Balancing The Future

It’s widely recognized that many persistent chemicals pose risks to both environmental and human health. Addressing this significant global challenge requires innovative solutions. One of these is the groundbreaking concept of ‘Treatable by Design’.  

In this episode of Balancing the Future, Chai and Micah sit down with Dr. Gabriel Sigmund, Associate Professor at Wageningen University & Research to discuss his approach for developing safer chemicals that are intentionally designed to degrade rapidly and exhibit low toxicity.  

His strategy targets substances such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are commonly used for their water- and oil-resistant properties but are, as a result, extremely hard to break down. Gabriel describes this as a cascade: if a chemical cannot be made safe by design, the first step is to look for a safer alternative. If no alternative exists, the chemical should be made treatable by design. Failing that, the search returns to finding an alternative that is treatable. This cycle repeats through several stages before arriving at the final case, one where the chemical simply cannot be dealt with. At that point, Gabriel argues, the real question becomes whether the chemical is necessary at all. More often than not, he suggests, the answer is no. 
 
A second line of defense for addressing toxic chemicals involves removing them from the environment through techniques such as water filtration and incineration. Although remediation efforts are underway, their pace remains insufficient. Gabriel emphasizes that even if affluent nations allocated all available resources, it would still be impossible to eliminate every hazardous chemical from the environment. 
 
Overall, Gabriel advocates for a pragmatic approach: reducing the production of harmful chemicals now will decrease the need for future remediation. 
 
LINKS: 
Dr. Gabriel Sigmund Bio 
METTLER TOLEDO Website 
METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn 
Balancing The Future Podcast Website 
Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn 
Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn 
EPISODE SOURCES: 
A concept for the molecular design of readily treatable chemicals – Royal Society of Chemistry

With over 100 new alternatives to PFAS, ChemSec Marketplace becomes key industry resource – ChemSec 
Persistence Assessment of Chemicals: Trajectories toward New Approach Methodologies (P-NAMs) – ACS Publications 
Support for EU-wide PFAS restriction with targeted derogations: what happens next? – CMS Law 
Europe’s PFAS restriction proposal is moving forward – White and Case 
 
ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: 
Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.  
 
We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.  
  
Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.   
  
Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode. 
 
ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO 
Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. 
METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.

By 2026 80% of the 500 pharmaceutical and industrial crystals produced in space exhibited better structure, greater consistency, and fewer defects. So, what does that tell us about the rapidly growing space economy — and how far could microgravity take manufacturing? 
 
In this episode of Balancing the Future, Micah sits down with Mari Anne Snow, CEO and Co-Founder of Eascra Biotech. Eascra is a US-based company developing delivery technology for a wide range of therapeutic payloads — from mRNA and siRNA to proteins and peptides. Their technology is especially effective at penetrating very dense tissues such as cartilage, kidneys, and solid tumors. 
 
Mari Anne shares the story of how her co-founder was given the chance and the funding by NASA to turn their work into a so-called “space product.” After sending it to the International Space Station, they discovered that the microgravity environment boosted the product’s effectiveness by an impressive 40–50%. 
 
But that breakthrough also came with a new set of challenges. How do you build a supply chain that reaches 250 miles above Earth? How do you scale production in a place where creating new manufacturing space isn’t as simple as putting up a few extra walls? And what happens when regulations and governance on Earth collide with those in space? 
 
Mari Anne believes we’re only at the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to what can be invented and produced off planet. From colonizing the Moon to space tourism, she argues that manufacturing in space won’t just support those ambitions; it could become the slingshot that propels us to the stars. 
LINKS: 
Eascra Biotech Website 
Mari Anne Snow on LinkedIn 
METTLER TOLEDO Website 
METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn 
Balancing The Future Podcast Website 
Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn 
Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn 
 
EPISODE SOURCES: 
20 Inventions We Wouldn't Have Without Space Travel – The Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology 
In Space for Earth: Breakthroughs from the ISS – The National Space Society (NSS) 
Optical Fiber Production – NASA 
NASA’s new superalloy – Aerospace America 
 
ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: 
Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.  
  
We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.  
  
Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.   
  
Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode. 
 
ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO 
Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. 
METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.

Medical devices range from simple fillings to highly sophisticated robotics, with more than half a million available in the EU alone. However, regulations differ widely across regions and countries. What does this mean for medical device development around the world? 

In this episode of Balancing the Future, Micah and Chai interview Dr. Dominik Lysek, Executive Board Member and CEO of PharmaTrail, a software company that helps pharmaceutical, biotech, and medtech companies manage clinical trial data with blockchain technology. Dominik has worked with medical devices throughout his career and has closely followed both the EU and US markets. 

Dominik explains how the EU and the US each regulate their medical device markets. One key difference is that the US provides clear timelines for approvals, while Europe does not set specific deadlines. In the EU, even a modified version of an already approved and safe product still needs to go through regulatory approval. However, new Medical Device Regulation 2.0 legislation now being considered by the EU parliament could change this by introducing clear deadlines and reducing bureaucracy. 

