Published: 2022.02.02. (last edited: 2022.08.19.)
Launch pad for a scientific career in the pharmaceutical industry
Launch pad for a scientific career in the pharmaceutical industry
My work helps Roche think outside the box. In order to produce efficient and safe drug products, it is often necessary to employ formulation strategies to ensure that the drug reaches its intended target. By screening the efficacy of a broader range of excipients for established granulation techniques in a small-scale setup, I helped Roche open doors for formulation approaches and manufacturing principles that might benefit the next generation of drug products.
From my first day of work at Roche, I have felt the support of my colleagues, where no issue has been too big or small to talk about. Although I come from Denmark, and have a limited German language proficiency, communication has never been a problem. The new ways of communicating and planning during COVID-19 allowed me to be flexible, and turned out to be more of an opportunity than a hurdle. There is a clear feeling of mutual respect in the teams, and as an intern you always feel included!
During my internship, it has been a continuous source of inspiration for me to see how heavily invested in R&D Roche is, and how large collaborations can take place across departments. Curiosity is always appreciated and no stone is left unturned.
Working in R&D at Roche is a great experience, as you can feel that the culture revolves around innovation and knowledge sharing. As an intern, I have gained an insight into subjects that I have not been in contact with before such as in silico models, continuous manufacturing of synthetic compounds, the application of robotics, and much more by attending presentations by teams from around the globe. This has widened my horizon, and allowed me to better understand all of the moving parts of R&D.
With the situation here regarding working from home because of COVID-19, some days the commute to work can be as short as the walk to the living room table at home, which definitely makes me miss the mountain view from the office in Basel and seeing my colleagues. However, when I am in the lab I always appreciate my surroundings. At Roche, many of the laboratories are designed with specific processes in mind, and everything you need is within arm’s reach, to allow for efficient ways of working.
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