This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. Graham Dempsey, CEO and co-founder of Quiver Bioscience. They discuss Graham’s path into neuroscience and biotech, how Quiver is building genetically validated programs in pain and neurodevelopmental disorders, and what recent advances in RNA-based therapies could mean for the future of neurological disease.
Show Notes:
0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast
00:59 Welcome to Graham
01:29 The motivations and mission driving Quiver Bioscience
04:34 Quiver’s approach to targeting the brain for neurological disease
06:58 Nav1.7 as a lead pain program and the mechanisms of pain signaling
12:11 Patient population and unmet need in chronic pain
13:37 The Dup15q neurodevelopmental program and recent clinical progress
17:29 How the company chooses which diseases to pursue and why genetically validated pain and epilepsy programs lead the pipeline
20:10 Modeling pain in a dish and how cellular electrophysiology reveals disease and drug effects
27:42 Lessons from building a biotech company
29:53 Today’s biotech climate and why Graham is optimistic
31:56 Emerging delivery technologies that could unlock the next wave of oligonucleotide therapies
33:51 How molecular shuttles cross the blood–brain barrier and the advantage of a dual target approach
37:05 Graham’s path from aspiring sports medicine doctor to building light-based platforms in neuroscience
40:15 Graham’s early exposure to biotech leadership and a formative encounter with Roy Vagelos
42:09 Closing remarks
Please consider rating and reviewing us on your chosen podcast listening platform!
Find out more:
Quiver Bioscience (https://www.quiverbioscience.com/)