Event Blog 2

Emily (another student in this class) and I at the presentation by Clemence Pinel (in the middle by the projector)

For my second event, I attended Clemence Pinel’s presentation titled “The Environment in Epigenetics: Enabling Research Entrepreneurship.” She focused on 3 aspects of entrepreneurship that she claims lab scientists partake in. These aspects were: profitability, mobility, and versatility. She claims that researchers collaborate with their fellow researchers to ensure that their research labs are mobile and versatile. These collaborations can be anything from exchange of physical resources to exchange of knowledge. By collaborating, the researchers can ensure that their lab can apply their research to different applications and increases chances of potential profitability. These collaborations also allow researchers to be more mobile in the sense that they can quickly pivot their research to a different path if the current path proves to be unfruitful. This is because when they’re working with another lab, they would not waste time and capital trying to come up to speed on their new research focus. Pinel also mentioned that many epigenetics labs collaborate with biotechnology companies. These collaborations are especially useful to research labs as they ensure that the lab does not have to spend time acquiring expensive technology that is readily available to the biotech companies. As a result, many labs outsource their data collection to biotech companies (Pinel). In exchange, the biotech companies usually request access to the data for a brief period, or to analyze the data for their own gain. These collaborations can also lead to “clinical success” if the research leads to the development of a product. The research lab can enlist the help of a corporation to market their newly developed product and maximize revenue.

Pinel also mentioned that collaborations also help researchers be more versatile. This is because they can collaborate with another lab who is focused on a similar topic but may be studying it in different subjects or environments. This type of versatility allows the research labs to maximize their profits if their research proves to be fruitful because they can develop a product or method for solving two different problems.

Pinel (right beneath the airplane) answering one of the UCLA researcher's question

Pinel claims that navigating this environment of weighing pros and cons of collaborating essentially makes these researchers entrepreneurs. All of these researchers are in search of something great, and carefully select other researchers to collaborate. Their ultimate goal is to maximize funding and profitability for their lab, which is not unlike the goals of many of the traditional entrepreneurs.

Pinel’s research indicates that researchers must wear many hats to ensure that their labs are funded and successful. These researchers have to be creative and collaborate with others. Imagination is an important entrepreneurship skill (Formica).

"EpiDaPo" Lecture Series Flyer

In the end, these researchers are artists looking to collaborate with other artists to stay afloat and to incorporate different techniques into their work. Most of these researchers fall under the category of “Hackers,” and “Victorian Gentlemen” (Kelty). They are all trying to change the system from within by researching newer and cheaper cures for many of the deadly diseases. They are also Victorian Gentlemen in the sense that by collaborating with BioTech companies, they have access to cutting edge technology. Additionally, they are all trying to come up with innovative new ways to solve old problems.

Bibliography

Formica, Piero. I Think, I Act and I Construct: Scientists, The Pioneers of Entrepreneurship. 13 December 2017. Web. 9 May 2018. https://www.lavocedinewyork.com/en/lifestyles/2017/12/13/i-think-i-act-and-i-construct-scientists-the-pioneers-of-entrepreneurship/.

Kelty, Chris. "Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?" (n.d.).

Pinel, Clemence. "The Environment in Epigenetics: Enabling Research Entrepreneurship." Los Angeles, 9 May 2018. Live.