Academia meets Biotech Industry
RNAmed meeting at TU Munich
On September 24th, RNAmed students gathered at the TUM University Hospital (Klinikum rechts der Isar) for the symposium “Pioneering Next-Generation mRNA Therapeutics: Academia Meets Biotech Entrepreneurship”. Prof. Kenneth Chien (Karolinska Institute, co-founder of Moderna) was originally scheduled for the keynote lecture, but due to personal reasons, he was unable to attend. In his place, Marijn Dekkers (Novalis LifeSciences LLC) gave an insightful talk in which he reported about his wide-ranging experiences in the biotech industry. He offered valuable perspectives on the hiring process within the biotech sector and the qualities to look for in potential employees. He also emphasized the importance of personal development and attributes of an effective manager. His advice provided students with valuable guidance for their own careers and offered insights into industry's demands.
Following the talk, there was a panel discussion featuring Marijn Dekkers, Devin Leake (Novalis LifeSciences LLC) and Peter Gruber (Yale). It was moderated by Alessandra Moretti (TUM), Julian Grünewald (TUM), and RNAmed student Sinem Sürmeli (TUM). The event also included intern discussions on the future organization of the RNAmed network and the forthcoming writing of the mid-term report. A tour through the labs of Julian Grünewald and Alessandra Moretti offered the opportunity to take a closer look at the infrastructure and research opportunities at TUM. The day concluded with enjoying a visit to the Oktoberfest.
- Anna Fürst, RNAmed PhD student in the Lohse group (ISAR Bioscience GmbH)
