Better Science Starts with Better Questions

What happens when you reach one of the most senior positions in global drug discovery — and decide the next step is to leave the security of Big Pharma behind? In this episode of **She Leads Biotech, I’m joined by Karin Conde-Knape, PhD, Chief Science Officer at Valo Health**, whose international career has taken her through leadership roles at Roche, Johnson & Johnson and Novo Nordisk. We talk about why Karin believes better drug discovery needs to **start with human data**, how asking the right questions earlier can prevent years of time and investment being committed to the wrong path, and where data, experience and intuition belong in scientific decision-making. We also explore Karin’s decision to move from Big Pharma to biotech — what she describes as an **“easier choice, not a comfortable choice”** — and why impact, people and purpose became increasingly important at this stage of her career. Our conversation moves beyond the science into leadership: creating psychological safety, challenging the **thought process rather than the individual**, developing resilient future leaders, embracing AI and new technologies, and building teams that genuinely want to follow you. A fascinating conversation about **drug discovery, human data, innovation, career courage and the leadership required to turn better questions into better science.**