Giving Scientists Superpowers: How an AI-Powered “Thinking Microscope” Is Fast-Tracking Medical Breakthroughs episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 7, 2026 · 59 MIN

Giving Scientists Superpowers: How an AI-Powered “Thinking Microscope” Is Fast-Tracking Medical Breakthroughs

from Commonwealth Club of California Podcast · host Commonwealth Club of California

Gladstone’s Steven Finkbeiner shares how Gladstone’s AI-powered microscope is racing to cure neurodegenerative disease. Imagine a scientist that never sleeps, runs thousands of experiments at once, and learns from every success and failure in real-time. It’s not a person—it’s a microscope. Scientist Steven Finkbeiner, M.D., Ph.D., of San Francisco’s Gladstone Institutes, introduces us to a mind-boggling new reality: a “thinking microscope” powered by autonomous AI. By looking beyond the limits of human imagination, this machine is mapping out how diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS unfold, and discovering how to reverse them.  Join us to learn how this revolutionary leap in technology is radically accelerating the timeline for curing the world’s most devastating diseases. Come witness how going beyond human imagination might be the key to unlocking the world’s most anticipated medical breakthroughs. A Health & Medicine Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Robert Lee Kilpatrick  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Giving Scientists Superpowers: How an AI-Powered “Thinking Microscope” Is Fast-Tracking Medical Breakthroughs

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