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Biography

Elizabeth Burnside RSci AMRSC is a laboratory scientist in chemical development at AstraZeneca and recently completed a first class BSc in chemical sciences alongside her degree apprenticeship. Her work focuses on developing more sustainable and efficient manufacturing routes for active pharmaceutical ingredients, with a particular interest in biocatalysis, process optimisation and green chemistry.

Elizabeth has contributed to the optimisation and scale-up of enzyme-catalysed reactions for pharmaceutical manufacturing, applying biocatalysis to support greener and safer synthetic processes. Her work has involved the use of Design of Experiments (DoE), high-throughput experimentation and real-time analytical techniques to improve reaction efficiency, reduce waste and enhance process understanding. She has also investigated cofactor dynamics and reaction monitoring within biocatalytic systems, providing greater insight into enzyme performance and process behaviour during pharmaceutical manufacturing.

She has presented her research at scientific conferences including BiocatUK 2026 and the 32nd SCI Young Chemist in Industry 2025, sharing work focused on sustainable biocatalytic process development. Elizabeth also featured in an AstraZeneca sustainability campaign highlighting how innovative process science and biocatalysis can support more sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Alongside her technical work, Elizabeth is actively involved in early careers, networking and inclusion initiatives. Through AstraZeneca’s Network of Women & Allies, she organised a business acumen event involving senior leaders and vice presidents to support early career development and increase awareness of opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry. She is also passionate about mentoring and promoting apprenticeships as valuable pathways into science and industry.

Through both her scientific and outreach activities, Elizabeth is passionate about helping drive innovation, sustainability and accessibility within the chemical sciences and pharmaceutical industry.

It can sometimes feel intimidating early in your career, but asking questions, being curious and being willing to learn are some of the most valuable qualities you can have in science.

Elizabeth Burnside

Q&A

Can you tell us more about your work?

My work focuses on developing more sustainable ways to manufacture medicines using biocatalysis, which involves using enzymes to carry out chemical reactions. Enzymes are naturally occurring catalysts that can often perform reactions more efficiently and under milder conditions than traditional chemical manufacturing methods.

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, many processes can require large amounts of energy, hazardous chemicals and generate significant waste. My work investigates how enzyme-based processes can help reduce this environmental impact while still producing high-quality medicines safely and efficiently. This includes optimising reactions used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients through techniques such as Design of Experiments (DoE), reaction monitoring and process optimisation.
 
One area of my work has focused on improving enzyme-catalysed reactions for pharmaceutical manufacturing to better understand how reaction conditions affect performance, efficiency and sustainability. By improving these processes, it is possible not only to reduce waste, solvent usage and energy consumption, but also to shorten manufacturing timelines and improve process efficiency. This can help accelerate the development and manufacture of medicines, ultimately supporting faster delivery of treatments to patients.
 
Beyond the chemistry itself, this work contributes to the wider goal of making pharmaceutical manufacturing more sustainable, efficient and environmentally responsible, while continuing to support the development of life-changing medicines for patients worldwide.
 
Alongside my technical work, I am also passionate about promoting apprenticeships and encouraging greater engagement with STEM careers to help support the next generation of scientists.

Who or what first sparked your interest in chemistry, and how has that interest evolved over time? 

My interest in chemistry started when I was very young. I loved the idea of making colourful ‘potions’ inspired by wizards and magic, and I remember receiving a small chemistry set where I could carry out different experiments at home. I was fascinated by watching reactions happen and especially enjoyed growing coloured crystals, which made chemistry feel exciting, creative and hands-on from an early age.

As I got older, my interest developed beyond experiments themselves and towards the impact science and medicine can have on people’s lives. I studied chemistry and maths at A-level and originally hoped to pursue biochemistry at university, as I was particularly fascinated by the connection between chemistry and biology.

I also completed an EPQ focused on the biological effects of radiation following the Chernobyl disaster. This topic was especially personal to me, as my mum experienced some of the health and wellbeing impacts associated with Chernobyl, which made me more interested in healthcare, medicine and the importance of scientific research.

