Lab Rats to Unicorns

Hosted by John Flavin

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Sep 2026

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About the show

Lab Rats to Unicorns is a podcast that aims to demystify the process of creating a great company in life sciences. Under the guidance of our host, John Flavin, you will hear personal stories of creation, be able to understand how great companies are created, and get insights into the many ways that you as an individual can engage in the creation of tomorrow’s life science companies. From the lab rat, signifying the process of invention and discovery, to the unicorn, signifying market success, there are a thousand players and ways in which people can contribute to the creation of great companies.

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September 30, 202652 min

Disarming Staph with Dominique Missiakas & Vilasack Thammavongsa_e.093

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Dr. Vilasack Thammavongsa and Dr. Dominique Missiakas, co-founders of Immunartes, a biotechnology company developing new approaches to prevent serious Staphylococcus aureus infections. Dominique and Vilasack trace the scientific curiosity that drew them to infectious disease and explain why S. aureus , a pathogen that can live harmlessly on humans while also causing serious disease, became the focus of their work. They discuss how Immunartes is taking a different approach by targeting the mechanisms the bacteria use to manipulate and evade the immune system. The conversation also explores the long path from academic discovery to biotechnology company, including the shift from basic research to product development, the importance of de-risking, and the validation they received from organizations including the NIH and CARB-X. Today, Immunartes is developing both a vaccine for durable protection and a monoclonal antibody for immediate protection in higher-risk patients. Vilasack and Dominique reflect on moving the science toward the clinic, building a multidisciplinary team, and the potential for their approach to reshape how serious bacterial infections are prevented.

September 16, 202656 min

Putting Your Neck on the Line with Jeremy Levin_e.092

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Dr. Jeremy Levin, a physician, scientist, biotech executive, and longtime leader in the pharmaceutical industry. Jeremy has held senior roles across Genzyme, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Teva, and today serves as Executive Chairman of Ovid Therapeutics. Throughout his career, he has helped shape major advances in biotechnology, from the industry’s early days to the rise of immuno-oncology and new approaches to neurological disease. Jeremy traces his journey from growing up on a farm in South Africa and moving between countries as a refugee to studying at Oxford and Cambridge and eventually entering the emerging U.S. biotech industry. He explains how his training as a physician and scientist has remained central to his career and why he sees companies, capital, and strategy ultimately as tools for getting better medicines to more patients. The conversation explores defining moments in Jeremy’s career, including learning the business of biotech at Genzyme and developing the “String of Pearls” strategy at Bristol-Myers Squibb. That approach helped Bristol build new capabilities in biologics and make a bold bet on immuno-oncology at a time when much of the industry remained skeptical. Jeremy also discusses returning to entrepreneurship with Ovid Therapeutics to pursue neurological diseases that much of pharma had abandoned. He reflects on clinical failure, the importance of patient organizations, and why progress often requires being willing to “put your neck on the line.” The episode closes with his perspective on the future of American biotechnology and the need to support science, innovation, and public trust to keep the next generation of breakthroughs moving forward.

September 2, 20261 hr 0 min

Rewriting the Code of Disease with Kiran Musunuru_e.091

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a cardiologist, geneticist, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and leading expert in gene editing. Kiran’s research spans cardiovascular, metabolic, and rare genetic diseases, with a focus on turning advances in human genetics and CRISPR into therapies that address the underlying causes of disease. He is also a co-founder of Verve Therapeutics and helped lead the development of a personalized gene-editing treatment for infant KJ Muldoon. Kiran traces the path that brought him to gene editing, from growing up with a cardiologist father and pursuing combined medical and scientific training to recognizing the potential of human genetics, stem cells, and eventually CRISPR. He explains how his willingness to adopt new technologies led his lab from early tools like zinc finger nucleases and TALENs to CRISPR, base editing, and prime editing. That progression ultimately opened the possibility of not simply treating symptoms, but making precise changes to DNA that could turn off disease-causing genes or repair genetic mutations at their source. Throughout the conversation, Kiran shares how experiments targeting the cholesterol gene PCSK9 led to the idea of a one-time treatment for cardiovascular disease and ultimately to the creation of Verve Therapeutics. He discusses his unexpected journey into entrepreneurship, Verve’s progression into human trials and acquisition by Eli Lilly, and his return to academia to apply the same gene-editing platform to rare diseases. The episode culminates with the remarkable story of KJ, whose personalized base-editing therapy was designed and produced in roughly six months, as well as Kiran’s larger vision for transforming one-off treatments into a scalable platform capable of reaching patients around the world.

