Advertise on podcast: Careers in Discovery

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, Marie Wikström Lindholm, Chief Scientific Officer at Silence Therapeutics, shares the leadership lessons she's learned throughout her career in Biotech. From trusting the expertise around her to adapting beyond the habits that once drove her success, Marie reflects on the experiences that shaped her approach to leadership, decision-making, and scientific innovation. A thoughtful conversation on growth, judgement, and leading through complexity.

Most Biotech careers aren’t built on big breakthroughs; they’re built on tough calls. In this episode, Grahame Mackenzie shares what it really takes to build in Biotech, from scaling tiny teams into clinic-delivering companies to knowing when to kill your own projects. He breaks down the mindset shift many scientists struggle with letting go of emotional attachment to the science, making ruthless decisions, and focusing on what turns into a drug. Grahame’s message is clear: the difference isn’t ideas, it’s the people you build with, and the decisions you’re willing to make.

In this episode, Andrea Braun-Scherhag, SVP and Global Head of Regulatory Affairs & Safety at Autolus, breaks down what it really takes to bring breakthrough therapies to market, especially when there’s no established playbook. From securing rapid global approvals to navigating entirely new pathways in cell and gene therapy, she shares why regulatory sits at the centre of Biotech success. Andrea challenges the common perception of regulatory as operational, revealing it instead as one of the most impactful, forward-looking functions in any biotech. She also highlights the importance of engaging regulators early, aligning teams behind a clear strategy, and putting patients at the heart of development, particularly in rare diseases.

What does it really take to progress from bench science to leading a Biotech platform as Chief Scientific Officer? In this episode of Careers in Discovery, Daniel Tardiff, CSO at Camp4 Therapeutics, shares a candid look at building and scaling science inside an early‑stage biotech. From his foundations in RNA biology to advancing antisense programmes for haploinsufficiency-driven neurodevelopmental disorders, Dan unpacks how translational judgement is developed over time, not taught. Key takeaway: Career progression isn’t about having perfect answers. It’s about making credible decisions under uncertainty and bringing others with you as the science scales.

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, Adrian Gabriel Torres, Chief Scientific Officer at Aptadel Therapeutics, talks about developing RNA aptamer–based cancer therapies and leading scientific strategy in a preclinical biotech start-up. Adrian also shares his journey from academic research into industry, reflecting on the differences between academia and biotech, learning new skill sets, managing teams, and making career decisions along the way.

This week on Careers on Discovery, we’re joined by Rachel Abbott, CEO of Pan Cancer T. Rachel shares her journey from academic science into biotech leadership, reflecting on the pivotal moments that shaped her career - from early setbacks at university to working on T‑cell therapies that reached patients, and ultimately stepping into a first‑time CEO role. We discuss Pan Cancer T’s work developing next‑generation T‑cell therapies for solid tumours, and the challenges of translating complex science into the clinic. She also reflects on confidence, resilience, and why saying yes to opportunities before you feel ready has been a defining theme throughout her career.

This week on Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Ignacio Moraga, CSO and co‑founder of TECRegen. Ignacio shares his journey from Madrid to the Pasteur Institute, Stanford and Dundee, and now into biotech entrepreneurship. We talk about his work regenerating the thymus to rejuvenate the immune system, the science that inspired TECRegen, and the emerging opportunities in healthy ageing and immunotherapy. He also reflects on navigating academia, the importance of resilience, why understanding “how the game is played” matters for early scientists, and what ultimately drew him from a successful academic career into building companies.

This week on Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Sarah Almond, VP of Translational Biology at NRG Therapeutics. Sarah shares her journey from early lab work to leading translational science on a first in class neurodegeneration programme. We talk about the serendipity that shaped her career, the importance of early hands-on experience, and how redundancies opened unexpected doors. Sarah reflects on leadership; from learning to give difficult feedback, to the responsibility that comes with shaping people’s day to day wellbeing, to the power of listening when managing teams. She also discusses adapting to biotech’s fast pace, navigating uncertainty, and the mindset needed to thrive in a small, mission driven environment.

