Honoring Trailblazers of Today

Celebrating Chicago's Black Pioneers

Last week, we started our series of celebrating Black trailblazers in our article uplifting historical innovators in STEM fields. As Black History Month draws to a close, Nucleate Chicago continues to highlight the remarkable contributions of Black pioneers shaping the biotech landscape in our city. From breakthrough research to entrepreneurial endeavors, these innovators are driving meaningful change and fostering diversity and inclusion in the industry. Join us in recognizing their achievements and celebrating their impact on the Chicago biotech community.

Schnaude Dorizan, PhD - MATTER

Schnaude Dorizan is a Haitian-born native of Brooklyn, NY. She attended the University of Maryland Baltimore County where she double majored in biology and psychology. After earning her degrees, she went on to complete a 2-year post-baccalaureate program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx where she investigated the role of the cerebellar-VTA pathway in social behavior. Schnaude graduated from the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University where she earned her PhD by investigating how the spinal trigeminal nucleus is involved in mediating whisker behavior in rats.?

Schnaude is now an accomplished neuroscientist-turned-entrepreneur who is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse biotech ecosystem in the Chicagoland area. She started her biotech career as an Entrepreneurial Fellow at the Chicago Biomedical Consortium where she leveraged her scientific expertise and strong analytical skills to identify, evaluate, and prioritize translational biomedical technologies based on their scientific merit and commercial potential. Schnaude now has her sights set on bringing this experience into the healthcare space. She is currently the Venture Acceleration Manager at MATTER, a healthcare incubator dedicated to accelerating the pace of change of healthcare.

Using her expertise across different sectors, Schnaude hopes to dislodge the bottleneck of innovation from academia to market, making vital solutions available to all and to create an environment where people have the opportunity to actualize their full potential to effectively lead for equity and justice.

When she is not out saving the world, Schnaude loves to dance, exercise, and watch anime.

How has your identity as a Black individual shaped your journey in the biotech industry, and what message do you think it sends/want it to send to the next generation of Black scientists and entrepreneurs about the significance of diversity and representation in STEM fields?

"Being Black in biotech was nothing new for me. The biotech thing is completely new, but being the only one or one of a few is, unfortunately, second nature. This is the reality for many Black individuals when they work in America. You learn how to enter spaces that weren't meant for you and you learn how best to survive so that you can achieve whatever it is you set out to achieve.?

I spent so much of my career in academia being the only one and I dedicated so much time and energy creating a safe space for myself and others because it’s not a safe place for our identities. Thankfully, biotech hasn’t been as harsh for me in that respect as academia was, but it’s still hard to know that, in 2024, my presence here is still novel. People often ask, “Well what’s your story?” On the surface, it’s an innocent question, but depending on who’s asking the implication is, “How did a Black girl like you end up here?” Or even worse, “How could you, of all people, make it here?” The underlying insinuation is that I don’t belong, I’m not supposed to be here.

And to that I say, screw them! I do belong. And I want others who look like me or who have had similar experiences to know that they belong too. This is why BIPOC in Biotech is so important, why events put on by great companies such as 2Flo Ventures matters. Knowing that there are others who share your background, or identity, or experience is so crucial because it lets you know that you’re not alone and that your contributions mean something, especially in a world that would have you believe otherwise.

To the up and coming scientists, founders, and entrepreneurs: 'You are in this space because of who you are, not what others want you to be or who they think you should be. Stand tall and navigate these spaces with your head held high because no one can do what you do. Don’t compromise on your values because that serves no one, least of all you. Be unapologetic in your excellence.'"

Owen Shelton, PhD - Chicago Biomedical Consortium

Owen Shelton spent his graduate career as a?neuroscientist studying how the nervous system generates movement. He completed his thesis in the lab of?Vicki Tysseling ?at Northwestern University?where he used a mouse model of spinal cord injury to better understand how spasm presentation varies across populations with different SCI severities. Upon earning his doctorate, he joined the Chicago Biomedical Consortium as an Entrepreneurial Fellow, where he seeks to foster a biotech entrepreneurship environment in Chicagoland that yields more equitable health outcomes.

How has your identity as a Black individual shaped your journey in the biotech industry, and what message do you think it sends/want it to send to the next generation of Black scientists and entrepreneurs about the significance of diversity and representation in STEM fields?

"My blackness has been a double-edged sword. On one hand it has been exhilarating to live a life my ancestors could barely dream of and build on the work that has afforded me the opportunities I have. On the other hand, the pressure to fit into a mold of who I thought I needed to be to exude black excellence no matter what my work throws my way has been stifling. I have had to learn throughout my career that the creativity and curiosity I bring to my work is excellent enough. I want the next generation to understand the overwhelming value that you bring to scientific spaces when you let your sparks of curiosity grow into a raging fire and you keep asking what you know needs to be asked."

Derrell Porter, M.D. - cTRL Therapeutics

Dr. Porter is a physician-entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in drug development and commercialization. He is currently the CEO of cTRL Therapeutics, a next generation cell therapy company focused on solid tumors, leveraging circulating tumor reactive lymphocytes. Previously, he was founder and CEO of Cellevolve Bio, a development and commercialization cell therapy biotech focused on neglected diseases. Additionally, he served in global commercial, strategy and corporate development roles of increasing responsibility at Atara Bio, Gilead Sciences, and AbbVie. He is also a board member at Passage Bio (PASG: NASDAQ), a genetics medicine company developing therapeutics for disorders of the central nervous system, Acumen Pharma (ABOS: NASDAQ), an Alzheimer’s disease focused biotech, and Portal Innovations, LLC, a venture development engine which delivers seed capital, specialized equipment, lab space, and management expertise to early-stage biotech companies. Dr. Porter started his career at McKinsey & Company where he worked with multiple biopharmaceutical clients.

