The Science of Purpose: Barbara Maglione’s Journey of Discovery, Leadership, and Impact
In the heart of Italy, where science meets soul, there is a woman whose work has quietly yet powerfully shaped the future of patient care. Barbara Maglione, Head of Research and Development at Farmaceutici Damor S.p.A., is one of the next generation of visionary women redefining global healthcare innovation, not through slogans but through substance, precision, and an unrelenting pursuit of purpose.
A Journey Rooted in Curiosity and Compassion
For Barbara, the pull towards science was never merely academic, it was deeply human. From the moment she learned that there was a science which could mend the shattered mechanisms of life, she was captivated. “It wasn’t just about understanding biology,” she recalls. “It was about understanding how science could restore what illness had taken away.”
This curiosity became her compass. Early in her career, she found joy in the meticulous rhythm of the laboratory, in the way data, precision, and experimentation could lead to something so incredibly transformative. She recalls a training period in her career that was both enlightening and decisive. She was still a student at the time, and the task she had been given was to work on a small research project. In the end, her results turned out to be the baseline for a new therapeutic approach. It was then she realized that discovery was not an intellectual exercise: it was the means by which she could change lives.
That realization has defined her professional philosophy for decades ever since. Every challenge, every setback, and every breakthrough since has been guided by one principle — science is at its most powerful when it serves humanity.
From Researcher to Leader: Evolving with Purpose.
Barbara’s joined ‘Farmaceutici Damor S.p.A.’ in 2013. What had begun as an SC Team’s pursuit of research excellence developed into a comprehensive R&D mission. Throughout her Process, she continued to lead teams, shape portfolios, and build on ‘Damor’s vision for patient-lead pharmaceutical science. Leading the Company’s transition to an Agile R&D model, which combined deep mechanistic science with the accessibility, safety, and patient relevance a modern pharmaceutical company needed. ‘
We don’t innovate for the sake of innovating,’ she says. ‘We innovate to solve what’s unsolved, to meet needs that too often go unnoticed.’ Indeed, a focus on women’s health and dermatological conditions demonstrate her belief that no advancements should be neither up to advance nor too narrow for the broader human experience. ‘Her R&D ethos has always been guided by her vision of harmony between technology and empathy.’
Leadership as Empowered Accountability: Building Teams Who Think, Question, and Create
While scientific leadership naturally poses the question of hierarchy, Science of Leadership, in fact, is about empowerment. Barbara’s leadership philosophy can be summed up as Employed Accountability. ‘I do not believe in fostering ideas through control,’ she says. ‘I hire brilliant minds and give them freedom within my self-imposed structure.’ Her job is to develop a team of brilliant minds while being a lifelong student. In SC, failure, a word that strikes terror in the heart of most young scientists, is never an option. In her world, a flawed experiment is never a disaster. It is data; it is the wiser path to understanding; it is progress even if the conclusion is a dead end. It’s Philosophy that promotes innovation: the luxury of abandoning stability and rules.
The method this speaker uses is by no means conventional. She brings professionals from cast scientific disciplines— chemists, biologists, clinicians, and regulatory experts—and encourages “productive friction.” In the department’s Discovery Forums and R&D brainstorming, every voice is heard, and every insight counts. Results are astonishing, not only by virtue of innovation but also due to high spirits, engagement, and common sense of accomplishment
Redefining Boundaries: Breakthroughs That Heal and Inspire
Barbara is a leader of several dermatological projects that have proved groundbreaking, this her vision of redefining the field of skin therapy. Many have been dedicated to stabilizing complex molecules that have previously been stated incapable to be used for direct exposure to skin. “Many of these things were never intended to be on anyone’s skin,” and today, they define the new generation of treatments under her guidance. Thousands of patients experience a physical relief and emotional confidence instead of acute persidue and traumatic discomfort they used to feel earlier. As the speaker says, “no one buys a ticket to the innovation fair to get on a single bus with one stop driver.” Every project she launches is target-centered, it is not about the sophistication of science; it is about its paramount effect on the human experience.
“Resilience, Reinvention, and the Power of Perspective”
The path of a female scientist in a competitive, male-dominated field is seldom linear. Barbara’s early years were marked by moments of doubt, not in her abilities, but in her visibility. “There were times when my expertise was questioned before it was heard,” she reflects.
