Academia meets Industry: merging worlds through science
/ via embl/
EMBL’s first Industry Day offered EMBL scientists a unique opportunity to network with several leading life science companies
Antibody-shaped plushies, thermo bottles, notebooks, funny socks, coffee mugs, pens that look like pipettes: companies’ goodies are popular collectables among scientists, and they were certainly not missing at EMBL’s first Industry Day.
On Monday, 14 October, EMBL welcomed 14 outstanding pharmaceutical and biotech companies at its first Industry Day. Organised by the EMBL Corporate Partnership Programme (CPP) and the EMBL Course and Conference Office (CCO), this event offered EMBL scientists the opportunity to meet and network with representatives of leading companies in the life sciences. About half of the participating companies are members of the EMBL CPP, a programme aimed at bringing together global industry leaders and EMBL scientists to ensure that the companies’ innovative products and advanced technologies can match and support the cutting-edge research performed at EMBL.
Networking was at the heart of the Industry Day. Participants could visit the companies’ booths and discover their newest products, learn about their latest technologies, discuss sustainability strategies, and gain insights into possible career options. In addition, during short presentations, company representatives could highlight a topic of their choice, from the launch of ‘green’ products to the development of innovative instruments, to job opportunities for people looking for their next position.
“Scientists at EMBL perform cutting-edge research, so we at Bio-Techne GmbH are always keen to keep up with their work and offer products and technologies at the forefront of science,” said Petra Samenfeld, Sales Specialist at Bio-Techne. “This event is a great opportunity to learn more about EMBL’s science and future needs.”
Some companies already provide essential reagents for EMBL researchers, and they took the opportunity to meet their customers in person. “This event is a great chance to talk with EMBL scientists, some of whom I was already in touch with because they use our products. Finally, I get to meet them in person,” said Vanessa Klein, Scientific Account Manager at New England Biolabs (NEB).
A similar motivation and search for networking opportunities attracted the participants, including scientific and non-scientific staff and fellows.
Seyhan Yonka, Purchase Officer at EMBL, shared his main reason for attending the event: “I wanted to meet the vendors, see what’s new, and have contact with companies. All these goals were met.” Bahtiyar Kurtulmus, Lab Manager in the Heard Group, agreed: “I already knew some companies, so I wanted to get to know the others, do some networking, and explore future career opportunities.”
Victor Campos Fornes, Predoctoral Fellow in the Noh Group, added: “During the event I could connect with pharma professionals and learn first-hand about new products to further complement our science. I particularly enjoyed the talks – it was a nice opportunity to hear about the services they offer, as well as their career paths and current company roles.”
Some EMBL scientists also took the chance to try out new instruments. Evident Europe brought along their newest slide scanner, and some researchers did not miss the opportunity to scan their own microscope slides and capture some advanced histology images.
An entertaining quiz with questions about the companies’ newest products or fun facts gave the participants the possibility to win cool prizes sponsored by the companies and helped initiate additional interactions at the booths.
Lively and informative, EMBL’s first Industry Day was a successful event, and it will be continued. Stay tuned for next year’s edition!