In 2018 Alvin took up a semi-academic position at WEHI to give himself the opportunity to “dip his toe in the water” and see if he would enjoy a career outside academia.
The groundbreaking research being undertaken, coupled with the diverse and inclusive culture, is what attracted Alvin to WEHI.
Joining as a Senior Biologics Research Fellow, Alvin led and managed the implementation of advanced antibody technologies. Specifically, single B-cell cloning for recombinant monoclonal antibody generation and phage display alpaca nanobody platforms.
“I really enjoyed collaborating and providing technical advice and delivering cutting-edge nanobody and monoclonal antibodies for colleagues, collaborators and external stakeholders in order to help with and even solve an array of complex biomedical research problems,” explains Alvin.
After nearly two years at WEHI, it had crystallised that he thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that working on multiple projects brings and Alvin took the leap into industry, joining Rhythm Biosciences in March 2020.
“In this role I oversee and manage the development, production and supply of commercial production-ready form of recombinant proteins and antibodies for use in our medical diagnostics technology.”