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15
Sep
2021

Hero Narratives Inspire Entrepreneurs But Obscure Uncomfortable Trade-Offs

In today’s Wall Street Journal, I discuss Reid Hoffman’s Masters of Scale, a new book by the renowned Silicon Valley entrepreneur (PayPal, LinkedIn), investor (Facebook, Airbnb), and podcast host that proposes to distill the secrets of successful business and social entrepreneurs.  The review speaks for itself, of course, but Hoffman’s account, and others like it (there are many – for...
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12
Sep
2021

Turning Around COVID Diagnostics. Mara Aspinall on The Long Run

Today’s guest on The Long Run is Mara Aspinall. Mara is a veteran diagnostics executive, investor, and educator. She’s a venture investor with Bluestone Venture Partners, the CEO of Health Catalysts (a consulting firm), and the co-founder and professor of the practice of biomedical diagnostics at Arizona State University. It’s the only program of its kind in the country, designed...
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31
Aug
2021

Meet the Climb to Fight Cancer Postdoctoral Fellow: Aleena Arakaki

I’m excited to announce that the first Climb to Fight Cancer postdoctoral fellow has been selected. This is a position designed to advance the careers of young scientists from traditionally underrepresented minority groups. Aleena Arakaki is the first recipient of this postdoctoral award. She is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) woman. Before describing Arakaki’s background and research, here’s what the...
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20
Aug
2021

Giving Back and Experiencing Nature

Sometimes we need to get away from work, and the news, to recharge our batteries. August is traditionally that time of year for me. I just got back from the summit of Mt. Baker (elevation 10,781 ft) in the North Cascades of Washington. It was another successful mountain trip with terrific biotech people – entrepreneur Julia Owens, investor Dan Bradbury,...
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4
Aug
2021

Tachi Yamada, Physician-Scientist-Biopharma Industry Leader, Dies at 76

Tadataka “Tachi” Yamada, a distinguished physician-scientist who became a biopharmaceutical industry leader and a deeply respected advisor to biotech entrepreneurs, died the morning of Aug. 4. He was 76. Yamada died from a heart attack while exercising at home in Seattle, said his son, Takao. “He was a special person who did things to help people. That was his North...
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27
Jul
2021

An Industry that Depends on Diversity Should Defend It

[Editor’s Note: I asked Paul to write in response to a biotech executive who’s marketing a new book that claims diversity and inclusion in business is “the defining scam of our time.”] As CEO of a cell therapy company, I know that the human immune system is a pointillist masterpiece, containing trillions of B and T cells with unique antigen...
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