In the past few years the news around biology has been getting more exciting and frequent, between CRISPR and biotech firms working on niche drugs. I'm really interested in learning more about the skills needed to start a biotech company, but I'm lacking the masters degree in biology. What skills are actually needed to get into the field and does anyone know any good resources to learn them?
Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
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Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#2Not mine but a useful link. Bioinformatics may not be exactly what you are looking for but its a nice bridge between software and biology.
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#3Learn biochemistry not biology
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#4If you're interested in genetic engineering/CRISPR, check out the following book: Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee. He does a fantastic job of layman's writing on science, his other book on Cancer is fascinating and extremely well written, that one is called "Emperor of Maladies". I'd highly recommend both, but don't expect ANY other writing on bio to be that engaging :)
https://www.amazon.com/Gene-Intimate-History-Siddhartha-Mukh...
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#5I transitioned into cancer immunotherapy research after Computer Science grad school. Biology is a mess and it will take several years to get up to speed on any one research area. The best options are either grad school or finding a job which doesn't initially require a lot of bio background but provides the opportunity to learn. It's also worth checking out local biohacker spaces, they can teach some basic techniques but you'll hit a ceiling quickly. To really "start a biotech company" you'll really need to spend a long time outside your comfort zone.
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#6Your best bet is probably to look for a co-founder with an MS or PHD in molecular biology rather than trying to get yourself to that level from the ground up. If you have some biology background and just want to understand the specifics of Crispr, you can start with this paper[0] and just google every term you aren't familiar with until you make it all the way through. If you don't know biology at all, this[1] is a common text book in undergrad programs for molecular/cellular biology.
[0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23287718
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biology-Cell-Bruce-Alberts/...
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#7Go find a biotech company hiring software engineers where the biochemists are in the same room/ building. Get a job there. Get to know biochemists and ask them about their work and work problems, listen to their talks, read a lot. Get mentored by a PhD in the field at the company.
When a new biotech product team is getting formed get yourself on the project.
Whatever you do, don’t compete with biologists.... there’s just too many of them and the lab skills are valuable but in abundant supply.
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#8I'm in my 5th year of a chemical biology PhD and I'm looking to potentially move into computer science/data science (been programming for 15 years) after I graduate. Maybe we can just switch? I work with CRISPR for my project.
In all seriousness, you are going to need a PhD if you want to truly understand all of the background of the field. Human biology/biochemistry is just about the most complex thing humans have ever studied. It would surely be easier to just find people with the requisite skill sets.
Even if you just want to start a company, I feel that it would be really hard to pick out a scientific direction/what your company is going to do, without a rigorous scientific background
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#9There are two areas where you can jump in more easily with a CS/software background. Many companies are building informatics/analysis pipelines. That’s likely closer to what you know and you can pick up enough biology along the way.
Alternatively there’s a lot of algorithm/classifier development you could jump into.
It’s usually easier going the other way though. Biology is a complex beast.
Re: Ask HN: Getting started in biology with a software background
#10I'm in my 5th year of a chemical biology PhD and I'm looking to potentially move into computer science/data science (been programming for 15 years) after I graduate. Maybe we can just switch? I work with CRISPR for my project. In all seriousness, you are going to need a PhD if you want to truly understand all of the background of the field. Human biology/biochemistry is just about the most complex thing humans have e…
+1 for this is a PhD level thing. The science and technology is not at the sort of commodity level where you do a masters and you're done really. A good approach is to just get in the face of a lot of lab people working on new tech/IP who could really use software support for what they are doing in an area of trial and error that could otherwise scale. But if you are thinking biotech with lab, you need huge seed investment to begin with for the lab, unless you are spinning out of academia.