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I run the Data & Digital Office for Biomedical Research, enabling delivery of our strategic initiatives, and advancing our digital transformation. I work closely with key stakeholders and our Data Science and Informatics teams across the organization to ensure value delivery, optimal use of data and digital assets, and sound investment decisions into the right priorities.
My role is to maximize the impact of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence on our R&D pipeline’s speed and success rate, bringing better new drugs faster to patient.
As the Executive Vice President, Head of R&D at Lundbeck I work together with my talented team to be premiere in neuroscience research and development, translating forefront science into novel medicines to restore brain health and enable people impacted by brain disease to live a better life.
With a focus on applying our leading capabilities in translating neurobiology insights into breakthrough medicines serving neurology, psychiatry, and pain indications where there are particularly high unmet medical needs.
Prior to joining Lundbeck I worked with large, mid-sized pharma, and start-up biotech companies. My expertise lies in R&D line-management, project leadership, and program (portfolio) management, from target and drug discovery throughout to late development, for small molecules and biotherapeutics (mAbs and protein ligands) in the neuroscience area (neurology, psychiatry, and pain) and in the immunology & inflammation area (dermatology & rheumatology).
Bert is a Senior Fellow Architecture and Engineering at JnJ Innovative Medicine Technology R&D. That means he designs future proof solutions for the Global Sciences department, focusing on cloud-native implementations of systems that require High Performance Compute or require full integration. Bert has a background in Chemistry and Computer Science. During his 28-year career at JnJ he has spent 26 years in various IT departments. In his current position, Bert is predominantly focused on the Discovery (overall process, and In-silico design using Machine Learning) and the lab execution (Scientific Data Management) systems.
Edith Heard, PhD, FRS is a British scientist and Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. She graduated from Cambridge University in 1986, specialising in genetics, and then carried out her PhD at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, working on gene amplification mechanisms in cancer.
She moved to the Pasteur Institute in Paris in 1990, as a postdoc, which is where she began her studies on the epigenetic process of X-chromosome inactivation. In 2000 she spent a year at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the USA as a visiting scientist, before moving to the Institut Curie in 2001, where she was director of the Genetics and Developmental Biology Department. In 2025, Edith joined the Crick as Chief Executive Officer.
Edith’s laboratory focuses on epigenetic processes in mammals, with a particular interest in chromosome biology and the role of non-coding RNAs, chromatin structure and nuclear organization, in the establishment and maintenance of differential expression patterns during development and in disease. She became an EMBO member in 2005, was awarded the CNRS Gold Medal in 2024, the CNRS Silver Medal in 2008 and elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2013.
Junaid is a Senior Partner at Flagship Pioneering, leading the UK division and serving as a Science Partner for Pioneering Intelligence globally. He is also a practicing physician with the UK’s National Health Service. Previously, as Chief Medical Scientist at Microsoft Research, Junaid focused on integrating trusted, reliable, and human-centered AI into medicine, leading strategic partnerships and spearheading Responsible AI initiatives. With extensive experience in primary and secondary care, public health, and roles as a payer and policy maker, Junaid’s work spans healthcare systems across the US, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Singapore. Academically, he holds positions as a Clinical Associate Professor at University College London (UCL) and as a Visiting Scientist at both the Harvard School of Public Health and NTU in Singapore.
My mantra to make decisions is this quote by Edwards Demings: “In God we trust and all others must bring data”. I have over 11 years of experience working with data. Recently, I was involved in the development of ontologies and data standardization strategies at Monsanto Research Centre, a subsidiary of Bayer Crop Science. In my previous roles I’ve been involved in bioinformaticis, data mining, data stewardship, data visualisation, the development of tools for querying structured and unstructured data and pipeline analytics.
Senior Product Owner & Product Manager for GSK in the R&D Tech division with 20 years’ experience in pharmaceutical R&D at Pfizer and GSK. A PhD biochemist by training, I spent 14 years in early research high throughput screening/compound profiling before transitioning to IT. I have delivered IT solns across CMC functionalities: CG&T supply chain, multi-modality QC LIMS & CMC data access tools, and I am passionate about realising data accessibility in CMC to match the capability in early research. Currently I am accountable for the Tech strategy to digitalise CMC Lab Data Capture from point of generation to availability for re-use, leading the delivery of a multi-modality global CMC ELN deployment and multiple Lab of the Future initiatives.
This role is central to enhancing scientific excellence through advanced data management, FAIRification, workflow orchestration, RTS compliance, and systems integration across Pathology and Applied Safety Sciences (PASS). The Senior Data Expert will support the selection and drive the implementation, optimization, and maintenance of digital solutions, focusing on improving data quality, accessibility, and the efficiency of lab processes. This individual will play a key role in developing and rolling out a comprehensive data strategy for the team, ensuring seamless integration of new and existing digital tools.
Robbert van Putten joined J&J in 2021 and currently employed as a Senior Scientist in High-Throughput Experimentation. In this role, he acts as the department’s Automation Lead and is responsible for lab automation and workflow optimization for J&J’s chemical process R&D teams.
