Innovating Healthcare Solutions!
This biopharma industry is uniquely positioned at the intersection of science and technology, utilizing these advancements to improve patient outcomes, accelerate drug discovery, and optimize healthcare delivery. The integration of AI and digital health into biopharmaceutical processes is enabling unprecedented capabilities in personalized medicine, predictive analytics, and efficient healthcare solutions. These innovations are streamlining operations and setting new standards for patient care, making the industry increasingly engaged and a fascinating field to work in.
Nishtha Jain, the Head of Innovation and Digital Technology, has made significant strides in this industry. With a strong background in software engineering and biotechnology, Nishtha’s career has been marked by her ability to bridge the gap between technology and healthcare. Her academic pursuits and professional experiences have equipped her with a unique perspective on how emerging technologies can address critical challenges in the biopharma industry. Nishtha’s dedication to innovation is evident in her strategic initiatives that balance day-to-day operational demands with long-term goals, ensuring continuous progress towards enhancing patient care through technological advancements.
At Takeda, Nishtha leads digital and data initiatives across Global R&D Quality. The company employs AI and digital health advancements to accelerate drug discovery, optimize patient care, and streamline healthcare delivery. By analyzing vast amounts of data to identify patterns and predict outcomes, Takeda aims to tailor treatments to individual patients, thereby enhancing the overall quality of care. Under Nishtha’s leadership, the company is integrating cutting-edge digital solutions into its research and development processes, ensuring a patient-centric approach to healthcare innovation.
Let’s explore Nishtha’s journey from Software Engineering to Biopharma:
Driving Innovation Across the Biopharma Value Chain
Nishtha began her career as an Associate Software Engineer at Accenture in India, which ignited her passion for technology. After completing an engineering degree in Biotechnology, she pursued a master’s degree at Georgetown University in the United States, focusing on biotechnology. This academic journey fueled her excitement about the potential of technology in the biopharma industry and the intersection of technology and science.
She spent the first few years of her career in the Healthcare and IT industries in business and data analysis roles in technology. Later in her career, a pivotal role at GSK exposed her to innovation frameworks and design thinking. She realized that applying emerging digital technologies could solve significant biopharmaceutical industry challenges.
Later, she had the opportunity both at GSK and then at Biogen to be able to solve some of the biggest problems across the Biopharma value chain (R&D, Quality, Medical Affairs, Commercial, and supply chain) by leveraging digital technologies to improve patient health outcomes. This journey ultimately led her to her current role at Takeda, where she continues to drive innovation.
Strategic Initiatives and Daily Operations
Nishtha always tries to keep her north star and “WHY” in mind before embarking on any new initiative.
According to her, balancing strategic thinking with day-to-day operational demands is crucial in any role. To achieve this balance, she prioritizes tasks based on their strategic importance and impact on the company’s long-term goals while also ensuring that daily operational tasks are completed efficiently.
She allocates time each day to focus on strategic initiatives, such as researching new AI technologies or identifying opportunities for improvement. By dedicating specific time slots to strategic thinking, she can ensure that she is constantly working towards the company’s overarching objectives.
At the same time, she remains flexible and adaptable to address day-to-day operational demands as they arise. She prioritizes tasks based on their urgency and impact on the company’s immediate goals, ensuring that essential tasks are completed promptly without losing sight of the long-term vision.
Personalized Medicine and Predictive Analytic
Nishtha is excited about the advancements in AI and digital health that are revolutionizing the healthcare industry. Some of the most exciting developments include the use of AI for personalized medicine, drug discovery, and predictive analytics for patient care.
At Takeda, they are leveraging these technologies to improve patient outcomes, accelerate drug discovery, and optimize healthcare delivery. By harnessing the power of AI and digital health, they can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and tailor treatments to individual patients.
By integrating AI and digital health into their research and development processes, they can identify new drug targets, streamline clinical trials, and bring innovative therapies to market faster. Additionally, they are using AI to improve patient monitoring, disease management, and treatment adherence, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients.
