Mike Lu, PharmD, Class of 2003

What are you doing now?

Clinical Scientist, Exelixis, Inc.

My position has the following responsibilities:

Interact with clinical sites and thought leaders in oncology to facilitate oncology trials.
Deliver high quality scientific presentations on Exelixis investigational agents to physicians and other key external customers.
Design, prepare and initiate study protocols in compliance with project plans, federal regulations, GCP and good medical practice.
Analyze and interpret study data and prepare reports for the FDA and publication.
Proactively provide feedback on emerging clinical and competitive trends.

How did the pathway help you get to where you are today?

The pathway courses in areas such as

bioanalysis
drug discovery, delivery, and development
research design and administration
biostatistics, and
pharmacogenomics

gave me great exposure to clinical and basic pharmaceutical sciences research. With my Pharmaceutical Sciences Pathway project, I gained valuable hands-on experience in designing and executing a clinical protocol. Both of these contributed significantly to my attaining a postdoctoral fellowship in industry which ultimately led to a permanent position.

As a pathway graduate, what do you think students considering the pathway should know?

From my limited experience, a career in the pharmaceutical industry may provide dynamic opportunities, but it is rather difficult to get into the industry. In many cases, you will have to work yourself up from entry-level positions, especially if you enter the field early in your career.

The Pharmaceutical Sciences Pathway is one of numerous paths that lead to a career in industry. Pursuing the pathway does not necessarily mean that you will end up in industry. This will depend on the types of experiences you pursue following graduation. The pathway was how I began my path toward a career in industry and I have been fortunate to secure an exceptional position that I am truly excited about.