Ashley Ellis, MEng ’25, is using her biology and biotech background, along with the Master of Engineering program, to innovate where science meets business.
Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, Ashley Ellis dreamed of becoming a physician.
As a first-generation college student in a physician-scientist training program, she once saw her future in medicine. But even after being admitted to medical school, Ellis realized her path to making a difference lay elsewhere.
“With a husband and young son, I came to see that success in the medical field doesn’t begin and end with an MD or PhD,” she said. “I wanted to play a role in advancing health, but in a way that fit both my skills and my goals.”
A stint as a research specialist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine introduced her to CAR T-cell therapy, and several other roles at small biotech companies showed her the promise of bench-to-bedside research. She understood the science; now she wanted to shift her career and develop the business acumen needed to guide scientific innovation through development.
That’s when she found the Master of Engineering (MEng) program at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME). The program’s Bio- and Immunoengineering track offered her a way to expand beyond the lab bench and gain the commercialization skills needed to influence how discoveries reach patients.
“I wanted to build on the scientific expertise I’d gained while working to marry lab work with business,” she said. “And this degree offered a way for me to pivot my career to do just that.”
Through courses in product commercialization and effective technology management, Ellis learned how to evaluate market viability, scale innovations, and manage technology pipelines.
“The program is so flexible that it allows you to focus on what you’re interested in,” she said. “I wanted to focus on the business implications of science, and the program staff helped me figure out how to do that.”
Ellis even secured an externship at the Chicago Biomedical Consortium, a nonprofit that encourages a research ecosystem within the city. There, she got hands-on experience conducting research on market trends.
“Now I’m better able to say which projects can be scaled up and what that process would look like,” she said. “It’s learning how to bridge science and strategy without having to go to business school.”
Throughout the year-long MEng program, Ellis received support from her fellow students, who all came from different scientific backgrounds but were focused on taking the next step in their careers.
“My cohort is just really brilliant and very helpful,” she said. “We have different goals, but everyone just wants to succeed.”
As part of UChicago PME’s Communication Skills for Industry Program—a 10-week course on how to communicate with different audiences—Ellis took part in a pitch competition, where she won second place for her ability to translate complex research into a compelling business case.
“Even if you want to stay in the lab, you have to be able to pitch your ideas to industry managers,” she said. “This program really pushes you to get comfortable with that.”
Now, she’s on the job search, applying her blend of research experience, advanced training in immunoengineering, and business development expertise to pursue roles in the pharmaceutical industry. “The program really helped me grow in a way that I wanted to,” she said. “I’m excited to help bridge science and strategy, and to make sure life-changing therapies reach the people who need them most.”