As I became more aware of how important medicines are in helping patients, I realised I wanted to work in pharmaceutical research and development. Initially, I thought the traditional university route through a biochemistry degree was the only pathway into this field. However, after discovering degree apprenticeships, I was drawn to the opportunity to combine academic study with hands-on industrial experience.

Throughout my apprenticeship, I completed multiple secondments across different scientific areas, which ultimately introduced me to biocatalysis. For me, biocatalysis felt like the perfect synergy between chemistry and biology, combining both disciplines to help develop more sustainable and efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

What has been the most rewarding or memorable highlight of your career so far? 

One of the most rewarding highlights of my career so far has been presenting my research on sustainable biocatalytic process development at scientific conferences such as BiocatUK 2026 and the SCI Young Chemist in Industry conference. Being able to share my work with experts from both academia and industry was a huge milestone for me, particularly as someone who started their career through an apprenticeship pathway.

It was especially rewarding to see the positive response and interest in my work focused on greener pharmaceutical manufacturing and biocatalysis. Presenting at these conferences made me realise how much I had grown both scientifically and professionally throughout my apprenticeship and reinforced my passion for sustainable process development.

Another particularly meaningful aspect of my career has been seeing the wider impact of pharmaceutical research beyond the laboratory. Working on projects that ultimately contribute towards medicines reaching patients has been incredibly rewarding and has reinforced the importance of innovation within pharmaceutical development. Knowing that the work carried out during process development can help support the manufacture of medicines that improve patients’ lives is something I find very motivating.

What have been the biggest challenges that you have faced over the course of your time in science, and what have you learned from those experiences? 

One of the biggest challenges I have faced throughout my time in science has been balancing full-time work alongside studying for a degree apprenticeship. Managing academic deadlines, exams and research projects while also working within a fast-paced pharmaceutical environment required strong organisation, resilience and adaptability. However, this experience taught me how to manage competing priorities, work effectively under pressure and continuously push myself outside of my comfort zone.

Another challenge has been building confidence in presenting scientific work and contributing within highly experienced teams early in my career. Through opportunities such as presenting at scientific conferences and collaborating across different scientific areas during my apprenticeship, I gradually became more confident communicating ideas, discussing research and taking on greater responsibility.

Scientifically, I have also learned that research and process development do not always go as expected, and that setbacks are a normal part of science. Troubleshooting reactions, investigating unexpected results and understanding why processes behave in certain ways has taught me the importance of persistence, curiosity and critical thinking. These experiences have ultimately strengthened both my scientific understanding and confidence as an early career scientist.

Thinking back to earlier in your career, are there any words of wisdom that you wish someone had told you? 

One piece of advice I wish I had heard earlier is that you do not need to have everything figured out at the beginning of your career. Early on, I sometimes felt pressure to know exactly what area of science I wanted to specialise in, but many of the opportunities and interests that shaped my career (including biocatalysis) came through being open to new experiences and stepping outside of my comfort zone.

I also wish someone had told me to have more confidence in my own abilities and ideas, even when working alongside highly experienced scientists. It can sometimes feel intimidating early in your career, but asking questions, being curious and being willing to learn are some of the most valuable qualities you can have in science. Finally, I would encourage others not to underestimate apprenticeship pathways. Combining academic study with hands-on industrial experience gave me opportunities to develop both scientifically and professionally much earlier in my career than I expected.

What impact would you say that your work is having on your field and/or the wider world? 

My work contributes towards the development of more sustainable and efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing processes through the application of biocatalysis and process optimisation. By investigating enzyme-catalysed reactions and improving process understanding, my work supports the development of greener manufacturing routes that can help reduce waste, energy consumption and the use of hazardous chemicals within pharmaceutical production. Beyond the environmental impact, improving process efficiency can also help accelerate manufacturing timelines and support faster delivery of medicines to patients. This is particularly important as the pharmaceutical industry continues to look for ways to develop and manufacture medicines more sustainably while still meeting global healthcare needs. I also believe my work reflects a wider shift within the pharmaceutical industry, where biocatalysis and newer technologies are becoming increasingly integrated into more traditional chemistry workflows. Historically, enzyme-based processes were sometimes viewed as niche or less conventional approaches within pharmaceutical manufacturing. However, there is now growing investment and interest in biocatalysis because of its potential to improve sustainability, efficiency and process performance. It is exciting to contribute to an area that is helping drive innovation and encourage greater adoption of greener technologies within the industry.

