Diana Fowler, Head of Study Startup at PSI

Gopinath Sadashivaiah, Director of Study Startup at PSI

What do you hope attendees will gain at your webinar?

DF & GS: I hope they will appreciate the importance of a clearly defined study startup process and site relationships. Reaching site activation does not happen by chance.

What discussions do you look forward to having with the attendees?

DF & GS: Challenges with meeting first site activated, challenges with predicting site activations to ensure meeting projected enrollment goals, and challenges with study startup during a pandemic.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

DF: Collaborating with colleagues and sponsors on “how to do hard things”.

For example:

Reaching what is an impossible FPI target milestone.

How to plan site activation timelines when study documents are delayed.

GS: Setting realistic expectations and exceed it. Every time we activate a site, we get a feeling that we accomplished something

How did you get into the industry?

DF: Like most people, getting into the industry was not a direct path.   After many years of working with entrepreneurs making their dreams of business ownership a reality, I came across someone that, while not in the research industry, knew someone that was.  For months, he would tell me about this really interesting work in clinical research and that I should meet this person because it would be the perfect career for me.  I couldn’t understand why he kept pushing me and kept thinking “if the industry was so interesting, then why wouldn’t he want to do it?” He wouldn’t give up and ultimately tricked me into meeting this person. What began as an unexpected lunch, turned into the most rewarding career that has me waking up every day, excited about the work that I do and the wonderful people that I get to do it with.

GS: Started as study coordinator while working in a hospital as resident doctor. Then moved in to various positions.

Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

DF: Living in the Colorado Rockies, there is nothing more peaceful than relaxing in the yard with family and friends.  However, if I think about a favorite vacation spot then you would find me in Costa Rica.

GS: Bangalore, India – I grew up and that’s where most of my close friends and family resides.