Specialisms
-
Data
We connect programmers, statisticians, data managers and data scientists with the latest opportunities across a variety of life science industries.
-
Clinical
In support of some of the most innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and leading CROs, our team source professionals for stages I - IV clinical trials across Europe and the US.
-
Technical Operations
From manufacturing to product development, facilities management to engineering, our team understand the skills necessary to ensure the success of a tech ops department.
-
Technology
Many of our most longstanding partners operate in the technology sectors, from ERP/CRM to machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Find your next role.
.jpg?disposition=attachment)
Join an inclusive and welcoming team.
At SEC we've cultivated an atmosphere where we encourage each other to perform, progress, and be successful. Join an organisation that puts their people at the heart of everything they do.
Committed to you.
You need a recruitment partner you can trust. Whether you're considering the next move in your career or need support executing your growth strategy, we can help.
-
.png)
Arun Kullar November 2021Mentorship, motivation, momentum: The road to placing my first candidate at SEC
I joined SEC back in July 2021. I had just graduated from University with an International Business degree in May and was working as a waiter in a popular chain restaurant. As a waiter, I was constantly talking to people and upselling deals we’d have on that day. Throughout my academic and hospitality career I’ve always had a really good work ethic. So, after speaking to some of my friends who were already in the industry, I realised my skills could align with recruitment nicely, and I really started to consider it as a career. When I first started I knew that recruitment wouldn’t be easy. Even though I felt I had a fair understanding of what a career in recruitment would look like, I knew a placement wouldn’t just fall into my lap and that it’d take a lot of groundwork to get a sale in the pipeline. To reap the rewards, I needed to put those months of effort in through making calls, sending emails, and getting to know people. My first placement was a CRA II position in a large contract research organisation (CRO). My colleague laid the groundwork in winning the role from the client, but as it was more suited to my area of focus, it landed on my desk when it came to sourcing candidates.Once I received it everything progressed quickly. That evening I began approaching potential candidates, and the next day I was on the phone with a few CRAs discussing what they were looking for and the position we had on offer. I’d had a couple of initial conversations with a great candidate that was working for a small CRO, but felt as though they would be compensated better in a larger firm, so right away I knew that money was going to be a huge motivator for them when considering an offer.I put the candidate forward for a few different roles we were working on, and they received a couple of different offers. In the end, they went for the highest paying role. It was a 2-week process of interviews and daily communication. Even now, when they have accepted the position and are due to start in January, we’re still catching up on a biweekly basis just to make sure everything is sitting well with them and they’re still looking forward to joining. I feel like the crucial part of making my first placement was nailing down the candidate’s motivations straight away. Before this placement I had a couple of offers on the table which had unfortunately fallen through due to the candidates accepting counteroffers – a tough reality I know every recruiter faces. It was a total learning curve, and from it I realised that knowing and understanding your candidates’ motivations was vital in making sure you’re able to place them.It was such a good feeling when my candidate accepted the offer, it felt as though those first three months of training and hard graft had really paid off. For me, placing this candidate was the best motivator to keep pushing on, and keep striving for that next deal. After this I went on to place my second candidate just 3 weeks later. Within the space of 4 months, I’m already feeling like I’m a better recruiter, and now I’ve hit the ground running I just need to keep it going, keep the momentum, and keep it moving. SEC’s training program really helped me to secure my first placement. Here I’ve got the tools to learn, the opportunity to progress, and freedom to build out my own remit. I’ve learnt so much since July and I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in another 4 months time.Looking for a career in recruitment? Send your CV to us here and our talent team will be in touch.
