Touching Base

Touching Base is the dynamic podcast series from the editors of <em>GEN </em>(<em>Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News</em>). Each episode features a rotating cast of senior editors including John Sterling, Kevin Davies, Julianna LeMieux, Alex Philippidis, Uduak Thomas, Corinna Singleman and Fay Lin who delve into emerging stories, exchange ideas, and debate the latest trends in biotech. Additionally, they talk to some of the leading voices in the industry about what's now and next.<hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

New Nasal Vaccines, Korro Stock Dips, J&J and Merck Acquisitions, and Dyno GATC

Nasal vaccines show new promise for human papillomavirus (HPV) to address cervical cancer and whooping cough. In business news, Korro's stock craters 81% as AATD interim Phase I/II results miss expectations. Additionally, Johnson & Johnson acquires Halda to expand their cancer pipeline while Merck acquires Cidara to boost antivirals. Lastly, the inaugural Genetic Agency Technology Conference (GATC) hosted by Dyno Therapeutics brought together a diverse group of researchers, entrepreneurs, and patient advocates to discuss the mission of genetic agency, or an individual’s ability to take action at the genetic level to live a healthier life.  Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:  Cervical Cancer May Be Treatable with Intranasal Nanogel Vaccine GEN, November 15, 2025Novel Nasal Spray Vaccine for Pertussis Shows Promise By Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, November 12, 2025 StockWatch: Korro Craters 81% on Data; Patient Death Sours Analysts on Intellia By Alex Philippidis, GENEdge, November 16, 2025J&J Expands Cancer Pipeline with $3B Halda Acquisition By Alex Philippidis, GENEdge, November 18, 2025Merck to Acquire Cidara for $9.2B, Bolstering Antiviral Pipeline By Alex Philippidis, GEN, November 15, 2025 AI Meets Genetic Agency at Dyno GATC 2025By Fay Lin, PhD, GENEdge, November 14, 2025Genetic Agency on Display at GATC 2025By Kevin Davies, PhD, and Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, November 13, 2025Dyno GATC Announces AI Agents, Muscle Capsid, and Manufacturing PartnerBy Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, November 11, 2025 Touching Base Podcast Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD  Behind the Breakthroughs Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11-20
41:50

uniQure Staggers at FDA, Recursion's Microglia Map, and Leadership Transitions

uniQure's “game changing” data announced in September, which showed significant slowing of Huntington’s disease (HD) progression in patients treated with its gene therapy candidate AMT-130, may not be enough to secure FDA approval. We also discuss Recursion's pivotal leadership transitions, as Najat Khan, PhD, chief R&D officer and chief commercial officer, is set to take over as the company's CEO effective January 1. The AI drug developer has made big bets filling the biology data gap and recently announced a "Google Map of the brain" to advance neurodegenerative disease targets. In open-source AI for drug discovery, the release of the latest Boltz model, BoltzGen, advances the platform from structural predictions to the design of "any" therapeutic modality, all available for commercial use.  Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.    Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:   uniQure Staggers as FDA Questions Data for Huntington’s Gene Therapy Candidate By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, November 3, 2025   StockWatch: uniQure Shares Reach Five-Year High on “Game Changing” Huntington’s Data Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 28, 2025  Gene Therapy Significantly Slows Huntington Disease Progression GEN, September 24, 2025  Recursion, Roche Unveil Microglia Map of Neuro Disease Targets By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, October 29, 2025  BoltzGen Democratizes AI Therapeutic Design, Expands Druggable Universe By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, October 27, 2025  The State of AI in Drug Discovery On Demand    Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD   Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD     Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11-07
31:34

Artificial Intelligence in the Emerald City and Targeting Colon Cancer Stem Cells

