In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Andrew Pelling—trailblazing biophysicist, artist-trained scientist, and Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Spiderwort Biotechnologies. Andrew is best known for reimagining living systems, most famously by using decellularized apples and other plants as scaffolds to grow human tissue—work that helped spark an entirely new category of plant-derived biomaterials.

Formerly a professor at the University of Ottawa, Andrew founded the Pelling Lab for Augmented Biology, an unconventional research environment where scientists and artists explored how physical forces—rather than genetic manipulation—shape cellular behavior. His approach focuses on stretching, compressing, and reshaping cells to unlock new biological possibilities.

Andrew shares how his background in the arts shaped his scientific intuition, why curiosity-driven research led from grocery-store experiments to restoring movement in paralyzed rats, and how that breakthrough ultimately inspired the founding of Spiderwort. Along the way, he reflects on failure, leadership, and building imaginative teams—offering a compelling vision for how augmented biology could transform regenerative medicine and human health.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Christy Wyskiel, a nationally recognized leader in translational science, startup acceleration, and innovation ecosystem building. As a longtime architect of university-based commercialization programs, Christy has helped shape how academic discoveries become venture-backed companies with real-world impact.

Christy shares her journey from early roles in economic development to becoming a driving force behind one of the most respected university innovation engines in the country. Over the course of her career, she has worked at the intersection of research, startups, investors, and institutions—designing systems that help founders navigate the path from lab bench to market.

Throughout the conversation, Christy breaks down what actually enables scientific founders to succeed: access to capital, shared infrastructure, mentorship, regulatory fluency, and—most importantly—people who understand both science and company-building. She reflects on lessons learned from supporting hundreds of startups, the importance of founder readiness, and why universities must evolve beyond tech transfer to remain competitive.

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the systems, strategies, and collaborative effort that make it possible to turn groundbreaking research into thriving companies.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Xiao Han, Co-Founder and CEO of Clarix Imaging, a pioneering medical device company spun out of the University of Chicago. Xiao is transforming the world of cancer surgery with real-time, high-resolution 3D imaging that helps surgeons visualize tumors more clearly and make more precise decisions in the operating room.

Before launching Clarix, Xiao spent more than a decade as a medical physics researcher and faculty member at the University of Chicago, developing advanced tomographic imaging technologies and collaborating closely with radiologists, surgeons, and pathologists. His journey—from physics student to inventor to CEO—was shaped by a deep curiosity, an engineering mindset, and a passion for translating scientific breakthroughs into tools that directly improve patient care.

Xiao shares the pivotal experience inside a pathology lab that made him leave academia to start Clarix, how the company achieved FDA clearance in under 18 months, and why multidisciplinary collaboration is the key to accelerating innovation. He also offers an inside look into how Clarix’s VSI-360 platform is redefining breast cancer surgery and opening the door to a new standard of real-time intraoperative imaging across multiple specialties.

Throughout the conversation, Xiao reflects on leadership, translational research, the power of seeing technology used in the OR, and his vision for the future of precision surgery.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Joseph Leventhal, Professor of Surgery and Director of Living Donor Kidney Transplantation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. A pioneer in the field of organ transplantation, Dr. Leventhal’s research is redefining what’s possible in immune tolerance—an area often described as the “holy grail” of transplantation, where a patient’s body can accept a donated organ without lifelong immunosuppressive drugs.

Dr. Leventhal shares his journey from growing up in New York City to becoming one of the foremost leaders in transplant surgery and cell therapy innovation. He discusses how his team’s groundbreaking clinical work has shown that tolerance can be achieved through cellular therapies, potentially freeing patients from the burdens of chronic immunosuppression.

From the early days of cyclosporine to founding TRACT Therapeutics and developing first-in-human T-regulatory cell therapies, Joe reflects on the scientific curiosity, resilience, and collaboration that drive progress in a complex field. He also explores the evolving ecosystem for biotech innovation in Chicago, the challenges of translating academic research into clinical therapies, and the optimism surrounding the next generation of precision cell therapies.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin is joined by Chris Paladino, President of the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO)—a nonprofit real estate development organization that has played a central role in revitalizing New Brunswick, New Jersey. Under Chris’s leadership since 1994, DEVCO has overseen more than $3.5 billion in projects spanning education, healthcare, housing, and innovation.

Chris shares how a developer’s vision—rooted in collaboration and community impact—can drive economic growth and scientific progress. From transforming New Brunswick into a model for public-private partnerships to spearheading HELIX NJ, a $1.6 billion health and life sciences hub developed with Rutgers, Princeton, Nokia Bell Labs, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and Portal Innovations, Chris offers an insider’s view of how cities can evolve into thriving innovation ecosystems.

Throughout the conversation, he reflects on lessons learned from decades of civic development, the importance of “creative collisions” between academia and industry, and why long-term success depends on patience, partnerships, and purpose.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin is joined by Todd Manjuck—Associate on JPMorgan’s Innovation Economy team and former U.S. Navy SEAL. Todd supports venture-backed companies across the life sciences sector, helping founders and executives navigate the unique challenges of scaling healthcare businesses. From capital access to operational strategy, Todd serves as a connector between early-stage innovators and the broader ecosystem.

Before entering the world of finance and innovation, Todd spent over eight years as a Navy SEAL, an experience that continues to shape his approach to leadership, resilience, and decision-making under uncertainty. He reflects on how lessons from special operations translate to biotech—whether in adapting strategy, managing risk, or building strong teams.

Throughout the conversation, Todd shares his perspectives on today’s life sciences landscape, the parallels between entrepreneurship and combat training, and the importance of mentorship and resilience in the face of uncertainty. He also opens up about his mother’s cancer journey, which inspires his commitment to supporting companies working to advance treatments and improve patient outcomes.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin is joined by Dr. Hide Goto, Head of Open Innovation Japan at Astellas. With more than 27 years of experience in drug discovery and research, Dr. Goto has journeyed from molecular biology and small-molecule drug development to leading-edge work in regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and now, ecosystem building.

After three years in Boston as President of the Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Goto returned to Japan with a new perspective: science alone is not enough. To turn breakthroughs into therapies, Japan must embrace open innovation—building stronger connections between academia, startups, industry, and global partners.

In this conversation, he reflects on the differences between Boston’s high-functioning life sciences cluster and Japan’s emerging ecosystem, the mission of SakuLab in Tsukuba, and the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among Japanese scientists. He also shares why now is a pivotal moment, with government funding, global partnerships, and new programs like the SakuLab Startup Bootcamp aligning to spark a new generation of biotech founders in Japan.

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin is joined by Jonathan Gluck—award-winning writer, longtime magazine editor, and now author of the deeply personal memoir An Exercise in Uncertainty: A Memoir of Illness and Hope. For more than two decades, Jonathan helped shape cultural conversations at New York Magazine, Vogue, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. But in his book, he turns the lens inward, chronicling his unexpected cancer diagnosis, the maze of the healthcare system, and the breakthroughs in biomedical research that helped him outlive the odds.

From his first shocking diagnosis of multiple myeloma in his late thirties to the cutting-edge therapies like CAR T-cell treatment that have sustained him two decades later, Jonathan’s journey reflects both the fragility and resilience of the human spirit. Along the way, he shares how writing helped him process uncertainty, why patient storytelling matters for science and society, and what lessons living “one stone at a time across the river” can offer to entrepreneurs, innovators, and anyone facing the unknown.