Clinical trials are the heart of the pharma drug development process, and a successful trial design can make or break a drug’s outcome. Leaders in this space know that accelerating the development process is critical to getting new medicines in the hands of patients, but that’s not the industry’s only goal. Through innovative trial design, executives in this arena are finally moving the needle on diversity of patients and health equity.

These execs are partners for Big Pharma and biotech startups alike, striving to increase access for better enrollment, improve patient experiences and collect data that can deliver patient-centered goals. They’re also fostering a growing workforce in trials to bring forth pharma’s next generation of clinical innovation.

Here are this year’s Clinical Trial Pros.

Barry Balfe

“This is a time of increased opportunity, great complexity and no small amount of risk in clinical development.” Read more ➔

Ben Casavant

“In order to change the industry, leaders need to be persistent in the face of challenges and navigate entrenched systems.” Read more ➔

Samantha Eells

“A great leader must have foundational industry knowledge, an understanding of patient safety and a commitment to quality.” Read more ➔

Sujay Jadhav

“With the [AI’s] transformative potential … we’re on the cusp of game-changing advancements in patient care.” Read more ➔

Teri Karcher

“We are in the midst of a dynamic and exciting time in life sciences with numerous advances emerging.” Read more ➔

Tina Karunaratne

“The shift toward personalized medicine is creating a paradigm shift and transforming patient care.” Read more ➔

Danielle Mitchell

“By ensuring clinical trials reflect the diversity of the real world, we’re taking crucial steps towards more equitable healthcare.” Read more ➔

Dr. Beatrice Setnik

“Science is truly about collaboration and working as a team.” Read more ➔

Chanfeng Zhao

“The future promise of mRNA is truly ushering in a new era of medicine.” Read more ➔