Jackline Joy Martín Lasola, MD, PhD, ScM ’23, began an MD/PhD program in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at UMB in 2014. During her graduate training, Dr. Lasola was accepted into the 2019-2020 Presidential Entrepreneurial Fellowship (PEF) cohort. She was immediately impressed with the mentorship, partnership with startup companies, and interdisciplinary training the program offered.

Originally from California, Dr. Lasola was drawn to Maryland because she felt it was the best training environment for her career. “With such close proximity to federal agencies, leading academic institutions, and a significant biotech industry, this region is rich with opportunities and scientific collaborations, which I knew would help support my professional growth,” commented Dr. Lasola.

After completing her first two years of medical school didactic instruction, she joined the lab of Eduardo Davila, PhD, in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, in 2016 to research aspects of tumor immunology. During that period, Dr. Davila was active with his startup company, Living Pharma, which was developing a personalized CAR T-cell therapy based on his research program at the University. Dr. Lasola credits Dr. Davila’s mentorship for exposing her the “gritty side” of translational research, helping her understand the elements involved in bridging basic science with drug discovery and development. Notably, he educated her on how regulatory requirements can influence commercialization.

In 2018, Dr. Lasola transitioned to the lab of Ryan Pearson, PhD, in the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy to finish her graduate program. In Dr. Pearson’s lab, she worked with a continued focus on the immunogenicity of biomaterials and immunomodulatory carriers for therapeutics. During this time, she was very active in campus events and networking, eager to become involved in translational training opportunities. The PEF program was just what she was hoping for, offering engagement in real-world projects that she was ready to take on.

While the 2019-2020 PEF cohort had some unexpected challenges with the start of the COVID pandemic, Dr. Lasola and her cohort persevered. Their four-month fellowship project focused on reviewing the investigational new drug strategies of UMB startup, Isoprene, with the objective to identify third-party contract research organizations that had the matching clinical capabilities to support a first-in-human dose and dose escalation study. They successfully presented their research and recommendations to Isoprene’s leadership, shaping the company’s next stages of clinical drug development.

“The PEF program really demystified the bench-to-bedside drug development process, helping us understand some of the challenges involved in connecting academia and industry as well as the complexity and effort required to achieve first-in-human clinical trials,” highlighted Dr. Lasola. “I gained significant appreciation for the entrepreneurs that bridge the gaps and take the risks to translate the research into a commercial product. I also realized that innovation and opportunities can originate from so many different points along the way.”

Following graduation from her doctorate program in 2021 and medical school in 2023, Dr. Lasola returned to California to pursue a residency program at the University of California, San Francisco in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. She is particularly passionate about innovations in maternal-fetal medicine, notably gene delivery platforms, and eventually would like to direct a clinical research program. She remains connected with the PEF mentors and specialized UMB program, truly valuing the impactful relationships and training it has provided in her career.