We are gearing up for our annual AI in Drug Discovery summit in a few days. So, for this episode, we focused on some recent AI news coverage. First, GEN senior editor Fay Lin, PhD, visited Seattle recently for some AI-focused meetings. She discusses her experiences in the Emerald City including an exclusive in-person interview with Nobel laureate, David Baker, PhD, on what’s real and what’s hype when it comes to using AI to design proteins de novo.  Then we discuss new research from University of California, San Diego, that used machine learning to identify networks of genes that could be targeted to reprogram cancer stem cells. We also go over some early studies that point to a possible drug candidate for colon cancer.     Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.   Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:    Brunkow, Ramsdell, Sakaguchi Win Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Peripheral Immune Tolerance  Uduak Thomas, GEN, October 6, 2025    AI in Protein Design: Hype vs. Reality Explained by David Baker  By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, October 20, 2025     Nobel Anniversary: David Baker Keynotes STEM Fundraiser by ARCS Foundation Seattle  By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, October 14, 2025      AI Treatment Reprograms and Triggers Cancer Stem Cells to Self-Destruct  GEN, October 20, 2025      The State of AI in Drug Discovery Registration    Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD   Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10-24
24:28

Nobel Prizes Announced and Breakthroughs for Huntington’s and Rare Diseases

Metal-organic frameworks and peripheral immune tolerance were the big winners of the Nobel prizes in chemistry, and in physiology or medicine, respectively. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the winners and the impacts of their discoveries. Then we move over to some business news where we discuss a novel gene therapy for Huntington’s disease from uniQure that made waves recently. Early clinical trial data for AMT-130 showed that it could meaningfully slow the progression of the disease by as much as 75%. Also in business news, a new partnership involving Arbor Biotechnologies and Chiesi Group aims to develop gene editing therapies to target rare liver diseases. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:Brunkow, Ramsdell, Sakaguchi Win Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Peripheral Immune ToleranceUduak Thomas, GEN, October 6, 2025Metal-Organic Frameworks Win the 2025 Nobel Prize in ChemistryJulianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, October 8, 2025Gene Therapy Significantly Slows Huntington Disease ProgressionGEN, September 24, 2025 StockWatch: uniQure Shares Reach Five-Year High on “Game Changing” Huntington’s DataAlex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 28, 2025 Chiesi, Arbor Target Rare Liver Diseases in Up-to-$2.1B Gene Editing CollaborationAlex Philippidis, GEN Edge, October 8, 2025Touching Base PodcastHosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10-10
21:00

BPI 2025 Debrief and Takeaways

GEN has been at the forefront of biotech and bioprocessing news for over 40 years. Last week, editor in chief, John Sterling and deputy editor in chief, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, attended BioProcess International (BPI). This annual meeting is a hallmark event for GEN, where we attend talks, speak with a multitude of bioprocess companies, and keep up to date on the latest products and news for the year. John and Julianna discuss their experience at this year’s event. Additionally, GEN held its first ever client appreciation reception this year at BPI and Julianna describes the atmosphere. Join GEN editors John Sterling, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Corinna Singleman, PhD for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:Boston’s Bioprocessing Buzz: GEN Reports Live from BPI 2025Julianna LeMieux, PhD and John Sterling, GEN, September 18, 2025Top 10 U.S. Biopharma Clusters 2025Alex Philippidis, GEN, August 1, 2025Top 10 Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations 2025Alex Philippidis, GEN, September 15, 2025Touching Base PodcastHosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

09-26
28:17

Developing New Therapies Through Partnership, Electricity, and Immunotherapy

Novartis has agreed to license and develop Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals’ preclinical stage small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy ARO-SNCA, a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies, plus additional targets. Two stories this week covered very different types of cell reprogramming techniques for therapy development. The first approach may overcome the time delays and safety risks of traditional immunotherapies, especially for patients with aggressive, late-stage disease. Meanwhile, electrical stimulation of macrophages could represent a new therapy to boost the body’s own repair processes in a range of injury and disease situations. Finally, Eli Lilly saw its shares climb 5% this past week after announcing that its history-making oral obesity candidate, orforglipron, aced the Phase III ATTAIN-2 trial. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:The State of Biotech Summit RegistrationNovartis Commits Up to $2.2B toward Developing Arrowhead siRNA TherapyAlex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 2, 2025Off-the-Shelf Immunotherapy Demonstrates Multipronged Attack Against CancerGEN, August 29, 2025Human Macrophages “Reprogrammed” by Electrical Stimulation to Encourage Faster HealingGEN, September 2, 2025StockWatch: Analysts See $10B+ in Sales for Lilly Oral GLP-1Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 1, 2025Touching Base PodcastHosted by Corinna Singleman, PhDBehind the BreakthroughsHosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

