EVENTS
BtC Events
The BiotechClub organizes events in and outside of academia to provide opportunities for its members to learn about different professional activities and the industry around us. Creating opportunities for companies to be exposed to doctoral candidates is equally important. We are always open for suggestions for events, so please dont hesitate to contact us if you think there is something we are not addressing already!
Make sure to join our mailing list to receive our occasional newsletters and event announcements.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2025
TBA
Past events
2025
Visit to AB Enzymes
The BiotechClub visited AB Enzymes, a leading player in enzyme manufacturing. The visit offered our participants a unique peek into the real-world applications of bioprocess engineering, protein engineering, and microbiology.
We learned about:
✅ How cutting-edge science translates into industrial-scale solutions
✅ The challenges and innovations driving the biotech industry
✅ How our backgrounds as PhD researchers can align with and contribute to the mission of companies we may one day work with.
A huge thank you to the team hosting us Laura-Leena Kiiskinen and Michelle Alexandrino de Assis, for the warm welcome, inspiring discussions, and for sharing their personal career journeys. Also, we thank the ILS doctoral programme at the University of Helsinki for sponsoring the bus transport necessary to reach the company!
Visit to VTT
We kick-started 2025 with a fantastic visit to VTT, where we explored the Production Host Engineering and the Bioprocess Engineering research units, and ventured into the cutting-edge world of industrial biotechnology.
During the visit, we delved into:
🔬 Metabolic models and synthetic expression systems for production host engineering
🧪 Microbial production of bioplastics, dyes, and other valuable compounds
⚙️ And how to make grape-flavoured beer🍇🍻
A special shoutout to Jorg de Ruijter, Hans Mattila, Dominik Mojzita, and Kaisa Peltonen for their enlightening presentations. Your expertise sparked engaging discussions that left us inspired.
2024
Visit to Solar Foods
On Tuesday 26.11, the BiotechClub had the incredible opportunity to visit Solar Foods, where we explored their groundbreaking approach to sustainable food production. Here's a recap of the visit and what we learned:
👥 Attendance:
29 out of 30 confirmed attendees joined—a fantastic turnout of Master’s students, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from the University of Helsinki. Fields represented ranged from molecular biology, and oral sciences to food & plant sciences, sustainability, and more.
🎯 Program Highlights:
Introduction: Solar Foods presented their revolutionary process of creating protein from microbes, CO2, and H2.
Deep Dive: Insight into their R&D and production processes.
Career Story: An inspiring talk by a University of Helsinki alumna who shared her path to becoming a "Solar Foodist."
Tasting: We savored the innovative Solein® ice cream, a delicious treat accompanied by insights from Solar Foods' Head Chef on its versatility in food preparation.
Factory Tour: A close-up look at their production facilities followed by networking.
🏢 First Impressions:
Modern, minimalistic, and brimming with Finnish design—Solar Foods made us feel warmly welcomed while introducing us to their ambitious mission.
📊 Key Takeaways:
Solar Foods is revolutionizing the food industry by producing protein from microbes grown using CO2 and H2.
Their R&D focuses on discovering new strains and developing products derived from Finnish forest microbes.
They are now in the Singapore and the USA markets.
Future plans include the construction of Factory 02, with a production capacity 50–100 times greater than their current facilities Factory 01.
🌍 Why This Matters:
This visit highlighted how biotechnology, like the innovations from Solar Foods, can play a critical role in creating a sustainable and resilient global food system. It demonstrated how such technologies can meet the nutritional demands of a growing population while minimizing environmental impact.
Special thanks to Petri Tervasmäki (CSO at Solar Foods) for collaborating with BiotechClub and ensuring a smooth visit and
Jenni Tommila (Molecular Biology Specialist at Solar Foods) for sharing her inspiring career story and giving us insight into daily life as a "Solar Foodist."
Visit to Bayer Oy, Espoo
The BiotechClub had a fantastic experience visiting Bayer Espoo on Monday, November 4th, 2024. We’re incredibly grateful to Bayer for hosting us and for providing such an engaging and insightful event!
During our visit, we had the opportunity to learn directly from one of Bayer's largest global clinical research units, which oversees clinical trials for new drugs in Finland and beyond. The presentations were invaluable, covering a wide range of topics central to the pharmaceutical industry, including Clinical Development, Study Management, Data Science & AI, Medical Writing, and Medical Affairs.
Special thanks to Arto Pakkalin, Tarja Jalava, Markus Lindqvist, Leonidas Karavanas Papadimos, Tommi Kilpeläinen, and Tuomas Heikkinen for their enlightening presentations, as well as to the behind-the-scenes line managers for sparking inspiring exchanges of ideas and mutual learning. The discussions were truly motivating!
Thank you again to the Bayer team for their warm welcome, refreshments, and knowledge-sharing. We left feeling inspired and more connected to the future of clinical research and development!
