Careers in Discovery

What separates the people who build breakthrough therapies from those who burn out before they get there? 

In this episode, Ran Frenkel, Co-Founder and CEO of Polaroid Therapeutics, shares the lessons he's learned across more than two decades in Biotech, from failed ventures and high-pressure clinical programmes to securing regulatory approvals and bringing products to patients.  

For Biotech professionals navigating uncertainty, lengthy development timelines, and the constant pressure to deliver results, Ran offers a powerful perspective on embracing failure, learning faster than your competitors, and trusting your instincts when opportunities arise. 

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 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.