
Experienced Biotechnology Professional (emerydora@gmail.com)
Greater Los Angeles Area

Experienced Biotechnology Professional (emerydora@gmail.com)
Greater Los Angeles Area
Results-driven biotechnology professional, recent MBA, with 9+ years of experience in R&D, business development, and marketing. BA/MS in molecular and cell biology. Interested in both established companies and start-ups where my scientific training and experience, complemented by the MBA skillset, can add value.
I recently graduated as the Starling Life Sciences Fellow in the MBA program at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School (with honors May 2007), where I co-concentrated in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Finance. I am currently involved in launching a new venture in the Web 2.0 space.
Corporate finance, entrepreneurship, market research, market planning, financial modeling, molecular biology, cellular biology, genetics, virology, cancer pathways, .
(Public Company; WPO; Education Management industry)
January 2008 — Present (1 year 7 months)
GMAT and GRE test preparation instructor - both classroom and private tutoring. ELITE Instructor status, and top GMAT instructor in California - Aug, Sep, Oct 2008 (both based upon student feedback).
(Information Technology and Services industry)
August 2007 — January 2009 (1 year 6 months)
Early-stage position with a venture developing a web-based collaboration platform. Responsible for market research, consumer behavior evaluation, market planning, user interactions, and business development activities. MetaNotes' alpha release won a Web Award at SXSW Interactive in March 2008. The venture became capital constrained in Q408 and has ceased operations.
(Higher Education industry)
August 2005 — May 2007 (1 year 10 months)
Attended on full scholarship (Starling Life Sciences Fellow). My activities included: President of the Healthcare Industry Club, Vice President of the Entrepreneurship Club, and acting member of the Venture Capital/Private Equity Club.
Helped organize the Venture Capital Investment Competition, an internationally attended competition placing competitors in the role of VCs evaluating business opportunities presented by real entrepreneurs and participated in by every business school in the top 30.
Received international exposure through an exchange term in Hong Kong, as well as a school-sponsored trip to India where we visited companies throughout the country to learn about Indian business practices.
(Privately Held; Nanotechnology industry)
May 2006 — August 2006 (4 months)
Worked within the Business Development group to explore partnering opportunities for Liquidia technology.
Performed extensive primary and secondary research to support market assessment analyses for Liquidia technology within life sciences.
Drafted two sections of the Liquidia business plan which clearly articulated the opportunities and risks of playing within the biotech/pharma spaces.
(Public Company; NUVO; Biotechnology industry)
May 2003 — June 2005 (2 years 2 months)
Collaborated with research department team leaders to identify, develop, and provide needed reagents and molecular cloning expertise in support of preclinical pipeline research.
(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; EXEL; Biotechnology industry)
January 2000 — August 2002 (2 years 8 months)
Helped design and lead a successful genetic screen to identify potential therapeutic drug targets for colon cancer treatment.
Proposed and spearheaded development of a novel yeast-based technique for mechanism-of-action analysis (performed in a two-quarter window). Named as co-inventor on sixteen patents (pending).
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; CEGE; Biotechnology industry)
February 1997 — January 2000 (3 years)
Aided in successful design of a novel gene therapy delivery system based upon manipulation of adenovirus within yeast.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Environmental Services industry)
November 1991 — January 1993 (1 year 3 months)
Performed chemical analyses on environmental samples from Superfund sites to assay presence of various radioactive isotopes.
MBA , Entrepreneurship and Corporate Finance , 2005 — 2007
GMAT: 95th percentile
Graduated with honors, May 2007
Starling Life Sciences Fellow (full scholarship)
Member - Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society
MBA exchange program , 2006 — 2006
MS , Cell and Molecular Biology , 1993 — 1996
Thesis title: "Phenotypic and Transcriptional Characterization of RPD3 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae." Thesis research published in Current Genetics (1999) 35: 68-76.
GPA 3.73
BA , Molecular and Cell Biology , 1986 — 1991
Emphasis in Neurobiology
Active as a professional musician in the San Francisco area 1996-2005. Opened for such acts as Wilco, Ben Harper, Train, Digital Underground, Yes.
U.C. Berkeley Alumni Association
U.N.C. Chapel Hill Alumni Association
American Association for the Advancement of Science
National Eagle Scout Association
Starling Life Sciences Fellowship, UNC Chapel Hill 2005-2007
Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society