09-05
27:30

Stem Cells in Space and AI for Nanoparticles and Peptide Design

This week’s episode explores two frontiers: space travel and artificial intelligence. First, we discuss a study testing whether mouse sperm cryopreserved and stored in the International Space Station could still produce healthy offspring back on Earth. It’s a question with real implications for the future of deep space missions and even space tourism. Then, we turn to recent advances in AI. We talk about a machine-learning model trained to predict more effective nanoparticles for delivering RNA vaccines and therapies. Also, we learn about an AI model that designs peptides for challenging targets in cancer and neurodegenerative disease without needing detailed protein structures.  Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: The State of Biotech Summit Registration Space Station Stem Cells Successfully Produce Healthy Mice GEN, August 18, 2025 COMET's Rocket Speed: AI-Designed Nanoparticles Accelerate mRNA Therapies GEN, August 18, 2025 Protein Language Model Hits Undruggable Targets, No Structure Required By Fay Lin, PhD GEN, August 14, 2025 Touching Base Podcast Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Behind the Breakthroughs Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

08-22
21:34

Reversing Parkinson’s in Mice, Protecting Primates from HIV, Top 10 Biotech Clusters, and Sarepta

This episode of GEN's Touching Base spotlights the unexpected relationship between breathing low oxygen and restoration of neuron function in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, a single gene therapy injected at birth now offers lasting protection from HIV in infant rhesus macaques. Rounding out our episode, we discuss key factors shaping this year’s A-List of Top 10 U.S. Biopharma Clusters and recap the regulatory conflict surrounding Sarepta Therapeutics’ Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene therapy, Elevidys®—including the departure of Vinay Prasad, MD, the FDA official behind the agency’s brief get-tough approach.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:GLP-1 Drug Semaglutide Linked to Reduced Muscle Strength in MiceGEN, August 6, 2025Out of Thin Air: Hypoxia Reverses Parkinson’s Symptoms in MiceBy Fay Lin, PhD GEN, August 6, 2025Early Gene Therapy Provides Lasting HIV Protection in Newborn PrimatesGEN, July 30, 2025StockWatch: As Prasad Exits FDA, Analysts See Benefit for Sarepta, CGT StocksBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, August 3, 2025Sarepta to Resume Shipping DMD Gene Therapy to Ambulant PatientsBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 28, 2025Sarepta Under Scrutiny, AstraZeneca’s Big Bet, and AI vs. IDRsBy Alex Philippidis, Uduak Thomas, Fay Lin, PhD, Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, July 25, 2025About Face: Sarepta to Pause Elevidys Shipments TemporarilyBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 21, 2025Touching Base PodcastHosted by Corinna Singleman, PhDBehind the BreakthroughsHosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhDThe State of Biotech Summit Registration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

08-08
34:22

Sarepta Under Scrutiny, AstraZeneca’s Big Bet, and AI vs. IDRs

Sarepta has temporarily paused shipments of Elevidys, its FDA-approved treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In this episode of GEN's Touching Base, we discuss the company’s response to the tragedies associated with its DMD therapy as well as with a new therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Also in this episode, big updates from AstraZeneca including a $50 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and R&D, a heartwarming story about preventing mitochondrial disease involving eight babies from the U.K., and from the lab of Nobel Prize winner David Baker, PhD, AI that designs drugs for previously “undruggable” proteins.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:About Face: Sarepta to Pause Elevidys Shipments TemporarilyBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 21, 2025StockWatch: Sarepta Shares Nosedive after LGMD Gene Therapy Patient DiesBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 20, 2025Sarepta Axes 500, 36% of Workforce, in Restructuring after DMD Patient DeathsBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 16, 2025AstraZeneca Commits $50B More to U.S. Manufacturing, R&D ProjectsBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 22, 2025AstraZeneca’s New $300M Plant Provides Control of Cell Therapy ProductionBy Gareth John Macdonald, GEN, May 14, 2025 Beyond Baby KJ: Next Steps in Manufacturing Genome Editing CuresGEN Live, July 30, 2025Mitochondrial Disease Milestone: Eight Babies Born Free of Disease via Pronuclear TransferBy Julianna LeMieux, PhD GEN, July 16, 2025Undruggable No More: AI Hits Disordered Proteins, Unlocks Therapy TargetsBy Fay Lin, PhD GEN, July 18, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

