The Minor Consult

S9 Ep4: Lucy Shapiro’s Big Idea: Using Cell Biology to Fight Superbugs

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Lucy Shapiro, PhD, for a conversation about how her unconventional thinking unlocked new insights about how bacterial cells behave, fundamentally changing how scientists understand cells and laying the groundwork for systems biology. They explore how her research informed new approaches to treating infections and other diseases, and how these advances opened new paths for developing antibacterial and antifungal drugs to fight superbugs. They also discuss the biological threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and ways that the global community can prepare for the next pandemic.

S9 Ep3: Stanford Graduate School of Business Dean Sarah Soule on What Makes a Great Leader

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Sarah Soule, Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, for a conversation about how leaders, organizations, and the GSB itself are evolving in a rapidly changing world. During the GSB’s centennial year, they explore the school’s leadership model — emphasizing self-awareness, perspective taking, communication, and deep listening — and how its entrepreneurial culture has inspired alumni whose bold ideas became transformative companies. They also discuss the future or organizational behavior and her vision for the school’s next chapter, including new initiatives in investing, leadership development, and the future of work and AI.

S9 Ep2: Eric Topol’s Big Idea: Controlling How Well We Age

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Eric Topol, MD, author of Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity, for a conversation about why immune health may be more important than genetics in promoting healthy aging. They explore how lifestyle factors like sleep, diet, and exercise strengthen the body’s defenses, shaping longevity beyond our genes. They also discuss how emerging technologies, from wearable sensors to genetic risk tools, could make personalized prevention a reality for all. 

S9 Ep1: Karl Deisseroth’s Big Idea: Decoding Brain Circuits to Understand the Human Mind

In an episode of his Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Stanford neuroscientist Karl Deisseroth, MD, PhD, for a conversation about how his groundbreaking research is reshaping our understanding of the brain and the experiences that define us as human. They delve into the origins of optogenetics — a revolutionary technology Deisseroth pioneered using light to map how the brain drives emotion and behavior — and they explore his vision for Stanford Medicine’s Human Neural Circuitry research program. Deisseroth also reflects on the beauty of scientific discovery, the role of humility in research, and how advances in brain science are opening new avenues for understanding and treating mental illness.

S8 Ep7: Fortune AI Editor Jeremy Kahn on How AI Is Rewiring Our Lives

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Jeremy Kahn, award-winning journalist and AI Editor at Fortune, for a conversation about the transformative potential and societal risks of artificial intelligence. They discuss opportunities for AI to accelerate medical breakthroughs and personalize education, as well as the threat of overreliance on AI to critical thinking, writing, and social skills. They also explore how AI is reshaping jobs and business models, the role of regulation in balancing innovation with safety, and the geopolitical stakes as global competition in AI intensifies.