Read more -
.png)
Clinical
Roy Nelson November 2021The rise of virtual clinical trials and why they are here to stay
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically derailed onsite clinical trials worldwide, leaving lasting impacts on the life science sector. Clinical trials often deal with vulnerable groups of people who are at the highest risk if exposed to COVID-19, so a large percentage of trials have been paused or stopped altogether. Social distancing regulations have forced clinical trials to change the way they are conducted, and it looks like these adaptations are here to stay.The pandemic’s impact on clinical trialsGlobally, clinical trials that are not researching COVID-19 have been put on the backburner. This has resulted in severe delays in timelines and in some cases a complete halt of operations. The delay in timelines has led to setbacks in the development of other life-saving drugs. At the start of the pandemic, more than 1,500 clinical trials researching treatments for cancer, heart disease, and other serious illnesses were permanently closed down due to the virus. Elective surgeries and other hospital services that were not COVID-19-orientated have also been delayed. This has seen a lasting impact on tumour banks that store cancer samples. Medical students will have less hands-on practical knowledge leading to potentially lesser qualified medical professionals. Alongside this, cancer researchers have less to analyse leading to further delays in cancer treatments. Despite elective biopsies restarting recently, cancer researchers have complained that the depleted number of samples has led and will continue to lead to reduced basic research. New methods of conducting clinical trialsThe number of enrolments in onsite clinical trials has plummeted as participants stay away from hospitals in an attempt to avoid the virus. A recent survey found that 35% of respondents feel worried about going to a hospital or clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic. To overcome this, life science professionals have had to be innovative and change their approach to clinical trials Informa Pharma and Oracle recently surveyed 251 life science professionals from biopharmaceutical and medical device companies. They found that due to the pandemic, 84% of the respondents adopted alternative trial methods so that they could continue their existing clinical trials or start new ones. These new methods have worked well, with 97% of the life science professionals stating that they will continue using at least one of the newly adopted approaches. New approaches saw virtual clinical trials become increasingly popular. Among the newly adopted virtual methods that companies plan to continue to use post-pandemic, remote monitoring (32%), video visits (28%), electronic health records (24%), and phone visits (24%) were top of the pack. The benefits of virtual trialsVirtual trials offer the opportunity for large population samples. For example, lower-income or underrepresented participants who were previously unable to engage in clinical trials due to work schedules or transportation access, may now find it easier to participate virtually. This method has also broadened the potential for studies to have wider geographic coverage, and even contribute towards greener, more sustainable clinical trials.A recent survey found that 44% of organisations will continue to use decentralised trials alongside in-person traditional clinical trials. Many respondents (61%) believe allowing patients’ choice of the trial method will have a positive impact on clinical research and well over half (58%) said that their organizations plan to give patients the option to choose how they participate in clinical trials moving forward.Previously, clinical trials could typically take 6-12 months for the implementation and the recruitment of the participants. However, due to the speed of the virus virtual clinical trials were forced to be up and running in a matter of days. Such trials have brought benefits such as timely data access and improved flexibility for patients, and with all the benefits that they offer, it’s likely that more organisations will look to conduct decentralised, or partially decentralised, clinical trials in future.
Read more -
.png)
Manufacturing
Jacob Perrett November 2021How can the life science industry be more environmentally friendly?
As an industry that is positioned to bring value by providing products and services that contribute towards the health of the public, the conversation around ecological sustainability tends to skip over the pharmaceutical industry. Sectors such as large-scale manufacturing, automotive, and agriculture battle constant public scrutiny over their sustainability practices, so how can the life sciences sector act to make its activities and outputs greener too? Companies in the drug development space have long avoided their spot under the microscope when it comes to the environmental impact of their processes and practices, despite the fact the industry is responsible for more pollution than the automotive sector, one which is often under a hefty amount of scrutiny during climate discussions. Now, amid the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26), we’re in a time where sustainability and environmental consciousness is considered an important issue to almost 70% of the general population, and an organisation's response to the issue can have major implications on commercial success. Reacting to the climate crisis