5 Questions With Arielle Garcia, Ambassador of Buzz & Graduate Student, Bioinformatics at Johns Hopkins University

This article is part of our 5 Questions With series, one of our ongoing People & Places Features. We love it because despite the consistent questioning, the answers are all unique. Be sure to FOLLOW us on LinkedIn to tell us what you think.

Arielle Garcia was born in Honolulu, HI, and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Following her father’s footsteps, she enlisted in the military after high school. She began her career in 2009 as an Airman in the United States Air Force (USAF). Arielle spent her days working, her evenings taking college courses, and her free time volunteering. Through determination, grit, and recognition from her leadership, Arielle received the Scholarship for Outstanding Airman to ROTC (SOAR) in 2011. She was then released from active duty to attend the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a Communications major and a Computer Science minor.

After graduating, Arielle re-entered the USAF in 2014 as a commissioned Cyberspace Officer and remained for five years until she decided to separate in 2019. Although her time in the military was nothing short of incredible, she wanted to pursue a career that focused on improving human health. Arielle then moved to San Diego, CA, where she attended the University of San Diego. She continued her studies through the pandemic shutdown and earned a Master of Science in Health Care Informatics in 2022.

As a true philomath, Arielle continued her academic journey in the fall of 2022 with Johns Hopkins University (JHU), pursuing a Master of Science in Bioinformatics. Through JHU, she was introduced to Nucleate’s Baltimore Chapter and learned that the 2023 application was open for their Activator program.

The Activator program is designed to equip the next generation of bioentrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to take their ideas from lab-to-market. Nucleate selects scientists with technology to commercialize and pairs them with graduate students that have business acumen. They go through four months of workshops and industry mentorship as a team to develop a pitch for their product. Arielle and Sara partnered together to form the team 4D Genomics where they conducted market research, developed a business plan, and created a pitch for a start-up company offering to accelerate the discovery of anti-aging targets and biomarkers. 4D Genomics did exceptionally well, taking home two of the five awards in the DEI and High Impact categories. Although the Activator program is over, Arielle knew she wanted to continue being in the start-up space. She is now working with another early-stage start-up company called CurveAssure.

1. What did you want to be when you grow up? How’d you get from there to here?  

I wanted to be a wildlife photographer/videographer when I was younger. Growing up, one of my favorite shows was The Jeff Corwin Experience on the Animal Planet. I thought that he had the most amazing life! I would have loved to spend my days exploring the wild and observing wildlife in its natural habitat. I still have the same sense of wonder and exploration, but I’ve shifted my focus to humans instead of animals. As advanced as our technology is today, a cloud of mystery still surrounds the human body. Somewhere along the line, I’ve found myself interested in how the body functions and motivated to solve human system issues. 

How did I get here? I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. My career path has not been linear. At one point, I felt as though I was at a disadvantage, but now I see the strength in my multidisciplinary background. Everything I’ve learned and experienced has shaped who I am and every decision that I’ve made has led me to this point. 

2. How are you helping to build a more connected community?  

BioBuzz’s mission is simple: to be more connected. Our regionally-focused storytelling, programs, events and experiences create, connect and amplify impact across the life science workforce in growing biohubs. We vibe with people who value community and connection like us. We’d love for you to share how you’re building a more connected community… and any support that you need from our community to continue to accomplish this mission.  

As an Ambassador of Buzz, I have a platform to inform people of events they would have never known about, introduce people to each other who would have never met and highlight the achievements of individuals and businesses that would have never had the opportunity otherwise. I belong to several minority, student, veteran, technology, life science, and start-up communities.

BioBuzz recently worked with Nucleate leadership to launch an ongoing guest column that explores innovative topics for the next generation of bioentrepreneurs. Most of the time, I’ll have conversations that were meant to be casual but end up being productive. In some way, they end up helping me, or I end up helping them out.

I genuinely believe that the more connected we become, the more effortless it will be to solve problems and get things done. In July, a BioBuzz and Nucleate collab called The XYZ is launching. This ongoing series provides an opportunity for the next generation of bioentrepreneurs to explore innovative topics. I’m looking forward to contributing content to this as well.

The one thing I’ve noticed during my short time in Baltimore is that regardless of which organization is hosting an event, you start to see familiar faces at them all. It’s a testament to the interconnectedness of Baltimore’s ecosystem.

I also want to thank all the organizations that have warmly welcomed me: BioBuzz, Nucleate, Women in Bio, UpSurge, Maryland Tech Council, Reveille Grounds, and Women in STEM. I will be sure to pay it forward!

3. What are you currently buzzing about? Anything and everything…    

I’m currently buzzing about CurveAssure!

Johns Hopkins’ Graduate Biomedical Engineering fellows Evan Haas and Antony Fuleihan developed a three-part system that combines wearable sensor technology, deep learning and clinical metrics. Their spinal monitoring system has the potential to save billions of dollars in inaccurate treatment costs by giving physicians the patient-specific information they need to make optimized, data-driven decisions. Spine surgeons currently lack vital information about their patient’s functions and dynamic spinal biomechanics outside the clinic. This data gap leads to over 275,000 patients per year receiving unnecessary spinal fusion surgery and many more left searching for months to find an appropriate treatment. CurveAssure’s solution analyzes dynamic movement, muscular compensation, and pain while the patient’s move about their daily lives. The feedback gives spine surgeons and pain management practitioners information about their patients in a natural environment, which is essential for personalized and holistic treatment plans.

The value of CurveAssure is evident as they continue to sweep awards in various business and pitch competitions. Their most recent accomplishment was being awarded the inaugural Johns Hopkins President’s Venture Fellowship by FastForward U. This is the university’s largest award for student entrepreneurs pursuing a business venture in Baltimore after graduation. The fellowship allows CurveAssure to expedite product development to get their spinal sensors and data insights into the hands of providers who lack the tools to diagnose and treat their patients with high fidelity. They continue to build momentum in their business and product developments. In the following months, the team is piloting an on-patient study that will serve as proof of concept before opening their pre-seed round this fall.

I’m so excited to create some buzz around CurveAssure, but even more excited that I’m now part of the team. I’ve been incredibly impressed with how Evan and Antony have showcased their start-up. I could immediately tell that they were passionate about their creation and driven to see it succeed.

It’s that type of commitment and intensity that I tend to gravitate towards. I’m also thrilled about the innovative approach used to advance personalized health care. This invention is relevant. We need these technologies incorporating telemedicine, remote monitoring, and machine learning to create positive change in the health industry, with the intention that they will lead to better clinical outcomes. My greatest aspiration is to be a part of the solution. And now I am with CurveAssure.

4. If you could travel back in time – what early career advice would you give yourself?

OR What career advice would you shout from the rooftops now?   

I’m a busy body. I’m always involved in a little bit of everything. I love to learn, I love to talk to people, I love the feeling of belonging to a community and helping others.

If I could travel back in time, I would tell the younger me to take better care of herself. It’s okay to be active and involved, but to make sure that she shows up for herself first. It’s something that I learned later in life and now it’s the advice I’d scream from the rooftops, “Don’t be afraid to set boundaries! A proper work/life balance is important to your physical and mental health!” 

5. FUN question. What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? 

My dad’s side of the family are farmers. I spent most of my summers in California helping my grandparents tend their garden of flowers, herbs, peppers, corn, zucchini, onions, cacti, and orange and lime trees. I love gardening, and a large part of that is because of my memories with them.