Overall, the advancements in AI and digital health are transforming the way they approach healthcare, and at Takeda, they are committed to leveraging these technologies to drive innovation and improve patient care.
Advancing Gender Equity in Healthcare and Technology
As a woman leader, Nishtha has made significant contributions to advancing DEI and gender equity in the healthcare and technology sectors. Below is a highlight of some key roles and initiatives:
Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA):
- Since 2016, she has volunteered on the board of HBA, currently serving as President of Corporate Relations for the HBA mid-Atlantic chapter.
- The core of HBA is to further the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare by providing equitable practices that enable organizations to realize the full potential of women and facilitating career and business connections to accelerate advancement.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): She has held various leadership roles in ERGs focused on gender parity. These ERGs drive meaningful change within organizations.
- At GSK: Women Leadership Initiative (WLI)
- Biogen: Women Innovation Network (WIN)
- Currently at Takeda: Gender Parity Network (GPN)
Chief Member:
- She has been a member of the Chief Network since 2022, which is the largest network of senior women executives in the USA.
- The core purpose of the Chief is to provide the tools, strategies, and leadership insights women executive leaders need to drive impact in today’s rapidly changing business environment.
Tech Inclusion and Diversity Council:
- At GSK, she was a member of the Tech I&D Council, and she led the Let’s Talk Program, connecting tech leaders to address talent-related issues.
- Her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech environment and organizations is evident.
Mentoring Programs:
- She has mentored early and mid-career professionals through programs within and outside her organization. Currently, she is supporting two mentoring programs at Takeda.
- Notably, she formally acted as a mentor two years in a row in a formal mentoring program called the TechAware Mentoring Program, which supports women in tech.
Conference Participation:
- As a panel speaker at Women in Tech conferences, she has shared insights and inspired others on topics related to women’s career development and skill development.
- Her engagement with Women Impact Tech and other technology conferences reflects her dedication, leadership, and advocacy in amplifying the voices of women in tech and healthcare.
Continuous Learning and Growth
Volunteer and mentorship experiences have had a profound impact on Nishtha’s professional development and leadership approach by offering her opportunities to learn, grow, and give back to the community. Volunteer work with HBA, ERG, and mentorship opportunities, whether mentoring or getting mentored, has helped her develop a wide range of skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and empathy.
These skills are essential for effective leadership and can be honed through hands-on experiences in volunteer and mentorship roles. It has also helped her understand different perspectives and cultivate a sense of compassion and empathy for diverse cultures and backgrounds. In addition, it has helped in building a solid professional network across the industry with like-minded professionals and many friendships.
Engaging in volunteer work and mentorship has helped her to give back to the community, make a positive impact, and contribute to causes she is passionate about. This sense of purpose and fulfillment has provided her with opportunities for continuous learning, personal growth, and self-reflection. It has made her more open to new ideas, receptive to feedback, and committed to ongoing development.
Resolving Conflicts Through Insightful Leadership
Nishtha works towards establishing a common goal that aligns with objectives across different functions. By ensuring that everyone is working towards a shared purpose, collaboration becomes more natural and effective.
In addition, she encourages open feedback and suggestions from various leaders, stakeholders, and team members across various functions. By creating a culture of transparency and openness, they can address issues proactively and continuously improve their processes and ways of working.
In addition, she tries to learn about the preferences of various people and their working styles and polarities by gathering information about their insight profile, which is usually a four-color personality: Red (Action-Oriented), Blue (Detailed-Oriented), Green (Caring), and Yellow (People-Oriented). This helps in effective communication, working with various personalities and resolving conflicts faster.
A New Approach to Problem Solving
At Takeda, Nishtha is the Head of Innovation and Digital Technologies for R&D Quality. R&D Quality at Takeda has a global reach, providing oversight for the entire R&D function and pipeline, beginning with discovery through phase four and pharmacovigilance for clinical and commercial products and devices through the entire life cycle.
