The biotechnology sector, spearheading women's leadership in Spain

Throughout history, the role of women in scientific and technological development has been crucial, despite their achievements lacking the necessary recognition for their contribution to be comparable to that received by men. A fact that perfectly reflects this situation is found in the Nobel Prizes: since its inception, only 22 women have been recognized with this award in any of the scientific disciplines.

The gender gap that exists in the field of science and technology begins to take shape in childhood. The lack of female role models, as a result of this historical lack of recognition of women's roles, translates into only 30% of women in Spain deciding to enroll in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, according to UNESCO data. The average figure reported by the European Union barely exceeds 34%.

In this regard, it is important to note that less than 33% of professionals dedicated to research in STEM areas globally are women. The good news is that this figure rises to 44.5% in the case of Spain, significantly contributed to by the biotechnology sector.

The AseBio 2022 Report highlights the growing interest of women in biotechnology studies. In 2021-2022, the latest period for which data is available, there were already over 8,900 students enrolled in master's and bachelor's degrees, of which 62% are women.

The report also reveals that the representation of women in the Spanish biotechnology sector remains at 53%, and they represent 28.4% of the management teams of biotechnology companies. In these companies, 58% of the personnel dedicated to R&D activities are women.

Against this backdrop and in the framework of International Women's Day, AseBio has organized the meeting "Women in Biotech for Better Science and Innovation." An event that has seen the participation of professional women from the biotechnology industry who have engaged in discussions with some of the students participating in the first edition of the Program launched by AseBio "A Day with a #WomanBiotech."

Biotechnology Sector and Women: A Bet on Women's Talent and Leadership

"Things are changing, and AseBio is proof of that. There are more and more women involved in leadership positions within our sector, whether at institutional or corporate levels, which means they are performing their work impeccably," stated Adriana Casillas, CEO and co-founder of Tebrio and third vice president of AseBio.

"That is the only thing that should matter, above any other consideration, and also the most effective way to break the glass ceiling," added Casillas as the moderator of the organized debate at the meeting.

In this regard, María Majellaro, co-founder and CSO of Celtarys, pointed out that the presence of women in the biotechnology industry "is something that 50 years ago seemed completely unfeasible." "I have had the opportunity to work in a comfortable and highly productive environment, where my role as a woman has added distinctive value without any discrimination," appreciated Majellaro, although she criticized a reality that still exists: "There are still cases where women have to make more effort for their abilities and competencies to be recognized. However, I firmly believe that as a community, we are moving in the right direction. More and more women are taking on positions of responsibility and leadership in various companies."

This opinion is shared by Esther Riambau, co-founder and CEO of Oniria Therapeutics, who does not hesitate to refer to the biotechnology industry as "a spearhead in terms of female leadership." Riambau shared her experience at the table: "20 years ago, I started in the technology transfer sector, and when you wanted to organize a roundtable on entrepreneurship with a certain gender balance, it was difficult to invite female CEOs, and we always ended up inviting the few that existed, all of them from the biotechnology sector," she stated, ensuring that "we will be a reference for other sectors, and little by little, leadership positions will be equalized in terms of gender."

Sara Calatayud, Lab Manager & Fish Facility Manager at ZeClinics, emphasized that, "although the role of women in the biotechnology sector is increasingly relevant, it is important to remember our roots." She stressed that "historically, women have faced significant underrepresentation in various fields, including the biotechnology industry. Although some women have reached prominent positions, the path to positions of responsibility is often much more demanding for them than for their male counterparts."

"Despite the challenges faced to get here, it is crucial to recognize and support the role of women at all levels of the industry, promoting equal opportunities and cultivating an inclusive environment that allows all individuals to reach their full potential," Calatayud concluded.

