Meet Sprout – Dr Yuzana Khine Zaw, Scientist

1. What does your role at Sprout involve?

I am a Scientist at Sprout. My role involves working on scientific studies, mainly in the clinical outcomes assessment (COA) space. The work involves assisting clients during various phases of the clinical trials process and doing research to support COA endpoint strategies.

2. What led you to this career?

I was previously embedded in a five-country study on fever and antimicrobial resistance. My PhD research draws on the social sciences and global health to understand fever, antimicrobial resistance, and the social and economic factors behind patients’ use of antibiotics in Yangon, Myanmar. Using an ethnographic approach, I was able to take an in-depth dive into patient’s lives for four years. I continued this research for an additional eight months as a postdoctoral research fellow.

Although I enjoyed my time in academia, I wanted to be involved in a faster-paced, more applied research setting where I can make a direct impact on patients’ lives. This led me to transition into industry, particularly the COA field which works on patient outcomes.

3. What do you value most about the work you do at Sprout?

I value being involved in multiple projects within different disease areas and at varying phases of a clinical trial. Spending almost a decade in academia where I focused on one disease area and one sub-group of patients, I find it refreshing to experience and contribute to supporting patients from multiple directions.

4. What recent area of work are you most excited about?

I have an academic research-heavy background and have always been focused on doing in-depth research. I am now working closely with FDA/MHRA/EMA regulations to help situate the work I do globally around drug development.

5. What three words would your friends use to describe you?

Driven, reliable, nerdy.

6. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?

Shapeshifting. This may partly come from my passion for ethnography. I have a very curious personality and would love to see the world through different people. Shapeshifting would be the best way to do this.