Tao Chen
Principal Scientist, Small Molecule Analytical Chemistry, Small Molecule Pharmaceutical Sciences, Genentech, USA
Predictions? For traditional small molecules, miniaturized instruments with low-cost and high-performance will increase. Novel analytical technologies (standalone or hyphenated) for new therapeutic modalities are expected to boom. There will be an increasing demand for high-throughput analysis as well as the use of data science and machine learning to guide experiment design.
Secret to success? I found chemistry fascinating back in high school; I was inspired by my first chemistry teacher. Over the course of college and graduate school, I was fortunate to work with my advisors who are leaders in the field of analytical chemistry; they cultivated my interest in this field. Here at Genentech, I am grateful to have managers who promote scientific research and innovation, and encourage me to push my boundaries.
Advice? I benefited a lot from the working principles of my PhD group: “work hard, work smart, work together, and be happy.” In addition, be flexible and open-minded – face up to fear and embrace new opportunities that could lead to exciting adventures and pleasant surprises.
