Norbert Bischofberger, Ph.D., had a good job at Gilead where he had worked for nearly two decades. Then, out of the blue, he found out he was being considered for a CEO position at a small startup called Kronos Bio.

Taking a company public may not be every entrepreneur’s dream, but it is for many life sciences companies. As 2020 forever changed how IPOs are done, it seems like there is a great opportunity to capture some wisdom from those who have been there, done that.

When pondering if she wanted to spend the next 10 to 15 years continuing to climb that academic ladder or do something that would be impactful for patients, Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., opted for the latter.

Though she cofounded the company in 2004 and played an active role throughout its growth, until November 2020, Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., had never held a c-level title within it.

Recent events of female athletes expressing the need to focus on their mental health seems to point toward mental wellness being one of the next big things, along with women leaders being willing to "rewrite the rules."

I believe waiving IP protections on COVID-19 vaccines (developed by three U.S. companies in record time) will not have any appreciable impact on fixing the global health crisis in the short term.

Eric Dube, Ph.D., was dubious when an executive recruiter pitched him the CEO position at previously embattled Retrophin (remember Martin Shkreli?). But he took the job in January 2019 and now has guided the $1.5 billion biopharma as it has increased sales, implemented a new diverse and inclusive culture, advanced its pipeline, and adopted a new name (Travere).

The world is hurting. Now more than ever, people need and want to be inspired by people. Just imagine what we can accomplish if we all strive to be the inspiration we seek.

Mei Mei Hu, J.D., and her husband Lou Reese know what it’s like to develop a drug during a pandemic. Nearly 20 years ago they helped develop a vaccine and antibody test for the SARS outbreak. But now they were considering starting a COVID-19 vaccine company — during 2020.