A Dose of Reality with Charles Spence

In this episode, I talked with Abigail (Abbey) Jenkins, a pharmaceutical executive with 25+ years of experience, who shares her career journey, highlighting her entry into the industry, proud achievements, and the challenges she faced along the way. She emphasizes the importance of resilience, community, and learning from both successes and failures. Abbey also discusses common mistakes companies...

Joseph (Joe) Birkett, Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Aura Biosciences, joined our podcast to share what he’s learned over two decades in oncology drug development, including the career-defining moments and the painful missteps that shaped his approach. Joe speaks openly about his proudest contribution—helping lead Obinutuzumab to regulatory approval—and contrasts it with one of his lowes...

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Bruce Dezube, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development of Xilio Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies. Here he shares his extensive career in oncology and drug development, discussing his journey from academia to industry, the challenges he faced, and the importance of patient care....

In this episode, I talked with Chris Lowe, CEO of Nusano, where he discusses his career journey in the medical technology field, particularly focusing on the production of medical radioisotopes. He shares insights on leadership, the importance of building a talented team, and the societal responsibilities of his company. Chris also highlights common mistakes in drug development and reflects on a c...

In this podcast episode, I talked with Kevin Lynch, co-founder of Populus Bio, where he shares his experience in drug development, particularly in oncology and hematology. He discusses his journey from medicine to the pharmaceutical industry, the cultural insights gained from working globally, and the challenges faced in both personal and professional aspects. Kevin elaborates on the innovative ma...

In this episode, I talked with Victor Paulus, Senior Vice President and Head of Regulatory Affairs at ARTBIO, where he shares his journey in the life sciences industry, discussing his career journey, challenges faced in regulatory affairs, and the unique culture at ARTBIO. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and understanding the regulatory landscape to achieve success in dr...

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Chris Leamon, Chief Scientific Officer at Fusion Pharmaceuticals, where he shares his journey in the biotech industry, discussing his early influences, the founding of Endocyte, and . He also discusses the challenges faced in drug development, the importance of leadership during workforce reductions, and the lessons learned from trial failures. Chris emphasizes t...

In this episode, I talked with Dawn Rubel, President of R&D at NexEos Bio, where she shares her career journey from a scientific technical writer to a leadership role in biotech. She discusses her experiences at Immunomedics, the development of Trodelvy, and her transition to NexEos Bio, where she focuses on eosinophilic inflammation. Dawn emphasizes the importance of teamwork, hiring the righ...

In this episode, I talked with Orn Almarsson, co-founder of Axelyf, where he shared his journey from Iceland to becoming a prominent figure in the biotechnology industry. He discussed his experiences at Moderna and the development of the mRNA COVID vaccine, Spikevax. He reflects on the challenges faced in drug development, the importance of mentorship, and the founding of his own company, Axelyf,...

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Leila Jaffar, CEO of Nuclidium, where she shares her journey from a childhood influenced by her father's passion for science to becoming a leader in the biotech industry. She discusses the challenges she faced during her career, including personal and professional, and her transition from academia to industry. Leila elaborates on the mission of Nuclidium, focusin...

In this episode, I talked with Roger Waltzman, Chief Medical Officer at Indaptus Therapeutics, discussing his career, overview of Indaptus, the development of Indaptus’ lead candidate, and the challenges of cancer treatment. We explore the benefits of a multi-targeted approach in immunotherapy, the story, and the lessons he learned from the failed Phase 3 trial of Vadimezan. Roger also serves as a...

In this episode,  I spoke with Gertjan Bartlema, the co-founder Populus Bio and CEO of Immodulon Therapeutics. Over 20 years in big pharma at Celgene/Amgen and then moved into the fast pace world of biotech. From here, he has been challenging the status quo and asking the question “Is our current drug development approaches sustainable?”. Gertjan highlights the need for better clinical trial...

