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Assay development scientist vs medical science liaison

The differences between assay development scientists and medical science liaisons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assay development scientist and a medical science liaison. Additionally, a medical science liaison has an average salary of $145,718, which is higher than the $75,782 average annual salary of an assay development scientist.

The top three skills for an assay development scientist include assay development, cell-based assays and data analysis. The most important skills for a medical science liaison are patients, medical affairs, and MSL.

Assay development scientist vs medical science liaison overview

Assay Development ScientistMedical Science Liaison
Yearly salary$75,782$145,718
Hourly rate$36.43$70.06
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs95,38157,208
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does an assay development scientist do?

Assay development scientists are biochemical experts who develop procedures that test or measure the activity of a drug or biochemical in an organism. These scientists are required to provide technical support to develop new assays as well as assist in the transfer of assay to clinical laboratories internationally. They must collaborate with laboratory scientists and managers to optimize laboratory processes for increased efficiency and effectiveness. Assay development scientists must also produce and submit reports about the development of assays to the research & development (R&D;) managers as well as project managers.

What does a medical science liaison do?

A medical science liaison (MSL) is a scientific professional who facilitates a working relationship between healthcare companies and leading physicians, researchers, and clinicians. Also referred to as key opinion leaders (KOL), medical science liaisons represent their company to the decision-makers in the medical community as well as to investors and government regulatory agencies. They analyze clinical trends and monitor the scientific literature for new developments in the medical community. Medical science liaisons also prepare medical samples and data to investigate the causes of chronic diseases, pathogens, and toxicity.

Assay development scientist vs medical science liaison salary

Assay development scientists and medical science liaisons have different pay scales, as shown below.

Assay Development ScientistMedical Science Liaison
Average salary$75,782$145,718
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $113,000Between $59,000 And $359,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAJackson, TN
Highest paying stateAlaskaTennessee
Best paying companyGenentechSaint Luke's Health System
Best paying industryManufacturingManufacturing

Differences between assay development scientist and medical science liaison education

There are a few differences between an assay development scientist and a medical science liaison in terms of educational background:

Assay Development ScientistMedical Science Liaison
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common majorBiologyNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

Assay development scientist vs medical science liaison demographics

Here are the differences between assay development scientists' and medical science liaisons' demographics:

Assay Development ScientistMedical Science Liaison
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 52.1% Female, 47.9%Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 29.0% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 23.4% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between assay development scientist and medical science liaison duties and responsibilities

Assay development scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage a group of three laboratory technicians performing ELISA assays and protein purification.
  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Co-Direct implementation of immunoassay analysis software interface into LIMS.
  • Perform total RNA and specific RNA extraction of samples.
  • Involve in DNA extraction, library prep, bio-analysing and sequencing runs.
  • Develop residual host cell DNA assays in drug substance and in-process samples using real time PCR.
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Medical science liaison example responsibilities.

  • Supervise and analyze medical necessity review of manage care appeals.
  • Develop and manage KOLs resulting in presentations to regional, national and international meetings.
  • Utilize extensive knowledge of medical terminology, ICD-9, HCPCS and CPT coding along with analysis and processing of Medicare claims.
  • Provide pre-launch field support for a novel diabetes compound.
  • Provide drug information to medical professionals and sales force within FDA guidelines.
  • Join Clementine as a trainee BMS and successfully complete training and registration.
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Assay development scientist vs medical science liaison skills

Common assay development scientist skills
  • Assay Development, 10%
  • Cell-Based Assays, 10%
  • Data Analysis, 8%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 6%
  • Elisa, 5%
Common medical science liaison skills
  • Patients, 11%
  • Medical Affairs, 9%
  • MSL, 7%
  • Medical Science, 6%
  • Pharmaceutical Industry, 5%
  • Internal Stakeholders, 4%

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