Beyond the Purpose

In this episode of Beyond the Purpose, hosts Jay Webster and James Cox are joined by Jordan Abdi, CEO of Uploid Biotechnologies, a company working on egg quality, one of the biggest unsolved challenges in fertility. A physician by training, Jordan explains why he moved from clinical medicine into building a company, and why infertility has attracted so little investment relative to the size of the problem.

The conversation covers the science of egg quality and chromosome division in plain terms, why IVF outcomes have changed so little in decades and what a new class of reproductive therapeutics could mean for patients. Jordan also talks about founding a company without a university spin-out, raising capital at the earliest stage, leading a team of specialists and the lab problem that tennis balls helped solve. The discussion closes on where he sees the company in ten years and how AI is shaping biotech and business.

Join the conversation at [email protected] or visit our website at https://www.biotalent.com/our-solutions/biox

In this episode of Beyond the Purpose, hosts James Cox and Jay Webster are joined by Dr Linda McGoldrick, a global healthcare and life sciences leader whose career spans more than three decades as CEO, board director and strategic advisor.

The conversation explores the role of culture in building successful organisations, the value of mentorship, and why storytelling remains a leadership skill no technology can replace. Linda shares lessons on board leadership, career resilience, and access to capital, including where family offices and high-net-worth individuals fit into life sciences funding that many founders overlook.

Drawing on decades of experience across healthcare, life sciences and the boardroom, Linda offers practical insight for today's leaders on purpose, culture and lasting impact.

Join the conversation at [email protected] or visit our website at https://www.biotalent.com/our-solutions/biox

In episode two of Beyond the Purpose, hosts James Cox and Jay Webster sit down with Murat Tunaboylu, CEO and co-founder of Antiverse, who brings almost a decade of experience building a tech bio company from the ground up.

The conversation centres on the realities of scaling under pressure: the structured, criteria-led approach behind Antiverse's $9.3 million Series A, the personal toll of fundraising and founder life, and why radical transparency with his team has built trust rather than undermined it. Murat also shares his view on where tech bio is heading next, and the advice he'd give to first-time founders considering the leap.

It's a candid, grounded conversation that continues what this podcast set out to do: understanding what drives exceptional people to build, lead and scale life sciences companies, and what others can learn from them.

Join the conversation at [email protected] or visit our website at https://www.biotalent.com/our-solutions/biox

In the first episode of Beyond the Purpose, hosts James Cox and Jay Webster sit down with Martin Stenfeldt, CEO at UNEEG Medical, who brings deep experience working with scale-up organisations across life sciences.

The conversation centres on leadership at the moments that matter most: Martin's eight leadership archetypes, why commercialisation is so often approached the wrong way, and what he calls the funding trap: no traction, no future.

Martin's new book, Scaling Life Sciences, expands on many of the themes covered in this episode and is available now at scalinglifesciences.com.

It's a thoughtful, challenging conversation that sets the tone for what this podcast is about: understanding what drives exceptional people to build, lead and scale life sciences companies, and what others can learn from them.

Join the conversation at [email protected] or visit our website at https://www.biotalent.com/our-solutions/biox 

In this episode, we speak with Catherine Campbell, Associate Director of the MedTech team at BioTalent. With over a decade of experience in the sector, Cat shares her perspective on the evolution of MedTech and the growing role of AI across the industry. 

She reflects on her early career from helping out in her father’s pub to her first official role as a medical technician and how those experiences shaped her leadership style. Cat also gives us a glimpse into life beyond recruitment, from long walks in Hampstead Heath to a surprising Olympic pick: synchronised swimming. 

Her favourite quote, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them,” perfectly captures her drive, leadership, and outlook on life.
 
Tune in for a conversation packed with industry insights, personal stories, and authentic perspective.

Introducing Behind The Talent, BioTalent’s new podcast series, created to share the stories, perspectives and passions of the people driving our business forward.

Each episode offers a glimpse into the voices of the individuals who shape our culture, contribute to our success, and bring our purpose to life.

In this episode, Brand Manager Becca Boulton chats with BioTalent CEO and founder James Cox about his journey from launching BioTalent in 2018, his passion for life sciences recruitment, and the company’s rapid growth since joining The IN Group in 2023. James shares his approach to leadership, the importance of culture, and why focusing on what you can control is his core philosophy.

