Breaking the Gender Imbalance: Female Presence in the Computational Chemistry Group at Viva Biotech

Abstract

The growing field of computational chemistry and artificial intelligence is drawing unprecedented attention in drug discovery. However, the underrepresentation of female scientists persists in the field. While the gender disparity is acknowledged in academic settings, the issue is less addressed and intensifies in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry both at the entry-level and leadership positions. At Viva Biotech, we challenge this norm: over 60% of the full-time employees in our computational chemistry group are women, a testament of our commitment to the pursuit of gender equality. We share our vision of the evolving role of computational chemistry in drug discovery and where women stand and rise in the field. In this article, we discuss how we engage female empowerment with tactical approaches and from personal experiences. The intention is to offer actionable guidance for female computational chemists at early career stages to bring visibility to their impacts, and ascent to senior positions.