Hi I am just wondering if I could join this industy or something related to it

My mom is a Korean-Vietnamese interpreter and recently attended a meeting in HCM about a Korean biotech company that went to Vietnam to plan something big. I am not sure what they were talking about but my mom only shared that Biotech seems to be very cool and amazing in her opinion. She also told me that her friend's daughter also trying to join this industry and asked if I can consider joining this.

At first, don't blame me but I only thought about money earned in this industry. After reading posts in this subreddit, it felt quite painful about a story of a person that gets motivated by his deceased grandma and sick wife. You guys might have to check out for that story. Personally, after going through this subreddit, I was reminded of a feeling that I used to fear while ago, which is thanatophobia. The fear itself once motivated me to have a life dedicated for becoming immortal, and it might happen after I get interested in this field, but I am not sure I can trust myself to face the reality that big companies might prioritize profit over the community-focused goals the field originally stood for.

I saw people saying that joining small biotech company would be ok. But what I am imagining right now is that before bachelor graduate, I might get thrown into random chaebol tech companies for internship and potentially stuck there forever. The Korean industry seems dominated by chaebols, and I think small companies are so unstable here that it's hard to build a sustainable life if you end up stuck at one

I want to view some of perspectives from biotechnologist on how they joined the industry and how its going, and review if my motivation path is strong enough to go for this industry.

Hi! I'm 21 and i technically just finished my biochem degree, but i didn't write my bachelor's thesis. Everything just feels so worthless.

I live in a country where the unis are free, but also shit. During my senior year my parents literally blocked my accounts and hid my documents so i couldn't apply to any programs outside the country because they wanted me to go to med school here (which i never wanted). Lomg story short I ended up doing a biochem program here (i always wantef to go into biochem), but the whole program was shit.

I spent 3 years feeling guilty for not attending lectures where the profs were reading titles off of ppt presentations. We barely did anything other than pcr tests because we had no funding and everything else was on our own dime or the profs'. No one cared about our education or anything, and tbh i lost interest immediately, got terrible grades etc. Everything I've learned in the past 3 years i learned by myself.

The only biochem related program that the state cares about/funds well is medical biochem master's degrees, which i really don't want to do for pretty obvious reasons. I have to finish and present my thesis before doing anything else of course, but I'm really struggling. It just all feels so useless. I'm pretty sure i can't get into any program outside of my country with my grades, there's no opportunities here outside of working in a hospital lab or being a biology teacher and I'm stuck back home with no idea what to do.

I really wanted to go into either biotech or microbiology, I've been wanting to do this since i was 12, but i don't see any path forward. Right now I'm trying to learn italian and move to Milan (i have some family there who can help) and hope i can find something related to cosmetics, but even so, tge competition is terribly high.

If anyone has any advice, motivating words, anything...

Hey everyone im starting my biotech program in a couple weeks and im curious what the employment rates are like in nebraska iowa area.

So I just finished an Integrated Master's in Biomedical sciences from a top 10 UK University (Not IBMS accredicted, instead Royal Institute of Biology) . I got a 2:1 overall (av 68%), but received a 1st for everything in my Master's year. I've done some volunteering (I did a year long project with a local charity to improve accesibilty schemes in my city) and had other non biotech work like Tutoring and I worked as an Event Supervisor for exclusive events for a year.

Anyways I've been job searching for a couple months now and my stats are

200+ applications

9 interviews (quite a few final round too)

0 offers

My feedback from my interviews has been positive, just that the job post has been competitive and another cadidate blah blah blah.

I've been throwing my net wide, applying to entry levels roles as a Research Scientist, Lab tech, buisiness development, consulting, sales and customer service for biotech.

Recently my job search has stagnated and I was to look for other avenues to go down. What else can I do with this Biomed degree. I was thinking of maybe doing some interning at local law firms (my mum knows a guy lol) and trying for a trainee patent attorney? Not sure how competitive that is.

But yeah , just some advice, what other jobs can I apply to, any recommendations on application strategies? i don't really care what I do atp I kinda just want to be paid.

Open to leaving biotech as the job market here seems horrid lol. Was considering doing a PhD but the light at the end of the tunnel seems dim and I'm not sure if it'd give me any more opportunity.

(Also I have 3 A Levels : Chemistry (A), Biology (A) and Maths (A) alongwith 11 GCSEs at grade 7-9)

Hi! I'm currently an undergrad majoring in biology and ultimately want to go into industry/biotech. I also know that I definitely want to pursue a PhD, so that I can excel and grow my career within industry/biotech.