07-25
42:34

Merck Acquires Verona, Virtual Cell Challenge, Gene Therapy Restores Hearing

Merck & Co. has acquired Verona Pharma for $10 billion in a deal designed to expand the pharma giant’s portfolio of cardio-pulmonary disease treatments. In a step toward virtual cell benchmarking, the Arc Institute has launched the Virtual Cell Challenge to evaluate the ability of transcriptome AI models to generalize to new cell contexts for therapeutic applications. Fujifilm rebrands life science companies to position itself as a drug development leader. Additionally, AAV-OTOF gene therapy shows promise in restoring hearing loss while a new proteomics tool gleams insight into telomere repair. We wrap up our episode with highlights from BIO 2025, as FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, MD, shared his vision for a “New FDA” focused on accelerating drug applications, industry partnerships, and applying AI.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: Merck to Acquire Verona Pharma for $10B, Adding Fast-Growing COPD DrugBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 9, 2025 Arc Institute Launces Virtual Cell Challenge to Accelerate AI Model DevelopmentBy Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, June 26, 2025End-to-End: Fujifilm Rebrands Life Sciences Companies, Positioning Itself as Drug Development Cycle LeaderBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 8, 2025AAV-OTOF Gene Therapy Trial Restores Hearing in Both Children and Adults  By GEN, July 7, 2025 Proteomics Tool Sheds Light on Cancer Cells’ Telomere Repair Tactics By GEN, July 7, 2025 Makary Calls for “New FDA” at BIO; Defends Agency’s Spring Job CutsBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 18, 2025Cell and Gene Therapy Leaders Tell FDA: “Believe in American Solutions”By Kevin Davies, PhD, and Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 5, 2025 Behind the Breakthroughs PodcastHosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

07-11
31:41

BIO 2025, Huge Virtual Cell Dataset, AI-Designed De Novo Proteins

AcastBIO 2025, Huge Virtual Cell Dataset, AI-Designed De Novo ProteinsBIO 2025 is off and running. GEN editors discuss the size and scope of the bustling conference hall and share excitement about the week’s talks and panels. News from BIO includes the announcement of Lilly’s acquisition of Verve Therapeutics. Editors discuss the implications of industry-backed therapeutics amid cautious investors and public sentiment. In the realm of AI, Xaira Therapeutics, a $1 billion-backed AI drug discovery unicorn, has capped its first year by releasing the largest publicly available Perturb-seq dataset to support its virtual cell initiative. Additionally, AlphaDesign, a new AI-driven framework, accelerates the creation of functional de novo proteins, moving protein design toward custom therapeutics and precision medicine. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Uduak Thomas, and Fay Lin, PhD, for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching BaseLilly to Acquire Verve Therapeutics for Up to $1.3BBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 17, 2025 Second DMD Patient Dies After Treatment with Sarepta Gene TherapyBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 15, 2025Danon Disease Patient Dies in Rocket Gene Therapy TrialBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, May 27, 2025Xaira Therapeutics Releases Largest Perturb-Seq Dataset to Power the Virtual CellBy Fay Lin, GEN Edge, June17, 2025AI-Designed Proteins Created De Novo with New AlphaDesignGEN, June 17, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

06-18
28:44

Rocket’s Gene Therapy Trial Paused, Boltz-2 Open Source, Plasma Swap Rewinds Aging

