AI in Life Sciences: One Hire That Can Change Everything

Insights by: Gabriel Berg, Founder & Lead Recruiter | Data & AI specialist in the Life Sciences industry

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the life sciences sector. The global AI in life sciences market is projected to grow from $9.8 billion in 2024 to $33.5 billion by 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.9%. This surge is driven by AI's transformative applications in drug discovery, diagnostics, and digital health.

But the successful integration of AI isn't just about algorithms or infrastructure - it's about the people who lead these initiatives. In my work across data and AI recruitment for life sciences, I’ve seen how one strategic hire can unlock change far beyond their job title. The intersection of technology and leadership is where real breakthroughs begin.

This edition of Panda Pulse looks at two standout leaders who’ve done exactly that: Brad Miller, CIO at Moderna, and Bronwyn Brophy, CEO at Vitrolife. Their stories illustrate how the right person, in the right role, at the right moment, can shift the direction of an entire organisation.

 

Bronwyn Brophy (CEO, Vitrolife): Embedding AI into Reproductive Medicine

Bronwyn Brophy’s leadership at Vitrolife is a masterclass in applying digital transformation to one of healthcare’s most sensitive and personal domains: fertility treatment.

When she joined as CEO, she brought with her a 20-year MedTech career shaped at Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Thermo Fisher, and an instinct for scaling impact through systems. She quickly identified that IVF processes often manual and clinic-specific, were a bottleneck to access and consistency.

Her solution wasn’t just about software. It was about creating an ecosystem. Under Brophy’s direction, Vitrolife acquired eFertility, a Dutch company specialising in clinic workflow management. By embedding digital tools directly into the care pathway, Vitrolife is enabling clinics to work more efficiently and helping patients experience more consistent outcomes.

She’s also expanding Vitrolife’s footprint in the U.S., bringing this new model of care to one of the most competitive reproductive health markets globally.

In a field that blends medical complexity with emotional weight, Brophy’s work shows that digitisation isn’t about removing the human element - it’s about supporting it better. The right leader doesn’t just introduce technology, they build the culture and structure that lets it scale.

Brad Miller: Scaling AI at Moderna and Beyond

Brad Miller’s time as Chief Information Officer at Moderna marked a turning point in how the company approached digital innovation. Joining in early 2023, he brought a depth of experience from roles at Amazon, Microsoft, Citibank, and Capital One, and a mindset shaped by scale, speed, and intelligent systems.

Within months, Miller had shifted Moderna’s IT model from outsourced to in-house - a foundational change that gave the company far greater control and agility. He established a major tech hub in Seattle, hiring 180+ specialists across Seattle and Cambridge to build digital capabilities internally.

Perhaps most significantly, he led Moderna’s integration of AI tools into real-world processes. Through a pioneering partnership with OpenAI, Miller introduced ChatGPT into functions like supply chain management and R&D operations, helping accelerate decisions and reduce inefficiencies. These changes were part of a larger ambition: supporting 15 product launches over five years, with AI embedded at every stage.

Miller’s leadership showed what’s possible when a company moves from experimenting with AI to operationalising it.

In May 2025, he took on a new challenge as President of CoreAI at Keystone AI, the very platform he helped bring to life as Moderna’s first AI partner. It’s a full-circle moment - and one I’ll be watching closely as he continues to shape how enterprise AI is built and scaled in life sciences.

 

One Hire, Many Ripples

Leaders like Miller and Brophy demonstrate that digital transformation doesn’t start with technology - it starts with people. Their influence extends beyond operations and into strategic DNA. Yet, many companies are still early in their AI journey. A recent Arnold & Porter report found that while 75% of life sciences firms have started implementing AI, only 53% have formal SOPs and just 51% conduct regular risk audits.

The talent gap remains a critical blocker. Building the right leadership layer is the most strategic AI investment a company can make.

Ready to Transform Your Team?

If you're looking to strengthen your AI capability with the right people, or want to know what kind of talent could unlock your next phase of innovation, I’d be happy to support you with what that could look like.

 

Author Details:

• Gabriel Berg 
• Founder & Lead Recruiter | Data & AI specialist in the Life Sciences industry
• g.andrade@panda-int.com