At BioCanRx, we are incredibly proud of our HQP and their dedication to cancer immunotherapy research. Whether they are working on viruses in the lab or examining the socioeconomic barriers to adopting certain treatments in Canada, each one plays a unique role in strengthening our network and expertise in immunotherapy.
BioCanRx is invested in our HQP by providing them with both the training and skills they need to be leaders in academia and industry.
1. Tell us about yourself. Give us a brief background. Who are you? Where did you go to school and what is your association to BioCanRx?
Hello! My name is Andrea and I am a recent graduate of Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University, with a specialization in Biochemical Engineering. In my spare time I enjoy both playing and coaching basketball, as well as spending time outdoors with my family and friends.
During my time at Queen’s, I participated in the Queen’s Undergraduate Internship Program (QUIP) where I was able to complete a 16-month professional engineering internship between my third and fourth year of study to gain relevant work experience. I completed my internship at the Cancer Therapeutics Program of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, within the laboratory of Dr. Jean-Simon Diallo. My work involved researching the use of novel small molecules to enhance production of lentivirus for applications in cancer therapeutics. During the last 4 months of my internship, I had the honour of receiving a BioCanRx 2020 Summer Studentship grant which provided funding for my research project that investigated scale-up of novel small molecules to pilot-scale lentivirus manufacturing.
2. Where do you work now, and what is your position?
I currently work as a Junior Data Scientist at Virica Biotech, which is a start-up biotechnology company based out of Ottawa, ON. Virica was founded upon the research of Dr. Jean-Simon Diallo, and it specializes in using novel small molecules called Viral Sensitizers (VSE) to enhance manufacturing of various viral medicines.
My role as a Junior Data Scientist involves modeling incoming data from both internal and client-focused projects, assisting with the generation of client-based reports, and developing data-driven models to advance product and business development objectives.
3. What does typical work day look like for you?
Everyday at Virica is different, which is one of the many things that I love about my job! My role is cross-functional, meaning that I work with both the scientific and business development teams at Virica. I typically spend a portion of my day working on client-related tasks, whether it be preparing a client report, analyzing incoming client data or participating in client calls. A significant portion of my time also includes using the software BioSolve® to develop sophisticated Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) assessment models of viral vector manufacturing processes for product development purposes. Lastly, I typically spend a portion of my day creating and maintaining databases and systems for use by our research and product development teams.
4. How has your experience with BioCanRx contributed to your career development?
BioCanRx has provided me with access to a multitude of webinars and workshops that have helped to accelerate my career development. I was recently able to participate in an Introduction to R workshop hosted by BioCanRx which gave me an opportunity to further develop my coding and analytical skills as I transitioned into my role as a Junior Data Scientist at Virica. In addition, the many networking opportunities provided by BioCanRx has allowed me to meet other scientists and trainees in the industry, and to further develop my networking skills.
5. What advice do you have for career development that you would pass on to other BioCanRx trainees?
My first piece of advice to BioCanRx trainees would be to utilize the amazing resources that BioCanRx provides. Whether it be participating in networking sessions or taking part in workshops, the opportunities that are provided are valuable experiences that will help you to build your skill set and accelerate your career in ways that you may not have imagined!
I would also say that being able to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and embracing challenges are key for career development. When I started my internship at the Diallo Lab, I was outside of my comfort zone as I had little experience in the field of viral vector production. At the time, I could not have imagined that I would become as passionate as I am today about improving the lives of others through viral medicines.
