Scaling Clinical Trial Sites Without Losing Local Culture

In this episode of the Driving the Business of Science podcast, host Keith Parent, CEO of Court Square Group, speaks with Matt Kiernan, CEO & Founder of Sensorium Clinical Research. They explore the evolving role of clinical trial site networks in the life sciences ecosystem. Matt shares his journey from starting in the lab to building and exiting multiple companies, including Pharmica Consulting and Intrinsic Clinical Systems, and how those experiences shaped his obsession with culture, entrepreneurship, and creating great places to work. Keith and Matt also discuss how their relationship began with a simple outreach email and evolved into a peer-to-peer dialogue about strategy, growth, and navigating the lonely realities of business ownership in life sciences.

The conversation then dives into the site network space, where Matt explains why he chose to focus his next venture on clinical research sites and the structural challenges these small businesses face—fixed costs, fragmented operations, and the strain of wearing “10 hats” while still caring for patients. He outlines how site networks, backed by private equity and enabled by AI, can improve startup timelines, patient enrollment, and sponsor relationships—without losing the local culture and community connection that make sites effective and trusted. Keith brings in his perspective from conferences and sponsor/CRO interactions, highlighting trends like technology fatigue, convergence between CROs and site networks, and the growing interest in AI-driven efficiencies. Together, they frame Sensorium’s mission as building a differentiated, culture-first site network that leverages AI and consolidation while preserving what makes clinical research personal, local, and meaningful for patients.

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Guest Profile – Matt Kiernan, CEO & Founder, Sensorium Clinical Research

Matt Kiernan is a life sciences entrepreneur who believes culture is the foundation of great companies. Over the past two decades, he has built and exited two successful organizations in the pharmaceutical industry—Pharmica Consulting and Intrinsic Clinical Systems—both acquired by ProPharma Group in 2021.

Matt’s approach blends operational rigor with cultural intention. At Pharmica, he launched a company-wide program built around the philosophy “Work hard, have fun, be great,” inspiring consultants, clients, and partners to uphold a standard of mutual respect and service. At Intrinsic, he applied that same mindset to technology, creating tools that helped clinical teams work smarter and stay connected.

Now, he’s applying that same philosophy at Sensorium Clinical Research to transform clinical research—building a network where investigators, patients, sponsors, and staff all feel supported and valued.

Introduction and Purpose of the Podcast

Keith Parent introduces himself as the CEO of Court Square Group and explains the purpose of the Driving the Business of Science podcast.
The podcast aims to discuss various topics with interesting people within the life science space.
Keith mentions their managed service, ARCC™ (Audit Ready Compliant Cloud), and RegDocs365™, a content repository for clinical and regulatory content.
Keith introduces Matt Kiernan, CEO and founder of Sensorium Clinical Research.

Matt Kiernan’s Background and Career Journey

Matt shares his background, starting in the pharmaceutical industry in the lab and transitioning to the business side.
He worked for a small CRO called IBAH and later for Barnett International, where he learned about the importance of culture.
Matt co-founded Pharmica Consulting in 2005, emphasizing creating a great work environment.
He later founded Intrinsic Clinical Systems in 2012, focusing on software for clinical trials, and sold both companies to Pro Pharma Group in 2021.

Keith and Matt’s Initial Connection

Keith explains how he and Matt connected through an email, leading to several conversations about business and networking.
Matt reached out to Keith while considering new business ventures, eventually leading to the creation of Sensorium.
Keith highlights the value of these conversations and the knowledge exchange between experienced business owners.
Matt discusses his systematic approach to starting Sensorium, looking at various pieces of the pharmaceutical value chain and identifying problems to solve.

The Concept and Development of Sensorium

Matt explains his systematic approach to starting Sensorium, focusing on the pharma value chain and identifying fragmentation opportunities.
He discusses the importance of solving problems and the role of private equity in consolidating small companies.
Matt identified the site space as a promising area, noting the challenges faced by small site owners.
He emphasizes the importance of culture in his approach, aiming to create a site network that maintains the local culture and community connection of individual sites.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Site Network Space

Matt discusses the challenges faced by small site owners, including managing multiple roles and high fixed costs.
He highlights the benefits of site networks, such as centralized patient recruitment and consistent enrollment.
Matt notes the trend of private equity investment in the site network space, leading to consolidation and the creation of larger networks.
He emphasizes the importance of maintaining the local culture and community connection of individual sites within a network.

The Role of AI in Site Networks

Matt discusses the potential of AI in improving site network operations, from patient enrollment to project management.
He highlights the importance of automating back-end processes to streamline front-end operations.
Matt shares his analysis of the potential for AI-enabled site networks, envisioning a future where AI significantly reduces overhead costs.
He emphasizes the need for site networks to differentiate themselves through culture and community connection.

Keith’s Perspective on Site Networks and AI

Keith shares his observations from various clinical operations conferences, noting the importance of site networks in improving clinical trial efficiency.
He discusses the challenges of technology fatigue and the need for standardization in site operations.
Keith highlights the potential of AI to streamline clinical trial processes and reduce manual effort.
He emphasizes the importance of trusting AI to handle certain tasks, allowing professionals to focus on more critical aspects of their work.

Final Thoughts and Future Directions

Matt shares his final thoughts on the future of site networks and the importance of maintaining local culture and community connection.
He emphasizes the need for site networks to differentiate themselves through culture and community connection.
Keith applauds Matt’s efforts and highlights the importance of networking and collaboration in the life science industry.
Both Keith and Matt express their excitement for the future and the potential of AI to transform clinical research operations.

Episode FAQs

What is a clinical trial site network, and why does it matter now?

A clinical trial site network is a group of independent research sites brought together under a common operating and business framework. Site networks matter now because they help sponsors and contract research organizations streamline site startup, improve patient enrollment, and create more consistency across studies—while giving small, overextended sites access to shared resources, business development, and operational support.

How is Sensorium Clinical Research different from other site networks?

Sensorium focuses on culture-first consolidation. Rather than standardizing everything and stripping away local identity, it acquires long-standing sites that already have deep roots in their communities and strong relationships with patients. The goal is to preserve each site’s local culture and community trust, while adding centralized capabilities in areas like patient recruitment, startup, and business development.

What are the biggest challenges faced by independent clinical trial sites?

Independent sites often struggle with high fixed costs and operational overload. Site leaders may be responsible for human resources, finance, business development, and regulatory activities—on top of patient care. This makes it hard to scale beyond a certain point, invest in technology, or pursue new trials, even when the demand and patient need clearly exist.

Where does artificial intelligence fit into site networks and clinical operations?

AI is increasingly being applied to budget development, feasibility, enrollment forecasting, and parts of data management and reporting. In the site network model, AI can help reduce manual effort, shorten study startup, and optimize patient recruitment. Over time, this could enable site networks to take on more of the traditional contract research organization workload, while keeping operations closer to the point of care.

How does consolidation affect patients and diversity in clinical trials?

When done well, consolidation can actually expand access and diversity by supporting smaller, community-based sites that serve underrepresented populations. By providing these sites with infrastructure, expertise, and centralized services, networks can bring more trials to more communities—without forcing sites to lose their identity, local relationships, or patient-centered focus.