Cognitio

ARCS Australia

Welcome to Cognitio, the weekly podcast by ARCS Australia, your go-to source for insights into the evolving world of medtech, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences. Hosted by Dr Tim Boyle, CEO of ARCS, this podcast delivers bite-sized updates, expert discussions, and professional development insights to keep you informed and ahead of the curve. Each episode features hot topics, regulatory updates, sector trends, and practical career guidance, with guest appearances from industry leaders, ARCS members, and emerging innovators from BioBeacon. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting

  1. 15 juli

    From Discovery to Patient Impact: Perseverance, Integrity and the Path to Innovation

    In this episode of Cognitio, the podcast of LifeSciences Australia, we revisit a conversation recorded at the 2025 Annual Conference with Associate Professor Pegah Varamini from the University of Sydney. A clinical pharmacist and cancer researcher, Pegah shares the personal and professional experiences that led her to focus on developing targeted therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer. She discusses the realities of pursuing translational research and the challenges researchers face when trying to move a promising discovery from the laboratory towards commercialisation and, ultimately, patient care. This includes balancing intellectual property protection with traditional academic expectations, navigating limited funding pathways and finding support for high-risk drug discovery programs. Pegah also reflects on the importance of mentoring throughout a career. She explains that valuable guidance can come not only from senior leaders, but also from peers who are navigating similar challenges. The conversation explores the qualities needed to lead innovation in healthcare, with Pegah identifying personal integrity as a foundation for ethical leadership, equity and the empowerment of researchers. For emerging professionals, her advice is to look beyond the immediate next step. Understanding the broader pathway, anticipating future requirements and preparing for potential disruptions can help innovators navigate complex research and commercialisation environments. Translating scientific research into patient outcomes requires perseverance, resilience and long-term commitment.Mentoring and peer support can be valuable at every stage of a career.Traditional academic measures do not always align with the needs of commercialisation and drug development.Personal integrity is essential to ethical and inclusive leadership.Innovators should understand the pathway several steps ahead, rather than focusing only on their current stage.Success requires working hard, working smart and remaining committed through setbacks.Associate Professor Pegah Varimini is an academic at the Sydney Pharmacy School at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on developing novel targeted therapies for challenging cancers, with a particular interest in triple-negative breast cancer. Originally trained as a clinical pharmacist, Pegah completed her PhD in drug delivery at the University of Queensland before moving into oncology research. She was awarded a National Breast Cancer Foundation Early Career Fellowship in 2016, supporting the establishment of her independent research program. Pegah’s transition from clinical pharmacy to cancer researchThe personal motivation behind her work in oncologyThe role of mentoring in developing a research careerThe risks associated with pursuing commercialisationTensions between publishing, intellectual property and research fundingChallenges within Australia’s innovation and investment ecosystemThe importance of integrity in healthcare leadershipAdvice for early-career researchers and emerging innovatorsWhy perseverance and forward planning matterCognitio shares conversations, ideas and insights from across Australia’s life sciences community. Cognitio is produced by LifeSciences Australia, the community behind every medicine, medical device and discovery. Key takeawaysAbout the guestIn this episode

  2. 12 maj

    Dr Daniel Beard, Founder and CSO ShearFlow

    What if you could give a stroke patient more time? That is the question driving Dr Daniel Beard and the team at ShearFlow, a biotech spin-out from the University of Newcastle developed in joint venture with Harvard University. In this episode, ARCS intern Iqra sits down with Daniel to trace a career that has taken him from a fascination with the brain's blood vessels, through a PhD in stroke research, a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford, and a cold call to one of Harvard's leading scientists that changed the direction of everything. Daniel is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle and the Chief Scientific Officer of ShearFlow, where his team is developing a nanoparticle therapy that selectively targets collateral blood vessels during a stroke to extend perfusion to at-risk brain tissue. The implications for rural and remote Australia, where patients can face transfers of hundreds of kilometres to reach a comprehensive stroke centre, are significant. In this conversation, Daniel reflects on the role of collaboration in research and commercialisation, the lessons he took from Oxford back to Australia, and what it actually takes to move from scientific founder to company builder. He also shares his perspective on the gap between invention and innovation, and why persistence matters more than resilience. Topics covered include stroke treatment and the tyranny of distance in Australian healthcare, nanoparticle drug delivery and shear stress-sensitive therapeutics, the University of Newcastle and Harvard University joint venture, postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford, the commercialisation journey from academic discovery to spin-out, intellectual property, tech transfer, and building a founding team, and advice for early career researchers considering the path to innovation. Cognitio is the knowledge platform of ARCS Australia, the professional organisation for people working across therapeutics, medtech, and the pharmaceutical sciences. Visit arcs.com.au to learn more about membership and upcoming programs. Guest: Dr Daniel Beard, Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle; Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, ShearFlow Host: Iqra, ARCS Australia Intern Series: Season 2, Episode 13

  3. 4 maj

    AI Basics for Regulatory Professionals: Safe Use, Smart Prompting and Human Accountability

    Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how regulatory professionals work—but with opportunity comes responsibility. In this episode of Cognitio, we bring you key insights from an ARCS webinar led by Kyle from GXP Vigilance, exploring how AI is being used across regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance and quality environments, and what professionals need to understand to use it safely and effectively. This is not a conversation about hype. It’s about real-world application in regulated environments, where accuracy, accountability and patient safety cannot be compromised. • Why AI adoption is accelerating across the life sciences sector—and what that means for regulatory roles• The biggest risks of using AI, including hallucinations, fabricated citations and data leakage • The critical importance of human accountability in all AI-assisted outputs• Practical guidance on acceptable vs unacceptable uses of AI in regulated settings• How prompt engineering is evolving—and why it’s becoming a core professional skill• The difference between public AI tools and enterprise-grade solutions• What’s coming next in governance, policy and regulatory expectations for AI AI is a powerful tool—but it is not a source of truth. Human oversight remains essential. Regulatory professionals are still the final decision-makers and are accountable for all outputs. Using AI safely requires discipline. This includes avoiding confidential data, validating outputs and understanding the limitations of large language models. Prompting matters. The quality of input directly impacts the reliability of output, making structured prompting an increasingly valuable capability. Governance is coming. Organisations will need clear frameworks, policies and controls as regulatory expectations evolve. As AI becomes embedded in everyday workflows, regulatory professionals must strike a balance between efficiency and compliance. Those who understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI will be better positioned to lead in a rapidly changing environment—one where professionalism, judgement and trust remain central. ARCS Australia is the peak body for life sciences professionals, advancing capability across the sector through education, community and advocacy. 🎧 Follow Cognitio for more conversations shaping the future of the life sciences sector🔗 Learn more at ARCS Australia What you’ll hear in this episodeKey takeawaysWhy this mattersAbout ARCS Australia

  4. 29 apr.

    Signals to Clinical Evidence

    How do we separate misinformation from meaningful public health signals, and what happens when digital intelligence is combined with clinical evidence? In this episode of Cognitio, we explore how online sentiment, AI-powered surveillance and real-world healthcare data can work together to identify, investigate and validate emerging vaccine safety concerns. Dr Gerardo Luis Dimaguila, Informatics Lead at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Data Innovation Lead at the Centre for Health Analytics, introduces VaxPulse, a digital surveillance learning health system developed since 2021. Using AI, social listening and advanced analytics, VaxPulse monitors vaccine-related concerns and misinformation across online platforms, helping public health professionals detect early warning signs and better understand the information environment shaping vaccine confidence. Aishwarya Shetty, epidemiologist and vaccine safety specialist at the Centre for Health Analytics, then demonstrates how these digital insights can be translated into rigorous epidemiological investigation. Using VaxPulse data identifying menstrual health concerns following COVID-19 vaccination, Aishwarya presents how large-scale GP syndromic surveillance and broader safety datasets were used to validate public concerns, assess risk and strengthen evidence-based communication. Together, this episode explores:• How AI and digital surveillance are reshaping pharmacovigilance• The growing role of social media as an early signal detection tool• How misinformation and genuine public concerns can be distinguished• The integration of digital signals with GP and clinical datasets• Why transparent, evidence-led communication is critical to vaccine trust This episode is essential listening for professionals in pharmacovigilance, vaccine safety, epidemiology, regulatory affairs, public health and digital health innovation. Cognitio is ARCS Australia’s platform for thought leadership, professional development and sector-wide dialogue across the life sciences ecosystem. Join the conversation. Join ARCS today.

  5. 20 apr.

    S02E10 High Performance, Hidden Challenges

    What does high performance really look like when it’s shaped by lived experience? In this episode of Cognitio, we explore the intersection between professional capability and chronic illness—and how navigating personal health challenges can fundamentally shape resilience, leadership, and perspective in the life sciences sector. Hosted by Anna Megalakakis from ARCS, this conversation brings together Mark Del Borgo from the Department of Pharmacology at Monash University and his PhD student Isabella Simon. Both are not only researchers, but also consumers of the healthcare system—offering a rare and powerful dual perspective from inside the science and the lived experience it ultimately serves. From the realities of diagnosis and long-term treatment, to the unseen pressures of maintaining performance in high-demand roles, this discussion highlights what often sits beneath the surface in our workplaces and research environments. It also raises important questions for the sector:How do we better support high performers managing chronic conditions?What does empathetic leadership look like in practice?And how can lived experience strengthen—not limit—professional contribution? This is a conversation about resilience, but also about understanding. About the human side of science, and the importance of creating environments where people can perform at their best—because they are supported, not despite their challenges. Living and working with chronic illness in life sciencesThe impact of diagnosis on career direction and ambitionNavigating research, academia, and health simultaneouslyEmpathy, leadership, and building high-performing teamsThe role of lived experience in shaping better science and outcomesAnna Megalakakis – ARCSMark Del Borgo – Department of Pharmacology, Monash UniversityIsabella Simon – PhD Candidate, PharmacologyARCS Australia is the peak body for the life sciences sector, supporting professionals across the full product lifecycle through education, professional development, and community. Key Topics CoveredFeatured in this EpisodeAbout ARCS

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Welcome to Cognitio, the weekly podcast by ARCS Australia, your go-to source for insights into the evolving world of medtech, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences. Hosted by Dr Tim Boyle, CEO of ARCS, this podcast delivers bite-sized updates, expert discussions, and professional development insights to keep you informed and ahead of the curve. Each episode features hot topics, regulatory updates, sector trends, and practical career guidance, with guest appearances from industry leaders, ARCS members, and emerging innovators from BioBeacon. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting