“As underclassmen, we weren’t satisfied with the extracurriculars available for students interested in the industry side of the life sciences. Integrating our backgrounds in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, BPX was born. Modeled after other professional societies at USC, we envisioned a close-knit, interdisciplinary community of like-minded students who aspired to be leaders, innovators, researchers, and creators in their respective sectors. These ideals were embodied in our core pillars: Cultivation, Connection, and Progression, such that our members would be best prepared for the future with a strong network, professional development, and a project portfolio reflective of their interests. In addition to our focus on professional growth, BPX is also deeply committed to fostering a strong sense of community, creating a space where members can build lasting friendships, collaborate, and enjoy a supportive social environment. Since then, BPX has grown and overtaken the life sciences niche at USC, and we’ve even expanded nationally. BPX has become a community and home for students in biopharma, business, tech, and beyond.” - Kenny Phung and Ky Duong ‘25, founding members of BPX

Meet The Founding Members

Name: Kenneth Phung

Biological Sciences (Biotechnology)

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: Manage a translational space between medicine and the biotech industry

Name: Jake Haviland

Major: Economics

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To work in venture capital, specifically investing in biotech companies.

Name: Ashley Nguyen

Major: Health Promotion and Disease Promotion

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To practice medicine using innovative biotech and technical expertise to change lives while advocating for various public health initiatives

Name: Julia Baerenstecher

Major: Biological sciences (Biotechnology) Minor: AI Applications

Graduation Year: 2026

Career Aspirations: Medical School

Name: Joseph Kim

Major: Quantitative Biology PDP: Applied Data Science

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To break into the industry as a data scientist using various machine learning approaches

Name: Ky Duong

Major: Pharmacology and Drug Development/ PDP: Management of Drug Development

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To enter a career in the preclinical development of small molecule inhibitors and PROTACs, where he’ll utilize his knowledge and passion for toxicology/safety pharmacology to identify and minimize the potential risks associated with targeting the various proteins that are implicated in human disease.

Name: Shannon Uppal

Major: Health and Human Sciences/ Minor: Forensics and Criminality

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To go into the medical field as either a pediatrician or plastic surgeon.

Name: Andre Rodgriues

Major: Physics and Computer Science

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To work on computational methods that simulate or mimic biological and chemical mechanisms for research and development.

Name: Grace Farley

Major: Pharmacology & Drug Development Minor: Dance

Graduation year: 2025

Career plans: To pursue a pharmaceutical masters and accelerate her career in the biotech industry

Name: Rich Qian

Major: Biological Sciences (Biotechnology) Minor: Healthcare Studies

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: To pursue medical school after taking a gap year.