Posted On
Topics
Alumni
Profiles
Research
Share
Saleh Alkhalifa 15 brought a unique perspective to 51 when he arrived in 2011. Having lived in Texas, Saudi Arabia, and Austria, he was no stranger to adapting to new environments.
I remember a guest speaker saying, If you cant do the small things right, youll never be able to do the big things right, Saleh recalled.
That perspective would guide him well beyond the chemistry lab. Today, Saleh is a Director of Data Science at the biotechnology company Amgen, where he leads a team solving complex business problems using artificial intelligence, computational models, and automation tools. Along the way, he has carved out a career that sitsquite literallyat the intersection of life science, data science, and computer science.
I think of my career as a Venn diagram, he said. And I sit right in the middle.
From Tattoo Inks to Therapeutics
At Emmanuel, Saleh traded biology for chemistry after taking a general chemistry course with Professor of Chemistry Aren Gerdonone of several faculty members who would become mentors. He dove into undergraduate research, presenting at national American Chemical Society conferences and conducting projects under the guidance of Professors Christine Jaworek-Lopes, Associate Professor of Chemistry; Dr. Faina Ryvkin, then Associate Dean of Natural Sciences and Professor of Chemistry; and Dr. Gerdon.
One early project focused on tattoo inks and dietary supplementsspecifically, the trace metals that might lurk within them. What piqued my interest was the lack of regulation, he said. Are the ingredients what they say they are? It wasnt just about the ink. It was about learning how to ask the right scientific questions.
That mindsetcuriosity married to rigorfollowed him to Amgen, where, early in his career, he found himself conducting quality assurance on vendor materials using the same techniques hed honed as an undergraduate. The ink research wasnt just nicheit laid the foundation for how I think as a scientist, he said.
Data as a Bridge
Saleh went on to earn master degrees in computational chemistry from Villanova University and computer science from Northeastern. The blend of disciplines gave him a unique array of skills: a chemist eye for precision, a data scientist toolkit, and a growing awareness that even the most sophisticated models were useless unless people actually use them effectively.
You can build the most fascinating models, he said, but if theye not actionableif no one knows how to interact with themthey dont matter. That where computer science, and user-centered design, come in.
At Amgen, he advanced quickly from associate scientist to senior manager. In early roles, he combined chemistry and computation, conducting wet-lab experiments while applying data science to scale up the team impact. It allowed me to go from solving one problem at a time to solving many, he said.
One major focus was streamlining the labor-intensive process of FDA interactions. Instead of doing everything automatically, we create tools to help accelerate the process, he explained. The idea was to save time and increase efficiencynot to replace humans but to support them.
He also contributed to small-molecule discovery, filtering and evaluating compounds for therapeutic potential and improving manufacturing processes. Over time, his work expanded from technical problem-solving to broader strategic thinking. I enjoyed the shift from solving narrow problems to broader ones across regulatory, quality, engineering, supply chain and more.
Now, as a Director of Data Science, Saleh leads a team tasked with identifying and solutioning high-impact Generative AI use cases across Amgen. Our mission is to stay science-based while delivering tangible value by accelerating processes, adapting to emerging technologies, and helping the business move faster and smarter.
The shift from molecules to systems has been rewarding. Early in my career, I focused on the small things, he said. Now, Im looking at the big picture. But I couldnt have gotten here without doing the small things first.
He also wrote a book, Machine Learning in Biotechnology and Life Sciences, to help scientists pivot into data science without costly bootcamps or formal degrees. It the book I wish I had when I was making that leap, he said. Everything is open-source. The code is online. I wanted to demystify the path.