Nucleate Career Panel: Biotech & Beyond (co-hosted by BUMMP and The Basement)
Curious about where your scientific training can take you outside the lab? Join us for a dynamic career panel featuring professionals who have transitioned from research into diverse fields such as law, regulatory affairs, business development, venture capital, and more.
Our panelists will share their career journeys and offer insight into what their day-to-day work looks like. Following the panel, participants will join small breakout discussions, providing the opportunity to ask questions and connect directly with speakers. Whether you’re considering your next step or just exploring your options, this event is designed to help you navigate the many career paths available to scientists today.
About the Speakers:
Dr. Jeff Schmidt is a member of the Morrison Foerster Patent Group. His practice focuses on patent prosecution in the areas of life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Jeff has research experience in the fields of genetics, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, cancer biology, and immunology. He was awarded a Department of Defense predoctoral fellowship to investigate, using cell and animal models, the role that certain cytokine signaling pathways play in the development and progression of breast cancer, and to identify novel strategies for prevention and treatment.
Dr. Nick Edwards is the co-founder and CEO of Potato, a startup building AI scientists to accelerate and automate scientific discovery. He trained as a neuroscientist, with research experience at the National Institutes of Health, Brown University, and UC San Diego, before shifting into entrepreneurship. Nick is also the creator and host of the “Once A Scientist” podcast, where he discusses "What's next?" for scientists and engineers working across industry and academia. Through both his company and his podcast, his goal is to build a future where science is faster, more collaborative, and more accessible than ever before.
Dr. Robert Heath serves as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Cellular Physiology and Co-Editor in Chief of Cell Biochemistry & Function. A native of the UK, Robert earned a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Birmingham, focusing on cell motility in Dictyostelium discoideum. He continued his research as a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, investigating the intersection of cell biology, genetics, and immunology in inflammatory bowel disease. At the Broad Institute, Robert spent five years as a Research Scientist, gaining expertise in human molecular genetics, advanced data analysis, and project management. Since 2016, Robert has contributed to research publishing in various capacities, including freelance editor/author, Journal Publishing Manager, and Deputy Editor. His editorial leadership is marked by a commitment to scientific rigor and innovation in scholarly communication.
Dr. MyPhuong Le is a seasoned life-sciences innovator and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in drug and device development. She holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics & Translational Research from the University of Florida. Over her career, she has worked at institutions like the University of Washington, Blue Heron Biotechnology, and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and managed quality systems under ISO 13485 for medical devices at Microtek. Today, she leads Aquillius as its President, building a San Diego–based innovation hub that provides lab space, mentorship, and capital to early-stage life sciences, medtech, and deep-tech founders. She is also a General Partner at Aquillius Ventures.
Dr. Robert Gallant earned his PhD in Janelle Ayres’s lab at Salk/UCSD in 2024, and has been working at IAVI - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative - as a postdoc since then. IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization that develops vaccines and antibodies for HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases. They work with public and private partners to accelerate the development of biomedical innovations in areas where there is insufficient market incentive. He is a member of the AMR team working on two projects - developing a Shigella vaccine candidate, and building Acinetobacter research capacity in India.
Dr. Christopher Reyes currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Bloom Science, a company he co-founded that has a stated mission to develop novel therapeutics for patients with rare and complex neurological and metabolic disorders. He is a biophysicist and entrepreneur with a passion for creating solutions to improve our health, environment and economic sustainability. Prior to Bloom Science, he served as global head and VP of Biologics at Bionomics. He co-founded and served as CSO and Director at Eclipse Therapeutics, a spin-out of Biogen IDEC, prior to its acquisition; and Scientist at Biogen-IDEC. Dr. Reyes has a Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco and B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology, Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Reyes was a postdoctoral fellow at The Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Reyes is a member of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science.
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We would like thank The Basement at UC San Diego for providing the event space.
The Basement at UC San Diego is an innovation and entrepreneurship hub open to students from all disciplines who want to explore ideas and develop them into impactful ventures. The Basement provides mentorship, connections with serial entrepreneurs and industry experts, funding opportunities, hands-on workshops, and collaborative spaces that support every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. Through its two flagship programs, The Basement fosters creativity, community, and a spirit of innovation:
Blackstone LaunchPad supports students actively building early-stage ventures by providing mentorship, guidance, and resources to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey.
Innovating for X (i4X) brings together multidisciplinary teams to tackle real-world challenges from corporate, government, and nonprofit partners— gaining workforce-ready experience while developing disruptive solutions.
To learn more:
Website: https://thebasement.ucsd.edu/
Follow Us: Instagram: @ucsdbasement and LinkedIn: The Basement at UC San Diego
About the Host:
Nucleate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 41 geographic regions and participation from over 280 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent within a global biotech community. Through open-access educational programming, Nucleate helps democratize biotech innovation — removing barriers and helping founders concentrate on building transformational technologies. Visit www.nucleate.org for more information, and visit https://nucleate.org/privacy-policy/ to read our privacy policy.
We want to thank our HQ supporters for championing our open-access mission and empowering the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs!
Platinum: Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, MilliporeSigma
Philanthropic Support: Lyda Hill Philanthropies
Preferred Partners: Pillar VC, Amino Collective, Excedr, Mercury, Brex, Fedsprout, Browne Consulting
In-Kind Support: AcademicLabs, Lens.org, SynBioBeta