Clinical trials are evolving, but are we innovating fast enough? In this episode Maya sits down with Philip Raeth from Palleos Healthcare to explore how new trial designs can challenge the status quo. From adaptive methodologies to efficiency-driven models, we discuss how rethinking trial structure can help us tackle industry-wide hurdles—not just in patient recruitment and retention, but in trial execution, costs, and outcomes. What does the future of clinical trials look like? Tune in as we br...
Mar 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 51
Paul Simms is the CEO of Impatient Health and a trailblazing voice in the life sciences industry. Paul is on a mission to push the boundaries of pharma. He works with innovators and early adopters to inject “mutation pressure” into the status quo, ensuring bold ideas and creative solutions make their way into the market. Drawing on his experience as a speaker, event organizer, and consultant, Paul discusses how pharma can evolve to truly align with patients’ needs. Together, with Maya they explo...
Jan 31, 2025•36 min•Ep. 50
In this episode of Trials with Maya Z , Maya and patient expert and advocate Orit Rindner discuss the intersection of patient needs and clinical trials, highlighting real-world challenges and insights from rare disease research: The impact of standard of care on patient willingness to join clinical trials Challenges in rare disease trials and patient recruitment The importance of aligning clinical trials with patient realities Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Fol...
Dec 10, 2024•19 min•Ep. 49
"Only 1-4% of global healthcare R&D funding is dedicated to female-specific conditions beyond cancer, despite women representing 51% of the population.” Meet Estelle Jobson - an EUPATI Fellow and a patient advocate living with endometriosis. In this episode, Maya and Estelle discuss the limitations of standard care for this chronic condition and call for research that addresses its diverse symptoms. Why Standard care for endometriosis fails to address patient needs? What is wrong with the cu...
Nov 26, 2024•40 min•Ep. 48
Join Maya Zlatanova and Ritesh Patel from Finn Partners as they dive into the evolving world of real-world data in clinical trials. Discover the challenges of integrating diverse patient data, the role of social determinants in trial outcomes, and how emerging technologies like AI and digital biomarkers are set to revolutionize the industry. Packed with insights on collaboration and innovation, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about transforming healthcare through data-driven ...
Nov 19, 2024•30 min•Ep. 47
Ella Balasa has experience on both sides of the research spectrum - as a patient with cystic fibrosis and as a scientist examining antibiotic-resistant bacteria. She is on a mission to amplify patient voices in drug development. In this episode Ella and Maya discuss: Ella’s journey and advising experience The difference in the patient journey in US vs. Europe The often overlooked challenges in patient access to care Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Ella Ba...
Nov 14, 2024•26 min•Ep. 46
Meet Jan Poleszczuk, a mathematician turned healthcare innovator and a CTO of CliniNote. In this episode Maya and Jan talk about: - The top 3 challenges hindering the quality of RWD - How CliniNote is helping doctors generate quality data while simplifying their workflow - The potential of RWD in clinical trials Tune in to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of Real-World Data and how innovators like Jan Poleszczuk are working to unlock its full potential to improve patient care and drive he...
Oct 29, 2024•22 min•Ep. 45
Meet Esther Howard, Mental Health Advocate, Researcher and CEO of Bezyl. In this conversation, Esther shares her unique perspective on the importance of understanding patient journey, not just as a scientific necessity, but as a fundamental human duty for researchers. Esther explores the three critical prongs of patient journey: standard of care, the specifics of the patient's disease, and the often-overlooked aspects of their daily lives. She emphasizes the need for researchers to look beyond t...
Oct 22, 2024•34 min•Ep. 44
Meet Heidi Floyd, a breast cancer survivor, patient advocate, and champion for transforming clinical trials through authentic patient engagement. In this powerful episode, Heidi shares her remarkable journey of navigating cancer treatment while pregnant.Heidi emphasizes the critical importance of building meaningful relationships between patients, healthcare providers, and clinical trial teams. She discusses the common reasons patients may choose to quit clinical trials and the need for greater ...
Oct 15, 2024•21 min•Ep. 43
Meet Travis Caudill, Vice President of Feasibility and Clinical Informatics at ICON, a seasoned expert in the world of clinical trial optimization. Discover how Travis and his team are navigating the complexities of trial feasibility—using data to optimize site selection, understanding local patient journeys, and anticipating changes in the standard of care. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Travis Caudill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feasibility/ (00:00) -...
