logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2025
15m 33s

How nearly dying helped me discover my o...

TED
About this episode

Physician-scientist David Fajgenbaum was dying from a rare disease that didn't have a cure — until he discovered a lifesaving drug that wasn't originally intended for his condition. In an astonishing talk, he shares how his near-death experience led him to cofound the nonprofit Every Cure, which is using AI to uncover hidden treatments and save many other people's lives. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to inspire and fund global change.)



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Why humans should merge with AI | D Scott Phoenix
Deep tech entrepreneur D. Scott Phoenix spent years building AI — now, he believes we're on the cusp of a profound merger between humans and machines. Reframing the AI debate through the lens of evolutionary biology, he shifts the question from whether we should fear or embrace A ... Show More
14m 19s
Yesterday
A simple solution to fix workplace miscommunication | Melissa M. Mikus
Leadership expert Melissa M. Mikus breaks down why most workplace friction isn't about personality clashes or bad intentions — it's about not knowing how to effectively communicate. Her solution? A small, visible and easy tweak that anyone can implement right away. Hosted on Acas ... Show More
12m 8s
May 12
The wildlife sanctuary you can visit from anywhere | Maya Higa
Creator Maya Higa is on a mission to use the internet to build the next generation of conservationists. Her virtual education center, Alveus Sanctuary, is one of the most-watched sanctuaries on Earth, with dozens of rescued animals and cameras livestreaming to a community of mill ... Show More
11m 19s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2025
How nearly dying helped me discover my own cure (and many more) | David Fajgenbaum
Physician-scientist David Fajgenbaum was dying from a rare disease that didn't have a cure — until he discovered a lifesaving drug that wasn't originally intended for his condition. In an astonishing talk, he shares how his near-death experience led him to cofound the nonprofit E ... Show More
15m 33s
Sep 2025
A Special Re-Release: Case #17: Every Cure Pt.1 (Dr. David Fajgenbaum)
We’re celebrating Dr. David Fajgenbaum and revisiting one of our most impactful stories. David was just named to the TIME100 Health list and has a powerful new TED Talk—milestones that reflect the empathy, curiosity, and determination at the heart of his work. Once a college quar ... Show More
42m 26s
Aug 2025
The Medical Matchmaking Machine
<p>As he finished his medical school exam, David Fajgenbaum felt off.  He walked down to the ER and checked himself in.  Soon he was in the ICU with multiple organ failure.  The only drug for his condition didn’t work. He had months to live, if that.  If he was going to survive, ... Show More
1h 1m
May 2025
How to Cure What Ails You
<p>Now that we have the ability to see inside the brain without opening anyone's skull, we'll be able to map and define brain activity and peg it to behavior and feelings. Right? Well, maybe not, or maybe not just yet. It seems the workings of our brains are rather too complex an ... Show More
25m 1s
Feb 2025
CLASSIC: Conspiracy and the Cure: People Who Believe They've Cured Cancer
Each year, millions of people across the planet grapple with some form of cancer. Doctors work around the clock to create better treatments methods, early diagnosis techniques and more, but for many people these innovations will sadly come too late. With so many lives on the line ... Show More
1h 12m
Sep 2025
The life-saving secrets in your baby's DNA | Robert C. Green
What if we could get a heads-up about serious health issues before they begin, from the moment a baby is born? In this groundbreaking talk, geneticist and physician Robert C. Green shares how his team became the first in the world to comprehensively sequence and analyze the DNA o ... Show More
12m 43s
Aug 2024
The Life Scientific
Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, or ‘JVT’ as he's arguably better known, first came to widespread public attention in his role as Deputy Chief Medical Officer during the Covid-19 pandemic.But even before that, Jonathan had built an impressive career based on a long-held fascination with res ... Show More
27m 58s
Nov 2023
“On My Own”—Desperate to Stop a Resistant Bacterial Infection
Bradley Burnam woke up one morning, looked in the mirror and found one ear twice it’s normal size and his face swollen and discolored. He would spend the next several years in and out of the hospital fighting a relentless infection that would not respond to available treatments. ... Show More
27m 42s
Aug 2022
EP 204 — Dr. Andrew Kaufman: The Medical Detective
<p>How did the world get to where it is <b>RIGHT NOW</b> with so much health disinformation?</p><p>Dr. Andrew Kaufman explains why we got here and what we can do to build a better, safer, smarter and healthier world in this deductive Living 4D conversation.</p><p>Sign up for Andr ... Show More
2h 10m
Sep 2025
How do you turn hope into action? A doctor and a public health expert answer | David Fajgenbaum and Celina de Sola
How do you hold on to hope while still being realistic about the work that needs to be done? Immunology researcher David Fajgenbaum and public health expert Celina de Sola discuss how they scaled personal missions into organizations making long-term impact on communities near and ... Show More
31m 40s