Becky was appointed as the Pistoia Alliance’s first female President in June 2022. She is a long-time supporter of pre-competitive collaboration in life sciences and healthcare R&D and the critical role it plays in advancing science and is passionate about diversity in STEM. Becky is responsible for leading the Pistoia Alliance’s strategy and defining its future within areas of increasing importance to the industry, such as data standards, emerging technologies, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and precision medicine. Becky first engaged with the Pistoia Alliance on its Lab of the Future project whilst at VWR (now part Avantor) where she worked for over a decade in sales, business development, and scientific services. From here, she joined the scientific instrumentation and analytical services company, Pion, as Managing Director, before moving to the Alliance as a project manager. She later became Chief Portfolio Officer and within this role established the Alliance’s first and thriving Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Leadership program. Becky re-joined the Alliance as President after a return to the commercial world as a Director at Impellam Group where she led the company’s STEM services strategy. Becky has a PhD in Biochemistry from Imperial College and an MBA from Cranfield University
R&D executive with 23 years of expertise at AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Bayer in US, UK, D, CH, Sweden. I combine a PhD in Chemistry with an executive MBA with specialization in M&A, VC, corporate innovation / entrepreneurship. I have been working as R&D department head, project leader, member of governance councils plus bring business expertise based on supporting business development, contract negotiations, and consulting for startups and VC.
Bert is a Senior Fellow Architecture and Engineering at JnJ Innovative Medicine Technology R&D. That means he designs future proof solutions for the Global Sciences department, focusing on cloud-native implementations of systems that require High Performance Compute or require full integration. Bert has a background in Chemistry and Computer Science. During his 28-year career at JnJ he has spent 26 years in various IT departments. In his current position, Bert is predominantly focused on the Discovery (overall process, and In-silico design using Machine Learning) and the lab execution (Scientific Data Management) systems.
16+ years of experience in pharma industry, including 12+ year experience in leading a growing team of machine learning and data scientists and computational biologists and chemists who harness established and emerging high-dimensional data sources technologies by internalizing, developing and integrating advanced analysis and interpretation approaches in support of drug discovery.
With over five years of experience in pharmaceutical R&D and computational science, I currently serve as the Therapeutic Projects Data & AI Lead at Servier, where I focus on leveraging data analytics and artificial intelligence to drive innovation in oncology, neurology, and immuno-inflammation therapeutic areas. My role emphasizes creating advanced tools and methodologies in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to support the concept phase in drug development.
Bert is a Senior Fellow Architecture and Engineering at JnJ Innovative Medicine Technology R&D. That means he designs future proof solutions for the Global Sciences department, focusing on cloud-native implementations of systems that require High Performance Compute or require full integration. Bert has a background in Chemistry and Computer Science. During his 28-year career at JnJ he has spent 26 years in various IT departments. In his current position, Bert is predominantly focused on the Discovery (overall process, and In-silico design using Machine Learning) and the lab execution (Scientific Data Management) systems.
The design and deployment of digital platforms are at the heart of my work. I specialize in cloud architecture, driving innovations that enable global expansion and streamline product delivery. My collaborative approach ensures that solutions not only meet but exceed the evolving demands of digital healthcare.
Matt joined Syngenta in 2019 and is currently a Principal Scientist in the Automation Team within the Bioscience function; developing innovative automation applications and maximising the utilisation of existing automated equipment. His previous roles in Biology and Formulation Chemistry involved high-throughput screening, upgrading existing automation and onboarding new automated systems.
Philippa has a long-standing interest in digital phenotyping and in using analysis of behaviour to understand the mechanism of action of chemicals. She joined Syngenta in 2009 after completing her PhD at the University of Southampton. She is currently a Principal Scientist in the Invertebrate Genetics team within the Bioscience function, where she is responsible for the C. elegans symptomology platform.
After completing his PhD in 2013 from “Sapienza” University of Rome, Claudio held postdoctoral positions at the University of Cambridge, working on innovative flow technologies and collaborating with major pharmaceutical companies.
In 2017, Claudio joined Syngenta as a Team Leader in Process Research, where he established flow chemistry as an enabling technology and led the creation of a global flow chemistry platform. In 2021 he was appointed Chemistry Automation Lead, focusing on operational leadership and automation initiatives.
In 2023 he took up the role of Transformation Lead Digital & Automation Prototype for Crop Protection Research, at Syngenta. Most recently, as of January 2024, Claudio has taken on the role of Digital Automation & IoT Lead for R&D, where he is responsible for driving the strategy across functions and leading change in the R&D organization. In this capacity, he also leads the cross-functional Microfluidics strategy in R&D.
Matt joined Syngenta in 2019 and is currently a Principal Scientist in the Automation Team within the Bioscience function; developing innovative automation applications and maximising the utilisation of existing automated equipment. His previous roles in Biology and Formulation Chemistry involved high-throughput screening, upgrading existing automation and onboarding new automated systems.
Philippa has a long-standing interest in digital phenotyping and in using analysis of behaviour to understand the mechanism of action of chemicals. She joined Syngenta in 2009 after completing her PhD at the University of Southampton. She is currently a Principal Scientist in the Invertebrate Genetics team within the Bioscience function, where she is responsible for the C. elegans symptomology platform.
