What previous experiences and knowledge will you be able to (continue to) contribute with as Chair of SciLifeLab’s Board?

“I have quite long leadership experience within the academia and I value the importance of transparency and negotiations to find solutions to new challenges that will lead to a win-win situation for all in a longer perspective.” 

A unifying and essential actor.

What do you find most exciting about SciLifeLab’s efforts and activities?

“The field of life science is developing very fast and with AI [artificial intelligence] becoming an essential tool in many disciplines we have just seen the beginning of this. By being a unifying and essential actor, SciLifeLab can really make a difference for Sweden in many aspects, obviously for academic research but also for the healthcare sector, for biodiversity and for climate efforts, and of course also for the industry.”

What do you believe are the most important/urgent issues when it comes to strengthening and developing the Swedish life science industry? And how can SciLifeLab make a difference? 

“To effectively translate research discoveries into industry impact we need to bridge and build more effective paths and interaction between academic research and industrial and healthcare applications. Today, SciLifeLab has around 100 industry users annually and in the future I envision SciLifeLab to become an increasingly more active player in the translational field through supporting and strengthening collaborations with stakeholders from different sectors.”

What’s your advice to other women in life sciences who wants to take on these kinds of leadership roles? Or do you have any thoughts on how we can get more women to take on leadership roles?

“It is of course not a sudden move to get a leadership role but something that you take step by step. It requires a bit of self-confidence and sometimes courage, meaning that you cannot be too afraid of doing a mistake and also to be able to sort it out if/when it happens. The driving force for me has been my interest in analyzing challenges and new arenas and to find new ways of how we together can find the most productive way forward. I have also had very supportive colleagues and people with whom I can discuss.”

“Another advice is to realize that no one can fulfill everything to a hundred percent, so be open to receive help from others and acknowledge it but also boost yourself to grow and take on new challenges.”