From Pipettes to Python: How to Break Into Computational Biology

Most bench scientists think breaking into computational biology means going back to school. Dean Lee proves otherwise. Dean went from neuroscience PhD student at Harvard to Principal Computational Biologist at Novartis by teaching himself to analyze scRNA-seq data in stolen scraps of time alongside his bench job, and now he helps thousands of scientists make the same move through his online community Dean's List.

In this episode, Dean and Carina break down exactly what it takes to build real computational biology credibility without another degree, without quitting your job, and without waiting for someone to hand you permission.

You'll learn:

Why Coursera certificates don't move hiring managers and what actually doesHow to find public biological data and build your first comp bio project this weekThe reproducibility strategy: why re-analyzing a published Nature paper is an industry skill and your best portfolio move at the same timeHow to pitch yourself as a funded intern through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to break into small biotech startupsThe state of entry-level comp bio hiring in 2026 and where the openings actually areHow to frame volunteer work and self-directed projects on your resume so hiring managers take them seriously

Whether you've been thinking about this pivot for years or you're just starting to wonder if it's possible, this conversation gives you the roadmap.

RNA-Seq and ScRNA-Seq CoursesHow to become a computational biologist in a year The Big Challenge... With Dean LeeDean's ListLink In with Dean!

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