032: Theratome Bio | Regenerative Breakthroughs with Michael Coleman and Karen Momper
Release Date: 04/30/2019
The Life Science Effect
In this thought-provoking Active Ingredient episode, host Steve Vinson tackles a leadership paradigm that's challenging everything he thought he knew about accountability. Inspired by on breaking people silos, Steve dives deep into the tension between traditional "one person accountable" thinking and the emerging concept of shared accountability across teams. Drawing from his real-world experience designing process lane diagrams that keep spanning across departments, Steve explores why Industry 4.0 might be demanding a complete rethink of how we structure organizations. He examines the...
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Meet Raul Zavaleta, the visionary engineer whose innovations fundamentally transformed how clinical trials collect and process data. In this captivating conversation, Raul shares the incredible journey from UCLA graduate to co-founder of what became Covance - one of the world's largest clinical research organizations. Discover how a simple frustration with keypunch cards led to revolutionary solutions that reduced clinical trial data error rates from 39% to under 2% and compressed data cleaning timelines from six months to 48 hours. Raul reveals the story behind the Zavacor system, the...
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In this episode, Steve reads and discusses an article by Jason Bork titled "Alzheimer's, a Disease to be Forgotten?," featured in the Indianapolis Business Journal's special supplement, Biofutures. Steve shares his off-the-cuff impressions and insights on Bork's article, which discusses the current state of Alzheimer's research, the challenges of clinical trials, and the progress made with recent FDA-approved drugs. He also reflects on the personal impact of Alzheimer's and the importance of ongoing research in Indiana. Tune in to hear Steve's thoughts and learn more about the advancements...
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This is the second installment of Active Ingredient. I read an article and answer a few questions about it. It's shorter than the regular episodes. I try to get to the key points of the article - the active ingredient. This episode is my off the cuff reaction to an article in the Indianapolis Business Journal by Daniel Lee, Animal-health startup BiomEdit advances poultry antibody, lands $20M in funding, grants. Here is a link to the article: Let me know what you think of the article and of my take in Active Ingredient. MUSIC: Acid Jazz-Kevin MacLeod used under the Creative Commons...
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Welcome to a new feature I am calling Active Ingredient. I read an article and answer a few questions about it. It's shorter than the regular episodes. I try to get to the key points of the article - the active ingredient. This episode is my off the cuff reaction to an article in Cure by Ryan Flinn called Europe Makes Bold Bid to Attract Biotech Amid FDA Uncertainty. Here is a link to the article: Let me know what you think of the article and of my take in Active Ingredient. MUSIC: Acid Jazz-Kevin MacLeod used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License TRANSCRIPT:...
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In this mid-2025 update, The Life Science Effect explores the latest trends in pharma and medical devices—from regulatory upheaval under RFK Jr. and Dr. Makary to continued momentum in U.S. drug manufacturing. Learn how industry leaders are navigating clinical trial delays, FDA uncertainty, and global GLP-1 market expansion. Full transcript: Hey, everybody. Steve again, welcome back to the Life Science effect. If you're listening in the future, which most of you probably are, this may once again sound prophetic or maybe like a time capsule from a moment of flux. Today's updates a...
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Production Note: Since this episode was recorded, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was confirmed as the head of HHS. Steve didn't know that at the time but it was a pretty good bet, so the analysis holds up. In this topical episode of The Life Science Effect, Steve explores the uncertainties facing the life sciences industry under the new U.S. administration. He discusses the potential impact of leadership changes at HHS and the FDA, industry perspectives from Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks, and the significance of multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical manufacturing investments in the U.S. Through...
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In this timely and thought-provoking episode, Steve Vinson discusses the current landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the corporate world amid increasing political and business pushback. He reflects on recent headlines about major corporations rolling back DEI initiatives and contrasts that with companies like Costco and JP Morgan Chase, which are standing firm in their commitment to inclusiveness. Steve also shares BPM Associates’ perspective, reaffirming that DEI is more than just an initiative - it is a core value embedded in the company’s culture. He highlights how...