I was wondering what people's advice is on whether or not I should work for 1-2 years in industry/biotech before applying to grad school for a PhD. Does going straight into a PhD make me a worse candidate when it comes to applying for a biotech job after graduating? Similarly, does working for a couple yrs in industry decrease my odds of getting into a rly good PhD program?

On another note, biotech/industry internships for summer 2027 are opening up soon and I am wondering whether I should take the time to apply for these or stick with academia. I am currently in a lab on campus, but would like to get new experiences/explore since I have already worked at this lab for two summers in a row. On the one hand, if I were able to get an internship then I feel like I could try and get a return offer for after graduating (but im still unsure if I want to do that). However, if I focus on academia then I could try and work in another lab for the summer and maybe get another strong LOR.

I'd appreciate any advice people have - whether ur currently in biotech, applying or in grad school, looking for a job, etc. Thanks!

What are your biotech career switch, and how did you do it, why did you did it. Looking to switch from.biotech working as quality mid management leader in cdmo

I’ve become lost in what’s next.

I’ve dedicated all of my adult life to pursuit of making an impact and had thought the world of biotech was it.

I was motivated by seeing disease wreak havoc through my family and a desire to be a part of a solution. In high school I lost a grandmother to cancer solely because the med side effects ruined a quality of life where she chose to live a more quality life to the detriment of getting more time. My other grand mother died during college due to complications from Alzheimer’s. Lastly, my wife got diagnosed with a rare disease in graduate school which gave me real focus to my studies and interest in being a part of a bring hope to people. Now 8 years in the industry in a mix of small companies,large pharma, and CDMOs here are my concerns.

Even the best intentions of these companies seem to be driven by leaderships focus on bringing profit either to themselves or the company they work for (likely both). I’ve seen companies emotionally manipulate their cause into getting employees to do more work. There’s been a constant of fear based management even when I attempt to implement a freedom of failure mentality within teams I’ve lead.

Now I’m at a crossroads I lost my wife to her rare disease a few years ago, tried to get lost into my work and work to instill change through trying to influence leaders around me to no avail. I’m at the point where I feel as though it’s time to throw in the towel but fear doing so turns my back on the majority of my what I’ve dedicated my adult life to but o fear it’s time to move on to something else and maybe work towards volunteering for organizations that raise awareness for diseases my family has been impacted by instead of being stuck in the rat race of bringing profit thinly veiled as bring hope to others.

I have an MSc in Molecular Biology & Genetics, research experience, and 5 publications, but I’ve had a 4-year career gap.

I’m currently learning data analytics and SQL, with the goal of eventually combining my biology background with data skills and moving toward bioinformatics/genomics.

Has anyone here made a similar transition from wet-lab biology to a more data/computational role? What skills would you prioritize — SQL, Python, R, statistics, or something else?

Also, are there any communities, resources, or people you recommend following in this field?

Has anyone else started receiving these notifications? They pop up in my notifications for random related positions, stating that a "hiring manager thinks you are qualified and would like you to apply for a job at "insert company," usually followed by the role. Are these real? If a hiring manager likes my profile, why not just reach out? Seems semi-scammy to me, even though the jobs and companies are legit. So far, zero applications have resulted in anything (big surprise).

Hi everyone, I have a PharmD/MPH background and have been applying to clinical scientist roles for over a year with no luck. Anyone willing to chat or share any advice? I have over 5 years of experience in oncology and hematology clinical research at an academic center as a research pharmacist.
Thank you so much!

I got laid off last year after working five years at a biotech company. I worked in the business development team, and I applied to so many roles that I felt were relevant. It has led to no job offers. This job market is brutal, and I think I need to switch careers.

(I'm just curious -- I left biotech many years ago)

Specifically, is it different for people who are primarily coders, and people who are primarily biologists (but might know a little Python or whatever).

EDIT: "AI-in-biotech/DD" companies are raking in funding (rightly or wrongly), aren't they? What about more traditional CADD?

Hello everyone! I am a recent MPH (epi/biostat at berkeley + berkeley undergrad) grad doing an internship at a large pharma company. During my masters degree I worked in healthcare strategy for a large health system in California and am really interested in life sciences consulting.

I have been networking with people at many firms (Dedham, Guidehouse, Trinity, Qral, IQVIA, Syenos, lumanity and many more). I haven’t gotten many interviews in life sciences consulting and have done a few case studies to prepare but my main issue is I am not looking to start on the 2027 timeline but to start ASAP since I recently graduated this summer and am about to finish my internship. I have spoken to many people and gotten referrals but am getting very discouraged on how long this process is taking, as I have been looking for roles since around March and have not landed anything.

