Lecture
LED3 Career Inspiration Talk
- Cindy Gerhardt
- Date
- Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Time
- Address
-
Gorlaeus Building
Einsteinweg 55
2333 CC Leiden - Room
- Atrium 1st floor, E-wing
Have you started thinking about your career after your master's, PhD or postdoc? Join us for an inspiring lunchtime conversation with Cindy Gerhardt, an experienced scientist, innovation leader and entrepreneur who has built an impressive career both inside and outside academia.
During this talk, Cindy will share her career journey—from academic research to leadership roles in industry and the biotech innovation ecosystem. She will reflect on the choices she made, the challenges she encountered, and the lessons she learned along the way. There will also be plenty of opportunity to ask your own questions about careers in science, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Career Inspiration Talk will take place on Tuesday 1 September 2026, from 12:45–13:30, in the Gorlaeus Building.
The event is open to master's students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers from the Faculty of Science.
About Cindy Gerhardt
Cindy Gerhardt started her career as a medical biologist in academia before moving into industry, where she held various leadership positions in research, innovation and business development at Unilever and DSM. Throughout her career, she has worked at the interface of science, innovation and entrepreneurship, helping translate scientific discoveries into real-world applications.
Today, Cindy is Managing Director of Planet B.io, the open innovation ecosystem for industrial biotechnology in Delft. In this role, she works with startups, researchers, industry partners and investors to accelerate the development and commercialization of sustainable biotech innovations. She is passionate about connecting science with societal impact and enjoys helping young scientists explore the many career opportunities beyond academia.
Official career orientation activity
For master's students of Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences participation counts as a valid activity for the Career Orientation module (AASCO), subject to approval by your study programme.
About LED3
Leiden Early Drug Discovery & Development (LED3) is a multidisciplinary research network at Leiden University dedicated to advancing innovative approaches in early drug discovery and development. The initiative brings together four institutes (the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), and Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC)), together responsible for 7 bachelor and 7+ master programmes.
LED3 organizes a monthly lectures series with world renowned international speakers, a yearly PhD-postdoc symposium, and a business club focusing on entrepreneurship and valorisation in drug discovery and development.