Prompt:
How I Was Engulfed by Vaccine Research
In late 2018, I applied to work for Medion, one of Indonesian leading companies in animal pharmaceutical products and vaccines. Offering my background as a biotechnologist, I applied for R&D position. To my surprise, during the second interview, the director said to me, "We have a pilot project in Vietnam, developing swine vaccine. It seems that you have good English. Would you like to be placed there? We'll prepare the contract agreement for you." At that time, I had barely known vaccine production, not known any foreign language other than English, and never lived outside my country - honestly, I only had a pair of immigration stamps on my passport. I was startled and doubted myself a lot more than the company trusted me, but I took that chance, believing there is great opportunity behind this seemingly impossible situation.
Briefly, I am responsible for developing swine vaccines, something new to the 40 years-old company which mostly plays a role in poultry. This is also the first vaccine project outside of Indonesia. Maybe that is why my task is quite diverse as it requires me to handle not only the research part, but including quality control, molecular diagnosis of the field cases, conducting animal trials, dealing with international vendors, even interviewing new Vietnamese staff. It is quite challenging as I only had one-month training to be the jack of all trades. I was used to cell culture and bacterial fermentation, but adjuvant, titer, multivalent were unfamiliar words for me. Vaccinology was only a minor lesson when I was in college, but now I am engulfed in a new fascinating world.
Pioneering Projects
I have been supported by two Vietnamese veterinarians to run this project. I started with a baby step of making a system: forms, logbook, schedule, stock management. I believe that a good management system is a strong foundation for a developing company. With online guidance from my company in Indonesia and a lot of literature study, slowly we began to develop the vaccines. We are juggling at least three different vaccines - conducting upstream and downstream processes of live and killed vaccines, including the molecular analysis of the circulating strains. I also learn a bit about epidemiology as I take part in Avian Influenza surveillance mapping across Vietnam. It is indeed a great opportunity that opened my vision of vaccinology, understanding that it is a challenging work to get a safe and protective vaccine which meets both the demand and policy, not to mention to compete with the continuously mutating pathogens. These challenges are what inspires me to study further.
When I reflect back, life always serves me scratch to be built. Actually, a similar situation happened to my previous job when I worked for dentistry's first microbiology research lab in Trisakti University. I began as the only staff with nothing except a small lab with only some tables and chairs. It is the first established microbiology laboratory in the faculty. Shortly after, equipment and reagents were arrived, so I could start assisting many research students, ranging from bachelor to doctorate degree. During my work there, I published a paper in collaboration with some dentists. I also got assessed and acknowledged by Access Skill Training (Australia) as a Diploma in Laboratory Technology.
Veterinary Vaccine Development
The need for veterinary vaccines has grown steadily over time because of the emergence of new diseases, the advancement of technology, and the restriction of antibiotic use. In developing countries, it is vital to support the welfare of livestock animals, especially by vaccination. Therefore, we encounter the need for vaccinologists with technology know-how to produce innovative vaccines and strategic thinking to align it with a finite budget.
Upon graduation, I plan to come back to support Medion on their veterinary vaccine research. To complement my biotechnology background, LIVE programme will strengthen my fundamentals in immunology and infectiology. Being able to learn the specific vaccinology skills through this programme will surely support my early experience in vaccine development and prepare me for a better career ahead. As the company expands, the project management course will help me to better handle projects in the future. International environment and mobility that this programme provides will build more connections both for personal and professional relationships.
"How will the LIVE course support your professional development?"
How I Was Engulfed by Vaccine Research
In late 2018, I applied to work for Medion, one of Indonesian leading companies in animal pharmaceutical products and vaccines. Offering my background as a biotechnologist, I applied for R&D position. To my surprise, during the second interview, the director said to me, "We have a pilot project in Vietnam, developing swine vaccine. It seems that you have good English. Would you like to be placed there? We'll prepare the contract agreement for you." At that time, I had barely known vaccine production, not known any foreign language other than English, and never lived outside my country - honestly, I only had a pair of immigration stamps on my passport. I was startled and doubted myself a lot more than the company trusted me, but I took that chance, believing there is great opportunity behind this seemingly impossible situation.
Briefly, I am responsible for developing swine vaccines, something new to the 40 years-old company which mostly plays a role in poultry. This is also the first vaccine project outside of Indonesia. Maybe that is why my task is quite diverse as it requires me to handle not only the research part, but including quality control, molecular diagnosis of the field cases, conducting animal trials, dealing with international vendors, even interviewing new Vietnamese staff. It is quite challenging as I only had one-month training to be the jack of all trades. I was used to cell culture and bacterial fermentation, but adjuvant, titer, multivalent were unfamiliar words for me. Vaccinology was only a minor lesson when I was in college, but now I am engulfed in a new fascinating world.
Pioneering Projects
I have been supported by two Vietnamese veterinarians to run this project. I started with a baby step of making a system: forms, logbook, schedule, stock management. I believe that a good management system is a strong foundation for a developing company. With online guidance from my company in Indonesia and a lot of literature study, slowly we began to develop the vaccines. We are juggling at least three different vaccines - conducting upstream and downstream processes of live and killed vaccines, including the molecular analysis of the circulating strains. I also learn a bit about epidemiology as I take part in Avian Influenza surveillance mapping across Vietnam. It is indeed a great opportunity that opened my vision of vaccinology, understanding that it is a challenging work to get a safe and protective vaccine which meets both the demand and policy, not to mention to compete with the continuously mutating pathogens. These challenges are what inspires me to study further.
When I reflect back, life always serves me scratch to be built. Actually, a similar situation happened to my previous job when I worked for dentistry's first microbiology research lab in Trisakti University. I began as the only staff with nothing except a small lab with only some tables and chairs. It is the first established microbiology laboratory in the faculty. Shortly after, equipment and reagents were arrived, so I could start assisting many research students, ranging from bachelor to doctorate degree. During my work there, I published a paper in collaboration with some dentists. I also got assessed and acknowledged by Access Skill Training (Australia) as a Diploma in Laboratory Technology.
Veterinary Vaccine Development
The need for veterinary vaccines has grown steadily over time because of the emergence of new diseases, the advancement of technology, and the restriction of antibiotic use. In developing countries, it is vital to support the welfare of livestock animals, especially by vaccination. Therefore, we encounter the need for vaccinologists with technology know-how to produce innovative vaccines and strategic thinking to align it with a finite budget.
Upon graduation, I plan to come back to support Medion on their veterinary vaccine research. To complement my biotechnology background, LIVE programme will strengthen my fundamentals in immunology and infectiology. Being able to learn the specific vaccinology skills through this programme will surely support my early experience in vaccine development and prepare me for a better career ahead. As the company expands, the project management course will help me to better handle projects in the future. International environment and mobility that this programme provides will build more connections both for personal and professional relationships.
