KGI: Innovation in Applied Life Sciences & Healthcare

In this episode of the KGI podcast, Dr. Joel West, professor of innovation and entrepreneurship and program director for KGI's Master of Business and Science program, talks about his background, the MBS and CBM program, and the industry's future.

In this episode of the KGI podcast, Dr. Anna Hickerson, associate professor and program director for KGI's Master of Science in Medical Device Engineering program, talks about her background, the med device program, and the industry's future.

This is the fifth episode in our series of special podcasts for KGI’s 25th anniversary. In this episode, Dr. Stephen Kingsmore discusses reviewing the first 10 years of genome-informed healthcare for children and predicting the next 10 years. This was recorded on January 19, 2023, in Claremont as part of KGI's Speaker Series.

In this episode of the KGI podcast, we sat down with Dr. Barbara Fortini, associate professor of genetics and the program director of the one-of-a-kind Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics (MSGDA) program, to discuss her background, history of the MSGDA program, and why it is important.

In this episode of the KGI podcast, one of KGI's founding faculty members, Dr. James Sterling, program director of the PhD in Applied Life Sciences program, discusses his various roles at KGI and talks about the PhD program and the future of a doctorate degree.

KGI welcomes Senior Director and Instructor of the Postbaccalaureate Programs Dr. Joon Kim to the podcast to discuss the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate and Postbaccalaureate Pre-PA Certificate programs. 

KGI joins Dr. Cynthia Martinez, Dean of the School of Community Medicine, for a second podcast to discuss KGI's ground-breaking Master of Science in Community Medicine program.   The fully online, two-year program is revolutionizing how we educate future physicians, healthcare providers, and health professionals in the sciences and technologies that matter today—and are already changing how healthcare will be provided tomorrow.

This is the fourth episode in our series of special podcasts for KGI’s 25th anniversary. In this episode, we listen to KGI's Dr. Kiana Aran talk about her journey to freedom through science. Dr. Paul Grint moderates the talk. This was recorded on November 1, 2022, in San Diego as part of KGI's Speaker Series.

This is the third episode in our series of special podcasts for KGI’s 25th anniversary. In this episode, we share a delightful conversation between KGI President Sheldon Schuster as he talked with integral founding members of the institute: Bonnie Busenberg, Stephen McCormack, Bob Curry, and Greg Dewey. The group reminisced about the early days at KGI, recalled memories of the founding President, Hank Riggs, and talked about the struggles, victories, and, ultimately, KGI’s future.

In this episode of the KGI podcast, we feature KGI Board of Trustees member Dr. Carol Nacy, who gave an Industry Talk to the KGI community on October 13, 2022.  Nacy is a founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Sequella, Inc., a privately-held pharmaceutical company that discovers and develops treatments for life-threatening infectious diseases. Before Sequella, Nacy was EVP and Chief Scientific Officer at EntreMed, Inc. She left EntreMed to establish Sequella, Inc. and was part-time Chief Scientific Officer for Anergen, Inc., a California company focused on autoimmune diseases. There, she worked with the Management Team to position the company for acquisition by Corixa Corp. Before her business experience, Nacy was a career scientist and science manager for 17 years at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. In 2002, Nacy was named a Top 50 Innovator in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur of the Year by Women in BIO in 2004, and the state of Maryland named her in its Top 100 Business Women in 2005.

This is the second episode in our series of special podcasts for KGI’s 25th anniversary. In this episode, we hear from former KGI School of Community Medicine Dean Dr. David Lawrence on the future of healthcare. The discussion was recorded on October 7, 2022, during KGI’s Founder’s Day celebration. KGI appointed former Kaiser CEO Dr. David M. Lawrence as Dean of the KGI School of Community Medicine on March 17, 2020. He stepped down from that role in March of 2022 after a successful two years that included launching the brand-new Master of Science in Community Medicine program. While serving as the CEO and Chairman of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals from 1991 to 2002, Lawrence focused the nation’s attention on the issue of patient safety and the need for reform in healthcare delivery systems. Lawrence served on the KGI Board of Trustees in 2019. He retired from Kaiser Permanente in 2002 after his 10-year tenure as CEO and Chairman. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente in 1981, Lawrence worked in Public Health and Human Services in Multnomah County, OR; on the faculty of the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine and the School of Medicine; as an advisor to the Ministry of Health of Chile; and as a Peace Corps Physician in the Dominican Republic and Washington, DC.