In her short time at Takeda, a significant shift she has championed is prioritizing problems over technology, or what they call the “Problem First” mindset. So, when they focus on the problem first, it allows them to prioritize the right problem statements based on their impact on the organization.
Inspired by “shark tank” dynamics, she has established an Innovation Board where business users pitch business cases and seek leadership funding and alignment. This approach ensures end-to-end problem identification, solution validation, and experimentation.
In addition, she has introduced a Digital Learning forum called “Digital LEAP IN” at Takeda, which is a new way of learning about emerging technologies and their applications. The forum takes the user on a journey into digital and technology-related topics. The forum has three pillars: – Awareness and Learning, Application, and expanding horizons.
The user can learn about digital technology, its applications, and what is the latest in that area from various experts and speakers while engaging via polls. The forum is followed by coffee chats, which allow users to engage with the speakers directly and address their questions.
Her leadership and commitment to innovation have driven positive change at Takeda.
Building Partnerships for Effective Problem Solving
Nishtha’s approach to identifying and prioritizing opportunities for digital innovation is as follows:
- Engagement: She collaborates with key stakeholders to identify pain points and unmet needs by conducting workshops, surveys, and interviews to gather insights and create a funnel of problems.
- Prioritization: After gathering all the problems and pain points, she applies the design thinking framework via prioritization, which allows for the identification of the right problem that will have the most business impact. This is the “Problem First Mindset.”
- Research and Risk-Benefit Analysis: Nishtha researches the problem to evaluate if it is one of its kind or like an existing one and evaluates risks (security, privacy, regulatory compliance) against potential benefits. She balances short-term gains with long-term strategic impact.
- Partnerships: She engages cross-functionally or externally to seek the right technology or solutions to solve the problem.
- Prototyping and Pilots: She develops prototypes or proofs of concept and tests solutions in controlled environments (e.g., use cases or pilots).
- Continuous Monitoring and Scalability: She monitors progress and current trends to ensure it is still the relevant solution. She stays agile and adapts strategies based on feedback and outcomes.
Overcoming Resistance to Change in Digital Health Initiatives
In implementing digital health initiatives, the major challenge that Nishtha initially faces is resistance from internal stakeholders to adopt new digital technologies, which can hinder implementation efforts. To overcome this challenge, she has focused on providing comprehensive information and data, demonstrating the benefits of digital solutions, and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the organization.
Another major challenge she usually faces is limited budget, time, or expertise, which can pose challenges in implementing digital health initiatives. To address resource constraints, she has prioritized initiatives based on their potential impact and leveraged external partnerships and collaborations to be able to get support and possible funding for initiatives.
In addition, access to the right data has been a major challenge, including data quality, data integrity, and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. To overcome this, she has worked closely with the IT and compliance teams to resolve data-related issues.
Continuous Learning and Networking
Nishtha is a curious person by nature and has very high learning agility. She cultivates adaptability by remaining flexible, open-minded, and willing to embrace change. In a rapidly changing environment, being adaptable allows her to quickly adjust to new circumstances and thrive in dynamic situations.
She prioritizes continuous learning by staying updated on the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the fields of AI and digital health. She regularly attends webinars, workshops, and conferences to expand her knowledge and skills. She engages in intentional networking with professionals in the industry through networking events, online forums, and professional associations to exchange ideas, share insights, and stay connected with the latest developments in the field.
She actively seeks feedback from users, colleagues, and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. Constructive feedback helps her adapt her approach and enhance her performance. She regularly engages in self-reflection to assess her strengths, weaknesses, and areas for development.
Self-awareness helps her identify opportunities for growth and take proactive steps to enhance her skills and knowledge. She embraces a culture of experimentation and innovation by trying out new ideas, technologies, and approaches. By experimenting with different strategies, she can learn from both successes and failures and adapt her methods accordingly.
Her daily habit is listening to at least one podcast and reading at least one to two pages of a book. She always keeps an annual goal to seek one professional certification from the MIT Sloan School of Management or other management schools to learn about a new technology or subject.
