“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.