Send us a text From secrecy and skepticism to one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in history, this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed dives into the remarkable journey of Moderna. We trace the company’s early hype, billion-dollar partnerships, and criticism for overpromising, through to its historic COVID-19 vaccine that changed global medicine. What’s next for Moderna beyond the pandemic? Tune in to explore how one biotech bet on mRNA and won. Whether you’re a biotech enth...

Send us a text Baxter may not always grab the biotech headlines, but its impact on modern healthcare is impossible to ignore. From the first commercially prepared IV solutions in the 1930s to pioneering dialysis fluids, blood systems, recombinant hemophilia therapies, and parenteral nutrition, Baxter has consistently solved medicine’s “unsexy but essential” problems. In this episode, we dive into the company’s origins, explore the backstories of its most important innovations, and trace how i...

Send us a text In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, host Manead explores the remarkable journey of AstraZeneca, from its unlikely Swedish-British merger to blockbuster drugs like Nexium and Crestor, through near-decline, and ultimately its reinvention as a science-driven leader in oncology, cardiometabolic health, and global public health. Discover how bold leadership, high-risk bets, and groundbreaking discoveries like Tagrisso, Enhertu, and Farxiga transforme...

Send us a text In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, we dive into the remarkable and controversial story of Gilead Sciences, a company that redefined what medicine could achieve. From its beginnings in the late 1980s under physician-scientist Michael Riordan, Gilead transformed antiviral drug development with breakthroughs in HIV treatment, revolutionized global health with a cure for hepatitis C, and pushed into oncology with cutting-edge CAR-T therapies. But alongsi...

Send us a text In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, we dive into the story of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of the world’s most influential pharma giants! From scaling up penicillin production in WWII, to pioneering semi-synthetic antibiotics like amoxicillin, to leading the global vaccine race with Cervarix and Shingrix, GSK has left an indelible mark on modern medicine. We also explore its groundbreaking role in HIV treatment through ViiV Healthcare, and the blockbust...

Send us a text In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, we dive deep into the origin story of Amgen, a company that helped turn “biotechnology” from a niche lab concept into a global medical force. We’ll trace Amgen’s unlikely beginnings in 1980, a time when gene splicing was still the stuff of scientific legend and meet the eclectic founding team: George Rathmann, the charismatic chemist-turned-executive; Winston Salser, the UCLA scientist eager to bring basic research ...

Send us a text What happens when one of the world’s most powerful genomics companies rises from a college dorm in China and goes on to challenge the West’s biotech dominance? In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, we unravel the story of BGI Genomics, a company at the intersection of cutting-edge science, national ambition, and global controversy. From decoding the human genome to building the world’s largest sequencing fleet, BGI’s journey is as bold as it is complex....

Send us a text In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, host Manead takes you inside the remarkable story of Abbott Laboratories: a company that doesn’t chase headlines but touches billions of lives every day. From its origins in 1888 as a small Chicago pharmacy mixing precise plant-based pills, Abbott has grown into a global healthcare powerhouse behind life-changing products like the FreeStyle Libre glucose monitor, BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests, Similac baby formula, Ensure...

Send us a text DISCLAIMER: This is a consistently changing situation. The episode was recorded approximately 4 PM EDT Monday, July 21, 2025. As of 7.40 PM EDT Monday, July 21, 2025 (Source: Sarepta), "Sarepta Therapeutics notified the U.S. FDA of its decision to voluntarily and temporarily pause all shipments of ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the United States, effective close of business Tuesday, July 22, 2025." 🎙️ When Hope Collides with Ris...

Send us a text 🔬✨ From Cystic Fibrosis Breakthroughs to Gene Editing Cures In this episode of Petri Dish Perspectives: Biotech Unleashed, Manead unpacks how Vertex turned cystic fibrosis from a fatal disease into a treatable condition and why they’re now tackling sickle cell, diabetes, and more with CRISPR and stem cell science. Discover how visionary chemists, Nobel-winning gene editors, and patient advocates built one of biotech’s most inspiring success stories, proving that deep science an...