Careers in Discovery

Jonathan Levenson, FireCyte Therapeutics

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.

Eline Koers, AAB Therapeutics

From academic deep‑tech to the front lines of Biotech entrepreneurship - Eline Koers’ journey is a masterclass in courage, clarity, and reinvention.

After years immersed in structural biology and membrane protein folding, Eline realised she wanted her work to have real‑world impact. That shift pulled her out of academia, into translational science, and eventually into founding AAB Therapeutics - a company engineering extracellular vesicles to solve one of oncology’s biggest challenges: getting drugs where they need to go.

In this conversation, Eline shares the turning points that shaped her path, discussing the importance of curiosity, timing, and daring to step into the unknown - even when the success rate is small and the learning curve is steep.

A brilliant episode for anyone considering a move from academia into Biotech, or thinking about building something of their own.

Marc Damelin, Alphina Therapeutics

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, Tyler is joined by Marc Damelin, Chief Scientific Officer at Alphina Therapeutics.

Marc shares his journey from physics undergraduate to Biotech leader, and how a love of problem‑solving gradually drew him from yeast genetics into human disease and ultimately into drug development. After a decade in big pharma working on antibody–drug conjugates, he steps into Biotech leadership, first at Mersana and now at Alphina, where he’s pioneering a new class of ADCs built around NAMPT inhibition.

Along the way, Marc reflects on choosing industry without having a clear plan, understanding what makes a role the right fit, and why being truly data‑driven is one of the most important habits a scientist can develop.

An open, forward‑looking conversation about evidence, judgment and the momentum that comes from backing the right ideas at the right time.

Roxana Dreghici, Edgewise Therapeutics

From Romania to Roche to cutting-edge Biotech, Roxana Dreghici has carved out a remarkable career in drug development - and she’s done it with grit, clarity and the courage to leap into the unknown.

Now VP of Musculoskeletal at Edgewise Therapeutics, Roxana shares the pivotal moments that shaped her journey: from her early days coordinating clinical trials in Texas, to building a name for herself in global pharma, and ultimately returning to her passion for muscular dystrophies.

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, we talk ambition, adaptability, and the importance of knowing what you want - even before you know how to get it.

Peter Hamley, Scripta Therapeutics

This week on Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Peter Hamley, Founder and CEO of Scripta Therapeutics. 

Peter didn’t follow the typical founder path. After a long and successful career in big pharma R&D and business development, he made the leap into Biotech with a mission: to unlock the potential of transcription factors in treating neurodegenerative diseases. What followed was a complete mindset shift - from structure and scale to agility and risk. 

In this episode, Peter shares the thinking behind Scripta’s unique approach to drug discovery, how his experience at Sanofi and AstraZeneca shaped his leadership style, and why failure, iteration, and clarity of purpose are more important now than ever. 

Kathryn Golden, Ottimo Pharma

Kathryn Golden didn’t set out to be a scientist. In fact, she made her parents promise she wouldn’t have to become one when she enrolled at a science-focused high school. But a chemistry class changed everything, setting her on a path from MIT’s bioprocessing labs to senior leadership roles in Biotech and pharma. 

Now VP of Technical Operations at Ottimo Pharma and co-founder of Sunflower Therapeutics, Kathryn’s career has been shaped by a relentless curiosity, a deep commitment to patient access, and a willingness to step into the unknown. She shares her journey from building perfusion bioreactors in grad school, to leading global CMC teams, to launching portable manufacturing units for biologics in the developing world. 

In this conversation, Kathryn reflects on lessons in leadership, mentorship, and integrity - from creating a calm, learning-focused culture to knowing when to walk away. She talks openly about imposter syndrome, what it really takes to transition into executive roles, and how entrepreneurship, like science, is best approached as an experiment. 

Ofer Haviv, Evogene

Ofer Haviv didn’t take the usual route into Biotech. With a background in economics and finance, he began his career far from the lab - but a long-standing passion for biology brought him back to science in an unexpected way. 

Now CEO of Evogene, Ofer shares how he moved from CFO to spinning out a company at the intersection of AI and biology, building platforms to discover small molecule therapeutics and agricultural innovations. He reflects on leading through uncertainty, what makes a strong Biotech culture, and why staying focused on real-world problems is essential to innovation. 

Evogene’s evolution is far from over, but Ofer’s story offers a rare and thoughtful look into the blend of science, business and humanity that drives Biotech forward. 

Sylke Poehling, Spark Therapeutics

Sylke Poehling didn’t set out to lead one of the world’s most advanced gene therapy companies - but a love for drug discovery and a career built on curiosity, courage and conviction brought her there. 

Now CEO of Spark Therapeutics and SVP at Roche, Sylke joins us on Careers in Discovery to share her journey from academia into Biotech, how Spark pioneered the world’s first FDA-approved directly administered gene therapy, and what it means to build the next generation of treatments - and the company culture to deliver them. 

She reflects on what it takes to lead through risk and uncertainty, how to balance scientific ambition with operational focus, and why authenticity and clarity are at the heart of impactful leadership. 

An inspiring conversation with a scientist-turned-CEO who’s still pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible in genetic medicine.