Career Trajectories | The Science of Start-Ups with Stefan Lukianov, M.S. (Sponsored by Benchling)

Salve Therapeutics Founder and CEO Stefan Lukianov, M.S., joins us to share his intriguing journey from childhood aspirations to his current role in the biotech startup scene!The episode starts with a lighthearted exploration of Stefan's childhood dreams, from wanting to be an archaeologist to briefly considering a career as a disc jockey. However, science remained a consistent interest, sparked by a memorable G.I. Joe episode that introduced him to the world of DNA.Stefan shares insights into the unique dynamics of managing people in a startup environment, highlighting the challenges of enforcing accountability and setting job roles. He reflects on the self-selection process within the team, where those aligned with the venture's vision naturally emerged as active contributors.Full Transcript Available on BuzzsproutOur Sponsor for this EpisodeBenchling creates the software that powers the biotechnology industry. More than 200,000 scientists at over 1,200 companies globally —  from cutting-edge start-ups to 20+ of the 50 largest global biopharma — rely on the Benchling R&D Cloud as their central source of truth for scientific data, analysis, and collaboration. Benchling is on a mission to accelerate scientific progress through advanced software that's purpose-built for biology.To learn more,  visit: Benchling.comTake our SurveyWe want to hear from YOU to ensure that we keep providing valuable content that reflects what our listeners and the SLAS community are interested in! Take our brief surveyStay connected with SLASOnline at www.slas.orgFacebookTwitter @SLAS_OrgLinkedInInstagram @slas_orgYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming Events:SLAS Meet-UpsLeiden, Netherlands (10 September 2026)Tübingen, Germany (20 October 2026)SLAS 2026 Sample Management Symposium (October 21-22, 2026 | South San Francisco, California)SLAS2027 International Conference & Exhibition (January 30 - February 3, 2027 | San Diego, California)View the full events calendar