Episode 140: The Growing Role of AI in Healthcare, Biotech, and Drug Development

How can artificial intelligence help get the right drugs to the right patients faster, but without losing sight of the human side of healthcare?In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Rafael Rosengarten, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Genialis, for a thoughtful conversation about the evolution of AI in biotech and its growing role in precision oncology. Drawing on more than a decade of experience at the intersection of machine learning and life sciences, Rafael shares how Genialis is building AI-powered foundation models of cancer biology to help pharmaceutical companies improve clinical trial success and accelerate drug development. The discussion also explores the promises and challenges of AI, from data quality and bias to the broader societal implications of increasingly intelligent technologies. In this episode, you'll discover:How AI foundation models are being used to reduce clinical trial failure in oncology.How new approaches to AI can unlock valuable insights from limited clinical datasets.The opportunities and risks of AI in healthcare, education, and society – and why human judgment remains essential.Tune in to hear what it takes to build trustworthy AI healthcare technologies and why the future of biotech still depends on human creativity and critical thinking.Links:Connect with Rafael Rosengarten, PhD, and learn about Genialis and The Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine.Register for the Fat Tuesday Reception at BIO 2026 and check out Elaine’s panel on Tuesday 6/23.Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer.Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast.Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.