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HEOR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2025-2027
About Genentech
Considered the founder of the industry, Genentech, now a member of the Roche Group, has been delivering on the promise of biotechnology for over 45 years.
Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions. We are among the world’s leading biotech companies, with multiple products on the market and a promising development pipeline.
Our Purpose
We believe it’s urgent to deliver medical solutions right now – even as we develop innovations for the future. We are passionate about transforming patients’ lives. We are courageous in both decision and action. And we believe that good business means a better world.
That is why we come to work each day. We commit ourselves to scientific rigor, unassailable ethics, and access to medical innovations for all. We do this today to build a better tomorrow.
We are proud of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. We are many, working as one across functions, across companies, and across the world.
About The University of Washington
The University of Washington is a world-class leader in health sciences education and has been consistently listed in US News and World Report as one of the top 10 institutions for its graduate programs. The University is particularly noted for its strong research programs and since 1974 has received more federal funds for research and training than any other public university in the United States. It fosters a highly collegial atmosphere between departments and academic units, creating a particularly attractive environment for such partnerships between the public and private sectors.
The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy & Economics (CHOICE) Institute is housed within the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, which boasts nearly 125 years of academic and research success. Faculty in the program (1) provide advanced research training for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and clinicians (PharmDs, MDs); (2) conduct rigorous scientific research in economic evaluations and outcomes of pharmaceuticals and other health technologies, and (3) translate and disseminate the results of research into clinical practice and healthcare policy, with the goal of improving patient care.
CHOICE faculty participating in the fellowship have been chosen both for their dedication to teaching and their excellence in research. Each is trained either as a health economist or health services researcher and all have an extensive history of effective economic evaluations and pharmacoepidemiologic research.
University of Washington HEOR Fellowship Faculty
Aasthaa Bansal, PhD
Associate Professor
Douglas Barthold, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, CHOICE Faculty Fellow
Anirban Basu, PhD
Stergachis Family Endowed Director & Professor of Health Economics
Josh Carlson, MPH, PhD
Professor
Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD, FASHP
Professor Emeritus
Louis P. Garrison, Jr., PhD
Professor Emeritus
Ryan Hansen, PhD, PharmD
Associate Professor & Interim Chair, Department of Pharmacy
Kyu Eun Lee, PhD
Assistant Professor
Jing Li, MA, PhD
Assistant Professor
Sean D. Sullivan, BPharm, PhD
Professor
David L. Veenstra, PharmD, PhD
Professor
A full list of CHOICE Core Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, and Staff can be found here: https://sop.washington.edu/choice/who-we-are/faculty-staff/
A full list of CHOICE Affiliate Faculty can be found here: https://sop.washington.edu/choice/who-we-are/faculty-staff/affiliate-faculty/
Aasthaa Bansal, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy & Economics (CHOICE) Institute
University of Washington
abansal@uw.edu
David Veenstra, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Professor
The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy & Economics (CHOICE) Institute
University of Washington
veenstra@uw.edu
Carolina Reyes, PhD
Senior Director, Policy, Evidence and Access Strategy
Genentech
reyes.carolina@gene.com
Elmor D. Pineda, PharmD, RPh, MS
Senior Health Economist
Genentech
pineda.elmor@gene.com
Sophia Li, MPH
Health Economist
Genentech
li.sophia.sl1@gene.com
Nissen Weisman
UW/Genentech HEOR Fellow 2024-2026
Nissen is a recent graduate from the UConn School of Pharmacy. During his time at UConn, Nissen was highly involved with the Health Outcomes, Policy, and Evidence Synthesis (HOPES) Group conducting various systematic literature reviews and incorporating economic modeling. Seeing the evidence-generating power that comprehensive literature reviews can accomplish instilled a passion for HEOR. Now he is excited to hone these skills so that he may provide outcomes that will impact patients in meaningful and tangible ways.
Divya Jain
UW/Genentech HEOR Fellow 2024-2026
Divya is a new PharmD graduate from the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy. She developed an interest in health economics and outcomes research while working on a claims-based research project analyzing adherence of comorbidity medications in multiple sclerosis patients. Her research interests include real-world evidence, cost effectiveness analysis and health equity. Looking forward during this fellowship, Divya is excited to expand her HEOR skills and learn from HEOR experts at the CHOICE Institute and Genentech.
Emma Behan
UW/Genentech HEOR Fellow 2023-2025
Emma received her PharmD from the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. She developed an interest in real world evidence after seeing the utility while interning at a healthcare performance consulting firm and completing a health economics outcomes research rotation at the University of Utah.
During her first year in the fellowship, Emma collaborated with Drs. Aasthaa Bansal and David Veenstra on a claims-based analysis to quantify healthcare resource utilization and costs for Medicare-enrolled patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer receiving CDK4/6 inhibitors in the first-line setting. She has since joined the Evidence for Access (E4A) team at Genentech, where she continues to focus on oncology and advance her research interests in real-world evidence and economic modeling. Emma is eager to learn from the esteemed experts at Genentech.
Abstracts:
- Behan, E, Veenstra, D, Bansal, A, Treatment Patterns Following First Line CDK4/6 Inhibitor Progression in HR+, HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Targeted Literature Review. ISPOR 2024, May 2024, Atlanta, GA. (Poster Presentation).
Manuscripts from fellowship:
- Behan, E,Veenstra, D, Bansal, A, Healthcare resource utilization and costs of Medicare-enrolled patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer treated with CDK4/6i in the first-line setting (In Progress).
