Being a Life Sciences Leader: Recent Episodes
Life Sciences Pennsylvania
With a bird’s-eye-view of the life sciences industry, Life Sciences Pennsylvania President & CEO, Chris Molineaux, joins Rachael Bushey, Partner and Chair of the Health Sciences Department at Troutman Pepper to welcome life sciences leaders to give insights into the complex and high-risk world of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics and the services that support them. Here we learn what it means to be a life sciences leader.
Tune in and learn about the $660 million public offering Madrigal Pharmaceuticals received to deliver novel therapeutics for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hear from Bill Sibold as he shares his experience leading one of the year's most significant biotech fundraisings, the preparations and strategies behind the raise and how this milestone positions Madrigal to bring innovative treatments to patients.
Join us as Senator Robinson discusses his key role in passing SB954 - which provides Pennsylvanians better access to personalized treatments following a diagnosis of cancer and other specific diseases through biomarker testing and precision medicine. Learn about Senator Robinson's journey as the bill's prime sponsor, the collaborative efforts to get it unanimously passed in the Senate and what this milestone means for patients and Pennsylvania's healthcare system.
Tune in to this episode with Representative Mullins, recipient of the 2024 State Official of the Year Award, and learn about his pivotal role in passing HB 1754 - which requires all state-regulated health plans to cover comprehensive biomarker testing. Hear about the personal motivation Representative Mullins had to be the prime sponsor of this bill, the collaborative efforts leading to this near unanimous passage in the House of Representatives and what this milestone means for patients and the Pennsylvania Healthcare system moving forward.
Ben Doranz, recipient of the 2024 Frank Baldino Bioscience CEO of the Year Award, joins Chris and Rachael this episode to discuss how he led his team through a transformative year in 2024. Under Ben's leadership, Integral Molecular secured an $8 million contract from NIAID to combat emerging viruses, as well as $2.7 million award to advance the Membrane Proteome Array for FDA qualifications as a drug development tool. If that wasn't enough, Ben also discussed the launch of Cell Surface Bio, a transformative antibody startup that will position itself as a key plater in the antibody reagent market.
Hear how his vision will transform the industry, and how he takes steps to give back to the Philadelphia and PA life sciences community.
This episode features Adrian (Ad) Rawcliffe, CEO, Adaptimmune, recipient of the Life Sciences PA 2024 Patient Impact Award.
Ad shares the story behind TECELRA - the first FDA approved engineered cell therapy for a solid tumor. Learn about the journey leading up to this groundbreaking approval, the challenges of bringing a cell therapy to market and the next steps for Adaptimmune in the landscape of tumor treatments.
This episode features Fred Vogt, Interim CEO at Iovance Biotherapeutics, recipient of the 2024 Patient Impact Award.
In this episode, Fred shares the journey behind AMTAGVI - the first FDA approved tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. Learn about the clinical trial process, how they brought this groundbreaking treatment to market, the impact the Iovance team has on the life sciences industry and how the state of Pennsylvania is supporting Iovance's efforts to treating patients.
This episode features Rob Albert, CEO of B. Braun of America, the organization receiving the 2024 Patient Impact Award.
Hear from Rob and discover how B. Braun took decisive action during Hurricanes Helene and Milton to secure the supply of critical I.V. fluids to hospitals affected by these disasters. Learn how they collaborated with government agencies like the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), navigated challenges, and ensured patients had the necessary resources in a time of crisis.
Adele Oliva, recipient of the 2025 Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Leadership Award joins Chris and Rachael to discuss her impact on the life sciences industry in PA supporting the growth of commercial stage healthcare companies.
In this episode, hear how her career path ultimately led to finding a gap in the ecosystem and later found 1315 Capital. Learn about the best way to build a strong team and how she hopes the 1315 impact will live on for generations.
This episode features Jeffrey O'Donnell Sr., the recipient of the 2025 John Nash MedTech Leadership Award. This award recognizes an outstanding leader in the PA MedTech community who best exemplifies the spirit of innovation.
Learn how Jeff's passion for medicine and curiosity led him to take leaps throughout his career that altered his life and the work of the med tech community in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Season 7 of Being a Life Sciences Leader launches with interviews with our 2025 Annual Award Honorees. Paul Frankhouser will be honored with the 2025 Scientific Achievement Award for his decades of experience bringing innovative technology to patients. Hear how Paul's 42 year career at Arrow International led to his participation in hundreds of patents and how he continues to give his expert advice to organizations in the medical technology space today
The season finale of Being a Life Sciences Leader features a LIVE recording from our Patient Summit held in November 2024. Suzanna Masartis, CEO of the Community Liver Alliance, joins Chris and Allison Nicklin of Goodwin to discuss her journey from volunteering at a young age to advocacy and collaboration with other non-profit leaders to enact change. Hear best practices on working with your local and state legislators to educate them on legislation that affects patient access.
