Dr. Mike Hamill leads the Research division at Axcella including the Discovery, Protein Sciences and Preclinical Development teams. He joined Axcella in 2011 as part of the founding scientific team and is co-inventor on several key patents. Prior to joining the team, Dr. Hamill was a scientist at Virdante Pharmaceuticals, a scientist at Scynexis (NASDAQ: SCYX) and a post-doctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. He received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Boston University and a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Gettysburg College.
Q&A with Mike
What drew you to Axcella?
The opportunity to work on a truly novel technology with brilliant people, and then turn that idea into a product that helps people.
Your greatest non-professional accomplishment?
Becoming a father.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a pilot in the Armed Services. I was inspired by my grandfather, who served in the army in WWII and then in the Foreign Service.
Favorite guilty pleasure television show?
Project Runway. I watch with my wife and girls, and enjoy the creative process and the contestants’ ability to adapt to uncomfortable challenges.
Style you wish would come back into fashion?
Sweatpants were really popular in my 3rd grade class.