BIO from the BAYOU: Build Your Biotech Network with Key Opinion Leaders and Investors

Hosted by James Zanewicz

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Episodes

152

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Are you struggling to find investors, funding, collaborators, and strategic connections in the ever-changing world of biotech? This show empowers biotech leaders with the tools, assets, and expertise to improve healthcare outcomes. Listen to “Bio from the Bayou” to learn how to: - Expand your network - Advance your product line - Make your company thrive With over two decades of experience in biotech and business development each, hosts James Zanewicz and Elaine Hamm (from Tulane University School of Medicine) talk with their friends from the Gulf South and beyond to offer advice on networking, communication, and innovation, as well as unprecedented access to interviews with key opinion leaders in biotech. Every Wednesday, tune in to hear 15–20-minute episodes centered around solving biotech’s greatest challenges. If you’re ready to take the necessary steps towards success, start with fan-favorite Episode 58: Top Ways to Build Your Network as an Introvert in Biotech.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 30, 2026Episode 15623 min

Episode 156: Answering YOUR Questions Part 2 – Founding and Building a Biotech Startup Company

You have a promising technology – but does that mean you should build a company around it? In the second installment of our listener-submitted questions series, producer Ian McLachlan is back in the host seat with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, to tackle questions about starting and building a biotech company. They explore one of the most important lessons for aspiring founders: fall in love with the problem, not your solution, and make sure there is a real customer willing to change what they are doing and pay for something better. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to determine whether a technology solves a meaningful problem, has a real market, and should become a company in the first place. Why customer discovery should begin before you build the company and how early conversations with customers, investors, and partners can test your assumptions and strengthen your strategy. How founders can establish milestones and go/no-go decisions that help them recognize when to move forward, pivot, or shut a company down before wasting valuable time and capital. Starting a biotech company is hard, but for founders with the right problem, the right team, and the passion to keep going, the potential impact can make the risk worthwhile. Tune in for a candid look at what aspiring entrepreneurs should consider before turning an idea into their next company. Links: Connect with James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP , and learn about Connect . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Learn about NSF I-Corps and I-Corps at NIH . Check out Elaine’s book recommendations: The Lean Startup , The Startup Owner's Manual , Business Model Generation , and Talking to Humans . Connect with Haley Marcotte and learn about Nucleate New Orleans . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer, and submit your questions for future episodes! Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

September 23, 2026Episode 15525 min

Episode 155: Answering YOUR Questions Part 1 – Biotech Career Advice and Professional Development

What does it really take to build a successful career in biotech beyond being good at the science? In this episode, producer Ian McLachlan takes over the microphone to ask Elaine Hamm, PhD, and James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, career and professional development questions submitted by listeners of the podcast. From building trust and becoming a reliable teammate to gaining real-world experience and finding mentors, Elaine and James share lessons they’ve learned throughout their own careers. In this episode, you’ll discover: The professional skills that can matter just as much as technical expertise, from reliability and communication to adaptability and teamwork. How students and early-career professionals can gain practical experience, build relationships, find mentors, and become better prepared for careers beyond the classroom or lab. Why career growth requires more than intelligence or good science, and how feedback, communication, and self-advocacy can help turn your expertise into impact. Whether you’re still in school, beginning your biotech career, or looking for ways to keep growing professionally, tune in for candid lessons on building a career, developing your network, and becoming the kind of professional people want to work with. Links: Connect with James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP , and learn about Connect . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Elaine’s book recommendations: The Fine Art of Small Talk , The Speed of Trust , How to Talk to Anyone , and The Vault Guide to Schmoozing . Check out our previous episode on Why Every Biotech Professional Needs a Strong Personal Brand . Connect with Haley Marcotte and learn about Nucleate New Orleans . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer, and submit your questions for future episodes! Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

September 16, 2026Episode 15420 min

Episode 154: How to Build Trust and Navigate Culture in the Global Biotech Business

What happens when the way you normally do business doesn’t translate across borders? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, welcomes back Rod Beeler, Executive Partner at Magellan Executive Partners, for a conversation about navigating cultural differences in international business. Drawing from Rod’s extensive experience working across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australia, they explore how communication styles, relationship-building, and expectations can vary dramatically from one culture to another - and why understanding those differences matters when building global partnerships. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why communication styles, business etiquette, and expectations can differ significantly across cultures, and how assumptions can derail otherwise promising relationships. How taking time to understand cultural norms and build trust can make international business development, networking, and dealmaking more effective. Why research, curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to understand the person behind the business can help leaders navigate cross-cultural relationships. Tune in to learn how greater cultural awareness can help you build trust, communicate more effectively, and create stronger business relationships across borders. Links: Connect with Rod Beeler and learn about Magellan Executive Partners . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Caterpillar and the Latitude podcast . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

