In order to cultivate talent for technological innovation, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) continues the "LEAP Doctoral Innovation Star Program" initiated in 2017 and promotes the "X Talent Industry Innovation Talent Overseas Training Program." This program selects professionals to participate in a one-year collaborative project with high-tech companies, start-ups, and renowned research institutions abroad.
As the world's largest pharmaceutical company, Pfizer recognizes Taiwan’s biotech talent as highly competitive on the international stage. As a result, Pfizer has actively bridged the LEAP / X Talent program with its headquarters in Boston. Over the past eight years, trainees from the program have not only helped bridge the gap between academic research, new drug development, and clinical trials but have also leveraged global resources to create new opportunities for biotech entrepreneurship.
Loving Taiwan! Helping Talent Challenge the International Stage
By participating in the LEAP / X Talent program and facilitating the training of Taiwanese post-doctoral researchers at Pfizer’s US headquarters, Pfizer Taiwan has dedicated considerable effort to make this connection. The impressive expertise of the professionals involved has also been remarkable. Li Yishan, Executive Director of the Clinical Trial Center and Research Operations Management in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East at Pfizer, shared that the design of the LEAP program was meticulous. Before launching the program, the Ministry of Science and Technology (now NSTC) visited Pfizer’s Boston headquarters and hosted a matchmaking event where doctoral students and companies could better understand each other.
Legacy and Innovation: Creating Opportunities to Expand Career Horizons
At the time, Pfizer's lab leaders in the US and Taiwan unanimously agreed on the immense potential of Taiwanese talent. Beyond their already busy schedules, colleagues from both the US and Taiwan proactively prepared materials and presented them to senior management, designing the most suitable training program. All these efforts were made with the purest of intentions – a deep love for Taiwan.
The performance of participants in the LEAP / X Talent program has been outstanding, leaving a deep impression. Pfizer, which values talent development, has actively engaged in the program, hoping to recruit exceptional Taiwanese pharmaceutical talents each year to assist in new drug development at its headquarters.
Zheng Yong-Zhi, who joined Pfizer in 2020 and currently serves as the Program Lead at Pfizer’s Boston headquarters, mentioned that the LEAP / X Talent program fosters a win-win collaboration between Taiwan and the US in academia and industry. When selecting talent, he evaluates both the professional expertise relevant to Pfizer’s drug development portfolio and the applicants' learning plans, with particular emphasis on communication and presentation skills. As the program lead, he also serves as a mentor, providing comprehensive support to participants.
New drug development is a long journey. It is not feasible for participants to be involved in all stages of drug development within just one year. However, Pfizer strives to provide diverse opportunities for participants to gain cross-departmental and cross-border experience, achieving efficient growth while nurturing a diverse talent pool, and working towards the goal of sustainable development.
Wu Yun-Yun, who reported to Boston at the end of 2024, shared that she had closely followed the program during her studies. For freshly graduated doctoral students, even with excellent dissertation performance, it is still challenging to gain experience in a large pharmaceutical company like Pfizer. The X Talent program offers a shortcut. She found that big pharmaceutical companies have a fine division of labor, and even if one is only responsible for a small part of the work, they are still involved in discussions across departments, making the process more efficient as everyone performs their respective roles.
Pfizer’s unique proposal culture also left a strong impression on her. For example, experiment designs do not provide step-by-step instructions but offer general guidance, encouraging creative thinking and brainstorming. "For instance, if the goal is to climb Yushan Mountain, I would first list ten possible ways to get there, then propose them to my leader and collaborate to select the best route to the summit." She also cherishes the advice from Zheng Yongzhi: "All the experiences you gain in different fields should be brought back to Taiwan and passed on."
Li Yi-Shan reminded that the biotech industry operates on a global mindset, embracing innovation and advocating for healthcare equality. Therefore, Pfizer’s organizational changes are rapid. She fondly recalls a supervisor telling her when she first joined Pfizer, "The beauty in Pfizer is people." At Pfizer, one can meet a wide variety of mentors who truly change lives. In the future, Pfizer Taiwan will continue to nurture top biotech talent and encourage the Taiwanese people to create more attractive opportunities, enabling talent to stand on the right stage at the right time and fully showcase their abilities.