Toby Freedman

Toby Freedman is an author and Founder/President of Synapsis Search. A scientist by training, she transitioned into business as a recruiter, writer, and entrepreneur. Her book Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development was published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press and provides a comprehensive overview of the many careers in the life sciences industry. Her book covers over 20 vocational areas ranging from venture capital to marketing to discovery research. She founded her own recruiting firm, Synapsis Search, which is focused on executive R&D and business placements in the life sciences industry. She previously worked at BioQuest, an executive search firm, placing VP to CEO-level executives, and as Director of Business Development at SLIL Biomedical, a drug discovery company developing therapeutics for cancer and other diseases. She earned a Ph.D. in molecular biology from UNC Chapel Hill, a B.S. from the University of California, and as an NIH Fellow, conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard University and at the University of Texas-Austin.

Toby is the Program Chair for the BioScience Forum, a non-profit educational forum serving the Bay Area biotechnology community and also teaches classes in career development for the life sciences at UC Berkeley extension.