In this episode, I discuss the three most common reasons hiring managers reject candidates, focusing on aspects that are often within the candidate's control. I highlight the importance of cultural fit, alignment of interests, and clarity in communication during interviews. I give tips to improve your interview performance and avoid common pitfalls that lead to rejection. Here's what you're in: Ho...

In this episode, I talked with Caroline Vermeulen, Recruitment & HR at Eminence, as she discussed into the details of the hiring process, highlighting the value of putting candidates first. She gave insights on common mistakes in recruiting, the importance of authenticity in communication, and the relationship between hiring managers and recruiters.  Caroline and I also shared stories of...

In this episode, I talk about the importance of asking intelligent questions during job interviews. I share insights from my experience coaching candidates, emphasizing how well-structured questions can show enthusiasm, knowledge, and fitness for the role. I cover the types of questions to ask, how to structure them effectively, and the timing to maximize impact. I also discuss the importance of u...

In this episode, I talked with Troels Jordansen, chairman at KELI Therapeutics, where he discusses the ongoing recession in the biotech industry. He shares insights from the Advanced Therapies Congress in Lisbon, highlighting investor optimism and the importance of smart hiring and team building in biotech companies. Troels shares valuable lessons learned from past experiences, including the need...

In this episode, I talked with Sophie, a leader at the Italian pharmaceutical company Bracco, about her experiences and learnings at the Harvard’s negotiation course. Sophie shares her experiences attending the course, highlighting the immersive nature of the program and the diverse backgrounds of participants. We discuss her key takeaways from the course, including the importance of gathering inf...

In this episode, I talked about a simple yet effective way to ace your interviews by focusing on the three main questions: 'Who are you?', 'Why are you applying?', and 'Why are you looking to leave?'. Learn how to answer these questions in under 2 minutes, how to successfully move on with these three questions, give relevant ABC story, what kind of answers to avoid, and strategy on how to control...

In this episode, I interview Nikolaus Trede, the SVP Clinical Development in Century Therapeutics, an innovative biotechnology company that is building an industry leading allogeneic iPSC-derived cell therapy platform. He shares his journey from academia to industry, offering unique experience into the ever-changing world of cell therapies. We also discuss: The impact of ready-made therapies on ca...

How do you balance a career in regulatory affairs with family life? In this episode, Charles discusses this topic with Mary Christian, the Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Safety at C4 Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on targeted protein degradation. They talk about the importance of effective communication, career development, and work-life balance in the pharmaceutical in...

Leadership and Diversity in Drug Development with Anita Scheuber. In this episode, Charles talks with Anita Scheuber,the SVP of clinical development at Nimbus Therapeutics—a biotech firm using computational technology to develop medicines. She shares their pioneering work in AI-targeted drug discovery and her experience co-founding the biotech startup Hestia. Anita highlights how different backgro...

In this episode, Charles talks with Jackie Donovan, the VP and Chief Marketing Officer at Syndax Pharmaceuticals, an oncology-focused company. She shares her knowledge about her experiences in consulting, internal pharma roles, and her strategic approach to organizational planning. This conversation also touches on the importance of communication, the challenges of workforce planning, and how to b...

Hiring Practices and Transparency in Recruitment In this episode, Charles discuss with Patrizio Renzetti, the former Head of HR at Arrakis Therapeutics that discovers RNA-targeted medicines, the importance of cultural fit, psychological safety, and effective communication in the workplace. He also covers the role of recruiters in bringing diverse perspectives and ensuring a good organizational fit...

Cultural Fit vs. Technical Skills: Hiring Strategies for Biotech Startups with Sonal Gupta In this episode, Charles interviews Sonal Gupta, the SVP, Head of Clinical Development of AffyImmune Therapeutics-a biopharmaceutical firm focusing on affinity-tuned CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors. They discuss about how far does a company get with bad science if they have great leaders, the effective l...

In this episode, Charles interviews John Goldener, a former pediatrician who transitioned into a successful career as a pharmaceutical industry recruiter. He specializes in retained executive search for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With over 20-25 years in clinical development recruitment, John shares valuable lessons learned, common mistakes, and effective partnership strategi...