Life Science Success

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Science Success, I am joined by Daniel Thadani the Head of Retail and Tenders for IPCA Laboratories Limited.  Daniel is based in Kyiv, Ukraine 🇺🇦.  He is responsible for  business promotion and development, sales forecasting, distribution management, marketing coordination with head office, pricing, product registration through a third party, team hiring, and management.   Daniel Thadani worked as a country head in Kazakhstan for five and a half years He describes the differences in medical affairs, regulatory, people management, distribution, and the overall landscape of pharma in Central Asia Thadani emphasizes the importance of trust and integrity in leadership He works for IPCA Laboratories, a top-notch pharma company that produces branded generic products with 350 formulations and 80 APIs in various therapeutic areas IPCA has a solid footprint in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia and is a world leader in APIs Thadani discusses the resilience of the pharma business in Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic and war He is concerned about indecency and political approaches in people, as well as discrepancies in numbers Thadani is excited by complex situations with a positive impact on his immediate ecosystem  

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Science Success, my guest is Nusqe Spanton.  Nusqe is the founder and CEO of Provectus Algae. He is an aquaculture and algae expert with nearly two decades of experience working in international aquacultural production, marine biotechnology, and corporate management.   Nusqe Spanton discusses the potential of marine microorganisms to produce commercially valuable compounds. The company, Provectus, is focused on developing products for food, agriculture, and cosmetics, as well as oral fertility treatments. The company is still in an early phase of development and has around 30 employees. Spanton emphasizes the importance of making quick and decisive decisions as a leader, especially in a startup environment. He also stresses the need to move quickly in addressing environmental concerns. Spanton is inspired by his children and the potential of the younger generation to effect change. He is excited about building a great business with like-minded individuals and being a problem solver.  

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Science Success, my guest is John Alderete. Dr. Alderete has successfully applied his wide range of experience and formal training to the evaluation, financing, formation, and operation of diagnostics and medical device technology companies. Don Davis and John Alderete discuss pitching scientific research to investors Davis emphasizes tailoring pitches to the audience and understanding investors' perspective Alderete stresses the importance of having the right team and being honest about limitations Alderete expresses concern about lack of progress in biological surveillance and potential for future pandemics Alderete is excited about modern tools and technologies available to younger generation of scientists The conversation offers insights on challenges of pitching research, importance of team, and need for better pandemic preparation It highlights exciting possibilities in modern tools and technologies for younger scientists.    

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Science Success, my guest is Dr. Helen Torley.  Dr. Torley is the President and CEO of Halozyme. Halozyme's innovative and disruptive solutions provide new therapeutic options that could significantly improve the patient experience by changing how treatments are delivered.  Dr. Helen Torley, CEO of Halozyme, discusses the company's dedication to improving patient experiences and outcomes through their research and development of monoclonal antibodies and small molecules. Halozyme places a strong emphasis on corporate culture, including cross-functional collaboration and community outreach. Dr. Torley shares how the book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" has influenced her leadership style. Dr. Torley is inspired by the innovative ideas and enthusiasm of her team members. She expresses concern about the impact of remote work on creativity, problem-solving, and personal development. The company is focused on putting patients at the center of their mission. They have a strong focus on community outreach, with 70% employee participation in volunteering events. She shares a personal story about a family member's experience with cancer treatment to underscore the importance of improving patient experiences. This episode of the Life Science Success podcast provides insight into the innovative solutions Halozyme is developing and their commitment to patient-centered care.  

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Science Success my guest is Kristofer Mussar.   Kristofer graduated from University of Georgia with a PhD in Molecular Genetics where he focused on Epigenetics and Evolution. He simultaneously obtained his MBA from the Terry College of Business.  He is currently the Managing Director and COO of VectorBuilder Inc.   Kristofer Mussar, PhD, discusses his company Vector Builder and their innovative gene delivery methods. Vector Builder's platform is free to use and includes a design team for gene delivery methods. They are working on several R&D projects, including a capsid evolution for novel capsids, a bacterial backbone-free plasmid, and antibody-conjugated lipo nanoparticles with mRNA. Vector Builder emphasizes collaboration and treating researchers as collaborators. Mussar believes in the importance of genetics and personalized medicine. Vector Builder has a new software-based platform called Vector B in development.  

