This week on Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Rodrigo Santos, CTO of clock.bio, a company pushing the boundaries of cellular rejuvenation to tackle age-related diseases. Rodrigo shares the fascinating work happening at clock.bio, including their hypothesis-free approach to uncovering rejuvenation factors and the creation of their “Atlas of Rejuvenation Factors.” We also got to hear about Rodrigo’s incredible journey - from growing up in a small farming village in Portugal to leading cutting-edge biotech companies - all driven by his passion for cellular plasticity and the transformative p ..read more

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, we had the pleasure of talking to Jen Fortune, Chief Operating Officer at Precede Biosciences. Jen shared her fascinating journey, from a PhD in chemistry to consulting, big pharma, and now driving operations in a cutting-edge liquid biopsy company. Her story is one of curiosity, grit, and seizing opportunities alongside incredible people. We also explored the game-changing potential of Precede’s work in epigenomics and how their innovative platform is helping to unlock the future of precision medicine. Along the way, Jen reflects on her passion for men ..read more

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, we’re with James Field, the founder and CEO of LabGenius, as we discuss his remarkable journey from PhD student to biotech entrepreneur. James reveals the vision behind LabGenius, a company harnessing the power of machine learning and protein engineering to transform therapeutic antibody discovery. Our conversation explores the challenges of early-stage entrepreneurship, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, and the transition from being a scientist at the bench to leading a multidisciplinary team. James also reflects on the role ..read more

In this latest episode of Careers in Discovery, we sit down with Alistair Henry, the new Chief Scientific Officer at UCB, to talk about his remarkable 26-year journey with the company. Alistair shares his passion for science and how it led him from a curious teenager to a leader in drug discovery, working on ground-breaking projects in immunology and neurology. Alistair opens up about the excitement and challenges of his new role, the importance of always looking ahead, and how he balances immediate priorities with long-term innovation. He also reflects on the pivotal moments in his career, fr ..read more

"Whatever opportunity arises, it may not be on the path that you think you should be on, but it will bring value. You have to do your best to identify what that value is. So keep an open mind about opportunities - there's sometimes value in applying for something that you only have 30% of the requirements for." Orla Cunningham is the Chief Scientific Officer of Granular Therapeutics and Ultrahuman 8, companies developing novel single antibody therapies for a range of diseases. Orla talked to us about her fascinating career to date, as well as the therapeutic potential of mast cells, how to get ..read more

"In the first few years [of your career], what's really important is to establish yourself. You learn a certain skillset in academia...the next thing is to really apply that in the context of a drug discovery project....if you develop a proven track record as a good scientist, good things will happen." Roland Burli is the Vice President of Drug Discovery at Cerevance, where he and his team are using a unique platform to develop new treatments for brain diseases. Roland joined us to discuss his varied career to date, from landing in LA with just a backpack to working for some of the industry's ..read more

This week on Careers in Discovery we’re with Katie Binley, CSO of Ikarovec, a gene therapy company tackling chronic eye diseases like geographic atrophy and age-related macular degeneration. Katie shares Ikarovec’s incredible journey—from starting out in the middle of a pandemic to securing a £5 million funding extension—and how a small, tight-knit team made it all happen. Katie tells us all about the science behind their work, how her career has evolved (including 25 years at Oxford Biomedica), and why stepping out of your comfort zone and creating your own luck are so important. It’s a brill ..read more

Shane Hegarty is the Chief Scientific Officer of Axonis Therapeutics, a Boston-based Biotech targeting KCC2 to revive neurons and treat people suffering from neurological disorders. Shane shared with us the story of his transition from academic to Biotech entrepreneur, why communication, persistence, collaboration and focus are critical skills for success, his amazing track record of securing grant funding, and much more ..read more

In this week’s episode of Careers in Discovery we’re talking with Lucas Arruda, CSO at CuraCell, a biotech on a mission to push the boundaries of cancer treatment using TIL (tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy. Lucas shares how CuraCell is working to expand TIL treatment beyond "hot" tumours like melanoma to tougher "cold" tumours, including prostate cancer—offering hope for patients who often have limited options. Lucas opens up about his path from academia to industry, driven by a lifelong love of science and a desire to make a real difference in people’s lives. He talks about the unique ..read more

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, we're joined by Lindsay Davies, Chief Scientific Officer at NextCell Pharma. Lindsay’s work focuses on harnessing the potential of umbilical cord-derived cells to treat autoimmune diseases, especially type 1 diabetes. She shares her inspiring journey from academia to leading cutting-edge cell therapy trials, driven by a commitment to patient-centred science and innovation. Lindsay also highlights her role in mentoring the next generation of scientists and her team’s exciting plans for QVance, a new venture to support advanced therapies with robust quali ..read more