From internship to immunology: Megan’s clinical development career at J&J

As an undergrad majoring in bio, Megan M. knew she wanted to build a career rooted in science. Yet neither of the options she was considering at the time—continuing on to med school or going into lab research—felt like quite the right fit. Pharma wasn’t even on her radar.

Ten years later, as Director, Clinical Medicine – Immunology, Megan reflects on her successful transition from intern to leader, how companies can support professional development—and why J&J is a great place to launch and grow your career.

Building a career that connects science and patients

Megan initially joined us as a global development intern. The paid summer internship lasted just three months, but it came with tons of hands-on experience, including opportunities to support oncology clinical trials across multiple phases.

“Interning at J&J showed me another way to connect science and medicine,” she says. “All of a sudden, I saw how potential medicines move through the development process, and how I could make an impact in patients’ lives.”

Excited to take the experience further—and to explore a new therapeutic area—Megan joined our immunology team full time after graduating from Penn State in 2016.

Two years later, with encouragement from senior leaders and tuition assistance from J&J, she earned an MPH from Temple University, all while continuing to build her career.

“I’ve had the opportunity to learn clinical development from the ground up—working on health authority responses, trial execution, study design and cross-functional decision-making,” Megan says. “Since then, I’ve seen the immunology organization grow across areas like dermatology, gastroenterology, rheumatology and autoantibody-driven disease. I really can’t believe I’ve been with J&J for 10 years. Time flies when you have the opportunity to make an impact—and the support to keep growing.”

Centering clinical development around patients

What kinds of projects can you work on in immunology at J&J? Megan and her colleagues were recently deeply engaged with the clinical development program for ICOTYDE™, the first and only targeted oral peptide that precisely blocks the IL-23 receptor.

“The ICOTYDE™ program pushed us to be creative in terms of study design, patient populations and especially endpoints,” Megan says, referring to the specific results researchers track to understand how a treatment affects patients. “We had to think critically from the standpoint of patients: Who needs to be represented in a clinical trial, and what measures will capture what matters most to them?”

Megan continues, “I think it showed not only what you can accomplish with thoughtfully designed clinical trials, but what's possible when deep expertise in specific disease areas and passionate teams come together. For me, that’s part of what’s so exciting about working in immunology at J&J.”

Where could an immunology career take you?

Ready to join Megan and build a career where you’ll continually learn and grow while taking on new challenges? Help shape the future of health—and be part of what’s next. Check out all the different ways you can join our immunology team today.