A Call to Lead @LifeScience ORG

Why do people with a sense of service make better leaders?How do you walk into the boardroom – on the cusp of clinical trials – and tell them the strategy is set to fail?And what does it mean to go from CSO to CEO on the brink of a pivot?Today I’m joined by Namir Hassan, CEO of Zelluna based in Oslo, Norway. Zelluna is developing next generation off the shelf cell therapies to address huge unmet needs like solid tumours in oncology. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Chapters1:32 A personal connection to cancer4:12 From scientist to CEO: answering the call4:25 Service as a leadership philosophy6:58 Leading through a high-stakes pivot15:25 Stepping into the unknown: leading outside your expertise19:50 The challenges facing biotech leaders today21:49 Activity is not progress24:25 The biotech ecosystem in Oslo27:51 Why solid tumors are so hard to treat32:15 What the ecosystem needs to address solid cancer34:58 A call for steady, accountable leadership

What does it take to follow the science halfway round the world?How do you persuade a team of brilliant scientists to go from asking questions to building solutions?And why is “If you’re explaining, you’re losing” some of the worst advice in biotech?Today I’m joined by Reagan Jarvis, CEO of Anocca. Anocca is a T-Cell biology biotech based near Stockholm, Sweden, and they’re building a platform to decipher T-cell targets and targeting constructs to develop personalised and precise T-cell therapies. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Chapters01:35 — Following the Science Across the World 03:04 — From Postdoc Frustration to Founding a Company 04:37 — Taking the CEO Role 06:02 — Redirecting Scientists Toward Execution 10:59 — Communicating Differentiation in a Complex Field 13:53 — Lessons in Tone and Positioning 18:31 — Building Biotech in Europe 22:29 — Decoding T-Cell Biology and the Path to Personalised Therapies 32:39 — Leadership vs. Management

How do you run a company that is – quite literally – in a warzone?Why should you define your culture before building the company?And what is the secret to a co-founder relationship that’s lasted longer than most marriages?Today I’m joined by Yogev Debbi, CEO and co-founder of Mana Bio based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Mana is an AI based drug delivery startup, focusing on gene therapy including DNA and RNA-based therapeutics, and vaccines. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Chapters1:37 – From Software to Life Science: Finding Purpose Beyond Profit3:41 – Building a Founding Team: Hiring Scientists When You're Not One16:42 – The Co-Founder Relationship: Trust, Transparency, and Two Decades Together19:17 – Defining Culture Before You Have a Company21:05 – Using Investors as a Filter: Reverse Due Diligence During Ideation32:38 – Leading Through Crisis: Resilience in an Active Conflict Zone37:55 – The Gene Delivery Challenge: Why the Space Shuttle Matters More Than the Astronaut39:41 – AI-Driven Drug Discovery: Redefining What a Failed Experiment Means45:18 – The Tech-Bio Convergence: Bridging Two Worlds Within One Team

What do you do when a family member gets a life-changing diagnosis?How do you convince investors to back the impossible?And why should you ask every expert to kill your idea?I’m joined by JP Latere, CEO of Esobiotec. Based in Belgium, Esobiotec pioneered in-vivo cell therapy and was acquired by AstraZeneca in a billion-dollar deal in 2025. Of course, we’ll talk more about the deal (and the science) at the end of the episode. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Chapters0:00 Introduction2:35 When Cancer Gets Personal5:47 No More Options7:48 The Manufacturing Crisis12:18 A Crazy Idea Worth Exploring12:57 Betting on the Impossible17:16 How to Kill an Idea28:19 The China Pivot34:06 Good Data Screams38:54 Cell Therapy for Everyone42:03 The Patient Is the Ultimate Shareholder

