Vanderbilt Beyond The Lab Podcast

After some nudging from the ASPIRE Program, Dr. Chris Smith, PhD, started looking at academic roles in Postdoc Affairs and found his vocation! But his work as a postdoc himself was pointing to this all along! Join us as Dr. Smith tells us more about his role in academic administration and serving the postdoc population on the other side of the desk.

What came first for Kristi Thiel: Co-Founder or Professor? Learn more about Dr. Thiel's interesting steps in her career path and all the great ideas that have helped her along the way. 

We are excited to kick off Season 7 of the Vanderbilt University Beyond the Lab podcast with Merck Scientist Dave Westover, PhD. Dr. Westover tells us about his role, how he jumped into industry and what he would recommend current graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue to make the move to industry. 

In this last episode of Season 6, Dr. Kristin Driscoll tells about her path since graduation and her current role in Competitive Intelligence for Cigna. 

Dr. Cara Lang, PhD, is a Disease Area Analyst of Ovarian Cancer with Oncology Resource Group. In this episode, Dr. Lang shares her insight into her role and how she made the decisions around her post-grad next step, as well as the opportunities that best prepared her for this position.

For our 100th episode, Dr. Keenan Taylor, PhD, tells us about his role in Big Pharma as a Senior Scientist. Dr. Taylor tells us about the differences he has seen between academia and industry and what his daily work life entails. 

Long title = lots of responsibility! Dr. Katherine Hutchinson, PhD, tells us about her role as a Senior Principal Scientist in Oncology Biomarker Development at Genentech, in San Francisco, California. Dr. Hutchinson tells us about her work in industry and life in San Francisco, while unpacking her long title!

Dr. Allison Eberly, PhD, describes her Clinical Microbiology Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic as well as her current role as an Assistant Professor at Washington University School of Medicine and the Assistant Medical Director at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

Dr. Melissa Maginnis, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Maine and spends this episode talking about her path after Vanderbilt, the dual career search with her spouse, and the role as teacher and mentor in a University setting.

Dr. Lauren Griggs, PhD, and a Vanderbilt postdoctoral fellow alum, is now the Director of the Multicultural Engineering Program, Director of the Clark Scholars Program, and an Assistant Teaching Professor, all at Penn State University. She shares about her start right before COVID and the first few years in academic administration, as well as her work teaching. Dr. Griggs also provides insight into her career discovery and interview process. 

Alumna Dr. Kate Bankaitis, PhD, tells us about her role as director of content at IQVIA and the interesting path of roles that led to her current position. 

Alumnus and Medical Science Liaison Jeff Pawlikowski, PhD, tells us about his long tenure as an MSL, how he juggles the role's demands, and what the travel is actually like! 

Dr. Marr is a senior consultant with Deloitte and spends some time talking about her path since Vanderbilt including her current role in consulting. 

Beyond the Lab goes to Canada with alumnus Dr. JP Johnson, Jr, PhD, Vice President of Biology at Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. A native to Tennessee, Dr. Johnson shares his journey in industry to the Pacific Northwest and onward to Vancouver. 

Dr. Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, PhD, tells us about her role as a faculty member with Duke University and the Duke Institute for Brain Science. Dr. Schramm-Sapyta's love for science keeps popping up in her career story, and this episode focuses on this path.

Double 'Dore Dr. Eric Warren, PhD, owns his own forensic science business and tells us about his time with the TBI as well as the ways he began his business. 

In this last episode of Season 5, Dr. Sudipta Chakraborty shares about her unique training experience, her remote work, and her role in clinical trial management. 

Dr. Li Yang tells us about her work at the National Cancer Institute as well as how her training at Vanderbilt helped her prepare for the next step.

Dr. Tiffany Farmer, PhD, has used her skills and interest in science communication to create her career path, now has a manager of a team of Medical Science Liaisons. Learn more about her role as well as what she looks for in candidates!

Alumna Dr. Katie Vowell, PhD, shares about her role in industry with GSK, including the interview process and what it is like to work day-to-day with the company.