For International Women's Day 2026, we're proud to spotlight some of the incredible women across Astrea Bioseparations who are shaping our science, supporting our customers, and driving our business forward.

This year's theme, Give to Gain, recognizes the power of sharing knowledge, lifting others up, and creating opportunities, because when we invest in each other, we all move forward.

In this Q&A series, our team reflects on the advice they would give to women starting out in the field, the career moments they're most proud of, the challenges that have helped them grow, and what has built their confidence along the way.

Across their stories, a common thread emerges: stay curious, speak up, embrace challenges, and support one another. When we give our time, our encouragement, our ideas, and our expertise, we build stronger teams, greater confidence, and a more inclusive future for our industry.

Christine Khan, Product Manager: For any women starting out in this field, my biggest advice is to stay curious and never hesitate in asking questions (even the silly ones). This is a how you learn fast and grow. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, because no one succeeds completely on their own. Be patient with yourself as you grow into the role. Progress takes time, and that’s part of the journey. Most importantly, enjoy the process and try to find moments of fun along the way.

Taylor Beavis, Marketing Manager: Invest in relationships, not just roles. The right people will challenge you to grow, open doors for you, and ground you in your strengths when imposter syndrome creeps in.

Sara Arroyo, Research Scientist: I think it's important to be hard-working and very enthusiastic about learning, anything really! Related or non-related topics to what we studied originally. Also to ask as many questions as possible to understand what is unclear from the beginning, and put ideas and opinions forward as well as being open to other people ideas. I believe that this job is very collaborative, and getting many different points of view on a same topic is always very beneficial to find answers in science.

Lily Dransfield, Technology Transfer Manufacturing Operative: This industry can be a difficult one to navigate as a woman, but it is rewarding. Along the way, you will meet loads of amazing women who are doing the same work as you, and that support and connection makes the journey worthwhile.

Caitlin Jones, Research Scientist: My advice would be to always ask questions. In this field there can be a steep learning curve and the knowledge and techniques used are constantly evolving, but no one will expect you to know everything so do not be afraid to ask for clarification or further explanation.

Nicola Dickson, Subject Matter Expert: Be true to yourself, be prepared for hard work and stay honest and genuine. There are still many barriers and preconceived ideas of what a female engineer is, just need to make your own pathway and do everything as well as anyone can. Never be afraid to ask for help or advice, some around you are flattered that you ask and it certainly builds trust within a team. 

Jessie Tansey, HR Business Partner: Use your voice - and don't apologise for having one. One of the greatest strengths you can develop is the ability to challenge respectfully. Telling the truth without diminishing someone else is a real power. And here's something important: not getting the outcome you wanted doesn't automatically mean something is unfair. Sometimes it just means you were heard - and the decision went another way. That's part of professional maturity. Trust your gut. Stand your ground with grace. And remember: you can be kind and strong at the same time. Never lose your voice - but always use it wisely.

Grayse Houghton, Research Assistant: Ask! - ask for clarity and ask for help. There's no such thing as a silly question, but it is silly to struggle when support is available (Plot twist: You won't be seen as less for asking!).

Sujeong Yang, Subject Matter Expert: To women building their careers: stay curious, take on challenges even when they feel uncomfortable, and don’t step back because of family responsibilities. There is always a solution. Growth often comes from persistence, creativity, and the courage to keep moving forward.

Maelia Uy-Gomez, Field Application Scientist: Find a good mentor and learn to take up space!  I believe mentorship takes you far, and it's always great to feel like you have someone in your corner cheering you on. With that being said, as women, we tend to shrink ourselves for others, but you belong in these spaces, and you deserve to be heard. Having a mentor on your side, celebrating your wins, helps you feel less out of place and reminds you why you deserve to take up space.

Taylor Beavis, Marketing Manager: I'm most proud of completing the Level 6 CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing - particularly because I balanced three modules while working full-time, travelling across seven countries for work, and growing a baby. It was an intense time both professionally and personally, and it required a huge amount of discipline, resilience and focus.

That experience proved to me that I'm capable of operating at a high level even when stretched. It strengthened not only my strategic marketing knowledge, but also my confidence in my ability to manage complexity, prioritise effectively, and deliver under pressure.

Nicola Dickson, Subject Matter Expert: It is difficult to pick a singular moment, as you have a success or achieve a goal, you have a fleeting instant of pride but pretty soon the next challenge or project comes along. I would probably have to go back to that first step I took on this path. Deciding to leave my home in a rural village and head off to a university in a big city and to give it everything. 

Sara Arroyo, Research Scientist: When I moved to Cambridge and started in the company I had never worked in a scientific role or lived away from my hometown. Many things changed at the same time. At work, the projects were completely new to me and together with the English language it all made really difficult for me to grasp the whole picture of what I did. It was very challenging! I'm very proud of all the progress I made these years, I feel very comfortable now working in an independent manner, presenting results and discussing ideas with the rest of the teams.