Episode 6 features Kyle Bryant, Senior Director, rideATAXIA & Spokesperson, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA). Hear Kyle's inspiring story of living with a rare disease, Friedreich's Ataxia, and how he incorporates his passion of cycling to empower those living with Friedreich's Ataxia and raise funds for research. Kyle is also co-host of the Two Disabled Dudes podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Episode 5 features Rob Long, Executive Director, Uplifting Athletes. Rob tells his inspiring story of being a D1 athlete and NFL draft prospect to persevering through a rare form of brain cancer. Tune in to learn more about Rob's experience and how Uplifting Athletes is leveraging the platform of sports to build a community that invests in the lives of people living with rare diseases.
In this episode, Lesa shares how her daughter's diagnosis of Krabbe disease and tragic passing launched her into a career of advocacy, ultimately leading to legislative action in Pennsylvania around newborn screening panels and access for patients.
In this episode hear Marie's inspiring story living with a rare disease, her motivation to help others facing rare conditions through her work with the Pennsylvania Rare Disease Advisory Council (PARDAC) and how the Conley Cushing's Disease Fund is contributing to promoting awareness.
Episode 2 features Pat Halpin-Murphy, President & Founder, and Joanne Grossi, Executive Vice President of the PA Breast Cancer Coalition. Listen to their inspiring stories and experiences, the reason hey are taking action in the fight against breast cancer, and the contributions they have made to finding a cure.
The latest episode features Kristin Smedley, mother of two children with retinal blindness. Kristin explains how she went from school teacher to advocate, sharing anecdotes of "wins and losses" in her fight for patient access.
In this episode, John Crowley, recipient of the 2024 Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Leadership Award, discusses how his children's diagnosis of a rare disease altered his career path to becoming a leader in the life sciences. Learn more about John's motivation to improve the lives of patients through his new role as President & CEO at BIO.
In this episode, Jeff Dayno, MD, recipient of the 2023 Frank Baldino Bioscience CEO of the Year Award, discusses his role as the CEO of Harmony Biosciences. Learn more about the leadership traits Jeff utilizes to combat external challenges, develop treatments for rare diseases and drive growth.
A new episode of Being a Life Sciences Leader, honoring the 2023 Deal of the Year recipient, is now available to stream. In this episode, Jon Congleton, President and CEO of Mineralys Therapeutics, discusses the success of raising $192 million during Mineralys' IPO. Learn more about the growth of the company, how they found success in difficult markets, and the future of addressing unmet needs for patients.
A new episode of Being a Life Sciences Leader, honoring the 2023 Patient Impact Award recipient, is now available. In this episode, Krish Krishnan, Chairman & CEO, and Suma Krishnan, President of Research & Development, discuss Krystal Biotech's VYJUVEK - the first ever FDA approved redosable gene therapy.
In this episode, United States Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, recipient of the 2023 Federal Official of the Year Award, discusses her role as the first woman ever to represent Pennsylvania's 6th District in Congress. Learn more about Congresswoman Houlahan and how she co-sponsored legislation important to the life sciences, including the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act and the Ensuring Patient Access to Breakthrough Products Act.
In this episode, Lisa Witte, organization sponsor of the 2024 Scientific Achievement Award, discusses the characteristics Jerry McGinnis displayed that propelled his successful career. Learn about the progress of scientific achievements throughout Pennsylvania and the impact Jerry's work has made on the medical device community.
David Anderson, recipient of the 2024 John Nash MedTech Leadership Award, discusses his successful career in the medical device field. Learn more about David's exceptional achievements founding multiple companies and advancing innovation.
A new episode of Being a Life Sciences Leader has just been released. In this episode, Pennsylvania State Representative Tim Briggs, recipient of the 2023 State Official of the Year Award, discusses his role as co-chair of the House Life Sciences Caucus. Learn more about Rep Briggs and how he works to support the life science industry that plays a crucial role in both the local and state economies.
Tune in to Season 5 of the Being a Life Sciences Leader podcast to hear from the Annual Award recipients. In this episode, Tim Sullivan, recipient of the President's Service Award, discusses his remarkable career in government affairs. Learn more about Tim's role in implementing the adoption of significant policy initiatives.
As the year comes to an end, Chris Molineaux and Rachael Bushey take the mike one final time to discuss the major themes and top lessons. From a year with no shortage of challenges, hear the four best approaches our guests utilize to lead their teams and work toward a stronger future for their organization.
Tom Sellig, MBA, CEO of Adare Pharma Solutions, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of having a vision of collaboration and alignment within an organization. Learn more about Tom's journey in constructing a leadership team and discover key insights into effective decision-making practices.