Even with these possible changes, both the EU and US still require strong and reliable data to approve new products. MDR 2.0 will allow different types of clinical data, like in vitro and model data, to be included in applications. Dominik emphasizes that a rigorous process is important so patients can trust and benefit from the medical devices they use. He believes the industry should always put patients first. 
 
LINKS: 
PharmaTrail Website 
Dominik Lysek on LinkedIn 
METTLER TOLEDO Website 
METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn 
Balancing The Future Podcast Website 
Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn 
Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn 
EPISODE SOURCES: 
Premarket Review: Laboratory Developed Tests FAQs – U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
Navigating the NMPA Registration Process: Timelines, Costs, and Considerations – Medtech Chopsticks 
The EU’s 2025 proposal to simplify the Medical and In-Vitro-Diagnostic Devices Regulations (MDR/IVDR) - Healthcare & Life Sciences Blog 
EU Device Reform Package: Fee Relief, Down-Classification, and More – Cacus Consulting 
 
ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: 
 Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.  
  
We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.  
 
Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.   
  
Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode. 
 
ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO 
Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. 
METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.

Around 2 billion people enjoy chocolate and coffee every single day. But growing enough of these crops uses a huge number of resources. For example, making just one cup of coffee takes about 140 litres of water. In West Africa, an estimated 70% of illegal deforestation is linked to cocoa farming. And with demand only expected to rise, the question is: what can we do to stop the environmental impact of these crops? 

In this episode of Balancing the Future, Micah and Chai talk to Dr. Steven Lang, Vice President of Science and Technology at California Cultured, a US startup that makes chocolate and coffee using bioreactors. 
 
Steven explains that the team starts by taking a small sample from a plant. They then grow this sample in a bioreactor to create a plant cell culture. Because they have more control over the plant’s genetics, they can make it healthier or give it new traits. Right now, Steven’s team is working on cocoa that’s rich in flavanols, powerful compounds that act as antioxidants. 
 
California Cultured has also developed a new plastic bioreactor that could bring costs down compared to the stainless-steel systems used for cultivated meat. Steven expects that by around 2028, their coffee and cocoa will cost roughly the same as conventional products. 
As with cultivated meat, though, these new products will need to win over consumers before they can really take off. To help with this, Steven’s team has worked with analytical chemists to fine-tune flavors, so they’re essentially interchangeable with traditional coffee and cocoa. 
 
Steven was the first-ever guest on Balancing the Future. Back then, he worked in cultivated meat, which remains one of the most visible -- and most debated -- areas of lab-grown food. Today, he believes cultivated plants may have greater potential for faster progress and easier consumer acceptance, especially in areas where cultivated meat still faces big hurdles. 
LINKS: 
California Cultured Website 
Steven Lang on LinkedIn 
METTLER TOLEDO Website 
METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn 
Balancing The Future Podcast Website 
Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn 
Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn 
ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: 
Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.  
  
We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.  
  
Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders, and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.   
  
Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode. 
 
ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO 
Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy, and accuracy matter. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. 
METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.

Roughly 80% of funding, research, and equipment ends up in the 10 wealthiest countries. This means most people around the world have fewer opportunities to work on scientific problems. It affects which issues get attention and which don’t. So, how can we make access to science fairer? 
 
In the first episode of Season 3 of Balancing the Future, hosts Micah and Chai talk with Dr. Melissa Wu, CEO of Seeding Labs. This nonprofit works to close global gaps in science by donating extra lab equipment to institutions in developing countries. Melissa explains how the current imbalance affects which research gets priority, which diseases and problems are studied, and how it leads to workforce shortages, brain drain, and ongoing inequalities in science. 
 
They discuss how Seeding Labs tackles these challenges with a clear process. First, they find institutions that have the basics in place. Then, they collect extra equipment from companies and universities and match each partner with 100 to 200 key items that fit their needs. Seeding Labs also handles the complicated shipping process and makes sure the recipient institutions take full responsibility for the equipment and can use it in a lasting way. 
 
Melissa highlights real-world impact stories, including Malawi University of Science and Technology’s rapid cholera surveillance response following Cyclone Idai, and a Colombian university launching a nanotechnology program focused on energy storage using treated coffee-bag waste fibers. She also discusses the environmental benefits of equipment reuse, growing institutional funding opportunities, and plans to scale Seeding Labs’ model internationally, including expansion into the EU, alongside a call for greater awareness and support from people just like you! 
LINKS: 

Seeding Labs’ Website 
Seeing Labs’ Research 
Dr. Melissa Wu on LinkedIn 
METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions Website 
METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions on LinkedIn 
Balancing The Future Podcast Website 
Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn 
Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn 
ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: 
 
Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.  
  
We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.  
  
Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.   

Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode. 

ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO:

Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy, and accuracy matter. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. 
METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.