Abigail Nagle: 'The UW is a perfect mix of phenomenal world-class research and is located in a city that feels alive scientifically.'
Abigail Nagle has made innovative – some might say bold – choices when she has faced tough decisions. Consider:
-
Staying in Texas for college after graduating high school? She left family in Dallas and traveled more than 1,700 miles to the University of California, Berkeley.
-
Pursue an MBA or a Ph.D.? Nagle chose the Ph.D. “There was more deep science I needed to learn,” she said.
-
Choosing graduate school? She considered several universities around the United States, but “they didn't have the same research opportunities as the University of Washington.”
“The UW is a perfect mix of phenomenal world-class research and is located in a city that feels alive scientifically,” she said. “At the time, I was 24-years-old, and was asking myself, ‘Where do I want to spend the next six-plus years?’”
Nagle, now 32, completed her Ph.D. in bioengineering in 2025. Today, she is one of eight SeaBridge Fellows incorporating cell and genome programming technologies of the Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology into their individual research projects in laboratories at the UW or Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Each fellow receives two years of financial support, as well as funding for a structured career development curriculum, mentorship training, and networking opportunities.
The fellows are supported by a $10 million grant from the Washington Research Foundation, with additional funding from Biohub and the UW Medicine Brotman Baty Institute. The program has two tracks: (1) Discovery is tailored for scientists focused on deep academic research and basic science; and (2) Entrepreneurial is intended for scientists interested in the commercialization and start-up aspects of biotechnology.
Those two tracks may – or may not – force Nagle into making another tough decision when the fellowship ends. Her personal essay, written for the SeaBridge application, offers insights about her interest in both academia and the private sector:
“I am particularly passionate about bridging academic and industry science to accelerate biotechnology development for public benefit, especially within Washington state. During my PhD at UW, I was the president of BioEngage, an organization washthat connects the UW Bioengineering department and local biotech companies. I managed a team of four students to develop company engagement strategies for 20-plus biotech companies, organized networking mixer events, and recruited industry sponsors for student capstone projects. This experience highlighted the distance between academic and industry scientists, and I learned that each is eager to engage once there is a structure to do so.
It is clear speaking with Nagle that her eagerness to engage – in the classroom, as well as inside and outside the lab – also represents key aspect of her character. Consider:
-
At CAL Berkeley, Nagle “got into school spirit.” But rather than cheerleading or donning the Oski the Bear school mascot costume at football games, she was selected to set off a cannon each time the team scored a touchdown. That led to side gigs at Oakland A’s games and public fireworks displays. “It’s not that scary,” she said. “I’m a bit of fire bug.”
-
Earlier this year, and through the SeaBridge Fellowship, Nagle enhanced her business savvy by participating in the UW Foster School of Business Technology Commercialization Practicum. The graduate course helps enable students to turn research and patents into market-ready products. Over the course of one quarter, she developed a commercialization plan for a UW business spinout team based on stakeholder interviews, industry reports, and secondary research. She developed market segmentation and competitive positioning for the firm, as well as an intellectual property strategy and guidance for managing federal regulations.
-
In the lab, Nagle spent two years after finishing a Bachelor of Arts on Molecular and Cell Biology working as a Research Associate and Lab Manager at the J. David Gladstone Institutes, an independent, nonprofit research organization in San Francisco. Among her responsibilities were implementing systems to organize the lab’s physical and electronic institutional knowledge, and managing relationships with facilities, purchasing departments, and external operational entities. Once again, that eagerness to engage and learn led her new bench-related insights.
“I realized I can change the DNA of cells and I can make cells do what we are trying to get them to do by coding,” she said. “For me it was a major learning. It was also an interpersonal experience. As the lab manager I made sure the needs of the lab were met, and I liked being the face of the lab and interfacing with internal and external entities.”
'As a SeaBridge fellow, I’m able to use my passion for community involvement to help accelerate scientific advancement and build a stronger Washington scientific ecosystem.'
Nagle is “an exceptional lab citizen and colleague,” said Jennifer Davis, Ph.D., Professor and William & Marilyn Conner Endowed Chair in the Departments of Lab Medicine and Pathology & Bioengineering, as well as the Director of The Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine. Davis is Nagle’s mentor and advisor for the SeaBridge fellowship.
“Abby is both extremely creative and innovative and when you put that together with her resilience and tenacity there is nothing she couldn't accomplish,” Davis said. “Her communication skills are exemplary. She has all of the core qualities for success that will serve her well throughout her career.”
As Nagle continues to pursue a career bridging academic and industry, it seems quite certain the SeaBridge program is helping provide her a guiding principle for her future, a “true north” one might say.
“As a SeaBridge fellow, I’m able to use my passion for community involvement to help accelerate scientific advancement and build a stronger Washington scientific ecosystem," she said.
