Yusuf Tufail

Yusuf Tufail, PhD, is an experienced industry professional and seasoned academic scientist, having studied numerous neuroscience topics such as ultrasonic neuromodulation as well as neuroinflammation. His research career trajectory is driven by his desire to contribute translational knowledge for novel therapeutic development. This pursuit has led him to weave his research experiences in and out of academia at The Salk Institute while primarily pursuing research projects in industry. He is currently a Senior Scientist at Lundbeck where he helps characterize novel small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. 

Can you describe your academic and professional background? What path led you to pursue this field? 

I did my PhD in Neuroscience at Arizona State University, which then led me to my postdoc at the Salk Institute. After 4 years at the Salk, I joined Regulus Therapeutics for two years. I then jumped back to academia as a project scientist in the Chalasani lab at Salk. After another two years at Salk, I then returned to industry as a Senior Scientist at Lundbeck. My motivation for pursuing this career path has always been based on working on cutting edge science and applying this knowledge for therapeutic benefit.

How did you find this particular position, and what was the hiring process like? Is there a typical structure for this in your field? 

I found this position through the normal channels, LinkedIn and Indeed. The hiring process can vary from company to company, but on average you will reach out to the recruiter or hiring manager where you will need to submit, at a minimum, your resume and cover letter.

Companies may take days to many weeks to provide a response. Be sure to do your research on the company’s technology and the people that work there. If they reach out to you, be prepared for an initial phone interview. This is usually followed up with an in-person interview that consists of meeting several individuals and a formal seminar of your work. This on-site interview can last anywhere from half-day to full-day (4-8 hours). 

Can you tell us about your current responsibilities? What is a typical day or week like in your role?

My current responsibilities consist of planning/executing new technologies, along with performing mechanistic in vivo pharmacology to investigate the physiological role of our novel small molecule inhibitors. My week consists of planning and executing these experiments. Additionally, I help plan and advise colleagues with their neuroscience specific experiments and manage contract research organizations (CROs) that are conducting experiments for various projects within the team.

What do you enjoy about your current job and work environment? 

The most important aspects about any job include the people and the purpose of the work. My current job has offered me a great balance of very smart, experienced and hard-working individuals that work great together on a team. The other great thing about my current job is that I am given lots of intellectual freedom and my expertise is actively sought after. Lastly, having a direct manager that supports and positively challenges you will have a lasting effect on the success of your industry career.

What are some of the challenging aspects of your job? Is there anything you wish you had known about your job or industry before joining?

Managing people/relationships. 

Do you have any professional plans for the future? What are some future career paths that could open up for someone in your position, 5-10 years down the road?

I would like to keep developing my biotech/pharma career. I intend to learn more about the development process and follow the path of initial drug discovery to first in man studies.

What’s changing in your industry? Are there any future trends we should be aware of?

As science changes, so does medicine and drug discovery. Keep in mind how developing technologies make their way into industry and how your skills can best leverage them.

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved with to help them break into this field?

Keep networking.

Is it common for people in your field to have a scientific/academic background (i.e. have PhDs)? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages someone with a PhD might experience while pursuing or working in your field?

Having a PhD is a huge advantage. This does not mean the field isn’t competitive, but a PhD puts you at another level. How you diversify your skill sets is up to you, but it is required if you want an advantage.

Do you have any final words of advice for those navigating these career questions? Is there anything you would have done differently given what you know now? 

I would have networked earlier.