Consultant Spotlight - August 2022

How long have you been with miLEAD? 

Almost 2 years - I joined in the fall of 2020.

What is the focus of your research?

I study a non-canonical form of protein translation called repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation, which is responsible for generating toxic peptides that are present in some patients who suffer from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Currently, ALS has no disease altering therapeutics, so we hope that by understanding more about how these toxic peptides are made, new therapeutic strategies may arise that could make a huge impact on the lives of patients.

What are your career goals? 

When I entered graduate school, I thought I was going to work in biotech, but I didn't feel particularly tied to that career choice. I knew more and more people in science were looking to careers outside of academia, but I didn't really know what was out there beyond the typical career buzzwords you hear like "biotech" or "industry". Now that I'm a few years into grad school, I've realized I'm much more interested in careers that are heavily business focused, and consulting is what I'm really looking forward to doing once I graduate.

What roles have you played on projects? 

As a board member, I've had the opportunity to be on quite a few projects. When I started as a consultant, I helped identify attractive therapeutic markets for a client with a new drug, and, for a second client, spoke with physicians to gauge their interest in backing a new consumer electronic product. While I was a project manager, I led a team of consultants where we focused on identifying diseases for which a next-gen drug administration technology would be best suited. I've also served as an advisor for projects centering around identifying beta-testers for a clients' new technology, and analyzing niche neurological device markets.

What led you to seek out milead?

I knew going into grad school that I didn't want to be in academia, so I was very interested in pursuing opportunities that would expose me to alternative careers. Having earned a Business Minor while an undergrad, I knew careers in the business sphere were of particular interest to me, and when I talked with miLEAD folks at a recruiting event, I knew instantly that I wanted to get involved!

Since joining miLEAD, what skills have you been able to develop?

Working on impactful projects with real clients, I've had the opportunity to develop a general knowledge of consulting, improve my understanding of the business world, and gain confidence in speaking and presenting to folks.

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences thus far working with miLEAD? 

Sometimes it can be difficult to make tangible progress on scientific research, so working on meaningful projects and delivering quality work that clients appreciate feels so rewarding! But ultimately being in the miLEAD community and getting to work with talented, driven, fun, like-minded individuals is one of the best parts of this experience.