Oct 08, 2024•42 min•Ep. 40
Ilknur Lechthaler is an expert in clinical operations, research, and startup investments. Ilknur discusses how the industry's awareness of the significance of country-specific standard of care has evolved over the past decade. Together with Maya they dive into the practical aspects of country selection and the factors that influence decision-making, such as regulatory requirements, timelines, and budget constraints. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Ilknur ...
Oct 01, 2024•23 min•Ep. 41
Meet Todd Georgieff - a veteran in drug development and clinical operations with expertise in optimizing global trials. In this episode, Todd and Maya explore the critical aspects of protocol optimization and patient burden quantification. How does understanding local standard of care impact trial success? What are the ethical implications of providing treatments in different healthcare systems? Todd shares insights on these questions and more. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/...
Sep 24, 2024•42 min•Ep. 40
Meet Kasia Harris - an expert in clinical trial feasibility and planning with experience in both CRO and Pharma. bringing valuable insights into the complexities of global healthcare systems. In this episode, Kasia and Maya delve into the critical role of understanding local standard of care in clinical trial success. They explore feasibility assessments, protocol, country, and site-specific considerations. Kasia highlights how standard of care impacts patient enrollment, country and site select...
Sep 17, 2024•33 min•Ep. 39
Meet Annabel de Maria Bosch - the Chief Patient Officer at Alira Health with nearly three decades of experience in patient engagement across the pharmaceutical industry. In this insightful conversation, Annabel shares her unique perspective on the critical importance of understanding the patient journey and its impact on clinical trial success. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Annabel de Maria Bosch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabeldemaria/ Annabel shar...
Sep 10, 2024•34 min•Ep. 38
Meet Joy Milne, a remarkable woman whose unique sense of smell is revolutionizing the world of Parkinson's research. In this episode, Joy shares her personal story of love, loss, and unwavering determination to make a difference in the lives of those affected by Parkinson's, from her groundbreaking work with researchers at the University of Manchester to her advocacy for greater awareness of the challenges faced by women with the disease. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazl...
Sep 05, 2024•31 min•Ep. 37
Meet Ted Trafford - a seasoned clinical research expert with nearly three decades of experience and a passion for driving innovation in the industry. As the Director of Business Development at Probity Medical Research, Ted brings unique insights into the challenges faced by sites, sponsors, and patients in the clinical trial landscape. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Ted Trafford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedtrafford/ Check out Ted's post mentioned in ...
Sep 03, 2024•28 min•Ep. 36
Meet Angie Schwab - founder of EZ Research Solutions and a passionate expert in clinical research with a focus on improving trial startup processes. In this episode, Angie and Maya dive deep into the challenges and solutions in clinical trial design and execution. Angie shares her insights on the critical importance of thorough planning, understanding local standards of care, and involving all stakeholders - including patients - in study design. They explore how poor initial planning can set tri...
Aug 26, 2024•33 min•Ep. 35
Meet Begonya Nafria - Head of the Patient Engagement in Research Department at Hospital Sant Juan de Déu Children’s Hospital, championing the cause of paediatric clinical research. In this eye-opening episode, Begonya and Maya delve into the unique challenges of conducting clinical trials for children, especially those with rare diseases. Begonya highlights the startling fact that 95% of rare diseases have no approved treatment, emphasizing the urgent need for increased research investment and i...
Aug 22, 2024•35 min•Ep. 34
Dan Sfera really needs no introduction - founder of the Clinical Trials Guru he has been publishing content in the clinical research space since 2010. In this episode, Dan and Maya talk about the challenges of patient recruitment and retention, explore the importance of considering clinical trials as a care option, and the implications of not prioritizing the patient perspective in trial design. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Dan Sfera: https://www.linke...
Aug 20, 2024•28 min•Ep. 33
Meet Robert Joyce - a patient advocate living with multiple chronic illnesses who has turned his experiences into a powerful voice for change in healthcare. In this episode, Robert and Maya explore the complex journey of living with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, asthma, sarcoidosis, and chronic pain. They discuss the critical importance of including patient voices in clinical trial design, the impact of local standard of care on treatment decisions, and the need for improved communic...
