Beyond the Lab: See and Listen
Curious about what biomedical PhDs do for their career? In the “Beyond the Lab” series, the ASPIRE Program interviews Vanderbilt PhD and postdoctoral alumni about their career path. We have video interviews published on YouTube, and an audio version available as podcasts. Some alumni have both a video and a podcast! Browse by topic below.
Season 6 is coming! Look for new episodes in late Fall 2022!
To subscribe to the podcast, find us on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, or the web.
Academic Core Facilities and Staff Scientists
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Rob Carnahan, PhD, Director of Antibody and Protein Resource Core Facility, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | |
| Kim Dahlman, PhD, Director, Innovative Translational Research Shared Resource, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center | YouTube | Podcast |
| T. Renee Dawson, PhD, Senior Research Specialist, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Hayes McDonald, PhD, Co-Associate Director, MSRC Proteomics Laboratory, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
Academic Program Administration and Management
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Brady, PhD, Director of Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, ASPIRE Program Manager, Office of Career Development, Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET), Vanderbilt University | YouTube | |
| Cynthia Brame, PhD, Assistant Director, Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching; Instructor, Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
| D'Anne Duncan, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Learner Success, University of California San Francisco Graduate Division | Podcast | |
| Sydika McKissic, PhD, Managing Director, Institute for Research on Men’s Health, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | |
| Colleen Piersen, PhD, Assistant Head for Administration of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Director of Research Services in the Office of the Dean at the University of Illinois Chicago | Podcast | |
| Dina Stroud, PhD, Executive Director, Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge Program, Research Scientist | YouTube | Podcast |
Business Development
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Sue Lee, PhD, Associate Director, Business Development, Alkermes | Podcast | |
| Marquicia Pierce, PhD, MBA, Technology Business Consultant, Michigan Small Business Development Center | Podcast | |
| Raymond Price, PhD, MBA, Vice President, Business Development, DiscoverX | YouTube | |
| Lehanna Sanders, PhD, Business Development Manager, Advances Solutions Life Sciences | Podcast |
Clinical Development
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Halseth, PhD, Vice-President, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Orexigen Therapeutics | YouTube |
Clinical Laboratory Science
Clinical Research
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Lesa R. Black, PhD, CCRP, Scientific Review Analyst III/CDRN Navigator, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical Research Mid-South Clinical Data Research | YouTube | Podcast |
| Sudipta Chakraborty, PhD, Senior Manager, Clinical Trial Transparency, Biogen | Podcast | |
| Amy Halseth, PhD, Vice-President, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Orexigen Therapeutics | YouTube | |
| Mary Kosinski, PhD, Clinical Director, Nusirt Biopharma | YouTube | Podcast |
| Lori Rudolph-Owen, PhD, Vice President, Portfolio Management and Assessment, TESARO, Inc | YouTube | <a href=" |
Competitive Intelligence
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| JJ Owen, PhD, Partner, IntelliSight Partners | YouTube |
Consulting
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Mallori Burse Upshaw, PhD, Life Sciences Consultant, Putnam Associates | Podcast | |
| Melody Davis, PhD, Managing Partner, Versant Learning Solutions | YouTube | Podcast |
| Walt Gall, PhD, Strategy Consultant, Biotech | YouTube | |
| Siwei He, PhD, Consultant, BCG | Podcast | |
| Erin Henry, PhD, Medical Science Director/Medical Team Leader, US Medical Affairs, Genentech | YouTube | Podcast |
| Sue Lee, PhD, Associate Director, Business Development, Alkermes | Podcast | |
| Marquicia Pierce, PhD, MBA, Technology Business Consultant, Michigan Small Business Development Center | Podcast | |
| Erik Prentice, PhD, Senior Engagement Manager, Proactive Worldwide | YouTube | Podcast |
| Meghana Rao, PhD, Consultant, Campbell Alliance | YouTube | |
| Travis Smith, PhD, Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Proactive Worldwide | Podcast | |
| Laura Terry, PhD, Associate, McKinsey & Company | YouTube | Podcast |
Data Science
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Janina Jeff, PhD, Global Bioinformatics Specialist, Illumina | YouTube | Podcast |
| Lindsey Morris, PhD, Director, Data Science and Analytics, Axial Healthcare | YouTube | Podcast |
| Nora Sanchez, PhD, Data Product Manager, Strategy Foundation Medicine | YouTube | Podcast |
| Shruti Sharma, PhD, Data Scientist, Ingram Content Group | Podcast |
Defense and Intelligence
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Hillary Carter, PhD, Senior Advisor for Biosecurity, US Department of State | YouTube | |