August 19, 202652 min

Building the Quantum Network with Manish Singh & Sean Sullivan_e.090

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Manish Singh, co-founder and Chief Product Officer, and Sean Sullivan, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of MemQ to explore the science, infrastructure, and entrepreneurship shaping the future of quantum technology. Manish and Sean share the very different paths that brought them into quantum. Manish reflects on moving from chemical engineering in India to semiconductor R&D at TSMC in Taiwan before pursuing quantum research in Chicago. Sean discusses his background in materials science, his transition into quantum information technologies at Argonne National Laboratory, and the collaborative environment that ultimately brought the two founders together. Throughout the conversation, Manish and Sean break down what quantum computing actually is, why networking will be critical to scaling useful quantum systems, and how MemQ is developing technology to connect quantum processors across different qubit types. They also discuss building a frontier technology startup, proving manufacturability at industrial scale, working with DARPA, attracting multidisciplinary talent, and why Chicago has become an important center for the emerging quantum industry.

August 6, 202639 min

The Beehive State’s Biotech Boom with Andy Robertson_e.089

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Andy Robertson, executive director of BioHive Utah and a longtime leader in medical devices, diagnostics, commercialization, and life sciences ecosystem development. Over nearly three decades, Andy has worked across major healthcare companies, private organizations, and startups, helping bring new technologies to market while keeping patient impact at the center of his work. Andy reflects on the internship that unexpectedly launched his medtech career and the mentors, teams, and experiences that shaped his approach to leadership. He shares lessons from working across companies of different sizes, why the best answers are often found outside the office, and how multidisciplinary collaboration, strong culture, and long-term thinking are essential to building successful healthcare companies. Throughout the conversation, Andy and John explore Utah’s evolution from its deep roots in medical devices into a growing ecosystem spanning therapeutics, diagnostics, imaging, digital health, and personalized medicine. Andy discusses how BioHive connects founders, universities, experienced industry leaders, and service providers to support the next generation of companies. He also shares his vision for Utah to earn greater recognition as a national and global destination for life sciences innovation.

July 22, 202656 min

Headlines to New Heights with Luke Timmerman_e.088

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Luke Timmerman, founder of the Timmerman Report and one of biotechnology’s most respected journalists and storytellers. For more than 25 years, Luke has chronicled the scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, and companies shaping the industry, giving him a unique perspective on how scientific discoveries become breakthrough medicines and how biotechnology has evolved over time. Luke reflects on his unlikely path into biotech, from growing up on a farm in Wisconsin and studying journalism at the University of Wisconsin–Madison to landing at The Seattle Times just as the Human Genome Project and Seattle’s biotech ecosystem were gaining momentum. He shares lessons from covering the industry through decades of scientific breakthroughs and business cycles, writing his biography of genomics pioneer Leroy Hood, and ultimately taking an entrepreneurial leap of his own by launching the independent Timmerman Report . Throughout the conversation, Luke discusses why people, resilience, and continuous learning are at the heart of biotech innovation, as well as why he believes the industry is experiencing a golden period of scientific progress. He also shares the story behind the Timmerman Traverse, which grew from his passion for mountaineering into a philanthropic movement that has raised more than $15 million for cancer research, sickle cell disease, and other causes. Luke closes with his perspective on the importance of independent journalism, strong innovation ecosystems, and staying curious throughout a career.