Aug 15, 2024•30 min•Ep. 32
Meet Dr. Lorna Pender - a passionate patient advocate and engagement expert dedicated to amplifying patient voices in healthcare. In this episode, Lorna and Maya explore the vital role of patient engagement in shaping the clinical trial landscape. Lorna highlights how early patient engagement can drive the success of clinical trials and stresses the importance of industry creating accessible, tailored programs that optimize the patient journey. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/...
Aug 13, 2024•17 min•Ep. 31
Meet Martin Krauss - the CEO of FGK Clinical Research, an expert in clinical research with a mission to advance medical treatments and improve patient outcomes. One year after their last episode together, Martin and Maya meet again to talk about the current challenges and developments in the clinical research landscape. Why is there a decline in biotechnology investments globally and how is that affecting the dynamics of the market? What are the challenges in implementing the Clinical Trial Info...
Aug 08, 2024•37 min•Ep. 30
In this episode, Maya meets Dr. Oren Cohen, who brings more than 30 years of healthcare, research, and clinical development experience to his role, including several senior medical and operational leadership positions at a biotechnology company and another global CRO. Oren is President at Fortrea Inc which has patient-friendly clinical research units in US and the UK. A hot topic is the unit in Leeds. It’s state of the art as Oren himself describes it. Created with patients in mind, this center ...
Aug 06, 2024•32 min•Ep. 30
Meet Carole Scrafton, a passionate patient advocate and founder of Flutters and Stutters, a patient organization dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by chronic illnesses and rare diseases. In this episode, Carole and Maya explore how Standard of Care shapes the patient journey and experience throughout healthcare, going beyond just access to treatment. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Carole Scrafton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fibroflutter...
Jul 31, 2024•27 min•Ep. 29
In this episode, Maya meets Daniel Schwarz, a co-founder and CIO at the Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses Ltd., a spin-off from Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. With a robust background in biomedical engineering, neuroimaging, and clinical data management, Daniel's work focuses on leveraging advanced data management systems to support significant healthcare projects. Maya and discuss the following topics: (1:04) Get to know Daniel Schwarz (4:34) What’s the secret sauce to a modern...
Jun 19, 2024•22 min•Ep. 28
In this episode, Maya meets Moe Alsumidaie, who is the Chief Editor of The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Moe holds two decades of experience in the clinical trials industry. The Clinical Trial Vanguard is an online platform that provides comprehensive information, analysis, and news related to clinical trials. It caters to a wide audience, including researchers, healthcare professionals, investors, and industry enthusiasts, aiming to keep them informed about the latest developments in clinical trials...
Jun 05, 2024•37 min•Ep. 27
In this episode, Maya meets Dr. Leen Kawas. Dr. Kawas is creating a biotech-focused fund to support life science innovations, utilizing her background as an inventor, scientist, and entrepreneur. She first led and co-founded Athira, a company for late-stage clinical programs. She took it public in 2020, raising over $400 million. Notably, she was the first woman in 20 years in Washington State, and one of only 22 female founders in the US, to take a company public. Maya and Leen discuss the crit...
May 22, 2024•43 min•Ep. 26
How can we harness the power of AI to create more patient-centric clinical trials? Can technology and empathy coexist in healthcare? In this episode, Maya meets Stefan to explore the integration of artificial intelligence in clinical trials. Stefan and his team at Enroll With assist clients in using AI to improve various aspects of clinical trials, from site selection to creating content and virtual patient simulations that can eliminate the need for placebo patients. Although it may seem contra...
May 08, 2024•35 min•Ep. 25
In this episode, Maya meets Gretchen Knoll. She has over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical clinical development, now she focuses on enhancing care for severely ill patients and reducing healthcare costs through strategic collaborations. Maya and Gretchen Knoll discuss the challenges and potential transformations in clinical research. They delve into the need for a shift from organ-based cancer treatment to tumor classification, the importance of patient empowerment and education, and the ...
Apr 17, 2024•36 min•Ep. 24
In this episode of 'Trials with Maya Z', host Maya Z interviews Sam Whitaker from Mural Health, discussing the pressing issue of patient reimbursement in clinical trials. Sam Whitaker is a Founder and CEO of Mural Health, a tech company on a mission to make it easy to participate in clinical research. Mural Health was founded in 2022 as Sam’s effort to evolve the product he invented, the ClinCard, when he founded Greenphire in 2008. Maya and Sam explore how one-third of Americans are excluded fr...
Apr 02, 2024•41 min•Ep. 23
