On April 2, the MCB Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP) hosted its annual Spring Symposium virtually via Zoom. The event brought together about 80 attendees with industry representatives from Amgen, Calico, Eikon, Eureka, IdbyDNA, Neurona, Tenaya, and Thermo Fisher.

The symposium began with a panel of the eight representatives answering questions from students and postdoctoral scholars about the effect of COVID-19 on biotech, which sectors of biotech are growing, and how to best prepare and compete for the job market, among others. The second half of the event was devoted to breakout sessions led by the company representatives, which allowed attendees to ask more targeted questions and build connections for future opportunities.

A learning and sharing theme was in full swing at the event, and attendees heard that while direct applications can be successful, it's also helpful to have an internal connection at a company. For this reason, building a network through opportunities like IAP events, networking groups on LinkedIn, professors, classmates and alumni is essential. Attendees were also encouraged to continue applying for biotech jobs as many companies are still hiring during the pandemic.

MCB would like to extend a big thanks to all who attended the virtual event, including industry affiliates, students, postdocs, and faculty. We are excited to support the next generation of UC Berkeley scholars who will continue to drive innovation in the biotechnology industry.

To learn more about the IAP program or participate in future events, please visit our website at mcb.berkeley.edu/iap.