Industry Meets Academia
We had an incredible opportunity to witness academia and industry come together yesterday at our "Industry Meets Academia" event during the European Biotech Week EuropaBio - the European Association for Bioindustries!
The event gathered doctoral researchers and industry representatives under one roof, fostering insightful discussions and valuable connections.
Why is this important?
For doctoral researchers, collaboration with industry provides a broader perspective, enabling us to:
1) Translate theoretical knowledge into real-world applications
2) Identify emerging challenges and trends directly from industry experts
3) Open doors to new career paths, beyond the traditional academic route
Such interactions are essential to driving innovation and ensuring that research continues to have a meaningful impact on society.
A huge thanks to all the BiotechClub members who joined us! A special thanks go to Finnish Bioindustries FIB - Suomen Bioteollisuus ry and Alexandra Peth for being the perfect collaborator on this event.
Thanks also to the industry professionals who engaged with our researchers: Erik Rannaste and Matti Kannisto from AB Enzymes Finland; William Eccleshall from Care4Living; Tiina Bies from FinVector Oy; Sara Kangaspeska from Innovestor; Karoliina Grönholm and Petra Tuomiranta from Medix Biochemica; Ainoleena Turku from Orion Corporation and Mari Björkman from Helsinki Innovation Services Ltd. Last but definitely not least, a big thank you to our amazing funding partners Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) and University of Helsinki.
Visit to FinVector
Last Friday (6.09), we had an incredible visit to FinVector located in Kuopio, a true gem in the heart of Finland.
We learned about the extensive support for scientific and skill development that FinVector Oy offers its employees, explored the career paths of their scientists, and dove deep into Finland's research landscape.
A special shoutout to Aku Kukkola, Janne Weisell, Olga Gurvich and Eetu Salmela for their enlightening presentations, sparking an inspiring exchange of ideas and mutual learning. The discussions were truly motivating!
BiotechClub visit to Aiforia
Last Friday (16.08.), our BiotechClub members had an incredible visit to Aiforia, where we explored their cutting-edge instruments that empower researchers in clinical, pre-clinical, and academic labs to process imaging data with high efficiency.
We also explored the career pathways of Aiforia’s scientists and learned about the extensive scientific and skill development support the company offers its employees. Additionally, we discussed the research landscape in Helsinki and Finland, gaining valuable insights.
A special thanks to Darshan Kumar and Rute Pedrosa for their insightful presentations, which sparked an inspiring exchange of ideas and mutual learning. The discussion was truly motivating!
BiotechClub visit to Valio
🌟 On Tuesday, our BiotechClub co-chairs and members had an amazing visit to the headquarters of Valio!
We learned about Valio's work on R&D, and their focus on producing healthy and sustainable food 🍽 🔄
🎓🔬 Additionally, we explored the career trajectories of Valio’s scientists and learned about the scientific and skill development support Valio offers its employees. Plus, their HR personnel talked about their values as an employer, their commitment to work-life balance, and career opportunities for aspiring scientists.
We want to thank Niina Valkonen, Dilek Ercili-Cura, Tuula Tuure, and Hanna Kangas. Their presentations involved a synergistic exchange of ideas with reciprocal learning.
BiotechClub visit to Terkko Health hub
We joined for a session of talks and networking at Terkko Health Hub. Despite the snow, our members enjoyed coffee & pulla while listening to Helsinki Innovation Services Ltd, AKITA, by Finnadvance, NADMED Ltd. and SeeTrue Technologies.
🌟 With our mission of bridging academia and industry, startups, and entrepreneurship are now a crucial part of the equation! 🌟
💥 We're happy to see that our community is growing and that our events are an educational experience for everyone attending!💥
ChemBio Finland 2024: BiotechClub discussion panel
We had the incredible opportunity to host a thrilling panel discussion at ChemBio Finland, showing master students, PhD researchers, and postdoc researchers how life is in the private industry, whether working for a company or building your own venture.
A massive shoutout and heartfelt thank you to Alexandra Peth from Finnish Bioindustries FIB - Suomen Bioteollisuus ry for inviting BiotechClub to lead a session, inspiring us to unleash our creativity, and helping us spread the word about BiotechClub and our mission!
And let's not forget our phenomenal speakers, who made this event truly exceptional! Huge thanks to Vera Kovaleva, PhD, Andrii Domanskyi, Ville Paavilainen, Noora Lindgrén, and Anna Schoonover. Your wealth of knowledge and experience ignited a spark in many students today! Thank you for sharing invaluable tips and advice with us!
We're already counting down the days to ChemBio 2026! Let's keep the momentum going!
Valoya Oy/Greenlux Visit
21st February 2024
We had an absolutely exhilarating afternoon at Valoya (Greenlux Lighting Solutions) in Helsinki, Finland!
Diving deep into the world of greenhouse lighting business, we uncovered its profound applications in plant research, breeding, and crop production. Plus, we received invaluable advice tailored for our PhD researchers, to guide us through our academic journey and beyond.
