LearnOn Podcast: Health Equity By Youth, For Everyone!

In this episode, Jaansi and Dr. Francis Shen unpack neurolaw, the emerging field at the intersection of brain science, law, and public policy. Together, they explore how neuroscience can reshape ideas, what debates about free will mean for criminal justice, and how brain-based explanations can either challenge or reinforce stigma, especially for marginalized communities. Tune in to hear why rigorous science, transparency, and community engagement is essential to advance health equity with these tools!​Dr. Francis X. Shen, JD, PhD is a Professor of Law and faculty member in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, and an Associate Professor in the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and the MGH Department of Psychiatry. He directs the Shen Neurolaw Lab, co-directs the Neurotech Justice Accelerator at Mass General Brigham, and is the Founding Director of the Dana Foundation Career Network in Neuroscience & Society.Check out Dr. Shen's work:Shen Neurolaw Lab: www.fxshen.com/shenlab/Dr. Shen for Hennepin County Attorney: www.shenforsafety.org/Dana Foundation Career Network in Neuroscience & Society: neuroxcareers.org/Neurotech Justice Accelerator: neurotechjustice.org/

Today, Jaansi sits down with Dr. Michael Rich, also known as the Mediatrician, to explore how digital media and technology shape adolescent identity and connection. Together, they discuss why screens themselves aren’t the problem, how digital tools can amplify both harm and healing, and what it means to approach youth mental health through interdisciplinary, compassionate, and equity-centered lenses in a rapidly evolving digital world.​Dr. Michael Rich is a pediatrician and child health researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School. He is the founder and director of the Digital Wellness Lab and the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders. Widely recognized for bridging medicine, psychology, and media studies, Dr. Rich is a leading voice on understanding and improving how children and adolescents engage with digital media.Check out Dr. Rich's work:The Mediatrician's Guide: www.harpercollinsfocus.com/9780785255727/the-mediatricians-guide/The Digital Wellness Lab: digitalwellnesslab.org/Stay updated with DWL: www.linkedin.com/company/digital-wellness-lab/posts/?feedView=allThe Inspired Internet Pledge: inspiredinternet.org/

In this episode, Jaansi sits down with Dr. Anne Harrington to explore how science, especially medicine and mental health, operates not only through data, but through powerful stories. Together, they discuss how cultural narratives shape psychiatric knowledge, how historical decisions continue to influence mental health care today, and what emerging technologies like AI and psychedelics reveal about the future of healing, ethics, and health equity.Dr. Anne Harrington is a professor in the History of Science department at Harvard University and an internationally recognized scholar of psychiatry, neuroscience, and the mind sciences. Her work examines how scientific and medical knowledge shapes understandings of suffering, healing, and human identity, with a particular focus on mental health. She is the author of several widely cited works on the history of the brain and psychiatry and is known for bridging science, medicine, and the humanities in her scholarship.​Check out Dr. Harrington’s work:The Cure Within: www.amazon.com/Cure-Within-History-Mind-Body-Medicine/dp/B088KCYMSZ/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.m0K3063X5Yp3SJ-qwNHjod96kBTLkEG1AoLES05TVZVR0VUgail2XKLN0wHIFu56bJm4AYAjw6p7eXDCgTSKGFo1S7G98XU2kevVpUYRXcz3UFVvrTWSLrvtwTb-kOGKLPfrnyn8sgzeMSBIdn2A-LyyuAG-wgxTGYljjylSXonfTiKW0pbaAy6AASsoy-cyTkJxYUpSFjn8cCta4JYzAVDv8eEDU0RdVZX6SYsxQaY.R5LP6befEY0GVo7m-3MyLwQS5geJqFLSxQwQe0mfYG8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+cure+within&qid=1768234667&sr=8-1Harvard History of Science faculty page: histsci.fas.harvard.edu/people/anne-harrington

