Sonia Ponzo
Scientific Digital Health Expert
About me:
I'm Sonia Ponzo, a digital health expert with 10+ years of experience in scientific and clinical research. I help companies excel in product and science strategies, leveraging my expertise in bridging scientific advancements with practical business implementation. With a background in startups, I bring a unique blend of experience working with limited resources while delivering exceptional results. My expertise lies in bridging the gap between scientific advancements and practical business implementation, allowing companies to navigate the complexities of the digital health landscape with confidence. I have published extensively on digital health solutions for preventing and managing health conditions, and I excel in developing adaptive scientific strategies, fostering collaborations, and working cross-functionally across product, legal, regulatory, and marketing teams.
EXPERIENCE
2023-present
Scientific advisor (mental health)
Hale
Consulting and advising on product development and testing leveraging evidence-based tools and techniques.
2023-present
Scientific advisor
Flo Health Inc.
Consulting and advising on current research projects and scientific strategy.
2023-present
VP of Science
Healios Ltd.
Developing and executing science strategy and roadmap; providing evidence-based strategic input to product teams; championing the role of science within and outside the company; team management, mentoring and coaching; devising and managing scientific pipelines; liaising with internal/external stakeholders to ensure regulatory compliance.
2022-2023
Director of Science
Flo Health Inc.
Developing Flo’s research strategy focused on the scientific evaluation, validation and innovation of the Flo app; setting-up academic collaborations and a Scientific Advisory Board; lead on research dissemination; coordination of a healthy pipeline of scientific papers; mentor and supervise junior team members; cultivate a culture of evidence-based, rigorous, scientific work within the wider team; create processes for evaluation and validation.
2021-2022
Head of Clinical Research
Thrive: Mental Wellbeing
Developing Thrive’s research strategy by designing and executing research projects on efficacy, engagement and prevention, setting-up academic and industry collaborations, lead on research dissemination, papers write-up and grant writing, mentor and supervise junior team members.
2020-2021
Lead Research Scientist
Huma
Promote scientific publications and research dissemination as part of the Strategic Deployment Team. Design of experimental studies on interoception and mental health as well as studies aiming to validate app features (e.g. the wellbeing score), obtain ethics from collaborating universities (Oxford and Exeter), run research studies (both remote and in lab data collection), data wrangling, analysis and visualisation for each study (using R Studio), write-up of papers for publication in relevant journals in the field (e.g. JMIR). Supervision of MSc students and interns collaborating on different research projects.
EDUCATION
2015 - 2019
2011-2013
2008-2011
Supervisors: Dr. Paul Jenkinson (UH) and Dr. Aikaterini Fotopoulou (UCL). Focus: bodily unawareness in patients with right hemisphere stroke, bodily awareness, spatial cognition and metacognition in the healthy population.
Focus: neuropsychology, neuroscience, neuroimaging, neurocognitive rehabilitation, data analysis.
Focus: neuroscience, statistics, fundamentals of psychology.
SERVICES
Science and R&D Strategy
I will collaborate closely with your team to develop a robust science and R&D strategy that aligns with your business goals and is right for your current stage. From identifying research opportunities to mentoring and coaching your team to success, I will help you leverage the latest scientific breakthroughs and stay at the forefront of innovation in the digital health space.
Product development & hypotheses testing
Building your product following the scientific literature and the latest evidence can help you maximising engagement and behaviour change. I will guide you through the development of a user journey that is informed by science and has the user needs at the core of it. I will also help you identify the right research hypotheses to test and advise you on the approach that will best serve your health product.
Technology Assessment and Validation
Selecting the right technologies and validating their efficacy is vital for digital health companies. I will assist you in evaluating your product and its features, conducting rigorous assessments, and validating their effectiveness. By employing evidence-based approaches, I will help you make informed decisions and ensure that your products and solutions meet the highest scientific standards and respond to your users' needs.
Regulatory Compliance and Scientific Writing
I will assist you in preparing regulatory submissions, clinical study protocols and ethics, and scientific publications. By ensuring compliance and crafting compelling scientific narratives, I will help you establish credibility, gain regulatory approvals, and attract scientific collaborators and investors. I will also help you craft claims about your product that are effective, compliant and not misleading.
Research Collaboration and Partnerships
I will guide you in establishing strategic research collaborations and partnerships with renowned institutions and industry experts. By leveraging my network, I will connect you with the right stakeholders, facilitate knowledge exchange, and foster collaborative projects. Together, we can drive groundbreaking research that accelerates the development of innovative digital health products and services.