Healthcare Business Society: Healthcare Research Director

Dear members of Healthcare Business Society,

Hi! My name is Emily Chen and I’m currently a second-year Biological Sciences student running for Healthcare Research Director at UCL HBS. 

Over the past year in HBS, I’ve developed a strong interest in the intersection of healthcare and business, and I’m passionate about helping students explore careers that bridge science, innovation, and investment.

Through interning at UCL’s Computational Biophysics Lab, I developed strong dry-lab analytical skills and gained insight into translational research, strengthening my scientific foundation. On the business side, as a Market Researcher at UCL’s MSD Investment Group and a BD Intern at Orintent Business Consulting, I built experience in market analysis, strategic thinking, and structured problem-solving, including authoring two reports on AI in healthcare. Alongside this, as Secretary General of UCL’s Chinese Drama Group, I have developed leadership and organisational skills which are essential for leading a student community.

If elected, I aim to deliver clear, data-driven healthcare research and create valuable insights for members interested in healthcare careers.

Thank you for your support!

I’m running for Treasurer because the role brings together two of my main interests: healthcare and business. I’m particularly interested in the business side of healthcare, where scientific innovation meets real-world impact, and being part of HBS this year has made me even more excited to contribute to the society’s growth.

In its first year, HBS has already hosted insightful speaker panels, careers evenings and workshops. As Treasurer, I’d love to help build the financial foundations that match that ambition so the society can keep expanding. A key part of that is keeping the society’s finances organised and making the most of our funding to create even more opportunities for members. This would involve setting up clear budgeting systems, exploring UCL Students’ Union grants that HBS could be eligible for as a growing society, and helping structure sponsorship opportunities so companies can support HBS events while engaging meaningfully with members.

Working closely with the Client Relations team, I’d also aim to turn speaker connections into longer-term partnerships and practical opportunities for members, such as CV workshops and careers sessions with real HR teams. Alongside the rest of the committee, I’m be excited to help HBS continue growing while creating valuable opportunities for its members.

I'm very interested in how the pharmaceutical industry will overcome the looming patent cliff in 2027-2029. Many blockbuster drugs' patents are expiring within this period and the industry is expected to lose hundreds of billions of dollars. In order to survive this with as little impact as possible, companies must acquire smaller biotech firms which have synergistic properties in relation to their capabilties. This position will allow me to perform in depth research in a team of 3-4 others exchanging knowledge and experience in the industry. Inrecdibly useful for my goal in being an regulatory affairs placement student.

I'm an ambassador for OBN, an organisation that connects life science start-ups with other start ups and pharmaceutical companies for networking and investor opportunities. My role is to attend their events and network with other ambassadors and the industry professionals. It provides unparalleled knowledge into so many aspects of the industry, from law, to venture capital. I want to use what I've learnt and publish reports based on this. I've been to the EY and BDO office for various talks to do with advancements in the industry. My favourite was at EY, when a partner spoke about how AI-based start-ups were being funded over others, because of the hype surrounding it. Times are changing and so are priorities. There are many events that OBN has involving AI and I excited to attend them and learn more.

I also recieved a grade 8 in English Language and a 7 in lit