Advice to my younger self with Vibha Jawa and Nisha Palackal

Awareness

Bioanalysis Zone is celebrating International Women’s Day and acknowledging the often challenging career paths of female bioanalysts. We spoke to Vibha Jawa and Nisha Palackal to reflect on their careers so far, their proudest moments and the resources and mentors they’ve used to navigate the field of bioanalysis. This is the second interview in our four-part series to recognize female leaders in STEM. Check out the first interview here.

Vibha Jawa
Executive Director
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS; NY, USA)

Vibha is an Executive Director for biotherapeutics bioanalysis at BMS and is responsible for leading biotherapeutic and cell/gene therapy bioanalytical function supporting DMPK and immunogenicity, providing strategic and scientific oversight for the BMS developmental portfolio. Vibha has 20+ years of experience in diverse fields of biologics, vaccine development and gene therapy and is a recognized leader in bioanalysis and immunogenicity, with 75+ peer-reviewed publications and serving as a Reviewer and Editor for The AAPS Journal and J. Pharm Sci.

Nisha Palackal
Director of Protein Biochemistry
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NY, USA)

As a Director in Protein Biochemistry at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Nisha is responsible for overseeing groups involved in extended characterization of reference standards, comparability and biologic license application support, host cell protein method development, as well as the development and life cycle management of critical protein reagents. Prior to joining Regeneron, Nisha held positions at Diversa (now BASF; Ludwigshafen, Germany), Cayman Chemical Company (MI, USA) and Hospira, a Pfizer company (IL, USA). Nisha received her Ph.D in Biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania (PA, USA) and has over 20 years’ of industry experience in therapeutic protein generation, characterization and life-cycle management.

Questions

Tell us your career story.

Vibha:

  • Masters/PhD in Biochemistry in a National Institute of Health (NIH) equivalent, premier institute in New Delhi (India) completed at 28 yrs.
    • Thesis work looked at immunology behind pathology of Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Postdoctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (UPenn; PA, USA), Institute of Human Gene therapy.
    • Studied adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy for Cardiovascular disease (AHA grant) and ophthalmic degenerative disorders.
    • Was part of UPenn team that developed the first approved gene therapy: Luxturna.
  •  Entry level role at a gene therapy start-up aged 31.
  • Academic role at the City of Hope Cancer Center (CA, USA) for 1 year.
  • 2003-present: worked for three major biotechnology companies:
    • Amgen (CA, USA)
    • Merck (NJ, USA)
    • BMS (NY, USA)

Nisha:

  • 2001-04: Scientist, Protein Engineering: Diversa Corporation (now BASF; Ludwigshafen, Germany)
  • 2004-09: Head of Protein Core Services, Cayman Chemical Company (MI, USA)
  • 2009-12: Senior Group Leader, Hospira Inc (now Pfizer; NY, USA)
  • 2014-present: Director Protein Biochemistry, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
How have you found mentors throughout your career? What have you gained from these relationships?

Vibha: I have identified mentors within my own work environment as well as through industry networks. I also reached out to people in leadership positions across functions to get objective mentorship. The experience and wisdom shared by my mentors has helped me to stay objective and avoid pitfalls.

What resources / networks have you found useful in your career, particularly as a woman in science?

Vibha: Being part of scientific communities like the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), European forums like the European Immunogenicity Platform (EIP), European Bioanalysis Forum (EBF) and LinkedIn networks.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Vibha: Being resilient, nimble and open to change. I collaborated across functions leading to very fruitful scientific relationships as well as publications and presentations.

Nisha: I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to build a comprehensive working knowledge of protein therapeutics during my >20 years in the biopharmaceutical industry. I have had hands-on experience in cloning, expression of proteins in various systems, purification and protein engineering, protein characterization using biophysical, biochemical and functional assays, as well as qualification and validation of methods to support product release. Recently, I have also had the opportunity to expand even further with AAV, mRNA and plasmid DNA (pDNA) therapeutics.

What are you most excited about in the years to come, especially around women in science?

Vibha: I am most excited about mentoring and watching women rise in their careers and reach leadership roles.

Nisha: Seeing an increase in women leaders at work; I’m already seeing a substantial change in the number of women moving into senior roles in many companies. I’m so proud to have also taken the career path that gives me the freedom to grow at my pace. In my early career, I have had many instances where I was the only female in a meeting; today, I have had meetings where only women were present. This type of transformation at work is really exciting!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Vibha: Be open to change; do not justify and hide behind excuses. If you’d like, have a family and kids and change the status quo. Ask for a promotion and do not wait for your manager to put you forward.

Nisha: As a woman scientist, I would advise my younger self to avoid trying to be a superhero and overworking oneself. It’s crucial to remember that developing your skills takes time and it’s equally important to prioritize your personal life alongside professional accomplishments. It’s wise to seek out good mentors early on and maintain those relationships throughout your career.

Would you like to shoutout anyone who has inspired or helped you along the way, or any early career researchers who are 'ones to watch'?

Vibha: I would like to thank my women mentors whom I have reached out to consistently for advice; Dr Meena Subramaniam, Immediate Past President of WEST (Women in the Enterprise of Science & Technology; MA, USA), Dr Binodh De Silva, Senior Vice President for Bioanalytical and Biomarker Development, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (CA, USA), Dr Jean Bennett, UPenn Perelman School of Medicine (PA, USA) and Dr Guy Padbury,