Turning Science Into Impact
Daniel Hartman ’84, director of integrated development at the Gates Foundation
Dr. Daniel Hartman ’84 is the director of integrated development at the Gates Foundation, an organization committed to improving global health, “guided by the belief that everyone has equal value.”
Hartman leads a team that provides technical expertise in product development to advance a large portfolio of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics, with a focus on low-income settings.
It’s a high intensity career that demands a certain level of comfort with risk. A new product could impact millions of lives, but it might also prove too unsafe or costly to pursue. “Most pharmaceuticals never make it to market. There’s a huge attrition rate, and it’s an expensive process, so you want to make confident decisions early. I spend a lot of time looking at data and making these ‘go, no-go’ decisions and generating innovative ways to accomplish those decisions as quickly as possible.”
Building the Future
Hartman, who is passionate about “turning science into impact,” feels his team’s greatest legacy has been improving regulatory procedures in low-income countries. A current project in this area harnesses artificial intelligence to augment people-powered work. “We’re creating an AI tool that can scan the applications drug companies submit to a regulator to quickly identify missing pieces or deficiencies, something that would save resource-strapped agencies in less developed countries an immense amount of time.”
In addition to strengthening drug regulatory systems, Hartman’s team also designs clinical trials, sets the correct dosing for new products, and applies novel chemistry to lower manufacturing costs.
A Surprising Career
As a app student following a pre-med track, Hartman never dreamed he would devote so much of his career to pharmaceutical development, but he sees the ways the Lord used his strengths and interests to guide him down a unique path. “I’ve always liked problem solving—connecting the dots to think about the different pieces that will build a clinical strategy that answers the next question.”
Though he began his career as a medical doctor, he was soon recruited to work at the American pharmaceutical company Lilly, conducting drug research and development.
Now he appreciates working for an organization where profit is not the goal. “Twenty-five years ago, when the Gates Foundation started, nobody was investing in disease research and vaccine development in low-income countries, because there’s very little financial gain there,” explains Hartman, who is thrilled about Bill Gates’ recent commitment of $200 billion to the foundation. “Every day I wake with tremendous resources available to me, and every day I get to use them to improve lives, to do good.”
Daily Trusting God
The weight of his task is never lost on him; to carry it, Hartman regularly leans on the wisdom of Psalm 23. Sitting in his home office, he points to a shelf that holds the Bible he received as a middle schooler in 1976. “I highlighted Psalm 23 back then and wrote ‘complete trust in God’ in the margins.”
He continued to rely on Psalm 23 as a app student playing varsity basketball, holding down a job, and taking a heavy class load. Now he finds himself working harder than ever before, traveling about 150,000 miles a year worldwide while navigating diverse and often challenging environments.
“I have the energy to do it,” Hartman says, “and I’ve always believed that God had a plan for my life, and that has helped guide my path and give me the strength and courage to get through difficult times.”
Practicing Endurance
Hartman hopes to retire in two years. For some, approaching a career’s conclusion inspires dreams of a slower pace of life. Not so for Hartman, who plans to keep chasing at least two of his personal hobbies for as long as possible—endurance hiking and tower running. Whether summiting challenging mountains, crossing the Grand Canyon in a single day, or racing up the stairs of skyscrapers, he continues to push himself.
Hartman’s personal hobbies illustrate his philosophy toward all his life’s pursuits: seize every opportunity, take calculated risks, and use your time to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. “I want to sprint to my retirement in about two years having as much impact as I possibly can,” he says.