The move from
finding a job to
finding your
calling in life sciences
finding a job to
finding your
calling in life sciences
Bespoke embedded hiring solutions for high-growth businesses within BioTech, MedTech and HealthTech, as well as other life sciences sectors. BioTalent provides a tailored solution based on your specific project scope, underpinned by our high quality, diversity-focused methodology removing unconscious bias at every stage.
BioTalent Agile is a bespoke outsourced hiring solution for access to on-demand talent to deliver specific projects. BioTalent provides a tailored solution based on your specific project scope to ensure you deliver on-time and within budget, with our virtual bench allowing access to diverse talent pools at short notice.
Retained hiring solutions for all your talent acquisition requirements. Exclusive support from our expert recruitment teams ensures the highest level of quality and support. Giving you complete confidence, the search will be completed for the highest calibre talent within the agreed timeframes.
Begin and become with BioTalent. For more than just a life sciences job, we nurture you, the change makers, to match you with opportunities to make the greatest impact. Within the life sciences sector we recruit across Research & Development, Data Science & AI, Bioprocessing & MSAT, Clinical, Regulatory, Engineering & CQV, Manufacturing & Operation, Quality, Medical & Drug Safety.
When we partner with our clients, we offer more than just a one-off recruitment service. We offer a full consultancy service — including advising on current market trends, organisation structures, and succession planning, and offering competitor analysis — as well as top-quality talent. The more we work with you, the more our understanding of your business grows, and the more we can help. We have bespoke product solutions that we will tailor to your specific project scope. And we do this all with a diversity focussed methodology.
Join us. We have a culture of belonging where diversity is the default. Your recruitment career with us will give you the opportunity to grow and develop in a way the industry has never done before.
We are BioTalent Social, an event and networking platform established in 2020. We like to discuss all things Life Sciences related and create and host networking and knowledge-building events within the sector. Wide-ranging discussions are led by a panel of market-leading experts, offering sharp, focused insight on issues of the day. Our Race in STEM community is a platform, under BioTalent Social, designed to discuss areas of bias towards people of different ethnic backgrounds within the Life Sciences industry.
"There are some huge opportunities for us as an organisation to reach out more to the life sciences sector and really build a highly skilled pool of talent that we can source from in the future"We recently spoke with Stephen Vinter, Head of Compliance Team One at the MHRA about the more opportunities within the life sciences sector could lead to having a highly skilled pool of talent that would help the future of the industry.If you want to learn more about diversity in STEM or discuss improving diversity and equality in your organisation, contact us:https://www.biotalent.com/race-in-stem?source=linkedin.com
The latest Race in STEM roundtable took place in our New York office on Wednesday 13th March. Founder and community director Steven Fuller was joined by a panel of Bu Reinen, Zahir Carrington, Netra Macon, Smadar Dabush, Tamara Grow and Shetal Vyas, who discussed the common barriers faced by people from minority ethnic backgrounds pursuing STEM careers, and how organisations can promote cultural competence among staff and leadership. The need for greater diversity in STEM careers As an organisation, how do you create a diverse environment that provides equal opportunities for growth and development for everyone, regardless of their identity or background? Employee resource groups (ERGs) can be important for this because they provide a safe space for people with shared characteristics or life experiences to support each other, enhance career development and influence organisational policy. At the same time, people need continued support to grow beyond these shared experiences and maintain personal success and fulfilment within their careers.Tamara Grow, who’s been working in medical communications for 20 years, has met only a few people of colour within her niche during her transition beyond academia and throughout her career as a senior lead in scientific services. That lack of representation isn’t just concerning at an industry level. It can be disparaging at a personal level, and it raises questions about how to enhance diversity within organisations who seek STEM graduates and how to support their continued growth and success. The business case for diversityYou can’t build a diverse team as an afterthought – your efforts need to be woven into the fabric of everything you’re trying to do as an organisation. “It’s not a case of saying you want a diverse culture – it needs to be built correctly through inclusivity,” said Shetal Vyas, a general manager in the pharmaceuticals industry.If an organisation is looking to open a new manufacturing site, for example, it shouldn’t wait until the facility’s been built before thinking about how to attract diverse talent. Conversations about talent attraction need to happen during the planning stage, so that you can build your team at the same time as the facility itself.People of different ethnicities can go through various programmes in a bid to develop themselves, but what happens after those programmes? Tamara raised the very valid concern that women of colour need sponsors in the professional environment, especially in senior positions, who encourage their growth and cultivate an environment of