On February 1, 2025, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) once again welcomed 33 Governor’s STEM Scholars, and their parents, for an in-depth exploration of New Jersey’s pharmaceutical industry at BMS' Summit, NJ site. This annual event provided Scholars with a firsthand look into drug development and research, and cutting-edge laboratory technologies through presentations, lab tours, and a career panel featuring BMS professionals.
Scholars and their families began the day with presentations from Anita Gandhi, Ph.D., Vice President, Translational Medicine Hematology, who provided an overview of drug development, and Gregory Keil, Scientific Director, Upstream Process Development, who discussed biologics drug substance development. These insights set the stage for an engaging experience inside BMS laboratories, where Scholars toured the Hematology Lab, Biologics Development Lab, and Translational Early Development Immunology Lab, led by Dr. Gandhi, Mr. Keil, and Mary Adams.
The tour also provided deeper insights into drug development. One Scholar remarked, “It was incredibly interesting to learn how precise the drug development process is and how many steps and checks it goes through before it can be cleared.” Another reflected on how AI is shaping the field, saying, “It was interesting to know the ways AI could cut down the time needed to develop a drug.”
Following the lab tours, Scholars participated in a career panel discussion featuring Yannan Liu, Ph.D. (Chemical Process Development – Process Chemistry), Kathleen Lauser, Ph.D. (Drug Development & Preclinical Studies – CSD Development Engineering), Cindy Warme, Ph.D. (Analytical Strategy & Operations), Christopher Bemis, Ph.D. (Chemical Process Development – Chemistry), and Mary Adams (R&D Translational Early Development – Immunology & Cardiovascular). Panelists shared their career journeys and provided insights into the evolving landscape of pharmaceutical research and development.
The BMS tour, organized by Amanda Sciorillo (Translational Immunology) continues to be a highlight of the Governor’s STEM Scholars. BMS has played a crucial role in mentoring Scholars, providing programmatic support, and fostering meaningful engagement between industry leaders and the next generation of STEM professionals.
Through opportunities like the BMS tour, the Governor’s STEM Scholars program continues to bridge the gap between STEM education and professional careers, ensuring that New Jersey’s future innovators are prepared to lead the way in scientific discovery and innovation.
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