A podcast by the Postdoc Academy of the Berlin University Alliance
Podcaster
Episoden
13.04.2026
1 Minute
Our guest today is Dr. Niklas Hegemann, Medical Affairs Trainee at a leading global pharmaceutical company.
Niklas's career path is anything but straightforward. He began with business administration - a choice shaped in part by family expectations - before a six-month internship at a major pharmaceutical firm sparked a lasting passion for medical science. This led him back into academia to pursue a biomedical degree, followed by a doctoral thesis in experimental cardiology at Marburg and Imperial College London.
In this episode, Niklas talks about how he leverages his academic training in data analysis, scientific literature review, and multidisciplinary collaboration in his current role in Medical Affairs. He reflects candidly on the setbacks he faced when first trying to move into industry, the role of mentorship and humility in finally making the transition, and what it takes to adapt to a corporate environment after years in academia. He also shares how he has maintained his ties to the cardiovascular research community as a visiting scientist and why he sees hybrid career paths as a real opportunity for scientists today.
The interview was conducted by Dr. Christina Ayazi from ZEWK at TU Berlin.
Niklas's career path is anything but straightforward. He began with business administration - a choice shaped in part by family expectations - before a six-month internship at a major pharmaceutical firm sparked a lasting passion for medical science. This led him back into academia to pursue a biomedical degree, followed by a doctoral thesis in experimental cardiology at Marburg and Imperial College London.
In this episode, Niklas talks about how he leverages his academic training in data analysis, scientific literature review, and multidisciplinary collaboration in his current role in Medical Affairs. He reflects candidly on the setbacks he faced when first trying to move into industry, the role of mentorship and humility in finally making the transition, and what it takes to adapt to a corporate environment after years in academia. He also shares how he has maintained his ties to the cardiovascular research community as a visiting scientist and why he sees hybrid career paths as a real opportunity for scientists today.
The interview was conducted by Dr. Christina Ayazi from ZEWK at TU Berlin.
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Über diesen Podcast
We talk to researchers from the four Berlin universities who have
left academia to build a successful and fulfilling career in
industry, policy, science communication, entrepreneurship, and
beyond. This isn't about ready-made career blueprints. We want to
know what the decisive turning points were, what the transition
actually felt like, and what they found on the other side. Were
there moments of doubt? Which skills from their research career
turned out to be surprisingly valuable? And looking back, what were
the real success factors that brought them to where they are now?
Postdocs from all disciplines will find honest reflections,
practical insights, and inspiration for thinking about their own
next steps. A podcast by the Postdoc Academy of the Berlin
University Alliance. Learn more:
https://www.berlin-university-alliance.de/en/commitments/promoting-talent/postdoc-academy/index.html
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