and in response to public opinion, governments around the world are pledging their commitments and introducing policies that hope to tackle the effects of climate change – the same governments that play a major part in the regulation, approval, and distribution of the products that are critical to the bottom line of drug development firms – so the conversation around sustainability in pharma has never been more prevalent. The environmental impact of pharmaceutical practices When considering the environmental impact of the pharmaceutical sector, images of thick smoke and air pollution may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but the industry produces greenhouse gasses at a rate 13% higher than that of the automotive sector despite being a smaller sector. A substantial number of emissions that come as a result of pharmaceutical development are during the clinical trial stages. Centralised trial designs that require employees to commute, patients to travel, deliveries related to products to take place, and the distribution of trial materials to occur, make for an energy-intensive period in the drug development cycle that contributes up to 14 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per employee. Outside of trial design, waste produced during the manufacturing process presents its own environmental issues too. Studies have shown that poorly controlled disposal of waste products from drug manufacture have gone on to impact water pollution levels, leaving a potentially devastating effect on local ecosystems and the potential for resistant bacteria to form. Challenging the current ways of working Several pharmaceutical companies have encouraged sustainability within their own products and processes in recent years, setting internal targets and pledging green targets to which they’ll hold themselves accountable. 28% of the pharmaceutical sector (by market share) has joined the United Nations’ Race to Zero commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, with giants J&J, Pfizer and Eli Lilly among those setting clear and measurable emissions goals, with deadlines alongside their environmental proposals.The largest US biotech and pharmaceutical companies' net-zero carbon emissions goalsCommitting to bold sustainability action is a promising first step, but whether the industry can deliver real change will be apparent in long-term changes to trial design, drug production and manufacturing efforts. The pandemic has shown how technology and innovation can enhance trial design and allow trials to continue without the need for travel to and from a central trial site. Continuing to use such tech will allow for more decentralised trials to take place, make trials simpler and more efficient, and cut the level of energy needed for a clinical study to take place. Tech can also be leveraged to improve efficiencies in the manufacturing process and lead to a reduction in waste materials that impact local environments. Effective modelling of pharmaceutical manufacturing chains can ensure the most effective use of materials and energy, and reduce the unnecessary bi-products created during drug production. Sustainability as an opportunity Pharmaceutical companies face a whole host of benefits in pledging greener processes and committing to sustainable practices, not least because the industry is a major polluter, and the future of our planet depends on the global effort to reduce emissions. Societal attitudes towards big pharma are historically volatile, and while public opinion may have changed after the industry’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, improving public relations is beneficial for any organisation dealing in public health. Communicating intent and showing action toward combatting emissions presents an opportunity to change public perception and further indicate an organisation’s commitment to tackle global issues. From a commercial standpoint, aligning climate goals with that of the governments and local regulators that review drug and product submissions is only going to positively impact approval rates and the company’s bottom line. Strong corporate environmental, social and governance programmes can also increase stock liquidity, as in recent years individuals and institutions have been investing heavily in corporations that demonstrate their ability to operate in an ethical and sustainable matter. When it comes to seeing true sustainability in practice within the life sciences sector, we’re at the very beginning of the story. With pledges and commitments laid out by major players, it’s clear the industry is akin to the benefits of a strong sustainability strategy. But, given the complexity involved in changing decades-old processes, it looks to be a long time before the environmental issues the industry contributes towards can be considered under control.
Read more -
