Aldevron Breakthrough Blog

From the Basketball Court to GMP Suites: Teamwork's Essential Role in Advancing Science

February 25, 2022 / by Anika Fredrick

I’ve been playing basketball for as long I can remember which has shaped my perspective on the importance of teamwork. Former NBA player Phil Jackson once said, “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” I’ve found this quote to be true not only for basketball, but also within my career. At Aldevron, each department is a member of our team, and it takes all of us being at our best to make us strong.

I started at Aldevron in 2019 and connected with my new team right away. I’ve never met a more kind or helpful group of people, and I think it’s because we know our work is going towards a greater cause. From a scientific aspect, we support clients working toward solutions for rare diseases that don't have a treatment yet. And it's that singular word that motivates the Aldevron team – YET. Teamwork is essential for our manufacturing process. We collaborate with our clients and with other departments within Aldevron. Once the client shares their goals, the team springs into action for the best possible outcome.

I continue to play basketball with my coworkers in a community league. The teamwork skills we build on the court apply to the lab!

There’s something about coming to work each day and knowing our work has the potential to impact the life of someone with a rare disease that makes our role so fulfilling. I’m grateful to be in a position where I can potentially help someone else in need, even if I’m not directly seeing it.

Since my start, we have gone from just shy of 300 to more than 850. The growth of our team is supported by the expansion of our facilities; allowing us to increase production immensely. We are witnessing the explosive growth of possibilities, and our team is helping pave the path for a brighter future.

One of my favorite Aldevron value statements is "We make lives better." I am proud and blessed to be part of that "we." I have been part of many teams in my life, but Team Aldevron is my favorite and I can't wait to see how much more we grow and how we truly make an impact.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anika Fredrick

Anika Fredrick is a GMP Technical Lead at Aldevron. In 2019, she joined the company as a biomanufacturing operator for GMP-Source® and has since worked her way up in several positions and proven herself a true team player and emerging leader. Anika graduated from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and forensic science, a minor in criminal justice, with a certificate in biotechnology.