Huge thanks to Craig Brelsford and Tiina Sarja-Lambert for generously sharing their time, insights, and enthusiasm about their roles, vision, and career experiences.
Keep an eye out for additional thrilling adventures and visits to companies!
2023
Orion Pharma-Turku Visit
23th November 2023
We had an unforgettable day at Orion Pharma-Turku, immersing ourselves in their groundbreaking biomedical research. Rune Salbo, the Head of Protein and Antibody Engineering, introduced us to Orion's pioneering platform for antibody development. Our exploration covered significant advancements in antibody engineering and provided detailed insights into the intricacies of therapeutics R&D in oncology and pain management fields.
Moreover, we gained valuable insight into the career paths of Orion's researchers and the potential job opportunities available within the company. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Rune Salbo and the other researchers who graciously guided us through the laboratory facilities.
IFF Visit
14th November 2023
A memorable Tuesday, November 14th, was spent with the Biotech Club at International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) in Kantvik, Finland!
We explored the research on the gut-skin axis and delved into nuances of clinical trials. Then we toured the labs, and learned about the career paths of scientists at IFF.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our host at IFF, Arthur Ouwehand, whose interest and support made this visit possible. We had the opportunity to listen to talks from various scientists, including Pirjo Wacklin, Alvin Ibarra, Sofia Forssten, Jenni Liljavirta, and Markus Lehtinen. Thank you for sharing your science and insights into your career journeys!
VTT Visit
25th October 2023
We had an exhilarating visit to VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, where we gained invaluable insights into the company's mission, accomplishments, and internal operations. The lead VTT researchers provided enlightening examples of projects conducted in collaboration with both Finnish and international companies.
During the visit, we were guided through three research units focused on protein production, bioprocess engineering, bioanalytics, and biological data science. In the Q&A sessions, we delved into detailed discussions about project specifics, researchers' career trajectories, and opportunities for PhD graduates within the company.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Anna Schoonover for seamlessly organizing the visit and delivering an informative introduction. Our sincere thanks go to the presenting researchers, Nina Aro, Vilma Ovaskainen, and Waltteri Hosia, for their warm hospitality and enthusiastic engagement in sharing their research.
Sartorius Visit
25th September 2023
We had an exciting visit to Sartorius, during which we gained valuable insights into the company's objectives, accomplishments, and internal operations.
The morning was truly fantastic as we delved into discussions about career paths and opportunities for PhD graduates in the private sector. Additionally, we gained great insights into teamwork and the product development process through engaging hands-on workshops.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to Maria Voutilainen, Sandra Söderholm, and Emilia Varhimo for generously sharing their career journeys with us and offering a glimpse into the dynamic work environment at Sartorius.
Overall, our visit was incredibly welcoming, complete with breakfast, lunch, and complimentary company merchandise.
Orion Pharma Visit
1st June 2023
The BiotechClub had an incredibly insightful visit to Orion headquarters, where we gained valuable knowledge about the organization and inner workings of Orion Corp., the R&D cycle, and the career paths of its scientists. We were fortunate to have inspiring and enlightening talks from key figures such as Orion Vice President and Head of Medicine Design Dr. Leena Otsomaa, as well as other department heads.
Following the lectures, our group of about 40 doctoral researchers was divided into four smaller groups for a tour of the Orion Pharma labs. This tour provided us with a comprehensive overview of the development process for potential small molecule therapeutics, ranging from compound synthesis to pharmacokinetics characterization.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Leena Otsomaa, Dr. Antti Pohjakallio, and Dr. Heikki Käsnänen for their incredibly informative talks. We are also grateful to the other researchers who graciously hosted our exciting visit. Your contributions have made our experience truly valuable and memorable.
Journey into Chemical Safety: Discover ECHA with BiotechClub
19th April 2023
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is responsible for implementing regulations related to chemicals and promoting their safe use while protecting human health and the environment.
The BiotechClub had a truly memorable visit to ECHA! We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn firsthand about the crucial role that ECHA plays in ensuring the safe use of chemicals in the European Union. The depth of knowledge and expertise demonstrated by the ECHA team was truly impressive, and we gained invaluable insights into the complex regulatory landscape. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the entire ECHA team for their warm hospitality and for making our visit truly wonderful!
2021
BiotechClub Bayer Event - A DSHealth Career Day event
21st December 2021
In this event you will have an unique opportunity to glimpse at the life in Bayer. Presenters will talk about Bayer´s mission and vision, explain how pharma industry works in Finland and give you a sense of how it is to work for Bayer. Moreover, we promise a panel discussion about importance of innovation & collaboration, sustainability, diversity & inclusion in today’s world. This event is sponsored by DSHealth and Aiforia Technologies Oyj .
2020
Career Day
10th December 2020 - organised with DSHealth
Career Day is a yearly organised event that offers the opportunity to meet people representing various professions and organisations. The event is organised via Zoom and include exciting talks and Speed dating event offering a possibility to interact with representatives from various companies in a small setup.
