Mieke Doornbos
This interview is part of a series of conversations with the people working at Mimetas. The 'I' in MIMETAS focuses on the personal side of the people who drive our world. Today we have a chat with Mieke Doornbos, Vice President Sales & Marketing at MIMETAS.
If MIMETAS had a theme song for its
10-year anniversary, what would it be and why?
Starting a business in something as innovative as Organ-on-a-Chip technology 10 years ago and developing it into a company that is now a leader in the field, came with many achievements and breakthroughs over the past decade. We are a social company and good at celebrating in general. Honoring your achievements is necessary and fun as well, but I appreciate the social culture of the company. For instance, MIMETAS often has Friday afternoon drinks and regular parties – something we call “Borrels” in the Netherlands - as well as company outings that last several days. This and more all contribute to a social company culture and it allows you to really get to know your colleagues and form meaningful bonds with them. We celebrate teamwork, which we are all a part of. In the end, achievements are never the result of individuals, and this song also invites people to join and be part of something great.
As Vice President Sales & Marketing, what does your average day working at MIMETAS look like?
My days are filled with many, many meetings. Thankfully, these vary a lot which makes my days really fun. From one-on-one catch-ups with people from my team to align on their activities, to work group sessions to connect with different departments by brainstorming and discussing strategy. I also have the pleasure of having customer meetings and calls with co-marketing collaborators. I get to interact with many different types of people, internally at MIMETAS but also externally. I love the international environment of it all; I regularly start my day by talking to our team in Japan and end the day with chatting to my colleagues from California!
If you could send a message to yourself 10 years ago, what would you tell the younger you?
Don’t worry too much about everything and don’t sweat the small stuff - you can do it! Over the years, I have learned how essential it is to always have this mindset to keep a healthy work-life balance.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your professional career?
I find it very important to always speak up and push for honesty, whether that may be for and from yourself, or a colleague or collaborator. This is not always easy but fundamental for a good and open work environment. In general, I have difficulties with people not being truthful and unfortunately, I came across this in my career several times. Sometimes this had considerable consequences for myself as well as for many of my colleagues. Open and honest communication is therefore essential to me and something I prioritize.
What is a motto you live by?
If you can dream it, you can do it - Walt Disney
MIMETAS has achieved significant milestones over the past decade. Which milestone do you resonate with the most, and why?
It would have to be entering our partnership with Roche back in 2021. To me, it was really the confirmation that 3D disease models are the future of drug development Not only because we are tackling unmet diseases, such as IBD and HBV, but also because we are working on and creating something meaningful together with a wonderful partner. MIMETAS is no longer developing and selling an innovative trial technology that we want you to check out. Organs-on-a-Chip is no longer a dream, but it has established itself in well-known pharma companies and is becoming the associated standard of advanced in vitro modeling. Together we are making impact in drug discovery and development, one phenotypic model at a time.
What is the best thing about working at MIMETAS?
I really feel that I am a part of how we are changing the way we develop new drugs and ultimately creating an impact on patient’s lives. While I don’t do the science in the laboratory myself, I truly believe that every department at MIMETAS embodies this sentiment of pushing innovation in drug development. It aligns with our company culture. Everyone at MIMETAS has this purpose and wants to work for it. You can feel that we all share the same goal of making an impact, irrelevant to the type of job or specific department you are part of. We all work together towards this common goal and that keeps you very motivated and inspired.
