Inspirational Women in Life Sciences Series – Mariam Talia, Boehringer Ingelheim

Back for its fourth year running, our Life Sciences blog – Cortex, is celebrating International Women’s Day with our Inspirational Women in Life Sciences series.

Join us as we spotlight remarkable women in the sector, sharing stories of inspiring journeys, challenges, and visions for the future. Through these interviews, we aim to highlight the importance of inclusion and the incredible contribution of women in this vital field.

For our third interview, Adam Vause, Head of Life Sciences - Middle East, is joined by Mariam Talia, Regional Compliance Officer at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Mariam's career journey started under apartheid in South Africa where she faced social and racial discrimination, challenges she overcame with courage and resilience.

"I was born in a traditional Muslim and conservative family where we all faced racial and social oppression. But to top that was the gender inequality that I faced as a female of colour. And these challenges, they fuelled me because it gave me a determination that I wanted to make a difference and I wanted to strive for justice, but I also wanted to serve others."

Mariam is passionate about empowering younger professionals to grow in the industry. She speaks about the lack of representation, particularly in research and academia, and emphasises the importance of mentorship is crucial in advancing women's careers. One of her powerful insights is that to nurturing female talent requires recognising individuality, rather than competing with men or other women.

Perhaps unsurprisingly Mariam thinks that with the backdrop of technological revolution AI is set to be the biggest and most significant disruptor. Combining AI with synthetic biology has the potential to transform the industry.

"Together, we as women, we can break down barriers, we can inspire future generations, and we can create a more inclusive and equitable industry because true empowerment comes from within, and we can honour our passions and stay true to ourselves."