In the first episode of the season, Jaansi sits down with Dr. Howard Gardner, the renowned creator of the Multiple Intelligences theory, to explore how we define intelligence in an age of rapid technological and social change. Together, they discuss the future of learning, the role of AI in education, the importance of ethical and respectful minds, and what it takes to cultivate good work and good citizenship in a global society.​Dr. Howard Gardner is a pioneering psychologist and educator whose work reshaped how scholars and educators think about intelligence, learning, and human potential. A professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, he is the author of numerous influential books, has led major research initiatives on education and ethics, and has received international recognition for his contributions to psychology, education, and public scholarship.Check out Dr. Gardner's work: Website: www.howardgardner.com/Blog: www.howardgardner.com/howards-blogFive Minds for the Future: www.amazon.com/Five-Minds-Future-Howard-Gardner-ebook/dp/B004OC075I/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

After covering the cutting edge of medical innovation, we're taking a step forward this season to we ask a bigger question: who truly benefits from medical progress?Welcome to Season 7: The Power of Health Equity. In this season, we explore health equity as a learning journey shaped by access to information, trust in systems, and whose knowledge is valued. Through conversations with prominent thought leaders, we examine how intelligence, media, law, policy, and innovation can either close health gaps or widen them. New episodes drop every Monday 7 AM EST, along with a newsletter on Substack coming soon!Alongside this new season, LearnOn is evolving. What began as “the science show by kids, for everyone” has grown into “the show on health equity by youth, for everyone.” We’ll continue exploring medical and scientific advancements, but with a sharper focus on where equity and innovation intersect, as well as how young voices can help shape a more just future.

In this season finale, Sunay reflects on all 29 episodes of Season 6: Medical Marvels, revisiting the guests, ideas, and insights that shaped a season about how medicine works in the real world. From neurofeedback and gene therapy to clean water, mental health, environmental policy, and reproductive autonomy, this episode highlights how people, systems, equity, and persistence drive health outcomes. Sunay brings together the season’s biggest takeaways while thanking the guests and listeners who made the journey possible and setting the stage for what's coming next.

Access to contraception can shape health, autonomy, and opportunity, but what does it really take to safely expand that access? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Stephanie Sober, OB-GYN and Global Director of Medical Affairs at Perrigo Women’s Health, to explore the landmark approval of Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive available over the counter in the U.S. Tune in to hear how nearly a decade of research and regulatory work made this switch possible, how the FDA evaluates real-world use without physician supervision, and why over-the-counter contraception is a major step forward for reproductive health equity.Dr. Stephanie Sober is an OB-GYN physician and the Global Director of Medical Affairs at Perrigo Women’s Health. She co-led the studies submitted to the FDA to support Opill’s transition from prescription-only to over-the-counter status and has worked closely with medical organizations, regulators, and reproductive health advocates to expand safe, evidence-based access to contraception.

Microplastics are everywhere, from our oceans and ecosystems to our food, water, and bodies, but their story began with a simple question: what are we missing? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Richard Thompson, marine biologist at the University of Plymouth and the scientist who coined the term microplastics. Tune in to hear how curiosity led to a landmark discovery, why plastic pollution is fundamentally a design problem that affects public health, and why science must now shift from defining the problem to rigorously testing solutions.Dr. Richard Thompson is a Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth and a leading authority on plastic pollution. His research has shaped global understanding of microplastics and informed major policies to improve environmental health, including the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and legislation banning microbeads in cosmetics. As an independent scientist, his work guides policymakers, industry, and the public toward safer and more sustainable use of plastics.

Language is central to healthcare, yet it’s often overlooked as a driver of equity, safety, and quality of care. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Pilar Ortega, emergency medicine physician and Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the ACGME, to explore how rethinking language in medicine can transform patient outcomes. Join us to discuss why the term “language barrier” misses the real problem, how language-concordant care improves health outcomes, the promises and limitations of AI translation tools, and what systemic reforms are needed to better support multilingual clinicians and patients alike.​Dr. Pilar Ortega is an emergency medicine physician and the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). A nationally recognized leader in medical Spanish education and language equity in healthcare, her work focuses on improving communication, valuing multilingualism in the medical workforce, and advancing more equitable healthcare systems through policy, education, and research.

