Power to the Patients

Brandon Li talks with Joel Raskin, Chief Medical Officer at Arrivo, about his journey from training in psychiatry in Toronto to leading pharmaceutical research in his current role. Joel shares details on SP-624, an Arrivo compound showing promise in treating depression through epigenetic mechanisms. Their deep dive covers the challenges of clinical trials, and the potential for precision psychiatr...

In this episode, Dr. Jerry Rosenbaum and Dr. Sharmin Ghaznavi offer a rare look into academia’s role in the psychedelic renaissance, tracing the origins of Mass General’s Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics. They discuss how their shared interest in rumination—and its role in treatment-resistant mental illness—led them to explore psilocybin’s effects on brain connectivity. The conversation...

Spyros Papapetropoulos, a leading neurologist and neuroscientist, joins Power CEO, Brandon Li, to discuss his remarkable career and the transformative work at Neuphoria. Spyros delves into his transition from practicing neurologist to drug development and his decision to focus on neuropsychiatric diseases. They explore Neuphoria's innovative approach to treating social anxiety disorder with their...

Steve Gourlay joins Power CEO, Brandon Li, to discuss Actinogen's innovative approach to Alzheimer's treatment. Steven shares his background in clinical trials and drug development, highlighting the potential of the company's lead molecule, Xanamem, a daily pill aimed at reducing brain cortisol levels. Their conversation covers the challenges in Alzheimer's & depression research and the promising...

In this episode of Power to the Patients, Boehringer Ingelheim leaders Christine Sakdalan and Mike Jablonski from discuss how precision psychiatry—using tools like biomarkers and neuroimaging—can personalize treatment for conditions like schizophrenia and depression. They highlight the importance of holistic care, digital therapeutics, and industry collaboration to address unmet needs and improve...

John Krystal, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Yale, joins Brandon Li to discuss his groundbreaking work on ketamine's antidepressant effects and the evolving landscape of psychiatric treatments. Dr. Krystal was at the forefront of the discovery of ketamine's rapid antidepressant properties in the 1990s. Dr. Krystal shares insights from his career - his pioneering work on the rapid antidep...

In this episode, Brandon sits down with Shawn Singh, CEO of Vistagen, to discuss a first-of-its-kind approach to treating mental health conditions. Vistagen is developing pherines, a new class of nasal spray treatments that work through nose-to-brain neural pathways, with the potential to provide fast-acting relief for conditions like social anxiety disorder and depression—without systemic exposur...

In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Dr. Jordan Smoller - Jerrold F. Rosenbaum Chair in Psychiatry at Mass General, Co-Director for the Center for Suicide Research and Prevention at MGH and Harvard, Director of the Center for Precision Psychiatry, and a professor at Harvard Medical School, to explore the future of psychiatry. They discuss how AI, big data, and genomics are transforming menta...

How do we move from a system that treats disease to a system that cares for individuals? Dr. Anthony Yanni, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Patient Centricity at Astellas Pharma Inc, has spent his career shaping patient-centricity—and in this episode, he shares a framework for embedding it into drug development, clinical trials, and healthcare delivery. We cover:- Building a patient-focus...

In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Raymond Sanchez, former CMO of Cerevel, now at Bain Capital Life Sciences, to discuss the neuroscience renaissance—the explosion of new treatments, novel mechanisms, and scientific breakthroughs reshaping the future of neuropsychiatric research. Ray shares his career journey, from early psychiatry research at Yale to scaling Cerevel from 3 to 350 employee...

On this episode of Power to the Patients, we are joined by Amit Etkin, Founder & CEO of Alto Neuroscience and adjunct professor at Stanford, to explore how precision psychiatry is paving the way for more tailored approaches to mental health care. Amit discusses his journey from academia to founding Alto, the role of biomarkers in advancing treatment, and Alto's work on precision psychiatric medici...

In this episode, Brandon Li speaks with Kabir Nath, CEO of Compass Pathways, about their groundbreaking work in using psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Kabir shares his personal connection to mental health, the journey of Compass Pathways, and their rigorous approach to clinical trials. The discussion also delves into the broader potential of psychedelics, regulatory challenges,...