María Couce, a graduate in Biotechnology, a master's student at the University of Santiago de Compostela, and a participant in the first edition of the "A Day with a #WomanBiotech" program, stated that "there is still a need to improve working conditions so that women can be on an equal footing." Couce highlighted the role of outreach as a means of communicating all the progress being made in the biotechnology sector regarding the role of women. This opinion was echoed by Clara Mallol, a Biotechnology student at Alfonso X El Sabio University and a participant in the first edition of the program: "The main challenge facing women in science is the necessary outreach to break down entry barriers into the sector."

On the other hand, Mariam Di Sibio, a Biotechnology student at the European University of Madrid and also a participant in the first edition of the initiative, emphasized that one of the challenges she has identified "is the need to feel confident that we are fully qualified for something before even attempting it. I do not see this in the rest of my peers; they tend to be more confident in themselves and their abilities."

Launch of the II edition of the "A Day with a #WomanBiotech" program

The event featured the presentation of the II edition of the program launched by AseBio "A Day with a #WomanBiotech." An initiative aimed at introducing female students to how work is done in biotechnology companies, the career opportunities offered by the sector, highlighting the role that women play in the biotech industry, and showcasing job opportunities beyond academia.

"I believe it is our generation's obligation to help younger people have information to base their decisions on. When you are in university, you do not know the professional alternatives that exist, so it is very difficult to see where your career can go," declares Esther Riambau, a participant in the first edition of the program who has decided to also be present in the second.

"Last year was my first experience in this program, and I must say it has been extremely positive," added María Majellaro, also a participant in the first edition, who is repeating in the second. "I firmly believe that these activities can help young scientists identify and understand what they want to do in the future and how to contribute to society."

"Sharing our everyday experiences can help understand that women in this field are capable of taking on a wide variety of roles. Sometimes, these roles are neither better nor worse than others, but they do present various challenges in our daily work. I hope they have been able to reaffirm their desire to develop their career in the industry," says Sara Calatayud, a participant in the first edition of the program.

From the perspective of the students participating in the first edition of the "A Day with a #WomanBiotech" program, Couce has positively valued the opportunity that this initiative has provided to learn about "very interesting career opportunities," after learning about the different areas that make up a biotech company. Mallol has described this experience as "very enriching," from which she has been able to extract fundamental learnings for her future, and has appreciated that it "supports the work of women in science."

Di Sibio did not hesitate to recommend this initiative, which has allowed her to "receive countless tips to venture into the real world and overcome fear."

The participants of the II edition of the "A Day with a #WomanBiotech" Program are:
 

• Ixone Juaristi Matos (Bexen Bioservices) – Lara Mateos Martínez (Universidad de Navarra).
• Jessika Valero González (Bioclonal) – Rebeca Alonso Cuesta (Universidad Europea de Madrid).
• María Majellaro (Celtarys Research) – Silvia Cobelo Gómez (Universidad de Santiago de Compostela).
• María Santos (Lonza Biologics Porriño S.L.) – Raquel Peña Romero (Universidad de Santiago de Compostela).
• Celia Morales González (Microbiomik) – Xaina Abudice Noya (Universidad de Navarra). 
• Lucía Díaz Bueno (Nostrum Biodiscovery) – Vera Fuentes Moreno (Universidad de Granada).
• Esther Rimbau Gascó (Oniria Therapeutics, S.L) – Elena Sanz Lázaro (Universidad CEU San Pablo).
• Susana Gamen Sierra (OPERON S.A) – María García Molina (Universidad Europea de Madrid).
• Cristina de Lope (Promega Biotech Ibérica) – Renata Bazzino (Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio).
• Alba Lancho Santos (Savana) – Ana Alameda Valenzuela (Universidad de Granada).
• Verónica Cánovas Hernández (Viva in Vitro Diagnostics) – Sonia Ramírez Botella (Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche). 

"Programs like this are key to driving the prosperity of our society through technological entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer, where women play a crucial role in ensuring technology serves society," concluded Elisa Rivera, General Director of Planning, Coordination, and Knowledge Transfer at the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities.