Science, Industry and Startup: My Journey from Research to Entrepreneurship

Career Talk

Date: Wednesday, July 22
Time: 11:00 – 12:00 CEST
Location: MPI-IS Stuttgart

About the session: When I started studying medical biotechnology, I thought my future would stay inside a lab, but my path gradually evolved beyond what I had originally imagined. In this talk, I will share my journey from a small village in Southern Italy to international experiences across academia, industry, and entrepreneurship. Driven by a strong interest in translational science and innovation, each step along the way helped me better understand how scientific research can move beyond academia and into real-world applications. Through the challenges, doubts, and opportunities I encountered, I hope to show that careers in science do not always follow a predefined direction, and that growth often comes from being willing to explore new environments and perspectives.

About Sarah: Sarah Scatigna has a multidisciplinary background spanning biotechnology, immunology, and business. She holds a PhD in Pharmacy from Goethe University Frankfurt as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie EDUC8 consortium, where she worked on CAR-Treg cell therapies for Hemophilia A in collaboration with academic and industrial partners across Europe. She complemented her academic training with industry experience at Biotest AG in biotherapeutic development, international projects at Air Liquide, and an MBA for STEM young professionals. She is currently involved in the development of CELLnROLL, an upcoming Max Planck spin-off focused on cellular diagnostic platform development.