As he crossed the stage this May to receive his Master of Business and Science in Biotechnology (MBS) from Keck Graduate Institute (黑料吃瓜网), Andr茅 Yarcan was already preparing for his next leap 鈥� into industry, and into impact.
In his final year at 黑料吃瓜网, Yarcan joined a team supporting BioMark Oncology through the Nucleate Activator Program. Together, they earned the MilliporeSigma High Impact Award at Nucleate LA鈥檚 live pitch competition, which capped off the multi-month accelerator. The award recognized the startup with the greatest potential to drive meaningful change in healthcare.
BioMark aims to expand treatment options for late-stage cancer patients with solid tumor indications who are currently ineligible for existing precision oncology treatments and lack the specific genetic mutations many targeted therapies are designed to inhibit 鈥� a population that represents roughly 60% of all patients.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a large group who are currently ineligible for existing precision oncology treatments,鈥� Yarcan, 鈥�25 MBS, said. 鈥淥ften, their only option is chemotherapy.鈥�
BioMark鈥檚 lead candidate is a small molecule drug that targets cancer via a more holistic biological pathway rather than a single mutation such as VEGF or EGFR. Crucially, the drug is designed to cross the blood-brain barrier 鈥� an essential feature for treating cancers that spread to the brain.
The platform also uses blood-based biomarkers to assess therapeutic response, allowing researchers to track whether the drug is working even in the absence of well-characterized mutations.
鈥淩ight now, we鈥檙e focused on non-small cell lung cancer patients who鈥檝e either failed prior treatments or don鈥檛 have the driver mutation,鈥� Yarcan said. 鈥淏ut the drug鈥檚 versatility gives it potential across other cancer types as well.鈥�
Through the Nucleate program, the BioMark team refined its business model and go-to-market strategy. Yarcan played a central role in that process, leading investor outreach, streamlining communications, and building systems to monitor engagement.
鈥淚t was a hands-on crash course in startup life,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e constantly switching hats, whether it鈥檚 developing the pitch deck or defining your value proposition. It really pushed me to think strategically.鈥�
BioMark鈥檚 founder, Kayte Edson, had spent years researching the molecule before joining Nucleate to find collaborators who could help bring it to market. Yarcan teamed up with Rohan Chengappa, a UCLA MBA student, and medical resident Christopher Rood to round out the team.
The experience reminded Yarcan of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Team Master鈥檚 Project (TMP), but with a broader, less defined scope.
鈥淲ith the TMP, you鈥檙e usually tackling a specific problem for an established company,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith a startup, you鈥檙e helping shape everything from the ground up. There鈥檚 more ambiguity, but also more freedom.鈥�
That sense of purpose has stuck with him. Yarcan has since joined Genentech as an associate customer marketing manager in hematology, where he鈥檒l be supporting the development of materials for healthcare providers and payers.
Yarcan credits 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 interdisciplinary MBS curriculum for equipping him to navigate a range of environments鈥攆rom supporting early-stage startups like BioMark to contributing at a large company like Genentech.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e learning the science, but also how to communicate value, build strategy, and understand regulation,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat hybrid lens helped me see where BioMark fit in the industry and how to explain that to potential investors.鈥�
He especially appreciated courses like Medical Diagnostics, taught by Angelika Niemz, which helped him build a strong foundation in pitching and strategic planning, and Maxim Polonsky's analytics course, which prepared him for the data-driven world of marketing.
鈥淎ndr茅's accomplishments are well deserved 鈥� driven by his enthusiasm, eagerness to learn, proactive mindset, and strong work ethic,鈥� Polonsky said. 鈥淚n my Market Analytics class, which simulates a cutting-edge analytics firm using real-life datasets, students are evaluated on both individual performance and group collaboration. Andr茅 excelled in both areas. His individual work consistently ranked among the best in the class, and his peers repeatedly recognized him as the top contributor on his team, reflecting his leadership and collaborative spirit. On a lighter note, Andr茅 has beaten me at ping-pong, which is a telling example of his focus, determination, and competitive edge.鈥�
Whether working at a biotech startup or a global pharmaceutical company, Yarcan sees his future at the intersection of science and business.
鈥淭here鈥檚 still a gap between those two worlds,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 exactly where the MBS program trains you to thrive.鈥