A Passion for Both Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Sustainability
As a Target Validation Biologist on the R&D team at Variant Bio, my work focuses on pinpointing targets within specific disease domains and furnishing compelling proof-of-concept data in order to advance to subsequent stages of drug development. Like so many of my colleagues at Variant Bio, I joined the company because of its mission to leverage the power of human genetic diversity to develop life-saving therapies, and because of its inclusive benefit-sharing programs.
For many years, I have been passionate about the intersection of scientific inquiry and environmental sustainability. While larger pharmaceutical companies possess greater resources and responsibilities in adopting sustainable practices, fostering a culture shift within the entire life sciences sector is essential. A collaborative approach ensures accountability and keeps us collectively aligned towards preserving our planet for future generations.
At Variant Bio, we acknowledge the significance of minimizing our environmental footprint, despite resource constraints (see, for example, the carbon offset program we launched in 2020). Drawing on my prior experience working at Amgen, where sustainability initiatives were championed, I am always on the lookout for ways to recycle lab materials and reduce lab waste overall. I’ve also established an employee resource group focused on environmental sustainability, which aims to empower people at Variant Bio to proactively mitigate our environmental impact.
While our core focus at Variant Bio is on advancing research, we are highly aware of the various waste streams generated within biomedical industries. According to a 2023 report on the carbon impact of biotech and pharma put forward by My Green Lab, the leading non-profit organization promoting sustainability in science, “the climate footprint of Healthcare was two gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing 4.4% of total global emissions. Of that, 71% of emissions were derived from the Healthcare supply chain, which includes the Biotech and Pharma industry, highlighting the importance of carbon reductions for this specific industry sector” (p.6).
My Green Lab’s flagship program, the My Green Lab Certification, helps pharmaceutical and medical tech companies achieve the goal of a zero-carbon world by 2050. It focuses on reducing emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by making laboratory operations more sustainable, and helps catalyze Scope 3 reductions by encouraging sustainable purchasing within organizations and with laboratories that a company contracts within its supply chain (see image below).
As we continue our journey towards greater sustainability at Variant Bio, it is imperative that we uphold the integrity of our scientific endeavors while striving to minimize our carbon footprint, despite our stature as a smaller organization. Building upon our existing infrastructure for managing procurement, stock materials, and instruments, we aim to incorporate additional sustainability measures into our operations. It is crucial that these initiatives are both feasible and adaptable to local policies.
R&D serves as the cornerstone for innovation, offering the potential to yield groundbreaking advancements for both humanity and the planet. Acknowledging the inevitable increase in carbon footprint during these processes is not a condemnation; similarly, profit generation is a natural part of business. However, it’s imperative that every company remain mindful of its environmental impact and avoid the trap of greenwashing.
As scientists, we excel in generating insightful studies and data, and this proficiency should extend to managing the waste we produce. Indeed, this responsibility falls upon everyone inhabiting our planet. While definitive solutions may not always be readily available, fostering mindfulness and critical thinking is an excellent starting point. We’re all in this together, navigating the same vessel towards a brighter future. Thus, it’s imperative that we unite our efforts to instill hope and pave the way for a sustainable tomorrow.
