Pathways in Life Science – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we sit down with David Remedios, National Sales Digital Pathology Specialist at Leica Biosystems, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of digital pathology and the intersection of science and technology in modern healthcare.

From the halls of the innovative Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital to remote diagnosis in Newfoundland, David shares his insights on how automation and digitization are solving critical labor shortages and changing the way doctors work. We also dive into his personal journey from a UofT neurobiology major to a leader in clinical sales.

In this video, we discuss:

• The Digital Shift: How hospitals are moving from glass slides on snowmobiles to instant remote sign-outs [02:10].
• AI vs. Pathologists: Will algorithms replace doctors, or are they simply the ultimate pattern-recognition tool? [04:15].
• Regulatory Hurdles: The differences between Health Canada and FDA approval processes [05:42].
• Career Advice: Why you don’t always need an MBA to reach leadership roles in the life sciences [14:22].
• Sales Strategy: The importance of "discovery" and in-person connections in a complex, 2–4 year sales cycle [26:05].
• Funding Innovation: How hospitals navigate capital projects using foundation funds and "Dragon's Den" style pitches [27:35].

Whether you are a pathology professional, a science student, or interested in the business of medical devices, this conversation provides a deep dive into the future of Canadian healthcare.

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

In this episode of North Star Scientific, we explore the unconventional journey of Rob, who transitioned from a high school history teacher to a 15-year veteran in the life sciences sales industry.

Rob shares his unique philosophy on being a "Chief Happiness Officer"—focusing on empathy, transparency, and helping customers succeed rather than just closing a deal. We also dive into how technology and AI are transforming the way sales professionals interact with scientists and what the future of lab demos might look like in a virtual world.

In this video, we discuss:

The Career Pivot: How a history degree builds the research skills needed for technical sales [03:14].

The Evolution of the "Cold Call": Why walking hospital halls is a thing of the past and how AI enables "warm calling" [13:09].

Chief Happiness Officer: Why focusing on customer happiness leads to long-term success and loyalty [10:00].

AI vs. Personal Relationships: Will AI ever replace the face-to-face connection in high-stakes biotech sales? [23:47].

The Future of Lab Demos: Could VR goggles and "digital twins" replace shipping heavy equipment for trials? [27:13].

Sales Frameworks: A breakdown of Spin, Challenger, and EPIC selling methodologies [31:32].

The "Nice Guy" Myth: Why compassion and empathy are actually competitive advantages in business [35:17].

Whether you're looking to break into the life science industry or you're a seasoned pro wanting to refine your consultative approach, this conversation offers a masterclass in modern relationship-based selling.

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

Sometimes laziness is the mother of ingenuity—I was just too shy to cold call.

In this episode of Pathways in Life Science, we sit down with Guillaume, founder of Biotech Connect. Guillaume explains how his hatred for cold calling led him to start hosting coffee-and-donut socials at the University of Montreal, which eventually snowballed into Canada’s premier turnkey event service for life science manufacturers.

His story is a masterclass in resilience. We discuss the $10,000 "leap of faith," the reality of being acquired by a larger media company only to be fired two years later, and how he bought his own company back to rebuild it from the ashes. We also dive into the "Phoenix" moment post-pandemic, where the industry’s hunger for in-person connection led to 100% occupancy for his shows.

00:00:00 - Introduction: Solving the "distribution gap" for manufacturers

00:01:15 - The First Job: Antibody production and the struggle of "shy" sales

00:02:45 - The Coffee & Donut Strategy: Avoiding cold calls by gathering customers

00:03:51 - Genesis of Biotech Connect: Partnering with Simon to build a business

00:05:40 - The Leap of Faith: Starting with $10,000 and zero security

00:07:05 - Growing Pains: The early days of five-company events

00:08:14 - The Acquisition: Selling Biotech Connect to LabX

00:10:42 - The Plot Twist: Being fired from his own company and buying it back

00:12:44 - Pandemic Panic: Canceling the 2020 schedule and launching a podcast

00:14:00 - Back to the Bench: Working as a research assistant to survive COVID-19

00:16:03 - The Phoenix Moment: The massive boom in post-pandemic registrations

00:17:33 - The New Normal: Why working from home has made trade shows more valuable

00:19:32 - The 8-Year Milestone: When he finally felt "confident" as a full-time CEO

00:22:50 - Ego vs. Success: Being trained by a Master's student after a PhD

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

Breakthroughs in medicine are useless unless patients can access them.

