We are currently recruiting for the following project:
Data Synthesis and Platform Development for Parkinson’s Disease Knowledge Base

Who we are:

BCBA connects academic science trainees and recent graduates to the Bay Area’s biotech industry through hands-on consulting and due diligence projects. We are a volunteer organization composed of PhD students, post-docs, medical trainees, and young professionals looking to gain professional development for jobs in biotech companies, consulting, and venture capital. Over 450 scientists from across the country have participated in BCBA projects and have gone on to internships and full-time positions with leading biotech companies, consulting firms, and venture capitals firms.

Project timeline: Week of Jan 13^th – Week of April 7^th (12 weeks total)

Who you are:

• A graduate/professional student (i.e. PhD, MS, MBA, MD, PharmD), postdoc, or recent graduate
• Enthusiastic about gaining life-science business experience and helping develop data profiles for promising therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease, that would inform the industry and investment community. –
• Eager to build communication skills through conducting interviews of academic and industry key opinion leaders and presenting findings to the consulting team and client

• Interested in building experience in platform development, including integrating data streams and leveraging AI-powered analysis.
• Interest or research experience in some of the following categories: Parkinson’s disease, neurodegenerative disease, dataset analysis, data platform building
• Able to commit up to 10-15 hours/week as a volunteer

What you will do:

You will be working with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), which launched the Targets to Therapies (T2T ) initiative in early 2024 to accelerate the translation of promising therapeutic targets in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Through this initiative, BCBA has been working with MJFF in building a comprehensive database of 290 initial targets and successfully prioritized over 20 high-priority targets for further de-risking for potential therapeutic development. In this project, you will help MJFF create a centralized knowledge base that synthesizes and organizes data generated from these efforts. This tool will serve the PD community as a comprehensive repository, offering validated data, insightful visualizations, and real-time updates. Specifically, the BCBA team will:

• Integrate and analyze data from MJFF’s prior initiatives,
• Contribute to the development of a platform-based knowledge repository, and
• Provide strategic insights to optimize the database and support its launch.

The project will involve cross-functional collaboration with MJFF’s data team, focusing on data curation, platform development, and database functionality. You’ll also have the opportunity to work closely with MJFF scientists, industry leaders, and investors, gaining valuable insights into the role of non-profit organizations in drug development and translational impact. Additionally, you’ll present your findings directly to stakeholders and research experts, potentially at an – in-person MJFF workshop.

What you will get:

• Experience conducting consulting-style research including competitive landscaping, strategic development, interviewing key opinion leaders, and knowledge base platform development- and diligence on data stream integration.
• Development of your professional network and communication skills through interactions with the client, interviewed stakeholders, your teammates, and BCBA leadership
• Skills that will make you highly competitive for entrepreneurial, consulting, venture capital, and business development careers
• Reimbursement for meals during team meetings

To Apply: Please submit this Google form by Wednesday, Jan 5^th