Biotech Event Builds a Bridge between Industry Leaders and Passionate Jobseekers
Biotech leaders shared valuable insights and time with graduate students and alumni at our Careers in Biotech event.
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Students took a rare opportunity to gain insights from leaders in the biotech field on how to navigate the job market and get a foot in the door of the industry.
The School of Public Health and Health Sciences and Boston-based biotech executive Imran Nasrullah '87 hosted “Careers in Biotech: Future Opportunities in Health and Life Sciences” at UMass’ Mt. Ida campus on August 21, 2025. Nasrullah curated a conversation with a panel of industry CEOs and executives, including:
- Robert Gallotto, President and Chief Executive Officer at Anagram Therapeutics
- Jawad Hasan, Therapeutic Area Head, Global Patient Safety - Metabolics at AstraZeneca
- Fiona Mack, Vice President, Head of ENA External Scientific Innovation at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
- Nele Van Dessel, Chief Executive Officer at Ernest Pharmaceuticals
These experts shared their career journeys and weaved their experiences into the advice they offered the audience. Their perspectives ranged from big pharma companies to smaller startups, helping them create an engaging conversation on not only what attendees could do to secure a job in biotech, but how they might also work their way to becoming industry leaders as well.
The point panelists stressed most was to make networking a top priority. After the talk and Q&A, the group did just that, connecting at the reception, where titles took a back seat to genuine conversations among the biotech community that continued right up to the end of the night.
“Careers in biotech was an incredible opportunity for me personally and for many of my colleagues. We had the chance to learn from inspiring leaders in the biotech industry and take away valuable lessons about career paths, innovation, and leadership," said Firas Aljizani, a doctoral candidate in the kinesiology department. "I was especially grateful for the one-on-one conversations with panel members and UMass alumni, who generously shared practical advice on how to navigate the job search and find the right fit in biotech. The event was a great success, and my fellow PhD and master’s students are already looking forward to more opportunities like this in the future.”