Virtual event "BioStartup: From scratch to success"
3rd December 2020
BiotechClub invites you to a virtual event where you will have a unique chance to hear first hand stories of establishing Biostartups in Finland and interact with our guests representing Sciar (augmented reality lab quality control Startup), Finnadvance (organ-on-chip deeptech Startup) and hear about resources for startup from IBM Healthcare & Life Sciences.
Welcome! For registration press here.
2019
Career Day
21st October 2019- organised with DSHealth
Career Day is a yearly organised event that offers the opportunity to meet people representing various professions and organisations face to face. Registration open:
- Students--> https://courses.helsinki.fi/en/health-112/129947835
- University Staff--> https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/89519/lomake.html
Health100 with Upgraded
2nd October 2019
BiotechClub is collaborating with Upgraded (www.upgraded.fi) for the Health100 event. Health100 is an unconference held on the 2nd of October, bringing together the top 100 Healthcare innovators of the nordics to bridge healthcare concepts closer to reality.
Visit and Workshop at GE Healthcare
11th April 2019
The BiotechClub's visit to GE Healthcare was a great combination of technical and hands on knowledge delivered by the GE staff. The visit comprised of an in dept description of the patient point of care devices to the AI realm that GE envisions itself to be in. The students enjoyed healthy discussions with GE engineers and got first hand experience of GE patient monitoring systems assisted by nursing staff.
ChemBio (What do PhDs bring to industry?)
March 2019
The BiotechClub hosted a self assessment lecture and workshop and a panel discussion about what PhDs bring to Industries. See pictures of this event in our gallery!
BiotechClub Visit to Copenhagen
March 2019
The BiotechClub visited the Medicon Valley at the heart of Denmark's Life Science scene in Copenhagen. The visit comprised of a 12 member BiotechClub delegation who got a glimpse of COBIS, Symbion and Novozymes in addition to a visit of the Maersk tower. All the delegation members got a chance to grab information about existing operations at the four establishments in addition to possible opportunities there. This venture was held in close collaboration with REBBLS. All participants enjoyed a full day event of exciting presentations followed by enthusiastic discussion ranging from the startup scene to research and innovation in Copenhagen within the field of life sciences. See pictures of this event in our gallery!
2018
BiotechClub in Y Science (SLUSH)
5 December 2018
The BiotechClub was present in SCIENCE, both volunteering and presenting a poster.
Career Day
23 October 2018- organized with DSHealth
Career Day is a yearly organized event that offers the opportunity to meet people representing various professions and organizations face to face. During this year's event we heard about "CV and LinkedIn profiles" and about "Coping with stress and time management". We also learnt about different career possibilities in the Finnish pharma industry, including the PoDoCo programme. During the afternoon, the participants were able to discuss with experts form different sectors:
- Essi Huttu (MSc Tech), Vice president DIMECC Ltd
- Tarja Jalava (PhD), Head of clinical project management, BAYER
- Pinja Jaspers (PhD), Legal counsel Research Services, UH
- Carmela Kantor-Aaltonen (PhLic), Director Finnish Bioindustries
- Leena Meriläinen (PhD), Medical science manager, Orion Diagnostica Oy
- Tuula Palmén (PhD), Co-creation manager, SynBio Powerhouse
NorDoc PhD summit
23-24 August 2018
The BiotechClub was present during the Nordoc PhD summit in Helsinki, where doctoral students, researchers and representatives of the biotech industry enjoyed two days of excellent science and exciting discussions.
Meet McKinsey
April 2018
During this event we met the McKinsey Helsinki team and we learned about the company’s activities. Furthermore, we had the opportunity to experience McKinsey’s workflow via workshops with challenging cases inspired by their recent projects. Biotechclub members separated into 4 groups and cracked 4 cases.
Visit and Workshop to Papula-Nevinpat patent agency
1st of February 2018
The BiotechClub for the first time teamed up with Papula-Nevinpat, an internationally operating patent firm, responsible for protecting intellectual property of scientific inventions.
This visit consisted of an interactive session with a patent attorney with a PhD in Biology. Check out some pictures of the event in our gallery!
2017
The BiotechClub at SLUSH y SCIENCE
1 December 2017
BiotechClub had a booth in the first edition of SLUSH Y Science on the 1st Dec 2017. Also, the BiotechClub board members were part of the volunteering team for SLUSH event.
Career day
17 November 2017 - organized with DSHealth
Career Day is a yearly organized event that offers the opportunity to meet people representing various professions and organizations face to face and to update your CV to meet the latest standards. This years' event started with a “Job interview” Workshop by the University of Helsinki Career Services and continued with the CV Clinic session.