inclusivity. “Having the support of senior leaders who value your potential is important to help you envision what’s possible, and the organisation is successful when you thrive,” she said. Behaviour is keyThe things that can make us feel uncomfortable at work are many and varied. The panel discussed the differences between microaggressions, biases and flat out discrimination. Although we might sometimes experience an immediate fight or flight reaction, having patience and understanding, and identifying how to move forward, are key to overcoming these obstacles.As much as we might want to, and as much as it might seem necessary, we can’t just change the world. Sometimes we need to regulate our behaviour within that world in order to get our message across. Smadar Dabush, a global clinical trial manager, spoke eloquently about the importance of being patient and sometimes accepting the imperfections of our environment. “It’s not a step backwards,” she said. “It’s a step to the side to find another way forward.” Common barriers within STEMThere’s an assumption that people of colour are the only ones encountering cultural barriers in their STEM careers, but are they really? There was a feeling among the panellists that the hiring process, by its very nature, can be a significant barrier to entry for many groups.Transferrable skills are so important when it comes to getting into a new, and quite niche field. If you work in quality assurance in pharma, you could also work in quality assurance in food and beverages. Although you’ll need to learn new things in order to make the move, you have the platform and the skills to build that knowledge. Tamara felt that there’s great value in taking someone with a PhD in another space and training them to help transition their transferrable skills into medcomms. This puts the onus on organisations to think outside the box when looking for new talent. Where allyship gives way to competitionDo people from underrepresented groups help each other in their STEM careers? In reality, people often find themselves in competition. If there’s one spot at the top, for example, only one person can have that spot while everyone else can only aspire to it. Instead of looking to outdo or replace that person, we need to showcase, support and advocate for them, showing other people from underrepresented groups that they can achieve their aspirations. By channelling the inclusive energy of an ERG, we can create a positive and supportive environment where allyship doesn’t have to take second place to competition. Cultural competenceWe need to work hard to understand and respect differing values, attitudes and beliefs, and respond appropriately to those differences, in order to communicate effectively with people of other cultures. At the same time, external perceptions are critical to our credibility and our ability to attract talent. Having equal numbers of people of different ethnicities going for the same job might look great externally – “We can’t be out of sync with the optics,” said Steven Fuller – but are some leaders more concerned about being seen to be committed to diversity, than genuinely understanding the value of an inclusive environment?Do we see colour? It’s a complex question with many angles of approach. If we get too obsessed with colour, we lose sight of a person’s value as a professional and a human being, and start to define them by their ethnicity. And if we don’t see colour, we run the risk of overlooking a person’s challenges and failing to provide the equitable environment they need. That’s where employers need to be tuned in to their people’s needs, understand their everyday challenges and introduce policies and processes that give everyone the chance to thrive.Many thanks to our attendees for a fantastic discussion. Race in STEM is a community for underrepresented multicultural voices in STEM. If you’d like to find out more about Race in STEM or to talk to us about improving equality and diversity in your organisation, please get in touch now.
The latest Race In STEM podcast saw our global community manager Steven Fuller catch up with Netra Macon, an HR professional within the life sciences healthcare sector, based in New York. Being exposed to different lifestyles, cultures and communities from an early age has helped to shape Netra into the openminded individual she is today. Just as her upbringing was geographically polarised – she was born in North Carolina but grew up in New York – her experience of school before second grade could not have contrasted more with her experience from second grade onwards. Having attended a nursery school where the children were predominantly of colour, she suddenly found herself in a new school among only a handful of minority children. “The school I attended up until second grade closed suddenly and then I had to go to a school that was predominantly white, and it was a handful of us minorities and I was the only black kid in the class. So that was an experience that was very unique and different, and as a child you don’t know if it’s because it’s just a new school. That point of reference of colour and race was just not part of the conversation.” Growing up, HR wasn’t a career path she could have foreseen: “I did not wake up one day deciding I want to be an HR professional. I had no idea what that meant.” In fact, she had planned to be a journalist. Now a global people lead and board advisor who forges talent strategies, instigates DEI initiatives and connects people at all levels, she’s certainly exceeded her own expectations. Listen to the complete conversation to hear more about Netra’s remarkable personal journey – one where she’s learned that we should avoid putting each other in boxes, and appreciate that we all show up in different ways before we can have effective discussions about culture and people.