Medication mismanagement is one of the most costly and preventable problems in healthcare as it impacts patient safety, outcomes, and billions in annual spending. In this episode, we’re joined by Yoona Kim, who cofounded Arine to use AI-driven medication intelligence for improving patient outcomes. Join us in a conversation about the key factors that contribute to medication errors, why culturally sensitive care is central to Arine's approach, and how smarter use of data can shape future healthcare policy.Yoona Kim is the co-founder and CEO of the healthcare technology company Arine. After studying human biology at Stanford, she was trained as both a pharmacist (PharmD from the University of California San Francisco) and health economist (PhD from the University of Texas at Austin). She previously served as Vice President at Proteus Digital Health and held leadership positions in research and consulting at global pharmaceutical companies.

Curiosity is at the heart of great science and great storytelling. In this episode, we’re joined by Laura Baisas, science news writer at Popular Science, to explore how curiosity fuels her work and shapes the way science is shared with the public. Tune in to hear about her process for finding story ideas, the importance of fact-checking in the age of AI, how journalists balance engaging narratives with accuracy, and why embracing science as an ever-evolving process is key to building public trust. Laura also reflects on her own “aha” moment that solidified her career in science journalism and offers advice for young listeners on charting meaningful paths forward.​Laura Baisas is a science news writer and reporter at Popular Science. Prior to joining PopSci, she worked in children’s news programming and has built her career around making complex scientific topics accessible and engaging for broad audiences. Her work spans subjects from ocean science and paleontology to health and climate change, with a focus on curiosity-driven storytelling and accurate, impactful journalism.Check out Laura's writing: https://www.popsci.com/authors/laura-baisas/

Throughout this season in the podcast, we have explored the unique role of cutting-edge technology in driving innovation for medicine. But what about the other way around? It turns out that the unique makeup of the healthcare system is crucial in the context of leading changes in digital health. Today, we're hearing from Noelle Eder, CIO at The Cigna Group, for her insights through a career of over 30 years. Tune in to hear about the verticalization of American healthcare, how the fragmentation of this space affects the demand for innovation in medical technology, and the importance of empathy in leadership.Noelle Eder is the Executive Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer (CIO) at The Cigna Group. Prior to this role, she served as the Chief Information and Digital Officer at Hilton Worldwide Holdings, the Chief Card Customer Experience Officer for Capital One Financial Corporation, as well as other technology leadership roles at Intuit and TeKnowledge.

As technology gets better than ever, we're unlocking new medical discoveries with the potential to earn billions. However, it's important to not lose sight of what drove us towards these discoveries in the first place: the needs of the patients, and in the case of diseases such as Alzheimer's, their caregivers. Today, we're joined by Dr. Brandy Matthews on behalf of Eli Lilly, which is currently the largest pharmaceutical company in the world with a market cap of over $800 billion. Join us as Dr. Matthews talks us through the recent FDA approval of Alzheimer's drug Kisunla, learning from negative trials, and adopting a treatment approach centering patients and caregivers through the LillyDirect program.See more of Lilly's work: www.lilly.com/Dr. Brandy Matthews is the Vice President of Global and US Medical Affairs for Alzheimer's disease at Eli Lilly and Company. She has a background in clinical neurology with a medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and a completed neurology residency at the Mayo Clinic.

It's always exciting to see flashy headlines about the next revolutionary drug approved by the FDA or how a biotech startup is making millions for a diagnostic test. However, it's equally important to not lose sight of what gets us to the most important discoveries in the first place: basic research. Today, we're interviewing Dr. Marc Kirschner, a renowned cell biologist and biochemist known for his research on the cytoskeleton, cell cycle, and embryo signaling. Join us to hear his thoughts on how scientific disciplines have become more intertwined over time, the crucial role of technological advancements such as electron microscopy in the field of biochemistry, and the dire need for approaching scientific discovery with curiosity instead of going straight for the money. Dr. Marc Kirschner is the founding chair of the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School and is known for major discoveries in cell and developmental biology. He has also coauthored 2 books on the biological basis of evolution and helped launch the peer-reviewed journal PLOS (Public Library of Science) Biology. 