This episode kicks off a series of special podcasts for KGI's 25th anniversary. In this episode, we hear from KGI Board of Trustee members Dr. Ross Grossman, Teresia Bost, and Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff on the future of biotech and the life sciences. The discussion was recorded on October 7, 2022, during KGI's Founder's Day celebration. Grossman served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals from 2002 until his retirement in 2013, later returning to that role in April 2015 until his second retirement in May 2016. He previously held senior Human Resources roles at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Prudential Financial, and UBS. Bost serves as General Counsel at health technology company 54gene, overseeing legal, compliance, and cybersecurity functions. 54gene advances the state of healthcare through large-scale discovery and translational research, advanced molecular diagnostics, and clinical programs for the benefit of Africans and the global population. Villa-Komaroff is a molecular biologist, an executive, and a diversity advocate, in addition to being founder and principal of Intersections SBD Consulting. She is also the Chair of the KGI School of Community Medicine Board of Governors. The three panelists are joined by moderator Bonnie Anderson, CoFounder and Executive Chair of Veracyte. Bonnie is also a KGI Trustee Emeritus and Most Influential Honoree.

In this episode of the KGI podcast, we talk with Emily Quinn, the newly appointed program director for the Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling program.

KGI talks with Dr. Cynthia Martinez, newly appointed Dean of the School of Community Medicine. “Everything about the mission and vision of the School of Community Medicine is reflected in my personal lived experiences,” Martinez explained. “I am coming full circle as I get to apply my Bachelor of Science in Biology and my experience working in health education to help and support our students as they go and make a difference.” KGI’s School of Community Medicine has an innovative, integrated approach that prepares future physicians and other healthcare professionals to care for underserved and underrepresented communities. The school provides students with the skills to reduce disease burden, improve health, and prepare them for the significant scientific and technological changes already underway in healthcare. “I see synergies within our academic programs at KGI as well as growth opportunities in workforce development initiatives by the state to offer continuing education and certificate units for healthcare professionals and physicians,” Martinez stated. “It is an exciting time to be at KGI, and I am thrilled to be in this new role!”

KGI talks with Christy Eskes, newly appointed Program Director of the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program. Eskes has worked in various roles in PA education since 2009 as a Didactic Coordinator, Program Director, and Associate Program Director. She briefly stepped away from full-time PA education in 2016, continuing to work clinically and providing annual lectures to PA students regarding PA laws and regulations. In November 2020, she came to KGI as the Director of Didactic Education, playing an integral role in multiple aspects of program development as a member of the founding faculty. In July 2022, Eskes was selected to be the Program Director and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the program, including ongoing assessment for accreditation maintenance.

Listen to this special podcast with Dr. Megan Prosser, the new Dean of the Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences. Dr. Prosser talks about her educational background and experiences and shares her ideas for the future of the Riggs School. 

In this Industry Talk, we speak with Mimi Nguyen, a Regulatory Health Project Manager in the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She helps manage and organize strategic initiatives, pilot projects, and cross-cutting working groups. Additionally, Nguyen has done work in technology transfer, strategic planning, and program building. Nguyen received a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Business and Science with a focus in Clinical and Regulatory Affairs from KGI. 

In this Industry Talk, Zach Myers, JD, Partner at Wilson Sonsini, talks about formation, financing trends, and strategies for life sciences companies. He has been recognized as a “go-to” attorney for Southern California’s private and public companies in the technology and life sciences sectors—especially biotechnology and medical device companies—in complex, high-value transactions. Myers’ practice allows him to work with startups to large public clients. He represents private companies connected with university spin-outs and venture capital financings, helping companies raise millions of dollars needed to fund, grow, and expand their businesses. He has assisted numerous clients that have gone public, listing on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ markets. Notably, Myers has represented some of Southern California’s hottest and most successful companies from formation, through venture capital financings, to initial public offerings, and through sales.  

In this industry talk, Dr. Allyson Berent talks about "A Parent’s Journey Through Drug Development and Wearing Many Hats". Berent is the Chief Science Officer for the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics and the Chief Operating Officer for GeneTx Biotherapeutics, developing a novel antisense olignonucleotide for the treatment of Angelman syndrome, asrare neurogenetic disorder. Berent graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 and completed a residency in veterinary internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 2005, followed by a fellowship in interventional radiology and endourology at the University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson University. Since 2009, Berent serves as the Director of Interventional Endoscopy Services at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. 

In this industry talk, we hear from Lori Westin, Partner at Wilson Sonsini, as she discusses intellectual property and patent strategies for the emerging growth company. Westin possesses a PhD in Biology from Boston University and a JD from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She has extensive experience that includes serving as a senior research scientist in Advanced Technologies at Nanogen, Inc.; a research associate in the Regulatory Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute; and a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, CMB, at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. She is the primary author of numerous scientific and legal publications and is an inventor on seven issued U.S. patents on microchips and DNA amplification technology. Westin is a Partner at Wilson Sonsini, where she focuses on intellectual property, life sciences, litigation, patent litigation, patents and innovations, and post-grant reviews.