Sabine Jurado

What drew you to the IMP since you moved here from St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, and what were your first impressions?

I knew of the IMP through a former mentor who had worked at the Vienna BioCenter, and I came to Vienna to work in the Busslinger’s lab. During my PhD, I was working on DNA damage repair, and towards the end of my studies, I started shifting towards immunology, particularly B-cell development. Joining Meinrad’s lab gave me the perfect opportunity to continue my research on the topic. But moving from Australia to Austria was definitely a change! That said, I really liked it here from the start.

What was different?

The biggest difference was cultural rather than scientific. Australia and Austria are worlds apart—Australia has that laid-back, easy-going feel, while Austria leans more formal and steeped in tradition. In terms of research, the science at the IMP is truly top-notch. The infrastructure, the accessibility of resources, and the collaborative environment are outstanding. At the IMP you’re surrounded by incredibly smart people from diverse fields, always willing to help and collaborate—that was definitely a highlight.

What made you decide to join the IMP after exploring other opportunities, including Genentech?

I interviewed at quite a few places, including Genentech, but in the end, I chose Meinrad’s lab. After speaking with Meinrad during my interview and meeting the people in his lab, I could see the excitement, the curiosity, and the commitment to science. It was clear that the environment was driven by a passion for discovery. When you join a lab, you’re not just joining a research group, you’re also joining the person leading it, and Meinrad’s approach to science really resonated with me. At other places, I always walked away after the interview with a “but”—something that made me hesitate. But when I left Meinrad’s office, I just thought, this is really cool. I want to be here. There was no “but.”

From 2013 to 2021 you were a postdoc in Meinrad’s lab. Which projects did you work on?

In Meinrad’s lab, my research focused on a fusion between two proteins, one of them being Pax5, which plays a crucial role in B-cell development. These fusions are found in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Our goal was to mimic the biology of this fusion to understand how cancer develops, identify the different transcriptional programs involved, and explore potential therapeutic strategies.

How would you describe your experience at the IMP?

I spent almost eight years at the IMP—including during COVID, which had its challenges—but overall, it was a fantastic experience. The IMP is an outstanding research centre with everything you could ask for as a scientist: top-tier infrastructure, brilliant colleagues, and a strong culture of collaboration. As a postdoc, I felt a great sense of freedom—I could reach out to people both within and outside the lab for advice, discussions, or new ideas, and I always had the support I needed. I also really liked the Monday Seminars—they were a great way to hear about research outside my own field and get fresh ideas. A great opportunity to see science from new perspectives. The quality of science at the IMP is truly exceptional, but what stands out the most is the people. Whether in the lab, in the facilities, or across different teams, the environment was incredibly supportive, and that made a lasting impact on me.

Now you are a Principal Scientist at Boehringer Ingelheim. What are you working on?

I work in oncology research at Boehringer Ingelheim in Vienna, where our goal is to develop new cancer treatments. My team is involved from the early stages—when we identify a promising small molecule or antibody—through testing its efficacy, understanding how it works, and determining which types of cancer it could be most effective against. We take these discoveries all the way to the clinic, which makes the work really rewarding because when something works, it has the potential to reach patients.

I also run a lab, and in many ways, it functions similarly to an academic lab. We plan experiments, discuss results, and figure out the next steps together. While we’re encouraged to publish our findings in journals, our primary focus is reporting data to regulatory authorities to help move potential drugs into clinical trials and, ultimately, to patients. The same level of scientific rigor applies—our work must be understandable, reproducible, and significant. Beyond that, I’m also involved in larger projects, which means working with experts from different fields—chemistry, medicine, and beyond—to make sure we’re taking the best possible approach. So, I wear two hats: I manage a lab, but I also oversee projects, bringing different teams together to move our research forward.

How does this environment compare to the IMP?

At the end of the day, science is science—but the main difference at Boehringer Ingelheim is that the research is much more applied. We have clear questions with a direct focus on potential health impacts. In academia, you still have that end goal, but the timeline is much longer before you see something translate to patients. There are definitely similarities, but the pace and context of the work are different. Personally, I really enjoy this environment. I think spending time in academia helped me fully appreciate the more applied side of research.

Is there a specific way in which your time at the IMP has influenced how you approach your work in this current role?

Absolutely. My time at the IMP trained me to always ask, What are the facts? when analysing experiments—to make sure I’m getting the right answers and asking the right questions in the first place. Good research starts with well-designed experiments, and that mindset has stuck with me. I also learned the importance of reaching out to other experts. Every researcher has their own area of expertise, and if you don’t know something, asking the right person can make all the difference. That’s something I do a lot in my current role, just as I did at the IMP, where collaboration was always encouraged. More than anything, the IMP sharpened my skills in doing good science.

How do you do good science? What's the recipe?

First, you need a curious mind—you have to love discovering things. Then, you have to be rigorous in how you design and conduct experiments. In industry, especially, you also need to think about impact: How do you ask the best question to get the most meaningful answers? If you can design an experiment that answers multiple questions at once, that’s always a plus. Surrounding yourself with the right people is just as important. You need a team that’s passionate about what they do. You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you don’t love your work, you won’t have the same level of commitment. Another key ingredient is being open to learning—every single day. Since starting this role, I’ve been on a steep learning curve, and that’s a good thing. Science moves forward by staying open to new ideas, discussing them, and being willing to adjust your approach when it helps push things forward faster.

Many junior researchers wonder about their next steps. What advice would you give them?

I think a lot of PhD students ask themselves, What should I do next? Should I just do a postdoc because that’s the expected path after a PhD? But the real question to ask yourself is: What do I actually want? Industry is sometimes drawn as the “dark side,” but that’s just not true. There’s a lot of crossover and collaboration between academia and industry—we’re all working towards the same goal in the end, discovery. So, I don’t think it’s something to be afraid of. If it interests you, explore it!

Published in 2025.