How do you move from academia to industry? Women Building Bio with Julie Lin, MD

Moving from academia into industry can mean stepping away from a career you have spent years building and into a world that works very differently.

That transition is at the centre of the first episode from Women Building Bio, a community bringing women across biotech and pharma together to connect, share experiences and learn from one another.

Founded by Nicole Arendt and Gianna Argento and supported by SciPro, Women Building Bio creates space for the conversations that do not always happen in the day-to-day. Through candid podcast discussions and in-person events, the community brings women together to talk openly about their careers, the decisions and challenges they have faced, and what they have learned along the way.

As part of People Behind Progress by SciPro, the Women Building Bio podcast shares the stories and experiences of women shaping biotech and pharma, going beyond job titles to explore the moments, pivots and people behind their careers.

For this episode, Gianna is joined by Julie Lin, MD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development and Drug Safety & Pharmacovigilance at Travere Therapeutics, to explore her journey from academic medicine and research into biotech leadership.

Together, they discuss what prompted Julie to make the move from academia into industry, how she navigated that transition, the role mentorship has played throughout her career and what people should actually look for in a mentor. They also explore career development, choosing the right managers and the importance of greater visibility and support for women progressing into executive roles across biotech.

About Julie Lin, MD

Julie Lin, MD, is Senior Vice President of Clinical Development and Drug Safety & Pharmacovigilance at Travere Therapeutics, where her work focuses on therapies for rare kidney and metabolic diseases.

Before moving into biotech, Julie spent 11 years in academic medicine. She attended Harvard College, completed her medical training at Columbia and went on to become a faculty physician-scientist at Harvard Medical School, based at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Julie moved into industry in 2012 and has since worked across drug safety, clinical development and rare disease. Her career has included roles at Amgen, Sanofi Genzyme, Dimension Therapeutics/Ultragenyx and Sanofi before joining Travere Therapeutics.

She is also the founder of QHIA Consulting, where she supports scientists and physicians moving from academia into biotech, as well as professionals navigating their careers within the industry.

Follow Women Building Bio for more candid conversations with women across biotech and pharma, plus updates on upcoming events and community content.