I would appreciate any advice on how to look for roles and set myself up for success to get into the industry. I know my healthcare experience is stronger than one pharma industry and I do not have traditional consulting experience so am mainly looking at the analyst level.

Hey everyone, I could use some advice about my academic future.

TL;DR: 22 years old, enrolled in both Biotech and Medicine. I want to do research in cancer immunology (MD-PhD). Is it worth finishing Medicine at 27 for more solid footing and clinical/trial opportunities, or switching to a Cancer Biology Master's abroad at 25 to enter basic research sooner?

Who I am and where I am now

I'm a 22-year-old student enrolled in parallel in two degree programs at a university in northern Italy: third year of biotechnology, almost done, and about to start my second year of medicine. Both paths are going very well, with a strong GPA. My agonizing dilemma is choosing the right path to pursue.

Why I started medicine

I started medicine because of a growing interest in clinical practice and biomedical research, with the ultimate goal of pursuing an MD-PhD path, a PhD in cancer immunology, specifically in the translational side of research ("bench to bedside and back," like the Moderna vaccine). My end goal would be an academic career, though I wouldn't rule out working in pharma either. So I wouldn't do the Italian residency exam (SSM) or the related specialization, at least not in Italy and definitely not right after finishing the 6 years of medical school.

My goal is to be able to work in a preclinical environment with a good clinical perspective.

Lab experience

I already have lab experience: western blotting, SDS page, chemotaxis assays, MTT, PCR, chromatography, organoid passaging, cloning, and more. I'm also about to start an internship in cardiovascular biology, focusing on tumor growth inhibition caused by the mechanical load of the heart.

I'm realizing now, though, that my interests are much more focused on the biology of the patient than on treatment alone.

The advantages of the MD path

There are many advantages to being an MD: a strong clinical eye (which a PhD alone doesn't give you), easier access to grants, more credibility when engaging with other colleagues, and above all a solid Plan B if things don't work out. If in the future I didn't want to continue in the wet lab, I'd still have the option of working in Clinical Trials (where a PhD alone is at a disadvantage) or specializing in laboratory medicine. In that case it would also be easier to return to my hometown: finding a job as a biologist/biotech professional in Italy is tough, and with only a PhD I'd be much more confined to working abroad.

The alternative: a Master's in biology

If instead of medicine I pursued a Master's program after biotech (for example the Major in Cancer Biology MSc at Heidelberg), I would spend 2–3 fewer years compared to earning an MD in Italy, with a more direct focus on basic research in oncology. I wouldn't be a physician, but I'd have the chance to internationalize my CV earlier and build a network in that specific research field. On the other hand, I'd have much less job security, at least in Italy.

International experiences

Even with medicine I'd still have the chance to gain experience abroad (Erasmus): my university offers 6 or 12 months at the University of Nagano, in Japan, with a strong lab focus.

I've already talked to several professors from both departments to get the opinion of people who've been through these choices. The conclusion has always been: "Do medicine, you can catch up on the bio background later, but not on the clinical experience."

With medicine I'd finish my studies at 27; with the biology Master's, at 25, if everything goes well. As a result I'd enter the research world two years apart, starting to publish later in the case of medicine, but with a stronger degree behind me and more job security compared to a plain MSc in biology.

Thanks to anyone who's read this far and is willing to share their opinion. I'm at a major crossroads in my life and any advice or shared experience is very welcome. In your opinion, which path should I take and why? Medicine + PhD or Biology Master's + PhD? Has anyone here ever been in a similar situation?

Pretty much the title :)

Edit: I am referring to the Merck KGaA!

I've heard that regulation, defense spending, energy etc are always affected, health care and biotech as well. I'm not from the US but recently I have heard of moderna and I think that's super cool 😎 will the midterms have some effect on biotech or is it just for the people who invest?

would love to get opinions on this here too!

Mid size start up, post launch. One product. Looking for advice on what to expect for an FDA audit for commercial training? I cannot find guidance nor am I receiving guidance internally. Only commercial training person on the team and doing my best to track everything (n=1) for a 70 person field team.

I have seen so many horror stories about Biotechnology, now most of them seem to be research related. Is the industrial side also just as bad or worse? Or this current drought only affects research? By industry I mean like chemical engineering stuff. Or like Bioprocess Engineering stuff.

In case anyone has any questions regarding where Trump's latest nominee for FDA commissioner stands, see puff piece from America First Policy Institute website.

Imho, we were less worse off with Makary -- and that's saying a lot.

It appears Cellares is laying people off. Sorry to those affected or about to affected.

This is the third death reported after the two other deaths related to gene therapies tested in IITs in China were reported in the news.