Business Trip
Business Trip tells the story of businesses at the frontier of mental health and brain health. Each episode features founders, investors, and researchers in psychedelics, neurotechnology, metabolic psychiatry, digital therapeutics, and more.
What's wrong with US healthcare and how startups can fix it, with Justin Mares
Greg and Matias interview Justin Mares, co-founder of TrueMed and Kettle & Fire on current US healthcare and how startups have the opportunity to change the system.
In this episode, we discuss:
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Caitlin Ner & Nico V. Rey
Find us at businesstrip.fm a...
Frontier investable areas in brain health with PsyMed Ventures
Greg and Matias sit down with Brooks Leitner, the newest venture partner at PsyMed Ventures, to explore the future of brain and mental health investing. Brooks, an MD/PhD with deep experience from Yale and the NIH, shares his insights on how a human-first approach is reshaping neuroscience innovation and venture investing.
In this episode, we discuss:
Broadening the Thesis: Evolving from a psychedelics-only focus to a comprehensive neuro investment strategy.Human-First Research: Shifting from animal models to clinical insights for better brain therapies.Key Investment Areas: Therapeutics, medical devices, d...Temporal Interference: The Future of Brain Stimulation with Nir Grossman
Greg and Matias interview Dr. Nir Grossman, one of the world’s leading researchers in neurotechnology. Nir is a lecturer in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London and a founding fellow of the UK Dementia Research Institute.
In this episode, we discuss:
What is temporal interference (TI), a non-invasive stimulation methodA comparison of TI with deep brain stimulation (DBS)How physics plays a crucial role in neuroscience innovationTranslating TI academic research to clinical useTI’s role in treating Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, depression, and traumatic brain injuryCredits:
Created by Greg...
The State of Autism Part 2 with James Adams of Gut-Brain-Axis Therapeutics Inc.
Greg and Matias interview Dr. James Adams, professor and autism researcher at Arizona State University and President of Gut-Brain-Axis Therapeutics, on groundbreaking research in autism.
In this episode, we discuss:
The latest advancements in microbiome therapy for autismHow the gut-brain axis is shaping new therapeutic approachesThe role of nutritional interventions in supporting individuals with autismEnvironmental factors and toxins influencing autism developmentCredits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at b...
The State of Autism Part 1 with Elizabeth Horn of 2m Foundation
Matias interviews Elizabeth Horn, founder of the 2m Foundation, on the current state of autism and what can we do about it.
In this episode, we discuss:
The rising prevalence of autism and its impact on societyHow 2m Foundation is funding research and solutionsEnvironmental and biological factors contributing to autismPhilanthropy and venture capital through the Autism Impact FundCredits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and p...
Genetic Medicine for Brain Health with Dana Watt of Breakout Ventures
Greg and Matias interview Dana Watt, a Partner at Breakout Ventures, about genetic medicine for brain and mental health.
In this episode, we discuss:
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis, Nico V. Rey & Caitlin Ner
Find us at businesstrip.fm and psymed.ventures
Follow us on I...
Transcranial Focused Ultrasound for Mental Health with Jay Sanguinetti of Sanmai
Greg and Matias interview Jay Sanguinetti, founder of Sanmai Technologies, a startup using transcranial focused ultrasound for the treatment of mental health conditions.
Jay has a background in academia, having worked at the University of Arizona and started the SEMA Lab (Science Enhanced Mindful Awareness).
In this episode, we discuss:
The science behind transcranial focused ultrasound and its therapeutic potential for mental healthThe risks and considerations involved in using focused ultrasound technology for mental health treatmentsJay's experience transitioning from academia to founding a mental health technology startupThe regulatory landscape that Sanmai Technologies will navigate a...Navigating FDA clinical trials in Neurotech with Tim Marjenin
Greg and Matias interview Tim Marjenin, a regulatory consultant at MCRA with 16 years of experience at the FDA, to discuss the regulatory landscape for neurotechnology devices.
Tim provides insights into the FDA approval process for neurotech devices, drawing from his extensive experience on the FDA's Neurostimulation-Neurology Devices Team. The episode explores the evolving field of neurotechnology and its regulatory challenges.
In this episode, we discuss:
Different regulatory pathways for neurological devices (510(k), De Novo, PMA)FDA's approach to novel neurotechnologies like brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)Considerations for invasive vs. non-invasive neurotech devicesThe importance of cybersecurity...Environmental Toxins and Mental Health with Gurdane Bhutani
Greg and Matias interview Gurdane Bhutani, an investor at MBX Ventures, to discuss the impact of environmental toxins on health and the field of exposomics.
