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  • Biologist (DPMK)

Biologist (DPMK)

Post-graduate qualifications aided my early career progression and also meant that I started at a grade higher than fresh graduates.

John, Associate Director, Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics

​​So, what do you do?

I currently work for a major CRO (Contract Research Organisation) involved in supporting the development of new medicines.

I am the Scientific Lead for DMPK studies. Advising clients on study designs. I am also the Home Office Project Licence Holder, and Scientific lead for the Study Director group within our organisation on one of our sites.

As a Study Director I have scientific and legal responsibilities for the co-ordination, conduct and reporting of in-life studies. The role brings its own challenges; with the novel nature of the compounds we investigate often requiring innovative approaches to solve investigation of metabolites.

I maintain contact with sponsors, prepare study protocols, schedule resources (staff and equipment), collate and interpret data, and write reports.

There are additional departmental responsibilities that all staff can get involved in, from implementation of graduate training programme, peer review of reports, business development and process improvement initiatives.

How has your career developed since you entered the industry?

Following post-graduate and post-doctoral research within academia, I started working as a Senior Scientist at a Contract research organisation (CRO) in the department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK). I progressed quickly through the ranks, becoming a Study Director in 2003, a Study Manager in 2004 and Senior Study Manager later that same year.

In 2005 I joined a small CRO that utilises Accelerator Mass Spectrometry technology to study the pharmacokinetics of new chemical entities in man. I was heading up the Laboratory and Study Director group and oversaw the expansion of the company from about 15 to 30 staff during the 18 months I spent there.

A year later I decided to move back into mainstream pre-clinical ADME (absorption, distribution and metabolism) work with my present employer; a larger more established CRO.

Why did you decide on a career in the pharmaceutical industry?

The decision to enter industry was always one I wanted to make. The problem is that as a relatively naïve post-graduate with so many others wanting to do the same thing, it was difficult to gauge when the time was right to make the jump from the enclosed world of academia, into the commercially driven private sector. After gaining my PhD and post-doctoral education I was 24, so felt mature and ready to enter the industrial environment.

What qualifications and experience did you have when you entered the industry?

BSc (Hons) 2.1 in Biochemistry and a PhD in molecular cell biology, both from University of Sheffield. 

Do you think additional qualifications or experience would be an advantage for someone entering the industry now? What might be valuable?

It was definitively an advantage to have post-graduate qualifications. This certainly aided my early career progression and also meant that I started at a grade higher than fresh graduates.

My research also meant that I had experience of many techniques utilised within industry which you would not necessarily get at an undergraduate level.

Do you work mostly on your own or as part of team?

As Study Director you head up individual projects, but you must liaise directly with many different people in different departments and often different countries to enable full evaluation of the new chemical entities. 

In the company I work for we have a ‘Matrix type structure’ within metabolism so, for each particular study, a team of staff get assigned to work for a Study Director. The advantage of this system is that you get to work with everybody within the department at some stage, and knowledge and experience gets shared widely quickly.

What is it like socially where you work?

There is a healthy social life with almost weekly events. There is also a sports and social team that promote and arrange events throughout the year on a larger scale, from theatre trips, to comedy festivals, beer festivals and even gliding!

What are you most proud of in your career?

I am greatly motivated by positive feedback, whether an award or simple thank you, so all acknowledgments of a ‘job well done’ I am proud of. These may include feedback from clients regarding conduct of their ADME studies, or praise for the high standard of work throughout the year during the annual appraisal.

What do you think are the most important skills for someone in your role to have?

Communication, communication, communication.

There are so many challenges throughout the working day that you need to be able to communicate ‘bad’ news to a client just as readily as ‘good’ news.

However it always helps to present solutions rather than problems, so thinking ahead and making suggestions based upon knowledge and experience is also advantageous.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone seeking a career in the pharmaceutical industry?

Find a role you enjoy, and keep seeking opportunities whenever a new task or project arises. This shows engagement and willingness – the attitudes and behaviours are as important as experience.​

Case studies

  • Analytical Chemist
  • Analytical Chemist (Discovery)
  • Animal Technologist
  • Apprentice - Higher Laboratory Scientist
  • Biologist (biomarkers)
  • Biologist (DPMK)
  • Biologist (imaging)
  • BioPharmaceutical Scientist
  • Biostatistics Manager
  • Business Engagement Director
  • Chemical Biologist
  • Chemical Engineer
  • Chemist (manufacturing)
  • Chemist (process)
  • Chemistry (discovery)
  • Chemistry Outsourcing Manager and Synthetic Chemist
  • Clinical Data Manager
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  • Clinical Scientist
  • Clinical trials supplies
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  • Director Medical Affairs
  • Drug Safety Associate – Video
  • Drug Safety Officer
  • Epidemiologist
  • Executive Sales Representative
  • Geneticist
  • Graduate Trainee Biologist
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  • Graduate Trainee In Vivo Scientist
  • Head of Drug Safety and Local Safety Officer
  • Head of Health Economics
  • Head of Market Access
  • Healthcare Manager
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemist)
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemistry)
  • Industrial Placement (Regulatory Policy)
  • Industrial Placement Biologist
  • Industrial Placement Chemist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist - Respiratory
  • Industrial placement student – biologist
  • Industry Accountant
  • IT Project Manager
  • Laboratory Technician (biology)
  • Laboratory Technician (chemistry)
  • Lean Coach
  • Learning and Development Business Practice Lead
  • Legal Coordinator
  • Manufacturing Operative
  • Market Access Director
  • Mathematical Modeller
  • Medical department intern
  • Medical Director and Managing Director UK & Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Republic of Ireland
  • Medical Information Scientist
  • Medical Physicist
  • Medical Writer
  • Medical writer (freelance)
  • Medicinal Chemist
  • Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Medicinal Chemistry Director
  • Occupational Health Manager
  • Patent Attorney
  • Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist
  • Pharmaceutical Technologist
  • Pharmacist (formulation)
  • Pharmacist (pre-registration)
  • Pharmacokineticist (DMPK) – Video
  • Pharmacologist
  • Pharmacovigilance Scientist
  • Policy and Public Affairs Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Production Coordinator
  • Project Manager / Director
  • Public Relations Executive
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  • Regulatory Affairs Executive
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  • Research Project Leader
  • Research Scientist – Video
  • Sales Representative
  • Scientific Affairs Manager (Nutrition)
  • Senior statistician
  • Specialist Medical Representative
  • Statistician
  • Summer placement student
  • Synthetic Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Toxicologist
  • Toxicologist (Contract Research)
  • Toxicology Study Director
  • Training Director
  • Training Instructor
  • UK and Ireland Medical Director
  • Veterinary Surgeon

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The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales 
(registered number 09826787) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside,105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT.
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Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA)

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of ABPI which is a company registered in England and Wales (registered number 09826787) with its registered office at 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT.

Office of Health Economics (OHE)

The Office of Health Economics (OHE) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (registered number 09848965) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT. OHE provides independent research, advisory and consultancy services on policy implications and economic issues within the pharmaceutical, health care and biotechnology sectors.