Passer au contenu principal

 Dr. Nadine Biesemann:
Team Science

Building breakthroughs across borders and disciplines

Frankfurt-based Dr. Nadine Biesemann, Distinguished Scientist and Section Head for Immunology Research at Sanofi, reflects on how collaborative approaches and diverse perspectives accelerate medical innovation.

When I joined Sanofi as a postdoctoral researcher in 2014, I only had assumptions of what the pharmaceutical industry research would look like. I had completed my doctorate at the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research. I faced that classic crossroads many scientists encounter: continue in academia or venture into industry?

My childhood inclination to heal people, reinforced by family experiences with serious illness, had already set me on a path toward medicine. "When you want to have an impact and help a lot of people, you should develop drugs and medicines," I remember thinking. This conviction led me to study biomedical chemistry – a multidisciplinary field combining elements of medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, and biology that unknowingly prepared me for my current cross-functional roles.

The bridge from academia to industry

The Max Planck Institute provided an incredible academic foundation. It was a vibrant, international environment with about 20 different nationalities represented. The research was cutting-edge, albeit with the familiar academic frustrations of publishing pressures.

When I spotted Sanofi's advertisement for a postdoctoral position, I applied with modest expectations. I had a clear path forward in academia, and many would have bet money that I would stay there. The interview surprised me – the Sanofi interviewers were refreshingly honest and collaborative, even asking whether I was sure about this career move. Their authenticity resonated with me.

What started as an experiment has evolved into a deeply fulfilling career. After beginning as a postdoc working on aging and skeletal muscle function, I navigated a restructuring that shifted our focus to immunology. 

Simultaneously, I received an offer to lead my own lab and small team – my first leadership opportunity. This parallel development of scientific expertise and management skills has characterized my journey.

The power of diverse perspectives

Today, I lead a team of 25 scientists working across multiple immunology projects, from early-stage research through clinical development. What energizes me most is the diversity within this group – we've intentionally built a team with an equal gender split, and equally balanced between German and international scientists.

We have young talents from academia and very experienced pharma people. I love bringing them together and seeing how they inspire and learn from each other.

This commitment to diverse thinking extends beyond demographics. In developing breakthrough therapies, I've found that success depends on integrating multiple scientific perspectives. When leading global project teams, I focus on creating environments where different experts feel empowered to speak up – even when their views challenge the consensus.

For me, feedback and criticism are natural – you can only learn from hearing different opinions and being challenged. This mindset partly comes from my background as a competitive karate athlete – I competed at the national level in Germany until a disc injury at age 17 ended my sports career. 

Cross-border collaboration accelerates innovation

Perhaps the most transformative experience in my Sanofi career came in 2021, when I spent six months at our Cambridge, Massachusetts site while maintaining leadership of my Frankfurt lab. This arrangement required early mornings to bridge the time difference, but the collaborative benefits far outweighed the challenges.

The ocean is vast at Sanofi. We work with global project teams, but the personal connection is the seed of innovation.

By physically relocating to Cambridge, I could foster those personal connections across continents. I embedded with a team focused on precision immunology – exploring how AI could help identify better targets and describe different patient populations more accurately. Meanwhile, I brought drug discovery expertise to colleagues primarily focused on understanding disease biology.

Upon returning to Germany, I found I could facilitate countless new interactions between the sites. I knew better who was doing what in a big company and who was an expert in different areas. This really helped both sides of the ocean.

Building Sanofi's immunology powerhouse

One of my proudest contributions has been helping build Sanofi's immunology capabilities from the ground up. When we started, we had virtually no immunology research presence. We began with a single project and initiated a collaboration with Ablynx (now part of Sanofi) around NANOBODY® development.

This cross-company collaboration flourished over several years. Today, some of those NANOBODIES® have progressed to clinical trials and are showing promising results.

This growth exemplifies how breakthrough therapies emerge from sustained collaboration. Developing innovative medicines requires navigating complex scientific and regulatory landscapes – something no individual or isolated team can accomplish alone.

Developing medicines is always done in global project teams with experts from different functions. Leading such projects means listening to different experts, challenging the status quo, and finding ways to speed up processes while keeping everyone engaged with one mission: bringing potential breakthrough medicines to patients as quickly and safely as possible.

Leadership through people development

My approach to scientific leadership has evolved significantly over time. If you had asked me five or six years ago how much I would enjoy a big leadership role, I would have said: "I'm clearly a scientist." This leadership role developed as I got to know myself better.

Sanofi supported this evolution through a one-year training program in employee management that proved invaluable as my responsibilities grew. Today, I find deep satisfaction in coaching emerging scientists and watching them technically and professionally develop.