Lily Dransfield, Technology Transfer Manufacturing Operative: The part of my career I'm most proud of so far is the big move I made from the Isle of Man to Cambridge. I was only 19 when I started working for Astrea Bioseparations, and I remember being so excited for my first day, with no idea where the job would eventually take me. After working at the Isle of Man site in production for a year and a half, I was given the opportunity to move to Cambridge to work with the tech transfer team. At the time, moving back to the UK on my own felt terrifying. I knew no one there and had never even visited Cambridge before! It took a lot of courage and was difficult for the first few months while I settled in, but I'm so glad that I made the move. Working in tech transfer challenges me in new ways every day, and it has helped me grow both professionally and personally.

Caitlin Jones, Research Scientist: Over the past 6 years of industry experience (2 of which at Astrea Bioseparations) I am proud to have contributed to work that supports the development and manufacture of advanced therapies which will then go onto help better patients' lives. My two years at Astrea Bioseparations have enabled me to grow not only in technical expertise but also in confidence and independence. Being part of a company that aims to provide the tools needed for customers to deliver life-improving and life-saving advanced therapies to patients worldwide has been extremely fulfilling and has reinforced why I chose this field of work.

Jessie Tansey, HR Business Partner: During the UK COVID lockdown, I went to speak with my MD and asked what they would think if I moved from my HR role into a temporary Customer Site Director position as part of the company's pandemic response. I know - HR moving into a customer-facing operational role sounds unusual! But to me, HR is only as good as its understanding of the business. This felt like the ultimate crash course. During that conversation, they mentioned the California office could use some support. Casual comment… life-changing outcome.

After many long conversations with my (then) fiancé and family - and a few “are we really doing this?” moments - we decided the opportunity was too big to pass up. Seven months later, I was in Petaluma, California, working on cultural change projects that completely shaped my career.

It was daunting. I left my home, my routine, and my comfort zone. But it taught me something invaluable: sometimes you have to bet on yourself. To this day, that leap is my proudest moment - not just professionally, but personally. I pushed my own limits and took control of my career instead of waiting for it to happen to me.

Grayse Houghton, Research Assistant: Having worked at Astrea Bioseparations since graduating, first in production before moving to R&D last year, I have had the pleasure of working alongside some very knowledgeable people who have helped me grow both my confidence and technical abilities across a multitude of areas – and knowing that my work helps to advance the technologies used to improve global healthcare makes me feel immensely proud.

Sujeong Yang, Subject Matter Expert: I'm reflecting on how proud I am to work in advanced biologics - contributing to purification technologies that support life-changing therapies. Being part of developing innovative nanofiber solutions for viral vector manufacturing has been a particularly meaningful part of my journey.

Maelia Uy-Gomez, Field Application Scientist: I think I'm most proud of the work I put in during my undergraduate career that set me up for success post-grad. I pursued internships and research positions, attended conferences, and networked so that I would be in a good position after graduation. Without this foundation, I truly don't think I would be where I am today. 

Taylor Beavis, Marketing Manager: One of the most defining challenges has been operating within very different team structures. At times, I've effectively been a one-woman marketing team - responsible for everything from strategy and content to campaigns, events, and reporting. That demands resilience, strong prioritisation, and the confidence to make decisions independently.

In other phases, I've been part of a six-person marketing team, where collaboration, clear communication, and strategic alignment were essential. Shifting between full autonomy and shared ownership requires me to be nimble - knowing when to lead from the front, when to delegate, and when to step back and align.

Sara Arroyo, Research Scientist: I found it tricky when I moved to work with nanomembranes. We started in an early stage with lots of unknowns and things to figure out.. But soon I started enjoying all the new bits I learnt about them. The last project I worked on last year was quite challenging too. Things did not go as we predicted so I had the chance to do a lot of research and revisit chemistry subjects that I had not used since I was in university, it felt very fulfilling!

Besides, speaking in public was an issue when I started. However, the fact that we need to present and discuss results in meetings very frequently helped me and the situation improved over time.

Lily Dransfield, Technology Transfer Manufacturing Operative: Changing departments was a challenge at first. Learning a completely new way of working and a different approach to problem-solving felt difficult in the beginning, and there were moments where it all felt unfamiliar! That experience has made me much more adaptable and confident in stepping outside my comfort zone. It taught me how to learn quickly and not be afraid of getting things wrong while I figure things out.

Nicola Dickson, Subject Matter Expert: I have always been a part of a small team, and you have nowhere to hide, you have to step up and take things on board very quickly. Every project brings differently challenges either technically or working with different people with different skill bases. 

Jessie Tansey, HR Business Partner: In my second HR role, I was an HR Assistant in a construction company - and it was, without question, the toughest environment I've worked in. Five months in, my manager left. I was asked to step up. I had limited experience, limited confidence, and if I'm being honest, limited maturity too. But in the spirit of “never pass up an opportunity,” I said yes.

At the time, it felt like being thrown in at the deep end without a lifebuoy. And I'll happily admit: it was too much, too soon. It didn't fail - but it wasn't a roaring success either.

For years, I questioned whether it had been the right move. It took me almost a decade to see the value in that experience. Being thrown in forced me to learn resilience, boundaries, and humility. I experienced situations - both good and bad - that I never would have encountered otherwise. Those lessons shaped the HR professional I am today.

