A Dose of Reality with Charles Spence – Details, episodes & analysis

Joseph (Joe) Birkett, Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Aura Biosciences, joined our podcast to share what he’s learned over two decades in oncology drug development, including the career-defining moments and the painful missteps that shaped his approach.

Joe speaks openly about his proudest contribution—helping lead Obinutuzumab to regulatory approval—and contrasts it with one of his lowest points: watching leadership ignore safety concerns around a CDK9 inhibitor that ultimately failed in the clinic.

Here's what you're in:

• How Joe helped lead Obinutuzumab to Phase III and approval.
• The fallout of pushing a CDK9 inhibitor with flawed preclinical data.
• His experience as a CEO and the lessons he carries forward.

Timestamps:

02:22 Working on Obinutuzumab and its approval

04:51 Dealing with toxic leadership and moving on

07:18 Introducing Aura Biosciences 

15:01 What Joe looks for when hiring at Aura

19:32 Why companies rely too much on CROs

24:44 The problem with safe bets and risk-averse R&D

29:47 Quickfire round 

About Joe

Joseph Birkett is the Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Aura Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotech company developing virus-like drug conjugates (VDCs) to treat cancers such as uveal melanoma. Joe has 25 years of oncology drug development experience, contributing to the approval of seven oncology drugs across multiple disease areas.

Prior to joining Aura Biosciences, he served as CEO of a stealth-mode EU biotech and is the founder of Crest Pharma. He holds a PhD in Psychiatric Medicine from King’s College London, and his passion extends beyond drug development to longevity, health, and wellness.

Connect with Joe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-birkett-14572410/ 

Company Website: https://www.aurabiosciences.com/ 

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/ 

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/ 

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Bruce Dezube, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development of Xilio Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies. Here he shares his extensive career in oncology and drug development, discussing his journey from academia to industry, the challenges he faced, and the importance of patient care. He reflects on his experiences with HIV patients, the role of executive coaching in his career transition, and the vibrant culture at Xilio Therapeutics. 

Bruce emphasizes the significance of staying committed to a company for growth and contribution, and he offers valuable insights on leadership and teamwork.

Here's what you're in:

• What is the specific moment in his life or career that helped drive him to where he is today?
• The benefits of having an executive coach.
• What did he learn from his career transition during his 60s?

Timestamps:

01:30 Career Beginnings in Medicine and Oncology

04:45 Transition to HIV Treatment and Impactful Moments

10:17 The Benefits of Having an Executive Coach 

16:24 Career Transition at 60s

20:05 About Xilio Therapeutics and its Culture

28:12 Final Advice

About Bruce

Bruce Dezube is the current Senior Vice President,  Clinical Development of Xilio Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies. He has worked in drug development, both in oncology and in HIV, for most of his 40 year career. He is proud to have led and contributed to teams that brought life-changing medicines to patients. He considers these patients on early treatment to be pioneers. Although he has not explored seas like Columbus or Magellan, he views his efforts as those of a modern-day explorer.

Connect with Bruce:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-dezube/  

Company Website: https://xiliotx.com/ 

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode,  I spoke with Gertjan Bartlema, the co-founder Populus Bio and CEO of Immodulon Therapeutics. Over 20 years in big pharma at Celgene/Amgen and then moved into the fast pace world of biotech. From here, he has been challenging the status quo and asking the question “Is our current drug development approaches sustainable?”. Gertjan highlights the need for better clinical trial designs and the importance of making objective decisions based on data. He also offers valuable insights for aspiring executives on leadership and team dynamics.

Here's what you're in:

• How many drugs fail end-points due to Bad Leadership? 
• Why does Gertjan believe sequential and traditional drug Development can kill innovation within Drug Development?. 
• What advice does Gertjan give to those wanting to become a CEO? 

Timestamps:

02:53 The Abraxane Course Correction

06:03 Gertjan’s Journey into Life Sciences 

10:40 Leaving Celgene and New Ventures

15:50 Bayesian Statistics in Clinical Studies

19:27 Mistakes Companies Are Still Making Today 

25:38 The Ambitious People

35:46 Advice for Aspiring Executives

About Gertjan

Gertjan Bartlemais co-founder of Populus Bio and current CEO of Immodulon Therapeutics which is running cancer trials focusing on a broad spectrum immunomodulator. He is a global biotech executive with extensive experience in EU and US operational roles and he is a member of founding Celgene EMEA management establishing EU footprint and launching Revlimid. Prior to joining Immodulon, he was the Chief Business Officer of Vico Therapeutics, and spent 12 years with Celgene, where he led the trial of Revlimid. Gertjan holds MSc in Economics from Maastricht University. 

