Rita Sarkis, PhD - Research & Science Manager

Rita Sarkis, PhD - Research & Science Manager at Edmond de Rothschild Systemic Regeneration

Where are you from, and what is your educational background?

I am from Lebanon, where I grew up and did my bachelor degree in Biology at the Lebanese American University. As I was finishing my bachelor, I knew that a master was my next step but felt the need to explore nee disciplines and dimensions, hence why I left to Paris for a masters in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Paris Descartes (today known as Paris University), Paris Sciences et Lettres and Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) where I specialized in Biomaterials and Biotechnology. I believe that each diploma should be made in a different place and country, this is why I decided afterwards to go to Lausanne to pursue my PhD in Biotechnology and Bioengineering at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

What were your different research projects?

Quite a diverse collection of exciting projects. During my bachelor time, I volunteered in a research lab in biochemistry where we were testing the effects of plant extracts on cancerous cells in vitro (leukemic cells).

During my masters degree, I did a first internship in Quebec Canada at the LOEX center, at University of Laval to study the cancer cell invasion mechanism on a 3D model of Bladder tissue engineering. As for my master thesis, I did at the Institute Curie Institut Pierre-Gilles de Gennes pour la microfluidique in Paris whereby I was introduced to the field of Microfluidics to build a model of blood vessel on a chip using innovative hydrogels and textile mixture to study cancer cell extravasation.

And lastly during my PhD I jumped into a completely different field, I still wonder how I  was recruited… into digital hematopathology to develop a tool that automates a task performed on a routine bases by the pathologists when they assess bone marrow biopsies (+ a side project as I was bored and felt the need to add more… microfluidics side project to design a chip which sorts very fragile cells that we call adipocytes)

You became Clinical Research Associate at CHUV hospital just after your PhD studies. How did you find this opportunity and what were your responsibilities?

That opportunity emerged organically as I was completing my PhD. I was collaborating closely with the pathology institute at CHUV, and my co-supervisor Prof. Laurence de Leval, who led that department, invited me to continue the work in a more applied, hybrid role. It was neither purely academic nor fully industrial, but somewhere in between, which suited me perfectly.

My main responsibility was to establish a spatial transcriptomics platform at the pathology institute and manage a collaboration with a private company to process a high volume of cancer samples across different indications.

Now you work as Science & Research Manager at Edmond de Rothschild. Tell us more about the journey that led you to this position.

This role began with a serendipitous encounter at a conference in Geneva about marine biology, of all topics. A conversation evolved into a friendship, then a mentorship, and eventually into a professional collaboration.

An intrapreneurial idea she was developing was shared with me at a point where I was seeking opportunities outside academia that were both intellectually and personally meaningful. The project deeply resonated with my values, combining science, impact, systems thinking  and the mission to “build something new” truly captivated me. It felt like the right challenge at the right time.

What are your responsibilities as Science & Research Manager?

As a Science & Research Manager, I act as the scientific lens complementing other disciplinary perspectives to assess innovation, investments, and on-site projects. I lead the creation and engineering of quantification methodologies to evaluate impact, while also bridging the academic and operational worlds: from writing white papers to identifying and supporting promising academic topics through a philanthropic lens.

What aspects of your current job do you enjoy the most?

What I love most in my job at Edmond de Rothschild Systemic Regeneration is how new, challenging, and multidisciplinary it is. Every day feels like an adventure outside my comfort zone. I’m learning about finance, investment, philanthropy, impact, agriculture, and systemic regeneration, all through the lens of science and interdisciplinarity.

The team is extremely dynamic, open-minded, multidisciplinary, and genuinely caring and extremely enjoyable to work with daily. We challenge each other to reach our best potential while working on projects that combine values, passion, and long-term systemic impact. It’s demanding, but incredibly stimulating, like solving a complex puzzle with real-world consequences in a highly visionary and rooted environment.

You are currently co-founding a venture. Could you tell us more?

It began almost as a “why not” idea during a moment of curiosity and boredom, and gradually evolved into something much more concrete. The idea of co-founding a startup resonated very well with my multi-hat scope. The startup, called Sensora, is still in early R&D stages, led by my brilliant co-founder Alessandro Fulciniti. We’re developing a biosensor that detects breast cancer early through sweat samples, building on studies showing that dogs can detect cancer by smell. It’s an ambitious and fascinating journey that merges biotechnology, diagnostics, human intuition, and the will to make a difference in people’s lives.

Each individual faces different challenges during the transition between finishing academic research and finding their first job outside academia. What challenges did you face during this transition?

The transition wasn’t always easy. Administrative barriers such as work permits and initial CV screenings based on nationality, made the process slower. Beyond that, adapting my horizontal, systems-oriented mindset to environments that often operate vertically required time and patience.

It also took perseverance to find a workplace where I could feel both intellectually challenged and personally fulfilled, in a supportive, trust-based environment that encourages autonomy and growth.

What helped you succeed in your career transition? (e.g., career events, workshops, networking on LinkedIn, friends, working in an association)

Several things helped me stay grounded and move forward:

• Remembering the human side: being kind, generous, and supportive without expecting anything in return.

• Networking and staying connected through associations and professional communities.

• Having a plan A, B, and C, and not giving up after rejections. You might knock on hundreds of doors before a few truly open.

• A supportive network: my partner, family, and friends kept me centered.

• Staying optimistic and believing that “there is light after the tunnel.”

• Knowing my limits: learning to prioritize, say no, and respect my physical and mental boundaries.

• Having a clear sense of purpose and revisiting it whenever I felt tired or lost.

• Seeking career coaching when I needed clarity or perspective.

What advice made the most difference in your professional development?

• Do not underestimate the value of your ignorance, it’s a source of curiosity, creativity, and growth.

• Stay open-minded and flexible;  that’s where creativity thrives.

• Remember that not everyone speaks the same “language”; finding common ground is key to collaboration and meaningful progress.

What can I wish you for the years to come?

Energy:  to keep doing what I love while staying present for my family, friends, and personal growth.

Health:  the foundation for everything.

Luck:  to cross paths with kind, purposeful people.

Balance: to choose my battles wisely.

And above all, impact:  to make a positive difference in the fields I work in and in the lives of those around me.

Rita’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rita-sarkis/