The Metabolic Majlis

Join host Ali Hashemi in conversation with Professor Shafi Ahmed—a pioneering colorectal surgeon, teacher, entrepreneur, and humanitarian—who’s transforming medicine through live-streamed surgeries, augmented reality, and virtual reality. From training 45,000 students worldwide in real time to envisioning a global virtual medical school, Dr. Ahmed shares how he’s pushing the boundaries of clinical practice and education.01:04 Welcome & Introductions02:32 Evolving a Surgical Career07:20 Driving Innovation in the NHS12:05 Scaling Healthcare & Tackling “Death by Pilot”20:44 Healthcare’s Biggest Obstacle: Change Management29:44 Rethinking Medical School45:01 Live-Streamed Surgeries & Going Viral56:14 Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality & the Metaverse1:06:44 Future-Facing Education Models1:15:03 Entrepreneurship & Lessons Learned1:20:29 Closing Thoughts

Dr. Karan Rajan—surgeon, social media sensation, and gut-health educator to 10 million followers—joins Ali Hashemi to unpack some of the biggest myths about the gut. They discuss why we’re all “donuts,” how to manage IBS, the critical importance of fiber, and the surprising ways our microbes can influence our mood and metabolism. Dr. Rajan also shares insights on cutting-edge health tech, the future of personalized care, and the balance of practicing medicine in a modern, fast-changing world.00:51 Meet Dr. Karen, UK Surgeon & Gut Health Expert01:20 The Gut as an External-Facing Organ: A Donut Analogy02:30 Debunking “Leaky Gut”: Symptom, Not a Disease04:00 Exploring the Gut–Brain Axis: Vagus Nerve & Neurotransmitters07:00 Gut Health & Obesity: Beyond Willpower08:00 Dietary Fiber Fundamentals: Fueling a Healthy Gut09:00 Gluten, Probiotics, Prebiotics & Postbiotics: Fact vs. Fiction10:00 Tracking Gut Health: Data, Food Diaries & Digital Tools12:00 Integrating Tech & Trust: The Future of Personalized Healthcare14:00 The Agency Chain: Turning Data into Actionable Outcomes40:03 Bridging Gaps: Merging Public Understanding with Health Tech44:00 Rapid Fire Q&A: Viral Content, Personal Challenges & Insights48:17 Closing Thoughts: Empowering Patients & the Future of Gut Health

In this episode of The Metabolic Majlis, Ali Hashemi sits down with Ali Parsa— father, entrepreneur, former CEO of Babylon Health, and founder of Quadrivia AI — to dissect healthcare’s biggest challenges. They explore AI's promise (and pitfalls) in clinical practice, how payment models shape innovation, and what it takes to serve millions rather than privileged ones. Join us for a candid, insightful conversation about building a better, more equitable future for health.00:39 Ali Parsa’s Background & Perspective01:43 Why Early AI Implementations Failed03:28 Resilience, Risk-Taking & Persian Tea05:23 Government Cycles & The Unpredictability of AI07:45 AI’s Promise vs. Its Dangers in Healthcare10:02 Expanding Supply: Elastic Labor Through AI19:34 Insurance Complexities & Payment Structures24:00 Regulatory Gaps & Government’s Role31:26 When VCs Help—and When They Hurt35:48 Building ‘Human + AI’ Infrastructure40:57 Owning the Entire Care Continuum45:03 Scaling to Millions with AI49:57 Healthcare for the Many56:51 Final Thoughts

Join Ali Hashemi and Dr. Ihsan Almarzooqi as they reflect on a decade of building hospitals and healthcare ventures across the UAE. From deploying multi-billion-dirham investments to facing insurance pushback, they pull back the curtain on the challenges of innovation in a risk-averse environment. They discuss everything from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s unique model to why outcomes-based care still struggles to gain traction. If you’re a healthcare founder, investor, or industry insider, this conversation offers a raw, unfiltered look at what it really takes to transform healthcare in the region.00:46 The Maglis Culture & Bringing Community Insights to Healthcare02:50 Building Hospitals & Billion-Dirham Projects: The Mubadala Era05:28 Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi: Crown Jewel vs. Profit Goals08:30 Copy-Paste Challenges of Overseas Hospital Affiliations10:55 Risks, Ambition & Why You Can’t Innovate Without Building14:00 Facing Insurance Pushback & Realities of Scaling Diabetes Care20:05 Why Outcomes-Based Care Hasn’t Taken Off (Yet)22:07 Closing Thoughts & Looking Ahead

In this episode of Metabolic Majlis, we dive deep into the limits of AI in healthcare. Our conversation with Naveen unpacks how AI tools grant us access to massive amounts of information—but fall short on understanding the nuance and context of human interaction. We cut through the hype, share hard-won lessons from early mistakes, and discuss why human intuition remains irreplaceable in clinical practice.00:41 Episode Context & Recap01:06 Calling Out the BS in Healthcare AI01:45 Wearing Multiple Hats: Investor, Builder, & User02:13 Lessons from GluCare: Mistakes & Learnings04:05 The AI Hype Cycle & Replacing Doctors08:00 Building Better Tools with Human Intuition11:00 The Future of AI in Clinical Practice

In this edition of the Metabolic Majlis we dive into Naveen’s remarkable journey from his early days at Duke and Stanford to pioneering ventures in computational neuroscience and AI chip innovation. He unpacks how the brain’s natural efficiency inspires modern tech, why human intuition still trumps pure algorithmic predictions in medicine, and what the future holds for AI agents and causal modeling. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, tech enthusiast, or entrepreneur, this episode delivers real insights without the BS.01:28 Intro & Episode Overview02:13 Guest Background & Early Beginnings04:06 Tech Inspirations & Brain Efficiency07:17 From Academia to Entrepreneurship15:11 Building AI Chip Innovation: Nirvana21:10 Deep Learning & AI Evolution28:13 AI in Healthcare: Tools, Intuition & Automation35:03 Future Trends: AI Agents & Causal Modeling42:16 Global Perspectives: Middle East Opportunities52:17 Closing Thoughts & Next Steps

Astronaut Dr. Scott Parazynski shares his extraordinary journey from emergency medicine to multiple spacewalks—and how those experiences shaped his approach to problem-solving in startups. He reveals the mental and physical demands of spaceflight, the critical importance of team collaboration, and his vision for the future of aerial mobility. Prepare to be inspired by stories of resilience, risk management, and the profound impact of seeing Earth from orbit.00:38 Childhood & Growing Up Overseas01:28 From Physician to Astronaut05:01 First Flight Experiences07:01 Why We Go to Space09:59 Health Challenges in Orbit13:02 Transition to Entrepreneurship19:06 The Fragility of Earth22:25 Long-Duration Spaceflight Effects29:00 Risk Management vs. Risk Taking37:44 Learning From Failure39:01 Building Onward Air48:49 Hospital-at-Home & Future Tech50:44 What’s Next on Scott’s Bucket List

In this inaugural episode of Metabolic Majlis we unpack why the traditional “majlis” matters for healthcare change in the GCC. You’ll learn about the majlis as a decision‑making forum in policy and health, gain insight into two founders’ deep operational backgrounds, and understand the urgent metabolic‑health challenges facing the GCC. We also preview upcoming conversations with world‑class experts who bring practical solutions and bold perspectives to the table