The ideaSpace Podcast with Jon Moore

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Dr Jon Moore — a biochemist, entrepreneur, and seasoned biotech leader whose career spans both cutting-edge academic research and the commercial frontiers of cancer therapeutics.

Jon is the Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Epitopia, a Cambridge- and Montreal-based company developing next-generation cancer vaccines using mRNA and immunotherapy technologies. Before that, he co-founded Pheno Therapeutics, an Edinburgh University spin-out focused on remyelination therapies for multiple sclerosis, and held senior roles at Horizon Discovery and RiboTargets, now Vernalis.

In this conversation, Jon traces his journey from a science-obsessed teenager and Duke University postdoc to becoming a biotech founder shaping the future of oncology. He talks about the spark that led to Epitopia, the challenges of building transatlantic biotech ventures, what makes Cambridge such fertile ground for life-science startups, and the importance of curiosity, persistence, and trust in building great teams.

It’s a thoughtful and inspiring look into the mindset of a scientist-entrepreneur turning discovery into impact.