| Efrain Garcia, PhD, Senior Science Analyst, BARDA, Department of Health and Human Services | YouTube | Podcast |
| Kristen Herring, PhD, Project Officer, Division of CBRN Medical Countermeasures, BARDA | YouTube | Podcast |
Drug Discovery
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Renee Bailey Iacona, Vice President, Oncology Biometrics, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca | Podcast | |
| Dario A. Gutierrez, PhD, Immuno-biology Lead, Merck | YouTube | Podcast |
| Nuruddeen Lewis, PhD, Scientist, Cellular and Translational Immunology group, EMD Serono | YouTube | Podcast |
| Michael Zinda, PhD, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Repare Therapeutics USA | YouTube |
Entrepreneurship
Faculty
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Holly Algood, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | |
| AJ Baucum, PhD, Assistant Professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis | Podcast | |
| Cynthia Brame, PhD, Assistant Director, Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching; Instructor, Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Kristopher Burkewitz, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Nikki Cheng, PhD, Cancer Biology, Principal Investigator, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center | YouTube | |
| Katie Coate, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics; Director, Masters in Nutrition Program, Samford University | YouTube | |
| Steven Damo, PhD Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Department of Life and Physical Sciences, Fisk University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Hugh Fentress, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology, Tennessee State University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Klarissa Jackson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy | YouTube | Podcast |
| Kari Johnson, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences | Podcast | |
| Gunnar Kwakye, PhD, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience, Oberlin College | YouTube | Podcast |
| Leslie Kwakye, PhD, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience, Oberlin College | YouTube | Podcast |
| Michelle Mazei-Robinson, PhD, Assistant Professor, Physiology and Neuroscience, Michigan State University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Lori McGrew, PhD, Professor of Biology, Belmont University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Puck Ohi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine | YouTube | |
| Harold Olivey, PhD, Associate Professor, Biology, Indiana University Northwest | YouTube | |
| Colleen Piersen, PhD, Assistant Head for Administration of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Director of Research Services in the Office of the Dean at the University of Illinois Chicago | Podcast | |
| AJ Robison, PhD, Assistant Professor, Physiology and Neuroscience, Michigan State University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Wallace Sharif, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biology, Morehouse College | YouTube | |
| Victor J. Torres, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine | YouTube | Podcast |
| Dual Academic Job Search | YouTube | Podcast |
Government Administration
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Omari Bandele, PhD, Toxicologist,Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) | YouTube | Podcast |
| Rubin Baskir, PhD, Program Officer, All of Us Research Program, NIH | Podcast | |
| Sonja Brooks Fulmer, PhD, Guidance Advisor, Office of Policy, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | YouTube | Podcast |
| Chad Jackson, PhD, Deputy Program Manager, Gryphon Technologies | YouTube | Podcast |
| Jami Scheib, PhD, Science Officer, Ripple Effect | Podcast |
Government Research
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Amicia Elliott, PhD, Postdoctoral PRAT Fellow, NIGMS, National Institutes of Health | YouTube | |
| Kari Johnson, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences | Podcast | |
| Dr. Li Yang, PhD, Senior Investigator, National Cancer Institute | Podcast |
K-12 Teaching/Science Outreach
Medical Affairs and Medical Science Liaison
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Melody Davis, PhD, Managing Partner, Versant Learning Solutions | YouTube | Podcast |
| Tiffany Farmer, PhD, Manager Medical Science Liaisons, Oncology, Natera | Podcast | |
| Amy Halseth, PhD, Vice-President, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Orexigen Therapeutics | YouTube | |
| Erin Henry, PhD, Medical Science Director/Medical Team Leader, US Medical Affairs, Genentech | YouTube | Podcast |
| Janina Jeff, PhD, Global Bioinformatics Specialist, Illumina | YouTube | Podcast |
| Molly Seale, PhD, Director, Regional Medical Liaisons, Amgen Oncology | YouTube | Podcast |
| Dawn Stults, PhD, Medical Science Liaison, Genentech | Podcast |
Medical and Regulatory Writing
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Erin Flynt, PhD, Senior Medical Writer | YouTube | |
| Tara Gower Ruest, PhD, Vice President, Scientific Services, Scientific Pathways | YouTube | |
| Leah Potter, PhD, Medical Writer, Synchrogenix | YouTube | Podcast |
