Daniel Acker’s Post

⚛️ ⚗️ 🔬Are you a science researcher considering building a lucrative partnership with industry? 👍 That’s a great idea. I help lots of scientists grow their research funding by doing this. But if you are planning to showcase the awesome science you are doing to attract their attention, well…that’s 𝙣𝙤𝙩 such a great idea. I call this the ‘tech transfer myth,’ because many people believe that tech companies look for cool science to add to their product portfolio. But this is rarely the case. Companies already have technology that they are trying to commercialize. What 𝙙𝙤 companies need? They often need help solving the problems that are preventing them from getting their products to market, or preventing them from solving their customers' problems. Can you help them with those problems? Probably so! Sometimes the problems that companies have are outside the expertise or capabilities of the people they’ve hired. That’s when an academic collaborator can be the perfect solution! Want to know more? DM me with the question: ‘How can I get research funding from industry?' #techtransfer #industrycollaboration #scientist #researchfunding

Why every scientist and physician should explore #biotech:   I have sensed the disparity between the large amount of laboratory discovery/publication and the small % that translates into clinical solutions.   The typical graduate school curriculum does not teach students about what comes after publication (and before... IP protection!). My training was immensely enhanced by 2 elective bioentrepreneurship experiences: Accelerating BioVenture Innovation, and the Life Science Technology Innovation Fellowship. I walked the journey of a biotech startup founder, facing some of the questions and challenges.   How it changed me as a scientist: 🔬 Increased focus on research questions that fill an unmet clinical need, beyond my own scientific curiosity. 🔬 Enhanced readiness to carry discoveries forward, rather than abandon promising leads in publications. 🔬 Tuned into cutting-edge tech in biotech/pharma R&D, especially AI and ML.   How it changed my career path: 💡 Exposure to career paths on the biotech/pharma/investment spectrum. 💡 Experience working with interdisciplinary teams (MBAs, MHAs). 💡 Appreciation for how networking can create new opportunities.   Knowing the steps between discovery and clinical product is our business! #medicaleducation #gradschool #phdstudent #phdjourney

"How do I pick a career if I don't know what I'll be excited about?" Talking about careers in science with high school students at the Copperfield International School this morning, one of the first questions was about how to choose the "perfect" path. My answer was the same for them as it is for grad students, postdocs, and anyone else exploring their next steps: 1. 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 2. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭. 3. 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭. For most of my life, I had no idea what I would do with my love of science. I didn't have a plan, but... - When I realized I liked getting others excited about research in 2016, 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩. - When I learned how discoveries made in the lab can be turned into useful tools that can help solve the world's biggest problems, 𝘐 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺. - When I found out that people with PhDs could help other scientists get funding to do this crucial work, 𝘐 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭. If you dig deep into 𝒘𝒉𝒚 you love doing something -- and you get good enough at it -- you can always* find a way to make it your career. No matter if we are 16 or 76, we are always discovering who we want to be when we grow up. Thank you for the invitation to speak and to remember this, Michail Iakovidis, PhD! --- *I still haven't found an exemption to this rule, but let me know in the comments if you think of something that can't become a job 😅

I was recently asked what jobs you could do with a STEM PhD that isn't being in a lab! Here's some ideas: ✅ Management Consultant ✅ Innovation Hub Business Developer ✅ Medical Tech Sales ✅ Patent Attorney ✅ Project Manager ✅ Partnerships Coordinator ✅ Data Analyst Help build partnerships between universities and startups. Manage projects by bridging the gap between technical + business people. Help innovators through the patent process. There's many more examples but when thinking of what roles to do outside of STEM, think more broadly! #STEM #career #skills #careerdevelopment #phd #academia

🚀Ready for a career leap? 🚀 🧪Embarking on a new journey in the #science industry can be as thrilling as it is impactful. Imagine contributing to advancements that reshape our world! From the intricate patterns of #DataAnalytics to the pioneering field of #Biotechnology, opportunities abound for curious minds🧪 💉Let's talk about where you see yourself in this evolving landscape. How can your unique skills forge a path in this dynamic sector? 💉 🥼If you're eager to explore the vast horizons of the scientific industry, let's connect right here on LinkedIn. Together, we can head towards a fulfilling and exciting career🥼 🔬Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or simply hit 'Like' if you're on a similar quest!🔬 #CareerGrowth #ScienceCareers #Innovation