The Impact of Patient-Centric Values
The most rewarding aspects of Nishtha’s role at Takeda include the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of healthcare, the chance to work with talented and dedicated colleagues, and the ability to make a positive impact on patients’ lives.
Additionally, being part of a company with a strong commitment to innovation and patient-centricity is truly fulfilling. Takeda’s core values are Patient-Trust-Reputation-Business brought to life through actions based on putting the patient first, building trust with society, reinforcing their reputation, and developing a sustainable business.
Also, working at Takeda, she has been very fortunate to work with inspirational female leaders leading the Global Quality organization, such as Gouri Sahai, Janice Berman, and Elaine Shannon. They have been tremendous role models for her.
The Future of Medicine
According to Nishtha, the future of medicine and healthcare will be revolutionized by personalized medicine, AI, telemedicine, digital health records, robotics, regenerative medicine, mental health innovations, and global health initiatives. Genomics and precision medicine will enable tailored therapies, while AI enhances predictive analytics and diagnostics.
Telemedicine and wearables will facilitate remote monitoring and virtual consultations. Interoperable electronic health records and blockchain will improve data security and sharing. Robotic surgeries and automation will increase efficiency, and breakthroughs in stem cell therapy and 3D bioprinting will revolutionize regenerative medicine. Digital therapeutics will support mental health, and global efforts will ensure equitable access to these innovations, enhancing pandemic preparedness and response strategies.
She envisions a world where personalized medicines can be delivered to patients faster and more seamlessly.
Achieving Success Together
Reflecting on her journey, Nishtha shares some heartfelt advice she would give to her younger self:
If she could go back and talk to her younger self, she would say, “Embrace every challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s easy to get discouraged by setbacks, but each obstacle is a stepping stone to greater achievements. Don’t be afraid to take risks and step out of your comfort zone; innovation often comes from the most unexpected places.”
She would also remind herself to stay curious and never stop learning. The field of digital technology and healthcare is constantly evolving, and keeping up with the latest trends and advancements is crucial. Make continuous learning a habit, whether it’s through formal education, reading, or networking with industry experts.
Lastly, she would emphasize the importance of building a strong network. “Surround yourself with mentors, peers, and colleagues who inspire and challenge you. Collaboration and diverse perspectives are key to driving meaningful change and innovation. And remember, it’s okay to ask for help and seek guidance—no one achieves success alone.”
About the Company:
Takeda is a patient-focused, values-based, R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to people worldwide. Takeda’s passion and pursuit of potentially life-changing treatments for patients are deeply rooted in over 240 years of distinguished history in Japan.
Takeda has around 49000+ employees and a presence in approximately 80 countries, with leading positions in Japan and the U.S., respectively, the third and first largest pharmaceutical markets in the world. Takeda delivers highly innovative medicines and transformative care for more people globally.
Strategic Leadership in Digital Health and Innovation
Nishtha Jain is a highly recognized strategic thought leader and executive with over 14 years of global information technology experience in driving digital technology transformations and building and executing digital innovation strategies and digital health solutions.
She has experience in a wide range of industry verticals, ranging from Healthcare Technology, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical and Vaccine industry across the value chain—R&D (Clinical, Quality, Drug Development) and Medical and Commercial.
She is a trusted adviser to executive leadership seeking to solve highly complex enterprise business problems in fast-paced, rapidly changing, and challenging environments. She has a strong passion for applying emerging digital technologies, such as AI, to improve patients’ healthcare experiences and journeys.
Nishtha is currently the Head of Innovation and Digital Technology at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, where her role expands across Global R&D Quality in driving digital and data initiatives from concept to execution, leveraging emerging technologies and design principles.
Nishtha holds an MBA and a master’s degree in biotechnology, along with executive certificates in management, leadership, strategy, and innovation from MIT Sloan. In addition, Nishtha is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She is currently a member of the board and serves as President of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s (HBA) Mid-Atlantic chapter.
