Jessica Jackson, Associate Scientific Director, SVAP
Attending BIO International in San Diego reminded me that behind every breakthrough, partnership and data point is a human story that was the catalyst. It reminded me why the science matters and – critically – the job we have to do in telling those stories to spark further momentum. Let me tell you a bit about the June journey that gave me this reminder, including BIO, a big birthday, and a bright outlook for the future.
San Diego? Yes, please!
Fully embracing my entrepreneurial spirit has helped me discover that my favourite thing in the world is meeting new people, finding out about their spheres and perspectives, and creating new relationships out of nothing. It really is magic. And to an extrovert like me, it’s literal heaven. So when I was offered the opportunity to attend BIO International in San Diego, solo, I jumped at the chance. It felt like the perfect way to round off my monthlong 40th birthday celebrations – less about getting older, and more about saying yes to opportunities that challenge me. This was definitely one of those moments.
For those who haven’t heard of it, BIO International is the world’s largest biotechnology partnering conference, bringing together around 20,000 attendees from across the globe. Scientists, clinicians, investors, start-ups, patient organisations, government agencies, and biopharma companies all descended on San Diego to share ideas, build partnerships, and bring the next generation of treatments to patients.
San Diego itself deserves an honourable mention. It was my first visit, and the city was alive! With BIO bringing thousands of delegates into town and the FIFA World Cup in full swing (we can gloss over the Australia vs USA match), there was incredible energy at every turn. Every evening brought another networking event, another packed restaurant, or another excuse to meet someone new (hello, Jason Derulo …).
Spotlighting the human stories behind the science
BIO was unlike any conference I’ve ever attended. The sheer scale of the venue and programming was initially overwhelming. But as I found my feet and learned which talking points were conversation starters (or non-starters), I soon got into the swing of things. Before arriving, I had expected the science focus, though perhaps not how relationship-driven BIO is. Yes, there are hundreds of scientific sessions, thousands of partnering meetings, and an exhibition hall the size of several football fields – but what resonated with me most was the Storytelling Stage.
Every 20 minutes, there was a new speaker. Patients. Carers. Advocates. Charities. Artists. People whose lives had been transformed by medical science, or who were still waiting for answers and wanted to share their stories in the hope of inspiring or connecting. There were no sales pitches; nobody wanted anything but for me to listen for understanding. I found myself inspired, deeply humbled, and moved to laughter and tears more than once.
In medical communications, we spend so much time immersed in the science and the facts that it’s easy to lose sight of why this industry exists – and why it matters. Behind every clinical trial, every data point, every publication is a real person hoping for a better outcome. And I came away wanting to tell those stories better.
The focus on people wasn’t confined to the Storytelling Stage; it was woven throughout the conference. Patient engagement was discussed as an essential part of drug development. Sessions explored involving patients as early as the conception stage of clinical trials, incorporating patient-led endpoints and ensuring lived experience sits equally alongside clinical evidence. I really felt a shift from developing treatments for patients, to developing them with patients. Because who knows more about a disease than the person living with that disease Every. Single. Day.
AI: Changing the tools, but not the purpose
Of course, no conference in 2026 would be complete without AI featuring in almost every conversation. What surprised me, and reflects my own experience, is that people are beginning to realise current AI technology isn’t ‘all that’ (welcome to the conversation, ’90s babies). When AI became accessible to all, people were insanely excited and immediately started layering it onto existing workflows. As we gain experience with AI, and recognise its (many) follies, it’s clear we need to fundamentally rethink how we work with it. AI isn’t the strategy, it’s the tool, and the quicker companies reassess its place, the quicker we’ll start to see real benefits emerge.
I came home with a notes app full of ideas, a larger LinkedIn network, some exciting new relationships, and renewed confidence that I was exactly where I was meant to be: Sitting across the table from founders immersed in and excited by their science, listening to their vision, and thinking about how we could help them tell that story. These companies aren’t looking for someone to simply assemble a document (that IS something that AI can do 😉). They’re looking for partners who are as excited as they are to help create the narrative around their innovation, communicate it with clarity, and give their science the voice it deserves.
At Synergy Vision, this is where we do our best work: helping ambitious, science-led organisations turn complex innovation into clear, compelling stories that connect with the people who need to hear them. BIO International was a powerful reminder that breakthroughs do not speak for themselves – they need context, clarity and a human voice. And I realised somewhere between the Storytelling Stage, a hundred fascinating conversations, and a Jason Derulo concert … that’s exactly the kind of work I want to be doing. Turns out, spending a week meeting passionate people, hearing their stories and helping them think about how to tell those stories to the world was a perfect way to end my milestone celebrations.
Want to hear more about work we do at Synergy Vision? Click here!