In this week's episode, we sit down with Dr. William “Billy” E. Cohn, Chief Medical Officer of BiVACOR Inc. and Executive Director of the Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center. From his early fascination with the first artificial heart at age eight to working alongside icons like Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley, Dr. Cohn shares an intimate look at how curiosity, risk-taking, and persistence have defined his life’s work. The conversation moves from stories inside the Texas Heart Institute to reflections on creativity, collaboration, and how passion fuels innovation, whether in the operating room or at Burning Man. Dr. Cohn also dives into how artificial intelligence is transforming medicine, what it means for the next generation of physicians, and why the future will always need people driven by purpose. 🎧 This episode is a masterclass in the mindset behind medical invention. How creativity, courage, and genuine curiosity drive breakthroughs that change patient care. 03:40 The origins of the world’s first artificial heart and the rivalry between DeBakey and Cooley 08:47 The surgery that made history: how the Leota, Cooley heart was implanted into a human for the first time 10:42 A childhood moment that sparked a lifelong fascination with heart surgery 14:45 Family influences: his father’s creativity, his mother’s determination, and his brother’s brilliance in AI 17:36 Building massive kinetic sculptures at Burning Man and the parallels with medical innovation 23:12 What Burning Man taught him about leadership, passion, and team building 27:44 Lessons from DeBakey and Cooley on authenticity, vision, and inspiration 35:20 The rise of AI in medicine and why it will redefine, not replace, doctors 38:24 From the Industrial Revolution to quantum computing: how exponential change will reshape humanity 💡 Who Should Listen Physicians, MedTech innovators, and anyone fascinated by how engineering, creativity, and medicine intersect to shape the future of healthcare. About William E. Cohn, MD, PhD (H) Dr. Cohn is the Chief Medical Officer of BiVACOR Inc. and the Executive Director of the Center of Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center (TMC). He is also a tenured professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and an adjunct professor of Bioengineering at Rice University and the University of Houston. Prior to joining BiVACOR Inc., he served as a Vice President at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Executive Director for the Johnson & Johnson Center of Device Innovation at TMC, and Director of the renowned Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratory at the Texas Heart Institute. Dr. Cohn has been deeply involved in developing the continuous-flow, totally implantable, artificial heart. In 2011, Dr. Cohn and Dr. O. H. Frazier successfully implanted the first pulseless total heart replacement device in a human patient. The device had been developed at The Texas Heart Institute. Dr. Cohn has published extensively and has more than 220 US patents or patents pending for his medical device innovations that have been foundational for nine venture-backed startups. Connect with Dr. Cohn, MD, PhD (H) 💼 LinkedIn: William Cohn Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast If this episode gave you a new perspective on the future of surgery, innovation, and how passion fuels progress in medicine, share it with a colleague who would appreciate the conversation. And if you’ve been enjoying Life of Flow, leaving a quick review helps more specialists and innovators discover these discussions.

En este episodio de Life of Flow Podcast, conversamos con el Dr. Jorge Martínez Trabal, cirujano vascular, profesor y líder médico en Puerto Rico, sobre su recorrido personal y profesional desde sus inicios en Mayagüez hasta su actual labor impulsando una profunda transformación en el sistema de salud de la isla. Jorge comparte cómo superó el cierre de su programa de residencia, su decisión de continuar su formación en Estados Unidos y su regreso a Puerto Rico con una misión: reabrir programas de cirugía, formar nuevas generaciones de médicos y enfrentar una crisis sanitaria que ha provocado la emigración masiva de profesionales de la salud. A través de su experiencia, reflexionamos sobre los desafíos del modelo de salud en Puerto Rico, el papel de las aseguradoras, la falta de residencias médicas y las propuestas que plantea en su libro, desde la creación de centros de excelencia hasta la necesidad de una educación médica más sólida y accesible. ❗️Este episodio, grabado originalmente en inglés y ahora doblado al español, captura una conversación honesta sobre liderazgo médico, educación y los retos del sistema de salud en Puerto Rico. English Version of the Episode 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=Nv2Bu23uoDI 04:13 Infancia en Mayagüez y los primeros pasos hacia la medicina 07:15 El cierre de los programas de cirugía y su decisión de emigrar 14:22 Su objetivo de regresar a Puerto Rico para reabrir una residencia quirúrgica 17:50 La reforma del sistema de salud en los años noventa y sus consecuencias 19:25 La pérdida de médicos en la isla y la falta de plazas de residencia 23:14 Los obstáculos para regresar y ejercer medicina en Puerto Rico 25:20 La complejidad del modelo de seguros y los “caciques” hospitalarios 39:50 Educación y acceso a la atención: los ejes de su propuesta 41:10 El modelo de Centros de Excelencia y cómo podrían transformar el sistema 47:33 Su visión de futuro, la influencia política y el legado que busca dejar 51:37 El proceso de escribir su libro y las lecciones aprendidas en el camino 💡¿Quién debería escuchar este episodio? Profesionales de la salud, cirujanos, estudiantes de medicina, líderes del sector sanitario y quienes estén interesados en la gestión médica, la reforma del sistema de salud y la formación de nuevos especialistas en Puerto Rico. Sobre Dr. Martínez T. Egresado de la Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) y destacado cirujano vascular en Puerto Rico, el Dr. Jorge Luis Martínez Trabal es creador del procedimiento Trombectomía Venosa Híbrida, una técnica innovadora para el tratamiento de coágulos sanguíneos en las piernas, por la cual recibió el Servier Traveling Award del American Venous Forum. Actualmente es Director de la Residencia de Cirugía en Ponce, Presidente del Grupo Médico de Cirujanos Vasculares de Puerto Rico, Presidente de la Facultad Médica del Hospital Episcopal San Lucas de Ponce, y Profesor en la Universidad de Ponce. Su visión y liderazgo han sido clave en la reconstrucción de la formación quirúrgica en la isla y en la promoción de un modelo de atención médica más equitativo y sostenible. 💼 LinkedIn: Martinez Trabal Jorge Sigue a Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast ¿Conoces a alguien que debería escuchar esta conversación? 🎧 Envíale este episodio y ayúdanos a que más personas accedan a estas historias y aprendizajes.

Recorded live in Chicago during the Amputation Prevention Series, this week's conversation with Dr. Mahmood Razavi, Interventional Radiologist and Director of Clinical Trials and Research at St. Joseph Vascular Institute, dives deep into the realities of innovation in medicine. Drawing from his early days at UCLA and Stanford alongside pioneers like Thomas J. Fogarty, MD and Michael D. Dake, MD, Dr. Razavi shares how his journey from academia to entrepreneurship shaped his view of what truly drives progress in the field. From why patents sometimes matter more than papers, to how equity builds stronger teams than consulting fees ever could, this episode captures the candid, hard-earned lessons behind a lifetime of creating, advising, and mentoring in MedTech. 🎧 This episode is a masterclass in the mindset behind medical innovation, bridging the gap between clinical expertise, entrepreneurship, and the lessons learned from decades of creating real-world solutions. 03:00 How a “boring” start in radiology led to discovering interventional work 07:39 The Stanford moment that changed everything: seeing a thoracic endograft for the first time 08:40 “We don’t publish, we file patents first”: shifting from academia to innovation 10:19 Consulting versus creating: the real ROI of doing your own thing 12:59 Predicting the future: R&D, patents, and NIH as 5-, 10-, and 20-year indicators 15:26 Lessons from experience: why young physicians shouldn’t sell their ideas cheap 18:31 The value of equity and how to build real commitment in startups 24:43 Finding the right collaborators and learning from the wrong ones 33:00 Final advice: mentorship, asking questions, and learning by proximity 💡 Who Should Listen This episode is for interventional radiologists, vascular specialists, MedTech founders, early-career physicians, and clinical innovators seeking unfiltered insight into the intersection of medicine, business, and invention. About Mahmood Razavi, MD Dr. Mahmood Razavi joined the staff of St. Joseph Vascular Institute in August 2005 and currently serves as the Director of Clinical Trials and Research Center. He specializes in image-guided therapy for cancer and endovascular treatment of vascular disease, including carotid artery stent replacement. Before moving to Southern California, he was Associate Professor of Interventional Radiology and Director of the Fellowship Program at Stanford University Medical Center, where he also served as Acting Chief of Interventional Radiology. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Dr. Razavi completed his Radiology residency and Chief Residency at UCLA, followed by dual fellowships in Medical Imaging (UCLA) and Cardiovascular Interventional Radiology (Stanford University Hospital). He later joined the UCLA faculty before returning to Stanford’s Vascular Center, where he remained until 2005. He has authored or co-authored over 250 scientific publications, abstracts, and book chapters, delivered more than 120 invited lectures worldwide, and serves as Editor of Techniques in Vascular & Interventional Radiology. In addition to his academic and clinical work, Dr. Razavi is co-founder of three medical device companies and sits on multiple scientific advisory boards, continuing to shape the future of minimally invasive image-guided therapies. Connect with Mahmood Razavi, MD 💼 LinkedIn: Mahmood Razavi Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast If this episode gave you new perspective on innovation, equity, and mentorship in medicine, share it with a colleague who would benefit from the conversation. And if you’ve been enjoying Life of Flow, leaving a quick review helps more specialists and industry leaders discover these discussions.