During the afternoon, the participants were able to discuss with eight experts form different sectors:
- Paavo-Petri Ahonen, Ministry of Education and Culture
- Heini Hakala, McKinsey & Company
- Katri Pajusola, Freelance writer
- Huei-Yi Shen, UH Research services, Research funding expert
- Sari Tuupanen, Blueprint Genetics
- Maria Voutilainen, Application scientist from ThermoScientific
- Riikka Kivelä, UH, Academy Research Fellow
- Konstantinos Prevedouros, Scientic Officer - Ecotoxicology, ECHA
REVERSED
November 9th, 2017
REVERSED is the opposite of a traditional career fair. During the event, you, the Researcher, will have your own stand, and employers will walk up to you learning about what you have to offer. You will be in the spotlight – a great chance to pitch your competences and talents to both well-established industry players and dynamic startups.
BiotechClub visit to MERCK site , Darmstadt- Germany
October 23, 2017 - Damstadt, Germany
The BiotechClub of the University of Helsinki Doctoral Program in Integrative Life Science, visited the MERCK headquarters in Damstadt on the 23rd of October 2017. The visit comprised of an introduction to MERCK followed by a site tour at the industrial campus. Our delegation got a glimpse through many parts of their production area in addition to an in-depth overview of their bioreactor facility. The visit also gave a very clear and unabridged overview of MERCK’s management, research, and company vision. The site tour ended in discussion with employer branding expert 'Nadja Remmert' and visitor communications manager 'Gudrun Preßler-Rickert' about opportunities at MERCK for researchers at different levels of expertise. This 3 hour visit gave our delegation a complete picture of the functioning, logistics, innovation and history of MERCK. “ One of the delegation member described the event as ''The Merck visit was interesting and informative, but also an eye-opener''
Evira visit
September 26th, 2017 - Viikki
The Tuesday afternoon visit to Evira included several talks describing the tasks and activities of Evira (Veterinary bacteriology and pathology, Food and feed microbiology and antimicrobial resistance, Chemical analyses, Plant analyses, Virology, and Risk Assessments and Scientific Research) and tour to the laboratories.
BiotechClub Meet&Greet
June 15th, 2017 - Helsinki Think Company, Viikki
The annual get-together for our current and future members was organized at the Viikki Think Company in mid June. The event gave a good opportunity for relaxed networking while discussing our past an future activities and getting to know each other over some cheese and wine.
BiotechClub Visit and Workshop: Finnish Red Cross Blood Services
June 1st, 2017 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub visted the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service for the second time in June 2017. The visit comprised of presentations and discussions from FRCBS representatives representing the fields of Biopharmapceuticals, Biomedicine, Health and Value, research to business and Human resources. This was followed by a workshop session targeting the need and methods on promoting a research institution bringing in all the above mentioned discussion topics.
Visit to McKinsey & Co.
May 18th, 2017 - Helsinki
Sustainable Environment for a New Generation of Scientists
March 29th, 2017 - Helsinki, Chembio 2017
The BiotechClub-ViPA event comprised of a panel discussion, titled ''the Undefined PhD''. The panel comprised of a distinguished set of individuals representing different fields of research, education and administration from the University of Helsinki and the ministry of education and culture. The discussion aimed at answering key issues affecting PhD students and the importance of skills beyond academics for PhD students at the University of Helsinki in addition to other universities within Finland. The issues ranged from the long graduation periods of PhD candidates to the funding related insecurities for the young researchers aiming for a doctoral degree at the end of their research. Discussion topics also included channels that could be used for a smooth transition for students from academic to non-academic spheres after obtaining their degrees. The crucial issue of defining the current PhD degree towards its application to also corporate sector was a key discussion point. Involvement of the ministry in addition to key people from the University and an engaging audience, covered the full scope of the discussion with all accountable parties present.
2016
Biohit visit & workshop
November 10th, 2016 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub revisited Biohit Healthcare, a globally operating Finnish biotechnology company. The visit kicked off with interactive presentations from the Ceo along with the firm's Project and Sales managers. The selected participating delegation from the BiotechClub got an insight into Biohit's structure, functioning and the global product portfolio. The presentations were followed by an interactive workshop on market approaches and innovative project management strategies for local as well as international product launch. The many new ideas of approach that came from the delegation were discussed with project managers from Biohit. The visit and workshop gave a very vivid picture of not only Biohit but also of transferable skills that could be applied and acquired from academia.
5th Career Day 2016
October 17th, 2016 - Helsinki
BiotechClub teamed up with DSHealth in organizing the annual Career Day event. The event offered a great opportunity to meet people representing various professions and organizations face to face and to update CVs to meet the latest standards. The day started with a “Job hunting and Writing a Cover Letter” Workshop by the University of Helsinki Career Services and LAL and continued in the company of the invited experts and their insights.
BiotechClub-BAYER Seminar
August 19th, 2016 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub collaborated with Bayer to hold a seminar where the Bayer management shared views of its Collaborative sphere with the academia and how it envisions its future goals in complementing innovation with medical and basic research. The event was opened by Professor Howy Jacobs (Director, Institure of Biotechnology) after which the CEO of Bayer Nordics, Oliver Rittgen ave an insight into Bayers goals and operations. Presentations from Manja Ahola (Senior Scientist, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development), Tarja Jalava (Head of Global Clinical Project Management Oncology) and Agnieszka Pirinen (Study Manager, Global Clinical Project Management Oncology) gave valuable insight into Bayer's research and management teams and information regarding Career paths and current roles at Bayer.