It's always interesting to think about how many technologies that we take for granted today, such as genome sequencing and bioengineering, were completely unheard of just a few decades ago. This episode, we're going back to the roots of these applications with Dr. James Collins, who is widely regarded as one of the founders of the field of synthetic biology. Tune in to hear his thoughts on the importance of leveraging the tools we have today for pandemic prevention and readiness, how to reframe thinking around biosecurity when it comes to applications of these technologies, and how AI can help us outrun antibiotic resistance with rapid drug discovery.Dr. James Collins is a professor of medical engineering and science at MIT, a core faculty member at the Wyss Institute of Harvard University, and a member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He is a member of the National Academies of Engineering, Science, and Medicine, and his technologies have been licensed by over 25 biotech and medical device companies.

You've probably heard about gene editing to create hybrid species or designer babies. But what about its purpose to aid the wellbeing of humanity? Today, we're joined by Ian Karp on behalf of Intellia Therapeutics, a biotechnology company employing CRISPR-based gene editing to develop curative therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune disease. Tune in to hear his thoughts on recent clinical trial updates, how to effectively communicate the purpose of these therapies with the public, and what it's like to be at the forefront of medical innovation when it comes to gene editing.Check out the work that Intellia is doing: www.intelliatx.com/Ian Karp is a Senior Vice President at Intellia Therapeutics. He has over 25 years of expertise in the biopharmaceutical industry for investor relations, corporate communications, business development, and product commercialization.

If something like the COVID-19 pandemic ever happened again, how would we deal with it? Would it be any different from last time? Through our experiences from 2020 to now, it's important to remember how crucial vaccine development and preventative research efforts are in matters of public health. Today, we're joined by Dr. Barney Graham, who has made major contributions to vaccines for HIV/AIDS, Zika, RSV, and ultimately SARS-CoV-2. Tune in to hear Dr. Graham's firsthand experiences with discovering virus spike proteins, working on various teams to develop vaccines for different epidemics, and advocating for global health policy reform.Dr. Barney Graham is the former deputy director and one of the founding members of the Vaccine Research Center, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2022 and currently serves as the director of the David Satcher Global Health Equity Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Some of the biggest scientific discoveries and biotechnology companies today were born out of skepticism. But what is it actually like to have participated in building this work from the group up? Today, we're hearing a first-hand perspective in this from Dr. Robert Langer, billionaire cofounder of Moderna and widely renowned biotechnologist. Join us in a riveting discussion about how the ups and downs of his career taught him to advocate for himself through research, how his lab is collaborating with The Gates Foundation to create more efficient treatments for developing countries with novel drug delivery systems, and the importance of having a creative mindset to find solutions in unusual places. Dr. Robert Langer is currently an Institute Professor at MIT and a faculty member of the Harvard–MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. Having authored over 1,500 scientific papers, he is the most cited engineer in history and one of the 10 most cited individuals in any field. Dr. Langer has participated in founding 40+ biotechnology companies including Moderna and holds over 1,500 granted or pending patents.

Many of us have early memories of visits to the pediatrician, which are often underscored by fear of the dreaded needle. Being poked and prodded is never fun regardless of your age, but it's especially important to consider that a lot of this discomfort is unnecessary. And, traumatizing experiences in young patients can foster distrust for healthcare workers during their formative years. Today, we're chatting with Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf about palliative care, advocating for pain management in pediatrics, and how taking a bit of extra time for a simple, evidence-backed procedure to reduce anxiety during vaccinations can help kids develop positive associations with the healthcare system through adulthood. Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf is a pediatric pain and palliative medicine specialist. Through his roles as a professor of pediatrics at UCSF and the medical director of the Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine, he is helping to make pain management for kids a #1 priority through their care.

From a privileged perspective, it can be easy to consider good mental health as an additional benefit on top of the precursor of physical health. However, it turns out that we need to reframe this mindset, especially in the context of social communities and developing countries. Today, we're chatting with Sean Mayberry about StrongMinds, a global nonprofit treating hundreds of thousands of people each year, mostly in Africa, with depression. Tune in to hear about the surprisingly controversial label of mental health, the sustainability of group therapy approaches for depression, and how mental health care targeted at caregivers improves many other factors in the household. Sean Mayberry is the CEO of StrongMinds, a TEDx speaker, and a renowned humanitarian addressing health outcomes in poverty-stricken communities. Prior to founding this organization, he worked as a diplomat and social marketer implementing programs for malaria and HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa.See the work at StrongMinds: strongminds.org/