Alexandra Miller
UW/Genentech HEOR Fellow 2023-2025
Alexandra received her PharmD/MPH from the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. During her first year in this fellowship, Alexandra worked with Drs. David Veenstra and Aasthaa Bansal to explore demographic, geographic, and clinical factors associated with persistence to high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis through a claims database analysis.
In her second year, Alexandra joined the Evidence for Access (E4A) team at Genentech, where she continues to work in the neuro-immunology space. Alexandra is looking forward to continuing to work with and learn from the CHOICE faculty and the Genentech team to expand her health economics and outcomes research skills and clinical knowledge from incredible mentors in both academic and industry fields.
Abstracts:
- Miller, A, Bansal, A, Veenstra, D. Discontinuation of High-Efficacy Disease-Modifying Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis. International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Annual Conference. May 2024, Atlanta, GA. (Poster Presentation).
Manuscripts from fellowship:
- Miller, A, Bansal, A, Veenstra, D. Exploring Demographic, Geographical, and Clinical Factors Associated with Persistence to High-Efficacy Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis. (In Progress).
Spencer Cheng
UW/Genentech HEOR Fellow 2022-2024
PharmD 2022, University of Washington; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: Productivity Loss by cancer stage in patients newly-diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma
Stella Ko
UW/Genentech HEOR Fellow 2022-2024
Thesis: Productivity loss among commercially insured non-elderly patients with diabetic macular edema in two eyes: a retrospective claims analysis in the United States
Tommy Majda
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2021 – 2023
PharmD 2021, BS 2015, Creighton University; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: Demographic, Geographic, and Clinical Characteristics Associated with Receipt of Influenza Outpatient Oral Antiviral Treatment in Commercially Insured US Patients: An Exploration of Potential Health Disparities
Justin Nedzesky
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2021 – 2023
PharmD, BS 2021, Duquesne University; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: Absenteeism associated with gynecologic cancer in the United States
Eunice Kim
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2020 – 2022
PharmD 2020, BS 2016, University of Washington; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: Healthcare utilization and expenditures of parents with and without hemophilia A children
Jenny Yeonhee Park
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2020 – 2022
MS, University of Washington; PharmD 2020, University of Illinois Chicago; BA 2014, University of Chicago
Thesis: Prescribing of Alzheimers Disease Treatments by Provider Type and Geographic Region: A Comparison among Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants
David Fox
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2019 – 2021
BS, San Francisco State University; PharmD 2019, University of Washington; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: Nusinersen Treatment and Healthcare Costs in Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Samuel Hong
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2019 – 2021
BS 2013, University of California, San Diego; PharmD, 2019, University of Illinois at Chicago; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: The impact of cost sharing on adherence to ibrutinib for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Eddie Neuberger
UW/Genentech Fellow, 2018 – 2020
BS 2013, University of Maryland; PharmD 2017, University of Maryland; MBA, 2018, University of Baltimore; MS, University of Washington
Thesis: Evaluating Methods to Estimate United States Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence from Administrative Health Claims Data
For more details on previous graduates, including their current positions of employment, please visit https://sop.washington.edu/choice/graduate-education-training-programs/students-fellows/alumni/
The University of Washington and Genentech have established a Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) Fellowship Program. This two-year program will provide formal training and hands-on experience in the HEOR field.
The first year of the program will be spent at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
- The fellow will take core courses in biostatistics, health economics, outcomes research, policy, and epidemiology.
- The fellow will be awarded a Master’s Degree from the University upon completion of course requirements and a thesis project.
The second year will be spent at Genentech (South San Francisco, CA)
- The fellow will pursue hands-on training in strategically focused health economics and outcomes to support the commercialization of Genentech’s products.
- The fellow will work closely with colleagues in the Evidence for Access organization, which is comprised of HEOR and Health Systems Researchers, in Genentech’s US Medical Affairs organization.
Application Requirements
- You must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status to apply, we are unable to sponsor non-immigrant visas for this program.
- Degree in pharmacy or health-related discipline.
- Previous research experience (preference will be given to those with a high academic standing).
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, ethics, professionalism, leadership and an interest in the biopharmaceutical industry.
- Curriculum vitae, cover letter, three letters of recommendation.
Selection of fellows will be made by a committee composed of University of Washington faculty members and representatives from the respective company.
Application Process Timeline:
- Eligibility: Degree in Pharmacy by July 1, 2025
- Application Opens: Sunday, September 1, 2024
- Application Deadline: Monday, October 21, 2024
- Interview Notification: Monday, October 28, 2024
- Interviews: Week of November 4, 2024 (via Zoom)
- Offer Notification: Rolling, after interviews
- Program Start Date: July 1, 2025
How to Apply:
- Login to the Graduate School application: https://apply.grad.uw.edu/portal/gr_app
- Select “Start Graduate Application”
- Complete all sections of the application along the left hand panel, starting with the Profile Information section.
- Under Program Selection, choose the following:
- Application type: Graduate
- Program: Pharmacy – Health Economics & Outcomes Research (MS)
- Review the Program Requirements and indicate the term and year you intend to enroll in the program
- Select Autumn 2025 (this is when the matriculation to the graduate program would begin).
- For the section, “Additional Materials”, download and complete the following Fellowship Selection Form.
- Upload the completed copy to your application.
- Continue with completing all other sections of the application, including Application Materials and Recommenders.
- Review your application and check for any missing required fields or errors. When ready, click Submit Application. Your application is not submitted until you have paid the application fee.
A more detailed instruction guide can be found here.
Contact Information
Marina Gano, M.Ed.
Graduate Program & Operations Manager
The CHOICE Institute, Department of Pharmacy
206-616-1383
uwsopchoice@uw.edu