PivotingLife

In this episode, we meet Jason Mellad – a life scientist turned consultant, biotech CEO, and venture investor – whose career has been anything but linear. Raised by a scientist and a social worker-entrepreneur, Jason always knew he was a blend of two worlds. But it took years (and a few sharp pivots) to stop forcing himself into the mould of what a “real academic” (a hammer) should look like and s...

Isabel Hutchison was deep in the world of neuroscience – researching sleep and memory, publishing theoretical papers… chasing an academic career seemed inevitable.  In this episode, we trace her path from late nights staring into EGG waves and postdoc life in Chicago to building an AR sports app that teaches kids skill moves through dance. Isabel talks candidly about creative frustration in academ...

In this episode of Pivoting Life , we sat down with Ben Harris, a wildlife documentary camera operator currently working for the BBC, to explore his incredible journey from zoology student to capturing the natural world’s most breathtaking moments on film. Ben shares how his passion for the outdoors and tinkering with cameras sparked a career pivot from academia to adventure. From teaching himself...

In this episode, we chat with Ben Trigg, a biologist turned software engineer, about his unconventional career path. From pipetting in the lab to debugging Python code, Ben shares his journey of transitioning from academia to the tech industry, the skills he transferred, and the challenges he faced along the way. Join us as we explore how he "slithered" from biology to software, one Pyth...

Elisa Kieback, co-founder of the biopharmaceutical company T-knife, was well-set on an academic journey by her researcher parents. She trained as a biologist and moved around, pursuing opportunities in Heidelberg and Glasgow. Elisa settled in Berlin at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) studying T cell receptors. Eventually, she floated in postdoc space's uncertainties, where...

Sarah Hintermayer is Vice President of regional strategy at Evonik, founder of a food venture, and lecturer on entrepreneurship in biotech at the University of Bielefeld. After completing her PhD in biotechnology, she worked as a process engineer at Evonik, a specialty chemicals company focussing on concrete. Sarah then transitioned to become a corporate entrepreneur (intrapreneur). She continuous...

Satoshi Ohtake , Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Research and Development at Pfizer, has navigated a tumultuous yet rewarding path in academia and industry. His journey unfolded through pivotal decisions in graduate school, a later shift from catalysis research to cryobiology, an unexpected dive into computational science and frequent ventures beyond his comfort zone. As an introvert, he adeptly...

From Biochemistry to Bioinformatics to Business Development. In this episode, Natalia Jiménez, Global Life Science Lead at CGG, discusses her transition from academia to industry. After 14 years of academic research, she was offered a position in a technology company doing bioinformatics, a field she was not particularly trained in. She took the challenge and found the commercial environment, doin...

Tom Simmons, co-founder and CEO of the Supplant Company, dreamed of becoming a full professor in biochemistry. Eventually, he launched a venture through the prestigious Y Combinator program to make our food more sustainable and sugar-free. Tom kicked off his career with an undergraduate degree in biochemistry. He later pursued a postdoc in plant science at the University of Cambridge. His interest...

Meet Kathi , a former scientist who leapt into the vibrant world of startups. Xenia , a passionate science communicator bridging the gap between complex research and the public. And Hannes , a professor in information systems, who constantly struggles with the boundaries of academic professions. Join this eclectic trio as they introduce Pivoting Life , a podcast dedicated to the myriad paths life...