Archives: Agenda

• How to build a strong CRO onboarding plan that sets your study up for success
• Making your kickoff meeting count: aligning teams, timelines, and expectations
• Fast-tracking your study start-up — from project plan to site activation
• Anticipating and mitigating early risks to protect your study timelines

• Streamlining feasibility, site selection and qualification processes to minimize delays
• Leveraging technology to manage documents, workflows and communication
• Identifying common bottlenecks and strategies to overcome them proactively
• Aligning sponsor, CRO and site teams to ensure clarity from day one

During the roundtable discussion session, the conference hall will be divided into four ‘zones’. Delegates can choose which zone they would like to join. Each zone will be led by a table moderator and will focus on a different challenge within clinical operations. Roundtables will take place in the Stream A conference room.

ROUNDTABLE 1: Navigating biological material regulations

Sean D. Smith, Biological Threat Exclusion Coordinator (BTEC), US Customs and Border Protection

ROUNDTABLE 2: Keeping patients at the heart of your clinical trial

Behtash Bahador, Senior Director, Community Engagement & Partnerships, CISCRP

ROUNDTABLE 3: Fostering a positive relationship with your CRO and vendor partners

Liza Micioni, Director, Clinical Operations, Tris Pharma

ROUNDTABLE 4: Negotiation tips for emerging startups

• Identify and eliminate “white space”.  Spot gaps between strategic planning and operational execution and apply techniques to streamline transitions across the clinical development lifecycle.
• Understand how early consulting and clinical pharmacology services work together to enhance strategy and execution. Understand when and how to engage to shape a cohesive development pathway, improve timing, and accelerate decision-making.
• Align scientific, regulatory, and clinical perspectives from the outset. Explore the benefits of integrated teams in a CRO setting to ensure continuity, reduce delays, and support end-to-end development.
• Connect strategic and operational elements across development stages. Gain practical insights into bridging planning, execution, and transition phases for smoother progression and better outcomes.

• Understand the benefits, optimal use cases and best scenarios for master protocols
• Maximize trial operations with improved coordination and more sub-study opportunities
• Enhance data collection and sharing, broadening patient access to new therapies
• Navigate strategic relationships for safe and successful master protocol research

• Coping with layoffs and budget cuts
• Are we expecting droughts for research in the biotech space?
• Diversifying funding and partnership strategies to reduce financial risk
• Strengthening operational agility to respond quickly to market and policy disruptions

MODERATOR Rich Polgar, Managing Director, Danforth Health

As with all industries, artificial intelligence is generating significant buzz in the clinical research space. But where does it offer meaningful impact today, and where is there still work to be done? In this session, we’ll explore the practical realities of applying AI tools within the context of electronic clinical outcomes assessment data, from operational efficiencies like study setup and translation to the future promise of patient-facing applications. Join us for an honest look at what’s achievable now, what’s emerging, and how to think strategically about this fast-moving future.