Why is leadership development a bit like working out? How does a self-confessed introvert and data-driven scientist rewire themselves to make high-stakes decisions with incomplete information?What does it really mean to lead a biotech as an outsider – an immigrant, a woman, an introvert - who never set out to be a CEO?Today I’m joined by Ola Wlodek, CEO of Constructive Bio based in Cambridge UK.Constructive Bio is a biotechnology company specializing the manufacturing and design of proteins and peptides with new chemistries for pharma and other industries. We’ll talk more about the science at the end of the episode. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps4:12 From Medicine to Molecular Biology6:13 The Path to a PhD and an Unconventional Career6:57 Leading from the Lab: An Unexpected CEO7:52 Building Leadership Muscles as an Introvert10:57 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in the C-Suite15:55 Navigating Cultural Identity and Bias in Biotech19:33 Women in Science: Systemic Barriers and Advocacy22:55 Intentionality as a Strategic Leadership Tool26:44 The Science of Sustainable Peptide Manufacturing33:29 CEO Loneliness and the Power of Peer Networks

Why is celebrating failure in life science just as important as celebrating success?How do you make the psychological shift from being one expert among many in the room to being a leader of experts?And what does a near-industry wide clinical failure have to do with a potential new treatment for half a billion osteoarthritis patients?Today I’m joined by Eliot Forster, CEO of Levicept based just south of Oxford in the UK, looking into novel treatments for the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis.About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps1:03 - From Big Pharma to Biotech: Why Cross the Table? 4:33 - The Moment You Decide to Lead 7:41 - The Personal Toll of the CEO Role 9:39 - Practical Habits That Protect Your Bandwidth 11:04 - Leading in a Crowded Capital Environment 13:02 - Transitioning from Expert to Leader of Experts 17:36 - Why Celebrating Failure Is Non-Negotiable in Drug Development 24:40 - The Maturing European Life Science Ecosystem 28:07 - A Novel Approach to Osteoarthritis: From Industry-Wide Failure to Phase 2 Success 35:13 - Optimism as a Professional Imperative in Life Science

How do you lead a company that’s one of the first of its kind?What can a geocaching game on a company retreat teach you about leadership style?Can AI tackle the big challenges in drug discovery today?Today I’m joined by Szabolcs Nagy, CEO of Turbine, based in Budapest, Hungary. Founded 10 years ago, Turbine is virtualising biology from the cellular level upwards using AI. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Background1:19 - From Cybersecurity to Life Sciences6:18 - Becoming CEO: Leadership Transition10:14 - Early Challenges: Learning the Space14:22 - Navigating Imposter Syndrome19:03 - Leadership Lessons from Geocaching22:44 - Building in Hungary: Ecosystem Challenges26:05 - Virtualizing Biology: The Vision32:01 - Industry Challenges: Data, AI & Business Models37:48 - Leadership Reflection: Letting Go

What do you do when entrepreneurship calls and your partner lives overseas?How much can you really delegate as a CEO?Why does a 50-year-old gene expression problem still exist – and what happens if we solve it?I’m joined by Kart Tomberg, CEO of ExpressionEdits based in Cambridge, UK. ExpressionEdits is a seed-stage company taking on the challenging bottlenecks going from DNA to protein and convincing cells to make proteins for us.About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Background2:52 - From Academia to Entrepreneurship7:18 - Early Leadership Lessons10:30 - The Two-Body Problem13:39 - Challenges Facing Life Science CEOs19:25 - Cambridge Ecosystem & European Life Science22:59 - The Science: Protein Expression Challenge30:45 - Leadership Philosophy & Delegation