In this episode of the PATHWAYS IN LIFE SCIENCE podcast, Kaitlyn Sai shares her harrowing journey of being diagnosed with ITP, a condition where the immune system destroys its own platelets. After traditional treatments failed and she ended up in the emergency room with life-threatening bleeding, her doctor prescribed a game-changing drug called Eltrombopag (Promacta).

The catch? Her insurance company denied coverage, leaving her with an impossible $8,000 per month bill. Kaitlyn discusses the "contract exclusions" that nearly cost her her life, the incredible community effort that raised $22,000 for her first dose, and why she is now adding "patient advocate" to her medical school journey.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The "other side" of life science research

00:02:19 - Diagnosis: Discovering ITP and the biology of low platelets

00:03:52 - Treatment Phase 1: Corticosteroids and the limits of steroids

00:04:43 - Treatment Phase 2: Rituximab and the mouse-human antibody connection

00:05:16 - The ER Visit: When ITP becomes life-threatening

00:06:04 - The Breakthrough: How Eltrombopag (Promacta) works

00:07:26 - Sticker Shock: The $8,000/month pharmacy bill

00:08:25 - The Insurance Battle: Prior authorizations and denied appeals

00:09:41 - Community Hope: How a LinkedIn post and GoFundMe saved her life

00:12:32 - The "Contract Exclusion" Loophole: Reading the denial letter

00:13:46 - Systemic Failure: Why US laws on insurance transparency need to change

00:15:43 - Advocacy: Why scientists must fight for patient access

00:18:03 - The Road Ahead: Balancing Med School with a new mission

00:18:50 - The Reality of Medical Bankruptcy in the US

#HealthcareReform #RareDisease #ITP #PatientAdvocacy #Biotech #HealthInsurance #MedStudent #MedicalBankruptcy #LifeSciences #STEM #NorthStarScientific

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

Every path is winding, and most of the time it goes up and down.

In this episode of the Pathways in Life Science podcast, we sit down with Sarah, Sales Manager at Atelerix, to talk about the reality of finding your place in the life sciences. Sarah opens up about her "chaotic" background—starting with a biotechnology degree and a year-long stint testing dishwashing pods that made her never want to step foot in a lab again.

We explore her transition into teaching and recruitment, where she spent over a decade learning the "professional nosiness" required to build deep relationships. Now, she’s leading the charge for a game-changing technology that preserves cells and tissues at room temperature, eliminating the need for complex cold-chain logistics.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The winding paths of life science careers

00:01:03 - The Biotech Degree: Hopes for medicine vs. reality

00:01:41 - The Dishwasher Phase: Formulation science at Proctor & Gamble

00:03:58 - The "Why" Gap: Why the lab environment wasn't a fit

00:04:42 - Graduating in a Crisis: Working as a support worker in 2009

00:04:55 - Teaching Science: Re-engaging teens with vocational science

00:06:51 - Soft Skills: Learning the "Business Email" and Outlook

00:08:12 - ADHD and Career Fit: Why repetitive work is a dealbreaker

00:09:18 - Breaking into Recruitment: From job seeker to headhunter

00:10:30 - The "Sales" Stigma: Transitioning from retail targets to consultative partnerships

00:11:43 - The 15-Pound Holiday: Selling bed linen and electricity

00:13:15 - Discovering Adalierix: Why the "Hedgehog" technology blew her mind

00:16:20 - Room Temperature Logistics: Solving the cell-shipping nightmare

00:17:29 - Scaling Global Business: Replacing hand-delivered cell models

00:19:18 - Sales Strategy: Persistence and the "Volume Game" in disruptive tech

00:22:50 - Advice for Graduates: Exploring roles beyond the bench

00:24:31 - The Weirdest Encounter: Recruiting for a "fragrance house" (The armpit sniffer)

00:26:43 - Condom Quality Assurance: The reality of customer returns

#LifeSciences #CareerJourney #Biotech #SalesStrategy #Recruitment #CellPreservation #CareerAdvice #STEMCareers #NorthStarScientific #WomenInScience

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

What happens when a molecular biology major realizes they aren't meant for the lab bench? In this episode of North Star Scientific, we sit down with David Nathan, CEO of Scaler Marketing, to explore the intersection of science, storytelling, and entrepreneurship.

David shares the raw reality of starting a business with a family of five, the unconventional lessons he learned from Amway, and how he transitioned from selling $5,000 websites to running a specialized agency for major scientific companies. We also dive into the future of SEO, the "empty" side of AI creativity, and why every science professional needs a community like SAMPS.

