THE FIRST STEP: HOW TO STEP INTO THE DOOR OF BIOTECH AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

While academic research positions in academia remain a popular choice, many postdocs are interested in exploring careers in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. However, many find it challenging to map out the first steps for getting their first industry job. In the 2nd Career Development Forum co-organized by SABPA and the UCSD Postdoc Association, we have invited Mr. Jon Mason II, Director of Talent and Organizational Performance Solutions (TOPS) at Pfizer, to share his experience from an industry insider’s perspective with postdocs and early career scientists. We have also invited four panelists from the local biotech/pharmaceutical industry to share their stories with you in an informative and interactive forum.

WHEN: 6:00-8:30pm, Tuesday, October 18, 2016
WHERE: Rm 1013A/B, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, San Diego, CA 92037

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2nd-sabpaucsd-career-development-forum-the-first-step-how-to-step-into-the-door-of-biotech-tickets-28154931157

Please register on-line by Oct. 14.

Schedule:
6:00 – 6:30 PM Registration and Networking/Dinner
6:30 – 7:00 PM Presentation
7:00 – 8:00 PM Panel Discussion
8:00 – 8:30 PM Networking & Wrap Up

PANELISTS 

Jon Mason II
Jon Mason II
Director of Talent and Organizational Performance Solutions (TOPS), Pfizer

Jon “earned his stripes” through a variety of roles within the sphere of Human Resources and Learning & Development. As a Global Learning Advisor, Jon consults with HR Leads and Business partners to design, develop, and implement talent programs that support building Pfizer’s Talent Pipeline. Jon spearheaded the design and implementation of NextGen, Pfizer’s flagship high potential leadership development program for 50 emerging global leaders. Jon also facilitates Pfizer’s core leadership development programs and provides Executive Coaching to Pfizer’s key talent. A graduate of University of Delaware with graduate studies completed at Pennsylvania State University, Jon is currently completing an Executive Coaching Graduate Program at New York University. 

Ericka Anderson
Ericka Anderson
Ph.D., Microbiome Research Scientist, Human Longevity, Inc.

Ericka completed a B.S. with research and university honors at Carnegie Mellon University in the lab of Dr. Peter Berget. She was a 2003 UNCF/Merck Science Fellow, and interned at Merck working in its Cancer Research and Infectious Diseases Departments. Ericka completed her Ph.D. at MIT in the laboratory of Dr. David Page at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, and her postdoctoral studies with Dr. Victor Nizet at UCSD, where her studies focused on the interaction between the innate immune system and bacterial pathogens. Currently Ericka is a Research Scientist at Human Longevity, Inc., a San Diego based startup focused on personalized medicine via the integration of whole genome and microbiome sequencing with metabolome and physical measurements.

Valentina Molteni
Valentina Molteni
Ph.D., Director of Medicinal Chemistry, Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation

Alentina is currently a Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF). She is leading a group of 28 medicinal chemists involved in the discovery and development of novel drugs. During her career of more than 15 years in medicinal chemistry, first at Dupont Pharmaceutical and then at GNF, Valentina has been involved in drug discovery programs delivering development candidates for a variety of indications. Her group is also engaged in identification and implementation of new technologies to improve the drug discovery process. She received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Milan in Italy, and was a postdoc at UCSD. 

Chris Rhodes
Chris Rhodes
Ph.D., CEO, Drug Delivery Experts

Chris has 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical product development including formulations and devices for biopharmaceuticals and small molecules. He has extensive experience in combination product development and has played a key role in the development of several blockbuster drugs and has worked in companies ranging from start-ups to publically traded companies including Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Guilford Pharmaceuticals, and Mannkind Pharmaceuticals. In the last four years, Chris has served as an independent consultant and in 2014 founded Drug Delivery Experts, a pharmaceutical technology laboratory conducting R&D programs related to delivery technologies for its partners and collaborators. Chris earned his PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry from UCLA and completed his postdoctoral training at Yale University. He has a B.S. in Chemistry from New York University. 

Marianna Zipeto
Marianna Zipeto
Ph.D., Study Director, Crown Bioscience, Inc.

Marianna has a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology and master’s in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy. Following her scholarship study of cystic fibrosis at Yale University, Marianna came to UCSD as a visiting graduate student to study the mechanisms of malignant reprogramming in leukemia. After receiving her Ph.D. in Molecular and Translational Medicine from the University of Milano-Bicocca, Marianna came back to UCSD as a postdoc until April 2016. As a UCSD postdoc, Marianna was active in the PDA from 2014 -2016 and was enrolled in several certificate programs. Marianna is currently a Study Director at Crown Bioscience.

Moderators

Tracy Yeo, Ph.D., Managing Director, ChinaBio Consulting Dr. Yeo is the Chair of the SABPA Education and Career Development Committee. She is the Managing Director of the consulting practice at ChinaBio Group, a multinational management consulting firm focusing on China’s life science industry and beyond. She has lead more than 40 consulting projects in China and global development, partnership, and commercialization strategies for leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Sudipta Das, Ph.D., Post-doctoral Researcher, UC San Diego
Dr. Das is a board member of the UCSD Postdoctoral Association and Co-Vice Chair for Career Development Program, a platform dedicated for talented postdocs to explore career opportunities in academics and the biotech industry. Her research focuses on understanding the biology and genetic basis of lung diseases such as asthma and lung fibrosis. 
Planning Committee
UCSD: Pam Bhattacharya, Sudipta Das, Joshua Wollam
SABPA: Tracy Yeo, Sean Xiong Zhang, Hua Deng, Stephanie Shi, Yahu Liu, Peter Zhu