Episode: 195 - John Woock on Crossing the Chasm from Clinical to Commercial
In this month’s Medtech Talk, co-host Swaril Mathur, vice president of business development at Axonics, debuts in her first episode with John Woock, former EVP and chief marketing and strategy officer at Axonics. They discuss the early days of their company, including what motivated Woock to join a company that was considered risky at the time, what he learned from supporting and working directly with the field team, and how Axonics handled the early stages of commercial launch during the pandemic. Woock also reflects on how much the company has changed over the years in its culture and leadership, including the decisions that felt good and the ones that were harder to grapple with. Medtech Talk Links: Cambridge Healthtech Institute Medtech Talk Gilde Healthcare Axonics Links: Axonics
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Episode: 194 - Douglas Kelly on the Value of Innovation and Breakthrough Designation
This month at Medtech Talk, co-host Justin Klein, co-founder and managing partner at Vensana Capital, debuts in his first episode with a discussion with Douglas Kelly, former deputy center director for science and chief scientist at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA. Kelly talks about his time at the FDA and the fundamental changes he implemented to make a helpful impact on patients, including when the pandemic was at its peak. Kelly also shares his thoughts on the value of fostering innovation and the importance of breakthrough designation, as well as how to approach the process of advocacy and get in better alignment with shared priorities with the FDA, CMS, and other stakeholders
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Episode:193 - Dr. Billy Cohn on Limitless Innovation and Finding Resources Everywhere
In the first Medtech Talk episode of 2025, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Dr. Billy Cohn, MD, PhD (H), Chief Medical Officer of BiVACOR, about entrepreneurship, limitless innovation, and thinking outside the box. Dr. Cohn discusses his experiences as a driving force behind the Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center, what influenced him to pursue medical devices, and finding resources in everyday objects. He also provides advice for budding entrepreneurs and engineers and why he believes Home Depot is the headquarters of medical device prototyping.
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Episode: 192 - Michael Jaff's Multi-Perspective Insights Into Healthcare
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Michael Jaff, DO, chief medical officer and vice president of Clinical Affairs, Technology, and Innovation at Boston Scientific. Dr. Jaff has a long list of achievements and a robust background as a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, president of Newton-Wellesley Hospital, medical director at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and more. Dr. Jaff shares his thoughts on good leadership, medical device innovation (and how they can help hospitals succeed), and how hospitals and manufacturers can navigate post-COVID-19 financial strains. He also discusses his journey from clinician to hospital CEO to the manufacturing industry, as well as Boston Scientific’s outlook on the future. Medtech Talk Links: Cambridge Healthtech Institute Medtech Talk Gilde Healthcare Boston Scientific: Boston Scientific
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Episode: 191 - Per Langoe on Bringing New Hope to Brain Cancer Patients
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo and Per Langoe, CEO of GT Medical, discuss Langoe’s extensive career, from his start in sales to eventually making his way to medtech. Langoe gives tips on how to keep investors on board during times of crisis (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) and how he hires the right people for the job, as well as the differences between small companies and big companies and owning your company versus selling it to a larger company. He also shares what attracted him to GT Medical, what the company’s future looks like, and more. Thanks to Silicon Valley Bank for hosting this episode. Medtech Talk Links: Cambridge Healthtech Institute Medtech Talk Gilde Healthcare GT Medical: GT Medical GammaTile: GammaTile
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