July 9, 202657 min

The FDA's Cancer Revolution with Richard Pazdur_e.087

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Richard Pazdur, one of the most influential figures in modern oncology and cancer drug development. As the founding director of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence and former director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products, Richard has helped shape the regulatory pathways behind many of today's breakthrough cancer therapies while leading initiatives that have accelerated patient access to lifesaving medicines around the world. Richard reflects on his journey from growing up on Chicago's South Side to becoming a physician, researcher, and ultimately one of the most impactful leaders in the FDA's history. He shares how an unexpected career change led him into oncology, why basic science remains the foundation of every medical breakthrough, and how cancer treatment has evolved from toxic chemotherapy to targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Throughout the conversation, Richard discusses the challenges of driving innovation within government, the leadership principles that helped him establish the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence, and the global impact of initiatives like Project Orbis and Project Facilitate. He also offers his perspective on the future of oncology, including AI, early cancer detection, international collaboration, and why continued investment in science is essential to improving patient outcomes.

July 2, 202652 min

Where Engineering Meets Medicine with Tejal Desai_e.086

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Tejal Desai, Sorensen Family Dean of Engineering at Brown University and a nationally recognized leader in biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, and translational medicine. A member of both the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, Tejal has spent her career developing technologies that improve drug delivery while helping bridge the gap between scientific discovery and patient care. Tejal shares how an early introduction to biomedical engineering shaped her career and reflects on advances in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and cell-based therapies that have transformed once-impossible ideas into clinical reality. She also discusses why successful innovation depends on interdisciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, and designing research with real-world impact in mind. Throughout the conversation, Tejal explores what it takes to build thriving innovation ecosystems, drawing on her experience leading initiatives at UCSF and now Brown University. From educating entrepreneurial scientists to advancing partnerships like Ocean State Labs, she offers insights on creating environments where breakthrough ideas can flourish. She closes by sharing her vision for the future of biotechnology, highlighting the convergence of AI, engineering, and biology, and the importance of investing in the next generation of scientific leaders.

June 10, 202650 min

The CEO Playbook for Biotech Growth with Heather Turner_e.085

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Heather Turner, CEO of LB Pharmaceuticals, a late-stage clinical biotechnology company developing differentiated therapies for patients with serious psychiatric and neurological disorders. Heather’s path into biotech was anything but traditional. Trained as an attorney, she began her career advising startup companies at Cooley before spending more than two decades helping build and scale life sciences companies through financings, strategic partnerships, and major transactions. Along the way, she developed a unique perspective on leadership, risk management, and company building—eventually transitioning from legal leadership roles into the CEO seat. The conversation explores Heather’s journey from lawyer to biotech executive, the lessons learned leading Carmot Therapeutics through a $3.1 billion acquisition by Roche, and the challenges of raising capital in one of biotech’s most difficult financing environments. She also shares how LB Pharmaceuticals successfully completed a public offering to advance its lead program, LB-102, a potential new treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and major depressive disorder. At its core, this episode is about leadership in uncertainty—how great companies are built through preparation, resilience, humility, and a relentless focus on patients. Heather offers valuable insights on scaling organizations, building high-performing teams, navigating risk, and creating opportunities for the next generation of biotech leaders.

June 3, 202651 min

Powering the Quantum Revolution with David Gunnarsson_e.084

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns , John Flavin sits down with Dr. David Gunnarsson, Chief Business Development Officer at Bluefors, the global leader in cryogenic measurement systems powering the future of quantum technology. With a background spanning quantum physics, low-temperature research, and commercialization, David has spent his career helping transform quantum computing from a theoretical concept into an emerging industry. David reflects on his early fascination with physics and space, his introduction to quantum computing during university, and the realization that quantum mechanics could evolve from pure theory into a practical technology. He explains the fundamentals of quantum computing, why cryogenic environments are essential for quantum systems, and how companies like Bluefors are building the infrastructure required to scale the field. The conversation also explores David’s transition from academia into industry, the importance of timing and commercialization in deep tech, and how collaboration between startups, universities, and major companies is shaping the quantum ecosystem. Along the way, he shares his perspective on the relationship between AI and quantum computing, and why the next decade could unlock major breakthroughs in chemistry, drug discovery, and computational science. At its core, this episode is about curiosity, persistence, and the challenge of turning frontier scientific ideas into technologies capable of reshaping the world.