“The difference between serendipity and pure chance is that serendipity is actually a landing path for chance to work in your way.”
In this episode, I talked with Hubert Truebel, Managing Director at DEBRA Research, to discover a career that wasn’t built traditionally—but through creating opportunities where none formally existed.
Hubert shares how his journey started as a physician in intensive care, before a simple conversation over dinner—pitching a research idea—turned into his first step into pharma. What stands out isn’t just the transition, but the mindset behind it: creating the conditions for “serendipity” to happen. We go through the key moments in his career, from leading translational work at Bayer to stepping into smaller biotech environments, and how each shift required a completely different way of thinking and operating.
We also explore his current role at DEBRA Research, where he now connects patients, biotech, and pharma to move treatments forward in rare diseases—often bringing together groups that wouldn’t naturally collaborate. And in the latter part, we talked about his book on longevity, where Hubert challenges the industry around supplements, breaks down what actually drives healthspan, and explains why most people focus on the wrong things when trying to live longer, healthier lives.
(Find out more in the episode.)
Here’s What You’re In For
- Why creating opportunities matters more than waiting for them
- The role of “serendipity” in building a non-linear career
- How a simple conversation led to his first role in pharma
- The emotional reality of working in pediatric intensive care—and why he left
- The difference between big pharma vs biotech roles in practice
- What it means to operate as a “connector” across patients, biotech, and pharma
- Why most stakeholders in drug development don’t naturally speak the same language
- The hidden complexity of bringing a drug from idea to market
- Why supplements are often overrated—and what actually impacts healthspan
- How to think about longevity using an “investment” mindset
Timestamps
02:45 – How a Dinner Conversation Led to His First Pharma Role
06:27 – What “Serendipity” Really Means in a Career
07:41 – The Emotional Turning Point in Pediatric Intensive Care
10:08 – What DEBRA Research Does Differently in Drug Development
13:52 – Moving from Big Pharma to Biotech: What Actually Changes
15:46 – Acting as the Connector Between Patients, Biotech, and Pharma
19:29 – Why He Wrote a Book on Longevity
21:00 – The Reality About Supplements: “Almost Zero Data”
22:00 – The 10-Year Healthspan Loss Most People Ignore
24:00 – Why Exercise Outperforms Medication in Longevity
Listen to full episode here:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/26SIRv0trSMR0eJE6cmfxP?si=c0de0f2526474321
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hubert-truebel-managing-director-at-debra-research/id1736051162?i=1000766070632
About Hubert
Hubert Truebel, Managing Director at DEBRA Research, has built his career across medicine, pharma, and biotech. After starting as a physician in intensive care, he spent nearly 15 years at Bayer, ultimately as SVP Translational Medicine, working on major drug programs and clinical trials. He later moved into biotech as CMO at AiCuris, helping advance Pritelivir through late-stage development, shortly before the company was acquired for just under $1 billion.
Today, Hubert works with DEBRA Research, focusing on ultra-rare skin diseases like epidermolysis bullosa through a patient-driven drug development model. Alongside this, he is a strong advocate for health and longevity, and recently published his book “Longevity – Die Anti-Bullshit-Formel.”
Connect with Hubert:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hubert-truebel/
- Website: https://www.debra-research.org/
About me
My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment, I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.
In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.
Connect with me:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/
- Website: https://www.discera-search.com/
Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.
