SCRS Talks

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Brooklyn Montgomery, Business Development Director at Deep Intelligent Pharma (DIP), to explore how agentic AI is reshaping the way clinical research sites operate. Brooklyn breaks down where AI delivers real value for physician-led research, what meaningful adoption actually looks like at the site level, and the three questions every site should answer before spending a dollar on AI tools. The conversation also covers how mentorship and technology work together to close the gap between academic research and clinical execution, and where sites are headed as they move from execution partners to upstream contributors in trial design.
Disclaimer: The content of this article reflects interview perspectives and is intended for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute any commitment, representation, or guarantee regarding the performance or outcomes of any product or service. Actual results may vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, study design, data quality, regulatory requirements, and implementation conditions.

Kathy Cox and Ryan Johnsen of Interspond discuss how their platform CROWN is reshaping the study feasibility process for clinical research sites. Rather than sites waiting to be contacted, CROWN puts the power in their hands with a web-based marketplace where they can browse opportunities, manage their profile, and respond to time-sensitive requests all in one place. The result is a smarter, less disruptive feasibility experience built with sites at the center.

In this episode of SCRS Talks, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Sean Stanton, Founder and CEO of K2 Medical Research, and Christian Burns, Founder and President of Populus Health, to explore how their two organizations are working together to advance CNS drug development. With decades of combined experience across psychiatry, neurology, and neurodegeneration, Sean and Christian discuss what makes CNS trials uniquely challenging, what it takes to earn and maintain trust with sponsors and CROs, and why communication is just as critical as performance metrics. They also share their outlook on the future of the space, from biomarkers and precision health to the growing potential of psychedelics across therapeutic areas, and why CNS research feels less like a job and more like a mission.

In this episode of SCRS Talks, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Donna Cryer, Chief Patient Officer at Cryer Health and active FDA patient advocate, to explore the critical difference between patient inclusion and patient leadership in drug development. Drawing on her own lifelong experience as a patient, Donna makes the case for why having patients in real positions of authority is not just a values statement but a strategic necessity, especially as AI becomes more embedded in every stage of the research process. From AI governance and model training to the risks of replacing human experience with simulated data, this conversation challenges the industry to stop treating patients as an afterthought and start building their perspectives into the foundation of how research gets done.

AI is moving fast, and research sites are feeling the pressure to keep up. But before diving in, there are some foundational questions every site should be asking. Jimmy sits down with Marc Wartenberger, VP of Compliance and Security at CRIO, to break down what a defensible AI validation approach actually looks like, why under-documentation is the most common compliance mistake sites are making right now, and what the January 2026 FDA and EMA joint guidance means for day-to-day site operations. If your site is anywhere on the AI journey, this one is worth your time.