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In this episode of the Life Science Effect, host Steve Vinson interviews Denise Bachman, Chief Operating Officer of BPM Associates. Denise shares insights into BPM Associates, a life sciences consultancy known for its unique approach and core values. She discusses her journey as a project manager and the importance of building a supportive company culture. Denise emphasizes the significance of high-trust relationships and effective teamwork in achieving project success. She also recounts a challenging project experience, highlighting the impact of leadership and resistance to change on project...
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Steve Vinson interviews Jeremy Opperman, the founder of BPM Associates. Jeremy shares his journey from growing up in a small business environment to starting his own company, BPM Associates, which specializes in life science project delivery. He emphasizes the importance of quality and people-focused relationships in his business. Jeremy also discusses the challenges and successes of building BPM Associates over the past 10 years, with the support of his wife Amanda. The episode highlights Jeremy's intentional approach to business, his commitment to high-quality service, and the importance of...
info_outlineWhat if a cutting edge technology saved your life? And then what if you got to be part of a startup company that is working on similar technology to save others' lives? Karen Momper, of Theratome Bio is living that story.
This week, Micheal Coleman, PhD, and Karen tell the story of Theratorm Bio and the exciting platform they are working on. Learn about how Theratome Bio is developing a portfolio of products derived from adult stem cell secretions. The future includes exciting potential therapies like stroke treatment and organ preservation during transport.
Learn Michael's and Karen's inspiring stories.
Resources in this episode:
Indiana Center for Biomedical Innovation
About Michael Coleman, PhD:
Michael brings a wealth of research and new drug development experience to Theratome Bio. He directed multidisciplinary teams at GeneMedicine and Valentis in Houston, Texas, prior to accepting a role with Centelion (a subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis) as Vice President of R&D. He there led a team of scientists in discovery, process & clinical development, and regulatory affairs. Most recently, Michael was President and CEO of InGeneron, a medical device firm committed to driving personal regenerative medicine therapies. During his tenure InGeneron attained several regulatory approvals in Europe and initiated clinical trials in the US under FDA approval.
Michael has dedicated his career to developing new therapies, ushering these innovations through regulatory paths, and ultimately seeing new therapies transitioned into the clinic. He has also continued to publish research in peer-reviewed journals and maintain a close relationship with leading researchers and clinicians in academia.
He earned his BS and MS degrees from Texas A&M, his PhD from Penn State, and completed post-doctoral work at the Baylor College of Medicine.
Michael has a passion for the regenerative medicine space. He’s long thought that a cell-free option is where the future of regenerative therapy is headed, and believes that TheratomeTM technology provides the key attributes of product consistency and ease of handling and administration necessary to achieve widespread clinical application. In his own words, “TheratomeTM technology solves the key issues limiting clinical application of stem cell based therapies. I am excited for the opportunity to be part of developing this technology that will provide life changing benefits patients and disrupt the field of regenerative medicine.”
Karen earned a B.A. in Chemistry with a minor in Marketing from the University of Dayton. She completed an Undergraduate Thesis while there, worked for the Office of Admission leading campus tours, and was hired as a new grad to work as a Traveling Student Recruiter.
Karen began her career with the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company shortly thereafter. During her ten years of employment, she served Primary Care and Hospital Sales roles, sold in multiple outpatient and inpatient therapeutic areas, negotiated formulary contracts, earned district, region, and national recognition for sales, and was selected to serve in leadership roles within her district.
Since then, Karen has taken on several non-profit initiatives whereby she has initiated a group, raised funding, and marketed and maintained a leadership role in organizations. She has also used her public speaking abilities to fund-raise. In one such effort, she contributed to the establishment of an in-house Therapeutic Massage Therapy Program to treat Oncology Patients at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Hospital in Portland, Oregon, a cause that was previously only filled by intermittent volunteers.
Karen is happily married, and proud mother to two sons. In addition to multiple volunteer roles at her Parish and children’s schools, Karen reads live broadcasts for IRIS Radio, a free service that provides audio news and literature for the visually impaired. Karen is also the survivor of a stem cell transplant (2009), and an autologous stem cell procedure to her hip to reduce the likelihood for need of replacement. These experiences fuel her unique passion for furthering regenerative medicine innovation.