Michele Vinciguerra October 2021What life science jobs can we expect artificial intelligence to create?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm, with the global AI market expected to be worth $60 billion by the year 2025. Reports state that AI can increase business productivity by 40%, so it is clear to see why business are looking to invest in the new tech. Within the life science industry, AI has already begun to improve the sector through advancements in medical diagnostics, and the acceleration of drug development. However, with reports suggesting that automations could replace 30% of the global human workforce by 2030, the question “what kind of threat does AI pose to life science jobs?” is highlighted. This shift could see nearly 400 million people forced to adapt and change their careers. However, we must keep in mind that AI is not the same thing as automation. Automation takes away the need for human action, while AI relies on human interference to learn and adapt. AI will not replace people but enhance their ability to do their current jobs. A recent report from the World Economic Forum estimated that AI would create a net total of 97 million new jobs by 2025. The future will see AI and humans working in unison together. AI Trainers and Interpreters AI-based technologies in the life science industry produce massive amounts of data, often from a wide range of sources. AI technologies can be used in a multitude of ways, from data mining, to identifying diseases through medical scans. But the technology needs to be taught what exactly it is looking for and trained to do it efficiently; it does not “just know” – it needs to learn. That’s where trainers and interpreters come in. They will teach the AI and ensure it’s capable of performing the tasks it’s designed for. Following the implementation of any AI technology, humans must step in to make sense of the data and produce something meaningful. As the life science industry continues to make huge advancements, the data will become even more vast, resulting in the need for different people with new skillsets, who can understand and provide context to the data. Chatbot Developers and Engineers AI can come in many different forms, including chatbots. A chatbot is a computer program which is designed to have conversations over the internet with human users. First used in the customer service sector, they are becoming increasingly common in the life science industry. For example, Buoy Health is an AI-based chatbot which aims to fill in incomplete medical records based on virtual conversations with patients. The chatbot “listens” to patients’ health issues, and then uses algorithms to guide the conversation and advise the correct therapy. This is a relatively new service and will potentially lead to more diagnoses. New roles are created with the implementation of this AI chatbot. The medical chatbot will need both developers, and engineers to create and maintain the AI. Cybersecurity Positions The UK government and security experts have singled out the life science sector as being significantly vulnerable to cybercrime, so companies using AI to process or analyse sensitive data are opening themselves up to a world of new cybersecurity threats. A recent study found that of 26 business sectors analysed, the life sciences industry was the main target of IP theft, costing the UK £9.2 billion, of which it attributed £1.8 billion to theft of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare IP. However, these criminal organisations who use AI to hack, or use AI for malware, are creating cybersecurity jobs. As the life science industry grows and the technology evolves and becomes more widespread, cybersecurity developers, testers, and security expert jobs will become more in-demand. Robotics Engineers Robotic surgeries are a new and on the rise in the life science industry thanks to AI. Even so, it is a relatively new field and is gathering a large amount of interest. The robots can perform surgeries that previously would not have been able to be performed by human surgeons. People will be needed to train the robot with the intricacies of the surgery, which requires a specific skillset. Once they are trained, people will also be needed to maintain the robots and make sure that they are up to scratch. Only then will the robot have the capability to perform each operation consistently and accurately. Despite AI having the potential to create so many new roles, one of the biggest challenges the life science industry faces is the shortage of talent. A recent survey showed that a major barrier when it came to implementing AI was a lack of skilled workers. AI allows life science organisations to add additional intelligence to applications, services, and digital resources, and provides an opportunity for businesses to provide the tools and opportunities for their employees to upskill and gain the competencies necessary to implement and maintain it effectively. Michele Vinciguerra has more than a decade of experience in the technology and life science staffing sector. For support in strengthening the tech divisions within your organisation, connect with him here.
Read more -
.png)
Data
Yanick Millet October 2021The cost of poor data quality in drug development
Data is integral to the development of new drugs. As the linchpin around which analysis, submission, approval, and marketing of a new product revolves, it’s one of the most valuable assets at the disposal of drug development companies – but only when its integrity can be relied upon. Data has always been key to the discovery, research, and development of a new drug. But it holds particular relevance in today’s pharmaceutical landscape due to the increased interest in artificial intelligence, as well as other process-enhancing technologies that rely on enriched data. Promising early use of these technologies give a glimpse into a future where data and technology work in synergy and the outcome is a more streamlined and cost-effective route to market. The reality is, though, that such technology is rendered unusable without accurate and up-to-date data to work with. Effective