A gene therapy clinical trial for Danon disease run by Rocket Pharmaceuticals has been suspended following the death of a patient. MIT and Recursion have released Boltz-2, an open-source tool that predicts molecular binding affinity at newfound speed and accuracy, aiming to democratize commercial drug discovery. Intellia Therapeutics saw its stock nosedive late last week after a patient in its Phase III trial of the CRISPR-based therapy experienced non-lethal liver toxicity. In other news, a therapeutic plasma exchange regimen combined with intravenous immunoglobulin reduced some biomarkers of biological age in humans. Sanofi has agreed to acquire Blueprint Medicines for up to $9.5 billion, and a universal CAR T cell therapy was produced by applying CRISPR gene editing to cells donated by healthy individuals.  Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.   Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base  Danon Disease Patient Dies in Rocket Gene Therapy Trial By Alex Philippidis, GEN, May 27, 2025  Boltz-2 Released to Democratize AI Molecular Modeling for Drug Discovery By Fay Lin, PhD, GENEdge, June 6, 2025  StockWatch: Intellia Stumbles on News of Patient’s Severe Liver Toxicity By Alex Philippidis, GEN, May 30, 2025  The State of CRISPR Summit Registration https://bit.ly/CRISPR25  Plasma Exchange in Humans Reduces Biological Age by Over Two Years  GEN, June 1, 2025   Sanofi to Acquire Blueprint Medicines for Up to $9.5B By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 2, 2025  "Universal" CAR-T Immunotherapy Targets Relapsed/Refractory Blood Cancers GEN, May 30, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

06-06
29:55

Customized CRISPR for KJ, 10x and Illumina Lawsuits, Regeneron Bags 23andMe

A baby, named KJ, has become the first patient to be treated with a personalized CRISPR therapy to address a severe metabolic disorder. We discuss this story—one of the biggest science/medical stories from ASGCT 2025—and talk about the family and scientists at its center. In other news, laboratory-evolved CRISPR-associated bacterial transposases are being used to insert healthy genes into human cells. On the business front, 10x Genomics settles with Bruker and Vizgen while Illumina sues Element Biosciences for patent infringement. Also, trouble for Prime Medicine as the company pivots its pipeline and downsizes, and after months of speculation about its fate, 23andMe is acquired by Regeneron.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching BaseASGCT 2025: World’s First Patient Treated with Personalized CRISPR Therapy By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, May 15, 2025 EvoCAST Harnesses CRISPR-Linked Bacterial Transposases to Insert Genes Into Human Cells GEN, May 18, 2025 eePASSIGE Engineers Gene-Sized Edits in Human Cells GEN, June 10, 2024 Illumina Sues Element Biosciences, Alleging Infringement of Flow Cell, Imaging Patents By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, May 18, 202510x Settles Bruker, Vizgen Patent Lawsuits By Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Alex Philippidis, GEN, May 18, 2025  Prime Medicine Chops 25% of Workforce, Pivots Pipeline as CEO Quits By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, May 19, 2025 Regeneron to Acquire 23andMe with Winning $256M Bid GEN, May 19, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05-22
41:34

Insights into COVID-19’s Origins, Recursion Reverses Course, and AACR Stands Up for Cancer Research

The exact origins of SARS-CoV-2 are still something of a mystery, but new research may bring scientists one step closer to an explanation for how the virus reached Wuhan. Also in the episode, we dive into GEN’s coverage of the annual AACR meeting including how the community is navigating massive research budget cuts. Then we discuss a potential colorectal cancer therapy using CRISPR-edited tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and a method for delivering protein therapies and gene editors using engineered vesicles. Lastly, in business news, Recursion rethinks its pipeline, the FDA gives Abeona’s gene therapy a chance, and Bristol Myers Squibb execs open up on artificial intelligence.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:AACR 2025: A Video Update from ChicagoBy Julianna LeMieux, PhD and Damian Doherty, GEN, April 29, 2025Hope and Headwinds at AACR in ChicagoBy Damian Doherty, GEN, April 29, 2025Senator Tammy Baldwin Supports Science in AACR SpeechBy Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, April 29, 2025CRISPR-Edited TILs Fight Advanced Colorectal Cancer in PatientsBy GEN, May 4, 2025Engineered Extracellular Vesicles Could Deliver Gene Editors, Therapeutic Proteins to CellsBy GEN, April 30, 2025SARS-CoV-2 Likely Spread Through Wildlife Trade, Not Bat MigrationBy GEN, May 7, 2025Chatting with Author David Quammen about SARS-CoV-2 Will Leave You “Breathless”Originally aired: November 16, 2022Recursion Halts Four Pipeline Programs, Sharpening Cancer, Rare Disease FocusBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, May 5, 2025StockWatch: Second Time’s the Charm for Abeona’s Gene TherapyBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, May 4, 2025Predict First: BMS Executives Discuss Company’s AI ApproachBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, March 26, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05-09
35:34

