Building healthcare business leaders at Penn since 2001
Penn Biotech Group is a cross-disciplinary, student-run graduate organization at the Wharton School. We bring together students from across the University of Pennsylvania to work at the intersection of science and business in biotech, pharma, and healthcare.
From a Wharton student idea to Penn's largest graduate consulting club
Penn Biotech Group was co-founded in 2001 by Wharton MBA students, including Ben Doranz, who went on to co-found Integral Molecular.
What started as a group of students interested in the business of biotechnology has grown into the largest graduate consulting club at Penn, with more than 300 members a year from 9 of Penn's 12 graduate and professional schools.
PBG is a student club under the Wharton Graduate Association. Today it runs semester-long consulting projects for real clients, an annual healthcare case competition, the Wharton Biotech Conference, and training programs in consulting and biotech investing. In 2026, PBG celebrated its 25th anniversary.
- 2001
PBG is founded
Wharton MBA students, including Ben Doranz, co-found Penn Biotech Group.
- 2020
First Penn Healthcare Case Competition
PBG launches the PHCC, which has run every year since.
- 2022
Consulting Prep Series launches
A structured curriculum to prepare members for consulting interviews and careers.
- 2025
Inaugural Wharton Biotech Conference
Held April 26 at Huntsman Hall under the theme "Breakthrough in a Time of Change."
- 2026
25 years of PBG
PBG celebrates its 25th anniversary alongside the second Wharton Biotech Conference.
Cultivating the next generation of healthcare leaders
PBG is committed to the personal and professional growth of its members through education, real-world experience, and community.
“PBG is a cross-disciplinary, student-run graduate organization … that focuses on addressing the challenges and obstacles facing the life sciences industry today. Our multidisciplinary teams in the Healthcare Consulting Division have worked successfully for both Fortune 500 and start-up companies, consulting on real life projects from Strategy to Marketing, from Pricing to Revenue Modeling, and from Operations to IP.”Penn Biotech Group mission statement
Real-world experience
Give members hands-on business and consulting experience with biotech, pharma, and healthcare companies, from startups to Big Pharma.
Education & career readiness
Train members for careers in consulting, venture capital, investing, and industry, and connect them with recruiters from sponsor and partner firms.
A lasting network
Connect graduate students across disciplines with each other, with 1,300+ PBG alumni, and with professionals across the healthcare industry.
Open to graduate students across Penn
PBG members range from first-year students to postdocs. What they share is an interest in the business side of science, and the chance to bring their technical expertise to real healthcare challenges.
Our activities
Programs that run throughout the academic year.
Pro Bono Consulting
Ten-week projects each fall and spring for clients ranging from startups to Big Pharma and MedTech.
Learn more → 02Penn Healthcare Case Competition
An annual case competition where teams of students tackle a real healthcare business problem.
Learn more → 03Wharton Biotech Conference
A full-day conference at Huntsman Hall featuring leaders from biotech companies, investors, and startups.
Learn more → 04Consulting Prep Series
Our casing program covering case interviews, the day-to-day of consulting, and career paths in life science consulting.
Learn more →Biotech Investment Series
Weekly sessions on reading financial statements, scientific due diligence, and valuation, ending in an asset valuation showcase.
Industry Affairs & Newsletter
Biweekly industry news summaries and a weekly newsletter that reaches thousands of Penn students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Learn more →The 10-week consulting model
Every fall and spring, PBG staffs teams on projects for biotech, pharma, MedTech, and healthcare clients.
Join a team
Members apply for a project at the start of the semester. Each team has a Project Director, a Project Manager, and 6–10 Team Members.
Work the problem
Over ten weeks, teams meet weekly and each member commits 3–10 hours a week to research and analysis.
Deliver results
Teams present their findings and recommendations to the client, on questions ranging from strategy and marketing to pricing, revenue modeling, and IP.
Next application cycle opens January 2027. Explore our projects →
Student-led, every year
PBG is run entirely by a graduate student executive board, led by three Co-Presidents and organized into three divisions.
Get involved with PBG
Students can join PBG anytime through Wharton Groups. Companies can work with us as project clients, partners, or sponsors.