Careers in Discovery

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. 

Federico Paoletti, Exogene

What does it take to build a Biotech from scratch - with no data, no academic spinout, and nothing but two founders and two laptops?

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, we’re joined by Federico Paoletti, CEO & Co-founder of Exogene, to find out.

Federico shares the story of how he went from a PhD in cancer biology to co-founding an Oxford-based immuno-oncology Biotech, working at the intersection of AI and protein engineering to develop personalised T-cell engager therapies. He talks about why he left academia despite loving science, what “high agency” really means in a Biotech startup, how to win partnerships, funding, and talent with no track record, and how curiosity - and trust - shaped Exogene’s culture from the very beginning.

If you're thinking about the leap into Biotech entrepreneurship, or flexing your leadership muscle in a startup setting, Federico’s journey will inspire you to go after the bold ideas - and find the people who will build them with you.

Tables Turned, with Tom Froggatt

We're bringing you something a little bit different this week...

After 6 years and almost 200 episodes of Careers in Discovery, Singular CEO Tom Froggatt is passing the torch to a new host - and we're delighted to introduce Tyler Olding.

In this episode, the tables have turned, and the transition begins with - for the first time - an interview with Tom himself. Listen in to learn more about the brilliant career that has been behind Careers in Discovery, and the exciting times ahead for Tom.

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Samir Ounzain, HAYA Therapeutics

From the moment he walked out of a cinema showing Jurassic Park aged 10, Samir Ounzain knew he wanted to work with DNA. That early obsession turned into a career dedicated to understanding the 98% of our genome that doesn’t code for proteins - what’s often referred to as the “dark genome.”

In this episode, Samir shares the personal and scientific journey that led to founding HAYA Therapeutics, a Biotech trailblazing an entirely new approach to treating common and chronic diseases. He explains how HAYA builds backwards from unmet patient needs, and forwards with a first-principles view of biology - putting the cell, not the target, at the centre of drug discovery.

This is a story about biology, yes - but it’s also about clarity, courage, and commitment to a new model of Biotech.

Rafal Kaminski, Angelini Pharma

When it comes to brain health, few people have dedicated more of their career to pushing the field forward than Rafal Kaminski, Chief Scientific Officer at Angelini Pharma.

In this episode of Careers in Discovery, Rafal shares the journey that’s taken him from medical school in Poland to leading R&D efforts across UCB, Roche, and now Angelini. Along the way, we explore his deep commitment to neuroscience, the lessons of building research teams across academia, biotech, and pharma, and the transformation taking place at Angelini - from a 100-year-old company into a focused innovator in brain health.

We dive into why Angelini is investing in both cutting-edge science and public awareness, how Rafal made the leap from academia to industry, and what he looks for in people when building high-performing teams. He also reflects on the value of ambition, cultural perspective, and scientific humility when navigating a career in life sciences.