management, processing, and integration of data from development through to clinical trials and beyond is crucial for advancing medicine, ensuring treatments are applicable to a real-world population, and for protecting an organisation’s bottom line. The poor-quality data snowball effect When data quality isn’t up to scratch, there’s a knock-on effect in any later stages of the drug development process. When data of inadequate quality passes through trial monitoring stages it can lead to problems at approval stage, meaning competitors take the lead, major delays to market are incurred for the treatment, and the organisation(s) involved face potential damage to their reputation too. Early last year US-based pharma Zogenix faced its second FDA application denial for their drug Fintepla on the grounds that datasets from their clinical trials were missing key information. It came after an initial rejection for the same drug back in 2019, with the FDA citing an ‘incorrect version of the clinical dataset’. Both rejections highlight the importance of effective data collection and management, particularly at trial stage, and how a poor data strategy and failure to recognise errors can stop the development process in its tracks and prove costly for the organisations involved. Factors that can impact data quality From discovery through to clinical development and beyond, the scope for incorrect or mismanaged data sets is wide. The most common factor that can negatively impact data cleanliness is manual error. During data entry, typographical, copying or coding errors can occur, which is why roles such as clinical trial monitors are so essential to ensuring reported data is accurate. Aside from inputting errors, adhering to local laws can present a challenge for the methods of collecting and storing data, as organisations conducting research across multiple countries adapt to potential differences in data regulations. Failure to understand regulatory requirements, as well as limits on the types of data you can collect in certain geographies, can cause dispersed data and lead to inaccurate analyses. Poor trial design with inconsistent endpoints can also impact data quality, as can staff or project team turnover. The benefits of good data hygiene A solid data collection, management, and processing infrastructure is paramount for gathering strong evidence for submission and negating the need for ‘rescue studies’ which can add hundreds of thousands in additional costs to the drug development process. But understanding the value of data health can also allow for organisations to invest in the technology to process and apply it, which can streamline processes and offer an edge on any competitors in the space. Organisations are clamouring to implement new digital strategies like AI, machine learning, personalised medicine, and automation, all of which rely heavily on data integrity. Involving the right people at the right time is key to a successful data strategy; clinical trial monitors are essential throughout trial phases, and involving biostatisticians and statisticians during each stage of the development cycle will strengthen protocol development, data management, monitoring and reporting capabilities. Statisticians will also be able to advise on trial design methods, and alleviate problems that might occur as a result of trial design. You can read more about our expertise in the clinical and biostatistics space here. For support in attracting the right talent in the data and biometrics space, reach out to me here.
Read more -
Jacob Stafford-Wright October 2021Say hello to our new benefits package - then make it your own
From seeing the big wins and growing our impressive team, to watching our people delivering a little extra every day to bring great teams to life around the world - we’ve got a lot to celebrate.After a year and a half of distributed working and remote collaboration, we’ve learned a lot more about our brilliant people. Yes, we now know the layout of their kitchens a little too well, but we also know more about their motivations and the ways of working that help them get the absolute best out of each day.If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that it's about time we ditched the one-size-fits-all approach to our perks and benefits. So it’s official: with Ben, we’re handing over the reins to our team, who can choose exactly how they want to be rewarded with their own budgets. After all, work is far more interesting when we embrace what makes each of us different.Sure, we’re still offering everyone the core benefits you’d expect, from a season ticket loan to spread the cost of the commute, regular incentives and events, and ongoing learning and development opportunities. But we’re also going much, much further with a new totally flexible monthly benefits allowance. No judgments. No strings attached. Whatever our team loves doing, we want to help them do more of it.New pair of trainers? Meal out? Go for it. It’s on us. What’s more, if the team want toto stack up a few months’ worth of their wellbeing budget for a bigger purchase further down the line, they can. When it comes to the monthly wellbeing allowance, they are able to spend as-and-when it hits their virtual card, or have it roll over and save the budget up.From development to technology to benefits, investing in our team has always been really important to us. We want to become a place where people are proud to work, and proud to grow.Sound enticing? We’ve got news for you - we’re recruiting.