This week on Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Jonathan Levenson, CSO at FireCyte Therapeutics. Jonathan shares his unconventional journey from early curiosity about biology to a career spanning neuroscience research, Biotech innovation, and scientific leadership. We explore his transition from academia to industry, the lessons he learned building discovery platforms and leading translational programs, and how embracing storytelling and stakeholder alignment shaped his leadership approach. Jonathan also takes us inside the creation of FireCyte - from reimagining the retina as a window into neurodegeneration to navigating an early scientific pivot that reshaped the company’s direction. His experience is a compelling reminder that breakthrough progress often starts with challenging assumptions and following the data.

From academic deep‑tech to the front lines of Biotech entrepreneurship - Eline Koers’ journey is a masterclass in courage, clarity, and reinvention. After years immersed in structural biology and membrane protein folding, Eline realised she wanted her work to have real‑world impact. That shift pulled her out of academia, into translational science, and eventually into founding AAB Therapeutics - a company engineering extracellular vesicles to solve one of oncology’s biggest challenges: getting drugs where they need to go. In this conversation, Eline shares the turning points that shaped her path, discussing the importance of curiosity, timing, and daring to step into the unknown - even when the success rate is small and the learning curve is steep. A brilliant episode for anyone considering a move from academia into Biotech, or thinking about building something of their own.

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, Tyler is joined by Marc Damelin, Chief Scientific Officer at Alphina Therapeutics. Marc shares his journey from physics undergraduate to Biotech leader, and how a love of problem‑solving gradually drew him from yeast genetics into human disease and ultimately into drug development. After a decade in big pharma working on antibody–drug conjugates, he steps into Biotech leadership, first at Mersana and now at Alphina, where he’s pioneering a new class of ADCs built around NAMPT inhibition. Along the way, Marc reflects on choosing industry without having a clear plan, understanding what makes a role the right fit, and why being truly data‑driven is one of the most important habits a scientist can develop. An open, forward‑looking conversation about evidence, judgment and the momentum that comes from backing the right ideas at the right time.

From Romania to Roche to cutting-edge Biotech, Roxana Dreghici has carved out a remarkable career in drug development - and she’s done it with grit, clarity and the courage to leap into the unknown. Now VP of Musculoskeletal at Edgewise Therapeutics, Roxana shares the pivotal moments that shaped her journey: from her early days coordinating clinical trials in Texas, to building a name for herself in global pharma, and ultimately returning to her passion for muscular dystrophies. In this episode of Careers in Discovery, we talk ambition, adaptability, and the importance of knowing what you want - even before you know how to get it.

This week on Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Peter Hamley, Founder and CEO of Scripta Therapeutics.  Peter didn’t follow the typical founder path. After a long and successful career in big pharma R&D and business development, he made the leap into Biotech with a mission: to unlock the potential of transcription factors in treating neurodegenerative diseases. What followed was a complete mindset shift - from structure and scale to agility and risk.  In this episode, Peter shares the thinking behind Scripta’s unique approach to drug discovery, how his experience at Sanofi and AstraZeneca shaped his leadership style, and why failure, iteration, and clarity of purpose are more important now than ever.

Kathryn Golden didn’t set out to be a scientist. In fact, she made her parents promise she wouldn’t have to become one when she enrolled at a science-focused high school. But a chemistry class changed everything, setting her on a path from MIT’s bioprocessing labs to senior leadership roles in Biotech and pharma.  Now VP of Technical Operations at Ottimo Pharma and co-founder of Sunflower Therapeutics, Kathryn’s career has been shaped by a relentless curiosity, a deep commitment to patient access, and a willingness to step into the unknown. She shares her journey from building perfusion bioreactors in grad school, to leading global CMC teams, to launching portable manufacturing units for biologics in the developing world.  In this conversation, Kathryn reflects on lessons in leadership, mentorship, and integrity - from creating a calm, learning-focused culture to knowing when to walk away. She talks openly about imposter syndrome, what it really takes to transition into executive roles, and how entrepreneurship, like science, is best approached as an experiment.

Ofer Haviv didn’t take the usual route into Biotech. With a background in economics and finance, he began his career far from the lab - but a long-standing passion for biology brought him back to science in an unexpected way.  Now CEO of Evogene, Ofer shares how he moved from CFO to spinning out a company at the intersection of AI and biology, building platforms to discover small molecule therapeutics and agricultural innovations. He reflects on leading through uncertainty, what makes a strong Biotech culture, and why staying focused on real-world problems is essential to innovation.  Evogene’s evolution is far from over, but Ofer’s story offers a rare and thoughtful look into the blend of science, business and humanity that drives Biotech forward.