About the Creator & Host

A little about myself (Surani Fernando) and what led me to create Raising Biotech. I'm a seasoned healthcare journalist with over 15 years of experience in the biopharma sector -- where science, investigation and storytelling intersect. I'm a Sydney native, but I've spent the majority of my professional career in London, New York and now Madrid (where I am currently recording this podcast). Going back to the very beginning.... I started my journey with a Bachelor of Medical Science at Sydney University. After graduating in 2005, I spent a few years working within the clinical trial industry (in both Sydney and London) and later decided that I wanted to pursue my initial yet 'elusive' dream of being a healthcare journalist. So I picked up a Masters of Health Communication in 2009 in Sydney and headed back to London to begin my investigative journalism career with Pharmawire/BioPharm Insight, a subscription-based news service launched by the Financial Times Group. My initial years at BioPharm Insight were some hugely formative years for me as an investigative journalist -- deep-diving into all things clinical trials (the good, the bad and the ugly) for a well-versed industry and investor audience. I also wrote for sister publications Mergermarket and DealReporter on biotech financings, IPOs and M&A deals. I travelled the world, interviewed leading experts and produced impactful market-moving analyses and scoops (which you unfortunately can't google because it was all behind a very expensive paywall). As the years went on, I became the Editor of the London new desk in late 2014 and later in 2016 I made the leap to New York, continuing my work as an investigative journalist and managing editor with BioPharm Insight's North America desk, then GlobalData, and later moved to financial news platform Reorg to cover high profile M&A deals. In late 2020, I hit pause to fulfill a lifelong dream—a sabbatical in Spain, embracing the Spanish culture and language in my favorite city, Madrid. Unsurprisingly, that sabbatical turned into a residency as I continued my work in Spain as a freelance journalist, consultant writer, and podcaster. With the financial backing from Reorg's CEO Kent Collier, I launched the The Vax Files podcast in 2021 -- investigating the world of Covid-19 vaccines in the broader public health conversation. In 2023, I took the plunge on my own to launch Raising Biotech where I delve into the latest innovations and investments in biotech -- leveraging my many years covering the sector for a specialist audience.
While there are many biotech podcasts out there, my mission is to provide high-value, informative and actionable content in a format that is engaging and entertaining for industry professionals and curious listeners alike.