Read more -
Holly Hermance October 202190 days to shine: How to make an impact in your new role
Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking, but the first 90 days will really shape your journey. This will be the time of first impressions, new responsibilities, and getting to know the company. It is suggested that it takes 8 positive encounters to change a bad first impression – so it is vital to get it right the first time round. Why 90 days? A recent US survey found that most new hires have less than 3 months to prove themselves, while 9% have less than a month. Therefore, to succeed and grow in your new company it is vital to make your first 90 days count. We’ve put together our 5 top tips to help you settle in smoothly and maximize your ability for success. Prepare in advanceWhen it comes to beginning your new role, there is no such thing as being over-prepared. In fact, it is suggested that being prepared and feeling in control of your situation can help lower stress levels. As the first few days are stressful enough, it can be incredibly helpful to be already bought into the company mission and vision, and to know exactly who the key players are. Talk to your recruiter - they are there to help you and want you to succeed, so reach out and they will be able to answer your questions. Another simple way to get a feel for the company is to check out their social media platforms. Here you can see their values at play and understand the culture. Arriving prepped full of knowledge on your first day will be sure to impress, but also will help you to get stuck in straight away. You will not get a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure you do everything in your power for yours to stand out.Get involvedYour colleagues will help shape your journey when you start at a new company. In many businesses, activities at lunch or after work are a common occurrence. This could anything from playing football, bowling, drinks after work, or grabbing something to eat. In the first 90 days (and even beyond) try not to miss these opportunities, and instead get stuck in. This time is invaluable as not only will you be able to get to know your team on a more personal level, but they will also be able to get to know you. In a corporate setting it can be hard to get to know your colleagues, so take up these chances when you can and stand out. Show some initiativeThe first 90 days will presumably see you getting used to your new role and to the company. In many cases, businesses will “underwork” new starters while both the employer and new employee get used to the change. However, these 90 days are the perfect time to make your mark on the company and show the employer why they hired you. Show some initiative - don’t wait to just hand in tasks on time, turn your work over early. If you feel like you don’t have a lot to do – ask for more work. Show that you are a hard worker now and it will pay off in the future. Try not to shy away from the things you find difficult. In your first three months you want to make a good impression, so you will tend to gravitate towards the parts of your job that you know you can do easily. However, do not ignore the parts of your role that you aren’t necessarily as good at. Your employer wants a well-rounded individual, so give them that and be transparent with what you might be struggling with. This will show your boss that you are willing to learn and will put the work in to improve your skills, making you a better employee. Learn by listeningThere is only so much research you can do into your new company. Some things you cannot discover until you step foot into your office and speak to people. Take your first 90 days to ask lots of questions about your role and the company. Taking in large amounts of information can be overwhelming, however, do not forget to actually listen! Studies have found that while between 70-80% of our time awake is spent communicating, we only spend 45% of that time listening. Making the effort to be a good listener will show a desire to learn and a clear interest in the company. Being knowledgeable and being able to recall this information will impress your boss and your colleagues – an ideal start in any company. In your first week or so, use this time to re-confirm what you learnt from your recruiter and ask your boss “Who will I be working closely with in my role and who is it vital that I get to know?”. You’ll be working with these people on a regular basis, so it is important to build key relationships early. Invite these colleagues out for lunch or for a coffee and get to know what their roles really entail. It doesn’t need to be all work focused though, this will be the start of a professional and personal relationship so ask about them and who they really are. Your colleagues will help shape your journey at the company, so take the time to nurture these relationships. Be kind to yourselfThe final point to end on is, don’t be too hard on yourself. You are new to this role and to the company so undoubtedly you will make some mistakes. Remind yourself that it is okay to do so and that you are just adjusting. Try not to dwell on any mishaps and instead focus on what you have achieved. It’s early days, it’s natural to feel unsure of yourself – this will go with time. The longer you are there the more your confidence will grow, and your great work will shine through! Don’t forget that out of a pool of other candidates, your employer chose to hire you.
Read more -
Holly Hermance September 2021Feeling burnt out? These steps will help improve your work life balance.
