Healing the Wounds

Jun 18 2024 41 mins

Imagine giving birth to a baby girl and noticing pieces of skin missing from her body almost immediately. For Sharmila Nikapota, this was the case with her firstborn, Sohana. Genetic testing revealed that she was one of the over 500,000 people globally suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a “constantly painful and debilitating” skin condition where minimal contact can lea

Clear Scientific: Combatting Drug Overdose from Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Polydrug

May 21 2024 26 mins

Stimulant use in the United States has exploded into a nationwide crisis, as deaths and emergency room visits resulting from methamphetamine and cocaine use are rising at an alarming rate.The overall substance abuse disorder crisis is further exacerbated by the high level of fentanyl use, which has long been referred to as an opioid epidemic, and the increasing use of more than sub

Mission Therapeutics: Inhibiting DUBs to Halt Diseases

Apr 16 2024 17 mins

At Mission Therapeutics, Sarah Almond serves as their Head of Pharmacology, but she wears many hats to help develop potential treatments for neurodegenerative conditions.      Their main area of focus centers around research into deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which may impact neurodegeneration. By studying DUBs, Sarah and her team have been able to generate highly target

Cure Rare Disease: Continuing a Legacy

Feb 20 2024 35 mins

When he founded Cure Rare Disease in 2018, Rich Horgan was primarily focused on finding a treatment for his younger brother Terry, who had an ultra-rare form of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Suffering from a disease that has no cure, Terry served as a “selfless, brave, and courageous” figure that Rich continues to draw inspiration from when seeking new, innovative solutio

H-Guard: Improving Physical and Mental Health

Jan 16 2024 28 mins

For the 850 million people around the world suffering from chronic kidney disease, the grind of dialysis treatment can wear them down in more ways than one. Dr. Andy Herbert, co-founder of Invizius, is out to change that. This five-year-old company started from humble beginnings and is currently developing H-Guard® Priming Solution, which increases the effectiveness of dialysis w

Checking Vitals: The Disruptors

Dec 19 2023 10 mins

Over the past 12 months, we have shared some remarkable stories from the scientific community, but three of the most impactful have come from “Disruptors” in their respective fields. Relive these stories with our hosts on the year-end edition of Vital Science. Show Notes The Disruptors: Conversations in Science Meet Valerie Meet Wise Charles River | Gene Therapy for Neurologica

TREND: The Online Community Making a Difference

Nov 14 2023 44 mins

When Maria Picone’s daughter was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), she turned to the internet for answers. What she found was an online community of caregivers sharing their experiences with PWS, giving her comfort and direction with what to do about her daughter’s rare disease. It also spurred her and her husband to create TREND Community, an online platform for car

Strength in Numbers

Oct 17 2023 54 mins

Imagine a world where your child has a rare disease that’s so rare, it doesn’t have a name and only a handful of people around the world have a similar condition. It can leave you feeling helpless and alone knowing the odds are stacked against you. This is the situation Bo Bigelow experienced with his daughter, Tess. She suffers from a USP7, a neurodevelopmental disorder that

Emily Whitehead: Pioneer and Hero

Sep 19 2023 33 mins

18-year-old Emily Whitehead aspires to be a writer, but nothing could have prepared her for the plot twist that struck her as a child. In the space of just 24 hours, five-year-old Emily suffered from various symptoms that culminated in a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). After almost two years of failed chemotherapy treatments, her family turned towards an experimen