Julian Hassinger, PhD

Julian Hassinger, PhD has a diverse and extensive work experience. Julian currently works as an Associate in Translational Sciences at UPMC Enterprises, where they are involved in investing in life sciences research, forming biotech startups, and participating in financing rounds. Julian also holds the position of Director of Strategy and Operations at Avista Therapeutics, a UPMC Enterprises portfolio company focused on developing gene therapies for blindness.

Before joining UPMC Enterprises and Avista Therapeutics, Julian worked at L.E.K. Consulting as a Senior Life Sciences Specialist. In this role, they worked as part of small, cross-disciplinary teams to advise life sciences clients on corporate strategy, market research, and opportunity assessment. Their responsibilities included performing primary and secondary research across various areas within life sciences, designing and executing quantitative analyses, managing independent work streams, and synthesizing insights into actionable recommendations for clients. Julian was involved in projects such as valuation and strategic planning for a biotechnology platform company, business development screening for potential M&A opportunities in healthcare and life sciences, and revenue forecasting for various therapeutic companies.

Julian's academic background includes a PhD in physics and cell biology from the University of California, Berkeley. As a doctoral candidate, they conducted quantitative research at the intersection of physics and cell biology, involving mathematical modeling and quantitative microscopy. Julian initiated and worked on collaborative projects spanning disciplines and experience levels, and taught a discussion section for upper-division biophysical chemistry.

Prior to their PhD studies, Julian worked as a Research Assistant at Brookhaven National Laboratory, a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an Intelligence Analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence, and a Research Intern at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

Julian Hassinger, PhD obtained their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, where they studied from 2013 to 2019. Prior to that, they completed their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Physics with Honors, Mathematics at Stony Brook University from 2009 to 2013.