Gurdane is an expert in environmental health, with a background in Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences. He provided insights into the pervasive nature of environmental toxins and their implications for public health. This episode also has a guest appearance from Bruce Blumberg, a Professor of Developmental and Cell Biology at UC Davis.
In this episode, we discuss:
The widespread presence of environmental toxins and their link to diseases like...FDA advisors say no to MDMA. What’s the impact? With Josh Hardman
Greg and Matias interview Josh Hardman, founder and editor of Psychedelic Alpha, to discuss the recent FDA advisory committee meeting on Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.
Josh is a leading writer covering the intersection of psychedelics and business. He provided live reporting and analysis of the AdComm meeting.
In this episode, we discuss:
The FDA advisory committee process and its implications for drug approvalsFunctional unblinding and expectancy effects in psychedelic clinical trialsPotential impacts on the broader psychedelic medicine industryThe future of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy protocolsNeuroplastogen development and non-hallucinogenic approachesChallenges around therapy, safety, and regulatory pa...Investing in New Frontiers of Mental Health (Live at SXSW)
Software, hardware, and biotechnology are playing an increasingly transformative role in our mental health and wellness. Join us as we discuss what investors look for in these new companies and how they separate what’s real — and what’s near-term — from what’s hype. We’ll explore AI-powered tools for mental health, the new area of “enerceuticals” (energy replacing the “pharma”), psychedelics, and why what’s in your gut is so important to your mental state. Hear from investors who have a wide view of this growing startup landscape and better understand which new ventures are likely to succeed.
This is a liv...
Comparing Psychedelic Compounds in Therapy (Live Panel at Battery SF)
Matias hosted a panel at The Battery SF with renowned psychedelics experts, Nolan Williams, Allison Feduccia, Matt Baggott.
Nolan is a Stanford professor currently researching ibogaine among other areas in psychiatry and radiology, and he's a founder of TMS company Magnus Medical. Allison is the founder of Psychedelic Support, a platform providing psychedelic education, community and a provider directory. And Matt is founder and CEO of Tactogen, a biotech company developing compounds similar to MDMA.
In this episode, we discuss…
What Payers Want with Lili Brillstein
Matias interviews Lili Brillstein about how to work collaboratively with healthcare payers (the ones that reimburse for medical expenses).
Lili is a pioneer in the field, having previously led one of the largest bundled payment initiatives at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. She currently is the founder of her own advisory firm, BCollaborative, where she helps startups and providers develop value propositions that resonate with payers and create models that can be successfully administered.
In this episode, they discuss:
Decoding the Brain with Ed Boyden
Greg and Matias interview Ed Boyden about neuroscience frontiers and its applications to mental health.
Ed is a pioneer in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of the brain. He runs a lab at MIT for Synthetic Neurobiology and is a professor across the departments of neurotechnology, biological engineering, and cognitive science at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. His inventions include optogenetic tools and expansion microscopy. He is co-founder of Cognito Therapeutics, Elemind, TI Solutions, and Synlife, and scientific advisor to several other companies.
In this episode, we discuss…
5-MeO-DMT in mental healthcare with Steve Rio
Greg and Matias interview Steve Rio about 5-MeO-DMT and its potential role in mental healthcare.
Steve is a social impact cofounder, transformational coach, and practitioner at the Enfold Institute, one of the most reputable aboveground retreat centers working with 5-MeO-DMT. He shared many insights from his hands-on experience guiding hundreds of people through the medicine.
In this episode, we discuss…
Tom Insel: Startups, AI, Psychedelics, and SSRIs
Tom Insel is an entrepreneur and former director of the US National Institute of Mental Health, the lead US agency supporting mental health research with a $2 billion budget. Since his time at the NIMH, Tom has built mental health technology, first at Verily and Mindstrong Health, and more recently founded Vanna Health, an online healthcare provider for serious mental illness.
In his book "Healing", he talks about the importance of the 3 P's for solving the US mental health crisis: People, Place, and Purpose. Greg & Matias interview Tom on Business Trip to discuss the 4th "P": Payment. "We...
Food as Medicine for Mental Health: Drew Ramsey
What if your next antidepressant was a clam or spinach?
Greg & Matias invite Dr. Drew Ramsey to explore nutritional psychiatry - a field exploring how the food we eat can be as powerful as medication in treating mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.
Dr. Drew Ramsey is a psychiatrist, entrepreneur and author focusing on nutritional interventions for mental wellbeing. Drew shares scientific research to make a business case for nutritional psychiatry - how customized food interventions could reduce healthcare costs for conditions like depression and anxiety.
We debunk common myths around nutrition and m...
Ketogenic Diet for Brain Health: Jan Baszucki
Can diet treat mental illness? Greg and Matias interview Jan Baszucki of the Baszucki Group whose son Matt overcame bipolar through the ketogenic diet.
Jan has supported studies on ketogenic diets and fasting protocols for conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
In this episode we discuss:
The powerful personal story behind Jan's passion for this fieldThe science and mechanistic details behind metabolic psychiatryMisconceptions about mental health and dietsChallenges to mainstream adoptionBusiness opportunities in metabolic interventionsThis is a must-listen for anyone interested in emerging non-pharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders. Jan’s perspective as...
Investing in Neurotech 101: Alex Morgan of Khosla Ventures
Advancements in neuroscience, AI, and bioengineering are unlocking new possibilities for neurotechnologies. Investors are paying attention.
Alex Morgan of Khosla Ventures is an MD, PhD, physicist, and one of the most active investors in neurotech startups. He's backed companies harnessing neuromodulation for varied applications - from sleep (Somnee) to depression (Flow) to motor recovery (Syncron).
In this episode, Alex shares an insider's overview of the neurotech landscape. We discuss when neurotech solutions make more sense than traditional pharma. Alex reveals which brain technologies excite him most, and why.
We also unpack key business s...
All you need is d̶r̶u̶g̶s̶ energy: Motif Neurotech's Implants for Depression
Neuromodulation flies in the face of modern psychiatry. It can significantly improve mental health without drugs. It allows us to stimulate or inhibit activity in precise regions of the brain using electricity, magnetism or ultrasound.
Motif Neurotech is pioneering minimally invasive implants to precisely deliver neuromodulation for mental health. In this special episode, Matias joins Empath Ventures’ Brom Rector to interview Jacob Robinson, an entrepreneurial scientist who leveraged his academic research to start Motif Neurotech.
PsyMed Ventures and Empath Ventures invested in Motif’s latest seed round. Motif's implantable device stimulates a region of the brain...
Holy poop! Mental health and the gut (part 2 with Bloom Science)
In part 2 of a 2-part series, Greg and Matias explore microbial therapeutics for mental health with Dr. Christopher Reyes, biophysist, serial enterepreneur, and founder of Bloom Science. Dr. Reyes' research on leveraging microbes to treat neurological conditions began at UC San Francisco.
He is now translating his microbiome research into startups targeting epilepsy, ALS, and even anxiety and depression. We discuss the science behind how gut microbes may influence neurotransmitters and mood. Dr. Reyes gives an insider perspective on the challenges of standardizing microbial therapies when each person has a unique microbiome fingerprint.
We explore...
Holy poop! Mental health and the gut (part 1 with Holobiome)
Business Trip launched in 2020 as a podcast focused on psychedelics. As Matias and Greg started to dive deeper into the complexities of mental health, they met more and more entrepreneurs and scientists creating novel treatments across many areas of mental health, including the gut microbiome.
Dr. Phil Strandwitz pulls back the curtain on the gut-brain connection and the future of mental health. As founder of Holobiome, Phil is pioneering microbial therapies for conditions like depression and epilepsy.
In part 1 of a 2-part series, we dive deep on how trillions of gut bacteria influence neurotransmitters, mood, c...
Ketamine for OCD: Carolyn Rodriguez (Stanford pt 3)
Stanford University is one of the leading universities in psychedelic science, focusing on understanding how psychedelics work in the body.
This is part 3 of a 3-part series, where we will explore groundbreaking discoveries via leading Stanford researchers who are revealing the significance of psychedelic science in modern research. We conclude the series with Carolyn Rodriguez.
Carolyn Rodriguez is Associate Dean at Stanford University School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at the Palo Alto VA. As Director of the Rodriguez Translational Therapeutics Lab, she leads studies on severe mental illness. Her clinical trials pioneer rapid-acting treatments f...
Are psychedelics effective under anesthesia?: Boris Heifets (Stanford pt 2)
Stanford University is one of the leading universities in psychedelic science, focusing on understanding how psychedelics work in the body.
This is part 2 of a 3-part series, where we will explore groundbreaking discoveries via leading Stanford researchers who are revealing the significance of psychedelic science in modern research. We continue with Boris Heifets.