Navigating Biotech’s New Normal, Applying AI to Cas9 Enzymes, and Sequencing Generations

The seismic changes made by the current administration in the United States continue to impact the scientific community. The business news segment of this week’s episode covers the effects of job cuts on biotech, Roche’s manufacturing and R&D plans amid tariff threats, and shares an update on Eli Lilly’s diabetes pill. Also, in honor of DNA Day, we reminisce about how far the field has come since the discovery of the structure of DNA and the completion of the Human Genome Project. We also talk about today’s DNA-related advances that use machine learning to design tailored Cas9 proteins and multiple sequencing technologies to study mutation rates in four generations of the same family. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:After Job Cuts, “We’re Entering a Very New Territory for Biotech. By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 17, 2025 Roche Commits $50B to U.S. Manufacturing, R&D as Tariffs Loom By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 22, 2025 StockWatch: Investors Hungry for Lilly after Diabetes Pill Aces Phase III Trial By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 20, 2025 Machine Learning Engineers Bespoke Cas9 Enzymes for Gene EditingBy Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, April 22, 2025Multi-Platform Sequencing Study of Four Generations Sheds Light on Mutation RatesGEN, April 23, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

04-25
30:26

Discussing De-Extinction, Trump’s Tariffs Touch Biopharma, and Reports from Recent Travels

Are Dire Wolves really back? We give our take on Colossal Biosciences’ latest announcement about the de-extinction of Dire Wolves including some thoughts on their approach and some of the broader implications of their work. In other stories, we discuss the early impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs on biotech as well as the growing alarm in the scientific community in the wake of sweeping layoffs and leadership departures at the FDA, CDC, and NIH. We also share news from recent scientific conferences and meetings that we’ve attended as well as an interesting study that used human cell maps to shed new light on pediatric bone cancer.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base.Plex Research Partners with Ginkgo Bioworks to Apply AI-Based Search Engine to Drug DiscoveryBy Uduak Thomas, GEN, April 8, 2025 Danaher-IGI Beacon for CRISPR Cures Celebrates One-Year AnniversaryBy Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, March 28, 2025Human Cell Maps Uncover Insights in Pediatric Bone Cancer By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, April 10, 2025StockWatch: Biopharma Funds Tumble with Wall Street as Industry Spared from Worst of Tariffs—for NowBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 6, 2025 FDA, NIH, CDC Stagger as HHS Axe Falls, Eliminating 10,000 JobsBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 1, 2025 Industry Voices Alarm as Peter Marks Departs FDABy Kevin Davies, PhD, and Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, March 30, 2025The State of Multiomics & NGS 2025Broadcast Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Resurrection Genomics: A Conversation with Colossal’s Chief Biology Officer Eriona HysolliThe State of Omics 2024, April 17, 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

04-11
45:26

Dravet Gene Therapy Tested in Mice, Sarepta’s Setback, and AstraZeneca Updates

Gene therapies take center stage in this week’s episode. We discuss a potential gene replacement therapy for people with Dravet Syndrome that scientists have tested in mice with good results and highlight some recent progress from two editing companies. We also break down the recent news from Sarepta about the death of a patient after treatment with its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In other stories, new data reveals a nonviral method for introducing transgenes into human primates and AstraZeneca steps up R&D in China with new drug, vaccine, and healthcare partnerships in the billions of dollars.Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching BaseGene Therapy Tested in Mice Offers New Hope for People with Dravet Syndrome By Uduak Thomas, GEN, March 19, 2025 DMD Patient Dies After Treatment with Sarepta Gene TherapyBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, March 18, 2025 PiggyBac Transposon System Creates Transgenic Cynomolgus MonkeysBy Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, March 26, 2025 From Tools to Trials: Editing Therapy Companies Pivot to DevelopmentBy Alex Philippidis, PhD, GEN Edge, March 20, 2025 AstraZeneca Commits up to $11B+ to Chinese Collaborations, Beijing R&D Hub By Alex Philippidis, PhD, GEN Edge, March 21, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

