Archives: Speakers

Dr. Alexander K. Nussbaum studied biochemistry in Tübingen, Germany, and the USA. He conducted 10 years of immunological research on vaccines against viral infections and tumors in Germany, the USA and France. At the time, he held lectures on cancer, in which he recommended his audience to stop smoking to avoid home-made risks of cancer.

After spending 8+ years in Medical Affairs roles in the pharmaceutical industry in the fields of autoimmunity and cancer, Dr. Nussbaum joined Philip Morris Germany in December 2016. As Head of Scientific & Medical Affairs he engages with scientific and medical communities, media, authorities and the broader public on PMI´s scientific assessment program and tobacco harm reduction. He is convinced that novel, potentially risk-reduced products offer a historic opportunity for the prevention of smoking-related diseases and thus hold enormous potential for public health.

In this function, Daniel is part of a global multi-functional leadership team that helps the company to engage with patients in a systematic way, and helps to build partnerships in developing solutions that better meet the existing needs. He also leads a group of colleagues in the region who play a crucial role in working towards a more collaborative approach in innovation.

Daniel De Schryver joined Johnson & Johnson in 2001 as Director Corporate Communications. In that function, he initially worked in the field of oncology. In 2006 he joined the Janssen teams working in Infectious Diseases where he helped to maintain and enhance the company’s relationships with the HIV Patient Community. Later, he built the external relationships in the field of Hepatitis C, before becoming the Global Therapeutic Area Communications Leader Infectious Diseases and Vaccines. In this function he developed world wide strategic communications and public affairs programs about infectious diseases and global public health.

Daniel has a Master in Romance Philology (Literature) and he started his career as a teacher.

After having worked in communications roles in the car industry for several years, he joined the non-profit sector and became country manager for Médecins Sans Frontières in Bosnia, Croatia and Angola. Back in Europe, he headed the Communications department for the organization. Before joining Johnson & Johnson, he worked at Burson-Marsteller as a consultant on corporate communications.

His personal interests are contemporary art and architecture, politics and meeting people.

Dirk Weber is an MD, PhD with 20+ years of Pharma Industry experience in Drug, Business and Corporate Development from executive leadership positions at Merck Serono, Novartis and Takeda and entrepreneurial experience from co-founding 2 Biotech companies leading them as Chief Medical Officer to clinical stage. Dirk has worked in early and late-stage Clinical Development, conducted successful filings, led submissions teams, has developed a regional oncology Medical Affairs organization (MSL, Medical Director) and has extensive experience in conducting Medical Affairs activities to prepare for successful commercial product launches. He has longstanding oncology drug development expertise in haemato-oncology and worked on major oncology brands for Novartis (Afinitor – Breast), Merck Serono (Erbitux – CRC) and with Takeda on ADC Adcetris (Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin Lymphomas), proteasome inhibitor Ixazomib (Multiple Myeloma) and on IO drug Mepact (Osteosarcoma). He has excellent regulatory filing and launch experience throughout career.

Pinal Patel is a Global Feasibility Lead – Oncology within Global Clinical Development Operations at Janssen: The Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.  In her current role, Pinal is responsible for strategy and implementation for country selection encompassing protocol planning and patient insights.

Prior to joining Janssen, she was an Engagement Strategy Lead at Bristol-Myers Squibb where she focused on building novel, fit for purpose patient and site centric strategies to drive enrollment for clinical trials in Oncology arena.  Understanding the patient journey was at the center of it all in identifying risks and opportunities to achieve the end result.  Pinal graduated from Connecticut College, USA with a B.A. in Psychology.

Darrell J. Panich, M.Sc. PMP, CPM: An experienced clinical trial management specialist with over two decades experience in the industry, Mr. Panich has managed multinational clinical research studies in 21 different countries for over 20 different pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. As President of Ceros Management and Advisory, he provides clinical operations and project management solutions to CROs, biotech, pharmaceutical companies. He has a passion for learning and has obtained a Master of Science in Psychiatry, two bachelors degrees, two project management certifications and an Honours Automotive Mechanic Certificate.