Maximiliaan “Maxim” Schillebeeckx is a founding member of The Biotechnology and Life Science Advising Group (BALSA), a nonprofit led by Washington University graduate students and postdoctoral students. BALSA provides consulting to local biotechnology firms and life science startup companies, among other services.
BALSA’s mission includes facilitating collaboration between local businesses and the university’s researchers and students. The organization has received national recognition for its unique mission and is helping scientists at other universities establish similar initiatives.
Schillebeeckx also is working to establish The BALSA Group Foundation, a philanthropic arm with the aim of awarding small grants to budding entrepreneurs in St. Louis.
He will receive a doctorate in molecular genetics and genomics from the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences. In addition to his work with BALSA, Schillebeeckx is planning his own venture, translating scientific discovery into novel therapies and treatments for neglected diseases.
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