The Pistoia Alliance has announced the finalists for its 2026 Data Science Talent Awards which recognize rising stars in data science and reward innovation and collaboration in life sciences R&D. Entries were received from across the global biopharmaceutical ecosystem and competition was fierce.
The finalists are as follows:
Young Data Scientist of the Year Finalists
- Shruti Kaushal, AbbVie
- Zachary Hatzenbeller, GlaxoSmithKline
- Patrik Hegel, Sanofi
Data Scientist of the Year Finalists (Team leader and company)
- Sophie Bailes, AstraZeneca
- Annika Kreuchwig, Bayer AG
- Raul Rodriguez-Esteban, Roche
The finalists were selected from an outstanding shortlist of talent by a dedicated judging panel who have generously given their time to judging these prestigious awards that are unique in showcasing the power of data science in advancing life sciences R&D.
Judges
- Lars Greiffenberg, Senior Director, R&D Information Research, AbbVie
- Derek Marren, Senior Director – Principle IT capability Business Partner & AI Lead for Research, AstraZeneca
- Anastasia Christianson, Senior Industry Advisor
- Bryn Williams-Jones, Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Connected Discovery Ltd
- Sergio Rotstien, Senior Industry Advisor
- Becky Upton, President, Pistoia Alliance
- Christian Baber, Chief Portfolio Officer, Pistoia Alliance
The finalists will present their entries at the Pistoia Alliance London Conference at the Royal Society of Medicine, April 13-14, 2026 and the winner of each award category will be determined following an audience vote. The winners will receive prize money and access to the Pistoia Alliance’s training resources.
Dr Becky Upton, President of the Pistoia Alliance said: “Data Science plays a pivotal role in transforming life sciences and is so important as the foundation upon which AI models are built. The Pistoia Alliance is proud to be nurturing and supporting the development of emerging talent in the global life sciences industry and celebrating the impact of collaborative innovation.”