Yvonne Wu, PhD

Graduation Year: 2009
Advisor: Jones, Jonathan
Current Position: North America Regulatory Affairs Leader, Oncology, Janssen Research & Development

Yvonne Wu is originally from the Hudson Valley region of New York state, growing up in Poughkeepsie, New York.  She completed her Bachelor of Science degree with a dual major in Bioinformatics & Molecular Biology and General Biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York and enrolled in the Integrated Graduate Program (now Driskill Graduate Program) immediately after graduation.  She joined the lab of Dr. Jonathan Jones within the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology under the cancer biology track.  Yvonne is currently a North America Regulatory Affairs Leader within the oncology therapeutic area at Janssen Research & Development (pharmaceutical sector of Johnson & Johnson). 

What made you want to go to graduate school?

Although I wasn’t initially clear on my path post-undergrad, I enjoyed my time in the laboratory and discussing my results with my undergraduate advisors.  So, to pursue my curiosity and interest at the bench, I started to explore my options for a doctorate within biomedical research. 

What brought you to Northwestern and the IGP/DGP?

At the time, many of the graduate programs I considered had prospective students apply to specific departments, which in turn had a limited number of laboratories whose research sounded interesting to me.  However, Northwestern had a unique multi-department umbrella program that allowed incoming students to have a preference in a specialized track while exploring several disciplines within biomedical research.  Although I was initially drawn to the cancer biology track, I wasn’t clear on which direction I wanted to go and was very attracted by the opportunity for exposure to multiple departments and labs during my first year of rotations.  And despite my first-time visit to Chicago having been in the dead of winter, I fell in love with the vibrant but laid-back culture of the city and could see myself moving from the Northeast to spend a few years in the Midwest (ie, work-life balance). 

What did you study in graduate school?

At the end of my first-year rotations, I remained within the cancer biology track and started my dissertation work within Dr. Jonathan Jones’s laboratory at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.  My research focused on cell motility and adhesion, and how the integrin family of proteins, specifically hemidesmosomes, can help modulate the speed & direction of how both cancer cells and normal epithelial cells migrate (ie, metastasis, potential delays or acceleration in wound healing, etc.). 

What was your first job outside of academic research, and how did you get it?

My first job after leaving Northwestern was with a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey as a clinical medical writer.  I obtained this initial opportunity by being diligent and persistent with online searches & recruiters, and a bit of luck.  I was fortunate that my first manager was empathetic, as she was also once a fresh PhD graduate who was looking for any opportunity to get her start in industry.  She wanted to use her open position to “give back” by providing a similar entryway for a fresh PhD graduate to start their career within industry.  Medical writing wasn’t initially on my radar, but I knew it was a common initial bridge from academia to industry, so I tried to position myself well during the interview.  

What is your current position?  Please describe the big picture of your position as well as a bit about the day-to-day.

Currently, I’m a North America Regulatory Affairs Leader within oncology at Janssen Research & Development, primarily supporting the development of certain drugs to treat solid tumors.  Acting as a primary liaison between Janssen and the US FDA for the products I support, I provide regulatory guidance and work closely with my cross-functional drug development teams to enable clinical trials in the US and how to ultimately bring those drugs to market, while ensuring adherence to the FDA’s expectations, regulations, and requirements.  Regarding the day-to-day, I provide critical strategic thinking & regulatory expertise on various clinical documents, while communicating the regulatory framework & latest trends to my project teams and serve as the primary point-of-contact to the FDA for any (spontaneous) correspondences and/or formal meetings.  (Looking back, my current position is similar to a bidirectional signaling antennae like the integrin family, i.e., working closely with both the internal Janssen team and the external Health Authority environment!) 

How did Northwestern prepare you for your current career?

Northwestern prepared me with developing resilience and sharpening my overall scientific approach.  Specifically, I had to ensure that I understood the science, ask questions, and/or do my due diligence with past precedent/literature.  My time also helped me learn how to prioritize multiple projects and experiments simultaneously, so that I could still enjoy all that Chicago had to offer me. 

What other experiences brought you to your current position?

My time at Northwestern helped me gain a broader and deeper understanding of various scientific trends and procedures, while refining my verbal and written communication skills.  It’s exciting to see some of the concepts that I first heard about in grad school are now being introduced to patients.  Having that background knowledge regarding the mechanisms of action and signaling pathways helps with my scientific understanding of what my Janssen team is trying to accomplish.  To this day, this basic skill of being able to comprehend and externally communicate more broadly the scientific & clinical rationale of why my project team is taking a certain approach is attributable to my time in graduate school. 

What advice would you give to current students interested in pursuing a career similar to yours?

I’ve noticed that all my fellow regulatory colleagues have a unique story of how they got into regulatory affairs, so unfortunately, there’s no set pathway.  My best advice would be to network and keep an open mind.  Follow‑up with and maintain any contacts that you meet in industry, because it can be challenging to get your foot in the door, and you never know what opportunities may arise.  For example, the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting occurs annually at McCormick Place, so getting a student registration is a great way to meet with industry professionals face-to-face and practice developing your soft skills.  Thus, solid interpersonal and clear communication skills (written and verbal) can go a very long way.  Within regulatory, the industry tends to hire people with prior industry experience, so if there’s something that can help differentiate yourself (e.g. connecting with and supporting an MD who is conducting an ongoing clinical trial at NMH), that exposure can help you stand out without prior direct industry experience.  Industry internships can help, but I realize it can be challenging to take time away from the lab. 

Do you have any final advice for graduate students?

Don’t be afraid of failure and keep pushing!  There can be times in lab when things seem very bleak and any first-author paper hopes seem to be slipping away, but there is always a critical lesson to be learned.  At times, looking back at my struggles during grad school still help remind me of how strong of a person I am and how far I’ve come.  Thus, resilience is a key attribute, as well as maintaining work-life balance. Taking time for yourself is always worthwhile.  You are along the lakefront in downtown Chicago, after all!