On 28 October, PhD candidates and postdocs from the Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious diseases gathered at Volkshotel in Amsterdam for the AI&I Career Paths Event, organized by the AI&I Talent & Education Committee and the Postdoc Committee.
Five invited professionals shared their career journeys and experiences across academia, biotech, pharma, research funding and business development: Marten Hoeksema (academia), Dilek Yusuf (IXA), Martijn Nolte (ZonMw), Marta Cossu (Johnson & Johnson) and Alexandra Terry (Genmab).
The discussion focused on the competitive post-pandemic job market, the diversity of roles available to scientists, even within companies, and practical advice on applications and networking. The speakers emphasized the value of transferable skills such as problem-solving, motivation and project management, alongside scientific expertise. The many questions from the audience sparked a lively discussion, followed by drinks and informal networking with the speakers.
Many thanks to our panelists and everyone who participated!
Text: Bart Grijmans and Oliver (Hung Jen) Chen
Discover previous events organized by and for our community:
Amplifying Knowledge: AI&I Technicians Dive into (q)PCR [August 2026]
Cross-institute Synergy Grant Meet&Greet: Connecting Researchers Across Amsterdam UMC Research Institutes [August 2026]
AI&I PhD Retreat 2026: Lights, Research, Action! – Science in Movies [April 2026]