Boris Heifets, an assistant professor at Stanford's School of Medicine. Boris leads the Heifets Lab, which is dedicated to understanding and improving on powerful, rapid-acting therapies for psychiatric disease, such as ketamine, MDMA and psilocybin. Boris is an anesthesiologist and n...
The Startup Landscape for Expanding Consciousness
Psychedelics have long been known to induce altered states of consciousness. But there are many other techniques that can also expand our awareness - from meditation and breathwork to exploring dreams, prayer, light and sound. In this episode, Greg speaks with Scott Britton about the emerging startup landscape around tools for expanding consciousness.
Scott is an entrepreneur who now writes a newsletter called Consciousness ∞ The Doorway to Human Evolution He also hosts a podcast called EvolutionFM.
This special episode is a deeper dive into Greg & Scott’s recent article about the consciousness startup ecosystem.
...
Stanford Psychedelic Overview: Robert Malenka (Stanford pt 1)
Stanford University is one of the leading universities in psychedelic science, focusing on understanding how psychedelics work in the body.
In this 3-part series, we will explore groundbreaking discoveries via leading Stanford researchers who are revealing the significance of psychedelic science in modern research. We start the series with Robert Malenka.
Robert Malenka is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University with over three decades of experience in preclinical neuroscience research. His primary focus is on the study of psychoactive drugs, including psychedelics, and their potential therapeutic applications. In addition to his academic role, Malenka i...
Live from Psychedelic Science 2023
Psychedelic Science 2023, Learning Man, MAPS Burn...whatever you want to call it...was a magical conference organized by MAPS.
12k people made the pilgrimage to Denver to discuss psychedelic science, culture, business, art, spirituality, and more.
Rick Doblin called this the "Psychedelic 20's" and this event felt like a watershed moment.
Luckily, Greg brought his microphone and recorded his experience for a special episode of Business Trip.
Guests include Zach Haigney, Myriam Barthes, Lauren Taus, Hamilton Morris, and many more…
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and...
What VCs Look for in Psychedelic Companies
What does it take for a traditional VC to fund a psychedelic company? In our latest episode, Matias takes us behind the scenes of a panel discussion at the Psychedelic Therapeutics & Drug Development Conference in San Francisco, CA. Matias talks with VCs at firms with $100M+ fund sizes: Anne Dwane, a partner at Village Global, Amanda Way, principal at Jazz Venture Partners and Dana Watt PhD, principal at Breakout Ventures.
In this episode, we discuss: (1) How VCs identify and evaluate a strong founding team, (2) Evaluating scientific, technical, and market risk, (3) The pros and cons of platforms vs...
Developing Non-Hallucinogenic Psychedelics: Bryan Roth
In our latest episode, Greg and Matias engage in an insightful discussion with Dr. Bryan Roth, the Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine, and the founder of the Roth Lab.
Dr. Roth’s lab is on the cutting edge of researching the interaction between brain cell receptors and compounds like LSD and psilocybin. Their findings have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of psychiatric disorders, potentially creating new forms of psychedelics that offer the therapeutic benefits without hallucinations or other side effects.
In this ep...
Behind the Scenes of PsyMed Ventures
In this week's episode, Greg and Matias take a moment to reflect on the opportunities and challenges they have faced while building the PsyMed Ventures syndicate and venture capital fund since starting the Business Trip podcast in 2020. Their ultimate goal is to support founders who are building ethical businesses in frontier mental health technologies with the aim of ending the suffering caused by mental illnesses. This conversation offers an honest insight into raising and deploying a venture capital fund as an emerging manager.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: M...
The 2023 Psychedelic Industry Landscape with Psychedelic Alpha
In this week’s episode, Greg and Matias chat with Josh Hardman, the founder of Psychedelic Alpha.
Josh is a leading writer and founder at Psychedelic Alpha, an online resource, newsletter, and community covering the intersection of psychedelics and business. He regularly collaborates and writes with experts in the psychedelic field including entrepreneurs, academic researchers, non-profits, and more to provide a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in the industry. Psychedelic Alpha recently released Psychedelics 2022: A Year in Review to comment on and analyze the industry across research, funding, and policy.
Credits:
Cr...
The State of Psychedelics (Part 2): Dr. Rachel Yehuda and Zach Haigney (live recording at Soho House)
In this week’s special episode, Matias chats with Dr. Rachel Yehuda and Zach Haigney at Soho House in New York City. This is part 2 of a moderated panel recorded in front of a live audience, with part 1 released in June 2022.
Dr. Yehuda has spent the last 30 years doing research on PTSD and trauma and is leading the MDMA-assisted therapy research at the US Veterans Affairs Medical Center and serves as Director at the Mental Health at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center. She is also the Director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Res...