This commitment to people's development creates a virtuous cycle. As team members grow in confidence and capability, they contribute more innovative ideas and take greater ownership of projects. This accelerates our collective ability to deliver breakthrough therapies.

Following passion as a career compass

I offer this perspective for scientists considering career paths in academia or industry: I've always followed what I love most. I always do what I enjoy most and maintain this intrinsic passion to help people.

This authentic approach has served me well. The collaborative environment at Sanofi has supported this organic growth. By bringing together diverse scientists who share a passion for improving patients' lives – but approach this mission with different skills and perspectives – we create the conditions for breakthrough therapies to emerge.

From those early days as a postdoc to my current role orchestrating global research teams and leading a local research group, I've seen firsthand how personal connections and cross-functional collaboration deliver on the promise of better medicine for all. That's the power of team science, and it's what makes my work at Sanofi so fulfilling.

  • Vous n'avez pas encore consulté aucune d'offres d'emploi

  • Vous n'avez pas encore enregistré d'offres d'emploi.

Un monde de possibilités

  • Vos emplois enregistrés

    En savoir plus
  • Sanofi Stories

    En savoir plus
  • Quand vous évoluez, nous évoluons avec vous

    Nous nous engageons à vous soutenir à travers une politique de rémunération complète, soigneusement élaborée pour contribuer à votre bien-être physique, financier, mental et social. Peu importe votre rôle, vous vous épanouirez au sein de nos équipes inclusives.

    En savoir plus
  • Construisez une carrière qui a du sens

    Exprimez votre passion et impactez des millions de personnes à travers le monde. Vous êtes aux commandes : fixez vos objectifs et nous vous offrirons la formation et le soutien nécessaires pour les atteindre.

    En savoir plus
  • Lancez votre carrière

    Explorez les possibilités : apprentissage, stages, postes pour jeunes diplômés, mobilité internationale. Vous serez accompagné pour avoir un impact significatif.

    En savoir plus
  • Nos sites

    Nous sommes présents dans plus de 60 pays, tous unis pour définir l'avenir de la santé. Votre carrière évoluera aux côtés d'experts et grâce à la technologie au service des plus grandes avancées.

    En savoir plus
  • Sanofi Stories

    At Sanofi every voice matters. Get to know the talented Sanofians shaping our future and pushing us toward our ambitious goals.

    En savoir plus
  • Pourquoi Sanofi ?

    Accédez aux outils, à la formation et au soutien nécessaires pour atteindre vos objectifs. En réalisant votre plein potentiel, vous nous aiderez à atteindre notre objectif de réduire de moitié le temps entre la découverte et la thérapie.

    En savoir plus
  • Notre culture et nos valeurs

    Premiers en pharma avec un comité DE&I, nous valorisons chaque voix. Avec Sanofi, faites entendre la vôtre pour bâtir notre avenir.

    En savoir plus
  • En savoir plus
  • En savoir plus
  • Meet Azer Hallabi, Project Manager, Global Regulatory Affairs

    Discover the dynamic world of regulatory affairs with Azer Hallabi, Project Manager in Global Regulatory Affairs at our Budapest Hub.

    En savoir plus
  • Meet Nils Libert, Associate Scientist in R&D

    Meet Nils Libert, an Associate Scientist contributing to groundbreaking research in R&D, Belgium.

    En savoir plus
  • Meet Orsolya Dina, Receivables & Revenue Team Lead

    Follow Orsolya Dina’s inspiring journey as she embraces new opportunities for growth and advancement.

    En savoir plus
  • Meet Stefanie Van Poucke, GMP QA Head

    Join Stefanie Van Poucke as she navigates the world of Quality Assurance, leading GMP QA efforts in R&D, Belgium.

    En savoir plus
  • Meet Robin, Digital Product Owner, Belgium

    Dive into the digital world with Robin Meuris, as he discusses his role as a Digital Product Owner in Belgium.

    En savoir plus
  • Meet Ádám Honvéd, Product Owner Process Analytics

    Step into the world of analytics with Ádám Honvéd as he shares his journey as a Product Owner for Process Analytics at our Budapest Hub.

    En savoir plus
  • Dachuan Li: From Operating Room to Medical Education

    Dachuan Li traded his surgical scrubs for a career bridging science and healthcare as a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) in China.

    En savoir plus
  • Julien Guyomard: From Cars to COVID to Canada

    How seizing opportunities built a global career. Julien's career in communications has taken him from the production lines of French car factories to the global stage of the Paris 2024 Olympics and finally to leading communications in Canada.

    En savoir plus
  • Vincent Dufauret: Embracing the Unexpected - Building a Versatile Career

    Currently Global Digital Communication Project Lead, Vincent reflects on his diverse career journey. He shares the insights he wishes he'd understood from the beginning.

