Learn how smarter project management can simplify the transition to clinical development and keep teams, timelines and priorities on track.

About this event

This BIOBITES Lunch & Learn session with Sarah Whalley, Director of Clinical Operations at U-Ploid, and Tom Lazenby, Founder and CEO of TrialTrack, will explore the role of effective project management as programmes transition from pre-clinical into clinical development.

This session is for anyone running projects who trained as a scientist, whether you are a founder at the bench, preparing a first clinical study, or leading research on campus.

Sarah Whalley shares how she puts project management into practice across lab work, clinical studies and other projects, by planning back from the end date, keeping a documented, audit-trailed record, and helping a remote team see where their own responsibilities fit within the wider development programme.

With Tom Lazenby of Mayet, she shows how U-Ploid tracks milestones such as ethics submissions and patient numbers in TrialTrack, and the habits you can start on Monday without any software.

Guest speakers

Sarah Whalley

Sarah brings over two decades of clinical research experience to U-Ploid Biotechnologies having managed and directed multi-country trials, built high-performing teams and accelerated site start-up and compliance across biotech, pharma and CRO environments. Most recently at Avillion, she led global clinical trial oversight contributing to the FDA approval of AirSupra. Previously, at GW Pharmaceuticals (now Jazz Pharmaceuticals), she built and led the US and EU clinical research teams through the pivotal programme for Epidiolex, supporting both FDA and EMA approvals in rare paediatric epilepsy. Sarah is a lay member of the London, Brighton and Sussex Research Ethics Committee.

Tom Lazenby

Clinical trials quality assurance professional turned software founder. Over a decade managing vendor audit programmes, quality oversight, and regulatory inspections at GSK, UCL Clinical Trials Unit, and Imperial College London. Single point of accountability for quality oversight across fifty-plus studies at GSK. Every product Mayet builds reflects how clinical QA professionals actually work, because Tom has done the work.

About U-Ploid Biotechnologies

U-Ploid Biotechnologies is a BioEscalator start-up company developing a new class of reproductive therapeutics, starting with a treatment to improve egg quality for women in their mid-30s and above. Their therapeutics are designed to integrate seamlessly into existing IVF procedures worldwide.

About BIOBITES

BIOBITES is the BioEscalator’s lunch-and-learn series, serving up bite-sized wisdom for building early-stage biomedical start-ups and spinouts. Each session brings together founders, researchers and innovators over lunch to explore the practical skills that fuel biotech success.

About The BioEscalator

The BioEscalator is the University of Oxford’s biomedical innovation hub, supporting high-potential bioscience start-ups in translating cutting-edge science into real-world impact. Located on the Old Road clinical campus in Headington, it provides a supportive environment with high-quality lab infrastructure, entrepreneurial training, and strong industry networks. By collaborating with the University, the NHS, and researchers, the BioEscalator accelerates the development of innovative companies that drive meaningful advances in human health.

Find out more by visiting the BioEscalator website (https://www.bioescalator.ox.ac.uk/)

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