Why lead a company into the increasingly crowded obesity space?How do you go from a career in veterinary surgery to CEO of a medtech company?And what is so magical about Oxford when it comes to life science?Today I’m joined by Camilla Easter, CEO of Oxford Medical Products (OMP), a late-stage medtech company based in Witney, Oxfordshire, in the UK. OMP’s lead product is a non-pharmacological treatment for obesity in overweight patients.We’ll talk more about the science at the end of the episode, but first Camilla shares her journey to leadership from the vet clinic.About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.TimestampsIntroduction (0:00)From Veterinary Surgery to Biotech Leadership (0:53)The Call to Lead: Finding Your Path (1:50)Career Transitions: Navigating Change (4:30)Stepping Into CEO Role (7:55)Personal Challenges and Defining Moments (10:49)Shared Challenges in Life Science Leadership (15:42)Leadership Lessons: Communication & Community (17:47)The European Life Science Ecosystem (20:39)Tackling the Obesity Crisis: Why This Problem? (21:47)The Technology: A Non-Pharmacological Solution (25:21)Ecosystem Solutions: What We Can Do Together (27:13)A Vision for the Future (33:09)Final Thoughts: Embracing Failure and Learning (35:49)

Why does the perception of facts matter when talking to investors?How do you attract a US-based chair to a European company’s board?And what are the advantages of running a virtual biotech with no labs of its own?Today, I’m joined by Victor Bustos, CEO of Refoxy Pharma. Refoxy is a "virtual biotech" located in Cologne, Germany, and is developing small-molecule drugs for the treatment of age-related disease. About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: The Leadership Journey1:24 - From Academia to Entrepreneurship6:00 - Early Leadership Challenges: Truth vs. Perception7:24 - Communication Skills & Stakeholder Management10:37 - Peer Learning & Strategic Thinking12:05 - Building Your Board: Attracting US Talent to Europe13:29 - Virtual Biotech Model: Advantages & Strategy16:26 - Due Diligence in CRO Partnerships18:09 - The Science: Targeting Age-Related Disease20:01 - Strategic Indication Selection: IPF Case Study22:01 - Ecosystem Collaboration & Regulatory Landscape23:31 - The Future of Longevity Medicine25:25 - Leadership Philosophy: Leading by Example

How does a United States Air Force officer end up leading a European biotech company?Is there an advantage to leading a company that’s based half a world away?And are you doing a regrets analysis as part of your decision-making?This week I’m joined by Mark Gaffney, a Boston-based CEO leading Calluna Pharma. Calluna is a Norwegian company developing therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, such as IPF – but we’ll get into the science later in the episode.First, Mark shares his story on what drew him into life science and how he got from the US air force and into C-suite.About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps1:30 - From Military Service to Biotech Leadership1:45 - Personal Motivation: Fighting Retinitis Pigmentosa3:10 - Career Transition: Law to Life Sciences5:36 - Stepping Up to CEO: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome7:49 - Leadership Lessons from the Air Force12:00 - Leading Across Continents: Virtual Leadership Strategies16:14 - The Regrets Analysis: A Decision-Making Framework20:03 - European Biotech Innovation and Efficiency22:13 - Calluna Pharma: Tackling IPF with Novel Targets24:02 - Navigating Risk in Novel Target Development25:35 - Ecosystem Support for Inflammatory Disease Research28:32 - Building and Empowering High-Performance Teams

What inspires a theoretical physicist to start a drug invention company?How do you choose the right co-founder when you're coming from academia?And, in a multi-site, multi-cultural European organisation – how does a leader manage communication with the team?I’m joined by Maximilien Levesque, physics academic turned entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder of Paris and London-based company AQEMIA. Aqemia uses a mix of physics and generative AI to invent therapeutics for poorly treated diseases.More on the science towards the end of the episode, but first Max explains what inspired him to found AQEMIA and how he's faced challenges from selecting a co-founder to communicating and maintaining team alignment as his company grows in two locations.About LifeScience ORGIt’s no secret that Europe is a global leader in generating translational science. We’re grateful at LifeScience ORG to have a community of over 400 life science CEOs – leaders driving change in biotech, medtech, techBio and healthcare.The conversations inside our community – stories of conviction, navigating challenges, and making bold decisions – inspire us every week. To hear the stories, lessons, and experiences of our life science leaders, listen to A Call to Lead @ LifeScience ORG, available on all good podcasting platforms.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome00:27 Max's Story05:08 Challenges and Realizations in the Leadership Journey07:09 Finding the Right Co-Founder10:32 Building a Multicultural, Multidisciplinary Company13:44 Maintaining Team Alignment14:50 European Life Science Landscape17:09 Generative AI in Drug Discovery24:42 Vision for the Future26:23 Leadership Insights