Is your work/life balance looking more like a constant cycle of eat, sleep, work, repeat? If so, you’re not alone. A study conducted by The Mental Health Foundation found that more than 40% of UK workers feel as though they are neglecting other aspects of their lives because of work. They suggest that the increasing demand of work culture in the UK is “perhaps the biggest and most pressing challenge to the mental health of the general population”. Having a good work/life balance is so important, not just for mental health reasons but also productivity in the workplace. A recent government report suggested that work-related stress accounted for nearly half of all working days lost due to ill health. Both employers and employees are now taking an interest into improving work/life balance as a way of combating these issues. We’ve put together a list of tips to help manage work/life balance. While you might not feel the benefits instantly, it’s the first step in achieving harmony between your work and home life. Take time to make timeThe first step to improving your work life balance is sitting down and analysing your day-to-day life. Are you working overtime pretty much every day? Assess how much time you spend working and how much time you take for yourself. If you prefer writing things down on paper, purchase a planner, if not you can just use an online tool, there are loads of free resources online. From here set yourself personal hours and work hours and stick to them. Try and make sure the last 20 minutes of your workday are blocked out as a “wrap up” for you to send any emails and finish up any tasks you have remaining before leaving. Prioritise your tasksNow that you’ve mapped out your day, it’s time to start prioritising and organising your schedule. Start by writing down all of your tasks and grouping them into:1. Urgent and important 2. Important but not urgent3. Urgent but not important4. Neither urgent nor importantThis way you will be able to complete the important tasks on time and not have anything pressing looming over you when you’re finishing for the day. Sometimes it can be easier to make a table to visualise your daily tasks. Give it a try and your worries will start to feel a little more manageable. Optimise your working dayYou’re now ready to organise your day. To do this you need to understand your peaks and your troughs. Are you more of a morning person? Or do you work better after a hearty lunch? Understanding how you work best will help you optimally structure your day. If you tend to work best first thing in the morning, organise your day to include your urgent and important tasks before lunch. Everybody is different so shuffle your daily to-dos to fit in with you as an individual. Imagine your perfect day. Consider some of the highlights. What do you really enjoy doing? Why not try and incorporate this into your working day? If you love being active, try answering emails on the treadmill. If you’re an outdoorsy kind of person, take your calls outside on a walk or in your local park. Free time ≠ available timeWhen you finish work and are heading home, force yourself to disconnect and turn off any work notifications. A recent study found that as weekly work hours increase, so do feeling of unhappiness. Be honest with yourself, do you reply to work emails while lounging on the sofa at home watching TV? That doesn’t count as me time! Leave it for tomorrow. Don’t try and get ahead on work expense of essential downtime – it’s important to take breaks. Finally, remember that free time does not mean available time. You can say NO. Just because Thursday night is empty on your calendar, it doesn't mean that you must accept when someone invites you out that evening. It also doesn’t mean that you should use the time to catch up on work. “There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest” – Alan Cohen. It’s easy to feel obliged to fill your free time with anything and everything, but it’s important to remember that you can turn invitations down just because you want time to yourself. Your free time can be exactly that — free.
Read more -
Emma Hobbs September 2021Four examples of how digital transformation has impacted life science R&D
The life science industry is under immense strain in the face of pandemic recovery, an aging population, rare disease concerns and market access pressures. Digital transformation strategies are being introduced across the entire drug development cycle to respond to these challenges, and promising use of digital technologies paint the picture of a utopian future where technology, data and digital strategy combine to create a streamlined healthcare effort that addresses more patient needs within a shorter timeline.The impact of digital transformation can be felt throughout the entire product development chain, from discovery and development through to clinical trials and reporting. These developments can influence the structure of departments or entire organisations, create new roles, and change the skillsets required for existing life science jobs.New avenues created through digital advancements in the life science sector present an opportunity for those in the R&D space to improve processes, efficiencies and returns, and improve the experience of patients across the globe.Here are four innovative examples that set a solid standard for the application of AI, machine learning and other digital technologies in a research and development setting. Accelerating drug discovery using Artificial IntelligenceThe drug discovery process is slow, expensive, and typically sees less than 12% of its products approved for use on the patient population. Early adoption at the discovery phase has indicated that, applied in the right way, AI can help improve product timelines and reduce the financial capital needed in the R&D stage.At the beginning of 2020, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma announced that their drug candidate for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, DSP-1181, was entering its Phase I trial.The molecule within the drug had been identified within 12 months of discovery launch, through leveraging UK firm Exscientia’s AI drug discovery platform, a huge improvement on the several years it can take using conventional R&D techniques.This venture is a great example of how