He earned his M.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Gamble Scholar, and an MBA in Health Care Management from The Wharton School. He earned a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

How has your identity as a Black individual shaped your journey in the biotech industry, and what message do you think it sends/want it to send to the next generation of Black scientists and entrepreneurs about the significance of diversity and representation in STEM fields?

"Given my highly varied and circuitous?journey as an M.D., who is now a biotech founder and entrepreneur, I have always wanted to be an example of how you can succeed and have a fulfilling career in STEM. It has been critical in my past to see individuals who looked like me and had similar family stories doing?fascinating?work in biotech. I would think to?myself - "I can do that as well!" and it would inspire me to take the?next step. I hope to do that for other people of color in STEM or individuals that can be enticed to pursue a career in the sciences."

Khallani Abdullahi, JD - Cardio Diagnostics Inc.

Khullani Abdullahi is a revenue and commercialization leader who has spent over ten years making complex technologies intelligible to new audiences. As a product-led growth strategist, she has built an Account-Based Experience framework that accelerates the development of go-to-market strategies and growth initiatives for companies in the healthcare supply chain, digital health, biotech, MarTech, and cybersecurity. As the VP of Revenue and Strategy of Cardio Diagnostics, a precision cardiovascular company with AI-driven heart disease tests,? she now oversees the sales, marketing, and customer success teams and helps shape the company's strategy. She received a Bachelor's degree in philosophy from Carleton College and her Juris Doctor from the University of MN Law School.

How has your identity as a Black individual shaped your journey in the biotech industry, and what message do you think it sends/want it to send to the next generation of Black scientists and entrepreneurs about the significance of diversity and representation in STEM fields?

"Being a black woman in biotech can often mean navigating high-stakes environments; you are always keenly aware that your success or failure in any given role, company, and situation has implications for the men and women who look like you and whose opportunities you can influence under your mere existence. In biotech, as in many other fields, you will often be the only or one of few in a room throughout your career.?

For me, it has meant learning to embrace the reality.?

To quote James Baldwin, "To accept one's past --one's history -- is not the same thing as drowning in it; it is learning how to use it."?

That quote can also apply to the present; here's my version: "To accept my present reality -- is not the same thing as drowning in it; it is learning how to use it."?

My advice, I'll limit it to three observations:?

Prioritize positionality as quickly as possible. The fastest way to compromise your integrity or to silence yourself is to be in a position where the cost of acting according to your values is financial ruin. The rational decision will be to wait and avoid financial costs. But it will come at a price. The faster you can get to a point where you have the savings to walk away from situations, people, organizations, and jobs that don't align with your guiding principles, the sooner you can consistently act with integrity. The greatest gift that money provides is not just material but the power to shape your environment and the fact that you must gladly spend far less time suffering fools. Minimize your debt, save fast, and don't get caught up in the financial status games.

You don't need a condo in the West Loop or a Tesla; you need savings to protect your integrity.

Have difficult conversations after you've written them down and have had a chance to sleep on them. The human brain is reactionary; fear, anger, and anxiety can hijack our better judgments. It is helpful to write down my initial reactions and thinking and wait to respond on my terms -- with emotional distance and an opportunity to be strategic. I've had difficult conversations and didn't accomplish my intended objective. It is acceptable to say, "Let's table this discussion until tomorrow."?

Be thoughtful and strategic; sometimes bridges must be burned, but be intentional.?

Develop your expertise and a competitive edge by reading the primary literature and the footnotes. Americans don't read anymore. Our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter every day. Mastering anything complex, however, requires sustained attention and consumption of vital information in long-form content. Only some things end up on a webinar, a blog, a newsletter, or a LinkedIn post. Read the annual report, the SEC filing, and the published journal articles, check the references, and download the database for the original data. Spend time reading and creating long-form content.?

Being able to consistently produce clear, concise, and excellent writing backed by unassailable data from primary sources is a superpower."

James Gillispie, JD, PhD - Sterling Bay

Dr. James Gillespie is an executive, researcher and scholar in healthcare and life sciences, with extensive experience building collaborative stakeholder relationships across the private and public sectors. He is Managing Director for Life Sciences at Sterling Bay, Co-Founder of the nonprofit Center for Healthcare Innovation, and Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company. His education includes Northwestern University PhD, Harvard University JD, and Princeton University MPA.

How has your identity as a Black individual shaped your journey in the biotech industry, and what message do you think it sends/want it to send to the next generation of Black scientists and entrepreneurs about the significance of diversity and representation in STEM fields?

"My identity as a Black executive and entrepreneur in the life sciences has given me an absolutely indispensable perspective on viewing challenges/problems and opportunities/solutions from an inherently creative, diverse, inclusive, and unique perspective. It’s a gift. The two primary messages I’d send to the super talented next generation of Black scientists and entrepreneurs are (i) your perspective is crucial to STEM fields and (ii) keep aiming high."

As we celebrate the achievements of these visionary leaders, let us continue to support and uplift Black voices in biotech and beyond. Their contributions not only enrich our industry but also inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM. Nucleate Chicago is proud to honor these pioneers and looks forward to witnessing the continued impact of their work on the Chicago biotech landscape. Join us in celebrating diversity, inclusion, and innovation in biotech today and every day!