    En savoir plus
  • Finding Purpose at Sanofi: A Finance Professional's Path to Making a D

    Hungarian Senior Financial Analyst Zoltán Borbás shares how the Budapest Hub offers a springboard for career growth while working for a company with real-world impact.

    En savoir plus
  • Carmen's Sanofi Journey: A Son’s Rare Diagnosis, a Renewed Mission

    Carmen María Escamilla is Head of Customer Care in Supply Chain, based in Mexico. She discusses how personal experience with her son's rare genetic disorder helped shape her 11-year pharmaceutical career journey and why ensuring medicine availability has become her mission.

    En savoir plus
  • Balancing Career and Family: How Sanofi's Employee-First Culture Creates Opportunity in China

    Lewis Lai, Direct to Patient (DTP) & Dual channel Pharmacy (DCP) Channel Manager based in Hangzhou, China, shares how Sanofi's supportive workplace policies and culture have enabled him to thrive professionally while embracing fatherhood.

    En savoir plus
  • Sustainability at the Heart: How Sanofi's Transformation is Building a Purpose-Driven Culture

    Serena Ceccarelli reveals how Sanofi's integrated approach to sustainability is transforming the pharmaceutical giant while creating lasting social value through ambitious environmental targets and expanded healthcare access.

    En savoir plus
  • One Sanofi Career, Many Chapters: Bold Moves and Saying ‘Yes’ Drives Growth

    Istanbul-based Şayan Tomris Örs, currently Polio, Pertussis, and Hib (PPH) Head of Eurasia for Vaccines at Sanofi, discusses her journey from chemical engineering graduate to marking leader to head up a franchise.

    En savoir plus
  • Lab Bench to Global Strategy: How Scientific Passion Led to Immunology Leadership

    Aayam Lamichhane, Head of Strategy and Operations for Sanofi's Global Immunology Franchise, shares how his childhood fascination with science, a commitment to serving patients, and a drive to create meaningful change in the world led to a remarkable career journey across continents.

    En savoir plus
  • En savoir plus
  • En savoir plus
  • Meet Douglas Penson, Sustainability Apprentice, UK & Ireland

    Douglas is a Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Apprentice with a passion for the environment. Through his apprenticeship at Sanofi, Douglas is gaining valuable knowledge and contributing to meaningful, purpose-driven work.

    En savoir plus
  • Meet Matthew Odogwu, Associate Brand Manager Flu & Travel, UK & Ireland

    Matthew is one of Sanofi’s Emerging Talent Graduate Scheme participants. Through hands-on rotations across different business units, he’s developed a diverse skill set – from tender management to marketing – while gaining real ownership and accountability.

    En savoir plus
  • En savoir plus
  • How Motherhood Accelerated My Career at Sanofi

    Bangkok-based Wipada Kitiratanatrakarn, Brand Lead for Polio, Pertussis, and Hib Vaccines across Southeast Asia and India at Sanofi, reveals how becoming a mother transformed her approach to leadership and opened doors she never thought possible.

    En savoir plus
  • Finding The Role I Was Meant For

    Le Thanh Man, Customer Engagement Manager for Sanofi Vaccines in Vietnam, reveals how early rejection became the catalyst for a decade of intentional growth, and how Sanofi's career development resources helped him build the career he'd always envisioned.

    En savoir plus
  • Making an Impact Beyond the Office

    From disaster relief in California to mentoring young scientists and joining the global stage at the Paris Olympics, each experience can deepen your sense of purpose – and help your career take root and thrive.

    En savoir plus
  • Ignite Your Potential: Cordula

    Cordula’s manager, Paul, always had faith in her. That’s what helped her to believe in herself. Now she’s helping her colleagues transform medicine.

    En savoir plus
  • Ignite Your Potential: Sam

    Sam’s mom pushed her to be a better listener and always put patients at the center of what we do.

    En savoir plus
  • Ignite Your Potential: Paul

    Watch Paul discuss how his partner’s uncle inspired him to never settle and always put patients at the center of what we do.

    En savoir plus
  • Ignite Your Potential: Eldar

    Eldar’s dad taught him to always persevere and push for better outcomes – even when the odds are stacked against you.

    En savoir plus
  • Ignite Your Potential: Denise

    Denise explains how Glauber, her beach tennis coach, gives her the confidence to always push for better.

    En savoir plus
  • Ignite Your Potential: Lana

    Lana is motivated to solve rare diagnosis puzzles for millions of patients – all by seeing the bigger picture through their eyes.

    En savoir plus

Rejoignez notre communauté
de talents

Que pourrions-nous accomplir ensemble ? Chaque Sanofien travaille sur des projets qui ont un véritable impact sur la vie des gens.

Inscrivez-vous dès aujourd'hui et découvrez nos dernières opportunités dès qu'elles seront disponibles.