Behind the scenes with Federica Licitra and Veronica Poletti

In the Virology and Toxicology Lab we meet two leading professionals, Federica Licitra – Cell biology, Toxicology and Virology Manager and Veronica Poletti – Biological Special Projects, who have contributed to the lab’s establishment and development over the past 10 years.

Read the interview #BehindTheScenes.

The first thing one notices is the great harmony between you. How long have you been working together?
We joined Chelab, now Mérieux NutriSciences, about 12 years ago at 6 months apart, how to say, we “grew up together” professionally speaking. The apprenticeship, the first responsibilities, the management and organization of projects, are all phases we passed through together, we always challenged each other to face each situation in the best possible way.

It has been more than 10 years, what continues to inspire you about your work?
We have a great team, people who are very willing to learn and experiment with new solutions. We are a close-knit team thanks to the sharing and passion for STEM, and we are all driven to pursue each project to the best of our ability and continuously improve ourselves.

What goals have you set for yourselves in the medium and long term?
We would certainly like to invest further in the specialization and growth of the team, with trainings dedicated to the experience and inclination of those who work with us. Thanks to the acquisition by the Mérieux Group, we have taken a big leap forward! We now live in an international environment, constantly interacting with people of different backgrounds and experiences, from different markets that need different answers. We learn every day, and every day is never the same as the previous one.

Last question, a particularly challenging situation that you faced?
The Covid! One of the lab’s various expertise is virucidal efficacy testing and, during the pandemic period, the demand for disinfectant/hygienizing products had multiplied. We have had an exponential increase in requests such that double shifts have been set up to satisfy all demands. The Team responded very well, despite the stress and health concerns over something that no one knew about yet. Lab work does not allow smart working, so we had to find alternative solutions compatible with our activities. The organization was not easy, but thanks to our team attitude, we still managed to get the job done ensuring both efficiency of response and safety for all.