As I enter my senior year and begin working on college applications, I often find myself grappling with the question of what I want to major in and which career path to pursue. The possibilities seem endless, and it's been challenging to pinpoint just one direction. However, throughout high school, I’ve consistently been drawn to STEM, finding both challenge and fulfillment in these courses. My interest deepened when I learned about the incredible opportunities available through Mr. Schlenker’s science internship program. I realized that pursuing an internship would not only help me explore potential college majors but also provide valuable experience in a professional setting.
I had the privilege of interning for five weeks at Nvelop Therapeutics, a gene therapy-focused startup located in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts - the world's leading biotech hub. Only a few months before the start of my internship, Nvelop announced its name! Of the 65 employees working at Nvelop, almost all were scientists working on various projects focused on in vivo gene editing, or medicines to treat genetic diseases by targeting mutations while the patients' cells remain in the body. Nvelop's focus on in vivo gene editing places them on the forefront of delivery and the gene therapy fields and contrasts historically used "ex vivo" therapies, where cells are modified outside the body and then reintroduced.
I was part of a finance team that included Archie Mathura, VP of Finance & Operations and
Stephanie Charleson, Senior Manager, Accounting & Finance. I spent most of my time
working on two separate projects. The first was an asset management project for Adam
Dropkin, Associate Director, Laboratory and Facilities Operations. The lab has around 342
assets, mostly equipment such as centrifuges, incubators, microscopes, coolers, biosafety
cabinets, etc. However, lab equipment depreciates over time and thus needs to be tracked
and replaced before equipment breaks. If a particular piece of equipment is not replaced
before it is about to "expire," all of the experiments being performed in the lab may be
stalled and, in some cases, ruined completely.
To estimate the equipment's in-service dates, I searched through hundreds of purchase orders (POs) and invoices in Prendio, a cloud-based procurement software tailored for biotech companies. I conducted keyword searches and analyzed POs and invoices to accurately identify each asset. The challenge increased when identical assets were purchased at different times, requiring extra diligence to ensure correct identification. Additionally, I used Intuit QuickBooks, an online accounting platform, to cross-reference and confirm asset details. I organized and tracked my findings using Excel workbooks, integrating data from both software programs to maintain accurate records.
I then uploaded the in-service dates, costs, POs, and invoices for each of the fixed assets into Asset Panda, an online asset management system. This enabled me to accurately sort and match the data with the corresponding assets. Finally, I developed an asset-depreciation model in Excel to precisely track the depreciation of these assets. This model allowed us to predict the optimal timing for replacing and selling outdated equipment.
The second project I worked on was a budgeting development project for the rest of the 2024 fiscal year. Budgeting is crucial to maintaining growth and development in a startup in its early stages. I consolidated the monthly balance sheets and income statements from January 1 to July 31 to begin crafting the budget.
From this experience, I became proficient in reading, analyzing, and creating balance sheets, gaining a strong understanding of financial reporting. I honed my skills in Excel, using the program to efficiently account for various expenses on a monthly basis, including tracking prepaid expenses and amortization schedules.
One of the most vital aspects of working in a professional environment is building strong connections with your colleagues, a principle that Nvelop emphasizes as part of its core values. Although I was the only high school student at Nvelop, I had the opportunity to work alongside several Northeastern University students completing co-op programs. I quickly formed friendships with them and enjoyed lunch together almost every day. This made the experience more enjoyable, and I even plan to stay in contact with some of them.
I also learned that some bosses (including mine) love to go for coffee walks. Several times a week, Stephanie and I would walk a few blocks down to the local Starbucks, where she would lecture me on the proper coffee-to-milk ratio.
Lastly, I want to thank Mr. Schlenker, Head of the Rivers Science Internship Program, and Mr. Walsh, CEO of Nvelop Therapeutics, for creating this incredible opportunity. Their support has allowed me to gain invaluable insight into the world of biotech, for which I am truly grateful.
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