Member SpotlightsBIOENTREPRENEUR SERIES An Internet Visionary: Providing Access to Life Science Resources Online Guy Orgambide, Ph.D., Founder of SciCentral  When Guy Orgambide was pursuing his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Toulouse in France, he had no idea that in just a few years he would be an entrepreneur and consultant in North Carolina. Science, in general, appealed to Dr. Orgambide because he is “fascinated with the accuracy, precision and rigor the scientific process entails.” What satisfies him the most about his current career, which intersects the worlds of science and business, is the ability to “propagate discovery beyond the walls of institutional science.” His fascination with sharing insights from the discovery process grew out of his work at the University of Toulouse.In graduate school, Dr. Orgambide worked on characterizing the exopolysaccharides of Pseudomonas solanacearum, which is a plant pathogen, in the hope of modifying its host specificity. Through his research, he became well grounded in the intricacies of microbiology. This solid foundation allowed him to secure a postdoctoral fellowship in the lab of one of his thesis advisors, Dr. Frank Dazzo, who was at Michigan State University (MSU). Upon reflection, Dr. Orgambide believes that the 3.5 years he spent at MSU were among the best years of his adult life. He found the lab both dynamic and stimulating and enjoyed the challenges and culture of campus life. His research project at MSU involved studying the glycoconjugates of Rhizobium trifolii, symbiotic bacteria that provide legumes with the ability to capture atmospheric nitrogen. The lab was interested in extending the host range of the bacterium in order to reduce the need for nitrogen-based fertilizers. After completing his fellowship, Dr. Orgambide hoped to remain at the university, but unfortunately there were no tenure track openings available. He therefore accepted a position at Novo Nordisk Entotech, a company located in Davis, California, that specialized in the development of biopesticides. After being with the company for one year, the company’s corporate headquarters decided to close the Davis research and development facility, and Dr. Orgambide elected to return to the Dazzo lab at MSU. He worked in the lab part-time and devoted his remaining time to his newfound passion, the Internet. He became proficient in its early technology, experimenting with HTML coding and Web services, and provided Internet consulting services. In 1995, he launched, MediBlue, which was a directory of the best medical resources on the Internet and a precursor to SciCentral. MediBlue was cited in COR Health’s, “Healthcare Guide to the Internet. The site was eventually discontinued as its resources were merged under the SciCentral project.” Dr. Orgambide considered his experience with MediBlue to be akin to “riding a bike with training wheels” and was soon eager to try a more ambitious venture. He became excited about the possibility of immersing himself into the “Internet revolution” fulltime and moved to Washington DC to create SciCentral with a former colleague from MSU, Dr. Robert Uffen and his wife Ellen. In June 1997, SciCentral was formally launched and right from the beginning attracted a lot of users. Its early success can be attributed to the fact that at that point in time there were not many science portals on the Internet. From early on, SciCentral established its credibility as a prime gateway to scientific based resources and information. The site was essentially managed as a service to the scientific community, although it did accept advertising revenues, which helped fund the site’s operations. In December 1999, SciQuest – a provider of scientific procurement solutions – acquired SciCentral and the founders were able to see their investments of time, creativity and hard work validated. Dr. Orgambide has moved on to other opportunities, but the lessons learned from his first entrepreneurial venture still guide him today. He has come to appreciate that a scientist’s attention to detail and thoroughness can sometimes be liabilities when dealing with the business community because they can lead to unwanted delays. He found that it is important to move away from abstract thinking when translating ideas into actions in the business circles. He knows the importance of focusing on how novel an idea is, whether there is a market for it and how competitive the market is for it. He advises first time entrepreneurs to not get bogged down with the administrative, legal, and financial aspects of a business and instead partner with people who are expert in these areas. “Don’t try to do everything,” he advises, “I have come to really appreciate the know-how and guidance of my business friends when it comes to dealing with tricky issues.” When not working on generating new business ideas, Dr. Orgambide is teaching himself new software applications. His latest passion is three-dimensional design programs and is fed primarily by an interest in virtual reality applications. He is an avid reader and appreciates music and theater. He highly recommends James Lovelock’s book, “Life of an Independent Scientist” for people considering becoming bioentrepreneurs, as it provides a excellent illustration of the inventor spirit that drives most scientists. Dr. Orgambide loves to spend time outdoors and each year travels back to his family’s vineyard in France where he assists in the grape harvest. ### << Previous Next >> [ View All Member Spotlights ] |
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