February 11 - Kelly Warfield, Ph.D.
President Of Research & Development, Sabin Vaccine Institute
Title: How do I get there from here?
Kelly Warfield, PhD, joined the Sabin Vaccine Institute as President of Research & Development in August 2024.
In this role, she works with the executive team and Board of Trustees to drive Sabin’s strategic vision, grow the R&D team and programs, and oversee advancement of candidate vaccines, including those targeting Marburg and Sudan ebolaviruses.
Kelly is a seasoned scientific leader with deep expertise in vaccine development and a strong record of building diverse R&D portfolios across government, biotech startups, and pharmaceutical companies. She is also experienced in managing public-private partnerships and navigating novel regulatory pathways such as the Animal Rule and accelerated approval processes.
Previously, as senior vice president at Emergent BioSolutions, she led a global team of 300 scientists, overseeing discovery through life cycle management programs with annual budgets exceeding $100 million. Before that, she co-founded Integrated Biotherapeutics, Inc., directing development of vaccines and antivirals for Ebola and Marburg viruses.
She began her career as a student intern at the National Cancer Institute, earned a Ph.D. in microbiology and virology from Baylor College of Medicine, and completed postdoctoral training at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, where she worked in BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs on filovirus countermeasures.
Kelly has authored more than 100 publications and book chapters, holds over 15 patents, and serves on non-profit and start-up boards. She currently advises Learning Undefeated, which provides STEM opportunities to underserved communities.
Topics to be covered:
- Alternate career paths for scientists
- Preparations for a non-academic career path
- Organization and Time Management
- Communication and Relationship Building
February 18 – Kyler Weingartner, Ph.D.
Scientist, Arcellx
Title: “From Structural Biology to T-Cell Therapy”
Kyler Weingartner holds a PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he worked in Dr. Jennifer Kavran’s lab. His research focused on structural biology, biophysics, and cellular analysis of the Hippo signaling pathway, with his thesis exploring protein kinase activation and regulation using MST2 as a model system. Currently, Kyler is a Scientist at Arcellx, advancing innovative CAR-T therapies to improve patient outcomes.
Topics to be covered:
- Career Path Decisions
- Job Searching/Applying
- Interview Prepping
- Comparison of Academia and Industry
February 25 – Sarah Blumenthal, Ph.D.
Life Sciences Specialist, L.E.K. Consulting
Title: Life Sciences at L.E.K., transitioning from academia to consulting
Sarah Blumenthal is a Life Sciences Specialist at L.E.K. Consulting. Her work involves aiding biopharma clients in strategic decisions across product development and commercialization. Prior to joining L.E.K., she earned a PhD in Neuroscience from Emory University and a Master’s degree in Psychology from William & Mary.
Topics to be covered:
- Path from academia to L.E.K.
- Why L.E.K. Life Sciences?
- A day-in-the-life of a Life Sciences Specialist at L.E.K.
- Tips for applying to L.E.K. Life Sciences roles
March 4 – Jonathan Shaffer, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Genomics and Research Development, Qiagen
Title: “How to Leverage Your Scientific Skills to Thrive in Biotech R&D”
Jonathan (Jon) is a molecular biologist by training and is currently Senior Director, Head of UNGS R&D at QIAGEN. Jonathan joined QIAGEN in 2009 and has since worked with various qPCR and NGS technology development groups. Jonathan earned his PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2008. Jonathan also received his MBA from the University of Würzburg in 2018, where his research focused on project management methodologies.
Topics Covered:
- What positions are available in Biotech R&D? Are there more options than just “wet lab” positions?
- What skills translate and are required for Biotech R&D?
- How do I catch my “big break” in Biotech R&D?
- Does networking matter?
- How do I merge “classic science” with “future science”?
March 11 - Details to be added
March 18 - Details to be added
March 25 - Details to be added
April 1 – Prasun Misra, Ph.D.
Founding Partner, WISE Capitals, Founder & CEO American Association for Precision Medicine (AAPM), Co-Founder, Chairman, Agility Pharma, Precision BioPharma Inc. , Belmont, CA
Title: “From NIH to Genentech and Beyond: Navigating Careers in Pharma, Biotech, and the Startup Frontier”
Dr. Prasun Mishra is a biotech and pharmaceutical leader with 25 years’ experience spanning research, clinical development, and commercialization. He has contributed to major oncology and immuno-oncology advances at Genentech and Roche, helping bring several blockbuster therapies from bench to bedside.
Founder and CEO of Agility Pharmaceuticals and Co-Founder of Precision BioPharma, he also serves as Founding President of the American Association for Precision Medicine. As a Founding Partner at M7 Accelerator, he has guided over 25 healthcare and life sciences companies from startup to IPO.
A former researcher at UCSF, the National Cancer Institute, Rutgers, and Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Dr. Mishra combines deep scientific expertise with entrepreneurial vision. He is a sought-after advisor, mentor, and speaker dedicated to advancing personalized, predictive, and accessible medicine.
April 29 – Shana Hardy Thomas, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Global Regulatory Affairs, Kite Pharma
Dr. Shana Hardy Thomas is a cell and gene therapy regulatory expert and strategist in oncology and the Associate Director of Global Regulatory Affairs at Kite Pharma, a Gilead Company. In her role, she provides regulatory intelligence, strategy, and leadership to cross-functional development teams to support biotech drug development and clinical research. Her current focus includes the global late-stage clinical filing of Anitocabtagene autoleucel (Anti-BCMA CAR T cell product), a groundbreaking therapy co-developed with Arcellx. Additionally, she oversees the development, filing, and maintenance of Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for early-stage clinical trials, generally first in human programs worldwide, ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies including the FDA.
Before joining Kite Pharma, Dr. Thomas served as a Pharmacology/Toxicology Regulatory Review Scientist at the FDA. In this role, she reviewed the safety and efficacy of cell and gene therapies. Notably, she was a primary reviewer for the Biologics License Application (BLA) of ABECMA, the first CAR T cell therapy approved for multiple myeloma. Her work at the FDA was marked by her specialization in engineered cell-based gene therapies and genome editing technologies for oncological diseases, earning her several awards for her comprehensive reviews and regulatory insights on complex products.
Before her FDA tenure, Dr. Thomas was a National Academies of Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow at NIST, where she focused on developing measurement standards for genome editing technologies like CRISPR. She holds a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology from Purdue University, specializing in cancer biology, and earned her BS and MS in biology from Tuskegee University.
Topics to be covered:
- What’s regulatory affairs?
- Health authority reviewer vs pharma/ biotech industry reg affairs
- Classic Pharma vs Biotech / Big Pharma vs Start-up?
- What skills are valuable for success in this role? (Why are more and more PhDs being selected for this role?)
- Salary expectations
- Applying/ Career progression
May 6 – Bruno Kiganda
Program Manager, Montgomery County, Inc
Title: Connecting employers and job seekers
May 20 - Details to be added
May 27 - Details to be added