Randy Hubbell, MBA, former President & CEO of Carmell Corporation, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of humility and persevering as a leader in the life sciences industry. Learn more about Randy's experience in building a culture within a start-up company, his role in creating a new brand identity and how he led a successful transition to a publicly traded company.
Pete DiBattiste, M.D., President & CEO of Prolocor, joins the podcast to discuss his journey from practicing medicine to pursuing the life sciences industry and the transition from large pharma to a start-up company. Pete emphasizes the importance of building a network and the abundance of scientific advancements inside and outside the walls of big pharma companies.
Al Gianchetti, President & CEO of XyloCor Therapeutics joins Chris and Rachael to discuss how more than 20 years in large pharma brought him to the opportunity of becoming the CEO of a biotech start-up. Learn Al's perspective on selecting the right team and how he has built his leadership traits over time.
Chris Burns, PhD, President & CEO of Venatorx, joins the podcast and discusses the importance of having confidence in life and leadership. Chris describes his personal journey fighting against external hurdles, the affect psychology has on all aspects of business and his passion for bridging the intersection of science and business.
Jeffrey Dayno, MD, President & CEO of Harmony Biosciences, discusses the jump from academia to industry, including how to know the right time to make that decision in your career. Dr. Dayno shares his passion for making a broad impact and and how he took his insights from clinical medicine and applied them as he advanced his career, so that his teams could understand the art and the science of therapeutic decision making.
Lake Paul, PhD, Founder and President of BioAnalysis, shares his experience with empowering employees to continue learning. With a strong reputation for giving back, Lake gives his thoughts on the importance of companies taking real action to improve the community at-large.
Hear the ins and outs of starting a small business from Actuated Medical President & CEO Maureen Mulvihill. Maureen shares her expertise at optimizing capital and how utilizing government grants can propel your business forward. Learn how continuing education is important for servant-leaders who strive to make their employees feel secure.
Experienced life sciences industry and academia leader Dr. Phil Johnson, CEO of Interius Biotherapeutics, discusses the importance of finding out what your people need to succeed and being an advocate for them. Find out how Phil advanced through his career, aided occasionally by a little bit of luck and by identifying and seizing opportunities.
Joe Truitt, CEO of iECURE, gives advice about how to build a culture as a CEO and how focusing on internal company needs leads to external success. As a non-scientist, Joe discusses how to evaluate opportunities in biotech without a scientific background and the importance of being aggressive while making future plans in biotech.
John discusses the important qualities of leaders, including maintaining flexibility and curiosity while transitioning from technical prowess to leadership prowess. John also explains how hope and clarity are foundational traits for leaders to provide to their staff in order to build a successful team.
Tom Anderson, CEO and Director of SwanBio Therapeutics, explains how a mentor influenced a change early on in his career. Through his experience at both large pharma and start-ups, Tom discusses the importance of having a credo in business and how to manage a board in a way that benefits your company.
As an experienced biotech investor, Brian Halak, Managing Partner at Medical Excellence Capital, shares his perspective as a CEO/investor and what investors look for in a CEO. In this episode, learn about characteristics to look for in Board members and the importance of using communication skills to build a consensus on your team.
A new episode of Being a Life Sciences Leader is available now! Doug Manion became the new President & CEO of Aclaris Therapeutics January 1, 2023. In this episode, learn how taking the time to talk with each employee when you're the new leader of an organization can help ease a change of leadership. Doug discusses his career and the importance of passing on your leadership knowledge to proteges.
The Season 3 introductory episode of Being a Life Sciences Leader podcast is available to stream! Your hosts, Chris Molineaux, President & CEO of Life Sciences PA and Rachael Bushey, Life Sciences Partner & Co-managing partner of the Philadelphia office of Goodwin Procter, share their own journeys to becoming life sciences leaders.
From fascinations with biology and policy to rising in the ranks at a major law firm, learn the backgrounds behind two connected individuals in the Commonwealth's life sciences ecosystem. Stay tuned for a season packed with interviews of big players in the Pennsylvania life sciences ecosystem!
Julie McHugh brings more than 30 years in the biopharmaceutical industry, and currently serves on multiple boards as a director.
In this episode, learn about the importance of owning your work and empowering your team to take on new challenges through honesty. Julie discusses how learning the science behind your work will positively impact the company and the ultimate beneficiary: the patient.
Listen to Tara Muzsi discuss the importance of a hierarchy of priorities in decision-making that supported her work-life integration with a successful career at Janssen.
Stream the episode now to hear Tara's tips on building a diverse team, the importance of culture and driving an innovation mindset.
Liam Kelly, Chairman, President, & CEO of Teleflex, discusses the importance of patient outcomes, and how the key to leadership in the industry is steadiness.
Stream the episode now to learn how hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and focus can lead to great success for you and your team.
