Careers in Discovery

Ian Wilkinson, Absolute Antibody

"If you've got an idea, speak up about it and don't be afraid to fail."

Welcome back to Careers in Discovery! In our first episode of 2020, we were joined by Ian Wilkinson, Chief Scientific Officer at Absolute Antibody.

Through an interview packed with insight, Ian shared with us:

📣 What it's like to be employee number one at a start-up

📣 How a science-driven company succeeds in industry

📣 Finding your voice

📣 Why you shouldn't take science personally

📣 What's next for antibodies

Enjoy!

Jason Mellad, StartCodon

"Scientists are the best entrepreneurs, they just don't realise it. You're constantly begging for money, asking for your research to be published and speaking at conferences - that's sales, marketing and PR right there."

For our last episode of 2019, we're delighted to be joined by Jason Mellad, CEO and Co-Founder of StartCodon, the Cambridge Life Sciences Accelerator.

The son of a scientist and an entrepreneur, Jason went into consulting after his PhD in Medicine, then Tech Transfer and Business Development, before becoming the CEO of Cambridge Epigenetix, where he led a complete pivot and fundraising round to change the fortunes of an already successful company.

Along the way, Jason's learned a huge amount about career development, entrepreneurship, why everyone should get some sales experience, the make up of a successful founder, the fantastic opportunity in UK biotech and more - he shared this all with us on Careers in Discovery.

Enjoy!

Chris Williams, Questae Coaching & Consulting

"Don't wait for someone else to manage your career for you, don't be afraid to experiment with it, and be true to yourself."

Chris Williams started her career as a research scientist at one of the world's largest Pharmaceutical companies, but as time went on she found herself increasingly drawn to projects that involved culture and change management.

Now Managing Director of Questae Coaching & Consulting, Chris joined us on Careers in Discovery to talk about her career and how she's approached it, including:

👩‍🔬 Why the right culture is so important in science

👩‍🔬 How to take an experimental approach to your career

👩‍🔬 Putting your head above the parapet and disagreeing, or saying "no"

👩‍🔬 Taking responsibility for your career

Enjoy!

Gary Allenby, Aurelia Bioscience

"One shouldn't underestimate the time it takes to turn a business into a business, how long it takes to actually take a salary out, and how long the road to success can be."

After a career in big Pharma, Gary Allenby and his two co-founders launched Aurelia Bioscience, a highly specialist Bioassay and Screening Service CRO. We took a deep dive into Gary's entrepreneurial journey, making this a must-listen for anyone out there thinking of going it alone.

Gary talked to us about:

🥼 How technology is broadening the horizons of drug research

🥼 Being a "technology butterfly"

🥼 Why the bravest person in a start-up is the second to join, not the initial founder

🥼 What it's really like starting a Contract Research Organisation from scratch

Enjoy!

Alun McCarthy, C4X Discovery

"Make the jump before you're forced to. In the end, it'll probably work out."

Alun McCarthy has spent his career at the very cutting edge of genetics research and its application to drug discovery. With an international career spanning multi-national blue chips and brand new startups, Alun is now VP of Novel Target Biology & Genomics at C4X Discovery, a biotech company embracing technology in its pursuit of novel therapies.

As we discussed his career, Alun shared his thoughts on:

🧬 Technology in drug discovery, and how C4X are using virtual reality to design the molecules of the future

🧬 The role of serendipity in shaping careers

🧬 Why small companies are more fun

🧬 Embracing learning, finding mentors and throwing yourself into new things

Enjoy!

Caroline Barelle, Elasmogen

"Sometimes those horrible moments in life, when you feel crushed, are actually where the best things come from, and they build you as an individual."

Caroline Barelle, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer at Elasmogen, has spent her career in drug discovery, spanning academia, biotech, big Pharma and back again. This breadth of experience has given her a unique perspective on the industry, and she joined us on Careers in Discovery to share her career journey.

We discussed:

💫 Collaborations and playing to your strengths

💫 The differences between academia, biotech and big Pharma

💫 The importance of the people around you

💫 Why forgiveness is better than permission

Enjoy!

Mark Treherne, Cellesce

“To be successful, you need to maintain focus and not be distracted by technology. Use it, but don’t be driven by it.”

Mark Treherne is a highly experienced CEO and Chairman, whose varied career has seen him view the Life Sciences industry from all angles. From academic research to big Pharma, from founding one of the UK’s first contract research organisations to a stint as CEO of the Life Sciences Organisation at UK Trade and Industry, Mark’s breadth of knowledge is truly unique.

Now CEO of Cellesce, a company expanding organoids for cancer research, Mark joined us on Careers in Discovery to talk about:

👁‍🗨 The early days of contract research

👁‍🗨 The differences between academia and big Pharma

👁‍🗨 Collaboration in science

👁‍🗨 What makes a good CEO

Enjoy!

Dan Gooding, Nuformix

"The magic bullet doesn't exist. You are the only person who can make the right decisions about you and your career, so you have to take the responsibility."

Dan Gooding is the CEO of Nuformix, a novel drug development company using co-crystal technology to repurpose existing medicines to treat new conditions.

Following a PhD in Biochemistry, Dan immediately moved into a career at the commercial end of science, and told us his story on the latest episode of Careers in Discovery.

We covered:

💎 The process behind great sales and business development

💎 Starting and running your own business

💎 The importance of resilience and determination

💎 The value of networking

Enjoy!