Excedr

"I gravitated towards memory, partly because of me being a child that lived in one place and then moved to another place and having some memories eroded. That drew my curiosity towards what exactly is memory." In Part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with former founder and CEO of Genetic Leap (who just formed a $409M research partnership with Eli Lilly and Company) and current CEO of Ecotone AI, eMalick Njie, Ph.D, we explore how personal experiences can shape scientific curiosity and career paths. In this episode we cover: – eMalick's early childhood in Gambia and how it fostered his inquisitive nature and love for science – The unique experience of being part of the first neuroscience class at Northeastern University – His formative internship at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda Oncology) and the impact of seeing scientists at scale – The challenging transition from Millennium to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including financial struggles and personal growth – eMalick's principled decision to leave MIT due to ethical concerns about animal research, and his journey to the University of Florida It's a fascinating look at the twists and turns that can shape a scientist's journey, from childhood curiosity to groundbreaking research. Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell! #biotechnology #lifesciences #podcast

How can we create a brand identity that pierces through our market’s defenses so they can hear – and maybe more importantly – feel the message? That’s a big question I asked myself as we were starting to think about our brand at Excedr. Even early on, we knew what WE stood for… But how could we communicate that in a way that could speak to the very different segments of the market we work with – both scientists and finance? The short answer was “through art.” Art is a way of tapping into the subconscious – ever noticed how so many walks of life can enjoy the same artist? A lot of my friends run design studios, are in hospitality, I played in a band …. So we started taking inspiration from those creative backgrounds and marrying them with the technical. When it came to designing the website, our marketing, and our visual identity as a whole, we took a lot of inspiration from design and layered the scientific and technical into that. The inspiration for The Biotech Startups Podcast came from my love of biographies and the observation that long-form, informal podcasts tend to bring people in. Most people don’t read like I do – and they’re missing out on all these great insights. The podcast is basically a Trojan Horse to ship mini-biographies of biotech execs to the people who could benefit most from hearing them. It’s created magic. This type of industry melding goes into everything we do at Excedr today. Brand identity, sales, marketing, even legal and finance. It’s technical rigor X humanities art and design, and it’s worked really well for us over the years. Just another reminder to keep your eyes open for inspiration everywhere. This kind of alchemy can really create something special if you’re open to it. #biotechnology #lifesciences #founder

Embrace the in-between moments, they often lead to breakthroughs ??? #Resilience #GrowthMindset #TheBiotechStartupsPodcast

I moderated a conversation with Tina M. Park, Ph.D. last week for Coro Northern California's Women in Leadership group. Tina shared both frightening and encouraging insights about AI across various sectors, and she gave tips on how to balance professional growth with personal priorities. Thank you to all involved!

Very happy to be featured in the Excedr Podcast with Jon Chee. Glad to share my curiosity as a child, difficult decisions I had to make at MIT, and building blocks to Ecotone's vision of reading the human genome as a first language. And our mission to end genetic diseases. This is a full season biopic w new episodes dropping every week. Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zdned3 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/40ohxVx

"Millennium Pharmaceuticals was a great, great experience. One, it showed me that science could be fun. So I will describe that in a second. But it also showed me that I could be successful at science." ? In the 1st part of my conversation with eMalick Njie, Ph.D, former founder and CEO of Genetic Leap (who just formed a $409M research partnership with Eli Lilly and Company) and current CEO of Ecotone AI, on The Biotech Startups Podcast, we explore his journey from Gambia to becoming a passionate scientist and entrepreneur, showcasing how early experiences shaped his career path. Some highlights from our conversation: – Growing up in Gambia and how his parents fostered his curiosity, leading him to become a "young scientist" ?? – His groundbreaking experience as part of the first neuroscience class at Northeastern University??? – The pivotal internship at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda Oncology) that showed him science could be both fun and successful ? – His time at Massachusetts Institute of Technology working with Dr. Alice Ting, and the challenges and triumphs of high-level scientific research – The difficult decision to leave MIT due to personal principles regarding animal research, showcasing the importance of staying true to oneself It's incredible how much ground we covered in this episode, from childhood curiosity to making tough career decisions. eMalick's journey is both inspiring and relatable for anyone in the biotech field. Apple Podcasts & Spotify links in the comments below! ???? #biotechnology #lifesciences #podcast

Staying true to your values can be tough, but it's essential for growth and self-awareness ???? #LeadershipJourney #StayTrue #TheBiotechStartupsPodcast

Your mentor network can shape your path to leadership—seek advice, grow, and thrive! ???? #MentorshipMatters #LeadershipJourney #TheBiotechStartupsPodcast

"Be resilient, persistent, you know, because I think I went different ways. Sometimes I did that because I was afraid or I wasn't sure. Just continue building that resilience and everything is going to be fine." In the 4th and final part of my conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva Ph.D., Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan | JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking, on The Biotech Startups Podcast, we explore the power of resilience and persistence in navigating a diverse career path. Here are some highlights from our conversation: – Barbara's journey from academia to finance, and how embracing change led to unexpected opportunities?????♀??? ????♀? – The importance of having external mentors and seeking advice from diverse sources when making career decisions????? – How J.P. Morgan's startup banking team provides unique value to early-stage life sciences companies? ???? ?? – The critical role of understanding both the scientific and financial aspects of the biotech industry??????? ?????? ?? – Advice for young professionals on building resilience and persistence in their careers??? ?? This episode is packed with invaluable insights for anyone navigating their career in the life sciences or considering a transition into the business side of biotech. Do not sleep on this episode! If you missed parts 1 - 3, I highly recommend going back and giving them a listen. Truly a Masterclass. Barbara also takes a moment to express gratitude to those who supported her journey, including her mother, sister, and mentors like Jagesh Shah, Kyoko Yokomori, R. Michael Mulligan, Burns Michael, John Murnane, and her colleagues and current manager at J.P. Morgan | JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking, including Eileen Nolan and Katie A.. Apple Podcasts & Spotify links in the comments below! ? #biotechnology #lifesciences #podcast

"I'm always supporting the investors. I'm always supporting the founders and supporting the industry." In Part 4 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with J.P. Morgan | JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking Executive Director - Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking, Barbara Alcaraz Silva Ph.D., we explore the unique position of being a neutral supporter in the biotech ecosystem. In this episode we cover: – Barbara's journey from academia to banking, and how her scientific background enhances her ability to support biotech startups – The importance of building a diverse team with complementary skills in the banking industry – How J.P. Morgan's startup banking team acts as a funnel for the commercial bank, providing expertise and support to founders at different stages – The value of having a single point of contact who understands both the scientific and financial aspects of biotech startups – The growth and future plans for J.P. Morgan's startup banking team in the life sciences sector This episode offers invaluable insights into the critical role of financial institutions in supporting the biotech ecosystem, from early-stage startups to IPO-ready companies. Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell! #biotechnology #lifesciences #podcast