Dr. Andrew Shilling, Team Lead for Analytical Method Development and Validations at Avanti Polar Lipids, will share about the transition from academic research into industry.  Dr. Shilling describes that the cultural shift from research to industry can seem like a daunting for a young scientist; but pursuing this career path after graduate school can be rewarding in many ways. During his time as a graduate student at the University of South Florida, he was fortunate to study marine chemical ecology and natural product drug discovery in Antarctica. This work centered on comparative metabolomic analysis and isolation and structural elucidation of the secondary metabolites of algae, sponges, and tunicates. Upon graduation, Dr. Shilling began a career as an analytical chemist at Avanti Polar Lipids, a world leader in development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical grade lipids and lipid formulations. Not long after, the company’s mission took on a whole new significance as our lipids were utilized in the innovative Lipid Nano Particle (LNP) delivery system for the Pfizer/Biotech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and we were thrust into the center of rapid vaccine development to meet the demand of an unprecedented global pandemic.