Behind the Scenes With an Industry Pro
Celgene's Agnes Yeboah talked with Northwestern students about regulatory and operational services of drug development.
Agnes Yeboah is an experienced regulatory Chemistry and Manufacturing Controls (CMC) biologics professional who currently works at Celgene in Summit, N.J. Yeboah visited Northwestern University recently to talk about regulatory and operational services of drug development.
Han reflected on that experience and the conversations she had with Yeboah in the Q&A below.
How would you describe who Agnes is and what she does?
She is working on the regulatory sides of the drug development process. She is involved in the negotiations with the FDA and health authorities from other countries. She works closely with the CMC team and helps them find solutions for certain production problems because she used to work in this field.
She knows exactly what she wants and actively pursues it. She is willing to challenge new things and grasp opportunities around her.
What types of topics were you two able to discuss?
We were talking about the features of health authorities of different countries and how companies deal with that on both the production and regulation sides. She also discussed how she decided to change her career from a more science-driven field to the regulatory field and what the difference was between these two roles.
What did you learn from the conversation?
I learned in detail about the different roles in a company and how they work together. In particular, I learned a lot about regulatory affairs in pharma and how important it is. I was kind of attracted by this and I would like to explore opportunities in this field. I also learned again how important social events and connections are in seeking opportunities.
What are your professional goals after MBP?
I’m planning to find a job in the biotech industry. I’m really interested in process development, where I could implement what I learned from MBP for my work, and project management, where I could learn more about management and the business side of the industry. I also really want to go back to my hometown in China. The biotechnology industry is growing very fast in China and I would like to make my contributions to it.
How would you describe your MBP experience?
It’s amazing. The most impressive part of MBP is that it provides students with plenty of experiential opportunities in both research and industry. I was able to talk to several professors in different fields of research in the first quarter to help me figure out what I wanted. In addition, the program encouraged and supported students to apply for internships and co-ops by connecting with companies in the field.
