Accelerating Medicine

Speed saves lives in Sagar Anantatmula’s world.  

Anantatmula (MBP ‘14) is a research scientist focused on automation at Evozyne, a biotechnology company pursuing the discovery and development of new proteins to help solve some of the most vexing problems hampering human health.

He focuses on using the power of lab automation to accelerate the timeline and reduce the cost of that pursuit — without risking safety or efficacy. To do that, Anantatmula uses the lessons and skills he learned in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Biotechnology Program (MBP).

“MBP was appealing to me because the program provided opportunities to work an internship while you were in the middle of obtaining your degree,” he said. “It allowed me to graduate with industry experience and made me a more appealing candidate when I was applying to jobs after graduation.”

That industry experience came at Exicure, a biotech company focused on treatments for cancer, neurological disorders and hair loss. Anantatmula started as a commercial development intern and began working there full time immediately after graduation. He spent the next eight years working there as a researcher in the bioassays group before leaving for Evozyne in March 2022.  

“I consider my time at Exicure as the perfect launch pad for my career in biotechnology,” he said. “It provided me an opportunity to learn how to function in a dynamic, high-paced work environment and provided me opportunities to work on communication and public speaking, which are now some of my stronger assets.”

MBP helped him hone another skill vital to his career: Time management. He said the fast pace of the program forced him to prioritize assignments, projects, and research to squeeze the most out of the available time.

He employs those skills at Evozyne.

“I prioritize tasks based on importance and deadlines, utilizing scheduling software, self-imposed deadlines, and task breakdowns,” he said. “This approach ensures efficient time allocation, organization, and high productivity, enabling me to meet deadlines effectively.”

Anantatmula worked with Evozyne as a senior research associate in automation for nearly two years before switching to his current research scientist role in January. His main job now is collaborating with project teams and delivering automated solutions that accelerate their studies.

The transition to the role has Anantatmula looking forward to new opportunities for further professional growth — and to make a difference. 

“The exciting part of the work I am doing is the impact that I can make on the day-to-day science functions of a cutting edge biotechnology company,” he said. “Hopefully this leads to a positive impact on human life.”