From front desk to lab bench: Julia Chac’s journey through Bakar Bio Labs
What started as a student job became an entry point into biotech. Julia Chac’s path from operations to lab research reflects the power of community and access.
By Ruhani Chhabra
When Julia Chac first applied for a front desk position at Bakar Bio Labs three years ago, biotech wasn’t even on her radar.
An Integrative Biology and Psychology double major at UC Berkeley, Julia knew she was premed. She also knew she needed to work. Coming from South Fresno, where her parents are farmers, and most of her community is economically underserved, she had always understood the importance of supporting herself financially while pursuing an education.
“I wanted to place myself somewhere nearby and bio-adjacent,” she said.
Luckily, Julia found Bakar Bio Labs, where she was the first student worker in the Business Operations Assistant position. Over time, she expanded her role far beyond front desk responsibilities.
As the first face visitors see, Julia learned to navigate a dynamic ecosystem of founders, researchers, and industry leaders. She helped coordinate events and programming, supported executive scheduling, assisted with tenant meetings, and developed the standard operating procedures that now define the role. Always ready with a warm, easy smile.
“Essentially, I am the living SOP [Standard Operating Procedure] of what a business operations assistant should do,” she said.
What began as a front desk role grew into a reciprocal relationship: as Julia greatly helped support the Bakar ecosystem, the ecosystem opened doors for her in return. The proximity to emerging biotech companies gave her something new — visibility into how science moves beyond the classroom, into real-world applications.
Despite attending a leading research university, Julia did not initially have access to on-campus lab positions. “There are a lot of opportunities here,” she said, “but many of them are already catered toward students who have prior experience or networks.” Without those lab skills and networks, entering research spaces can feel daunting.
Through QB3’s Break into Biotech (BIB) program, Julia found her entry point. The five-week paid training program provides structured, hands-on exposure to lab work for students who have little to no prior research experience — students who, like Julia, are more than capable but lack access. QB3’s QWEST internship program then placed her with actual biotech startups for real work experience.
Today, as a post-baccalaureate student, Julia interns with two companies at the Bakar Bio Labs incubator. At Renasant Bio, she helps conduct mammalian cell research, and at NV Therapeutics, she contributes to gene therapy development work.
Julia also returned to the BIB and QWEST programs as the program coordinator, supporting students’ career development through event planning, outreach, and hands-on assistance during the lab training bootcamp. She now hosts office hours for students and helps connect them to established scientists and researchers — further strengthening the ecosystem of learning and growth.
Julia believes what has made the transition possible is the community’s culture of support. “If I have a question, even something as simple as how to load a gel, people will help me,” she said.
Starting from square one meant asking a lot of questions, but at Bakar Labs, she never felt discouraged from doing so, Julia said. Instead, she found mentors and peers willing to guide her — and she met that support with the same versatility and work ethic that have defined her journey from the front desk to the lab bench.