One thing PhD 🎓 does NOT teach you is 💰 and IMPACT it has on Biotech Industry. Every scientist (myself included) needs to be educated about ONE SIMPLE FACT. Science does NOT exist in a Vacuum: Every ounce of our scientific curiosity 👨🎓 needs to be measured against risk/reward in the real world. Every possible patient outcome 🤧 needs to be financially modeled with respect to reimbursement in a quagmire known as US healthcare system. Every piece of our research stack 🔬 will need de-risking and re-evaluation in terms of a commercial licensing agreements, royalties and other instruments of value creation for entire ecosystem. A good molecule that binds a target is merely a top of the iceberg 🏔️. Nay, it’s merely a cap! If you want to be prepared to have a rewarding career in biotech, these principles of money are KEY to building a broader understanding of what REALLY matters. Not to you, but to people who decide your fate, if you’re employed. Educate yourself about Money 💰, and the science will be taken care of by AI 🤖😂 Needless to say: all posts are entirely my opinion, and not of any employer, past or present! #research #biotech #technology #finance #money

Not every day in the lab is a good day, and that's ok 👌! As scientists, it's time we embrace transparency about the ups and downs of our research journeys 🌍👩🔬. In today's world of social media, it's essential to stay visible and engaged in our scientific community 🔬🤳 . We all understand the need to keep up-to-date with the latest achievements and opportunities. Yet, the truth is that success stories aren't that frequent, especially for #earlycareerresearchers or those embarking on new projects. 😓 I was recently invited at Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung to give a talk on 'Tweet, Pitch, and AI: New Ways of Talking Science' and the discussion that followed pointed out that many #PhD students are reluctant to actively engage in social media because they feel inadequate and fear that they lack the success stories that others seem to share effortlessly. 🤷♀️ When I think about it, I firmly believe that the scientific community I aspire to be a part of values authenticity and considers success also any valuable lessons learned from failure. 🚀 Personally, I see immense value in sharing setbacks. On the one hand, I am aware that it's through challenges that we all learn and innovate 💡. On the other hand, I hope that by sharing the ups 🧗♀️ and downs 🏄♀️ of my journey, I can foster genuine connection and perhaps even inspire others facing similar challenges 🤝 . So, let me start with my most recent failure 😞 After two years of scientific discussions, identifying potential collaborators, collecting preliminary data, and countless hours perfecting a grant proposal, my project - part of a collaborative research center focusing on the study of multifaceted interactions occurring when molecules are interfaced with 2D materials - won't receive funding. 💔 This outcome is disappointing and a bit depressing, as this step would have been a crucial milestone in my academic career. It feels odd to go to the lab now and I know it will take me a few days to digest, recharge my motivation and enthusiasm for lab work, and think about what I want to do next. 😕 Besides finding memes that best express my thoughts and feelings, 😅 I still haven't figured out what is the valuable lesson to learn here, so feel free to help me out! 💌 🌟 #sciencefluencer #sciencecommunication #transparencymatters #academicsuccess

Postdocs truly are the unsung heroes of science.    Forged in fire🔥through your graduate experiences, you emerge strong and resolute. You are the core of the lab. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 -teachers   -trainers   -mentors -writers -thinkers   -builders   -do-ers and so much more...   For almost every high-impact publication, there is a postdoc who spent nights and weekends in the lab, collaborating with PIs, graduate students, and technicians to turn ideas into reality.    I am writing this to recognize all of the postdocs out there, who feel invisible in their institutions. I see you. I used to be you. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴. If you are at a point where you think academia is not the path for you, I will gladly help you gain the skills you need to make a transition into biotech or pharma. I've done it for 18 other clients in the last year (yes, that's 3 more people hired since last week). I can do it for you. My DMs are open :) #biotech #biotechjobs, #scientist

I have 100+ conversations with early-stage researchers every year. The biggest challenge they face is the fear of failure. “I don't have time to invest in learning new things." "I have too many experiments to do." "I need to publish this ASAP.” These young scientists are incredibly talented but are not empowered to think long-term and think about their professional development. Young researchers fear: - Venturing into new lines of research. - Exploring different career paths. - Moving out of academia. - Learning new skills. They are some of the most driven and passionate people I get to meet but struggle to commit to taking care of their re-skilling and up-skilling. 😢 Unless they get help with their careers! Imagine the personal growth and scientific impact these young minds could have with the proper support. -> Publication quality, research integrity, patents, innovation, collaborations, real scientific impact, etc. No one wants to fail but some have an easier time dealing with the risk of failing. At Chaperone e we are experts in talent and career development in science. If you work at a scientific institution and are responsible for career and professional development, let's talk. We can help you and your scientists' grow. 💪