Hear from Peter Miller as he discusses his journey through successful entrepreneurship into the role of CEO at OptiNose. In this episode, Peter discusses board management, motivating a team, and how many leaders often confuse effort with success.
In this episode of Being a Life Sciences Leader, President of DSM Biomedical, John Witkowski, discusses how he leads with humor and values continuous learning.
This week's guest, Bruce Shook, brings 40 years of experience pioneering new medical technologies in cardiology, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, psychiatry and peripheral vascular disease. He has raised more than $400 million in private equity for numerous companies, and most recently served as the CEO of two organizations that were sold to Philips in the last two years.
Stream the episode now to learn the importance of steadiness in leadership, how to put the patient first, and how to establish clear goal setting that leads to success.
Season 2 of Being a Life Sciences Leader is here! Our first episode welcomes guest Ron Philip, CEO of Spark Therapeutics in front of a live studio audience. Stream the episode to hear how Ron’s childhood as an immigrant to the U.S. helped forge a path in the life sciences that led to his current position. Ron discusses the importance of building a successful team, partnerships, and Spark’s new expansion project in Philadelphia.
Valerie Asbury joined Chris Molineaux and Rachael Bushey on stage at Life Sciences Future - MedTech to discuss the importance of building courage within employees, and why working in a start-up can be the most meaningful career.
Hear Val's challenges with spinning out LifeScan during the pandemic, and why she always asks her employees "what keeps you up at night?"
Dr. Neal Walker takes the mic to discuss how the pull of working at a start-up inspired him to take the same path. Learn lessons from Dr. Walker's successful exits, the importance of lifelong learning for continued success, and why entrepreneurs should have contingencies in place in case the business needs to pivot.
Bryant Lim, S.V.P. and General Counsel for Idera Pharmaceuticals joins Chris Molineaux and Rachael Bushey to discuss how he avoided the title of "Dr. No." Hear Bryant's advice on mitigating risk while also encouraging innovation as a general counsel in the life sciences.
Send questions for future guests to membership@lifescienespa.org
Ren Capocasale joins Chris and Rachael to discuss the recent acquisition of the CRO arm of his organization, FlowMetric. Hear Ren’s advice on what to prioritize when seeking partnerships, how failures can be the biggest motivators, and how Ren’s team pivoted during the pandemic.
Send questions for future guests to membership@lifescienespa.org
Julian Ritchey, U.S. Head of Vaccines Public Affairs and Advocacy at Sanofi Pasteur, joins Chris and Rachael on the mic. Learn about how Julian combatted issues of vaccine confidence through the pandemic, his work with patient advocacy groups, and the most rewarding aspects of working in the life sciences. Listeners will gain insight on how to approach advocacy activity as a beginner, and the best resources to use to stay informed.
Send questions for future guests to membership@lifesciencespa.org
Gerri Henwood, President & CEO of Baudax Bio takes the mic with years of experience behind her. She explains her journey in the life sciences, with anecdotes on receiving FDA approvals, taking an organization public, and investor relations. Learn how Gerri empowers her employees, and the importance of trusting your team.
Send questions for future guests to membership@lifesciencespa.org
President & CEO of Harmony Biosciences John Jacobs joins Chris and Rachael to discuss his rise from sales manager to life sciences executive. Hear anecdotes of the growing pains that come with leadership, and how a painting of Boat House Row in Philadelphia changed the trajectory of his journey.
Submit question for future guests to membership@lifesciencespa.org
Meet this week's guest, Steve Tullman, known for his expertise in mergers, acquisitions and multiple successful exits. Listen to Steve's journey in founding life sciences companies, his current projects, and hear his insights into investor relations.
Have questions for future guests? Email membership@lifesciencespa.org.
Co-Founder, President & CEO of Aro Biotherapeutics Sue Dillon, PhD, joins Chris and Rachael to discuss her transition from pharma executive to start-up founder. Sue discusses her experience building a network of investors outside of pharmaceuticals, curating a team, leadership accountabilities, and more.
Submit questions to future guests to membership@lifesciencespa.org.
Before we dive into meeting guests, hear from hosts Chris Molineaux, President & CEO of Life Sciences Pennsylvania, and Rachael Bushey, Partner and Chair of the Health Sciences Department at Troutman Pepper. Chris and Rachael will kick off the first episode of the podcast to describe their experiences in the industry, as well as their journeys to their current roles. Hear background on your hosts, as well as an overview of what’s to come.
Submit questions to membership@lifesciencespa.org
Learn about the complex and high-risk world of being a leader in the life sciences as Chris Molineaux and Rachael Bushey interview top executives to hear their experience in the industry.
"Being a Life Sciences Leader" podcast launches May 20 - subscribe and follow for new episodes each week!