| Paul Ruest, PhD, Freelance medical writer and director | YouTube | Podcast |
| Nicole Speed, PhD, Strategic Consultant | YouTube |
Nonprofit Leadership
Nonprofit Grants Management/Research Administration
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Janice Ascano, PhD, Grants Manager, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Vanderbilt University | Podcast | |
| Jerome Jourquin, PhD, Scientific Grants Manager, Susan G. Komen Foundation | YouTube | Podcast |
| Rebecca Latimer, PhD, Research Program Officer, University of Virginia | YouTube | Podcast |
| Amy Moore, PhD, Director of Research Programs at Georgia Research Alliance | YouTube | Podcast |
| Barbara Natalizio, PhD, Rita Allen Foundation | Podcast | |
| Jami Scheib, PhD, Science Officer, Ripple Effect | Podcast |
Patent Law
Regulatory Affairs
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Omari Bandele, PhD, Toxicologist,Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) | YouTube | Podcast |
| JT Brogan, PhD, Manager, Global Emerging Markets Regulatory Affairs CMC, Biogen | YouTube | Podcast |
| Sonja Brooks Fulmer, PhD, Guidance Advisor, Office of Policy, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | YouTube | Podcast |
| Kim Lickteig, PhD, Associate Director, Global Regulatory Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals | YouTube |
Research Administration (Academic)
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Andrea Bauman-Carnegie, PhD, Director of Administrative Operations, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Illinois at Chicago | YouTube | Podcast |
| Lesa R. Black, PhD, CCRP, Scientific Review Analyst III/CDRN Navigator, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical Research Mid-South Clinical Data Research | YouTube | Podcast |
| Allie Greenplate, PhD, Associate Director of Science and Operations, Immune Health Project, University of Pennsylvania | Podcast | |
| Rebecca Latimer, PhD, Research Program Officer, University of Virginia | YouTube | Podcast |
| Robert Lavieri, PhD, Project Manager, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center | YouTube | |
| Colleen E. Lawrence, PhD, Manager of Translational Research, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research | YouTube | Podcast |
Research and Development
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Renee Bailey Iacona, Vice President, Oncology Biometrics, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca | Podcast | |
| Ramya Chandrasakan, PhD, Scientist, OncoResponse | Podcast | |
| Elizabeth Conrad, PhD, Junior Research Associate, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals | YouTube | Podcast |
| Valerie Kramlinger, PhD, PkDM Scientist, Amgen | Podcast | |
| Ines Macias-Perez, PhD, Principal Scientist, Product Development, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals | YouTube | |
| Emily Rubinson, PhD, Research and Development, Avon | YouTube | Podcast |
| Judsen Schneider, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, Nashville Biosciences | Podcast | |
| Larry Thompson, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, Pfizer | Podcast | |
| Matthew Varga, PhD, Manager, Scientific Affairs, Oncocyte | Podcast | |
| Katie Vowell, PhD, Principal Investigator, GSK | Podcast | |
| Don Wyma, PhD, Assistant Director of Planning and Portfolio Support, Abbott/AbbVie | YouTube |
Scientific Communication and Publishing
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Nicole Garbarini, PhD, Media & Communications Specialist, NIH Office of the Director/Office of Extramural Research | YouTube | Podcast |
| Kathleen Goss, PhD, Senior Science Writer, Director of Strategic Partnerships, University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center | YouTube | Podcast |
| Cyrus Martin, PhD, Senior Scientific Editor, Current Biology | YouTube | |
| Abby Olena, PhD, freelance science writer | Podcast |
Start-Ups
Technical Sales and Support
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Amanda Hansen, PhD, Territory Manager, STEMCELL Technologies | Podcast | |
| Chris Jarrett, PhD, Senior Project Engineer, Stryker | Podcast | |
| Sara Perlaky FitzGerald, PhD, Modality Leader, Dharmacon, GE Healthcare, Life Sciences | YouTube | Podcast |
| Lehanna Sanders, PhD, Business Development Manager, Advances Solutions Life Sciences | Podcast |
Technology Transfer
| Topic/Speaker | Video link | iTunes link |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Marjoram, PhD, Director, Technology Development, Affinergy, LLC | YouTube | Podcast |
| Margaret Read, PhD, General Manger, Corporate Alliances, Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
| Lisan Smith, PhD, Technology Manager, Office of Technology Management, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | YouTube | |
| Tom Utley, Licensing Analyst at Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, Vanderbilt University | YouTube | Podcast |
VU-ASPIRE-Beyond-the-Lab-FlyerThe YouTube series was made possible by a BEST award from the National Institutes of Health (PIs: Chalkley, Gould, and Petrie: DP7OD018423).
Download our flyer to publicize to your trainees!
Like these videos? Check out the Career Videos from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Careers section of iBiology.