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Owner and Principal Scientist
Parimer Scientific
Clemson B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 2010
Clemson PhD BioEngineering, 2014
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What role do you play in the entrepreneurial ecosystem?
I started Parimer Scientific as an entrepreneur in 2018 to create a vehicle to support innovation and product launches from both fellow entrepreneurs and large industries alike. These have included supporting bamboo horticulturalists in their hybridization programs and public pharma companies launching new chemotherapeutics. Some product launches have been from bachelor student's CI programs while others have been from professors and a decade of research.
What are some of your best memories of your time at Clemson?
I have powerful memories of my undergraduate time at Clemson. My coursework at Clemson ensured I was a capable scientist and engineer; however, my involvement in Clemson's Greek life kept me grounded. Greek life also helped me develop and hone leadership traits that would prove valuable as a manager of a dynamic entrepreneurial team. I am not sure I can pick a single memory. I remember spending hundreds of hours in both Earle Hall and Cooper Library in study groups as we attempted to stay on top of our course load; however, the celebrations and social events with this same group of friends were all the better having collectively suffered from the ruminations of mathematicians and chemists from centuries ago.
What were the key inflection points in your career after you left Clemson?
After my 4 years of undergrad, I spent 4 more years in the lab of Rhodes Hall performing experiments, publishing papers, and attending conferences. I took a position at the French National Institute of Health (INSERM) for a couple of years and continued to experiment, publish, and attend conferences. The most notable conference was in Nantes, France where the keynote speaker won the Nobel Prize in medicine a few years later for the work he was discussing at the conference. I returned to the US and continued breast cancer research with more experiments and more papers. I then switched gears and took an industry job in chemical manufacturing where I gathered a healthy appreciation for blue-collar manufacturing. The last major inflection point was the decision to strike out on my own. Since starting Parimer, every new client and contract feels like a key inflection point as we continue to grow, hire, and adapt.
What are your personal and professional dreams?
Personally, I have already met most of my dreams. I have traveled the world, lived abroad, learned a second language, gotten married, had 3 kids, bought a house, and started a business. At this point, my personal goals now are to enjoy life and spend time with my family. As an entrepreneur, it is also generally hard to separate personal from professional as they are intertwined.
Professionally, I have large dreams. I would like to solve major issues I see in our pharmaceutical development industry in the United States. I would like to help patients who do not have options for treatment. I would like to get new projects to market quickly rather than spending decades in developmental purgatory. I would like to provide additional opportunities for talented scientists here in South Carolina and help build an innovation ecosystem rather than the existing toll manufacturing ecosystem.
What would you recommend students do to maximize their remaining time at Clemson?
Getting involved in a social group or activity such as Greek life or other group organization is incredibly important. It helps relieve the stress and tension from coursework but more importantly, it helps develop soft skills and team dynamic skills. You may also find lifelong friends that you will spend decades with after graduation.
What else should we know about you?
I am not sure there is much more to tell! I can add that I married my Clemson sweetheart with whom we had triplets. If you are a biomedical researcher in need of advice and guidance, I am more than happy to have a conversation and provide any insight I may have.
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