Abe Anderson, PhD, is a Computational Biology Scientific Associate Director in Precision Medicine at Amgen. He is joining QB3-Berkeley’s Professional in Residence (PIR) program in February 2025 and will be leveraging his background to host a virtual program on career development; trainees are invited to register for this PIR program. Anderson spoke with graduate student Leah Keiser about his career path, his work in computational biology, and the skills that have shaped his success in the field.
Leah Keiser: Could you tell us a bit more about your role as a Computational Biology Scientific Associate Director at Amgen and what that entails on a day-to-day basis?
Abe Anderson: I’m a Scientific Associate Director in our Precision Medicine organization. Within Precision Medicine, we have a group called Computational Biology, which is responsible for managing and analyzing exploratory biomarker data that is collected in our clinical trials. Our goal is to discover and validate biomarkers that can be used to determine pharmacodynamic effects of a drug—whether the drug has an effect, how it differs between dose levels, or how it compares to a comparator. We also look for predictive biomarkers that allow us to use a pre-treatment sample to predict how well a patient will respond to a given therapy. This work involves data management, bioinformatics, and statistics.
LK: How did your career path lead you to this role at Amgen? And when did you decide you wanted to work in industry?
AA: Even before graduate school, I was leaning toward industry. To get an industry role with some independence, I knew it would be beneficial to have PhD training, so that was my focus from the beginning.
I started out at a company in agricultural biotech, doing bioinformatics work related to crops—understanding the nutrient-filling process in seeds to improve their nutritional properties. After that, I worked at a company called Diversa, which sequenced microorganisms from various environments, like hot springs, to identify adaptations useful for industrial processes.
While those experiences were valuable, my background is in human biology, and I wanted a career more directly related to helping people. Amgen was one of the bigger companies in Southern California, and I knew they had a Computational Biology group, so I targeted that for my next step. It’s been 19 years now, 20 next December, and I’ve stayed because it’s a great organization with many opportunities. The team I work with is friendly and collaborative, and the size of the company means there’s always something new to learn or work on.
LK: How did your education, skills, and experiences influence your career path? What have you learned along the way?
AA: My education definitely prepared me for work in the biotech field, especially through courses in mathematics, computer programming, databases (which are important, because the whole field is based on databases!), molecular biology, and immunology. Early on, the ability to code and handle everything myself was very helpful in pursuing these scientific questions. However, the field is always changing, so I’ve had to learn a lot on the job.
In academia, I covered certain fields of statistics and probability that are good to know, but other advanced statistical topics that are more common in biostatistics were not covered, so I’ve learned that over time. I have also learned a lot of programming over time. With every new project, I also learn about the biology behind the drug target.
The skills I had in the beginning of my career—database management, statistics, and programming—are fairly generic and transferable. Whether applied to plants or humans, the databases and techniques are similar. For example, if I want to study a specific gene, I’d use the same database but filter it for plants instead of humans. The skills I used in plant biology were very applicable to human biology as well.
LK: Do you have any career accomplishments or projects that stand out?
AA: One project I’m particularly proud of involved discovering a relationship between a serum protein and outcomes for one of our drugs. Amgen saw enough value in the finding to patent it, which was exciting since that’s relatively rare. Along the same lines, I’ve worked on other predictors of response that have been published in journals or are being prepared for publication.
LK: How has your role at Amgen changed over time?
AA: Early on, I worked more independently, creating my own databases and writing my own code for various functions. There was a lot more programming involved back then. Now, as the group has grown, we have dedicated people handling specific roles, like data management. The field has also evolved significantly, with more available software that saves me from having to reinvent the wheel. These days, I work with more people on each project rather than operating independently.
I’ve also taken on a people management role, which involves ensuring my team has a good experience while producing high-quality work. The company itself has also evolved, with changes in departmental structure and new people joining. As a result, my role now involves much more interpersonal interaction than before.
LK: Are there any projects coming up that you are excited about?
AA: Our department is undergoing a restructuring, and we will be looking at precision medicine for inflammation, which is exciting and should lead to some interesting projects. My background in inflammation and immunology makes me particularly interested in seeing this new function grow.
LK: What inspired you to participate in the Professional in Residence program?
AA: I saw it as a great opportunity to share my experiences with students and others considering careers in this field. I have fond memories of my time at both UCSF and UC Berkeley, and I think it’s important to give back and help guide others.
LK: Is there any advice you’d like to share with those considering a similar career path?
AA: The main thing is being flexible and able to adapt to change. Good interpersonal and communication skills are also crucial since the industry is always evolving—whether it’s the direction of the company or its organizational structure.
LK: On a lighter note, what do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
AA: I have a lot of hobbies but not enough time to do them all! At work, we have a pickup soccer group, and I play soccer every Friday. On weekends, I enjoy hiking and mountain biking, along with other outdoor activities.
LK: It sounds like Amgen encourages a lot of social activities.
AA: Yes, we have a soccer field, basketball courts, and other facilities on campus. People also play ultimate frisbee and join basketball leagues, so there’s plenty to do.
LK: I might need to consider applying to Amgen!
AA: Definitely! I would encourage anyone to apply to Amgen! It’s a big company with roles in many fields, including chemical engineering and other types of engineering.
Abe Anderson is a Computational Biology Scientific Associate Director in Precision Medicine at Amgen, where he has worked for 19 years. He has an extensive background in computational biology and biostatistics. Anderson earned his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University and then his PhD in Bioengineering through the UCSF-Berkeley joint program.
Leah Keiser is a PhD candidate in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UC Berkeley in Jay Keasling’s laboratory. Her research involves engineering microorganisms for sustainable chemical production.