[0:45] Tell us about TCR2 Therapeutics.

We are working on a T-cell receptor, an antigen, that can deal with a solid tumor. We have two products, and the first is in phase two which targets solid tumors. The second product in its first phase is alginate, which uses cells of healthy patients to help cancer patients.

[03:08] As Vice President of IT, what kind of technology do you work with and what challenges do you see?

I am the owner of digital transformation. When you are developing a drug, there’s research and discovery to start and my role comes in right away; looking for tools and platforms that scientists will need. It moves through every department and every phase. My role encompasses every department before the drug is released. There are hundreds of platforms in every vertical, and all of these departments need a digital system. Everything that needs a tool or system or language is my area. There are so many vendors to deal with, and determining the useful ones is a big part of the job.

[08:55] Are you in the healthcare industry or are you selling into the healthcare industry?

Our sector isn’t considered healthcare because we are producers. We are life sciences.

[10:00] Do you feel confident in where the technology in your industry is?

Digital transformation is always occurring. The life cycle of a drug or treatment before going to patients is between 5 to 8 years, typically. I try to align that life cycle with our digital transformation.

[12:48] What has to happen for that to work?

We need to continue to produce good data from clinical trials. With that comes financing and investment opportunities which allow for obtaining technology. My role is to balance the spending and acquisition of tech to make sure we only get what we need. I feel like many CIOs need to be educated in maintaining that balance.

[15:31] Being founded in 2015, what kind of digital transformation has to happen after such a short time?

There are a lot of things that can go wrong in 7 years if the right people aren’t in the right role. There is always the chance for a lot of investments that can be unscalable, unreliable, and untimely regardless of how new the company is. Things like systems designed for 50 people, but now the company is already at 200. Digital transformation means seeking out solutions that will scale and be long-term investments. From there, we try to align our drug development life cycle with the need for transformation. We have to look at expediting the manufacture and distribution of the drugs in the future. It’s a matter of cutting through the noise and knowing what will be useful to us technology-wise.

[20:45] Is your company on-site?

We have 3 locations in Cambridge. If you are in IT there is flexibility for you to work from home a few days a week. We have found that we have been able to produce more through remote work, saving time on commutes, Zoom meetings, etc. However, it is still important to have the in-person side of things for relationships.

[23:43] How did you start in technology?

I started in the high-tech sector, right after my Master’s in Computer Science. I worked for Oracle and Motorola, and those jobs allowed me to learn the technology side of things. I’m still hands-on and have been fortunate to be part of the early cloud-based revolution. I went into life sciences because of my passion for helping to treat people.

[25:38] Where would you like to be in the next 10 years?

I want to see the paradigm shift in making IT look more than just IT. I want to be a data evangelist. I want to hone my skills and learn more on the cutting edge, which can help deliver more value.

[27:55] What tech innovation are you most excited about?

AI and ML are things I am bored of. I want to see actual use cases in my industry that will make it useful. Blockchain is also completely confusing and currently has nothing to offer. It could have value in the future, but not yet.

[31:40] What do you rely on in leadership?

Empathy. How do you treat people? Start with empathy and leave room for mistakes.