Science / July 26, 2024

A practical test for postdocs

For some researchers, a career in industry would never be an option. Others appreciate the practical relevancy of working at a company. Postdocs at the Max Delbrück Center can find out which path is right for them through the “Academy meets Industry” program.

The “Academy meets Industry” program at the Max Delbrück Center builds a bridge between academic research and a career in industry. Postdoctoral researchers can apply to the Career Center to be released from work in their research group for three months to work at a company. To apply, they must submit a letter of motivation explaining why they want to intern in industry and why it would be beneficial for their career. Participants may choose a company themselves or, if they cannot find one on their own, the Career Center will help place them. Staff can also provide support with contract negotiations.

Dr. Jeanne Mbebi and Dr. Oscar Sánchez-Carranza are among the seven postdoctoral researchers who ventured into industry this year. They share some of their experiences in the interview that follows.

How long have you been at the Max Delbrück Center, and what are you working on?

Jeanne Mbebi: I have been a postdoc in Norbert Hübner's research group since January 2023. I analyze single-cell RNA sequencing data and try to understand how genes mutate or misbehave, leading to heart disease. This is my third postdoc position, and before this, my work was more theoretical and plant-based. Previously, I was at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology – also exciting, but something totally different.

Oscar Sánchez-Carranza: I started as a doctoral student in Gary Lewin's research group in 2016. I am now in my second postdoc year there. I am interested in the mechanisms of pain perception – specifically, the proteins in sensory neurons. We want to investigate how these proteins are regulated so that we can perceive mechanical stimuli from the environment. I am also involved in a project looking for new small molecules that could be used to treat chronic pain as alternative treatment to opioids.

Why did you choose to take part in the “Academy meets Industry” program?

Jeanne Mbebi: I wasn’t sure which path was right for me: stay in basic research or switch to industry? I wanted to get clarify on this for myself. After my PhD, I already had the feeling that I wanted to do something other than academic research. I looked for a job as a data scientist in industry but couldn’t find anything. Then I had the opportunity to extend my postdoc contract – so I did that. When I saw the announcement for “Academy meets Industry,” I thought this could be a good chance to get a taste of corporate life.

Potential for a spin-off

Oscar Sánchez-Carranza: I am fascinated by the idea of drug development because it can really help people. To put results from basic research into practice, you need a company behind you. Our small-molecule project has the potential for a spin-off. But even aside from that, I wanted to gain experience in a company.

Where did you work? And on what?

Jeanne Mbebi: I was at Feral GmbH, a Berlin-based company that launched a cycle tracker called “inne” that women can use to determine their fertile days. It consists of three components: test strips, a reading device – or mini-laboratory, if you will – and an app. Users need to moisten the test strips with saliva and insert these into the reading device. The device detects the progesterone level in the saliva and sends the result to the app. The app calculates fertility and shows how high the probability of conception is. In addition to planning conception, the app is intended to help women understand their cycle better. It has a diary function where users can input how they are feeling. I analyzed these entries and looked for recurring patterns. One day, the app should also be able to predict which symptoms women can expect in different phases of their cycle.

Oscar Sánchez-Carranza: I worked at Bayer developing strategies to treat cardiovascular diseases. It was a big challenge for me to delve into a new research field; until then, I had been working in neuroscience. I am under a confidentiality agreement, so I can’t tell in detail of what I worked on. But I can say that I designed and conducted experiments using high content imaging and analyze all that image data in an automated way – completely new for me. The key thing was that I made many contacts and talked to experts from various areas, from the research and development department to toxicology and drug screening.

How does working in a company differ from working in a research institute?

Jeanne Mbebi: Honestly, I did not notice any major differences, other than that the work is more strictly organized. You have to submit a report every day. This is not the case in science; it is a bit more flexible.

Oscar Sánchez-Carranza: Basic research is often a never-ending story: You pursue a particular question for years, and sometimes there is still no concrete result in the end. It’s completely different in industry. You work on a project, and if there are no visible results within a certain time frame, the project is terminated. I don’t mind this at all because it allows you to reset and concentrate on something new again. Everything is very tightly organized and thoroughly documented so that individual departments can understand what is happening in the other areas. It’s a very dynamic environment.

Do you now know whether you want to move from academic research to industry?

Jeanne Mbebi: I can very well imagine doing that.

Oscar Sánchez-Carranza: I definitely want to.

The conversation was conducted by Jana Ehrhardt-Joswig.