BIO from the BAYOU: Build Your Biotech Network with Key Opinion Leaders and Investors

• Episode 116: How Alumni-Powered Venture Funds Can Transform Regional Biotech Innovation

  What if your alumni network could help fuel the next generation of biotech startups? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Evan Nicoll, MBA, and Patrick Hernandez of 1834 Ventures, a new investment fund created by Tulane alumni, for founders with Tulane DNA. They share how their alumni-powered model is helping to close regional funding gaps, strengthen emerging biotech ecosystems, and support founders through trust-driven, relationship-first investing. From navigating today’s tough fundraising climate to understanding what really catches an investor’s eye, this conversation offers practical lessons for founders, universities, and anyone building innovation communities. In this episode, you’ll learn: How alumni networks can become powerful engines for venture funding, mentorship, and deal flow. What investors are really looking for in early biotech pitches, and why trust, clarity, and curiosity matter more than perfection. Why founders should embrace relationship-building over rapid-fire pitching, and how regional markets like Louisiana can attract coastal investors. Tune in to discover how connection-driven investing is helping shape the next chapter of biotech growth across the Gulf South — and how you can be part of it. Links: Connect with Evan Nicoll, MBA, and Patrick Hernandez, and check out 1834 Ventures. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Check out Cadenza Bio and the book The Speed of Trust. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

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• Episode 115: Exploring New Frontiers of Biotech and Healthcare Innovation Through Curiosity and Connection

  What does the future of biotech look like when curiosity, not competition, leads the way? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, talks with Aziz Abadsafian, MBA, Technology Scout at Nissan Chemical America. Together, they dive into the “edges” of science — the more speculative world of embryology, longevity, and what Aziz calls the true frontier of biotech. Along the way, they explore how curiosity, relationship-building, and “night science” conversations can unlock unexpected opportunities in your career and in the industry. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the biggest biotech opportunities lie at the extremes – in aging, fertility, longevity, and neurodegeneration. How curiosity and genuine relationships lead to better collaborations than transactional networking ever could. Practical advice for scientists and students on finding your path, staying inspired, and building a career that aligns with what you’re good at AND what you love. Tune in for a thoughtful, funny, and wide-ranging conversation about discovery, imagination, and why the future of biotech will always belong to the relentlessly curious. Links: Connect with Aziz Abadsafian, MBA, and check out Nissan Chemical America. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Check out our previous episode with Cain McClary. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

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• Episode 114: How AI, Supply Chains, and Smart Strategy are Redefining Biotech Investment and Venture Capital

  How can biotech startup founders navigate the intersection of science, technology, and data to build truly durable companies? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, talks with Cain McClary, MD, Founder and Managing Partner of KdT Ventures, a seed-stage venture firm investing at the convergence of science and technology. A Tulane alumnus and “supply chain junkie,” Cain shares how curiosity, data-driven insight, and strategic storytelling can set biotech innovators apart. In this episode, you’ll learn: The biggest mistakes biotech startups make—and how to avoid them. Why understanding incentives, storytelling, and systems is key to scaling innovation. How AI, data ownership, and new consumer health models are reshaping the future of biotech. Tune in to discover how KdT Ventures is rethinking biotech investment—and what it takes to turn scientific insight into lasting impact. Links: Connect with Cain McClary, MD, and check out KdT Ventures. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Learn more about PathAI. Check out our fireside chat with Walter Isaacson. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

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• Episode 113: A New Way to Collaborate, Network, and Fuel Innovation in Biotech with BLPN

  Are you tired of competition and struggling to find collaborators in biotech? In this episode, returning host Patrick Reed, RTTP, talks with Christiaan Engstrom, MBA, Founder and CEO of BLPN, a member-led club connecting life science dealmakers with one goal: helping each other succeed. Christiaan shares how BLPN has built a thriving community where collaboration, mentorship, and trust come first — creating opportunities that go far beyond business cards and conference booths. In this episode, you’ll discover: How a simple mantra — “Find Someone to Help. Repeat.” — is reshaping biotech networking. Why connection, not competition, is the key to sustainable industry growth. How leaders can strengthen regional biotech ecosystems and bring coastal innovation energy inland. Tune in to learn how genuine collaboration can transform biotech partnerships – and why the most powerful deals start with helping someone else. Links: Connect with Christiaan Engstrom, MBA, and check out BLPN. Connect with Patrick Reed, RTTP, and learn about Auburn University IPX. Learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Connect with James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, and Tamika Jackson. Check out JPM, BioAlabama, and The Beautiful Way Foundation. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

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• Episode 112: Curiosity, Creativity, and the Human Spark of Discovery – A Fireside Chat with Walter Isaacson

  What can today’s biotech innovators learn from the greatest thinkers in history? In this special episode, we’re bringing you a live recording from BIO on the BAYOU featuring a fireside chat between Elaine Hamm, PhD, and Walter Isaacson — renowned biographer of Steve Jobs, Jennifer Doudna, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and other groundbreaking innovators. Together, they explore the power of curiosity, resilience, and imagination in shaping scientific discovery. From the origins of creativity to the ethical challenges of AI and gene editing, this conversation shines a light on the shared traits that drive humanity’s boldest breakthroughs. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why history’s greatest innovators were powered by relentless curiosity — not just intellect. What resilience looks like across centuries, from Leonardo da Vinci to modern-day misfits shaping the future. How scientists, universities, and the public can rebuild trust, communicate science better, and rekindle a shared sense of wonder. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that blends science, storytelling, and the timeless human drive to explore the unknown — straight from the BIO on the BAYOU stage. Links: Connect with Walter Isaacson and check out his new book The Greatest Sentence Ever Written. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

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