I’m writing to ask for your help as we seek candidates for the second class of the Vertex Fellows program.

Vertex Fellows get to work as part of a team to create transformative medicines for patients with serious diseases, learn about the variety of functions that contribute to getting these medicines to patients, and receive mentorship from senior leaders.  Our goal with the Vertex Fellowship is to attract some of the most talented scientists and physicians to join Vertex for one year of immersive learning about the science of discovering and developing medicines, and, in the process, expose us to innovative ways of thinking. 

The response in our first year was fantastic.  We received 134 high quality applications for a handful of positions.  The 4 Fellows that joined us in September are enthusiastic about how much they are learning and they are already adding value to our teams.  The 2016 Fellows are as follows:

·      Bart Borek, PhD, from the Hasty lab at the BioCircuits Institute at UCSD

·      Alexandra Cantley, PhD, from the Clardy lab at Harvard

·      Kevin Daniel, PhD, from the Langer and Anderson labs at the Koch Institute at MIT

·      Rob Komorowski, PhD, from the Bear lab at the Picower Institute at MIT

Each Fellow gets embedded within an existing project team based on his or her interests and experience and our needs.  In addition, we provide Fellows with a week of intensive training on the science of drug discovery and the business of creating medicines as well as other group training opportunities throughout the year.  The program is intentionally short(one year) so it augments rather than replaces a traditional postdoc, residency or business school experience.   We expect to hire 5 - 7 Fellows across our global sites to start in September 2017.  We will provide career advice and mentorship to help the fellows as they consider options, including open positions at Vertex, toward the end of the program.  

I am asking for your help with identifying potential Fellows who would be excited about such an opportunity. 

Do you know anyone who might be a good fit?  Applications are due by Jan 31.

I'm attaching a 1-page flyer with more information.  I’d be particularly grateful if you would pass this along to any potential Fellows whom you think might be interested.  Please do let me know what questions or feedback you have about the program.   

Thanks for your help,