Allan Lamontanara, PhD - Knowledge & Technology Transfer Manager

Allan Lamontanara, PhD - Knowledge & Technology Transfer Manager at the University of Fribourg

Where are you from and what is your educational background?

I’m originally from Lyon, France, and I have a background in biology, focusing on biotechnology and biochemistry. I started my studies in Lyon, where I completed technical education, and then pursued an engineering degree at Polytech Marseille, located in the south of France.

Why did you decide to pursue the PhD/Post-doc journey?

It was for two main reasons:

Professional: At the time (2012), a PhD was essential to pursue a career as a scientist in industry. I enjoyed the technical aspects of research but wanted to manage my projects and gradually transition away from hands-on lab work.

Personal: I’m naturally curious, and the opportunity to lead my research, and become an expert in a specific area, was highly appealing. I also enjoyed discussing science with peers-sometimes for hours on end 😉.

The PhD is often said to be a marathon, not a sprint race. What do you think about it?

As usual, I will temper that saying. Yes, it is ‘long’ in the sense, that most will last 4-5 years and yes, the researcher should take the time to properly manage the projects and learn. However, I have seen many projects dragging on for longer than expected, for the sake of perfection (dare I even say publishing).

So, I would say: take your time to learn, and connect with your pairs, but do not make it longer than necessary, because ‘that one last experiment’ is missing. Scientists also must learn to be concise and efficiently convey messages.

When did you decide that you didn’t want to pursue an academic career?

I already had industrial experience prior to my PhD. I worked at Novartis. So, my goal was clear: to go back to the industrial world after my doctoral research and build my experience there. I went back to the industrial world by joining a startup in neuroscience at the end of my PhD studies.

What is a current position?

Technology transfer manager at the University of Fribourg. 

What were your previous jobs?

I have one year of experience in a pharmaceutical company (Novartis, Basel), and more than 6 years in start-up/biotech (AC Immune and Abionic in Lausanne). I mostly worked as a Research Scientist in those companies. I also worked in a startup incubator (Fongit, Geneva, NGO) for less than a year in the marketing and communications department to further deepen my expertise in a new area that was of interest to me.

Does your current job relate to the work you did during your PhD?

Partly. In my current role, I need to understand the scientific aspects of potential new inventions, particularly in life sciences. My PhD helps me quickly grasp technical concepts and communicate effectively with researchers. However, aspects like negotiating with companies, and understanding patent processes were not part of my PhD training.

What are the aspects that you like the most about your job?

There are two aspects that I appreciate:

Contact with researchers: I am still in close contact with university researchers, and this is important to satisfy my curiosity and willingness to help researchers get their ideas to fruition.

Learning every day: I learn a lot due to the variety of my job tasks. For example, I improved drastically my understanding of the patent processes, and my negotiation skills and I have a deeper understanding of the legal aspects of contracts.

How has your work-life balance changed since moving out of academia?

It depends on the employer, but overall, it has improved. Although I worked a lot in the industry, there were clear boundaries around working hours, unlike during my PhD, where work often consumed my life. Currently, my work-life balance is acceptable, and efficiency is valued more than working long hours.

How did you adapt to the cultural and operational differences between academia and your job(s) outside academia?

As I have a diverse set of experiences, this depends. Globally, fast, as I had previous experiences at Novartis. As for the how? Well, when you jump into new projects and must manage resources you never had beforehand, you just learn on the spot! PhD holders are usually fast learners. I have to say I also was always surrounded by people who knew better than me, you learn from anyone at any given position. Compared to academia, position titles, and hierarchy are not as important. I was open and tried to be humble about my knowledge.

Were there any new skills or knowledge areas you had to develop for your role(s) outside academia? How difficult was it, to gain them?

Oh yes! Plenty, but I learned how to learn during my PhD. Or at least what is my way of learning and adapting. To cite only a few of them: Managing time constraints, resources (finances but also human), and business acumen. It is not an easy task, for most people, but far from impossible. My PhD helped a lot: I had a curious mindset and was ready to learn and adapt. Just like any setbacks during my PhD. I worked in NGOs, startups, and bigger companies, so I guess this gave me an advantage.  

What were some of the challenges you faced during your transition?

I knew that in companies, you work on projects that make sense in terms of business expectations, not because you like a peculiar protein in a peculiar pathway. You must adapt to a ‘real world’ situation, where the market needs are important. It is not a mindset that everyone can accept, and that is normal. Let us say that efficiency and logic prime over your research interests. So, it was sometimes frustrating to ‘not pursue that super cool experiment’ because the business had decided so.

According to you which are the personal skills that are mostly needed to undergo a successful professional transition?

Adaptability and flexibility: I think what is important is staying open to change, and ready to learn constantly.

Resilience and perseverance: It took me time, and months of unemployment (yes, with internships).

Acceptance: We do not all need in 2024 to climb Everest, maybe a simpler job and life are also acceptable for you. You cannot be successful doing something not compatible with your life and body. So back to point 1).

Confidence and self-efficacy: Believing in your abilities helps you to take on new challenges with better chances.

What advice made a difference in your professional development?

That I should not be so busy making a living and forget to make a life. It’s easy to get caught up in career growth, but balance is crucial. Otherwise, you risk losing both. Also, be selective about advice: listen to people, but trust yourself to know what’s right for you.

What aspects of your academic studies helped you during your transition?

I did A LOT of presentations to several types of audiences and improved my presentation, negotiation, and listening skills.

What helped you to succeed in your career transition?

My network, people around me! I joined the Bioscience Network Lausanne (BSNL, bsnl.ch), met a lot of diverse profiles, connected, and participated in workshops.

In my opinion that was the main point, you can have all the skills you want, but if you are not surrounded/supported, it will be much harder. As an example: I found my current job, by interviewing for another office, close by, which was appreciated by my interviewer. He later proposed me to apply to another position, in a different office, that was even better suited. (Thank you, if you read this).

Did you complete any internships, traineeships, or BNF projects? If so, was it just one, or did you take on multiple?

Yes, I mostly did BNF, one in the private, and two in NGOs. There are great internships out there when you are also officially unemployed. I developed new skills, and it drastically increased my network. A great occasion to do something new.

What advice would you give to PhDs and postdocs who are willing to look for opportunities in your field?

Technology transfer in Switzerland is a limited field. So, it means, that if one is interested in working in that area, your network will be very important. Regularly contact people you know and stay in touch with them. Also, be open to learning things you might think are boring or not interesting. You would be surprised! (Yes, intellectual property can be very exciting, ahah). 

If you could go back, would you change anything about your career path?

Yes, I would not sacrifice my mental and physical health that much for the sake of it. But I learned from that.

What can I wish you for the next coming years?

Health and intellectually challenging job prospects.

Allan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-l-69554625/