Meet Ricardo Lima, Director, Regulatory Science & CMC!
ACADEMIA AND MOTIVATION
I decided to study Pharmaceutical Sciences and, since the beginning, looked towards a career in research, which started when I was still at the University. I later specialised in Pharmaceutical Industry, having my path at BIAL definitively contributed to that decision.
WHY BIAL?
I joined BIAL over 20 years ago, not long after I completed my studies, and I decided to join the team for multiple reasons: Environment – science is more captivating when you have hands on the matter, learning from doing, from your mistakes and, yet, knowing you're contributing to something objective; Brand – the only Portuguese Pharm company running R&D from end to end; and the path and goal – BIAL had a strong project and very clear objectives and was already paving a path towards that – developing new treatments for patients in need, being the first one in Portugal to patent new innovative drugs.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK AT BIAL?
If there’s one word I could use to describe my experience with BIAL, it would be challenging. The work environment we live in makes us question even the most robust results and think solutions outside of the box, through novel strategies, allowing us to take the next steps. And that process, that constant questioning is what brought us where we are today.
Another part of the challenge: the teams are not extensive. This also means people know and help each other, meet, share projects, a desk in an open space, or a coffee in the cafeteria. This proximity makes us more agile, faster killing bottlenecks and reacting to unforeseen events, preparing us better for the future challenges.
JOURNEY AT BIAL
After joining the team, I was appointed Head of Pharmaceutical Development a few years later, aging 27 yo, managing a team of three people. Later, after more than 20 years in R&D, I accepted a position as Associate Director, CMC, and left behind a team of 17 scientists who proudly and actively contributed to the development and launch of the two Portuguese innovative drugs. Since January, I started a new phase, having been appointed Director, Regulatory Science & CMC, a challenging role and one that makes me enthusiastic, and motivated, about continuing this journey at BIAL!