Science at the core, collaboration as engine: EUROIMMUN?s DNA across the Americas

An exclusive interview with Iswariya Venkataraman, Senior Director Product Strategy at EUROIMMUN USA

Globally recognized for its drive for innovation and scientific excellence, EUROIMMUN has established itself as a leader in the diagnostic medicine field. In Brazil, this commitment has been further reinforced through the creation of EUROHub — dedicated to producing and sharing scientific knowledge within the healthcare community. At the heart of this scientific identity lies a culture that increasingly values cross-regional collaboration and the integration of diverse talents.

This strategic approach aligns with a recent shift in the company’s leadership. In April of this year, Marcos Philippsen, previously head of operations in Brazil, was appointed to lead EUROIMMUN across the Americas — including Latin America, the United States, and Canada. The appointment reflects the outstanding performance of the Brazilian subsidiary, which has become a benchmark within the global organization in key areas such as services, business intelligence, sales, marketing, human resources, and finance.

From Brazil to the United States, EUROIMMUN’s operations throughout the Americas demonstrate potential synergy. And Iswariya Venkataraman - or simply 'Ishu' as she’s known throughout the company - reinforces that. As the Senior Director Product Strategy at EUROIMMUN USA, she shared her personal journey and the challenges of leading both science and marketing in one of the world’s most highly regulated markets.

Read the full conversation below.

EUROHub - Tell us about your journey as a researcher and how you ended up joining EUROIMMUN. Also, how has your scientific background shaped your role and contributions within the company?

Ishu - Sure. I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biotechnology, and I’m originally from India. After finishing my studies, I moved to Sweden with my husband when I was 25. I initially wanted to work as a lab assistant, but professors advised me to formally pursue further studies instead of immediately seeking a job.

So, I applied to several graduate schools in Sweden and across northern Europe, including Copenhagen, northern Germany, Berlin, Hamburg, and Finland. I was accepted into two programs — one in Oulu, Finland, literally close to where Santa Claus lives! — and the other was an industrial PhD at the University of Lübeck. This PhD was funded by EUROIMMUN and focused on Alzheimer’s disease, working on novel antibodies to discover biomarkers.

In 2014, I moved to Lübeck. My role was split between spending four days a week at the company’s lab and one day at the university for coursework. After a year, my mentor had to step down for personal reasons, so I continued under Dr. Lars Komorowski, the current CSO of EUROIMMUN. Lars reminded me of Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize–winning physicist renowned for his brilliance and unconventional mentorship style. Charismatic and intellectually inspiring, Lars rarely provided direct answers—instead, he challenged me to think independently and critically at every step. While his approach could be difficult at times, it ultimately shaped me into a resilient problem solver and sharpened my ability to navigate real-world complexities with confidence..Despite challenges, I did complete my PhD in 2018. 

EUROHub - And what are the demands and challenges of your current position as Senior Director of Product Strategy in the United States?"

Ishu - Today, I lead both Scientific Affairs and Marketing divisions. Scientific Affairs runs like a well-oiled machine — managing scientific communication, research collaborations, content development, and engaging key opinion leaders for product feedback. On the marketing side, we had to build the team and our processes from the ground up.

My main focus recently has been establishing digital marketing and product management structures, all while managing a lean team. For example, our US market is highly regulated — about 70% of our products are for research use only, so marketing campaigns have to be carefully tailored.

Effectively marketing a portfolio of over 3,000 products with a lean team is undoubtedly challenging. This is where my problem-solving skills play a critical role—enabling me to assess market demand, identify strategic priorities, and tailor marketing efforts accordingly. Despite our size, we are an agile team, continuously learning and implementing improvements with each new quarter. 

EUROHub - It’s interesting how you, as a scientist, combine research activities with marketing efforts to establish effective communication with the market. This connection is essential, and EUROIMMUN does a great job in this regard worldwide. But in your view, what makes EUROIMMUN a global leader in scientific research and diagnostics?

Ishu - Because we offer scientifically advanced, high-quality, and highly specialized diagnostic products. For example, our IFA slides contain ten times more mitotic cells than those of competitors, enabling more accurate Anti-Nuclear Antibody (ANA) pattern identification by laboratorians. Long before generative AI became mainstream, EUROIMMUN integrated artificial intelligence into our systems—our EUROPattern Microscope automates immunofluorescence microscopy from slide loading to image acquisition and result interpretation using deep convolutional neural networks. This is German engineering at its finest, backed by deep scientific expertise. And of course, I’m especially proud of our autoimmune neurology portfolio—our research has led to the identification of over 50 novel biomarkers, establishing us as market leaders in this space across the U.S.

We take great pride in our scientific foundation—approximately 10% of our global workforce consists of scientists. I would especially like to recognize the exceptional team here in the United States, including many PhDs and subject-matter experts, whose dedication and expertise continue to drive EUROIMMUN’s scientific excellence and credibility forward:

• Maite Sabalza, PhD – Senior Scientific Affairs Manager
• Stephanie Franco, PhD – Senior Portfolio Manager
• Ilana Heckler, PhD – Scientific Affairs Liaision
• Jackie Weiss, PhD – Scineitific Affairs Liaision
• Danielle Cervasio, PhD – Associate Scientific Affairs Liaision

We are not just selling products; we’re selling science-based solutions. That’s what differentiates us in the market. Also, I’m excited about opportunities to visit Brazil and deepen our collaboration. It’s a two-way street — the more we learn about each other’s markets and strengths, the better we can innovate together.

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