An evening with Wine & Cheese
August 8th, 2016 - Helsinki
The event was organized in collaboration with the student council of the doctoral program of ILS. The evening presented a great opportunity to network, meet friends and learn about the upcoming events being organised by the club.
Visit to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
April 7th, 2016 - Helsinki
The visit was organized in collaboration with the Finnish Chemistry Society and included a tour of the Helsinki facilities and presentations about the activities of ECHA.
2015
Visit to Pfizer
November 11th, 2015 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub’s visit to Pfizer was its first ever venture with the multinational. This event brought experts at Pfizer, PhD students and post docs from the University of Helsinki under one roof at Pfizer’s Helsinki premises, where the whole session was held. The visit not only aimed at increasing visibility of academicians to the industrial environment but also gave them an opportunity to get a taste of what it is to be a part of the establishment. This was mediated via a micro-workshop that comprised of all the delegation members working on groups to understand the logistics of what goes in Pfizer after a drug gets marketing authorization. The whole event finished off with discussions and exchange of ideas along with networking thus bringing researchers closer to the corporate sector of innovation.
BioBusiness Course: Feasibility Study Company Project (3 ECTS)
November 10th, 2015 onwards - Helsinki
A real–life project with the possibility to get to see a glimpse of product development in a biotechnology company. The course was organized for 12 students together with the University of Helsinki Integrative Life Science Doctoral Program and Biotech Start-Up Management Ltd.
The 4th Career Day
October 13th, 2015 - Helsinki (Minerva Tori)
The fourth Career Day was organized with DSHealth and focused on networking of science professionals from different sectors to provide info on various career paths. The program included LinkedIn, Pitching and CV workshops and speed dating with various industry representatives (Academy of Finland, Ministry of Education and Culture, Janssen Cilag (J&J), Helsinki Innovations Services (HIS), Biohit Healthcare, Medix Biochemica, Pfizer).
Visit to Abbvie
June 16th, 2015 - Espoo
The BiotechClub members visited this huge biopharmaceutical company and got a glimpse into different career paths at the company. We got information about the tasks and challenges, which science professionals face at AbbVie and learned about their job specifications and background. Importantly a presentation by the General Manager and the HR Specialist shed light on requirements and criteria, critical when taking hiring decisions. This was a great opportunity to interact with scientists in different careers including Medical Manager, Regulatory Affairs Officer, Regulatory Safety Manager, Customer Relations Specialist and Medical Advisor. The event was a huge success, earning an 8.8/10 satisfaction rate from the participants as exemplified by the feedback from the attendees: "Excellent visit. More than expected. Amazing Abbvie team.", "Thanks for organizing such event! It really helped me to open my eyes for other career options than just medical advisor jobs in Pharma industry!", "This was the most helpful experience I’ve had in developing my career outside academia", "The event was perfectly planned and organized. I would be happy participate in meetings like this in future. I found information I got there extremely important and relevant to my future career choice".
Visit to McKinsey & Co.
March 5th, 2015 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub visited the giant consulting firm at the visit held at its Helsinki office. The visit started off with a few rounds of presentations from different levels of management, who took us through their background along with their current experience while at McKinsey. The discussion sessions after and during every presentation were quite intense and much appreciated with all the participants eager to know about the daily life of a consultant. Quite similarly to our event at BCG, all our participants got to know an in-depth perspective of the corporate world when it comes to solving problems for the clients. As quite a big number of our participants were from various parts of the globe, it was exciting for the whole group to learn that McKinsey Finland operates mostly in English thus keeping any language barriers away for potential employees. The presentation sessions were followed by a very well planned dinner and wine session. This was the final part of the event where everyone got to discuss in person with yet more consultants about their work-life at McKinsey and their transition from being a PhD student to their current position. The overall feedback received from the event was extremely positive with a score of 4.85/5. One such feedback from one of the attendees is as follows:
‘’The McKinsey visit was excellent, motivating and informative. It was fascinating to gain access to first-hand information about McKinsey's working culture and values. The structure of the visit was very well planned; free discussion over dinner was a perfect ending for the visit".
Visit to Transmeri
February 5th, 2015
A Visit to the Transmeri research and development site was organized to include free transportation from both Viikki and Meilahti campuses (sponsored by ILS) to ensure easy participation for all BtC members. The visit included meeting the research team, a tour of the facilities and indepth information about the various career paths of Transmeri researchers.
