Her Story
About Tania
Tania Pozzo serves as CEO of Helix Bloom, a biotechnology company she founded to facilitate technology transfer, with a particular focus on Latin America given her fluency in Spanish and English. She brings more than 15 years of experience to her work in biotechnology and synthetic biology. Pozzo earned her biochemistry degree in Bolivia before moving to Sweden on a scholarship, where she completed an international master's program and a PhD in protein engineering at Lund University. She then pursued a postdoctorate in California. Pozzo founded iGEM Bolivia to create an ecosystem for synthetic biology and to mentor young scientists in developing countries, an initiative of which she is particularly proud because it has inspired students to pursue advanced opportunities at institutions such as Stanford and MIT. She received the L'Oreal UNESCO Award for Women in Science and is a member of OSWZ, an organization supporting women in developing countries. Pozzo attributes her success to persistence, setting clear goals, and believing in herself. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing potential in every person regardless of their educational background.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tania
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think persistence. ... you have to be persistent. Have clear goals... You have to believe in yourself, in what you like, what you want to.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Think more about what you can do with your knowledge after finishing your degree. Have a plan. Also think about family planning and consider freezing eggs if you want kids later, because balancing career and family is challenging especially for women in science.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Don't minimize the knowledge or potential of other people. Watch the potential in every person, not only those with big degrees from places like Stanford.
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