Instead of confrontation, she chose demonstration. Her weapon was excellence, her voice, precision. Through data, clarity, and conviction, she established herself as a scientific authority whose insights were indispensable.
One of her most defining professional moments came during a critical R&D project that hit an unexpected dead end. Faced with discouraging results, she made the bold decision to pause, reassess, and pivot, transforming what could have been a failure into a major breakthrough. “True leadership isn’t about forcing progress,” she says, “it’s about knowing when to change direction.”
That experience cemented her belief that leadership in science is not about control, it’s about courage.
Science with Soul: The Intersection of Empathy and Precision
Barbara often describes her work as a dialogue between rigor and empathy. For her, the two are inseparable. Scientific precision ensures solutions are effective; empathy ensures they are relevant.
At Damor, patient involvement begins at the inception of every R&D process, not as a compliance formality, but as a strategic foundation. By integrating patient feedback and lived experiences early, the company ensures that its innovations are truly human-centered, designed not just for the body, but for the person.
“The science must always come back to the patient,” she asserts. “Without that connection, even the best molecule is incomplete.”
The Future of Healthcare: Technology, Inclusion, and Transformation
As a thought leader in pharmaceutical innovation, Barbara has a clear-eyed view of the trends shaping the future of healthcare. She points to Precision Medicine and Digital Health as the twin forces revolutionizing R&D. The fusion of genomics, biomarkers, and artificial intelligence is enabling faster, more accurate discovery processes, while real-world patient data ensures those discoveries remain clinically relevant.
“We are entering an era where personalization will replace generalization,” she explains. “Healthcare will not only treat diseases but anticipate them, tailored to each individual’s biology and environment.”
Beyond technology, Barbara emphasizes diversity and inclusion as equally vital to progress. She believes women leaders bring a multidimensional perspective to healthcare — one that blends analytical depth with emotional intelligence, and competitiveness with collaboration.
“Women leaders are not redefining healthcare by replacing the old,” she says. “We’re redefining it by expanding it, by adding empathy, balance, and shared success to the equation.”
Creating Space for Future Innovators
For Barbara, advocacy is more than mentorship, it’s sponsorship. She calls on organizations to move beyond symbolic gestures of inclusion and take active steps toward equity.
This includes placing women in high-stakes projects, ensuring visibility at decision-making tables, and confronting unconscious biases that limit growth. “Diversity cannot be accidental,” she insists. “It has to be designed, measured, and maintained.”
She envisions a future where women scientists and innovators are not exceptions but the norm, leading with confidence, recognized for both intellect and impact.
Staying Connected to the ‘Why’
Even at the pinnacle of her career, Barbara remains grounded in what drew her to science in the first place: the human connection.
She makes it a point to read patient case studies, review outcomes, and personally listen to testimonials. These reminders, of faces, names, and stories, reignite her drive daily. “It’s easy to get lost in data,” she admits. “But when you remember that behind every dataset is a person — it changes everything.”
Her inspiration flows from the patients she serves, the teams she leads, and the next generation she seeks to empower.
“A Legacy of Integrity, Innovation, and Inclusion”
When asked what kind of legacy she hopes to leave behind, Barbara reflects thoughtfully — her response a balance of scientific ambition and moral clarity.
“I hope to prove that innovation and ethics can coexist, that great science doesn’t need to sacrifice humanity to achieve results.”
Her aspirations are twofold. For the industry, she aims to set a benchmark for how ethical, agile, and high-impact R&D can simultaneously deliver business success and profound patient outcomes. For the next generation, she hopes to stand as proof that a woman can lead with both intellect and empathy, and that this combination is not just powerful but necessary for the future of healthcare.
Her advice to young women entering STEM is as fierce as it is heartfelt:
“Be fearless in your curiosity. Don’t wait to be invited, walk in, bring your brilliance, and make your presence undeniable.”
Conclusion: Empowering Science, Empowering Humanity
Barbara Maglione’s journey is a powerful testament to what happens when intellect meets intention. Her work at Farmaceutici Damor S.p.A. is not only advancing medical frontiers but also reimagining what leadership in healthcare looks like.
Through her story, one truth shines clear: Empowerment in science is not about power over others, it’s about power to uplift, to heal, and to inspire.
In a world racing toward innovation, Barbara reminds us that the heart of healthcare will always be human.
