The Office of Career Strategy (OCS) had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Thihan Padukkavidana (’11 PhD, Cell Biology) as part of its PhD Pathways series, which highlights the diverse and impactful careers pursued by Yale PhD alumni. Dr. Padukkavidana, former Senior Director of Medical Affairs at Takeda Oncology and now Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Viridian Therapeutics, Inc., shared an inspiring journey that traced his evolution from neuroscience research at Yale to leadership roles in medical affairs – and now to an exciting new chapter advancing treatments for autoimmune and rare diseases. Reflecting on his time in Stephen Strittmatter’s lab, where he explored the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and ALS, Dr. Padukkavidana illustrated how a strong foundation in translational research can open doors beyond academia. Even during his graduate training, he began shaping his professional identity by interning at Bristol Myers Squibb, co-founding the Career Network for Science PhDs at Yale (CNSPY) to bridge the gap between academia and industry, and later complementing a short postdoctoral role with an internship in medical communications.
His transition into industry began at a small biotech, Ariad, where he contributed to scientific publications, IND/NDA preparation, and investigator-sponsored studies. From there, he moved into field-based medical science liaison (MSL) roles across New England, ultimately advancing to Senior MSL before Takeda’s acquisition of Ariad. At Takeda Oncology, he led key medical-affairs initiatives, including product relaunches and evidence-generation efforts, showcasing how medical affairs serves as a bridge between research and commercial operations. Now, as he embarks on building medical-affairs capabilities at a rare-disease biotech, Dr. Padukkavidana continues to exemplify scientific leadership grounded in patient-centered purpose.
To help students navigate their own career journeys, Dr. Padukkavidana outlined four main divisions of roles in biotech and pharma:
- R&D (Research & Development) – Includes discovery, translational science, clinical development, biomarker research, and data science.
- Medical Affairs – Focuses on evidence generation, publications, medical education, and scientific exchange between research and commercial teams.
- Commercial – Encompasses marketing, market access, and sales, all conducted within strict regulatory boundaries.
- Enabling/Support Functions – Covers compliance, regulatory affairs, operations, project management, and other roles that keep organizations running smoothly.
Across all areas, he encouraged students to:
- Communicate clearly and adaptively, tailoring messages to different audiences.
- Know themselves – Identify what energizes and motivates them.
- Keep patients at the center of every decision.
- Learn to influence without authority and take smart, thoughtful risks.
Dr. Padukkavidana also spoke candidly about the realities of industry life. Mergers and acquisitions are common, and no position is fully stable, so maintaining a strong professional network and financial cushion is key. When asked about breaking into industry without direct experience, he advised students to seek internships or short projects, publish actively, and connect with people—since opportunities often arise through relationships rather than résumés alone. For those interested in MSL roles, he recommended mastering the art of concise, data-driven storytelling that captures attention in just 15 minutes.
Ultimately, the event underscored a message that resonated deeply with attendees: career paths in biotech and pharma are rarely linear, but with curiosity, humility, and a commitment to patients and people, PhDs can thrive in meaningful, impactful ways beyond the lab.
To learn more about our PhD Pathways series and other annual programming offered by OCS, please visit our programming overview here.
