# S7E15 Mustafa Poonawala | Diagnostic Clinical Trials, Prioritization, & Decision Latency in Engineering

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2026-04-03
- Length: 42m
- Episode: 15
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten

## Summary

Mustafa Poonawala, CEO of DynaMill Research and Managing Partner at Steps Program Management, discusses accelerating diagnostic innovation through agile clinical trials and reducing decision latency in engineering. He explains how DynaMill uses AI and digital workflows to cut cycle times for medtech companies, contrasting this with traditional pharmaceutical CROs. Poonawala also shares leadership advice on prioritization, the value of R&D as optionality, and the importance of staying connected to engineering roots while mentoring teams.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=0) Introduction and Rapid Fire Questions
- [2:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=159) Engineering Leadership and Clinical Value
- [9:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=599) Predictability and Leading Indicators at BD
- [13:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=804) R&D Value as Optionality
- [16:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=979) DynaMill Research and AI in Clinical Trials
- [24:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=1440) Lean Principles and Prioritization
- [30:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-03-s7e15-mustafa-poonawala-diagnostic-clinical-trials-prioritization-decision-laten#t=1852) Mentorship and Decision Latency

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- DynaMill Research (company)
- Steps Program Management (company)
- BD (company)
- Boston Scientific (company)
- Hospira (company)
- OBS Medical (company)
- ChatGPT (tool)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [5 Actionable Lessons Learned from the RADx Initiative by NIH](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2021-01-27-5-actionable-lessons-learned-from-the-radx-initiative-by-nih) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#470: The Real Cost of MedTech Innovation: From Idea to Pre-Production with Lisa Voronkova](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-09-22-470-the-real-cost-of-medtech-innovation-from-idea-to-pre-production-with-lisa-vo) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [126 - Combination Products Collaboration, Turnover on MedTech/Pharma Project Teams, and Lessons from working with Intel's CEO with Mat Stratton, Founder of Coalition Ltd](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2024-03-06-126-combination-products-collaboration-turnover-on-medtech-pharma-project-teams) (Let's Combinate)
- [#337: Moving MedTech Forward - The Past, Present & Future of Greenlight Guru](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-09-21-337-moving-medtech-forward-the-past-present-future-of-greenlight-guru) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [085 - Digital Innovation, Proteomics, Core & Non-Core Innovation, Consulting after Academia, Democratizing Access and Clinical Trials with Jacob Laprote](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-17-085-digital-innovation-proteomics-core-non-core-innovation-consulting-after-acad) (Let's Combinate)

## Citing this page

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