The last year has seen a global rise in chronic health conditions such as diabetes and a significant increase in wearable medical technology and wireless in-home healthcare, as companies focus on how to diagnose and treat patients faster and more accurately.While large medtech companies with products focused on COVID diagnostics have been forced into significant layoffs as their COVID testing businesses have dropped from their pandemic peaks, many small to mid-size organizations have seen continued growth as they seek regulatory approval and commercialization for Class II and III devices.What’s the outlook for medtech talent in 2024? Which technologies will be most important in diagnosis and treatment? And which skills will be top of hiring companies’ wish list as medical technology continues to advance?To find out more on the key areas medical device and diagnostics leaders need to prepare for in 2024, check out our medical device and diagnostics market snapshot in UNLOCKED: Talent Insights 2024.
“Together we shared a desire to make a change. Together, we connected. And together, we are intentional about making change.”We recently spoke with Marcia Philbin, CEO of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, about the common themes in our recent roundtable and our intentional efforts to drive change.If you want to learn more about diversity in STEM or discuss improving equality and diversity in your organisation, contact us:https://www.biotalent.com/race-in-stem
The end of 2023 saw BioTalent join forces with The IN Group and Investigo’s existing life sciences team to create a specialist global life sciences division of over 50 experts who are leading the way in the life sciences staffing sector. In our report UNLOCKED: Talent Insights 2024, we look at how this move will help us expand our capabilities and create new opportunities for our clients and candidates. We also take a detailed look at the year ahead in the life sciences industry. In particular, where will we see strong investment and growth in 2024? How will an increasingly complex regulatory environment affect life sciences organisations? As AI, machine learning and computational chemistry become increasingly prominent in the world of life sciences, which skills will organisations need in order to utilise these technologies in the year ahead? For our breakdown of the key areas life sciences leaders need to prepare for in 2024, check out our BioTalent brand spotlight in UNLOCKED: Talent Insights 2024.
“What are the challenges that we face and how can we overcome them? It’s really important that we have these types of discussions and that we talk about diversity issues.”We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Wayne Mitchell from Imperial College about fostering identity and belonging in the workplace, following our Race In STEM roundtable.Watch the video here:If you want to learn more about diversity in STEM or discuss improving equality and diversity in your organisation, please contact us:https://www.biotalent.com/race-in-stem
For the latest Race In STEM podcast, Steven Fuller, global community manager for Race in STEM, caught up with Bimpe Shitta-Bey on the importance of education, how to balance learning with the internal pressure to socialise with your peers, and why Desmond’s is an important cultural touchpoint for people of African descent growing up in the UK. Bimpe is a regulatory strategy lead based in London. One of the most striking things about her is her strong sense of purpose and endless positivity. But despite her spontaneity and desire to make the most of opportunities when they come along, she’s never lost that clear vision of what she wants to achieve. “I’ve always been lucky because I’ve always had a real sense of self, what I wanted to do. Like everybody, you can be kind of pulled by what others are doing, but in myself I know what the right thing is and what I want to do, what I’m trying to get to, and so I don’t allow myself to be moved from that path. And I think that’s always done me good – just do the thing that it’s telling me inside to do, not what’s going on outside.” Trained as a pharmacist but realising very early on that the life of a pharmacist wasn’t for her, Bimpe went on to complete her PhD in pharmacy and embarked on a career that’s taken her from the civil services to global pharma and small start-up companies. Now, as a regulatory strategy lead, she draws upon her diverse experience in the pharma and biotech industry to devise and implement innovative regulatory strategies and manage complex and novel regulatory issues. Listen to the complete conversation (or watch on YouTube) to hear more about her fascinating personal and professional journey, characterised by an incredibly powerful drive and an infectiously positive outlook on life.