Connect with Gertjan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gertjan-bartlema/ 

Populus Bio: https://populusbio.com/ 

Immodulon Therapeutics: https://www.immodulon.com/ 

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode, I discuss the three most common reasons hiring managers reject candidates, focusing on aspects that are often within the candidate's control. I highlight the importance of cultural fit, alignment of interests, and clarity in communication during interviews. I give tips to improve your interview performance and avoid common pitfalls that lead to rejection.

Here's what you're in:

• How cultural fit can be influenced by candidate behavior?
• How using vague terms like 'strategy' can lead to misunderstandings?
• Why building rapport with interviewers is crucial for success?

Timestamps:

01:09 Background Story

03:37 Not a Good Cultural Fit

07:29 Candidates Going To Get Bored/ Not Hands-on Enough

12:01 Not Giving Straight to the Point Answers

16:52 Summary 

About Me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

In this episode, I talked with Caroline Vermeulen, Recruitment & HR at Eminence, as she discussed into the details of the hiring process, highlighting the value of putting candidates first. She gave insights on common mistakes in recruiting, the importance of authenticity in communication, and the relationship between hiring managers and recruiters. 

Caroline and I also shared stories of both our best and worst hiring experiences, emphasizing out the need for clear expectations and good communication. Our conversation wraps up with a round of quickfire questions, providing more tips on recruitment best practices.

Here's what you're in:

• What are the most common hiring mistakes and how does that affect things later on?
• How long should a CV be? How long should an interview be?
• To give or not to give controversial feedback to candidates?

Timestamps:

01:50 Introduction and Career Background

03:16 Caroline's New Mission: candidate-first

06:19 Common Mistakes in Recruitment Processes

09:31 Importance of Authenticity in Communication

11:11 Communication Strategies with Hiring Managers

16:35 Building a Smooth and Clean Recruitment Process

22:43 Best and Worst Experience in Recruitment 

34:00 Quickfire Questions and Insights

About Caroline

Caroline Vermeulen is a Recruitment & HR at Eminence. She has an educational background of Bsc in Life sciences/Biotechnology, has over a decade of experience in the industry, including early-phase trials for generics, cell and gene therapies, immunotherapies, and pain medications, and has helped over a thousand candidates find jobs as a recruiter. Transitioning from agency to corporate recruitment, she faced challenges due to the complexities of corporate structures and the challenges in communication. Now, she is excited to launch her new business, candidate-first.com, focused on delivering quality candidate responses.

Connect with Caroline

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinevermeulen1/ 

Website: www.candidate-first.com   

About Me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode, I talk about the importance of asking intelligent questions during job interviews. I share insights from my experience coaching candidates, emphasizing how well-structured questions can show enthusiasm, knowledge, and fitness for the role. I cover the types of questions to ask, how to structure them effectively, and the timing to maximize impact. I also discuss the importance of understanding the hiring manager's needs and building rapport throughout the interview process.

Here's what you're in for:

• How to ask intelligent questions in an interview?
• What are the types of questions can you focus on?
• Which stages of the interview is the best time to ask the questions?

Timestamps:

01:51 Interview Strategies

03:25 The Situation

06:39 The Three Main Topics of the Questions

10:13 Examples of Questions to Ask

11:09 How to Ask Iintelligent Questions 

21:25 Summary

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

In this episode, I talked with Troels Jordansen, chairman at KELI Therapeutics, where he discusses the ongoing recession in the biotech industry. He shares insights from the Advanced Therapies Congress in Lisbon, highlighting investor optimism and the importance of smart hiring and team building in biotech companies.

Troels shares valuable lessons learned from past experiences, including the need for companies to secure sufficient funding and the significance of having the right people in key positions. The discussion also covers Troels' interest in the hair care market, highlighting its increasing connection with biotech.

Here's what you're in:

• What do people forget during the good times? 
• Why this recession is not the worst?
• What are the big mistakes companies are still making? 

Timestamps:

02:17 Introduction and Career Background

07:43 Biotech Recession and Insights from the Advanced Therapies Congress

12:46 Strategies on Reaching Out to Investors

18:13 The Challenges of Being in a Hiring Position

21:16 Finding the Right People for the Team

25:50 Lessons from Past and the Current State of the Biotech Inddustry

28:36 Exploring the Hair Care Market

About Troels

Troels Jordansen is the Executive Chairman at KELI Therapeutics, a stem cell and gene therapy company based in Lithuania, with nearly 30 years of experience in international healthcare of which about 25 years focusing on tissue engineering and cellular therapies. Though not a scientist, his commercial expertise has led him to roles in pioneering companies like Genzyme and Isotis, where he contributed to major innovations and IPOs. Troels has a marketing and management background earned from Copenhagen Business School and Aarhus Business College.

