Natalia Plewa- Juraszek

I attribute my success to persistence and a deliberate commitment to staying in a constant learning phase. I actively seek environments that push me outside of my comfort zone, because I’ve learned that growth rarely happens when things feel easy or routine. My journey also shaped this approach. I come from a small village in Poland and did not have access to the same resources or networks early on. Building my path required intention, consistency, and surrounding myself with people who challenged and supported my growth. I strongly believe that the environment you create, both personally and professionally, plays a critical role in long-term success.

At its core, my approach is simple: stay curious, embrace discomfort, and keep going.

"Follow your heart, but take your brain with you." We should absolutely listen to ourselves and pursue what drives us, but passion alone isn't enough.

I say this as someone with a second profession: over a decade as a Bachata Sensual dancer, instructor, choreographer, and international competition judge, aving taught workshops across 15+ countries, organized 40+ events, and judged 16+ competitions worldwide. It was a real, demanding career in its own right, and there were moments it felt more fulfilling than research, where failure is a daily reality and progress is slow. It was genuinely tempting to walk away from science entirely. But then my brain kicked in: elite dancing is a young person's game, physically brutal, time-consuming, and built on a body that won't perform the same at 40+. Research, on the other hand, only gets better with age. And just like that, the choice became clear.

Don’t wait until you feel ready, you won’t. Step into opportunities before you feel fully qualified and trust that you’ll figure things out along the way.

Be intentional about the people you surround yourself with. Find environments that challenge you, not just support you, and build relationships with people who raise your standards.

And finally, don’t underestimate persistence. Talent matters, but consistency and resilience are what truly move you forward, especially in demanding fields like science and innovation.

One of the biggest challenges is translating scientific innovations into real-world patient impact, particularly as recent government funding cuts limit resources for critical research and constrain how far promising ideas can be developed. At the same time, this creates an opportunity to rethink how we fund and scale innovation, building stronger bridges between academia, industry, and venture to move breakthrough therapies more efficiently from the lab to patients.

Integrity, ownership, continuous growth, and family. I take responsibility, follow through, and surround myself with people who challenge my standards, while staying grounded in what matters most.