Worcester Business Journal

20 Worcester Business Journal | October 11, 2021 | wbjournal.com F O C U S O U T S T A N D I N G W O M E N I N B U S I N E S S BY MONICA BENEVIDES Worcester Business Journal Senior Staff Writer F or Stacy Wu, MD, vice president and head of global central nervous system clinical research at Sunovion, the switch from clinical practice to clinical research was all about impact. While she enjoyed helping patients one at a time in her previous role, she found clinical research allowed her to help develop new therapies to have a broader reach and impact on a wider group of people. "It really was very different than what I'd been doing previously," Wu said. Wu, who hails from southern New Jersey, grew up in a medical family. Her father, a pediatrician, harbored a lifelong dream that one of his children would follow in his footsteps and eventually take over his practice. at didn't quite happen, but Wu and all of her siblings did become physicians – although that wasn't Wu's original plan. Aer high school, Wu headed for Brown University in Rhode Island, where she wanted to study history and political science. On the side, though, she checked off pre-med requirements, just in case she changed her mind – which she did. With a new plan in motion, Wu attended medical school at New York University, and then headed uptown for a neurology residency at Columbia University. Aer that, she completed a multiple sclerosis fellowship at the Uni- versity Hospital of Basel in Switzerland, where she developed the rater training program for the most widely used MS rating scale, the Expanded Disability Status Scale, going on to serve as the rat- er trainer for pharmaceutical-sponsored MS clinical trials. "e thing about neurology is I always thought it was a puzzle," Wu said, explaining she liked the challenge. "I found it just very interesting to talk to the patients, see what their complaints are, do the physical exam, and try to get clues from what you do in the neurological examination." When she had the opportunity to join the team at Sunovion, she was excited. She'd been following news from the company, particularly with regard to its drug discovery processes. At Sunovion, Wu works in late-stage development, meaning she's in clinical trials with the patient population, and she works in both neurology and psychiatry. "She leads by example," said Lisa Curry, executive director and head of global project management at Sunovion. "She's one that treats everybody as an equal." Wu is a role model, Curry said, and someone others around her aspire to emulate. She enjoys collaborating with de- partments working at all stages in drug development, from research to com- mercial operations. It's fulfilling for her to be able to see the big picture of what she and her team are working on at any given moment, as well as to access peo- ple in different departments and have her questions easily answered. It's also essential to her job, as she's tasked with helping to make sure that all teams are moving forward in the same direction. For Wu, neurology is a puzzle As a leader in her company and her field, Wu believes in identifying and harnessing the strengths of those people around her. at includes mentoring and working with those in more junior positions and helping them find functional areas and projects which empower them to pursue their own skills and interests. "I try to get to know each person based on what their skillset is, where do they want their career to go, where their interests lie," Wu said, explaining she was mentored by an older woman physician during her career, something creating a lot of influence over her and her interest in helping others. Curry and Wu are peers at Sunovion, and are working together on a drug development project at the company, which Wu leads and Curry manages. ey have been colleagues for about a year and a half. Wu, said Curry, excels at keeping those around her calm. "For example, if she has to do a presentation and deliver news that may not be what people want to hear, she does it in such an objective manner and in such a calming way that because she exudes that, [she reassures that] everything's going to be okay," Curry said. Stacy Wu, MD Vice president, head of global clinical research, CNS (central nervous system) Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, in Marlborough Residence: Middlesex County Education: Bachelor's degree from Brown University and medical degree from New York University School of Medicine What is your advice for women starting their careers? Our careers are journeys, and where we start may be completely different from where we end up. This journey is a process where we gain greater self-awareness by constantly learning and being challenged. We need to be open to new opportunities and embrace them. What is the main reason for your success? Knowing my strengths and understanding my limitations to strategically engage others. I leverage those around me who may have greater expertise in a particular area so together we may achieve our common goals. What is the best way to find work/ life balance? Set boundaries between the work and home environments. While at work, I prioritize my time and focus on the most critical activities to accomplish for the day. While at home, I make time for myself to unplug and recharge. W PHOTO/MATT WRIGHT

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