2014
The 3rd Career Day (sponsored by American Society for Cell Biology)
November 11th, 2014 - Helsinki
This time lead by PhDs to Business Life project, for the third year in a row BiotechClub contributed to the arrangements of the Career Fair. Preceded by LinkedIn Workshop, the event traditionally allowed students to meet professionals with diverse career paths. The event featured R&D director, communication specialist, senior consultant, lab manager, and scientific adviser among others. University of Helsinki Career Services provided a CV-clinic for those willing to develop and improve their CVs.
Trip to Leiden & Amsterdam (sponsored by PhDs to Business Life project)
September 16th-20th, 2014 - The Netherlands
The BiotechClub organized a trip to the Netherlands for 9 graduate students. The trip started in Leiden Bioscience Park with a visit to to-bbb, a company developing medicines for the treatment of brain diseases. It was followed by a tour around the facilities of Baseclear, an independent contract service laboratory with a focus on DNA technology, genomics and synthetic biology. On the second day the group headed to Amsterdam for a visit to Sanquin Blood Supply and Winclove Probiotics, which offers evidence-based probiotic solutions for consumers, health professionals and business partners. The friendly hosts of Winclove also took visitors on a boat ride in the canals of Amsterdam. On the third and final day, BiotechClub took another look at Leiden Bioscience Park, this time visiting facilities of Proteomics, Electron Microscopy, and the Animals at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). It was a great trip, with lots of new things learned, many new people met and loads of beautiful autumn weather!
Viikki Lunch
June 5th, 2014 - Helsinki (Viikki)
The visit to Fazer was followed by lunch organized to promote active member participation in the Committee of the Club. Upon brief introduction to how Committee operates, participants were asked to voice their interests and were invited to join. One of the proposals has later led to a visit being organized and three individuals expressed their interest in becoming pro-active.
Visit to Fazer
June 5th, 2014 - Vantaa
BiotechClub went to visit the main factory of the famous Finnish confectionary and bakery Fazer. PhDs to Business Life project was generous to provide transportation for all nineteen students directly from Viikki, in order to make their trip faster and hassle-free. The visit program was based on the regular tours organized by Fazer to general public, but was adapted to the BiotechClub to learn about the quality assurance and the lab work in the company. As per Fazer tradition, the visit concluded in the hall with all one can eat free candy.
2013
The 2nd Kiasma Career Fair - (sponsored by Sigma-Aldrich)
November 19th, 2013 - Helsinki
The second annual Career Fair fwas organized jointly with Culminatum Innovation and featured 8 invited professionals and more than 30 student participants. The representatives came from companies including Sigma-Aldrich, Jansen-Cilag, and Thermo Fisher Scientific and their professions ranged from research and development director to patent attorney.
The now-standard format included opening talk by sales development specialist from Sigma-Aldrich Finland, nine rounds of 'speed dating' at different tables of professionals, and CV construction lecture by University Career Services, which also held individual meetings with students who brought their CVs.
European Biotechnology Week 2013
October 2nd, 2013 - Turku
To continue our celebration of the European Biotechnology Week, we visited Turku. With arranged transportation, nine of us went on to visit PerkinElmer, Hidex, and Pharmatest. Although it was a very busy schedule for one day, it was made pleasant by the warm welcomes we received in each of the companies. The meeting of the son of Hidex founder was particularly noticed, for his sincere enthusiasm to interact with us and share his experiences. Communication with a leader of Pharmatest was also very open and honest. In addition, the very good selection of the companies – ranging from small to big, from start-up to well established, provided a terrific insight into the differences between small and large, old and new companies.
Visit to Orion
October 1st, 2013 - Espoo
The BiotechClub reorganized a visit to Orion Corporation facilities due to its popularity in 2012. The visit included introductory lecture about the Company & Questions and a tour around Orion Pharma's facilities.
Open Door Afternoon – Wine & Cheese
June 13th, 2013 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub and the GPBM Student Council (GSC) had a nice and cozy Open Door Afternoon! We had a relaxed social gathering where we met colleagues and enjoyed the summer afternoon with some wine and cheese.
Visit to Thermo Fisher Scientific
June 5th, 2013 - Vantaa
The BiotechClub reorganized a visit to Thermo Fisher Scientific facilities due to its popularity and positive feedback back in 2011!
Visit to the Boston Consulting Group
April 29th, 2013 - Helsinki
The full size-limited group of 23 Members and affiliates of our Club visited the top-notch consultancy – the Boston Consulting Group. Upon the general review of the company by a senior member of the group, we were very glad to hear the presentation of one of former fellow students. He did a wonderful job recalling his path to the BCG and explaining the effort and preparation it took him to be hired there, as well as his current work. Considering his background, his presentation was of high value and he clearly understood his audience. The presentations were followed by reception dinner and yet more questions and answers.
2012
Visit to Kemira
December 13th, 2012 - Espoo
The BiotechClub visited the R&D facilities of Kemira in Espoo. We saw what's behind the scenes of one of the biggest native Finnish chemistry companies and had Company research presentation and a guided tour around the facilities.
