Biomedical Engineering Society
Nitin Jain
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“Pfizer is one of the world's leading healthcare companies, providing human and animal pharmaceuticals as well as consumer products. With a portfolio that includes five of the world's 20 top-selling medicines, Pfizer is helping to improve the lives of people the world over. Some of our pharmaceutical products include Diflucan, Lipitor, Norvasc, Viagra, Zithromax and Zoloft. [Lipitor was the best-selling drug in the United States with gross sales of $6.8 billion dollars in 2003.]
Our scientists continue to produce breakthroughs in a wide range of research areas. We've made industry-leading investments in people (more than 12,000 scientists) and resources-over $5 billion on research this year alone. Today, we're taking on some of the world's most intractable diseases, including cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and stroke.
Pfizer's search for new treatments spans more than 300 research projects across 19 major disease groups-more than any other company. Our drug library includes approximately 2 million compounds, and our pipeline holds 156 potential new treatments.
We know that healthcare is more than a business-it's a mission. That's why we're deeply committed to enhancing access to high-quality healthcare for those most in need, particularly the urban and rural poor. This year, through innovative partnership programs, Pfizer is giving hundreds of millions of dollars in product donations for patients in need around the world.” (1)
Recent BME Ph.D. Graduate Dr. Nitin Jain, who worked on methods to analyze gene chip data with a low number of replicates for his thesis, is now working with Pfizer in Groton, CT.
Q: Nitin, what attracted you to work with Pfizer? What are you working on there?
A: I wanted to work in a big pharmaceutical company, where I could interact and learn different technologies. Pfizer being the industry leader, thriving with a consistent track record of double-digit growth, was on top of my list.
Currently, my main project is to develop a statistical model for high-throughput rtPCR of stem cells in order to differentiate weak compounds from strong ones based on their teratogenicity. I am also working on analysis of SNP chips (~10% of my time).
Q: What are Pfizer’s core businesses in addition to pharmaceutical development and production? How does your experience with gene chips support them?
A: Pfizer’s logo “Life is our life’s work” is a great source of inspiration for all the employees. One of the key aspects in providing affordable healthcare and developing new medicines is to reduce the development time of various drugs. To achieve this aim, potential drug candidates need to be screened at fast rates using high-throughput technologies. My experience with GeneChip analysis helped me to understand high-throughput rtPCR and SNP chips, which are the main tools used by one of the groups -- “investigative developmental cytotoxicity” at Pfizer.
Q: How does the company support scientific research?
A: Pfizer spends billions of dollars annually for R&D. Most of the R&D is done at various company locations worldwide. Pfizer also funds several research projects in academia. My group is working with some faculty members in Yale University.
Q: What is the coolest new technology you’ve seen there since you started that you’re allowed to talk about?
A: The coolest technology I’ve seen is the development of chips, which can detect animal breath characteristics. This technology, if successful, can provide the data in real time, and can have enormous uses. Pfizer is involved in development of such chips with other companies.
Q: Do you have any career advice for undergraduates pursuing a B. S. in BME that might want to go to work at the bachelor’s level or graduate students that are debating whether work in academia or industry?
A: Based on my experience, I can say that graduate school helped me a lot to expand my knowledge in the field. Therefore, I would suggest the undergraduates to think about graduate school. Moreover, additional degree (MS or PhD) is generally useful in both academics and industry.
As far as working in academia or industry, it purely depends on one’s choice. Both have pros and cons. There are good R&D divisions in industries, and compensation package is slightly higher, though you don’t have same degree of freedom and flexible schedule - as you would enjoy in academics.
Q: What is the most important thing you took away from your university experience?
A: Five years of graduate school in UVa BME were the best years of my life so far, where I got the opportunity to work with some of the best professors and students. I am indeed thankful from the core of my heart to everyone, especially my advisor, Professor Ley, lab members and fellow students. The most important thing that I took from university experience is that consistent hard work under good guidance pays off well.
-Nitin Jain
UVA, BME Ph.D. – Class of 2004
njain@alumni.virginia.edu
(1) http://www.biospace.com/company_profile.cfm?CompanyID=1476
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