00:00:00 - Intro: The power of being active on LinkedIn

00:01:54 - Growing up in the lab: From Princeton to New England Biolabs

00:03:57 - The Epiphany: Why I wasn't meant for the lab bench

00:05:22 - The "Storytelling Gap" in scientific companies

00:07:05 - Lessons from Amway: Redesigning your life path

00:10:31 - Starting a business with triplets and a $0 salary

00:14:12 - How my wife "kicked me out" to find my first client

00:15:53 - Handling a 6-month sales drought

00:19:35 - How to scale: "Make a mess, then clean it up"

00:23:00 - Moving from $5K websites to $100K projects

00:24:31 - Is SEO still relevant in the age of AI?

00:27:45 - How AI pulls information: The role of backlinks

00:29:18 - Simon Sinek and the "Struggle" of creativity vs. AI

00:30:51 - What is SAMPS? A community for science commercial professionals

00:34:04 - Closing thoughts and future collaborations

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

"People make the difference." We sit down with Berendia Jackson, a high-impact sales leader in the biotech industry.

Berendia shares her unique journey from the lab bench to leading commercial teams for global life science giants. We discuss the critical balance between technical expertise and soft skills, how the "customer journey" has evolved over two decades (from Palm Pilots to AI), and the honest reality of being a minority in executive leadership. This is a must-watch for anyone looking to understand the human side of high-stakes scientific sales and the future of diversity in the boardroom.

00:00:00 - Introduction: Meeting a powerhouse leader

00:01:10 - The Journey: From aspiring doctor to life science sales

00:01:55 - "People Make the Difference": The technical vs. commercial balance

00:02:54 - Lessons from a Field Application Scientist (FAS) role

00:04:18 - 20 Years of Change: From Palm Pilots and paper maps to digital tools

00:05:40 - The Modern Customer: More knowledgeable and AI-empowered

00:06:45 - AI in Sales: Will robots replace the human connection?

00:08:44 - The Peak of Human Intelligence? AI’s potential for EQ

00:10:47 - Transactional vs. Million-Dollar Deals: Where AI fits

00:13:51 - AI in Healthcare: Predictive modeling and self-diagnosis

00:16:30 - Diversity in Leadership: Breaking the glass ceiling

00:18:28 - Executive Champions: The importance of diversity in thought and background

00:19:40 - Mentoring the Next Generation: Volunteering with Women in Bio

00:20:55 - Why the Boardroom Needs to Reflect the Real World

00:22:50 - The Responsibility of Representation: Doing the job well first

00:25:15 - Overcoming Unconscious Bias in Hiring

00:26:55 - Healthcare Disparity: Diversity’s impact on clinical trials

00:28:05 - The Next Chapter: Moving downstream toward diagnostics

00:30:45 - Leading from the Trenches: Berendia’s leadership philosophy

#SalesLeadership #LifeSciences #Biotech #DiversityInSTEM #AIinHealthcare #WomenInBio #CommercialExcellence #DiversityAndInclusion #CareerJourney #NorthStarScientific

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

Your degree only goes so far. Practical application is what makes you valuable.

In this episode of the Pathways in Life Science podcast, we sit down with our own Managing Partner, Jeff Storelee, to discuss his transition from the QC lab at Bio-Techne to leading major sales teams. Jeff opens up about the "hard lessons" of the Northeast sales territory, why being an introvert didn't stop him from succeeding in sales, and the importance of telling customers the truth—even when it means losing a commission.

Whether you're a student facing "career burnout" or a professional looking to move into business development, Jeff’s story provides a roadmap for stepping outside your comfort zone and building a career based on trust and results.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The "Illustrious" career of Jeff Storelee

00:00:54 - Childhood Dreams: Why I wanted to be a doctor (or a hockey player)

00:01:42 - Junior Year Burnout: Pivoting away from med school

00:02:35 - Starting Small: My first $27,000 lab job at R&D Systems

00:04:02 - The Lab Advantage: Why every sales rep should spend time at the bench

00:05:46 - Learning "Pain Points": How lab experience makes you a better consultant

00:06:40 - The "Shy Kid" in Sales: Can introverts succeed in business?

00:07:34 - Best Career Advice: "You don't get anything without asking"

00:09:44 - Building Loyalty: Why I refused to sell a "piece of crap" instrument

00:11:41 - The Myth of the Extroverted Salesperson

00:13:16 - Selling in Boston: Developing thick skin and negotiation skills

00:14:38 - Sales in 1999 vs. 2025: Competition, Pressure, and Tech

00:16:45 - The Loss of In-Person Connection: Why handshakes still matter

00:18:50 - The Art of Small Talk: Building professional friendships

00:20:54 - Corporate vs. Startup: The freedom of being nimble at North Star

00:23:23 - Advice for Graduates: Don't be narrow-minded with your career

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

We vastly overestimate what’s possible in 2 years, but we vastly underestimate what’s possible in 10.

