Ep 64: Finding Your Fit: How to Navigate the Transition from Academia to Industry – The Work

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chynna Broxton, an Analytical Development Scientist at Spark Therapeutics, to uncover the realities of working in the biotech industry. Chynna dispels common myths about transitioning to industry, addressing concerns about losing scientific engagement and sharing how she’s grown significantly at Spark. She gives a broad overview of her role, which involves developing methods to characterize gene therapy products for inherited genetic disorders. 

Comparing Academia to Industry, Chynna breaks down the pros and cons of working in both, touching on such themes as flexibility, goals, compensation, and the tangible impact of your work. Drawing from her experiences working at a CRO (Contract Research Organization) and her current role at Spark, she highlights the main difference between these industry settings.

Not all industry jobs are the same, she explains. There are a wide variety of roles, and while some mirror the academic experience others are unique to the industry landscape.

For anyone considering a move from academia to industry, Chynna offers encouragement, and advice on finding your best fit. Join us to learn from Chynna what it takes to thrive in the biotech industry.

Tune in to Learn:

• What skills learned during her academic career directly transfer to this role
• What surprised her about working in industry
• The pros and cons of working in industry compared to academia 
• Her key tip for finding a role in industry that's a good fit for you
• How her graduate and postdoctoral work prepared her for her current position
• What she loves about doing science other than the discoveries.

Reach out to Chynna:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chynna-broxton/

Email: cbroxton@steu.edu

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:

• Ep 60: Arianne Hunter's experience - senior scientist at Abbvie  
• Ep 50: Clinical trials to cure genetic diseases with CRISPR technology
• Ep 15: Joseph Iacona's experience - scie

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Chapters

• 1:31 Food Science Warm-up
• 4:30 Guest Introduction
• 5:05 What do you do as an Analytical Development Scientist at Spark Therapeutics?
• 5:59 What methods learned during your Academic research do you use in this role?
• 6:55 How did your graduate work qualify you for this role?
• 9:38 Tell us about your postdoctoral work
• 13:44 [Ad] THE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITION
• 14:24 What she loves about doing science
• 14:24 (Cont.) Tell us about your postdoctoral work
• 16:34 Differences and Pros & cons of doing research in Academia vs Industry
• 25:03 What helped you make the transition successfully and what surprised you?
• 28:48 What advice would you give to a grad student or postdoc trying to transition into an industry role?
• 33:24 Talk about your adjunct role at SEU
• 35:57 Hosts on the Hot Seat game
• 39:03 How to reach Chynna