How Pathologists Can Lead in Precision Medicine with David Braxton
When should a genetic test be ordered—and who decides? It’s a question we are constantly asking on the program. Dr. David Braxton, Chief of Molecular Pathology at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Southern California, has built a system where the answer is simple: the pathologist decides. At Hoag, reflex testing protocols automatically trigger genomic tests when certain cancers appear under the microscope—embedding precision medicine directly into the biopsy workflow.* 0:00 How did you become an advocate for precision medicine?* 5:50 What triggers the ordering of a genetic test?* 12:00 Using national lab vs in-house* 19:03 Which areas show most progress?* 24:32 A fan of early cancer testing?* 29:42 How digitized is your lab?* 42:45 Moonshot? Treat CHIP“We developed standardized operating procedures where if a pathologist sees certain types of cancers in certain states, they automatically order the genomic testing,” Braxton explains. “It’s all very formalized. We call it pathologist-initiated reflex testing—and it gets results into the medical record before the oncologist even sees the patient.”Braxton talks about making genomic profiling routine in a community setting, the barriers that still slow precision medicine—education, reimbursement, regulation—and how digital pathology and AI are reshaping what pathologists can see and do. “The real value of digital pathology and AI,” he says, “isn’t necessarily helping pathologists do their jobs quicker or better—it’s going beyond what the human eye can see.”Braxton offers a pragmatic, hopeful look at how community hospitals can lead the next phase of precision oncology. We discuss the increasingly used MRD testing and get Braxton’s thought’s on early cancer detection tests. In the end, he shares his “moonshot:” using molecular diagnostics to detect clonal hematopoiesis, a precursor state that silently increases risk for leukemia, heart disease, and other inflammatory conditions. “If you want to talk about the role of diagnostics in decreasing chronic conditions like heart attacks and cancer,” he says, “this is the moonshot—catching that silent killer early with molecular techniques.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe
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From DNA to Proteins: Illumina Makes Its Proteomics Play - with Krishna Morampudi
Illumina has just made a bold move into proteomics.In this episode of Mendelspod, Krishna Morampudi, Associate Director for Product Management at Illumina, joins Theral to talk about the company’s recent definitive agreement to acquire SomaLogic and the new launch of Illumina Protein Prep, their new end-to-end proteomics solution.0:00 On the acquisition of SomaLogic4:30 Scoop: Illuminated Protein Prep just launched8:00 Competitive edge14:15 The larger multi-omics visionIllumina’s new product can screen for 9,500 proteins using SomaLogic’s SOMAmer technology, with sequencing on NovaSeq and data processed through Illumina’s existing connected analysis platforms. According to Morampudi, the integration with Illumina’s NGS workflows gives researchers a competitive edge and lowers the barrier to proteomics adoption.The product has already launched with early access customers, including large biobank studies such as UK Biobank through partnerships with Decode Genetics. Krishna notes that “the motivation to buy the company was really coming from working with those early access customers.”With a vision to make large-scale quantitative proteomics standard in discovery research, Illumina is betting that SomaLogic’s scalable, high-throughput tech can eventually outpace long-established competitors.“We’re starting with 9,500 proteins with lower CVs than Olink. Our ability to scale faster to the entire native proteome gives us a real advantage,” Morampudi says.In the final segment, Morampudi connects the proteomics launch with Illumina’s broader multi-omics vision and outlines the potential for new biomarker discovery, PQTL analysis, and phenotypic insights. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe
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Theranos Had the Vision. Truvian Has the Execution. Our Chat with CEO Jay Srinivasan
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comOn today’s debut interview with Truvian Health, CEO Jay Srinivasan lays out the company’s bold but grounded plan to radically decentralize blood testing. With over $150 million raised and a benchtop instrument already in FDA review, Truvian aims to run 34 lab-quality tests from just eight drops of blood—in under 30 minutes.“Why does your blood have to t…
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Physicians Don't Want a Laundry List of Genes says Premal Shah, CEO of Myome
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mendelspod.comPremal Shah says that many companies in personal genomics have emphasized quantity over quality. Premal is the CEO of Myome, a company offering whole-genome interpretation built for the clinic rather than the consumer. Shah says Myome was founded on the belief that more data isn’t better data. “Physicians don’t want a laundry list of genes,” he told us …
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The Customer Case for iconPCR with Stefan Green and Yann Jouvenot
A few weeks back we featured a next gen PCR technology called iconPCR that carries the promise to dramatically impact research. Today we take a customer’s-eye view of the technology. Dr. Stefan Green, who directs the Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility at Rush University, has been putting the instrument through its paces on challenging projects ranging from pathogen surveillance in Chicago to ultra-low biomass cleanroom samples for NASA. “PCR is both the greatest and worst invention of all time,” he says. “It’s empowered everything in molecular biology, but it introduces biases and artifacts. With iconPCR we finally have adaptive cycling that lets us stop at the right point for each sample.”Joining him is Yann Jouvenot, Senior Director of Product at n6, who explains how the company designed iconPCR’s AutoNorm technology to take the guesswork out of amplification. “PCR is to genomics what the printing press was to knowledge,” he says. “But unlike a press, PCR doesn’t produce identical copies at cycle two and cycle twenty-five. With iconPCR we’re helping scientists cut cycles before artifacts creep in, which means more accurate data and a better chance for every molecule to be represented.”* 0:00 “I wanted a device like this a decade ago.”* 6:41 PCR, the greatest and worst invention* 10:20 The “slope” method* 18:00 Protecting small samples* 28:45 Impact on research?Together they paint a picture of a deceptively simple but transformative innovation: a thermocycler that adapts in real time, reduces artifacts, saves time and labor, and improves the quality of genomic data. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mendelspod.com/subscribe
Offering a front row seat to the Century of Biology, veteran podcast host Theral Timpson interviews the who's who in genomics and genomic medicine. www.mendelspod.com
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