Gurdyal Kalsi: Importance of AI and Patient Voice in Pharma R&D

SHOW NOTES

Today, we are honored to have Gurdyal Kalsi as our guest, holding the position of Chief Medical Officer at Asklepion Pharma and Advent Health and overseeing a varied Research and Development portfolio. Gurdyal explores the significance of AI in healthcare and emphasizes a long-overdue shift toward giving patients a voice in clinical trials. He underscores the necessity of addressing illnesses and striving for a definitive cure, which he terms "One and Done." Additionally, Gurdyal provides insights into the future direction of the life science field and emphasizes the role AI is poised to play in shaping it.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • [03:56] Gurdyal shares his professional journey and his childhood experiences that led to his desire to become a doctor
  • [5:41] Gurdyal discusses his current role, goals and objectives, and where he sees the industry going
  • [10:14] Gurdyal explains what it means to let the patient have a voice in clinical trials and also the importance of AI in the medical field
  • [16:50] Gurdyal explains why he scaled his professional journey and why it is critical to multitask and obtain across-the-board learning
  • [20:52] Gurdyal talks about the people and events that have framed his career and gives advice on what he has learned and wants to pass on to the listeners
  • [26:35] Gurdyal reveals how he continues his learning and balances his personal and professional life
  • [30:08] Jasmeet asks Gurdyal a series of rapid-fire questions

Key Takeaways:

  • [6:43] Many medicinal products in the marketplace are not cures. A change needs to happen in this area of medicine to look for a cure and not continuous treatment.
  • T[10:02] The future is moving toward letting patients have a voice in clinical trials, which is the right way of doing a clinical trial.
  • [11:21] Gurdyal is encouraged by the use of AI. There are still areas where more work must be done to achieve accuracy.

RESOURCE LINKS::

Guest Biography:

Gurdyal Kalsi is a seasoned executive, a physician-scientist, and a leader engaged in developing novel therapeutic approaches for challenging diseases in rare, orphan, cell, and gene therapy areas.

He's a veteran of global transformational R&D leadership with over two decades of experience specializing in pharmaceutical and critical care medicine. His work has resulted in the development and commercialization of several important human pharma drugs. Gurdyal started his professional journey in the UK and earned his MFPM from the UK joint Royal Colleges of Physicians and medical degrees in medicine and surgery from the Glancy Medical School.

He transitioned into the biopharmaceutical space, first in neuroscience and then in inflammation and immune modulation therapies. He later moved to the US and was instrumental in several strategic investments and collaborations between the public-private sector and US federal agencies. He currently serves as the chief medical officer of AdventHealth and Asklepion Pharma, and manages a diverse R&D portfolio.

About The Host

Jasmeet Sawhney

Jasmeet Sawhney is a life sciences industry executive, marketing leader, and serial entrepreneur with deep roots in technology and data analytics. He is currently the global head of marketing at Axtria. Jasmeet has over 20 years of experience in the life sciences domain and has helped build and scale three successful companies. He has received several company and individual awards, including Inc 500, Deloitte Fast 500, Crain’s NY Fast 50, NJBiz Fast 50, Business of the Year, SmartCEO Future 50, Top CMO, Forty Under 40, and many more.

Quotes

“We are targeting rare and ultra-rare diseases in children. There are a lot of unmet needs in this space, but not many organizations are willing to invest in small populations.” Gurdyal Kalsi

“I think being a listening person helps you to learn better, and a listening leadership style is not something you create in a moment. It is a habituation. You have to practice listening to your audience. Be around people who are great thinkers capable of uncovering options and different solutions to a problem. A lot of the things we do as humans, it's through debate and discussion.” Gurdyal Kalsi

Leading Minds Podcast

The Leading Minds podcast by Life Sciences Voice delves deep inside the minds of the top life sciences executives, including pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, consumer health, animal health, and leaders from related industries. In every episode, we meet a leader who has made a lasting impact in the life sciences industry and continues to drive the industry forward. We go beyond the name and the title to unravel their personality, their beliefs, their mission, and most importantly, to understand how their brilliant minds are changing the world for the better while fueling growth for their companies and their teams. Whether you are on a leadership path of your own, or just here to learn from the experiences of these great leaders, this is the podcast for you!

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