In this episode of Power to the Patients, Srinivas Pai sits down with Katie Baca-Motes, Co-Founder at Scripps Research Digital Trial Center, to discuss how clinical research can learn from consumer industries to create better patient experiences. They explore advancements in digital clinical trials, behavioral science, patient-centric design, and the importance of diversity and equity in research....

In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Manish Agrawal, Co-Founder and CEO of Sunstone Therapies, to discuss the transformative role of psychedelics in cancer care and mental health.  Manish shares his journey from oncology to leading groundbreaking research in psychedelic-assisted therapy, emphasizing its profound potential to address emotional and psychological needs that traditional medicine...

In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Srinivas Rao, Co-CEO of atai Life Sciences, for a deep dive into the pragmatic strategies shaping the future of psychedelic therapies. Srini shares how his background in engineering and neuropharmacology has informed a streamlined, patient-centric approach to drug development. Key topics include: The evolution of atai Life Sciences, from a fund to a biote...

In this episode, Jessica Branning, President of JBran Consulting and former CEO of ClinCloud, shares her  work in creating accessible and patient-focused clinical research sites in the neuropsych space. Jessica’s journey takes us from her early days as a clinical research coordinator to founding ClinCloud, a fully remote-capable site specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia trials. Tune in as we d...

In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Cosmo Feilding-Mellen, CEO of Beckley Psytech, to explore the groundbreaking work Beckley is doing in the world of psychedelics. Cosmo shares his journey growing up in a family immersed in psychedelic research, co-founding Beckley Psytech, and pushing the boundaries of mental health treatment with next-generation compounds like 5-MeO-DMT. Tune in to disco...

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Winton, Founder and Chairman of Rural Minds, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for mental health services in rural America. Jeff shares his deeply personal story of how a family tragedy inspired the creation of Rural Minds and sheds light on the mental health crisis in rural communities, where stigma and lack of access to care create unique challenges. He t...

In this episode, we sit down with Doug Drysdale, CEO of Cybin, to discuss the growing interest in psilocybin as a potential treatment for depression and other mental health conditions. Doug talks candidly about his initial skepticism and how the data convinced him to dive into the world of psychedelic medicine. With decades of experience in drug development, Doug shares why he believes psilocybin...

In this episode, Dr. Dan Karlin, Chief Medical Officer at MindMed, talks about the potential of psychedelic therapies, especially LSD, to help treat anxiety. He shares his personal journey through psychiatry and addiction medicine, discussing the limitations of traditional treatments and the hope that psychedelics might bring. We dive into MindMed’s research on how LSD could impact generalized anx...

Today, we sit down with Robin and Dave Dubin from the AliveAndKickn Foundation, who share their inspiring journey with Lynch Syndrome. Robin explains the genetic intricacies of this hereditary cancer predisposition, emphasizing the crucial role of genetic counseling and the proactive measures taken for their children as previvors.   Dave, a three-time cancer survivor, offers an account of his expe...

In today's episode, Sasha Sinclair discusses the current challenges and emerging solutions shaping the future of patient recruitment and engagement in clinical trials. Sasha has a comprehensive background in clinical operations that allows her to share an informed perspective about how digital strategies and improved education can transform the landscape of clinical research, making it more access...

How much do you know about the behind-the-scenes process of clinical trials? Our guest today, Farah Meghji, has a unique perspective on the matter through her role at Roche Canada, where patient experience sits at the heart of every stage of solution development. We're thrilled to share her insights on balancing the urgency in clinical trial development with the necessity of embedding patient expe...

Explore the world of clinical trials with our guest, Megan Liles. Drawing from her 25+ years of experience, Megan offers a practical perspective on the importance of prioritizing patients in clinical trials. She discusses the role of patient advisory boards, improving access to clinical trials, and understanding the real-life impact on patients. Megan emphasizes the significance of incorporating p...

Today’s episode features Victoria DiBiaso from Sanofi. Victoria provides a detailed analysis of patient-informed development and the critical importance of diversity and inclusion in clinical trials. With her unique perspective stemming from her nursing background, she explains the significance of patient-centric trials and the future of healthcare.  Throughout the episode, Victoria elaborates on...