EATRIS Meets is an interview series that celebrates the amazing people in the EATRIS community. Nadina Grosios is a consultant for EATRIS and a drug development expert. Nadina shared her experience with us as a member of the multi-faceted EATRIS community.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Nadina. I’m currently living and working in Amsterdam, although my journey has taken me through the north of England, a period in Switzerland, and Argos, Greece, where I was born and raised. I studied Biomedical Sciences and went on to complete a PhD in Cancer Pharmacology at the University of Bradford, with a focus on angiogenesis and anti-angiogenic/anti-vascular therapies. This remained the focus of my postdoctoral research at the University of Leeds and was also my entry point into industry. Over the years, I’ve worked across multiple functions—from discovery and preclinical research to clinical development and CMC.
Alongside my professional journey, I pursued a Master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Manchester to better understand how new therapies are evaluated and to broaden my perspective on public health and health policy. Today, I work as an independent consultant. My role involves helping define strategy, drafting technical plans, and managing operational activities for various drug products and molecules at different stages of development.
There have been a few career highlights, but one that stands out is from my PhD days. I’ll never forget the moment I learned that a drug I was working on had shown a complete response in a patient with glioblastoma enrolled in a phase 1 clinical trial. It felt like the greatest sense of achievement to be involved in something that, even for a very short while, gave some relief to a person with cancer.
How are you connected with EATRIS, and what does a typical week look like for you?
I joined EATRIS and specifically the REMEDi4ALL team to support the clinical demonstration projects, focusing primarily on regulatory aspects. Much of my work so far has involved preparing briefing documents and coordinating interactions with national authorities and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). These documents are used to present individual projects, pose key regulatory questions, and outline our positions.
Occasionally, I also support other projects in the EATRIS network—often led by academic groups taking the first steps towards spinning out a company and moving their innovation into early clinical trials or commercial development.
My week tends to be quite varied, as I work across multiple projects and teams (mostly in front of a screen like everyone else—but with my dog snoring under the desk, which helps!). One day, I might be on a call discussing translational strategy and first-in-human trial design, and the next reviewing clinical assessments or biomarker studies for an observational trial or preparing for regulatory meetings—figuring out what to ask and how to approach discussions.
On top of that, I do a fair bit of medical writing, including clinical trial protocols, study reports, and investigator brochures. I really enjoy this part of the work, as it gives me the chance to engage with the experimental data and dive more deeply into the details of each project.
What has been the highlight of your EATRIS experience so far?
I’ve really enjoyed—and continue to enjoy—all the projects I’ve been involved in through EATRIS. Both the science itself and the people and teams I’ve worked with have been inspiring.
Drug development is still largely a commercial endeavour, but it starts with basic academic research. It’s encouraging to see how academia is steadily gaining the skills and confidence to pursue the development path more independently. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the strengths that both academia and industry bring to the table. I strongly believe that success in this field depends not so much on where you work, but on the mindset you bring and the strength of the team around you.
What is translational research for you?
A public health professor who I worked with at the University of Leeds used to say that “translational research is about bringing a new therapy from the bed to the bedside to the bedsit” i.e., right inside the home of the person who needs it, and I completely agree with her. As scientists, we often only think about getting our idea from the lab to a clinical trial and then hopefully to registration, which in itself may take many years. However, in reality, a lot more is still needed to make sure that it gets to the people who can benefit from it. It’s also crucial to start thinking early—right from the concept stage—about what will ultimately be needed to ensure the therapy reaches those who can benefit from it.
Why did you decide to work in the translational medicine field?
While I am intrigued by biological concepts and research questions, I am also a practical person and have always wanted to ensure that my work has a tangible purpose—an application. In that light, the translational path and more specifically the drug development field fitted not only my intrinsic brain curiosity but also my personal character. For this reason, I have also consciously sought roles that would allow me to learn and be exposed to different aspects of drug development.
What advice would you give your younger self?
“Slowing down may help you get to your end destination faster and with better quality results”. Lab experiments, which were hastily done over the weekend, usually did not work. Pushing to get a clinical development candidate nominated with incomplete data often ends in disaster. It’s also not a good idea to rush to submit a regulatory dossier/application, which will come back with more questions than answers.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
Reading fictional literature is an enjoyable and relaxing experience for me. The aforementioned dog makes life more fun, as well.
If you were a drug, vaccine or diagnostic, what would you be and why?
I would probably be some kind of cancer vaccine—that would be my first choice, as cancer research is an area very close to my heart. That said, these days, I sometimes think the world could really use a drug that activates empathy in humans. It feels like that’s something we need more of everywhere.
What would surprise people to know about you?
I wouldn’t call myself an exceptionally surprising person. I love travelling and moving around, so anything in that direction is for me.
