Interview with Paul Waring

Watch the interview with Paul Waring, Chair of Lumito’s Scientific Advisory Board, where he shares why he chose to join Lumito and reflects on the key takeaways from the company’s first Scientific Advisory Board meeting.

Advisors

Paul W

Paul Waring

Director, Translational Pathology Consultation Services

Education

MBBS in Medicine, University of Western Australia
PhD in Medical Biology, University of Melbourne
Fellowship in Anatomical Pathology, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

Fellowship in Anatomical Pathology, Royal College of Pathologists, UK

Fellowship in Molecular Genetics, Human Genetics Society of Australasia


Profile Summary
Paul Waring is a globally recognized leader in anatomical, molecular, genomic, and translational pathology, with a career spanning senior academic, clinical, and biopharma roles across Australia, the UK, and the US. He brings over two decades of experience in advancing biomarker science, pathology innovation, and the integration of AI and digital pathology into clinical trials and drug development.


Paul most recently served as Executive Director of Translational Pathology at AstraZeneca, Cambridge UK, where he led global pathology teams and was responsible for biomarker development in early stage oncology trials. He also drove strategic partnerships, including a key collaboration with Ventana Medical Systems. Earlier in his career, he held executive and academic positions including Vice President of Medical Innovation at Roche Diagnostics, Director of Pathology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Chair of Pathology at leading Australian universities.


Currently, as Director of Translational Pathology Consultation Services, Paul advises pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics, and AI companies on biomarker discovery, assay validation, regulatory strategy, and reimbursement planning. His work continues to shape the future of precision medicine and pathology-led drug development.

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Chris

Cristian Ortiz-Villalón

Head of Unit Department of Clinical Genetics, Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Region Skåne

Education

MD University of Concepcion 

Residency training in pathology Valencia University Hospital 

PhD Graduate Studies, Kyoto University

Fellowship in nanobiotics Kyoto University 
PhD, University of Valencia

Zeiler Fellowship in pulmonary pathology Mayo Clinic Arizona USA
MBA, ESERP Business & Law School & Hochschule Schmalkalden
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, MIT
Higher Education Teaching, Karolinska Institutet
International Business and Trade, AstraZeneca


Profile Summary
Christian Ortiz-Villalón is a pathologist and senior medical leader with deep expertise in translational pathology, diagnostics, and oncology, with over two decades of experience across Europe and Asia. He has held strategic roles in academia, clinical practice, and the biopharmaceutical industry, combining a strong scientific foundation with executive-level insight. He previously served as Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader and Diagnostic Lead at AstraZeneca and was Head of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics at Karolinska University Hospital – one of the world’s top-ranked hospitals.


Christian is currently Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Pathology Science, where he is driving global access to medical education, digital pathology, and cutting-edge diagnostic approaches. He is also an affiliated researcher at Karolinska Institutet, an advisory board member at Deciphex, and a board member of several biotech companies. His work has been instrumental in advancing immune-oncology, interstitial lung disease research, and the clinical application of antibody-drug conjugates. A multilingual leader and advocate for innovation in healthcare, Christian brings a global and interdisciplinary perspective to advancing cancer care.

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Mark L

Mark Lackner

Chief Scientific Officer, Firefly Biosciences

Education
BS and MS in Biology (Honors), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

PhD in Developmental Biology, Stanford University
Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Genetics, UC Berkeley

 

Profile Summary
Mark Lackner is a seasoned oncology drug development executive with over 20 years of experience spanning discovery biology, translational science, and clinical strategy. He has held senior leadership roles at prominent biotechnology companies, including Genentech, IDEAYA Biosciences, and Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, where he was instrumental in driving biomarker strategy, candidate selection, and clinical translation for targeted cancer therapies.

 

 

At Genentech, Mark led a team of over 40 researchers as Director of Oncology Biomarker Development, shaping biomarker strategies across early-stage trials and contributing to the company’s breast cancer portfolio. At IDEAYA, he headed biology and translational sciences, supporting precision medicine approaches across multiple programs.

