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The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast
The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast explores the future of healthcare through conversations with the builders, investors, operators, and clinicians shaping the industry.
Scalpels & Spreadsheets brings together the global healthcare community through media, curated events, and meaningful connections. The podcast extends that mission beyond the room, amplifying the people and ideas driving healthcare forward when we’re not facilitating them in person.
The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast
#26 Off the Record: The Human Layer of AI Drug Discovery
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Building one of Canada's leading AI-driven genetic medicines platform companies didn't happen without hard decisions, failed bets, and the willingness to pivot.
Tom Masterson, Chief Operating Officer at Deep Genomics, joins Aman Desai to share the company's journey from early machine learning models to becoming a leader in AI-powered drug discovery. He reflects on the pivotal decisions that shaped Deep Genomics, including a move away from drug development programs towards becoming a AI drug development platform company, how it navigated one of the largest biotech financings in Canadian history, and what it takes to continually evolve in one of healthcare's fastest-moving industries.
The conversation explores how Deep Genomics approaches AI-driven drug discovery, the importance of high-quality biological data, partnering with pharmaceutical companies, and why combining cutting-edge AI with deep scientific expertise remains a lasting competitive advantage. Tom also shares candid lessons on navigating failure, making difficult strategic pivots, and building a company designed for long-term impact.
Recorded live at Toronto Tech Week during Scalpels & Spreadsheets' 'Healthtech Social: Off the Record' event on May 28 2026.