Science
Diabetes sometimes leads to loss of vision. What if there were a simple screening device to find out who is at risk? Dr. Lloyd Hildebrand, a Canadian ophthalmologist and founder of two start-up companies, invented a hand-held device that in minutes measures the eye’s electrical waves to detect patients who may be suffering from diabetic retinopathy. Hildebrand talks about the challenges in moving from academia to the start-up world. “It was hard to get somebody that understood what we were doing to fund the company and run it,” Hildebrand said, “so I drew the short straw.” *This episode is a re-release.* TRANSCRIPT: Intro (00:01): Inventors and their inventions. Welcome to Radio Cade the podcast from the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention in Gainesville, Florida. The museum is named after James Robert Cade, who invented Gatorade in 1965. My name is Richard Miles. We'll introduce you to inventors and the things that motivate them, we'll learn about their personal stories, how their inventions work and how their ideas get from the laboratory to the marketplace. Richard Miles (00:40): An EKG for the eye is helping people with diabetes to keep their eyesight. Welcome to radio Cade, I'm your host, Richard Miles. And today I'm talking to Dr. Lloyd Hildebrand and ophthalmologist and founder of two startup companies. Welcome to Radio Cade, Lloyd. Dr. Lloyd Hildebrand (00:53): Thank you very much. It's good to be here. Richard Miles (00:55): So Lloyd, I got to say you're the second Canadian I've interviewed in the last three days. And our listeners may begin to think I've fled to Manitoba, Saskatchewan or somewhere, but I promise from the beginning, no hockey jokes, no references to Molson or any of that nonsense. Dr. Lloyd Hildebrand (01:08): Okay. At least it's not February and 40 below zero. Richard Miles (01:12): Exactly. But I did want to comment on that. Actually, you were born in Canada and you grew up in Brazil. You came back to Canada for medical school, you practice in Iowa for a few years as a physician, then some training in Oklahoma, you worked in Portland, Oregon for a while. And now you're either in New York or Las Vegas. I can't remember where you are at the moment. Dr. Lloyd Hildebrand (01:30): I'm in Las Vegas now. Richard Miles (