 

 

Most recently, he served as Chief Scientific Officer at Zentalis Pharmaceuticals before assuming his current role at Firefly Biosciences, where he oversees the development of degrader antibody conjugates with the goal of advancing them into clinical evaluation. A strong advocate for data-driven drug development, Mark has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and is recognized for his contributions to personalized oncology and molecular diagnostics.

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Jason H

Jason Hipp

Chief Executive Officer, JD Hipp Consulting

Education
BS in Biology (Honors), University of California San Diego

MD/PhD, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

 

Profile Summary
Dr. Jason Hipp is a board-certified anatomic pathologist and digital health strategist at the forefront of applying AI and technology to transform diagnostics, drug development, and global healthcare delivery. With a career spanning top-tier institutions including Mayo Clinic, AstraZeneca, Google, and the National Institutes of Health, Jason brings a unique fusion of clinical insight, informatics expertise, and innovation leadership.

 

Most recently, he served as Chief Digital Innovation Officer at Mayo Clinic’s diagnostic platforms, where he led strategic integration of digital tools across biopharma diagnostics and remote care. Prior to that, he was Head of Pathology Data Science & Innovation at AstraZeneca, supporting translational medicine and biomarker discovery. At Google and Verily, Jason served as Lead Pathologist for the Medical Brain team, pioneering AI-assisted cancer diagnostics. He also held senior research and pathology roles at Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, and the NIH.

 

Today, as CEO of JD Hipp Consulting, Jason advises biopharma and diagnostic companies on digital transformation, AI strategy, and the future of translational pathology. A frequent collaborator with global leaders, he continues to shape innovation at the intersection of clinical diagnostics, computational medicine, and personalized healthcare.

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Robert G

Robert Gunnarsson

Founder & CEO, RoGu Consulting AB

Education

Executive MBA, Mgruppen Svenska Managementgruppen AB
MSc in Biotechnology, Uppsala University
Certified Board Member, Styrelseakademien

 

Profile Summary
Robert Gunnarsson is a results-oriented Life Science executive with over 20 years of leadership across SMEs, start-ups, and  multinational corporations. With deep expertise in immunoassays, diagnostics, and business strategy, he has built and scaled organizations, launched +30 life science tools and IVD products, and driven international expansion and partnerships across Europe, the US, and China.

 

As former CEO of Navinci Diagnostics, Robert led the transformation of the company into a global player in spatial biology and in situ protein analysis. Previously, he directed the Project Management Office at Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Global R&D division, managing cross-functional teams and a €20M+ portfolio. He also served in multiple R&D and leadership roles at Mercodia AB, driving both scientific and commercial innovation.

 

Currently, as the Founder and CEO of RoGu Consulting AB, he advises life science companies on strategy, product development, scaling, and organizational transformation. Robert is known for his inclusive leadership style and a strong track record in delivering growth through operational excellence and strategic clarity.

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Pascal Bamford-BW

Pascal Bamford

Chief Clinical Officer and Laboratory Operations, Akoya Biosciences

Education
PhD in Image Analysis, University of Queensland
MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with European Studies, University of Bristol

 

Profile Summary

Pascal Bamford is an accomplished leader in oncology diagnostics, digital pathology, and image analysis, with over 25 years of experience driving innovation in clinical test development. He has held senior roles at Ventana Medical Systems (Roche Tissue Diagnostics), Epic Sciences, Genomic Health, and Exact Sciences, where he spearheaded the development and global commercialization of advanced cytology, tissue, and liquid biopsy technologies.

 

Currently serving as Chief Clinical Officer at Akoya Biosciences, Pascal is leading efforts to integrate Spatial Biology into routine clinical workflows. Previously, as SVP of R&D and Laboratory Operations at Akoya, he oversaw product development and operational strategies. He also sits on the boards of Tagomics and ViQi Inc., supporting technological advancement in imaging and diagnostics.

 

Pascal’s multidisciplinary expertise spans image analysis, software development, IP strategy, market research, and technology transfer. He is an inventor on multiple imaging patents and has published work in unsupervised image segmentation. His contributions have significantly advanced digital pathology platforms and precision diagnostics in oncology.

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