{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Approved","title":"Episode #2: Geron","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/2bf0c1d9\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":8526,"description":"Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsListen on YouTubeTABLE OF CONTENTS(00:00:00) - Introduction (00:01:19) - Hayflick Limit (00:08:30) - Michael West & Founding of Geron (00:15:16) - Early Science & IP Strategy (00:27:25) - Cloning the Telomerase Gene (00:29:30) - Embryonic Stem Cells & Political Context (00:44:21) - Okarma, West’s Departure & Corporate Turmoil (01:05:08) - Spinal Cord Injury Trial (01:30:45) - Pivot to Blood Cancer (01:43:08) - Clinical & Commercial Drama(02:01:45) - Legacy & LessonsCREDITSCo-hosted by Alex Kesin and Matthew PechWritten, edited, and produced by Alex KesinMusic: “Food” by nerowski* Special thanks to the team at NFX for the use of their recording studio.SOURCESLast updated: March 2026I. BOOKSHall, Stephen S. Merchants of Immortality: Chasing the Dream of Human Life Extension. Houghton Mifflin, 2003.Williams, Tory. Inevitable Collision: The Inspiring Story That Brought Stem Cell Research to Conservative America.Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 2014.II. KEY SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONSHayflick, L. & Moorhead, P.S. “The serial cultivation of human diploid cell strains.” Experimental Cell Research 25 (1961): 585–621.Kim, N.W. et al. “Specific association of human telomerase activity with immortal cells and cancer.” Science 266, no. 5193 (1994): 2011–2015.Feng, J. et al. “The RNA component of human telomerase.” Science 269, no. 5228 (1995): 1236–1241.Nakamura, T.M. et al. “Telomerase catalytic subunit homologs from fission yeast and human.” Science 277, no. 5328 (1997): 955–959.Meyerson, M. et al. “hEST2, the putative human telomerase catalytic subunit gene, is up-regulated in tumor cells and during immortalization.” Cell 90, no. 4 (1997): 785–795.Bodnar, A.G. et al. “Extension of life-span by introduction of telomerase into normal human cells.” Science 279, no. 5349 (1998): 349–352.Thomson, J.A. et al. “Embryonic stem cell lines derived from human blastocysts.” Science 282, no. 5391 (1998): 1145–1147.Asai, A. et al. “A novel telomerase...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/xbQufpFbhRau2U4ClIm4xzSaMv0jHm9xAp7Oakfo6XA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zMmM2/ZjdmYzNmMTM4ODMx/NjkxMDlmNGQ3ODY2/YjFjMy5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}