The 1st Kiasma Career Fair (sponsored by Orion)
November 22nd, 2012 - Helsinki
Culminatum Innovation Oy, which administers ”PhDs to Business Life” project, with assistance of BiotechClub at GPBM organized a Career Fair to introduce graduate students in life sciences to diverse professional careers. During the event students were arranged to interact in small groups with ten representatives of different professions. These were senior position scientist in industry, councilor, patent attorney, research manager, human resource manager, as well as individuals responsible for communications, sales, and marketing. Students got to ask individual questions and got a chance to meet all invited professionals. The event featured also two instructive talks on what non-academia recruiters are looking for in job applicants and how to prepare a good CV that meets modern standards. In addition, a number of students were able to get their CVs examined and advised on by experts at the on-site CV-clinic.
The Biotechnology Week 2012
August 27th-31st, 2012 - Helsinki/Tampere
The activities of this comprehensive week long event included visits to local companies in the Helsinki region (Orion), a Bioindustry Symposium in the Institute of Biotechnology ("From academia to industry and back: misconceptions and solutions") and finally a trip to Tampere BioNext clusters (eg. Santen, Finnmedi, Inion, Bioretec) and the Biocenter Finland Infrastructure Day visit.
Get-together with Lite Bites - meet GPBM student council and BiotechClub June 13th, 2012 - Helsinki (Viikki)
The BiotechClub had a nice and relaxing get together with its members and the GPBM student council on summery afternoon, just before the Summer Night in Science. It was a great opportunity to meet, interact and network with the members and representatives of the GPBM student council and the BiotechClub!
Visit to Evira (Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira)
April 16th 2012 – Helsinki
BiotechClub had a nice visit to Evira facilities in Helsinki where we heard about Evira in general, about research done in Evira and also got to see some of their research facilities!
Visit to Finnish Red Cross Blood Service
March 21st 2012 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub had a tour of their facilities, a brief overview of the Blood Service in general and an insight into their reserch projects, also few scientists introduced their career paths.
Visit to ECHA
January 19th, 2012 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub visited the European Chemicals Agency. ECHA is an agency of the European Union (EU) headquartering in Annankatu, Helsinki (www.echa.eu). The excursion was very informative event where we learned about ECHA in general and about REACH.
2011
Career Development Session Career Development
November 22nd, 2011 - Helsinki
Session at the University of Helsinki Main Building was organized by BiotechClub in the 7th FinBioNet PhD-Student Symposium - 5 Senses and Science, where different experts of their own areas were talking about their careers.
Visit to Thermo Fisher Scientific
November 1st, 2011 - Vantaa
The BiotechClub visited Thermo Fisher Scientific for an afternoon excursion! The event included a brief history of the company, an introduction of some of the key personnel and their duties, as well as product information delivered to us by the product specialists which was followed by a tour of the facilities and time for questions.
Visit to Caltech Biotechnology Club
September, 2011 - USA
BiotechClub delegation visited the Biotechnology Club of California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA, in September 2011. The trip program included tours to local companies in San Diego, events with Caltech Biotechnology Club, and visits to biotech companies in Los Angeles area.
BiotechClub Special Seminar presents Dr. Oscar Puig
August 22nd, 2011 - Helsinki (Viikki)
Oscar Puig, PhD (Associate Director, Merck Research Laboratories): "The era of the blockbuster drug is over: the role of biomarkers in successful drug development"
Visit to Biohit
May 10th, 2011 - Helsinki
The BiotechClub visited Biohit facilities in Helsinki for an afternoon excursion to learn about their Liquid handling and Diagnostics facilities, as well as the company's history, current situation, and future perspectives.
Open Day of BiotechClub@GPBM - after work BBQ
May 20th & 26th, 2011 - Helsinki
This event was held on Viikki campus on the 20th of May and in Meilahti campus on the 26th of May. There was some sausages on barbeque and beer/cider/juice served. Ideas changed and just having nice time!
Visit to the Boston Consulting Group
March 22th, 2011 - Helsinki
A twenty four-person group of BiotechClub members and affiliates visited the local offices of the premier global consulting agency. A considerably hospitable hosting by the BCG included educational presentations by two partners, a consultant and an associate of the company, as well as extensive Q/A sections, meeting with several BCG members, and a delicious dinner.
The opinion about the visit by BiotechClub visitors was unanimously appreciative and highly regarding. Feedback comments of the event ranged from “needed” to “inspiring”.
2010
Inaugural Events for the BiotechClub@GPBM
November 30th, 2010 - Hotel Scandic Simonkenttä, Helsinki
INAUGURAL MINI SYMPOSIUM (7 – 8 PM ):
Speakers:
John Nagarah, PhD, Co-President, Caltech Biotechnology Club,
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA
Denis Bilotta, PhD, Executive Board - Communication Officer,
Young European Biotech Network, London, UK
Peter Kolchinsky, PhD, Managing Director, RA Capital Management, Evelexa BioResources,
Co-Founder, Harvard Biotechnology Club, Boston, USA