Tal Zaks

And some of it has to do with the nature of the beast, if you will. It's not a system we designed. So we're constantly learning about it versus engineers. But some of it, and this is one of my biggest lessons from Moderna, it's also a different mindset. Engineers and physicians are almost diametrically opposite in how they think.

And some of it has to do with the nature of the beast, if you will. It's not a system we designed. So we're constantly learning about it versus engineers. But some of it, and this is one of my biggest lessons from Moderna, it's also a different mindset. Engineers and physicians are almost diametrically opposite in how they think.

And I had the good fortune in my life to work with, I think, one of the most brilliant engineer leaders, Stéphane Boncel, the CEO of Moderna. And what it taught me is that engineers have two things that physicians struggle with. One is vision and the other is process. So what do I mean by vision?

And I had the good fortune in my life to work with, I think, one of the most brilliant engineer leaders, Stéphane Boncel, the CEO of Moderna. And what it taught me is that engineers have two things that physicians struggle with. One is vision and the other is process. So what do I mean by vision?

Well, if you look around our life, take a look out your window if you live in the city, everything you see is a function of vision of people who came before you. it would not otherwise have been there. That's why we love nature so much, because it's uncluttered by visions of other people. But if you live in any other environment, you're constantly faced with a vision.

Well, if you look around our life, take a look out your window if you live in the city, everything you see is a function of vision of people who came before you. it would not otherwise have been there. That's why we love nature so much, because it's uncluttered by visions of other people. But if you live in any other environment, you're constantly faced with a vision.

So you have to ask yourself, well, what's my vision for the thing I will leave for the future? And then to enact on it, okay, it requires a process. So what does it actually take to get there? And here's an interesting thing. If you ask an engineer an engineering problem in their domain, Say, I want to get to the MOOC. Is it possible?

So you have to ask yourself, well, what's my vision for the thing I will leave for the future? And then to enact on it, okay, it requires a process. So what does it actually take to get there? And here's an interesting thing. If you ask an engineer an engineering problem in their domain, Say, I want to get to the MOOC. Is it possible?

Well, anybody who knows the domain will tell you, yeah, it's possible. Here's what it's going to take. And they can even map out the resource and the likelihood of it getting there. Well, you ask a physician, hey, I want to cure cancer. Is it possible? And the answer is, I don't know. I mean, I can think of some approaches, but we got to go try them.

Well, anybody who knows the domain will tell you, yeah, it's possible. Here's what it's going to take. And they can even map out the resource and the likelihood of it getting there. Well, you ask a physician, hey, I want to cure cancer. Is it possible? And the answer is, I don't know. I mean, I can think of some approaches, but we got to go try them.

One of the first things I did when I joined Moderna, and probably the scientific thing I'm most proud of in my time there, is actually not the COVID vaccine. It's something called a personalized cancer vaccine. So we've learned enough about cancer to know that everybody has a different cancer. Everybody's immune system is different.

One of the first things I did when I joined Moderna, and probably the scientific thing I'm most proud of in my time there, is actually not the COVID vaccine. It's something called a personalized cancer vaccine. So we've learned enough about cancer to know that everybody has a different cancer. Everybody's immune system is different.

And we know that mRNA is a phenomenally good platform for making vaccines. So can we immunize people against their cancer? Now, to do that, we'd have to figure out what each individual needs to get immunized against. And so it would be personalized. And that's a very challenging, complicated task. It's expensive. So we set out to do that.

And we know that mRNA is a phenomenally good platform for making vaccines. So can we immunize people against their cancer? Now, to do that, we'd have to figure out what each individual needs to get immunized against. And so it would be personalized. And that's a very challenging, complicated task. It's expensive. So we set out to do that.

And as we were starting down the path, I remember we had a phase two study that was running. So that's basically a study where you give half the people your vaccine and half the standard of care. And the question was, are we actually going to be able to prevent some cancers from returning? relative to the computer.

And as we were starting down the path, I remember we had a phase two study that was running. So that's basically a study where you give half the people your vaccine and half the standard of care. And the question was, are we actually going to be able to prevent some cancers from returning? relative to the computer.

And Stefan used to stop me in the hallway and said, Tal, is this thing going to work? And I'm like, Stefan, I honestly don't know. What I know is I feel I've been put on earth to do the experiment. And we've been fortunate to align the technology and the resources, including the financial ones, to run the experiment. but I'm not going to predict whether the experiment's going to work.

And Stefan used to stop me in the hallway and said, Tal, is this thing going to work? And I'm like, Stefan, I honestly don't know. What I know is I feel I've been put on earth to do the experiment. And we've been fortunate to align the technology and the resources, including the financial ones, to run the experiment. but I'm not going to predict whether the experiment's going to work.

People have been trying to do cancer vaccines. I've been trying to do cancer vaccines since I was a postdoc, and so far we haven't. I think this one has a chance of working, and here's why. But until we test it in the clinic, we won't know. And we've been fortunate that that phase two actually read out with quite a successful readout last year.

People have been trying to do cancer vaccines. I've been trying to do cancer vaccines since I was a postdoc, and so far we haven't. I think this one has a chance of working, and here's why. But until we test it in the clinic, we won't know. And we've been fortunate that that phase two actually read out with quite a successful readout last year.