Connect with Troels

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troelsjordansen/ 
• Website: https://keli.eu/ 

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/
• Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode, I talked with Sophie, a leader at the Italian pharmaceutical company Bracco, about her experiences and learnings at the Harvard’s negotiation course. Sophie shares her experiences attending the course, highlighting the immersive nature of the program and the diverse backgrounds of participants. We discuss her key takeaways from the course, including the importance of gathering information and maximizing value in negotiations. 

The podcast also covers practical strategies for negotiating salaries and promotions, emphasizing the importance of understanding one's value and the company's perspective.

Here's what you're in:

• Where do people go wrong in negotiation?
• Is Trump a good negotiator? 
• How could the Harvard Negotiation Course benefit people working in clinical research? 

Timestamps:

01:41 Introduction to Bracco and Career Background

04:40 The Harvard Negotiation Course Experience - What's in it?

12:26 Key Takeaways from the Course

18:29 The Qualities of a Good Negotiator

20:42 How Good Negotiators Do Negotiation

26:44 Negotiating Better Salaries and Promotions

30:15 Final Thoughts on Negotiation

About Sophie

Sophie He is the Head of M&A and Partnering at Bracco, the globally leading players in diagnostic pharmaceuticals. She has over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She has been heavily involved in M&A and business development, which goes with her passion of negotiation. Prior to her roles in pharma, she gained experience in consulting and banking. She holds a PhD from MIT and NUS (National Univeristy of Singapore), has recently attended a Harvard Course, and is a CFA holder.

Connect with Sophie

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-he-phd/ 

Website: https://www.bracco.com/ 

Harvard Course Link: https://www.exed.hbs.edu/changing-game-negotiation-competitive-decision-making 

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode, I talked about a simple yet effective way to ace your interviews by focusing on the three main questions: 'Who are you?', 'Why are you applying?', and 'Why are you looking to leave?'. Learn how to answer these questions in under 2 minutes, how to successfully move on with these three questions, give relevant ABC story, what kind of answers to avoid, and strategy on how to control the conversation. 

This will be helpful for those who wanted to significantly improve and do well in all of their interviews. 

Here's what you're in for:

• Why are the three core interview questions that will make you one step ahead in interviews?
• Why is it important to understand the hiring manager's perspective?

Timestamps:

00:36 The Three Main Interview Questions

01:35 One Fatal Mistake During An Interview

02:58 Answering The 3 Questions 

03:52 Controlling The Narrative

06:12 Going One Step Ahead In Your Interview

08:04 Avoiding Giving Subjective Answers

10:05 Moving On With The Interview 

13:49 Final Summary 

14:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.

In this episode, I interview Nikolaus Trede, the SVP Clinical Development in Century Therapeutics, an innovative biotechnology company that is building an industry leading allogeneic iPSC-derived cell therapy platform. He shares his journey from academia to industry, offering unique experience into the ever-changing world of cell therapies.

We also discuss:

• The impact of ready-made therapies on cancer treatment
• Common problems in clinical trials and how to dodge them
• What we can learn from the ROCKET trial's close call
• Tips for assembling a top-notch biotech team
• Turning obstacles into major advances in medical research

Here's what you're in:

02:15 Meeting Nik and his background

04:30 The promise of new cell therapies

09:45 Tough parts of creating new treatments

15:20 How to build strong teams

21:35 What we learned from the ROCKET trial

27:10 Success stories of Lysocell and reaching more patients

32:55 How to talk better in medical research

38:40 Making a good team spirit at work

43:15 Why getting along matters in teams

46:30 Final thoughts and advice for newcomers

About Nikolaus Trede

Nikolaus Trede is a physician-scientist specializing in immunology and pediatric hematology/oncology. With a PhD in immunology and 15 years of clinical experience at institutions like Harvard Medical School and the University of Utah, he bridges basic science and patient care. Dr. Trede has led academic research labs and industry teams, designing and supervising clinical trials for innovative cancer treatments. His work spans from chronic myelogenous leukemia studies to current CAR T cell trials in hematologic malignancies at JUNO/Celgene, demonstrating his expertise in translating scientific concepts into clinical applications.

Connect with Nikolaus Trede:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaus-trede/

Website: https://www.centurytx.com/

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/

Website: https://www.discera-search.com/