Parmita Mishra — How to Think About Biology (EP.244)

Parmita Mishra is a computational biologist and the founder & CEO of Precigenetics, a company aiming to become a rocket to precision medicine.

Parmita is deeply knowledgeable about cutting-edge biology, particularly epigenetics — how behavior and environment can affect gene function without altering genetic code. Her passion for advancing our understanding of diseases is inspiring (and contagious: OSV is an investor in Parmita’s company!)

In our conversation, Parmita and I discuss everything from the curious case of male baldness to how her parents have saved 50,000 lives. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, highlights, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack.

Important Links:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website
• Precigenetics Twitter
• Preciginetics launch post

Show Notes:

• Explaining epigenetics to a golden retriever
• The curious case of male pattern baldness
• How to think about biology: start from first principles & beware binary thinking
• The lens you look through determines what you see
• The problem of data collection in biology
• Why the FDA needs to change its approach
• Why we still don’t understand the human brain
• Garry Tan’s advice: “Get an idea. Get a co-founder.”
• What’s been surprising about foundership?
• Failure is a ladder
• Obsession & how Parmita’s parents have saved 50,000 lives
• The most surprising things about America
• Parmita as World Empress

Books Mentioned:

• What is Life?; by Erwin Schrodinger
• I should have loved biology; by James Somers
• Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid; by Douglas Hofstadter
• The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America; by John D. Gartner