Written by Lauren Clubb
I’m thrilled to introduce The Nucleate Network, a dynamic new series here on Signal! Through articles based on personal interviews, we’ll shine the spotlight on the incredible individuals who make our community extraordinary and who make Nucleate possible.
The Nucleate Network will complement our existing content on Signal, including Hidden Layers and the Nucleate Podcast. While Hidden Layers offers data-driven insights into biotech and innovation ecosystems, and the Podcast features conversations with prominent bio/ecotech leaders, The Nucleate Network will focus on the people who power Nucleate’s reach and impact; leadership team members and early Activator alumni. Each article will take you inside their unique journeys, showing how they became involved with Nucleate and where they are headed. Through these stories, we’ll bring the human element to the forefront, offering a rich tapestry of insights that reflect the heart of our global community and foster meaningful connections.
Welcome to Nucleate!
For those of you new to Nucleate, we’re a student-run, non-profit organization dedicated to empowering academic trainees to translate their scientific discoveries into innovative technologies and ventures. We offer a wide range of resources and events, including our flagship program, the Activator. The Activator provides hands-on workshops that support academic trainees as they spin out of academia into the biotech and ecotech sectors. Since our founding in 2018, we’ve helped over 250 teams, resulting in 101 incorporated companies and $370M in funding across 24 chapters worldwide. As our global community continues to grow, it’s essential to find new ways to build connections and strengthen relationships.
Nice to meet you!
My name is Lauren, and I’m a fifth-year PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. I’m a 2023 Activator alum, the current Co-Director of Communications for the San Diego chapter, and I recently joined the HQ Communications and Signal teams to bring The Nucleate Network to life.
When I was going through the Activator, one of our mentors gave us invaluable advice: intentionally build a strong and diverse network, because your connections will often be the primary driver of your success. He emphasized diversity not only in technical expertise but also in geography, demographics, and perspectives. In Nucleate, we are fortunate to have a community that embodies this diversity. When Hannah Dayton (EVP of Content Strategy) proposed the idea of The Nucleate Network series, I immediately remembered this advice and knew I had to help bring this vision to life.
Join Us on This Journey
We invite you to explore The Nucleate Network and celebrate the people who make Nucleate so special. Each article will highlight a new individual, mirroring Nucleate’s great geographic, demographic and technical diversity. Our goal is for every reader to find an article that resonates with them as we showcase the diversity and dynamism of our community through thoughtful interviews and storytelling. Stay tuned!