In this episode of Pathways in Life Science, we speak with R.J. about the early 90s origins of AI and his journey through the "dot-com bubble" to founding a healthcare-focused software firm. R.J. breaks down why AI isn't just about writing poems. It's about detecting gender in retinal images, managing chronic conditions like diabetes through real-time agents, and enabling "aging in home" through invisible, non-invasive sensors.

We dive deep into the ethics of AI, the importance of "ambient listening" to reduce doctor burnout, and why the biggest hurdle in health tech isn't the technology itself. It's the human process and workflow.

00:00:00 - Introduction: A non-traditional path to life sciences

00:00:43 - The Early 90s AI: Why R.J. chose the workforce over a PhD

00:01:40 - Solving New Problems: Moving from inventory management to digital health

00:02:13 - The Birth of Estenda: Launching a consulting firm during a downturn

00:03:51 - AI Strategy: How GenAI has shifted from "robotics" to "creativity"

00:05:44 - The Experimental Phase: Why we can't fully trust AI for coding... yet

00:06:35 - Retinal Imaging: AI seeing patterns (like gender) that humans can't detect

00:08:50 - The Future of Wearables: Biometric-driven food orders and health agents

00:10:30 - Project Health Design: Visualizing the "Personal Health Record" in 2008

00:12:14 - Aging in Place: Using AI sensors to help seniors stay independent

00:14:52 - Rare Diseases & Off-Label Uses: AI's ability to scan the world's research

00:16:35 - Ambient Listening: Freeing doctors from their computer screens

00:17:33 - Privacy & Regulation: Why R.J. isn't worried about HIPAA in the AI age

00:20:14 - The Printing Press Analogy: Navigating the fear of game-changing tech

00:22:11 - Ethics & Suicide Prevention: The boundaries of AI in mental health

00:26:13 - The Workflow Bottleneck: Why mass adoption is a people problem

00:29:18 - Productive Harmony: R.J.’s upcoming book on energy management

#DigitalHealth #HealthTech #AIinHealthcare #SoftwareDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #MedTech #Biotech #LifeSciences #PatientCare #STEMCareers #PathwaysInLifeScience

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!

Culture isn't the people. It's the space between the people.

In this podcast episode of Pathways in Life Science, we explore why even the best science and the most funding can't save a biotech company with a broken culture. Tom Froggatt, CEO of Singular, breaks down his "7 Building Blocks" framework for creating an environment that scales, retains talent, and navigates the unique challenges of the life sciences industry.

We discuss the "Five Monkeys" experiment on cultural behavior, why hiring for "culture fit" can actually hurt your company, and how to transition a culture as a company moves from R&D to commercialization.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The importance of culture in hard times

00:01:14 - The Accidental Career: From English Literature to Life Sciences

00:02:42 - Scaling to 500 People: Lessons from global recruitment

00:03:07 - Why Science Isn't Enough: Why successful biotechs win

00:04:43 - Culture as the "Ultimate Lever" for ROI

00:05:46 - Environment vs. Individual Effort: Creating sustainable results

00:06:57 - The Hiring Dilemma: Technical skills vs. cultural alignment

00:08:44 - The "Software Engineer" Stereotype: Diversity in expression

00:10:00 - The Mistake of "Culture Fit" vs. Diversity of Thought

00:11:47 - The Pendulum of Culture: Navigating R&D to Commercial transitions

00:13:43 - When do companies start caring about culture?

00:15:43 - The "Five Monkeys" Experiment: Why changing people doesn't change culture

00:19:11 - Environment shapes behavior: A personal story

00:20:54 - Inspiring Leadership: The alpha monkey effect

00:22:22 - The 2-Minute Elevator Pitch: Recruit, Engage, Develop

00:23:00 - Deep Dive: The 7 Building Blocks to a Brilliant Culture

00:25:38 - Framework for Action: Where to start when culture is subtle

#Biotech #CompanyCulture #Leadership #LifeSciences #OrganizationalDevelopment #StartupAdvice #TalentRetention #HumanResources #NorthStarScientific #ExecutiveSearch

We'd be honoured if you checked us out:

Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tea/

North Star Scientific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIpR59D5c6N8iuYVBEVIShQ

North Star Scientific on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-star-scientific/

Let's Navigate Science Careers Together!