Careers in Biotech

Adam Simone
Blue Belt Technologies

Please describe your current occupation and industry.
Blue Belt Technologies is a start-up spun out of the CMU Robotics Institute, commercializing the next generation of robotic orthopedic surgical systems. With a broad base of applications from assisting in prosthesis implantation (knee / hip arthroplasty), to general bone-shaping procedures (sports med, spine and ENT) - the Navio PFS system is a true platform technology. As the Product Manager for the Navio system, I work closely with a talented engineering team on product portfolio development, build surgeon relationships to drive feature improvements, and develop product positioning and commercialization strategies on a global scale.

How did your Heinz training help lead you to your current occupation and how does it support your work?
I worked hard during my time at CMU to build a broad knowledge base that has helped me be successful in both a small-company and as a marketer. Coming into Heinz with a mechanical engineering and product development background, I used my graduate coursework - augmented with extra-curricular activities (e.g. internships) - to broaden my understanding of the regulatory and reimbursement world, risks in business, and to strengthen my financial and strategic acumen.

What was the most valuable thing about your Heinz experience?
The opportunity to build relationships that I have continually called upon to help me grow personally and professionally. The college is full of people with many different skills and backgrounds, and the interdisciplinary environment carries very relevantly from graduate school to the workforce.

Please share an interesting bit of information about your life (personal or professional) that your fellow alumni might not know?
I recently took up painting because the walls in my apartment were too big and bare.

Crane Jiang
Senior Associate in Regulatory Affairs, Biogen Idec.

Please describe your current occupation and industry.
I'm currently working in Biogen Idec, Inc. as a senior associate in Regulatory Affairs. Biogen Idec is one of world's oldest independent biotechnology company and a Fortune 500 company with more than $4 billion in revenues. Biogen Idec uses cutting edge science to discover, develop, manufacture and market biological products for the treatment of serious diseases with a focus on neurological disorders.

Regulatory Affairs professionals interact with the health care agency (such as FDA) around the world throughout the development and marketing of a new drug. We use our knowledge of regulations that govern the industry and we:

• are involved in early development plan
• secure the approval for testing the drug in humans
• are involved in creating strategic plan for the marketing of the new drug
• handle negotiation with the health authorities
• prepare for lunch and monitor our drug on the market Regulatory affairs is a comparatively new but critical function in the highly regulated biotech/pharma/medical device industry.

How did your Heinz training help lead you to your current occupation and how does it support your work?
MSBTM program has a great emphasize on the necessary knowledge required to work for the biotech/pharma/medical device industry. It also equips us with the most valuable experience which could enhance the students' communication skills, interpersonal skills and leadership capabilities. Communication skills and interpersonal skills are very important for my current occupation. Regulatory affairs is a comparatively new career. My experience at Heinz does not only teach me about the knowledge about this profession and the industry, but also enable me to reach out to those professionals who are already working in regulatory affairs. For example, I was sponsored by the school to attend the annual regulatory affairs professional society (RAPS) conference in 2010; I also had opportunities to talk to our alumni in this industry through our company visits to Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and LA.

What was the most valuable thing about your Heinz experience?
I think the most valuable thing about my Heinz experience is that I learnt how to build connections with people and I was enabled to start to build my own professional network starting from day 1 in MSBTM program. Now I have over 500 connections on LinkedIn and a lot of people I knew when I was at Heinz became my life-long mentors or friends.

Please share an interesting bit of information about your life (personal or professional) that your fellow alumni might not know.
I was selected as a student ambassador for the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation in Hong Kong during my senior year at college. I once stayed in the most inaccessible jungles in eastern Philippines with no electricity and tap water for 7 days to observe and study the behavior of the endangered Philippine Eagle. That was the most unforgettable experience I had in my life.

Gautam Mehta
Business Consultant, Bayer Business Consulting

Please describe your current occupation and industry.
Bayer Business Consulting (BC) is the global in-house consulting arm of the Bayer Group. We provide high-end management consulting services exclusively to senior decision-makers across all subgroups of Bayer worldwide. We provide expertise in key consulting areas like strategy, performance optimization, project management, organization and processes to name a few. As a Business Consultant, I work along with my colleagues to deliver actionable recommendations to our clients worldwide.

How did your Heinz training help lead you to your current occupation and how does it support your work?
The MSBTM program exposed me to different facets of the life-sciences industry and allowed me to appreciate how diverse the value chain of the healthcare industry is. This awareness has not only allowed me to perform successfully in the US but as well as on my global project in Europe.

What was the most valuable thing about your Heinz experience?
The MSBTM program brought together people from different backgrounds as well as allowed me to interact with peers with different and vast experiences, which has served me very well especially during the initial phase of my work relationships. This allowed me to appreciate the diverse backgrounds of my colleagues as well as my clients and build a successful working relationship with each of them.

Please share an interesting bit of information about your life (personal or professional) that your fellow alumni might not know.
As a child I trained in classical Indian singing. A talent that is long lost and gone so please don’t ask me to sing again.