People are our Chemistry

At Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing, we believe that our people provide our strength. Their dedication to quality, professional competence and hard work are the key elements in the company’s success. In this regular feature, we introduce you to some of the people who have helped make Eurofins an industry leader.

While in very different roles at Eurofins Lancaster Labs, Greta and Dave Bender agree that the best part about their jobs is hearing clients say how Eurofins’ work has a major impact on patients getting the timely drugs they need.

As Manager of Cell & Molecular Biology, Dave shares the profound gravity in hearing real life outcomes of their work: “Running samples with various challenges and timely  deadlines can sometimes be stressful, but when a client comes back and says this is what the drug is being used for and how well it’s doing in clinical trials, you get a  big-picture moment, realizing we are a cog in this magnificent machine that is treating diseases and improving the quality of lives-this job is not just a job.” And as a Group Leader in BioPharmaceutical Project Management, Greta reiterates how rewarding it is to have a hand in helping improve people’s lives.

Married for 12 years, the couple is the perfect match. Though they attended the same college, overlapping three years with mutual friends, they didn’t meet until they were introduced on Match.com. Now they’ve got two kids, one dog, great long-term careers, and a lot of talent and dedication to offer clients, and ultimately, patients. Here’s a slice of their lives:

Greta:

What does your current job entail? I am a project manager, so lots of client contact since I act as a liaison between my clients and the lab. I run conference calls, schedule visits and attend business review meetings. I am also a Group Leader so I make sure my direct reports are getting what they need, whether it be answers to questions, advice, support, etc…

Why should clients trust us with their projects? One word…quality. Eurofins has a reputation for producing excellent quality data, and I think clients value that. Even if they have to pay a little more for the work, clients can count on us getting the job done right.

And when you’re not working? When I’m not working I spend time with the kids. I help coach my daughter’s softball team, and I also run her to all of her sporting events (practices, games, swim meets, etc.) We also just got a new puppy so I spend time training her too!

Dave:

What is the scope of your group? My group (Molecular and Cell Biology Routine Testing) executes testing on a routine basis for established biological based methods in support of drug substance/drug product release testing and stability studies, and “in-process” product characterization. The majority of this testing falls into two categories: determination of product potency/binding and determination of the presence/ absence of contaminating residuals from the product production process. Potency/binding is determined by either utilizing an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) or a cell based bioassay. Presence/ absence of contaminating residuals is determined by either utilizing an ELISA assay (targeting mainly host proteins) or by utilizing a real-time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction assay (RT-qPCR) for the detection of host DNA. My group also supports a wide range of other testing from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) for plasmid identification to cytotoxicity testing per USP Chapter 87.

How does your group’s work impact/benefit society? Although only a small part of what is needed for the overall characterization of a specific lot of drug substance/drug product, the testing in my group is critical in establishing the quality and function of the sample in question. The data and results that my team delivers to our clients helps them make the decision on whether or not the sample lot in question is cleared to release to the clinic or for commercial use. It guarantees that specific contaminants have been cleared through the production process to a safe level for human exposure and provides critical information in terms of functionality that are used for dosing considerations.

And when you’re not working? I enjoy spending time with my family. We have a daughter involved in softball and swimming almost every month out of the year, so we  are usually on the go most weeks out of the year. We also have a son who is taking swimming lessons and will be starting baseball and basketball within the next year or two, so that will only add to the excitement. I also like to get out for a round of golf here and there as our schedules permit. We also just got a new puppy so we are spending as much time with her as possible.