The quest to improve MDMA
This episode shares the story of Tactogen, a drug development company making new chemical entities inspired by MDMA. Co-founder Matt Baggott has been fascinated by MDMA and has studied it for 30 years. And while he believes that MDMA can be effective as a therapeutic, his company is developing an MDMA analogue that is designed to be gentler and safer, with the potential to be administered in an at-home setting.
Links:
Tactogen WeFunder: https://wefunder.com/tactogen
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Sere...
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paired with ketamine: inside a clinic offering a frontier treatment
In this new episode of Business Trip, we interview one of the first clinics to offer a protocol that includes TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and ketamine infusion.
TMS is a non-invasive procedure that sends electric currents to specific regions in the brain, including areas linked to depression. It's FDA approved and has been gaining adoption as clinical studies demonstrate safety and efficacy in treating mood disorders.
So why the combination? TMS takes a local approach while ketamine stimulates global brain communication, according to Scenic City Neurotherapy founder Charles Miller. There's little data about the combination...
Perspectives from Christian Angermayer, investor and founder in psychedelics
In this week's episode, we chat with Christian Angermayer. Christian co-founded atai Life Sciences and was an early investor in Compass Pathways -- two of the first companies commercializing psychedelic medicine. Christian also launched a fund dedicated to mental and neurological health called re:Mind, is an investor through his family office Apeiron, and co-founded two longevity biotech companies.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at businesstrip.fm
Follow us...
Soltara: an ethical and profitable ayahuasca retreat
In this week’s episode, we chat with Melissa Stangl, co-founder of Soltara Healing Center. Soltara is an ayahuasca retreat center whose ceremonies are lead by Shipibo healers, with locations in Peru and Costa Rica. The Shipibo people are from the Peruvian Amazon and are part of a tradition that has been drinking Ayahuasca for healing and spiritual purposes for thousands of years. In their ceremonies, the Shipibo serve ayahuasca and sing songs, called Icaros, which guide the healing process and journey.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Greg Kubi...
Microdosing (part 3): The path to FDA approval w/ MindMed and Diamond Therapeutics
This is final episode in our 3-part series on microdosing that explores the science, history, and clinical applications.
In this episode, we discuss the path to FDA approval for microdosing. We chat with the chief medical officers from Diamond Therapeutics and MindMed about their microdosing clinical programs. Diamond's program uses synthetic psilocybin and is focused on anxiety disorders. Meanwhile, MindMed is focused using low doses of LSD to treat adult ADHD. Our guests are Dr. Michael McDonnell (Diamond Therapeutics) and Dr. Dan Karlin (MindMed).
In case you missed it: In part 1, we interviewed psychedelic researcher Ja...
Microdosing (part 2): Placebo is a hell of a drug with Balázs Szigeti
This is part 2 or our 3 part series on microdosing that explore the science, history, and clinical applications. In part 1, we interviewed psychedelic researcher James Fadiman about the fundamentals of microdosing.
In part 2, we wanted to understand the placebo effect. In particular, is it the microdose that makes people feel better or it is a placebo effect? We interviewed Balázs Szigeti PhD, who is a researcher associate at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London. His team conducted the largest placebo-controlled microdosing study in 2020. Balázs unpacks the study and their findings in the episode.
Microdosing (part 1): James Fadiman and the fundamentals of microdosing
In this 3-part series on microdosing, we explore the science, history, and its clinical potential.
The anecdotal benefits of microdosing include better mood, creativity, and increased focus. But there are still many unanswered questions that remain. What is an effective dosing protocol? Is it safe in long term use? Does it even work or is it a placebo effect?
In part 1, we chat with James Fadiman, Ph.D who has been researching psychedelics since the 1960’s. He's the author of several books, including the Psychedelic Explorer's Guide. He has collected thousands of microdosing reports and eve...
How the DEA and FDA will regulate psychedelic medicine
In this week’s episode, we chat with Matt Zorn, an attorney at Yetter Coleman with expertise in DEA law, especially regarding psychedelics. Matt is currently challenging the DEA’s decision to schedule 5 new tryptamines, he recently argued Kathryn Tucker’s psilocybin “Right To Try” case against the DEA, and previously co-led Sue Sisley’s DEA case related to cannabis scheduling. Matt also writes the drug policy newsletter On Drugs.
Credits:
Created by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky
Host: Matias Serebrinsky & Greg Kubin
Produced by Jonathan A. Davis & Zack Frank
Find us at...
