Episode
#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
1:02:42
Published: Tue Jun 30 2020
Description
Robert Langer is a professor at MIT and one of the most cited researchers in history, specializing in biotechnology fields of drug delivery systems and tissue engineering. He has bridged theory and practice by being a key member and driving force in launching many successful biotech companies out of MIT. Support this podcast by supporting these sponsors: - MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/lex - Cash App – use code "LexPodcast" and download: - Cash App (App Store): https://apple.co/2sPrUHe - Cash App (Google Play): https://bit.ly/2MlvP5w This conversation is part of the Artificial Intelligence podcast. If you would like to get more information about this podcast go to https://lexfridman.com/ai or connect with @lexfridman on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Medium, or YouTube where you can watch the video versions of these conversations. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate it 5 stars on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify, or support it on Patreon. Here's the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. OUTLINE: 00:00 - Introduction 03:07 - Magic and science 05:34 - Memorable rejection 08:35 - How to come up with big ideas in science 13:27 - How to make a new drug 22:38 - Drug delivery 28:22 - Tissue engineering 35:22 - Beautiful idea in bioengineering 38:16 - Patenting process 42:21 - What does it take to build a successful startup? 46:18 - Mentoring students 50:54 - Funding 58:08 - Cookies 59:41 - What are you most proud of?
Chapters
The speaker mentions a surprising fact related to physical money and shares a code for Cash App that gives the user $10 and donates $10 to Thirst, an organization advancing robotics and STEM education for young people, when they sign up with the code LEXPodcast.
00:00 - 05:51 (05:51)
Summary
The speaker mentions a surprising fact related to physical money and shares a code for Cash App that gives the user $10 and donates $10 to Thirst, an organization advancing robotics and STEM education for young people, when they sign up with the code LEXPodcast.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Scientist discusses how some ideas come from a process of trying to discover things, rather than having a "eureka" moment, and the importance of persisting through rejection and self-doubt in one's career.
05:52 - 14:14 (08:22)
Summary
Scientist discusses how some ideas come from a process of trying to discover things, rather than having a "eureka" moment, and the importance of persisting through rejection and self-doubt in one's career.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
By targeting blood vessels that grow into tumors, researchers hope to reduce the size of the tumor, making it more responsive to chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
14:14 - 19:51 (05:37)
Summary
By targeting blood vessels that grow into tumors, researchers hope to reduce the size of the tumor, making it more responsive to chemotherapy or immunotherapy. This approach involves delivering certain chemicals to the tumor over time using polymers that are connected to the blood vessels.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
By analyzing chemical structures with AI, researchers can look for commonalities in effective and ineffective chemical compounds to predict which substances to test in the future.
19:51 - 28:00 (08:08)
Summary
By analyzing chemical structures with AI, researchers can look for commonalities in effective and ineffective chemical compounds to predict which substances to test in the future. The ability to do so is important for creating effective drugs, such as intelligent microchips that release a drug in response to a signal.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The use of 3D printing in building organs and creating organs-on-chips could lead to better drug testing and reduced testing on animals or humans, as well as cheaper costs if technology advancements are made.
28:00 - 33:27 (05:27)
Summary
The use of 3D printing in building organs and creating organs-on-chips could lead to better drug testing and reduced testing on animals or humans, as well as cheaper costs if technology advancements are made.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Tissue engineering has the potential to regenerate many things, leading to certain individuals living better lives and possibly slightly longer lives, but not necessarily a radical increase in human longevity.
33:27 - 38:27 (04:59)
Summary
Tissue engineering has the potential to regenerate many things, leading to certain individuals living better lives and possibly slightly longer lives, but not necessarily a radical increase in human longevity. However, progress is still being made with the development of new drugs and devices.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The success of a science company depends on having great business people.
38:27 - 49:26 (10:59)
Summary
The success of a science company depends on having great business people. From a scientific standpoint, creating a discovery that serves as a platform for different use cases and allows for progress and results is important for making a positive impact on the world.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Different funding sources, government and private foundations, provide resources for scientific research, while mentorship is critical for building the next generation of scientists.
49:26 - 57:35 (08:08)
Summary
Different funding sources, government and private foundations, provide resources for scientific research, while mentorship is critical for building the next generation of scientists.
Episode#105 – Robert Langer: Edison of Medicine
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The guest discusses the potential for genetic and immunological engineering to solve health problems, while also pondering the idea of using chemistry and AI to engineer the perfect cookie.
57:35 - 1:02:18 (04:43)
Summary
The guest discusses the potential for genetic and immunological engineering to solve health problems, while also pondering the idea of using chemistry and AI to engineer the perfect cookie. The episode contains an advertisement for Rosie Baker's cookies.