A bridge between the classroom and industry has been built.
Last week Westlake Pharmaceuticals welcomed twelve graduate students from the Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, for a summer practice programme.
The company planned the week carefully, with themed talks and hands-on observation. Students came away with a deeper view of where drug discovery is heading, how medicines are developed, and what path they might take themselves. Here is how the week went.
01 Getting to know the company
On the morning of 10 July the group arrived with their teachers. HR manager Peng Jin showed them the offices and departments.
The exchange began with introductions: R&D representatives and students described their academic backgrounds and fields. Yiran Cai, assistant to the general manager, introduced the founding team, the company’s history and its direction, giving a quick view of the company and of the innovative drug industry.
02 Hands-on practice
Students were placed in chemistry, biology and AI drug design groups according to their backgrounds and interests.
Company researchers acted as mentors, explaining basic procedures and designing practical tasks for the students to complete, deepening their understanding of the theory.
Conversation went beyond technical content: the researchers also shared their own experience on career questions.
03 Themed sessions
Four sessions covered AI-assisted drug design, pharmacovigilance, clinical trials and intellectual property protection — all essential parts of drug development.
Each was led by the head of the relevant function, whose experience gave students a close look at the R&D process and the state of the field. Questions came thick and fast, and answers built a clearer picture of the industry.
On the afternoon of 12 July the week drew to a close, with students and company representatives sharing what they had taken away.
Students thanked the company for its hospitality and described what they had learned; staff spoke about the pleasure of the exchange and the students’ curiosity. The programme gave students a chance to learn and brought the company fresh perspective and energy.
What they said
A PhD student from the institute: “I realised that researchers here have to keep thinking and solving problems, and the bar for research capability is high. The programme changed how I see pharmaceutical companies — I am grateful for the experience.”
A master’s student: “The atmosphere is open and friendly, and there were even snacks in the pantry. It made me look forward to working life.”
Counsellor He: “We had far more sign-ups than expected. Thank you to the students for taking it seriously, and to Westlake Pharmaceuticals for a genuinely full programme — everyone learned a lot.”
Every conversation plants a seed. Westlake Pharmaceuticals hopes the programme narrows the distance between campus and industry, and looks forward to meeting more young researchers.