Past Event: STEM PhD Pathways: Navigating Career Paths in Early Stage Biotech

Are you a PhD student or postdoc with a drive to turn your academic expertise into transformative innovations? Join us for an engaging event crafted for early-career researchers who are ready to delve into the exciting realm of entrepreneurship and early-stage biotech. Learn directly from leaders like Egbert Castro, CEO of Ascent Bio, and Kyra Thrus-Evensen, Computational Biologist at Altos Labs, as they share their journeys from academia to the forefront of biotech innovation, where cutting-edge science meets real-world impact. 

Event Highlights

1. Keynote Speakers:

Egbert Castro, CEO/Co-founder of Ascent Bio
Egbert is the CEO and co-founder of Ascent Bio. Ascent Bio is building a scalable molecule design platform using AI. Egbert completed a PhD in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics at Yale under Dr. Smita Krishnaswamy where he developed models for biomolecular prediction and design. He's excited about the future of AI-native life science companies and the reasoning systems that can be built to support them.

Kyra Thrus-Evensen, Computational Biologist at Altos Labs
Kyra is a computational biologist who earned her PhD at Yale University in the Department of Pathology, within the Program in Computational Biology & Bioinformatics. Prior to that, she completed her BA in Biochemistry at the University of San Diego, with a strong foundation in mathematics. Currently, she works at Altos Labs, where she has the privilege of being at the forefront of advances in cellular health and resilience. In her role, she helps coordinate the scientific efforts of large collaborative computational biology and machine learning projects to accelerate insights. 

2. Interactive Discussions:
Career Pathways in Entrepreneurship: Discover the diverse routes available for transitioning from academic research to a career in biotech entrepreneurship. Learn about the essential skills, resources, and networks that can help you make a successful shift.

Navigating Early-Stage Biotech: Gain practical advice on how to engage with early-stage biotech companies, whether you're interested in starting your own venture or seeking opportunities within existing startups.

Who Should Attend

• PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with an interest in entrepreneurship
• Individuals considering a career shift to biotech or startups
• Researchers looking for insights on commercialization and industry engagement

Contact: For more information, please contact McDougal OCS Fellows Qi Yan (q.yan@yale.edu) and Junwei Zhang (junwei.zhang.jz787@yale.edu). 

Don’t miss this chance to gain firsthand knowledge from leaders who have successfully navigated the transition from academia to industry. We look forward to seeing you there and helping you chart your own path to success in the biotech sector!