Meet the nextGEN
Sanae Sahli - DiaDeep
Who or what called you to lead?
My journey began with resistance and a little rebellion.
I didn’t set out to run a life science company—or even to work in this field. I dreamed of telling stories from the frontlines as a war reporter, but my father, a lifelong teacher, insisted on a safer path.
So, reluctantly, I stepped into biology. I’m Moroccan and got my degree there, but I went to France for my Master’s degrees—one in the laboratory and one thesis. After that, I didn’t like the idea of working in academia.
Instead of a quiet lab, I was driven towards the stories and struggles of real people, so I pursued another Master’s degree in marketing for pharmaceutical companies. Then, I moved into product management for cervical cancer diagnostics at Becton Dickinson where I found my calling.
Working alongside pathologists, uncovering firsthand the magnitude of their responsibilities and the limits of current diagnostic processes. As well, I started telling patients’ stories through video testimonials, amplifying their voices and their struggles.
But a pathologist’s judgment, when tired or distracted, could become the difference between life and death. My work became deeply personal when I lost two aunts to cervical cancer, both diagnosed despite regular screenings.
I was struck by the unspoken gaps in diagnosis, by the reality that a person’s life could turn on a misread result or a missed appointment.
Realising how human and fallible these decisions could be, I felt I had to act.
Sanae’s full profile is available for our members inside the community.