Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when leaders intentionally design the systems that allow curiosity, experimentation, and good ideas to survive.

In this episode of the Women in MedTech podcast, host Kayleen Brown sits down with Dr. Rebecca Gottlieb, VP of Advanced Sensor Technologies at Biolinq, to explore what it really takes to build innovation engines inside regulated MedTech environments. From early clinical work with artificial heart patients, to more than two decades of sensor innovation at Medtronic, to leading advanced biosensing platforms at Biolinq, Rebecca explains why curiosity isn’t just a mindset — it’s a leadership strategy.

Kayleen also welcomes Chris Dawson, Head of Biosensing at TTP PLC, to unpack what curiosity looks like in practice: how multidisciplinary teams explore what’s possible, retire risk early, and build systems that support innovation without compromising reliability or regulatory rigor. Thank you to TTP for your support, to learn more visit: https://www.ttp.com.

Before you go, make sure to download your complimentary e-books from TTP today!

1. Rethinking Regulatory Compliance - How to turn regulatory demands in MedTech into development strengths
2. Optimising Bluetooth Connectivity in Implantable Medical Devices
3. Automated Biosensor Testing for the Development of Continuous Health Monitors

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• (00:00:00) - Why innovation systems matter in MedTech
• (00:00:01) - Introducing in-studio guest, Chris Dawson, TTP
• (00:00:02) - What innovation looks like inside multidisciplinary teams
• (00:00:03) - Start of keynote interview with Rebecca Gottlieb, Biolinq
• (00:00:04) - From startup to Medtronic: scaling innovation across environments
• (00:00:05) - Internal venture programs: designing systems for ideas to surface
• (00:00:06) - Leadership as barrier removal, not control
• (00:00:07) - Why Rebecca chose Biolinq: platforms, microneedles, and possibility
• (00:00:08) - Rethinking glucose monitoring for Type 2 diabetes
• (00:00:09) - FDA De Novo clearance and sustaining teams through long timelines
• (00:00:10) - The future of biosensing: DNA-based receptors and new analytes
• (00:00:11) - Leadership reflections and closing: curiosity as an innovation engine

Earned trust becomes leadership capital — and in MedTech, it compounds faster than most leaders realize.

In this episode of the Women in MedTech podcast, host Kayleen Brown talks with Edwards Lifesciences’ Sarah Huoh, Corporate Vice President of Public Affairs, about why trust has to be built and demonstrated long before it can be communicated — and what it takes to earn credibility across patients, policy, and teams.

Kayleen also welcomes Brittany Mai, Marketing Manager at Confluent Medical Technologies, to discuss what trust looks like across the MedTech ecosystem — how strong partnerships get built, how alignment happens across organizations, and why execution depends on credibility that’s earned over time. Thank you to Confluent Medical Technologies for your support. Visit ➡ https://confluentmedical.com/

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Want access to the complete DeviceTalks Podcast Network (DTPN)? Follow us today at https://devicetalks.castos.com/subscribe

• (00:00:00) - Why trust matters in MedTech
• (00:02:13) - Introducing In-studio guest, Brittany Mai, Confluent Medical Technologies
• (00:17:34) - Start of Keynote Interview with Sarah Huoh, Edwards Lifesciences
• (00:18:31) - Leadership foundations: first job lessons that still show up in the C-suite
• (00:29:32) - Career moves with strategy: how Sarah chose roles that widened her impact
• (00:32:44) - Public affairs as a business function: reputation, policy, and patient trust
• (00:38:30) - “Team of teams” leadership: alignment, execution, and internal credibility
• (00:39:23) - Operating at global scale: keeping 16,000 employees anchored on patients
• (00:42:18) - Patient education as market reality: reducing fear, friction, and confusion
• (00:48:42) - Trust as leadership capital: demonstrated behavior, not messaging
• (01:06:52) - Conclusion: key takeaways on earning trust that compounds

Empathy is more than a leadership trait—it’s a business advantage.
In this season opener of Women in MedTech,host Kayleen Brown talks and Medtronic’s Nina Goodheart, SVP & President of Structural Heart & Aortic talk about Medtronic's focus on women's heart health and make the business case for empathy in MedTech.

Kayleen also welcomes Beth Harrison Meyer, SVP of Global Marketing at Aptyx, to unpack what empathy looks like inside companies and why it’s critical to innovation and culture. Thank you to Aptyx for your support. Visit ➡ https://www.aptyx.com

Referenced in this episode:
– Medtronic’s Letter to My Mother campaign: https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/c/patients-caregivers/pan-cardiovascular/letter-to-my-mother.html
– Kayleen’s article in Medical Design & Outsourcing: https://www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com/medtronic-nina-goodheart-cardiovascular-deaths-women-rwe-smart-trial/

Enjoy this episode? Follow Women in MedTech → https://women-in-medtech.castos.com/subscribe and subscribe on YouTube → https://YouTube.com/@DeviceTalks to catch every conversation.

Access the full DeviceTalks Podcast Network → https://devicetalks.castos.com/subscribe

• (00:00:00) - Empathy to Self, Empathy to Ecosystem
• (00:02:45) - The Power of Mentorship and Sponsorship
• (00:05:30) - Building the Aptyx Culture of Collaboration
• (00:10:15) - Insights into the Keynote Interview with Nina Goodheartt
• (00:17:00) - What Empathy Looks Like in Product Development
• (00:22:15) - Designing for Equity: Who Are We Not Treating Yet?
• (00:27:10) - The Business Case for Empathy in MedTech
• (00:28:17) - Start of Interview with Medtronic's Nina Goodheart
• (00:36:30) - Using AI to Advance Health Equity (The ALERT Study)
• (00:49:30) - Medtronic's Letter to My Mother: Women’s Heart Health Awareness
• (00:55:15) - Redefining Leadership — Empathy as Smart Business