“I think one thing we’re all really focused on is the intentionality of change and we’re all going to drive for a common purpose to see more representation in STEM, and especially in the life sciences sector.” We had the pleasure of catching up with Mandy Budwal-Jagait from the MHRA about our recent Race in STEM roundtable and her hopes for equity in the life sciences sector. Watch the video here: Keep an eye out for more takeaways from our panel of experts over the next few weeks! In the meantime, if you’d like to find out more about Race in STEM, or you want to talk to us about improving equality and diversity in your organisation, please get in touch now: https://www.biotalent.com/race-in-stem
People are increasingly looking for meaning in their role, which means that we as employers need to provide them with purpose beyond payment. That includes wellbeing and mental health support, an equitable workplace where everyone’s needs are understood and catered for, and a commitment to social responsibility. The IN Group’s report UNLOCKED: Talent Insights 2024 looks at some of the major themes redefining the workplace and driving talent strategies for organizations of all types. The magazine includes: Updates on The IN Group’s brands BioTalent and Investigo. Market snapshots on each of our specialisms – medical communications, medical device and diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Expert insights on how charity strategies galvanize workplace culture, sustainability as a purpose, the significance of allyship and employee wellbeing in 2024.Read our insight hereClick to read (USA) The IN Group Talent Insights 2024
The IN Group’s London office hosted the latest Race in STEM roundtable on Thursday 25th January. Host Steven Fuller was joined by a panel of Rapulu (Ral) Ogbah, Dr Wayne Mitchell, Marcia Philbin, Stephen Vinter and Mandy Budwal-Jagait, to discuss ways of increasing multicultural representation in STEM and share personal experiences and insights from their own careers. Here are five key takeaways from the discussion.1. The power of intention When it comes to DEI, there has to be an intention behind what you’re trying to do, allied to clear objectives. If there’s no intentionality for change, change will not happen. Intentionality gives clarity and credibility to your objectives, and the seriousness of your intention will invariably be reflected in the result you achieve. Giving yourself something tangible to aim for will help you achieve change that is impactful, practical and long lasting, rather than merely performative. Key to this are accountability, leadership and sponsorship from your senior stakeholders – the people who can actually effect change. They need to buy into your initiative and be willing to drive it. Make everyone accountable for their own objectives and if someone says they’re going to do something, follow up and make sure it gets done. 2. You have to see it to be it… Being around people of your own ethnicity gives you a sense of identity and belonging. Our attendees described how they’d been inspired to pursue their future careers by someone who looked like them (whether in life sciences or even, in Marcia’s case, Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek!) Lack of representation, both in fellow students and professors, is a significant barrier to people of colour putting themselves forward in the field. If you’re the only person of your ethnicity in a lecture – which has particularly been the case for Black students studying STEM subjects – this can play on your sense of social identity. Being the only one means you don’t have the opportunity to express your own cultural identity, forcing you to develop strategies and techniques to achieve a sense of belonging. It’s easy to find yourself assimilating and developing other people’s identities just to get by. You can’t be who you want to be. And if you are, it feels like people want to penalise you for it. Having already encountered significant obstacles before they even got to the institution – such as lack of access to additional tuition, or A-level programmes that might not have given them the mathematical skills they needed – many students from ethnic minorities don’t think about continuing into PhD and beyond. 3. …but you can still be it if you can’t see it “Don’t think, ‘I can’t see them so I can’t do it.’ Dare to dream.” Dr Wayne Mitchell Although there’s the argument that people have nothing to aspire to without visible role models from a similar background, we shouldn’t restrict ourselves to the parameters of what’s gone before, otherwise we’ll never take things any further. Wayne observed that no one had been to the moon before, and someone had to do it first. The question is how we remove the barriers to getting where we want to go. We need to provide equity of opportunity and resources, creating pathways to attainment and enabling impactful change. Through mentorship programmes, engagement initiatives and building communities, we can help underrepresented groups excel at university instead of feeling that they survived it. 4. The power of trust In life, we often size people up as soon as we meet them, creating barriers in the process. It’s necessary to break down those barriers before we can see the value of the individual. We might not all be the same, but when we talk and listen to each other’s stories, we start to see the crossovers. We start to develop trust. It’s about creating a sense of belonging – a shared experience and a shared story. People need to know that it’s safe to talk about their experiences. That’s why organisations need to create a psychologically safe space where their people feel like they can express themselves and challenge where necessary. If people don’t trust you, they won’t engage. But if you haven’t made the effort to engage in the first place, why should they trust you? That’s why it’s so important to proactively reach out to underrepresented communities so you can understand their needs and barriers, start to build trust, and encourage them to join committees dedicated to DEI initiatives. You can’t just ask a certain select group for their views, produce some written guidance catering to their specific needs and then think your work’s done. 5. Looking in the right places Organisations in STEM will often point to a lack of diverse applicants for roles. But if looking in the same places hasn’t yielded the talent you’re hoping for, you’re looking in the wrong places. Think about who’s applying to your roles. What are their backgrounds? How do you engage with them? Hold yourselves accountable and check for biases. Build networks and understanding. Clearly communicate that there’s a career path within your organisation. People applying to your organisation, or looking to progress within it, need to know that they don’t have to tick all the boxes for a role. Belonging’s about so much more than sharing an ethnic group. Many of us will sometimes struggle with that feeling of not quite belonging – feeling that we don’t match those around us, whether in our educational, career or social background. But we will have something in our favour, something other people don’t, that allows us to get our foot in the door and then progress. We need to help our people understand their unique skills and how they can use them to have a positive impact. After all, that is the essence of an effective team. Many thanks to our attendees for a wonderfully engaging discussion and we look forward to hosting the next roundtable event later in the year. Race in Stem is a community for underrepresented multicultural voices in STEM. If you’d like to find out more about Race in STEM, or you want to talk to us about improving equality and diversity in your organisation, please get in touch now. We’d love to hear from you.
