Identifying Addiction Risk Through Genomics and Behavior with James Piacentino

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Episode Overview: 

Addiction doesn't announce itself- it emerges silently, often after a routine medical procedure. 

Our next guest, James Piacentino, is changing this reality as CEO and Co-Founder of Thrive Genetics. 

With over 20 years in healthcare technology and two successful startup exits under his belt, James brings both personal experience and professional expertise to this mission. 

After losing his father to opioid addiction following a routine surgery, James dedicated his career to ensuring others wouldn't face the same tragedy. By combining cutting-edge genomics with behavioral psychology, Thrive Genetics helps physicians understand a patient's addiction risk before prescribing pain medication. 

Join us to discover how James and his team are pioneering personalized addiction risk management, transforming how healthcare systems approach prevention, and working to spare millions of families from generational trauma. Let's go!

Episode Highlights:

• Curiosity as the foundation for innovation: James emphasizes that deep curiosity about solving meaningful problems is the key driver that gets him out of bed every morning and the most important quality he looks for in team members.
• Personal tragedy sparking a mission: After losing his father to opioid addiction following a 1982 car accident and back surgery, James dedicated his career to preventing others from experiencing the same generational trauma.
• Staggering gap in care: Up to 25% of patients undergoing high-pain procedures become addicted to prescribed opioids, yet no proactive addiction risk assessment exists before prescribing pain medication.
• Science-backed solution: Thrive Genetics combines 10 years of research and over $50M in NIH grants to create addiction risk scores based on both genetic predisposition (50%) and behavioral factors (50%).
• Thinking beyond the individual: James' North Star is reaching billions of people by preventing not just individual addiction cases, but stopping generational family trauma before it starts.

About our Guest: 

Thrive Genetics is led by Co-Founder and CEO, James J. Piacentino, MBA, a healthcare technology entrepreneur with over 20 years in tech and life sciences. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, James has built and sold two prior startups, published in the Harvard Business Review, and held senior leadership roles at SAP. He is mentored by Harry Kraemer, former CEO of Baxter International and Kellogg Professor of Management.

Links Supporting This Episode: 

• Thrive Genetics Website: CLICK HERE
• Jame Piacentino LinkedIn page: CLICK HERE
• Thrive Genetics LinkedIn: CLICK HERE
• Mike Biselli LinkedIn page: CLICK HERE
• Mike Biselli Twitter page: CLICK HERE
• Visit our website: CLICK HERE
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