Ep #5 | Surgeon to Biotech CEO: Regenerating Human Skin, AI in Wound Care & Healthcare's Broken System | Dr. Ned Swanson

Dr. Ned Swanson walked away from surgery residency to commercialize technology that regenerates human tissue. What started with mouse studies is now helping real patients heal wounds that traditional medicine couldn't solve.

But here's the twist: the science wasn't the hardest part.

In this episode, Dr. Ned Swanson (President & CMO at Polarity Bio) sits down with Ayush Mishra to reveal the brutal truths about building biotech, navigating healthcare's broken reimbursement systems, and separating AI signal from noise in wound care.

IN THIS EPISODE:

 The Career Gamble

• Why he left surgery residency mid-training
• The moment he realized biotech could help patients faster than academia
• Grant money vs VC funding: which path offers more creative freedom
• Taking a company public while still thinking like a resident

 Building Biotech: The Brutal Reality

• The #1 challenge that blindsided him (it's not what you think)
• Moving technology from mouse studies to human patients
• Navigating FDA approval processes
• Why hiring the right people is harder than everything else
• Patient stories that made the risk worth it

Healthcare's Uncomfortable Truths

• How cost and reimbursement drive medical decisions more than evidence
• The "pure medicine" illusion every resident experiences
• Why the same products are priced $100 vs $5,000 per square centimeter
• What breaks when you step outside the hospital walls

AI in Healthcare: Reality Check

• Where AI genuinely helps in wound care: imaging, monitoring, real-world evidence
• Smart boots tracking diabetic ulcers and patient compliance
• How platforms like Open Evidence are changing clinical decisions
• Why AI won't replace RCTs but will expand their impact
• The future of wound care in 5-10 years

Regenerative Medicine Explained

• How SkinTE technology actually works
• Why 95% of traditional skin grafts fail
• From lab bench to patient bedside: the real timeline
• Expanded access programs and their impact

If you work in pharma, clinical operations, wound care, or research strategy, this conversation offers a clear view of where the future of healthcare is heading.

Dr. Ned Swanson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ned-swanson-md-9612b120/ 

Ayush Mishra's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayushmishra/  

Watch Now on YouTube