September 9, 2026Episode 15322 min

Episode 153: Why Every Biotech Leader Needs Executive Coaching

Who does the person at the top turn to when they need advice? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Rod Beeler, Executive Partner at Magellan Executive Partners, to explore the value of executive coaching for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and business leaders. Drawing on more than 30 years of global leadership experience, Rod shares how an outside perspective can help executives tackle immediate challenges while developing the skills and long-term vision they need to become more effective leaders. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why having a confidential, trusted outside perspective can be especially valuable for startup founders and executives. How effective executive coaching goes beyond a one-size-fits-all formula to address each leader’s individual challenges, goals, and development. How coaching can help leaders navigate everything from team dynamics and conflict to boards, investors, long-term strategy, and the isolation that can accompany leadership. Tune in to discover why even the person leading the team can benefit from having a coach in their corner. Links: Connect with Rod Beeler and learn about Magellan Executive Partners . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Caterpillar and the Latitude podcast . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

September 2, 2026Episode 15223 min

Episode 152: “State of the Union” in a Changing Biotech and Science Policy Landscape

How can scientists and biotech leaders move forward when the policy and funding landscape keeps shifting beneath their feet? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, welcomes back Srinu Sonti, JD, Principal at Lewis-Burke Associates, for an update on the current state of science and healthcare policy. Srinu explores what changes in federal research funding, healthcare policy, and international collaboration could mean for scientists, universities, and early-stage biotech companies – and where opportunities may still be emerging. In this episode, you’ll discover: How changes in science funding, healthcare policy, and federal priorities could affect researchers and biotech companies in the months ahead. Why AI, organ-on-a-chip technologies, in silico models, and other new approach methodologies could create new opportunities for research and drug development. How scientists and biotech leaders can advocate for their work by engaging policymakers, communicating their impact, and demonstrating the economic and public health value of scientific innovation. Tune in for a practical look at how scientists and biotech leaders can navigate uncertainty, identify emerging opportunities, and make sure their voices are heard as the science policy landscape continues to evolve. Links: Connect with Srinu Sonti, JD , and learn about Lewis-Burke Associates . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Help a Reporter Out . Check out our previous episode with Srinu. Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

August 26, 2026Episode 15120 min

Episode 151: Using AI to Bridge the Translational Gap in Biotech and Drug Development (RE-RELEASE)

How can biotech teams move faster (and smarter) from preclinical research to human trials without sacrificing safety or rigor? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Todd Kilbaugh, MD, Founder of Pharos Biolabs and a physician-scientist specializing in anesthesiology, critical care, and pediatrics. Todd shares his journey from clinical medicine to biotech entrepreneurship and unpacks one of the industry’s toughest challenges: why so many promising therapies fail to translate from animal models to humans. Together, they explore how AI, advanced modeling, organoids, and more thoughtful use of non-human primates could reshape preclinical development and reduce costly failures. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the translational gap between animal models and humans remains one of biotech’s biggest bottlenecks, and how AI can help close it. How biomarkers, mathematical modeling, and digital twins can improve trial design long before a therapy reaches the clinic. What the future of preclinical development could look like with smarter integration of AI, organoids, and non-human primate studies. Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation on AI-enabled science, better trial prediction, and how biotech can rethink the path from discovery to patients. Links: Connect with Todd Kilbaugh, MD . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Connect with Doug Wallace, PhD . Learn more about TBI . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

