CORNELIA BAUMGARTNER
Proof That Care Can Scale: My Journey from Nurse to Clinical Operations
From Bedside to Breakthroughs
I began my career in nursing, equipped with clinical intuition and fluent in four languages, German, Italian, French, and English.
After a language break in Hawaii, I joined Pfizer as an assistant to the Medical Director. He quickly saw my potential and asked me to step into a CRA role. That moment sparked my lifelong journey in clinical research.
Roles That Build Resilience
Over the years, I’ve worn many hats: CRA, Clinical Trial Manager, Clinical Project Manager, and now Clinical Operations Manager. Each role deepened my understanding of what it takes to deliver clean data, support sites, and keep timelines moving, even under pressure.
Leading Cetacea Clinical
Today, I run Cetacea Clinical, my own consultancy designed to give biotech sponsors full operational support—whether they need a whole team or just a sharp, strategic partner. We operate with our own inspection-ready QMS and offer flexible models, from hourly work to work packages. One highlight: leading a rescue study from hold status to successful completion.
Cornelia Baumgartner: Driven by Patient Choice
At the heart of everything I do is this principle: patients deserve options. Whether they choose treatment or not, our job is to give them that choice. Supporting the development of new therapies means enabling people to make informed, empowered decisions about their future.
Why Cetacea?
Cetacea is the scientific name for whales—creatures known for their intelligence, cooperation, and ability to navigate vast, often unpredictable waters. That’s exactly what clinical trials feel like for many biotech startups: complex, high-stakes environments where clarity, resilience, and guidance matter. I chose this name because it reflects our mission: to help early-stage biotech sponsors move forward with calm, strategic confidence—no matter the depth. But this is not where the name comes from… here to my personal story… My family and I love sailing, and when we got our sailboat on Lake Constance, we spent months searching for the perfect name. The answer came unexpectedly during a vacation in South Africa.
We were staying at a bed and breakfast in Gansbaai—a place known for its breathtaking marine wildlife. Each room was named after a sea creature in Latin, and ours was called Cetacea—the scientific name for whales, the majestic mammals of the ocean. I was instantly struck by its grace, depth, and quiet strength. The name stuck with me.
So when I founded my company—a reflection of both my professional passion for clinical operations and my personal love of sailing—the name was clear. Cetacea Clinical is about navigating complexity with purpose and precision, just like at sea. Whether you’re in a storm or preparing to sail, the right strategy keeps you steady. That’s exactly what we bring to clinical trials.
I chose this name because it reflects our mission: to help early-stage biotech sponsors move forward with calm, strategic confidence—no matter the depth.
Why Cornelia Baumgartner Founded Cetacea Clinical
After two decades in clinical operations, I saw a pattern: early-phase biotech companies often struggle not with science, but with structure. They’re brilliant at innovation—but overwhelmed by SOPs, vendor oversight, TMFs, timelines, audits, and inspections. I founded Cetacea Clinical to fill that gap: a boutique clinical operations department that brings order, oversight, and quality—without slowing teams down or burying them in bureaucracy.
What We Believe
At Cetacea, we believe that lean can still be compliant, and that being inspection-ready shouldn’t require a 10-person QA team. We build smart processes that fit startups—fast, flexible, and focused on what really matters: participant safety, data integrity, and regulatory readiness.
We don’t just manage trials—we make sure the operational backbone is solid, so our clients can focus on the science.
We're not here to impress regulators with binders or buzzwords. We’re here to help you run better trials, ones that meet standards, hit milestones, and create real value for your company and for patients.
Because in the end, every trial we support is about giving someone an option they didn’t have before. And that’s the impact that drives us.
Our Philosophy
Can You Spot the Hidden Fish?
We love details, whether in clinical trials or logos.
Did you know there’s a hidden fish in the Cetacea Clinical logo?
Take a closer look…
Think you see it?
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Winner drawn at random each quarter—yes, there’s a real prize!
