Biopharma Beats Bulletin

Background:

Name: Huanjia Zhang

Home Base: Baltimore, MD by way of Philadelphia, New York and Yantai, a coastal city in Eastern China.

Role: Huanjia is a science and healthcare reporter covering omic technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) tools and assay development that help researchers to study and understand the molecular underpinnings of biology. He reports for GenomeWeb, a New York-based independent news organization read by scientists, technology professionals, executives, and investors in molecular biology research and diagnostics.

Expertise: After majoring in biology and studio art at Gettysburg College, Huanjia worked as a scientist researching the human microbiome at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

He caught the science communication bug while shadowing communicators at the American Natural History Museum in New York after which he earned a Master’s degree in Science Health and Environmental Reporting Program (SHERP) from New York University in addition to receiving a National Association of Science Writers (NASW) Travel Fellowship.

Beat Overview:

–Publication: Since 1997, GenomeWeb has served the global community of scientists, technology professionals, and executives who use and develop the latest advanced tools in molecular biology research and molecular diagnostics. Part of the Crain Communications family brand, GenomeWeb covers the scientific and economic ecosystem spurred by the advent of high-throughput genome sequencing. They operate the largest online newsroom focused on advanced molecular research tools in order to provide readers with exclusive news and in-depth analysis of this rapidly evolving market. Its audience includes major scientific organizations around the world, biopharmaceutical companies, research universities, biomedical institutes, clinical labs, and government laboratories. Advertisers include leading suppliers of research tools, analytical instruments, information technology, and molecular diagnostics.

While its team of close to 20 journalists have individual coverage territories, Huanjia says that “GenomeWeb is small and nimble” and that “they give you the freedom to take your pitch and go with it.”

-Coverage Areas: Huanjia covers a wide range of topics in the multi omics and molecular biology field including sequencing technologies, partnerships and projects, financial reports and global sequencing sales, clinical applications of omics, industry trends and financial reports.

-Angles of Interest: Examples of angles Huanjia/Genomeweb covers include:

  1. New omic tools and technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and epigenomics.
  2. Single-cell and spatial biology tools development.
  3. Major product launches and technology updates in the omics field.
  4. Business updates and partnerships.
  5. Benchmarking studies covering real-world data and customer experience.
  6. New methods, especially those involving a patent or commercial interests.
  7. Startups coming out of stealth.

GenomeWeb also covers other business-related news including lawsuits, bankruptcies and M&A in the molecular biology and diagnostics space.

Pitching Tips:

  • The most important thing to remember when pitching anyone at Genomeweb is to copy [email protected] so that the editing team is able to resource staff if the reporter you’re pitching is out of office or has no bandwidth to cover the pitch. “Our editors will consolidate and streamline the resources to determine who is the best team member to cover it.”
  • Team at GenomeWeb that Huanjia works closely with:
    • Andrew P. Han, Editor, genome editing and engineering
    • Julia Karow, Managing Editor, genomic medicine, medical genetics, precision medicine, clinical sequencing
    • Ben Butkus, Editorial Director, GenomeWeb
  • Huanjia appreciates working with with comms folks and is empathetic to the internal struggles they face before they even get to the actual pitching. “Public relations professionals are paid for their knowledge, judgment and expertise;, that’s why the company doesn’t use AI or elementary school kids to handle their communications.”
  • Huanjia is pitch format-agnostic. He’s more focused on the content than format or presentation. “You can put a cat picture at the top or include a gift card, but if there’s no news in it, I won’t care.”
  • He appreciates clearly and concisely written pitches that get the point across quickly. “Don’t bury the lede!”
  • On embargoed news: “I welcome embargoed news. When companies send us embargoed news, they’re letting us know ahead of time, working hard in advance to get the news ready, and it shows their trust in us.” Pitch early in the story cycle, rather than minutes before you upload a release to the wire. “Get your foot in the door early.”
  • A late pitch or bad pitch is better than no pitch. It’s a blow to a reporter you’ve established a relationship with if they find out about your news from Google alerts.
  • Attached images or Dropbox? In the case of GenomeWeb, which doesn’t usually publish pictures of CEOs, Huanjia said he prefers “no images” but appreciates the heads up on images that are available upon request.
  • Be brave and be a filter for your client or company before responding to a journalist. “Educate the company on how journalism works. Huanjia encourages us to “stand your ground and give your company sound advice before you send the request along to the journalist. And know that being an effective filter for your client or company is indicative of the relationship you have with them. “Don’t become just a messenger for the company. Use your expertise to advise the company.”
  • One follow up or multiple follow ups? Huanjia said he appreciates a follow up on the occasion that his inbox is swamped and he overlooked a relative pitch. A good rule of thumb is using common sense and consideration. “There is no hierarchy between PRs and journalists. Treat each other with appreciation, respect and understanding. (“[As journalists,] it’s our job to read your pitches. We want to wake up to a full mailbox of news that we can sift through to figure out what’s worth covering.”

Pet Peeves:

  • Half-baked pitches: “Really get your house ready before you reach out to a journalist. I’ve had people pitch something we’re interested in covering, so we reached back out but the company wasn’t ready to talk.” Don’t assume your client or leadership will be prepared to participate in an interview if you haven’t asked them.
  • Companies that lose sight of the technology story: “You can have all the marketing stories but at the end of the day, if the technology works, it works.” That said, it gives Huanjia pause if a company is relying on a PR person to decide why the tech is important rather than being able to explain the market gap the company is hoping to fill to help coms folks weave a story and clearly communicate it. “In our field, data and technology speak for itself.”
  • Arguing about branding and copy style. When a publication has a specific copy style policy, like only using all caps for a brand name when it’s an acronym, accept it.

Events and Conferences:

Key Quote:

“Communication is a two-way street. Kindness, understanding, and mutual respect go a long way between journalists and PR professionals. We’re here for you and you’re there for us.”

Lightning Round:

  • Philosophy of the journalist/PR relationship: “Show not tell” is Huanjia’s principle for everything – reporting, interviewing, writing and talking to a source.
  • Favorite working hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.
  • Reporting tool you stick with: Otter AI transcription.
  • Favorite subject matter: food, travel, talking to farmers for food and agriculture stories.