Powering the science-2-business wave

Young neuroscientist narrows commercialization gap by building his business and leadership skills and mentoring others for science-to-business careers.

Dr. David Kideckel

PhD in Neuroimaging Statistics, University of Toronto and first-year MBA student, Healthcare Management and Consulting Majors, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Territory Manager, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

Funders

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Janssen Inc., Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

Issue

Dr. David Kideckel has a triple passion – a passion for science, a passion for business and a passion for people. It's these qualities that will make David a driving force in the next science-2-business wave.

With a PhD in neuroimaging statistics and a certificate in neuroscience – both from the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto – nobody can doubt David's scientific credentials or his strong interest in the life sciences. But somewhere in the middle of all the hard work of earning his PhD, David began to catch another bug. "I fell in love with the business side of science."

Like others in his field, David sees a real need to strengthen Canada's science and business capacity to take winning life sciences products from molecules to commercial success.

Bridging the Divide

A few years ago, David began honing his business and leadership skills.

David served for three years on the Institute of Medical Science Students' Association (IMSSA) council and was elected IMSSA President during his final year of doctoral studies. He also co-founded and served as Vice-President of the University of Toronto's Graduate Management Consulting Association (GMCA). As his interest in business grew, he took on internships as a business development professional with two biotech startups run out of the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.

In 2009, David was one of only three Canadians selected world-wide to take part in the Novartis International Biotechnology Leadership event at Novartis world headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"While I was there, Dr. Eric Lander, the Founding Director of the Broad Institute at MIT and President Obama's appointed co-Chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, gave one of the most inspiring talks I've ever heard."

It was on the future of genetics and its impact on humanity. David knew this was how he wanted to make a difference.

Results

Today, David is actively pursuing the tools he needs to realize his dream. With the help of a Science-2-Business grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), David is majoring in health care management and consulting at the Rotman School of Management's MBA program. He is also working full-time with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, where he is part of a team of talented pharmaceutical professionals launching new medicines into the Canadian marketplace.

"I'm learning to translate business needs into science and science needs into business. This will allow me to make a real difference to patients across Canada."

"CIHR has it bang on with this program. It's the individuals with a combination of business and science skills that will drive the future of the Canadian innovation economy. Currently, we have a deficit of these skills. Investing in these kinds of people will put Canada on par, if not ahead of other countries in the world in the innovation game – especially in commercializing scientific products in the highly competitive life sciences market."

David is rapidly picking up hands-on experience. "Being at the Rotman School is amazing. The health care program offers the chance to learn from some of the world's finest." Janssen Inc. has been incredibly supportive during his MBA. David credits Janssen's support as a key driver in his professional development.

Earlier this year he participated in the Rotman Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Association Annual Business Plan Competition. David led a team of business professionals and scientists in the development of a business plan for Cyclica Therapeutics – a real life sciences start-up – and then led the pitch to some of Canada's leading business experts and venture capitalists. Capturing first prize, the company will compete in 2012 in an international business plan competition in Houston, Texas.

Both a scientist and an entrepreneur at heart, David is adamant about giving something back to his community. Already, he is an active mentor to those coming along behind him. "There are so many people who want to combine their scientific and business skills." As president of the IMSSA, one of David's goals was to find a way to develop Canada's first joint PhD-MBA program. After several years of hard work, David and his team are thrilled to see the University of Toronto ready to launch just such a program.