Voices of Biotech: Bayer VP on driving diversity in life sciences

Deepa Talpade discusses how women can reach their full potential in life sciences through schemes like Bayer’s I&D Xcelerate program in the first episode of our Voices of Biotech podcast.

Concurrent with International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Friday 10 February), the BioProcess Insider Expression Platform has launched Voices of Biotech – a podcast that celebrates women and minorities in science and what more can be done to amplify their voices.

Image: DepositPhotos/
artursz

Despite the progress over the last decade, gender parity remains a global issue throughout all levels within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Within academia, only 33.3% of all researchers are women, dwindling to a further 12% making national science academies. It is important to question how the industry is evolving, what progress has been made, and what steps we need to take next.

In this first episode of Voices of Biotech, we are joined by Deepa Talpade, VP of Business Development & Licensing and Strategic Alliances of Oncology at Bayer, who discusses the success of Bayer’s I&D Xcelerate program, launched by Marianne De backer two years ago, which promotes diversity through a 6–9 month placement within Business Development & Licensing and Open Innovation (BD&L/OI) department.

Deepa also touches upon the socioeconomic impact deterring women to reach their full potential, the necessity to take a risk on women and the need for authenticity in leadership roles: “We should be allowed to colour ourselves in the way that we choose to”.

Join us monthly for the latest episodes of Voices of Biotech, hosted on the BioProcess Insider Expression Platform podcast. Listen on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Google podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.