Jieming Chen, PhD, has found his full-circle moment. The Yale Computational Biology and Biomedical informatics (CBB) alumnus now works at Xaira Therapeutics, an AI-driven biotech company. His interdisciplinary training at Yale directly informs his work in AI-powered drug development. Chen shares his journey from New Haven to the forefront of computational therapeutics.
Q+A
Where Are They Now : Jieming Chen
Highlighting Yale Computational Biology and Biomedical Informatics Alumni
Where are you now and what do you enjoy most about what you do?
I am at Xaira Biotherapeutics, an AI-native startup that leverages AI for drug development. I enjoy learning about and applying cutting-edge technologies to enable AI for drug discovery and development.
Looking back, what made Yale the right choice for you?
Choosing Yale was always been about the people and experience. At Yale, I met some of the most brilliant friends and mentors. Also, being part of Yale’s Program in Physics, Engineering, and Biology opened my mind to embrace being at intersections, e.g. how to do it and how to be comfortable in it.
How did Yale Computational Biology and Biomedical Informatics prepare you for your current role?
At Yale, I was jointly advised by two labs in protein design and high-throughput functional genomics. The latter led me to translating basic research to drug development. The current role brought all the elements back together for me. It feels like a full circle.
Would you share a memorable quote or lesson learned?
This comes from my current manager regarding my first startup experience: “Be comfortable with ambiguities.” It resonated with me because it can be applied to not only in work, but also in life like fatherhood.
Do you have any advice for current CBB students?
Learn as much as you can and network extensively now – you’ll need them both later.