Although BioAgilytix’s team members come from a diverse range of backgrounds, we are all united by a shared passion for scientific excellence, which is the standard we hold ourselves to in every project and client we encounter. In fact, many of our team members have cross-functional background experience both in the lab and in customer-facing roles, making them uniquely equipped to help us deliver both high quality science and service effectively.
In this Q&A session, we talk with Mike Losauro, Senior Business Development Director at BioAgilytix, to learn more about his scientific background, what led him into the business development role he has today, and the real-world results that inspire him to support the highest quality in bioanalytical science.
Tell us a little about your background and how you came to join BioAgilytix.
I was born in the Philippines, but when I was 11 years old, my family and I moved to Florida. I stayed in the South for a number of years and attended the University of South Alabama, where I majored in Clinical Laboratory Science. After graduation I spent two years working in the life sciences field as a clinical laboratory scientist, but then decided to go to law school. I also love sailing and decided San Diego, CA was where I wanted to be, and began studies at the California Western School of Law. However, I soon realized my true passion was in fact in the scientific realm, and so I left that program to work as a Research Associate at a biotech company. I worked there for four years, and then moved on to join a large global CRO where I spent another 10 years as a Bioanalytical Project Manager developing and validating PK, immunogenicity, and biomarker assays.
In 2016, Dr. Dominique Gouty reached out to me about a Business Development opening at BioAgilytix. When she informed me of opportunity, I was really excited by her enthusiasm as well as the growth opportunities that were obviously going to be possible within the organization. I had also heard a lot of positive opinions about the company from individuals in the industry, and that really encouraged me to make the move.
How has your role evolved since joining the team?
I started at BioAgilytix as a Business Development Manager for the West Coast territory – mainly California and Washington – but after only a year I was promoted to a Business Development Director. While my territory has remained the same my responsibilities have grown, and I have really enjoyed this role and have been successful because of the support of our Management and our Operations team.
One thing I want to point out is that when I first joined BioAgilytix, I had a lot of scientific experience but limited sales experience. And to this day, I really do not see myself as a salesperson. I see myself as someone helping clients and potential clients with their outsourcing needs. This BioAgilytix team is great at what we do; we’ve demonstrated that time and time again. We have a great lab with great scientific and regulatory knowledge, and I strive to inform as many people of that as possible. This is my cause: to help people choose the right lab, choose BioAgilytix, and save themselves time, money, and headaches.
How does your background in science impact your current business position in the bioanalytical field?
With my scientific background, I can understand the needs of our clients and translate that to our Bioanalytical Project Managers (BPMs) and operations teams. I understand what it takes to navigate a drug to market, and the cost that delays create not just monetarily but in getting a needed therapy in the hands of patients that could treat or cure disease. We really do live by the motto, “right on time, and right the first time” because we know the results that are needed to help the best medicines reach the market quickly and in a cost-effective way. It is personally motivating that I am able to be the bridge between our customers and internal teams to ensure we’re delivering quality science that meets our customers’ requirements and helps them bring innovative drugs to market faster.
What is your favorite thing about working at BioAgilytix?
From the upper management to my close colleagues, the collaborative and passionate culture of BioAgilytix is off the charts. I really admire my colleagues, and we all have mutual respect for each other. Everyone helps each other, and I think that’s because we’re all working toward the common goal of getting drugs to market quickly for patients who need them most. Personally, I love when we get to see the impact of our results. It’s so rewarding to hear clients come back to us and tell us that their drugs are saving lives. Of the 18 large molecule drugs that were approved in 2018 by the FDA, 8 came through our labs.
Looking forward, I’m excited to continue working on the increasing number of gene therapy requests we’re receiving. With our new ownership under Cobepa, we have access to expand our resources to support gene therapy programs, as well as programs for CAR-T and other cell therapies and personalized medicines. These resources will enable us to only better serve our clients and the patients they help, which is our main goal at the end of the day.
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Want to hear from other BioAgilytix team members? You can find other Q&A sessions from our employees here.
Interested in joining the BioAgilytix team? Visit our careers site to learn more about what it’s like to work at BioAgilytix and to view our current career opportunities.
