Moving from academia to industry is tough enough, but imagine founding your new startup in March of 2020, right before the pandemic shutdown. Join us to hear the story of Dr. Nick Meyerson, CEO and co-founder of Darwin Biosciences, who did just that and has come out on the other side with some great perspective and some really cool saliva-based, non-specific-infection detection technology.
There are all sorts of molecular tests to tell if you’re infected with something specific, but what do you use when you’re not sure what you might have? You might use a thermometer as a first step, but wouldn’t it be nice if that thermometer was a bit more high tech?
In this episode we meet Dr. Nick Meyerson, CEO and co-founder of Darwin Biosciences, who’s team is working to develop the “molecular thermometer of the future.” We hear about how this physicist transitioned into molecular biology and then latched onto saliva as a sample of choice to detect early molecular indicator of infection. Nick does a great job of explaining his path leading up to the founding of Darwin Bio, the challenges of founding a company in early 2020, why saliva is their sample of choice, the beautiful simplicity of isothermal amplification methods, and the lesser-known funding routes of working with government agencies like the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).
Join us as we dive into the molecular nature of non-specific detection of infections, how it’s done using no electricity, it’s potential applications, and what the future holds for this field. Nick also shares lessons learned and some insights on the value of mentors and a lifelong curiosity.