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Innovate and ElevateBecause Humanity Deserves Better Leading Edge Discoveries in Human Health and Science Author: Sharon Kedar, MBA, CFA
Join Sharon Kedar, Co-Founder of Northpond Ventures, as she has candid, in-depth conversations with top doctors, scientists, and trailblazing innovators. Innovate and Elevate is the podcast where the pioneering ideas and leading-edge discoveries that redefine human health are explored. Behind every revolutionary method and device is a human, or humans, daring to make the impossible possible. Sharon, an investor at the forefront of science-driven venture capital, talks with these change agents about how they are rewriting the rules in their fields - from human health and longevity to breakthrough diagnostics and therapeutics. Featured by Harvards Wyss Institute, this podcast delivers the sophisticated, knowledgeable, and essential insights you need to understand how innovation impacts our lives. Because Humanity Deserves Better. Sharon Kedar is Co-Founder, Partner of Northpond Ventures. She is also a human health advocate and has been invited to and spoken at notable institutions and events nationwide, including The New York Stock Exchange, The White House, ARPA-H, and Harvard University. This new podcast is just what I needed- a platform to learn about health and innovation. I just listened to the first episode hosted by Sharon Kedar, a true pioneer for women. The amazing thing is that this podcast delivered with such humanity. I was glad to hear women leaders talking about real world things like women helping women, balancing our lives, advancing our careers, and prioritizing our health. It was fascinating to learn from Dr. Rexrode that womens healthcare is often just a trial for doctors (lack of women based tests) and how frustrating that is for doctors. I loved hearing from these two top experts and cant wait to tune into more episodes. And I plan to recommend this show to women and men! Finally, the pregnancy example really hits home and was a perfect motivator. Its hard to find helpful and insightful content that is easy to understand. This podcast does that an Language: en Genres: Health & Fitness, Life Sciences, Medicine, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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1993: The Year Women Entered Clinical Trials & Why This Matters for Human Health (With Jessica Federer)
Episode 3
Thursday, 23 April, 2026
What happened in 1993 still affects medicine today. That was the year women were required to be included in NIH-funded clinical trials, a shift that helped begin correcting decades of male-centered medical research. In this powerful conversation, Sharon Kedar CFA sits down with Jessica Federer, former Chief Digital Officer at Bayer and Managing Director of The Women’s Health Fund, to explore why this moment matters not only for women’s health, but for human health, innovation, and the future of medicine.They discuss how exclusion from research shaped diagnostics, drug dosing, autoimmune disease, heart health, cancer care, and why one of the world’s largest multi-trillion dollar industries still has enormous opportunity ahead.This Episode Is For You If:- You want to understand why women’s health impacts everyone- You’re curious how clinical trials shape modern medicine- You care about innovation, investing, longevity, and better healthcare outcomesWhat You’ll Learn:- Why women were historically excluded from many clinical trials- How 1993 changed medical research standards- Why better science creates better care for everyoneKey Takeaways- Clinical research has historically relied heavily on male data, creating downstream gaps in care.- Including women in research improves diagnostics, treatment, safety, and outcomes across medicine.- Women’s health may be one of the greatest innovation opportunities of our time.Connect with Sharon:Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonkedar/Learn more about Innovate and Elevate: https:// innovateandelevatepodcast.comSubscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuWi1O9RBaPMYuCkKszPYVAJoin the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: https://innovateandelevatepodcast.com/emailConnect with Jessica Federer:- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjfeds- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafederer- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessica.federer?_r=1&_t=ZP-95ZSDLDRyyF- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jjfeds?si=bX8_ii-GccsfXHN8Organizations, resources and citations referenced:Bayer: https://www.bayer.com/en/National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov/U.S. Food and Drug Administration: https://www.fda.gov/Jennifer Doudna: https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/faculty/jennifer-doudnaThe content shared in this episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, financial, or investment advice. Please seek guidance from your own qualified professionals before making decisions.Timestamps(00:00) Welcome Jessica Federer(00:50) Why Jessica cares deeply about women’s health(02:10) Why 1993 was a turning point in clinical trials(04:33) NIH rules requiring women in funded research(08:28) Why women spend more years in poorer health(12:08) Mammograms, heart disease, and missed opportunities(15:36) Why cancer treatment may look barbaric in hindsight(18:53) Why top talent is moving into women’s health(21:13) Autoimmune disease and the need for better systems(25:29) The next frontier: brain health and hormone scienceAbout Our Guest: Jessica Federer is a trailblazer and market builder. She was the first female chief digital Officer in the global pharmaceutical industry. She now sits on public and private boards, convenes the Health of Women Investor Summit and is the managing director of the Women’s Health Fund. She also serves on the Yale IRB and the Yale Blavatnik Fund advisory.About Sharon: Sharon Kedar is a co-founder and partner at Northpond Ventures, a multi-billion-dollar science-driven venture capital firm. Her extensive career includes leadership roles at Sands Capital and McKinsey & Company, and she is a published author on personal finance. As the host of the Innovate and Elevate podcast, she passionately advocates for menopause care and HRT (hormone replacement therapy), challenging the silence around human health XX (also known as women’s health). She aims to help women navigate midlife and achieve longevity by aging with power. Sharon holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and is a CFA charter holder. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, Greg, their three kids, and their dog Bo.This podcast is produced by Brave Moon Podcasts: https://www.bravemoonpodcasts.com/
