Jul 30, 2024
In this week’s episode, I am joined by Jeff
Karp!
Dr. Jeff Karp, PhD. is a passionate mentor and
biomedical engineering professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT,
a Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital,
and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. As a
bioengineer, Dr. Karp is at the forefront of taking inspiration
from the most successful researchers of all time—evolution and
nature—to find ways
to improve our daily life, health, focus, and productive
purpose.
His lab’s technologies have led to the formation of thirteen
companies. The technologies they have developed include a tissue
glue that can seal holes inside a beating heart; targeted therapy
for osteoarthritis, Crohn’s disease, and brain disorders; “smart
needles” that automatically stop when they reach their target; a
nasal spray that neutralizes pathogens; and immunotherapy
approaches to annihilate cancer.
Growing up in rural Canada he was written off by his school because
of his learning differences. He evolved a process for embracing
life, embodied by ‘Life Ignition Tools’, through years of iteration
and tinkering to make his unique patterns of thought and behavior
work for him. These LIT tools have been thoroughly road-tested,
through Dr. Karp’s life, in his lab, and by his many mentees.
Key Points
• Life-changing power of questions
• Turning nature into medical marvels
• ADHD struggle to A's with support
• Intentionality reshapes your learning
• The energy transfer of our daily tools
Best Quotes
10:36 - 10:42
• "I got some accommodations, a little bit extra space and time, and my grades went from CS and Ds to straight A's immediately."
11:17 - 11:28
• "It's interesting how curiosity can be almost paralyzing at times because the more curious we are, the, the harder it gets to make quick decisions."
17:52 - 17:57
• "We all sort of process things in unique ways, experience the world in unique ways."
20:10 - 20:33
• "So what happened was about seven or eight years ago, I was contacted by an agent in New York, Heather Jackson, and she had read some articles on my, my Laboratory's work where we turned to nature for inspiration, you know, using bio we call bio inspiration or, you know, biomimicry to solve medical problems."