Leap Together Podcast

What does it take to protect the research that could one day save your sight? On this episode of Leap Together, Zach Gobst is joined by Dan Igniewski , Executive Director of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) and the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR). With over 20 years in government affairs and patient advocacy, Dan has become one of Washington's most persistent v...

What happens when a neuroscientist follows his curiosity from the brain to the soil, and then to the stars? In this episode of Leap Together, Zach Gobst sits down with Dr. Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, a gene therapy engineer and developmental neuroscientist turned clinical research leader, industrial biotechnologist, and soil health innovator. Joshua's work spans an unusually wide range: building clinical...

What does it actually take for a high-performing clinical practice to step into research for the first time? In this episode, Zach Gobst sits down with Dr. John Mandeville, a leading oculoplastic surgeon at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, to trace his unexpected path from bench science and surgical practice back to clinical research and what he's learned in his first year running studies. Dr. Ma...

What happens when a pediatric oncologist who has sat at the bedside of children with cancer decides the best way to help more patients is to leave the clinic entirely? In this episode, Zach Gobst sits down with Dr. Kristiyana Kaneva, a board-certified pediatric hematologist, oncologist, and neuro-oncologist, now Senior Medical Director of Oncology Early Development at AbbVie, to explore what it re...

Why do so many rare disease families, especially families of color, still feel unseen in research, and what would it take to build clinical trials that truly meet them where they are? In this episode, Laura Brencher, Leapcure’s VP of Advocacy, sits down with Dini Rao, co-founder of Colors of Hope and a Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) advocate, to explore what equitable research looks like when day-to-...

Pulmonary fibrosis trials are advancing quickly, but many studies still struggle to enroll and complete on time. In this episode, Zach Gobst sits down with Dr. Aaron Milstone , a pulmonologist and principal investigator, to talk about what enrollment really looks like from the site side and what it takes to support patients through participation with dignity, clarity, and trust. Dr. Milstone share...

Why are pregnant and breastfeeding women still so often excluded from clinical research, and what does that mean for real-world decision-making? In this episode, Laura Brencher, Leapcure's VP of Advocacy, sits down with Marie Teil, UCB's Global Head of Special Patient Populations, to unpack the long-standing evidence gap for women of childbearing age and what it takes to close it responsibly. Mari...

In this episode of Leap Together, Zach sits down with Robin Schmidt, a clinical operations expert, to unpack the behind-the-scenes work that makes clinical research move. With over 30 years of experience across pharma and biotech, Robin shares her journey into clinical trials, the “village” it takes to execute studies well, and why culture and respectful partnerships are often the difference betwe...

In this episode of Leap Together , host Zach Gobst sits down with Vish Srivastava , Co-Founder and CEO of Century Health , to explore how AI and real-world clinical data can accelerate breakthrough treatments and create more inclusive research. Vish shares his journey into healthcare technology, shaped by both professional experience and deeply personal motivation, and explains why so much of toda...

Pulmonologist Dr. Tejaswini Kulkarni, Director of Interstitial Lung Disease at UAB, joins Leap Together to share how she approaches diagnosing and managing Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILDs), particularly Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), and why patient education must guide every step. She discusses improving access for rural communities, designing ethical, truly patient-centric trials, and cap...

In this epsiode of Leap Together, Tris Pharma’s Head of Clinical Operations, Liza Micioni, distills 25+ years of end-to-end study leadership. She discusses how durable physician relationships speed decisions and drive site follow-through, and how steady cross-functional rhythms keep “your delay becomes my delay” from taking root.  Liza unpacks the real trade-offs of the clin-ops triangle: time, bu...

In this episode of the Leap Together podcast, we’re honored to feature Dr. Todd Bertoch, principal investigator and pain management researcher. Drawing on decades in the OR and more than 160 clinical trials, Dr. Bertoch shares how the opioid-first era shaped his early career and why he now champions multimodal, mechanism-targeted approaches that prioritize function, safety, and real-world impact....

In this episode of Leap Together , Zachary Gobst talks with Dr. Michele Reynolds, a family medicine physician turned ACRP-certified principal investigator who has led more than 400 clinical trials over three decades. What began as a “lucky accident” became a career defined by precision, patient education, and strong sponsor partnerships. Dr. Reynolds shares how mentorship shaped her approach, why...

On this episode of Leap Together, Dr. Mark Gorovoy joins host Zach Gobst to reflect on a remarkable career at the cutting edge of ophthalmic surgery. As a pioneer of DSAEK, Dr. Gorovoy shares how embracing high-volume surgical practice, learning from complications, and staying patient-focused led to major breakthroughs in corneal care. This episode dives into the art of innovation in medicine, fro...

In this episode of Leap Together , host Zach Gobst sits down with Joel Stanley, founder and former CEO of Charlotte’s Web, and now CEO of AJNA Biosciences, to explore the pioneering path from supplement to FDA-approved botanical drug. Joel shares the powerful origin story of Charlotte’s Web, the lessons learned from navigating the unregulated CBD market, and how those insights now fuel his mission...

In this episode of the Leap Together podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Raymond Douglas, a world-renowned oculoplastic surgeon and Chief Scientific Officer at Sling Therapeutics. Known for his pioneering work in thyroid eye disease (TED), Dr. Douglas was a lead developer of Tepezza, the first FDA-approved treatment for TED; ushering in a new era of patient-centered innovation. Dr. Douglas shares how his...

In this special episode of Leap Together , we flip the mic and put our very own CEO, Zach Gobst, in the guest seat. Interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25, Zach shares the personal story that led him to launch Leapcure and the values that continue to guide the company nearly a decade later. Zach dives into: How a family health scare sparked his commitment to clinical research The evolution of Leapc...

In this episode of the Leap Together podcast, we’re honored to feature Taleena Koch, founder of the Breathe Support Network. Driven by personal experience caring for her mother diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), Taleena transformed her journey into a powerful advocacy network supporting thousands navigating respiratory diseases. Join us as Taleena shares how personal caregiving ch...

In the first Leap Together episode, host Zach Gobst talks with Christine Gustafson, founder and CEO of the Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) Community Organization. Christine shares her journey from isolated patient to global advocate, emphasizing the power of community in overcoming fear and isolation. They discuss parallels between entrepreneurship and advocacy, highlighting the importance of flexibilit...

Welcome to the Leap Together podcast, where we highlight top leaders driving breakthroughs in clinical research and life sciences.