By Minh “Amy” Tran
In October 2023, I, along with a select group of biomedical Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, had the opportunity to travel to St. Louis, Missouri, a national hub for biopharma and plant biotechnology, to explore potential careers and learn about working in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries firsthand.
Before the trip, Ashley Brady, assistant dean of biomedical career engagement and strategic partnerships and the trip’s organizer, prepared a pre-information session for us, which was incredibly helpful. During the session we reviewed the companies and leaders we would visit, thought through what our discussions should entail, and considered what types of careers each company could facilitate. We also discussed how to best position ourselves for networking opportunities, and got to know our peers. Ashley ensured we would make the most out of this field trip experience!
On our first night in St. Louis, we enjoyed dinner with biochemistry alum Larry Thompson, PhD’06, associate research fellow at Pfizer Research & Development, who helped organize the trip. It was encouraging to connect with a fellow researcher who had once been in our position and successfully transitioned into a career in industry. Larry’s willingness to pave the way for future students was inspirational and I hope to do the same for future Vanderbilt Ph.D. students someday.
“I remember sitting at my desk in the lab at Vandy while I was job hunting and making a promise to myself that if I ever made it across the abyss to the other side that I would do everything I could to help all the students possible navigate that unknown as well,” Thompson said. “The opportunity to share all the information available to help [the ASPIRE on the Road participants] see what we do and how they could fit into to that framework was very rewarding. I hope it gave them some faith that finding an industry role that fits into their career plans is possible. I hope their visit inspired them that they too could have impact on patients’ lives.”
Our visit to the Donald Danforth Plant Sciences Center, one of the largest plant research centers in the area, broadened my perspective on biotech as my scope had always been biomedical research aimed at disease prevention through vaccines. At Danforth, where labs are funded by the center and federal grants, we learned how improving plant and food production, increasing crop nutrition, and enhancing crop resistance to harsh weather and diseases can also improve human health. It was fascinating to discover that many scientists on staff came from fields like genetics, biochemistry, and structural biology and not plant science like we expected. It was illuminating to understand just how transferable a Ph.D.’s skillsets can be, even if more background knowledge needs to be acquired once on the job.
We met Elliot Kellner, the director of commercial innovation on Danforth’s innovative partnership team. His career path was particularly inspiring: Starting as a faculty member, he realized his strength lay in communicating and explaining scientific ideas. This led him to a role in commercializing research into patents and products. He showed us that research and development is not the only career path for biomedical science trainees and that there are multiple roles that can leverage our personal strengths while allowing us to remain passionate and involved in science.
The second day of our trip was focused on visiting the larger pharmaceutical companies Bayer Crop Sciences and Pfizer. At Pfizer, we toured the facility and met with various staff working on analytical, bioprocess, and pharmaceutical R&D. We enjoyed networking with Pfizer employees, who were open and shared valuable career advice. Deepika Nambiar, a protein scientist who completed her postdoctoral research at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of being proactive about professional development, taking advantage of the numerous classes, soft skills training, and internal job postings that are made available at any place you work for.
The networking continued into the evening at a happy hour organized as part of the trip. Around 30 alums joined us, all friendly, helpful, and eager to get to know us and share their wisdom. In speaking with the alums, the fact that diverse career paths are available after we earn our degrees, from postdocs and business/product managers to pharmaceutical sales representatives, became crystal clear.
Our visit continued with a visit to BioSTL, a nonprofit focused on growing the city’s biotech ecosystem. The BioSTL team of Ph.D. scientists scout for biotech startups, conduct market research to assess their potential, and invests in or incubates them to help them succeed. This fast-paced, market-driven environment appealed to those of us on the trip who were interested in business and entrepreneurship.
Millipore Sigma was the last stop of the trip. There, we had the opportunity to learn about their process for developing assay kits for labs and companies. A friend and postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Walter Chazin, Randika Perera, made a connection during this visit and ended up moving to St. Louis to work for them!
“My ASPIRE on the Road experience in St. Louis was truly transformative. Visits to St. Louis’ cutting-edge companies and research institutions, including MilliporeSigma, gave us valuable insights into industry practices and provided networking with industry experts,” Perera said. Later, when applying for a job at MilliporeSigma, Perera mentioned that he had visited one of their sites and the scientists he had met there. “This led to an engaging conversation about the different MilliporeSigma sites in St. Louis and a job offer! The ASPIRE on the Road trip not only expanded my professional network, but also showcased the importance of seizing opportunities and being proactive in career development,” Perera said.
Looking back, the trip accomplished exactly what I hoped it would: it exposed me to the vast array of career paths available to graduate students like me, from R&D and business management to investing and consulting. The connections I made with my peers, various speakers, and Vanderbilt alums are invaluable as I think about what’s my next step. Ultimately, I am grateful to ASPIRE and especially Ashley for making this experience possible.