Each year, Syncona welcomes a group of exceptional and ambitious individuals with a scientific background for a six-month fellowship. The Syncona Fellowship is a structured programme that aims to introduce talented young professionals to a career in life science investing. We are running a series to spotlight our recent fellows and this week we sat down with Ellis Kelly to hear about their experience.
Tell us about yourself?
I’m originally Canadian and kicked off my research journey fairly early, starting at the University of Toronto anatomy lab when I was just 15. Since then, I’ve worked in over five labs, including working in Product Development at diagnostic immunology company, competing in the iGEM competition while representing Queen’s University Canada by creating novel proteins and evaluating genetic interactions in rare disease at the University of Toronto.
I then moved on to pursue my PhD at the University of Cambridge in the Genetics Department, where I worked in Dr. Summers' lab focusing on bacterial signalling mechanisms. I also joined BioSpark, where I had the opportunity to serve as a challenge fellow with Syncona. It was an incredible chance to dive into the logistics and strategic planning involved in launching complex and life-changing therapeutics. This experience was truly eye-opening and ultimately paved the way for my Syncona Fellowship.
What attracted you to the Syncona Fellowship?
In academia, you're not always exposed to the full variety of career opportunities and I hadn’t come across venture capital as an option. My experience with the Bio-spark programme at Cambridge opened my eyes to careers outside of academia. I gained insights into the complexity of turning a scientific idea into a viable product that could help people, and that really interested me. This is what attracted me to Syncona – I wanted to stay close to the science but also learn about the intricacies of biotech creation and investment. The Syncona Fellowship provided the perfect opportunity to explore this.
What was it like joining the team?
I felt like part of the investment team as soon as I started. I got launched straight into meetings, discussions and projects, which I think is the best thing for a fellowship like this. You can learn so much from just listening to people around the table, because everyone has been involved in such interesting projects. Everyone at Syncona was incredibly welcoming and was very happy to have a chat about their experience, so I'm very grateful for that.
What are the main things you have worked on?
I had the opportunity to be involved in multiple projects, including contributing to the sourcing and investment process for a new company. I also worked on reimbursement- and regulatory-focused projects, as well as broader portfolio strategy, competitor analysis, and market landscaping in areas such as RNA therapeutics and protein degradation. I was also encouraged to attend conferences and networking events. Additionally, I had the unique opportunity to be a Board Observer for one of Syncona’s portfolio companies, which was an amazing learning experience.
How has it differed from your expectations?
I wasn’t sure how much responsibility I would actually have as a fellow, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was able to contribute. There’s often a perception that internships or fellowships involve a lot of admin work, but that wasn’t the case at all. I was actively involved in decision-making, and my input was genuinely valued. I didn’t expect to feel like such an integral part of the team, but I truly did.
What are your general reflections on your time at Syncona?
The pace of venture capital is so different from academia – it’s incredibly fast-moving and you are exposed to so many different aspects of the biotech world. I was surprised by just how much I was able to learn in six months. Every day brought something new.
What will your key takeaways from the programme be?
The sheer complexity of biotech investment and company creation was a major takeaway for me. Coming from academia, I didn’t fully appreciate the different factors that influence whether a company will succeed, from regulatory and reimbursement strategies to team composition and clinical trial designs.
What are your plans for the future?
I’d love work in venture capital in the future or, at the very least, within the biotech and pharma ecosystem. I’m really excited about the impact I can have here. One of the things that excites me most is seeing groundbreaking scientific research translate into real-world therapies that could change lives. The fellowship provided me with a great foundation, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it leads me next.
