Tag Archives: Caring for aging parents
Asim Ahmed Reflects On Caregiving, Infectious Disease Sleuthing, And The Soundtrack Of His Life
Asim Ahmed has three passions: the detection and workings of infectious diseases, sports (especially his hometown St. Louis teams), and music, and in this wide-ranging conversation, he shows how each one has shaped his life.
We talk about his one-of-a-kind custom jerseys (clever mashups of teams, players, and music references), his journey from pediatric infectious disease (ID) in academic medicine to metagenomic diagnostics in biotech, and the “detective work” mindset that drew him to ID in the first place.
We also close with something deeply personal: Asim reflects on the reality of caring for aging parents, including how complex the system can be, and why he’s willing to help others who find themselves learning it on the fly.
Highlights include:
The art (and satire) of his custom sports jerseys
Why he was drawn to infectious disease
The promise of “liquid biopsy”–style diagnostics for infections
The live shows and venues that he’ll never forget
The Amherst classmate he wants me to interview next
For those not familiar with “Seven Nations Army” by the White Stripes, you can listen to it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY.
You can email Asim at atothe3@gmail.com. Big thanks to JC Leveque for nominating him.
Jason Spero Is Learning From Both Endings and Beginnings
Jason Spero is going through a lot of change. His father recently passed away following a years-long battle with Alzheimer’s. His youngest child is in the back half of her high school years, and after nearly two decades helping to build Google’s mobile advertising business, he is stepping away from a big job to chart a new path, one shaped by family, community, and the lessons of mortality and loss.
In this candid conversation, Jason opens up about caring for his father during his battle with Alzheimer’s, preparing to send his daughters into adulthood, and the clarity he’s gained on how finite our time is. He reflects on the pride and worries that come from shaping the mobile and digital industry, and why he’s now turning his focus to entrepreneurship, technology for climate solutions, and reimagining community in an increasingly digital age. Jason also shares how Amherst set the foundation for his curiosity and critical thinking, what he hopes to impart to his own kids, and why liberal arts matter more than ever in an AI-driven world. And of course, he nominates the next classmates he hopes to hear on the show.
You can email Jason at jason.spero@gmail.com.
Resources Jason mentions:
Video – We Only Deserve a Styrofoam Cup: https://youtu.be/FNf1pKRhay8?si=czeWR5fizxc0afbN
Book – Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks: https://a.co/d/ignmyTZ
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