Oksana Pelts
Case Western Reserve University - Weatherhead School of Management
Chris Laszlo
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Trailhead Biosystems has developed processes that allow the its employees to create therapies using stem cells rather than drugs to heal organs. Current projects include diabetes, asthma, heart disease, bone generation, kidney, and lung creation. The company has the ability to create software-designed experiments and execute them using robotics, eliminating human error. With the constant innovation in technology, Michael Gilkey is particularly excited about the advancement of 3D printers and looks forward to the day when tissue and organs can be printed to exact patient specifications, eliminating the risk of rejection.
Trailhead Biosystems designs experiments through the use of software and then implements them using robotics. The innovation creates value through optimization of the design and execution of these experiments that are next to impossible to achieve with people on the bench in a lab. Trailhead offers a spectra of services rooted in stem cell research that include cell culture optimization, gene expression and genotyping, specialized fluid handling, and many more. The company is currently solving problems of treating asthma and heart disease, as well as projects on lung and kidney creation, and bone generation. Since developing the technique and the technology, Trailhead Biosystems has been able to acquire customers in the academic space, helping institutions such as Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic solve life-saving problems.
A Weatherhead School of Management graduate, Michael Gilkey is inspired by the innovation occurring in the technology and is excited to merge that technology with medicine. As someone who has always wanted to work in the biotech filed, Michael was not able to find the perfect fit with a company upon getting his MBA. So he decided to start his own. Working on solutions to medical problems through the use of cell therapies, rather than drugs, Michael sees a tremendous benefit to society as his company keeps growing. The potential of stem cells to grow into tissue and organs has a huge-net positive effect on health and well-being all around the world. "Why wouldn't you want to eliminate disease if you could?" says Gilkey. These experiments are leading to treatments that all but eliminate the risk of organ or tissue rejection.
Trailhead Biosystems and stem cell research as a whole has the power to eradicate diseases, generate bones, and even grow organs. The impact of these technologies does not only have the means to save lives, but also the ability to save on medical bills later in life. Indeed, the only cost that society will be responsible for is longevity, as these procedures have a very strong potential of increasing our life-spans. Stem cell research has been hotly debated from its inception, as it forces us to choose between the duty to prevent and cure diseases that contribute to human suffering and the duty to use stem cells ethically. Michael dismisses the nay-sayers who think these procedures allow people to play God. He disagrees about genetically engineering babies, but agrees that eradicating disease and growing tissue and organs can only be good for the patients and for the well-being of the world’s citizens.
Apart from being passionate about merging technology and medicine for the benefit of the world population, Michael also cares deeply about his employees. As someone who has worked in Corporate America, he sees greed as one of the biggest challenges our society faces. He is a big proponent of work-life balance. In the past several years it has become increasingly clear that the wealth gap between the top and the bottom is much too large and only contributes to problems with stress, depression, heart disease, and other diseases linked with being overworked. According to Gilkey, if we just hire more people at the bottom and distribute the workload more evenly, then unemployment would shrink, and we would have much happier and healthier employees in America. Michael shared an anecdote with me about having to go to a work-life balance meeting that lasted from 4PM to 6PM one day. At the meeting he spoke up and said, “Guys, you’re missing the point. Look at your watches.” It is precisely this attitude that will create a healthier and happier workforce in America and will allow us all to advance in our careers and lives, not just those at the top.
Trailhead Biosystems is solving life-saving problems through the means of stem cell therapy rather than the use of drugs. As a country that has become increasingly dependent on curing illness through the use of drugs, the company’s procedures allow for customization of experiments according to exact specifications. These procedures have the ability to grow tissue and organs, potentially eradicating genetic diseases as well as problems such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease.
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Michael Gilkey, CEO
Trailhead Biosystems is a spinout company from the National Center of Regenerative Medicine’s OH-Live Platform. The platform merges developmental and stem cell biology with cutting edge software as well as robotics technology to perform and optimize experiments for customers seeking to develop cell therapies. Trailhead Biosystems aims to transform medical therapy through the use of cells rather than drugs to heal tissues and organs. Trailhead Biosystems and its co-founder Michael Gilkey work tirelessly to bring the field of medicine close to ethically diminishing and preventing human suffering.