PHaB Club @ AGSM

Lunchtime seminar with Salih Ozdemir, Lecturer of Strategic Management, AGSM

Salih kindly gave up his lunchtime to speak to a number of students about his research into the area of social networks. The talk, impressively titled ‘Network entrepreneurs inside firms, industries, and industry value chains: how networks can help you earn rents, with an application to the pharmaceutical industry value chain’, covered two key topics – social networks and their benefits to employees and managers; and the role of biotech companies in industry networks.read more..

Lunchtime seminar with Professor Peter Rogers, Visiting Emeritus Professor in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW

Professor Peter Rogers spoke to members of the CSR and PHaB clubs on the subject of biotechnology and the use of biofuels. He overviewed various sources of biofuels [sugar vs. starch; foodstuffs vs. waste products]; the economic, political, and social factors impacting biofuel use; and trends in global biofuel production – driven predominantly by the US and Brazil. He then went on to initiate a debate among the students on the pros and cons of biofuel use, before reviewing his own personal research into the area of second-generation biofuels and the R&D currently being undertaken in Australia in order to support a number of government-funded initiatives around the use of renewable energy sources. read more..

AGSM at Ausbiotech - 26-29 October 2008

Last month we attended Ausbiotech, Australia’s largest biotech
conference. The conference covered a range of topics including:
starting a biotech business; medical devices; combining devices &
drugs; biosimilars; value creation strategies; alliances;
nutraceuticals; biofuels and biomaterials. The conference is a major
networking event designed to bring together researchers, IP attorneys,
venture capitalists, biotechs and pharmas. A major theme throughout
the conference was how to raise money in such a tough economic
climate. An IPO is out of the question and venture capital is very
hard to come by. The best a new start-up can do to build some capital
is to work its social network, seek out angel investors and hope a big
biotech or pharma will want to buy you out.

PHaB alumni networking event - 12th August 2008

The PHaB club recently hosted a very successful networking event, attended by a number of alumni in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical devices fields as well as several full-time students. Numerous leading global companies were represented, including Schering-Plough, Abbott, Wyeth, Janssen Cilag and Cochlear, with alumni from a range of internal functions such as medical, clinical, marketing and general management. 

The evening event was an opportunity for students to network and find out more about career prospects in Australia. Dr Myriam Schorn, AGSM MBA, Class of 2008, opened the event with a short presentation on the challenges facing MBA graduates entering the industry and the potential sources of information that will make their job searches more successful. Based on the success of the event, we hope to host a similar networking forum in early 2009 to reinforce contacts and introduce the Class of 2010 to the alumni.

‘The Cochlear Story’ with special guest speaker Rod Lopez, head of manufacturing - 5th August 2008

As part of our Operations course at the AGSM, the PHaB team attended a seminar by Rod Lopez. Rod gave a fantastic and entertaining insight into operations and lean philosphy at Cochlear.

Lunchtime seminar with Hamish Hawthorn, CEO ATP Innovations Pty Ltd - 25th July 2008

Hamish Hawthorn gave the PHaB and ICE clubs a fascinating insight into his business incubator. We also set up some exciting collaborations, including a management project and information sessions at ATP innovations. read more.

Industry tour: Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute - 23rd July 2008

Tim Dugan, COO, gave the PHaB team a sneak preview of the new Victor Chang Cardiac Research building before its grand opening in August by Princess Mary of Denmark. The $80m building will house state-of-the-art research facilities for the study of heart disease and cardiovascular biology.

‘Ausbiotech NSW: Adult Stem Cell Research for Therapies of the future’

The PHaB team recently attended a seminar on ‘Adult Stem Cell Research and Therapies of the Future’ organised by the NSW branch of AusBiotech. read more.

 
‘Innovation and commercialisation’ – a lunchtime seminar with Dr Abby Bloom 

Dr Abby Bloom recently gave an excellent talk to students from the PHaB and ICE clubs on the topic of innovation and commercialisation in the biotech sector. read more.

Evening lecture series: ‘Birth of Biotech’ - May 2008

Dr Merilyn Sleigh gave an excellent presentation to kick off 2008 activities for the PHaB club. The event was attended by a number of staff and students from AGSM and the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, and focused on three key areas: an overview of the biotech industry and major milestones, highlights from the EvoGenix business model, and a summary of future market trends. read more.