Do Clinical Trials Take Too Much Blood? Patient-Centric Sampling with Joleen White

Clinical trials often collect far more blood than an assay actually needs. Dr. Joleen White asks a more disciplined question: What information is required to make a sound decision, and how little sample can be collected without compromising that decision?

In this episode of BioTalk Unzipped, recorded at the 2026 AAPS National Biotechnology Conference in San Diego, Dr. Chad Briscoe sits down with Joleen to explore patient-centric sampling, dried blood microsampling, global bioanalytical capacity, and the values behind better drug development.

Joleen traces her path from a childhood friendship with someone living with cystic fibrosis to a career spanning BioMarin, BMS, Biogen, EMD Serono, the Gates Medical Research Institute, and BioData Solutions. She explains why bioanalysis became her way to help patients, why she eventually moved beyond the bench, and how global health work changed the way she thinks about laboratory infrastructure and clinical-trial design.

The conversation then turns practical. Joleen defines patient-centric sampling, describes the Mitra dried blood collection device, and discusses a first-in-human RSV monoclonal antibody study in which paired dried-blood and serum samples led to aligned PK conclusions. She and Chad examine regulatory acceptance, remote collection, pediatric sampling, local laboratory capacity in African countries, scientific inclusion, career choices, AI, mass-spectrometry sensitivity, and whether long-standing sample-volume and stability expectations still serve patients.

Sponsors

TruTechnologies provides live clinical trial execution and oversight through point-of-care data capture. Learn more: https://trutechnologies.ai/

Leucentra provides specialized IT consulting and services for life sciences and healthcare. Learn more: https://leucentra.com/

In this episode, you will hear

• How a personal connection to cystic fibrosis shaped Joleen's patient-first career

• Why bioanalysis connects analytical rigor to decisions about drug safety, exposure, and patient benefit

• What patient-centric sampling means beyond simply collecting less blood

• How dried blood microsampling can support PK, immunogenicity, and viral-neutralization assessments

• What Joleen's team learned by comparing dried blood with serum in a first-in-human study

• Why smaller samples and remote collection can reduce burdens on patients, caregivers, sites, and enrollment

• Why sustainable global health research depends on locally led scientific and laboratory capacity

• How legacy automation can slow innovation and create opportunities for newer laboratory networks

• Why inclusion and access expand both the scientific workforce and the quality of science

• How personal values can guide career decisions more effectively than a rigid five-year plan

• Why advances in mass spectrometry should prompt a fresh look at sample volumes and stability expectations

Guest and host

Dr. Joleen White is a Senior Bioanalytical Consultant at BioData Solutions with more than 20 years of experience across regulated bioanalysis, ligand-binding assays, immunogenicity, cell-based assays, neutralizing-antibody assays, and data science.

Connect with Joleen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joleenwhite/

BioData Solutions: https://www.bdatasolutions.com/

Dr. Chad Briscoe is the co-host of BioTalk Unzipped and conducts this onsite conversation from AAPS NBC.

Connect with Chad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadbriscoe/

Resources mentioned

Open-access RSM01 dried blood microsampling study:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39696004/

Patient Centric Sampling Interest Group:

https://www.pcsig.org/

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