This isn't Jack O'Meara's first rodeo. As CEO of Ochre Bio, he saw the company bring in millions to develop pioneering RNA therapies for liver disease. With his new venture Aerska, he's looking at bringing the transformative potential of targeted RNA therapy to the realm of neurological disease.In this episode of A Call to Lead, David Kirk speaks with Jack O’Meara, CEO and co-founder of Aerska, about his personal story behind tackling neurodegenerative disease and the realities of leading biotech companies in Europe. Jack shares candid lessons on decision-making, context-driven leadership, and building transatlantic networks to scale innovation.

Biotech leader Avencia Sánchez-Mejías, CEO of Integra Therapeutics, joins A Call to Lead to share her leadership and entrepreneurship story, as well as her take on innovation in Europe’s fast-rising life sciences ecosystem. In this episode of A Call To Lead, Avencia shares lessons on resilience, uncertainty, diversity, and the human side of leadership in science-driven entrepreneurship. Listen to her journey from academia to biotech CEO, her vision for safer gene editing, and how resilient leadership is reshaping European biotechnology.

How do you lead a company across continents and through uncertainty?In this episode of A Call to Lead, David Kirk speaks with Samir Ounzain, CEO and scientific co-founder of Haya Therapeutics. Samir shares how a lifelong curiosity about how cells “speak” to their environment led him from academia to building a company at the frontier of RNA-guided medicine. He reflects on what it takes to lead through uncertainty, translate visionary science into tangible therapies, and build culture and alignment across continents. This conversation is a masterclass in marrying deep biology with purposeful leadership.

The birth of Alexandre Le Vert's daughter amidst a global 'flu scare put him on the path to leadership.Now, he's the co-founder and executive Chair of Osivax, a clinical-stage biotech company focusing on vaccine research and development based in Lyon, France. In this episode of A Call To Lead, Alex shares his series of fortunate events that led him to co-found Osivax, challenges he faced getting to grips with the legal obligations of leadership, and the lessons he learned from great mentors along the way.

Lisa Deschamps comes from a commercial, non-scientific background and now leads London-based CNS gene therapy company AviadoBio, following a highly successful career at Novartis Gene Therapies. In this episode of A Call To Lead, Lisa shares her story of how a chance conversation drove her from a career in fashion into therapeutics, taking her across Europe and the US, from commercialising big-name therapies to leading in life science as a CEO.

Some entrepreneurial lessons are learned early – like the power of not going it alone.In A Call To Lead, Dominik Schumacher, CEO of Tubulis shares his thoughts on the leaders’ role in European life science and why trust and partnership sit at the heart of every breakthrough.

Research is limited by our own thinking – until now.James Field, CEO and co-founder of LabGenius, reflects on becoming a first-time CEO, the challenges that came with founding a company and the contrast between traditional research and what's possible using modern tools and technology in this episode of A Call to Lead.

Ros Deegan, CEO of OMass Therapeutics, reflects on starting her biotech career in a downturn — and why that might have been the best teacher.In A Call To Lead, she shares why optionality has become central to her leadership, how she navigates constantly shifting paths, and what it takes to stay resilient when everything can change overnight.

A Call To Lead @ LifeScience ORG is our brand new podcast, showcasing the leadership, vision, and impact of European life science CEOs.  Each week, a European life science CEO and member of the LifeScience ORG community sits down for a candid one-on-one conversation about the experiences that shaped them, their defining moments, and what drives them to be a leader. Season One features eight episodes, including Ros Deegan (OMass Therapeutics), James Field (LabGenius Therapeutics), and Dominik Schumacher (Tubulis GmbH).