1. What position do you hold at BIOTON?
Currently, I work as the Head of the Biotechnology Plant and an Expert in Cell Banks.
2. What are your responsibilities at BIOTON?
At Bioton, together with the staff of the Biotechnology Plant, I am responsible for the production process of the active substance Recombinant Human Insulin in accordance with the current pharmaceutical regulations, health and safety regulations, and internal guidelines. I oversee production documentation, actively participate in the process of resolving production deviations, in change implementation processes, and in process optimization. I also co-create registration documentation.
I supervise the preparation, maintenance, and verification of cell banks for production and research strains.
I analyze and evaluate potential new technologies (CMO/CDMO and own) in terms of the correctness of preparation, origin, and stability of cell banks.
3. What was your path to your current position?
I started working at Bioton in 1998 as a Technologist in the Microbiology Department of the Biotechnology Plant.
In 2001, I took the position of Head of the Microbiology Department – now the Industrial Microbiology Laboratory – and worked in this position for over 20 years.
Currently, for almost a year now, I have been the Head of the entire Biotechnology Plant.
4. What are you most proud of in your work?
I am proud that I practically co-created the technology for producing RHI from the very beginning. I actively participated in optimization projects, technology transfer, and many research and development projects carried out at Bioton.
I created a “genetic micro-laboratory” and implemented the first molecular biology methods at Bioton, including plasmid DNA sequencing, thus enabling proper supervision of cell banks in accordance with ICH Q5B and ICH Q5D requirements.
5. What inspires you in your work?
What inspires me in my work is the awareness that what I do has a real impact on people’s lives, that this work brings tangible, measurable benefits. I am delighted to have “positively crazy” enthusiasts around me, with whom I solve various problems daily.
6. How do you like to spend your time after work? Do you have any hobbies?
After work, I try to spend time actively by participating in fitness classes or other sports activities.
I find relaxation in the sauna, which I have been attending regularly for several years. I especially like to unwind there after a heavy, stressful day.
In addition, I have been singing in a church choir for many years, which gives me great satisfaction.
Recently, I have discovered a passion for gardening – I am currently designing and planting my garden, and it brings me great joy.
7. What book, film, podcast, or other content has recently impressed you?
I like books on psychological topics. Recently, I was greatly impressed by Marianna Gierszewska’s book “The Beginning of Everything,” in which the author argues how important the experiences during the perinatal period and the first months of life are. It is then that we build bonds with our parents and get to know the world. Gierszewska, however, goes much further and deeper in her analysis, examining the time when we were still in the mother’s womb. The book helps to understand how experiences from early childhood and prenatal life determine our future choices in adult life.
8. Do you have any motto or principle that guides you in life?
I wouldn’t call it a principle, but rather a thought that is close to me. These are the words from a poem by Wisława Szymborska – “We know ourselves only as far as we’ve been tested.”
I have experienced this at least a few times in my life and deeply believe in the meaning of this message.
9. What advice would you give to individuals starting their career path?
Firstly, it’s worth choosing a job you like, according to Confucius’ maxim – “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Secondly, you need to understand what you do because only then can you draw accurate conclusions and make interpretations. It’s worth being open to changes, taking on challenges, and striving for continuous development.