In the latest Race in STEM podcast, Steven Fuller, global community manager, sat down with Dr. John Ndikum to talk making a difference, breaking through barriers and finding the right voices which resonate with you as an individual. Dr John Ndikum is an author, educator, pharmaceutical physician, clinical researcher, and currently, medical affairs professional based in the UK. Although he’s achieved so much, one of the most striking things about him is his humility and desire for continual learning. “I do remember being in a hospital with my dad when I was about three years old in Cameroon and while we were waiting, we were seeing these people in white coats. I remember turning round to my dad and saying, ‘Who are those people, why are they wearing lab coats?’ ‘Those are doctors, John.’ I said, ‘Wow, what do they do?’ He said, ‘They help people.’ And I said, ‘I want to do that when I grow up.’” After going to medical school at Bart’s, John was a doctor in the NHS for around seven years before completing his master’s in public health at Yale University. He worked in clinical trials before moving into medical affairs. As a senior medical affairs manager, he’s involved in pre-paunch strategy and planning, strategic insight gathering and HCP engagement, collaborative working and cross-functional education. Listen to the complete conversation to hear more about his fascinating personal and professional journey, in which a desire to help others, through the many insights and experiences he’s gained along the way, has been a defining characteristic.
In the latest instalment of the BioTalent Social podcast, our very own Steven Fuller, Global Community Manager of Race In Stem, sat down with Sarah Mardle to talk leadership, gender bias, the evolution of the life sciences industry and creating lasting change. “I definitely wanted to be a scientist and I was able to do two degrees, one in pharmacology and one in biochemistry, and was also lucky enough to have a year out in industry. And that really opened my eyes to what I might want to do next.” Sarah Mardle is an experienced healthcare executive known for her adept leadership in quality, regulatory, and operations management. With a two-decade track record in biotech, pharma, and medical devices businesses, she has guided organisations through complex projects, regulatory processes, and sustainability initiatives. As the Business Operations Director at Team Consulting, a medical device consultancy, Sarah oversees the strategic development and operational management of Team's Business Operations teams. She is committed to fostering diversity and implementing sustainable practices. Listen to the complete conversation (or watch on YouTube) to hear how Sarah has grown from strength to strength professionally, but also gain insight into her personal life and how she navigated life and a senior position. More about BioTalent Social Our BioTalent Social podcast is for professionals in the life sciences industry, who can have access to wide-ranging discussions that are led by market-leading experts, who offer sharp, focused insights on current affairs within the Life Sciences sector.
We’re delighted to have expanded our global presence by becoming part of global talent solution provider The IN Group. The deal will combine The IN Group’s specialist recruitment arm Investigo’s life sciences practice with our own, creating a specialist global life sciences division of over 50 experts and adding a presence in New York City, San Diego and Philadelphia to our existing offices in London, Zug and Boston. James Cox, CEO and Co-Founder of BioTalent, said: “Joining forces with The IN Group and Investigo’s existing life sciences team creates an exciting opportunity for our people at BioTalent and expands our US operation. Both companies have shared values and a commitment to creating a unique high performance culture. Combining BioTalent’s industry expertise with Investigo’s exceptional life sciences offering elevates our product offering for clients and candidates alike. Our team is excited about the future and about what we will achieve in this new combined offering as we take our business to the next level.” Nick Baxter, CEO of The IN Group, added: “James and his team have built an incredible business that is leading the way in the life sciences staffing sector. Coupled with our existing offering, our combined teams have an industry leading proposition that will excite both current and potential customers and candidates, bringing real value to the US market. These are exciting times for The IN Group and we’re thrilled to be working with such a talented team as we continue our expansion.” We’re very happy to be joining The IN Group’s family of brands and we can’t wait to work with the Investigo team as we continue to grow into new markets and geographies. Visit The IN Group Website
Corryn Gardiner is a Director of her own Quality Assurance Consultancy who works with pharmaceutical companies to help with the set-up and/or ongoing maintenance and responsibilities relating to the Pharmaceutical Quality System and maintaining licences.After spending over 10 years working in Quality Assurance Corryn believes and strives for quality and compliance to work hand in hand, without one being compromised for the other. Corryn has worked at and supported global pharmaceutical companies and related organisations including Fisher Bioservices part of Thermofisher Scientific, Eisai, Roche and Alexion. In addition to her varied Quality Assurance roles across the lifecycle of a medicinal product, Corryn acts as a Responsible Person and Responsible Person of Import.Corryn holds a BSc in Biochemistry with Forensic Science from the Queen Mary University of London.