August 19, 2026Episode 15018 min

Episode 150: Building the Next Generation of Biotech Leaders with Nucleate

How can students start building a future in biotech before they even leave the lab? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Haley Marcotte, Co-Managing Director of Nucleate New Orleans and a PhD student at Tulane University School of Medicine. Haley shares how discovering biotech as an undergraduate opened her eyes to career possibilities beyond traditional academia and how she is now helping other students make those connections through Nucleate. From workshops on AI and intellectual property to conversations about emerging areas of science, Nucleate brings students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals together to learn about life science innovation. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Nucleate is helping students explore biotech, entrepreneurship, and career opportunities beyond traditional academic paths. Why connecting students across universities and with the broader life science community can help strengthen emerging biotech ecosystems. How students and industry professionals alike can get involved, build their networks, and help develop the next generation of biotech leaders. Whether you’re a student wondering what opportunities exist beyond academia or an established biotech professional looking for a way to give back, tune in to hear how getting involved today can help build a stronger life science community for tomorrow. Links: Connect with Haley Marcotte and learn about Nucleate New Orleans . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Nucleate’s event on September 10, 2026, at 6pm. Connect with Sammy Vodovoz and Chad Steele, PhD . Learn more about NOBIC , The BioChallenge , and Tulane Innovation Institute . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

August 12, 2026Episode 14923 min

Episode 149: How Biotech Founders Can Connect with Family Offices Beyond the Pitch Deck

Could family offices help biotech founders unlock new sources of capital in an increasingly challenging fundraising environment? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Danielle Patterson, Executive Director of Family Office at ISS Market Intelligence, to explore the growing role of family offices in startup investing. Danielle shares her entrepreneurial journey, explains why founders need to move beyond the traditional “spray and pray” approach to fundraising, and offers strategies for identifying family offices whose interests, values, and investment goals align with their companies. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why family offices can offer patient, long-term capital - and why founders need to approach them differently from traditional institutional investors. How visibility, value alignment, and genuine relationship-building can help founders establish trust with potential investors. How better market intelligence can help entrepreneurs identify the right family offices and focus their fundraising efforts on relationships with the greatest potential. For biotech founders looking beyond traditional sources of capital, this conversation offers a new way to think about fundraising. Links: Connect with Danielle Patterson and learn about ISS Market Intelligence . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Elaine’s book recommendations: The Fine Art of Small Talk , The Speed of Trust , How to Talk to Anyone , and The Vault Guide to Schmoozing . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

August 5, 2026Episode 14820 min

Episode 148: How AI, Supply Chains, and Smart Strategy are Redefining Biotech Investment and Venture Capital (RE-RELEASE)

How can biotech startup founders navigate the intersection of science, technology, and data to build truly durable companies? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, talks with Cain McClary, MD, Founder and Managing Partner of KdT Ventures, a seed-stage venture firm investing at the convergence of science and technology. A Tulane alumnus and “supply chain junkie,” Cain shares how curiosity, data-driven insight, and strategic storytelling can set biotech innovators apart. In this episode, you’ll learn: · The biggest mistakes biotech startups make—and how to avoid them. · Why understanding incentives, storytelling, and systems is key to scaling innovation. · How AI, data ownership, and new consumer health models are reshaping the future of biotech. Tune in to discover how KdT Ventures is rethinking biotech investment—and what it takes to turn scientific insight into lasting impact. Links: Connect with Cain McClary, MD , and check out KdT Ventures . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Learn more about PathAI . Check out our fireside chat with Walter Isaacson . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

July 29, 2026Episode 14726 min

Episode 147: The Biotech Networking Playbook Part 3 – How to Turn New Connections into Lasting Relationships

Have you ever left a conference with a stack of business cards… only to realize weeks later that you never followed up with the people you were most excited to meet? In the final installment of their three-part networking series, Elaine Hamm, PhD, is joined once again by special guest host James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, CEO of Connect, to discuss what many professionals overlook: everything that happens after the event. From thoughtful follow-up emails and LinkedIn outreach to handwritten notes, CRM systems, and long-term relationship building, they share practical strategies for transforming brief conversations into meaningful professional connections that can create opportunities years down the road. In this episode, you'll learn: How to follow up after conferences in a way that feels authentic, memorable, and relationship-focused. Practical strategies for organizing and maintaining your professional network using notes, CRM tools, and consistent touchpoints. How genuine curiosity and generosity can lead to unexpected opportunities years later. Whether you're returning home from your first conference or your fiftieth, this episode will help you make sure your best conversations don't end when the event does. Links: Connect with James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP , and learn about Connect and IDEA Week , as well as his new podcast The Connect Current . Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD , and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine . Check out Elaine’s book recommendations: The Fine Art of Small Talk , The Speed of Trust , How to Talk to Anyone , and The Vault Guide to Schmoozing . Connect with Daniela Gama and Bruce Taillon, PhD . Connect with Ian McLachlan , BIO from the BAYOU producer. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

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