A biotech’s Chief Scientific Officer, or CSO, leads discovery and preclinical strategy.

CSOs in early-stage companies are usually very hands-on – designing experiments, overseeing R&D, and supporting early fundraising activities.

As trials progress, their role may shift toward pipeline expansion, advisory input, and translating complex data into actionable insight.

The CSO’s decisions can also set the tone for what kind of trial is even possible. The choice of indication, mechanism of action, and inclusion/exclusion criteria can all affect patient access.

A trial built solely on elegant science may stumble if it’s impractical to recruit for.

Which is why an understanding of the issues of patient recruitment on the part of the CSO is a key element for success.

Such that, by anticipating recruitment challenges during early research stages, CSOs can help create projects that successfully navigate the clinical trial landscape.