We also get an insight into James, who’s a big fan of Viking history, a keen tennis player, and once earned £3.12 an hour carrying compost at a garden centre. Whether he’s leading a team or playing Monopoly (orange properties only!), James brings ambition and authenticity to everything he does, qualities that continue to shape BioTalent’s journey and inspire those around him. 

In the latest instalment of the BioTalent Social podcast, our very own Steven Fuller, Global Community Manager of Race In Stem, sat down with Sarah Mardle to talk leadership, gender bias, the evolution of the life sciences industry and creating lasting change. 

“I definitely wanted to be a scientist and I was able to do two degrees, one in pharmacology and one in biochemistry, and was also lucky enough to have a year out in industry. And that really opened my eyes to what I might want to do next.”

Sarah Mardle is an experienced healthcare executive known for her adept leadership in quality, regulatory, and operations management. With a two-decade track record in biotech, pharma, and medical devices businesses, she has guided organisations through complex projects, regulatory processes, and sustainability initiatives.

As the Business Operations Director at Team Consulting, a medical device consultancy, Sarah oversees the strategic development and operational management of Team's Business Operations teams. She is committed to fostering diversity and implementing sustainable practices.

Listen to the complete conversation (or watch on YouTube) to hear how Sarah has grown from strength to strength professionally, but also gain insight into her personal life and how she navigated life and a senior position.

More about BioTalent Social

Our BioTalent Social podcast is for professionals in the life sciences industry, who can have access to wide-ranging discussions that are led by market-leading experts, who offer sharp, focused insights on current affairs within the Life Sciences sector.

Our BioTalent Social podcast is for professionals in the life sciences industry, who can have access to wide-ranging discussions that are led by market-leading experts, who offer sharp, focused insights on current affairs within the Life Sciences sector. 

In this conversation, Steven Fuller had the pleasure of engaging with Heather Wells, a Senior Director of Quality Management at a mid-sized CRO.  Throughout our discussion, Heather shared her vast and illustrious career journey within the realm of Quality Assurance, reflecting on her early career, and how she grew as a professional across pharma, bio, and research as a now-recognised GxP Quality subject matter expert. 

Visit us on our website at www.biotalent.com

Our BioTalent Social community came together for an informative discussion on ‘The Next Generation of Cell & Gene Therapies,’ hosted by our very own James Hume. The discussion touched on a multitude of topical themes and insights, including: 

• The role of tech-transfer offices in turning early-stage interventions into products 
• Current challenges and opportunities for CGT start-ups in Europe  
• The complexities of clinical trials, and how we can make this smoother 
• PHDs: the importance of scientific and entrepreneurial learning 
• Viral vs. non-viral vectors 
• Mindset in CGT: the importance of resilience, perseverance and ambiguity tolerance 

Thank you to our wonderful panel members Stephen Sullivan, Kerstin Papenfuss and John Counsell for their sharp and focussed insights. 

In our most recent podcast, we were invited to listen to a conversation between Jogesh Bowry, Recruitment Consultant here at BioTalent, and Mirasbek Kuterbekov, Senior Scientist at Hoxton Farms where he combines his passion for animal welfare with his expertise in tissue engineering to create the most delicious slaughter-free animal fat.

Mirasbek is a Senior Scientist at Hoxton Farms, where he combines his passion for animal welfare with his expertise in tissue engineering to create the most delicious slaughter-free animal fat. Prior to this, he was a Senior Research Specialist at The Dow Chemical Company as part of their Research Assignment Program working on a wide range of projects from plastics recycling to tech scouting. Originally from Kazakhstan, Mirasbek had the opportunity to study and work in the US, Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands before his most recent relocation to London, UK. He has been active in several LGBTQIA+ organisations throughout his career and is currently a Director at the OUTbio UK, an independent network run specifically for the LGBTQIA+ professionals and their allies within the biotech community in the UK. 

In this podcast episode, Mirasbek discussed his early career, growing up in Kazakhstan and finding a passion for science, where he was highly influenced by his chemistry teacher before gaining a scholarship to study in the U.S.  The cultivated meat industry was also discussed, outlining the environmental benefits which included a reduction of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, as well as the number of  ethical impacts it has on humans, animals and plants. The topic also explored the LGBTQIA+ community, where Mirsabek impactfully spoke about how watching the annual Pride march in the New York inspired him to open up about his sexuality. Mirsabek now co-organises his own Pride network, OUTBio, regularly hosting monthly events.

If you would like to discuss project managing and strategies on how to build comfortable and safe teams, wherever in the world you might be, please do reach out to us or visit our website at www.biotalent.com