Biotechnology has helped transform what is possible in medicine, turning once-fatal diseases into manageable conditions and opening the door to treatments that would have seemed impossible a generation ago. But as science advances, the systems that support innovation are under pressure, from public trust and policy decisions to capital formation, regulation, and confidence in scientific institutions.

In this episode of Russo Edge, Dr. Jeremy Levin, co-founder and executive chairman of Ovid Therapeutics, former CEO of Teva, former chair of BIO, and a longtime biopharma leader whose career has included senior roles at Bristol Myers Squibb and Novartis, joins host Solomon Wilcots for a conversation on why biotech should be viewed as one of America’s most important strategic assets.

The conversation also explores the difference between biotech innovators and larger pharmaceutical companies, the complexity of drug pricing, the role of middlemen in the healthcare system, and why the public often does not see the full story behind how medicines are discovered, developed, funded, and delivered.

Whether you are a biotech leader, investor, policymaker, or simply interested in the future of medicine, this episode offers a timely look at the pressures facing the industry and the choices that will shape what comes next.

What if the systems that keep people alive, healthy, and productive were valued the same way elite organizations value performance?

In this episode, Solomon Wilcots speaks with Dr. Michelle Williams, professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford University School of Medicine, former dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and author of The Cure for Everything. She explains how the often-invisible systems of public health shape daily life, from clean air and safe water to maternal health and prevention, and why public health should be seen not only as a moral imperative, but as an economic one.

This conversation examines what happens when public health systems are built well, when they are neglected, and why prevention should be understood not as an afterthought, but as an investment in resilience and long-term prosperity.

What’s really putting pressure on hospitals today, and what does it mean for the companies working with them?

In this episode of the Russo Edge, Scott Becker, founder and publisher of Becker’s Healthcare, joins host Solomon Wilcots to explore the new realities shaping hospitals and health systems across the country. Drawing from daily conversations with executives on the front lines, Scott offers a clear view of how they are navigating a more complex, resource-constrained environment while continuing to deliver patient care at scale.

If you lead a healthcare organization, build solutions for hospitals, or want a sharper understanding of how the system is evolving, this conversation offers a grounded, executive-level perspective on what matters now and what to watch next.

What happens when a seasoned tech founder applies venture discipline to one of the toughest medical challenges: turning spinal cord injury research into real treatments?

In this episode of the Russo Edge, Adrien Cohen, founder of SCI Ventures, joins host Solomon Wilcots for a conversation about building a global venture philanthropy fund designed to accelerate therapies for spinal cord injury. Adrien shares how his personal journey brought him into the SCI community, and why the most promising science too often stalls in the gap between academic discovery and clinical adoption.

Adrien explains how SCI Ventures is designed to solve that problem with an evergreen model that funds and de-risks breakthrough programs, then reinvests returns back into the mission to keep the cycle going. He also talks about how SCI Ventures was co-created with leading partners in the field, including the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, and the Shepherd Center, and why collaboration across foundations, clinicians, researchers, and industry is essential to speed progress.

From due diligence and portfolio strategy to what success could look like over the next 5–10 years, this conversation is a practical look at how venture philanthropy can help move spinal cord injury science from the lab to patients faster.

What happens when a scientist, engineer, and VC see the same future — one where data and biology converge to change medicine?

In this episode of The Russo Edge, Sahir Ali, Founder and General Partner of Modi Ventures, joins Solomon Wilcots to discuss how artificial intelligence and data are reshaping the business of biotech. Drawing on his background across programming, Wall Street, and cancer research, Sahir explains how his firm uses a portfolio theory approach to manage risk, identify value, and back the next generation of healthcare breakthroughs.

From AI-enabled discovery to Houston’s fast-growing life sciences hub, Sahir offers a window into how venture capital is evolving — and how data-driven strategies can create smarter, more sustainable innovation in biotech.

In this episode of The Russo Edge, two leading journalists pull back the curtain on how science becomes a headline. Heather McKenzie, Senior Editor at BioSpace and Ben Glickman, Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, join host Solomon Wilcots to share what earns their attention, what builds trust, and what turns them off before a single question is asked.

Together, they break down how biotech companies can communicate complex data with clarity, why timing is everything when engaging in the press, and how credibility can be strengthened long before a major announcement. From background conversations to clear trial summaries and investor context, this conversation offers practical, real-world advice for biotech leaders.

What if the earliest chapters of lifelong health are written in the gut — before a child even reaches preschool? Modern babies are often born without key microbes that train the immune system, leaving them more vulnerable to chronic conditions like allergies, asthma, and eczema.

This episode of The Russo Edge, Dr. Stephanie Culler, Co-founder and CEO of Persephone Biosciences, explains what makes the infant gut unique, why nine out of ten U.S. babies are born with microbiome deficiencies, and how her team is developing a synbiotic designed to replenish what’s lost.

From cancer research to dirty diapers, this is an entrepreneur's story of resilience, humor, and groundbreaking science — and why the smallest organisms in our gut may hold the biggest key to lifelong wellness.

What happens when a chart-topping songwriter is brought to her knees by a mysterious illness, and a healthcare system that refuses to believe her nearly costs her everything?

In this episode of The Russo Edge Podcast, Dana Parish joins host Solomon Wilcots to share how her fight to survive became a mission to help others. Alongside Dr. Steven Phillips, she co-authored the bestselling book Chronic: The Hidden Cause of the Autoimmune Pandemic and How to Get Healthy Again and has become one of the most influential voices for patients with Lyme disease, long COVID, and other complex chronic conditions.

Whether you’re a caregiver, a chronically ill patient, or someone searching for answers, this episode offers validation, clarity, and hope.