S E760: Healing Without Needles with Dr. Tommy Rhee: Disrupting the Stem Cell Industry

Anika sits down with Dr. Tommy Rhee, a former US Navy aviator, sports chiropractor, and founder of RheeGen. They discuss his journey from treating professional athletes and Olympians to developing a patent-pending, topical stem-cell cream. Dr. Rhee shares why he shifted away from injectables, the challenges of self-funding a biotech startup, and his bold transition toward plant-based regenerative medicine to make advanced healing affordable and accessible for everyone.
In This Episode
How a Navy aviator background shapes startup discipline and problem-solving
The pivot from traditional sports chiropractic care to pioneering topical regenerative medicine
Why elite athletes avoid downtime and how that inspired a non-invasive solution
The science behind stem cell signals (extracellular vesicles) and transdermal delivery
Transitioning from human-tissue stem cells to plant-based alternatives for cost and accessibility
The challenges of self-funding a biotech company and seeking proof of concept
Why writing a book (The Future of Regenerative Medicine) became the ultimate patient education tool
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction: Meet Dr. Tommy Rhee and the mission of RheeGen
01:28 How Navy aviation training translates to biotech entrepreneurship
04:50 From sports fanatic to treating professional athletes and Olympians
09:04 The problem with athlete recovery, pain management, and forced downtime
10:10 A pivotal moment with a pro quarterback that inspired topical stem cell therapy
17:16 Balancing an active chiropractic practice while self-funding a biotech startup
18:33 The game-changer: Sourcing regenerative signals from plants instead of human tissue
24:40 Why Dr. Rhee wrote his book before launching his consumer product
28:04 Regulatory hurdles and the ethical supply chain issues in traditional stem cell clinics
31:46 The stress and reward of delivering a TEDx talk on healthcare breakthroughs
36:15 Democratizing sports medicine: Making elite healing accessible to the everyday person
41:19 Favorite quote: Bruce Lee's "Be like water"
Key Insights & Takeaways
Insight 1: Focus on Micro-Victories
Drawing from his Navy aviation background, Dr. Rhee emphasizes the importance of breaking massive goals down into actionable steps. R&D and business development don't happen overnight; they are the result of small, consistent wins that build momentum, test hypotheses, and create confidence.
Insight 2: The Needle is the Problem
Traditional regenerative medicine relies on injectables, which create secondary injury sites, pose infection risks, and require downtime that professional athletes can't afford. Topical delivery solves these pain points by offering non-invasive, transdermal healing that can be applied seamlessly during a competitive season.
Insight 3: It's About the Signal, Not the Cell
Live stem cells themselves aren't the magic bullet—it's the information (extracellular vesicles or EVs) they secrete. Once Dr. Rhee understood that healing relies on signaling existing tissue to regenerate, he realized those smaller molecules could be effectively delivered via a transdermal cream.
Insight 4: Plant-Based is the Future of Accessible Healing
Human-tissue stem cells are expensive, highly regulated, and limited in supply, which has led to shady practices in the industry. By identifying plants that emit the exact same regenerative signals as human tissues, RheeGen is pivoting to an Over-The-Counter (OTC) model that aims to bring the cost of elite therapy under $100.
Insight 5: Educational Content as a Business Strategy
Dr. Rhee didn't wait until his product was fully mainstream to establish thought leadership. Writing a book and doing a TEDx talk allowed him to educate the market, establish trust, and replace repetitive 40-minute patient consultations with a scalable, accessible educational resource.
Resources & Links Mentioned
Company: RheeGen (Topical Regenerative Medicine)
Book: The Future of Regenerative Medicine by Dr. Tommy Rhee
Video: Dr. T...