Emerging Tech Unpacked with Lucy Lin
Ovarian Cancer: How To Detect a "Silent Killer" and Improve Women’s Health
Send us Fan Mail Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal women’s cancers because it’s often diagnosed too late and there’s still no routine screening test like a mammogram or Pap smear. In this episode of Emerging Tech Unpacked, host Lucy Lin sits down with Associate Professor Michelle Hill, a biochemist, scientist‑entrepreneur, and founder/CEO of Proseek Bio, to unpack one of the most shocking realities in women’s health: right now, the only way to definitively diagnose ovarian cancer is to surgically remove the ovary and send it to pathology. That means many women undergo major surgery, sometimes losing an ovary, just to find out whether a mass was cancerous or completely benign. In this conversation, we cover: What ovarian cancer is and why it’s called a “silent killer” Key ovarian cancer symptoms to watch for (bloating, pelvic pain, feeling full quickly, frequent urination, fatigue) Why today, definitive diagnosis often still requires surgery How Michelle’s company Proseek Bio is developing multi‑biomarker blood tests to help decide: “Do I really need this surgery?” The bigger picture of women’s health, medical gaslighting, and Michelle’s journey from scientist to health‑tech entrepreneur With special thanks to the CSIRO ON Innovation Program for sponsoring this important episode! For more information, visit our website: https://www.emergingtechunpacked.com/ Connect with us: https://bio.site/emergingtechunpacked Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on our social media channels to get the latest news: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emergingtechunpacked Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingtechunpacked/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Emerging-Tech-Unpacked/100090565331236/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emergingtechunpacked Chapters 00:00 Ovarian Cancer Wake-up Call 01:03 Meet Associate Professor Michelle Hill 04:04 Cake Lab 05:08 Why Diagnosis Needs Surgery 08:20 Silent Killer Explained 09:17 Why Detection Is Hard 12:07 Early Detection Saves Lives 17:03 Women Left Out Of Medical Research 20:09 Medical Gaslighting Reality 22:12 Symptoms You Can't Pin Down 34:29 Proseek Bio Origin Story 36:42 How The Blood Test Works 39:22 From Academia To Founder 42:54 Raising Capital Lessons 48:32 Future Skills For Scientists and Founders 53:22 Femtech And Women's Health 55:48 Practical Health Actions Support the show ️ Website: https://www.EmergingTechUnpacked.com/ ️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked ️ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4d6Hfoi ️ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/49TS1LG