Built with fresh thoughts from the some of the most brilliant minds in the industry today, our latest insights report examines the critical role of diversity in the life sciences space, and what the topic means for employees entering the field in the future. The life sciences thrive on the joy of collaboration between individuals from all walks of life. As an industry devoted to the preservation and progression of a global humanity, the life sciences should not be inhibited by the presence of discrimination, underrepresentation, or inequality, yet still, these ever-present factors continue to put up barriers in today’s world. We’ve come an incredibly long way in the last few years, with diversity and inclusion policies finding their way to the forefront of the conversation. Developing an environment in which everyone can thrive (and one where everyone is actively welcomed to do so), requires so much more than a tick box exercise – it requires action from everyone. We created this report to help raise awareness for professionals operating within the life sciences, and to act as a catalyst for inspiring meaningful conversation. Opening an Honest Dialogue has Never Been so Important In 2020, the murder of George Floyd reverberated around the world, manifesting in acts of widespread protest that transcended borders, launching the issue of racial inequality into headlines everywhere. The tragedy has been profoundly affecting for millions, underscoring the inherent need to discuss the topic of ethnicity openly and sincerely, a need that’s been quickly embraced by many in the life sciences space. Allison Jack, executive Director and Head of PV & Lifecycle Management Quality at a multinational pharmaceutical company, told us that opening up a conversation about race has helped everyone better reflect on what these events meant for the wider world, noting that, sometimes, getting everyone talking is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. 'Have the conversations. A lot of the time, it’s just about the talking, and not being afraid to talk about race.’ Sharing experiences in an environment that encourages the freedom of an open dialogue is a prime ingredient in the recipe of inclusivity. Moving forward in a positive light means acknowledging individual experiences. When people from different backgrounds come together for this conversation, everyone has the opportunity to encourage positive progression. Allison went on to tell us about the value of initiatives like reverse diverse mentoring, a process that enables junior level employees of different ethnic backgrounds to educate their senior colleagues on the subject of race. Acting as a tool for both employee engagement and leadership development, initiatives that drive the conversation around diversity are vital in the journey towards building equitable workplaces. Societyisdiverse and organisations should allow everyone to celebrate the diversity of thought and behaviour that this represents. Bringing this into a company leads to a greater level of respect between one another, allowing people to feel more comfortable with who they are at work, while improving the level of understanding between team members. Allison went on to mention that: ‘There’s always something we can do, and I think part of it is not being afraid to talk about it.’ There’s a Shortage of Role Models There are 10,560 White science professors working in the UK, compared to just 65 Black professors, (The Guardian, 2021) serving as a major lack of representation in terms of the general population. A lack of representation is a recurring issue within the life sciences, and it’s happening on a disastrously wide scale. Poor representation results in absent role models, and for many, it’s very much a case of you can’t be what you can’t see. When we asked Corryn Gardiner, Director of a pharmaceutical consultancy company, if she had a role model on her journey in science, shespoke about the challenge of discovering role models within the space. She described how there was ‘not one person’ that she saw who inspired her to pursue a career in science. Consequently, she soon began to educate herself about her history as well as the pharma industry, which equipped her with the tools to grow and exchange knowledge with a future generation. ‘What I've had to do over over the years is educate and inform myself about my history, about the people around me and my industry, so that I can continue to grow as a person.’ Corryn’s statement deftly highlights the importance of adopting a future-facing outlook, one that advocates for the next generation of individuals entering the workforce. Passing on knowledge and sharing experience are key elements that will likely determine the size of the equality gap in the future, and in many respects, nurturing these elements begins with finding one’s own voice and recognising the wider value of self-promotion. For someone like Corryn, who thrives on finding a way to do what she’s told can’t be done, motivation is a spark that’s cultivated from within. Seeing people of colour in leadership roles can help ignite this spark and make the life sciences a more equitable, accessible industry for all. 'I think that's where we need to start. We need to definitely show the world the amount of people, women of colour that are in the workplace, in the CEO, Director, and Global head positions.’ The media has a part to play in this journey. Shifting the media’s mindset regarding what which roles ethnic groups can occupy, and where and how diversity is celebrated, requires a certain courage, one that enables people to address the challenges and issues facing those groups in society today. Undoubtably, this can be an uncomfortable topic to broach. Having allies in this space, having those conversations, can have a wide-reaching impact on the future. Sometimes, this means placing oneself in situations that are difficult to navigate, all in the name of enhancing the wider perspective. Make Roles Visible – Representation at Every Level The decisions made by businesses operating in the life sciences ultimately have an impact on the health of an ethnically diverse multi-cultural humanity. If those making the decisions aren’t representative of this inherent diversity, the relevancy of those decisions may lack the perspective necessary to develop effective solutions. Dipesh Mistry-Dhillon, the Regulatory affairs manager at a multinational biotech company, told us that: ‘There is still more to be done in terms of visible diversity. If you see it, you feel more comfortable being part of that organisation. Truly inclusive environments are able to present their diversity to the world long before the employee ever steps foot in the workplace. Candidates that have the opportunity to see a diverse workforce thriving from the outside they’re likely to see an employer that values their unique experiences, particularly when dependable D&I strategies are in place. Inclusive environments enable authenticity. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Dipesh wouldn’t feel comfortable disclosing his sexuality within the work profession until discovering the D&I initiative at one of his previous companies: 'We had a DNI day a couple of years ago [and I discovered] that there is something to recognise the queer and trans community in our organisation. Before that, I was always closeted. I never really told anyone about my sexuality.' A 2021 studyof 25,324 scientists in the United States discovered that LGBTQIA+ STEM professionals were more likely to experience career limitations, including harassment and professional devaluation than their non-LGBTQIA+ peers. Inclusion and visibility among diverse groups within the populace are directly linked to results in the life sciences, a cure for the U.S. HIV epidemic being a prime example – a disease that largely affected the LGBTQIA+ community, one that wasn’t even mentioned publicly by President Ronald Reagan until 1985,four years after the crisis began. Many LGBTQIA+ scientists and activists, such as Marsha P. Johnson and Joseph Sonnabend acted as vanguards in the fight against the epidemic, all while being ostracised by a large portion of their fellow citizens. As history has proven, representation improves the quality of scientific research. Yetthe evidencepoints to there being much work to be done on the road to fully equitable working environments for everyone. There is so much to learn from other cultures, backgrounds, perspectives, and ways of operating a business in the life sciences; ignoring the incredible value of this (both monetarily speaking, and in terms of employee growth and satisfaction) will result in a failure to prepare organisations for a sustainable future. Allyship is Always Possible, Always Vital The gap between intention and action must be closed. No matter how morally robust your intentions are, the most impactful change is enabled through action. Active allyship isalwayspossible, and always vital. You don’t have to have personally experienced oppression to empathise with another individual – active allyship means speaking up for others, standing up against discrimination and injustice, and recognising the contributions of everyone. Providing a voice for those who are too afraid to speak out is a part of everyone making the journey towards a fairer future together. Allyship, understanding and open dialogue all contribute directly to a greater ROI in the life sciences. The life sciences are a global-facing industry, and as a global-facing industry, the input of a diverse range of groups and individuals must be enabled the space to flourish. Yogesh Krishan Davé, managing director of a Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance consultancy told us that when operating in a global supply chain market, you’re bound to interact with individuals and groups from a vast array of different backgrounds anyway – the key to optimising growth potential is learning to understand one another, a need that can be met by consulting regional experts. ‘The people who really understand the business in their local areas are local people - they understand the nuances’ The best companies are diverse companies. When different cultures are empowered to celebrate their uniqueness, everyone understands each other, and you get to benefit from a more desirable employer brand. Promote Yourself Allies are always important, but so is self-promotion. The value of self-belief and advocating for one’s own skills couldn’t be more important, particularly if your voice is struggling to be taken seriously. Self-advocacy is a powerful tool for both getting noticed and communicating your needs to the individuals around you. It’s difficult to do when you’re in a workplace that doesn’t sufficiently account for authenticity or inclusion. Finding confidence in your own expertise takes real courage when the space around you doesn’t recognise your experience. Corryn recalled being constantly questioned after being hired for her skills and experience. '‘ I don't think we're going to do it that way,” [management] might say, and in his next breath, asks a white male the same question, and that person would agree with me.’ Whether it's suggesting a process change or simply speaking up to be heard, everyone deserves to have their voice taken seriously, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. Dipesh mentions that: 'I quickly realised that you really have to promote yourself and get on board with the managers[…]to win anything, that's what I did in the end. That's why I got the most.’ The Journey so Far Brexit caused a resurgence of archaic, discriminatory values, particularly within white British culture. England and Wales witnessed a 15-25% rise in race and religious hate crime following the Brexit vote (Economics Observatory, 2021), which, for many, left an-all too familiar taste. Yogesh recalls changing his name to a more ‘English-sounding’ one on his CV in the late 80s, prompting an influx of interview offers, one from the same company that previously rejected his CV when it carried his real name. Things are still getting better every day, but despite the new generation being more comfortable with their own identities, they’re still the least confident age group (Impact Nottingham, 2020). This lack of confidence isn’t stopping their passion for working towards change. Activism is on the rise, and for those wanting to change the world in a positive light, the life sciences space remains one of the most exciting, impactful, and irreplaceable industries. Advice for Your Younger Self We asked our expert interviewees if they had any advice for their younger selves, and the overall consensus was that staying true to yourself often has the best outcome. Believing in your abilities and being yourself (even when there’s negativity surrounding you and the hard times feel like they’re never going to end) is tough, but it’s important to remember that you’ll grow and ultimately, come out of the other end of the struggle. Having those uncomfortable conversations, no matter how difficult they are at first, can challenge negative assumptions, break the mould and pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future for the working world of the life sciences. Just like some of the most important scientific discoveries in the history of the world, rocking the boat is often the way to catalyse the right kind of change. ‘We all belong to the same species. We're all homo sapiens, real citizens of this world, and we should live like that, and appreciate people with that respect.– Yogesh Krishan Davé Podcasts If you’d like to listen to our full catalogue of podcasts from the My Race in Scienceseries, along with a host of other great shows from the BioTalent team, please visit Spotify here
'You’re going to go through some hard times, but you’re going come out the other side.’ This episode of My Race in Science delves into the risks of ignoring changing terminology, the importance of mutual respect, and the necessity of representation at every level of the life sciences industry.We discussed the pitfalls and the positives experienced by people of colour in the LGBTQ+ community, the resources available, and the power of being yourself, even when the negativity around you starts to take its toll.How do we open up positive discussion? How do we empower others in the life sciences? It all starts with a willingness to learn.
‘Standing out in some way is part of the journey of life.’ In this episode of My Race in Science, we explored the infinite value of self-belief, mentoring, and meaningful allyship in the fight against discrimination in the life sciences space. From sharing stories to speaking up for others – you don’t need to have experienced first-hand discrimination to be an impactful advocate. While diverse teams are starting to populate senior leadership positions, the persistence of the ‘Old Boys Club’ mentality still acts as a barrier to progression for minorities in today’s world, particularly for women of colour. How do we break the mould and inspire change, and what does that process look like?
Happy International Women’s Day to our community! In line with this year’s ‘Embracing Equity’ theme, we caught up with the fabulous Dora Amene. Dora originally graduated from the University of Hertfordshire where she studied BSc in Pharmaceutical Science and MSc in Pharmacovigilance. Dora was involved in the Pharmaceutical Information and Pharmacovigilance Association (PIPA) committee, where she collaborated with industry professionals from diverse cultures and backgrounds sharing best practices with the wider membership in various companies and cites this project as her biggest career achievement to date. We also asked Dora what an equitable space looks like for her: ‘I see an equitable space as a place where there is a representation of diverse cultures, race, experience, and seniority in an organization be it within a department, its team members or the management/leadership team being able to collaborate and engage in both complex and non-complex conversations. Diversity, inclusion and equitable spaces in the workplace help create a culture where every employee feels a sense of belonging.’
Race in STEM is a global community of empowered people of colour in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics space. Our platform is a vessel for collaboration, a catalyst for career opportunities, and a safe, judgement-free space to share one another’s experiences and ideas. Introducing founder and Global Communities Manager, Steven Fuller. Steve is a passionate speaker, mentor, and advocate in the DEIB space, where he cultivates ideas, challenges companies on how to diversify their workforce, and builds meaningful connections with a range of communities. Join our community today to be updated on all upcoming events, webinars, podcasts and live streams! #RaceinSTEM #DEIB