03-28
25:57

Genetic Engineering at Asilomar, Stand Up for Science, and Francis Collins

GEN editors discuss both the news and history of DNA and genetic engineering. We present a recap of the 50th anniversary Asilomar conference, delving into some of the history from the 1975 Asilomar conference and relating to the current discussions around genetic engineering. Science has been under fire recently and many people attended the Stand Up for Science Rally at one of a few dozen locations across the United States. One of the speakers at the rally in Washington, DC, was former NIH director Francis Collins, MD, PhD, a key member of the Human Genome Project. We discuss some of his career in this episode.  Join GEN's managing editor Corinna Singleman, PhD, editor in chief John Sterling, and editorial director Kevin Davies for a discussion of DNA news and history.   Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:  Scientists in NYC Rally to Defend and Stand Up for Science   By Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, March 10, 2025  Former NIH Director Francis Collins Praises the Institution as He Abruptly Departs After Three Decades By Kevin Davies, PhD, GEN, March 3, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

03-14
32:32

AI Models Writing DNA and Designing Enzymes, Some Pre-AGBT News

In honor of Rare Disease Day, we discuss news from Healx, a clinical-stage biotech, which has dosed the first patient in a Phase II trial of its new drug for neurofibromatosis type 1. In the world of AI, the Arc Institute in collaboration with Nvidia has dropped Evo 2, the “largest publicly accessible AI model for biology to date,” for designing genomes. Additionally, new work from Nobel Laureate, David Baker, uses AI to generate enzymes from scratch. We also dig into the big announcements from Illumina and Roche that got the community buzzing ahead of this year’s AGBT meeting. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: Healx Candidate, SpringWorks Therapy Expand NF1 Treatment OptionsBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, February 25, 2025 Arc Institute’s AI Model Evo 2 Designs the Genetic Code Across All Domains of Life By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, February 19, 2025 AI-Driven Protein Design Produces Enzyme that Mimics Natural Hydrolase Activity By Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, February 13, 2025 Illumina Unveils Spatial Technology Days Before AGBT Meeting By Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, February 19, 2025 StockWatch: Illumina Tumbles on Q4 Results, China Retaliation By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, February 8, 2025 Roche Announces SBX Technology, Creates Sequencing Buzz By Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, February 21, 2025 StockWatch: NIH Indirect Cost Cuts Shake Tools Stocks By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, February 17, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

02-28
25:42

Recursion Clinical Trial, CRISPR Delivery methods, preclinical Cas12 use, Gene Editing in AgBio, Top 10 Takeover Targets

Season 2 Episode 1 (February 14, 2025): This week, the GEN editors discussed some interesting and developing stories around AI, including an in depth dialogue about what Recursion has been doing lately. They also discussed gene editing updates in delivery systems, Cas12 preclinical work, and AgBio. The discussion was rounded out with a look forward into takeover targets for 2025.   Featuring Alex Philippidis (Senior Business Editor, GEN), Fay Lin, PhD, (Editor, GEN Biotechnology), Uduak Thomas (Senior Editor, GEN), and moderated by Corinna Singleman, PhD, (Managing Editor, GEN and IPM)  Listed below are key references to the GEN stories, media, and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base: As Pipeline Advances, Recursion Expands AI Focus to Clinical TrialsBy Alex Phillipidis, GEN, Jan 30, 2025. Recursion Announces Promising Clinical Data on Lead AI-Based Drug Candidate for Brain DiseaseBy Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, Feb 5, 2025. AAV Delivered NanoCas CRISPR System Edits Muscle in Non-Human PrimatesBy GEN, Feb 3, 2025. Next-Gen Cas12a System Enables Precise Single and Multiplexed Gene Editing in CancerBy Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, Jan 30, 2025. AgBio Companies Embrace Gene Editing for Stronger Food FutureBy Uduak Thomas, GEN Feb issue, Feb 3, 2025. Top 10 Takeover Targets of 2025By Alex Phillippidis, GEN, Feb 3, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

02-14
19:20

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