In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Dr. Briggs Morrison, CEO of Crossbow Therapeutics and former Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Medicines Development at AstraZeneca. Briggs shares lessons from a career spanning academia, Big Pharma, and biotech entrepreneurship—including leadership roles at Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, and now Crossbow. The conversation explores how small biotech companies drive innovation, why constraints can improve execution, and how leaders build teams capable of navigating scientific, clinical, and financial uncertainty. Briggs also discusses Crossbow's recent $77 million Series B financing, the promise of TCR mimetic antibody therapies, and the realities of raising capital in today's biotech environment.

In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Reenie McCarthy, the CEO of Mighty Therapeutics, formerly known as Stealth BioTherapeutics. Reenie shares her path from venture investor to biotech CEO and the years-long effort to develop and secure approval for a first-in-class therapy targeting mitochondrial dysfunction. She discusses the scientific, regulatory, and funding challenges of advancing a novel treatment through clinical development, as well as the critical role of patient advocacy and the lessons learned from setbacks that ultimately helped shape the company's success. The conversation also explores the future of mitochondrial medicine and Mighty Therapeutics' mission to bring innovative treatments to patients with serious unmet needs.

In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Joe von Rickenbach, co-founder of Parexel and a pioneer of the modern clinical research organization (CRO) industry, to discuss his journey from launching a two-person regulatory consulting firm in 1982 to building a global CRO that helped redefine drug development worldwide. Joe reflects on the evolution of clinical trials, the rise of outsourcing and digitization in pharma, and the leadership lessons learned from scaling Parexel over 35 years. He also shares insights on entrepreneurship, navigating major business decisions and the future of AI-enabled clinical research, and why trust, relationships, and adaptability remain essential for success in biotech and healthcare innovation.

How do you go from lawyer to biotech CEO? In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, Heather Turner, CEO of LB Pharmaceuticals, shares her journey from legal counsel to leading a late-stage biotech company. She discusses the mindset shifts required to step into the CEO role, making high-stakes decisions with incomplete data, and balancing risk versus benefit. Heather brings more than 25 years of experience across biotech and life sciences, with a career that uniquely spans legal, operational, and executive leadership.

In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Dr. Allison Jeynes, CEO of Nefro Avillion Clinical Development, to explore her remarkable journey from clinician to biotech leader. With over 30 years of experience and a track record that includes the development and approval of nearly 20 drugs, Allison shares how she built a 100% success-rate model in clinical development, and what it takes to sustain excellence in a high-risk industry.

Clinical Trialblazers is back for Season Two. Host Alberto Grignolo speaks with Paul Garofolo, Co-Founder and CEO of Locus Biosciences, about the leadership mindset behind capital efficiency, resource prioritization, and disciplined execution. Drawing on Paul’s journey from global leadership roles at Patheon to founding a next-generation precision medicine company, this episode explores fundraising across market cycles, founder-friendly capital, strategic and government partnerships, and the science behind Locus’ bacteriophage-based platform aimed at tackling multidrug-resistant infections.

Clinical Trialblazers will be back soon! Season 2 will bring together a dynamic mix of biotech innovators, executives, and industry leaders to reveal the strategy and teamwork fueling the next wave of clinical breakthroughs. Across 10 new episodes, host Alberto Grignolo will explore high-stakes decisions, unexpected hurdles, and the defining moments that shape both careers and clinical milestones. Season 2 of Clinical Trialblazers is streaming soon wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this season finale of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo reflects on key insights and themes from conversations with biotech leaders over the past year. From researchers to entrepreneurs to investors, Alberto spoke with a wide range of leaders in the biotech industry, each with a unique perspective on the evolving biotech landscape and advice for aspiring innovators. This episode is just a sampling of the many compelling stories and lessons shared in this remarkable first season.

In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, Alberto sits down with Dr. Geeta Vemuri, Founder and Managing Partner of Agent Capital. They discuss Dr. Vemuri’s journey into venture capital, offering valuable insights on what makes successful biotech companies and CEOs stand out. She also speaks about the critical balance between scientific innovation and strong management teams, the role of capital efficiency in building sustainable companies, the value of board membership, and what excites her about the future of biopharma.

In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Miquel Vila-Perello, Ph.D. co-founder and CEO of SpliceBio, a gene therapy company focused on treating Stargardt disease. They discuss Miquel's journey from academia to biotech, the challenges of fundraising, the importance of passion and resilience in drug development, and the future of gene therapy. Miquel shares insights on balancing rationality and passion, the differences between academic and industry research, and the significance of building trust with investors.