TIBBS Career Blitz Career Profile Questionnaire
Career Profile: Jason Kralic, PhD
What is your current title and how long have you worked in your current job?
Vice President of Business Development at Opexa Therapeutics. Joined 5 months ago from
GlaxoSmithKline.
Where did you get your PhD and what discipline was it in?
PhD in Pharmacology (Neurosciences) from UNC-Chapel Hill (Morrow Lab)
Did you do a postdoc?
Postdoc at the lab of Jean-Marc Fritschy, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of
Zurich, Switzerland
What are your main daily responsibilities?
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Establish partnerships to fund and develop our technology platform into marketed therapeutics
Generate value propositions and business cases to support partnering and investment in science
Evaluate strategic options to grow the Opexa R&D pipeline and optimize corporate value and risk
Communicate Opexa science and programs to the public, including investors and partners
What are the keys to success in your career field?
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Ask questions and be sincerely interested/curious about the science, technology and therapeutics
Acting with integrity and honesty as it’s a small world and your network is critical to your success
Effective communication and networking to build relationships, trust and credibility
Attention to detail, flexible thinking and grit contribute to demands of the role
What were the most important factors in choosing your career path?
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Exposure to biotech/pharma R&D and talking to those in the business development/licensing field
to understand the environment, expectations and role
I enjoyed learning and discussing science, but did not find bench science to be rewarding
It’s not a career path that can be easily planned or predicted, e.g., vs. become an academic PI or
dentist; so, be prepared to follow your nose and learn as you go
What activities (if any) did you participate in that helped you be successful in obtaining your job?
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My first business development role was right after my postdoc and secured without any special
preparation beyond having the qualifications and fitting the profile/personality of the
company/hiring manager
In hindsight, I would recommend participating in as many relevant organizations and events to
develop a broad network of people and resources to support your search and decision making
Once you enter the career field, it is relatively easy to move into different areas of business
development, e.g., scientific licensing, alliance management, transactions, strategy, and into
different fields and companies.
What 1 or 2 pieces of advice do you have for people who want to land a job like yours?
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Be flexible in the entry level role to gain the experience required to advance into areas of greatest
interest
Build your network and attend events to increase your understanding of the career/field
Subscribe to free news sites, e.g., Fiercebiotech, to know the landscape