How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life’s experiences.

In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Alex Alvarez, a board-certified civil trial lawyer who specializes in tobacco litigation and jury selection. Camidge and Alvarez discussed Alvarez's career path, which he attributes to a deep-seated passion for upholding justice. Alvarez’s professional life began early, when he became one of the youngest police officers in Miami. After working in patrol during a period of significant civil unrest, he moved into the detective bureau, eventually joining the homicide division. There, he worked on high-profile investigations. During a federal trial for corrupt officers, Alvarez served as the lead investigator and sat at the counsel table, an experience that inspired him to become a trial lawyer.

Although Alvarez initially planned to be a prosecutor, a prominent trial lawyer convinced him to enter private practice, focusing on high-end products liability and medical negligence. Alvarez eventually founded his own firm and became a leading figure in tobacco litigation. His cases focus on corporate malfeasance, arguing that tobacco companies engineered cigarettes to be addictive. He also sues for fraud, citing the industry’s history of denying the health risks associated with cigarettes and the marketing flaws surrounding "safer" cigrette alternatives. A master of jury selection, Alvarez has tried several tobacco cases. He emphasized the importance of finding jurisdictions where jurors are less likely to blame the smoker and more likely to hold corporations accountable.

Alvarez's law firm is a family-run business involving his children and relatives. Today, Alvarez is shifting toward consulting and mentoring the next generation of lawyers to continue the fight against tobacco.

How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life’s experiences.

In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Tim Clackson, PhD. Dr Clackson is a biotechnology executive, and was most recently chief executive officer of IDRx.

Drs Camidge and Clackson discussed Dr Clackson’s career journey through the biotechnology field, which began when his innate curiosity about biology and evolution led him to study biochemistry. He then pursued his PhD and was part of the small team that developed antibody phage display libraries, a breakthrough technology that allows scientists to mimic the immune system in a test tube to find specific antibodies. This work was foundational to the discovery of major drugs and contributed to the awarding of a Nobel Prize in 2018.

In 1991, Dr Clackson moved to the US to pursue a postdoc at Genentech, where he was inspired by the company's vibrant and optimistic research environment. He then joined Ariad Pharmaceuticals, where he stayed for more than 20 years, evolving from a bench scientist to president of R&D. A major highlight of his tenure was the development of ponatinib (Iclusig) for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. He also navigated significant challenges, including ponatinib's temporary market withdrawal due to safety concerns, which the company eventually resolved by narrowing the drug's clinical application.

In the following years, Dr Clackson transitioned into chief executive officer roles at other biotech firms, such as IDRx. He noted that although acquisitions often result in leadership changes—humorously stating, "the higher you are, the quicker you go"—he enjoyed the storytelling aspect of pitching scientific strategies to investors. In the present day, Dr Clackson remains active in the biotechnology industry through board service and entrepreneurship.