Heather is the principal research investigator at Integrated Diagnostics, a biotechnology startup company that is developing alternative protein capture agents that allow for greater precision in the development of in vitro diagnostics. After graduating Penn State in 2003, Heather received the Gates Scholarship to continue her research in the UK and earn her Masters from University of Cambridge. Her award-winning PhD thesis on protein capture-agents was unanimously heralded and led to her current position where she continues her research.
Transcript
>> My name is Heather Agnew and I'm a Principal Research Investigator at the Biotech Startup Company Integrated Diagnostics. PCC is a Protein Catalyzed Capture Agent. And what that is, is it's a molecule that is much like a peptide but it displays a very, very excellent binding properties much like an antibody would that's used in clinical diagnostics. But then they also offer their own unique qualities which allow us to explore possibilities in In-Vitro diagnostic detection, In-Vivo diagnostic detection and even therapeutic applications. Also they could be possible thought of as imaging agents to detect tumors in body. I do quite a few different things on a daily basis. The life in a startup company is it's very interesting. There are new challenges that come everyday. I do experiments at the bench, I'm involved in managing subordinates and I'm also involved in interacting with the founders and board members of the company. It's not a nine to five, the life in a startup company is not going to be a nine to five. I work quite a few hours a day but I'm really passionate about what I do. This PCC technology that they were working on pursuing is something that I had originated as a graduate student at Caltech when I was working with Professor Jim Heath. And it's something that I'm so passionate about seeing taking to next level that I like to put in the long hours, because what I put in is directly related to the results that I get out.
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