What future directions or opportunities do you see for your work? 

I believe there are significant future opportunities for biocatalysis and sustainable process development within the pharmaceutical industry. As companies continue working towards ambitious sustainability goals, there is increasing interest in integrating enzyme-based technologies and other innovative approaches into more traditional chemical manufacturing processes. At the same time, emerging areas such as peptide therapeutics and other new modalities are creating exciting opportunities for biocatalysis and modern process technologies to play a greater role within pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.

One area I find particularly exciting is improving process understanding through advanced analytical techniques, reaction monitoring, kinetics and data-driven optimisation approaches. Developing a deeper understanding of enzyme performance, reaction kinetics and process behaviour can help create more efficient, scalable and robust manufacturing routes for medicines.

I also see growing opportunities for combining biocatalysis with enabling technologies such as high-throughput experimentation, automation and digital tools to accelerate process development and support faster decision-making within pharmaceutical research and manufacturing.

More broadly, I hope to continue contributing to the development of greener pharmaceutical processes that not only reduce environmental impact, but also improve manufacturing efficiency and help medicines reach patients more quickly. 

What do you wish more people understood about your field or the chemical sciences in general? 

I wish more people understood how broad and impactful the chemical sciences are beyond what is often taught in school or shown in media. ÉîÒ¹¸£Àû¹ú²ú¾«Æ· is not only about reactions in a laboratory – it plays a major role in developing medicines, improving sustainability, creating new technologies and addressing global challenges such as healthcare and climate change.

I also think there can sometimes be misconceptions around pharmaceutical manufacturing and newer technologies such as biocatalysis. Traditionally, chemical manufacturing has often been associated with harsh conditions, hazardous chemicals and large amounts of waste. However, there is now increasing investment in greener and more innovative approaches, including enzyme-based technologies, automation and data-driven process development, which are helping make pharmaceutical manufacturing more sustainable and efficient.

More generally, I wish more people understood that science is highly collaborative and that there are many different pathways into the chemical sciences. Apprenticeships, for example, provide an opportunity to gain hands-on industrial experience alongside academic study and can open doors to exciting careers within research and development.

In what ways does creativity influence how you think about or carry out your work? 

Creativity plays a significant role in how I approach scientific problem-solving and process development. In research, experiments do not always go as expected, so it is important to think creatively when troubleshooting reactions, interpreting unexpected results or identifying new ways to improve a process.

Within biocatalysis and pharmaceutical process development, creativity is also important when exploring how different technologies and scientific approaches can be combined to create more sustainable and efficient manufacturing routes. This could involve designing experiments, applying new analytical techniques or finding innovative ways to optimise reaction conditions and process performance.

I also think creativity is important beyond the technical science itself. Communicating scientific ideas, presenting research and helping make complex topics more accessible to wider audiences all require creative thinking. Creativity helps drive innovation within science and allows researchers to continuously explore new possibilities and solutions.

Are there any scientific developments, either recent or on the horizon, that you are excited about? 

There are exciting scientific developments happening across the chemical sciences every day, particularly within sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing and biocatalysis. One area I find especially exciting is the growing integration of biocatalysis with other emerging technologies, such as photochemistry and photobiocatalysis, where light-driven reactions can be combined with enzyme catalysis to access new and more sustainable chemical transformations.

It is also exciting to see how biocatalysis is increasingly being applied successfully within industrial pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. Seeing more examples of enzyme-enabled processes and peptide-related therapeutics progressing within the industry highlights how much confidence and investment there now is in these technologies compared to previous years and demonstrates the growing impact biocatalysis can have within modern pharmaceutical development.

More broadly, I am excited by how advancements in automation, high-throughput experimentation, reaction monitoring and digital technologies are accelerating scientific discovery and helping researchers develop medicines and manufacturing processes more efficiently and sustainably.

What does good research culture mean to you, and why does it matter? 

To me, a good research culture is one that encourages collaboration, curiosity, inclusion and continuous learning. Science is rarely achieved by one person alone, and some of the best ideas and solutions often come from working across different disciplines, sharing knowledge and being open to new perspectives.