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Science Success my guests are Rahul Sharma, the co-founder and CSO of Scienetix, a company dedicated to enabling Molecular Diagnosis. Dr. Sharma is a board-certified laboratory director and technical lead for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and PCR-based assay development and clinical testing. He has developed multiple Molecular Diagnosis tests and translated them into clinical testing.    Additionally, We are joined by Rob Carpenter PhD, MBA the CEO of Scienetix.  Rob is a healthcare executive and educator with over 25 years’ experience in developing, managing, and assimilating healthcare companies. He is distinctly skilled in business development and various business growth strategies. He is founder and current CEO of Advanta Genetics, a highly complex clinical and research laboratory accredited by the College of American Pathologists with concentration in infectious disease molecular genomics and Scienetix, a bioscientific company centered around products to optimize molecular genomic workflows.     In the podcast, Dr. Sharma and Dr. Carpenter talk about the healthcare industry's need to optimize workflow and reduce costs in laboratory testing. Their company, Scienetix, is working on developing extraction-free tests that will eliminate the need for sample pre-processing and make testing more accessible and cheaper for labs. They are also focused on increasing the multiplex capability of PCR reactions, which will allow labs to test for more targets in a single reaction. Dr. Sharma and Dr. Carpenter also discuss their leadership styles and offer advice on being reliable, thinking about the application of science, and staying creative. They express concern about the growing distrust of science and the spread of misinformation, particularly in the age of social media. What excites them most is the opportunity to solve scientific challenges and create products that have a societal impact.

Send us a textIn this episode of Life Sciences Success, my guest is Sharon Rogers the CEO of AmyriAD.  Sharon brings the strength of her 35 years of pharmaceutical experience to AmyriAD. She is best known as the worldwide leader and development strategist for the highly successful AD treatment, Aricept. Aricept has been the standard of care for more than 20 years, and no other AD program has produced more compelling results.   Sharon L. Rogers, a research scientist, talks about a new drug for Alzheimer's disease The drug, AD101, is designed to improve cognition and global function in Alzheimer's patients It is a cholinergic drug, but its action is limited to the brain, making it more effective than other cholinergic drugs The drug has gone through phase two trials and is now moving into phase three Rogers also discusses her experience as an expat in Japan and the importance of resilience and leadership She expresses concern about complacency and outrage fatigue Rogers is excited about the potential of Gen Z to effect change

Send us a textToday on the Life Science Success podcast my guest is Sal Buscemi.  Sal is a notable figure in the world of finance and real estate, has made a name for himself through his impressive portfolio of investments and his leadership roles in various investment offices. Currently serving as the CEO and Co-Founding Partner of HRN, a private multi-family investment office, as well as the CEO for Dandrew Partners Capital Management.   Sal Buscemi discusses the importance of understanding the science and evaluating user feedback effectively He advises making investment opportunities attractive to investors, as they are unlikely to focus on the math Sal emphasizes the significance of building relationships and networking, as it is important for building a brand and reputation He expresses concerns about the potential destabilization of the petro dollar and the impact it might have on the strength of the country Sal mentions that he enjoys building things, meeting new people, and making an impact in the life sciences industry  

Send us a texthis week on the Life Science Success Podcast, my guest is Surekha Karudapuram, VP Commercial Operations - Isolation Bio Inc.  Surekha is an innovative, technically-savvy and accomplished product & marketing executive with 15+ years of experience, including leading the development and execution of corporate product management and marketing programs to support long term strategic, commercial, and financial goals.   Surekha Karudapuram is a product manager who leads marketing, product management, and commercial operations teams. Isolation Bio provides a high throughput microbial cultivation platform and services to accelerate the time to discovery for microbiome R&D and product development. Isolation Bio's platform is automated, scalable, and helps to generate microbes that could be used in therapeutics or bio fertilizers. Surekha is concerned about the ethical and regulatory guardrails in the fast-moving life sciences space and the communication of scientific discoveries to the general public. Surekha is excited about the possibilities in the microbiome space and believes that microbiome scientists in both academia and industry are going to make exciting discoveries that will translate into great benefits for humanity.    

Send us a textIn this episode of the Life Science Success podcast my guest is Jeremy Stackawitz.  Jeremy has over 25 years of healthcare industry experience and 15 years of diagnostics experience. Before joining Senzo as CEO, from 2009-2021 Mr. Stackawitz held roles of CCO, President, and CEO at Quotient (QTNT), helping lead the company from start-up to IPO.    Jeremy Stackawitz, CEO of Senzo Biosciences, recently discussed the current state of the diagnostic industry. The industry faces several challenges and opportunities, including the need for accessibility and cost reduction. Stackawitz notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the industry, with many companies struggling to stay afloat. One of the key topics Stackawitz discussed was the advantages and disadvantages of small versus large companies in the industry. While smaller companies may have more agility and flexibility, larger companies may have more resources and established relationships with key players in the industry. When asked to share his favorite leadership advice, Stackawitz emphasized the importance of building a strong team and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. He also shared what inspires and concerns him in his work, including the potential to make a positive impact on people's lives through improved diagnostics, as well as the challenges of navigating a complex and constantly evolving industry. Overall, Stackawitz's insights provide a valuable perspective on the diagnostic industry and the opportunities and challenges it faces. By addressing issues such as accessibility, cost reduction, and the advantages and disadvantages of different types of companies, the industry can continue to innovate and improve the lives of people around the world.