Dr. Robert Langer is the most cited engineer in history, MIT Institute Professor, and co-founder of Moderna and over 40 biotech companies that have touched billions of lives. He's also Pavise's Scientific Advisory Board Chair — and one of the most remarkable scientists alive.

But before any of that, he wrote to 40 universities looking for a job. Not one wrote back. He applied for 9 research grants. All rejected. A professor blew cigar smoke in his face and told him to find another job.

In this episode, Sophie Bai sits down with Bob Langer to talk about 15 years of rejection, the mentor who believed in him when no one else did, the first time his work saved a life, and what he's building now that could change how we treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

This is the story of what it actually takes to change medicine.