5 Questions With Maya Yovcheva, Scientist III at Thermo Fisher Scientific

Published on : Published by : Sarah Ellinwood

Maya Yovcheva is an R&D scientist with more than ten years of experience in cell biology, protein expression, and product development. She has been a product development scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific for six years, developing novel tools and platforms for protein expression and viral vector production. Her work has led to the launch of a new platform for baculovirus-based protein expression in insect cells. Maya holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and a Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnology.

Women in Bio Celebrates 20 years and Foundational Roots in the DC area

Published on : Published by : BioBuzz Media

ctober 2021, A 2020 survey conducted by BIO found that in the 100 biotech companies surveyed, women made up nearly half of total employees, but accounted for only 31% of executives and 23% of CEOs. Women’s representation suffers a steep decline in leadership positions across the life sciences, and the gap only widens for women of color.
When Lynn Johnson Langer and Debra Bowes, started their careers in the life sciences they both knew that gender diversity was rare, and even scarcer as women entrepreneurs. “Networking events I attended were mainly comprised of men. There were no opportunities to talk with women about their experiences and career opportunities,” said Johnson Langer.
This started to change in 2001, thanks to four women from the BioHealth Capital Region who came together to form a networking group for women entrepreneurs in life sciences across the region. From this idea, Women In Bio (WIB) was born – WIB is a professional organization with the mission of promoting the careers, leadership, and entrepreneurship of all women in the life sciences. This local grass roots organization, grew quickly over its first 10 years, blossoming to 250 members across the region.

5 Questions With Priscilla Fussell, Ph.D., J.D., Associate at McBee, Moore & Vanik IP, LLC

Published on : Published by : BioBuzz Media

Dr. Fussell represents a diverse array of clients in various intellectual property matters, including patent and trademark prosecution and litigation. She performs due diligence, freedom-to-operate, validity, and patentability analyses in the chemical and life sciences industries. She has a wide range of experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical arts, including medical devices, biofuels, probiotics, plants, herbicides, fertilizers, seeds, nucleic acids, proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, diagnostics, methods of treating cancer, cancer diagnostics, and agents for treating cancer. Dr. Fussell has negotiated and drafted a wide variety of agreements relating to intellectual property interests, including settlement agreements.

Women in Bio Prepares Researchers for Career Transitions to Industry

Published on : Published by : Nivedita Uday Hegdekar

Women In Bio is an organization of professionals committed to promoting women’s careers, leadership, and entrepreneurship in the life sciences.  Since 2002, this organization has served as a community representing one of the fastest-growing and most influential organizations for women in life sciences. Women In Bio currently boasts 13 chapters throughout North America, led by more than 600 volunteers and a membership base of over 3,000. WIB members belong to biotech and pharma companies, universities and institutes, law and accounting firms, marketing, PR firms, CROs, and CMOs, among other careers. Women in Bio-Capital Region is the local chapter for professionals in the BioHealth Capital Region.

5 Questions with Kayla Valdes, Ph.D. Senior Manager, Horizon Therapeutics

Published on : Published by : BioBuzz Media

Dr. Kayla Valdes is a Senior Manager at Horizon Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on researching, developing, and commercializing medicines that address critical needs for people impacted by rare diseases. Prior to joining Horizon, Dr. Valdes worked at the National Institutes of Health as a Senior Program Manager on the Cure Sickle Cell Initiative. She was also the Associate Director of Scientific Programs at the Drug Information Association (DIA), where she developed DIA’s global content strategy by providing scientific expertise in therapeutic drug development and regulatory policy.

5 Questions with Erin Lawless Miller, Esq., Vice President of Commercial Office & Corporate Counsel, Clinlogix

Published on : Published by : Andy Eckert

Erin Lawless Miller, Esq. is a lawyer and senior executive with more than fifteen years of experience in operations, sales, contracts, and proposal management. She has spent her career driving operational efficiencies, controlling costs, integrating business units, setting up international locations and subsidiaries, and managing legal matters across highly matrixed organizations. Recently, Erin successfully led several acquisitions.

5 Questions with Stephanie M. Davis, Ph.D., Program Officer, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Published on : Published by : Andy Eckert

“5 Questions With…” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region and beyond to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated. This week we welcome Stephanie M. Davis, Ph.D., Program Officer, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Stay tuned for more interviews with others from across the BioHealth Capital Region and beyond.

5 Questions with Nivedita Hegdekar, Scientific Writer, and Communications Co-Chair for the Women in Bio Capital Region Chapter

Published on : Published by : Andy Eckert

Nivedita ‘Niv’ Hegdekar is a graduate student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore pursuing a dual degree in biomedical sciences and patent law. Prior to joining her PhD program, she obtained her degree in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences from the prestigious Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India.