sophisticated AI technology alongside deep knowledge of a therapeutic area can create impressive outcomes, and such collaborations between leaders in the digital space and R&D giants will become commonplace as we delve deeper into the capabilities of AI and machine learning.Integrating and compiling trial data using machine learningHistorically, compiling trial data to produce reports or case studies has required manual data input sourced from multiple locations. As such, inconsistencies and errors can be inputted, causing documents to be revisited or resubmitted, halting trial progress or delaying start-up processes.Right now, one of the most common applications of AI in a life science setting involves analysing and processing such data. Back in 2019 Pfizer organised a hackathon to test the machine learning technology of four potential partner companies, where the singular goal was to identify errors and discrepancies from the datasets of 30 clinical trials.Pfizer disclosed to the companies the known errors in the data, so they could “teach their tools” the patterns in such errors, and used the findings from each business as an indicator for pursuing a partnership.Machine learning technology can take data from multiple sources and use it to populate standardised forms, documents and trial artifacts that support in timely start-up of clinical trials or to further ongoing research projects.Using deep learning to predict patient responsesThere is a great amount of uncertainty when it comes to how a product will perform when prescribed to a real-world population. Deep learning workflows, however, hold promise for identifying how patients might respond based on existing data and known factors of a particular demographic.Back in 2019 a study was conducted that set out to predict the clinical response to therapeutic agents within treatments for cancer. By using a database of 1,001 cancer cell lines, deep neural networks were trained to predict possible drug responses on multiple test groups of patient cohorts. We can expect machine and deep learning technology to be increasingly leveraged in this way to reduce uncertainty, demonstrate early efficacy, and inform key decisions when it comes to development of new drugs.Reimagining laboratory environments by introducing automationAutomation has a long history of reducing human input in tasks, and in turn reducing the time it takes to complete laborious assignments and reducing the capacity for human error. In an R&D setting, implementation of automation technologies can help increase productivity, accuracy, and quality compliance.Oxford-based technology firm Arctoris combine automation with robotics to alleviate much the manual work needed to conduct experiments in a laboratory setting. Using their technology, researchers can access a platform to control their laboratory experiments remotely using robotics, which during the height of the pandemic means those that would typically be lab-based can still conduct experiments from home.Experiments conducted this way also allows for a greater level of protocol adherence and consistency; a conventional protocol might say something along the lines of ‘mix the sample’, which would naturally be slightly different actions each time when undertaken by a human. The use of robotics in this capacity can ensure the same movement is made each time the protocol is followed. When it comes to pharmaceutical R&D, implementing technology like wearables, AI, deep and machine learning, robotics, and automation can have a positive impact right up the value chain through to commercialisation.Such tech promises to not only positively impact the bottom line, but bring products to patients faster, and improve the efficacy of treatments that are brought to market.
Read more -
TeamSEC
Holly Hermance September 2021The SEC Scholars Programme: Supporting the next generation of STEM talent
Did you know that less than 10% of life science professionals come from working class and low-income backgrounds? Poverty and social background are huge barriers when progressing into university and STEM careers.We believe in empowering the next generation of life science innovators and changing this statistic for the better, which is why earlier this year we launched a long-term partnership with In2ScienceUK, a charity focused on promoting diversity and upward mobility in the STEM sector.In2ScienceUK’s incredible work has led to more than 2,000 students, who would statistically be less likely to enter university, progress through to higher education.We are incredibly proud to be involved in the effort and to be providing both hands-on and financial support to aid the next generation of STEM talent.Introducing the SEC Scholars ProgrammeOver the next five years, we've pledged to support a minimum of 50 young people from low-income backgrounds through the SEC Scholars Programme. The programme will help to prepare the students for higher education and gain the best possible start on a career in STEM.This annual programme will provide training and mentorships to students through workshops and seminars from key voices within the field. The programme will also help students to take on work experience placements with some of the top life science employers in the country.The work of In2ScienceUKTo drive innovation and success within STEM education, In2ScienceUK believe it is vital to attract the brightest students regardless of background or wealth.The programmes they have delivered in previous years have helped provide students with the experience and technical ability to kick start their career. They have also built the confidence of those who never previously saw themselves entering the STEM industry. As a staffing company, we are committed to strengthening the pipeline of qualified professionals that the UK has to offer and recognise how some of the current entry barriers in both the life science and the wider STEM industry present a critical danger to this. SEC Life Sciences are committed to promoting social mobility to strengthen the future of the STEM industry through tackling under representation and diversifying the talent pool, and we're incredibly proud to be launching the SEC Scholars initiative to drive that commitment.For more information on the work of In2ScienceUK, view their 2020 Impact Report here.
Read more