Still very new in his career, Sumi already sees some areas where he would like to grow. “I have a great interest in the study of optimizing drug formulation,” he says. “Since joining the company, I have consistently been involved in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Therefore, I understand the manufacturing processes for both oral dosage and injection. On the other hand, I have no experience with designing drug formulation as the upstream development process of manufacturing. I believe that acquiring knowledge of drug formulation is helpful for establishing a robust manufacturing process.
“In addition, I need overseas experience for my career as a pharmaceutical engineer. Since I have no experience with going abroad in a business situation, I am sure that such experience will lead to my own growth.”
Involvement With ISPE
Sumi views ISPE as a catalyst for personal growth. “As far as foreign experience goes, I feel that ISPE offers many fascinating opportunities to communicate with overseas companies and regulatory authorities,” he says. “While I have only been involved in the events held by the Japan Affiliate thus far, I would like to attend international ISPE events in the future.”
Sumi’s first contact with ISPE was at the Japan Affiliate’s eighth Young Professionals seminar in September 2014. The seminar was on the basics of oral solid dosage, and Sumi had been assigned to OSD jobs for the first time. “I remembered that there was a good-feeling atmosphere to ask questions and communicate with each other,” he says. “Since then, I have attended the YP seminar many times. At the 2016 Japan Affiliate Annual Meeting in April, the YP workshop was held and I had a great opportunity to make a presentation at the twelfth YP seminar as a representative of all attendees.” Sumi says he appreciates ISPE’s place in the pharmaceutical industry and how it provides access to beneficial technological information as well as opens communication channels between industry and regulatory authorities. “ISPE’s Baseline Guides are widely accepted in the pharmaceutical industry,” he says. “We [members] can expand our knowledge and build a wide human network through ISPE. And the Japan Affiliate offers new technological information at the YP seminars at a reasonable and affordable price.”