Sometimes growth doesn’t feel empowering in the moment. Sometimes it just feels hard. But hard isn't wasted.

Grayse Houghton, Research Assistant: Experiments don't always go to plan and data doesn't always give you the information you were hoping for but staying resilient and persevering by constantly adapting based on what you have learnt from previous ‘failings’ will drive you forward. It's frustrating but it isn't personal and it makes the successful experiments feel even more rewarding!

Maelia Uy-Gomez, Field Application Scientist: A big challenge I had to overcome was my fear of public speaking. I think, especially in science, so much value comes from sharing your work and speaking about it with others. From speaking in small groups to presenting at large conferences, I've gained so much from learning to talk about and share the projects I've worked on. It's not only helped my presentation skills, but also my networking skills and confidence.

Lily Dransfield, Technology Transfer Manufacturing Operative: Speak up! There will be times when you are the only woman in the room, but don’t let that make you afraid to make your opinions heard.

Taylor Beavis, Marketing Manager: Don't wait until you feel “ready” - you’ll never feel 100% ready and that's okay. Say yes to opportunities that are outside of your comfort zone. Speak up sooner and share your ideas even if they're not fully formed - confidence grows through action, not before it.

Nicola Dickson, Subject Matter Expert: Stay flexible, don't get fixated on job role or job title. Always help others, even if you can't give someone the answer they are looking for, put them in touch with someone else or help them troubleshoot the process until you can work out the direction that needs to be taken. If you always do something to the best of your ability and reached out when needed, then success will always be recognised. 

Jessie Tansey, HR Business Partner: Say yes. (Unless it compromises your ethics - that's the line.) I've said yes to projects I didn't think I was ready for. Yes to work I didn't always enjoy. Yes to challenges that stretched me far beyond my comfort zone. Because of that, I became known as someone reliable - someone who gets things done. And when opportunities came up, my name was often part of the conversation.

Saying yes doesn't mean overworking yourself or accepting poor treatment. It means being open. Curious. Brave enough to try before you feel fully ready. Confidence rarely comes before action - it comes because of it.

Grayse Houghton, Research Assistant: Don't be afraid of putting your ideas forward to those with more experience. A fresh perspective can be beneficial for everyone.

Sujeong Yang, Subject Matter Expert: One of the biggest lessons I've learned is to trust your expertise. Early in my career, I sometimes waited until I felt “fully ready” before speaking up. Over time, I realised growth often comes from stepping forward before you feel 100% prepared.

Taylor Beavis, Marketing Manager: Continuous learning has been key, both formal and informal. The more I've invested in understanding the “why” behind decisions, the more confident I've become in contributing strategically. Confidence has also come from delivery - when you see projects through, solve problems, and create measurable impact, you start to trust your own capability. Over time, that evidence builds a quiet, steady confidence that's much stronger than surface-level self-belief.

Nicola Dickson, Subject Matter Expert: Technical confidence has grown from recognition from my peers and others throughout the company. I have always been open to learning about different skills and ask a lot of questions. I have broadened my knowledge base and have never stuck to my field, just focused on getting the job done. I like to think of myself as developed my many additional skills.

Leadership skills have been developed outside the workplace, taking on challenges away from my comfort zone of science background. I took on the challenge of becoming a sports coach, working with Children 5-11 yrs olds. Children give you instant feedback, they are either engaged, bored, don't understand what is being asked, or happy. There is no office politics to consider, no bigger picture, what you ask of them either makes sense or it doesn’t. Long explanations don’t work you have to get to the point quickly and if something doesn’t work you have to find a different way or move on quickly. You also learn to listen and reflect on your performance as a coach after each session. Working with children you also have to work with their parents and sports committee to ensure that everyone is happy. You meet many different personalities, but everyone has a common goal – that the children are happy. Sports have played a huge part in defining who I am, I am not a top class performer and never will be , I am more the willing to have a go participant and have tried many different sports but everything I have learnt about being in a team has really help grow my confidence in the workplace. 

Jessie Tansey, HR Business Partner: One of the best managers I ever had, Kate, used to say: “You only get out what you put in.” She was incredibly data-driven, deeply empathetic, and unwaveringly supportive - even when handling difficult HR processes. She led with both logic and heart, and that balance left a lasting impression on me. To this day, I often think, “What would Kate do?”

She also taught me that our behaviour carries weight. How we respond when we're disappointed. How we manage conflict. How we show up on difficult days. It all radiates further than we think. Leadership isn't just about decision-making - it's about emotional responsibility.

I genuinely wouldn't be where I am today without her influence. And if I can model even a fraction of what she demonstrated, I'll consider that a success.

Grayse Houghton, Research Assistant: Gaining hands-on experience across both production and research and development has allowed me to better understand the industry from a multitude of angles. Being able to successfully troubleshoot issues, whether in large scale production processes or within plate-based assays has really helped build my confidence in my technical abilities. Being able to learn new skills and adapt processes whilst considering the knowledge gained from previous work and having successful outcomes is always a boost.

Sujeong Yang, Subject Matter Expert: Confidence didn't appear overnight; it developed through consistently doing the work, learning from challenges, and seeing the impact of that work over time.