Vistatec Life Sciences - In Focus Podcast Ep 09 - Reem Yunis
Dr. Reem Yunis, an accomplished scientist and life sciences consultant, joins Life Sciences – In Focus Host Karen Tkaczyk. With an extensive career spanning genetics, clinical research, and cutting-edge technology, Reem’s insights shed light on how life sciences are evolving.
From Genetics to Clinical Research: A Journey of Multidisciplinary Expertise
Reem’s career began in the world of genetics, where she earned a Ph.D. in quantitative genetics, focusing on DNA biomarkers that regulate immune responses to infectious diseases. However, what truly stands out in her journey is the constant thread of multidisciplinary research.
Reem shared her experience transitioning from basic science to clinical research, a move that wasn’t always smooth. Despite her deep understanding of genetics, she initially faced skepticism about her skills transferring into the clinical space. “People often questioned how my skills in basic science could apply to clinical trials,” Reem explained. However, her ability to wear multiple hats and adapt to new challenges made her a natural fit, especially in startup environments where flexibility and a broad skill set are essential.
Innovation in Clinical Trials: Embracing Digital Transformation
One of the topics was the digital transformation of life sciences, particularly in clinical trials. While the life sciences industry is historically risk-averse, Reem sees a growing shift toward incorporating real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) into clinical research, moving beyond the traditional randomized clinical trial (RCT) model.
Reem emphasized the importance of breaking away from outdated paradigms. “Randomized clinical trials have their roots in the 1940s. It’s time we leverage the technological advancements we’ve made since then,” she said. With the rise of decentralized clinical trials (DCT) and new FDA guidelines, Reem is optimistic about the industry’s ability to adapt. These changes, she noted, will help close the gap between efficacy and effectiveness—ensuring that treatments proven in trials work as effectively in real-world practice.
Personalized Medicine: The Future of Healthcare
Reem highlighted the growing importance of personalized medicine. “Patients today want to know if a treatment will work specifically for them,” she explained, “and providers and payers are asking the same question.” The future of healthcare, according to Reem, lies in the ability to provide data-driven, patient-specific solutions.
Reem’s work sits at the intersection of technology, data, and science, where she is pioneering efforts to incorporate diverse data sources—electronic medical records (EMRs), diagnostic labs, and wearable technologies—into clinical trials and healthcare solutions. This approach allows for a more holistic view of patient care and treatment effectiveness, a key step toward achieving personalized medicine.
Breaking Down Data Silos: The Role of Advanced Technology
A major barrier to advancing personalized medicine is the fragmented nature of healthcare data. Reem discussed how technologies like federated learning and homomorphic encryption are making it safer to share and analyze sensitive healthcare data without compromising privacy. These technologies will help overcome the resistance to data sharing within the healthcare ecosystem, ultimately allowing researchers and clinicians to collaborate more effectively.
Challenging the Status Quo
From data-driven clinical trials to the application of AI in drug discovery, she envisions a future where interdisciplinary collaboration is the norm and healthcare solutions are tailored to the individual.
“It’s time to start thinking differently,” Reem urged. “Let’s shift the old paradigms and embrace the technologies that can help us provide better care.”
About Life Sciences – In Focus
Life Sciences – In Focus Podcast by Vistatec, a fascinating conversation with global life sciences experts. The show has multiple hosts and topics. Follow Life Sciences – In Focus on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. Life Sciences – In Focus is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about the podcast, please visit https://vistatec.com/life-sciences-division.
About Vistatec
We have been helping some of the world’s most iconic brands to optimize their global commercial potential since 1997. Vistatec is one of the world’s leading global content solutions providers. HQ in Dublin, Ireland, with offices in Mountain View, California, USA. To learn more about Vistatec, please visit https://www.vistatec.com