Join this week-long, virtual, hands-on course to help you transition to a job in biotech, medtech, or pharma. Discover the business side of science, network, and learn interdisciplinary skills through a team project. 75% of attendees now have jobs in industry, regulatory affairs, or tech transfer.

Included in this course:

  • Hear from and network with our keynote speaker Dr. Robert Langer, the David H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT. Dr. Langer works at the interface of biotechnology and materials science, with a major focus on the development of polymers to deliver drugs, particularly genetically engineered proteins. Dr. Langer has been awarded the U.S. National Medal of Science, the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the Charles Stark Draper Prize, the Millennium Prize, the Priestley Medal, the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, and the Kyoto Prize.
  • Commercialization in Biotech, from Dr. Steven Casper, the Henry Higgs Professor of Management at Keck Graduate Institute. Dr. Casper is a leading expert on the ‘business of science’ and has studied the success and failure of bioscience hubs around the world.
  • Bioentrepreneurship Boot Camp, from Dr. Denise Dunlap of the Manning School of Business at University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Dr. Steven Casper, Keck Graduate Institute. In this boot camp, teams will work together to develop a project proposal and present their project as part of a pitch competition.
  • Professional development session on how to find, get, and succeed in the job you want, with insights from Judy Heyboer, executive coach and principal at JAH Consulting.
  • Biotech-specific professional development workshop on how to get a job in the biotech industry, including help developing your CV for biotech job opportunities, led by SciPhD, an organization that provides training programs for scientists who want to transition from academia to non-academic careers.
  • Two networking panels with individuals who have already made the transition to biotech careers to grow your professional network.
  • Certificate of Completion from ASCB at the conclusion of the course.

Course Objectives:

  • Gain an understanding of how science is conducted and commercialized in industry through case study analysis and group problem-solving exercises. Topics will include commercializing science, business models, market assessment, innovation management, and building networks and entrepreneurship.
  • Learn about career paths for scientists in industry, and how to leverage your analytical PhD skill set for a professional career
  • Make connections with industry guests and like-minded course participants
  • Learn interdisciplinary teamwork through a team project
  • Get advice on building a resume, dissecting job postings, and landing job interviews

Course Dates:

June 3-7, 2024

Cost:

ASCB Members: $249; Nonmembers: $349

Course Organizers:

The course is organized by ASCB, Keck Graduate Institute, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

"The Biotech Course was a fantastic experience. It helped me understand how business decisions are made in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries by introducing key concepts in business development, marketing, commercialization, social networks and entrepreneurship. More importantly, I got to know and work with many truly amazing people who are also trying to make a transition from academia to industry.”

–Lin Hao

“The Biotech Course is very helpful for whoever's looking to transition into industry. And it’s reassuring that a lot of people are in the same boat as you. What wonderful people! Lots learnt. Lots more to go.”

–Aditi Chaubey

“My postdoc attended the ASCB West Coast Biotech [in 2019]. He has been interested in transitioning to biotech for a couple of years now. He had applied for several jobs prior to the course, but lacking an inside perspective and the right advice had not been successful. Within a few weeks of the ASCB biotech course he obtained a position through someone he met at the course. Thank you very much—very useful.”

—Karen Oegema, University of California, San Diego