I also think good research culture means creating an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions, discussing challenges and learning from mistakes without fear of failure. Research and process development do not always go as planned, so having a supportive environment that encourages problem-solving and innovation is very important.

Within industry, good research culture also involves balancing scientific innovation with patient impact, sustainability and safety. Knowing that scientific work can ultimately contribute towards developing medicines that help patients gives a strong sense of purpose and motivation.

Finally, I believe good research culture should support accessibility and development for people at all career stages. Mentoring, outreach and opportunities such as apprenticeships are important for helping create a more inclusive scientific community and encouraging the next generation of scientists.

How can scientists try to improve the environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context? 

Scientists can improve the environmental sustainability of research in many ways, from reducing waste and energy usage to designing greener and more efficient chemical processes. In pharmaceutical research, this can involve using safer solvents, reducing the number of synthetic steps, improving reaction efficiency and exploring alternative technologies such as biocatalysis.

From my own experience, I have worked on enzyme-catalysed reactions within pharmaceutical process development, where biocatalysis can help support greener manufacturing by operating under milder conditions and reducing reliance on harsher chemicals. I have also used approaches such as Design of Experiments (DoE), high-throughput experimentation and reaction monitoring to help optimise processes more efficiently, reducing unnecessary experimentation, material usage and waste generation.

I also think sustainability within research is increasingly becoming a mindset, particularly as newer digital technologies and AI tools become more integrated into scientific research and development. These technologies have the potential to help scientists make more informed decisions, optimise experiments more efficiently and reduce unnecessary resource usage.

More broadly, I believe improving sustainability within science requires collaboration, innovation and openness to adopting newer technologies and approaches across both academia and industry.

How important would you say collaboration is for producing high quality science? How has collaboration influenced your work? 

Collaboration is extremely important for producing high quality science. Many scientific challenges, particularly within pharmaceutical research and development, are too complex to be solved by one person or even one discipline alone. Bringing together people with different scientific backgrounds, perspectives and expertise often leads to stronger ideas, better problem solving and more innovative solutions.

Collaboration has played a major role throughout my own work and development. During my apprenticeship, I worked across multiple scientific areas and collaborated with colleagues from different teams involved in process development, analytical science, high-throughput experimentation and biocatalysis. These experiences helped broaden my scientific understanding and showed me the value of combining different skillsets and perspectives.

I have also seen the importance of collaboration through conference presentations and networking opportunities, where discussions with scientists from both academia and industry have provided new ideas and insights. Within pharmaceutical development, collaboration is especially important because scientific work ultimately contributes towards a shared goal of developing medicines safely, efficiently and sustainably for patients.

Beyond the technical science itself, collaboration also helps create supportive research environments where people can learn from each other, share knowledge and continue developing throughout their careers.

If you had unlimited resources, what research question would you most want to explore? 

If I had unlimited resources, one area I would most want to explore would be gaining a deeper understanding of nature’s mechanisms and how they could be applied within chemistry and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Nature has evolved incredibly efficient and selective systems over millions of years, and I believe many of the answers we are searching for already exist within biological processes around us.

This is one of the reasons I find biocatalysis so exciting, as it combines chemistry and biology to use natural systems in innovative ways. I would love to further explore how enzymes, biological pathways and natural catalytic processes could inspire new reaction methodologies, greener manufacturing routes and more efficient ways of developing medicines.

I also think there is huge potential in combining this understanding with newer technologies such as automation, AI and advanced analytical techniques to accelerate scientific discovery and process development. Ultimately, I believe learning more from nature could help us create more sustainable, efficient and intelligent approaches to chemistry in the future.

What is your favourite element and why? 

My favourite element is carbon because, to me, it is the element that makes life possible. Carbon forms the foundation of all living organisms and plays a central role in chemistry, biology and medicine. What I find most fascinating is its versatility – carbon can form such a wide variety of structures and compounds, which is why it is so important within everything from pharmaceuticals to biological systems.

I also think carbon highlights how interconnected chemistry and life really are. Many of the medicines, materials and biological processes we rely on are built around carbon chemistry, which is one of the reasons I find it such an interesting and important element.