Lab Rats to Unicorns

Science, Policy & the FDA with Robert Califf_e.081

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Robert Califf, physician-scientist and two-time Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. A cardiologist by training and longtime leader in clinical research, Dr. Califf has spent his career at the intersection of medicine, technology, regulation, and public service. From founding the Duke Clinical Research Institute to guiding the FDA through the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Califf brings a rare perspective on how science becomes medicine—and how policy, politics, and evidence shape what ultimately reaches patients. He reflects on the early days of cardiology breakthroughs, the birth of large-scale clinical trials, and the responsibility regulators carry in balancing innovation with safety. The conversation explores translational medicine, the realities of uncertainty in public health, the evolving role of AI in healthcare, and the global competition shaping the future of biomedical innovation. At its core, this episode is about decision-making under pressure—and the systems required to ensure that groundbreaking ideas translate into measurable benefit for patients.

Building Life From Scratch with Kate Adamala_e.080

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin speaks with Dr. Kate Adamala, a synthetic biologist and University of Minnesota professor whose work explores one of science’s biggest questions: what is life — and can we build it from scratch? As a leader in the International Build-a-Cell Collaboration, Kate is helping drive global efforts to construct synthetic living systems from nonliving components while advancing research across minimal cells, origins-of-life science, and biocomputing.Kate shares how a childhood love of science fiction shaped her path into synthetic biology and explains the idea of “life but not alive,” highlighting how synthetic cells differ from traditional genetic engineering. She also discusses the shift from academic discovery to entrepreneurship through Synlife, the challenges of scaling entirely new biological platforms, and the regulatory questions ahead.The conversation explores how programmable synthetic cells could transform medicine, manufacturing, sustainability, and even space exploration — while raising profound scientific and ethical questions about humanity’s growing ability to design life itself.

Growing Human Tissue on Plants with Andrew Pelling_e.079

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Andrew Pelling—trailblazing biophysicist, artist-trained scientist, and Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Spiderwort Biotechnologies. Andrew is best known for reimagining living systems, most famously by using decellularized apples and other plants as scaffolds to grow human tissue—work that helped spark an entirely new category of plant-derived biomaterials.Formerly a professor at the University of Ottawa, Andrew founded the Pelling Lab for Augmented Biology, an unconventional research environment where scientists and artists explored how physical forces—rather than genetic manipulation—shape cellular behavior. His approach focuses on stretching, compressing, and reshaping cells to unlock new biological possibilities.Andrew shares how his background in the arts shaped his scientific intuition, why curiosity-driven research led from grocery-store experiments to restoring movement in paralyzed rats, and how that breakthrough ultimately inspired the founding of Spiderwort. Along the way, he reflects on failure, leadership, and building imaginative teams—offering a compelling vision for how augmented biology could transform regenerative medicine and human health.

The Backbone of Breakthrough Science with Christy Wyskiel_e.078

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Christy Wyskiel, a nationally recognized leader in translational science, startup acceleration, and innovation ecosystem building. As a longtime architect of university-based commercialization programs, Christy has helped shape how academic discoveries become venture-backed companies with real-world impact.Christy shares her journey from early roles in economic development to becoming a driving force behind one of the most respected university innovation engines in the country. Over the course of her career, she has worked at the intersection of research, startups, investors, and institutions—designing systems that help founders navigate the path from lab bench to market.Throughout the conversation, Christy breaks down what actually enables scientific founders to succeed: access to capital, shared infrastructure, mentorship, regulatory fluency, and—most importantly—people who understand both science and company-building. She reflects on lessons learned from supporting hundreds of startups, the importance of founder readiness, and why universities must evolve beyond tech transfer to remain competitive.This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the systems, strategies, and collaborative effort that make it possible to turn groundbreaking research into thriving companies.

Imaging the Future of Surgery with Dr. Xiao Han_e.077

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Xiao Han, Co-Founder and CEO of Clarix Imaging, a pioneering medical device company spun out of the University of Chicago. Xiao is transforming the world of cancer surgery with real-time, high-resolution 3D imaging that helps surgeons visualize tumors more clearly and make more precise decisions in the operating room. Before launching Clarix, Xiao spent more than a decade as a medical physics researcher and faculty member at the University of Chicago, developing advanced tomographic imaging technologies and collaborating closely with radiologists, surgeons, and pathologists. His journey—from physics student to inventor to CEO—was shaped by a deep curiosity, an engineering mindset, and a passion for translating scientific breakthroughs into tools that directly improve patient care. Xiao shares the pivotal experience inside a pathology lab that made him leave academia to start Clarix, how the company achieved FDA clearance in under 18 months, and why multidisciplinary collaboration is the key to accelerating innovation. He also offers an inside look into how Clarix’s VSI-360 platform is redefining breast cancer surgery and opening the door to a new standard of real-time intraoperative imaging across multiple specialties. Throughout the conversation, Xiao reflects on leadership, translational research, the power of seeing technology used in the OR, and his vision for the future of precision surgery.